they sing, raindrops falling on my head

hey birthday boy,

please know that i still think of you and so many things remind me of our bittersweet childhood.

do you know that everytime i think of your favourite movie, the gladiator, i'm reminded of you? i'm reminded of the many afternoons you tried to turn the living room into a cinema theatre while you watch that movie over and over and over again. i always thought it was genius how you dimmed the lights, closed the cutains, turned on the air-con, got a pack of lays and settled yourself down on your favourite spot on the couch.

do you know that everytime i think of soccer, i'm reminded of you? i'm reminded of that afternoon when you were sick of seeing me glued to the tv, and dragged me downstairs where you taught me how to play soccer when i was 10. i loved it so so much. and i'm glad you taught it to me. haven't being playing it properly ever since you left. i miss teaming up with you and "accidentally" kicking our opponents(:

do you know that everytime i look at the scar on my leg, i'm reminded of you? i'm reminded of the time we fought so bad, you were so angry you kicked me really hard on my leg. i never told you that the scar was caused by you. you always were really moody, and when you were mad, you would be real mad.

and remember our kitchen at pandan valley? its the one that we sat down on one morning and talked for hours. we told each other all our secrets. i told you about how jealous i was of anna. and we agreed to alliance against her. and you told me about your girlfriend, which was your first. and that you were sad that she was ignoring you. i was sad for you.

swimming medals remind me of you. i remember how you used to hang your swimming medals on your dad's buddha statue. and everytime i walked pass your stupid 'artwork', i would stop to laugh at it.

and stawberries. how many times have i caught you sitting by the refridgerator, stuffing strawberries into your mouth? and i remember when we were young and used to build 'houses' out of our beds and blankets and almost everything that we could find.

remember how we used to spank each other when i was five? aha. and the playground nearby our house. you showed me all sorts of wacky tricks. sometimes i really thought you were insane.

and even though we aren't really related, we both have the same problem- accidents.
and remembered how we used to alliance against technically everyone? and all that gossiping about our neighbours.

all these great memories simply cannot be contained in a single post. we should write a novel.

but all those times you comforted me when i was crying. because of mean school bullies, or even our domestic problems. and that time you told me it would all be okay when the ambulance came for mum. you knew exactly how i felt about everything that was happening, because the same was happening to you. yet despite all the hurt you were going through, you allowed me to use you as my pillar or strength and support. you really are the strongest person i know.

sweet memories.
you were very much a part of my childhood.
and i wish i was able to tell you how much you had impacted my life.
you are, and always will be, my strawberry-obsessed, full-of-stupid-accents, cool, somwhat handsome(not after haircuts though), tempermental, diary-stealing, funny, weird and strong brother that i look up to.
whether you're in another continent or not.

happy sweet sixteen(: