The Bride Returns

On the eve of a new chapter, a bride revisits her ex’s homestay to resolve the heartbreak of the past.

Phuong returns to her ex, Phuc Anh’s homestay, unannounced. Their sudden meeting unsettles Phuc Anh, as they haven’t seen each other in a long time.

One day, Phuong sits at the edge of the pool, dropping rocks into the water. Phuc Anh approaches, complaining about how much effort it will take to remove them. Phuong shrugs and replies, “The rocks have already hit the bottom. Why bother picking them up?” Though annoyed, Phuc Anh quietly watches her, then later retrieves the rocks himself.

Another time, Phuong locks herself in the homestay’s largest room. She sits inside, absentmindedly playing with her engagement ring while staring at a vase of banana flowers on the table. The flower reminds her of a woman’s hand, and she slips the ring into it, as though recreating a proposal. Meanwhile, Phuc Anh is in the laundry room, lost in thought, his mind spinning like the clothes in the washing machine.

When he brings Phuong her clean clothes, he notices she’s isolated herself. He knocks on the door, torn between comforting her and expressing his frustration. They speak through the glass door—Phuc Anh’s voice heavy with disappointment. He accuses her of always following her whims without considering others, while he struggles to keep things in order. Hurt, he walks away. Phuong watches him disappear, unlocking the door only after he’s gone.

The homestay sits quietly under the rain. Phuc Anh, overwhelmed by work and numbers, smokes a cigarette outside. Phuong approaches, apologizing for the trouble she’s caused. She shares memories of their past, confessing that she always felt distant from him, as if he carried his burdens silently. Yet, she never stopped believing in him.

Phuc Anh returns her engagement ring, asking her what’s truly on her mind. Phuong, hesitant, challenges him to guess—was she a runaway bride or simply seeking an affair? Phuc Anh replies calmly, “No one can hide forever. Sometimes, people just need to say sorry and have an honest conversation.”

Phuong gazes into his eyes for a long moment before revealing her deepest fear: she never saw her future in his dreams, what why she was running away from him. Phuc Anh asks if she sees her future in her fiancé’s dreams instead. Phuong remains silent.

Finally, Phuong takes out a rock, places it in Phuc Anh’s hand, and bursts into tears.