Chapter 20 — Forest Keeper

The package of documents sent to Mr. Duong had been on its way for three days, and while waiting for a response, the rhythm of life at Ngan May station gradually returned to a bit of normal, although under that cover, everyone implicitly understood that this was only a temporary calm before a larger storm was gathering.

Khue spends more time with Nau, as a way to reassure herself amid the overwhelming stress. The baby langur, after the shock of the attack, has gradually regained its composure, although it is still more sensitive than before to strange noises, often startled awake in the middle of the night if there is a sound of a tree branch breaking or a sudden strong wind.

On a rare weekend afternoon without urgent tasks, Nguyen invited Khue to take a walk along the stream near the station, using the excuse of needing to relax his mind after days of constant stress. Khue agreed, feeling that her body and mind really needed some silence, even if only for a short time.

They walked slowly along the stream, the afternoon sunlight filtering through the foliage creating shimmering streaks of light on the clear water. The fresh air, the sound of gurgling water, and the chirping of birds in the trees brought a rare feeling of peace that both of them cherished.

"If it weren't for all of this," Khue said, sitting down on a flat rock by the stream, looking out at the flowing water, "what do you think life here would be like?"

Nguyen sat down next to her, thinking for a moment before answering. "I think it will still be as beautiful as this. The forest, the stream, the animals we take care of. Just without the worries and fears every day."

"Do you regret accepting the mission down here? If you knew in advance you would encounter all these dangers?" Khue asked, her voice a bit hesitant, as if waiting for an answer that she both wanted and feared.

Nguyen turned to look at her, his eyes were sincere and determined. "Not one bit. If I hadn't come down here, I would never have met you, never known Nau, come to Mun, come to this wonderful forest. Even though it's dangerous, even though it's difficult, I still choose this path, with no regrets."

That answer made Khue's heart beat faster, a warm feeling spread throughout her body, dispelling some of the anxiety and tension that had been present in her heart in recent days. She looked at Nguyen and saw absolute sincerity in his eyes, without any calculation or concealment.

"Khue," Nguyen said, his voice suddenly becoming more serious, "I know this doesn't seem like the right time to say this, when everything around is still so unstable. But I don't want to wait any longer, because I don't know what tomorrow will bring, and I don't want to regret not saying it."

Khue held her breath, waiting, her heart beating faster than ever.

"I like you, Khue. Not just because we work together and share common goals. But because of who you are — your steadfastness, your courage, your love for this forest and for the little creatures you care for. I like the way you look at the world, the way you face difficulties without ever giving up." He stopped for a moment, took a deep breath. "I want to be with you, not just as a colleague, but as someone who is always ready to accompany you on every journey, whether in work or in life."

Khue felt tears suddenly rising, not from sadness but from a happiness mixed with intense emotions that she had not allowed herself to fully feel for a long time. For the past eight years, she has put all her mind and energy into work and the search for the truth about her father, to the point of almost forgetting that she also deserves to be loved and happy.

“Me too,” she said, her voice shaking with emotion. "I like you too, Nguyen. For a long time, I just didn't dare admit it, because I was afraid... I was afraid that if I let myself open up, I would have something more to lose, while my life is already so uncertain."

"You won't lose me," Nguyen said, reaching out to hold her hand, squeezing firmly. "I promise to be here, by your side, no matter what happens."

The two of them sat together in the sunset, not needing any more words, just letting that warm silence say everything they had both been silently feeling for the past weeks. When Nguyen gently leaned down and placed a kiss on her lips, Khue closed her eyes and let herself be completely immersed in that rare moment of happiness, temporarily forgetting all the worries and dangers that lay ahead.

On the way back to the station, they stopped by the rescue barn first, as if it was a habit they couldn't break even though they were immersed in the intoxication of budding happiness. Brown, recognizing the familiar figure, immediately clung to the cage net, emitting chirping sounds of joy. Khue sat down, held out her hand for him to hold, smiled and looked at Nguyen standing next to him, his eyes gently observing them both.

"He likes you," Khue said, her voice a rare joy. "At first he was very afraid of me, but now it's completely different."

"Maybe because it realizes who is important to me," Nguyen replied, smiling softly, sitting down next to her, and stroking the baby langur that was snuggling its head between the two of them, as if enjoying the rare warm moment the three of them were having.

They stayed by Brown's cage for a while longer, talking about small, simple plans — about preparing a larger training area for Brown together as he continued to grow, about how Mun might be about to try flying again. Those simple stories, amidst the tumultuous context of the investigation, brought a precious sense of peace that they both cherished, as a reminder of the true reason why they were determined to fight to the end — not only for truth and justice for a deceased person, but also for the little lives, the lives that need to be protected right now.

That evening, when they returned to the station, hand in hand, no longer trying to hide their newly confirmed feelings, Khue's phone vibrated with a text message from Pao's phone number, following the emergency signal they had previously agreed on.

Khue immediately called back, Pao's voice filled with panic through the phone. "Miss Khue, I just heard important information. The big delivery I told you about, they moved up early, will take place tomorrow night, not the weekend as originally planned. It seems they are afraid of something and want to complete it quickly."

Khue's heart tightened. "Are you sure about this information?"

"Sure, I heard Sin himself talking to someone else on the phone, he seemed very rushed," Pao replied, his voice shaking. "Miss Khue, I think they are preparing to retreat, cleaning up all traces after this shipment. If you don't act immediately, you may lose your opportunity, and I... I'm also worried that they will suspect that someone in the village has leaked the information."

After hanging up the phone, Khue stood still for a moment, holding Nguyen's hand tightly, clearly feeling that the happy moment she had just experienced was now swept away by a more urgent and dangerous reality than ever. The decisive moment for which they had prepared, feared, and hoped, had finally come, sooner and more unexpectedly than any of them could have expected.

"We need to immediately notify Mr. Loc and urgently contact Mr. Duong," Khue said, her voice regained its decisiveness, even though her heart was still pounding from both budding love and rising fear. "If we miss this opportunity, we may never have such clear evidence again."

Nguyen squeezed her hand tightly, his eyes filled with determination even though he couldn't hide his worry. "No matter what happens tomorrow night, I will be by your side. We came here together, and we will continue together."

That night, as the station rushed to prepare for what could be the most important turning point of the entire investigation, Khue looked up at the starry sky atop Ngan May Peak, feeling a strange mixture of happiness, hope, and fear churning in her heart at the same time, a signal that the coming days would determine not only the fate of the investigation, but possibly the fate of those she loved most.

She squeezed Nguyen's hand one last time before the two split up to take care of their own preparations, their eyes exchanging a silent promise: no matter what tomorrow brings, they will face it together, not leaving each other, not even for a single step.