Weekends...
Waking up early even on holidays is a habit I can't seem to break. I spent the morning carrying water for the kitchen, filling the drinking pots, and making sure the latrine tanks were topped up. I even managed to sweep the entire house, top to bottom.
"Atar Koo, you're up so early fetching water already!"
"Yes, Daw Lay," I replied.
Daw Lay Tin Tin is in her early thirties, quite a bit younger than my mother.
"You're in your senior year now; you should be focusing on your studies, dear."
Even though this was my uncle's house, I couldn't help but feel a sense of obligation. I felt I should at least help out with the basic chores I was capable of doing.
"It's alright, Daw Lay. I just want to lighten your load a bit."
"Well, if you insist..."
By the time I finished cleaning, showering, and changing, it was already 10:00 AM. I picked a well-lit spot to start memorizing the Biology lessons we had covered that week.
"Koko, come play with me!"
And that's where the trouble started. I was looking for any excuse not to study, and little Chit Lwin Maung was more than happy to provide one.
"Angal! Don't disturb your Koko!" Daw Lay Tin Tin shouted from the kitchen.
"But Mom, I want to play!"
Chit Lwin Maung was buzzing a toy airplane over my head, making loud engine noises. I understood him, though. At his age, he just wanted someone to play with, and since I was there, I became his target.
"Come here, come to Mommy first..."
He scurried into the kitchen and finally went quiet, distracted by a phone making various noises.
I thought I finally had some peace to study. But barely ten minutes later, the garden gate creaked open. It was a simple wooden gate, easy for anyone to come and go.
"Is Atar Koo studying?"
There it was again—that name.
I didn't get up, just glanced over. She was wearing a sky-blue dress, her short hair still damp from a recent wash. She walked toward me, carrying a four-tiered tiffin carrier.
"Yeah. Can't you see?" I replied, though truth be told, I hadn't managed to memorize a single line yet.
Daw Lay Tin Tin hadn't noticed our visitor yet.
"Daw Lay, I brought some snacks!" Phue Ngone called out.
Hearing her voice, Daw Lay came outside.
"Oh, Phue Ngone!"
"Yes, Daw Lay! We made some snacks at home today." Phue Ngone handed over the heavy tiffin carrier.
"Is that so? Let me go empty this for you."
"You don't even need to wash it, Daw Lay!" Phue Ngone shouted after her.
Then, she came and sat down beside me, peering at the books spread across the table.
"Do you have to study this much in tenth grade?"
"Mhm. Yeah."
"I heard grade -10 is supposed to be 'magical' or something."
"Really?"
"Well, looking at you, it doesn't seem very magical at all."
Seriously, why does this girl always have to get under my skin?
"You'll find out when it's your turn," I shot back.
Daw Lay returned with the empty tiffin. "You two became friends fast, didn't you? That was quick!"
Quick indeed. If Daw Lay had known me since I was a kid, she'd be saying the same thing. I had never talked this much to any girl before.
She smiled. I didn't know what to say, so I just smiled back.
Phue Ngone stood up, said her goodbyes to Daw Lay, and left. With her short hair and that sky-blue dress, she looked incredibly cute under the vast blue sky.
This time, I actually managed to focus and study. There were no more interruptions.
As the months passed, I began to learn more about my two companions. I noticed that Nyein Min Thaik, with his perfectly pressed shirts, was a favorite among the teachers. Not only was he great at his studies, but he also competed in every essay, poetry, and impromptu speaking contest the school held.
And it wasn't just him—Phue Ngone was equally brilliant. I kept hearing her name called out repeatedly during award ceremonies. Meanwhile, I was just coasting through my tenth-grade year, relatively worry-free.
For me, the only thing "magical" about tenth grade was how those two could study as much as they did.