Chapter 22 — From Collapse to Brilliance: I Don't Need You

Nearly two weeks after the confrontation, Thảo My proactively texted Diệu Kỳ, asking to meet in person to talk. Diệu Kỳ agreed and arranged to meet at the small coffee shop near the school gate - the place that witnessed the cold conversation between the two not long ago.

When Diệu Kỳ arrived, Thảo My was already sitting, and more surprisingly, Đình Vũ was also present, sitting next to him, with an equally tense expression. Both stood up when they saw her, bowing with a respect that was completely different from their previous aloof attitude.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet us," Thảo My said, her voice trembling. "We know, perhaps no apology is enough to make up for what happened. But we need to say it, directly, looking you in the eyes."

Diệu Kỳ sat down, kept silent, waiting for them to continue.

Đình Vũ was the first to speak. His voice, although still retaining its familiar stiffness, was filled with torment this time. "I thought back over the whole thing, and couldn't sleep for many nights. I realized that all the suspicions I had about you did not come from any real evidence. They were just Ý Nhi's random words, but I let them get ingrained in my head without realizing it. I'm sorry for treating you coldly, even harshly, when you've never done anything wrong."

"Me too," Thảo My continued, tears beginning to well up. "I've been your best friend for so many years, yet I'm the one who easily believes lies, just because of a screenshot of unknown origin. I didn't give you a chance to explain, didn't ask you directly if it was true you said those words or not. I simply believed it, then gradually distanced myself from you."

Diệu Kỳ looked at the two old friends, his heart filled with many emotions. She remembered her past life, when similar accusations were heard before the disciplinary committee, not a single one of them stood up to defend her, not even a word. That pain, even after a lifetime, still left a deep scar in her heart, a scar that she knew would never completely disappear.

"I understand why you believe in what Ý Nhi said," Diệu Kỳ said, her voice slow, weighing each word. "She is very good at taking advantage of other people's trust and feelings. This is not entirely your fault."

"But we are still at fault," Đình Vũ said, his voice determined. "A true friendship should be strong enough to not be easily shaken by just a few words without evidence. We failed in that."

Diệu Kỳ was silent for a long time, looking out the glass window, where the fading rays of the afternoon sun were shining down on the familiar street. She thought about the long journey she had gone through — from a naive girl who believed absolutely in friendship, to someone who had learned to protect herself with wisdom and caution, but also learned to let go of what was no longer suitable for her new path.

"I accept your apology," she said finally, her voice gentle but firm. "I don't hold any grudges against you guys anymore. But I also want to be honest, that I don't think things can go back to the way they were before."

Thảo My looked at her, her eyes filled with disappointment. "What do you mean, we can't be friends anymore?"

"It's not like that," Diệu Kỳ said, shaking her head slightly. "It's just that I've been on a different path all this time, and that path has changed me a lot. I'm no longer the naive Diệu Kỳ, always putting all my trust in everyone around me like before. I've learned that true friendship needs to be built on verified trust, not just on temporary emotions."

She looked straight into both of their eyes. "I'm not closing the door on you guys completely. But if we want to rebuild this relationship, it's going to take time, it's going to take patience, and it's going to take effort from both sides, instead of just relying on an apology and expecting things to go back to the way they were immediately." Đình Vũ nodded, seeming to accept that more easily than Thảo My. "You're right. We have no right to ask you to forgive and trust immediately. We will try, if you give us the chance." Thảo My wiped her tears and nodded along. "I understand. I will try to prove it, with actions, not just words."

Before saying goodbye, Thảo My lingered a little longer, her voice hesitant. "Diệu Kỳ, can I ask something? Why from the beginning, even before there was any evidence, did you seem to be wary of Ý Nhi from a very early age? I remember, right from the first introductory meeting, you behaved differently than usual."

Diệu Kỳ paused for a moment, considering his answer. "Maybe it's just intuition," she said, choosing the safest answer. "Sometimes, I feel like something is wrong, even though I can't explain it clearly with reason. I'm just lucky that I chose to trust my intuition, instead of dismissing it."

Đình Vũ looked at her for a moment, his eyes somewhat thoughtful but did not inquire further. Perhaps, like Thảo My, he sensed that there was something deeper behind that answer, but they both understood that this was not the time to ask more questions. Trust needed to be rebuilt step by step, not by delving into secrets that Diệu Kỳ was not ready to share.

"Thank you for taking the time to meet us today," Đình Vũ said, standing up. "No matter the outcome, I feel much more relieved than if I kept keeping the torment in my heart."

The meeting ended with a more relaxed atmosphere than at the beginning, although there were still gaps that could not be filled immediately. When Diệu Kỳ left the cafe and walked on the familiar path leading to the Dawn Institute, she felt an extraordinary peace in her heart - not because all her wounds had healed, but because she had learned how to face the past without letting it bind her future.

She thought about the quote she had written in her secret notebook, many months ago: "Perhaps, the real way to escape the shadow of the past is not to be forever defensive and vigilant, but to learn how to build a life solid enough, meaningful enough, that the plots and tricks of others can no longer reach it." Now, that statement is no longer just a vague hope, but has become a truth she lives every day.

She doesn't need to go back to her old lab, she doesn't need to completely restore the friendship she once had with Thảo My and Đình Vũ as if nothing had ever happened. Her path ahead now includes new friends, new allies, and a budding love with the man who has always stood by her side throughout the storm.

That evening, when telling Bách Sơn about the meeting with Thảo My and Đình Vũ, he listened attentively, then spoke softly. "You handled this very maturely. Not everyone is tolerant enough to forgive, but also alert enough not to rush back to what once hurt you."

"I'm just trying to be true to myself," Diệu Kỳ replied, smiling at him. "Not the version that always tries to please everyone, but the version that knows your own value, and knows how to choose what is truly worth keeping in your life."

Bách Sơn sat down next to her on the steps in front of the laboratory, looking up at the starry night sky. "I think it's because you've been through enough to understand that clearly that you can stand so firmly, even when everything seems to be falling apart. Not many people your age have that maturity."

Diệu Kỳ was silent for a moment, sitting lightly leaning on his shoulder, enjoying the rare moment of peace after all the turmoil. "Perhaps, everyone has to go through certain losses to be able to grow up in their own way," she said softly. "I just hope, from now on, those losses will be less, and the good things will be more."

"I will try to make it come true," Bách Sơn said, gently squeezing her hand. The two sat quietly together for a long time, under the clear night sky, without needing any more words to feel the peace gradually spreading between them.

In the distance, the lights from the greenhouse of the Dawn Institute were still on, where several other graduate students were still busy with their work. Diệu Kỳ looked in that direction, silently telling herself that tomorrow, she would step into that laboratory again, continuing her unfinished work, not because she had to prove anything to anyone, but because that was truly the path she had chosen for herself, with all her heart and mind.