3 years, ago and after

The unmistakable silhouette of you stood out among the crowd. I tried to dress the best I could but things did not work out well. "Dark brown + red + purple" long sleeves shirt paired with a pair of jeans plus my uncombed hair, fortunately, did not scare you away, let alone impress you on first meet.

I was too worried that I couldn't understand your English to an extent I watched Canadian English in Youtube the night before. WTF?! If you speak that way, that's it! I'm gone! But your first greeting was simply cheerful and it broke the ice immediately. When I knew I could understand you, it was a huge relief. Lacking self confidence, you may find me soft spoken (mumbling), said nonsense and no eye contact, most of the time, even now. Worse when I am nervous.

You were probably too excited with your food too. The first food that you were dying to have was assam laksa. Little did you know that the spiciness and sourness of the mee ranked it my least favourite food in my list. It also made me sweat a lot. Of 'coz things were now different, thanks to you. If you feed me shitake mushroom, I have feeling that you will cure my picky eating habit.

Then we talked about things in common. I feel closer to someone when we speak in the same dialect. You felt like a brother to me. Then the singer 林宇中's songs that you like yet you fail to understand the lyrics. Similar to how you hate to spend on others, I am likewise.

Of all the changes, your most prominent influence on me is the way I write, and slightly on the way I speak.

I noe it may sound a bit harsh, but thats d reality of how things r. If v k 2 much of wat other thinks… tat wil bring ruin 2 ourselves…

Compared to...

I know it may sound a bit harsh, but that’s the reality of how things are. If we care too much of what other thinks… that will bring ruin to ourselves…

Spot the difference.

Today we trailed the same path. It was no different from 3 years ago.

Your smile. Your appetite. And your sinister laugh. The same assam laksa, char kuey teow, sugarcane juice, apam balik and salt baked chicken. I am glad you are still the one I know.

[Jino] - A man's not a man unless he knows how to shoot