“Yeah, she’s just moved in.” 

Han hears her new roommate on the phone with someone as she moves to close the door to her room.

“..kill off? I’m not sure yet… the police.” 

Han freezes, door almost closed as her new roommate’s words register in her brain. What the hell? Did I just move in with a psycho murderer? she thinks to herself as she quietly pulls the door fully closed. 

Sitting, perplexed at her old desk in her new room, Lee Han can’t get rid of what she overheard just moments earlier, and decides to write to her best friend back in China. 

Yixing, 

Hang here :) I can’t believe it was only a month ago we were planning my secret escape to Korea! I’m finally settling in and so far South Korea is pretty interesting. The weather is just starting to cool down, and the streets of Seoul always seem busy. There’s so much to do since I answered that roommate ad- moving is a lot of work! 
Krystal owns the apartment, and seems pretty nice. She doesn’t talk much, but I overheard her on the phone just now and she said the strangest things.. She was talking about how I had just moved in, then immediately started talking about killing someone off, and she even said the police! Did I just move in with a psycho? Am I overthinking like I always do, or should I actually report this to someone? 
Anyway, I hope all is well back in China.. My family hasn’t bothered you again about me suddenly leaving their conservative, stuck-up selves have they? I hope not :/ Come visit me soon! I have no friends here yet.

Han

ps. I printed that selfie we took at the airport, here’s a copy for you!

Han sits for a moment, smiling fondly at the photo in which she and Yixing were pulling their best “spy faces”. Sighing, she decides to wash away the dirt and stress of moving in, grabbing her towel and clean clothes on the way to the bathroom.

Krystal bursts into the bathroom just as Han is puling her shirt down. Too shocked to do much more than sputter half formed protests about privacy and manners, Han is dragged out the front door by Krystal who is hurriedly whispering into her phone. Before she knows it, Han is shoved into the passenger seat of a car, and told to buckle up while Krystal revs the engine and pulls out of the parking lot. Trying to make sense of what’s going on, Han looks out the window trying to figure out where they’re headed. Realizing she doesn’t know Seoul well enough yet she gives up, starts looking around the car, and spots her letter and photo for Yixing in between the two front seats. 

“Were you in my room?” Han asks, not looking Krystal in the face, but instead at the tight grip her roommate has on the steering wheel. 

“So what if I was?” Counters Krystal, “I have a right to know a little about who’s moving into my apartment.”

“Doesn’t give you the right to go into my room and take a letter and photo meant for my friend and not you!” Han exclaims blown away by the realization that Krystal had been snooping around her room while she was in the shower. She quickly tucks the picture of Yixing and her into the back pocket of her shorts. “Tell me where we’re going and why.”

“My boyfriend’s apartment.” Krystal answers, grabbing the letter before Han can, and tucking it into her purse.

Han looks at Krystal’s stoic profile, “..Your boyfriend.. Why?”

“His name is Jongin. Now please be quiet, I’m thinking.” huffs Krystal as she suddenly turns left, and slowly approaches a gated community. 
At the gate, Krystal rolls down her window and punches in a series of numbers into a key pad. She pulls into the driveway of house number 88, gets out of the car, and walks to the door. Still upset and confused, Han follows suit, walking to stand behind Krystal who rings the bell and knocks loudly three times. Approximately 30 seconds later a handsomely tan, tall young man opens the door. 

“Let me see the letter.” He says, stepping aside to let them in. 

“Here.” Krystal places the letter in Jongin’s outstretched hand, as he closes the door with the other. 

There is only silence as he leads them to what appears to be a living room. Krystal sits in an armchair and motions for Han to take the couch. 

Han sits down slowly, “Look, I don’t know what’s wrong with you guys, but can I just have my letter b-“

“Just wait.” Jongin quietly commands from where he stands, leaning against the side of the armchair Krystal resides in. “I gotta make a quick call hun, make sure she stays put.” Jongin calls over his shoulder as he leaves the room, letter still in hand. 

Krystal immediately trains her eyes on Han, who just rolls her eyes and crosses her legs. After a little while Jongin comes back to the room and tells Krystal someone named Chanyeol is headed over. It’s only a few minutes before Jongin’s phone dings, and he heads to answer the front door. He comes back followed by a taller, big-eared man, who quickly flashes a big grin at Krystal. 

“So, Krystal, give me the rundown of the situation please, and Kai, the letter- let me see it” He says to the pair.

Krystal complies with a quick and condensed version of the situation- Han’s backstory of being fed-up with her conservative family back in China, Han secretly moving to Korea and answering Krystal’s roommate ad, and a summery of the letter’s contents. Jongin hands Chanyeol the letter, which he reads with raised brows.

“What’s Yixing’s family name?” He asks, finally acknowledging Han’s presence. 

“W-What?” stutters Han. “His surname is Zhang.”

“Hmm.. and what does he look like Han?” Chanyeol questions with a tilted head.

“She’s got a photo of them in her back pocket.” grumbles Krystal from the armchair, “She took it back while I was driving.”

Chanyeol holds his arm out, hand beckoning Han to him, “Well, let’s see it.” 

Han gives the three looking at her a suspicious glare before getting up and pulling out the photo of her and Yixing. Chanyeol quickly grabs it and bursts into loud laughter upon seeing Zhang Yixing’s face.

“Holy ! It’s that Yixing?! Krystal, this is the Chinese guy I work with who I’ve always wanted you to meet!” exclaims Kai. “How do you know Lay?” he looks at Han incredulously. 

“Yeah, you don’t seem like the organized-crime type of person” adds Krystal skeptically.

“Organized what now? Excuse me? Are you guys the mafia or something?” Han asks, backing away from the trio.

“Or something.” Chanyeol says grinning at Kai who throws back his head and laughs. He turns to Han, “How’s Lay by the way, Lee?” 

Upon being called by her last name, Han was started out of her shock enough to ask, “Lay? How do you know Yixing’s nickname?” 

She’d only heard him called that occasionally when they had passed who she had assumed were friends of his on the streets during one of her and Yixing’s many outings together back in China. At the time, when she had inquired about how they had addressed him he’d calmly waved his hand in a dismissive manor, saying it was simply a nickname he had amongst some of his Korean friends, and that, “I much prefer you call me Yixing.” 

“How do you not know his nickname? Aren’t you his girlfriend?” Krystal asks.

“I don’t think we’re thinking of the same person, and even if we were, which is impossible, I’m not his girlfriend.” answers Han.

“No worries about possible exposure by the way, Krystal. Lay’s one of us.” giggles a now smiling Kai.

“One of you?” inquires Han.

“Well, technically speaking, not one of us, but he’s Kai’s counterpart in the China gang.” shrugs Chanyeol nonchalantly. 

“Um, sorry but you must be confused” Han apologizes to the three in the room, “Yixing hates violence, and would never be in a gang.”

Kai snorts, “Yeah, sure thing Han, but just hang on a minute.” He leaves the room only to return with a laptop. “stay out of view for now okay, Han?” Kai half asks-half demands.

There’s some seconds of just ringing and a screen reading calling Lay before the all too familiar face of Yixing pops into view.

“Hey, what’s up Kai” Lay waves. 

A smiling Luhan pops into view as well, “Yo yo yo! Long time no see Kai- Ah! hey there Krystal. You guys-” 

Lay cuts Luhan off, suddenly serious, “Chanyeol, what’s going on? Why are you on the call? Did something serious happen?” 

“Yo yo bossman Chanyeol!” Luhan yells from behind Lay’s chair.

“Nothing serious, Lay.” answers Kai with a smirk. “We just met your girlfriend is all.”

“Lay, you have a girlfriend?! Why didn’t you tell me? Is it that girl you were at the airport with?”

“Shut up Luhan. My what?” a wide-eyed Lay asks.

“I already told you I’m not his girlfriend.” Han says, stepping into view of the laptop’s camera and crossing her arms in annoyance. “Lay, what’s going on.” demands Han, leaning closer to the camera.

There’s silence then a faint, “oh, ..” as Lay’s widened eyes blink rapidly from the computer screen.

“Okay, let’s give them some space. Guys, just leave the room or something!” Luhan’s voice calls to the trio standing behind Han as he leaves Lay’s room.

Chanyeol sighs, and tugs on Kai’s arm while pulling him out of the room. Krystal looks at Han briefly, curiosity bright in her eyes, but quickly follows Kai and Chanyeol into the kitchen.

Grateful to be alone, a visibly upset Han sits in front of the laptop in Kai’s living room.

“So.. Lay.. why don’t you tell me what this is about.” Han says accusingly. 

“Please, just call me Yixing.. the whole situation- it’s really complicated, Luhan is still over right now even though he’s not in the room, and it’s a really long story. Also, I would prefer if i told you in person.” begins Yixing.

“Fine, Yixing, you have 2 days to get to Korea before I go to the police.” states Han, shutting the laptop closed before he can respond.