... And Other Ships

JiKook: Rewrite the Stars

inspired by media above

The Kim Brothers' Circus was well-known throughout the streets of Manhattan, New York. Anyone who lived within a two-mile radius of the giant building never slept, for the show could be heard well into the night. People from all over America, Europe and Asia came to Manhattan just to see the circus. Unlike the Barnum Circus, which was filled with protesters, the Kim Brothers' acts were all very real. Very, very real. There was no way anyone could walk out after a show and say that it was fake.

For years, the two Korean immigrants traveled the world, searching for outcasts, rejects and people of extraordinary talent to become acts for their circus. In their homeland, they found a Daegu albino named Min Yoongi, as well as a Busan and Gwangju acrobat team. Park Jimin and Jung Hoseok were the best double-act in all of Asia. And, just like everyone else, they were street-casted into the circus. They promised to draw a crowd with their act, and they did. Summersaults, backflips, spread-eagles, they could do them all, suspended about thirty feet in the air. They were crafted at their skill and no one could ever replicate them. 

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"Hello?" Jeon Jungkook hesitantly stepped into the tiny office above the circus showroom. It was cluttered with fliers, paperwork and all sorts of merchandise and props. "Ah, Mr Jeon! You're here!" a voice came from under the desk. A man stood and dusted off his ring-leader uniform and fixed his dark-brown hair. From his attire, broad shoulders and movie-star face, Jungkook assumed this was none other than the eldest Kim brother. Henry Kim walked around the desk and shook the young man's hand, who couldn't help but notice how he shook a little. "Hello, Henry," he mumbled and the man laughed and shook his head. "We're both Korean! Call me by my real name, Seokjin. Or Jin," he said and Jungkook nodded obediently. "Yes sir. I'm here to take up the job offer, since you're retiring soon."

Jin sighed and took his tophat from a shelf. "Ah, yes. See, my health is starting to betray me. Parkinson's. And only at thirty-eight! The doctor says I need to give up my career and live a quiet life - move back to Korea. But I don't want to. My little brother, though, is on the side of the doctors. He said that if I don't go back home, he'll feed me to his big cats." There was a long pause before he spoke again. "I hope you learn fast, Jeon Jungkook. I need someone to take care of my family." It was definitely a huge responsibility, especially if Jack was still in the circus; he would watch Jungkook like a hawk. 

But Jungkook loved a challenge and a chance to prove them wrong. He held his hand out, jaw set and eyes determined. "I won't let you down." Jin took his hand with a smile. "I know you won't. Welcome to the Kim Brothers' Circus." And the young man smiled that bunny smile all the American girls fell for.

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The arena was filled with people here for the circus. Jungkook stood on the second level to watch Jin, memorizing every detail and scribbling some notes on his arm. Right after he introduced the acrobats, Jin came up to stand with Jungkook. "How are you enjoying the show?" he asked, but Jungkook didn't hear him.

He watched in awe as the acrobats flew through the air. They flowed so gracefully through the air that it was like they belonged there. The orange-haired man smiled a heart-shaped smile as he launched into the air from the ground via rope, spinning all the way up in a corkscrew. He landed on a platform and simply fell backwards, only to be caught by the small, pink-haired man hanging from a large silver ring. He tossed his partner back on the platform and was able to swing freely.

Time seemed to slow as he sailed through the air towards Jungkook; dangling from the ring by his legs as he came face-to-face with the soon-to-be ring-leader. And Jungkook had never seen anyone so ethereal as the pink-haired acrobat in front of him, who reached a small hand out to him gracefully. He found himself leaning forward just as he started to swing backward again and continued with his act.