The8 of Jun || JunHao

It's Not The End of The Story

Junhui makes his way to the front of the room where a seat and a table were placed just for him. He had done this a bunch of times before, but having around twenty pairs of eyes looking up at him still makes him nervous. He takes a big breath and puts on his camera-ready smile.

"There were once a boy and a girl." He starts, and his brain immediately reacts violently. Why should he tell a made-up story about a straight couple when he can just talk about his own life story? The audience won't know it's about his life, anyways, and they would surely like a genuine story better.

"They have a very boring story. They both liked each other, got married, lived a happy life without any judgement or prejudice, and died." Junhui definitely thinks the last part might have been too inappropriate to say, and mentally hits himself on the head for it.

"The end. But not to worry, because I have a better story up my sleeve." The audience's faces light up and they all settle back in their seats, the frustration from the previously short and boring story already forgotten.

Junhui thinks back to his life, and starts to re-tell his bitter tale.

When Junhui was in high school in Haicheng, he had a best friend named Minghao. They did everything together. Waited for each other everywhere, and texted each other every day. Minghao was the first and last person Junhui talked to on a daily basis. Minghao was the person he hung out with every weekend, the only person he ever told about all the times he wanted to die. Minghao was the one. He always was, and always will be. Junhui can still remember all the stupid things that got them in trouble; the happy distant memories that sculpted his golden teenage years.

They had too many shenanigans to mention, but his favorite was definitely the time when they broke into Minghao's neighbor's house on a hot summer day to take a dip in their swimming pool. The house residents were supposed to be away on vacation, but Minghao didn't know they were coming home that day, and it ended up with them running away from the police station.

They were inseparable. And together, they were a force to be reckoned with. It was just the two of them against the world.

Junhui always knew he loved Minghao, loved him in a way that friends shouldn't. He never tried to say anything about his feelings, knowing he'd get backlash from his friends and family, and maybe even from Minghao himself. He swore to take his secret affection to the grave, and swore Minghao he'd never leave his side. That was the closest thing they ever had to a matrimonial vow and Junhui learned to be content with that.

One high school diploma later, Junhui found himself being forcibly moved to Beijing for college. He never got to say goodbye to Minghao, and never dared to answer his texts knowing he broke his promise. He buried his feelings in his studies, setting aside his loneliness and aching heart to focus on getting his Bachelor's Degree in Education.

During these times, he met a girl. They bonded over their similar experiences and he taught her how to cope with her broken heart. Together, they formed a strong friendship. It was nowhere near the one he had with Minghao, but it was enough to relieve him of his loneliness and drive away the cloud that hovered over his head.

Junhui was in the middle of studying for his final exams when he was informed of an arranged marriage between him and his new found friend, set-up by their very own cruel parents. He immediately called her, the feeling of betrayal burning inside his chest. She answered with haste, telling her friend she had no say in it either, that she didn't know their parents planned such a thing, and reminded him she's not even interested in men in the first place.

She proposed a plan to get out of the marriage: they'd work part-time jobs and save up until they can run away from their families and the situation at hand, and they'd get to live their lives however they want. Junhui told her it would never work, that their parents would find out, and they'd both be punished for it.