Certain encounters in life are never accidental; they are quiet, profound orchestrations of fate. I am Tao—a soul accustomed to rigid logic—yet utterly disarmed by her grace from our very first days of tenth grade. The moment my eyes found Ngoc Linh amidst the sun-drenched canopy of high school memories, an irrevocable certainty whispered in my chest: “It is her. She is the one I have been seeking all my life.”
Three years of high school flowed by like an enduring ballad. On that two-wheeled commute through early mornings and amber dusks, I carried her and our youth through every familiar street. Through all those years, neither of us ever uttered a formal confession. Yet, words were superfluous when every glance was steeped in tender devotion. We knew each other’s hearts so profoundly that we had already grown inseparable—two souls beating in quiet resonance. Linh was my horizon, my purpose, and the steady wind beneath my wings that propelled me to strive harder every single day.
For her, I made a choice that others deemed foolish: I surrendered my scholarship to study abroad in France. People asked if I felt any regret. I simply smiled. How could the dazzling lights of Paris ever compare to the radiance of Linh’s smile? I stayed behind to wait for her, holding fast to a grander dream: that one day, I will take her by the hand to stand beneath the grandeur of the Eiffel Tower, raise glasses of vintage wine, and celebrate our sacred vows in a wedding grand enough to echo through eternity.
Today, we walk through the halls of university life. I delve into the analytical realm of HCMUS (VNUHCM — University of Science), while she flourishes in the gentle charm of SGU (Saigon University). Two different campuses, two distinct worlds of study, yet our compasses always point to the same destination: each other. We still ride together through the bustling city, weathering the challenges and strains of our academic years side by side. That simple togetherness is my greatest fortune.
To my dearest Linh, the pure moonlit sanctuary of my soul: MOONLIT DEVOTION
(A poem for Ngoc Linh)
The moon falls softly in your clear, deep eyes, Since sweet fifteen, my soul beneath you lies. No vows were whispered to the wandering air, Yet heart and breath surrendered to your care.
Three years of petals on our morning trace, Two wheels turning in the moon's embrace. You are the beacon, the celestial glow, Guiding this lover where the pure winds blow.
I cast the dreams of distant shores away, To keep your warmth beside me day by day. Awaiting wine beneath the iron tower's crest, To see you smile, in bridal splendor blest.
Oh Linh! The moon shines fierce, ethereal, deep, My mortal heart is yours, awake or asleep. Though storms may rage and centuries may part, I pledge forever to your tender heart!
