An Phong didn't answer. He hesitated for a beat before lifting his skinny arm, fragile like a twig. Instantly, Uy Phong's broad hand closed around it. His grip was rough yet steady, big enough to completely wrap around An Phong's bony wrist.
Then—before An Phong could even react—Uy Phong moved. Too fast. His back swung into An Phong's line of sight, his body a solid wall blocking everything else. In the next second, An Phong's feet were off the ground. His chest pressed against that rigid back, and a faint mix of soap and sweat drifted to his nose, making his heartbeat stumble.
Eyes squeezed shut, An Phong braced himself for the inevitable impact. His pulse hammered as his body tilted in midair, mind whiting out in the spin.
One second.Two.Three.
…No crash. No pain.
He cracked his eyes open—and time faltered.
Uy Phong's face hovered just a hand's span away. Every detail stood out in startling clarity: the sharp brows, the high bridge of his nose, the sculpted line of his jaw. His eyes, dark and deep, glimmered with something he couldn't name. Even his lips, pressed thin in concentration, looked infuriatingly perfect under the fluorescent lights.
For a breath, An Phong's chest tightened. He caught himself thinking, Since when… was he this handsome?
Heat surged up his neck. His cheeks flamed crimson, but he told himself it was only from being spun around, from the rush of adrenaline. It couldn't be anything else.
Uy Phong, for his part, noticed. His eyes flicked to the blush dusting An Phong's face. A flicker of surprise crossed his features—then vanished, smothered under his usual cold composure. With one strong arm steady at An Phong's back, he set him down smoothly, as if nothing unusual had happened.
That's when An Phong realized—Uy Phong hadn't thrown him at all.He'd caught him. Carried his weight. Kept him from hitting the floor.
No wonder there was no pain.
When they finally straightened up, Uy Phong cleared his throat, brushing his bangs aside in a casual motion. An Phong hesitated, then ducked his head and muttered, almost shy:
"...Thanks."
Uy Phong gave him a sidelong glance, face unreadable."Don't mention it."
The silence that followed was deafening.
Then—collective gasps.
Both boys turned their heads at once—only to freeze.
There was Mr.Tri. And half the girls' squad. All of them standing there, hands clamped over their mouths, eyes wide with delight. Mischievous grins screamed louder than words: Ohhh, what's going on here?
The guys weren't any better. Some frowned in confusion. Some gawked. Others exchanged looks like they were already scripting fanfiction in their heads.
It took three whole seconds for the realization to sink in—and then both An Phong and Uy Phong exploded at once:
"WAIT—NO!! It's not what it looks like! We were just practicing!!"
Their protest echoed across the room.
Mr.Tri wasn't even pretending to be stern anymore. He chuckled, waving them off with a sly twinkle in his eye."Relax. No one said anything. Back to practice."
The group dispersed—sort of. Sure, they went through the motions again, but the sneaky side-glances and muffled giggles never quite stopped.
As for An Phong and Uy Phong? Both stood rooted, cheeks blazing like ripe tomatoes, unable to meet each other's eyes. One thought looped in their heads: Kill me now. This is mortifying.
***
By the time practice wrapped up, it was past nine. The group said their goodbyes and split off.
Vy, spotting An Phong and Uy Phong hovering a few steps apart, bounced over and grabbed their hands."Come on, let's go grab supper!"
But Uy Phong coolly shook her off. His tone was clipped."I'm tired. I'll head home first."
He shot a quick look—first at Vy, then at An Phong—before frowning and slinging his bag over his shoulder. Without another word, he walked out.
Vy blinked, baffled. "Huh?" She turned to An Phong."Then… you'll come with me, right?"
But An Phong gave a small shake of his head."It's late. Maybe another time."
Vy pouted but didn't press. Instead, she looped her arm through his and steered him the opposite way. She chattered as they walked:"Oh! Did you see Khang and Bao earlier? They fumbled that fight scene so bad—Khang rolled into Bao's leg, then they both slammed into the wall! I swear, I nearly died laughing!"
But beside her, An Phong trudged quietly, head down, mind elsewhere.
"Hey." Vy snapped her fingers in front of his face. "Earth to An Phong? What's with you?"
He startled. "Huh? Sorry, what?"
Vy folded her arms, eyes narrowing."You two are acting weird today."
"...Weird?"
"You and Uy Phong. Like you're in some silent war. Usually he jokes around a lot. He even smiles more now. But today? Ice cold. Did you guys fight?"
An Phong hesitated, then murmured,"Not really. We just… didn't have anything to say."
"Laaame excuse." Vy rolled her eyes. "Sounds like he's sulking. Y'know, like when a girl gets mad because her boyfriend looked at someone else?"
An Phong froze. His mind flashed back—Uy Phong's glare earlier, the way he stormed off.
"So… that's it?" he whispered under his breath.
Vy tilted her head. "What'd you say?"
"Nothing." A pause, then softer: "But… I think I get why he's upset now."
Her eyes lit up. "Wait, so he is mad? Oh my gosh, is this the first time ever?"
An Phong suddenly stopped walking. He turned to face her, hands lightly gripping her shoulders. His expression was calm—too calm, which only made Vy nervous.
"W-What? Why are you looking at me like that?"
An Phong's voice dropped, low and deliberate, like he was revealing a secret."Vy… I think Uy Phong likes you."
"WHAT?!"
It hit her like a thunderclap. Her jaw dropped. Her face turned scarlet."Y-You're insane, An Phong! Him? Liking me? No way!"
But An Phong's eyes held steady, unwavering."He was upset when he caught me watching you practice."
Vy froze, blood rushing to her face. "E-Excuse me!?" She clutched her head, shaking it like she could rattle the thought out. "Impossible! We bicker all the time! We can barely stand each other! There's no way—"
"Exactly." An Phong cut her off, deadly serious. "That's why I think he notices you even more."
Vy gaped, speechless. Her brain short-circuited. No. Absolutely not. Don't plant these terrifying ideas in my head!
But before she could recover, An Phong drew in a shaky breath. His voice wavered, but the determination in it was unmistakable:"Vy… I promised I'd stay by your side forever. I won't let him take you away. I'll fight for you—no matter what."
His fists clenched. His frame was small, but the resolve in his words rang louder than his size.
Vy stood stunned. Then, unexpectedly, her lips curved into a tender smile. Her eyes shimmered as she pulled him into a tight hug."Silly. I'd never choose him over you. You're my favorite, An Phong. I hate that guy anyway. Tomorrow, I'll tell him straight—I don't accept his feelings, not ever."
An Phong's chest swelled at her words. "Yeah… I'll wait for you to tell me."
Vy nodded firmly, ruffling his hair like he was both precious and fragile."Good. Be patient, okay? Victory will be ours."
"Mm."
She took his hand, tugging him along."Come on. It's late. We need to rest up for tomorrow's battle."
An Phong glanced down at their entwined hands. A strange, quiet ache stirred in his chest. He gave a faint nod, walking alongside her… unaware that the truth lay in a completely different direction.