Chapter 54: Not Giving Up on Anything
Before Toan Phuong could say anything, Kieu Ly spoke up:
"That song just now… you wrote it yourself?"
Toan Phuong nodded.
Kieu Ly was genuinely surprised. Toan Phuong really was talented. With that kind of skill and appearance, if he pursued a career as an idol, his chances of success were incredibly high. If luck was on his side, he might even achieve far more than anyone could imagine. A sense of regret quietly welled up inside her.
But Toan Phuong was also trying hard to get into Foreign Trade University. He'd come this far already. Becoming an idol still felt like a distant, uncertain dream. Maybe, after all, the well-worn path—the one most people walk—was still the clearest and safest way forward.
After a brief silence, Kieu Ly said:
"Even if you want to pursue the arts, I still think you should get into Foreign Trade first. Do you know Osamu Tezuka? Or Arthur Conan Doyle?"
Toan Phuong nodded again:
"Of course I do."
"They were both doctors," she explained. "They received formal training and were perfectly qualified for stable, normal careers. But in their spare time, they created art—and became world-famous."
Toan Phuong smiled:
"So what you're saying is... I can go into business and become world-famous?"
Kieu Ly nodded:
"If you want to be an idol, you'll have a shorter career window—and success depends heavily on youth. That means you'll have to work twice as hard as everyone else. First things first: get into Foreign Trade. Then figure out how to become an idol later. It's not too late."
Toan Phuong chuckled. Of course he wasn't going to give up on Foreign Trade—or becoming an idol. And certainly not on Kieu Ly.
Even though... it felt like he'd already been gently rejected before even getting the chance to confess. "Flirtatious" eyes, huh? What nonsense.
That night, Kieu Ly stayed over at Toan Phuong's house. He gave up his room for her and went to sleep in the guest bedroom.
Despite sleeping in a luxurious villa, Kieu Ly found it hard to fall asleep. The unfamiliar place kept her tossing and turning.
Outside, the rain continued falling softly, like a wordless lullaby stirring up strange and unexplainable feelings.
Toan Phuong couldn't sleep either. Every so often, he'd get up and quietly walk back to his room, standing silently outside the door. After a while, he'd return to the guest room and try to sleep again.
The next morning, the skies cleared. Kieu Ly got up early and rode back to her rental apartment. Toan Phuong was still asleep, so she didn't wake him to say goodbye.
He had only just managed to drift off after a long, restless night. When he finally woke, Kieu Ly was already gone. He lay back down on his bed, breathing in the faint fragrance she'd left on the sheets—and couldn't help but smile.
Then, he fell into a peaceful, dream-filled sleep.