Chapter 9
A cool Thursday morning was putting people in a good mood. As usual, Van Thac goes to the remedial class, stops by the cafeteria at noon, and then returns to the trumpet practice class to wait for Ngoc Lam.
Today, Ngoc Lam comes to class with Thuy, which is different from their usual routine. Thuy has only asked Ngoc Lam to tutor her in Chemistry, but she is not bad at Biology. Thuy is not a quick or smart student, but she is extremely diligent in memorizing lessons, and in Biology, 50% of the score is based on theory.
Van Thac is shocked and frowns.
"Why are you here now, Thuy?" he asks.
"I need Lam to check my studying progress," Thuy replied.
"Why don't you do it at home? Is there no one at home to help you review?" Van Thac responded.
"That's none of your business!" Thuy retorted. "Ngoc Lam checking and lecturing me helps me understand the lesson better!"
"But I only have a little time to study with Ngoc Lam, understand?" Van Thac explained.
"You also have a remedial class! Ngoc Lam only reviews it for you!" Thuy countered.
"Just right, Thuy! I'll report to the homeroom teacher that you are causing trouble!" Van Thac threatened.
"Right! If you want, report me! Do it!" Thuy challenged.
"Do you think I don't dare report it? Now go to the teacher's room, don't you dare?"
The sound of the stack of books being placed on the table made a loud, resounding, clear "thump", interrupting Thac and Thuy's argument. Ngoc Lam stood behind the stack, her face stiff, looking at her two classmates.
"Study, now!" she commanded.
The two friends, who are in high spirits, suddenly calm down and obediently sit at the table and open their books to study. Although Ngoc Lam is kind, if they continue to fight, she will be the first to tell the teacher to withdraw herself from the "Study Better Together" campaign.
Thuy can answer theoretical questions fluently, but Thac is better at applying them. Every time Ngoc Lam asks a memorized question, Thuy will respond first, then tilt her chin up and glance at Thac smugly. But if Ngoc Lam asks more about why, Thac is always quick to interrupt while Thuy is still a bit hesitant and responds to his opponent with a smirk. For example, if Ngoc Lam asked about the "chemical structure of water," Thuy would answer almost immediately, "Water molecules on the surface exposed to air are tightly bonded together, forming surface tension. Water molecules are linked together by many hydrogen bonds. Thanks to the high heat of vaporization that helps reduce body and environmental temperature." When Ngoc Lam asked the extended question of why it is cooler under the tree canopy, Van Thac was the one who answered, "Because water vapour is diffused through the stomata on the underside of the leaves, then evaporates, carrying away the heat, helping to lower the temperature under the leaf canopy."
The competitive atmosphere attracts other students. Just like that, the crowd surrounds the three without realizing it. Some students also automatically "choose sides." One group reminds Thuy of the lesson, and the other competes for theoretical answers for Thac. That excitement also seems to fit the situation when midterm exams are approaching.
Because of the exams, Thac had to reduce his trumpet practice time. If he could achieve good results, he wouldn't need to spend two more mornings taking remedial classes, but at the same time, there would be no more reason to ask Ngoc Lam for help. But if he couldn't achieve better results, his parents might force him to take extra lessons, which would seriously affect his trumpet practice.
On the last day of reviewing before the exams, Thac practises his trumpet in the back hallway, as he regularly does, while waiting for Ngoc Lam. The music sheet played at the moment is Chopin's Nocturne Op 27 No.2, which Luyen and Thuyen performed together with the orchestra in the most recent performance. The two sent the video to Thac and asked him to rearrange it because they felt the latest version was still missing something. Thac did not promise to finish it early because of the exams, but he was also interested in trying to change it up a bit and perform with the trumpet. The few tries were a bit difficult because some notes suddenly rose and then fell. The continuous change had to be expressed with gentleness at the beginning and pushed to the climax but then quickly changed to gentleness, making veins on both sides of his temple twitching.
Thac's mind wanders back to the first time he met Ngoc Lam and tried to emulate her playing style. He remembers how Ngoc Lam adjusted her breath and controlled the notes in such a very soft but flexible way. In contrast, Thac only cared about following every note in the music sheet and rarely put too much thought and calculation into it.
Right now, Thac really wants to run back to the Conservatory to ask Mr. Woods if his thinking is correct or not. But he knows he is at school, and it is time to review with Ngoc Lam that he has to stop practising.
Thac sighs, then takes a deep breath, regaining his composure. He decides to put aside the difficult Nocturne and play La Vie En Rose again in a new way he has just discovered.
It sounds like the melody is not rough or disjointed like before. Van Thac understands that he cannot imitate Ngoc Lam completely, but he can take inspiration from her music and combine it with his own techniques.
Engrossing in practising the trumpet, Van Thac doesn't notice it's time to study. When the trumpet ends, bringing Van Thac back to reality, Ngoc Lam is standing at the classroom door, next to Thuy being open-mouthed at him, and the book in her hand also drops on the ground with a thud.
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Half an hour ago.
Thuy is not known for coming to class early. She always arrives at the school gate when the bell rings. However, since studying with Ngoc Lam, Thuy has been considering the idea of coming to class early to have more time to be closer to her.
Unfortunately, Ngoc Lam is often found sleeping in the school and Thuy cannot sit next to her and chat like it's recess. When Thuy arrived early to class, she found Ngoc Lam sleeping and people lying on both sides. So, she found an empty spot in the room and lay down. However, she ended up falling asleep and Ngoc Lam had to wake her up.
Ngoc Lam did not know why Thuy came early to class that day, but she patiently waited for Thuy to clear her blurry eyes, clumsily pull out her Biology books, and walk into class together. As they got closer to the classroom door, Thuy heard the sound of music.
"Who's playing the brass?" - Thuy asked while listening.
"That's Trumpet." - Lam replied.
"That person plays it so well!" - Thuy exclaimed.
For an "outsider" like Thuy, Van Thac's trumpet sound is already very good. Thuy eagerly walked faster because she was curious about the musician's face. Ngoc Lam still appeared calm, but her ears were still directed towards the sound of the trumpet. There appeared to be warmth in her eyes, and her feet moved faster.