Post by steeb on Oct 15, 2016 20:12:11 GMT
Minh Quân Đặng
Male | seventeen |
Vietnamese | "HETEROFLEXIBLE" |
168 cm | 137 lbs |
half-blood | |
personality
[attr="class","profileboxscroll"]Minh Quân is a young man who values life, above all things. It sounds cliché, but there is little more that matters to him than living satisfyingly, happily, and contentedly. He enjoys the small pleasures of each and every day, and while working hard is important to him, he tends to choose the path of least resistance. He knows those who have worked themselves to the deaths trying to become someone "important" or someone whose name is known to every wizard or every Muggle. Minh Quân is intimidated and often impressed by such people, but he can't help but feel somewhat sorry for them. For this boy who has been raised in a lower class family and has seen what misery is really like, what not being able to eat on some nights means, Minh Quân is far older than his years. He knows that having a name that everyone knows is not what matters. Being a CEO of a big company, or a well-respected Auror? No, Minh would be just as happy having a small house and a lovely wife and perhaps a child or two. He just wants a life that is organised and relaxed, one in which he can work his hours and come back home to a peaceful place. He wants a life in which he can enjoy his CDs filled with songs from Quang Lê and from Đan Nguyên and kick back with a good beer and his favourite books. Minh Quân doesn't ask for much, only the following...
-Friends. In his childhood, Minh Quân was for a while afraid of having friends. He grew up surrounded by a loving family, but for certain reasons (explained in history) he was for a while afraid of the idea of having friends to go out with and to play with. But the moment he started going to school, all these thoughts faded away. Minh Quân is a very "people" person, and now that he's had plenty of friends, he's not sure he could live without them. He loves having others to share his troubles and happiness with, and to listen to and take care of. He's drawn to all sorts of people, is open with absolutely anyone who comes his way, and though he's a bit of a ditzy fellow, he has a way of connecting with people on the most intimate levels.
-Food. Minh Quân is certainly a "foodie". He is fascinated by all sorts of foods, from the familiar bánh xèo and bò kho (Vietnamese beef stew) to the foreign chicken potpie, poutine, pirozhki. He finds food from other cultures odd, but is more than willing to dig into absolutely anything. He loves to cook as well, and will often beg a friend or host for a recipe to bring home and try on his own. He often ends up throwing bean sprouts into everything, though, so don't be surprised if you take a big bite of your burrito and find a few in there. It's kind of a problem. He can be found always carrying around bag of boiled mung bean sprouts and munching on them.
-Others to take care of. Minh Quân, the second oldest born into a family of eight children, is used to taking care of six other little babies, some of whom were more than ten years younger than himself. He's used to nursing after sick little sisters and brothers, and walking them to school and doing all the chores for the family since his mother and father were always away at work. Now he's gotten used to it, but at school in a far-off place in which he can't come home to the family every day... it's a little lonely. Minh Quân needs to actively look after people. It makes him feel validated and a little less lonely even if he has his friends. It's not quite the same as having someone who needs him.
-His intelligence. Though some might consider him a bit of a ditz (and Minh Quân knows he can be clumsy and airheaded at times), there is no denying that the boy is brilliant. There are few subjects that he is not proficient in, and out of the very few that he allows himself to slack off in, physical education was one of them. This is a habit that has carried over from the Muggle world, when he had to prove his worth in school. He's much more easygoing since he's come to Beauxbatons, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't know how take his studies seriously and to excel when it's necessary. But he knows that with the hard work and effort he puts in, he doesn't have to worry about getting a decent job in either the wizarding or Muggle world. He'll get where he needs, whatever he deems satisfactory, and then there will be little else to worry about. No need to worry about getting a high position. As long as he has his intelligence, happiness, and creativity, that's all that matters.
-Faith, in a higher power and in himself. A boy who was born into a strictly Catholic family, it's not surprising that Minh Quân can sometimes often come off as the "preachy" sort. His family raised him into an environment in which he learnt that everything given to them was from God's love, and thus Minh Quân grew up believing wholly in the grace of God. He was somewhat shocked by his entry into the Western world... by the plethora of beliefs and religions, and people who did not believe in a God at all. It was a whole new world to him, and one that he was not used to at all. But after years of living in France, Minh Quân is now much less fixated on religion as he once was. He still believes what he believes, but he's learnt that perhaps not everything is thanks to God. He, too, has had a large part in getting himself to where he currently is. He has learnt to believe in his own talents and his potential. And not all of these are simply thanks to a higher power. Minh Quân, when motivated to work at his highest abilities, can a force of nature in his own right.
Overall, Minh Quân is a pleasant and easygoing young man. He keeps many friends and interests, treats everyone as an equal, and loves enjoying every aspect of life. It's hard to drive him to anger or frustration, as he doesn't see the use in either of these feelings. If something is just not working out? Well, just try again, or try another solution. No need to get angry about it. However, the only exception to this is bullies and plain nasty folks. Then, Minh Quân will become abnormally confrontational. It's just a part of his protective nature, really -- he doesn't like people who hurts the ones he loves or cares about, no matter where the bullies come from or what their reason is.
But if you're not a bully? Then you're welcome to join Minh Quân's circle of friends. There isn't too much room for misery there, because you'll have one very motherly Vietnamese boy tailing after you and making sure that you're well-fed, that you'll unload any sorrows you have on him, and that you're doing just fine. He's like a cute pet duck; he gets attached easily, and you might find him irritating sometimes, but more likely than not, you'll get used to his affectionate manners and even find them endearing.
-Friends. In his childhood, Minh Quân was for a while afraid of having friends. He grew up surrounded by a loving family, but for certain reasons (explained in history) he was for a while afraid of the idea of having friends to go out with and to play with. But the moment he started going to school, all these thoughts faded away. Minh Quân is a very "people" person, and now that he's had plenty of friends, he's not sure he could live without them. He loves having others to share his troubles and happiness with, and to listen to and take care of. He's drawn to all sorts of people, is open with absolutely anyone who comes his way, and though he's a bit of a ditzy fellow, he has a way of connecting with people on the most intimate levels.
-Food. Minh Quân is certainly a "foodie". He is fascinated by all sorts of foods, from the familiar bánh xèo and bò kho (Vietnamese beef stew) to the foreign chicken potpie, poutine, pirozhki. He finds food from other cultures odd, but is more than willing to dig into absolutely anything. He loves to cook as well, and will often beg a friend or host for a recipe to bring home and try on his own. He often ends up throwing bean sprouts into everything, though, so don't be surprised if you take a big bite of your burrito and find a few in there. It's kind of a problem. He can be found always carrying around bag of boiled mung bean sprouts and munching on them.
-Others to take care of. Minh Quân, the second oldest born into a family of eight children, is used to taking care of six other little babies, some of whom were more than ten years younger than himself. He's used to nursing after sick little sisters and brothers, and walking them to school and doing all the chores for the family since his mother and father were always away at work. Now he's gotten used to it, but at school in a far-off place in which he can't come home to the family every day... it's a little lonely. Minh Quân needs to actively look after people. It makes him feel validated and a little less lonely even if he has his friends. It's not quite the same as having someone who needs him.
-His intelligence. Though some might consider him a bit of a ditz (and Minh Quân knows he can be clumsy and airheaded at times), there is no denying that the boy is brilliant. There are few subjects that he is not proficient in, and out of the very few that he allows himself to slack off in, physical education was one of them. This is a habit that has carried over from the Muggle world, when he had to prove his worth in school. He's much more easygoing since he's come to Beauxbatons, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't know how take his studies seriously and to excel when it's necessary. But he knows that with the hard work and effort he puts in, he doesn't have to worry about getting a decent job in either the wizarding or Muggle world. He'll get where he needs, whatever he deems satisfactory, and then there will be little else to worry about. No need to worry about getting a high position. As long as he has his intelligence, happiness, and creativity, that's all that matters.
-Faith, in a higher power and in himself. A boy who was born into a strictly Catholic family, it's not surprising that Minh Quân can sometimes often come off as the "preachy" sort. His family raised him into an environment in which he learnt that everything given to them was from God's love, and thus Minh Quân grew up believing wholly in the grace of God. He was somewhat shocked by his entry into the Western world... by the plethora of beliefs and religions, and people who did not believe in a God at all. It was a whole new world to him, and one that he was not used to at all. But after years of living in France, Minh Quân is now much less fixated on religion as he once was. He still believes what he believes, but he's learnt that perhaps not everything is thanks to God. He, too, has had a large part in getting himself to where he currently is. He has learnt to believe in his own talents and his potential. And not all of these are simply thanks to a higher power. Minh Quân, when motivated to work at his highest abilities, can a force of nature in his own right.
Overall, Minh Quân is a pleasant and easygoing young man. He keeps many friends and interests, treats everyone as an equal, and loves enjoying every aspect of life. It's hard to drive him to anger or frustration, as he doesn't see the use in either of these feelings. If something is just not working out? Well, just try again, or try another solution. No need to get angry about it. However, the only exception to this is bullies and plain nasty folks. Then, Minh Quân will become abnormally confrontational. It's just a part of his protective nature, really -- he doesn't like people who hurts the ones he loves or cares about, no matter where the bullies come from or what their reason is.
But if you're not a bully? Then you're welcome to join Minh Quân's circle of friends. There isn't too much room for misery there, because you'll have one very motherly Vietnamese boy tailing after you and making sure that you're well-fed, that you'll unload any sorrows you have on him, and that you're doing just fine. He's like a cute pet duck; he gets attached easily, and you might find him irritating sometimes, but more likely than not, you'll get used to his affectionate manners and even find them endearing.
history
[attr="class","profileboxscroll"]Minh Quân was born in Sài Gòn to a small family of three... his mother, his father, and his sister (who is older than him by two years). He was the second oldest of what would soon become eight children, and he would be the oldest of two boys. Minh Quân's Ba (father) and Mẹ (mother) were delighted when they realised Minh Quân was their first boy. So proud were they that they'd managed to have Minh on their second try that the other six children would be attempts to have another boy. (When they finally had another one by the seventh child, they gave up after the next one. There were simply too many children to take care of now.)
Minh Quân enjoyed having an older sister. Even if she had too much to do by the time she was sent to school, around when Minh Quân was two years old, that was fine when his mother gave birth to their third child soon after he started seeing less of his older sibling. Minh Quân was quickly distracted from that the moment he saw his baby sister's body wrapped in all the thick blankets; he immediately grew attached. He demanded to be with her at all times, and to be allowed to feed her, dress her, teach her, and to bathe her... things that he could hardly do for himself at that age! But it was clear that Minh Quân's life revolved around his family, and would continue to do so as more little sisters and eventually a little brother were added to the mix. He's a family man, and nothing about that will change.
One could argue that it was his younger siblings that had so much effect on his easygoing, positive personality. At that young age, Minh Quân's favourite phrase, "cố lên" first surfaced. It was Vietnamese for "Come on!", a phrase of encouragement. He would delegate little tasks to his sisters, whether it be learning to say a simple word or to tie a shoe by themselves. He would be at their sides the whole time, saying "Cố lên! Cố lên!", and when they managed their little task, he would let out a whoop of joy, pick them up, and spin them around. It's a phrase that has followed him around since this young age, and he constantly encourages others with it. "Come on! Keep going! Cố lên!" Minh Quân loved nurturing and teaching, and at one point even wanted to become a primary school teacher.
Ba and Mẹ were initially horrified at how much time Minh Quân was spending at home and with the other children when all the boys were studying hard at school and roughhousing with each other. Minh was a little younger than those boys, but that didn't matter to them. They talked with each other under their breath as they watched their little boy doing things like... like letting his little sisters braid his hair! What was this awful turnout? Ba would swing his arms wildly and yell about how improper it was for a boy like Minh Quân to be playing with his sisters like this. It was not "macho" at all, he insisted. (Ba was a big fan of American things, and he pulled many odd words off the radio to add to his vocabulary.) Minh Quân was supposed to be the breadwinner. When their little boy had been born, the two had already determined that his destiny was to be the worker of the family, the one who would bring them fortune. But once Minh Quân started to go to school and showed that his grades were above average, his parents slowly began easing up on him. They ignored his "girlish" behaviour altogether, deeming it as a side-effect of the boy having so many little sisters to take care of. And they couldn't complain about how much Minh Quân helped around the house, either.
At age three, Minh Quân was already "working" at his mother's shop. It was his father's, but Ba had given it to Mẹ so that he could go and find another job to support the family. At Mẹ's general shop, they sold everything: rice, spices, clothes, household accessories, and ready-made food. Minh Quân loved being in the shop when his older sister had school, and he would sit behind the counter on a high stool that his mother had found for him, and would shout "Chào mừng! Welcome!" to any customers who walked through. In Vietnamese, if they were locals, and in English in case they were tourists or English-speakers. He would even attempt to guide them around the shop and promote other items to them. But more often than not, he would end up knocking more stands over than he could clean up. Even at that age, he was clumsy and uncoordinated, and Mẹ had to apologise to almost anyone who came through the door. But many of the customers loved him, and they would find themselves walking out the door with more items than they had come for, thanks to Minh Quân's promotion. Ba was delighted. "This boy will be a businessman!" he would say with amusement, patting his son on the head.
Both parents were so proud of their child, and all in all, Minh Quân had a wonderful childhood. There was some trouble with food and with looking after such a large family, but this he understood very well. None of that was Ba or Mẹ's fault. And he appreciated how hard they worked, what with having spent so much time in Mẹ's shop. If he and his older sister were ever left at home, he would busy himself with the housework. His sister, in her older years, had decided that she resented the family, and that she wanted nothing more to do with them. So it was Minh Quân who found himself trying to hand-wash all the laundry with his chubby little fingers struggling to grasp at the cloth, and it was him who hung up the shirts and pants onto the clothesline -- always on a dangerously wobbly stool, because the boy was hardly tall enough. It was Minh Quân who braved the cold winter mornings and the blazing hot summer ones, toeing on his sandals and running out to fetch water for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He knew just how much his parents worked to take care of him and the growing family, and he wanted to contribute to it. But by nature, he was hard-working, and he liked doing the chores.
The only downside of his childhood was when his father went out to go nhậu... to drink and to gamble with his friends. Ba would come home from his job as a high school teacher around five, and after dinner, he would go out again at eight or nine to drink with his friends. At first, Minh Quân thought this all right; it was just a bit of fun that Ba desperately needed with his hard work. Then again, he was only three when this started. As he grew older and he saw less of his father. This, still, was not worrisome until Minh Quân started going to school. Several months after his first day, he stumbled out of his and his sister's room one night to get a snack. He heard his father and mother arguing loudly, then. It was one of the worst arguments he'd ever heard, and he trembled with fear. He didn't want to acknowledge it was happening, because everything else was going so right in their lives. He pretended he hadn't seen it, even if it happened more than just once a week. Minh Quân, once he began listening, heard each and every one of the fights. He heard the disapproval in his parents' voices even at dinner and when they spoke to each other outside of the chaotic hour in which Ba came home from his drinking.
The problem secretly began eating at Minh Quân, too. Ba and Mẹ would not know the cause of it until much later, but at preschool he began growing isolated. He was withdrawn, and would begin picking fights with the other children... so much that halfway through the year, he had to be taken out of school and kept at home. It was all Minh Quân wanted to do, to stay with his mother at the shop, looking after his sister as she ran the store, and then go home. It went on until, a year later when he was five, he came out another evening and saw what looked like Ba about to hit his Mẹ. Minh Quân screamed, ran out of his room and threw himself onto Mẹ, and begged Ba not to hit her. Shaken and realising the effect of his drinking on his family, Ba immediately stopped going nhậu nhẹt with his friends. He would not sacrifice his wife and his children for a bit of good fun.
The family went on as they had before, only even better now. Minh's happiness grew tenfold. To this day, Minh Quân still refuses to drink. He will have nothing to do with alcohol. But once he started going to school again, he stopped being so confrontational and isolated. It had mostly been a result of his attempts to deal with his family situation on his own... and his fear of having friends. Ba's troublesome behaviour had somehow seemed as if it had stemmed from his friends who had invited him out, and Minh Quân had been afraid that having friends might make him turn out like that, too. But once kindergarten began, he was much more open to the idea of having them. And it was a good thing, too, because he made many friends, and he soon found that he felt he couldn't survive without them. He was someone who thrived on social interaction. Happier than ever, Minh Quân threw himself even more into his chores, into his learning, and into whatever he could to help his parents out.
By the time he was six, he was able to really help in the shop, showing customers to whatever they needed, giving them their information, and calculating the proper change for their purchases. He could even drag the 50 lb bags of rice into the shop when his mother's back was aching or when she felt sick. And when he was nine, by the time his little sisters were old enough to walk and run about, he led them around town. He'd show them the fields he loved playing in, the best places in town to buy a snack or some hearty food, everything he knew about their little town. The locals knew him well, and he would often be seen with three or four little girls crowded around him, clutching at his sleeve or hand or comfort, and even a little baby bundled up in his arms. "Because the baby needs fresh air, too," he would say to Ba and Mẹ. Ba roared with laughter, and Mẹ gave him a smile and a hug. These were good times.
It looked like Minh Quân was set up to live a wonderful life. His parents nodded and agreed with each other, grinning whenever a relative or neighbour would say "Look at Minh Quân! He will be a businessman, or a doctor someday! This boy will be great." Minh Quân did not mind this either. He would do what his parents wanted for him.
But when he was eleven, the representative from Beauxbatons arrived. That when when Minh Quân's world was turned upside down. Mẹ's pale face went even paler when the foreign man stepped into their home asking for her son. She knew where this man was from... he was from the school of magic that had tried to recruit her to Beauxbatons when she was a young girl, herself. But she had hurriedly said "no", too afraid of her parents' reactions and how much it would change her life. Her path had already been set, in her own mind. She did not want to disappoint her own Ba Mẹ -- and they were also Catholic! To find out that their child could be something called a "witch"... Mẹ was unable to bring herself to think of the possibilities that could have been open to her in Beauxbatons. But for the rest of her life, she wondered what it would have been like to be a witch. And now that the same school was showing up in her life again, she somewhat wanted her son to be able to make his own choice... but there was Ba to worry about. He was also Catholic, just as strictly as her parents had been. What if Ba thought she was something evil, and kicked her and Minh Quân out of the house?
But instead of being disgusted and revolted, Ba was at first initially shocked, and then curious and fascinated. A wizard? His son? How amazing! He showered Mẹ with excited compliments and love, and Minh Quân with praise. He had known that Minh Quân was a gift from God, and that the boy would be capable of something special. This was only a pleasant surprise, and a gift from a higher power. Who was he to fight God's plan for his son, even if he and Mẹ had been planning a completely different life for his son?
"You do not have to be a Muggle," Ba told Minh Quân, even using the terminology the Beauxbatons representative had introduced them to. "You can be what you like. You have been so good to your poor Ba Mẹ. Do not worry about being away, we will always write, and you can come home for the holidays."
And, despite the things that kept him in Vietnam -- his beautiful sisters, his supportive Ba and his lovely Mẹ whom he would keep company in the shop -- Minh Quân chose Beauxbatons. He, too, was curious and amazed. He wanted to be a part of this new world, even if it meant leaving his sisters and parents behind.
And so, at the age of eleven, Minh Quân went off to France. To his surprise, his mother and his father went with him, and the rest of his siblings as well. (Even the older one, who soon found that the new country opened her up and made her so much more happier.) They had a decently well-off relative in France, and after a good due of negotiation, it was agreed that the whole family could move there, live with the relative, and work until they could afford a home. Minh Quân almost took back his word about going to Beauxbatons, horrified that his parents were leaving their whole life in Vietnam just to allow him an opportunity to go to a wizarding school. But it was with joy and delight that Minh Quân's parents, along with the representative, accompanied him to buy his wand and school materials. They were shocked by the new world, both Muggle-wise and wizarding-wise. But none were more shocked than the young boy, with so many opportunities opened up to him. He absorbed the foreign French culture like a sponge, and when he went on to his new school he did the same.
The sorting process seemed to take ages, but he was eventually put into Sureau. To his understanding, it was a struggle between that and Lierre, but it was his caring nature and desire to nurture and look after others that scored a spot for him in Sureau. At first it was lonely there, among all these foreigners and new faces. He grew quickly used to it, but there was the lack of the Vietnamese culture that tormented him. He wanted to be home, where his mother would make a delicious pot of bún bò huế. But slowly and surely, he warmed up to this lack of culture and family. Always one to adapt, Minh Quân created a new circle of friends for himself. It's a little less lonely than before, even if he still longs for his family. He does love school, and he loves all his friends, but he's still waiting for the summer where he can go home to them permanently...
"Soon," Minh Quân tells himself.
Until then, he just has to cố lên.
Minh Quân enjoyed having an older sister. Even if she had too much to do by the time she was sent to school, around when Minh Quân was two years old, that was fine when his mother gave birth to their third child soon after he started seeing less of his older sibling. Minh Quân was quickly distracted from that the moment he saw his baby sister's body wrapped in all the thick blankets; he immediately grew attached. He demanded to be with her at all times, and to be allowed to feed her, dress her, teach her, and to bathe her... things that he could hardly do for himself at that age! But it was clear that Minh Quân's life revolved around his family, and would continue to do so as more little sisters and eventually a little brother were added to the mix. He's a family man, and nothing about that will change.
One could argue that it was his younger siblings that had so much effect on his easygoing, positive personality. At that young age, Minh Quân's favourite phrase, "cố lên" first surfaced. It was Vietnamese for "Come on!", a phrase of encouragement. He would delegate little tasks to his sisters, whether it be learning to say a simple word or to tie a shoe by themselves. He would be at their sides the whole time, saying "Cố lên! Cố lên!", and when they managed their little task, he would let out a whoop of joy, pick them up, and spin them around. It's a phrase that has followed him around since this young age, and he constantly encourages others with it. "Come on! Keep going! Cố lên!" Minh Quân loved nurturing and teaching, and at one point even wanted to become a primary school teacher.
Ba and Mẹ were initially horrified at how much time Minh Quân was spending at home and with the other children when all the boys were studying hard at school and roughhousing with each other. Minh was a little younger than those boys, but that didn't matter to them. They talked with each other under their breath as they watched their little boy doing things like... like letting his little sisters braid his hair! What was this awful turnout? Ba would swing his arms wildly and yell about how improper it was for a boy like Minh Quân to be playing with his sisters like this. It was not "macho" at all, he insisted. (Ba was a big fan of American things, and he pulled many odd words off the radio to add to his vocabulary.) Minh Quân was supposed to be the breadwinner. When their little boy had been born, the two had already determined that his destiny was to be the worker of the family, the one who would bring them fortune. But once Minh Quân started to go to school and showed that his grades were above average, his parents slowly began easing up on him. They ignored his "girlish" behaviour altogether, deeming it as a side-effect of the boy having so many little sisters to take care of. And they couldn't complain about how much Minh Quân helped around the house, either.
At age three, Minh Quân was already "working" at his mother's shop. It was his father's, but Ba had given it to Mẹ so that he could go and find another job to support the family. At Mẹ's general shop, they sold everything: rice, spices, clothes, household accessories, and ready-made food. Minh Quân loved being in the shop when his older sister had school, and he would sit behind the counter on a high stool that his mother had found for him, and would shout "Chào mừng! Welcome!" to any customers who walked through. In Vietnamese, if they were locals, and in English in case they were tourists or English-speakers. He would even attempt to guide them around the shop and promote other items to them. But more often than not, he would end up knocking more stands over than he could clean up. Even at that age, he was clumsy and uncoordinated, and Mẹ had to apologise to almost anyone who came through the door. But many of the customers loved him, and they would find themselves walking out the door with more items than they had come for, thanks to Minh Quân's promotion. Ba was delighted. "This boy will be a businessman!" he would say with amusement, patting his son on the head.
Both parents were so proud of their child, and all in all, Minh Quân had a wonderful childhood. There was some trouble with food and with looking after such a large family, but this he understood very well. None of that was Ba or Mẹ's fault. And he appreciated how hard they worked, what with having spent so much time in Mẹ's shop. If he and his older sister were ever left at home, he would busy himself with the housework. His sister, in her older years, had decided that she resented the family, and that she wanted nothing more to do with them. So it was Minh Quân who found himself trying to hand-wash all the laundry with his chubby little fingers struggling to grasp at the cloth, and it was him who hung up the shirts and pants onto the clothesline -- always on a dangerously wobbly stool, because the boy was hardly tall enough. It was Minh Quân who braved the cold winter mornings and the blazing hot summer ones, toeing on his sandals and running out to fetch water for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He knew just how much his parents worked to take care of him and the growing family, and he wanted to contribute to it. But by nature, he was hard-working, and he liked doing the chores.
The only downside of his childhood was when his father went out to go nhậu... to drink and to gamble with his friends. Ba would come home from his job as a high school teacher around five, and after dinner, he would go out again at eight or nine to drink with his friends. At first, Minh Quân thought this all right; it was just a bit of fun that Ba desperately needed with his hard work. Then again, he was only three when this started. As he grew older and he saw less of his father. This, still, was not worrisome until Minh Quân started going to school. Several months after his first day, he stumbled out of his and his sister's room one night to get a snack. He heard his father and mother arguing loudly, then. It was one of the worst arguments he'd ever heard, and he trembled with fear. He didn't want to acknowledge it was happening, because everything else was going so right in their lives. He pretended he hadn't seen it, even if it happened more than just once a week. Minh Quân, once he began listening, heard each and every one of the fights. He heard the disapproval in his parents' voices even at dinner and when they spoke to each other outside of the chaotic hour in which Ba came home from his drinking.
The problem secretly began eating at Minh Quân, too. Ba and Mẹ would not know the cause of it until much later, but at preschool he began growing isolated. He was withdrawn, and would begin picking fights with the other children... so much that halfway through the year, he had to be taken out of school and kept at home. It was all Minh Quân wanted to do, to stay with his mother at the shop, looking after his sister as she ran the store, and then go home. It went on until, a year later when he was five, he came out another evening and saw what looked like Ba about to hit his Mẹ. Minh Quân screamed, ran out of his room and threw himself onto Mẹ, and begged Ba not to hit her. Shaken and realising the effect of his drinking on his family, Ba immediately stopped going nhậu nhẹt with his friends. He would not sacrifice his wife and his children for a bit of good fun.
The family went on as they had before, only even better now. Minh's happiness grew tenfold. To this day, Minh Quân still refuses to drink. He will have nothing to do with alcohol. But once he started going to school again, he stopped being so confrontational and isolated. It had mostly been a result of his attempts to deal with his family situation on his own... and his fear of having friends. Ba's troublesome behaviour had somehow seemed as if it had stemmed from his friends who had invited him out, and Minh Quân had been afraid that having friends might make him turn out like that, too. But once kindergarten began, he was much more open to the idea of having them. And it was a good thing, too, because he made many friends, and he soon found that he felt he couldn't survive without them. He was someone who thrived on social interaction. Happier than ever, Minh Quân threw himself even more into his chores, into his learning, and into whatever he could to help his parents out.
By the time he was six, he was able to really help in the shop, showing customers to whatever they needed, giving them their information, and calculating the proper change for their purchases. He could even drag the 50 lb bags of rice into the shop when his mother's back was aching or when she felt sick. And when he was nine, by the time his little sisters were old enough to walk and run about, he led them around town. He'd show them the fields he loved playing in, the best places in town to buy a snack or some hearty food, everything he knew about their little town. The locals knew him well, and he would often be seen with three or four little girls crowded around him, clutching at his sleeve or hand or comfort, and even a little baby bundled up in his arms. "Because the baby needs fresh air, too," he would say to Ba and Mẹ. Ba roared with laughter, and Mẹ gave him a smile and a hug. These were good times.
It looked like Minh Quân was set up to live a wonderful life. His parents nodded and agreed with each other, grinning whenever a relative or neighbour would say "Look at Minh Quân! He will be a businessman, or a doctor someday! This boy will be great." Minh Quân did not mind this either. He would do what his parents wanted for him.
But when he was eleven, the representative from Beauxbatons arrived. That when when Minh Quân's world was turned upside down. Mẹ's pale face went even paler when the foreign man stepped into their home asking for her son. She knew where this man was from... he was from the school of magic that had tried to recruit her to Beauxbatons when she was a young girl, herself. But she had hurriedly said "no", too afraid of her parents' reactions and how much it would change her life. Her path had already been set, in her own mind. She did not want to disappoint her own Ba Mẹ -- and they were also Catholic! To find out that their child could be something called a "witch"... Mẹ was unable to bring herself to think of the possibilities that could have been open to her in Beauxbatons. But for the rest of her life, she wondered what it would have been like to be a witch. And now that the same school was showing up in her life again, she somewhat wanted her son to be able to make his own choice... but there was Ba to worry about. He was also Catholic, just as strictly as her parents had been. What if Ba thought she was something evil, and kicked her and Minh Quân out of the house?
But instead of being disgusted and revolted, Ba was at first initially shocked, and then curious and fascinated. A wizard? His son? How amazing! He showered Mẹ with excited compliments and love, and Minh Quân with praise. He had known that Minh Quân was a gift from God, and that the boy would be capable of something special. This was only a pleasant surprise, and a gift from a higher power. Who was he to fight God's plan for his son, even if he and Mẹ had been planning a completely different life for his son?
"You do not have to be a Muggle," Ba told Minh Quân, even using the terminology the Beauxbatons representative had introduced them to. "You can be what you like. You have been so good to your poor Ba Mẹ. Do not worry about being away, we will always write, and you can come home for the holidays."
And, despite the things that kept him in Vietnam -- his beautiful sisters, his supportive Ba and his lovely Mẹ whom he would keep company in the shop -- Minh Quân chose Beauxbatons. He, too, was curious and amazed. He wanted to be a part of this new world, even if it meant leaving his sisters and parents behind.
And so, at the age of eleven, Minh Quân went off to France. To his surprise, his mother and his father went with him, and the rest of his siblings as well. (Even the older one, who soon found that the new country opened her up and made her so much more happier.) They had a decently well-off relative in France, and after a good due of negotiation, it was agreed that the whole family could move there, live with the relative, and work until they could afford a home. Minh Quân almost took back his word about going to Beauxbatons, horrified that his parents were leaving their whole life in Vietnam just to allow him an opportunity to go to a wizarding school. But it was with joy and delight that Minh Quân's parents, along with the representative, accompanied him to buy his wand and school materials. They were shocked by the new world, both Muggle-wise and wizarding-wise. But none were more shocked than the young boy, with so many opportunities opened up to him. He absorbed the foreign French culture like a sponge, and when he went on to his new school he did the same.
The sorting process seemed to take ages, but he was eventually put into Sureau. To his understanding, it was a struggle between that and Lierre, but it was his caring nature and desire to nurture and look after others that scored a spot for him in Sureau. At first it was lonely there, among all these foreigners and new faces. He grew quickly used to it, but there was the lack of the Vietnamese culture that tormented him. He wanted to be home, where his mother would make a delicious pot of bún bò huế. But slowly and surely, he warmed up to this lack of culture and family. Always one to adapt, Minh Quân created a new circle of friends for himself. It's a little less lonely than before, even if he still longs for his family. He does love school, and he loves all his friends, but he's still waiting for the summer where he can go home to them permanently...
"Soon," Minh Quân tells himself.
Until then, he just has to cố lên.
rp sample
[attr="class","profileboxscroll"]"Kìa con bướm vàng, kìa con bướm vàng," Linh was saying loudly, swinging her hands in wide arcs to the sound of her own singing. She messed up the beat, and she started flailing wildly, but it made Minh Quân laugh. She deflated at this, looking at her brother and pouting as if he'd just insulted their Mẹ, but it only made him laugh harder.
"Start again," he said, poking her gently in her chubby little cheek, "It's okay!"
She opened her mouth as if to argue, but then seemed to think the better of it. She knew he would have none of it. So she started again, slowly, and then more surely, volume rising as she grew more comfortable with the familiar melody: "Kìa con bướm vàng, kìa con bướm vàng! Xòe đôi cánh! Xòe đôi cánh!"
It was a song that Minh Quân had known since childhood. "Look at the golden butterfly! It spreads its wings!" the lyrics translated roughly to (at least, it was what he'd figured out since he came to Beauxbatons), but he'd found long ago that it had a completely different version in France.
Instead, it was called Frère Jacques, and it was not at all about a little butterfly. It was about a bell-ringer, a brother, who was sleeping and not at all ringing the bells like he was supposed to be doing. It was absolutely befuddling. Minh Quân liked the version with the butterfly a lot more... well, perhaps he was just biased.
But it sounded valid to him. Little girls like his newest sister might enjoy songs about butterflies more than they would about a man who was not doing his job. It was important for children to listen to things they understood more. About butterflies and flying, and things in nature... that was much more appealing than some old brother in a tower who was too tired to even swing the bells in the morning. The latter seemed rather depressing.
He was glad that his Mẹ taught this one to Linh, before Ba could sweep in with his Western culture and force her to learn Frère Jacques. Ba had always loved America, but it turned out that any part of the western world was bound to get his attention. He loved France just as much as he did the United States.
Linh was singing, her face flushed as she hopped about delightedly, when Minh Quân opened his eyes to the ceiling of his dorm at Beauxbatons.
He untangled himself from the blankets, looked about once again just to make sure that he was not at home. But this room was much too large, with its four-poster beds lining the walls, and his trunk filled with his wand and materials was still at the foot of his bed. He felt guilty for it, but he almost wished he weren't here. He missed home, so badly.
He picked up the small photo book on his nightstand and opened it. It unfolded like an accordion, spilling the sight of bright pictures all over his lap. There were all his sisters, in their áo dài and looking so proud of themselves. Even Tuyên, his older sister, looked happier than usual. France had been good for her.
And there was Linh, at the centre of them all. He had been shocked, and then ecstatic when the owl had arrived with a picture of her attached. His parents had had a baby girl while he was off at Beauxbatons! And he had loved her even from the very first photo.
He placed the little photo book back on the stand and curled up under his blankets now, thinking of her. She was one and a half years old when he'd seen her last Christmas. When he came home again, she would be two. Hopefully, she would remember him.
"Start again," he said, poking her gently in her chubby little cheek, "It's okay!"
She opened her mouth as if to argue, but then seemed to think the better of it. She knew he would have none of it. So she started again, slowly, and then more surely, volume rising as she grew more comfortable with the familiar melody: "Kìa con bướm vàng, kìa con bướm vàng! Xòe đôi cánh! Xòe đôi cánh!"
It was a song that Minh Quân had known since childhood. "Look at the golden butterfly! It spreads its wings!" the lyrics translated roughly to (at least, it was what he'd figured out since he came to Beauxbatons), but he'd found long ago that it had a completely different version in France.
Instead, it was called Frère Jacques, and it was not at all about a little butterfly. It was about a bell-ringer, a brother, who was sleeping and not at all ringing the bells like he was supposed to be doing. It was absolutely befuddling. Minh Quân liked the version with the butterfly a lot more... well, perhaps he was just biased.
But it sounded valid to him. Little girls like his newest sister might enjoy songs about butterflies more than they would about a man who was not doing his job. It was important for children to listen to things they understood more. About butterflies and flying, and things in nature... that was much more appealing than some old brother in a tower who was too tired to even swing the bells in the morning. The latter seemed rather depressing.
He was glad that his Mẹ taught this one to Linh, before Ba could sweep in with his Western culture and force her to learn Frère Jacques. Ba had always loved America, but it turned out that any part of the western world was bound to get his attention. He loved France just as much as he did the United States.
Linh was singing, her face flushed as she hopped about delightedly, when Minh Quân opened his eyes to the ceiling of his dorm at Beauxbatons.
He untangled himself from the blankets, looked about once again just to make sure that he was not at home. But this room was much too large, with its four-poster beds lining the walls, and his trunk filled with his wand and materials was still at the foot of his bed. He felt guilty for it, but he almost wished he weren't here. He missed home, so badly.
He picked up the small photo book on his nightstand and opened it. It unfolded like an accordion, spilling the sight of bright pictures all over his lap. There were all his sisters, in their áo dài and looking so proud of themselves. Even Tuyên, his older sister, looked happier than usual. France had been good for her.
And there was Linh, at the centre of them all. He had been shocked, and then ecstatic when the owl had arrived with a picture of her attached. His parents had had a baby girl while he was off at Beauxbatons! And he had loved her even from the very first photo.
He placed the little photo book back on the stand and curled up under his blankets now, thinking of her. She was one and a half years old when he'd seen her last Christmas. When he came home again, she would be two. Hopefully, she would remember him.
other
Wand | |
Pixie Heart | Breech |
Thirteen and a half inches | Quite Flexible |
Strongest Subject | Weakest Subject |
transfiguration | Divination |
Familiar | Patronus |
russian blue cat | tokinese cat |
Whatever Fanarts of Nyo!Vietnam I can find | |
Aaron/Kitsuki | |
width: 1px;[/newclass]
