Somewhere Only We Know(49)

I also knew that The Later Tonight Show would be a turning point. If all went well, maybe I’d have more trips to the US. Nothing was ever promised, but I still hoped. I needed to hold out for a bit longer, and things could change.

He shrugged. “Maybe not a sure thing. But there are certain things that are patently true: Money gives you security and freedom. Life is easier with it. And there are much faster ways of making money than going to college.”

When you’re a K-pop star, you don’t make money right away. It’s a long process, where you have to earn back the money the company has spent on you, to make their investment worth it. But even after that, even after being at the top, you’re scrambling to stay there. “I think you’re putting too much faith in financial security,” I said.

Jack threw his head back and laughed. Hard. “Said nobody ever.”

I smiled even though this conversation made me kind of sad. Jack, with all his confidence and intelligence, was afraid to go after something he cared about. Holding on to his cynicism like a lifeboat.

We bobbed on, the sun completely dropped into the ocean, the air suddenly sharp with cold.





CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT


JACK


When we got off the boat, we found ourselves surrounded by people.

“Oh crap, it’s almost eight,” I said.

Lucky drew in closer to me, away from everyone else’s bodies. “Why is that an ‘Oh crap’?” she asked.

“Because it means the light show’s about to start. And every tourist in Hong Kong will be joining us here.” We were at the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade, one of the best vantage points to watch the light show.

Her entire body perked up, forgetting about the strangers around us for a moment. “What light show?”

We faced the water, where everyone was lining up on the concrete pathway. “See the buildings across the harbor? That’s the Hong Kong Island side, and all the buildings will light up for us to watch with some music.”

“Cool!” She tucked her hair into her coat and pulled down her cap.

“You’re okay with being in this crowd?” I asked, uneasy. “It can be suffocating,” I added hastily.

Indecision stalled her for a few seconds before she shook her head. “I’m fine. I can’t miss out on this, right?” And with that, she was already headed toward a spot against the railing.

Yet another good photo op coming up. I had taken a couple great ones on the water, with the sunset blazing behind her, her face at peace. It was all very magical. That is, until we started that testy conversation about college.

Lucky squeezed into a crowd of people and something about that made my skin prickle. This could be a bad idea. People poured in from the subway station, and it was so crowded I could barely make my way to her. It was ground zero for tourists. Maybe even more so than the Peak tram. And the light show wouldn’t start for another few minutes.

“Hey, want to get something to eat while we wait?” I knew food was the quickest way to distract her.

“Yes, please,” she said. “Is there food here?”

“Yeah, I think there are some egg waffle stalls out here.” I touched her elbow to guide her away. We approached a stall parked along the street, farther away from the crowds. The relief I felt as soon as we were away from everyone surprised me. Seeing her in crowds made me nervous. Scared for her physically, but also I wanted her to stay happy. Our day was so dependent on all these delicate mechanisms working perfectly to keep things running smoothly.

We got our egg waffles, a Hong Kong version of a regular waffle with crisp edges and soft “bubbles” in the middle. As suspected, Lucky relished hers.

“Ugh. Yum,” she said as soon as she finished, licking the crumbs from her fingers. I was still working on mine and she stared at me.

I handed it to her. She finished it within seconds. “I love all Hong Kong food,” she declared as she tossed the napkins into a trash can.

“I think you love all food.”

She laughed, her teeth showing, her face glowing. God, she was ridiculous.

“LUCKY!”

The single word pierced through the air, cutting her laughter short, cutting all circulation to my heart.

A group of teenagers was next to us, pointing and whispering. One of them screamed out again, “It’s LUCKY! AHHHHH!”

And then as quickly as her laughter was squelched, she was surrounded. I had never seen anything like it. A swarm of bodies rushed to her, their screams and cries filling the air. Their phones out snapping photos. People were touching her, reaching for her.

She was swallowed up within seconds, like a lone rock washed over by foaming waves, and I couldn’t see her anymore.





CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE


LUCKY


My senses were jammed. Alarms were going off, wailing throughout my body.

I was trapped in a crowd of people that felt like it came together to form one organism of pure chaos. Pushing against me, pressed into me. Hands reached for my hair and my clothes.

“Jack!” I screamed, covering my face with my arms. When a stranger’s clammy hand reached for my wrist I yelled, “Please, let me go!”

I was going to pass out. I was going to die in this crush of bodies. All I could think over and over again was that I brought this on myself. That my stupid impulse to have this special day was going to get me killed.