Saturday evening, just past six.
Uy Phong stepped out of the fitness center inside a high-rise complex. After his usual workout, he planned to walk home—it felt better than taking a car.
Backpack slung over one shoulder, phone in his free hand, he scrolled lazily through social media. He wasn't paying attention when he bumped into someone.
The guy was about his height, hood pulled low from a crimson hoodie. One hand gripped a black plastic bag, the other shoved deep in his pocket. Tall, a little lanky—not solid like Uy Phong.
"Sorry," Uy Phong said evenly.
The stranger only lifted his head for the briefest second, gave him a curt nod, expression stone cold, then walked off without a word.
Uy Phong frowned, but shrugged it off. Still, the encounter nagged at him. Strange guy. For all An Phong's quietness, at least he spoke. This one—colder, sharper, not even a polite reply. Rude much?
His phone chimed insistently, pulling him back. The basketball team group chat was blowing up.
An Thu:"Senior!! Disaster!!! I just posted the recruitment notice for the basketball club, and in less than half an hour we already have over a thousand sign-ups!!"
Uy Phong blinked. Way beyond expectations.
Thien Hung:"Whoa! Positive response, huh?"Hai Minh:"Positive my ass. How do we even filter that many!?"Ngo Huy:"Wait, why's that a disaster???"An Thu:"Because almost ALL of them are girls!!"
Silence in the chat.
Hai Minh:"…then that makes filtering easy."An Thu:"ARE YOU CRAZY!? We need guys for the team!!"
Uy Phong sighed, shoving his phone back into his pocket. He walked on, but soon it buzzed again—this time, a call.
He answered in his calm, steady tone."Hello?"
"Senior!! I checked the list. Out of all those names, only about twenty-three are boys. Should I reach out and schedule interviews at the club?"
"Yeah, do it. Thanks."
"Leave it to me!!"
She hung up before he could respond. Staring at the dark screen, Uy Phong had the odd sense he was forgetting something. But the thought slipped away, and he kept walking.
Then, all at once, a realization struck. His lips curved, and with a sharp "Aha," he spun on his heel, breaking into a run in the opposite direction.
He didn't stop until he stood before massive wrought-iron gates, chest rising and falling.
The mansion loomed beyond—like something lifted straight from a storybook. Tall white walls encircled the estate like fortress ramparts, but vines of bougainvillea and ivy climbed high, spilling bursts of pink, purple, and white beneath the glow of golden wall lamps.
The gates themselves were black iron, heavy and ornate, carved with intricate scrolls. Cameras perched above, sleek and modern yet somehow blending into the grandeur.
"Welcome home, young master," a mechanical voice called from the intercom above, warm despite its robotic timbre. "You look tired. May I assist you?"
"Thanks, Albert," Uy Phong replied with a nod. "Open up."
"Of course. Your grandfather is expecting you."
With a grinding groan, the gates began to part.
The path to the main mansion stretched endlessly. Walking would take nearly half an hour. Luckily, he had a shortcut—his hoverboard, stored in a "shed" by the entrance. Though really, the so-called shed was the size of a small house, fully automated, built just for him. A gift from his grandfather.
FaceID sensors scanned him, unlocking a glossy console. He tapped his favorite option, and within seconds, machinery whirred and delivered his hoverboard to his feet.
The board hummed softly as it glided forward.
The estate unfolded around him in decadent detail. Manicured lawns, dotted with neat staff cottages. A private golf course stretching into the distance. A stream winding from the forest, curling beneath a stone bridge, flowing into a lake at the rear.
At the center of a roundabout, a marble David towered, surrounded by sculpted swans spouting arcs of water, circled by roses in every color. By day, a fairytale. By night, radiant beyond measure.
Sometimes Uy Phong wondered why his grandfather needed all this—so much space, so much spectacle—for one man. But he knew the answer: art and grandeur weren't extravagance to his grandfather. They were his identity.
For Uy Phong, though, it was just… normal. Maybe a little impressive. Mostly just there.
Arriving at the front entrance, he stepped off the hoverboard and left it neatly to the side. The marble floors of the grand hall gleamed beneath a chandelier of cascading crystal.
And there, seated on an opulent sofa, was his grandfather, calm as always, bent over a game of Go with a middle-aged man across from him.
Uy Phong's lips curved slightly as he greeted, voice low and smooth:"Evening, Uncle Janssens. Playing Go with Grandfather again?"