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“Ugh… cramps, cramps… this stomach pain just won’t stop. Cramps, cramps…”
Nansan pressed on her stomach, groaning, and headed back to the bathroom for the umpteenth time.
U Phoe Kyaw San, pacing back and forth in the hotel room with a worried expression, muttered irritably.
“What could she have eaten to make her stomach so upset? Thuza, Thuza!”
“Yes… Uncle?”
“What did she do yesterday? What did she eat? Where did she go? Tell me.”
“She was just at the hotel, eating only the hotel food, Uncle…”
Thuza, who had snuck out without U Phoe Kyaw San knowing, was now feeling nervous. She was also well aware of her employer’s tendency to blame those around him when something went wrong. Seeing how worried he was about his daughter’s upset stomach as if it were the end of the world, she could understand the gravity of the situation.
“She’s having an upset stomach just from eating hotel food? How is this hotel managing its food services? Were there any spoiled ingredients in the food yesterday? Go ask the manager, Kyaw Thet.”
“I’ve already asked, Uncle. Everything they serve is fresh, including the fish and prawns, which come directly from the river. None of the other guests had any issues.”
Since U Phoe Kyaw San couldn’t point fingers at anyone, he fell silent, though he furrowed his brows and continued pacing while glancing towards the bathroom with increasing agitation.
As U Phoe Kyaw San fretted, Nansan quietly sat on the toilet lid, trying to maintain her act.
Her father had mentioned that he would be going to Popa early in the morning, along with U Aung Din, to survey the Mount Popa Resort. Nansan was supposed to go along, stay one night, and return the next day, as planned the night before.
However, Nansan didn’t want to go. She had already made plans to meet Lunn and wander around, so she was now feigning a stomach upset to avoid going. She had been running in and out of the bathroom at least ten times this morning.
The night before, her father and Thuza had returned right after her, so no one knew she had sneaked out.
“Thuza…”
“Yes, Uncle?”
“Has Nansan been in there for a long time? Is she feeling weak from using the bathroom so much? Go knock on the door and ask her. It’s been too long for her to stay in there like this.”
Nansan overheard the conversation from inside the bathroom.
Thuza knocked on the door.
“Nansan, are you okay? Is your stomach still hurting?”
“Ugh… it still hurts, Thuza.”
Nansan came out of the bathroom, clutching her stomach, and U Phoe Kyaw San immediately looked distressed.
“Are you in a lot of pain? If so, we’ll need to call a doctor. Kyaw Thet… Kyaw Thet…”
“Yes, Uncle?”
“Call the doctor.”
“No… no, Kyaw Thet, don’t call the doctor. Father, I’m really fine. It’s just a bit of indigestion. I feel better now after going to the bathroom.”
“How can we not call a doctor?”
“Father, I know my body. I’m telling you, it’s not necessary. Don’t worry about me. You should go ahead with your plans.”
“I wanted to take you along. There’s a friend of U Aung Din, an engineer from America, staying at the hotel. They’ll be discussing the hotel construction site around Popa and Bagan, and your input will be valuable since you’ll be involved in this project later on.”
“I feel too weak from using the bathroom so much, Father. What if I have to go again while I’m there? I won’t be able to interact properly with the guests. You should go ahead, and I’ll rest here in the room.”
“Alright then, we’ll plan to meet up again next time. Just make sure you’re really okay.”
“I’ll be fine, Father.”
“Thuza…”
“Yes, Uncle?”
“Make sure to take good care of her.”
“Yes, Uncle.”
“If she gets worse, call me right away. You hear me?”
“Yes, Uncle.”
“Alright then, I’m leaving, Nansan.”
“Okay, Father.”
“You can count on me.”
“I trust you, Father.”
“Kyaw Thet, let’s go.”
“Yes, the car is ready, Uncle.”
“Father.”
“Yes, dear?”
“I’m going to turn off my phone and rest for a while. If anything comes up, I’ll call you.”
“Alright… alright… make sure to drink some electrolytes, okay? Drink plenty. Thuza…”
“Yes…”
“Prepare some electrolytes for her.”
“Yes, Uncle.”
With a final instruction, U Phoe Kyaw San left the room.
As soon as he was gone, the worried expression on Nansan’s face vanished, replaced with a mischievous smile.
Thuza, staring at her, asked, “Nansan, are you feeling better now? Is your stomach pain gone?”
“I was never in pain, Thuza. I was pretending so I wouldn’t have to go with Father. I didn’t even use the bathroom—I’ve just been sitting in there pretending.”
“Oh my gosh, Nansan, I was so worried!”
“Don’t worry. There’s an offering ceremony in the village today. You should go.”
“I’d like to go, but…”
“If you want to go, go, Thuza. I’ll just be reading or using the internet in the room.”
Thuza was reluctant to leave Nansan alone but also eager to attend the offering ceremony, having promised to meet relatives there.
“Alright, I’ll go then.”
“Go, go. Don’t worry about me.”
Nansan, smiling slyly, turned to look out the window at the majestic Irrawaddy River, her heart racing with excitement.
She’d be seeing Lunn today.
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“I guess I should try this…”
Nansan opened the betel pouch, curious, while Lunn smiled at her inquisitiveness.
They were sitting under the shade of a taung-naung tree near the Ananda Temple, where the grandeur of the temple stood out against the bright blue sky. The cool, cloudless winter weather added to the peaceful atmosphere.
Lunn had picked her up near the hotel, and they had ridden there together. Since Nansan preferred cycling, he had brought an e-bike from his guesthouse, making their journey effortless.
“Lunn, what are these things? Explain them to me.”
She pointed at the contents of the betel pouch, prompting him to explain.
“Well, these are betel nuts, these white pieces are lime, and these tiny rice-looking things are cardamom seeds.”
“Oh, so you wrap them in a betel leaf and chew? Interesting…”
Lunn laughed, amused by the tone of her voice.
“Why are you laughing, Lunn? Tell me!”
“Your accent! It’s so unexpected from someone like you.”
“I picked it up from the older ladies in my hometown, Lunn! I overheard them while buying snacks.”
“Haha, well, it doesn’t suit someone as young and elegant as you.”
“Fine, I won’t say it anymore.”
Her playful pout made him laugh again. This delicate flower had a charm that was innocent and endearing.
“Go on, chew it, Nansan…”
“Chew… chew…”
She put the betel in her mouth, producing a crunching sound.
“Am I doing it right, Lunn? Is this how you chew it?”
“Yes, go ahead… chew it.”
Suddenly, her face crinkled as the juices burst out.
“Do I swallow this? Should I swallow it?”
“No! Don’t swallow it, spit it out!”
She quickly turned to the side and spat it out.
“Hey, don’t spit it here…”
“Oh… I’m sorry, I didn’t know what to do! I’ll clean it up, I’m usually very well-behaved. I didn’t mean to be disrespectful in front of the temple.”
Blushing, she wiped her mouth as Lunn reassured her.
“If you don’t like it, just spit it out, Nansan.”
She quickly threw the betel pieces into the trash and came back laughing.
“I almost swallowed the juice, Lunn. Betel is definitely not for me.”
Lunn grinned, enjoying her candidness. This innocent flower of a girl was truly delightful.
