Chapter 3 Subway Sugar Rush
We met on the subway.
It was pretty ridiculous, honestly.
I have Hypoglycemia. After staying out all night with roommates and skipping breakfast, I got on the subway and started crashing hard.
I slumped in my seat, thinking I was done for.
Then a flash of bright yellow appeared in front of me.
Oh my god, Sugar Tangerine?
No, wait.
That was my lifeline.
I mustered the last of my strength, poked a small hole in the bag, pulled one out, peeled it, and shoved it in my mouth.
I even tucked the peel into my pocket afterward.
I only meant to eat one to stabilize myself.
But they were so good I couldn’t stop.
One, two, three…
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten!
My roommate beside me suddenly started coughing loudly.
“Cough cough!”
I glanced at her, thinking she wanted one too.
I handed her a tangerine.
Her expression went from shock to horror, then she let out a goose-like laugh.
Fine, more for me.
I popped another one in my mouth.
She coughed again.
Asthma?
Following her gaze, I slowly looked up.
A six-foot-two cold-faced man was staring at me.
He wore the exact expression subway grandmas give people watching videos without headphones.
I instinctively pulled the unchewed tangerine from my mouth and tried to stuff it back in the bag.
“Hey! Hey! Hey!”
The guy took three big steps backward.
“Sorry, sir, I was wrong, I’ll pay you.”
“Sir, I was wrong, I’ll pay.”
“I was wrong, I’ll pay.”
I stood up abruptly as the words raced through my head.
Then everything went black, and I pitched forward toward him.
Before losing consciousness, I managed to choke out two words.
“Pay you!”
Later, my roommate told me what happened next.
After I collapsed, the guy stood frozen for a long moment before muttering four words.
“Damn, what karma.”