Jinki passed Sydney customs without any problems. He kept his head down although he was certain that he would not be recognised. He wore no make-up.  He had gone to the hair stylist before his departure to change his colouring and added hair extensions just in case. His black hair was tied back into a ponytail and hidden under a baseball cap. Besides, no one was expecting him to be here.

Before he reached the exit he pulled out Key’s iPad. Key had given it to him and showed him the language app to help him communicate easier, since his English was barely passable. On the plane, Jinki had his first sentence saved and he had practised it throughout the flight. “Thank you for meeting me. Could you take me to a hotel please? I will stay there.”

Key had also mentioned that his friend would be waiting at the gate with a sign that said ‘Krystal’s brother’ in both English and Korean. Jinki had asked what that meant but he didn’t get an answer. He’ll just have to ask her when he found her.  Outside of the gate the sign was recognisable and he made his way up to the girl, his practised words on the tip of his tongue.

Jinki made a small bow of greeting and spoke the English words. She was quiet with a strange look on her face, as if she was trying to understand. Embarrassed that he may have mispronounced, he repeated his lines more carefully and slowly. It had the unfortunate effect of draining the blood from her face and recognition flashed in her eyes.

“What is your name?” she asked him in a whisper.

Jinki hesitated. He did not want to be known and chased about the city. The entire point of this trip was to escape. But he had seen that initial recognition before the question. And she must’ve known something that made her come all this way, although her relationship with Key was unclear to him.

“Your name?” she repeated in Korean.

“Lee Jinki.”

“Then who is Krystal?”

“Umm … I don’t understand.”

“Who wrote the message telling me to pick you up?”

“Kibum?”

“Key?”

He nodded affirmation. She looked like she was going to faint.

.

“I told my brother that you will be waiting for him with a sign saying ‘Krystal’s brother’ on it. PS. Don’t let him go to the hotel. Don’t lose sight of him. Don’t let him go until I come to pick him up. <3<3 Krystal.”