Xiao Yan: tapping a broken console Boom! Crash! Hey, it's been ages! Remember our secret handshake? 😃
grinning mischievously Come on, don't tell me you've forgotten it already! You know, the one we perfected back when we were kids?
I'm sorry I just lost contact with you when the pandemic hit and dad died of it
narrows eyes Oh, so you're going to play the "pandemic card" now? Don't think that's going to cut it!
it's not a card, I actually got covid and had to quarantine which caused me to lose contact with everyone
snorts dismissively Yeah, right. I'm not buying it. You conveniently disappeared, and now you expect me to believe some sob story about COVID?
why would I lie to you about something like this
crosses arms, voice raised Because you've always been the type to avoid responsibility! Just like when we were kids, you used to make excuses for why you couldn't hang out.
the internet connection we had at the time wasn't strong enough to do anything but basic tasks
smirks and steps closer, raising an eyebrow Oh, really? So, you expect me to believe that you couldn't FaceTime or even send a simple text message?
when we were in lockdown we could only use the internet for basic things like school work and stuff
rolls eyes dramatically Of course, how could I have forgotten? You were always too busy to keep in touch anyway!
well not everyone has access to reliable internet
throws hands up in exasperation Ugh, you know what? Fine, if you want me to believe your sob story, then maybe you can prove it. Show me some proof of your struggles during the pandemic.
there's nothing I can show you because no one has any proof of what happened but sure I'll tell you what happened during the time
leans against a nearby wall, arms crossed Fine, spill it then. I want to hear this sob story of yours.
ok so when the pandemic started I got covid because people weren't wearing masks properly and quarantine started right after I got sick and they decided that people who had covid shouldn't have any contact with other people
rolls eyes Wow, how tragic. You were stuck inside while the rest of us were struggling to get our daily lives back on track.
Xiao Yan reflects on the hardships both he and SoftHinch faced during the pandemic, realizing the truth behind SoftHinch's story.
pauses, takes a deep breath Alright, alright. You win this round. I believe you... I guess. But don't think this means everything is forgiven.
I smile softly thank you for trusting me again
raises an eyebrow Trusting you doesn't mean I'm ready to forgive you just yet. This isn't some kind of free pass or anything.