Page 75 of Follow My Voice
“Favorite book?”
“That’s such a hard question… anything by Jane Austen, but if I had to choose, I guess I’d sayPride and Prejudice. Yours?”
“Is that why you asked me to quote something from Jane Austen?”
I smile cheekily. “Mmmm, maybe. Do you have something against her work?”
“Nope, it’s a good pick. As for mine, I’d have to sayNorwegian Woodby Haruki Murakami.”
“I guess yours is a great pick, too. I see we do have literature in common.”
“I told you we did. Favorite kind of food?”
Something tells me that’s not what he really wanted to ask. “Italian. You?”
“Korean.”
“Of course!” I smile, feeling foolish. “Makes sense.” I wait for his next question.
“First boyfriend?”
It’s my turn to frown. My mouth falls open; I wasn’t expecting that one. “Uh…”
“Who was your first boyfriend?”
“Um… Well…” I can feel myself burning up with each passing second. “I don’t have one.”
“No, I was asking about your first boyfriend, not if you have one now,” he clarifies, undoubtedly noticing that my face has turned bright red.
“It’s just that… I’ve never…”
And then Kang understands. “Really? Wow, that’s hard to believe. You’re so…” He stops and bites his lips as he looks away.
“And you? First girlfriend?”
“Sixth grade,” he says, sounding embarrassed. “Her name was Ria. We held hands and then broke up after one week, but I thought she was the love of my life.” He laughs.
I chuckle at the sweet story. And then I don’t know if it’s because of how comfortable he’s made me feel or the fact that we’re already on the topic, but, unable to contain myself, I ask, “Do you have a girlfriend?”
“No.”
I feel idiotic as I notice a glimmer of hope spreading through my soul.
No, Klara; you were supposed to forget about your feelings for him and enjoy the friendship Kang is offering.
“Why don’t you have a girlfriend, Kang—are you in love with someone you can’t have?” I joke. “That’s impossible to believe, by the way.”
“Why?” He cocks his head and stares at me as if dying to hear my response.
“You’ve got so much going for you, you’re so…”
“Healthy?”
I smile, embarrassed. “I was hoping you wouldn’t remember that.”
“I already told you I don’t forget anything when it comes to you.”
Boom, boom, boom… My heart races even faster. Why does he have to say that kind of thing?
