Chapter 10 — Sassy Boy: Heir to the Underground Family

Three days after the incident in the alley, Dieu Linh still has not been able to regain her normal pace of life as before. Every time she steps out on the street, she unconsciously observes her surroundings, wary of anyone who seems suspicious. Her sleep was no longer as peaceful as before, often interrupted by dreams about three strange men and the image of Vinh Bach fighting with a terrifying coldness.

"You don't seem to be feeling well lately," Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hong commented when she saw her daughter sitting listlessly in front of the desk, the book open but not turning a page all evening. "Is there something going on at school?"

"It's nothing, Mom, I'm just a little tired from studying," Dieu Linh replied, trying to force a reassuring smile, even though her mind was still filled with hundreds of thoughts.

Mrs. Hong looked at her daughter for a moment, her eyes full of worry but did not ask further questions, just gently patted her head before leaving the room. Dieu Linh looked at her mother's shadow, feeling a bit guilty for not being able to share what was really going on in her heart.

At school, Vinh Bach continued to treat her as before — still sitting next to her in every class, still waiting for her after school, still showing sincere concern in every small gesture. But Dieu Linh could feel the tension hidden behind that calm appearance, as if he was waiting for something to happen.

"Are you okay?" Vinh Bach asked during recess, when the two sat in a familiar corner of the school yard, where they had witnessed many intimate conversations between them.

"I'm fine," Dieu Linh replied, although her voice could not hide the hesitation. "It's just... I still can't stop thinking about that day."

Vinh Bach was silent, his eyes filled with guilt. "I'm sorry for dragging you into this."

"No, you don't need to apologize," Dieu Linh said, turning to look straight at him. "Vinh Bach, I've been thinking a lot these past few days. About you, about the strange things around you, about the fighting ability that a normal student cannot have."

Vinh Bach held his breath, waiting for what she was about to say next, filled with worry that this might be the moment she decided to leave him.

"I don't know exactly who you are, or what you're hiding," Dieu Linh continued, her voice gradually becoming more determined. "But I know one thing — in all the time I've known you, you've never hurt me. You've always protected me, you've always been kind to me, even when you didn't have to. To me, that's more important than any secret you're keeping."

"You... aren't you scared?" Vinh Bach asked, his voice a bit hoarse with emotion.

"I'm scared," Dieu Linh admitted, not hiding her true feelings. "I'm afraid of what I don't know, afraid of the dangers that may be lurking. But I'm more afraid of losing you, more afraid of having to live in doubt and distance than facing the truth, whatever it is."

Vinh Bach looked at her, his eyes filled with a complex emotion that he had never experienced before — gratitude, love, and even fear about whether he was worthy of the great trust she had just given him.

"Dieu Linh, thank you," he said softly, his voice trembling rarely. "I promise, when the right time comes, I will tell you all the truth. But right now, I need you to trust me a little more."

"I believe you," Dieu Linh replied, without hesitation.

On the way home that day, Dieu Linh stopped by Khanh Linh's house, needing someone to share her troubled thoughts with, even though she couldn't reveal the whole truth about what happened in the alley.

"You don't look very good," Khanh Linh commented as soon as she opened the door, pulling Dieu Linh into her room. "Is there something wrong with Vinh Bach?"

"I don't know what to say," Dieu Linh replied, sitting down on the bed, her hands clutching the pillow tightly. "It's just that recently I've realized there are so many strange things surrounding him, and I don't know if I should continue to be with him or not."

"How strange?" Khanh Linh asked, sitting down next to her friend, her voice full of concern.

"I can't say details," Dieu Linh said, biting her lip in hesitation. "But I think his family might be involved in things that are a lot more complicated than I thought. Maybe even dangerous."

Khanh Linh frowned and grabbed her friend's hand. "Dieu Linh, you know I always support you, but if there is real danger, you have to be careful. Don't let your emotions cloud your reason."

"I know," Dieu Linh replied, her voice quiet. "But every time I look into his eyes, I can't doubt it. I know it sounds stupid, but I believe that he would never intentionally hurt me."

"You're not stupid," Khanh Linh smiled, squeezing her friend's hand to comfort her. "It's just that you're in love, and love always makes people have to make difficult choices. No matter what, I'm always here if you need me."

Khanh Linh's words of encouragement made Dieu Linh feel somewhat relieved, even though the questions in her heart still had no complete answers. She thanked her friend and returned home, carrying a new determination - no matter how bumpy the road ahead was, she would not turn her back on Vinh Bach just because of unconfirmed suspicions.

That afternoon, after school, Vinh Bach took Dieu Linh for a walk around the park near the school, a quiet place that both had never visited before. They sat on a stone bench under the shade of a tree, watching children play on the grass nearby.

"You know," Vinh Bach suddenly spoke up, "since I was little, I haven't had many opportunities to enjoy simple moments like this."

"Why so?" Dieu Linh asked, curious.

"My family has had many expectations placed on me since I was very young," Vinh Bach replied, looking far away at the children playing. "I have to learn how to grow up faster than other kids my age, I have to learn to control my emotions, I have to learn to look at every relationship in terms of benefits and risks."

"That sounds tiring," Dieu Linh commented, her voice full of sympathy.

"That's right," Vinh Bach nodded. "But since I've known you, I've realized I've been missing out on a lot of simple things that I should be experiencing — like sitting here, watching the children play, without having to think about any calculations."

Dieu Linh smiled, gently resting her head on his shoulder. "Then from now on, let me help you experience more of those simple things."

Vinh Bach was silent for a moment, then gently wrapped his arms around her shoulders, a gentle gesture he had never shown to anyone before. "Thank you, Dieu Linh. For choosing to stay, even though everything is still unclear."

They sat like that in silence for a long time, enjoying the rare moment of peace amidst the chaos and anxiety that surrounded them both. Dieu Linh knew that deciding to trust Vinh Bach without knowing the whole truth was a reckless decision, but her heart told her it was the right choice.

Little did she know, that decision would soon take her on a dangerous journey that she had never imagined, a journey that would test the emotions and courage of both of them to the highest limit.

But right now, in the middle of a peaceful park under the gentle afternoon sunlight, Dieu Linh simply feels happy to be with the person she has chosen to trust, no matter what secrets are still hidden behind that person.

When the afternoon shadows began to fall on the grass, Vinh Bach stood up, reached out his hand to pull Dieu Linh up with him. "Let me take you home, it's almost dark."

On the way home, he suddenly grabbed her hand, without saying a word, simply squeezing it tightly as if to convey a silent promise. Dieu Linh looked down at the clasped hands between the two of them, feeling the familiar warmth that was gradually becoming an indispensable part of her life.

"Vinh Bach," she called softly as they neared her house.

"What's up?" he turned to ask.

"No matter what the truth is, I hope you remember that I chose to stay for you, not because of any illusions about you," Dieu Linh said, her eyes firmly looking straight at him.

Vinh Bach stopped walking, looked at her for a long time, then nodded slightly, his eyes filled with a deep respect that he had never given to anyone else in his life. "I'll never forget that," he said, his voice quiet but firm.

They stood there for a while more in front of Dieu Linh's gate, no one was in a hurry to leave, as if wanting to prolong the rare peaceful time amid the gradually approaching storms. Finally, Vinh Bach gently let go of her hand and took a step back.

"Go home and rest," he said. "See you at school tomorrow."

Dieu Linh nodded, watching his shadow disappear behind the corner of the street before returning to the house, her heart still lingering with the warmth from his hand and a new belief that had just been strengthened more firmly than ever.