THE END-AUTUMN wind strewed the tree leaves, becoming yellow. She, stepping on the fallen leaves, walked in the direction of his home; feeling every step with weariness. ‘Why do I feel this timid? However this’s the last time. And especially, between us, there is ...’ She was talking to herself.

Travelling the sky way all day for others, the master of thousand lights, with all might but without the slightest hint of exhaustion, is shining all the very last rays onto the planet. She, stealing glances at the red-glowing clouds above the west horizontal line, quickened her steps.

Knowing each other was so sudden: after being in each other’s company for a short time the romantic tide was not tamed but once again raised to a new height. There were some minor characteristics in him which she did not appreciate. Whatever minor qualities, when mixed with romance however small a degree, they may become obstacles in the process of a developing love. Like a high wall, it may separate the two hearts.

‘I don’t like seeing you being drunk like mud,’ she said.

‘If a man is noble, who doesn’t drink and smoke!’ He doesn’t count drinking and smoking as ill-doings. Lighting a cigarette, he said, ‘I think we’ll get married soon.’

‘If I choose not to agree?’

‘It’s your choice.’

‘You mean it?’ Staring at him for a while, she said, ‘My uncle introduced a man for me. He’s a businessman, a very capable man.’

‘... ...’

‘Me ... will you think of me?’

‘Will I think of you? Possible if this were five years ago. At least it’s possible to do this too.’ He slapped her hard across the face.

She touched her burning face for a while.

‘Have you decided?’

‘I have.’

He stood still, after taking a step or two to leave, ‘If you need any help from me ...’ he said.

‘I know.’ She interrupted him.

He left. He went towards the setting sun. She stood there staring at his back. The reddish sun was shining on him, and some light, like a heap of fire, flashing on him.

In the past one year they haven’t met again.

She decided to get married to Samten, the businessman her uncle has introduced to her. Samten wasn’t ready to give her the things he’d bought for her, things such as a gold bracelet, a gold ring, gold ear rings. Her – things her ex-boyfriend had given her, ... She wasn’t sure what he had given her.

A gentle breeze made her feel cool. A burning sensation on her face came back to life. She pushed back some hair strands loose on her forehead. Samten and she discussed and decided their wedding should be on a lucky day some time the following week. Samten said that because the rate of skamsha, meat for food (of yaks, dead or alive), was too high, she should go to him to see if it was possible to buy some skamsha at a lesser price.

He was working in a foods shop, “on duty” selling skamsha. She had also heard all the praises that people making for his manners and the way he treats others. She didn’t know why. She considerably paid high attention on knowing things about him, and was always enquiring about his work through others. She had also heard the fact that he was making it hard to get along with the local leaders. But nobody knew the reasons whether it was because of  him being short tempered or having lack of respect for officials.

‘Since there are many meat shops in the New Market Street, why you are looking for me?’ ‘Uh, you say to buy meat? Then why did you come to our home?’ She was creating these formulations that he might say to her in her head. ‘That’s not possible. I’m sure he would say that.’ She was willing to think against what her mind thought for her.

Thinking such many thought in her head, she got at their door in no time. Then she hesitated, thinking what to say first.

She knocked the door a couple of times with the saddle of the ring on her right middle finger. No sound nor movements. Then she made her hand into a fist and knocked with some force.