Page 72 of Follow My Voice
“Klara.”
He opens his mouth to say something else, but closes it, hesitating.
What do you want to say, Kang?
He takes a step toward me, shrinking the space between us, our bodies almost touching, his hand still on my cheek. I lift my head to look him in the eye, our faces just inches apart. A snowflake dances between us and lands on Kang’s upper lip. I reach up to brush it off, my index finger grazing his very kissable lips. My mouth falls open. Kang closes his eyes at the contact, and when he opens them, the glint of longing in his gaze makes me want to melt. His hand feels warm on my cheek, and it makes me wonder how it wouldfeel to have it slide down my body while he kisses me. Would he lose his breath and composure if he did? Kang is always so calm and collected; I’m dying to see him lose control. He probably looks so hot when he’s excited.
What am I doing?
Kang clears his throat, and I pull away from him before taking another sip of hot chocolate. I pretend to admire the scenery, trying to calm my breathing and my mind.
What was that?
Friends don’t have moments like that, do they?
My mind travels back to the afternoon I went to the cemetery with Diego. We were alone and we even hugged, but at no time did I feel what I do now with Kang. It was just a hug between friends.
“It’s snowing, let’s sit down.”
He guides me to a bench on the covered half of the balcony. I sit next to him, keeping a safe distance between us.
“So, umm… did you have fun at the game?”
“Yeah, you played so well; I’m sure you already know that, though.”
“Why is it that every time you give me a compliment, you assume it’s something I already know? Have you ever stopped to think that one compliment from you is much more important than the dozens I’ve received tonight?”
Why?I want to ask, but I can’t. His words have left me momentarily speechless. “I’m sorry,” I finally say. “You’re right.”
Silence falls between us but it’s not uncomfortable. We watch the light snow slowly falling and, when we finish our hot chocolates, we throw the disposable cups into a trash can beside the bench.
Kang sighs, stretches his long legs out in front of him, and shoves his hands into his pockets. He’s wearing a thick black sweatshirt that does not look warm enough for this cold, and matching black jeans.
He stares out at the snow, his thoughts elsewhere.
What are you thinking, Kang?
“My brother loved snow,” he murmurs, so softly that I can barely hear him.
Brother? Kang has never mentioned a brother before; he only talks about his younger sister.
“I never cared about playing in the snow, but he always insisted we go out and make a snowman. He was older than me, but when it snowed, Jung became a child again.” Kang has a melancholy smile on his lips.
Jungwas…? It’s the first time I’ve seen such sadness in Kang’s eyes.
“Maybe that’s why I like the snow so much now, because it makes me feel close to him,” he says. Kang suddenly blinks as if coming back to reality. He looks at me. “Sorry, I got lost there for a minute.”
He stands up, pulling his hands out of his pockets, then runs his fingers through his hair. I stand with him and grab the edge of his sweater to turn him toward me.
Before I can think twice, I wrap my arms around his waist and hug him, burying the side of my face in his chest. “I’m sorry, Kang.”
He tenses but then puts his arms around me. He smells so good, like soap and cologne.
“I don’t know what happened to your brother, but I can hear the hurt in your voice. I’m sorry you went through something so painful.”
I hear Kang’s heart beating wildly.Does his heart beat like this for me? It can’t be…
Kang hugs me tightly, pressing me even closer against him, and I allow myself to enjoy the warmth of his body, just him and me, standing in the snow; I’ll worry about my unrequited love later.
