"Feeling alright madam?" A nurse put a cup of green tea in front of Mrs. Low.

"Yes, much better." Mrs. Low smiled as the nurse walked off.

Kian knew he was supposed to be happy but somehow or rather, he wanted to stay just a little longer. He eyed the bed with drawn curtains right beside the ward's doors. Its now or never.

"Mummy, I'm going for a while ya?" Kian said standing up. He looked over at his mother.

"Ok, dear," She takes her reading tablet from the bedside table, putting it into her bag. "I'll let you know when we are going."

Kian nods. He slowly starts walking over to the bed. As he approaches, a million things popped up in his head. Will she recognize me? Am I doing the right thing? Should I get some water? Where should I sit? He didn't even answer any of them before he finally reached the curtains. He looked around not knowing what to do at that point and noticed the bed next door was empty. He takes the chair belonging to that bed section and slowly sits down in front of the curtain.

"H-Hello?" He calls out. No response. Maybe she's sleeping. "You awake?"

There was a sound of shuffling and then a voice. "Mm?"

Kian felt his face heat up as he tried to calm himself down. "Ergh, h-hi. It's the guy from last night."

There was some silence before the girl responds again. "Oh, hi."

Kian felt like his thoughts were moving too slowly, his mind was blank on what to say next.

"Thank you by the way." The voice cracked a little as she finished her sentence.

Holy crap that's cute. He shook his head and concentrated on the conversation. "Ah, no problem. I was on the way out anyway."

"Yea..." The girl responded. Silence again.

Kian's thoughts were still slow. Was this really her? It could just be some random girl and he was definitely going to cringe if it was. He looked down at his hands, balled up together and quite cold due to the air conditioning in the ward. Kian decided he just needs to get the thought out before he embarrasses himself further.

"Um, we've met before you know." He finally spoke up. He retracted a bit physically, waiting for the confusion to start.

"I know," The girl said which made him feel an electric shock through his body. "Your face hasn't changed since the arcade."

"Y-you remember?"

"Heh, yeah, you were terrible."

Kian drooped his head down. "Please, don't remind me."

"But then again, you managed to beat me in the end. To me that was a massive feat."

Kian looked at the curtain in front of him. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I kind of play that game competitively. Normally, when I play that game outside of competitions, people just give up after I beat them a few times. Sometimes, it seemed like I was hogging the whole machine to myself."

Kian leaned back in the chair. Bloody hell she's that good?

"But then I went to the arcade to try the machines over there before a competition. And...I met you."

"Well, there wasn't really anybody else playing the machine."

"It wasn't whether you were playing or not, it was the fact you kept playing even after I started."

Kian couldn't see himself but he definitely thinks he was blushing at that moment.

"I mean, you kept racing to your final coins and I think if I beat you in that last race, you would've gone for more coins."

"Well, I can't say for sure but probably, heh."

"Then my mom had to break things up. How absurd." There was a silence once more and Kian felt a pressure building up in his chest.

"My promise to you. I didn't keep it, huh."

The girl sighs. "It's not your fault, It's my mom. She hates games and she thinks it's the one hindering me from my sports."

"Wow, that's sad."

"Yea, well..." Her voice trails off. "It's what's best for me anyways."

"But, don't you like racing games?"

"I like games in general."

"Oh for real? Me too! Although I play League of Legends more to be honest. I want to become a professional gamer."

"Wow. Never knew somebody actually wanted to become one before."

"Not having much luck though, heh." He rubs his neck. He then sits straight up. "But I'll keep on trying, no matter what. I, Low Yi Kian, will do my best."

Kian said something really embarrassing and now he felt like he wanted to throw the chair he was sitting on across the hall.

The girl suddenly giggled. "You'll achieve that dream. I'm sure of it."

Kian felt his heart bloom. Energy that he never felt before surged through him. Now, his dream was very much in full swing. The girl he admired so much, approved of it.

"Kian," His mother suddenly comes up to him from behind. "Let's go home."

"Ah," Kian looked at his mother's former bed. "My laptop?"

"Here." Kian's mother gave the bag to him.

Kian saddles his bag on his shoulders and looked at the curtain. "Thank you for believing in me."

Kian's mother exits the ward followed by Kian. Within the curtain, the girl sat alone once more doing her best to not make the heart rate monitor alarm sound. Low Yi Kian.

▶

To: [email protected]

CC: [email protected],[email protected]

From: [email protected]

Subject: Club Inactivity

Dear Mr. Low Yi Kian,

We would like to inform you that the recent event that you have held in partnership with the netball club has been recognized by the student council. We hereby will not proceed with any investigation of inactivity by your club anymore. However, please do be vigilant on the terms and conditions that you still must meet as a club.

Best Regards,

STACY

Stacy P. Anderson

Secretary

Student Council

University of Malaysia National

"That settles it, I guess." Meng closed the email on his screen as he rotates his gaming chair. This was the latest equipment he had brought into the gaming club room along with his cat ear headphones.

"You guys are lucky I managed to send the report during study week. Conducting an event during the last week of the semester is too close for comfort." Goh rotates back to look at her monitor.

"Haiya, at least we got it done. Isn't that right, Kris?" Meng turned towards Kian who was looking through his notes on the monitor.

"Yea, I'm just pissed that we need to go through exams now." Kian scrolls.

"Chill lah, bro. At least after that you can start your ranked journey again."

"I would rather start it now." Kian mutters under his breath.

"Ey, by the way guys. Most of the other clubs gonna have events during the sem break. Y'all joining any?" Meng looked at the both of them.

"Well, I thought of joining the art and debate club's event." Goh said rubbing her chin.

"What are they going to do?"

"Something about debating on people's art."

"Yeesh, you're so boring."

Goh rolled her eyes and looked back at her monitor. She slouched over trying to get a closer look at her notes and squinted her eyes.

Meng sighed. He got up and patted her back causing her to sit up straight. "Stop slouching. You're gonna ruin yourself." He looked over her gaming chair. "When's the last time you changed your glasses?"

Goh was quiet for a while then shook her head. "Can't remember."

"Ah, then these glasses are probably old as hell."

"What does that have to do with me?"

"Shit glasses cause shit eyesight." Meng shrugged. "You might go blind, just a warning."

Goh turned around and looked up at Meng, annoyed. "I got money, is it?"

Meng tilted his head slightly. "You don't?"

"Not for glasses." Goh crosses her arms.

"Hmm," Meng rubs his chin. "Then we both should go get you those glasses after your exams."

Goh's eyes went wide a little as she rapidly turned around to look back at her slides. "Is Kris coming?"

"Why the hell should I come?" Kian was staring intensely at his screen, clicking his personal mouse he brought from his dorm. "You and Meng go lah. I got better things to do."

"Har? I swear you do not have better things to do, Kris," Meng went back to his own seat. "You sure you don't wanna come?"

"Nope, you guys go ahead. Just the two of you." Kian looked away from his screen right at Meng and raised his eyebrows twice.

Meng's eyes went wide just like Goh's realizing the implication. Kian definitely couldn't concentrate with the amount of ruckus these two were causing. But then again, it was worth it to see his friends react to this kind of teasing.

Meng cleared his throat. "What about you, Kris? Any events you gonna join?" He said trying to change the subject.

Kian shook his head. "Not gonna join any events."

"La, come on lah Kris. Not say an event is for one whole month."

"Yea, but...one or two days is enough to drop so far down the ladder."

"Get a grip man. You're so good at this game. That drop you can make up in no time one."

Kian rested his chin on his hand. "Don't feel like it."

"Tsk, Kris..." Meng walked behind Kian.

"What are you-GAH!" Kian suddenly felt pinching on his traps and he immediately balled up.

"Relax a bit, would you? Take your damn eyes off a screen for once." Meng continued massaging Kian's shoulders.

Kian bowed his head down and let out a sigh. "Actually, I got an invite."

"Huh? What invite?" Meng stopped and looked at Kian from the side.

"It's the event for the partnership between hiking and reading clubs."

"Invitation? Its not open to everybody?"

Kian looked towards Meng. "You didn't get one?"

Meng shook his head. "Nope. Never even heard of the event."

"Huh. That's weird. Then how are they going to get reviews from students?"

"I was invited as well, to be fair," Goh spoke up. "Some clubs just want to focus on the partnership instead of the reviews."

"That's pretty counter intuitive, isn't it?" Meng said looking puzzled. "What's the point when you're not trying for the funds?"

"I mean, when you're as popular as the hiking club or the debate club or the art club with all those posh students, you could say funds aren't really a priority." Goh tilted her head.

"True." Meng nodded.

"You should go then Kris." Goh looked at Kian.

"I mean, Noel did invite me." Kian looked down at his keyboard.

"Was that the guy who won with his girl the other day?" Meng looked at Kian from the side again.

"Yea."

"Then lagi lah you should join, Kris." Meng slapped Kian's shoulder which produced an ugly stare from Kian.

"I don't know, man. I don't like walking and stuff. And I think I need to stay somewhere before the hike as well."

"Wah, that's even better! And how much you need to pay?" Meng said clearly getting excited even if he wasn't the one going.

"I think...75 ringgit?"

"That's is a damn good deal leh, Kris. Just go lah." Meng said slapping Kian's shoulder again.

"Tsk. Will you stop doing that?"

"Oh, sorry. Heh." Meng sat back in his chair.

"You should join, Kris," Goh bent forward to look past Meng. "It really sounds fun."

Kian rubbed his neck. "I...I'll consider it after my papers." He says as he looks back at his slides.

▶

Kian walked out of the exam hall and heaved a sigh of relief. Finally, his exams were over albeit he wasn't confident in whatever the hell he put in the paper. Now its time to head back to the club room and put in some good hours. He walks out of the hall and towards the computer science faculty, finally feeling like all of his burdens are lifted off his shoulders. He felt like he could fly at any moment now.

As he continued to walk, he looked over at the setting sun which was going beneath the horizon and bathed the sports complex in an orange hue. How long can he spend in the club room? He looks at his wrist to check the time but his watch wasn't there.

"Huh? Where did...oh." He took off his bag and slung it in front of him. He looked through until he found his watch in the second pocket, along with a crumpled pamphlet.

He opened the pamphlet and stopped walking. This was the pamphlet Noel handed him a few weeks ago. He looked up in agony. He had completely forgotten about it but I guess it was too late now. The deadline to register was tomorrow and he didn't have a concrete commitment to go anyway.

Kian purses his lips and whispers to himself. "Sorry Noel."

"Gamer?"

Kian looked up. Alexis held a netball to her hip and wore her typical training clothes, probably on the way to the courts some distance away. She walked over to him.

Kian sighed. "What is it, Alexis."

"Aren't you supposed to be...you know, doing game things?"

Kian looked at Alexis. "Game things?"

"Yea, well...something like that or whatever other useless things gamers do."

Kian looked to the ground and snickered a little. He was getting used to the insults by now. "You and your antics huh, Alexis."

She chuckles a little. "My antics? I'm just like this, gamer."

Alexis tapped Kian's chest with the back of her hand, catching Kian by surprise and causing him to look up at her again.

Alexis tilted her head. "I heard the event's closing ceremony went well."

Kian shrugged. "Yea, kind of. Except for the fact the president of the netball club wasn't there."

"Ah that," She scrunched her face up. "I was busy with training."

"But...Rui Wen was there."

"Yea, well. Training for myself."

Kian thought back to Rui Wen's words that night. He was confused now. "Hm, training."

"Yep."

He looked at Alexis in the eyes. He really could let out about what Rui Wen told him but he just decided to keep that to himself.

Now he was going to be courteous and walk away. "Thanks for your club's help by the way."

Alexis gave a sarcastic frown. "Well, that was late."

"Tsk, I'm for real, ok. We really appreciated your help in the end."

"Uh huh," Alexis slowly nodded. "Sure, I guess? I mean, whatever to help keep your boring club alive, y'know."

Kian rolled his eyes. Not even a 'you're welcome'.

"What's that?" She said gesturing with her nose at the pamphlet.

Kian looks down at the pamphlet he was holding the whole time. "None of your business." He folds the pamphlet in half and stuffs it in his jean pocket.

"Aw, did I make gamer mad?" She said while frowning in a sarcastic manner.

"A few times before this as well."

"Heh, yea you're right." She then walked past him before stopping and turning back to Kian. "You can't lie to me by the way."

Kian looked over at her. "What do you mean?"

"That pamphlet. I got it too."

Kian tilted his head. "Do I care?"

"Well, your constipated face and the fact you were holding that pamphlet tells me you have a decision to make."

Kian thought that it was very weird that Alexis could read him like that.

"But I know you won't join," Alexis smiled at him. "I'm surprised you even got the pamphlet in the first place. The person that gave it to you must not know you that well. What with a gamer being outdoors and all."

Kian scowled at Alexis. How could she say something like that about Noel?

"Oh? What's with that reaction? I'm just stating the obvious. Well, don't even think about coming. I need my peace and quiet during the damn trip anyway." And with that she turned and walked towards the courts.

Kian felt like gravity was pushing down on him. It ruined his damn mood seeing her just walk away after spewing poison at him. And what she said about Noel, that is unforgivable. Noel was probably the only one who knew the most about Kian other than his own mother. He took the pamphlet out from his pocket, scanning it and then called Noel.

"Yo, Kris!" Noel answered.

"Noel, still got place for your event or not?"

"Yea, you going to join?"

Kian paused for a while before tightening the grip on his phone. "Yes, I'm going to prove a point."

GAME OVER: CHAPTER NINE