Nge Michu Chapter 8

On seeing a man standing at the door, Yangchen stands surprised, looking at him, thinking that he is at the wrong door, when her mother calls her, “Yangchen, who is it?”

Ignoring her surprised face, walking past her, the man gets inside taking a basketful of vegetables in hand. Greeting her parents wholeheartedly, he goes directly to the kitchen while Yangchen stands at the door, awestruck. Getting back from the kitchen, wearing a broad smile, he sits down on the sofa facing her parents, as if he is a family member.

“I am Tencho, a friend of Khandu. He went back to office to get his phone as he has left it there, so I came here to reach the vegetables directly from the town,” says the man, looking very happy to see her parents. Closing the door, Yangchen takes a few steps towards the kitchen and at the same instant, her mother asks the man, “So Khandu is back from the tour?”

“Yes! He came today. How was your pilgrimage?”

“Feeling lucky to be receiving blessings from Chabje,” says her mother, as if she knows him.

“You are lucky, to have a good daughter like Yangchen, who looks after parent’s welfare,” says the man, when Yangchen walks into the kitchen confused by this man. Lowering her body down, she checks the basket. Did Khandu send this, knowing that her parents are home? But Khandu never does kitchen shopping. Picking up a wet plastic bag, she opens it when she finds chicken and fish. Taking out the milk powder, she keeps it nearby the utensil rack and place a pot on the gas stove, in the meantime the conversations continues in the sitting room with lots of laughter.

Boiling the tea, she walks outside, when the man looks at her and says, “So how are you, Yangchen?”

She stands not knowing what to say, bewildered by his manner.

“She looks thinner than before,” comments her mother, looking at the man.

Then Yangchen goes back to the kitchen and looks at the boiling tea, not understanding why this man appears suddenly in this house. Boiling the tea for a while, she takes a cup, filling it up and takes it to the sitting room. As she hands him the cup, the doorbell rings. Keeping the tray on the table, she walks to the door. As she opens the door, Khandu stands at the door. Listening to the noise from the inside, his face changes. Calling her outside, pulling the door gently, he asks, “People inside?”

She replies softly, “My parents and your friend.”

On hearing this, he steps away from her looking very terrified. Making a compassionate face, he asks, “Did you tell your parents about me?”

“Nope. Why would I?”

“Thank you. Let’s pretend as if everything is going well between us. Please!”

Yangchen nods and walks inside when Khandu follows her faking smile on seeing her parents. On noticing his friend sitting inside the room, his face changes from smiling to infuriated, as the man stands up and says boldly, “Here he comes. We were waiting for you, Khandu.”

Looking irritated, yet hiding his anger, he walks directly to the bedroom calling Yangchen.

“Why is he here? Did he say something about our relationship?”

“I don’t know. He came here bringing lots of vegetables. He said that you sent those,” says Yangchen, looking back at the sitting room. Sitting down on the bed, Khandu looks down on the floor, “Please, just pretend!”

“Okay.”

Changing his dress, he gets into the washroom meanwhile Yangchen walks back to the kitchen when Yuden rushes towards her, “Ama, what did Apa bring for me?”

“Umm, Apa forgot today. He will get you something tomorrow,” lies Yangchen, as Yuden waits for the response.

Yuden walks back to the sitting room, when she gets inside the kitchen and stands leaning her back against the wall, her head spinning, not understanding the sudden entry of the man and Khandu’s pretend thing.

At Olakha, as the night draws in, drawing the window curtains, Tshoki looks outside expecting Khandu. Getting frightened, she calls Khandu, but he does not respond the call. Calling him repeatedly, she waits. Getting no response from him, she calls Dema.

“Can you give me Dorji’s number?”

“Why?”

Receiving the number from Dema, she calls Dorji. Listening to the ring, she waits anxiously when Dorji answers finally.

“I am Tshoki. Can you come over to my place?”

She asks when Dorji replies, “It’s exam time.”

Then she starts to persuade him by saying, “You love me, right?”

“Yes, I do.”

She shouts, “Then show me your love.”

Story by: Phurpa Dorji (PJIKKS)

Chapter 9 Tomorrow @9PM