Funnily enough, even as a Malaysian, I’m still not familiar with KL. I can name you the routes, the tube/subway, streets, specific locations, etc. in Norwich, London, Osaka and some parts of NYC and Tokyo, but for some bizarre reason, I always feel lost in KL.
This was my second time in KL this year. Although I love my hometown Penang, it is simply too dang small. I needed a getaway. Plus, it was my birthday week as well; I needed a change of scenery. I asked a friend out but, as usual, he flaked on me. From now on, I’m not asking him out anymore.
This time, finally, for the first time ever, I got to meet up with a rather special person. We’d known each other online since late 2024, but because of timing, we couldn’t meet up in person at all. I couldn’t describe my feelings when I first saw them; I knew that this would be my first time seeing them, but it felt like I was catching up with someone I knew from the past.
We chose to meet up at “Since Then” cafe. The vibe was very similar to Norm Micro Roastery in Penang (both cafes are in warehouses). The food was alright, but that was not the main focus. My original plan was to have a chat with them for around 1.5 hours. However, the meeting lasted 3 hours because of the talk we had and the emotions we shared (I even remember them shedding a tear when we talked about family 🥹). It was such a pleasant and heart-warming meetup.
That was only part one. Part two was meeting up with them and a small group of their friends at Penrose KL. I’ve found myself liking bars (especially cocktail bars) recently. Penrose KL is one of the most famous bars in KL for a good reason. The atmosphere is electric and the drinks are pretty nice, especially the stronger ones.
I ended up in this little circle of people I’d never met before, and one person in particular had this dangerous, feisty energy; I swear I could see the word “trouble” floating above their head the whole time, and I loved it 😉. Of course, this particular person got me drunk. They knew how to have a good time 😜 and we had fun—lots and lots of fun.
Oh god, they could really drink a lot without getting smashed. I am the literal opposite; I was drunk, I was high, I was gone—but hey, I had an amazing time with them, and I was surprised I took 6–8 shots before I was done 😂. Dear liver, I am truly sorry.
You know, I could never have imagined I’d have this much fun in KL—until now. I still wear a smile on my face whenever I look at our photos. You know what? I’ve got a very strong reason to come down to KL now. I’ve only known them for one night, but we vibed so well. Honestly, I don’t think I even vibe this well with some people I’ve known since my uni days.
Thank you, and see you soon, JT, S and E 😊