Chapter 8 — Unique Scent

"Lin Vi told me, you only need my scent to make medicine. If you change to someone else with this scent, you will also run after them."

Her hands clasped tightly.

"I've been thinking for a few days. The more I think about it, the more I see that she's right. You're allergic to everyone, but not to me. How can you like me? You like... obviously like that 'non-allergy'."

Tears fell.

“But I don't want to believe it. Because —”

She raised her hand and wiped her face vigorously.

“Because I like you. Not because you are my exception. But because you are Co Dien.”

Co Dien looked at her. Looked for a long time. Then he stood up, reached out and wiped the tears from her face. Very clumsy movements. Wipe once, then wipe again.

“I don't like your scent.”

His voice was very light.

“Because I like you, I like your scent.”

Tham Niem was stunned. “What does that mean?”

“That means —” Co Dien looked down at her. "I told you to come to the laboratory before, not to study your body odor. It was to study how to be a little closer to you."

“Your scent, to me, is an excuse for me to be close to you. Not the reason I like you.”

He stopped for a moment.

"I like you, because the first time you came to the laboratory, you were obviously very scared, but still held out your hand. It's because you fell asleep in front of me, looking very reassured. It's because your eyes sparkled when looking at the ginkgo leaves. It's because you asked me 'why are you always so gentle', then said 'you can be a little stronger, I'm not easy to break'."

His voice was a bit hoarse.

“It's not because of you that I don't have allergies.”

“It's because you make me feel —”

“Having allergies isn't that bad.”

“At least it helps me meet you.”

Tam Niem's tears flowed out uncontrollably. She stood on tiptoe. This time, she kissed the corner of his lips. It's not a dragonfly treading water anymore. It was a strong, serious kiss, pouring out all emotions. Co Dien reached out and held the back of her neck tightly. His lips pressed down. Not the forehead. Not the corners of the mouth. It's a deep kiss. Smells like pine wood. Has the salty taste of tears. There is also the trembling of someone who is truly close to someone for the first time in 20 years. The ginkgo leaves outside the window swayed in the spring breeze, rustling. Young leaves have not yet sprouted. But in the tree trunk, the heartbeat of spring has begun to revive. 5 At the end of April, the annual party of the Academy of Information Technology. Tham Niem belongs to the Academy of Literature and should not appear on an occasion like this. But Co Dien was about to go up to the podium to receive the award, when Aunt Ninh (Co Dien's mother) called to specially instruct her: "Nim Niem, you must go! Tieu Dien stands alone on stage, down here there's not even one person looking at her, so pitiful!" Tham Niem laughed for a long time: "Aunt Ninh, he went to receive an award, not to be punished."

"It's all the same. In short, I have to go."

Tham Niem has arrived. She did not inform Co Dien in advance, wanting to give him a surprise. The party was held in the lobby of a large hotel. There were a lot of people, including lecturers and students at the Institute of Technology, as well as business partners of the Co family. Co Dien wore a black suit, his shirt buttoned all the way to the neck. Standing in the middle of a crowd, a space automatically opens up around you. Still the same look. Tham Niem stood in the corner look at him. MC read his name. He went up to the podium to receive the award. Speak briefly, without a single redundant sentence. Below applauded. He nodded slightly and went down. Then, his gaze scanned the crowd. Stop. He saw her. Tham Niem smiled at him. Co Dien strode towards her. Before he could reach his destination, someone blocked his way. It's Lam Vi. Wearing evening gown, exquisite makeup, holding two glasses of champagne.

“Co Dien, congratulations.”

“Thank you.” Cold tone.