A song that never fails to remind me of Daniel.
If I were to retell the tale from the start, it would take too long, be too tedious and perhaps more than a little painful. So I'll skip the start and fast forward to the climax.
This time, last year.
He was a Taiwanese, my age. Fair, medium built, handsome. A very close friend of my brother, which yes, means he's an Ahbeng. Renowned rich playboy with considerable charms.. girls fall to his feet like Alibaba's cave. A nasty reputation for fuck and throw as well. Lol.
Also, he was the ex boyfriend of a girl who was on alright, daily hanging terms with me at that point. She wasn't over him. I didn't know what to do, but Daniel convinced me to forget everyone, forget everything, just start over with him.
Attraction was present, and we've been on what you call it, dates? His friends knew me as his new girl, and mine knew him as my new person. And the clique we both belonged to were exchanging smirks and giggles. Only my brother was wary, he told me to stay away, and he warned Daniel off me. But yeah, they talked it out and came to an understanding, perhaps.
I'll never forget that day. I could've seen him for the last time, but because of self righteous pride and anger, I didn't. At JE with Vic, Daniel called her, asking us for pool in town. Vic urged me to go down, but I was having a cold war with him and pah! Attitude problem. Refused to go. And I didn't get any calls from him after that.
I saw Lionel (his mom's Dan's guardian) the next morning. I asked whether he knew where Daniel was, and with a harassed look of absolute stress on his face, he told me he would tell me later. I thought, yknow, prolly stupid ahbeng stuff again and didn't really bother. Went to hang with with Mengwee, Josephine and Hengyong. Yes, the pretty boy whom I had a little fancy for. Just to spite Daniel. Chevrons, just arcading smoking pretty much bumming around. Over to Imm, I remember it was at Macs, Hy was teasing me about something and I accidentally drop my whole tray of food.
A call from Sky. Daniel's uh. Uppermen. "Do you know what happened to Daniel? Where's Daniel?" That's when I knew. Something's wrong. I called Lionel immediately. Guess what?
Victor and Daniel were caught for armed robbery the night before.
I lost it. Broke down, cried, everything. Thank god for Vic then. She was my pillar of strength at that time. I remember rushing down to the police Headquarters, begging my parents to pay his 12k bail as his mom was very ill, having an operation in Taiwan. I could only come up with 7k myself then. But we couldn't..
On one of his court sessions, I saw him. We thought we were at the wrong courtroom, and I went out to check. When I returned, he was there, standing. I couldn't help it. Both my brother and I had a steady flow of tears cascading down our faces. And that silly boy? Smiled, waved. Just to show us he was alright. When it was over, my brother recieved a call from him. He asked about the people and everything, and me as well. But it was only a 3 min phonecall.
He was sentenced to four months in Changi Prison. In the two months, I recieved three letters from him. I wrote too, I told him I would wait, and that I loved him. He told me he missed me, and that if he could turn back time, he would have spend that night singing with me rather than drinking with his bosses. But he told me.. not to wait. To find someone else who loves me, because he would rather me be happy and blissful.
But I'm proud to say, I waited for him. All the time he was in Prison, I wrote to him. Every single night, without fail. Slowly, I lost the tears and as I got used to this waiting trial, I begin to look forward to the day I'd see him again.
Dec 10, Victor was released. Daniel's companion in crime. He was on tagging. And I called him, to ask about Daniel. And he told me Daniel talked alot bout me while they were in the same remand holding cell, that he was planning to make us official the pool day. God, how I cried when I heard that.
Days past. Christmas, New Year. Bought his presents, prepared special gifts for his release. Dan's guardian told us Dan's mom didn't want us to send him off. She wanted him to leave, no strings attached cos it seemed inevitable that he would banned from the country.
Nevertheless, on the 7th, Vic and I met Victor early outside Changi Prison to wait for him. Batches of people were released, but we didn't see him. We decided to ask, and when I saw his name on the foreign prisoner's release date sheet, my heart just seemed.. caught up. I don't know how to put it. Ran all the way to hailed a cab to immigration. The guy told us they had no list of prisoners, they might be out from immigration cell anytime. From 2pm to 2am! I knew it would be futile, but I texted numerous msges, made numerous calls to his phone. Which was with the police. All of us knew there would be little chance to see him, but still.. we waited. And waited.
Bout 2+pm, an unknown number call. Claimed he was Daniel, which I doubted and out of agitation I yelled, hurled profanities. But it was him! He was like. Why did you guys come! You can't see me! He would be held in the cell, until the next day and sent directly off to Taiwan. The look on our faces when we knew it was him.. God. He told me to take care, and that we would stay in contact even when he returned to Taiwan. "I love you.." "I love you." I passed the phone to Victor, choking back tears. He couldn't talk long, he begged his warden to let him make one last phone call. Victor and I both burst into tears. Holding on to each other for comfort.
Now we're very close friends. But Daniel Fu Chieh Hsun, he'll always hold a special place in my heart.
Despite all the opposing factors, I hung on. And I never regretted waiting for him. I knew from the start he would most probably be banned from Singapore. I chose and I promised to wait, and I stuck to it. Only when he set me free.. did I move on again. Victor's look of admiration, of wistfulness as he said, very touched, "Daniel is so lucky to have a girl like you, loving him so much" made everything pay off.
Would you have done the same, if you were me? Will you follow your head, or your heart?
