Page 43 of Follow My Voice
I look up and try to find calm in his eyes.
“It’s me, Kang, the guy you’ve been talking to nonstop for weeks. I’m not a stranger, there’s no reason to be afraid.”
“I’m not afraid.”
He chuckles. “Really? Because you look terrified. I promise I’m not a serial killer.”
“That’s exactly what a serial killer would say.” My lips tremble as I speak. God, I’m so nervous.
Kang purses his lips to suppress a smile. What beautiful lips!
He raises his right hand. “I solemnly swear that I will not murder you and bury your body in the mountains.”
“Wow, that really makes me feel so much safer.”
“I’m glad. So”—he pauses to lean a shoulder against the wall—“you’ve been right here on campus all this time?”
“Um, not exactly, I just started recently.”
I expect him to ask me a thousand questions, but he doesn’t, as if he knows it would make me too uncomfortable. He peels his shoulder away from the wall and takes off his backpack. “Well then, I guess a welcome celebration is in order.” He slides to the floor and places his backpack between his knees before patting the spot beside him. “Will you sit with me?”
I don’t budge.
He sighs. “I think I’ve made it clear that I’m not a murderer.”
Uneasy, I sit down next to him, leaving a safe distance between us. I watch out of the corner of my eye as he opens his backpackand takes out a bag of candy and then continues to pull snacks out of his bag.
Somehow, I feel more relaxed now that we’re not standing face-to-face. “Sheesh, why do you have so much food in your backpack? Did you know we were going to get stranded here?” I say, looking at the bags of potato chips, boxes of chocolates, and so on.
“No… they’re gifts.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Gifts?”
“Yeah, listeners send stuff to the show, or bring it to me in person.”
“So, like, you have some sort of fan club?”
“Nah, I wouldn’t call it that.” He blushes and I feel like I’m going to faint. He’s so handsome. “I just haveverydedicated listeners.” He winks.
I totally understand; I love his show. And his voice. “I guess you’re super popular around here.”
I’m surprised at how easy it is to make him blush again. “You could say that. So, what’ll it be?” he says, gesturing to the display of sweets and snacks.
I evaluate all the options, overanalyzing as usual: The chips will give me bad breath, but it would be awkward to lick a strawberry lollipop while I talk to him… Urgh, I hate my brain!
Kang waves a hand in front of my face. “Hello, Klara? Take whatever you want. You like chocolate, right?” He offers me a bar of white chocolate. “Didn’t you say this was your favorite?”
“Yes, thank you.” I nod.
He grabs a Snickers and I roll my eyes.
“What? We’ve had this conversation before, white chocolate is no match for milk chocolate. Plus, you love hot chocolate… and I doubt the one you drink is white.”
“What? Those are two entirely different things. Either way, white chocolate is a more elegant and refined chocolate,” I say, feeling slightly more at ease.
“So, you’re fancy and I’m basic.”
I shrug, smiling. “You said it, not me.”
