Time Magic

27

"Noona, come into my room with me, I'll show you my pictures." Yoongi called out excitedly and pulled on my hand.

"Yoongi, why don't you let our guest come in first?" his grandmother called out amusedly, but I just waved her off.

"Hello, Halmoni... It's ok, we haven't seen each other for a long time." I reassured her and she went back to the kitchen, probably to make us some snacks. I entered Yoongi's room and he happily pointed to a few pictures on the wall where he had drawn buildings in great detail. He beamed proudly to himself.

"You know, I love the house across the street, it's so beautiful and the hyung who is there today told me that architects design houses that are so beautiful, so I want to be an architect because I want to create beauty," he explained to me and I immediately knew why Beomie had grinned.

"It's a beautiful profession, Yoongi... but you know what?" I asked him, knowing how I could lure him away from this path again.

"What, Noona?" he looked at me with innocent eyes.

"Do you want everyone to know your name for what you created?" I raised an eyebrow and he nodded eagerly.

"Yes, I definitely do." he confirmed.

"Do you know the name of the architect of the building? Or any of these buildings?" I wanted to know and he scratched the back of his head thoughtfully.

"No... you don't know them at all..." he considered and immediately grimaced.

"Don't worry, you can still create something beautiful... You like music, don't you?" I asked and his eyes immediately lit up and he nodded eagerly.

"Yes, Halmoni has a piano and I'm always strumming on it. I'd love to learn how to play it. Do you think I can make beautiful music that will make people happy and everyone will know my name?" he beamed at the question.

"Yes, you can and I'm sure everyone will know you." I assured him, which is why he happily snuggled up to me and hugged me with his little arms. It smelled of freshly baked cinnamon buns and we both lifted our faces into the aroma, stood up and ran into the kitchen as if magically attracted. Yoongi's grandma had just taken her baked goods out of the oven and placed them on the table to cool, steaming and juicy-looking.

"Come and sit down, the cinnamon buns taste best warm." she asked us, so we sat down. My mouth was watering, the pastries were really delicious.

"Halmoni... I don't want to interfere, but I will anyway. Yoongi wants to learn to play your piano... Do you need help paying for a teacher?" I asked her directly and she looked at Yoongi in surprise.

"You want to learn to play it?" she addressed him directly, he nodded and continued chewing happily.

"He has a great talent for music, you have to encourage that." I demanded.

"We don't need any help, I can teach him. I used to play it myself, even if I don't play anymore, I can still teach him." she assured me.

"That would be really wonderful." I confirmed with a smile and Yoongi looked as if he had won the top prize at the Christmas market raffle.

"Really? You're going to teach me?" He was totally beside himself and didn't seem to think about becoming an architect for another second - I successfully drove the flea out of his ear. I stayed for a few more hours, played with Yoongi and helped his grandmother wash the dishes before saying goodbye again.

"I'll see you again sometime..." I promised, before hugging the little one and shaking his grandmother's hand. It was only when I was outside in an unobserved moment, traveling home again, that I realized that I could have given him a kiss to awaken magic...