Nippon Maru Corner: Penang Reunion, Lobby of the Hotel
Mereka adalah SPY – Singaporean Participating Youth – angkatan 1989. Di Singapura, mereka terkenal aktif berserikat, rajin berkumpul, dan selalu punya alasan untuk ketawa bareng, entah itu reuni resmi atau “ngopi yang kebetulan rame”. Begitu ada kabar acara penyambutan PY-1989 di lobby hotel, semua langsung siap mental, fisik, dan outfit terbaik—karena bagi mereka, reuni itu urusan serius tapi harus tetap lucu.
Acara di lobby hotel pun berlangsung meriah. Pelukan datang dari segala arah, suara tawa bersaing dengan suara koper yang ditarik, dan foto bersama dilakukan berkali-kali dengan alasan yang sama: “yang tadi kurang kompak.” Kekompakan mereka sudah seperti paket lengkap—ada yang jadi koordinator, ada yang jadi dokumentasi, dan ada juga yang tugasnya cuma ketawa tapi paling kedengaran.
Menariknya, jaringan SPY ini bukan cuma aktif di Singapura. Di Brunei dan Indonesia, mereka juga rajin muncul, bikin acara, dan saling menyapa lintas negara. Grup chat mereka katanya lebih hidup daripada jadwal kerja, dan setiap reuni selalu berakhir dengan janji klasik: “habis ini jangan lama-lama ya ngumpul lagi”—yang tentu saja jarang ditepati.
Namun ada satu sosok yang bikin semua orang terkejut sekaligus heboh: Jesty. Ya, yang pakai baju oranye dan tidak berkacamata itu. Baru tahun ini dia akhirnya muncul di acara reuni. Alasannya sederhana tapi terdengar berat: terlalu sibuk bekerja di bank. Katanya sampai sulit keluar ke mana-mana. Tapi begitu dia datang, semua sepakat—ternyata Jesty tidak hilang, hanya disimpan lama oleh sistem perbankan.
IPY-89
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Nippon Maru Corner: Penang Reunion, Lobby of the Hotel
They are SPY – Singaporean Participating Youth, Class of 1989. Back in Singapore, they are famously active in associations and gatherings, always united by a shared talent for showing up whenever there is a reason to meet—and even when there isn’t. So when a lobby hotel event was organized to welcome all PY-1989 members, everyone arrived fully prepared: emotionally, socially, and fashionably. For them, reunions are serious business… just delivered with laughter.
The lobby instantly turned lively. Hugs were exchanged in every direction, laughter competed with the sound of rolling suitcases, and group photos were taken repeatedly for the very scientific reason of “the last one wasn’t coordinated enough.” Their solidarity is truly impressive—some naturally take charge, some document everything, and some contribute simply by laughing the loudest.
What makes SPY even more impressive is that their activities are not limited to Singapore. In Brunei and Indonesia, they remain just as active, organizing gatherings and staying connected across borders. Their group chat, according to reliable sources, is more alive than most work calendars, and every reunion ends with the same promise: “Let’s not wait too long for the next one”—a promise that is almost always broken.
And then there is Jesty. Yes, the one in the orange shirt without glasses. This year marks her long-awaited reappearance at the reunion. For years, her absence was attributed to one powerful force: her job at a bank. Apparently, she was so busy that traveling anywhere was nearly impossible. But once she finally showed up, everyone agreed on one thing—Jesty was never missing; she was simply being held in long-term storage by the banking system.
IPY-89
