THIRD and final year at last. At long last the end of the road of education was visible. I was no longer bored with university's life. I greeted the final year with great enthusiasm.

On the computer I was a veteran now, an old bird. This year was terrible, they restricted the number of messages to 100 a day, not even enough to warm up my fingers. It was too bad. Anyway I did not have much time to waste too. I began to find my work so interesting. I was studying like mad, studying seemed at last such a joy.

I still logged on though and I made new friends as well. There were too many buayas around but it didn't matter to me. I was a veteran, remember? Those engine freshies were little boys to me.

It was a Friday evening and I was in comcen. There was this little engine boy with me - Vin. We were having so much fun disturbing a bunch of arts girls. They didn't know about QTERM and all and we were teasing them like anything.

      
 arty baby!  wow wear until so sexy for who to see huh?  - <Yin       >
 Yin: Wait. How come u can see me.  Where are u?         - <arty      >
 arty! Ha ha.. we can see the three of you               - <**Vin**   >
 Vin: OI OI where are you two?  say leh...               - <arty      >
 arty: too bad.. you cry maybe I will pity you           - <**Vin**   >
 yin & vin: you two no bully those poor girls lah        - <.king.    >
 king: why you so kaypoh.  What so king about you?       - <Yin       >
 yin: Ha ha not very king.. just king only               - <.king.    >
 king: how dare to so yaya to my big sister!             - <**Vin**   >
 vin- little boy so thick skin callher big sister somemor- <.king.    >
 king: good good... bully them back                      - <arty      >
 king: who are you?                                      - <Yin       >
 yin- you don't know who i am.  but i know you.  wearing - <.king.    >
 king: OI OI                                             - <Yin       >
 yin: big sister huh.. how come cannot scan for him      - <**Vin**   >
 vin: i also donno                                       - <Yin       >
 yin & vin- no use lah.. you two can't see me.. ha ha    - <.king.    >
 yin & vin- bye for now.. have fun                       - <.king.    >
      
      

So it went on and on. I was getting a bit mad that I was being pulled along like a dog. I did not understand why that stupid king could not be scanned. We looked around comcen but besides those arts girls, everyone seemed to be doing programming, none was on P41 what.

It was not much fun anymore, being left in the dark. But there was nothing I could do. P41 was getting crowded again and we forgot about king for the moment. There were so much fun again sliming people. It was almost 8 pm and my screen was interrupted by a series of messages:

      
king:  "Yin Yin Yin Yin Yin... I am going back.  Stand up please" 
king:  "Yin Yin Yin Yin Yin... I am going back.  Stand up please" 
king:  "Yin Yin Yin Yin Yin... I am going back.  Stand up please" 
king:  "Yin Yin Yin Yin Yin... I am going back.  Stand up please" 
king:  "Yin Yin Yin Yin Yin... I am going back.  Stand up please" 
king:  "Yin Yin Yin Yin Yin... I am going back.  Stand up please" 
king:  "Yin Yin Yin Yin Yin... I am going back.  Stand up please" 
king:  "Yin Yin Yin Yin Yin... I am going back.  Stand up please" 
king:  "Yin Yin Yin Yin Yin... I am going back.  Stand up please" 
king:  "Yin Yin Yin Yin Yin... I am going back.  Stand up please" 
king:  "Yin Yin Yin Yin Yin... I am going back.  Stand up please"
      
      

I stood up, right in front of me was a guy waving and smiling at me. I smiled at him too. It was a funny feeling. So King was so close to me and yet I was kept in the dark. He smiled again and walked out of the comcen. I stood there for a while, watching his back fading and cut off at last. It was a funny feeling. I sat down and somehow felt so bored. I gave Vin a push and told him that I was going home.

DAYS moved fast. Two months had passed. My work was getting better all the time. I was playing less on the computer but I was still in touch. My love life still drew a blank. I knew so many guys but somehow I didn't feel anything. I found them too young and immature. Some of them were on quite good terms with me, they told me about their girl friends' problems and all; some were hot on the heels for me but I wasn't in the least bit interested. My heart was dead, somehow. To use a Chinese phrase: "Heart like dead water". I wasn't worried that I was having no boy friend; I didn't crave for love. To me it was not something I could yearn for, if it was the right time it will come.

It was a nice Sunday morning. I felt so restless that I decided to go for a swim. The pool was very empty on a Sunday morning. The number of people swimming could be counted on one hand. I cut through the water effortlessly, it was so nice to feel the cold water running through me. The sun was moving into gear, the searing heat burning my precious skin. I didn't want to be a roasted Yin! I made my way out of the pool, but before I was completely out a voice could be heard.

"Hello Yin!'

I turned around. There was a guy at the edge of the pool. He was smiling and waving at me. I couldn't quite recognise who he was. He moved nearer and shouted my name again. I saw him clearly now, he was the King!

"Hi King!"

"Hey, how are you?"

"Ya, never see you around again."

"Oh yes, I seldom logon. Too busy."

"Are you a student? You don't look like one."

"Then I look like what?"

"Well, too young for a lecturer, but just right for a tutor."

"Well done!! I am a tutor you know?"

"Really??"

"Any reason to bluff you?"

"Oh... what are you tutoring in?"

"I am in DISCS."

"What's that?"

"Computer Science lor."

"Oh... I see... are you new?"

"Yes, I only joined 3 months ago."

...

It was so funny. We talked for almost 2 hours at the pool. It seemed as if he was a long lost friend. There was just so much to talk about. Somehow the heat was not so unbearable. I didn't even notice that the clouds were blocking the sunlight. We had to move on. I needed to study and he wanted to go shopping. We parted. The sun was out again. The world brightened.

It was only the second time that I met him and yet he gave me a very comfortable feeling. But there was no time for day-dreaming. It was Monday again and my work didn't leave me time to contemplate too much. Somehow I found myself looking forward to the weekend. I did not know why.

It was Sunday again. It was still early and yet that stupid phone rang. Who could that be, I was wondering. It was a strange voice on the receiver, it wasn't any of my those buayas.

"Yin?"

"Yes, who is that?"

"Can't recognise my voice, Yin?"

"No, who's that?"

"Me lor, Yin. I am your lover boy."

I was stunned. Lover Boy, I almost forgot how to spell it. Seemed like ages. Lover boy seemed so alien to me. But I tried to be calm.

"Yes Dan. What's up?"

"Yin, I miss you!!!"

I kept quiet.

"Yin, I really miss you a lot."

"She dumped you is it?"

"Oh no, I left her long time ago."

"Then why you call me now?"

"Nothing, just miss you lor."

"..."

"Yin, can I see you?"

"Sorry, I am not free. I have to study."

"Come on, let me see you. Today is Sunday you know."

"I have no time for you."

"Yin, please. You don't know how much I miss you."

"Cut that out Dan."

"Please, don't be so heartless. I am so lonely..."

"Ha ha ha ha... now who is heartless?"

"Please... I just want to see you... that is all. Nothing else."

"Will you please stop? I am hanging up."

"I will not stop until you see me..."

I cut him off and hung up the phone as well. The headache was coming back. That bastard. Why can't he leave me alone? That bastard. I was not going to let him spoil my day. I still have a bright Sunday in front of me.

I washed up and went to campus. Somehow I missed it so much. It was so empty. Such a big place and yet so empty. I was at the pool again. I did my customary 10 laps. The morning sun was mild. Thoughts turned in my head. I buried my head into the cold water, hoping to wash away all the thoughts. But it refused to go away. Dan! That bastard. I still could not bring myself to stop thinking about him. I cursed my helplessness.

My thoughts were broken at last by an intrusion. King was just beside me. I didn't know when he came or how he could be so close to be without me noticing it.

"Hi king. You just came?"

"No. I was here 10 minutes ago."

"Is it?"

"You were so much deep in thought."

"Oh... I..."

"What's on your mind?"

"Nothing much."

"Come on Yin, I could see that you are different."

"Really nothing..."

"You know one thing, Yin?"

"What?"

"Though we've only seen each other twice, somehow I felt as if you are my friend for many years."

"Is it? I have the same feeling too."

"Then, what is there you cannot tell you good friend?"

"Hmm... nothing, an old friend called."

"Your ex?"

"Ya."

"You are still troubled by him?"

"Mmmmmm..."

"Ok nevermind, let's not talk about the useless past."

"King, it is not that I don't want to tell you but..."

"I know. You need not explain, I understand."

"I will tell you someday, but not now."

"OK then. Are you free this afternoon?"

"Oh why?"

"Nothing really. My sister's birthday is coming. Need your help in searching for a present."

"No problem... I am free."

"Thanks then... hmm..."

... to be continued