Kyi Aye - New Year's Eve

New buds of the kelp tree

Kyi Ae

K arrived at Inya Hall two days before the university reopened. He had never been inside Inya Hall before. He was one of his relatives' children who was going to college for the first time.

He came. My mother lived in the school building when she was a student, but she was always busy with her younger brothers and sisters, so she never showed up even though she said she would. Her friend Myint, who had graduated a year earlier, also didn't show up.

As soon as we arrived at Inya Hall, we had to find a room upstairs first. Then we had to go to the dormitory manager and ask for our own room. The room was upstairs, number 211. I don't remember. And he said he would be waiting for us today. He said he would come down and not wait, he felt sorry for the couples. Is that how their college is?

I found Myint's room easily. I found Myint lying on the bed, his hair all matted and limp, and he didn't dare move his head even when he lay down on the bed for fear of damaging his hair.

"Hey, Kay, I've been waiting for you for a long time," said Si.

"Why did you wait so long? You said you'd be here in three hours."

"It's only four o'clock now. I told my guests not to come today. And they didn't come early. I've been bored all evening."

Myint winked at the laughing Kay. Then he looked in the mirror. He straightened his untidy shirt and pants. He touched his nose with a handkerchief. He brushed his hair from his head. Then he said, “I’m going to… the dormitory manager, what about your mother?”

"Mom didn't come because she was tired. She was in the car. She called him and went to the dormitory manager. Actually, I don't know if Ma May and the dormitory manager were dating back then. Ma May was able to catch Dad and you guys were like the old lady who left."

"Then you'll definitely get a room near the bathroom."

Kay and Myint laughed and then, with a frown on their faces, Kaw Ma May Sey arrived.

My mother, as usual, scolded me first, saying, "Huh?" Then she said, "I'm just in college, and I'm still acting like a child. I can't be modest. My skirt is too short. Try dressing up. Pull it down."

"Mom, if you want me to treat you like a child, don't scold me like that, Mom. Talk to me like a friend or an equal. Usually, I just watch without saying anything," said Kay, and Myint couldn't help but laugh, but Mom couldn't help but smile.

When the dormitory manager and my mother met again, they were hugging and greeting each other. I wondered if there was a friend who loved them as much as they did. Kay smiled faintly and pretended not to know when he looked at her. Then he touched Myint's hand.

"I think San's daughter looks more like her father. She's also white. She's also tall," the dormitory manager said, and Ma Mae Ke's face fell.

"Yes.. Like his father, he is very fond of home. He is not happy anywhere except home. He doesn't even remember his friends," he replied.

Kay ignored the dormitory manager's expression and said, "It's not like we're fighting with each other after moving in together, Mom. Mom and I are very close, aren't we?" He laughed, pointing at Myint.

"Well... Assan's daughter hasn't lost her childish spirit. Just watch and correct her. If you can't talk, just call. You know, I gave it to her once and for all," said Ma May Kay, mixing up all sorts of words.

“I will miss my brothers and sisters. I have never been separated from home,” Kay said, feeling truly sad. Then a song began to quietly play in my mind.

The children of the Nawa boat, who support their beloved, who want to call them when they encounter difficulties on the road, who want to buy a blue sky at dusk.

I miss the sun and the moon... Immediately, the leaves of the diamond flower around the Inya River began to move. They swayed in the wind. The red and yellow petals fell. “There is something to miss. To turn and turn.” That is what it means. No need to be a friend. Then, at the age when the leaves were shaking, Kay arrived at college. He did not realize that he had already started a camp to create his destiny in college. Starting with his mother and father, starting with his younger brothers and sisters, no one from the happy home realized that he had left without knowing why.

Kay sat in the brightest corner of the room where the eight students were to gather. After everyone settled in, he followed Myint and started talking. Then it was time to eat. He went down to the dining room and ate as quickly as at home. He saw the girls of his age gathered under the lights. It was interesting. It was a bit cramped for two people to eat a single dish of rice and eight people to sit at one table. Myint also separated from Myint in the dining room. The girl he was eating with was very pale, so he didn't know if she was from Mawlamyine.

“My name is Mya Kay Khaing. If you call me just Kay, it’s short. I live in room 103-104,” Kay began.

“I’m from Myitkyina, my name is Yu,” she replied, and he was shocked to see her from head to toe.

“What language will Yu take?” “Myanmar literature, English literature, and history.” “Ha.. same as Kay, we have to go to the same class. Which room do you live in?”

“We’ll definitely be in the same session. Yu’s name ends with his father’s, Tin Kyaw, so our names are close. Our numbers will be close too. If Than comes back, let’s take the same class.”

“I’m so happy. I don’t go anywhere. I haven’t met any friends yet. I want to go with Yu.”

Yu was an old man and talked about the classrooms like a student. How could Ke, who had never been there, understand? However, Yu's other eye was narrow and incomprehensible. He also liked Yu's beautiful skin. However, he didn't like the thick skin. He thought that her body was a little more beautiful than Po Nyan's cartoon, and he felt sick and blamed himself.

Yu poured fried fish paste, fried pork belly, pickled mustard, pickled onions, and tofu into old Hollis bottles. He also forced Kay to eat it. Kay had only ever eaten fried fish paste and fried pork belly, so he could eat it.

After eating, Yu came up to the table. He spoke in a monotonous voice. Everything seemed to be going well. He had just admitted that it was true enough that he didn't know anything about Ma Ma Ke Kwe as a child. Or maybe he was making excuses that knowledge and understanding are one thing, and that going well in the world is another.

Looking at Yu, do you think he can see how the beauty of the golden yellow flowers blooming on the palm branches and palm leaves creates a kind of joyful music, and how it makes the siren sing a melancholy tune? No, I don't think so. But

Although you may never know that the Burmese teacher you learn in Chapter 5 is kind, that he can spit out a question if he is not good enough, and that he is a teacher who deserves to be kicked if he is not good enough, you already know that before school starts.

| No matter how much he tried to control himself, Kay's dislike for Yu was truly indomitable. He wanted Yu to go to his room. But Kay followed him. Kay's eight-person room was also full of people. So, it would be good if we could all have a conversation about Yu.

However, Yu and Tsi were living together and found themselves a stranger in their own room. Aye... K came to visit just before the school opened, so they were from the countryside, so they were more worried than those in Yangon. K could not get a room, so they could stay at home.

The Chinese girl who was next to Kay, Betty Chan, wanted to see a doctor, but she was afraid of ghosts and had a problem that she didn't know how to solve. Betty suggested that they should have tea anyway, but the twin sisters in the dark corner didn't say a word, but got up and washed the dishes while the other poured water. They were both science majors. They were two very cool, calm, and determined children, which was so cute. They also pretended to like Kay. The eldest in their room and the one who spoke softly, Ma Ma Pan, took out a bottle of dried shrimp powder to make her feel better. She was a Pali major. Kay thought it would be nice to call her Auntie, since she had graduated from the tenth grade before the war. Ma Ma Pan, who was a shy girl, didn't even like being called Ma Ma. However, young children are forced to use all the words that are not spoken, so they don't want to be tired.

I don't know the names of the other three. One of them has incredibly beautiful big eyes and long eyelashes. He's going to be a doctor. Not the kind of doctor he's going to be. The kind of guy you want to play poker with. The way he talks is the same as when he was a student, with a deliberate tone, the kind of Burmese accent you hear at dinner parties. Sometimes, even my mother would speak in that voice, even though she couldn't help it. And look. He seems to want to listen. It's not time to go to bed yet, so put on your long, embroidered nightgown.

"I think he's the only one who wears pajamas," Yu whispered to Kay, his thoughts racing.

"I can't even figure out how to wear pajamas. It's hard to mix with other people. The pajamas are so thin. I'll have to turn off the lights and go to bed before I can change."

The girl in the nightgown refused, saying, "I don't drink tea. Please don't let me."

Yu said, "Now... let's have tea," and was about to join in. "Wait... I haven't added any oil yet. I squeezed the lemon and said, "What about the sauce?"

"I've already added the sauce. I can't eat rice without it, so I brought a big bottle."

"What's the oil, oil?"

Ma Ma Pan said nothing, got up, took the bottle of coconut oil she had used to apply to her hair, and poured it into the teapot and rubbed it in.

"Now let's eat, I've already tasted it... it's quite spicy."

Kay started to frown. He really liked tea. He still remembered how his mother used to get angry when he drank too much tea at home. It was true that he used to make tea more delicious than his mother. However, before making tea, he didn't know if Ma Pan would wash his hands with soap. He would apply the soap to his hair and hold the bottle with his palm, so that he wouldn't be able to eat the oil that Ma Pan always used. How could he refuse?

"I don't eat either, eat," he could only say. "Why, don't you drink tea like Kitty?"

Kay controlled himself not to look at the long nightgown and said, "No, Kay likes tea. I don't want to drink it right now." "Are you disgusted?"

If you don't like it, you're just saying the wrong thing, Kay thought. If you do, you're just insulting me. So Kay didn't say anything, just blushed. He felt bad, wondering if he had made enemies before he had friends.

"I don't want to eat," he said, telling the truth. "Eat, Yu, go eat," he urged the hungry Yu.

The tea party was quiet from the noise. Kay went out to the veranda. Outside, the moon was shining brightly. The higher it got, the bluer it would become. The dark shadows would still be visible. He stared at the white clouds. If he could sit there,

It's good. I think I'll be safe from danger because I'm alone.

While they were having tea and talking, Kay wanted to go back into the room. He was afraid of facing the eyes that would be staring at him like before. He felt like he had committed a crime and was afraid. He also wanted everyone to understand that he did not want to hurt anyone. What should Kay do?

He heard the clever Yu interrupt and leave. He approached and asked, "Are you homesick?"

"I don't miss home"

“Tell me who you miss.” “When you look at the moon, do you miss anything?” “Well... what happened?”

"I'm as bored as the poet Shelley," Kay said, and began to recite an English poem.

Yu laughed, "Ha...ha." "Isn't that right? I'll meet the writer, Auntie," he said.

"Uncle... Yes, I've read his novels. I like him. Do you know him and Yu?"

"I know, come on.. let's go now. He also just came to college this year. He's a bit of a weirdo, studying architecture. His hobby is designing houses, sir."

Thank you Yu for refreshing Kay's mind.

When they arrived at their uncle's room, they found it full of students. The uncle had a double room and was living with his sister. The students in the uncle's room were singing and clapping, so both K and Yu joined in singing and clapping. The Rakhine girl Myananda stood up and danced. Then she said that she wanted to go to university.

A student named Yadana Moe, who had come to college, put a cigarette in his pocket and said, “Whose style is this, which style is this?” The movie actresses laughed at him. Then he showed pictures of fashionistas walking around, wearing new clothes one after another. Finally, the good-natured Marjorie, who many accused of being a bad-tempered person, got up and danced the English dance, while the still-weeping Kay came to her uncle.

"My name is Kay," she said softly.