The classroom suddenly erupted into chaos.
— "Oh my god, someone's here for Phong!"— "Yo Phong, what's her number? Share it with us!"— "Damn, look at you, Mr. Popular~~"
Just a moment ago it had been quiet, but now chairs screeched as boys stood on tiptoe to gawk. A few girls curled their lips, some watched on with barely contained curiosity like they were tuning into a live drama, while others shot side-eyed glances sharp enough to cut glass.
An Phong stayed seated, eyes flickering with mild confusion. He blinked once, then lowered his gaze to his notebook, pretending none of it concerned him. But his ears… caught every single word.
Out in the hall, his classmates jostled each other to peek outside. The girl at the door blushed furiously, cheeks tinged pink as she clutched her notebook tight against her chest.
Uy Phong frowned, waving them off.
— "Back inside. Don't crowd around."
The boys groaned theatrically, dragging their feet as though heartbroken. But of course, retreat didn't mean surrender—they melted behind the walls, ears perked, ready to report every detail later like war correspondents.
The girl shifted nervously, her face still red, then glanced up at Uy Phong with a polite smile.
— "Hello. I'm An Thu, from class 11B. I'm the manager of the basketball club. The principal already mentioned you to us… and I've heard about you for a while. I was hoping you'd consider joining our team. Would you be interested?"
Uy Phong hesitated.— "Ah…"
Before he could finish, muffled snickers came from behind the wall. He exhaled slowly, resigned, then replied evenly:
— "Sorry. I can't. Please tell the principal I appreciate the invitation, but… I'm not interested."
He turned to leave.
Panicked, An Thu grabbed his arm, desperate. His eyes snapped to hers—sharp, cold. The look was enough to jolt her back; she quickly let go, cheeks flaring even redder.
— "S-sorry! But… senpai really won't join?"
Uy Phong stilled.— "…Senpai?"
She nodded quickly, her voice soft but firm.— "Yes! You're an upperclassman, and you've got real experience in basketball… so calling you senpai feels right, doesn't it?"
His lips twitched. He rubbed his temple with a sigh.— "…Fine. Whatever."
Her eyes brightened, seizing the chance to continue.— "Still, I think you should reconsider. The principal said she'd support you and the team more if you joined. So… I hope you'll think about it."
She tore a slip of paper from her notebook, scribbled her number, and held it out with a shy smile.
— "Here! If you change your mind, call me. I'll be waiting, senpai."
— "Wait, I—"
— "Goodbye, senpai!"
Before he could reply, she bowed quickly and darted off, leaving him standing frozen, the scrap of paper hot in his hand and a giant question mark in his mind.
He hadn't even processed it when the boys burst out like bees from a hive.
— "Where'd she go?!"— "Dude, why'd you reject her like that? She's probably crushed!"— "She was gorgeous! What's your type, seriously?!"
One sharp-eyed boy shouted:— "Hold up… what's that in his hand?"
In a flash, the note was snatched away.
— "Holy crap, it's her number!" he yelled, and the crowd swarmed like piranhas.
Then—snap. A firm hand reclaimed it instantly.
Uy Phong's gaze darkened, voice dropping low.— "Enough."
The noise evaporated. No one dared breathe.
Without another word, he turned, the crumpled paper still in his fist, and walked back into the classroom.
The boys shuffled uneasily.— "Uh… why's he so serious? We were just playing…"
But no one dared push further.
Back at his desk, Uy Phong sat down, staring at the note. For a while, he didn't move.
From the side, An Phong stole a glance. The whispers from earlier still buzzed in his head, but what unsettled him most wasn't the girl—it was Uy Phong's expression. No pride. No thrill. Just that heavy, clouded look, like the whole thing was nothing but an inconvenience.
"Could it be… he really doesn't care? But why? Isn't this exactly his thing? His stage, his spotlight…"
His thought cut short when Uy Phong suddenly crushed the note into a tight ball, shoved it deep into his bag, and calmly flipped open his notebook, pen scratching like nothing had happened.
An Phong hesitated. He wanted to ask. But the memory of their awkwardness earlier held him back. And with that look on Uy Phong's face… it didn't feel like the right time. Better to stay quiet.
So the rest of the day slid by in silence. When the final bell rang, the two of them picked up their bags and left, walking separate ways home.