Chapter 28 — Theater at the End of the Hallway

The apology in front of the camera took place after class, when there was only the group and teacher Quang left in the theater. Mai wanted to film just once, Lam set the camera steady, Tran stood outside the frame to check the sound.

Mai said she posted the video without permission. She did not tell the reason for viewers' pity, just said that she considered views more important than privacy. She removed it, reported it, and learned how to ask for permission. She also said copies still exist, so viewers should not continue to share.

After filming, Mai asked Lam if she wanted to cut her silence in the middle. Lam said that was Mai's part. Mai kept it the same.

Huy looked at the version and commented on the lighting. He didn't sit behind the machine this time; He sat next to Lam and pointed to the burned areas. Lam asked him if he felt strange appearing backstage.

“I didn't show up,” Huy said.

“You're sitting next to me.”

“Not in the frame.”

“But it's in the story.”

Huy did not object. He received a glass of water from Tran and continued to check the sound.

Dat and Hoai An had a private conversation in the theater. Lam didn't listen, but saw them put Khai's letter on the green chair. After a while, Dat said he would send a copy to the school, while Hoai An kept the original. They don't completely resolve the past, but at least they don't let a letter continue to sit in a drawer.

The filmmaking instruction class has agreed to open on Saturday. Ms. Nam sent documents from Anh Duong Theater, including a form asking for image use rights, how to save the original and how to let the character withdraw consent. Vy said this document should be in every club.

Quan made a table of "five questions before filming": do you want to appear, where can it be used, who can see it, can it be retracted, what parts need to be covered. He wrote the word "withdraw" wrongly, and the whole class corrected it with a red pen.

A young student asked if he agreed but then felt embarrassed, could he change his mind. Lam answered yes. No one considers it annoying.

In the afternoon, the theater is open to people around the school. A water seller brought a radio, a car repairman brought old photos, and a former student sent stage drawings. They don't need to be on film; they just want to know this place is still being heard.

The old lady with the umbrella arrived late, sitting in the last seat. She said that in the past she used to watch movies at the theater even though she was not a student, because the gatekeeper allowed it. She doesn't remember the name of the movie, she only remembers someone giving her a dry chair after the rain.

Quan gave her a towel. She laughed and told him not to break the chair.

The projector plays the new movie. No problems. When the open door scene appears, a real door in the hallway is also opened, letting the yard light flood in. The audience turned to look, then looked at the screen. The two lights are next to each other.

After the movie, Nhi sent a direct message to the group: "I heard Quan's laughter. The chair is still alive."

Quan showed off to the whole school, but Tran made him not take a screenshot of Nhi's message.

Lam wrote the report at the end of the six-month trial, without using big numbers. She records the number of screenings, the number of participants, the number of errors corrected, the number of requests for privacy to be respected, and the things that have not been done.

The Council highly appreciated the "not yet done" part. Dat said it's a sign the project doesn't advertise itself.

At night, Huy locked the projector cabinet. He gave Lam the extra key.

“I'm not a theater keeper,” he said.

“You're the one who knows what the machine is saying.”

"Then hold on. If the phone rings, call me."

Lam received the key and put it in his pocket. In the corner of the fabric curtain, a line New feature appears: **Tomorrow has its own screening.**

Mai saw it and felt a bit embarrassed. She asked if she could make a film about people who had learned to apologize.

Lam said: “If you ask them first.”

Mai started filming the movie about the apology. She met each person who had been affected by the old video, not placing the call until they signed their consent. One person wants to just record, one person wants to cover their face, one person doesn't want to participate. Mai accepts all three.

Lam looked at the draft and saw that Mai did not use sensational music this time. She left space between her answers, allowing the speaker to decide the rhythm. Huy said the film was slow, but not empty.

Quan set up a chair with the word "change of mind" written on it. Anyone who comes to class can sit and write what they want to get out of a project. Tran arranged a separate box without reading the contents. The chair becomes a place where everyone understands that agreement is not once and for all.

Nhi sent an audio guide on how to say "no". She said there was no need for a long explanation, no need to apologize for protecting herself. Vy puts this paragraph in class, only using it as Nhi allows.

Dat informed the council that the commercial project would not use theater images in advertising. The decision prompted protests from the media, but he said a saved place should not become an advertising decoration.

Hoai An teaches the group how to restore old films using low light. She did not restore Nhi's condition; She teaches techniques so students understand perishable materials. Huy recorded the process and saved the original safely.

One afternoon, the projector wouldn't turn on. Huy checked and discovered that the ball was no longer old. He didn't panic, took the spare ball from the cupboard and wrote it down in the notebook. Quan asked if he should write a farewell note to his old ball. Huy put the ball in the box and wrote the date of use.

Tran updated the budget and discovered that the funding was not enough to buy spare parts next year. She suggested a voluntary donation fee, but did not turn free tickets into pressure. The Council agreed to place a sealed box and publicly disclose the total revenue by month.

Lam made a video explaining how to watch movies responsibly. She said she doesn't take screenshots of other people, doesn't guess identities, and doesn't share personal stories. The video is not viral, but is used by teachers in class.

Huy watched and told Lam to speak more slowly. She asked him if he wanted to stand next to her. Huy agrees, appearing at the end with just one sentence: “If you're not sure you're allowed, just ask.”

After the filming, Lam and Huy sat in the hallway. Huy asked her if she had stopped wanting to film everything. Lam said no, but now she knows that putting down the phone is also a way to remember.

In theaters, the rule board adds a new line: **The best scene is one that doesn't give anyone the right to choose.**

Mai completed a three-minute apology film. She invited those in the movie to preview it in a small room without turning on the main projector. One person asked to cut an entire sentence he had previously agreed to; Mai asked again and cut. She said the film couldn't be more important than the safety of the people appearing.

Lam helps check the title. Mai wanted to say "I was wrong", but Tran suggested "After asking". Mai chose the second name, because the film is not just about mistakes but about doing things differently.

Huy installed a new switch, with a protective cover. Duc Minh learned how to record the number of times the computer was turned on. Quan made a sign to avoid oil and grease. The theater feels more like a small workshop than a mysterious place, and that's exactly what the team wanted.

Dat announced that the commercial project had accepted the new plan. The hallway is kept, the area Services moved to another building. He no longer has to choose between work and memory, but knows that many people contributed to that decision.

Nhi sent word that she would watch Mai's movie from afar. She didn't want the group to tell her the time, she just wanted to open it when she was ready. Mai agreed, without asking further questions.

Lam looked at the rule table and saw that each line was associated with a wrong grouping. She wasn't ashamed of them anymore; they are a sign of what the theater has lived through.

They held a final meeting with those who had requested the content be removed. One person said that at first he was afraid of being photographed, then when he saw that the group respected what they promised, he wanted to give feedback on the sound. Another friend still didn't want to participate, but suggested placing a privacy sign at the door. Lam did not try to persuade. She wrote down the request on the list, asked for a deadline, and then asked Quan to print a large copy.

Tran proposed that audiences can send requests to withdraw content using a nameless mailbox. Vy checks the process, adds the person in charge and response time. Huy asked what if the request comes after the movie has been shown online. Lam said there must be a plan to replace scenes, even if it means cutting a part they really like. Quan sighed, but voluntarily created a "can be removed" folder. Each person puts into it a scene they value most. When they looked at the list together, they saw that the movie still had the same story. The important thing is not to keep every frame, but to preserve the power of choice for the person who gave them.

During a test run of the process, a student sent a withdrawal request while the group was in class. The system automatically sends notifications, but does not automatically delete them immediately because it needs to confirm the content. Tran responded within two hours, asking for the correct file and scope. You want to remove the image but keep the distorted voice. Vy changed the scene, Huy checked the sound, Lam sent the preview. You agree, the team updates both the online version and the school version.

Quan said this process caused him to lose one of his best comedic lines. Lam asked if he wanted to keep it at all costs. Quan shook his head, then wrote down a joke that wasn't based on someone else. The group tried new scenes, laughter came more naturally. Tran notes that the right to withdraw is not a punishment for the filmmaker; it is a mechanism that helps everyone believe in cooperation. The rule table was amended with one more line: "If you're not sure, ask again."