Circus - Namjin

11th performance

Day 5 (Part 2/2)

Someone knocked on the door. Shocked, Jin stepped away from him and a rasped out a 'Yes?' to let in the intruder. The blue mob of hair appeared in the doorframe and opened his mouth to say something, but stopped confused when he saw Namjoon. The magician's eyes flickered between them and Namjoon wished he could sink into the floor. God, what would have happened if Suga had not interrupted them? He shook his head and forced all his attention back to the man in the door.

"Just wanted to check if you're back safe," the small man said towards Jin.

"Well, obviously," the other replied, "But I'll never go as a woman again! There were like ten old guys who offered me a ride home."

Suga's expression was something between amused and pitiful. "Okay, no more promoting in dresses. But I want to remind you that it was Jimin's idea, not mine."

The magician glanced over to Namjoon again, and after some seconds of just scanning the intern, he said what made Namjoon feel even more uncomfortable, "Sorry for interrupting. Continue!" And he closed the door again.

Embarrassed, Namjoon buried his face in his hands. When he heard a rustle next to him, he lifted his gaze again, but oh how he regretted that. Jin had slipped out of the red dress and his almost naked figure climbed into the closet. Almost naked... he wore damn stockings with a rim made of lace and held up by suspenders that he had put on over matching lacy underwear. Namjoon would never get that picture out of his head. Why could Jin not just wear normal socks and boxers under the dress? Why did the pink-haired torture him with this tempting sight? And why did he even find it tempting? He was looking at a man, not a woman!

When the other came back out of the closet, Namjoon thanked the heavens that he had put on a wide white button-down with black jeans. The knowing smile on the elder's face was another story. Namjoon just stared down at his bare feet and followed the beauty out of the room and through the hallway. His feet would be hell of dirty after his time at the circus, but he liked walking bare foot. He could feel every little ripple in the floor, the coolness of stone and the soothing softness of the carpets.

Two minutes later they stood in the kitchen and Jin filled the water cooker.

"Kookie likes strong coffee. He always brews it with the French press. Maybe you should bring him the can and not just a mug. Then the coffee has enough time to get strong enough," the older explained and filled the hot water into the glass can which he had prepped with coffee powder. He put the lid with the plunger on it and handed it to Namjoon together with a big yellow mug.

"Now go. He'll be angry if you take much more time." And with that the pink-haired shoved him out of the kitchen.

"Took you ages. Do you always need twenty minutes to prep some coffee?" Namjoon got greeted when he entered the raven's room again. He sighed and ignored the hiss. It was no use to explain his situation to the other, so he simply kept silent and placed the coffee and the mug on the table.

When the younger was finally done with sipping his coffee and ignoring him, they went over to the stage. The curtain had been fixed, Namjoon noticed. He should apologize to whoever had to bring it back up. Hell, what was happening to him? He became considerate.

"We have to check the ropes, if any safety and securing mechanism is working and fixed. You'll do the ones that secure the framework to the ground," the younger instructed. He then showed him the wires and how he had to check them and fix them if necessary.

Grateful that he did not have to go up the ladder, he checked the metal ropes while the raven checked on the tightrope and other security wires up in the height of thirty feet. Where was the security net? Or at least a security belt like you used it to do bungee jumping? Was it not dangerous to climb up there with no security system at all? Concerned, he watched the artist walk around carelessly on the small frame.

"Can you bring me the tool I gave you?" the younger shouted down to him, "I forgot mine."

Was this kid serious? He would definitely not climb up to him to just hand him a small metal rod to tighten some wires. If he forgot, he would have to come down himself.

"No, sorry. But I'm afraid of heights," Namjoon shouted back, head in his neck.

He heard a dry laugh, before the boy replied, "You serious? The big guy is scared of heights? Get you shit together and come up! I want to go eat dinner and don't need you to slow down my work!"

This impolite little kid. The raven behaved so childish and did not even seem to notice it. Disbelieving, Namjoon snorted.

"I won't come up to you, and that's it!" he called up, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

A low growl and a kick against the frame was the answer, before the artist slid down the metal ladder with his feet on the site struts. He turned around with furious eyes.

"What's your damn problem posh boy?" he shouted at Namjoon, making the older take a step back. How did the younger know?

"What?" the kid barked, "You thought I didn't know? Tsk. I can smell a snob from afar." And he pulled the tool from Namjoon's hand.

"The heck is wrong with you, kid?" Namjoon snapped back.

"I just can't stand people like you. Your fancy cars and big houses with housemaids and butlers whom you can treat like shit. It's making me sick. You're allowed to do everything just because there is an army of lawyers behind your backs." The boy sounded like he was about to cry. And the next sentence was nothing more than a whisper, "You give a shit about people like us." And raven-head stormed off the stage.

What the hell did just happen? What did he do to deserve such treatment? No, wrong way of approaching the problem. More like, what made the boy think like that? There must be more than the mere reason he was rich.

A gentle hand on his shoulder made him turn around. Jin.

"Don't worry. He has his ways of processing the pain," the older said.

Confused, Namjoon looked at him. Pain? What pain?

"Suga's project sure is stressing him. Come with me! Dinner is ready," the pink-haired said and followed the raven's path. They walked down the hallway when Namjoon could no longer hold back his curiosity.

"What happened to Jungkook?" he asked.

"You have to ask him yourself. If he doesn't tell you, I won't either," Jin replied, and Namjoon fell silent. He thought of the teary eyes of the raven and how broken his voice had sounded.

"How do you comfort someone when he's crying?" he asked when they walked over the grass towards the tables.

The beauty chuckled. "Just hug them."

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