The next hour of the car journey was spent mostly in silence, Hongki playing on his phone and texting people while Anna stared out of the window in awe. Occasionally, Hongki would turn to her and make a passing comment, but in general they kept to themselves. Anna was ridiculously nervous, and Hongki seemed tired.

As they turned off the motorway, Anna had decided she was bored of the silence and she would have to do something about it.

“I love your nails.” She said blankly. Inside she cursed at how inarticulate she sounded.

Hongki looked up from his phone in surprise, and then grinned.

“Thanks! I did them myself!” He lent across the middle seat of the car to shove his hands in her face and wiggle his fingers. “Don’t you think the black skulls really stand out on the yellow?”

Anna nodded, suddenly very aware of how close Hongki was to her. Refusing to look at Hongki’s face, which was only a few inches from her own, she studied the nails in front of her. They really were very well painted.

“Wow, so much detail! I wish I could do mine so well!” Anna complimented, lifting her own hands to stare at her blank nails.

Hongki slid back to his side of the car, but continued to look at Anna, smiling. “Well, I’d be more than happy to paint yours for you.”

“Really?? Yes please!” She smiled back.

“Great! So what colours do you like? Do you have any preferences for the design?” Hongki produced a sketchbook, seemingly from nowhere, and began asking her a list of questions about her nails. Anna responded enthusiastically, and the rest of the car journey was a blur as they became so enraptured by their discussion.

In what seemed like no time at all, the car was pulling into a small parking lot behind a huge building.

“Oh look Anna, we’re here,” said Hongki, looking up from his sketchbook where he had already designed 4 different nail patterns for Anna to try.

As the car stopped, the tall man who had been driving stepped out and went to open Anna’s door, only to find Hongki already there pulling it open. He hid a smile behind his hand, and went instead to retrieve Anna’s luggage from the trunk.

Anna accepted a hand from Hongki to help her out of the car, and gazed up at the huge building with trepidation. She seemed frozen to the spot. This was to be her home and school for the next few months, and it was so unlike anywhere she’d ever been before. Not only was the building extremely large, but it was extremely modern and imposing.

“Come on Anna, I’ll take you in,” said Hongki, tugging on her arm with a grin. Swallowing nervously, Anna nodded and allowed herself to be guided into her new home.