Chapter 16
Kelly wandered around until she found a quiet riverbank. The only sound that accompanied her was the gentle murmur of the flowing water.
She put her hands to her mouth and blew out her hands to ward off the cold. It was so cold out here. Although the biting wind and swirling snow were a bit strong, they made her feel a sense of freedom.
After she walked for a while, a sound of footsteps suddenly came from behind her. Before she could fully turn around, she stumbled into a firm chest.
“Why are you wandering by the river so late?” Ken’s worried voice broke through the cold air. “The wind is strong and the snow is heavy. You‘ re still recovering from the last time you fell into the river. Don’t push yourself and catch another cold.”
35% 09:46
Chapter 16
Without waiting for a response, he took off
his coat and draped it over her shoulders.
Kelly blinked. She was stunned by his sudden concern. Then, a realization hit
her.
“Ken, was it you who pulled me out of the river last time?” she asked.
Ken hummed in agreement.
He frowned and said, “Your ankle was tangled in waterweeds. Do you know how dangerous that was?”
Kelly felt the warmth she hadn‘ t experienced in a long time from his words. Her nose tingled with emotion.
“Thank you, Ken. I didn’t know it was you. If I had, I would have gone to thank you properly.”
Ken chuckled softly and ruffled her hair. “There is no need to be so formal with me.”
Caught off guard by his sudden smile,
Kelly’s heart skipped a beat.
35% 09:46
2/5
Chapter 16
“It’s late. Let’s head back to the dorms before you catch a cold,” he said gently.
The two of them walked side by side. When they reached the dormitory building, Ken reached into his pocket and handed her a small box. “Happy New Year, Kelly.”
Without waiting for her reaction, he turned around and walked away.
Back in her room, Kelly opened her hand to see what he had given her. It was a small tin of whitening cream from Walnut Town. She couldn’t help but laugh. For someone as stoic as Ken, giving such a thoughtful and whimsical gift was unexpected.
Life at the satellite research base was grueling yet fulfilling. Every day was filled with repetitive machine calibrations and data analysis. It was monotonous, but Kelly found herself growing more comfortable. with it.
During these long days, her interactions. with Ken grew increasingly natural. He
35% 05
3/5
Chapter 16
often surprised her with supplies that couldn’t be found on the base, chatted with her to lift her spirits and occasionally shared insights about their work. Their bond deepened and when the satellite they had worked tirelessly on was successfully launched, she threw herself into Ken’s arms, while sobbing with joy.
Gradually, people began gossiping about Kelly and Ken’s relationship.
“Kelly, are you and Private Murdock dating?”
“We’re expecting the invitation to your wedding soon!”
At first, Kelly laughed them off, but the implications made her uneasy. After all, Ken had already confessed to liking someone. What if this misunderstanding caused trouble for the girl he cared about?
After all, this was too close to home for her. In the past, her relationship with George was also like this. This led people to believe
955 09:46
4/5
Chapter 16
that they were together. She did not want to repeat the same mistake of falling in love with the other person and getting hurt again.
So, on her day off, she summoned her courage to knock on Ken’s dormitory door.
When Ken opened the door, he was fresh out of the shower. His damp hair dripped water onto his bare shoulders and his expression turned to mild panic when he realized who it was.
“Kelly? Wait a second!” he stammered and hastily grabbed a shirt and put it on.
You might also like
I Only
