Kuncin Zuci Part 1 Complete Hausa Novel

She sat on the sofa in their neat apartment, a laptop open in front of her and two textbooks placed on a small table in the living room as she typed. Beside her was a plate of cookies and a cup of coffee; from time to time she casually reached out, picked one, and ate.
All her attention was fixed on what she was typing, which was why she didn’t turn to look at the person who came out of the bedroom into the living room.
Slowly, Nafisa walked over and dropped onto a chair near her. Without turning or stopping what she was doing, she softly said, “Good morning,” which made Nafisa look at the screen and ask,
“Morning. What are you working on?”
The young woman replied, “Just some essay.”
Nafee said, “So that’s what kept you busy almost all night? I woke up around 1 a.m. and the lights were still on.”
She answered briefly, “Yes.”
Nafee stared at her for a moment, then called out, “NA’IMAAA!”
Na’ima stopped typing and turned to her with wide eyes, saying calmly, “I have a deadline for this.”
“I know, but girl, give yourself a break,” Nafee replied as she stood up and headed to the kitchen to make her morning coffee.
Na’ima said nothing and returned her focus to the essay, sipping her coffee. She was dressed in peach-colored pajamas that highlighted her fair skin, her hair covered with a cap. She placed the coffee on the table, leaned back against the chair, and continued eating her cookies while carefully reviewing each line she had written.
Friendly Banter and Shared Plans
Nafee came back from the kitchen holding her mug and sat beside Na’ima again.
“Wow, I slept like a baby today,” she said.
Na’ima smiled. “You always sleep like a baby.”
Nafee laughed lightly. “Today was different.”
After a brief pause, Nafee said, “I’ll go shopping later. Our fast food supply is running low, and I really want tuwo with vegetable soup today. I’m tired of noodles.”
Na’ima replied, “I actually thought about that too, but my plan is tomorrow. I want to finish this essay today.”
“When’s the deadline?”
“Day after tomorrow.”
“But you still have tomorrow,” Nafee insisted. “Let’s go together later.”
Na’ima turned to her. “Nafee, I don’t know what tomorrow will bring. Since I’m already halfway through, I’d rather just finish it. Besides, there’s not much left.”
Nafee rolled her eyes dramatically. “Yeah, right.”
She picked up a cookie sachet, checking the calories. “Wait… this many calories in one cookie? I have to keep my body in check—I have a reputation to protect.”
Na’ima laughed softly. “Easy there, Miss World contestant.”
Laughing, Nafee tossed a throw pillow at her, and they both burst into laughter.
After they calmed down, Nafee asked, “I spoke to Mami earlier. Did she call you?”
“Yes, I spoke to her last night. Why?”
“It’s about Aunty Salma’s wedding. I’m going next month, and she wants us to go together. I thought she might have called you.”
All the brightness on Na’ima’s face faded instantly. Nafee watched her closely, waiting for her response. After a moment, Na’ima pulled her laptop closer and said, “No, she didn’t call. Maybe she thought I was asleep. I’ll call her though. God willing, I’ll go… why not?”
Nafee held her hand gently. “You don’t have to go if you don’t want to. I won’t even stay long when I go. I told Mami I’d talk to you first because I knew if she told you directly, you’d just agree. You know how she is.”
Na’ima smiled softly. “I’ll go, Nafee. I miss Mami.”
“She really misses you too,” Nafee replied. “She keeps asking whether you’re eating well, whether you’ve gained or lost weight.”
Na’ima chuckled, her eyes filling slightly with tears. “Mami…”
Nafee squeezed her hand reassuringly. “She cares. And I do too. I’m always here.”
Na’ima nodded, holding back her tears, as Nafee hugged her briefly and patted her back. After a short silence, Nafee said, “My coffee is cold.”
“So is mine,” Na’ima replied.
Nafee stood up. “Let me make us something—maybe noodles.”
“You’d really be helping me. I’m hungry,” Na’ima said.
Memories of Home and Moving Forward
While Nafee went to the kitchen, Na’ima returned to typing, but thoughts of their earlier conversation about returning to Abuja flooded her mind. She fell silent, lost in deep thought. The last time she left Abuja, her biggest wish in life had been never to return to Nigeria. Yet, home was still home. Even if not for Mami’s sake, she knew that one day she would have to look back at the life she left behind. She had come here seeking solace, but there wasn’t a single day she didn’t remember why she left Nigeria.
Realizing her thoughts were taking her nowhere, she closed her laptop and went to her room next to Nafee’s to take a shower.
By 11 a.m., after breakfast and cleaning the house, Nafee urged her to get dressed so they could go shopping together. Since Na’ima had set aside her schoolwork, Nafee refused to stay home alone. Smiling, Na’ima asked, “So where’s your own schoolwork?”
Nafee laughed. “Mine doesn’t disturb my sleep. Even exams won’t stop me from resting.”
Na’ima smiled knowingly, remembering their days at Bayero University Kano, where Nafee rarely took lectures seriously yet still did well—gifted with natural intelligence and a carefree spirit.
Na’ima dressed in a maroon abaya, loosely wrapped her scarf, wore flat shoes, and came out to find Nafee in a white silk short dress layered over blue jeans, a white scarf loosely tied, car keys in hand. Nafee had often tried to convince Na’ima to dress like her, but she always refused—it wasn’t how she was raised. Their lives were like black and white, clearly different, yet Allah had bonded them as close friends from their first year at BUK to their MSc together at Oxford University.
They went shopping in the car Nafee’s father bought for them for school and daily use, bought all they needed—including personal items—and returned home happily.
After resting and praying, Nafee went to the kitchen while Na’ima sat on her prayer mat when a call came from Aunty Amnah, Nafee’s aunt in London. They exchanged greetings, and Aunty Amnah mentioned how her twin boys had been eagerly expecting their visit. Na’ima apologized, explaining they had been busy with research and essays.
Soon after the call ended, Mami called.
“How are you, Habibti? How is your studies?”
“I’m fine, Mami. Everything is okay.”
“Just focus on your studies and keep praying,” Mami advised gently.
“In Sha Allah,” Na’ima replied, her voice trembling.
Mami reassured her, saying everything would be fine and that she didn’t have to attend the wedding if she didn’t feel like it.
“No, Mami, I’ll come. Nafee and I will come together,” Na’ima insisted.
“Alright, may Allah grant you success in your studies,” Mami said.
Tears gathered in Na’ima’s eyes as she replied softly, “Amin, Mami. Thank you.”