No sooner Nobel Lin stepped into the house than he darted off upstairs to find the room he stayed before. May Moe Madi also went upstairs to settle her package as she planned to stay here for a week. Dun slouched into the living room. What would he have to do next? He felt irritated when he thought of the days he has to put up with the boy in the future. In spite of Nobel Lin who was not stubborn like before, he was not just to Dun's liking.
"Dun, what do you want to have for dinner? I'm gonna prepare for it."
"As usual."
What he usually had for dinner was well-cooked beef curry. When it came to home-made dishes, their tastes were quite different. For May Moe Madi, she was into chicken liver and gizzard curry whereas Nobel Lin couldn't stand any oily curry. The boy didn't state clearly his taste but he ate if the steamed rice was mixed up with oil and a grain of salt combined with fried something. In the Netherlands, the boy didn't seem to be picky as he ate bread and broth most of the time. For Dun, he was allergic to shrimps while May Moe Madi was not a great fan of pork. Novel Lin couldn't bear fish. Considering all the things, aunt Mya had to ask what they wanted to have before she prepared meals.
"Then, I will make your favourite dishes today."
Uncle was helping her out in the kitchen. Dun envied those siblings because they still relied on each other without getting married. They really loved and took care of Dun, Nobel Lin, and May Moe Madi as if they were their children. His parents were fortunate as they met with good people who were willing to look after the children even when they passed away. The workers at their home looked like they never wanted to steal their properties, let alone betray the owners. They were simple-minded people who quite admired Dun's father. Their sincerity could be proven with a vineyard and a lily garden which were under the name of his parents up until now from Kalaw city. The Embraceless Orphanage has also been filled with generous donors.
Even though his life seemed to be perfect, he still felt something was missing. He needed something but he didn't know what it was till now. Dun teared up when the boy was taken to his home. When he asked his mom why she brought another child, she shot a question back.
"Don't you feel lonely?"
Absolutely not! Why should he feel lonely? He had his sister who was always beside him and his parents who would pamper him till death. There's also Aunt Mya and U Nyaung who indulge him. He declared that he did not need such a fool like Nobel Lin in his life.
On that day, his father who never used harsh tone stared at him and claimed,
"I don't like your mindset, Dun. You are not allowed to say Noh Noh a fool. You must take care of him. From now onwards, he is your little brother."
Dun wailed for a long time. Dun just couldn't bring himself to like Nobel Lin who didn't change his clothes, didn't take a bath, didn't laugh or weep, and silently sat in the corner with his legs tucked up. Dun couldn't still find the reason why everyone doted on the boy. Did the boy do something good in the past? It is undoubtable that Dun indeed detested the boy.
He went upstairs and found three rooms. His room lay at the very end of the corridor. Opposite to his room, there were respective rooms for Nobel Lin and May Moe Madi. Dun's room was twice as big as both of their rooms. His parents stayed downstairs while all three children were upstairs. When he was younger, he liked to bully Nobel Lin so he frequently went to the boy's room for bedtime and thus, Noh Noh had to sleep on the floor.
He knocked on the door to his sister's room and stepped into it. Then, he found that she was already lying down with her eyes closed on her bed as she had to drive from Mandalay to Yango. In addition, she had to pick them up too. No wonder she was exhausted and fell asleep. He gently covered her with the blanket at the footboard. Subsequently, he gave a peck on her forehead and escaped her room. Being a compassionate and loyal big sister who sacrificed a lot for her family, Dun couldn't lose another person like May Moe Madi.
Outside the room, Dun shifted his gaze to another room and unconsciously entered it. The light blue mattress lay on the bed and white fur rug covered the whole floor. While decorating Noh Noh's room, his mom commented that it was decorated to look like the sky because the boy was an angel in her eyes. To Dun, the boy was a devil. But, he didn't utter that fact as he was scared of his father.
Nobel Lin was busying himself with taking out the origami in glass bottles from the luggage and arranging them with a thread. His attention was solely on them till Dun walked to the bed and sat down on it.
"Your luggage is heavy because you carry all of this."
The boy glanced up at Dun and he was back to his work. After that, he took out his brushes and palette which aunt Nilar packed them up. Then, he seemed to look for something.
Dun says, " What did you forget?"
Without responding, the boy searched on the bed, under it, and in every corner of the luggage. But it seemed he couldn't find it no matter how hard he searched.
"What are you looking for? If you don't tell me, how can I help find it? It's not that you are muted."
"I left it."
He gave a response finally so Dun inquired calmly,
"I am aware of it. What did you forget to bring?"
"Teddy bear and Lim's painting."
Did he hear it right? Teddy bear and Lim's painting? He had to even drag this little human so how would he expect him to bring a human sized teddy bear and a painting which he couldn't even hold up?
"I'll inform Aunt Nilar. She will probably send them next week."
"Now!"
"Impossible. Aunt Nilar has to trouble herself for sending them, packing them. Only when she's free, she's able to help you. You should feel sorry for her. Oh, you don't know how to feel sorry for others, right?"
He asked by himself and answered it on his own.
"I want the teddy bear."
"I say I will ask her to send it. Or I can go buy you the same one."
"No!"
"What is it, Nobel Lin?" Tell me exactly what you need."
"Zalat's teddy bear."
"What?"
He was speechless this time. The boy was not aware of how to address the elders and youngsters. He only took note of the names of the people and called them by their first names. He's already realised that Zalat meant his mom,Zalat Phyu.
"If you really want that teddy bear my mom gave, just wait for a week, Nobel Lin."
Dun threw himself down on the bed in frustration. He's getting exhausted to coexist with him and it's really not easy to breathe the same air as him for even a day with this boy.
As the room fell into silence, he lifted his head and found that the boy was sitting on the balcony. He thought he was going to experience the boy's outburst. But it turned out he was wrong. Could it be that Nobel was able to control his mind?
He got up from the bed and walked over to oversee the situation. Nobel Lin was staring far away and shrinking himself on the rattan cot. He called out his name,
"Nobel Lin."
"...."
The boy was gazing somewhere far and at the same time, Dun was looking fixedly at the little guy who seemed to change. The boy was wearing a light blue short sleeved shirt who looked like an innocent kid sitting on the baby cradle. He reckoned what a relaxing and tranquil life was should be the world the boy was currently residing in. It's a life which normal people like Dun would never be granted.