From behind the door, Thinh Thinh faintly heard To To's sigh.
"Ni Ni, I'm kind of worried... what if Thinh Thinh contacts him again..."
Ni Ni tried to sound relaxed, offering reassurance.
"You're overthinking it. I don't think Thinh Thinh is that foolish."
To To pouted, her brows furrowed in doubt.
"Who knows? She's been foolish before, hasn't she?"
Thinh Thinh gripped the edge of the door tightly, the soft murmur of voices outside still drifting through. Cold tears slipped down her cheeks one by one. She reached out, trying in vain to grasp the pieces of her slowly breaking heart.
"Ha Vi Phong..."
"Ha Vi Phong..."
"Lieu Tam Thinh, what's wrong with you? Why does he always have such power over your emotions?"
"Why can't you be strong? Why keep torturing yourself and suffering for someone like him? I told you to forget him already."
Even knowing what To To said was right, how could she ever forget him?
Happiness and pain existed side by side in her heart, like a fire that never truly went out.
To To was right, she was foolish, utterly foolish... so foolish that even now, she couldn't accept the truth. She still hoped, still waited for that person. A person who had hurt her time and again, yet somehow remained the center of her world.
***
High school was the most beautiful time in every student's life, and for a pure, innocent girl like Thinh Thinh, it was no different. It was a place where she nurtured her small, tender thoughts and where the first blooms of young love began to open.
Thinh Thinh was an innocent, dreamy girl, often lost in romantic novels. Perhaps that's why she always fantasized about her very own white-horse prince.
Those years passed quietly, with Thinh Thinh blending effortlessly into the crowd, almost invisible in her normalcy.
She didn't fuss over her appearance, yet she was far from unattractive. Her hair was usually tied neatly, her uniform pressed and tidy, and her glasses gave her the unmistakable aura of a typical bookworm.
Thinh Thinh studied diligently and performed well academically, earning her teachers' trust and the position of class monitor. Beyond her studies, she practically became the class errand girl, handling all the little tasks for everyone, collecting homework, reminding classmates on duty, and sometimes even being assigned chores no one else wanted. But out of a sense of responsibility, Thinh Thinh never refused.
By the time she reached eleventh grade, that peaceful routine was suddenly disrupted. Because of her strong academic record, Thinh Thinh was assigned by her homeroom teacher to keep an eye on a notorious troublemaker in the class.
His name was Dinh Loi, a student infamous for his impulsive temper, mischief, and tendency to stir up trouble.
He had a habit of solving everything with his fists, never hesitating to get into fights over disagreements or sometimes simply to prove his so-called "youthful honor."
At first, Dinh Loi absolutely could not stand Thinh Thinh. Every time he slacked off or caused chaos in class, she would step in to reprimand him.
Annoyed, he would always retort with sarcasm:
"You nag like an old lady, so annoying!"
Thinh Thinh would merely frown slightly, never bothering to respond. That only irritated him more; the way she remained completely indifferent to his taunts made it feel like he didn't even exist in her world.
One day, Dinh Loi got into another fight with a classmate and was caught by the teachers. He was immediately dragged down to the principal's office. As class monitor, Thinh Thinh was called to "vouch" for him.
Dinh Loi sat slumped in the hallway, resting his chin on his hand, fuming quietly. Leaning against the wall, he overheard the conversation inside:
"Dinh Loi is far too unruly, repeatedly dragging the class down. I think this time he needs to be suspended for a while, so he learns a lesson." – the homeroom teacher's stern voice rang out.
Thinh Thinh quickly spoke up, her voice trembling but resolute:
"Teacher, I think... Dinh Loi is still a student. At this age, it's normal for boys to act impulsively. It's just that... the way he expresses it isn't right. If he's suspended now, I'm afraid he might fail the grade. Please give him another chance. I believe he can change."
In the hallway, Dinh Loi froze. He was used to everyone treating him as the "class troublemaker," never imagining that anyone would ever speak up or stand up for him. Yet today, Thinh Thinh had done exactly that, pleading on his behalf so he wouldn't be suspended.
In that moment, a strange feeling crept into his chest, warm, yet hard to describe.
From that day on, Dinh Loi's attitude toward Thinh Thinh began to shift.
He stopped teasing her and instead found clumsy ways to start conversations and show his concern. Sometimes he would sneak a box of milk onto her desk; other times he'd pretend to be mischievous or cause minor trouble just to catch her attention.
To outsiders, it might have seemed like nothing more than childish antics. But to Dinh Loi, it was the only way to get close to the class monitor he had quietly begun to care for.
Even as Dinh Loi increasingly tried to show his attention, doing all sorts of goofy, attention-seeking things, Thinh Thinh never took notice. In her eyes, the so-called troublemaker was still just an immature boy. She remained absorbed in her books, her duties as class monitor, and her simple academic dreams.
Then, one beautiful late-autumn day during her final year of high school, the angel of first love appeared. Ha Vi Phong entered her heart, igniting the spark of her very first crush. But he wasn't hers alone; he was the pride of the school, the prized possession of every girl in the class.
As the saying goes, "a handsome guy belongs to everyone."
Ha Vi Phong was a standout student and a new boy in her class. The first time she saw him, it was impossible not to notice, he had every girl swooning, and Thinh Thinh was no exception.
It was his eyes, so expressive and full of meaning that captivated her from the very first glance. They carried the serene calm of an autumn sea, while his gentle smile felt like the warm breeze of summer. Yet, there was also a distinct air of aloofness, a proud detachment that set him apart.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting radiant streaks across his delicate features, as if he were glowing with a halo. His presence was like that of an angel, effortlessly drawing every gaze wherever he went.
Ironically, Ha Vi Phong was assigned to sit next to the class's proud, popular girl, Tinh Yen. A sharp-tongued, haughty young lady paired with the charming prince Vi Phong. It was enough to make every other girl in class green with envy.
His presence completely transformed her, a full 360-degree change. Already a stunning beauty with both looks and figure, she now carried an air of feigned gentleness that made countless boys swoon.
Looking back now, it was honestly nauseating!
Truly living up to his reputation as a school prodigy, he wasn't just intelligent, no sport could ever challenge him. Recently, he had won a gold medal in the national math competition and a silver in the school's athletic meet. A boy so talented and dazzling, how could anyone not be captivated?
Though Thinh Thinh was physically close to him, at times he felt impossibly distant. They were in the same group; whether he was at the front or the back, every one of his movements was within her line of sight. Occasionally, she would catch Tinh Yen leaning over to whisper something to him, and he would respond with a cold, indifferent smile.
For some reason, that small display fascinated Thinh Thinh. Over time, it became a habit, she found herself watching him more and more.
Somewhere along the way, she realized that she had fallen for him, her heart quietly surrendering to love.
One day during physical education class, Thinh Thinh accidentally caught his gaze on her and quickly lowered her eyes. Her heart raced uncontrollably, and she whispered to herself:
"Was he really looking at me just now?"
From a distance, Tinh Yen noticed Thinh Thinh's flushed, embarrassed face and a surge of jealousy and irritation rose within her. She stepped closer, a mocking smile curling at the corners of her lips, and asked coldly:
"Hey, what's with the red face?"
Feeling as if she had been caught doing something wrong, Thinh Thinh hung her head like a guilty child.
"I... I just..."
Suddenly, a hand shot out and shoved her shoulder hard, nearly knocking her backward.
"Don't tell me you like Ha Vi Phong, huh?"
No sooner had Tinh Yen spoken than Tieu Linh, standing nearby, chimed in:
"Why even ask? Look at her. Her ears are practically glowing red."
Tinh Yen let out a small "hmph" and then gave Thinh Thinh a full, appraising look from head to toe.
After a moment, as if remembering something, Tinh Yen suddenly changed her tone and turned coquettishly to Tieu Linh:
"Come on, stop teasing her so much. We're girls, we should help her out."
Tieu Linh blinked in surprise.
"Tinh Yen... what did you just say?"
Then, as if realizing something, she continued:
"Ah... um... You should take the initiative. Guys really like it when girls make the first move."
Tinh Yen smiled in agreement.
"Tieu Linh's right. You should be bold, take the initiative a little."
In that moment, Thinh Thinh froze, unsure whether to follow their advice or stay silent.
Oh, heavens! Their faces were so disgusting! So wicked!
Why had she blushed and run away back then? Why had she believed they genuinely wanted to help her? Why hadn't she slapped them? Why had she trusted their words, only to end up like this?
You were so foolish, truly foolish, Lieu Tam Thinh.
***
Memories of her school days rushed back to her.
"Lieu Tam Thinh, are you trying to take over the entire bathroom or what?"
To To shouted from outside, her voice loud and teasing:
"Or are you planning to just sleep in there?"
That was always the case, every time she went to the bathroom, those two relentless troublemakers never failed to nag.
© Note: Don't Let The Winter Wind Take The Moon Away - Copyright belongs to Zieny. Any copying, editing, or reuploading in any form without permission is strictly prohibited. Violators will be prosecuted according to the law.