Good Good Study, Day Day Up

This is the first verse that Haoran taught me back in Poly year 2. I got to know him through Atomic interview. I was trying to make new friends and decided to chat with him. He was my course mate. And we had this subject called MCT. He borrowed a CHINESE MCT guide and did extra work on that subject. Obviously the lecturers loved him. Someone so humble, yet funny and hardworking, obviously had very good results. Whenever we had our semester exams (due to the fact that I retained, he was studying stuff 1 semester ahead of me, except for some subjects which I could take. It's difficult to explain when you're not TP Engineering student), he'll ask me how I fare and I can hear from his voice that he is not comparing to see if he's better than me. HE IS BETTER than me. His results are all As, Bs and distinctions. There is no way I can compare to him.

One day, he told me "Good good study, day day up". I asked him what does it mean. He told me he learnt it back in China, his teacher had told him 好好学习，天天向上. He had merely direct translated it to make me laugh. In Atomic, all of us vied for positions. Not Haoran. He just wanted to make more friends and make them happy. Atomic events are actually quite enjoyable with him around. He always lends a hand, never once did he turn any of us down. And he always tells me "Good good study, day day up" in the exaggerated tone of his when I request for it. He tends to stress on the 'd' and it actually sounds like 'gooded'. God he really cracks us up sometimes.

Being a China male trying to fit in, he took everything into his stride. Never once had I seen him flare up. He's always carrying a big bag. And bet you guys from Atomic don't remember, he was actually working at Simpang Bedok 7-11 during his second year. He's always wearing a silly smile that brightens up the day when you're sad or just plain sianz. And he's forever wearing bright clothing. And we'll always laugh at his dress sense. Not cruelly of course. Atomic is like one big family. And he's just like a younger brother. Although his intelligence is way beyond mine. The last time I saw him was this year, during the MIE Chinese New Year gathering during the last day of TP open house. Who knew it would be my last time seeing him.

I received a call from Cibao at around 6pm. Cibao is another coursemate. When she called, she told me she had bad news. I thought she was going to kid me and tell me that she's going to be a mum. But no. She told me Haoran, our Xu Haoran, from MIE 05', Atomic club member, had passed away last night. The reason to his death is unknown. But it's suspected that he had a heart attack and had passed away in his sleep. I mass messaged alot of our friends as well as lecturer and course manager. Even Suefong. She couldn't believe and her message to me was "double confirm. haoran? as in the china guy you used to play with back in poly?" I used to kid around with Haoran whenever I see him. Sometimes we affectionately call him "Haoren" (good person). He's not really my best friend, but he's not those hi-bye friend either. He's sort of close, in some ways. He's a friend. Someone whom I can truly call a friend, someone who won't backstab me or look down on me.

I was so looking forward to seeing him and other MIE coursemates at our next gathering. I guess...it's just us minus Haoran. Rest in peace my friend.