Fiction: Group 4
shiny that light flickered around in the restaurant. Mr. Chan was throwing up his hands and arguing with
the leader of the tattooed.
“What the…” I started and clamped my mouth shut.
Too late. They all turned around swiftly, staring at the idiot who just barged into their business: me. That’s
when I saw Bun, right behind the leader of the pack, gripping his own silvery dagger. His brown eyes set
onto mine, pupils dilating. He was stunned to see me there but I doubt he would be as shell-shocked as me
to witness my childhood friend about to participate in gang murder. Turned out I was the naïve one, who
believed in him blindly, who thought he would make the right choices and be a righteous person. I thought
I knew him. I thought he could tell right from wrong, black from white. I was wrong, naïve. We held each
other’s gazes until a gruff growl zapped us back. “Who are you and what are you doing here?”
“I …”
“He is a friend of mine. I would take him out.” Bun interrupted.
“Be quick,” the man snarled, “and next time, make better friends who don’t interrupt me in the middle of
something important,”
The rest of the gang chortled as Bun’s face turned to a beetroot red. He pushed his ways towards me and
pulled me by the arm,” Let’s go!” he hissed at me
As soon as we were out of their sight, I stopped him,” What were you doing?” I said through gritted teeth.
“Taking you as far away as possible,” he replied like it’s a matter of fact.
“Why were you with them?” I held him tight by his shoulders and shook him violently, “Who are you?!”
“You won’t understand,” he replied passively, “Now come with me.”
“That’s because you won’t tell me!” I shook out of his grip.
“Chun, listen to me. I am a year older than you so just do as I say and go!” he tried to grab hold of me
again.
“Just tell me the truth!” I was frustrated.
“Fine, I got kicked out of university last semester, but I can’t tell my parents. You weren’t here. I had no
friends and I went drinking every night.” He sighed and rubbed his temple, “They helped me got through
and realized life isn’t over just because I am not going to college. I owed them.”
“You knew they were wrong!” I looked at him with disbelief, “yet you chose to stay with them!” I shook
my head in disgust at the thought.
“I can’t turn back now. I’m one of them.” He stared at me with a subtle coldness. He showed me his
tattoos, “These can’t be washed away. Ever.”
We stared at each other. Unspoken words would have flowed between us in past occasions but this time
there was only cold silence.
Being stronger and more muscular than me, he half dragged me to our block.
“Go!” Bun pushed me forward. I stumbled as I headed into the lobby. He glared at me until I entered the
lift. Bing! The lift doors closed and I was alone, drowned in my own thoughts. I could never pull him back.
He was past the edge of the cliff. The lift came to a halt. I entered our apartment. As I stepped in, I realized
I couldn’t live here anymore. Bun and I were too different. Too big a disparity to be friends anymore.
Apparently we had dreams and aspirations in completely opposite directions. I could not bear to see him
falling deeper and deeper into the black hole that he could accidentally drawn in. I could not stand and
watch him wretched at heart and strangled breathless by this madness. I packed my belongings in a rush, not
wanting to let Bun know, and called Ajmal after zipping up my luggage.
“Hey, this is Louis. I need a place to stay for a while. Can I stay at your place?”
“Sure. I will meet you half an hour later at your block.”
I thanked him and hung up. I sat in the armchair, thinking about the past. It Seemed like last year we were
running through fields, swimming in the lake, enjoying our life. We didn’t have much but we were happy,
simply content with life. Everything was simple, black and white, not so many shades of gray, not so many
thin lines that once crossed, can never be retraced. Relationships were sprouted from understanding and
respect, not debts that can never be paid. Now in the city, loads of stimulating sensations exploding in every
direction, but life is not so simple anymore. Even if Bun had not met those thugs, we would grow apart
somehow. Our attitudes towards city and country life were varied. He believed living in the Pearl River
Delta was energetic, real. I loved it too but home would always hold a position in my heart. The region was
one with vibrancy and unlimited potential, kneaded with different cultures and races, a fusion of western
