Getting off the train and out of the station felt like getting out of a hot, small box that you had been forced to stay in for roughly fifteen minutes. I was just hoping that the journey back in the evening would not be as horrible or we could just take the bus. There was a slight hope in me that it would be different that way.

Even the streets seemed to be very busy and full of people and I had no choice but to grab my oppa’s hand to not get lost. I knew that this would be seen as us dating over here since you only did it with your partner, but I actually couldn’t care less about that at the moment. My main goal was to trust in oppa to know where he’s going and to not lose him. We walked fairly briskly and I found myself lightly hit on the shoulder or pushed at times. I just had to wonder how other girls my age and size without someone there to protect them would handle this normally. Or maybe there weren’t that many people around normally and it just so happened that we were here at the wrong time? While I was wondering about these things, oppa suddenly came to a halt and as I was following him a bit from behind, I managed to be my great self and ran into his back.

“Ow! Why did you stop so suddenly?” I whined rubbing my forehead and he, after making sure I was fine, pointed at the building. Apparently we had arrived at the address that was on the paper and I felt my heart skip a beat, then speed up and then just sink completely. He clearly saw my face change from happy and carefree to tense and nervous so he just gave me a supportive tap on the back and smiling like a complete idiot just said ‘hwaiting’ to encourage me. A bit useless, but at least having someone next to me was better than nothing. So I took a deep breath and continued to enter the building and take the elevator to the necessary floor. Once I was facing the door that had the number 67 on it, I felt my usual courage suddenly shrinking away, like a lion turning into a cub and if it wasn’t for oppa pushing me from the back, I would have turned around and just left. What am I supposed to say? Maybe no one is even at home? What if someone else opens the door? What if she didn’t even live here anymore? All these thoughts were running through my mind in split seconds until I suddenly saw oppa’s finger pressing the door bell. Just then my mind went completely blank and, for once in my life, I felt very, very scared.

After what felt like years the door opened and there was a guy standing in the doorway. He seemed to be roughly my age and was looking at me weirdly.

“Who are you?” He asked surprisingly politely and I could hear a man’s voice from inside the apartment asking his son (I presumed) who it was.

“Umm… Well… You see… I-I…” I found myself stuttering like a fool in front of him and once again oppa had to step in.

“Excuse me, but we’re looking or Lee Mira-sshi. Last we’ve heard she lived here, is she anyone that you know?” He addressed the boy and he looked puzzled. At this moment the man who had been calling out earlier appeared by the door as well.

“Did you say Lee Mira-sshi? She was the previous owner of the apartment. She moved about half a year ago.” The man addressed Yoojin as all I could do was closely observe my shoes as they were the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen.

“Ah. Do you by any chance know where she moved to?” He continued to ask and the man gave us a weird look.

“May I ask who is looking for her?” I could feel his stare fixed on me, but I didn’t dare raise my eyes. This was not the real me, I was never this shy or easily scared, but at this moment I felt so full of different emotions it completely threw me off my balance and I found myself not being able to do anything at all.

“We just came back from England and we have something to talk to her about. It has to do with her ex-husband and her daughter. Could you please let us know how to find her?” Oppa explained, avoiding mentioning that I was the daughter mentioned.

“I don’t think she wants to know anything about that scumbag that left her. I’m good friends with her and I can’t say he was ever anything good for her.” The man exclaimed giving a slight chuckle and at this my lion finally awoke again and I sharply raised my head to look straight into the man’s eyes with frowned eyebrows.

“Don’t you DARE say anything bad about my father!” I found myself raising my voice slightly and what’s worse, talking in English. So when I thought about it afterwards, I think the man most likely didn’t understand me. However, at that moment his eyes got wider and his mouth slightly fell open. He then turned around and disappeared for a moment and returned with a piece of paper that he handed to Yoojin. I was still giving him death glares nonetheless. Anyone who dares offend anyone from my family or friends will automatically get into my black list and I had to admit – I might be small, but I was fierce. However his next words really caught me off guard.

“You know you look like a spitting image of her when she was young. I hope you find her.” The man said as he was looking at me. Later on as we walked out of the building my oppa explained to me in easier terms what the man had said. As I was angry and not really taking anything in rationally, plus my lacking Korean skills gave me a hard time understanding what the man said. However once it was explained to me, my heart jumped for what seemed the hundredth time today. So I looked like my mother… No wonder people had a hard time believing my dad when he introduced me as his daughter as we really didn’t look alike whatsoever.

I turned my head to oppa and was waiting until he inspects the piece of paper. “Well, the good news is that she apparently did not move that far away from here.” He informed me and we set on our way again, this time, to my relief, on foot.