Maha Swe - Love

The doctor and nurse stayed up all night trying to treat him, but when the patient woke up and started to moan, the doctor looked happy.

"Ma Khin Chit. Ma Khin Chit," he called the patient's name over and over again.

"Sir," he said softly, rolling his eyes, and the doctor, with a look of relief, exhaled a deep breath, indicating that he was well rested.

“My niece... you are safe, don’t worry,” the teacher said again. In the first two days after Ma Khin Chit arrived at the hospital, she was so ill that she had to be taken to the sugar plantation. The heat was so intense that even her long, dark hair had to be cut off like a nun. Ma Khin Chit was only 15 years old, so it was the first time in her life that she had suffered from such a serious illness.

People don't know about Ma Khin Chit, but her mother was a special daughter, Khin also Khin. Chit also Chit. She was even given the name "Ma Khin Chit". Her parents sent her to Yangon from a town just a day away to study as a boarding school student. She fell ill at school and could not see the school doctor, so she ended up in the women's ward of Yangon General Hospital.

Ma Khin Chit was not as popular as other students at school. He hated running and jumping, or having fun with his friends. He was fond of Burmese poetry, English poetry. He loved flowers and trees. In his spare time, he would sit among the flowers and trees, singing a song.

The nurse's name was Daw Chan Mi. She was a black woman who spoke English, and her husband was a doctor who wore trousers and was a military man. However, the doctor abandoned Daw Chan Mi. Daw Chan Mi spoke Burmese fluently like most Burmese women and was kind to patients. She was only in her early 30s. As someone who understood what people experienced on the stage, she often told stories about her beloved when she was recovering. She told stories from how she first fell in love with her husband to how they separated.

Daw Chan Mi shook her head with a frown, reciting a poem that her boyfriend had given her when they were dating.

"I love poetry too, Auntie."

Daw Chan Mi looked at Ma Khin Chit and became even more confused.

"It's free, brother.. Dean and I write letters every time we have no tongues, like this poem. Auntie is still young and crazy, so I like her. Just like bees fly away when they are full of nectar, Dean will eat your skin and fat and enjoy himself with a young wife."

Ma Khin Chit sat on the bed, leaning her head on the pillow with her elbows, and looked out the window from where she was listening, looking southward, gazing at the trees, the red roofs, and the buildings. Her dark eyes, with their clear lids, gave the impression that if her skin were fair, she would be a beautiful woman.

"What did your husband say at first, Auntie?"

"I love you, I want to love you..... I love you, I love you... I love you like a mountain of gold,

Ma Khin Chit, who had never thought that Myanmar would be so popular, smiled, revealing her white teeth.

"Every man is like this, you know..."

"What did I do to you that made you change your mind?"

"I mean, I want to throw away the old and get the new. Now, now, my niece, go to bed... The doctor said I should sleep in the afternoon."

Daw Chan Mi made Ma Khin Chit a bed, covered her with a blanket, and left. Ma Khin Chit was not happy. She looked at the ceiling painted in light blue and green, and looked out the window and the sky from the edge of the bed. She was only 15 years old. She had never heard of a husband. Her kind-hearted but jealous teacher told her that men can change their minds. She had been to an English boarding school, so she had read English novels. Romeo and Juliet was her favorite play. She herself seemed to consider it a privilege to experience sadness.

He believed that men and women should not know each other, but love each other. Not far from his school, there was a boys' school. The students often met. Among the many students, he saw a tall, 17-year-old student who was in love with him. He fell in love with her from the bottom of his heart.

The young man's thoughts of how much he would love me, his appearance, his behavior, and his movements, were constantly reoccurring. Ma Khin Chit didn't know why he loved that boy. While thinking about it, he fell asleep for a while. But it didn't last long. He woke up again after about 15 or 20 minutes. At that moment, Daw Chan Mi brought tea and two pieces of bread and placed them on the small table in front of the bed.

"Are you asleep, my love..." he asked.

"Get some sleep, Auntie," he said, and after covering himself with the blanket, he sat up, leaning his head on the pillow with his elbows.

"Like before, a child from school came to the hospital with a serious illness. He was so hot that he was burning..."

Just hearing the name of the school made Ma Khin Chit's heart flutter and she said, "Oh," and asked, "Who is it, Auntie?"

Daw Chan Mi didn't know very well. While serving tea, she said, "I was told that he was the leader of the school. He was tall, strong, and just a kid from that school..."

"What's his name, Auntie?" Ma Khin Chit stretched her neck out to ask, but Daw Chan Mi didn't know.

"Now...now...drink tea, it's not good if it gets cold."

He said and walked back to the door.

Ma Khin Chit was thinking with her eyes closed. But that school

I knew for sure that this must be him. Sometimes, when two schools would pass by, Ma Khin Chit remembered the one who had eaten one of the heads of the crowd and had come with him. Ma Khin Chit was thin, but she liked strong, muscular men.

That student, too, would always look at Ma Khin Chit alone among the many students whenever they met. Ma Khin Chit herself would often secretly glance at that boy among the many students. Sakkhu Rupena had been observing Ragaputta for a long time.

Ma Khin Chit, although not a fan of running, admired those who excelled in running. The boy's high school was a top school in inter-school competitions. He broke many records every year. The boy who Ma Khin Chit was obsessed with was the first in 6 or 7 athletic events. He was also famous in football, cricket, tennis, etc. He was also the first in swimming and 5-mile running.

As if love were rekindling old wounds, hearing that someone who didn't understand love and was blindsided by it had arrived at the hospital, and that he was as seriously ill as he was, made me want to share his pain.

At night, Ma Khin Chit and the child were treated by the same doctor. However, the doctor did not say anything. Daw Chan Mi did not care about the child and did not say anything. Ma Khin Chit did not know her and did not dare to ask. After about 2 days, the doctor who treated Ma Khin Chit examined Ma Khin Chit, who was recovering, and gave her a diagnosis in English.

"You were considered dead, but you survived because of your hard work. A child like you who got sick was strong from the start and was like a giant, so he didn't suffer much. He recovered in a short time."

"I'm so happy to hear that someone who was sick like me has recovered, sir."

The doctor will turn back, Ma Khin Chit.

"What's that person's name anyway..."

The doctor looked back at his face over his shoulder, looking compassionately at him.

Behavior and...

“His name is Maung Kyaw Oo..he's transferring to college this year.”

As soon as Ma Khin Chit heard the name Maung Kyaw Oo, she knew for sure that it was hers, and her face brightened. Her illness also became better than before.

The doctor told Ma Khin Chit about Maung Kyaw Oo, and Ma Khin Chit also told Maung Kyaw Oo about Ma Khin Chit.

"Oh my... the girl is so pretty and delicate, but she's lucky she didn't die when she was hit by a big, strong bullet."

"What is the baby looking for now, sir?"

“Now he is out of the grave. We will continue to treat his weakness. He also asked about the one who had the same disease as him.” Maung Kyaw Oo was naturally happy to hear that Ma Khin Chit was not dead. They lived in the same hospital building, but they could not see each other in different rooms. Maung Kyaw Oo could not think of who Ma Khin Chit was. Although the students had told him that Ma Khin Chit had a smiling face, he could not catch a picture of Rosi Khin Chit. Maung Kyaw Oo had a small bag hanging next to the small table at the head of the bed. From the bag he took out a box of chocolates about a hand’s breadth and a half long..

"Please give this to him, sir... Please tell him that I gave this to him as a gift because I sympathized with him."

"Okay... if you want me to give it to you, I'll give it to you."

The doctor took the box of chocolates and went down from the 3rd floor of the hospital to the 2nd floor. He told Ma Khin Chit that Maung Kyaw Oo, a very sick boy, had given it to him, and he put the box of chocolates in Ma Khin Chit's hands. Ma Khin Chit took the box of chocolates and showed a happy expression.

“Do you... know Maung Kyaw Oo?”

"I don't know. I've met him a few times. But I've never spoken to him."

The doctor seemed to be thinking about how love can be transmitted from one person to another.

Maung Kyaw Oo's illness had completely disappeared by Sunday. On the day he was to be discharged from the hospital, his friends and family came to welcome him. He took off his hospital gown, blue trousers and shirt, and changed into his home clothes. He was not a handsome man, but he had a slightly large jaw, and his eyes and eyebrows were well-groomed. The group greeted the doctors and nurses, made merits for the jaru wala and the hospital staff, and then went downstairs. It was 5 o'clock, the time when outsiders were allowed to enter the hospital.

Maung Kyaw Oo told his parents and friends to wait downstairs and then entered the female patient's room. As he looked at the female patients lying on the beds, he saw a woman holding a box of chocolates, so he went over and took a risk...

“Ma Khin Chit,” she called out. Ma Khin Chit looked up at Maung Kyaw Oo. She stared at Maung Kyaw Oo’s healthy and cheerful face without blinking, and saw that he was wearing new clothes…

"Ko Kyaw Oo... are you coming down today?" he asked, suddenly calling out her name.

"Yes... I'm not going down today. I just came to say goodbye..."

Maung Kyaw Oo now knows Ro Si Khin Chit very well. They were neighbors at school, and from sneaking a glance, he recognized the person he met as Ma Khin Chit. Although she had about four inches of hair and a bald head, like a nun, her eyes, lips, and cheeks were still intact.

"I don't know if I'll get off today either. It's been a while."

"I'm so happy to be healthy now. My friends are waiting for me downstairs. I'm going to go... Ma Khin Chit."

Maung Kyaw Oo looked at her with a gentle, compassionate expression as he greeted her, but Ma Khin Chit was so sad that she just nodded her head. Maung Kyaw Oo's blazer was dark blue.

As I looked out over the vast expanse of the back, tears began to flow as soon as the last thing I saw disappeared. The chocolate box seemed to be looking at Ma Khin Chit sadly.

Soon, Ma Khin Chit's parents and Daw Chan Mi arrived.

"Now, daughter, I told you to go downstairs today. I'll change my clothes."

He handed out Ma Khin Chit's long-sleeved shirt and other clothes. Ma Khin Chit wouldn't have wanted to leave if Maung Kyaw Oo was still in the hospital. But now, he thought the entire hospital was dry. He took the clothes and went to the bathroom to change. When he returned, Daw Chan Mi was in tears...

"Please write to Auntie often, my dear..."

Ma Khin Chit said, not because she missed Daw Chan Mi, but because she was still saddened by Maung Kyaw Oo's departure, and tears welled up in her eyes. "Yes, Auntie," she said, and they came down from the second floor of the hospital with their parents.

Ma Khin Chit's parents took Ma Khin Chit to their town. Ma Khin Chit had recovered from her illness, but she was no longer strong. They decided that it was no longer possible for her to continue her education, so they made her stay at home. As expected, she had become a thin, pale young woman in her old age. She spent her time at home with a book. She had not heard or known about Maung Kyaw Oo.

Days, months, and years passed without realizing it. One day, a young man came to Ma Khin Chit's parents' house. That young man was in love with Ma Khin Chit's sister, and her parents agreed. That young man walked to where she was sitting in the living room...

“Isn’t there a person named Ko Kyaw Oo at Ko Thein Tun’s college? Don’t you know him?”

Thein Tun looked at Ma Khin Chit's expression in surprise as he asked her questions enthusiastically...

“Ko Kyaw Oo, a tough, tall boxer... I don't know him personally, Ma Khin Chit. But every student knows him.”

“Yes.. yes. He is. There must be only one person like him.” “Where did you meet Ma Khin Chit? Are you friends?” “I don’t know.. not friends either. I’ve only seen him once or twice.”

Ma Khin Chit didn't seem to want to accept what he said. Even speaking to a stranger made her feel uncomfortable.

Maung Kyaw Oo was 17 years old and Ma Khin Chit was 15 years old. It has been more than 30 months since the day of the dream. Ma Khin Chit never forgot Maung Kyaw Oo in her heart. At that moment, Ma Khin Chit's sister Tin Mya arrived, and Ma Khin Chit avoided her, not wanting to interfere in the affairs of the youth.

"Mya's sister is a very strange woman. She asked Kyaw Oo urgently and said that she didn't really know him either... Does Mya know?"

Tin Mya said, “No,” shaking her head, “Mama, that kind of person, Ko Ko.. If she has something in her heart, she will never forget it. There must be something she likes about this person.”

"He's a sportsman... he's famous."

“So he must have noted it down and asked.”

Maung Thein Htun interrupted, and after a brief moment of loving conversation, he said goodbye and left.

When Ma Khin Chit was 19 years old, her mother passed away, and things got even worse. Her father and two sisters were struggling to make ends meet, and Tin Mya was forced to marry Maung Thein Htun. Ma Khin Chit even helped buy some of the clothes for the wedding.

“No, Mya is getting married. But Ma Ma wants to know if Mya and Ko Thein Htun really love each other… Does Mya really love him? I see Mya accepting my invitation whenever Ko Thein Htun comes, but Mya’s behavior doesn’t seem to be a two-year-old, so I asked Ma Ma.”

"I love you, I love you... But there's no love that's enough to kill you. Even though I've been with you since I was a baby, you know. He's a real bachelor, a good father, and a college graduate, so what's there to say against him, Mom? One day, you'll be happy."

Ma Khin Chit, who had not been married for two years, did not like the idea of ​​getting married and thought that she would be happy in the future. She had already made plans, so she did not want to ruin them. She thought that Tin Mya would realize her mistake one day. She prayed that the marriage would be concluded quickly, as it was not a valid reason to forbid her from meeting him. Thein Htun, after looking at Ma Khin Chit's behavior, said that she was a proud woman,

That's why he often tells his lover Tin Mya that he is an old woman, comparing Ma Khin Chit, who is only 21 years old, to a young woman.

Soon, the wedding day of Tin Mya and Maung Thein Htun was approaching. The wedding was not a big one. Even in Tin Mya, 3-400 people had been invited, as was customary at a girl’s house. A medium-sized pavilion with a capacity of 500 to 600 people was set up in the front yard of the 5-room, 4-story, thatched-roofed house. Maung Thein Htun’s close friends also arrived in Tin Mya a day or two before the wedding, and Maung Thein Htun had been there for about a week.

Among those friends, Maung Min Aung was close to Maung Thein Tun and had come for about 2 days. Ma Khin Chit was Maung Kyaw Oo and Maung Thein Tun were classmates, so I was hoping he would come. Maung Thein Tun said he didn't know them, so I was a little disappointed that he wouldn't come.

Maung Min Aung was not only close to Maung Thein Tun, but also to Maung Kyaw Oo, and Tin Mya told Maung Thein Tun that Maung Min Aung was also close to Maung Khin Chit, and because Maung Khin Chit was also a housewife, she treated Maung Min Aung with kindness. Maung Min Aung was close to Maung Thein Tun and called him "big brother" many times, smiling and laughing, but in front of Ma Khin Chit, he lived with a sense of composure like a college graduate. His eyes seemed to be obsessed with Ma Khin Chit.

After a night of sleep, Maung Min Aung and Ma Khin Chit became more and more talkative. Ma Khin Chit's expression was always clear, but her eyes showed a mature and calm disposition. However, she often spoke to Maung Min Aung in a friendly manner. Maung Min Aung seemed to think that, as if one loved the other, he loved her and Ma Khin Chit reciprocated her love. In fact, Ma Khin Chit only cared more because she heard that Maung Min Aung was close to Maung Kyaw Oo.

On the evening before the wedding, Ma Khin Chit noticed something moving in the wind on a table where the guests were sitting. Curious to know what it was, she went to look and found it was a health magazine. On the cover was written the name Min Aung in English. Ma Khin Chit turned the book over and over and was surprised to see something.

It was none other than Maung Kyaw Oo, a picture of Maung Kyaw Oo, clearly engraved on a piece of brown paper with the caption "Maung Kyaw Oo, the champion of the athletics." Maung Kyaw Oo was not as young as Maung Kyaw Oo from five years ago, but a little older. However, Ma Khin Chit could not forget his square jaw, wide, sharp eyes, wide forehead, and large ears.