Chapter 19 — Tailor Shop at the End of Third Alley

After the ceremony, the volunteer team returned the shirts for washing. Chau sets up a pick-up schedule, not letting the shirts pile up. One friend wanted to keep the ink mark on his sleeve because it marked the day he passed university entrance exam. Chau family reinforced the inside, not bleached.

The principal asked if the store would accept additional applications from other classes. Ms. Van said it is possible, but must maintain deadlines and quality. Ngoc proposed opening a waiting list and making public who is in which position. The principal agreed to place it on the school board.

Hanh chose to work in the community for three months. Tung said he would support the application but would not make a decision. Chau sees two people learning how to stand next to each other without becoming representatives of anyone.

At night, An repaired the number three engine belt with a new piece. Chau tried running, the sound of the engine became more steady. He said machines also need a chance to replace worn parts, just like humans. She replied that people should not be changed like a part, but can change themselves.

On the day of shirt delivery, the volunteer team stood in a line. Chau checks each code, An checks chrysanthemums, Ngoc compares names. Khoa turned his hand to receive the shirt, not his face. Hanh stood at the end of the line, waiting for her turn like everyone else.

The principal said the shop worked on time, but wanted to know why the logo was not accepted. Ms. Van replied that students are not billboards. The principal nodded and said the school would record the store's name in the activity report.

One friend asked to change shirts because the sleeves were longer. Chau measured again and discovered that you had grown faster than expected. Mrs. Van showed how to loosen the hem, An wrote down the date for the next check. Chau understands that clothes are both a status and not a fixed promise.

Hanh received her clothes. She chose V-shaped buttons and sewed them herself. The thread was a little off, but Ms. Van did not correct it. Hanh said it was the first time she held scissors without fear of being asked who she was.

Tung informed that the company agreed to sponsor a generator without a logo. Ngoc gave the contract to Ms. Thao to read, then made a public table. Each account has a code, date and recipient. Khoa asked if it was necessary to record money when transferring money. Ngoc said he only needed a receipt.

At night, Chau and An went back to number three. They saw a piece of paper in the metal box, recording the meeting schedule for 2014. The meeting took place on the day of the school anniversary, when the whole neighborhood was empty. Khai chose that day because he thought no one would notice.

An said the scary thing is not the secret, but the fact that everyone is so busy that they don't look. Chau replied that's why they had to open earlier.

The order from the principal gave the shop money to operate, but also drew the eyes of those who did not want the shop to continue. Chau created a simple contract, clearly stating the material, deadline, inspector and how to handle errors. Ms. Thao read and asked to add a clause not to use student photos without consent.

Ngoc made a measurement board for each layer. One person asked why we had to write down our preference for buttoning on the left or right. Chau said each person has a different way of dressing, and the size of a shirt is not just a measurement. An added “inner pocket” column for those who need to keep paper.

Khoa tried to interview the tailor, but was forced by Mrs. Van to change the question "how did you feel" to "what did you do". Khoa said the first sentence listening to television, the next sentence listening to the minutes. Ms. Van said both are needed, but records help people not forget.

Hanh asked the company to sponsor a generator. She didn't want a logo, she just wanted the equipment to belong to the shop. Tung said he must apply for approval, but will put the conditions in writing. Chau does not like receiving things from companies, but Ms. Van said that transparent sponsorship is not the same as silent buying.

During the sewing process, they discovered the fabric not placed enough. The supplier delivered a missing green roll, replaced it with a similar color. Ngoc does not allow use, even if the deadline is urgent. Chau called to check, An found the fabric in the school warehouse, and Mrs. Van cut the lining again. Order was half a day late, but color is consistent.

The principal came to see, speaking slowly was better than wrong. Chau was surprised because she didn't mention the logo. The principal said the company had agreed to put the name on the thank you sign, not on the shirt. Tung convinced them with Ngoc's spreadsheet.

Mai Phuong tries on the volunteer team shirt. She pulled the bag, saw a purple stitch, and asked if it was the shop's mark. Chau said it's a mark so the person who repairs it later knows they have to keep the seam. Mai Phuong said she would keep it, but if the shirt was torn she would bring it back.

An delivered a shirt to class 12A2, one of them offered to pay more to have it repaired quickly. He refused, saying the schedule was already public. The other guy asked if he didn't need money. An said he needed it, but didn't want money to push others to the back of the line.

The last night before the ceremony, thirty-two sets filled the shop. Mrs. Van walked among the shirts, checking the buttons, hems and shoulders. Chau saw her stop at an unnamed set with a red thread.

“Who ordered this set?”

“It's not in the application,” An said. “But this afternoon someone reset it.”

In the pocket of the shirt is a note from the woman in the gray shirt: **I want an outfit that fits, not an outfit to hide.**

Hanh received the shirt, paid for it and signed it. She doesn't take incentives. Mrs. Van re-measured her shoulders, Chau adjusted his hem. Hanh looked at the purple thread and said this was the first time she chose a color instead of wearing what someone else gave her.

Outside the door, Tung's phone vibrated. He informed that the company had sent an order to remove machine number three the next morning, despite the temporary suspension agreement.

Order from the principal's office

The principal's office ordered thirty-two sets of shirts for the school's celebration, the exact number of people in the 2014 book. Ngoc suspected someone deliberately chose the number, but the principal said she only wanted uniforms for the volunteer team.

Chau asked why it wasn't placed in a big factory. The principal replied because Mrs. Van used to make shirts for the school before she became principal, and because the council wanted to keep a portion of the order money for the shop.

“But can the shop deliver on time?”

Chau looked at An. He had just returned to class, there were still dark circles under his eyes.

“There's a plan,” Ngoc said, holding up the sign.

Thirty-two sets are divided into four groups. Students measure, adults cut, the school's sewing machine makes straight lines, and the shop makes shoulder joints. The department is in charge of delivering according to color cards and is requested not to film while customers try on shirts. He said the video would lose its drama, Ms. Thao said drama was not the goal of the order.

While taking measurements, Chau recognized a twelfth grader whose shoulder circumference was similar to the number in the old book. Her name is Mai Phuong, she is the child of a mother who received shirt number 32. She did not know that her mother used to live in the alley, she only said that she always kept a children's shirt in the closet.

Chau did not ask in depth. She wrote down the measurements, gave her the receipt card, and scheduled a test date.

An was assigned to be in charge of the delivery team. He made a route table, but Chau saw that he added an additional column "eaten".

“Who are you writing this for?”

“Feed the forgetful delivery person.”

“A task board is not an interest diary.”

“I could name the column ‘fuel check’.”

Chau did not delete it.

Orders progressed in the first two days. Advance money is used to buy threads, locks and backup electricity. Mrs. Van showed the seams, Chau learned how to align the two hems. An delivered each bag, returning with stories: one A boy wants a pocket in his shirt to hide letters, a teacher needs a quick change of buttons because she often drops them, a parent wants to keep an old piece of cloth in the lining.

On the third day, the principal gave an unexpected condition: during the celebration, the store must allow the project company to place a small logo on the volunteer team's sleeves.

Chau immediately objected. Ngoc asked if it was possible to put the logo on the thank you sign instead of on the shirt. The principal said it was part of the sponsorship.

An looked at her and asked if she didn't accept her, would the school cancel her application? The principal was silent, but his eyes answered.

Ms. Van said the shop does not accept sponsorship tied to the wearer. Chau thought she would drop the application. But she suggested a change: the company could sponsor backup power and have their names listed on the material board, without attaching logos to students' shirts.

Tung heard the proposal and asked for a day to present it. Hanh stood next to him and said she would sign the confirmation. The negotiations were not noisy, but each sentence had someone responsible.

That night, An brought the last bag of clothes. Inside is the company's old logo design, scratched out in purple ink. Below the logo is the name Khai – Van, but the word Van has been removed.

Chau touched the brick line and saw that the tip of the thread was loose. She tried taking it apart. A piece of paper fell out, stating the date of the school's first anniversary.

That day coincided with the day Khai signed to hand over the wall landmark.

The piece of paper did not clearly state who fixed the mold, but the date was enough to make Ms. Thao request an inspection record. Tung searched the company computer for an old folder named with the project code. There are three identical maps, the only difference is a red line. The final version was sent after Khai quit his job.

“Can I have this copy?” Hanh asked.

“Maybe, but it must be reported that I accessed internal documents.”

“Then report it.”

Tung sent a letter to his superiors and at the same time downloaded the map to Ms. Thao's folder. Five minutes later, his account was locked. He looked at the screen, more calmly than anyone thought.

“At least they confirmed they hit the right spot,” he said.

In the map, the eastern wall landmark is located more than four meters from the current location. Those four meters include half of the shop's back yard, a section of the alley and the old station steps. If the landmark is correct, the project must change design. If the landmark is wrong, people need to provide proof before the machinery arrives.

Chau suggested re-measuring using a simple method. Tung brought a water bottle, and Mrs. Van found an iron nail stuck in the foundation from Mr. Khai's time. An held the measuring tape, Chau marked each point with white chalk. They do it at dawn to avoid attracting attention.

An old lady opened the door and asked what was being repaired. Chau said they were checking the escape route. The old lady gave another tin box, saying it contained an old gas key. No one knows how long she kept it.

When placing the machine, the measurement was exactly four meters two. Tung took a screenshot and signed with Ms. Thao. Ms. Van did not sign immediately; She requested that additional witnesses be recorded as households.

In the afternoon, the company sent a new notice: they would "temporarily pause" erecting piles but still keep the relocation schedule. Hanh said it was a way to buy time. Chau looked at An and saw a streak of purple ink on his hand.

“Are you injured?”

“No. I just signed the witness list.”

Chau burst out laughing. For the first time, a student's signature was also present in a story that adults once considered their own.