So Dai and Ran started running in silence. Dai was absorbed in his admiration for Ran's proud and magnificent profile. Ran seemed lost in her thoughts. He felt the moment was magic, as both harmonized their steps and their breaths. They were in sync and Dai wished the run would never end. 1 lap, 2 laps, 7 laps, time was running too fast.
"Instructor Dai, why did you help me?" Ran asked out of the blue, breaking the silence.
The question was so sudden, Dai didn't know how to respond. After pondering for a minute or two, he replied calmly.
"Because I believe you probably had good reasons to do what you did. You are not a troublemaker and unless you are provoked, you will not go attack other people."
"Thanks for the trust. I really appreciate it. I know my punition was light."
Dai didn't reply anything back, there was nothing left to say. They kept on running. The night was slightly cold but neither Dai or Ran could feel the night's chill. Dai was especially warmed.
On the 13th lap, Minh jumped in front of Dai and he barely managed to avoid bumping her. Dai was pretty annoyed that his time with Ran got interrupted. He gave a sign to Ran to pursue her run without him. Minh gazed at Ran's back with a lot of animosity. Minh knew that Dai's mind was full of Ran. She had noticed that since Ran came at the camp, Dai's eyes were always following Ran's silhouette whenever she was on sight. If eyes could kill, Minh would have killed Ran already a million times.
"Dai, there is a conflict at the main camp house. We really need you there to help resolve it."
"What happened?"
"You will see when you get there, it's hard to explain".
When Dai arrived at the main camp site, some students and instructors were arguing about the rewards that were given at the evening activities. They had organized a treasure hunt, and two of them found the treasure at the same time. In reality, Dai was not required in order to resolve the conflict and everything got pretty much resolved without him doing anything.
Dai wished he never went. Because he had let Ran continue her run alone and she never came back that night. She had disappeared from the camp site without a trace, without anyone seeing her.
After the "conflict" ended, he went to look for Ran, but she wasn't back yet. At first, he wasn't too worried. But then it got pretty late and still no signs of Ran. He started to look for her frantically in every corner of the camp site. Then morning came and she was still missing. Then he had no choice but alert all the camp and deploy ressources to look for her outside the camp.
National security was alerted. Ran's parents were also alerted but never made it to the camp. Dai couldn't comprehend why. But later, he got to know why and felt even more guilty. Though countless efforts were deployed, nobody managed to find her. Everyone was losing hope to find her alive. Dai's days in those times were nightmares.
She disappeared for about a week and when she came back, something about her had changed. Dai couldn't say what or how, but he knew that Ran wasn't the Ran he had first met. She came back like she disappeared. As if nothing had happened. Still his feelings had not changed.
PRESENT TIME, DEBUTANTES' BAL
Dai felt Minh's hand on his arm, pulling him away from his memories. Ran had already left. He sighed and started to walk toward the exit.