## Chapter 3: Secrets in the Desk Drawer
Ha Nguyen began to realize something.
Some days seemed like nothing special, but when people looked back, they understood those had been the most beautiful days of all.
A sunny morning.
A carton of milk sitting on the desk.
The person beside her asking:
"Did you get enough sleep?"
A text arriving at eleven at night.
Or simply walking into class and seeing the person she most wanted to meet sitting there.
That was how Ha's seventeenth year began.
Very ordinary.
Very quiet.
And very happy.
At least, it was before the secrets began to appear.
Monday morning.
The moment Ha walked into class, she saw a small piece of paper on her desk.
She stared at it in confusion.
The paper had been folded in half.
There was no name on the outside.
Ha looked around.
The classroom was still fairly empty.
An Lam hadn't arrived yet.
Gia Bao was standing at the back of the room, talking with some friends.
And Minh Khoi...
The seat beside her was still empty.
Ha picked up the piece of paper.
She hesitated for a few seconds, then opened it.
There was only one line inside.
*"Don't be sad today."*
Ha stared at the words.
She didn't understand.
She turned the paper over.
There was nothing there.
She frowned.
Just then, Minh Khoi walked into the classroom.
Ha turned toward him.
He set his backpack down.
"Morning."
"Yeah."
Ha looked at him.
"Khoi."
"Hmm?"
"Did you leave this here?"
She held out the piece of paper.
Minh Khoi glanced at it.
"No."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
Ha was even more confused.
"Then who left it?"
"I don't know."
He handed the paper back.
"Throw it away."
"But..."
"Someone's probably messing with you."
Ha nodded.
She crumpled the paper into a ball.
But instead of throwing it away, she put it in her desk drawer.
She didn't know why.
Maybe she wanted to keep it.
A little secret.
Something whose origin she didn't know.
By recess, An came running over.
"Ha!"
"What?"
"Have you heard?"
"Heard what?"
An pulled out a chair and sat down.
"Tong Uyen transferred into our extra class."
Ha paused.
"So?"
"Nothing."
An looked at her.
"I just think there might be something interesting to watch."
Ha shot her a glare.
"Don't get any weird ideas."
"I didn't say anything."
"Your eyes did."
An laughed.
"Fine."
She leaned close to Ha's ear.
"But I still think she likes Khoi."
Ha fell silent.
She didn't want to think about it.
But the name Tong Uyen was like a small stone falling into a lake that had been perfectly still.
It didn't create any big waves.
But it was enough to stir someone's heart.
That afternoon, Ha stayed behind at the library.
She was working on her homework when her mother called.
"Ha."
"Yes?"
"Can you come home early this afternoon?"
"Sure."
"I'm feeling a little sick."
Ha immediately stood up.
"I'm coming home now."
She gathered her books.
Minh Khoi looked up from across the table.
"Leaving?"
"Yeah. My mom isn't feeling well."
"I'll take you home."
"You don't have to."
"It's about to rain."
"My house is close."
"Ha Nguyen."
She looked at him.
"Let me take you."
Ha said nothing more.
The two of them left the library together.
Outside, it really had begun to rain.
Not heavily.
Just a light drizzle.
Minh Khoi opened his umbrella.
Ha stood beside him.
The distance between them was very small.
She looked at the hand gripping the umbrella handle.
That hand had once held out an umbrella to her on her first day.
A year had passed.
Time really did go by fast.
"Khoi."
"Yeah?"
"Do you still remember the umbrella from tenth grade?"
"I remember."
"I still have it."
Minh Khoi turned to her.
"Why?"
"I don't know."
He looked at her for a moment.
Then he said:
"Then keep it."
Ha smiled.
"Okay."
She didn't know that sometimes people held on to things not because of their value,
but because those things were connected to someone.
Ha's mother really was sick.
That night, she had a fever.
Ha sat beside her bed all night.
Her father hadn't come home from work yet.
The small house was silent.
Ha looked at the clock.
One in the morning.
Her phone lit up.
**Minh Khoi: Is your mom feeling better?**
Ha looked at the text.
She replied:
**Not yet.**
A little while later:
**Go to sleep.**
Ha:
**I can't sleep.**
Minh Khoi:
**Then talk to me.**
Ha stared at the screen.
She let out a very soft laugh.
**Talk about what?**
**Anything.**
**It rained today.**
**Yeah.**
**I hate rain.**
**I know.**
**How do you know?**
**The first day, when you almost cried because you didn't have an umbrella.**
Ha froze.
**I did not cry.**
**Yeah. You didn't cry.**
**You're laughing right now, aren't you?**
**No.**
**Liar.**
A moment later, Minh Khoi sent:
**Go to sleep. I'm here.**
Ha stared at those words for a long time.
She didn't know why her eyes suddenly stung.
She set her phone down.
Her mother was still asleep.
Outside the window, rain fell.
That night, Ha no longer felt alone.
The next day, her mother was feeling better.
Ha arrived at school late.
The moment she entered the classroom, she saw Minh Khoi look over.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah."
"Your mom?"
"She's better."
He nodded.
Ha sat down.
She took out her books.
Just then, her hand touched the desk drawer.
The piece of paper from yesterday was still there.
She took it out.
She was about to throw it away.
But when she opened it again, she discovered that another sentence had been added beneath the old one.
*"Don't believe everything you hear."*
Ha went still.
She turned toward Minh Khoi.
"Are you sure you didn't write this yesterday?"
"No."
"Really?"
"Really."
Ha stared at the piece of paper.
A sense of unease began to creep over her.
She didn't know who was writing them.
She didn't know what they wanted.
Over the next few days, the pieces of paper began appearing more often.
One day, it said:
*"Do you really think you understand Khoi?"*
Another day:
*"There are things you'd be better off not knowing."*
Another day, there were only three words.
*"Don't fall for him."*
Ha began to feel afraid.
She didn't tell An.
She told Minh Khoi even less.
She was afraid that if she said anything, everything would become complicated.
She began watching him.
But Minh Khoi was still the same as always.
He still sat by the window.
He still helped her with her homework.
He still bought milk for her.
He still asked whether her mother was feeling better.
Nothing had changed.
That only made Ha more bewildered.
If he hadn't done anything wrong...
Why would someone want her to stay away from him?
One afternoon, Ha stayed behind in the classroom alone.
She was gathering her books when she heard the door open.
Tong Uyen walked in.
Ha looked up.
"You haven't gone home?"
"No."
Uyen stopped beside her desk.
"Ha Nguyen."
"What?"
"Do you like Khoi?"
Ha fell silent.
She didn't know how to answer.
Uyen looked at her.
"I'm not trying to make things difficult for you."
"Then why are you asking?"
"Because I want to know."
Ha tightened her grip on her backpack strap.
"So what?"
"If you like him..."
Uyen paused.
"Then you should know something."
Ha looked at her.
"What?"
"Khoi's life isn't as simple as you think."
Ha was silent.
Uyen continued:
"His family has already decided a lot of things for him."
"Like what?"
"College."
"His career."
"His friends."
"And even who he's going to marry."
Ha felt her heart grow cold.
"What are you saying?"
Uyen didn't answer right away.
She only said:
"I don't want you to get hurt."
Then she turned and left the classroom.
Ha remained sitting there alone.
That sentence kept repeating in her mind.
*Who he's going to marry.*
She didn't know why she believed someone she was barely close to.
But the frightening part was—
some part of her had already been afraid of that.
That night, Ha didn't text Minh Khoi.
She lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling.
Her phone vibrated.
**Minh Khoi: Are you asleep?**
She didn't answer.
A little while later.
**Minh Khoi: Ha?**
She remained silent.
Ten minutes later.
**Minh Khoi: What's wrong?**
Ha turned off the screen.
She didn't want to hear his explanation.
Not because she didn't trust him.
But because she was afraid of his answer.
If he said it wasn't true, she would feel relieved.
But if he said it was...
What would she do?
At seventeen, she wasn't mature enough to understand that sometimes the truth wasn't what hurt people most.
It was being afraid of the truth.
The next day, Ha tried to avoid Minh Khoi.
He called.
She pretended not to hear.
He asked her something.
She gave him short answers.
He offered her milk.
She didn't take it.
By lunchtime, Minh Khoi finally couldn't take it anymore.
"What's wrong with you?"
"Nothing."
"You're lying."
"No."
"Ha Nguyen."
He gently took hold of her wrist.
"Look at me."
Ha raised her head.
"Let go."
He released her immediately.
Ha turned away.
"What did I do wrong?"
"Nothing."
"Then why are you avoiding me?"
Ha fell silent.
She wanted to ask.
But she didn't have the courage.
In the end, she only said:
"Khoi."
"Yeah?"
"If someday you had to choose between your family and someone..."
She stopped.
"What would you choose?"
Minh Khoi looked at her.
He didn't answer right away.
Only after a long time did he say:
"My family."
Ha felt her heart drop.
She smiled very faintly.
"Yeah."
"But..."
He continued.
"If that person were you, I'd find a way to keep both."
Ha looked up.
Minh Khoi looked at her.
His gaze was so serious that she couldn't say anything.
"Don't ask about things that haven't happened yet."
She lowered her head.
"Okay."
He asked:
"Who told you something?"
Ha remained silent.
"Uyen?"
Ha didn't answer.
Minh Khoi understood.
He sighed.
"Don't believe her."
"Why not?"
"Because I'll tell you about my family myself."
"Then tell me."
He fell silent.
Ha looked at him.
"Khoi."
"Not now."
"Why?"
"Because I'm afraid you'll see me differently."
His words left Ha stunned.
For the first time, she saw the vulnerability in his eyes.
Not the aloof male student.
Not the brilliant student.
Not the person who always acted like he was afraid of nothing.
Just a seventeen-year-old boy afraid that the girl he liked would learn too much about his life.
Ha spoke softly:
"I won't."
"You can't be sure."
"I am sure."
He looked at her.
"Really?"
"Yeah."
A moment later, he nodded.
"Okay."
But he still didn't tell her.
And that was their first mistake.
A secret kept out of fear of losing each other.
The weekend.
Ha and Minh Khoi went out together as they had planned.
It wasn't a date.
They were just taking a walk.
The two of them went to an old bookstore near downtown.
Ha stood in front of the bookshelves for a long time.
Minh Khoi asked:
"Want to buy it?"
"I don't have any money."
"I'll buy it."
"You don't have to."
"Then read it here."
Ha smiled.
"Okay."
They went through an entire floor of books.
Afterward, they sat at a small café next door.
Ha ordered peach tea.
Minh Khoi ordered black coffee.
Ha looked at his cup.
"Is it bitter?"
"No."
"Let me try."
He pushed the cup toward her.
Ha took a sip.
She immediately scrunched up her face.
"It's bitter!"
Minh Khoi laughed.
"I told you."
"It tastes awful."
"Then why did you try it?"
"Because I was curious."
"You're always curious."
"Yeah."
Ha looked at him.
"Khoi."
"Yeah?"
"Do you think we'll still be friends in the future?"
"Friends?"
"Yeah."
He fell silent.
Ha looked out through the glass window.
"I don't know."
Minh Khoi asked:
"What do you want?"
Ha bit her lip.
"I don't know."
He looked at her for a long time.
Then he said:
"I don't want to be just friends."
Ha turned toward him.
Her heart pounded.
But Minh Khoi didn't say anything more.
He only lowered his head and drank his coffee.
Ha didn't ask either.
They both understood.
Some words could still be heard even when they remained unspoken.
That afternoon, on the way home, Ha asked:
"Khoi."
"Yeah?"
"That umbrella from before..."
"What about it?"
"What if I lose it?"
"Then I'll buy you another one."
"But that's the one you gave me."
"So?"
Ha smiled.
"I don't know."
He looked at her.
"If you lose it, I'll give you another one."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"As many as I want?"
"As many as you want."
Ha smiled.
She didn't know how deeply she had fallen for him.
She only knew that on that afternoon road, she wanted time to slow down.
That night, when Ha got home, she saw her parents arguing.
She stood outside the door.
She didn't dare go in.
"Where are you going to get the money?" her mother asked.
"I'll find it."
"But what about next month's hospital bills?"
"I know!"
Her father's voice rose.
Ha stood frozen.
She had never heard her parents argue like that.
A moment later, her father came out.
He saw her.
He fell silent.
"Ha..."
She said nothing.
She only lowered her head.
"Go to your room."
Ha went inside.
She closed the door.
Then she sat down on the floor.
Her phone vibrated.
Minh Khoi:
**Are you home yet?**
Ha looked at the text.
She wanted to tell him.
She really did.
But in the end, she only replied:
**Yeah.**
**Did you have fun today?**
Ha typed:
**I did.**
Then she turned off her phone.
She didn't want him to know that she was crying.
The next day, Ha went to class.
There was another piece of paper in her desk drawer.
This time, it contained only one sentence.
*"If you really love him, prepare yourself to lose him."*
Ha stared at it for a long time.
Then she tore it to pieces.
The scraps of paper fell onto the floor.
She didn't know who had written it.
She didn't know what they wanted.
But for the first time, she decided not to run away.
She would ask Minh Khoi.
She would hear it from him directly.
She wouldn't listen to anyone else.
At the end of the class period, Ha called him back.
"Khoi."
"Yeah?"
"I want you to tell me."
"Tell you what?"
"About your family."
He fell silent.
Ha looked directly into his eyes.
"I don't want to hear it from someone else."
"I want to hear it from you."
Minh Khoi looked at her for a long time.
Finally, he gave a small nod.
"Okay."
He picked up his backpack.
"This afternoon."
"Where?"
"The usual place."
Ha nodded.
"Okay."
But that afternoon, Minh Khoi didn't show up.
Ha sat at the old café.
Fifteen minutes.
Thirty minutes.
An hour.
He didn't appear.
She couldn't get through to his phone.
Ha began to worry.
A little before eight that night, she received a text.
It wasn't from Minh Khoi.
It was from Gia Bao.
**Ha, don't come to the hospital.**
Ha froze.
She called back.
Gia Bao didn't answer.
Ha shot to her feet.
A cold sense of unease ran down her spine.
She had no idea what had happened.
But she knew one thing.
From that moment on—
their lives had begun to enter a different chapter.
A chapter neither of them could ever return from to the way things had been.
And that night, as Ha ran toward the hospital, she didn't know that the person lying in the emergency room wasn't the person she thought.
She also didn't know that the secret Minh Khoi had intended to tell her would have to wait much longer.
Because sometimes life doesn't give people the chance to say everything they want to say.
It simply takes away one moment.
Then forces them to live with that silence for years.
*Some secrets begin with a piece of paper in a desk drawer.*
*And some secrets are powerful enough to change a person's entire life.*