Chapter 19 — Elections and Hearts

Saturday morning, the official election day, the yard of Nguyen Tat Thang High School was bustling and different from usual. Voting booths were temporarily set up in the large hall. Each class was instructed to vote in turn according to the prescribed time frame, under the supervision of the Election Committee consisting of representatives of teachers and students of all grades.

Ngoc stood in front of the mirror in the room, adjusting the white ao dai - the formal uniform she chose to wear for this special day - her hands were still shaking slightly as she held the pad of paper to write down her final speech.

"You look very pretty," Mrs. Lan said, standing behind her daughter, fixing a strand of tangled hair. "No matter the result, I'm always proud of you."

"Thank you, mom," Ngoc smiled, hugging her mother tightly before leaving the house.

At school, a bustling atmosphere covered the entire yard. Students gathered in groups, talking excitedly about the election, some holding homemade signs cheering for their favorite candidate. A large "STUDENT COUNCIL ELECTION DAY" banner hangs high in front of the main stage, where the opening ceremony will take place before students begin voting.

Khang found Ngoc as soon as she entered the school gate, quickly putting on a crisp white shirt. "Good morning," he said, smiling brightly even though his eyes were still a little nervous. "Did you sleep well?"

"Not very delicious," Ngoc admitted, laughing lightly. "My mind keeps thinking about... many things."

Khang understood, smiled slightly, and did not say anything more about that sensitive topic in public, but the looks the two exchanged were enough to convey everything that needed to be said.

Gia Huy came to the two people before the opening ceremony, holding two bottles of filtered water. "Good luck to you two today," he said, giving them both water, his smile becoming more relieved and sincere than the previous days.

"Thank you, Huy," Ngoc replied, accepting the water bottle with a warm smile. "Are you planning to continue working with the scholarship fund board after today?"

"Yes," Huy nodded firmly. "It's something I really want to do, not because I have to anymore."

Trang, standing nearby, interrupted the conversation with a mischievous smile. "Looking at the three of you standing here so close, who knows how much trouble there would have been a few weeks ago."

All four people laughed together, a sincere relief spreading among the group of friends who had gone through many challenges together during this tumultuous election season.

The opening ceremony started on time, principal Duc gave a brief speech emphasizing the importance of the spirit of democracy and fairness in school elections. After that, both Ngoc and Khang were invited on stage to read their final statements before students officially entered the voting booth.

Ngoc stepped onto the podium, looking down at the sea of waiting students, recalling a similar moment nearly two months ago when she first stood here, trembling but determined.

"Dear friends," she began, her voice sounding clearer and more confident than the first day. "The past two months have been a journey I will never forget. I have learned that a truly meaningful election is not a battle between individuals, but an opportunity for us to come together to build something better for everyone."

She stopped, her eyes looking to Khang who was standing behind waiting for her turn. "No matter what the results are today, I believe that the Bronze Scholarship Fund The Creative Space project and action will become a reality, because it is no longer just mine or Khang's commitment, but the collective commitment of all students at our school."

Applause echoed throughout the schoolyard when Ngoc finished her speech. When it was Khang's turn, he stepped onto the podium, his eyes firmly looking straight at the crowd.

“I want to say one thing before you vote,” Khang began, his voice filled with renewed determination. "When I started this race, I ran for reasons that were not entirely my own. But this journey has taught me a lot, and today, I stand here with a truth that I want to share frankly with all of you."

The crowd was silent, listening attentively, not guessing what was about to be revealed.

“I believe,” Khang continued, “the position of Student Council President should not belong to a single individual, but should be the collective leadership of people who truly understand and respect each other. Therefore, if you have the confidence to vote for me today, I pledge to propose to the board of directors a model of dual leadership that has never existed at our school — where Ngoc and I share the responsibility of running the Student Council, regardless of who officially holds the title of President."

That unexpected announcement caused a stir in the entire hall. Ngoc stood silently, completely surprised by the proposal that Khang had never discussed with her before. She looked at him, her eyes both surprised and filled with emotion.

"This is not an election ploy," Khang continued, sounding absolutely sincere. "This is something I truly believe in, after everything we've been through together. The best leadership does not come from a lone winner, but from those who cooperate for the common good."

Principal Duc, standing next to the stage, had a quick conversation with Ms. Ha. Both nodded in agreement at that groundbreaking proposal. Ms. Ha stepped up to the microphone, her voice full of excitement. "The school board acknowledges this proposal and will seriously consider it after the official election results are available. This is truly a leadership spirit that deserves encouragement."

The applause exploded more intensely than ever. Students began lining up to enter the voting room, an atmosphere of excitement and enthusiasm spread throughout the schoolyard.

When Khang stepped off the stage, Ngoc ran to him and held his hand. "Are you crazy? Why didn't you discuss this with me before announcing this?"

"I'm afraid if I discuss it first, I'll lose my courage," Khang replied, smiling, holding her hand tightly. "But I believe this is the right thing, Ngoc. We have proven that together we can do more meaningful things than alone."

Ngoc looked at him, a bright smile on her lips, her heart filled with pride and a deep affection that she no longer wanted to hide. "Thank you, Khang. Regardless of the outcome, I think, today together we have written a new page of history for this school."

The two held hands and walked towards the crowd of eagerly waiting students, ready to face the most thrilling moment of the whole campaign - the upcoming vote counting moment, which will determine the next chapter in the journey they have built together.

The voting process went smoothly all morning, each class was guided into the voting room one by one vote within the prescribed time frame, under the strict supervision of the Election Committee. At noon, when the last class of students finished voting, the ballot box was carefully sealed and moved to the ballot counting room, where teacher representatives and student representatives from all grades will conduct a public and transparent counting.

Ngoc and Khang, along with Trang, Phuc and Huy, gathered in a corner of the school yard, waiting for the results together in a state of suspense mixed with excitement. No one spoke much, just occasionally exchanging a few small talk to dispel the overwhelming tension.

"How long do you think it will take for results?" Ngoc asked, his eyes never leaving the door of the vote counting room in the opposite building.

"Miss Ha spoke for about two hours," Phuc replied, glancing at his watch. "With nearly two thousand votes, it will probably take time to ensure an accurate count."

The two hours of waiting passed slowly and seemingly endlessly, every moment was stressful for the group of friends sitting under the shade of an old poinciana tree in the middle of the school yard.

"I keep thinking about your speech this morning," Ngoc said to Khang, breaking the silence that had lasted for quite a while between the group. "Are you afraid that proposal will make some students think you're not confident enough to lead alone?"

"Some people may think so," Khang admitted, "but I think, real confidence is not insisting on doing everything alone, but being humble enough to recognize when it is necessary to cooperate. I would rather be misunderstood as lacking confidence, than have to pretend to be strong while knowing clearly that I need you by my side."

Ngoc smiled, gently squeezed his hand under the shade of the tree, no need to say any more words to express her appreciation for that sincere answer.

Nearly 1 o'clock in the afternoon, loudspeakers rang out from the administrative building, announcing that the vote counting results had been completed and would be officially announced in the large hall in the next fifteen minutes. The whole group stood up, their hearts pounding, and strode quickly towards the hall, where thousands of other students were also pouring in from all corners of the school yard, eagerly waiting for the decisive moment.