Seventeen: Knowing more

Lina touched the blanket and was about to pull it. The diary was kept inside the blanket and if she pulls the blanket now she will surely see it.

"Lina-sshi!" shouted Dae Ju.

"Yes?" Lina turns back and looks at him surprisingly. Dae Ju was tired and he couldn't tell her anything for a moment. He needs oxygen right now and he stays silent. And also, he couldn't find anything to tell her. How could he stop her? He can't find a solution. Without getting any answer, Lina went back to her work.

"Lina!" Dae Ju shouted again.

"What? What do you want?" asked Lina. "I-I-i" saying this Dae Ju stopped.

"Yes, you?" asked Lina and expected some answer from him.

"I-I am hungry. Give me some food." said Dae Ju.

"Ah! Okay. Just wait a minute. I will give it to you but I have to take it on the rooftop. It's full of dust. I have to clean it. Just wait five minutes. Okay?" said Lina with a gentle voice.

"No, I can't stand it anymore. My tummy is like 1000 mice jumping in it!" said Dae Ju and came to her and pulled the blanket from her.

"Okay, okay. I am going. Come with me." saying this she left. Dae Ju took a long breath and sat on the bed. He pulls the blanket up and searches for the diary. But it wasn't there. Dae Ju's BP went high and he couldn't understand where the diary went. He searched for it on the whole bed. Then he saw a corner of the diary. It was under his pillow.

"Ah! How could this go under it?" saying this he went to take it but at the meantime, Lina entered and said,

"Hey! Are you still here? Come to the living room."

"Ah! Yes, I am coming. Ah! My tummy! It's hurting! I will come within a few minutes. You can go now." acting like his stomach is hurting he sat on the bed. "Okay, I am leaving. Do you want some rice? Or, bread would be okay?" asked Lina.

"Yes, bread will be okay. I need to use the washroom. Please leave now." said Dae Ju and put his hand on his belly. Lina looked at him weirdly then she went away. She couldn't understand why she had to leave if he needed to use the washroom? He can go if he needs that much. Would she forbid him?

"Ah! I could never understand this man!" said Lina in her mind and came to the kitchen. She took some pieces of bread from the packet and started toasting them. Meanwhile Dae Ju almost snatched it from the bed and put it in the drawer where it belonged. He took a long breath and sat on the bed. His heart was beating like crazy. He was sweating a lot.

"Why am I too scared? She isn't a monster or something like that!" said Dae Ju to himself.

"Rumi-sshi! Are you okay?" said Lina and entered the room.

"Y-yes," said Dae Ju hesitatingly.

"Why are you sweating? Are you having a problem with constipation again?" asked Lina and sat beside him. She sat too close to him and put her palm on her forehead. Dae Ju looked at her and saw her worried face. He felt awkward and stood up suddenly.

"No, I am fine. Let's go." said Dae Ju and left the room. He came to the living room and saw some toasted bread and fried eggs and some jams. He likes bread a lot. He was so hungry that he finished all of it. Lina came to him and said, "I am going to work. What is your plan for today?"

"Nothing special. Since I have no job right now, I have to try for something." said Dae Ju.

"No, you'd rather stay home, don't wander around. It's better for you." said Lina. She ordered him but it seemed like she was requesting him.

"Then, will I be unemployed for the rest of my life?" asked Dae Ju.

"No, but wait for some days. Situation is not in control yet. I don't want to see you in jail. That's why I am telling you." saying this Lina wore the shoes and when she went near the door she remembered something and said, "If you feel hungry, there is a cup of noodles in the kitchen. Pour some hot....." she couldn't finish her line because Dae Ju started talking over her.

"Okay, I know, I will. I am not a kid. I can deal with it on my own." said Dae Ju and almost pulled her out. Though he has nothing serious to do, he has to read the diary. And as it's Lina's personal diary, he can't read it in front of her. He knows that it's not a good thing but there's too many things that are not good but he had to do those. He went directly into the bedroom and opened the drawer. He took the diary and opened it once again. He searched for the lines where he last read.

"What? Where is it? What happened to her mom? Ah! I found it!" said Dae Ju in his mind.

"It's my first day in Korea. Though I was busy all day by unpacking things, I get some fresh air when I went to the rooftop. Our house is not big but it's nice and well decorated. Every furniture of this house is standard. I like them. I really like the room settings of the house. I tidy up my room. My mom is feeling much well now. So, she worked for all days. I think she was having homesickness. When she came Korea, she became fine. I couldn't believe! And that's why I am feeling more and more happy. My dream will come true now. I want to study here but I have to learn hangul very well first. But I saw some girls wearing school uniform today. I don't think I can't wear the uniform as it's too short. I don't like to wear short dresses. And also, we are forbidden to wear those kinds of clothes. It's not like the girl of Korea wear short dresses. There are too many Bengalis who wear short dresses nowadays and I really don't like it. But I want to make a lot of friend here, chat with them, hangout with them. But as it's my first day I have to wait. Dad is not at home. He went to meet his best friend and also buy some regular things. I will go to visit them tomorrow with my mom." Dae Ju flipped a page and look at it carefully. The date was 2nd February 2017.

"I made some friends today. And in my friend list Rumi is at the top. We talked for a long time and he introduced me to some of his friends. And they became my friends too. I am truly very happy today. When I saw Rumi for the first time I felt nervous. But he came to me and started talking. I was feeling so nervous that I couldn't talk with him. But I became calm after some time. He is a good person. He is also studying in a college here. He will take me to his college tomorrow. I can't wait for it!" Today I went to Rumi's college. It is very beautiful and big. My legs start hurting by walking around the college. The students are so nice and kind here. The teacher's are also very gentle. They behave with the students very gently. I spent some time in hangul class as I am weak in it. I wish I could study in it! But I can't because I have to start studying in high school. I was studying at varsity but as the systems of study are different, I have to start my study from high school but it's not a big deal. I can do it! And then I will study in this college where Rumi is studying." Dae Ju flipped the page once again. He was so into it that he didn't notice around him. He didn't think about anything more than the diary right now. It's 5 march 2017. I couldn't write my diary because I went on a vacation with my parents. Rumi and his parents were also with us. We went to the countryside. It was very exciting because I had never gone to the countryside before. We stayed in a house. The owner was related to Rumi's dad somehow. I had so much fun. And the more exciting thing is, I can spend time with Rumi. I like it when I stay with him. He always puts a smile on his face. He always talks gently. That's why I like him. He is looking more handsome these days. I will go crazy for him if I spend too much time with him. But I can't help it. My dad also likes him and also trusts him a lot. Maybe I have been caught by my mom. She could guess that I like him. I am so embarrassed now. But it seems like she was not angry or disappointed with me." Suddenly the doorbell rang and Dae Ju was startled by it. He guessed that it's Lina so he kept the diary in its own position quickly and went in front of the door.

"Who are you?" shouted Dae Ju.

"Please open the door. We are your neighbor." said from the outside. Dae Ju couldn't guess who they were and he opened the door.

"What do you want?" asked Dae Ju. There were two guys with black overcoats. But their pants were different in color. They start to glaring at him then they look at a phone which was in a guy's hand.

"You are right! It's him!" a man said to another whisperingly.

"Are you Mr. Rumi?" asked one of them. "Yes, why?" asked Dae Ju.

"You have to come with us," said the other.

"Why? And who the hell are you to suppose that I will follow you if you tell me?" asked Dae Ju savagely.

"We are from the Seoul police department. And you must follow us." said one of them rudely.

"I don't want to." saying this Dae Ju wanted to go inside but a man caught his hand and said,

"Don't make us force you. If you don't come with us willingly, we have to take you forcefully. Am I clear?"

[Lina's place]

"Excuse me! Mister! I am assuring you that I can do it. Don't judge me by just seeing me!" requested Lina to someone for a job. But the man didn't listen to her. He went away and Lina stayed alone. That time her phone started ringing. She picked up the call and was shocked.

"What did you just say? He is...where? Are you sure? He is in the police station?" She was afraid of this day. She knows that the day will come. But she can't understand what she has to do right now. If Rumi says the false they would not believe him and if he says the truth, they will surely arrest him. Then what will happen to him? And also, he is her husband after all. She needs to do something. But she has no money to settle things up and if he goes to jail now, she couldn't be able to protect him. What should she do now? She couldn't find any solution.