8 Sips of Blood | Stray Kids Mafia FanFic

Ryung's backstory part 2

-So... do you have any family in town or...?

-I have a dad in another city. He's dead to me. I had a mother. Opera singer. She died, Ryung replied bluntly as he chewed on his burger.

Felix was left speechless. He took a few moments to decide how to deal with him carefully.

Ryung kind of reminded him of his Minmin hyung which managed to bring some tears in his eyes.

He missed him so much. He missed the team. He missed the chaos and the dinner with all of them at one table. Instead he was outside of his tent, eating cold pasta with a total stranger.

-Are you planing to stay in town then?

-I'll stay where I find a job, Ryung replied not even sparing a glance at the freckled.

-What kind of job?

-Anything. I'm desperate.

-Then... you can work here. The sound of the fork scratching the plate made Felix squirm in pain.

-Here? Would you do that for me? Ryung raised his gaze and looked at Felix with interest.

-Of course! We can try at least, he shrugged.

He didn't want to give the boy false hope. The circus wasn't such a hit and he was already doubting its future. But maybe Ryung was the salvation he needed. The spark. The main attraction he was missing. They finished their meal in silence before stepping together inside the main tent.

-What do you want to do? We have jogglers, clowns, puppeteers, comedians, acrobats. You choose.

-What about the animals?

-No more animals. I used them once before I released them. I'm not continuing with animal cruelty.

-Good. What do you need me to do then? Ryung looked around, scanning the whole place.

-It's about you. What do you want to do with your life, Ryung?

-Win. Excell. -Obviously, but at what?

-Anything. I want to be known for my efforts. To be recognised as someone that matters. I want to leave my mark. Doesn't matter where or how. I want to be seen, he confessed as his heart squeezed at the memories of people taking advantage of his hard work throughout the years.

-I see. You know, I've been in this industry for... all my life. I was born in the circus. I used to be the main attraction and I loved the ovations and the cheering and the spotlights. I still do, but I'm getting older and more conscious about the dancers of my recklessness. Besides... With all my past I'm trying to stay out of the spotlight for a while. But you? You have greater plans than me. I could teach you to bring the attention on you. What do you say? You bring people here for me and I teach you how.

-Sounds fine by me.

Felix had taught him everything. From acrobatics to knife throwing. Even some magic tricks for the visual effect.

And the more Ryung learned the more he wanted to know.

It was never enough. He mastered each trick one by one and kept craving for more adrenaline.

-Lix!

The freckled whiped his head to the entrance and spotted a familiar face. He smiled widely and told Ryung to wait for him as he went to say hi to an old friend.

-Hyunjin! Felix threw himself into the older's embrace and stayed there for a good minute.

Hyunjin had the Medusa fighting club under his authority and was busy most of the time. He tried his best to sneak and see Felix more often, but there were months when their only interactions were online.