[Along the Road]
We only see Hana and Siv siv along the road. But likan is not with them because she stayed behind to finish some remaining work that other groups hadn't completed, feeling that she hadn't contributed as much as the other students. She let Hana and Siv siv go first! Before they separated, kan winked, giving Hana a signal, as if the two of them had a secret plan!
Siv siv walks along, scrolling through pictures of cakes on her phone, then shows Hana, asking which one they should choose to surprise kan. Hana smiles at her and says, "It's up to you!Siv you can choose the cake, and I'll pay for it!" But Siv siv refuses, insisting they should split the cost.
Ah!"No need! I have a job for you. Tonight, we'll discuss how you can be the one to lead kan around, making sure she doesn't find out. So, I'm counting on you Siv! And I will be the one to bring the cake with our classmates to surprise Li kan!" Siv siv smiles, nods, and agrees. "Okay, Hana, text me tonight then!" As they talk, Hana reaches her destination and has to board a bus. She waves goodbye to Siv siv with a smile as she gets on.
Hana leaves, leaving Siv siv watching her from a distance. She feels a little disheartened and sighs, but she sends the picture of the cake she chose to Hana.
< The Night Before>>
Later that evening, Li kan doesn't stay long like the other students who are still finishing their work! Some students are sleeping over at the school together a memorable moment for students working and staying together (not all students, only the boys who helped work all day on this final night before the festival)!
"Liv! I'm leaving first!" Liv nods, smiles, and says, "Don't forget to come watch Mala dance tomorrow!( the traditional Khmer dance)" , she's nods! Before leaving, she happens to look over at tan who is setting up a bonfire with the other students!
Likan walks along the road and sees Yin about to ride his bicycle out too! Wow! Isn't he spending the night at school like the other boys? A thought comes to her mind. She hides around a corner and, when she hears the sound of the bicycle approaching, she jumps out!
"Uh!" A deep startled sound rings out as likan suddenly emerges, causing Yin to jump and almost fall, though he manages to steady himself!
"Hey! Why aren't you staying at school like the other boys?" he looks at her, exasperated, and replies that he doesn't want to participate in the plan to surprise her for her birthday tomorrow! She pretends not to know! "Oh really? Who prepare it? I can't believe it! What kind of year is this that people want to throw me a birthday party?" he is about to ride off, but likan suddenly hops on the back and asks can i ride with you?
"Why did you ask when you already hop on ?" He shakes his head and adds that the longer he knows her, the more mischievous she becomes! Li kan just laughs and then asks, "You said someone planned a surprise for me tomorrow, so why did you tell me beforehand? Now it's not a surprise anymore!"
"I told you, I don't want to participate in the activity!" "But you still shouldn't have told me first!"
Seeing that Li kan is arguing too much, he stops the bike, looks at her, and tells her to get off if she keeps talking! Li kan laughs and says she'll stop talking! They ride the bike near a shop and stop at a distance so no one sees them arrive together!
{Arrived}…
"Hello, Auntie! Oh, sister khai, you look beautiful today!" sister khai smiles and tells her to hurry up and go to work!
They work as usual. The unusual thing is that sister khai suddenly says she is thinking again, and if she goes, she will tell Li kan immediately! This answer makes Li kan happy. Yin hears this and also wants sister Khai to go too but he dares not speak!
<…>
[ The Festival Morning]
The busy morning and the music playing make the students who slept at school overnight feel refreshed. They hurry to set up their booths, waiting for the girls to bring the goods from home to sell! That good is about that if they want to sell something, they went to the market yesterday to buy ingredients and prepared to wake up early, around 3:30 AM, to cook and make the goods. They slept together at someone's house! This is similar to the boys' activity of working together(that's they sleep at school). They wake up early to prepare, and once ready, they ride motorbikes to transport the goods to the school for those setting up to arrange. then hurry back home to get ready and rush back to school so the students at school have time to get ready too! But some students get ready early! Among them are Siv siv and Hana, who stayed at Tata's house. Even though kan didn't stay overnight, she got ready early and borrowed Auntie ja's motorbike to help transport goods to school. Other students who didn't participate in the final preparations wake up at their normal time, get dressed nicely, and come to school. Some girls wear traditional Khmer Sarong(skirt) with a white shirt featuring ancient carvings and a Krama(Khmer scarf), representing Khmer women, while some boys wear long shiny trousers like traditional Khmer pants and shirts, representing a handsome rural Khmer style, accessorized with a Khmer palm leaf hat! It's a country-side fashion for Khmer youth. Other students wear modern fashionable clothes as what's Their tast of dress.
As the hour gets later, the crowd gathers. There is a prayer ceremony with Khmer monks chanting. Then there is the Khmer Chhay Yam traditional dance. The dancers include women wearing traditional Khmer clothing (a traditional Khmer top with a Changkben skirt and a shawl), dancing vividly and bringing joy with the Chhay Yam music played with traditional Khmer instruments. The male Chhay Yam dancers beat the drums and some dance with funny face paint those are the Chhay Yam dancers! They dance to create a joyful atmosphere, and students join in. We see that Li kan also comes to watch as San asks her to stand with him and clap for Lang (San's friend)who is dancing does as San asks, watching until the end.
When it ends, it's time for the teachers to give speeches at the main hall, which is beautifully decorated with creative designs and large Khmer script. The speech officially opens the School Festival! There are robam Khmer dancers who perform three or four types of dances, but the Khmer Traditional Blessing Dance group goes first we call robam chuon por, So likan is continues to sit and watch like the other students. She sits next to Siv siv! And noticed Siv siv is always following her! Meanwhile, Hana and some other students are at the booth area, helping prepare for selling goods soon!
When Mala dances, she looks beautiful. Liv stares at her, captivated, having only seen her sharp attitude before, but now witnessing her gentle dancing! Suddenly, he snaps out of it because he sees a gentle smile from Mala mixed with a look of wanting to eat Liv alive if she could, directed at him, even while she is dancing, because she doesn't like Liv staring at her like that! Mala's dad is also there watching and filming a video, but no one knows he is her father! Only Mala's friends know he is her father. Hearing Mala's friends talk, Liv turns and sees the man filming, and realizes he is Mala's father! Likan suggests Liv goes to the booth area first. He doesn't object, only thanking her for watching Mala dance!
"Siv, I see you're following me closely!" Siv just smile and laughs awkwardly, afraid the secret will be revealed!
"Come on, kan! Let's go help in our classroom. Let the people downstairs sell, and we can help in the classroom when guests come!" Likan listens and agrees!
Arriving at the classroom, she sees one guest arrive first. Even her classmates wonder why a member of the school's volleyball team came alone and so early? He says he is waiting for someone! The class welcomes him normally. When Li kan arrives, he says that he is waiting for her! Everyone turns to look, only to realize he is here for Siv siv, because Siv siv rushes over to ask him, "Why did you come? And why aren't the others here? Why did Junior Jing (the most famous member of the team) come?"
"Oh, they are all in their respective classrooms, and I came here!" He speaks while looking at Li kan! ,She is stunned but quickly returns to normal and asks the Vice Class President[neaya],if there's anything she can help with, as she doesn't know the classroom activities; she only knows about the photo booth downstairs, which was her and Liv's idea! Neaya says that soon, the students who took photos downstairs will come upstairs to have their faces painted according to what they want. "So, Likan, you can help manage the order and smooth things out!"
Everyone is hiding the secret from Likan because it was Hana and Siv siv's request that this evening there will be a surprise for Likan because it is her birthday!