Chapter 5 — Bridge Yard Beats

Three weeks after starting to practice together, the Vy - Long couple had their first friendly match with another couple on the team, to test their progress before entering a more intensive training period for the Olympic qualifiers. This is also the first time the whole team has the opportunity to directly witness the training results of the new couple.

The match was tense right from the first score. In the first set, the pair Vy - Long lost by a large margin. Basic coordination errors still appeared although they were significantly reduced compared to the first practice session. But in the second set, something magical started to happen.

Vy, standing in the area in front of the net, began to read the rhythm of Long's movements from behind, knowing exactly when to step back to give space, and when to step forward to block the ball. Long, on the contrary, gradually adjusted his attack power, creating perfect spaces for Vy to take advantage of her reflex speed to score points.

"You see," Long said quietly during a halftime break, sweat beading on his forehead but his eyes sparkling with an excitement that rarely shows. "We're starting to find a common rhythm."

"Don't rush to be happy," Vy replied, even though the corner of her mouth couldn't hide the smile. "We still lost the first set."

“But we are progressing at a rate that even I did not expect,” Long said, his voice filled with rare confidence.

The second set ended with a victory in favor of Vy and Long, making the entire internal stadium surprised by the remarkable progress after just three weeks of practice. The decisive set was tense down to every point, with both sides chasing closely until the last minute.

In the decisive phase, the opponent performed a powerful smash aimed straight at the space between the two people. In a split second, both Vy and Long rushed to the same point, but instead of colliding like before, Long suddenly shouted "Mine!" and Vy immediately stepped back, giving him space to handle the ball with a perfect defensive shot, accurately pushing the ball back into the opponent's court.

The opponent, unable to react in time to the unexpected ball, let the ball hit the floor right in their own court. The referee blew the whistle, declaring victory for the Vy - Long couple.

The two stood stunned for a moment before realizing they had just won, then turned to look at each other at the same time, bright smiles blooming on their sweaty faces. Unable to contain her emotions, Vy raised her hand to give Long a high five, a gesture so natural that neither of them had time to realize the unexpected intimacy in that action.

"We did it!" Vy shouted, her voice full of excitement.

"I told you so," Long replied, a rare smile spreading across his lips, an expression that most of his teammates had never seen from this person who always kept a calm, serious look.

From the stands, Coach Kiet and Mr. Trinh Bao Son watched the match together, unable to hide their satisfaction with what they had just witnessed.

"You see," Mr. Son said to Coach Kiet, his voice full of pride. "I said from the beginning, the contrast between the two is the key."

"There's still a long way to go," Coach Kiet replied, although his eyes couldn't hide his optimism. "But this is certainly a promising start."

After the match, the whole team gathered for a small celebration in the common area, a happy atmosphere spread throughout the space. Vy sat next to Long, both were still excited about this meaningful first victory.

"I have to admit," Vy said, taking a sip of her energy drink, "at first I was really skeptical that we could work so well together in just three weeks."

"Me too," Long admitted, rarely expressing his insecurities so candidly. "But I think, it's because we're both serious and willing to listen and adjust that things can progress so quickly."

Phong, his teammate, has been following the couple's training process since the first days and came to join in the fun. "Honestly, at first I thought Mr. Kiet was crazy for pairing two people who were incompatible together. But looking back now, this was probably the wisest decision this season."

"Thank you for your trust," Vy smiled, glancing at Long with eyes full of meaning that she herself did not fully understand.

Late that night, when everyone had returned to their rooms to rest, Vy was still alone on the balcony of the dormitory, watching the night sky sparkling with rare starlight in the crowded city. Familiar footsteps sounded behind her, causing her to turn around and see Long also approaching, holding two bottles of water.

"Can't sleep?" he asked, giving her a bottle of water before standing next to her, the distance was close enough but still maintaining a certain respect.

"I'm still so excited after today's match," Vy replied, taking the water bottle, her finger accidentally touching his hand, causing both of them to pause for a moment.

"Me too," Long admitted, looking away, avoiding that momentary confusion. "The feeling of winning with someone is, in some ways, different from winning alone."

"What do you mean?" Vy asked, curious about that unexpected comment.

"When competing in singles, all glory or failure belongs to you alone," Long explained, his voice thoughtful. "But here, this joy is shared, doubled in a way I have never experienced before."

Vy remained silent, clearly feeling the harmony in the emotions that Long had just shared, a strange feeling of closeness that she was also gradually realizing in her own heart. The two stood there, under the night sky, not saying another word, but the distance between them had somehow become much closer than either of them could have imagined just a few weeks ago.

"How far do you think we can go?" Vy asked after a moment of silence, her voice softer than usual, her eyes still looking up at the starry sky.

Long pondered for a moment before responding, his eyes also following her gaze. "I don't dare to promise the results, but I believe, if we continue to maintain the same spirit as today, there is no limit that cannot be overcome. The regional qualifiers are just the first step."

"I like how you are always realistic but still full of hope," Vy said, turning to look at him with truly respectful eyes. "At first, I thought you were the pessimistic type, always looking at risks first."

"I'm not pessimistic," Long retorted gently, a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. "I'm just being cautious. There's a big difference between the two. Prudence is being prepared for all possibilities, not being afraid of the possibility of failure."

"So are you still cautious now when thinking about our chances of success?" Vy asked, her voice full of curiosity mixed with a bit of teasing.

"Yes," Long replied, without hesitation. "But for the first time, that caution was accompanied by a conviction I had rarely felt before."

That sincere answer made Vy feel a warmth spread in her heart, different from the uncomfortable and frustrated feeling she had every time she faced Long just a few weeks ago. She took a sip of water, trying to hide the confusion that was gradually forming in her heart at these new emotions.

"It's late," Long said, breaking the long silence between the two. "We should rest, we have early practice tomorrow."

"Yes," Vy nodded, although she felt a bit regretful that this rare moment of peace was about to end. "Thank you for the bottle of water, and for our conversation tonight."

"Thank you, for being a much better partner than I ever expected," Long replied, his eyes gently looking at her before turning and walking slowly back to his room.

Vy stood alone on the balcony for a while longer, her eyes watching Long's back gradually disappear behind the door, her heart filled with a new feeling that she had never experienced before - no longer a familiar discomfort, but something much warmer and closer, making her unable to help but wonder if the journey ahead would bring any other surprises, not only on the field but also in her own heart.

She looked up at the night sky one last time before returning to her room, telling herself that no matter what happened next, the past three weeks had opened a completely new chapter, full of surprises, in both her career journey and the journey of her heart that she had never dared to imagine before, when entering this completely unfamiliar competition.