Chapter 227: Reunion
Toan Phuong chose a classy, private restaurant so Minh Nhat could have some personal space. It had been a long time since he last had time to sit down with Minh Nhat. As for Huong Tra and Kieu Ly, it had been even longer—over three years since they last met. Toan Phuong handed the menu to Huong Tra to let her choose a dish, then asked:
“Minh Nhat will be joining us for dinner later. Does that make you uncomfortable, Tra?”
The group had eaten bun dau in the afternoon, so their hunger returned quickly. By evening, they were starting to feel a bit hungry again. Huong Tra flipped through the menu, seriously considering her options, and replied nonchalantly:
“Not at all. Becoming friends again is fine. Having a friend who’s an idol isn’t a bad thing.”
Though she said she wasn’t uncomfortable, in truth, Huong Tra felt quite nervous. While watching the concert earlier, Minh Nhat had kept staring at her while singing, which made her feel uneasy.
Over the past three years, she and Minh Nhat had essentially become strangers. Huong Tra believed that breakups should be clean—no mess, no drama. Even though she still supported Minh Nhat, she had long seen him as just another person. Sitting at the same table again now, she couldn’t help but feel awkward. But if she made up an excuse to leave, it would only make her seem guilty or unsettled. So she decided to just stay and eat as if she were dining with a stranger.
Kieu Ly, sitting next to her, quickly pointed out:
“You’re holding the menu upside down.”
Only then did Huong Tra notice that she really was holding the menu wrong. Embarrassed, she handed it to Kieu Ly.
“Here, you choose.”
Kieu Ly took the menu and began picking dishes. Toan Phuong just watched silently, hiding a smile.
A little while later, Minh Nhat appeared—sneaking in like a thief, wearing a face mask and a baseball cap pulled low, holding a small birthday cake and a bouquet of flowers.
All three of them found his appearance hilarious but tried not to laugh out loud. Being an idol was really tough—even wanting a little privacy required sneaking around all the time.
Minh Nhat placed the cake on the table, removed his cap and mask, and glanced at Huong Tra. It had been so long since he had a proper meeting with her; he felt both excited and nervous. Three years had passed just like that. If someone asked whether he regretted his decision back then, he could immediately say no. But still, he missed Huong Tra.
Seeing that Huong Tra was ignoring him, Minh Nhat didn’t try to interact with her right away. Instead, he handed the bouquet to Kieu Ly and cheerfully said:
“Happy birthday, Kieu Ly!”
Minh Nhat no longer called Kieu Ly “big sis” anymore—after all, she was now the wife of his best friend. Calling her “sis” just didn’t feel right.
Kieu Ly accepted the bouquet with a smile, thanked him, and placed it beside a purple rose in the corner of the table.
“Thank you, Minh Nhat! It’s been so long. You’ve become so handsome, I almost didn’t recognize you.”
At those words, Minh Nhat felt a mix of emotions. He’d gone through cosmetic surgery, had bits of bone shaved off his face at an aesthetic clinic, and yet Toan Phuong still teased him, saying he looked more and more like a gay guy. But male beauty should be judged by women—that’s the only accurate measure. Kieu Ly’s opinion carried weight.
With her support, Minh Nhat seized the opportunity to push back, hoping to make his friend reconsider:
“If Kieu Ly says I look good, then that settles it. Not like Phuong over here, always criticizing me. Said I’m looking gayer by the day.”
Huong Tra, trying to avoid the conversation, had been quietly sipping water the whole time. Hearing Minh Nhat’s comment, she almost spat it out. Luckily, she managed to hold it in and swallow it down.
Toan Phuong, seeing that his friend was getting worked up, had no intention of letting up. He even added fuel to the fire:
“This afternoon we were wondering—your fans are shipping you in BL pairings like crazy. We couldn’t tell if you’re still straight or if you’ve gone full rainbow.”
Hearing his friend’s jab made Minh Nhat even more annoyed. The “we” clearly referred to Toan Phuong and Huong Tra—Kieu Ly would never say something nice in person and then gossip behind someone’s back. Intentionally turning toward Huong Tra, Minh Nhat replied ambiguously:
“As for that... I don’t know. I guess I’d have to try it to find out.”