The two little kids looked at each in pure delight, with smiles dancing on their faces, as the beautiful melody being played on the grand piano reached their ears.
The younger, Mandolin, stood up on her tipy toes and continued to ballet dance around the room.
The older, Namjoon, watched his best friend, basking in her radiating beauty.
When Mandolins father softly pushed down the last key of the song, she took a bow and giggled along with her dear friend.
"Play another one!" Namjoon requested, excitement bubbling around him. He agreed to play one more song. This song was a bit faster, the "minute waltz" by Frédéric Chopin. This time, both of them stood up to dance with each other.
As the days grew longer, Mandolins love for the piano grew deeper, and she mastered it.
Mandolin sat cross cross apple sauce on the black polished piano bench, her hands scrolling through her phone, looking for the next Mozart song she wanted to learn.
The soft ring of the door bell, dragged her back to reality.
Realizing who it was, she quickly stood up and ran towards the front door of her tiny house.
"Joonie!" She squealed excitedly, jumping into his arms. "I learned a new song! You wanna hear it?!?"
"I'd love too," he stated smiling at her. She dragged him into the little secrete room, separated from the rest of her house. She preferred to have her piano room tucked away. It was a place she felt safe and she didn't like others listening to her practice, only perform.
"Okay, this piece is called "Rainy Memory" although it's not by any famous composer it's a very beautiful song." She informed.
Namjoon sat on the ground slightly behind the piano, like they did when they were kids, even thought they technically still were.
Her hands danced across the keys, like they were born to play, although she was only 14 years old, she was a remarkable player. And her passion for the simple instrument couldn't be matched, she wasn't quite as good as her father, but she had decades upon decades to practice and hopes of one day decoming a famous composer. One that every one looked up to, just like how she looked up to so many others.
Playing the piano was her everything, she simply couldn't find joy in anything else. She wasn't the best student, but she also wasn't the worst. She'd usually get distracted in class, she'd find herself tapping her fingers along with the song she was currently learning.
The song that she was performing for Namjoon, was one the matched the behaviour of rain. It starts soft, building up, then slowing down again. The piece quickly gets louder and louder, and the powerful chorus sounds. The rain goes back to how it was in the beginning for a split second before picking up again. That's what she loved most about the song, how diverse it was with its dynamics and tempo.
"Tah-da!" She half sang after the piece ended.
"That was beautiful!" Namjoon exclaimed.
"Why thank you," she bowed, mimicking her younger self and sat down next to Namjoon. "Want me to teach you?" Ecxitment escaped her voice as she asked such a simple question.
"Uhrrmm, I'm not the best at playing instruments..."
"Come on, it's easy!" She reassured.
It wasn't easy.
He couldn't seem to remember which note was which, or if A was the second of third space of the staff.
Eventually Mandolin gave up on teaching that song and taught him how to play 'Mary had a little on the piano'
He caught on to that quite quickly, then she taught him the melody to heart and soul, while she played the accompaniment.
Once they finished she gave him a warm smile, "Now that wasn't so hard was it." She asked hands on her hips
"I'm still a little shakey." He replied hesitantly.
"Well, you did great!" Mandolin punched his should softly "you'd better get home, your moms probably wondering where you are."
"Oh! You're right, see ya tomorrow!"
She waved a goodbye while chuckling at her friend.
She sat back down at her favorite spot, on her piano bench and played a soft melody with hand.
Soon she found her arms laid across the keys her head resting on top of them drifting off to sleep.
----
A loud bang woke her from her sleep. Her head jerked up just in time to see smoke rising in the room followed by fire coming through the bottom of the door.
Her eyes widened and she ran to the door trying to open it. But it wouldn't budge.
"Come on!" She yelled. Her breaths were becoming shallower and she continued to struggle with the door. Flames rose all around her, catching her beloved piano on fire.
Tears streamed down her face, she let out multiple screams for help. She didn't want to die, not yet. She had so many dreams to work towards. Her hands slammed on the door over and over again, anything that would work.
The thought of her losing her life made her even more scared.
"Someone please help me!!" She hollered, her voice cracked from all the tears "please!!" She was losing hope, and breaths.
The red and orange vibrant colors of the fire seemed to fade and she could feel her eyes slowly closing. Her body has exhausted, her throat from screaming, her eyes from crying, and her lungs from trying to breath. She could feel her body shutting down, but she didn't protest, she simply couldn't.
The last thing she saw, was someone jerking on the door knob and eventually, someone making there may through.
Her father held on to Mandolin, trying to bring her and himself to safety.
But not everything ends the way you want it to.
