“Bro, wake up! It’s 7.45, we got class at 8.” said a man who was kneeling beside Safwan’s bed while also slapping his face repeatedly.

He was wearing a grey checkered shirt with its sleeves rolled up tucked inside black slacks and white socks. He was lean but not skinny, with tanned skin and short black wavy hair. 

Shakir is Safwan's best buddy. They met in boarding school when they were 13, and formed a close bond right after. And with all the mischiefs and fights they went through for 5 years, it can be said that they were closer than real brothers.

Of course when graduation came and both of their families pressured them to further their educations, they decided to go to the same college and get the same bachelor’s degree. Not a decision that the both of them liked, but they can only obey their parents decision.

While Shakir’s father is an engineer, Shakir didn’t share the same passion. He was an athlete, he loves running on the track and also holds a state record for 1500 meters event. Also several medals for marathons that he participated in when such events were held. But no, ‘athletes are not a stable job and have no future’ his parents said, and here he is now, studying engineering to help and succeed his father’s engineering firm.

And Safwan was even worse, he enrolled in the college just because he wanted to be with his friend. He wasn’t stupid, but this was college not school. While school’s teachers usually hold extra classes or give the worst student’s extra ‘care’, in college the lecturers don’t give two shits about you. And because Safwan wasn’t that passionate about his studies, he struggled. But hey, at least his parents can brag that their son is in college studying engineering, so everybody wins right?

“Oi, come on man! Aren’t you the one who said ‘oh I will power through the one hour between the end of my graveyard shift and the 8 a.m. class, pshh it’s just one hour I can hold on’. Now look at you.”

Shakir continued to shake his sleeping friend, when that didn’t work, he slapped him again. Harder this time. Which woke Safwan up but not in a good way, as he suddenly sat up, his left hand grabbed Shakir’s hand while his right hand grabbed Shakir’s throat. 

“Don’t ever do that again or I’ll snap your wrist!” he growled at Shakir. But Shakir used his left hand to slap him again, and fortunately, Safwan recovered from his rage.

“Goddamn, what’s the matter with you being all handsy and shit this early in the day?” Shakir stood up and shook his right wrist. There was a slight mark on it from Safwan’s grip. “Since when did you become this strong? Aren’t daylight your Kryptonite, you fucking werewolf.”

“Shit, sorry bro. Ah fuck, my head!” said Safwan before a sudden pang of headache struck him. He massaged his head for a bit and looked around. Cream colored walls, a metal study table positioned on his bed’s feet and a metal locker and his bedside to his left. Across the room, a similar positioned bed, table and locker was seen, belonging to his roommate. He was back in his room, but the last thing he remembered was…wait, did he just run off from his part-time job?

“What time is it? Fuck, where’s my phone?” He tried to get out of his bed, but his leg got stuck on the bedframe and he fell. Shakir helped him to his feet.

“Are you drunk, bro? What the hell. Did you forget how we got tag-teamed by our fathers back then? Didn't we swear to never drink again? It's haram you know.”

Ignoring Shakir, he checked his pant’s pockets for his phone. When he realized it was not in his pocket, he turned around and opened his locker. He suddenly stopped when he saw an ancient looking wooden box placed on the drawer.

“What’s wron-oh hey! What’s that?” Shakir’s face peeked from his left shoulder, and it spooked Safwan more than it should. He pushed him away and closed his locker.

“God Almighty! Can you stop, please? Damn it!”

“Why are you so jumpy today? I just wanna use your body spray a bit. What’s up with the box anyway? What, you have a girl or something?”

Safwan sighed, opened his locker again, grabbed his deodorant and threw it at Shakir. He then took off his shirt and grabbed his towel. “Bro,if I had a girl I’ll brag about it in your face for weeks. Come on now.”

His friend agreed and they both laughed, before Safwan went out to take his shower.

‘Shit, I’ll deal with that weird matter later.’

-------------------------

The college was built in hilly areas and surrounded by forests, with a medium sized roadway connecting it to a nearby town. Near meaning 10 minutes by car. So it means that the college was very isolated, and mobile coverage was very bad.

It was not unusual for the mornings to be filled with a dangerously thick fog that was trapped between the hills, and there were many accidents that took place early in the mornings, as elementary and secondary schools started at 7.30. Not to forget wild animals such as elephants, deers, tapirs or even tigers that can be spotted near the road and college from time to time.

Some people who came there for the first time even called it ‘tempat jin bertendang’, a Malay proverb that meant a very isolated place and not visited or known by people. A fitting description.

However the college wasn’t poor. They have fiber optics internet and great facilities for learning, the college bus travels to and from the town every 30 minutes for free for students that rented a place outside of campus. Which was a lot, as it was mandatory for first year students to live on campus, so the other students needed to rent a sharehouse.

The campus’ cafeteria opened early in the morning. For some people, this period of time where there was no excessive chattering and noise, fresh and cold air all around, was the best time for them to sit back, enjoy their hot coffee or tea and Nasi Lemak. The cafeteria will only be filled with students during lunch break, as most of the students woke up just in time for class and skipped their breakfast.

On one of the seats in the cafeteria, two male students were enjoying their breakfast. One of them, actually, as the other was too busy massaging his head.

“Didn’t you tell me we’re late to class? Why in God’s name are we having breakfast now?” said Safwan, still massaging his head.

“Well, one,  I’m hungry for some Nasi Lemak Ayam Berempah which is a Wednesday only breakfast menu, two, the class will start at 8.30, as Mrs. Rita will be a bit late. Don’t you check the class Wazapp?”

Shakir said before mixing his rice together the sambal, roasted nuts and fried anchovies using his right hand. It was common to eat with their hands in this country, especially when eating rice.

“I left my phone at my workplace. Fuck it, I’ll eat some fried rice then.” he stood up and went to the buffet table.

There were many assorted breakfast served on the table, Nasi Lemak wrapped in banana leaves, fried rice, fried noodles, boiled eggs, fried eggs, fried chickens and also traditional kuih.

He took a plate from the side and scooped some fried rice onto it, then added two spoonfuls of sambal and a fried egg. He then took a plastic cup and filled it with hot coffee before coming back to their table.

“No milo today huh?” Shakir asked when he sat down. He was half finished with his meal already.

“Nah, I like my milo with ice, not hot, also when I drink milo I become sleepy. Damn I forgot to wash my hands first.”

He went to the nearby sink, washed his hands and began eating. They were both eating in silence before someone greeted them.

“Hey man, aren’t you guys supposed to be in class?” said the man wearing a light blue shirt, a dark blue tie and blue slacks. He was fairly tall, taller than both Safwan and Shakir, with his hair combed to the right. 

Beside him stood a fair skinned woman, wearing a blue blouse with lace at the end of its sleeves, a long skirt and a cream colored scarf covering her head, with one end of the scarf thrown above the shoulder. A modern style Baju Kurung. She was a head shorter than the man.

“Oh come on! I am barely able to tolerate one grumpy dude and now another dude that was happily enjoying his days with girlfriend came along. Good morning Farisya.” Shakir rolled his eyes before greeting the girl.

Razman and his girlfriend Farisya were second year students, meaning that they were a year older than them. However because they were grouped together in one of the classes, they became close.

“Scoot over a bit will you?” he said before taking a seat next to Shakir, while Farisya went to grab something to eat. They sat at an 8 person table, so Shakir now had to slide his chair to the left, so that Razman could sit in the middle with Farisya beside him.

“You guys heard the news?” he asked, before continuing when they both shook their heads. “Apparently, the prim and proper Nora Raidah is pregnant.”

Safwan choked on his saliva and coughed hard while Shakir put one of his hands on his chin, before asking Razman a question.

“Is it forced or consensual?”

“The later. And it was with her best friend’s boyfriend no less.” Farisya interrupted. She then put down her food and sat down. “I stay on the same floor as them on the girl’s block, so many of us heard their fight last night.”

Safwan slammed his hand on the table. Really? Nora Raidah? The dream girls of not only him but many other guys in college? The girl he just confessed to the other day? He clearly remembered her exact reply.

‘Sorry, but I’m focusing on my studies right now, so I can’t afford to play with love. You can try asking other girls who have the free time to entertain you, I’m sure many girls would like that.’

His breathing became heavier, his ears ringing and he balled up his fist. Why? He can’t believe it. And what’s even more surprising was his temper. Why was he so mad about it?

“What’s wrong with you?” Razman said, looking at Safwan’s changing attitude.

“Oh God, again? The hell’s wrong with you today? She rejected you because she has someone else, get over it. I’m sure there’s hundreds of other people that will feel the same as you.”

Safwan took a very deep breath, held it for several seconds and then breathed out. He did that several more times before he was himself again.

‘What’s happening to me? I don't think I have that short of a fuse before. What could’ve…changed…!!’

There’s only one thing that he could remember, that could’ve been the cause of rising aggression - the meeting with the old man this morning.