Sonata No.9 | MYG 🔞

20| Rhythm

Soundtrack: Alexander Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording) and An Open Letter to New York by the Beastie Boys

The land of opportunity, the jewel of America, the epitome of the modern world.

They said that in New York you could be a new man.

Yoongi wasn't so sure about that as his gaze stuck to the details of the busy streets unfolding in front of him. He was sitting next to Taehyung in the cab, looking around with a cold fascination at the sun refracting on the side of the shiny buildings to create streaks of colors hitting the sidewalks. The trees were dressed in red and yellow, gleaming in the golden and crisp atmosphere of Autumn.

The pianist had to admit, though, that coming back after a while was thrilling. New York was a fun city to be around. Unlike Paris, who was slow and languid, tasting of sunlight and walks in the shade, New York had a swift rhythm, bamboozling even the most indolent into running into the streets, following the currant of Wall Street traders and busy officials marching like soldiers. New York's heart was fast paced, pumping its people quickly, pushing them around until they found their place into the system. Yoongi liked to be swallowed by its rhythm, he liked the noise and the diversity of the people, that no matter the hour, somewhere a party was going on.

New York; such an organized chaos of a city. A city of Jazz and filthy subway stations, a city of contrasts, like the one between the Manhattan upper class bourgeoisie and the hippies selling LSD in side alleys, a city of Broadway and Alexander Hamilton, of people writing poems on rooftops in ChinaTown, and expressing their art by blocking highways to draw hearts on the asphalt.

"Dear New York, I know a lot has changed, two towers down, but you're still in the game," Taehyung asserted.

"You're quoting the Beastie Boys now?" mocked Yoongi, sending him a side glance.

After crossing Queens, Long Island, and taking the bridge crossing the East River, they were finally in Manhattan, slowly slithering through the morning traffic to reach the Upper West side.

"Why am I so hungry for pizza? It's 10 in the morning!"

"Idiot, it's 5pm in Paris! It's about dinner time for us, of course you're craving pizza."

"We should go for pizza... like right now! It could be fun, like a New Yorker pilgrimage or something, that's exactly what we should do first thing when coming to a new city; eat the local food."

Yoongi shook his head, eyes darted on his phone. Victoria, who was in another cab with Hoseok, was sending him selfies and he couldn't not smile seeing her enthusiastic smile, cheek glued to the manager's as she let out her tongue in a cute grimace.

"So... pizza?" attempted Taehyung again, trying to spot what Yoongi was looking at.

The pianist put the phone in his pocket, a grin still glued on his lips.

"I don't think we can. Victoria and I have to practice and there is an official dinner tonight for all the participants, a pre-welcome before the official opening ceremony tomorrow. The best thing we're going to have for lunch are sandwiches from the hotel."

"That's some fancy stuff, right there," conveyed the violinist, eyes glued to the window, "and wow I think I just saw a guy that was on fire."

Yoongi wasn't looking. He was on his phone again, texting Victoria. This time, Taehyung reacted fast enough and stole the gadget from his hands, looking at the screen where he spotted Victoria's name.

"Victoria? Seriously? How codependent are you two? We left the airport thirty minutes ago and you will see her in like – five minutes. Can't you not talk to her for two seconds?"