VIRTUOSO - A MYG Story

SOSTENUTO

SOSTENUTO

Sustained

FAYE

By the time summer rolled around, things were finally feeling normal again. Yoongi continued his therapy sessions every week, sometimes inviting me along to join him. It was a lot to unpack, and he had some nights where he struggled with it, but as promised, I never once left his side.

Jane found happiness in her new version of "work". Once again, smiling kids would run in the door to greet her, but this time it was in our house. The students felt like an extension of our own family, and we valued every moment we had with them, grateful for the chance to inspire them all. In July, we held a home recital. Even Mr. Bangtan attended, proud of us for what we'd accomplished.

A week before the big festival, the band got together for extra practice sessions. Even more important than the competition months ago, headlining a festival was a huge leap for us and something we knew we had to do as well as we could.

"So, we've got thirty-four minutes in the first half, five minute quick break, then straight back in for the last 27 minutes of the set. Are there any last minute changes anyone would like to suggest or are we all in agreement about the setlist?" Yoongi stood in front of all of us, chest held high. He was so proud, I could practically see the excitement bubbling out of him.

Kookie was fidgety and giddy with big, bright eyes and a smile. "All good here. Can't wait."

Everyone approved the list and continued on with a final run-through before they called it a night.

"Alright, so Thursday at 5, last practice..." Jimin sought affirmation as he packed up his instrument.

"Yep. Then we head out early Friday morning. We should arrive by one, which should give us enough time to check out the festival," Hobi replied, childlike excitement making his eyes glisten in the light of the room. It was exciting and the positive energy was contagious. Everyone was ready to finally see through that amazing chapter of our lives and truly celebrate all that we'd grown to be as a band and as a family.

I sat between Yoongi and Jane on the plane. Jane hadn't flown in years, so she was quite nervous and adorably wanted to hold my hand during take-off. Taehyung, Jimin, and Kookie nearly got themselves separated after all their goofing off annoyed some grouchy lady sitting across the aisle from them.

"To be fair, she made more noise opening the, what was it... EIGHT bags of chips she had smashed into her bag?" Jin laughed in their defense as everyone walked together through Reagan National towards the car rentals. The airport was pretty busy and the line at the car rental place was long, so naturally, the antics of six bored boys trapped in grown men's bodies began.

"Where's Koo?" Namjoon's eyes darted around the busy lobby.

"He was here just a second ago, I thought..." Yoongi scrunched his face, puzzled.

Jimin and Jin offered to break away from the group to circle the lobby, hoping to find him nearby. They had genuinely begun to worry and were about to approach the security guard nearby for help, but then, with a huge, shit-eating grin on his face, Kookie himself strolled right back into the lobby...

...with a man in a suit.

"...'the fuck?" Yoongi stood there holding my hand as we saw that it wasn't an accident. That guy really was walking beside Koo and we had no idea why.