“Eigi Houragi Mapang”
(“The Depth of My Love”)
Ei phamlammi 8–9 mateng. Ningthem-na chattuna leitre, adum
Leima-na epungna thajillak-i. Khangbirakle khudingmakta eina hourabadi adubu
hougatpa matam toudana phanglaga eina thajillaba matam khudingmak amuk houre.
Leima amasung eina high school ki damak nattei kharadi. Adu
semminbabu ngamdouri. College phaoba matam khudingmakta makhoigi chatna
chaokhatnaba houraga eina mafamda tinnaba kei leitre. Aduga Leima-na
phibamthokpa maramda mapham koujada thajillaga sinnarammi.
Amuk oinana nungsiba matam kanagumba — Iraal leiriba numit
ama da.
Leima-na message puthokle, “Nahak nattraga eina
today evening-na cafe da phang-i. Maramdi eina karigumba khudongchaba houraga
leire.”
Eina mingchat-i. Adu lei, houraga thajillaba adu leingakpa
mapung pungdokkhre. Ningthem-na minai semgatle. Adugi message wareppasu leitre
— manungda chaduna houraga chaksinba wa yamna houna leipire.
Cafe aduda kayada phanglaga, Leima-na mayekna leipak-i. Peru
phajaba, nupee manungda amuksu leirammi, changlakpa macha thokkhiba
leimatengda. Aduga nisang pangthaba sa lage.
Leima-na phajabi matungda khudongchaba santhok-i. “Ei
oirammi. Matam khara Eigi nourse afaba oirabagi maramda ei chattuna leirammi.
Aduga houreida eigi nungsiba pangthoklaga eina houraba khudingmak leire.“
Eina khudongcha lensinba haibani, aduga nungairaba wakhal
haina hairababu khudingmak eina akdro puthokpiyu khangde.
Adubu houjik eina khudongcha puthoklaga hairi. “Leima,” eina
hakchang phadraga leplammi, “Eina nahakki nungsiba nattraga poktuna phangba
mayaang wakhal oirabadi eina kari karino. Nahak gi mitna eigi eigi punsi
khongpham oigani.”
Aduda Leima-na nungaiba eepham leplaga hairak-i, “Ningthem,
eina khara leirammi. Adu eina khangkhi. Mahak khudingmakta, eina khudongcha
puthokkhibabu phajabra. Aduga mouna eina kari khudongbagi maramda eina hougatpa
houraduna leirammi.”
Matam amatta hanjaba, silence-na makhoigi manungda leipakle.
Tangkha thokpada makhoigi matam kalahalle. Drizzle amadi music ama leiringei.
Coffee-na tha baknaba phajaba aroma sinalakphagne.
Mahun khudongcha eina hairi, “Nahak Eigi punsi-na leitrabadi
eina houraba leitou. Nungsiba touba haibadi cinema-da matam ngammi, adubu eigi
machana nahakki nungairiba adugi potphamda houkhraba leire.”
Leima-na mapung khudingmakki nganthokpa eepham leplaga
leplaga eina kau-i. Adu eina khangkhre — houraba adu hougatpa adudagi houragi
mapang ama matangda phaoba. Aheiba houraba, ningsingda leiringei.