No one knows why or how, but everyone in Anyan, South Korea, is born with an intangible red thread tied around one of their fingers. The blood-colored fiber is said to be connected to the heart, a figurative extension of the aorta. No one can see any other thread other than yours. It stretches out for a few meters and suddenly cuts off, fading into nothingness, like a scarf falling victim to a heavy blizzard. At the other end of each reddish strand is a person's soulmate, and only when the two meet does the other half of the thread become fully visible.
The red thread symbolizes the unification of two intertwined destinies; it is such a powerful force that no one can understand its mechanisms. It's like they woke up out of nowhere and had to live with it, with no complaints or doubts as to why they somehow depended on a miserable piece of filament. Everyone in this world will meet their soul mate eventually, and when they do, the thread will tighten like the strings of a guitar, and they feel a longing in their hearts for their partner.
Hanbin has noticed lately that his red string doesn't hang in the air as much as before, nor does it accumulate in a disastrous whirlpool when idle. He has become a little stiff and doesn't know the reason for that, breathing in the benefit and curse of doubt. He has been living alone in this rather large city for years, and never has his rope been so close to being taut and intact. Not much has changed in his existence, even though the thread is different. His life went his usual worldly path.
The wind stripped all the trees of their golden and red leaves. The carts in the city markets were full of heavy eyes and pumpkins, and the smell of fresh bread filled the air. For that reason, he had a small guess that perhaps it had to do with the sudden appearance of the traveling circus in town. His steam train was parked behind the western part of Anyang, the colorful Cirque Encore logo standing out among the surrounding establishments.
The pamphlets were taped to the stucco buildings of the city, and no one could miss the immense spire that workers have been assembling for days. He was quick to get a pass, knowing they would quickly run out of how much people in his region craved fun and entertainment.
The night of the last show was packed with a large and impressive crowd, but luckily, he had arrived in time to have a seat right up front. With the influx of individuals around and the lack of a breeze, he felt like he was being pulled into an oven, quite uncomfortable. A whisper of the autumn breeze danced in his own way with each flap of the tent curtains as new spectators entered.
Swallowing nervously, he scanned his lap, his gaze fixed on the stiff red string tied around his finger. His instincts had been right after all. A sudden feeling of sickness washed over him, swallowing it with his saliva like vomit. He hadn't mentally prepared himself to meet his soulmate, what would he say to him? Would he like his outfit? What if this was all an illusion of his mind? What if he ended up not even finding his soulmate in the first place? A round of applause and cheers filling the arena ripped him from his thoughts. Perking up as he saw a young emcee welcoming the crowd with a charming smile and sweet words, some locks of black hair framing his face. His voice echoed through the microphone in his hand, introducing himself and announcing the next acts to come, the first of which would be horse shows.
A wave of gasps erupted from the onlookers as a sudden herd of horses rushed from the rear of the big tent, their jeweled braided manes bouncing in the process. Colorful headdresses, bridles and fluffy feathers adorned each horse as they all trotted in a uniformed circle around the curb with such precision that it left everyone in awe. The equestrian master, DK — if he recall the words of the track master correctly — stepped into the center of the ring, smiling proudly at all the horses bowing their heads to the crowd. He tipped his leather hat to the band at the back to signal the start of his performance, and the dozens of horses instantly went into motion. Some galloped to the beat of the drums, while others performed tricks and posed for the dazzled audience.
