We Belong Together

Chapter 8

Phan went straight to the inner room, he waited for Viet for 20 minutes and "patience" is an extremely valuable asset that he always uses it as sparingly and economically as possible. Viet is struggling in front of the mirror in gray pants, a white shirt, on his neck, his tie has not yet been tied. Under the bed, countless clothes were thrown indiscriminately and carelessly. Phan goes one step further:

- I have never wondered why you are so rich?

- What did you say?

- Today is Sunday, isn't it? Yet you still work, still have to go to a meeting, or attend a conference or something? Let me tie my tie and find a suit and go carry your briefcase.

- It's just a little cold.

- Oh right! It's so cold, you look at the thermometer, the temperature has already dropped to 27 degrees Celsius. It's terrible, maybe tonight someone will freeze to death from the cold. I just got back from Africa right away and it's really hot over there so I'm still wearing a short-sleeve t-shirt. Do you have any turtleneck sweaters? Let me borrow it.

- Stop your sarcasm.

- You're stressed.

- Who? Is that me? You really know how to joke. I never knew what stress was?

- Ah! Of course, I have to agree with you on this. Since you don't know what stress is, do you realize that you're stressed? Today we went out with Hanh and Thao, not with his 9X girls. Or do you think we're accompanying you to a national convention? Please, please put a so-called "smile" on your lips. He's tense like a teenager on a first date. By the way, I remind you that the number of girls you love can form a battalion of "air defense fighters", and Hanh is someone you can't flirt with.

- Phan emphasized the word "can't flirt" - Hurry up, men only have the right to wait, not the right to make women wait.

- Can you be less crazy? Either you help me, or you go out and get something to shove in your mouth so it won't babble with all the bullshit that bothers me, okay? - That's because you provoked it before.

Phan stepped closer, he tugged the tie off Viet's neck, then without saying a word, he unbuttoned his shirt roughly. Phan chose a red T-shirt with a picture of the main singer in the Rocks The Wall band with his hair tied up and his shaggy beard bulging and rolling his eyes, then put it on Viet's head. While Viet was struggling with his shirt, Phan pressed his hand with a pair of faded blue jeans that looked very dusty. And while his friend was changing, Phan grabbed the remaining clothes and threw them all into the closet. Phan's phone is vibrating loudly, the ringtone plays the tune of a song dedicated to Thao's call, it seems that she is also running out of patience with both of them.

Hanh put his backpack on the grass by the river, the wind blew wildly, causing the reeds and reeds on the riverbank to sway. Mixed in the rustling sound of the wind blowing, the sound of waves crashing on the shore is creaking. Hanh looked out into the distance, fertile alluvium along the Red River filled the vast fields and green plants. The highlight is the wildflower bushes, full of colors, making it all look like a picture of a beautiful countryside landscape. Far away on the other side, the Vinh Tuy bridge connecting the two sides of the river is under construction, drawing a gray arc on the horizon. Hanh could not believe that in the heart of Hanoi, there is such a poetic and rural space. Suddenly, Viet's gasp and panting sounded behind him, making Hanh startled, he quickly put down his backpack and ran over to help Viet. This land is so poetic, but only for humans, but the two Vespas can't stand it because of the roughness and the almost vertical slopes of the embankment. Causing them to turn off the phone to push, "you two are so pretty" Thao said while breathing while the two boys could only laugh.

"It's wonderful, isn't it?", Thao asked while closing her eyes dreamily when the chilly breeze caressed her face and hair. She spread both hands, releasing her soul as if she wanted to fly. Viet took the camera rapidly, while Phan turned to Hanh:

- This place is so beautiful, isn't it? Great.

- Must be big! So beautiful. - Hanh replied, her eyes half-closed, dreamily enjoying the taste of the field. - I have never seen a more wonderful place than this.

- I'm a bit subjective when I say that. I know an even better place, have you ever been to Cua Lo beach?

- My house is in the city of the Sea - Hanh answered - and the sea in the autumn afternoon is also quite beautiful.

- That is because I have not been to Cua Lo beach in winter, if I have been there, I will find that my answer must be: The winter sea looks beautiful. I used to be there in the winter, the beach was empty, it seemed that it was only you with the sea, with the rows of Phi Lao, with the gray waves. The sea in winter always has very strong winds, but not too cold, the sea breeze is always warm, and smells like the typical sea.

- You know too much, what you say sounds so poetic.

- You will realize it when you love the sea.

- Because he is a wanderer, yes. - Viet interrupted - In the past, when I was a student, I was poor, but every month we fasted to save money to wander somewhere for a few days. He likes to take pictures, and Phan likes to admire the scenery. - And write poetry about Toad too, - Thao also contributed - Like: Autumn is a whole dry season, the clouds are high in the branches, sometimes in the garlic field and sometimes in the living, companion and sometimes in the lemon field.

...

- Hey, don't slander the bad guy - Phan grimaced while everyone laughed - he didn't dare to have such a talent, writing poetry requires creative exploration, imagination and romance .

- Romantic like the winter sea, isn't it? - It's Thao's voice again - I also love the winter sea.

- Very curious, I will definitely go to the sea in winter one day, I want to know how interesting the winter sea is, because even though my house is near the sea, I have never been to the sea in winter.

- Then one day the four of us will go to the sea together in winter - Viet responded to Hanh's words - I am as curious as you.

- Consider it an agreement - Four hands clasped together and then thrown into the sky - don't wait far, this Christmas okay?

- It's already agreed!

November is slowly passing by with thin, weak late-season sun rays, trying to wriggle through the gray clouds floating in the sky. The sun tries to shine golden rays on the lonely clusters of milk flowers at the end of the season on the foliage. In space, it takes a lot of effort to feel the scent of milk flowers at the end of the season. The scent is no longer as strong and thick as before, but it is the scent that seems to be very light that is the most attractive feature of Milk flowers. The scent is light, vague, wandering somewhere that makes people have to look for, regret, like regretting the most beautiful days of the year have passed. To make room for the cold, sad, and unrelenting drizzle of winter.

Winter, for some, is just a season of coldness and sadness. But if you look at Phan's face right now, when he is sitting on his back, watching the drizzle of rice falling by the window of the familiar Cafe, people will think that the northern winter is still pleasant.

Viet sat down on a chair, seat 7, 8 years ago he used to sit, opposite Phan.

- Why do you sit with your muzzle like this? What are you doing looking down the road? Remember your student days? Or miss me?

- I went to practice and returned to Nghe An.

- Practice? Why are you back home? Where can you not practice? Why don't you come to me?

- Her father brought her back - Phan sobbed, absently stirring the spoon so hard that the brown coffee cup in front of him began to bubble up - 10 weeks.

- Ah! The man who "doesn't share the same sky" with his family?

- What does not share the same sky? Don't talk nonsense. - Isn't Thao's house on the other side of the river? - YES! Then on the other side of the river.

- Isn't it in your hometown, people on both sides of the river mean on different sides of the battle line?

- YES! Yes, but my family and Thao's family are not incompatible?

- If not, why don't the two families look at each other? Why don't you and Thao make their love story public? I guess it's not because you guys are filming a movie called "love story at... CIA"?

Phan drank half of his coffee in one breath: - As for adults, I don't know how the two sides were in the past? But one day I'll have to go talk to him, about us.

- Remember to let me go with you.

- For what?

- Well, to cover your umbrella, it's not fun to let him pour a bucket of dishwashing liquid over his head. Ha ha ... - Viet laughed loudly and happily.

- It's been a long time since you went to the beach, right? - Phan's voice had a hint of frustration, but Viet didn't care.

- What do you ask? Isn't it your future father-in-law who just opened an umbrella shop on the beach?

- No! Well, I thought you hadn't been to the beach for a long time, so now you look like you're burning with salt. Too bland.

- Ah! You are very good, dare to play me? I'm worried about you, don't you see?

- Rub! Don't make me cry because I'm touched okay, crying is enough already? It's just the beginning of winter, but it's already raining terribly.

- That's Hanoi, my dear fool! It's already November, and I'm starting a tour around the north again. Annual routine.

- I thought you just left in June, then in December will the examination of the Clinics begin again?

- YES! This year is a bit different, the end of the year work will be very busy, and I have urgent work so I decided to go for the test earlier. Eight clinics, so it will take about two weeks - Viet smiles, mischievous look - stay at home well, don't cry.

- Oh! I will miss you to death - Phan no less, his voice stretched out.

- Do you miss me and keep looking at that girl walking down the street? Damn, Thao has only been gone for a few days.

- She's wearing a red shirt. - Ah! That's right, you're always screwed by the girls in red, aren't you?

- Is it soulful?

- It seems, - Viet deliberately ignored - making him resist the charm of red shirts is a t*****e, right?

- An impossible mission - Phan corrected.

I wonder if I should ask you this question? You don't blame me for being curious, do you? Do you also love Thao because she often wears red?

- So you asked already? Actually she likes blue, have you seen her in red?

- You like girls in red, but you love a girl who likes blue? Interesting isn't it?

- Actually, she was allergic to Chloramine B at first. But between love and liking are two completely different things. Right?

- YES! "Love" has only three, while "like" has five letters.

- "Hot" is a compound word with five letters, but separated, the word "ham" has only three letters. - You're too much, I'm going to be away for two weeks, and yet you still swear at me mercilessly like that? Do you have to show some gesture that you love me?

- I have a list about a few pages long of things you can buy dozen as gifts for me. Has that made you see how much I love you?

- Enough is enough, it's my turn to feel touched. I will ask Hanh to bring it back to you, she will come back sooner than me.

Phan looked up, he dropped the sunflower seed he had just held onto the plate.

- What? Why is Hanh here?

- Then something happened to her house, she took a few days off to return to her hometown. - Viet scrutinized. - Either way, I'll check the clinic in Hai Phong, by the way, give her a lift.

- What's up with her house?

- It seems that her mother is in the hospital, she refuses to say clearly.

- Why don't you ask more?

- You know that, if she said it, it wouldn't be her anymore, right?

Phan looked out the window, it was still raining, the sky was dark, gray with a cloudy color. Raindrops fell on the window sill of the cafe. Down the street, the flow of people passing by was as sparse as the smiles on Phan's lips at the moment. He turned back.

- So it's just me, and Hanoi.

- And the rains too - Viet smiling - You are full of friends, don't worry. Or if you feel sad, invite Phuong Thuy to drink coffee, she talks quite interestingly.

- You're so funny. If she stopped looking down on country guys like me, wouldn't Hanoi have so much rain?

- This guy, Thuy is not that bad?

- You never know anyone named "bad", right?

- YES! But I know you again, unlucky yet? Speaking of Thuy, I can't call her, I need to tell her a few things, but she just turned off the phone.