Thinh Thinh stepped into the restroom, finally allowing herself to exhale, standing there in a daze for a long moment. She didn't know when it had started, but the corners of her eyes stung, tears welling up and spilling over. Her heart began to twist and ache in waves... relentless, sharp waves.
Leaning against the edge of the sink, she stared at her reflection under the pale, harsh light. Tear after tear fell, blurring the image in the mirror.
The scenes of that day replayed vividly before her eyes, each one cutting deeper than the last.
***
After that fateful breakup, on a rainy, gray day in class, Dinh Loi finally discovered the truth: Thinh Thinh and Ha Vi Phong had been quietly getting to know each other. He had noticed how Thinh Thinh had seemed withdrawn lately, often resting her head silently on her desk, lost in thought.
He approached her, a mixture of worry and anger in his voice:
"Do you really like him that much?"
Thinh Thinh didn't answer. Tears suddenly streamed down her face, her throat tight and raw, unable to form a single word.
Seeing this, Dinh Loi, unable to control himself, stormed toward Vi Phong in a fit of rage perhaps because he didn't know what else to do.
A familiar, icy voice cut through the tension:
"I don't like her. From the start, it's been her clinging to me, not the other way around."
Each word was a knife, sharp and precise, slicing into her fragile heart, leaving pain that burned through every fiber of her being.
The moment Ha Vi Phong finished speaking, Dinh Loi's fury erupted further. He lunged, grabbing Ha Vi Phong by the collar:
"What did you just say?!"
Ha Vi Phong shrugged calmly, his voice cold as ice:
"You're ridiculous. I like her, and you cause trouble; I don't like her, and you still cause trouble. If you truly care about her that much... then do me a favor and keep her away from me for a while."
Thinh Thinh's eyes blurred with tears, each crystal droplet sliding down her cheeks like tiny shards of glass, shattering her heart with every fall. Helpless, she ran forward, summoning the last of her fragile strength to grab Dinh Loi's hand:
"Dinh Loi... please stop. We don't have any connection anymore. That's enough. Please... I'm begging you."
Ha Vi Phong froze, staring at her in surprise, his expression shifting in a way she couldn't read.
Seeing that she still wanted to protect him, Dinh Loi's eyes widened in fury, his voice trembling as he spat out:
"You... even now, you're defending him... you really are..."
Before he could finish, he stormed off, consumed by rage.
Thinh Thinh stood frozen, heart hammering, as Ha Vi Phong hesitated for a fleeting moment, then turned to Tinh Yen:
"Tinh Yen, let's go."
Without another word, he took her hand and walked away, their figures gradually fading until they disappeared completely, leaving her alone, her heart shattered into a thousand pieces, drowning in immeasurable sorrow.
Tieu Linh didn't follow them. She lingered, a mocking smile on her lips, her voice dripping with scorn:
"Hey... you okay? A little chick dreaming of becoming a phoenix... what a fantasy! You heard it clearly, didn't you? You were just Tinh Yen's pawn all along, and thanks to you..."
Just as Tieu Linh was about to continue, Ni Ni appeared, furious, cutting her off sharply:
"Enough! Shut up!"
Tieu Linh paused, then smiled smugly, undeterred:
"What's the matter? Can't handle it? I'm just helping her wake up! If you're too scared to listen, that's your problem."
Thinh Thinh's eyes were brimming with tears, her voice trembling as she tried to hold back her emotions:
"Ni Ni... just... let her say what she wants."
Tieu Linh sneered, patting Thinh Thinh's shoulder as if to comfort her:
"See? She wants to be heard! But you know, you should be thanking me. Because of you, their bond has grown so tight and... so undeniable."
At that moment, Ni Ni could no longer hold back her fury, shouting:
"Enough! Will you shut up already?!"
And in that instant, someone's heart shattered completely, irreparably broken.
It hurt. So much. Truly, unbearably.
Was she just a pawn, a nameless, faceless piece on his board?
It seemed that to him, she meant nothing at all.
Ha Vi Phong didn't love her. He never had any real feelings for her.
But then... why? Why did he agree to be with her?
Was it only to hurt her? To cause her this much pain?
Thinh Thinh's legs gave way beneath her, as if the ground itself had collapsed.
That smile, those eyes, the hand-holding... all the moments that had once made her heart soar... now shattered in an instant. Gone.
Why had she been so foolish?
Why had she trusted his feelings?
Why had she believed that her sincerity could move his heart?
How could he be so cruel to her?
Why... why?
Did he even realize how happy she had been when he said, "I like you too"?
He had given her hope... only to trample it into the dust.
If only he had never given her hope, maybe she wouldn't be hurting like this now. If only she hadn't been so foolish back then, if only she had realized his true feelings sooner... maybe she wouldn't be drowning in this hollow, aching pain.
She still remembered that day. The weather had turned cold, but her heart had been so much colder. Gust after gust of icy wind struck her face, cutting into her small, fragile heart until it felt completely frozen.
Yes... ever since that day, she had forced herself to lock her heart away, to stop believing in something as fragile as love.
Now all she wanted was to forget him.
She wanted so badly to erase him, to forget that person, to forget everything he had ever done for her. To forget it all. But she couldn't. She couldn't wipe away the hurt he left behind, couldn't pretend he had never stepped into her heart.
She couldn't... she truly couldn't.
***
She wiped the tear from her cheek and tried to steady herself.
"Thinh Thinh, stop this... it's all in the past now. Don't ruin everyone's mood because of you. Be strong, Thinh Thinh."
With that thought, she splashed cold water on her face as if to shake herself awake, trying to hide the tears. She straightened up, forced a small smile at her reflection, and stepped back into her usual composure before heading out.
In front of her, a tall figure leaned casually against the wall, eyes half-closed. The dim light streaming through the window highlighted the sharp, arrogant lines of his face.
There was a quiet, almost weightless presence about him, and Thinh Thinh felt her heart falter without warning.
She barely recognized herself for a moment, how could she use words like "cold" and "arrogant" to describe someone like Ha Vi Phong? And besides, didn't he already have Tinh Yen by his side now?
Seizing the moment, Thinh Thinh tried to slip past him quickly, pretending not to notice. But before she could, a hand grabbed hers.
"Planning to walk away like I'm invisible?"
Thinh Thinh struggled, trying to pull her hand free, but his grip was too strong, she couldn't break away. Panic flared in her chest as she stammered:
"Y-you... what do you want to do?"
He held her hand firmly, his tone calm but decisive.
"I just want to talk. Don't be so startled."
Surprised, Thinh Thinh still forced herself to appear composed, her voice cool as she asked:
"Talk about what? Say it!"
He stepped closer, pressing her gently against the corner of the wall. His warm hand moved up to cover half her face, leaving only her eyes visible.
Taken aback by his strange gesture, Thinh Thinh shoved him away, her voice sharp and flustered.
"Ha Vi... Vi Phong, what... what are you doing?"
But it seemed her words didn't reach him.
Those dark eyes fixed on hers, empty yet brimming with an indescribable emotion.
"Can you... not look at me like that? Do you know how your eyes confuse me?"
Before he could say more, the shrill ring of a phone cut through the tense silence. Only then did he release her hand and reach for his phone.
A little while later, after finishing the phone call, he left. Thinh Thinh stood frozen, watching his tall figure fade into the distance. Even minutes later, she couldn't shake the shock from her chest.
"Why did he act like that? What did he mean by what he said? Does he... think I'm pathetic?"
A flood of questions swirled through her mind, crashing over her like relentless waves, making her heart ache all over again.
Eventually, Thinh Thinh wandered into the room in a daze. Before she could make sense of anything, she saw Ha Vi Phong hurriedly pull Tieu Linh's hand and say:
"Let's go, Tinh Yen is calling!" – His expression was all urgency and concern.
Thinh Thinh froze in place, silently thinking, Of course... Tinh Yen is his wife. No wonder he's in such a rush.
And just like that, the meeting ended with the two of them leaving early. It didn't affect anyone else's fun in the slightest. Ni Ni was even more lively and carefree, enjoying the gathering all the more without them there.
© 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.