And that melody rang out—a lively, catchy tune. At that moment, Hạ Đan grabbed a water bottle from the table, her feet striding confidently across the wooden floor like a real performer stepping onto stage. Right now, for her, the wooden planks were the stage, the bottle was her microphone, and the sunlight streaming in was the spotlight. Once the beat dropped into the lyrics, her voice rang clear:

"I might never be your knight in shining armor I might never be the one you take home to mother And I might never be the one who brings you flowers But I can be the one, be the one tonight"

Her "opponent" across from her couldn't help but nod in approval. Long Nhật hadn't expected this girl to have any real "stage presence"—but she actually did, and it wasn't half bad. Meanwhile, Thanh Quang was acting like a fan at an idol concert, clapping and cheering wildly, completely losing it.

"When I first saw you From across the room I could tell that you were curious Oh, yeah Girl, I hope you're sure What you're looking for 'Cause I'm not good at making promises"

Every word landed perfectly in time with the backing track, and that voice left both boys genuinely impressed. She wasn't just singing—she was performing: moving her body to stir up the "stage," facial expressions on point, movements fluid without ever losing breath.

"But if you like causing trouble up in hotel rooms And if you like having secret little rendezvous If you like to do the things you know that we shouldn't do Then, baby, I'm perfect Baby, I'm perfect for you And if you like midnight driving with the windows down And if you like going places we can't even pronounce If you like to do whatever you've been dreaming about Then, baby, you're perfect Baby, you're perfect So let's start right now"

The chorus hit, and her voice grew even more confident—along with the little dance steps. The music swelled louder; this wooden floor was turning into a real stage. Hạ Đan wasn't singing just to prove a point or to compete—she was truly losing herself in the music.

As the chorus melody began to transition, Long Nhật picked up his own water bottle to use as a makeshift mic.

"Alright... things are about to get interesting!"

Thanh Quang exclaimed as Long Nhật stepped onto the "stage" beside Hạ Đan. He started singing his part. He didn't move around much, but all that energy went straight into his voice—strong, clear, and surprisingly good. Hạ Đan stood beside him, genuinely excited to hear the voice of someone she'd once thought was just weird and standoffish.

"I might never be the hands you put your heart in Or the arms that hold you any time you want them But that don't mean that we can't live here in the moment 'Cause I can be the one you love from time to time"Everything flowed smoothly from the beginning right up to the chorus—honestly, it was even better than smooth. When the chorus returned, the atmosphere exploded into pure energy. This no longer felt like a competition; it felt like an impromptu duet."And if you like cameras flashing every time we go out (Oh, yeah) And if you're looking for someone To write your breakup songs about Baby, I'm perfect Baby, we're perfect"

The high note at the end rang out clear and strong. By this point, it had fully become a duet. Hạ Đan jumped in with Long Nhật after Verse 2, and he didn't push her away—instead, he left space for her. They moved together, danced in sync, their voices soaring and powerful, turning the treehouse into a real stage. Thanh Quang had completely forgotten he was supposed to be judging—he was too busy watching, listening, and cheering them on with everything he had.

From there until the very end, that wooden floor truly became a dazzling performance space. Everything was perfect: the lyrics, the music, the vibe, the emotion they poured into the song—it all aligned seamlessly. All the earlier tension and grudges seemed to sink into oblivion, replaced entirely by the pure joy of music.

When the track ended, both "performers" struck a cool final pose. Thanh Quang jumped to his feet and clapped furiously—this was way beyond anything he'd expected.

"Just one word: wow. For both of you. That was insane!"

Đan and Nhật turned to look at each other and burst into genuine, happy smiles. Nhật walked over to Quang and asked:

"So good—and you still haven't decided who won, huh?""Oh crap—" Thanh Quang immediately looked away and gave an awkward laugh. He'd been so caught up in the performance that he'd completely forgotten to actually judge. He continued:

"I totally forgot... because both of you were just too good! Now that I think about it, it's impossible to choose... So how about this: it's a tie. You both win!""Ah, so that's how it is..."

Nhật and Đan exchanged glances, instantly understanding the real reason. They shot each other a knowing look. Then they both walked over to the table where the two plates of cookies Đan had brought earlier sat—one plate already noticeably lighter thanks to Quang's snacking during the show.Nhật let out an exaggerated sigh and said:

"So... how do we split these cookies now? Who's gonna go without?""Well, since we both won, no one has to give up any, right...?""But we want a clear winner!"

Thanh Quang looked at them both in confusion. Honestly, even if they forced him to choose right now, he wouldn't know who to pick. He tried to convince them to just call it even, but they kept insisting. Until finally Nhật said:

"Fine. If you really want neither of us to give up any..."

Then Đan and Nhật shouted in unison:

"Then *you* give up yours!"

The second they finished speaking, each grabbed one plate and bolted. Thanh Quang stood there stunned. He'd been played—now he was the one left with no cookies!

"Hey! Hey! Are you kidding me? I only ate a few pieces! Why'd you take them all?!"

He chased after them, but Đan and Nhật had already sprinted ahead. Nhật knew all the hiding spots in the yard, so they could duck out of sight for a while. After successfully pranking Quang, the two of them laughed so hard they clutched their stomachs.

"I never thought he'd be *that* easy to tease! I almost feel bad for him—it's hilarious!""Tease? Nah—he didn't want either of us to go without, so he gave up his share, right?"

They burst out laughing again. They'd pulled one over on Quang perfectly. Both of them peeked out from their hiding spot, watching him wander around the front yard looking lost and grumpy. The pitiful, frustrated look on his face made them cover their mouths to keep from bursting into even louder laughter.

Just as Quang was about to head toward the back yard—where they were hiding—a man suddenly appeared behind him, pinched his arm hard, and barked:

"I knew you were hanging around here! Where the hell have you been? Dinner time and you still haven't come home?!""S-Sorry, con..."

The man then grabbed Quang by the ear and dragged him away, cursing and grumbling the whole way down the path. The harsh complaints lingered in the air, grating and unpleasant. They couldn't quite hear what Quang was saying, but from the movement of his mouth, it looked like repeated apologies.

Đan and Nhật stood frozen, watching the two figures disappear. The playful, teasing mood vanished instantly. Hạ Đan felt a pang of confusion; her eyes turned sad as she stared after them. When she glanced at Long Nhật, she saw his face twist in anger—and that familiar cold demeanor had returned.

"Damn that old man...""Anh... who was that?""That's Quang's stepfather.""His stepdad treats him *that* badly? I thought stuff like that only happened in dramas...""You wouldn't understand..."

She pouted and fell silent, not daring to ask more. She could tell Long Nhật knew something, but she didn't press—and he clearly had no intention of explaining. The cookies they'd fought over earlier no longer tasted good at all. The fun was gone.

"You still eating?""Nah... I brought them for you two anyway. If anh doesn't finish them, just save some for when he comes by later..."

A heavy silence settled over them both. Then Đan realized she should probably leave—staying longer might just get her kicked out. She stood up and said:

"Well... I'm heading home. Thanks, anh.""Yeah. Come by Saturday to pick up the plate.""Okay."

After that, Long Nhật climbed up to the loft, and Hạ Đan walked away. On the way home, she kept wondering: Why did that man act like that? Was he always so harsh? She'd never heard Quang talk much about his family—well, she'd never really asked either. At first, no one had cared to bring it up. Now, though, it had become a huge question mark in her mind.That night, even the crickets seemed quiet.