Fifth Story: Two Sides of The Same Coin

Chapter 2

11 January 2022

"She's the principal, but that doesn't mean she can actively interfere in our work!" Yến complains to Hiếu, who is doing his homework in the Student Council Room.

"What are you going to do about it?"

"I'm going to give her a piece of my mind."

"It's just going to be a waste of time," the Vice-President looks up from his notebook. "Mrs Ngọc's been here for only a month, but we all know how dictatorial she can be. She's just going to brush your concerns off as unfounded."

"But I can't just stand around doing nothing and allow her to look down on us like idiots!"

"Calm down, tigress. Fine, let's go to her office and complain to her as she suggested."

The Vice-President has just barely finished his sentence, but Yến is already donning her coat and heading outside, towards the faculty room. Hiếu has no choice but to quickly catch up to her, his homework still left half-done on the coffee table. Even though he suggested that both of them go to the principal's office, he actually does not want to step out of the warm, cosy Council Room into the harsh winter cold.

The President marches boldly into the principal's office without even knocking, startling the middle-aged woman who was busy typing in her laptop. The hapless senior follows the student leader into the room and profusely apologises for their abrupt entry.

"Have you got no manners, young lady?" Mrs Ngọc closes her laptop. "You must always knock before entering a room!"

"Mrs Ngọc," Yến holds her finger imposingly as she brandishes a piece of paper at the other woman. "We would like to file an official complaint. The Student Council believes that our autonomy in making decisions is being compromised. We demand that the faculty and the Communist Youth do not interfere in our work."

"Right, let me see. Just a piece of garbage, as I expected," the principal proceeds to tear the complaint apart.

"You can't do that!" Hiếu protests.

"I can. In fact, I just did. I'm not going to say this again: my decision is final and is supported by all of the teachers at this school. Are you implying that you children have better judgement than us adults? Don't be ridiculous. Now get out of here! I've got a lot of work to do."

The duo is unable to get their words out of their mouths after the principal effortlessly crushed their offensive. What are they going to do? They have nothing against her logic. If it is true that the principal has got the entire faculty wrapped around her finger, then they have to change their strategy, Yến believed.

"Please excuse us," Hiếu bows and leaves the office.

"W-Wait for me!" the President calls out to him.

"You two, please wait," Ms Nga, the vice-principal, calls out to them. "I should tell you that Mrs Ngọc is going to release a statement regarding the changes to the school rules later. I think... you might want to pay attention to it."

Hiếu and Yến look at the woman for a few seconds, before thanking her and leave.

"Well, that was a complete failure," he says after they have returned to their cosy workplace. "What are you going to do about it, Yến?"

"I won't give up without a fight!"

"We can't tear down her defences. Hence, I think the best course of action for us now is to lie low and wait."

"But-"

The school bell rings, ending lunchtime and interrupting their discussion. Without another word, the two of them pack their bags and head to their respective classes.