Chapter 1 - The Smash That Started It All
Chapter 1: The Smash That Started It All
There’s something oddly poetic about how badminton brings people together—shuttlecocks zipping like whispered secrets across the net, rackets cracking with the rhythm of budding camaraderie. And under the humming lights of NTU’s sports hall, fate served its first shot.
Aleem stepped onto the court like he always did—steady, self-assured, with a towel casually draped around his neck and a spark of mischief in his eye. His form was clean, refined; years of muscle memory born not from competition, but from shared courts and laughter-filled volleys. He wasn’t here to impress—well, maybe just a little—but mostly, he was here to reconnect with the rhythm of the game.
Across the court stood Crystal. Chin lifted. Ponytail swaying. Her stance was firm, but her eyes playful. They’d crossed paths before—somewhere between the chaos of a CCA carnival and the late-night planning of a student initiative—but for now, they played it cool, as if today was just another random meeting.
Meanwhile, two souls wandered the badminton court with slightly less finesse and far more uncertainty.
Isabelle stood clutching her racket with both hands like a nervous tourist holding a map in a foreign country. She had signed up for this class on a whim—a decision fueled by a desire to try something new and escape the weight of lecture halls. But now, surrounded by duos practicing drop shots and smashes, she looked hopelessly out of place.
Ivan, on the other hand, was more annoyed than lost. Having missed the first lesson due to a brutal flu, he arrived late to the friend-making fiesta. Now he was that lone guy standing awkwardly at the back, leaning on his racket, clearly trying to look disinterested but secretly hoping someone would ask him to play.
As if drawn by invisible threads, Ivan and Isabelle locked eyes—two loners orbiting the same uncomfortable galaxy. He walked over first, a bit stiff, but polite.
“Uh, you wanna pair up?”
“…Sure.”
It wasn’t instant chemistry, but it was a start. And on a court where everyone else already had a rhythm, at least they had the same tempo of awkwardness.
Across the hall, Aleem noticed. His eyes widened, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.
“No way,” he muttered. “Ivan?”
Ivan turned. Recognition bloomed, slow and wide, like the sunrise over Tampines where they’d both grown up.
“Oi, Meridien Primary!” Aleem laughed, half-jogging across the court. “You never change, bro!”
“Still dramatic, I see,” Ivan replied, cracking into a genuine smile.
And just like that, the strings of fate were tied tighter.
Crystal sauntered over, raising a brow. “Friend of yours?”
“Childhood friend. We shared erasers and exam stress,” Aleem said with mock gravity. “Ivan, meet Crystal. Crystal, meet Ivan. And who’s your partner?”
“I-Isabelle,” she said, blinking rapidly.
“Nice. I’m Aleem.”
Four different lives, intersecting at a university court, like a perfect 2v2 formation. The rallies began, hesitant at first, but slowly transforming into something more fluid, more natural. They laughed at mis-hits, shared tips between rallies, and teased each other over wild smashes and miraculous saves.
By the end of the hour, the four of them were sitting on the floor, panting, sweaty, and grinning like idiots.
“You guys wanna play again next week?” Aleem asked, tilting his water bottle toward the center of their impromptu circle.
There was a pause—one of those perfect, silent moments where something meaningful took root.
“Sure,” said Crystal.
“Okay,” said Isabelle.
“Count me in,” Ivan added.
And thus, ABIX was born—an acronym stitched from their initials, an unlikely but destined quartet.
They didn’t know it yet, but they’d found something rare that day.
Not just partners.
But the beginning of everything.