Chapter 5 — Five Years After the Truth

“If you really jump down, others will hate you even more.”
I held the phone in front of her face.
“Now it's your turn.”
“If you really jump down, others will hate you even more.”
Sam Yeu's pupils contracted strongly. Finally, she couldn't bear it anymore and fell limply into Hoac Ky's arms. Crying and screaming in pain. This time, no one advised me to be generous. The police arrived very quickly. Tan Thieu was taken away. Tan Man was asked to coordinate the investigation. Sam Yeu lay back on the hospital bed, his eyes empty. Hooc Ky stood smoking cigarettes at the end of the hallway. Seeing me leave, he put out his cigarette.
“Le Toc.”
I don't stop. He chased after.
“I'll take you home.”
"No need."
“I have something to say.”
I took a look at him.
“Say it.”
His throat moved.
“Five years ago, I really didn't know.”
“Sam Yeu told me to come down, I thought she was helping me.”
"Then you said your wish was changed, I also had my doubts."
“But all the evidence points to your home computer.”
I interrupted him.
“So you chose to believe her.”
His face was pale.
“I…”
“Hoo Ky.”
I looked at him.
“It's not like you don't have a choice.”
“It's just that I chose the gentler side.”
He bowed his head.
"Sorry."
I laugh.
“You group of people really like to say sorry.”
“It's as if having said that, someone else is forced to give you five years back.”
His eyes turned red.
“I know I can't return it.”
“But I want to make it up to you.”
“How to compensate?”
I asked.
“Give me back my eighteenth year?”
“Tear up five years of my parents' medical records?”
“Erase every time I wake up in the middle of the night?”
Hoc Ky was speechless. I continue to move forward. He suddenly said: "Sam Yeu and I will not get married anymore." I stopped, turned around.
“Does it have anything to do with me?”
He smiled bitterly.
"Are not."
“Just wanted to tell you.”
“I never loved her.”
I looked at him. Suddenly felt extremely ridiculous.
“Hoo Ky, do you know what your most disgusting point is?”
He stiffened. I said: "Obviously you like the feeling of being worshiped by her."
“I like the feeling of being relied on by her.”
“Like that she pretended to be the victim so you could be the hero.”
“Now that she shows her face, you say you never loved her.”
“You really cleaned yourself up.”
His face was as white as paper.
“I'm not…”
“You are like that.”
I said.
“If you had just said one sentence that year, many people would have investigated again.”
“But you didn't.”
“Because trusting her instead of me makes you seem more honest.”
Hoc Ky's eye sockets turned red.
“Le Toc, I was wrong.”
“Don't blame me.”
I said.
“Go apologize to Le Toc from five years ago, who stood on the rooftop for half an hour.”
The elevator door opens. I walked in. He stood outside, not chasing anymore. Before the elevator door closed, I heard him hoarsely say: "I wish you a good life in the future." I did not respond. I will live well in the future. But not thanks to your wishes.
8
The next day, the internet exploded. News of Tan Thieu's surrender was spread. Sam Yeu was suspended from work for investigation. Her eligibility for admission that year was also rechecked. Someone dug up the chat history in the graduation group five years ago. The words that scolded me that year were hung up one after another network.
“Is Le Toc crazy?”
"If you fill in your own application incorrectly and then blame your best friend, that's really disgusting."
“The Sam Yeu family is so difficult, how could she harm people?”
“People with money really cannot accept failure.”
Now the comments section has completely changed.
“So that year Le Toc was the victim?”
“It's so suffocating, her best friend stole her whole life.”
“Poverty is not an exemption from harming others.”
“Where are the people who scolded her that year?”
“Go apologize.”
The high school group that had been silent for five years suddenly became bustling. Someone sent me a friend request. The accompanying message: "Le Toc, sorry." I do not accept. Someone sent a message.
"That year I didn't understand the situation clearly, so I followed along and said a few harsh words, I hope you don't mind."
I replied: "I don't care." Then block that person. Someone else called. I listened to one. The opponent was the class president that year, Dong Duat. His voice was very awkward.
“Le Toc, I am Dong Duat.”
"YES."
“That year at the graduation party, I said you were jealous of Sam Yeu, those words were quite harsh.”
“It's okay if you remember.”
He was silent for a while.
"Sorry."
I said: “No need.” He breathed a sigh of relief.
“You can say that, I…”
I interrupted him.
“I mean the apology doesn't need to be addressed to me in particular.”
“You should post it on your personal page.”
He was stunned.
"Huh?"
I said: "That year you scolded me in the group, dozens of people saw it."
“Now you apologize privately, what does it mean?”
He faltered.
“This… has been going on for so long.”
I laugh.
"That's right."
“It's been so long and you're still afraid of losing face.”
“So when you pushed me to the ground and scolded me that year, why weren't you afraid?”
There was no sound on the other end. I hung up. Ten minutes later. Dong Duat posted an article on his personal page.