The message from Huyet Minh still lingered on Thien Duc's phone screen, even though he had tried several times to delete it, only to stop at the last second. The short line seemed to slice into his thoughts: "Are you free tomorrow? I still need your help with a few things."
After a curt reply — "I'm busy tomorrow. Handle it yourself." — Thien Duc thought that would be the end of it. But only seconds later, the screen lit up again: "Really? But I know you won't refuse me. Meet me at 10 a.m. I'll be waiting."
Thien Duc stared at the glowing text, muttering under his breath:
"Who does he think he is? Always deciding things on his own…"
Yet his fingers never quite managed to erase the message. He tossed the phone onto the table, slumped into a chair, and pressed his hand to his forehead. A tangle of irritation and… unease churned in his chest.
That night, he turned restlessly in bed. He tried closing his eyes, but the sound of Huyet Minh's teasing voice, low and steady, kept echoing in his head: "What's this? Are you jealous?"
Thien Duc sat up, raking his fingers through his hair.
"No way… I'm not… I'm just annoyed he talks nonsense. That's all."
But no matter how many times he told himself that, his heart still pounded every time that look in Huyet Minh's eyes came to mind.
---
The next morning, with the clock creeping toward 10, Thien Duc sat frozen on his bed, eyes fixed on the slow sweep of the minute hand. Inside, a tug-of-war raged.
"Don't go. There's no reason to. He'll just have me running errands again, like always. I'm not his servant," he muttered, pacing back and forth, keys clutched tightly in his hand.
But another thought quickly intruded:
"If I don't go… he'll think I'm scared. Or worse, he'll show up here himself. Just meet him, tell him clearly, and leave. That's all."
He sighed, pausing in front of the mirror. His face looked tired, but his eyes betrayed something else—an uneasy mix of apprehension and… anticipation.
"Just to talk. Nothing more," he told himself, throwing on a jacket before stepping out. Each footfall felt heavy, laced with hesitation.
---
Outside Huyet Minh's house, Thien Duc lingered. He raised his hand to knock, only to pull it back again. He repeated the motion several times, growing frustrated with himself.
"What's wrong with me? Just knock, say what I came to say, and leave. Why am I standing here like an idiot?" he muttered, scratching his head.
The door swung open. Huyet Minh stood there, tall and lean, casually leaning against the frame. His hair was slightly tousled by the morning breeze, but his blue eyes gleamed brightly. A faint, knowing smile tugged at his lips.
"Oh, you came. I almost thought you wouldn't," his voice was calm, deep, as if he had expected this all along.
Thien Duc stiffened, instinctively stepping back.
"I… I only came to talk. I'm not here to—"
Before he could finish, Huyet Minh's hand closed gently but firmly around his wrist. The grip wasn't harsh, yet it left no room to pull away.
"It's fine. I knew you'd come with me. Let's go—I have somewhere I want to take you."
Thien Duc tugged lightly, his voice rising:
"Wait! Go where? I didn't agree to anything!"
Huyet Minh tilted his head, amusement flickering in his eyes, though his tone stayed eerily soft:
"You've been standing outside my door this whole time. Don't tell me you just came to say a few words and leave. Or… are you going to claim you were just passing by?"
Words caught in Thien Duc's throat. He opened his mouth to retort, but no excuse came to mind. Heat flushed his cheeks, and he turned his face away, muttering under his breath:
"I just… don't like being dragged around like this."
Huyet Minh's smile deepened. His grip tightened slightly, his voice lowering to a near-whisper by Thien Duc's ear:
"Then… you'd better get used to it."
---
The morning streets were quiet, sunlight filtering through the green canopy of trees, scattering soft patterns across the pavement. Their footsteps blended into one steady rhythm, oddly in sync.
Huyet Minh walked ahead, his pace unhurried but deliberate, as though every step had been planned. His hand still held Thien Duc's wrist—not painfully, but firmly enough that escape wasn't an option.
Thien Duc glanced around, thoughts churning. At last, he broke the silence:
"Where exactly are you taking me? If this is just another pointless errand like last time, I'm turning back."
Huyet Minh turned slightly, his blue eyes catching the early light. He didn't answer right away; a faint smile tugged at his lips.
"Not the supermarket. Not to fix someone's bookshelf either. Just… somewhere I need to take you."
Thien Duc shot him a sharp look, his tone tinged with irritation:
"Somewhere I need to go? I never asked you to bring me anywhere."
Huyet Minh tilted his head, his voice dropping lower:
"Maybe not. But I want to."
The air grew still. The rustling of leaves overhead suddenly felt louder, the street quieter. Thien Duc said nothing more, but his heart thudded faster, the feeling inside him neither fear nor anger, but something more unsettling—a strange pull, as if something inevitable lay ahead, and there was no turning back.
---
They turned onto a narrow street lined with trees. Sunlight filtered through the branches, scattering into countless glimmering spots across the ground. The quiet was so complete that only the wind and their footsteps could be heard.
Thien Duc slowed, glancing around.
"This is… just an ordinary street. There's nothing here."
Huyet Minh stopped and turned. His blue eyes shimmered faintly, reflecting the filtered light. The faint smile remained, but his voice sank lower, tinged with something unreadable:
"It's not the street. It's… what's waiting at the end of it."
Thien Duc froze. For a moment, it felt as if the air had grown heavier. Before he could question further, Huyet Minh turned back, striding forward, his words low and deliberate:
"Follow me. Don't look back. Don't ask questions. Just keep walking… and you'll understand."
Thien Duc didn't know why, but his feet began to move on their own. Somewhere deep inside, a quiet thought whispered:
"Where is he taking me? And why… can't I stop?"