Yesteryear

Meeting a Legend

The next day, Wooyoung and San were ready and at the cathedral on time to meet with Leonardo da Vinci. Just like last time, they scaled the stairs in reverent silence and made their long way up to the attic. This time when they knocked on the door, the shuffling of feet came to the wood. Moments later, Seonghwa - dressed in a white shirt today that was stained with coal and paint - opened the door for them. When he stared them down with his tall frame that got even taller with his staircase advantage, Wooyoung and San grinned their angelic smiles.

"You're here," Seonghwa noticed unnecessarily. By the time he finally motioned them in, another big rock dropped from Wooyoung's heart. He had feared the man might change his mind once more.

San went first and made sure his broad body forced the other man to step aside far enough that Wooyoung could slip through. Once he remembered his role, he stood straight and regal. Not that he could beat Seonghwa's natural stiffness, but he tried.

"Thank you for allowing us in."

For a moment, they just got impaled by the other man's chilly glares. Then, he spun on his heel to cross the attic cluttered with wooden racks, canvasses in various states of usage and so many oddly shaped medieval art instruments that Wooyoung couldn't name.

"Follow me."

Seonghwa directed them up the stairs to the upper area, where they could hear someone else clutter around. The two boys followed diligently. When Seonghwa wasn't looking, the two shared a triumphant smile.

Finally, things had worked out. Wooyoung was positive that he wouldn't have succeeded this time without San. They made a great team. Yongguk had no reason not to pair them up more often.

Another winding staircase led up to the upper floor. Seonghwa disappeared in front of them first while Wooyoung and San shuffled up to take a long look around.

The attic of the church was cluttered like any attic would be, only that this one was worth millions of euros. The canvas in the corner that had a dirty rag slung over it could become a national heritage. The apparatus to the left that reminded Wooyoung of fantastical steampunk universes could be the next big hit every museum wanted in their entrance hall.

Worth most of it all was the man who controlled the chaos. The living legend, Leonardo da Vinci. Even if his last name wasn't da Vinci yet and the Mona Lisa was long from being drawn.

His respect for historical figures, no matter the impression they left, restricted Wooyoung's tongue. With big eyes, he looked around while San and he lingered near the staircase. Without similar qualms, Seonghwa marched right ahead to join the side of the middle-aged man with wild brown hair and coal-stained hands, who worked on a sizeable piece of parchment as they intruded.

"I brought your visitors," Seonghwa announced stiffly. He retreated to the smaller and orderly desk in the corner to do whatever he worked on.

Leonardo beckoned the two idling bystanders over before Wooyoung got to figure out what all the wooden racks were for. So many crates stacked the room and most of them had other pieces of work on them, either drying or in progress still.

Wooyoung barely dared to look at the many sketches and pages filled with scribbles on the artist's desk. He felt as if intruding in on the man's creative progress; as if discovering things the world wasn't meant to see.

San stuck close to him as if picking up on his distress, but he didn't talk. His silence reminded Wooyoung that he had to keep up his pretence to succeed.

After a moment of Leonardo still working away as if the devil in person had given him his deadline, he had found his words again.

"Master Leonardo. I come to ask for your advice regarding matters of myth and legend. Or rather, science, in a more modern mindset."