Tuan was very excited to return to his birthplace for the first time. He left the little town called Vinh Long in Viet Nam ten years ago when he was ten years old. Because of the language barrier and lack of friends in the United States, Tuan always yearned to his childhood memories and the good times he had before he left Viet Nam. Many times he wanted to go back, but he decided to hold off until he finishes his college degree. Right after his graduation, he booked his flight as a reward of all the years he had focused on studying.
Tuan had heard all great things about Viet Nam from the people around him. From the lavishing living to the authentic food to the lovely ladies, almost everyone that went back to Viet Nam had a great time. He was anxious to experience it for himself. As soon as he set his foot on the ground of Viet Nam, he could already sense the closeness and the vibe of “homeland” that he had missed all those years living in Connecticut.
His family came to the airport to welcome him back him. Everyone seemed to know him, but he could only recognize a few faces. He went back to the house he used to live in and it didn’t feel as big as when he was a child. Everything appeared to shrink after he left. Since it was his first trip back, he spent most of his time with his relatives. They cooked him home-style meals everyday including his favorites sour soup (canh chua) and caramelized fish in the claypot (ca kho to). He spent his morning chilling out at the coffee shop with his cousins and tried out different street foods.
Tuan liked the laid-back lifestyle even though he preferred the busy schedule in the States. He got to taste the food. He got to spent time with folks. What he was still missing was the loving ladies the men back in the States had always bragged about when they went to bia om, which is a place where man could have one beer in one hand and a lady in the other.
One day, Vu and Toan, husbands of two of Tuan’s cousins, decided to give him a special treat. They took him to bia om. He was thrilled, but also confused with any thoughts ran through his mind: “Why are these two taking me? Is it normal for a married man to go to bia om in Viet Nam? Am I betraying my cousins?” Tuan didn’t want to show that he was not a man so he went with the flow.
As they arrived, the girls at the front desk greeted Vu and Toan as if they were regular customers. One of the girls took them to a room to wait. Ten minutes later, three ladies in their mid 30s entered wearing traditional long dresses (ao dai). Although the light was dimmed, Tuan could see the girls’ under garment through their silky long dresses. Since the fellows already had dinner earlier, they ordered Heineken and some fruits like green mangos, grapefruits and pineapples.
The ladies poured out the beer and flirted a bit. Tuan sat still and didn’t say a word. Vu was the quiet type as well so he just kicked back. Toan, on the other hand, was the aggressive one. He pulled the girl next to him and kissed her while reached out to grab her tits. The girl laughed and screamed, “You fucking bastard.” She tried to pull away, but also played along.
As for Tuan, he just sat back and drank his beer. The girl sat next to Tuan could sense that he is not a local customer. To his surprise, the first thing she asked him was his age, as if he was not old enough to be at the place. He told her that he was thirty-five, which was thirteen years older than his actual age. When he asked her and her response was thirty-seven. She looked damn fine for her age, Tuan thought to himself. By that time, Vu was also already getting into the groove with his partner. Every man was now for himself.
Tuan just kept on drinking to calm his nervousness, but the cold beer didn’t help. He had to excuse himself to the restroom to release all that water inside his system. When he returned from the restroom, the girl was standing outside waiting for him. She said to him, “You didn’t look comfortable in there. Do you want to just take a walk?” He agreed and they stepped outside. The night was hot and humid. She handed him a cold, wet towel to wipe his face and neck.
“What’s your name?” He asked as they walked down the empty road.
“Lan,” she responded. “Yours?”
The conversation started mundane, but got more personal as Tuan opened himself up, as if he had been wanted to tell someone about his experience, but no one paid attention. He told her about his isolation in the States and how he became taciturn because of the language barrier. He didn’t know why he was telling her about his grief, but he sure felt great. Lan didn’t say much. She only listened.
An hour went by, the returned to the room. Toan immediately asked, “Where had you two been?”
Tuan winked at Lan and responded, “We were doing our things in the bush.” He went on, “You have to pay her extra for that, cuz.”
Toan laughed, “No problem. As long as you feel good.”
Tuan went back to the hotel that night, but he couldn’t put himself to sleep. Although it was just an hour conversation, he couldn’t get her out of his mind. He tossed and turned and couldn’t help imagine what would his life like with Lan, someone who shares nothing with him.
The next day, he went back to the place to ask for Lan. The girl at the front desk told him that Lan doesn’t work for another hour. He decided to sit at the coffee shop nearby to wait. Lan showed up an hour later on the motorbike. Tuan rushed over, grabbed her wrist and said, “I couldn’t stop thinking about you. Would you spend sometime with me?” Lan was shocked as if the guy she met yesterday had gone mad. In a way, she was kind of glad since she also had a feeling for him.
Just like that, they left everything behind and took off together to Vung Tau beach. They let the waves pushed their worries away. They spent days tasting different foods and nights made passionate love. At times they just fucked like there was no tomorrow. Lan’s naked beauty attracted Tuan. She looked much younger without makeup. She had a slim figure, a bit too thin for his taste. Her breasts were nice and round with unusual large nipples. He loved sucking on those nipples and loved her soft moans and groans, especially when she slid down his pole.
Tuan felt like he was living in a fantasy world, but reality stuck every time he cummed. Privately she made him feel good, but he would be too ashamed to introducer her to friends and family. His parents will be disappointed in him once they found out about her profession. What will his friends think? One time, Tuan was having a bit too much drink and he told his friend, “I would never go back to Viet Nam to marry a girl. Only fucking losers do that.” He could hear the same words coming from his friends, “You married a fucking bia-om chick.”
Tuan had a dilemma. He could give a fuck what everyone else said and follows his heart or find someone else like a doctor or an engineer who could make the people around him proud of him. The choice was his to make.