*The Shake-Up

Sunway could be seen as the city that never sleeps, one that offers a variety of activities for the people of disparate interests- a mall ,which in itself provides a plethora of services and activities, for the shopaholics, a cyber cafe for the gamers, clubs for the revellers, futsal centres for fans of the ball game and the list is practically endless. Within Sunway University College's district, there are tennis courts, swimming pools and a field for sports buffs. And in the hostel, there is staring at walls, floors, ceilings and being introspective. A new activity Hans Basil discovered extremely engaging. Hans Basil? In Sunway?.....

48 hrs before...

1153pm. Monday. 2 February 2009. The moment Hans Basil finally acceded to the calls to return, the once-obstinate wall around his mind finally shattered. Two significant people in his life had contributed the most in the u-turn, though he was to find out that one of them would later transform agonisingly different.
With a new decision in mind, all hell broke loose as Hans struggled to find his books and pack his things. He proceeded to inform Sue Anne of his changed decision, which resulted in an eruption of immense joy. And as if the world was working in tandem and celebrating Hans' return, fireworks lit the night sky. Hans kept the change to himself, with only Sue in the know. He could somehow foresee that the future in Sunway would be bleak, and vowed to make it better for himself. Poor Outsider should have known better, for his weak mind would soon be ravaged to shreds.

Upon news of Hans' return, reactions were varied, with Diane Shine being ecstatic, Theo Oscar relieved and Nick Ivans somewhat wary, expecting the worst, Hans' indecisiveness a thorn in his mind. Angie Flo felt her emotions were being played by that same vacillation, her ongoing saga with Sanya Dival taking a heavy toll on her gradually weakening mind. Her disbelief was not lost on Hans, as he pored over the decision he made one day back. And the truth slammed into him hard as realisation dawned on him that he had made the biggest mistake of his life, throwing the opportunity that had knocked on his door.

While news propogated and people soon recieved the info, only John Bow was kept in the dark, with Hans planning to surprise him after hearing of his friend's torturous days in college. Ultimately it seemed the surprise was for Hans, as John displayed little emotion, and looked to be in perfect condition, leaving Hans bewildered and in an even worse postition than he ever was in. Perhaps Hans expected too much of his 7-month friend, whose move away from the hostel looks to have started the depreciation of their friendship. This had been foreseen weeks ago, and Hans has to learn to acclimatise quickly if he is to salvage any chance of surviving in college. Poor Outsider. Everything simply refuses to fall in line for him.

Sue Anne had been elated when Hans had informed her the very second he changed his mind, but the downward spiral of her luck continued. Fresh from feeling the joy, it was soon inundated with shock and deep sorrow as another close friend suddenly told her of her intention to depart from Sunway. One friend returns, another leaves. With her relationship with Dan Wise below the radar the past few days, it seems Sue was experiencing life as a Lonely Girl. Short breaks with Theo, Angie and Hans may have eased her pain, but whether it will help in the long run can't be told.

The straight HDs attained last year seemed to be a fluke, as Hans realised he was seriously struggling to cope with his studies, unable to achieve the same form and momentum gained last semester. On top of that, rumoured BFF John Bow seemed to have gained his own BFF in the form of Nick Ivans, the pair now roommates and spotted inseperable in college, all insinuations of homosexuality removed. This huge blow, along with playing catch-up in studies, seems to have crippled Hans enormously as he contemplates life in college as a hermit. But he may have hope.
Diane Shine emerged from nowhere and became Angie's BFF after Sanya's absence as a friend, and now, it seems she as come to the rescue of Hans. The pair had never really conversed, but a couple of late night conversations seemed to have drawn the duo much closer, with both being able to talk about anything. Will Diane replace John and be Hans' new confidante? Or will Hans fight to set things straight with John and save what shred is left of their friendship?

Two days back, and already Hans' world has stopped, his resolve to quit stronger than ever before, his mind more troubled, his emotions torn to pieces. He vowed to himself to slog through the hell and finish his course. How he intends to do that remains to be seen, but he should be aware that nothing goes his way, and odds are high that he would be kicked when he's already down. John's inital concern seems to have disappeared, while Sanya looks to have taken herself out of Hans' life. Angie, Theo and Nick welcomed Hans' return with open arms, but each dealing with problems of their own. As for Sue, as if dealing with her friend's sudden departure wasn't painful enough, she soon realises matters of her heart she never felt before, complicating her life further. Just when will the darkness that had enveloped these lives disappear?