Myat Thin - Mya Kyun Myaing Mahura Bon

Mya Kyun Myaing

That day was the day it started to rain in Mya Kyun Myaing. It was a lucky day because it started to rain.

In the morning, the appearance of summer was still vivid. The mist was spreading over the Ming Thon mountain range. The mist was floating on the shoulders of the old mountain range like the hairs of a frog. After a while, a large gray cloud suddenly arrived and began to hit the peak of Ming Thon. Then, the gray clouds gathered one after another, scratching and clawing at the entire Ming Thon mountain range. When they spread their long wings in the wind, the green water of the Mu River turned gray. The clouds spread to the small Plutha mountain range in the west, and the entire Mya Kyun Myaing became hazy. Then, the raindrops fell on the large teak leaves with a loud roar.

The giant elephant Toelong, who was pulling a large block of wood with a thin iron chain, lifted his trunk and drank the raindrops.

"Daddy... Daddy, pull, pull, pull"

"Malays, pull, pull"

"Up, up"

"Mine, mine"

"Old, old"

The sound of the elephant drivers cheering on the elephants as they pulled logs echoed along with the sound of the rain. In the forest, the sound of saws and the sound of large teak trees falling down echoed.

Standing near a fallen teak tree, Thin Aung glanced up at the sky, which was strewn with raindrops and coconut leaves. Then, as if nothing had happened, he continued to cut the wood. He marked the places where he wanted to cut with his knife. He also marked the places where he wanted to discard with his knife. Then, he stamped the log with a stamp to mark it.

The sounds of people, elephants, and falling trees began to overpower the sounds of the pouring rain. At that moment, I saw U Pauk Kyaw running through the teak trees.

When he reached Thin Aung, U Pauk Kyaw's ribcage was heaving like a frog's beak. U Pauk Kyaw's entire body was drenched in rain.

"Your Excellency... Your Excellency..."

"Are you back... this assistant?"

Thin Aung felt uncomfortable with U Pauk Kyaw's name, and he frowned and groaned.

“Uh... there's a woman at the camp who wants to see you, sir.”

"What, is it a woman? Who is she?"

"I don't know about that, sir. It seems like it's not the same around here. The woman is young and pretty. The lieutenant sent her."

Thin Aung was confused. There was still a lot of work to do.

"Please follow me, I'll cut the rest of the wood for you."

The little woodcutter, Ko Kan Myaing, said.

And so, Thin Aung returned to the camp with U Pauk Kyaw, a riddle in his head.

The rain is still pouring down like a river from the sky.

A woman. Young and beautiful.

Who are the demons that flew down to Mya Kyun Myaing with the raindrops?

I didn't expect it anyway.

He had never expected that this young man would come from the middle of the forest, crossing seven mountain ranges, to this small camp called Mya Kyun Myaing. That's why Thin Aung was surprised.

“Hey... Snowy”

“Hmm.. Ko Aung”

Hnin Yi happily ran to the door where Thin Aung was. Thin Aung put his arm around Hnin Yi's shoulder as they walked into the tent together. Hnin Yi's shoulder suddenly jerked and Hnin Yi's body swayed to one side. She didn't notice. In the past, whenever Thin Aung returned from university, he would always wait for Hnin Yi at home by hugging her shoulder.

Now, isn't Hnin Yi the young and beautiful girl she was before she reached puberty? She's grown up, and she's beautiful, with big and small breasts. That realization makes Thin Aung's blood pressure rise, and Hnin Yi's heart beat faster.

"Oh... Ko Aung, the rain is going to wash away Hnin Yi," Thin Aung said casually, as if he was saying something.

He relaxed his hand.

“My mother is also Ko Aung, she stayed at the Welabo tent.”

"Mom too... Yes, how did you get here, Hnin Yi? You've come on a really long journey, huh? Wow."

"Now... now... then let's talk calmly. Teacher, my whole body is soaked with rain. Go change your clothes... I'm cold, and it's raining heavily today."

U Pauk Kyaw's wife, Daw Ngwe Yin, said. Hnin Yi ran into the room, took one piece of cloth and gave it to him. While Thin Aung was washing his face with the other, she held a pair of clothes to change into and waited from the side.

“There is a meditation retreat of the Bodhi Monastery in the sea. I meditated at that retreat for a month and met Ko Aung, so I came with the monk.”

“Ah... Hnin Yi, why don't you sit and meditate?” Hnin Yi smiled, impressed by Thin Aung's question.

“Hnin Yi is not yet that full, Ko Aung, I will sit in meditation.”

"Mom, are you feeling better, Snow?"

“Dr. Win Kyaing said that as you rest your mind and body, your health will improve. Ko Aung, this area is surrounded by forests and mountains, has a pleasant climate, and the air is clean. So the doctor also agrees with you and encourages you to practice meditation.”

Hnin Yi explained as she wrung out the wet clothes and hung them to dry on the line of reeds.

“It’s been a long time since I last saw Ko Aung Hnin Yi.”

“I haven’t seen you since I returned from my last year of school because of the closure of the school. At that time, I was still returning to Hnin Yi Aye Nyein, so I missed you.”

"Every time Ko Aung comes back from work and leaves, we're always late. It's been three years since we last saw each other..."

“Ko Aung also returned without any prior notice, so we didn’t see him.”

The clothesline was quite high, so Hnin Yi had to stand on tiptoe to hang the clothes. Hnin Yi's posture, standing on tiptoe, was as slender as a canary reaching for the stars.

"I'll probably go to my mother's tomorrow, but Hnin Yi is tired from traveling, so I'll rest today."

"Please be patient"

Hnin Yi said. Daw Ngwe Yin also spoke from the kitchen.

"Very well, if you go to Welin, I will go with you. I will buy chili peppers, onions, and other food."

“Come with me, Daw Ngwe Yin, and Hnin Yi will be your companion.”

Hnin Yi was watching the raindrops that were falling from the eaves. The raindrops jumped onto the roof. Then, they twirled like pearls on the roof, waiting for their companion. The raindrops from above came down one by one, then they met and slid down the roof to the ground.

"Ko Aung, would you like some hot water? It's in a bottle."

Thin Aung took a sip of hot water. The warmth spread throughout his body.

"Well... when my grandfather passed away."

Thin Aung stopped before he could finish speaking because of Hnin Yi's pitiful face that had suddenly faded. Hnin Yi's head sank down on his shoulders like a bow that had been pulled by a bowstring. The pain of missing his deceased father slowly overwhelmed him. Thin Aung also remembered Baba Po Khaung, just like Hnin Yi. Baba Po Khaung, who used to walk around the peaceful market carrying him on his shoulder, Baba Po Khaung, who used to give Hnin Yi a toy with his left hand and was satisfied only when he gave her a toy with his right hand. Truly, Baba Po Khaung...

"How much does my grandfather love my family?"