20-10-2025, 12:08 AM
(This post was last modified: 20-10-2025, 02:05 PM by lee.jae.han. Edited 2 times in total. Edited 2 times in total.)
## Update 10: The Stolen Book and the Dinner Invitation
By evening, everyone had left the cricket ground. But I stayed, my eyes glued to the darkening street, waiting for Mona. Soon enough, she, her brother, and her boyfriend appeared and walked toward the storehouse.
I followed them quickly, anticipation pounding in my chest, but her brother stood right in front of the window, completely blocking my view. I couldn't go inside or even peek. I will hide inside the storehouse tomorrow before they come, I vowed, and with that, I backed away, disappointed.
Suddenly, the dusty storehouse door creaked open. The three figures inside froze, then scattered, running out the window and taking off toward their houses. It must have been the owner. My chance to watch was gone. I walked home, my shoulders slumped in defeat, ate dinner, and went to bed.
As I walked toward my room, I heard my Chachis talking. I paused near the wall.
"Meena, is there any progress?" Seema Chachi asked, her voice tight with eagerness.
"It's only been one day, Didi," Meena Chachi replied. "This has to be done slowly, deliberately."
"Yes, Meena, think carefully before you decide," Suman Chachi (the eldest) cautioned.
"Find someone good and handsome," Seema Chachi added, the request sounding bold.
"Yes, yes," Meena Chachi agreed. "I'll think about it and make a good plan."
"What do you mean?" Suman Chachi asked, her confusion apparent.
"Didi, after all these years, if we suddenly become mothers, people will get suspicious. It has to look natural."
"Oh," Suman Chachi said, her voice now full of worry. "I didn't think of that."
"But Meena, how will you manage that?" Seema Chachi pressed.
"Leave it to me. I'll do something so no one ever suspects anything."
"Whatever you do, just do it quickly," Suman Chachi sighed, giving in to impatience.
"Not quickly, Didi. It has to be done slowly."
"Okay, let's go to sleep," Suman Chachi concluded, ending the dangerous conversation.
---
The next day, nothing special happened at schoool. I got a harsh warning for not doing my homework, but that was it.
In the afternoon, I went to Madam's house again. Today, she was in a bright, relaxed mood.
"Will you drink something, Avi?" she asked, walking past me.
"A cup of coffee," I said, the words surprising even myself.
She stopped and laughed. "What's this? Yesterday you refused, and today you're asking for it yourself."
"You said I'd enjoy it after the first time, Madam," I replied, a smirk touching my lips. "And you were right."
"Okay, sit down. I'll make coffee."
I sat on the sofa. As she went inside, my eyes were immediately drawn to the single bed. Tucked underneath it, just as it had been the day before, was a book covered in newspaper. The wind from the ceiling fan had flipped a few pages, revealing clear pictures of naked women. My heart hammered in my chest. I looked around the empty room and reached for it. Just as my fingers brushed the newspaper cover, I heard her stirring in the kitchen.
I quickly slipped the book into my bag.
Madam returned with the steaming coffee, and we settled into conversation.
"Avi, your village is so lovely," she said.
"Yes, Madam, it's nice and sweet."
"The people are a bit strange, though," she said, her voice dropping conspiratorially.
"Strange, how?"
"They just stare at me whenever I go outside," she said.
"Madam, if you go out in that dress," I said, a cheeky tease entering my voice as I looked at her casual wear, "people will stare."
She shook her head, a hint of frustration in her eyes. "No, I mean when I'm wearing a sari on the way to schoool. They stare."
"Madam, you're the most beautiful woman in this village," I said honestly. "That's why they stare."
"Can I ask you something else?" she pressed, ignoring my compliment.
"Of course."
"Whose house is that yellow one near the shop?"
"That's Mona's house," I said. "She's a girl from our schoool."
"I saw a boy there, too."
"That's probably her brother. He's failed the same class for two years."
"Why are you asking all these questions, Madam?" I asked, a sense of unease creeping up on me. Her probing felt too similar to the secrets I was carrying.
"Oh, no reason," she said quickly, forcing a nervous laugh. "It's just that whenever I go to schoool, he keeps staring at me, and his eyes... they scare me."
"Madam, he and his sister Mona are both bad," I said, the words slipping out, fueled by my witnessing their actions.
"Bad? What do you mean?"
"They're just bad," I repeated, not wanting to say more, unable to trust myself. "Let's not talk about it. I have to go now. It's getting late."
"Bye, Madam. See you tomorrow."
"Bye," she said, her expression suddenly warm. "And make sure you come tomorrow. We'll have dinner together."
I left, the weight of the coffee, the stolen book, and the promise of dinner all pressing down on me. I knew the line between student and confidant was disappearing fast.
---
By evening, everyone had left the cricket ground. But I stayed, my eyes glued to the darkening street, waiting for Mona. Soon enough, she, her brother, and her boyfriend appeared and walked toward the storehouse.
I followed them quickly, anticipation pounding in my chest, but her brother stood right in front of the window, completely blocking my view. I couldn't go inside or even peek. I will hide inside the storehouse tomorrow before they come, I vowed, and with that, I backed away, disappointed.
Suddenly, the dusty storehouse door creaked open. The three figures inside froze, then scattered, running out the window and taking off toward their houses. It must have been the owner. My chance to watch was gone. I walked home, my shoulders slumped in defeat, ate dinner, and went to bed.
As I walked toward my room, I heard my Chachis talking. I paused near the wall.
"Meena, is there any progress?" Seema Chachi asked, her voice tight with eagerness.
"It's only been one day, Didi," Meena Chachi replied. "This has to be done slowly, deliberately."
"Yes, Meena, think carefully before you decide," Suman Chachi (the eldest) cautioned.
"Find someone good and handsome," Seema Chachi added, the request sounding bold.
"Yes, yes," Meena Chachi agreed. "I'll think about it and make a good plan."
"What do you mean?" Suman Chachi asked, her confusion apparent.
"Didi, after all these years, if we suddenly become mothers, people will get suspicious. It has to look natural."
"Oh," Suman Chachi said, her voice now full of worry. "I didn't think of that."
"But Meena, how will you manage that?" Seema Chachi pressed.
"Leave it to me. I'll do something so no one ever suspects anything."
"Whatever you do, just do it quickly," Suman Chachi sighed, giving in to impatience.
"Not quickly, Didi. It has to be done slowly."
"Okay, let's go to sleep," Suman Chachi concluded, ending the dangerous conversation.
---
The next day, nothing special happened at schoool. I got a harsh warning for not doing my homework, but that was it.
In the afternoon, I went to Madam's house again. Today, she was in a bright, relaxed mood.
"Will you drink something, Avi?" she asked, walking past me.
"A cup of coffee," I said, the words surprising even myself.
She stopped and laughed. "What's this? Yesterday you refused, and today you're asking for it yourself."
"You said I'd enjoy it after the first time, Madam," I replied, a smirk touching my lips. "And you were right."
"Okay, sit down. I'll make coffee."
I sat on the sofa. As she went inside, my eyes were immediately drawn to the single bed. Tucked underneath it, just as it had been the day before, was a book covered in newspaper. The wind from the ceiling fan had flipped a few pages, revealing clear pictures of naked women. My heart hammered in my chest. I looked around the empty room and reached for it. Just as my fingers brushed the newspaper cover, I heard her stirring in the kitchen.
I quickly slipped the book into my bag.
Madam returned with the steaming coffee, and we settled into conversation.
"Avi, your village is so lovely," she said.
"Yes, Madam, it's nice and sweet."
"The people are a bit strange, though," she said, her voice dropping conspiratorially.
"Strange, how?"
"They just stare at me whenever I go outside," she said.
"Madam, if you go out in that dress," I said, a cheeky tease entering my voice as I looked at her casual wear, "people will stare."
She shook her head, a hint of frustration in her eyes. "No, I mean when I'm wearing a sari on the way to schoool. They stare."
"Madam, you're the most beautiful woman in this village," I said honestly. "That's why they stare."
"Can I ask you something else?" she pressed, ignoring my compliment.
"Of course."
"Whose house is that yellow one near the shop?"
"That's Mona's house," I said. "She's a girl from our schoool."
"I saw a boy there, too."
"That's probably her brother. He's failed the same class for two years."
"Why are you asking all these questions, Madam?" I asked, a sense of unease creeping up on me. Her probing felt too similar to the secrets I was carrying.
"Oh, no reason," she said quickly, forcing a nervous laugh. "It's just that whenever I go to schoool, he keeps staring at me, and his eyes... they scare me."
"Madam, he and his sister Mona are both bad," I said, the words slipping out, fueled by my witnessing their actions.
"Bad? What do you mean?"
"They're just bad," I repeated, not wanting to say more, unable to trust myself. "Let's not talk about it. I have to go now. It's getting late."
"Bye, Madam. See you tomorrow."
"Bye," she said, her expression suddenly warm. "And make sure you come tomorrow. We'll have dinner together."
I left, the weight of the coffee, the stolen book, and the promise of dinner all pressing down on me. I knew the line between student and confidant was disappearing fast.
---
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