Chapter 10 — Seeds After the Rain

The inter-school exchange on the topic of environmental protection took place on a late October morning, in the large hall of Le Loi High School, the school chosen as this year's venue. Three participating schools, each school brought its typical environmental project, and Nguyen Hue School's Environmental Club, represented by Quynh Nhu, Anh Duong and Gia Huy, with the remote support of Mr. Binh, entered the hall with both nervousness and excitement.

Before the presentation, the whole group stood in a corner of the hallway, reviewing the main content one last time. Quynh Nhu, despite having prepared carefully for many weeks, still could not hide her anxiety, her hands clasped the notepad tightly.

"You'll be okay," Gia Huy said, placing his hand on her shoulder, a natural gesture of reassurance that he didn't have time to think about before doing. "You've told me this story countless times, and every time it makes me emotional. Just tell it like you're telling it to me."

Quynh Nhu looked at him, her eyes softened a bit, a gentle smile appeared on her lips. "Thank you," she said. "Having you here makes me feel much more secure."

When it was her turn to present, Quynh Nhu stepped onto the stage, her voice was a bit shaky at first but quickly regained confidence as she began to tell about the garden's two-year journey - from a wasteland full of weeds, to a rich green space that nurtures not only the plants but also the spirits of countless students. She told about Mr. Binh, who persistently persuaded the school board for half a year to get the project approved. She talked about the rainy and windy afternoons when the group worked together to protect each young vegetable bed. And when she got to the part about the mango tree, her voice dropped, her eyes sparkled with undisguised emotion.

"This mango tree was planted by my father two years ago," she said, pointing to a photo of the mango tree displayed on the big screen. "My father passed away not long after, but the tree continues to grow every day. To me, this garden is not only an environmental project, but also a place where I learned that, even if we lose something precious, we can still continue to cultivate, continue to nurture good things, and from there, find a way to keep that memory alive in another form."

The whole hall was silent for a moment, then the applause rang out, not only because of the professionalism in her presentation, but because of the rare sincerity emanating from each of her words. Gia Huy, standing in the back preparing the video presentation, felt a sense of pride rising in his chest, mixed with an emotion that made his eyes sting.

The video created by Gia Huy, following immediately after Quynh Nhu's presentation, once again made the whole hall quiet with contrasting images between the wasteland two years ago and the current green garden. When the presentation ended, the jury, including school representatives and an official from the city's education department, simultaneously nodded in approval.

The results were announced immediately after all three schools completed their presentations. The small garden project of Nguyen Hue school was chosen as the most impressive project, will be introduced in a column of the city's education newspaper, and proposed as a reference model for other schools that want to implement similar projects.

When the good news was announced, Quynh Nhu couldn't hold back her tears, happy tears rolling down her cheeks. Anh Duong hugged her friend, both laughing through tears. Gia Huy stood nearby, looking at that scene, feeling strangely warm in his heart, as if he himself was an indispensable part of this memorable moment, even though he had only joined the club for less than two months.

"Thank you," Quynh Nhu said, turning to look at him, her eyes still watery but shining with radiant happiness. "If it weren't for your help in making the video and giving feedback on how to present it, we probably wouldn't have achieved this result."

"It's your effort," Gia Huy replied, unable to hold back his smile. "I'm just supporting."

On the way back to school after the exchange, the whole group sat on the same school bus, the atmosphere was still bustling with joy. Mr. Binh, upon hearing the news over the phone, sent warm congratulations and arranged for the group to have a small party in the garden in the afternoon to celebrate.

The party was cozy and simple — just a few snacks everyone prepared themselves, some fruit picked from the garden, but the atmosphere was filled with joy and connection. Mr. Binh, who rarely shows emotions, could not hide his emotions today when he said a few words.

"Two years ago, when I started this project, I did not dare to dream that it would be so widely recognized," he said, his voice a bit choked. "I only hope you learn something from tending a small piece of land. But looking back on this journey, I realize you have given me more than that — you have shown me that, no matter how small, something cultivated with true love and perseverance will eventually bear fruit."

The whole group applauded, some people could not hide their tears of emotion. Gia Huy, sitting among new friends to whom he now felt more attached than to any group of friends he had ever had, felt more clearly than ever the feeling of "belonging" that he had craved for so many years of constantly moving house.

When the party was almost over, Quynh Nhu came to sit next to him, holding two glasses of cool water. "For you," she said, handing him a drink.

"Thank you," he took it, took a sip, feeling the cool sweetness spreading in his throat.

"You know," Quynh Nhu said, her eyes looking far away at the garden sinking into the sunset, "two months ago, when you first arrived, I thought you would only stay for a few sessions and then disappear like everyone else. I never thought you would become such an important part of the club, and of me too."

That last sentence, with a bit of meaningful hesitation, made Gia Huy's heart pound. He looked at her and saw that her cheeks were slightly pink, not sure if it was because of the sunset or because of the words that had just come out.

"I never thought I would be so attached to something," he replied, his voice sincere. "But I'm glad it happened."

From afar, Anh Duong saw two people sitting next to each other, smiled slightly, then turned to pull Thao's hand to clean up the other side of the garden, intentionally leaving Gia Huy and Quynh Nhu some private space. Teacher Binh, who was tidying up some tools nearby, also glanced at the two people, then quietly smiled, said nothing, and continued his work as if he didn't notice.

"What do you think the city education newspaper will write about your project?" Quynh Nhu asked, deliberately switching to a lighter topic after the somewhat awkward moment just now.

"There will probably be a title like 'Small garden, big lesson' or something," Gia Huy replied, laughing. "It sounds a bit cheesy but it's probably what the journalists meant."

"That doesn't sound bad," Quynh Nhu laughed, gently pushing his shoulder. "Who knows, maybe in the future there will be many other schools that do gardening like me, so it might be worth writing a cheesy article."

They both laughed, their laughter mixed with the rustling sound of leaves in the afternoon wind. Gia Huy looked around the garden, looked at the lush green vegetable beds, looked at the flower trellis with late-season flowers blooming, looked at the mango tree that was growing higher than the day he first arrived. He thought about the past two months, from a student who only came because he needed enough volunteer hours, to someone who now sees this place as an indispensable part of his life.

"Thanks for dragging me in here," he said, his voice rare and sincere. "If it wasn't because you strictly forced me to till the soil the first day, I would have given up a long time ago."

"Then thank you for your strictness," Quynh Nhu replied, smiling mischievously, a rare expression from her that Gia Huy found extremely adorable.

When darkness began to cover the garden, the group tidied up one last time and left together. Gia Huy walked next to Quynh Nhu for a while before turning in another direction to go home. The two talked about upcoming plans for the garden, about possibly expanding the flower growing area to attract bees and butterflies, and about the idea of organizing a gardening experience session for grade 10 students next semester. The atmosphere between the two was more natural and comfortable than ever, as if all the initial awkward barriers had gradually disappeared, giving way to a warm and sincere connection.

The two of them sat together in silence, watching the last sunset of a memorable day gradually fall behind the trees. Each person's heart was filled with a warm, hopeful feeling about the good things that lay ahead - even though neither of them knew that, in a very short time, a much bigger challenge would come, threatening to sweep away everything they had built together.