The vanished man never reappeared again. When he was reported missing, police found no clue about his location or that of his body. The mystery of him was never revealed, but I soon forgot about it in preparations for my big event. I had a visa to get, and there was another owl with organisational information—what to expect, when…
A ride on a train to Helsinki lasted an entire day, most of which I and JJ spent exchanging stories. My repertoire of them was much more limited, so I mostly shared interesting trivia. There was something incredibly romantic in this day—not in romance sense, though that too, but in a feeling of adventure. The changing scenery outside, the monotonous rattling of the train wheels on the rails…
After that, stepping out of the Helsinki train station and looking around was a big letdown.
