At the final verse, Khanh suddenly glanced at Mai.
She didn’t know whether he was looking at her or at some memory. But in that moment, Mai understood that his confession just now hadn’t been merely a few words. It held every time Khanh had tilted his umbrella toward her, every strawberry milk box he’d left on her desk, every story he’d told Quang, and even the promise he had kept putting off.
Outside, the rain began to ease.
When the song ended, Quang laid his hand across the strings, letting the final note fade away slowly.
“You didn’t run away this time,” Quang said.
Khanh looked at his old friend.
“Yeah.”
“That’s progress.”
“Thanks.”
“So, about what happened back then…”
“I’ll tell you later.”
Quang nodded. He didn’t press him any further.
Mai stood and picked up the blue umbrella.
“Let’s go home.”
Khanh looked out into the hallway.
“You still haven’t answered me.”
Mai stopped short.
“About what?”
“About me liking you.”
“You said I didn’t have to answer right away.”
“Yeah. But I still want to know.”
“You’re awfully greedy.”
“Just a little.”
Mai opened the umbrella. The blue umbrella unfurled in the rain-damp hallway. She stepped down the stairs, then turned to look back at Khanh.
“Khanh.”
“Yeah?”
“Will you still wait for me at the school gate tomorrow?”
He froze.
“Yes.”
“Then I’ll answer you tomorrow.”
Khanh looked at her, his eyes filled with both nervousness and anticipation.
“You promise?”
“Yeah.”
Quang walked past and lightly tapped Khanh on the shoulder.
“Don’t be late.”
Khanh didn’t take his eyes off Mai.
“I know.”
Mai stepped into the school courtyard. The rain had turned into tiny droplets, falling at an angle in the afternoon light. Khanh ran after her and ducked under the blue umbrella. Their shoulders touched, and this time, neither of them hurried to pull away.
After walking a few steps, Khanh asked:
“Are you mad that Quang told you first?”
“A little.”
“I’m sorry.”
“But if you hadn’t said anything, how long were you planning to hide it?”
“Maybe until graduation.”
“Then I’d be even madder.”
Khanh lowered his head with a laugh.
“Good thing Quang told you.”
“Don’t thank him yet. I still haven’t decided how I’m going to answer you.”
“You could reject me.”
Mai glanced over. Khanh was trying to look calm, but the worry in his eyes was impossible to hide.
“Are you scared?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re afraid I’ll reject you?”
“Yeah.”
“Then why did you still tell me?”
Khanh was silent for a moment.
“Because I was afraid that one day you’d leave without ever knowing that I used to like you.”
Mai didn’t say anything else.
The blue umbrella tilted slightly toward her. Khanh still held the handle, but his hand had moved closer to Mai’s than before.
The road from school to home that day wasn’t long. But they walked so slowly, it was as if they wanted to stretch it out just a little longer.
Tomorrow, Mai would answer Khanh.
She still didn’t know what she would say.
She only knew that ever since she’d heard him speak honestly in the rain, her heart no longer beat to its old rhythm.