(Chapter - 2)

  [The Ariya Flower]

  After seeing Mehaki, Asroy approaches her calmly without much thinking. Mehaki responds to him.

  Asroy : Umm.. Hello! you there.

  Mehaki : ..Me?

  Asroy : Yes, are you here for flowers?

  Mehaki : I am, but.. Uhh...

  While they converse, Karu & Tushar talk to each other in whisper, standing behind Asroy. Tori keeps quiet.

  Tushar : *Whisper* What's he doing!?

  Karu : *Whisper* I don't know. For now, just look confident.

  Tori : ...

  Tushar makes a firm posture & face to look as confident as possible. They walk closer to Asroy and Mehaki.

  Mehaki : I can't recognise, who are you?

  Asroy : Oh, you can't. Actually you don't know me. I'm Asroy, you?

  Mehaki : I'm Mehaki, but.. Why are you asking? Do you know me?

  Tori speaks up nervously & restlessly, thinking he can help with the situation.

  Tori : Um.. A-Actually you're a special person!

  Mehaki : What?

  Tushar : No no! He actually meant there is a special flower here, a rare one!

  Karu : *Whisper* Tori..!

  Tori : *Whisper* Sorry!

  Tushar handles the awkwardness quickly. Tori clenches his hands and tensely furrows his eyes. He looks down because he just made it worse instead of helping. A feeling of disappointment.

  Mehaki : What flower?

  Asroy : It's by your right side, the Ariya flower.

  Mehaki : Wow! It has my name!

  Tushar : Your name is Ariya?

  Asroy : Isn't your name Mehaki?

  Mehaki : Yes, it is. Aria Inufa Mehaki.

  Tori : What a match!

  Asroy : Hmm.. It really is, Inufa.

  Mehaki : You can call me Mehaki.

  Asroy : But I think Inufa is cuter.

  Mehaki : That's my family name.

  Tushar : Oh, and a nice nickname too! Inufa.

  Karu : Don't call her by that name if she doesn't want it.

  Tori : Yeah, you can just call her Mehaki.

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  Mehaki takes a glance over Tori, Karu and Tushar as they talk. A look of wonder shows over her face.

  Mehaki : You 3 look kinda weird to me.

  Tori : Me?

  Tushar : Why only 3 of us?

  Mehaki : Because.. Your hair is blue, yours is green and yours is yellow.

  Asroy : Wow, except me! Thank god..

  Mehaki : I think your hair is pretty normal. Dark red.

  Asroy : And it's also similar to yours.

  Asroy leans a bit to Mehaki, with a cheeky smile.

  Mehaki : Uh, it's not similar..

  Tushar : Well, I think normal people's hair can be yellow as well.

  Asroy : You 2 are the odd here, hahaha..

  Asroy chuckles. Karu firmly answers but Tori is more embarrassed than him.

  Karu : I don't think there's something to laugh about.

  Tori : Hey Asroy! Don't say it like that!

  Mehaki : Don't be angry, blue hair. I think your hair looks nice!

  Looking at Mehaki, Tori clears up his voice and gently speaks up with a slight blush.

  Tori : Ahem.. Please don't call me blue hair. I'm Tori. Nice to meet you, Mehaki.

  Tushar : I'm Tushar.

  Karu : I'm Karu. Pleased to meet you.

  Mehaki : Me too.

  Tori : You look.. Familiar to me. The look of your eyes.. I've seen it somewhere...

  Mehaki looks at Tori. Her pretty brown eyes sparkle in the sunlight coming through the glass of the greenhouse, making Tori blush due to nervousness.

  Mehaki : Really?

  Tori : Yeah.. *Her eyes are so beautiful.*

  Mehaki : Hey! Don't you all go to Primokoni school?

  Asroy : Yeah, how do you know?

  Mehaki : I'm in the same school too. And you 4 are known as the Colorful Brothers, right?

  Karu : Yes!

  Asory : That's great, Inufa.. But, we haven't seen you in school before.

  Tushar : Which grade are you in?

  Mehaki : 6th

  Tushar : Huh? We are too.

  Karu : Maybe our classrooms are different.

  Mehaki : Yes, that must be it.

  Asroy : So, I was saying.. Will you buy this flower, Inufa? See, it's glowing. Do you like it?

  Mehaki : Yeah, sure. I love it. It has my name, my favourite color... By the way, why do you want me to buy it? Do you work here?

  Asroy : What!? No haha.. We're here to explore the nursery.

  Mehaki : Then how come you show it to me?

  A hesitant feeling captures Asroy. He keeps calm.

  Asroy : It's.. It's a long story. I'll tell you next time, in school, ok?

  Mehaki : Ok then, see you again. Bye!

  The 4 : Bye.

  They wave at each other and Mehaki walks away. She finds her mom & is walking to her. While the 4 boys chat...

  Karu : Tori, please don't say something suddenly out of nowhere to someone. Things can go wrong.

  Tori : Yeah, I won't. Sorry..

  Mehaki shows the flower to her mom with joy. Mrs. Jonaki seems a bit shocked and surprised to see the glowing Ariya flower in Mehaki's hand. They buy it anyway, along with 5 other plants. The 4 boys keep looking at them from afar.

  Tushar : And the last stock of the rare Ariya flower is taken by Inufa.

  Tori : She's Mehaki.

  Tushar : Inufa is her name too. (To Asroy) So.. Why did you ask her to buy it anyway, Asroy?

  Asroy : Let's not talk about it in public?

  Karu : Ok, let's go home then.

  4 of them head to their home. While Mehaki returns home as well. At night, Mehaki is sitting on the bed in Minaki's room, excitedly telling her everything that happened today...

  Minaki : *Gasp* The colorful brothers!?

  Mehaki : Yes. And they're in the same grade as me!

  Minaki : Wow! I wanna meet them too!

  Mehaki : You can meet them on Sunday at school. Oh! I bought a special flower that glows.

  Minaki : Really? Where did you plant it?

  Mehaki : At the backyard garden.

  Minaki : I'm so excited!

  Mehaki : Haha. Now go to sleep, ok? Goodnight.

  Minaki : Goodnight sis.

  Mehaki leaves & goes to her own room and falls asleep. During the dark late night which is lit up in moonlight, Mehaki wakes up and looks at the table clock.

  Mehaki : It's 2 o'clock at midnight?

  She gets off the bed rubbing her eyes, drinks a glass of water from the table & wipes her mouth.

  "I wonder how the glowing flower looks at midnight."

  Her bedroom is on the 2nd floor, so she walks to the balcony at the backside of the house which is on the opposite side of her room. She looks down from the balcony & sees the flower not glowing. A strange curiosity shows over her face.

  Mehaki : Huh? Why is it not glowing? Did something happen to it? *I should check it.*

  She comes down and opens the backdoor from where she can see the flower. She takes steps to the flower plant. As she comes almost near, it starts to glow. She is amused & confused at the same time. When she touches the flower softly, it starts growing into a big flower tree. She gets shocked & terrified to have seen such a sight. She falls down on the ground shivering, about to scream. Then she wakes up in the morning to find herself on her bed.

  "This must have been a dream.."

  After she gets freshened up, a while later she goes to check her backyard again. Fear & shock captures her when she sees the small flower plant has indeed turned into a big flower tree. She can't say a thing and only panics in confusion.

  "What in the world is happening!?"

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