HAPPY ENDING | svt ✓

⁸¹ : reflection

when he looked around, he saw nothing but mirrors. every wall, from floor to ceiling was nothing but a reflection of him and the shadow that stood before him.

"you said jun was here so where is he?" minghao asked, turning to look at samuel. "were you lying?"

samuel shook his head fervently, crossing his arms to further hammer in the point that he hadn't lied.

with a sigh, minghao ran his fingers across the mirrors, a chill running down his spine once he touched their ice cold surfaces.

nothing seemed out of the ordinary, his reflection walking at the same pace as him and wearing the exact same expression that made minghao even more confused than he was before — if this was truly the evil queens' story, then where was jun?

he continued walking, the room expanding into a seemingly endless hallway as more mirrors lined the walls, samuel hovering behind him cautiously as if he too was afraid of the reflection he didn't have.

"is this a joke to you?" minghao asked no one in particular, his voice echoing and falling upon his ears alone. "jun!"

he didn't know how long he had walked for or whether or not they were going in circles but eventually, he stopped walking, glaring at a mirror that reflected that same glare back at him.

"hey samuel, think i can break this?" from the corner of his eye, he saw the shadow give him a thumbs up. with his reassurance, minghao took hold of his bowl and using all the force he had, slammed it into the mirror expecting it to crack.

but instead, it remained intact, the only difference now being the reflection of him that stood on the other side.

"who are you?" minghao asked, his fingers fumbling for an arrow and quickly aiming at the reflection he knew only resembled him but wasn't him in the slightest.

the reflection shrugged, getting closer and putting his hand on the glass. "i'm you."

minghaos' gaze hardened, his grip on the bowstring not faltering. "what you are is a poorly made illusion so tell me where jun is right now!"

the reflection scoffed, folding his arms as he leaned forward. "do you really want to see him?" the reflection asked, his voice echoing along the hallways. "would you feel better knowing he's safe?"

"stop with this stupid mind game and just give him back," minghao sneered, gritting his teeth as he pulled even harder on the bowstring.

"why do you suddenly care so much for him anyways minghao? didn't we already see how caring will only lead to our downfall?"

minghao felt his grip waver slightly but quickly regained his composure. "i don't know what you're talking about and also, there's no 'we' or 'our' — i'm not you."

"but you are." the reflection reached out of the mirror, his hand grabbing for that of minghaos' and momentarily paralysing him where he stood. "do you want me to show you?"

he felt as though he were trapped inside quicksand, his entire body heavy as the reflection looked him straight in the eyes, forcing him to do the same despite his reluctance.

and once they locked eyes, minghao could see every moment in his life so clearly, each scene playing as if he were transported back to that precise point in time from when he had first picked up a bow to when he came back home to an empty house robbed of all warmth.

and then, his memories with jun flashed before his eyes.

he watched as he went from kicking juns' chair to having lunches or dinners together, his hands constantly twitching and yearning to pull him closer. he watched jun smile brightly at him and watched as he reassured that he'd never be the evil queen he was fated to be,