As Tashi climbed out of the car, a gentle breeze brushed her face. The scent of pine filled the air along with hints of rhododendron and lavender. It was a quiet morning filled with the occasional bird calls and the rustling of the pine trees. From what she had gathered on the way there, this seemed to be quite a remote village, almost in the middle of nowhere and with no other human settlement in sight. However, it was undeniably the most beautiful place that she had ever been to. The village itself was on a mountain and surrounded by snow-covered peaks on all sides while a dense forest of pines, cedars and fir trees spread all along the mountain slope and into the valley below. A single lake with turquoise blue water sat at the bottom of the valley. She found herself wondering what it must have been like for her mother to grow up here, amidst such serene beauty.

They had stopped near a small wooden gate hung on a low wooden fence that ran around the BnB. It had a wooden sign next to it with ‘Tsungrem Bed and Breakfast’ written on it in bright yellow paint. The gate opened into a large naturalistic garden that surrounded the BnB. She could see dense clusters of flowers of various colours along with many other plants and trees. There was a narrow path with stone steps running through the garden. It led to the BnB which stood in the centre of the garden.

The BnB itself looked like something straight out of the travel magazines she used to flick through often. It was a two-storey house with stone walls and a black sloping roof. There were large French windows lining the wall on both floors. She could also see a terrace on one side with an ornate black metal railing laden with magenta bougainvillea that were in full bloom.

Vivek quickly removed her luggage from the trunk and left with the car since there was no one else to manage the store and it would be opening time soon. Before she could do anything, Bunny had already picked up her suitcase and started climbing up the stone steps to the BnB. Alarmed, Tashi hurried to catch up with her, “I got so lost in taking it all in. It’s really heavy, isn’t it? Give it to me. I’ll carry it rest of the way.” Bunny laughed her off. “Don’t worry, I am stronger than I look.” “What? Are you sure?” asked a slightly frantic Tashi. “Of course”, Bunny replied, while easily climbing the steps carrying the suitcase in just one arm. Tashi had really struggled with the suitcase whenever she had to lift it up, so she was surprised to see Bunny manage it so easily. “How the hell are you so strong?” “Am I? I guess it comes from living in the mountains”, she said with an innocent look.

They reached the entrance of the BnB and made their way into the lobby. It was much larger than what it appeared from outside. It was a cosy setting. The wooden reception desk stood on one side of the lobby and the waiting area for guests was on the opposite side. There was a long plushy beige sofa with cushions of different sizes and two single sofa chairs arranged around a coffee table. She liked the feel of the natural fabric on the sofa as she rested her hand on it. Bunny had set down her suitcase in the waiting area and had disappeared inside the building to fetch someone. Suddenly finding herself alone in a new place filled her with a bit of nervous energy. She picked up a magazine from the stack on the coffee table. It was about interior decor. All the magazines in the stack seemed to be dated and about architecture or interior decor topics. She flicked through it and put it down quickly. Unable to stay still, she got up to get a closer look around the place.

There was a large authentic fireplace with a mantle near the waiting area which wasn’t lit at the moment. A painting which she presumed to be depicting the valley below the village along with its turquoise-water lake was hung above the mantle. As she walked around the lobby, she noticed how high the ceiling was. It hadn’t seemed this high from the outside. It had exposed wooden beams running all across which added to the rustic charm of the place. A simple black, metal chandelier, that had a single ring of candles, was hung low from it. She liked that the place relied on the natural light pouring in through the large French windows for the lighting and that it also had small strategically placed lamps that emanated a warm light and added to the cosy vibe.

She was feeling a lot less nervous now. She couldn’t believe she owned a portion of this charming little place. She walked out through the French window and into the garden outside. Bunny had still not returned. She stayed there for a bit. A couple of bright blue butterflies were fluttering over a cluster of colourful zinnias. She relaxed as she tracked their movements. Heading back inside, she decided to check out the different artworks lining the rough stone walls. The paintings were mostly what seemed like landscapes depicting the region.

Tashi was admiring one of the landscape paintings which depicted a small cottage on a mountain surrounded by snow-covered peaks when Bunny returned accompanied by a tall elegant young woman. She had long black hair and Asian features and was dressed in a white blouse and a long black pencil skirt. While she wore a soft expression, she somehow also came across as a no-nonsense person. “Miss Tashi?” Tashi nodded a yes extending her hand. “Welcome. I am Mizuki, the Assistant Manager at Tsungrem Bed and Breakfast,” she said shaking Tashi’s hand. “You must be hungry? Breakfast is in the kitchen. We usually have our meals there, you’ll find a table laid out with everything. The guests have already been served in their rooms”, she added taking her suitcase. “Bunny will take you there. I’ll put your luggage to your room, I need to check if it is ready for you. There’s a restroom at the back for the staff, you can use that to freshen up if you want. Oh, and how would you like to be addressed?” “You can just call me Tashi.” “OK, then you can just call me Mizuki,” she said with a smile and disappeared back into the passage with the suitcase.

She is so beautiful, her skin is practically glowing, thought Tashi as she watched Mizuki disappear. Even Bunny for that matter was extremely beautiful. However, probably because of her friendly vibes, Tashi hadn’t felt conscious about it.