Chapter 22 — Appointment Under the Stars

Two days before the event, while reviewing the entire program script one last time, Ngoc Han suddenly came up with an idea that she had never dared to think of before. She asked to add a short personal sharing in the middle of the program, telling about her own journey from someone who hated the night sky to rediscovering her love for the stars.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Nhat Quang asked, his eyes both surprised and full of respect when hearing that unexpected proposal. "This is a very personal story, you don't have to share it in front of hundreds of people if you're not really ready."

"I think it's time," Ngoc Han replied, her voice more determined than she expected. "For many years, I always kept this pain hidden, considering it a shameful secret that needed to be hidden. But now, I realize, perhaps my story can help someone else who is going through the same thing, feeling alone in their own pain."

That whole evening, Ngoc Han sat alone in her room, diligently writing and rewriting that sharing, trying to find the most honest words to describe the complex emotional journey she went through. She writes about the nights she spent sitting on the rooftop waiting in vain for her father, about her obsession with the night sky over the years, about how she reluctantly joined the club purely for practicality, and finally, about how the stars, magically, gradually became a source of comfort instead of pain.

When she completed the first draft, she sent it to Nhat Quang to preview, anxiously waiting for feedback. Just a few minutes later, her phone vibrated.

"I couldn't hold back my tears while reading," Nhat Quang texted, along with a short voice message. "This is the most beautiful and courageous thing I have ever read. You will definitely touch the hearts of many people that night."

Those words of encouragement gave Ngoc Han the confidence needed to complete her sharing. She practiced her presentation in front of the mirror many times, sometimes having to stop in the middle because of overwhelming emotions, but each time, she felt like she was getting closer to truly letting go of the burden that had been clinging to her for many years.

The next day, in the final rehearsal before the event, Ngoc Han stood in front of all club members, practicing presenting her sharing for the first time in front of a real audience. Her voice trembled in the first sentences, but gradually became steadier as she told the part about the nights of observation with Nhat Quang, about how she gradually learned to look at the night sky with a different perspective.

When she finished her presentation, the entire living room was silent for a moment, before applause broke out, mixed with emotional tears from a few members, especially Thanh Ha, who was famous for her strength but could not hide her shock at that sincere story.

"You just showed us all the real reason why this event is so important," Mr. Dat said, his voice somewhat choked up. "It's not just about astronomy, but about the journey of healing and connecting people through the beauty of the universe."

Ngoc Han smiled, feeling an unprecedented relief spread throughout her body, as if sharing her story in front of people she trusted had helped her relieve some of the emotional burden she had carried for so long. She looked at Nhat Quang and saw his eyes also looking at her with undisguised pride.

After the rehearsal, when everyone had left one by one, Nhat Quang stayed behind to help Ngoc Han clean up documents. “I'm really proud of you,” he said, his voice sincere. "Not only because of the wonderful sharing you just gave, but because of the long journey you went through to be able to stand here, today, as someone who has learned to love and accept yourself."

"I don't think I could have done it without you, without this club," Ngoc Han replied, her voice emotional. "You guys gave me a place to belong, a reason to look up at the night sky without feeling scared anymore."

The two of them stood quietly together in the deserted living room, the last sunset light filtering through the window, dyeing a warm orange color throughout the space, like a gentle signal for the good things that lie ahead.

"You know what," Nhat Quang said, breaking the silence, his voice had a rare hesitation in him. "There's something I've always wanted to tell you, but I kept procrastinating because I was afraid of choosing the wrong time."

"What is it?" Ngoc Han asked, her heart beating faster at the sudden seriousness in his eyes.

"No, another time," Nhat Quang shook his head, smiling awkwardly. "I think there's a better time to say this. For now, we should focus on completing all the remaining work for the event first."

Ngoc Han was curious but did not ask further, just smiled and nodded, silently guessing in her heart about what Nhat Quang was cherishing but not ready to share.

That evening, when she got home, Ngoc Han told her mother about the story, not hiding her mixed emotions of excitement and relief. Ms. Lan listened attentively, her eyes shining with barely hidden pride.

"Do you want me to read that part?" Ms. Lan asked, her voice gentle.

Ngoc Han hesitated a bit, then gave the phone to her mother, nervously observing her expression as she read each line. When she got to the part about the nights waiting on the terrace, she saw her mother's eyes red, tears silently rolling down her cheeks.

"I didn't know you carried this pain so heavily," Ms. Lan said, her voice choked up, hugging her daughter. "I'm sorry for not realizing sooner, for leaving you alone to face all of this all these years."

"It's not mom's fault," Ngoc Han reassured, hugging her mother back tightly. "I think, there are pains that can only be healed when you face them yourself and say them out loud. No one can do that for you. But having my mother by my side throughout this journey, I feel luckier than many others."

Mother and daughter hugged each other for a long time in the warm light of the living room, a moment of deep connection that Ngoc Han knew she would cherish forever, no matter what happened on the upcoming event night.

Before going to bed, Ms. Lan stayed a little longer, holding her daughter's hand, her voice thoughtful. "I have a suggestion, if you don't mind," she said. "I want to be present at that event night, to hear you share your story directly, not through a phone screen."

Ngoc Han looked at her mother in surprise, because until now, Ms. Lan had been busy with teaching and rarely had time to attend her daughter's extracurricular activities. "Do you really want to come?" she asked, her voice unable to hide her emotion.

"Of course," Ms. Lan smiled, her eyes determined. "My daughter is about to stand in front of hundreds of people to tell her life story. How could I be absent from that important moment? I already asked for half of that afternoon off, there's nothing to worry about."

Hearing those words, Ngoc Han felt a warm happiness spreading throughout her heart, a feeling of support and appreciation that she did not expect to need so much. Even though her father still couldn't return, she realized that she was never truly alone on this journey, when she always had her mother, friends, and a whole club that had become a second family, ready to stand by her side in all the most important moments of her life.

That night, before falling asleep, she took the small notebook she used to write down what she wanted to say in the presentation, and wrote a final short paragraph, not to read in front of the crowd, but just for herself: "Tomorrow, I will stand under the night sky, not to wait for someone to appear, but to prove to myself that I am strong enough to shine in my own way, whether there is anyone by my side or not."

She closed the notebook, placed it on the desk next to the old star map, then turned off the light, falling asleep with a strange peace, completely different from the restless nights full of anxiety before. There were only two more days left, when the night sky would once again witness a new journey beginning, not only for Ngoc Han, but for the entire community of astronomy lovers who had been working together for many months.