Chapter 12 — Class Leader Sa Net Phap

I sat in the corner drinking mineral water — I really brought it myself — — watching this group of people mock each other, tease each other, and fight over each skewer of grilled meat just like in college. The phone vibrates. Wife's text message: "What time will you be home?" "Before ten o'clock." "Let's buy some grilled meat skewers to take home, five beef skewers, five chicken wing skewers." "Order received." I put my phone in my pocket. Truong Loi brought over a glass of fresh beer: "Chu Vien, don't you really drink a glass?" "No drink. I'm driving." "So you just sit back and watch us drink?" "It's fun to watch you guys drink." He laughed twice, bumped my bottle of mineral water: "Okay, get water instead of wine, please police Chu." "Don't call the police, just call Chu Vien." "Good deal. Please Chu Vien." "Everyone present." Mineral water bottle and the beer glasses clinked together, making a dull "click" sound. The streetlight above the head flickered and dimmed, the oil smoke from the barbeque shop drifted past carrying the smell of chili and dill, and the elders at the next table were arguing with red faces over who would pay for a dish. Noisy, full of market atmosphere, the warmth of fire and smoke in the human world. I sat drinking water, looking at the people who used to sit in this same classroom. Fifteen years now. Some people get better, some people get worse. Someone in the darkness reaches out to push others into the abyss, someone on the other end reaches out to catch them. This world is like that. But fortunately. The job of catching bad people is still there, and the days of eating grilled skewers with friends are still there. That's enough. (Complete set)