Rey the Rebel x Joy the Tomboy

(This story happened back in early 2000s when internet was still a new invention to public, no android phones, no Facebook, no Friendster, no Whatsapp yet. Only a few emails, browsers, and a few simple chatting applications.)

This story focused on a young man simply called Rey. He surely wasn't a common guy at all. All about him was so uncertain, as he's an unknown youngster in another country. His occupation was an IT student, studying about computer programming, living alone in a small town house near his campus.

People around, fellow students, lecturer and neighbors only knew him as 'Rey the Rebel'. Not a masculine, too tall, or bulky or athletic man at all. But more close to be described as a sweet, tender, youthful looking man. In other words, he looked so damned ageless, just like Peted Pan.

With a soft light skin, narrow eyes, and jet black hair, Rey looked so cute. He has a perfect familiar smile, almost got no hair at all on his face, except if he didn't shave for a very long time.

And he's not a typical guy that so easy to be flirted with. Rey's not that kind of young man who liked to play around with girls. His daily rituals were only commuted with his old motorbike between home, study at his campus, to an internet cafe where he co-worked with his friends as a keeper, then late at night, went home to sleep alone or simply spent the rest of his day watching TV or playing internet games. So, until now, still no girlfriend at all.

Until one day, when he was online at the cafe he managed and chatted in MiRC like usual.

As it was still no video call or photo chat yet, users can only see others as randomly chosen or written nicknames, numbers or text in the screen, via some available channels.

Rey just liked to do casual chats, as he had no intention to get a new crush or any love prospects at all. He just enjoyed talking around about games, or news, or other light topics. And sometimes he played online games too when he wasn't busy.

But on that one fateful day, he came across a girl nicknamed Joy. Just chose a random person among the other names. Joy's a young lady on another internet cafe said she was browsing the internet after some lecture. And she introduced herself as an art student. Just about the same age as Rey, only born a few months earlier. And she also said she was still studying, now in her final lecture year to gain her bachelor of arts degree.

She wasn't yet know this young man's face at all and so did Rey. So they blindly chatted, told a little introduction about themselves, age, location, exchanging phone numbers and so on. It was an enjoyable conversation between the two, so Rey decided to continue their new friendship. He promised to call Joy on the phone later. And Joy just casually agreed at first, while she never really hopeful to be called.

But Rey was a man of his promise. Not too long after that, Joy's phone at home was ringing.

This young lady, even just like any girl-next-doors and nothing really special at all, was not a typical feminine, usual pretty girl, as she loved her lifelong tomboyish look. She now lived with her mom and her pet dog, while sadly, her dad died 2 years ago. No current boyfriend, as Joy already broke up after 2 years of a relationship without love.

Her ex boyfriend, also an IT student a few years elder, was just like a friend, or maybe a big brother, not a man she really loved, maybe just someone she tried to be with to expel their loneliness together. Or, honestly said, only to tell or show people out there that she's taken, not a sad or lonely single young woman at all. Then, their relationship was over. Something that she never regretted, as it wasn't feel right at all.

About this new unknown guy, Rey, she still didn't know what will happen between them, or even put any hope yet. She already tried to get new friends, mingled with some new guys, but this far, no sign of any crush yet.

And back to the still ringing phone, as it played the good old popular tune a few times already, at first Joy didn't want to pick it up in a hurry.

Is this a decent call from someone I know, or just another 'wrong number' that called me in rows from a few days ago ? - Joy hesitated.

Pick it up now, or never? The answer is in the next episode.

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