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«Now, let’s have fun, everyone! Fill this place with love! Love, love, love – the Love Long Circus!»

The drinks and snacks we had ordered were brought to us ten minutes after the fact. There was a buzzing sound, like the ones you always heard in movie theaters and playhouses. Then, the circus’ theme song played.

“It’s finally starting!”
“I’m excited what we’ll see!”

Mika and I were holding hands over our seats’ armrests. On that note, all three couples were holding hands with their respective partners. Well, this was pretty much a triple date.

«Everyone, we welcome you to the love-filled Love Long Circus!»

We could hear the voice of the girl doing commentary from speakers.

«From near and far you’ve come, thank you so much for visiting us! We hope you enjoy these dreamlike two hours overflowing with love!»

Mr. Mitsuo, or rather, Long-Heart walked onto the stage with unsteady steps, carrying something that looked like a tire.

«Long-Heart has arrived! It looks like he wants to greet everyone!»

The clown dropped the tire and looked around while waving at the audience from the stage. He was famous even outside the circus, so the spectators were extremely excited. Even Mika seemed hyped up and gripped my hand more strongly. Her eyes were shining as she gazed at the stage.

Hang, I should look at the stage, not Mika. Since we came here to watch the circus.

«What’s that? Long-Heart is going to demonstrate a trick to greet everyone…? He is! Long-Heart will balance on the tire!»

People were clapping and cheering, even though nothing had happened yet.

Mr. Mitsuo… no, Long-Heart placed the tire on the floor upright and then climbed onto it. The moment he did (as would happen to anyone who tried that) he crashed down face-first. The tire fell to the ground next to him and he flailed his arms and legs in apparent frustration. He then made a gesture meaning, “once more” and put the tire upright again.

When he tried to climb on it once more, he tumbled down again. He then stood up and stamped his feet in vexation, before crossing his arms to (feign to) think. About five seconds later, together with a sound-effect from the speakers, he acted as if he had an idea and picked the tire up a third time.

Finally, he… didn’t climb on it like before, instead he made a handstand on it. It was something new, and he had succeeded on the first attempt.

“Wha-… incredible!?”
“Woof, even I couldn’t do that…!”
“As expected from a circus performer.”

No matter how you looked at it, doing a handstand on a tire was more difficult than what he tried earlier. Long-Heart alighted from the tire, nodded a few times in apparent satisfaction and then tried to climb onto it like earlier. However, he failed once more.

One way succeeded while the other failed. I couldn’t help bursting out laughing.

“He’s good at making people laugh… Ha-ha!”
“The circus is so much fun, Kanata!” Sakura cheered.
“Well, it feels like I’m here for the first time, too,” my brother replied.

Both circus first-timers seemed to be having fun. Rir also got excited like a little child and ended up being tangled up with Shuu.

“I wonder if the performances got better since we were here the last time,” Mika mused.
“It was ten years ago, so I don’t remember it clearly. Still… it feels like you’re right.”

Long-Heart inclined his head as if to say “huh?”, then picked up the tire and put it around his neck, before giving the audience a bow and leaving the stage.

«Long-Heart will be back! Now, the first performance will be ‘Airial Acrobatics’. Watch as they deftly manipulate fabric suspended from above and use it to perform lovely dances!»

As the woman had said, fabric was lowered from the tent’s roof. Several performers who wore outfits like those of ballet dancers appeared and bowed to the audience.

The lighting¹ changed, transforming the tent’s interior and the atmosphere into something graceful. Each of the performers put their feet on the cloth, and once the music started, they climbed up swiftly while rolling it up.

“Woof~, they’re climbing so dexterously.”
“That somethin’ you could do, Rir?”
“Doing a handstand on a tire might still be possible, but not this. Not even wolfkin can do everything.”
“Makes sense.”

No matter how far Rir’s athletic abilities outstripped those of normal people (according to the girls, she was incredibly good in PE), even she couldn’t move her body completely as she wanted. Well, that was natural. Shuu, another monster in regard to athletic ability, couldn’t do the stuff circus performers did either.

“Hm~, that’s how a circus should be!”
“You’re right…”

It was indeed lovely how they repeatedly climbed the cloth, descended it, and climbed it once more.

And there are still many more performances to come. I can’t help feeling excited.

1. The original is 証明 (“proof”, “verification”). I assume that’s an error and meant to be the homophone 照明 (“lighting”, “illumination”).

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