The Reason

We entered the room through the yellow door - all 6 of us - S, WJ, SM, JT, ML and me. It was enclosed by 4 blue walls with tiny uniform holes; at the sides were large black cubic amplifiers that looked like parts of cut-up coffin; the two terraced keyboards laid next to the door; in the middle, the acoustic drumset stood proudly; a slender mirror stared blankly into us.

We were there to sing and rehearse for our big day 2 weeks later. A mini performance to entertain our juniors, and to stun our professors and dean. They will enjoy the wonders of modern technology and music. How inanimate objects such as the guitar and the drum can produce sound never imaginable by our dinosaur-hunting ancestors. Worse still, we were not a terrifically talented bunch of musicians. We were just made up of a few people who can read "tabs" and sing in tune. How difficult can that be?

JT started first. She sang like her sister. The pronounciation, the little swagger that can be regarded as a stylish dancing movement, those side staring eyes, the sharp little chin - all coincide spookily with her famous sister.

It dawned upon me that siblings do have similarities. If so, what are the similarities I have with my brother? I have difficulty naming one. He certainly does not sing like me. His personality lags far away from mine. We don't even speak the same way. Some say we look like brothers - perhaps it is the high-riding hairline that makes our foreheads so tall.

Whatever. Am I trying to find reasons for my existence? Shouldn't all people be unique and follow their own hearts and pathways? I have always strived to be different from others, including my brother. But maybe we are all the same in one way or another - we deny them.

When my turn came, I sang with gusto. The Reason was a great song. My throat was trembling with fragility. I must take care, or the big day might just be another normal day for me.