"You play it wrong" - Ngoc Lam repeats, slow and clear.

"What's wrong here? Why don't you play it correctly?"- Said Van Thac, then he shows the trumpet in front of her.

*********************

Van Thac thought Ngoc Lam would give up and stop bothering him, but suddenly, she takes the trumpet, wipes the mouthpiece, and plays.

It's the same La Vie En Rose though, Ngoc Lam's techniques make it more lively and touchy, yearning at some notes, and smoother with the melody. The song turns out a real story about love and hope.

Ngoc Lam stops immediately after 45 seconds of playing the first verse as if she just realizes what she's done. She wipes the mouthpiece again then give the trumpet back to Van Thac when he's shocked. At the moment she is going to move away, Van Thac is wide awake, so he chases after her.

“Lam! Ngoc Lam!” he's calling and trying to catch up with her “You are so good at trumpet! When did you start playing it?”

Ngoc Lam doesn't answer him. She keeps walking as fast as possible, but a 155-centimetre girl like her cannot walk faster than a 170-centimetre boy.

"You can even play the trumpet for an orchestra with that level! My teacher will help introduce you to them!" Van Thạc tries to stand in front of Ngoc Lam.

"Or you're working somewhere else? Can you teach me how to ..."

Before Thac could finish his sentence, Ngoc Lam opens a door and creates a wall between them. After she enters the room and closes the door, Van Thac looks at the name board and recognizes he's in front of the Female's Napping Room.

Languidly, he gets back to the empty lobby. Even though he tries to copy Ngoc Lam's style, he can't create the same sound. An hour later, Van Thac can feel the pain, which he barely has, inside his throat. So he just stops to take a sip of water.

"I have to strike up a conversation with Ngoc Lam on break time" - Thought Van Thac with great determination.

Unfortunately, his determination cannot get over her brother. Van Thac feels 'threatened' whenever he sees the brother. That boy is about 10 centimetres higher than him, and he is well-built with stone-like arms. Van Thac's survival instinct switches on a red light. During the break time, Ngoc Lam runs to her brother's class before he has a chance to talk to her. The siblings have a conversation. Since then, Ngoc Lam's brother always waits for her at the canteen when the recess bell rings and stands in front of the 10D5 class at the depart time. Van Thac is a simple person, but he understands that Ngoc Lam is avoiding him. He just doesn't understand why.

------------

A few days later, Van Thac tries to follow Ngoc Lam's skills, but no progress makes but gets worse.

His trumpet teacher at Conservatory found out about the problem for the first time in the following week since the day he met Ngoc Lam.

"What's wrong with you, Thac?"- the teacher, Mr Woods, stares at him- "This part needs more air and force, but you're like out of breath. You usually play the trumpet loudly!"

Van Thac Puzzledly scratches his ear back, a habit he has when he's unconfident. "I'm trying some new techniques."

"Give it up!" - Said Mr Woods "You're not skilled enough to follow them. Focus on improving gradually."

"Yes, sir."

Van Thac gets back to his old style. It makes him more comfortable, but he's confused sometimes thinking of Ngoc Lam's words: "You play it wrong."

Van Thac takes a rest and ducks down. It's obvious that Ngoc Lam is much better than him, but he regressed when he did as same as she did. He really wants to ask her the reasons and suggests she instruct him. However, Ngoc Lam avoids him, while Mr Woods refuses to reveal anything.

Van Thac shakes his head as if he is shaking off the confusion. Promptly, he pulls himself together and practices again.

The other side of the closed door of the 10D5 class witnesses a girl looking at him. That's Ngoc Lam. Through the glass door, under brilliant sunlight, he's sparkling with his music. The girl stays there for a while and then leaves the class. It's not the first time she watches him play the trumpet.