The wind shifted.
The sounds of the present faded away, leaving only the gentle lapping of water.
Many years ago.
The Bach Dang River was as vast then as it is now, but in the eyes of a child, it felt like an entire world. A boy stood by the bank, about ten years old. His white shirt was worn, his dark trousers stained with mud, but his eyes were bright with curiosity.
Van Thien. He bent down, picked up a small stone, and flung it far into the distance.
Plop.
Ripples spread out in perfect circles.
"How boring..." he muttered. "There's nothing interesting here at all."
"Then play with me."
A voice rang out from behind him. Clear. Bright.
Thien turned around. A girl stood there, her hair tied in twin buns, wearing a pale pink dress. Her eyes sparkled as if they held the entire sky within them.
"...Who are you?" he asked bluntly.
The girl tilted her head. "I don't really know either."
"...Huh?"
"I just remember... that I like coming here." She pointed toward the river. "...It calls to me.
Thien went silent for a moment. "...That sounds weird."
The girl puffed out her cheeks. "It's not weird!" She walked closer and sat down beside him. "...What's your name?"
"...Van Thien."
"I'm Bao Uyen!" She smiled brightly—a smile that made the entire afternoon feel more radiant.
In the days that followed, they met almost every day. They sat by the river, threw stones, and watched the water flow.
"Do you think there's anything down there?" Bao Uyen asked, resting her chin on her hands.
"...Fish."
"...Just fish?"
"...Maybe some shrimp too."
"...So boring!" She burst into laughter. "I think... there's another world down there."
"...Another world?"
"Yeah! Maybe a city... or a giant sleeping creature..."
Thien looked at her. "...You have quite the imagination."
Bao Uyen giggled. "And you have none at all."
"...I don't need it."
"Then what if one day... I disappeared?" she asked suddenly.
Thien froze. "...Why would you say that?"
"I don't know..." She looked down at the water. "...But I have a feeling... that I don't belong here."
The wind blew past. Soft. Thien remained silent for a long time.
"You won't disappear."
Bao Uyen looked at him. "Why do you think so?"
He smiled. "Because it's simple..." He looked the little girl in the eyes. "...You belong here."
At those words, Bao Uyen's eyes shimmered with a fleeting light.
One day, when Thien arrived at the riverbank, he saw Bao Uyen being bullied by several neighborhood kids.
"Give it back...!" Bao Uyen cried, jumping to reach a necklace a boy was dangling high above her head.
"No way! Come and get it if you're so brave!"
Thien rushed over, shouting, "What do you think you're doing to Bao Uyen?!"
One of the boys looked at him. "Who the hell are you?"
"I'm her friend."
The group burst into laughter. "A kid like you is friends with this girl?"
One boy stepped forward and swung a punch at Thien.
Thud.
To their surprise, Thien blocked the arm effortlessly. He followed up with a leg sweep, knocking the boy to the ground. With a deadly serious gaze pinned on the group, he commanded, "Give her back the necklace. Now."
The bullies turned pale. The one holding the necklace looked at Thien. "You want it?" He smirked. "Then go get it!"
He flung the necklace into the river.
Plop.
As the group ran away, Bao Uyen stood frozen, tears streaming down her face. "My necklace..."
Thien didn't say a word. He looked at the rushing current, stripped off his shirt, and dove straight into the river. Bao Uyen watched in shock. In the moment he submerged, Thien felt as though something was watching him from the dark depths.
Time passed. The water flowed fiercely, and Bao Uyen grew frantic. "Brother Thien!"
Just as she was about to panic, the water broke. Thien emerged, holding the pendant high.
"Brother Thien...!"
He climbed back onto the bank, holding the piece out to her. "I'm sorry. The chain washed away. I could only save the pendant."
Bao Uyen took it. "It's okay, Brother..."
But her eyes remained tinged with sadness. Without a word, Thien reached for his own necklace. He unhooked the chain and slid it through Bao Uyen's pendant, then fastened it around her neck.
"There. That works."
Bao Uyen touched the necklace, looking at him. "But... what about your chain?"
He smiled warmly. "It's fine. Just think of it as a gift from me. Don't worry, my house has plenty of chains. You keep that one, okay?"
He gave her a radiant, reassuring smile.
At that, Bao Uyen's tears spilled over again. She lunged forward and hugged him tightly, leaving Thien confused. "What's wrong? Why are you crying again?"
But she only held him tighter, her hands trembling as if afraid to lose him again. Two silhouettes stood amidst the golden sunset, with the churning Bach Dang River flowing before them.The Present.
By the riverbank, Thien opened his eyes. His breath was heavy.
"...I remember now..." his voice was a whisper.
Bao Uyen squeezed his hand. "The afternoon after that day, I went to the riverbank, but you weren't there. I waited for many days, but you never showed up. And then one day, I heard that you had left. I was so sad."
She gripped his hand even tighter. "Why did you leave without saying anything... you annoying jerk?"
Thien winced. "Ow!"
"I'm sorry. I had to leave in such a hurry that I couldn't tell you. I'm truly sorry."
Bao Uyen looked at him suspiciously. "Are you telling the truth?"
Thien nodded vigorously. "I am! I'm not lying to you."
She laughed softly. "I'm just teasing. I know you must have had a reason. I'm not mad at you." She looked up at the sky. "But luckily..." She looked back down at him. "...I found you again."
Thien smiled faintly. After a while, he struggled to sit up.
"Let's head back. Our fathers will be worried."
He stood up, and Bao Uyen rose to help him. "Let me support you."
The two leaned on each other, slowly making their way back. The wind blew past, and the necklace around her neck flared with a soft light—faint, like a heartbeat of the past that never truly died. It had only been waiting for the moment to be remembered.
Deep in the heart of the river, a pale blue light shimmered in response