I14:7 & 1TS5:18

Sunday afternoon had arrived, providing a moment of respite for the four best friends - Kenneth, Samsul, David, and Leong - who congregated at Upperstars Restaurant. Despite the chaos of the past week and their varied careers, they always found time to reunite and catch up. 

"Setting up the PA System for Datuk Gerald's son's wedding was quite a hoot," Leong remarked, referring to his thriving business. 

David acknowledged, "Seems like your PA System business is booming."

"Indeed, but there's so much to be done. May is going to be a wild month. I don't understand why people choose this month to tie the knot."

"Tell me about it. We've had a nonstop influx of cake orders."

"I guess it's a good month for us both."

David paused for a moment, "It's peculiar that we never cross paths. We seem to be providing services for couples who didn't hire you for their PA system."

The conversation elicited laughter from David and Leong, but for Kenneth and Samsul, the mood was markedly different. 

"You two are fortunate to be doing something you love," Kenneth said. "I always feel trapped at Isuzu."

David inquired, "What's the issue?"

"Cars aren't my thing, really, but I've got to put on a show to rake in the commission for my family," Kenneth explained. 

Samsul sighed in agreement, "Tell me about it. I'm in a similar boat, stuck in a job that doesn't vibe with my love for music. It was just a random decision to apply to JW Furniture and, well, I've been there for years."

As they shared their frustrations, they noticed a peculiar trend. Diners' watches would occasionally sound an alarm, triggering excitement and eagerness to leave the café.

"Have you noticed the watch alarms?" Leong queried.

The other three men shook their heads in bewilderment, wondering what the alarms signified.

As they sat with minds whirling with questions, David's curiosity got the better of him. Spotting a customer whose watch had just beeped, rushing out, he decided to approach. "Excuse me," he began. 

The woman spun around, staring at him with a surprised look.

"What's the commotion all about?" David asked. "What's with the watch alarms?"

"You don't know?" The woman's eyes widened. "The alarms are signalling when we're ready to enter the portal."

"The portal?" Samsul interjected.

"The quantum portal," she clarified.

Kenneth recollected something. "Oh, I saw it in the news yesterday. Isn't it the portal that transports you to an alternate reality?"

"Correct," the woman confirmed. "Apologies, gentlemen, but I must depart now." And with that, she exited the cafe.

David wasn't satisfied. "Wait! Where is this portal?"

The woman sounded exasperated as she responded, "It's at Jesselton Point. Look for a hangar labelled 'Quantum Station.'" And just like that, she vanished.

As she departed, other patrons' watch alarms echoed, and they too exited the cafe, ecstatic and hugging each other, congratulating one another.

"We need to uncover what's happening there," David said. "By the way, Kenneth, how did you know about the portal?"

"I overheard it on the news yesterday. And one of my customers discussed it at the showroom, but I didn't really pay attention to comprehend what the portal is about."

Leong chimed in, "So, shall we venture to Jesselton Point and explore this portal?"

Samsul agreed, "Yes, let's do that," and the other men nodded in unison.

They hastily gulped their drinks, settled the bill, and departed the cafe. They yearned to discover what was provoking so much excitement over this portal and its connection to the patrons' watch alarms.

***

Anticipating the difficulty of finding a parking space at Jesselton Point, Samsul generously offered to transport the other three men in his vehicle. Once they had settled in, and Samsul had initiated the journey, Kenneth seized the opportunity to investigate the quantum portal via Google on his smartphone. When he found the information he was seeking, he relayed it to the others.

"Listen to this, guys. Apparently, this quantum portal transports us to another world where we are reunited with ourselves, whatever that means."

"What on earth does that entail?" Leong queried.

"The website suggests a parallel universe mirrors ours, with optimal versions of us living fulfilling lives as we sit here."

"MashaAllah, that's seriously freaky!" Samsul exclaimed as he drove towards the ticket booth and inserted the parking voucher. "So what's the purpose of travelling there? To meet another version of ourselves?"

"Not to meet, but to reunite with ourselves," Kenneth corrected. "In the article, it's suggested we can't experience our counterparts' lives but can merge with their bodies once in that universe."

"So you mentioned the most optimal version of our lives," Leong interjected. "What exactly does that mean?"

"I have no idea. I guess we'll discover soon enough."

As Samsul's vehicle advanced down the road and surged towards Jesselton Point, they were all lost in contemplation and confusion.

Determined to uncover more information, David seized his turn to investigate. He frenziedly tapped away at his phone, desperate to unveil the truth behind the alternate universe Kenneth had previously mentioned. 

At last, he discovered some pertinent information and eagerly shared it with the others. "Check this out: according to this journal, Kenneth's alternate universe exists where our ideal selves live our dreams. Like me owning a high-tech, large bakery. However, until the reunion, I can't consciously live it."

"Okay, that's too much information for me to digest," Leong interjected, shaking his head while covering his temples.

"We're almost there," Samsul announced, and they all peered out the windows to catch a glimpse of the vast blue ocean on their left, with a sequence of hangars anchored deep in the ocean floor. "Now we just need to locate a parking spot."

As they approached the entrance area, they had to manoeuvre at a sluggish pace, navigating through a seemingly endless line of vehicles heading in the same direction. It appeared to take ages before they finally secured a parking spot, but none of them seemed to care. The delay provided a much-needed opportunity to soothe their unvoiced apprehensions.

***

It required an hour and a half for the four friends to enter the parking lot and secure a parking spot. They were flabbergasted by how congested the area was, to the extent that multiple traffic police officers were deployed to maintain the inflow and outflow of vehicles. 

Their troubles didn't cease there. After departing from the car and proceeding towards the hangar, they had to wait in a line that appeared to be hundreds of people in front of them. The queues were segregated into six different lanes, but the friends insisted on being in the same line.

"My goodness! This place is insanely overcrowded," Leong commented, astounded.

"I don't comprehend it," Samsul said. "David, didn't the article say that everyone is supposed to enter another universe?"

"Yes," David confirmed.

"So why are those people exiting again?" Samsul inquired, pointing towards a large crowd on the other side of the hangar, walking out. "Look at these people. Some are over the moon and can't stop smiling, while others look like they just got hit with some bad news. What's the deal?"

David was too fixated on Samsul to notice the line in front of him moving forward. He only realised it when a woman screeched at him, urging him to proceed.

Sprinting forward, he said to Samsul, "Well, I suppose none of us knows the answer. Let's wait until we enter the hangar. There must be some sort of explanation."

Samsul and the other two men nodded in agreement as they waited in line, inching forward, eager to enter the Quantum Station hangar.

***

The quartet approached the entrance door of the hangar, but their excitement was soon subdued by an unexpected sight. Before them stood a ticket counter. It appeared that gaining entry to Quantum Station was not a freebie.

As they purchased their tickets, they were handed a printout of a QR code that required them to input personal information - full name, IC number, occupation, religion, and other such details. The process seemed to be efficiently organised, with a designated area for attendees to complete the online form.

After filling out the form and submitting it, they were directed to a webpage that provided detailed information about the portal. At the bottom of the page, a four-digit number indicated their turn. They were then instructed to wait in a specific spot until their numbers were called, leading them to another room that would take them to the portal.

"This is nerve-wracking," Kenneth crossed himself.

Leong and Samsul shared his sentiments, but David was engrossed in the portal information on the webpage. His thumb scrolled across the screen, his forehead furrowed in concentration. "Hey, listen to this," he eventually said, capturing their attention. "According to the website, we're not actually physically entering another universe."

"What?" Kenneth asked, surprised.

David nodded. "Yeah, that's why those people are coming out of the door. They're returning to this world but with a renewed sense of reality. See here, it says, 'once you enter a new reality, everything you've ever dreamed of will be materialised.'"

Samsul shook his head in disbelief. "What are we getting ourselves into?" he wondered.

Leong spoke up, "If everyone is living their dream lives after entering the portal, why are some of them looking disappointed?"

There was a moment of stunned silence as the group pondered this question. They had come this far, but what awaited them on the other side of the portal?

***

Hours of waiting had finally come to an end as the long-awaited moment arrived. The number 4929 was called, signalling Leong's turn to enter the Quantum Portal. Taking a deep breath, he got up and followed the group of staff members in the direction they pointed.

With trembling hands, Leong advanced towards a solid metallic door, on which were emblazoned the words QUANTUM PORTAL in bold white letters. As he turned the knob and pushed open the door, he was met with a powerful gust of wind and a blinding burst of light. He had to squint his eyes to adjust to the sudden change in brightness.

Four men stood in the room, looking at him expectantly. "Welcome, Mr. Leong," one of them said. "Whenever you're ready, just walk through the light."

Leong focused his attention on the bright, swirling lights in front of him. This was the portal, he realised. He had imagined it to be different somehow - more grand, more ominous. But in reality, it was just a bright, swirling mass of colours. As he approached, he noticed that the lights were too bright and piercing to look at directly, except for the U-shaped door-like opening in the centre, which was slightly dimmer.

As he walked towards it, the sound of waves and breeze seemed to be coming out from the door, but as he got closer, he realised that the sound was coming from the ocean below the hangar. Fear kicked in, as he noticed that the portal was placed floating above the sea. How could he enter the portal without descending into the aquatic expanse below?

The staff seemed to sense his fear and gave him an encouraging smile. 

The next thing that happened left him speechless. As he entered the portal, he was transported back to the same hangar, as if he was just going out from the same portal in the opposite direction. The same staff members were looking at him, and one of them said, "Welcome to your new universe, Mr. Leong. Congratulations on your self-reunion."

Feeling disoriented, Leong stumbled out of the room. He managed to muster a small wave and a smile to his three friends before he was led towards the exit door. As he strode through the hangar, the sensation from his encounter with the portal remained, stubbornly etched in his consciousness.

It was then that he noticed a small booth in the corner of the hangar, selling watches of different styles and sizes for RM1500 each. A signboard above the booth read, "Watches for Those Portal-Restricted. 12/24-Month Payment Options."

Leong was puzzled by what he saw. Why would anyone need a watch if they were portal-restricted? And why were they so expensive? But he didn't inquire further - after all, he had no problems entering the portal earlier.

As he stepped out of the hangar and into the sunlight, Leong realised that he had been holding his breath the entire time. He looked back at the building, feeling a sense of unease. What was happening behind those doors? And more importantly, what had he gotten himself into?

***

The quartet emerged from the alley, blinking in the bright sunlight. Samsul spotted a small restaurant on the jetty and suggested they go there. They all agreed, eager to take a break and discuss their experiences at the portal.

As soon as they were seated and ordered their drinks, David posed the question that was on everyone's mind. "So, you didn't get to enter the portal?" he asked.

Kenneth and Samsul shook their heads in frustration. "No, we couldn't," Kenneth said. "It was like trying to walk through a big, strong elastic wall. I kept trying to penetrate it, but it just snapped me backwards."

Leong pondered their words, feeling a sense of unease. "Why could David and I enter, but you two couldn't?" he wondered.

As they were talking, David suddenly exclaimed, "Leong! Check your phone. Check your photo gallery."

Leong complied, his complexion blanching as he absorbed the shock. The gallery snapshots told a story of a life transformed overnight - his modest PA system business now flaunted Hollywood-grade audio equipment, having amplified the voices of superstars like Taylor Swift and Sam Smith. David's dream had materialised too, a bakery now of grand proportions, kitted out with top-tier cake machinery, its order book filled with names from the celebrity A-list.

"This is unbelievable. How can we be so unlucky?" Kenneth questioned, gesturing towards himself and Samsul.

Samsul, who had been busy researching on his phone, spoke up. "Inability to enter the portal was linked to low serotonin, dopamine, endorphins, or oxytocin levels in a US study."

"What are those?" David asked.

"They're the happy hormones that promote positive feelings like pleasure, happiness, and even love," Samsul explained. Then, he turned to Kenneth and asked, "Hey, Ken. Did you buy the watch?" showing off his own white timepiece.

Kenneth nodded, displaying his own brand new watch. "Yeah, I did.” 

Confused by the watches, David and Leong learned their purpose from Samsul: to alert when body vibrations were portal-ready.

The quartet fell silent, contemplating the implications of what they had learned. The portal was not just a physical barrier - it was a test of one's mental and emotional state.

The evening sun dipped low on the horizon, casting long shadows across the lonely jetty. Samsul's words hung heavy in the air like a fog, until finally David spoke up. 

"Well, it's simple, then," he said. "Let's focus on happy things. We might be able to spike those happy hormones in no time." 

Samsul scoffed, his eyes narrowed with doubt. But Kenneth nodded in agreement, and eventually Samsul begrudgingly admitted that it was worth a try. And so they began, recalling all the happy and funny moments they had shared over the course of their friendship. 

For a time, it worked. They laughed and reminisced, trading stories and memories until they were all filled with joy. "I'm loving this conversation," Samsul said, his smile genuine. "Please, let's keep this going. But no talk of work, okay? You know how much I hate my job, right?" 

Kenneth grinned and high-fived his friend. "Yezza! No work talk allowed. You guys know I hate my job too, right?" 

Their laughter echoed off the concrete walls of the jetty, but no matter how much they joked and teased, Samsul and Kenneth's watches remained stubbornly unresponsive. Soon, they grew tired of repeating the same old stories, and they seemed to be running out of ideas of what to talk about. 

Just then, both Kenneth and Samsul's phones beeped, signalling the arrival of a new email. They both eagerly opened their messages, reading in silence as their friends looked on. 

"Apologies for the Quantum Portal access issue," Samsul read aloud. "As a Quantum Watch owner, we suggest you engage in enjoyable, relaxing activities while awaiting entry notification. Based on your Personal Detail form, consider focusing on I14:7. Best of luck with your upcoming portal access." 

Kenneth frowned. "Well, that's strange. I got a similar email, but I'm supposed to focus on 1TS5:18." 

Samsul threw his hands up in frustration. "What does that even mean? Why do they have to be so esoteric?" 

David and Leong exchanged a look of pity, wishing they could help their friends more but feeling just as clueless. As the minutes ticked by and hope began to fade, Kenneth finally spoke up. 

"Well, Sam, looks like we have no choice but to accept our fate," he said with a sigh. "I guess our lives aren't really that bad." 

Samsul nodded. "Yeah. We might not adore our jobs, but they keep our families fed." 

"Exactly!" Kenneth said, his voice growing more animated. "And they're sort of fun too, aren't they?" 

What followed was an unexpected exchange about the one topic they both had agreed to avoid: their jobs. They began to reminisce about all the good things they had experienced in their careers, from wonderful customers to annual bonuses. 

David and Leong exchanged grateful smiles, watching their friends embrace their lives and careers with open arms.

"Indeed, God works in mysterious ways," Kenneth said.

"Yup," Samsul agreed. "In another life we'll make it, Insha'Allah."

Suddenly, they all locked in a wide-eyed stare.

The quiet scene at the jetty, underscored by the rhythmic crashing of waves against its concrete defences, was intruded upon by the raucous, repetitive beeping of two watch alarms.