Chapter 8 — Please Don't Take Three Steps Back

Luc Van Chu kept staring at my shoulder, as if he wanted to see through that piece of fabric. I deliberately teased: "Master Luc, if you keep looking at me, I suspect you'll want to take off my shirt." He raised his eyes. His eyes were very straightforward.

“Is it possible?”

I almost bit my tongue. This person learns too quickly. When I got back to the office and finished making the report, it was already past midnight. Luc Van Chu insisted on checking my shoulder. There was no one in the medical room. He closed the door and told me to take off my coat. I took off half of it and couldn't help but laugh: "Are you not afraid now?" He replied: “Afraid.” My movements stopped. He walked over, helped me pull down my collar a bit, looking at the red skin that had been beaten.

“But I'm more afraid of you getting hurt.”

This statement is more effective than any confession. My nose was a bit stinging, so I had to talk to myself to cover up my embarrassment: "Then you should practice more in the future and try to reach the level of close protection as soon as possible." Luc Van Chu raised his eyes: "Okay." I suspect he didn't understand what I was saying. The next second, he reached out and hugged me. Very light, very rigid. Like a person who has never learned how to be close to anyone, trying to complete something extremely difficult for him. I didn't move. He buried his face in my shoulder, his breathing held very low. After a long while, he said: "Tham Tri, I smell your scent." My heart tightened: "Are you uncomfortable?"

“No.” He said, “It smells like hot water, ointment, and a little bit of coffee.”

His voice trembled.

“It's not the smell of blood.”

My throat immediately choked. I raised my hand to hug him back.

“Luc Van Chu, you will recover.”

He didn't say anything, just squeezed me tighter. After solving the case, the investigation team was given a half-day break. I originally intended to catch up on sleep, but Luc Van Chu texted me.

“Come to my house, okay?”

I looked at that text and my heart started to pound. Adults understand it all. Coming to the house of a man who has just confirmed a relationship in the middle of the night, it is very difficult not to think wrongly. I showered, changed into the most flattering black t-shirt, and sprayed some perfume. When I reached his door, I started to feel cowardly again. The door opens. Luc Van Chu wore a gray home suit, his hair was not gelled, and his whole body looked much gentler than when he was at the police station. Just as I was about to open my mouth, he gave me a pair of slippers.

“Brand new, no one has used it yet.”

I held back my laughter: "Teacher Luc, now I know it wasn't you calling me dirty." He pursed his lips: "I want you to feel comfortable." Finished. I was defeated by him with just one sentence. Entering the house, I discovered that the living room was very clean, but not as ostentatious as I imagined. On the tea table are two glasses of water and a plate of peeled fruit. Cut square and angular, as if coding evidence. I sat down: "Why did you call me here?" He took out an old album from the drawer. Inside are a few photos. Rescue scene, commendation congress, and even a young Luc Van Chu. In the photo, he is not wearing a mask and his smile is very faint.

“I want to tell you about me before.”

He said: “I wasn't always like this.” I flipped through each photo, feeling extremely bitter. The last page is a sheet of paper. There were many dates and sentences written on it short.

“For the first time Tham Tri came to the forensic laboratory, he brought sweet coffee.”

"Tham Tri said my mask felt like it was growing on my face."

“Tham Tri helped me block the victim's family.”

"Tham Tri said he liked me."

My hand stopped. Luc Van Chu said softly: "It's not that I didn't respond."

“It's just that I responded too slowly.”

I raised my head to look at him. He stood under the light, his eyes both serious and tense.

“Tham Tri, are you willing to ask me one more time?”

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