That night, a draft swept in from the dorm hallway, slipping through the crack under the door and carrying a chill sharp enough to sting Thinh Thinh's nose. She couldn't remember when her insomnia had begun. All she knew was that every time she closed her eyes, Ha Vi Phong's face appeared with such painful clarity it made her chest tighten.
Thinh Thinh clutched the corner of her blanket, forcing down a strangled sound. She thought she had already gotten used to this. But it turned out... some pain only becomes clearer the more you pretend it doesn't exist.
And then, as if guided by instinct, her lips whispered his name in her sleep, small and helpless and full of sorrow.
"Vi Phong... Ha Vi Phong..."
"Lieu Tam Thinh, what's wrong with you? Trying to keep the whole room awake?" – To To grumbled, half-asleep and irritated.
"To To, she's crying." – Ni Ni blurted out as she shot upright, staring at her in worry.
"Probably another nightmare." – Toto muttered.
She grabbed her pillow and smacked it straight onto poor Thinh Thinh's face.
"Wake up! Come on!"
"Just leave me alone..." – Thinh Thinh choked out, her voice trembling.
The next morning, Thinh Thinh woke up with her eyes still a little puffy. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself before heading into her final exam.
When it was finally over, she walked out of the exam hall with stiff shoulders from sitting too long. Exhausted, she dragged herself back toward the dorm.
Seeing her, Ni Ni immediately tossed her laptop aside.
"Well? Well? How did it go? Did you do okay?"
Thinh Thinh pouted.
"What do you think? Just look at my face."
"What happened, was the test that hard? Hey, don't be sad." – Ni Ni patted her shoulder sympathetically.
Thinh Thinh suddenly burst into laughter, her tone mischievous.
"LOL, fooled you. There were a few annoying questions, but overall it was fine. Where's To To?"
"Oh, she went shopping again. Anyway, have you made up your mind?" – Ni Ni asked, eyes lighting up.
Thinh Thinh acted clueless.
"Made up my mind about what? What are you talking about?"
Ni Ni planted a hand on her hip and tilted her head, eyeing her suspiciously.
"About going to the class reunion, obviously."
Thinh Thinh lifted her gaze for a second before looking back down, fingers nervously twirling her hair tie.
"Ah... I'm still thinking about it."
Ni Ni let out a long, dramatic sigh, then plopped down beside her with her arms crossed like a strict aunt.
"Seriously... the ugly daughter-in-law has to face the in-laws sooner or later. I think it'd be better if you faced everything instead of running away. You're not really planning to avoid all of us forever just because of that jerk, right?"
The moment Ni Ni finished, the room fell strangely quiet.
Thinh Thinh thought for a while before answering.
"You're right. It's about time I stop running."
Ni Ni's face lit up instantly. She clapped her hands together in excitement and grabbed Thinh Thinh's shoulders, shaking her as if trying to knock sense into her.
"That's right!"
That Monday, sunlight streamed softly through the window bars, coating the room in a pale golden glow that felt warm and a little restless.
Thinh Thinh stood in front of her closet for what felt like ages. While she was still wrestling with her outfit, Ni Ni's impatient voice echoed from outside the room.
"Thinh Thinh, are you done yet? Don't tell me you're backing out at the last minute again!"
Thinh Thinh yanked her dress into place.
"I'm done, I'm done, I'm coming."
"That's the spirit. A true heroine, LOL."
To To, who had been lounging on her bed with a novel, turned her head with curiosity.
"Whoa... Ni Ni, why do you look like such a mess today?" – To To stared at her outfit in disbelief.
Ni Ni ignored Toto's dramatic scrutiny and rubbed her head like she was patting a pet.
"To To, be good at home. Guard the place for us, alright?"
Hearing that, Thinh Thinh called out from the room, teasing.
"Why does that sound like you're talking to a pet?"
The two burst into laughter, leaving the bewildered victim staring blankly until she finally pieced it together. Just when Toto was about to explode in outrage, she froze on the spot.
Ni Ni, however, looked extremely pleased with her masterpiece and kept admiring it.
"So? So? Pretty good, right? I picked that dress."
To To's jaw dropped.
"Thinh Thinh, since when did you turn into a goddess? Or are you attending a costume party today?"
Ni Ni gave To To a light shove.
"What's with that mouth of yours? Thinh Thinh has always been gorgeous. She just never had my expert styling before."
The dress really did suit Thinh Thinh. It wasn't too fancy or too plain, but on someone with her naturally well-proportioned figure, it looked perfect (not supermodel-level perfect, of course). What stood out even more was the quiet purity in her appearance, a kind of innocence and softness like early morning sunlight, warm and gentle all at once.
While her two friends were still bickering, Thinh Thinh kept fussing with the hem of her dress.
"I don't know... something feels off. I don't think it suits me that much."
Both of them immediately shot back in unison.
"It's fine. Nothing feels off."
Thinh Thinh stepped in front of the mirror, smoothing the fabric lightly. In the reflection, she saw a girl she almost didn't recognize. It wasn't the timid, clumsy Thinh Thinh from before, but a young woman learning how to stand tall, learning how to smile even when her heart was still full of hidden scars.
She smiled, just a small curve of her lips, not perfect, not dazzling, but genuine.
"It's fine."
She whispered it softly, not sure if she was trying to reassure herself or give herself courage.
Ni Ni tapped her arm lightly, her voice playful.
"Let's go, our princess. No running away today."
Thinh Thinh drew in a deep breath, her eyes shimmering beneath her long lashes.
Yes. It was time to face everything.
She walked toward the door, each step feeling like something unseen was trying to pull her back. Her fingers tightened around the edge of her dress as she inhaled slowly, deeply.
She glanced down at her shoes. Clean, simple, and carefully chosen for this moment, as if they marked the start of something new.
But when the dorm door swung open, hesitation brushed past her heart. It felt like crossing this threshold meant exposing every fear she'd been hiding, every wall she'd built around herself, without any mercy.
She pressed her lips together, released a soft breath, and stepped outside with Ni Ni at her side.
In that moment, she wasn't just leaving the dorm. She was leaving behind a weaker version of herself.
© 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.