Shouldn't Be This Way

Chapter 5: That must be the reason

" Two Tom Yum Noodles, two Fried Rice, and two Pad Thai " The group's order was repeated by the waitress. " And three 'Teh Tarik' for the drink, and only warm water for the girls, did I get the order right? "

Jafri raised his head. "Yes, correct," he said, before gave her a dismissive nod.

Sarah asked Jafri, " How do you know Putera wants to eat the friend rice when he is still not here?" " Is this some kind of brotherhood telepathy or what? "

" Oh no, the things is I want to eat fried rice but I am also craving for Tomyum Noodle " He smiled as he removed his dark glasses.

" No, I'm not asking about you " Sarah leaned back to the seat and gave him a striking stare.

Jafri simply smiled and twisted his fingers, " That's why I ordered him Tom yum so that I could try some of his food, after all, what's the point of having a friend?"

" Wow, what a good friend " Melur clapped sarcastically.

Speaking of the devil, the man of the minute finally entered the cafeteria and casually took a seat on the same table as Jasmine because the other table already filled by the rest of the group.

" This guy has ordered you a menu anyway " Jasmine said indifferently, pointing to Jafri.

" Oh... He grins as he looks at his best friend, "Did he solve his indecisive food issue by ordering the other dish he wanted to eat for me instead? " " Unfortunately, already got used to it "

" See! " Jafri excitedly exclaims.

" Just ignore him, guys, take a look outdoors for a second, it's soooo beautiful," Adam shifted the conversation and conveyed his awe at the beauty of nature.

Outside the train, the sunset light turns the endless rice paddy fields in the suburbs into a gold tint. The planet has a chance to breathe in and renew as the sun sinks beyond the horizon, producing lovely shades of crimson and orange across the sky.

These rural places appear to be more tranquil and harmonious than the hectic and bustling vibes people are used to in the city. They're all simply sitting there calmly absorbing the vista. Is there anything more relaxing than admiring the serene beauty of the sunset?

" Some people's grandparent lived faraway right " Jafri suddenly break the silence, " I was so jealous of that "

" Why!? , out of nowhere? " Adam responds to him.

" All my grandparents lived in Kuala Lumpur, so I did not have any experience to go on a long journey to visit them " Jafri expressed his envy.

" Why didn't you just move to countryside then? " Putera threw a jab at his friend spontaneously. He laughed and said, "Why they are the one who should live so far away?"

Adam then joined the taunting, " Grandparents want to go to the fancy mall too " To tease Jafri more, Adam added, "Why can't it be you instead?"

" Aaahhh..." He let out a long sigh, " Why did I never think about that idea? " He scratches his head. The group burst out laughing at Jafri's sudden realisation.

After a ten-minute wait, a man with a bright blue-collar shirt handed them their meals one by one. The diverse flavours of Thai cuisine are ideal for their meal. The rich flavours of Thai cuisine give each dish its own flavour identity. Their current moods necessitate food that is vibrant and colourful.

" Did I stand outside for five minutes only to eat at the same table as you? " Putera smile softly as he passed out the cutlery he had taken from the cashier's table to Jasmine.

" Sorry, got no option " She giggled cutely.

They continue to concentrate on their food while getting to know one another. In the time they spend eating together, the group gradually bonding together.

As they all finished their meal, the night began to fall. The moon rises brightly, revealing a sparkling night sky. Around the moon is a smattering of stars with languid eyes. Gauze-like clouds floating in the sky hide the ethereal fairyland, accompanied by the gentle rhythm of the blazing train. Finally, the far sky connects with the earth, creating an inky tint of space.

The sweet tune of " Getaran Jiwa " by the great P. Ramlee resounded in the lovely cafeteria atmosphere. The waiter had finished cleaned their table for 30 minutes before they even knew it. However, each member of the group remained seated in their own place, admiring this great piece of music.

The piece made the listeners looks beyond the chords, melody, and words spoken to discover a deeper meaning, something that applies to them and them alone. Someone else can listen to the same song in the same settings and get something completely different out of it. That is the charm of music.

" You know what, every time I listen to P. Ramlee's song, I have a nostalgia for something that I didn't grow up with " Adam spoke as he cleaned his phone screen with a wet tissue.

" Wow, that is the finest compliment I have ever heard, but such an evergreen artist as him earned that compliment " Sarah continued as she sipped a steaming coffee she just received from the waiter.

It exemplifies how distinct we are as individuals but can still be brought together by listening to the same music and applying the same words and chords to our life. Musical tastes are undoubtedly subjective, with words and tones resonating differently in everyone's ears. What one individual may find to be a wonderful piece of music, another may find it to be an irritating jingle. However, there is no such thing as poor music when it comes to transcendent music like this.

As the song ended, Adam stood up and asked, "Should we?" as he held out his box of cigarettes.

" Sure, let's go chop chop " Jafri also rose, leaving the girls behind. " Let's hang out later tonight girls "

The girls simply nodded their heads in agreement. Putera also stood and then took a step forward to join Jafri and Adam to the other compartment.

" Put, be careful!! " Jafri warns Putera as he nearly stumbles upon the steel near the gangway connector.

" Thank you, man " He sighed with relief, " That's some type of shit that happened in final destination "

" You guys know the train is a no-smoking zone, right? " Putera expresses his concern once he has regained his balance. He smiled awkwardly and said, "We might end ourselves in jail if we were caught smoking here."

" No worries, I just saw one of the maintenance workers smoking here, and he told me that only railway workers come to this caboose area " He attempted to reassure Putera's concerns.

" And... We are here " Adam pointed to a final doorless gangway connector near the engine at the train's terminus.

" Nice spot " Jafri said with a nod of approval.

The lads began to smoke while taking in the night's fresh air. Surely, there are many individuals who do not smoke in their realm, but when you come across someone who does, it immediately draws you closer to them. In that moment, a new friendship sprouted between them over a box of cigarette.