Lie Again : Another ‘Box Of Lies’ drabble

24 April

Junhui leans down and picks up the book lying on the kitchen table. “What’s this?” He asks and Minghao snatches it out of his hands.

“Nothing,” Minghao says but he blushes pink all the way up to his ears.

Lie again Minghao, Junhui thinks to himself, tell me another one.

Junhui sees the box in the corner of the living room. There’s some art books he knows Minghao loves, a stack of Polaroids they took on his last birthday, and a little ceramic frog he’d given Minghao that same day. A box of things Minghao loved most. “What’s up with that stuff?” Junhui asks and Minghao shakes his head.

“Nothing,” Minghao says but tears fill his eyes.

Lie again Minghao, Junhui thinks to himself, tell me another one.

Junhui busies himself in the kitchen. His girlfriend is coming over again and he’s hoping to have dinner with her and Minghao together. Things have been strained and he can tell Minghao doesn’t like her. But Minghao is his best friend and he wants them to get along. Right before dinner he sees the other gathering his things and pulling his shoes on. “Where are you going?” Junhui asks softly, willing his lips to not pout, but he can’t help it. He already knows the answer. “I’m going to Mingyu’s,” he replies as he turns back to his shoelaces with furious intent.

“Again? You’re always going over there,” Junhui whines. He doesn’t want Minghao to go. He wants him to stay, to share a meal and share his warm smiles, to share his wit and his joy and his intoxicating spirit which Junhui has found so lacking these last six weeks.

“I like it at his apartment,” Minghao says with a sad smile, “I like hanging out with him. He’s my best friend.”

It cuts right through Junhui like a hot knife through butter. What am I to you, he wants to ask, when did things change? When did I become something else? It comes out wrong, with malice rather than sadness, and Minghao winces at the sting in Junhui’s voice. “What’s he got that I haven’t?” Junhui snaps and Minghao sours.

“Nothing,” Minghao says as the door slams between them and he’s gone.

Lie again Minghao, Junhui thinks to himself, tell me another one.

And all he can do is stare helplessly into the empty space where his best friend once stood.