Chapter 20 — Late Table Lady

An told the truth in front of the whole school during the second flag-raising ceremony. Not because of pressure, nor because of a new clip. She and the project team asked Mr. Hoang for ten minutes to introduce Backyard Without Tickets, then An took the initiative to talk about his identity.

The schoolyard is crowded, the sound of the fan from the speaker system is deafening. Huy stood backstage, holding a reminder board. Mai prepares the photo, Nhu holds the backup microphone, Khang stands next to the rain garden model.

An walked up to the podium. She looked at hundreds of faces, saw some curious, some yawning, some eating bread. Those faces were not a crowd of judges; They were students with personal matters, only spending a few minutes with her.

"I'm Le Khanh An, a transfer student in class 11A4 and the daughter of the owner of Khai An hotel. I hid that when I first arrived because I was afraid of being treated differently. What I did wasn't entirely right, and I understand if someone feels deceived."

The speaker howled loudly. Huy frowned, but An still spoke.

"I didn't come here to pretend to be poor. I came because I wanted to know what things happen in a normal day that money can't replace. I've learned how to take the bus, buy food, work, ask before helping and accept feedback. I'm still learning, so I don't ask everyone to believe right away."

An pointed towards the model. "Ticketless Backyard is not my own project. It was made with school funds, class effort, neighborhood materials and student input. If the yard is kept, it is because it is useful, not because of our family."

Khang continued talking about how to use the yard. As for the rules, Mai shows the photo, Huy plays the audio. When the presentation ended, Mr. Hoang invited students to ask questions.

One person asked: "If your family decides to build a parking lot, what will you do?"

An replied: "I will not pretend that I can make decisions for the company. But I will ask everyone to know the reasons, alternatives and ways to reduce the impact. I will also continue to find data to defend what I believe is right."

Another friend asked: "Do you feel lucky?"

"Yes. Because I can try for a year to live differently and then return if I fail. Many people don't have the right to try like that. So I don't want to turn my opportunity into a reason for others to stay silent."

No one clapped immediately. Then a sound of applause rang out from class 10. Then it spread to the whole yard. Some people clap vigorously, some just touch with two hands. An didn't know if it was forgiveness or just politeness, but she didn't need to differentiate right away.

After the flag-raising ceremony, messages on An's phone increased. Some people wanted to participate in the project, some people asked how to make a rain garden, and one parent asked to meet Mr. Hoang. Someone also wrote that she was doing color work. An read a few messages, then turned off the phone.

Khang asked: “Are you okay?”

"I don't know. But I don't want to go back and hide it."

“That's enough for today.”

In class, a friend who had previously made a nasty comment placed a book on community design on An's desk. "I don't know what you like to read. This has a part about public spaces."

An accepted. "Thank."

“I still don't know whether to call you An or Mistress.”

Huy said from behind: "Call An. Mistress never buys bread without money."

An threw the calendar at him. The whole class laughed.

In the afternoon, her father went to school without a driver. He wore a white shirt and held a file. Teacher Hoang invited him to see the yard after. Khang introduced the book to borrow books, Nhu gave the survey, Mai pointed out the potted plants. Huy introduced Mr. Loc, the water filter barrel, in a formal voice like introducing a council member.

Father An bent down to look at the pipeline. “If it rains heavily, water will overflow onto the walkway.”

Khang replied: “We tried it, but we need another escape route.”

“What material can it be made of?”

“Old bricks and screens.”

Father nodded. “I will lend the hotel's drainage standard drawings, but will not pay the construction costs.”

An looked at him. “I asked the group first.”

Father turned to Khang. “Do you want to see it?”

Khang replied: “Yes, if the drawing does not include the condition of using the company name.”

“Not included.”

Khang nodded. They agreed right on the field, publicly in front of everyone present. An felt lighter in his heart.

That night, her father asked her if she wanted to go home for the weekend. An said he would go home for dinner, then return to his room before working on the project. Her father did not object.

“How long are you going to live like this?”

“Until you know what you want.”

“If you want to go back?”

“I will speak for myself.”

Father nodded. “I wait.”

During dinner, mother asked who Khang was. An almost choked on the water. Her father pretended to focus on the fish dish. An talked about the group, about the car repair shop, and about the way Khang talked like a price list. Mother laughed, father asked: "Is he good?"

An holds chopsticks. “He's fair.”

Father did not ask further.

The next day, An returned to class. Khang pasted a piece of paper on the bottom desk drawer: "Real names don't make the desk more cramped."

An read, then wrote below: "But if someone takes a seat, you must give it up."

Huy added: “Except when I'm eating.”

Mai deleted that sentence. Like adding a dot.

The sound of the drum at the beginning of the period rang out. An sat down and took the book. She is still the daughter of a rich family, and can still return at any time. But today, she chose to stay. Not to prove that you are poor, but to continue to become someone who can take responsibility for your choices.

After the flag raising ceremony, An received an interview invitation from the school newspaper. She agreed on the condition that the questions must be sent in advance and the article focused on the project, not exploiting private life. The person in charge agreed, then asked An if she wanted to remove the family name from the article.

“There's no need to hide it, but don't let it become a headline either.”

The article was posted with the title "A yard to stay in". An read and saw his name appear at the end of the group introduction, along with the names Khang, Mai, Huy and Nhu. She liked that better than an article just about her.

Khang sent her a photo of the article. “You are not the only main character.”

“I'm grateful.”

“I'm just stating the facts.”

Huy chimed in: “I want my name to be bold.”

Mai replied: "Your name is already printed, you just didn't read it carefully."

In the afternoon, An wrote a letter to the person who will sit at the end table next year. She talked about jammed drawers, the sound of rain, the price of rice, and the rules that needed to be asked again. She didn't tell her secret, because it was something she chose to keep private.

Khang read the letter and asked if she wanted to add the sentence "don't trust the person in charge". An shook his head. “The first person at the table can change.”

Like putting the letter in a drawer, next to the mint from the first day. Mai added a photo of the yard. Huy placed a car repair instruction sheet, but Khang took it out because it was a shop document, not a class document.

“You can rewrite a copy for someone to borrow,” Khang said.

Huy did it right away, this time writing each step clearly.

An closed the drawer. It's still stuck, But opening is easier than before. She didn't try to fix the hinge; There are things that should be kept a little difficult so that the next person knows someone has struggled here.

Her father picked her up after school. In the car, he asked her if she wanted to have dinner at home or in the motel room. An said he would stay at home, but wanted to cook eggs himself. Father said the kitchen would be left empty.

An smiled. The year hasn't ended yet, but her father has learned to leave an empty kitchen for her to make her own.

In the kitchen, An boiled eggs for the first time without a video call. She set a timer, prepared a bowl of cold water and recorded the time to turn off the stove. Her father stood outside, not touching the pot. Mom sat at the table and asked her if she wanted more onions.

“I make my own decisions,” An said.

Eggs are medium-cooked. Her father took a bite and nodded as if evaluating a dish in a hotel. An told him he was not allowed to grade. He said he was just learning how to be a guest.

After dinner, An told about the wind chair and the letter to the person sitting at the last table. Father asked if she wanted to take the model home. An shook his head, saying the model belonged to the class. I don't suggest more.

The next morning, a new friend moved in and sat next to Mai. She seemed confused and asked where the cafeteria was. An showed the way, then remembered his first day. She gives you a self-drawn diagram, but asks first if you want to receive it.

You receive, thank you. Huy said from the teacher's desk: "Don't worry, the rice price list has been updated."

An looked at the class and saw his lessons being conveyed not by a speech, but by a diagram and a question.

During dinner, An told about his new friend sitting at the last table. Dad asked her if she was going to help her. An said he would show you the diagram if you wanted. Father nodded, did not ask further. She realized he was also learning not to decide for her what other people needed.

She washes the dishes after dinner, without needing a maid to show her the place. Dad looked but didn't praise, just gave me a dry towel. An accepted and smiled.

Her father tasted the eggs and said they were just cooked. An said that was the achievement of the timer. They both laughed.