I thought he cared about my feelings.
Now that I think about it, he was only worried about himself.
He was afraid that if To Tuyet stayed in our house, people would misunderstand.
He was afraid that others would talk.
But he never thought about what I would feel when he spent every day taking care of another woman.
At that time, I still believed him.
I believed that Ha Dien Chu was a responsible soldier.
I believed that his kindness toward To Tuyet came only from guilt.
I believed that the man who once said I was the only woman in his life would never hurt me.
How naive I was.
After To Tuyet moved into the military family area, Ha Dien Chu became busier.
At least, that was what he told me.
More missions.
More meetings.
More nights away from home.
The wedding preparation that I had imagined slowly became something I handled alone.
The invitations.
The venue.
The wedding dress.
Everything.
When I asked him about the wedding date, he always said:
“Wait a little longer.”
“When To Tuyet’s situation stabilizes, I will arrange everything.”
I waited.
Because I loved him.
Because for twenty-three years, waiting for Ha Dien Chu had already become a habit.
But I didn’t know that while I was waiting for a wedding…
He was preparing another marriage registration.
The first time I heard about it was from Tieu Tran.
The young soldier stood in front of me, his expression complicated.
“Doctor Khuong…”
He hesitated.
“Major General Ha didn’t want to tell you personally.”
I looked at him quietly.
“What happened?”
He lowered his head.
“Miss To needs a household registration to receive treatment in the city.”
“Her situation is special.”
“So Major General Ha decided to register a temporary marriage with her.”
For several seconds, I didn’t understand the words.
Temporary marriage.
Those two words sounded ridiculous.
A marriage could be temporary?
A promise could be temporary?
A person could be temporary?
I looked at the marriage report on the table.
The name that should have belonged to me.
The name I had waited ten years to see.
Ha Dien Chu.
But now…
Another woman’s name was written beside his.
I laughed softly.
Tieu Tran looked at me anxiously.
“Sister-in-law…”
I raised my eyes.
“Don’t call me that.”
He froze.
“Doctor Khuong.”
“Yes.”
“That is the only identity I have left.”
Tieu Tran quickly explained.
“Major General Ha said this is only to help Miss To.”
“He said after her household registration is completed, he will immediately end the relationship.”
“And then register with you.”
I looked at the torn marriage report in my hand.
Then I slowly ripped it apart.
The sound was very clear.
“He said that?”
Tieu Tran nodded.
“He said his heart has always belonged to you.”
I smiled.
A smile without any warmth.
“His heart?”
“If his heart belongs to me…”
“Why does his marriage certificate belong to another woman?”
Tieu Tran couldn’t answer.
I placed the broken pieces into the trash.
“Go back and tell him.”
“My Khuong Van Y doesn’t need a position someone else leaves behind.”
“He doesn’t need to save a seat for me after choosing another woman.”
“He can give that seat to whoever he wants.”
“But I won’t sit there.”
That night was New Year’s Eve.
Everyone was celebrating.
The military district was decorated with lights.
Families gathered together.
Children ran around with fireworks.
But I sat alone in the hospital lounge after finishing an emergency surgery.
My phone kept lighting up.
Messages from Ha Dien Chu.
“Where are you?”
“Why didn’t you answer?”
“Van Y, let’s talk.”
I looked at the screen.
For the first time, I didn’t feel anger.
Only exhaustion.
Twenty-three years.
A childhood.
A youth.
A future I had carefully built around one person.
And now I realized…
Maybe I had loved a memory.
Not the current Ha Dien Chu.
The man who stood in front of me now was someone who could hold another woman’s hand and still say:
“You are the only one in my heart.”
I turned off my phone.
Outside the window, fireworks bloomed.
My colleague came in and handed me a cup of hot tea.
“Doctor Khuong, aren’t you going home?”
I looked at the snow falling outside.
Home.
That word suddenly felt strange.
I had spent years building a home with Ha Dien Chu.
But maybe I was the only person living in it.
The next morning, Ha Dien Chu appeared at the hospital.
Still wearing his military uniform.
Still looking like the hero everyone admired.
But when he saw me, his expression changed.
Because I no longer looked at him the way I used to.
“Van Y.”
He walked closer.
“You ignored my calls.”
I continued organizing medical records.
“I was busy.”
His eyebrows tightened.
“You were angry because of To Tuyet?”
I stopped.
Then looked at him.
“No.”
“I’m not angry.”
That answer made him uncomfortable.
Because before…
I would cry.
I would question.
I would ask him to choose me.
But now I didn’t.
“Then why?”
He stared at me.
“Why are you acting like this?”
I smiled slightly.
“Because I finally understand.”
“Understand what?”
“That some people don’t lose you because they stop loving you.”
“They lose you because they think you will always stay.”
Ha Dien Chu’s face changed.
“Van Y…”
I interrupted him.
“Your marriage report with me has been withdrawn.”
“You registered with To Tuyet.”
“Those are your choices.”
“My choice is to leave.”
His pupils contracted.
“Leave?”
“Yes.”
He looked at me as if he had never heard those words before.
“You waited ten years for me.”
“I know.”
“You said you would only marry me.”
“I did.”
“Then why?”
I looked at the man I had loved for half my life.
And calmly answered:
“Because I finally realized…”
“I was never your only choice.”
A long silence filled the room.
Then his phone rang.
He looked down.
It was To Tuyet.
The ringtone echoed between us.
Ha Dien Chu hesitated.
For the first time…
He didn’t immediately answer.
And that tiny hesitation told me everything.
I turned around.
“Go.”
His voice became hoarse.
“Van Y…”
“Go take care of the person you chose.”
I walked away.
Without crying.
Without looking back.
Because this time…
I was not losing Ha Dien Chu.
He was losing the woman who had loved him for twenty-three years.
And he still didn’t know…
The day he signed that marriage report with To Tuyet, the military hospital had already received another document.
My transfer order.
A classified medical mission abroad.
Ten years.
No contact.
No return.
The woman who once waited for him…
Was about to disappear completely.
