Page 52 of Follow My Voice
“It doesn’t matter, Klara. Let’s pretend it didn’t happen and talk like normal, okay?”
“I’m so confused, Kang.”
He lets out a long sigh. “I know, it’s my fault… What are you doing? How did the rest of your afternoon go?”
I hesitate. I know he wants to move past this, but how can heexpect me not to ask what I’ve done to upset him? But he’s always been so patient with me, never pressuring me to explain things even when he’s dying to know. I can return the favor; I can be understanding with him.
“Well, I had a hot chocolate with my sister and brother-in-law,” I say, making myself comfortable.
“Would you believe me if I told you I did exactly the same thing tonight?” His voice has recovered its usual charisma. “Not with my sister, of course—she’s not good at sharing when it comes to chocolate.”
“I believe you,” I say, smiling. “I missed your show today.”
He laughs and it makes me smile once more. “Yeah, I wish I could go on every weekday—days without my show are strange for me, especially when I’m supposed to be on.”
“For me, too. I hate not being able to hear you onFollow My Voice.”
“I’m curious, Klara: How long have you been listening to the show?”
I stay silent a moment, deciding whether to tell him the truth. That I have been listening to him every other night for a year now because his voice gives me peace and helps me forget my fears, my negative thoughts, my sadness. That his show has saved me.
“A little over a year.”
“A year? Really?”
“Yes…” I pause. “And I can’t thank you enough for… this whole year. You have no idea how much you help people with your show.”
“That means a lot to me, Klara. I startedFollow My Voicewith that intention, to help people, and if I’ve affected your life in a positive way, I’m glad.”
“Well, you have.”You’ve done so much more than help me. You’ve made me feel things that no one has ever been able to make me feel. I had a hard time feeling anything for so long after what I went through. But it’s so easy with you, Kang.
“Wow, but a year is a long time… Why didn’t you ever send any messages to the show before?”
“Well, I figured they would just get buried under so many others. That’s the only reason I even got the courage to finally message you; I never imagined you would actually read it.”
“I read all your messages, Klara, until I finally got the courage to get your phone number from the station and text you directly. Honestly, I expected you to call me a stalker and block my number.”
I smile. “I considered it.”
“Really? Then why go through the trouble of getting me to read a quote on the air? Erick teased me for days afterward, by the way—said I started incorporating more quotes into the show because of you without even knowing you.”
“Sorry not sorry about Erick, but I needed to make sure it was you.”
“Why?”
“What do you mean,why? I didn’t want to talk to someone pretending to be you.”
“Well, it’s me. Just plain, boring me.”
“You’re not boring,” I respond. “How can you say that when you have a radio show that dozens upon dozens of people listen to? You’ve even got a little fanbase going on.”
“Fair point.”
“Someone’s cocky.”
He lets out a gasp. “Ouch. You wound me, Klara. Not cocky, I just happen to think you made a fair point, seeing as we did share some of those snacks today.”
I’m about to respond, but a yawn comes out instead, and he seems to hear it.
