As we arrived by the house I would be staying at and we got our entire luggage into the house, it was time to get into action. Unpacking could wait, lunch could wait, oppa catching up with friends could wait. I held a brief introduction with my oppa’s parents, assured them I was not tired or hungry and went to find the only thing I needed now – the piece of paper that had my mother’s possible address on it. I couldn’t help but to notice the parent’s slightly questionable looks targeted my way. I guess to them as well my sense of fashion was a bit too risqué. Though I found no problem with it at all.

As I was going through the luggage, throwing things here and there in the room that would be mine for the time being, oppa made way in the room and gave a big sigh. I just looked at him with a puzzled look.

“Not even 5 minutes have passed since you got here and already the room looks like a mess. What happened to the tidy Yura I know?” He exclaimed in horror. As me and my dad lived alone, since very young I had been the cleaning, cooking housewife type – I always had to had everything tidy or I literally couldn’t go to sleep. However, even my OCD had to wait until I found what I needed.

“Eh, oppa, I’ll clean up later. The sooner we head out, the quicker I’ll be able to find my mom.” I told him brushing off the topic of cleanliness and continued my search. I couldn’t even remember packing so many things! Some were also very much useless to me here. Oppa just sat on the floor near me and was waiting patiently for me to finish this big search of mine.

“GOT IT!” I exclaimed with joy and held the piece of paper in my hand like it was the national treasure. I turned to look at my oppa and to rush him to go, but what greeted me was a pair of concerned eyes, looking at me very sharply. “W-what’s wrong?” I asked a bit puzzled.

“Well…” It seemed like again it was a bit hard for him to say what’s on his mind out loud. He truly was a bit of a timid type. “My parents don’t want me wandering around with you looking like this in case someone we know would see.” He pointed at my attire and bright hair. It looked like it wasn’t that easy for him to say that. “So do you think you could take out the lenses, change your clothes to something a bit less revealing before we go?” Oh, this family and their concern for other’s opinions. I knew his family was like this, but as soon as I arrived? That seemed a bit rash. However I just nodded in agreement and pushed him out of the room so I could quickly find something more ‘decent’ for the family to approve. I had no time to argue and be stubborn. Considering it WAS August and here in Korea it was boiling hot it was a bit hard to choose something that would be deemed ‘appropriate’ but would also keep me cool and not make me sweat like a middle aged man. I changed the short to a pair of light brown leggings so it wouldn’t attract the sun and the vest to a long, a bit baggy top that went down to roughly mid-thigh section. I removed the contacts and tied my hair up however there was no way I was wearing a cap in this heat and there was no other way to hide my hair. They would just have to live with the thought of their son being seen with that girl with the noticeably blonde hair. All I could say here was – deal with it and get over it.

Coming back into my room oppa gave a quick nod. “Guess that will do it.” So we continued back to the living room to inform the parents we would be leaving and that we should be back for dinner time or maybe sooner. If it was up to me, I would just stay out all night running around Seoul, I couldn’t care less. Anything to let me find them sooner. The parents said something again to their son and he just shook his head. “Anything but that. Her make-up is staying, don’t even try to force her to take it off.” Was all I could understand from his reply and I gave him a pat on the head in my mind. Good, good, he knew not the even suggest it. It’s true that usually girls my age here don’t really wear make-up but where I came from it was close to a sacred thing to have make-up on whenever you’re in public. Kind of like idols here in Korea having their make-up done professionally every morning, just without the professional bit of it.

As soon as I got out that door, I felt somewhat relieved. I liked his parents, I could respect their thoughts and more than anything I was grateful to them for housing me as I was staying here, but I can’t say I was that happy at them trying to change me. I did not respond well to that, as any teenager would.

But leaving that behind, I passed the piece of paper to oppa and we set off. I still received stares from some directions, but I guess I somehow blended in a bit better now that my clothes weren’t in pastel colours and revealing so I guess oppa’s parents would be able to take a breath of relief.

As soon as we got to the closest tube station I understood why most students visiting London would be so surprised at what I considered a ‘packed’ tube station. Here there were people standing so close to each other you could feel their breath on your neck and there were just people accidentally touching random parts of your body and everyone was pushing and trying to squish in and I immediately found myself nearly buried. I wasn’t the shortest person out there, but neither was I the tallest. I felt that if this goes on I’ll end up being pushed to the ground and walked all over on. But at that moment I felt a hand pulling me towards them and oppa was placing me easily in front of him and making sure I was not too squished in between people. All I could do was give him a grateful smile as it would be a bit difficult to hear anything past the chatter of people, the announcements made of the arriving trains and the staff trying to get some order going in here. I made a note in my head to make sure if I ever came to Korea again to have a driver’s license and money to rent a car. Or to just not move outside of the house on Saturday lunchtime. If not the importance of my ‘mission’ I would have probably just stayed in the house and unpacked or went for a walk. Quieter, calmer and safer. Somehow we managed to get on the train and once again I found myself pushed to the wall. I though how awkward it would be if it wasn’t oppa but someone else pushed so close to me and was thanking God he was with me as we continued on to the next stop.