Minyun reminds me of Gillian at the brink of JC2 from the way she talks about her future college plans. Resolute, opinionated and assured, there is something intrinsically attractive about her confidence.

    I paid for her food. I didn't know what possessed me. I saw her awkwardness but I went ahead with the action. It brought back a familiar warm feeling of bashful shyness, which I had last felt almost four years ago.

   As the meeting went on, I was aware of a division of self. There was an enthusiastic friendly Brendon catching up with his ex-neighbour. There was also another detached ambivalent Brendon watching on as the other Brendon began to dangerously colour his present with his past.

    She's not Gillian.

    I know.

    We sat in three coffee joints and we talked about books, music and life. She listened politely and laughed often. She seemed a sincerely sympathetic listener - a rare commodity, particularly in Singapore.