Eighteen and the Heart of the Living

Time kept passing, and in the blink of an eye, almost a year had gone by. Looking up at the distant sky, Thien Thanh sighed softly. Her eighteenth birthday was drawing closer and closer; she didn't want to grow up, wanting only to remain a child forever, living in sweet dreams. But harsh reality had robbed her of her childhood, her family, and her loved ones. Fortunately, she was able to find friendship—a deeply sincere friendship.

On New Year's Eve, the biting cold tightly gripped the air, yet it did nothing to dampen the lively and bustling atmosphere. Thien Thanh gently traced her finger along the face of the child who was still fast asleep. It had been a long time since she last cried when night fell, a long time since she felt loneliness wrapping around her, and a long time since she gradually forgot her own pitiful state and torment. At this moment, watching the peace on her younger sister's face, listening to her steady breathing and the serene beating of the heart in her chest, she suddenly felt that continuing like this... wasn't bad. In just a few hours, a new year would begin, bringing many changes, and the pressure on her shoulders would grow heavier. She truly didn't know how to keep facing it; sometimes she wished she were just an ordinary child, living an ordinary life with days quietly passing by.

Ms. Hoai leaned against the outer wall of the underground basement, her eyes closed, her long eyelashes trembling slightly. Memories flooded back one after another, and a few tears pooled in the corners of her eyes. At this moment, she thought of Thien Thanh's parents, who had grown up with her and shared so many memorable milestones. Then, those smiles gradually faded over the years as the burdens on their shoulders grew heavier. She suddenly felt that she and they were too far apart, like old memories of a bygone era that could never return. Now, Thien Thanh was just like them, perhaps even more pitiful, with her eighteenth birthday drawing so very close. In a few months, Thien Thanh would officially have to face the storms alone, with countless worries weighing down on the shoulders of that small, solitary child. She felt so much regret for the past.

Without her realizing, Mr. Lam had walked up to stand beside Ms. Hoai. Neither of them spoke, both seemingly immersed in the waves of emotion deep within their hearts and a thousand questions of whether their decisions were right or wrong.

"Lam!"

For so many years, Hoai had not used that intimate address with him. Hearing that sweet tone again, a wave of bitterness welled up in Mr. Lam's heart, and his throat tightened. Some things did not need to be said to be understood. The affection they had for each other from their passionate youth until now had never changed. But after life's upheavels, they chose to bury everything deep in their souls, promising themselves to let it all pass in silence. Yet in their weakest moments, they couldn't help but awaken the memories they thought had long been asleep, letting everything rise again, vivid and fresh like young saplings bursting with spring sap. Mr. Lam almost forgot how to react, just standing there in surprise, disbelief, and anticipation.

"Do you think it's too early? When she is still so young...?"

"Yeah...!"

"Don't, listen to me! Do you remember when we were kids, how happy the four of us were? But as we grew up, simply because of that thing she is about to inherit, everything became so distant. I don't want us to have regrets again. Lam! Can we wait a bit longer? I don't want Thien Thanh to end up like us. I don't want her to miss out on the beautiful moments of youth. I don't want her to become someone like her father; it's too exhausting. You know, maybe I can't hold on much longer. My wound can't fully heal; it's like a termite eating away at me. I only want to be at peace about Thien Thanh before I go, that's all!"

She desperately wanted to tell Lam, "And I am willing to trade everything just to be with you again!" But in the end, she only leaned silently against the wall, her eyes still tightly closed. She was afraid of looking into Lam's eyes, afraid of the sense of loss radiating from him. Her heart ached terribly, but she had no other choice; when she departed, she didn't want to become his lingering regret. Ignoring everything else, Mr. Lam reached out, resting Ms. Hoai's head on his shoulder, and gently wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his embrace. Normally, she was resilient and strong, but at this moment, she was so fragile, looking as if she would dissolve into the air at any second. How could he not understand what she was thinking? It was precisely because he understood that his heart ached even more. Glancing up at the starry sky outside, a couple of light beams shot up and burst open like falling petals. Then, more and more light beams appeared, weaving vibrant colors across the sky. He silently thought, who knows, maybe things would turn out just the way they wanted, even if only once—once would be enough.