when I say I don’t believe in marriage, I lie | by R. Khoirotun | Nov, 2025 | Medium

You're reading for free via R. Khoirotun's Friend Link. Become a member to access the best of Medium. Member-only story 819 6 Listen Share Non-members can read it here. When I say I don’t believe in marriage, I lie. The words come out as if I’ve rehearsed them in front of a mirror long enough to make them sound like truth. But beneath the surface, something small and stubborn trembles. I pretend I’m immune to the idea of forever, but I catch myself imagining the soft rituals of two lives braided together. A shared cup of tea cooling on the table, a familiar silhouette waiting at the doorway, the gentle certainty of a hand that knows how to find mine in the dark. Maybe a what-we-wanna-do-today on Sunday morning. I claim disbelief because it’s easier than confessing that the dream has disappointed me before, easier than admitting I still yearn for a love that stays even when the world frays at the edges. I say I don’t believe in marriage—but the truth is my heart whispers its belief in s

You're reading for free via R. Khoirotun's Friend Link. Become a member to access the best of Medium. Member-only story 819 6 Listen Share Non-members can read it here. When I say I don’t believe in marriage, I lie. The words come out as if I’ve rehearsed them in front of a mirror long enough to make them sound like truth. But beneath the surface, something small and stubborn trembles. I pretend I’m immune to the idea of forever, but I catch myself imagining the soft rituals of two lives braided together. A shared cup of tea cooling on the table, a familiar silhouette waiting at the doorway, t