Short story: Night by the Danube

Someone once said: In life, it's not difficult to find many friends, or someone who loves you, but it's not always easy to find someone you can trust and confide in...

Over 20 years ago, when she first set foot in Budapest, on her first night, Yen and her friends took a bus to the Szechenyi Bridge to admire the Danube River. She was breathless with emotion. Back in her home country, listening to the Danube anthem, she always imagined the vast, blue river, and now it was right before her eyes, even more beautiful than she had imagined. For all these years, Yen has loved and been attached to this place.

After work, she stopped by her usual restaurant, had dinner alone, and enjoyed a tequila cocktail. Then, Yen left the restaurant and strolled leisurely along the riverbank. It had been a long time since she had let her mind wander like this… Back then, at 18, with the excitement of youth, she and her friends had explored Budapest day and night. After finishing her five years of study, she returned home but always hoped to come back someday.

Lost in thought, she suddenly noticed a keychain glinting in front of her. She picked it up, examined it under the streetlights; the keychain, with its two intertwined hearts, was beautiful. She tucked the keychain into the side of her bag and walked leisurely onto the bridge. The wind swept through her loose hair. Melodious love songs drifted in from afar, adding to her sadness. She stood in the middle of the bridge, leaning against the railing, gazing at the endless river. It was a summer night, like so many she had experienced before, but tonight felt slower, sadder…

She noticed someone pacing back and forth behind her. She turned around and saw an Asian man. He was wearing a blue suit and had a kind face. After a moment of hesitation, he stopped and asked her in English:

Did you find a heart-shaped keychain?

He asked the question, but his eyes glanced at the keychain she had tucked into her bag. Yen suddenly remembered and smiled mischievously, replying in English:

No, I didn't find a keychain and yet I'm so happy. Why are you asking me that, when there are so many people walking along this riverbank and bridge?

He hesitated for a few seconds, then looked embarrassed:

Perhaps I was mistaken. I apologize.

Having said that, he quickly left, taking long, decisive strides, his head held high, not looking down at the ground. When he was almost at the end of the bridge on the Pest side, Yen suddenly came to her senses and hurriedly ran after him:

Hey sir, I found this key!

For some reason, she blurted out Vietnamese at that moment.

He froze, turning around to see her standing before him, breathing heavily, her hair disheveled in the wind. In the darkness, her eyes shone brightly, sparkling.

"Oh, so you're Vietnamese too?" His voice brightened considerably.

- Yes. So you're Vietnamese too? You live here, right?

No, I'm from Frankfurt. I'm here for work. I came here this afternoon to watch the sunset and dropped my car keys. Luckily, could I have them back? And as a thank you, would you mind buying me a coffee?

"Yes. But with such a beautiful night, why don't we take a walk?" she said.

- Yes, that's true. This afternoon I watched the sunset from this bridge, it was amazing. After dinner, I realized I'd lost my keys, so I didn't have the mind to think about spending the night on the bridge anymore.

***

At night, a strong wind blew from the Danube River. Millions of insects fluttered under the shimmering yellow lights of the Szechenyi Bridge, their light reflecting off the water's surface. When the wind was strong, the insects swarmed together like moths to a flame. A boat drifted lazily along the river, as if it had been there forever. Feeling cold, Yen took a thin blue scarf from her bag and wrapped it around her head. She and Tu strolled slowly along the riverbank…

Illustrative image

Tu has been in Germany for over 30 years. Back then, Tu went to Germany as a team leader for a labor export program. After more than two years, the Berlin Wall fell, and he moved to West Germany. Tu found work at a food logistics company. There, he met his German wife and has settled in Frankfurt ever since.

As for Yen, after returning to Vietnam, she was hired by the Ministry of Foreign Trade. During a work trip with Hungarian experts, she met Henrik. Memories of Budapest suddenly resurfaced intensely. That evening, she led the group on a culinary tour of the Old Quarter, but she kept mentioning Budapest, causing Henrik to interrupt her several times to ask about Hanoi. After returning home, Henrik often wrote letters to her, and the two became close through these letters. A year later, due to work, Henrik had the opportunity to return to Vietnam.

Yen still remembers that day; she wore a sky-blue ao dai (traditional Vietnamese dress) to the airport to welcome the group. Henrik said it was the first time he'd seen an ao dai, and she looked incredibly beautiful in it. To please him, during their two months in Vietnam, whenever she had the chance to take the group sightseeing, she wore an ao dai, each time in a different color.

Later, Yen was sent to work as a trade representative in Hungary. Despite her parents' objections, a year later Yen married Henrik.

But the fleeting happiness gradually faded, giving way to intense discord in their lifestyles. Henrik was often unreasonably jealous of Vietnamese men. Whenever one came over, he would suspect and question Yen, even going so far as to check on her when Yen took a group to Miskolc. Every time Yen returned to Vietnam, Henrik would frantically call her at any time, especially in the middle of the night.

Henrik's stinginess and overly meticulous, even cold, nature hurt her many times. He demanded that Yen contribute half of the cost of anything he bought for the house. When Henrik's parents wanted to visit Budapest, he made up various excuses to avoid hosting them. Even when his mother passed away, he didn't attend the funeral.

After a heated argument, Yen packed her bags and returned home. She wanted to calm down and reconsider her next steps, but just 10 days later, Henrik appeared at her doorstep. Henrik pleaded with Yen and her parents, saying he couldn't live without her, that she was his happiness and something he couldn't bear to lose… Yen's parents finally relented and advised her to return to Budapest.

Things were okay at first, but then life became increasingly suffocating and miserable. Yen decided to divorce. They had no children, and not much in the way of assets. The small house was sold and the proceeds divided equally, and now they live tens of kilometers apart.

Since becoming single, she feels quite content. She grows many kinds of flowers on her balcony. In the mornings, she makes a cup of coffee, sits there, watches the sun, the leaves, the flowers, and finds life peaceful. She also has a small dog, which waits on the doorstep for her every afternoon. But she's not without sadness. During Christmas and New Year's, when the streets are bustling with people, the shops are crowded, and the restaurants are packed, she remains indifferent and alone. At those times, she misses Hanoi intensely. She misses the biting winds of West Lake in winter, the drizzling rain, and the flower vendors along the roadside.

But now her parents are gone…

***

Yen excitedly told Tu stories all the way. They stopped in front of the ice cream shop near St. Stephen's Cathedral. It turned out they shared the same taste, and Yen had completely forgotten that Tu had offered her coffee earlier. He went behind the counter and, after a while, came out beaming with two delicious ice cream cones. Yen felt like she was transported back to her carefree student days.

The streets were gradually becoming less crowded. The silent trees cast their shadows on the road. They walked slowly and silently side by side. Taking a deep, refreshing breath of the night air, she felt as if the river, the boat, the wind, and even the long streets belonged to her… Tonight, she was so lucky to have someone to share with, to listen to, and to understand. Someone once said: In life, it's not difficult to find friends, nor is it difficult to find someone who loves you, but it's not always easy to find someone you can trust and confide in. They had only met a few hours ago, yet she felt him so close, so dear, as if she had known him for a very long time…

Stopping in front of her apartment building, Tú hugged her tightly as they parted ways. The warmth of the embrace spread throughout her body, moving her strangely. Perhaps it had been a long, long time since she had felt the warmth of familial affection.

Tú waved goodbye to her, forgetting he hadn't retrieved his keys. Once again, she chased after him. Playfully, she said, "Hey, sir, aren't you going to get your keys back?" And as if seeking that warm, comforting embrace, Yên hugged Tú tightly, quickly, then pulled away, her eyes welling up with tears. She bent down and said:

Thank you so much for the evening. Thank you for everything.

She looked up at the starry sky and said, "See? Tonight is a magical night. For the first time, I've got a keychain of happiness." Then, hesitantly, she handed him the keychain.

- Thank you! This keychain was bought by my wife, so it's a bit colorful.

Tú mumbled something, then turned away quickly without looking back.

Yen's heart tightened. She stood there, watching him walk further and further away until he disappeared around the bend. She silently returned home. Yen walked slowly, very slowly, along the deserted sidewalk. She shivered slightly as a cold breeze swept past…

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/truyen-ngan-dem-ben-dong-song-danube-238260511215558755.htm