Chapter 10 — Bridge Yard Beats

One week before leaving to participate in the regional Olympic qualifiers, the team held a final practice session of a rehearsal nature, with the participation of the entire coaching staff and representatives of the national badminton federation to observe and motivate them before the important competition.

Vy and Long competed in a friendly match with another couple on the team, showing off everything they had built during more than two months of training together. Both of their performances left everyone present impressed - from Vy's powerful smashes to Long's solid defense and accurate counter-attacks, all blended into a perfect whole.

"This is exactly what I hoped to see," the federation representative commented to Coach Kiet after practice, his voice full of satisfaction. "This couple has the potential to bring good results in the qualifying round, and can even create an even bigger surprise."

The evening after the rehearsal, the whole team held a small party to cheer up before the trip. A happy, warm atmosphere enveloped the common room, everyone reviewed memorable memories together during the preparation process.

Tram was also present at the party, although her mood was still heavy after sleepless nights due to endless thoughts. She tried to appear happy and blend in with the general atmosphere, but her eyes sometimes still couldn't hide the gloom when looking towards Vy and Long who were chatting happily together.

"Miss Tram, aren't you happy?" Vy asked when she happened to sit next to Tram, noticing her uncomfortable expression.

"I'm happy," Tram replied, trying to smile wryly. "It's just a little regretful that I can't go with the whole team to compete this time."

"I'll be back to compete soon," Vy consoled, her voice sincere. "I believe you will fully recover."

Tram nodded, not wanting to reveal any more of the complicated emotions that were torn in her heart over that sincerity. She left the banquet table earlier than planned, citing fatigue and needing to rest.

The next morning, while cleaning the practice area, Tram overheard a conversation between two other female athletes on the team, who did not know she was nearby.

"Do you think Tram will be jealous?" one person asked. "Anyway, her position has now been completely replaced by Vy."

"Sure it is," replied the other. "I heard that before her injury, Ms. Tram and Mr. Long were very close. Now seeing Vy and Long like that, she must be very uncomfortable."

Those unintentional discussions seemed to add fuel to the fire of insecurity that had been smoldering in Tram's heart for many days. She stood still, clutching the broom tightly in her hand, the feeling of self-pity and helplessness rising more intensely than ever.

That afternoon, while coincidentally meeting a few sports reporters who came to interview before the competition, Tram, while in an unstable mood, blurted out a few thoughtless comments about the Vy - Long couple, implying that their union was somewhat hasty, lacking a solid foundation compared to what she had built with Long over the past three years.

"I don't deny they have talent," Tram told reporters, her voice somewhat uncontrollably bitter. "But three years together cannot be compared to a few short months. I hope they will not disappoint the team with hasty decisions."

That comment, although not entirely malicious, when published in a sports article a few days later, was edited and exaggerated in a much more negative direction, creating a wave of mixed public opinion right before the team's important trip, sowing the first seeds of doubt in the mentality that was in dire need of stability for Vy and Long.

As soon as the article was published, the sensational headline "Trinh Bao Long's former partner: New couple lacks a solid foundation" quickly spread on badminton forums, attracting a series of mixed comments from fans. Some people defended the new couple, pointing to their impressive achievements; Others were skeptical and agreed with Tram's point of view.

Phong, who always closely follows information related to the team on social networks, was the first to discover the article and rushed to find Vy and Long practicing at the field.

"You two should look at this," Phong said, his voice filled with worry, handing the phone to show them both the article that was causing a stir.

Vy skimmed through the article, feeling like someone had just poured a bucket of cold water down on her fiery spirit. "Did Ms. Tram really say these things?" she asked, her voice unable to hide the hurt.

Long also read it, his face darkened significantly. "I don't think she has bad intentions," he said, trying to stay calm even though he couldn't help but feel betrayed. "But this statement will certainly have a significant impact on the team's psychology right before the trip."

Coach Kiet, upon hearing the news, immediately called an emergency meeting with the whole team, his serious face rarely revealed like that. "I read the article," he said, his voice low but authoritative. "I will contact the editorial office directly to clarify the issue. But the most important thing now is that you must not let outside gossip affect the necessary concentration for the upcoming qualifying round."

"Are you going to talk to Ms. Tram?" Vy asked, her voice still shaking a little from the hurt.

"I will talk to Tram," Coach Kiet nodded, his eyes complicated. "But I also want to remind you that behind every thoughtless word, there are sometimes hidden pains that we don't really understand yet."

That evening, Vy sat alone in her room, her mind full of confused thoughts. She couldn't understand why the sister she always trusted and respected could say words that hurt her so much, right before the most important trip in her career so far.

Long stopped by her room, carrying a cup of hot tea, his eyes filled with worry when he saw Vy's sad face. "Are you okay?" he asked, sitting down next to her.

"I don't know," Vy answered honestly, her voice quiet. "I thought Tram considered me a younger sister, but perhaps I completely misunderstood our relationship."

"I don't think she really meant that," Long said, his voice trying to reassure even though he wasn't entirely sure. "Perhaps, she is facing her own difficulties that we do not fully understand. But no matter what, we cannot let this affect the most important goal ahead."

"You're right," Vy nodded, trying to regain her composure. "We still have an Olympic qualifier ahead of us. I can't let anything shake my determination right now."

Long held her hand tightly, his eyes determined. "No matter what happens, I'm always here, standing by your side," he said, his voice full of certainty, dispelling some of the insecurity that was rolling in Vy's heart before the unexpected challenges that had just come right before the most important threshold of the whole journey.

The next morning, as promised, Coach Kiet met Tram privately in the coaching staff's small office. He sat across from her, his eyes both stern and full of understanding of someone who had guided Tram from the first days of joining the team.

"Do you know how that article affected Vy and Long's psychology?" he asked, his voice low but not harsh.

Tram bowed her head, not daring to look straight into the teacher's eyes. "I'm sorry, teacher. I didn't mean for those words to be published that way. I just... I had a moment of weakness."

"I understand, you're going through a difficult time," Coach Kiet said, his voice softening. "Injury, fear about the future of your career, all are no small burdens. But you need to understand, thoughtless words can deeply hurt people who have no fault in your situation."

"I know, teacher," Tram replied, her voice choked up, tears starting to fall. "I will apologize to Vy and Long. I don't want our relationship to be broken because of one moment of my rashness."

"That's the right thing to do," Coach Kiet nodded, his eyes softening. "I also want you to know, I'm considering a new role for you on the team — not just a temporary assistant, but a full-time position on the youth coaching staff, where your experience can be leveraged in a completely different way."

That unexpected proposal made Tram stunned, a small ray of hope began to glimmer amid the gloom that had been covering her mind for many days. "Teacher... do you really think I'm suitable for that role?" she asked, her voice still shaking with emotion.

"I believe you have the qualities of a good coach," Coach Kiet replied, a rare smile appearing on his serious face. "But first, you need to settle things with Vy and Long."