(Guide Us to) A Million Stars

4

I watched the news reports on TV in disbelief. They reported the number of people in the world infected with the virus and the number of the dead. Both were in the thousands. They listed businesses that were open in South Korea because they were essential and they listed those that were not. The news that got my attention the most was the report on fifteen countries, including the United States, that were imposing heavy travel restrictions on travelers to and from South Korea beginning March 1.

That was one week away.

Would Auntie and I get kicked out of the country? Or would she take the initiative and decide for the both of us that we were going back to Los Angeles? My thoughts were in a downward spiral. So I picked up my guitar in the living room, sat on the couch, and turned off the TV. I strummed a few chords to put my mind at ease.

Over in the hallway, where Auntie was sitting at her computer desk, I could hear her starting a lesson with Taehyung. "Did you do your homework?" He replied "yes" and read her his answers from the workbook.

His accent is so cute! It made me smile as I played the first notes of a song on the guitar.

"Suni! Please be quiet," Auntie hissed at me.

As I got up to put the instrument away, I heard Taehyung's voice from the computer. "Oh? Can I talk to her?"

My head turned toward the hallway. Auntie shook her head. "We must work on your lesson. Open your book to page 51."

I tiptoed over to her, staying a few feet behind. I saw Taehyung's face on the screen and waved at him. He waved back. Auntie turned around and faced me. "Excuse me," she said.

I mouthed "sorry" and returned to the living room. Then I heard his voice again. "Ms. Suni, can I ask Suni something?"

When I looked at Auntie, she was slowly turning the computer monitor towards me. Taehyung's eyes met mine. "Suni?"

"Yes?" I moved closer to the computer.

"Can you play guitar?"

"I'm not great at it, but yes."

"What song was that?"

"It's just something I made up. I was bored."

"Excuse me...maybe it can be melody of the poem I write."

"The one you wrote for your homework?"

He nodded and picked up his tablet to show me on the screen. Auntie tried to scoot closer but I grabbed another chair and sat in front of the computer.

"Can you put these words to music?" Taehyung asked.

"Oh, I don't know. I was just making up a silly tune."

"Please?"

I thought for a minute then left to grab my guitar. When I returned, I noticed Auntie rolling her eyes. I strummed a few chords. "How about...," I read his writing as I sang,

"Travel with me.

Don't you wanna get away.

Don't you wanna run away

I can take you to anywhere

Ride with me anywhere..."

I finished singing his lyrics. Taehyung smiled. It was the kind of smile that went all the way up to his eyes. One I hadn't seen much in BTS' most recent videos. "Daebak! You are good. I write more words. Do you want to hear it?"

"Sure."

He shifted his attention to Auntie. "Ms. Suni, can we take a break?"

Auntie stood up. "This is going on your progress report," she said as she left.