Sonata No.9 | MYG 🔞

19| New York

Soundtrack: Big Jet Plane by Angus and Julia Stone and Canon in D major by Johann Pachelbel

The Charles de Gaulle airport was as busy as usual despite the early hour. Hurried businessmen in suits, tourists wearing Hawaiian shirts and elders, like migratory birds getting away for the winter, composed the majority of the crowd. The place was so vast that it almost felt like a small city; people running around looking for their suitcases, others sleeping in the uncomfortable plastic chairs of the waiting areas, and more, clearly on another time zone, having dinner at one of the numerous restaurants. The white-tiled floorings gently gleamed in the early daylight as it streamed down the glass ceilings, showing off the planes that were taking off right above the building. Victoria's tired eyes observed, greatly interested by the motion of the metal shells as they flew above her head, retracting their landing wheels to disappear further into the clouds.

She removed her red backpack from her tensed shoulders, opening it to look for her passport and her wallet for what felt like the hundredth time.

"Relax," whispered Yoongi in her ear, and the girl exhaled slowly, closing her eyes.

The pianist put a comforting arm around her shoulders, holding her close in a way that he wanted to look brotherly. There were a lot of people around and he could not possibly act as a boyfriend at the moment even if he itched to take her hand and kiss her forehead. Victoria leaned against him, her eyes heavy with sleep and her head rolling against his arm. Yoongi couldn't stop himself in time and he moved a few strands away from her face. He looked around, realizing what he had just done. To play the brotherly-part, he tousled her hair a bit, sending back the strands in her face. Victoria narrowed her eyes at him and shook her head with a chuckle, unimpressed by his acting.

Taehyung yawned loudly in their backs, annoyed that they had been standing in line for what felt like hours and that it hadn't moved one bit. He had decided to accompany Yoongi, Victoria, and Hoseok at the competition because he didn't want to stay in Paris alone, but wasn't happy that he had to wake up at the crack of dawn to wait in line for what felt like way too long.

Hoseok, Juilliard pamphlets and organizer in hand, was planning Yoongi and Victoria's tight schedule, full of master classes, interviews and concert-watching. The Juilliard Sonata Competition was the equivalent of the Olympics of music and he was determined to make the best out of the two weeks they were going to be in New York, the eyes of the public carefully focused on the duo.

Finally, the line started to move, and Taehyung let out a relieved groan.

"You would think that traveling with the famous Min Yoongi would mean you don't have to go through things like luggage registration, but it seems like he's not so all-powerful after all. I was on the verge of growing roots back there," he teased, shoving the pianist's shoulder.

Victoria giggled, which in turn made Yoongi smile. He was glad Taehyung had decided to come. He knew that the violinist would have felt left-out by staying in Paris while him and Victoria were competing at the Juilliards. By coming with them, he would be part of the action too, tasting a little bit the musical scene he so dearly missed.

Finally, the four of them arrived at the check-in counter, where a bored-looking lady in red uniform put their suitcases on a scale, weighing them after they gave her their passport and plane tickets.

"What about that one?" the lady asked, pointing at Victoria's violin.

"I'm bringing it in the plane with me."

"You can't, it's only one handbag per person and you already have a backpack, you need to register it for the baggage compartment."

Victoria shook her head, all the blood leaving her face at once.