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Chapter Text

Lingling pulled up on the driveway of their family home in a village at the heart of Bangkok. It was a busy night in the city as usual but the air was colder this time and the lake nearby was calm. However, the stars were hiding behind the clouds, probably a sign of the upcoming rain.

“Good evening, Khun Lingling.” 

Lingling greeted their helper, handing them her car key, before proceeding inside. She has already moved out for about two years now, wanting a place nearer to the office, and maybe a little more independence. 

Thinking it was a usual family dinner, Lingling was surprised to see that only her father was present at the table. 

“Dad.” Lingling greeted her father with a warm smile. 

“Lingling, come sit.” 

“Where's Film and Milk?” Lingling asked as she sat down, looking around for her sisters.

“Film's abroad in a conference. She's one of the representatives from their law school. Milk went to have a sleepover in June's.” Her father,  Plai, answered as their food was being served. 

Lingling nodded. She has not been involved enough with her sisters’ lives lately, nor updated with their whereabouts. She felt guilty for not knowing. She was just too busy at work especially with the upcoming deadlines. “I see.” She gave him a tight smile. 

“How have you been, dear? Thank you for accepting my invitation to dinner.” 

“Of course, Dad.” Lingling smiled softly. Her father only asked her to join dinner with them at least once a week before letting her move out. “And I'm doing fine. Thank you for asking. By the way, dad, we closed a deal with the supplier from Germany for our new machine at the factory. Hopefully, we'll get to finish the renovations before it arrive next month.” 

Plai listened fondly as Lingling kept going about how her week went—the tasks she accomplished at the company, the problems they encountered and how they managed them, updates on sales and many more. Anyone listening to her would feel like working was her life. 

“I'm proud of you, Lingling.” Her father said with a genuine proud smile while gently tapping her shoulder. 

Hearing those words always made Lingling feel that every effort was worth it. “Thanks, dad.” She replied, holding her father's hand on her shoulder as well. “How about you? Is Milk giving you a hard time, Dad?” Jokingly, she asked. 

Plai chuckled. “Milk is fine. She's still a little introverted but she said that has made some new friends.” 

“Good.” 

“Well…as for me, you know I had a heart attack few months back and—”

“Are you alright, Dad? Do you feel anything bad? Did the doctor say anything?” 

Plai smiled at his daughter's apparent concern. “No, no, dear. I'm perfectly okay. I am well. You do not have to worry.” He said, and Lingling, despite still being worried, nodded. “But after the surgery, I thought, I should already make my will.”

Lingling's brows furrowed. As far as she could remember, her father mentioned that he has made a will already a couple of years back. "Didn't you make one years back, Dad?"

“Yes, but I had to make some changes. After the surgery, I had to rest…” He said, and despite not understanding where her father was going, Lingling nodded. “I was looking through old documents at my office and I came across this um—” He gestured his hands trying to find the words. “—your mother's writings…”

Lingling's face fell at the mention of her late mother. 

“...so I made some changes in my will, and I want to discuss it with you, Lingling.”

“Shouldn't we discuss this with Film and Milk?” 

“It only involves you.”

For some reason, Lingling felt that the conversation would not end well. “Me?” She was confused. For one, she didn't want anything else besides leading the company. She didn't care about anything else, to be honest. 

“I've discussed this with my lawyer. Here.” Plai handed the hardbound folder with his name and their family symbol in front. 

Lingling carefully flipped the pages until she saw her name. 

“To my eldest daughter, Sirilak Kwong, I give the following: 1) 350 sqm. apartment building in Florence, Italy; 2) an emerald cut diamond ring, an heirloom passed down from four generations; 3) The resthouse at Phuket; 4) 15,000,000 at Bangkok Commercial Bank; and 5) Undisclosed amount under a trust fund account in Swiss Central Bank.”

Lingling quietly read the page until she came across the one she cared about. 

“Furthermore, my eldest daughter, Sirilak Kwong, shall receive 60% of my shares at Noiam Industries…”

Lingling's heart stopped at the next few lines. 

“...given that she has fulfilled the following conditions: 1) Marry Khun Kornnaphat Sethratanapong or anyone Sirilak Kwong desires before she turns 30 years old; 2) Marriage shall last for 3 years; 3) Both Sirilak and her partner must live under one roof and shall not be involved in any scandal that may harm Noiam Industries or the Kwong Family.” 

Lingling was not having any of it. ‘Is this a joke? Who even is this Kornnaphat?!’ 

“In case Sirilak Kwong was not able to fulfill the conditions, all of the 60% of my shares shall be open to the market for sale 7 years from the date of this document. Funds generated from sales shall all be donated to charity listed as mentioned in page 5 of this document.” 

Plai waited for his daughter’s reaction patiently, all while eating his dinner. It seemed like Lingling wanted to say something, but kept retracting. Lingling has been a good daughter, a perfect one maybe and someone every parent would want. 

“What is this, Dad?” After some time, Lingling finally spoke. 

“That's my will.” He casually answered. 

It seemed like Lingling's patience was being tested, it made her sharply inhaled to calm herself down. “Dad…” She tried to find the right words and not be insolent. “...t-these conditions… Why?” 

“I told you I've been reading your mother's writing and I found out that your great grandmother truly made an agreement with someone to marry their great grandchildren.” He explained. 

“And I'm guessing Kornnaphat is the other one?” She asked and her father nodded. “This is absurd.” She put the document down. She was furious. “Is this even legal, Dad? You're forcing me to marry someone I don't know.”

Her father just smiled. “I am not. I wrote there…it's either her—” Lingling frowned. “—or anyone you desire before you turn 30.” 

Lingling would be 30 years old in 4 months. “And she's a…she?”

“Correct. I have accepted that I might never get a son-in-law from you, Lingling. She's a nice young lady, dear. I'm sure you'll get along well.”

“That's not—” Lingling hid her irritation with a forced calming smile. “Why does it have to be me?”

“Milk is too young and Film is already with someone.”

“How do you know that I'm not seeing someone?”

“Are you?”

Lingling wanted to lie, but she couldn't, so she didn't answer. Even if she did lie, her father would know. All she could do was turn her fist into a ball underneath the table.

Plai put down his fork and clasped his hands in front of his face. “You know our family sticks by our words no matter how absurd you may think it is.” He said, and Lingling could not retaliate against that. He then smiled softly at his daughter. “And besides, she'd be perfect for you, dear. You'd like her once you meet her.” 

Lingling couldn't believe it. Her father was never the controlling one. “What if I don't want to get married?”

“As I wrote in that document, everything will go to charity.” 

The way her father was acting so casually just adds fuel to the fire. She didn't care about anything else but that company, but her father was making it hard for her. “This is unfair, Dad. You know how hard I work at the company. I-I…It's been my life, Dad. This is unfair. You're being unreasonable and for what?” Plai's expression changed, which Lingling noticed immediately. “I'm sorry. I just don't understand why.” With a calmer tone.

“That is final, Lingling. I have consulted our lawyer and have made that document final. I don't plan on changing it anymore. He will discuss it with the three of you present once your sister gets back. I just want you to know first.” Plai glanced at his daughter who was clearly mad and distraught. “As I said, you can marry anyone you want in 4 months if you don't want to marry Khun Kornnaphat. If not, you can try buying them when they're already available on the stock market.” 

Lingling let out a subtle snort. She felt betrayed. She has been at the company half of her life—training since highschool until now that she became the CEO. All of sudden, everything would be gone just like that—all her tears and sweat went down the drain. How could her father act so casually and calmly, she asked. It was like he didn't care about her efforts at all. 

“You haven't touched your food.” 

The whole dining room fell into silence. 

Outside, the night was calm, yet chaos was brewing inside the four corners of the Kwong household. 

Plai continued his meal, acting completely oblivious about his daughter’s dismay who was also trying to resume her meal and be an obedient child as she always has. 

“Please bring the desserts now.” Plai asked one of the servers, glancing at his daughter as he did so—she was clearly not having any of it. 

Lingling took a deep breath before lifting her head. She stood up and bowed to her father. “I'm full. Thank you for the food. I'll get going now. Please excuse me.” 

Plai sighed and nodded. He watched as his daughter leave the dining room gloomy unlike how she entered. 

Lingling drove straight home. Letting off some steam with a random woman at the bar seemed inviting as it has been long since she had slept with someone, but she needed to think and be alone. Outside, the rain poured hard.

She poured herself a glass of whiskey and drank it in one go, feeling the sting of the alcohol down her throat. 

‘...given that she has fulfilled the following conditions: 1) Marry Khun Kornnaphat Sethratanapong…’

The other great grandchild. 

Lingling snortedsnorted—a big joke. “Who are they to dictate my life?” She was so angry, she wanted to cry. “If anyone deserves that company, it's me.” She told herself before drinking another glass. “You deserve that company, Lingling.” And another glass. Her breaths have become deep. 

5 glasses in, Lingling buried her face atop her arm on the counter. 

‘She's a nice young lady, dear. I'm sure you'll get along well.’ 

It seemed as if the other girl had already met her father and agreed to the marriage. She could remember vaguely that her mother did mention her grandmother having a very close friend from the province. She probably agreed for the money, she thought. 

‘I hate you…’ Lingling closed her eyes, fist clenched. “Kornnaphat.”

Chapter Text

“You're gonna leave us, P'Orm?” Noi, one of the kids at the farm, asked, evidently sad at the news that Orm will leave Buriram for Bangkok. 

“Ay!” Orm pulled the little girl who had been very close to her into a hug. “Don't cry, Nong. Phi has to go and work to help the plantation.” 

“I'll miss P'Orm.” Said the little girl. 

Orm pouted, resting her chin on top of the girl's head. “I'll miss you too.” Then, she leaned back and smiled brightly. “But don't worry, Phi will visit often. I'll buy you souvenirs from Bangkok too!” She said while wiping the tears brimming on Noi's eyes. 

“Promise?”

Orm nodded, smiling softly. “Promise.” Locking it with a pinky swear that made the young girl smile as well. “Don't cry now.” She chuckled, wiping the girl's 

Noi nodded despite the years in her eyes, cheeks puffed. 

“And promise me that you'll take care of Uni, okay?” 

“I promise, Phi!” 

“Good girl.” Orm gave her another bright smile, mirroring the smile of the little girl. 

“Orm!” “N'Orm!” 

Orm turned her head to the side to see both her mother and cousin, Eclair, approaching the field. By that, she knew she had to leave to prepare for Bangkok. Her smile faded a little. When she looked down at Noi, the girl was already looking at her, seemingly about to cry again, so she offered her a smile. “Phi has to go and prepare, Nong.” 

Noi's face fell but nodded. Their family has been working for a long time at the plantation Orm's family owned, hence they were both very close. She jumped out of Orm's lap but hugged her again once the latter had stood up. “Please take care, P'Orm!”

Orm bent a little to hug Noi. “I will. Remember our promise, okay?” She said and the little girl nodded. 

“N'Noi!” 

Noi, wiping her tears that she couldn't contain, ran towards her older sister. 

“P'Ying.” Orm smiled upon seeing the older girl. 

Ying was two years older than Orm. Both of them grew up on the farm and have been close since childhood. “I'm sorry for this brat’s behavior.” She jokingly said, making her sister huff and pout. “You…need to go?” She asked, gesturing to Orm's mother. Orm only nodded. “You should go now. Your mom's waiting.” 

Orm nodded once again. She then went to give Ying a quick hug. “I will miss you, P'Ying.” 

Ying gulped down. “I'll sure miss your stubbornness too, Nong.” She chuckled but it came out a bit shaky. It was her who broke the embrace first. “Take care, N'Orm.” 

Orm pouted but nodded. This time, she was like how Noi was to her earlier. She waved goodbye to the sisters before walking towards her mother and cousin. 

As soon as Orm reached them, her mother slapped her shoulder. 

“Aww, mom!” Orm whined while Eclair just laughed. 

“We were looking for you at home and you're just here?” Koy, Orm's mother, was visibly done with her daughter's antics. “It will be dinner soon and you still have to prepare your things.” 

“I'll prepare for it. I'll prepare for it.” Orm apologetically bowed her head but smiled mischievously. Before going inside the car. She waved one last time at Noi and Ying. 

As the car door closed, Noi looked up at her older sister's expression and sighed. Carefully, she moved closer and hugged her from the side. 

“I still have time, right mom?”

“The flight is early in the morning, Nong.” Eclair was the one who answered this time. 

“Huh?!” Orm exclaimed. “I thought we were driving?” 

“Mr. Kwong invited us for dinner tomorrow. We still have to rest and then prepare for it.” Koy answered. 

“Your future wife will be there, I heard.” Eclair teased, bumping Orm's shoulder lightly. “Are you excited?” 

Orm just shrugged her shoulders. She had no idea what kind of person Sirilak Kwong was like in person. She has seen her on the news and business magazines, and she seemed nice and driven, making her admirable to anyone in the business field including Orm. But one thing she noticed for sure, she never smiled with teeth out. She couldn't make an opinion on her just yet. 

Koy smiled a little—unsure yet hopeful. Her mother mentioned something about an agreement made between her grandmother and her friend, but she didn't think much of it not until Plai Paramej Kwong came to see them. It wasn't just a promise of marriage between their daughters but also an opportunity to boost their business and have Orm work under Noiam Industries. She felt bad as it seemed like they were selling her, but Orm agreed herself. She must have found out about the current state of the plantation, she thought. It was making her feel guiltier. 

“We can stop this if you want to.” Koy offered as she held her daughter's hand. 

Orm, however, smiled brightly—it was comforting, at least for her mother. “I'll be fine, mom.” 

“After three years if it doesn't work, Buriram will welcome you back.” Koy told her daughter. 

“I know.” Orm chuckled. 

Eclair hugged both of them. “N'Orm, you're a grown up now. You're making me cry!”

“Stop the drama please.” Orm playfully rolled her eyes. “I'll take care of myself. You don't have to worry.” She said in a reassuring tone to both her mother and her cousin. 

After a while, they fell into a comfortable silence as they drove back to their house. 

Orm stared at the streaks of clouds on the yellow and crimson sky. She rolled the window down and rested her chin on her arm, feeling the fresh breeze of the provincial air. “Sirilak Kwong…” She whispered to the air. 

“Congratulations, Khun Sirilak Kwong, Thailand's Top Young Entrepreneur of 2023.” 

“Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia…Sirilak Kwong.”

Lingling was only three years older than her, but she has accomplished a lot. Orm has always admired her prowess in business, and have been hoping to be like her too. Who would have thought the other great grandchild was Lingling Kwong who her grandmother has talked about a lot. 

The story of the bunny and the puppy. 

“...P'Lingling, I can't wait to meet you.” Orm mouthed with a hopeful smile. 

Chapter Text

The sun was about to set, but Lingling was still buried among the pile of documents that she needed to read. Behind her, the skyline reflected the changing colors of the sky as it turned into shades of pink and orange. 

It has been more than two weeks since that particular dinner with her father. She has not agreed on anything yet, but as the days went by, her options were becoming limited. Her friends had different opinions about it—Gap and Faye told her to stand her ground while Junji  and Namtan said otherwise and just have to treat it as a business deal. As for Freen, she didn't have an opinion either. 

“Khun Ling?” 

Lingling didn't bother to look up as she was to focus on her task. She only did when her secretary, Nene, told her schedule. 

“Is that tonight?” Lingling put her pen down neatly at the side of the document, closing the folder gently as she lifted her head to look at Nene. She saw her confirmation and sighed. 

“I'll have the car ready downstairs, Khun Ling.” Nene bowed before leaving. 

Lingling picked her pen up and tried to resume her work, but the thought of sitting through yet another awkward dinner bothered her. She rested her head against her clasped hands and sighed. 

Meanwhile, Orm stared at herself in the mirror. She wore a ruffled v-neck cream-colored dress that matched her skin tone perfectly, her wavy honey brown hair cascading neatly down to her chest. For some reason, she felt nervous, and Kornnaphat Sethratanapong was never anxious about anything. It felt as if she was applying for a job. But she thought that maybe because it was Lingling who she would be meeting—one of the top young businesswomen in the country.

Orm let out a shaky breath, jumping up and down while shaking her arms. “You can do it. P'Ling seems nice. Don't need to worry.” She told herself repeatedly. "It will be okay. 'She's nice. She's—"

“Oi, N'Orm!” 

Orm jumped a little, startled at Eclair's sudden interruption. “Phi! You surprised me. Gosh.” She said, clutching her chest. 

“Hmm. You look like you're about to go into the ring.” Eclair laughed.

“Ay, Phi!” Orm pouted, hugging her cousin. 

“Do you want to back out, huh Nong? I'm sure that uncle and aunty will understand.” Eclair offered, also hugging Orm. “But you know…the Kwong's also have investments in hospitals, I heard. We can get free derma consultations oi!” She added, clapping her hands excitedly.

Orm glared at her cousin, but the latter just laughed. “P'Eclair…do you think P'Ling agreed?”

“I guess so? I mean, we wouldn't meet them for dinner if not, don't you think so?” 

“I guess.” Orm sighed. 

“Now let's go.” Eclair patted Orm's shoulder before leaning back. “Uncle and aunty are waiting downstairs already.” 

Orm nodded. She walked behind Eclair out of the room. She was less nervous now, but still can't help but be anxious about meeting her future wife. 

After a fairly quiet ride along the streets of Bangkok, Orm and her family reached the Kwong's residence. Orm was amazed by how magnificent the landscape was as their mansion was adjacent to the lake at the heart of the city. They were welcomed by Plai, who Orm already met, with two other girls—Milk, who was wearing casual pants and a cardigan partnered with her prescription glasses, and Film, who was wearing a floral dress. The former stood awkwardly with a bashful smile while the latter stood confidently and smiling brightly. 

Orm subtly wandered her gaze to look for Lingling, but she was nowhere to be seen. 

Both parties greeted each other then with small talks on how the trip was. 

“You must be Khun Sirilak?” Orm's father, not adept with keeping up with the current news, asked Film. 

“No, this is Film, my second daughter.” Plai corrected him. He apologized immediately, but Film told him it was alright. “And this one is my youngest, Milk. Lingling's still not here. I apologize for that.” He added. “Where's your sister?” He then quietly asked Film. 

“P'Ling's on her way, dad.” Film reassured him. 

Plai nodded. He somehow expected Lingling's unwillingness to attend this dinner, but he was thankful that she did anyway, despite being late. “Ah. Come, the food is ready.” 

They all went inside. Orm slowed down her pace, looking back at the driveway. For some reason, she could feel that Lingling might not have actually liked the whole idea. 

The dinner started. It was set outside in the garden near the lake. Orm's side felt a little unsure at first for starting without Lingling, but it turned out quite pleasant so far. Plai and Orm's father talked about the business opportunities for both Noiam Industries and their family's export business. Film was also very accommodating to them. She would offer them food and talk to them, meanwhile Milk was more reserved, but would answer and smile if asked. 

“Lingling has been with the company since she entered college.” Plai told Orm's parents. He has been talking about his daughter as if selling her to them for the lack of the better word. 

“She's a hard worker.” Koy was genuinely amazed. 

“She is.” Plai smiled. “Ah, speaking of.” He looked towards the house. “Lingling! Come.” Everyone followed Plai's line of sight including Orm. 

‘Woah.’ Lingling was already stunning in television and magazines, but Orm thought those didn't do her justice. The steel blue matching pants and unbuttoned blazer fitted her slender body well. Underneath, she was wearing a darker shade of blue low-cut v-neck silk blouse, and her straight hair flowed perfectly down on one side that highlighted her sharp jawline. Everything about her was elegant. Even the mole in her cheek was attractive. 

“Uy, Nong. Here comes your bride.” Teased Eclair. 

Lingling greeted everyone before sitting beside her father directly in front of Orm. Her gaze fell into the other girl. 

“Sawasdee kha, P'Ling.” Orm greeted her, smiling softly yet with a hint of uncertainty, probably still in awe.

Lingling greeted her back, but didn't say anything further. She instead turned to greet Orm's parents. 

“Sawasdee kha, Khun Sirilak.” Koy greeted her back, not sure 

“Lingling is fine, Aunty.” Lingling replied with a pleasant smile making Orm’s parents relax a little. She then proceeded to ask them about their trip and business, not minding the gaze of the woman in front of her. 

Throughout dinner, Lingling kept her focus on talks about business between Orm's parents. Orm felt a little like a fish out of the water. She thought that maybe she was perhaps wrong to hope that Lingling would be fine regarding their wedding, but on the other hand, maybe it was really just her personality. She would glance towards Lingling from time to time, but the older girl never spared her a glance. Thankfully, Film was gracious enough to talk to her. Even Milk offered her food and small talks. 

The dinner was almost over when Orm excused herself to go to the restroom. She washed her hands on the sink, sighing. After drying her hands, she pulled the door open only to find Lingling standing by the opposite wall. The lighting was less bright than the other parts of the house, but the older girl's face looked to be glowing, at least for Orm. “Ah. Sawasdee kha, P'Lingling.” 

“Sawasdee kha, Khun Kornnaphat.” 

“Orm.” Orm swiftly replied,  a little bit chirpier than she expected. She saw Lingling raise her brow in confusion, so she clarified. “You can just call me Orm, P'Ling.” 

Lingling didn't say anything. She instead looked away for a moment, letting out a sigh, before looking back at Orm. “I assume my father has already explained his stipulations to you?” 

Lingling talked with so much confidence like how she did on TV, it was a little intimidating to Orm. She nodded. “Khun Plai went to see us a couple of months ago.” She answered and the other girl nodded. “I hope we get along well, P'Ling—”

“I haven't said yes.” 

Orm pursed her lips. At that moment, she felt small, so when Lingling looked at her from head to toe, her gaze was cold, and not a trace of a smile on her lips. She gulped.

Lingling didn't say anything further after that. Her icy indifferent gaze pierced through Orm's confused and disappointed ones. She then headed back to the dinner table. 

After calming down, Orm went back to her seat. Her mood was evidently lower than earlier, but she tried her best to hide it. Subtly glancing at Lingling from across the table, she could see her smiling while talking to her parents. She wanted to laugh—the Lingling she encountered just minutes ago was the coldest person she has ever met. 

After dinner, Lingling's family walked Orm's to their car. Again, Lingling's demeanor was the same as when she was talking to her parents, and the opposite of when the two of them were alone. 

The car drove away after a while. 

“The Kwong's are nice.” Orm's father said; Eclair and her mother also agreed. 

‘Nice, my ass. Everyone except Lingling Kwong maybe.’ Orm thought. She rested her cheek on her fist and watched the skyline outside. She already missed the province, everyone treated her well and no one acted like a total douchebag to her like Lingling. With a subtle sigh, she moved closer to her mom then rested her head on her shoulder before closing her eyes. 

On the other hand, Lingling also went ahead. She rode the elevator to the penthouse of Pristine Tower. The first thing she did was poured herself a glass of ice cold water. She leaned against the countertop of the kitchen island, looking out to the twinkling lights of the buildings through the floor-to-ceiling window of her unit. 

“Sawasdee kha, P'Ling.” 

Lingling drank the whole glass as if she has been parched the whole day. Arms crossed, she held the empty glass on one side. “Orm.” Her expression changed into a frown. She didn't expect Kornnaphat Sethratanapong to be that pretty. 

“Orm…You can just call me Orm, P'Ling.”

“Ugh. Her face is irritating.” 

Suddenly, her phone buzzed once, twice, until it kept buzzing. Lingling shook her head and sighed, she knew exactly why their group chat was alive this time. 

Junji: Everyone!!! Are you awake?? 
Namtan: Present 🙋🏻‍♀️
Junji: Lingling Kwong spill! 😌
Gap: How was dinner?? 
Freen: How was dinner? 
Faye: Call me if you need a drink 5555
Namtan: [Sent an photo]
Junji: That's her?? 😱
Faye: 🙈😍
Namtan: 🤭🤭 
Namtan: FIlm told me everything 
Freen: Didn't expect her to be pretty. Maybe you should marry her, P'Ling. 
Gap: If that's her then I've changed my mind. Go marry her! 
Namtan: Support 💪
Junji: Isn't she famous somewhere? I swear saw a video of her in TikTok
Junji: You'll look great together @LinglingKwong 🥰
Freen: Agree, P'Ling 

The constant buzzing was too much for Lingling, so she typed a quick reply for Junji’s message. But her fingers weren't fast enough, it seemed. 

Faye: If you don't want her, I'll gladly marry this pretty lady instead 😉
Lingling: NO 
Junji: 55555 possessive already 
Faye: I'm joking! I'm joking! 
Namtan: @LinglingKwong 🤔
Gap: That fast? 55555 
Gap: Come on, boss that's too easy 5555

Lingling's eyes widened. She wasn't replying to Faye. She put the glass down and typed with both her hands. “I am not! You can—” 

Junji: OMG she's mad 55555 
Freen: Calm down P'Ling 
Gap: Wow she's typing a whole paragraph 
Namtan: I pray for you P'Faye 55555
Faye: Sorry N'Ling 😄😂 She's all yours! She's all yours!

“—marry her. I don't care.” Lingling was about to hit send, but stopped. “Ayyy!” She erased everything then put her phone facing down on the counter. When it kept on buzzing, she immediately put it on silent mode. She massaged her forehead. “Ugh. Annoying.” She then went back to the fridge and poured herself another glass of water. 

Chapter Text

“For decades, Noiam Industries has been one of Thailand's leading companies in retail, development and export. The vision of an…” 

Orm watched the presentation quietly in her seat among the rows of newly hired employees of Noiam. They were at an amphitheater-type conference hall at the HQ. The lighting was dim to highlight the video being played on the huge LED television in front. She looked around but had not seen any familiar faces, not that she knew anyone from their place working under this company. This would be her first time working in a corporate field like this. Sure, their family owned their own business, but it was small compared to Noiam. 

“I heard Khun Sirilak will be here at the ceremony, but I haven't seen her.” 

“Me too.” 

Orm overheard the conversation of the two persons beside her. Seemed like they admired Lingling so much like she did. She even heard that the other one turned down the offer of another company to work under Lingling. At the back of her mind, she wanted to tell them how rude she truly was, but on the other hand, she couldn't help but give her the benefit of the doubt. 

“Now, let's hear a few words from our Vice Chairwoman and CEO of Noiam Foods, Khun Sirilak Kwong.” 

As soon as Lingling stood up, Orm heard quiet cheers of excitement around her. She was still disappointed with how the older girl treated her during dinner, but she couldn't help but admire her beauty once again. Today, Lingling wore an all-white outfit—pants, blazer and top. Her silky hair was wavy this time, one side tucked behind her ear just like when they had dinner. 

As Lingling was adjusting the microphone, more conference room lights turned on. She quietly scanned the crowd before speaking. “Good morning…”

Her voice was calm, Orm noted. She stood in confidence and elegance as she spoke to the crowd just like when being interviewed in the news. At her age, she has already accomplished a lot. Despite the initial rudeness she showed, Orm still admired her for it. It felt surreal to think that the woman speaking in front of everyone would be her wi—

“I haven't said yes.”

“Right.” Orm mouthed. She looked down and smiled. Plai told her that their family would keep their word, but if Lingling wouldn't want to marry her, then she couldn't do anything about it. 

“...Thank you for choosing Noiam Industries.  Welcome to Noiam, everyone. Let's all work hard.” 

Orm didn't notice that Lingling's speech was already done if not for her seatmates applauding her. Swiftly, she lifted her head, but when she did, she saw Lingling eyeing her, or so she thought. She watched her greet the higher-ups on stage before going down. She noticed that Lingling was about to sit down, but the woman who she assumed to be her secretary told her something that made her stand up again and leave. 

After the orientation, Orm proceeded to the Research and Development Department of Noiam Foods. It was in the same building as the conference hall, but on the 7th floor. With her was a representative from HR and another new employee, a girl with curly hair and slender figure, shorter but almost the same height as her. 

“Sawasdee kha.” Orm tried to greet her, but the girl only glanced at her. She wanted to roll her eyes, but settled with a smile. 

Once they reached the office, the HR introduced them to the old employees. He reiterated the important points during orientation before leaving them. As lucky as it was, the heavens heard her prayers because one of the seniors at the R&D Department was her senior from Buriram. 

“N'Orm!” 

“P'Jaja!” Orm nearly exclaimed but covered her mouth. Jaja, already in her coat, hugged her for a moment.

“Welcome to Noiam.” Jaja grinned. She was excited to see someone from their province in the same department as her. “How's Buriram? Oh, wait! Aren't you supposed to be working for your family business?"

“Hmm, yes…” Orm nodded. 

“You're not here because of Khun Ling, right? Like that one.” Jaja motioned towards the other new recruit, Prigkhing.

“Umm…” Orm was about to say something, but Jaja changed the subject. 

“Anyway, it doesn't matter. I'm so glad you're here.” Jaja said with excitement. “I'll introduce you to P'Golf, P’Looknam and P’Heng. Come on, they’re inside the lab.” 

“Should I put on a coat first?”

“Ah.” Jaja laughed. “Yes, correct. Come, I’ll tour you.” 

Orm met the other seniors through Jaja. They were pretty laid back and welcoming, only Heng was a little too breezy but he was nice nonetheless. She was thankful that she knew someone. She thought that maybe working at Noiam wouldn’t be that bad…

…with emphasis on not bad.

It was about lunch time when the phone at the R&D office rang. Ya Krisada, the head of the department, answered the call. “Khun Kornnaphat?” 

Orm raised her head above the partition to look over to their manager. “Yes, Khun Ya?” 

“It’s time for you to go up to the Vice Chairwoman’s office.”

‘Vice Chairwoman…as in P’Lingling’s office?’ Orm felt anxious all of a sudden. She couldn’t predict how Lingling would act around her this time. She then felt a pat on the shoulder—it was Heng. 

“N’Orm, don’t worry. It’s Noiam’s tradition for new employees to meet the Chairman.” He said, probably mistook Orm’s apprehension as first day jitters. 

“Since Khun Plai is not available, Khun Lingling will see you.” Added Jaja. 

Orm nodded. She noticed that only Jaja in the whole team was addressing Lingling by her nickname. She should ask her if they were close later, she told herself. 

Riding the elevator to one of the upper floors where Lingling’s office was located, Orm leaned against the mirrored wall. Based on how the older girl acted during dinner, she could feel that she didn’t like her. She could only pray that the courtesy would be short and Lingling wouldn’t bring up anything regarding the engagement. 

“Sawasdee kha.” Orm greeted Lingling’s secretary. She remembered her earlier from the orientation. ‘Nene.’ She read the name tag on the table. 

“Sawasdee kha, Khun Kornnaphat.” Nene smiled at her. Her smile felt like she knew her, but then again she was Lingling’s secretary. “You may enter now.” 

Orm offered her a smile in return before knocking on the door and opening it. She was welcomed by a 40 sqm. room with floor to ceiling window spanning the length of the space behind a long mahogany table and brown leather chair. There were paintings of Italy hanging by the wall. The view was breathtaking. But Lingling was not behind the table, but on the sofa at the side of the room. 

“Sawasdee kha, P’Ling.” Orm greeted the older girl.

“Sawasdee kha, Khun Kornnaphat.”

“Orm.” Orm was not able to stop herself from interjecting once again. She could only scold herself. 

Lingling only gave her a pointed look, but did not say anything. Instead, she gestured to the sofa opposite hers. “Have a seat.” 

Orm looked around, still a little anxious but sat down anyway. It was quiet and awkward since Lingling wasn’t talking, and Orm didn’t know if she was even allowed to talk.

“Do you drink jasmine tea?” 

Orm was a bit surprised to hear Lingling speak first. She wasn’t sure if it was just her or if this was how Lingling do courtesies with new employees. 

“If not, my secretary can—“

“I’m okay, P’Ling.” 

Maybe she was hyper focused but Orm noticed the slightest change in Lingling’s expression…or maybe she was just imagining things. For a moment, it felt like she answered incorrectly.

Lingling nodded. She leaned back against the white sofa, arms crossed, legs crossed. “Do you know why you’re here, Khun Kornnaphat?”

Orm bit her lip before she could blurt out her nickname to Lingling once again. “It’s a tradition for us new employees to meet the Chairman.”

“Correct.” 

Orm felt like Lingling was scrutinizing her. She couldn’t help but feel intimidated. 

“I should ask how’s your first day so far…but we both know it doesn’t matter.” Lingling’s gaze was again icy just like when they were alone in the hallway. “We’re both stuck in this situation because our great grandmothers decided to make a pact. Can you believe that?” She chuckled. It was the first time Orm heard her laugh. “I'm as much of a stranger to you as you are to me…but I’m interested as to why it seems like this whole stupid idea of marrying a complete stranger is so easy for you?”

Orm expected the engagement to be brought up but not to this level. Again, Lingling caught her off guard. “It was my great grandmother’s wish, so I have to do it.”

“Hmm?” Lingling tilted her head to the side. “Is it?” She laughed this time. “You expect me to believe that?” She looked away for a moment and shook her head. “I heard your family’s business was at the brink of bankruptcy. Fruit exports haven't been going well for months now.”

Orm wanted to tell Lingling to stop but couldn’t. 

“Suddenly, your family’s business is doing well again…well…all thanks to the new partnership and investments from Noiam.” Lingling smiled, more like smirked. “And how convenient that you’re now here, Khun Kornnaphat.” She bent her body forward, resting her arm on her knee and her chin over her fist. “I assume after three years, there will be yet another compensation, am I right?” 

The smile on Lingling’s face was infuriating. Orm was so close to talking back to her, but she tried her best not to. 

“Who knows if that deal was made up or not?” Lingling continued despite the obvious disapproval by Orm. “But between us…the only one benefiting is you, Khun Kornnaphat.”

Orm didn’t reply, and it only caused more annoyance to Lingling. A minute went by and only silence enveloped both of them.

“Do you have anything else to say to me…Khun Sirilak?” Again, she received a pointed look from Lingling. She stood up, the older girl kept her eyes on her. “If none, then please excuse me.” She bowed her head and left.

Orm went back to their office with a heavy heart but did her best to hide it. 'She's so mean. Of she doesn't want want to marry me, she could have just said so.' She thought, but instead of thinking about the hurtful words from Lingling, she made herself busy with work.

After the whole day, Orm stood at the lobby by the huge mural on the wall along with the employees from the R&D department. Golf initiated a welcome dinner for Orm and Prigkhing to celebrate their first day at work. As they were waiting for their ride, the attention was caught by Lingling who was walking to the car parked outside. 

The employees greeted them as they walked by, some were even excited including Prigkhing. Lingling's eyes landed on them. Orm noticed that Jaja waved at Lingling to which she returned with a smile and a nod, while the others bowed their heads. For a split second, their gazes met but Orm was too upset to even greet her as an employee. 

“P'Ling.” A woman emerged from the car where Lingling was headed to. 

“Is that Khun Freen?” 

Orm overhead Prigkhing, and couldn't help look at them as well. The woman was wearing a black and white outfit and a ponytail. She seemed very close to Lingling since she let her hug her. ‘Ah. She's with someone already, that's why.’ She quietly watched them through her peripheral vision until they drove away. 

“N'Orm, I haven't asked you how your meeting with Khun Ling went.” 

“It was fine. She um…she only asked how's my day going so far.” Orm answered. She was thankful that Jaja seemed to buy it. “By the way, I just noticed, Phi.”

“Hmm?”

“You call her by her nickname.” 

“Ah.” Jaja let out a bashful laugh. “Khun Ling and I went to the same University. She was my senior when I joined the athletics team.” Orm was surprised to hear that. “Yeah, well…she was only there for a year because she had to stop some extracurriculars to train here at Noiam. She's nice, isn't she?” 

‘Opposite of nice maybe. She's like a devil wearing Prada for real.’ Orm wanted to say, but she didn't want to burst her senior's bubble. 

“Our ride is here!” Looknam announced.

Orm walked with Jaja towards the car. “I'll tell you a secret, N'Orm.” The latter said, and the former hummed. “ When I told you there are people who chose Noiam because of Khun Ling, I wasn't just talking about N'Prigkhing.”

“Don't tell me…” Orm narrows her eyes at her senior, who nodded and laughed. “Oh My God, Phi!” 

“Not because I have a crush on her or anything. “ Jaja chuckled. “She's a great leader, N'Orm. Back when I first joined the athletics guild, Khun Ling was always there to help us…and she hasn't changed until now. You'll find out more how amazing she is as you work here.” 

Hearing how Jaja talked about Lingling somehow made her heart sink more. It seemed like Lingling was only mean and cold to her. Maybe she was too hopeful that Lingling would accept the engagement just like she did. But she made a promise, and she will stand by it no matter what even if it would make Lingling Kwong resent her for the rest of her life. 

Meanwhile, inside Freen's car as she and Lingling were driving to attend Namtan's welcome back dinner. 

“Wasn't that your fiancée earlier?” Asked Freen. 

“Not my fiancée.” Lingling answered, absentmindedly watching the city lights outside. 

“Well…you sound possessive enough to her.” 

Lingling let out a sharp breath. “I told you that was for P'Junji's message.” 

“Relax. You’re fun to tease, P’Ling.” Freen smiled and glanced at her cousin. “So…still haven't decided yet?” 

Lingling took a deep breath. “I'm trying to find a way to stop the whole thing.” 

“Why not just go with it?” 

Lingling snorted. “Fancy coming from you.” She heard Freen chuckle. 

“I'm just stating my suggestion, P'Ling.”

“Suggestion denied.” Again, that made Freen laugh a little. Lingling went to close her eyes then. Her mind replayed the scenario earlier at the welcome ceremony. The moment the lights turned on, her eyes fell on Orm who was sitting in the middle of the 7th row. Her honey brown hair was too eye-catching under the natural lighting of the conference hall for her not to be noticed. Seeing her almost threw her off, she had to clear her throat before speaking. And as she was delivering her speech, she couldn't help but notice that Orm wasn't listening, instead, she was looking down, seemingly bored which was irritating to Lingling. The younger one only noticed her gaze after her speech, but her whole face was annoying to look at, so she swatted her gaze away immediately. “She's only here for money.”

“Technically, you are too.” Freen told her cousin in a joking way. She shook her head knowing that Lingling was rolling her eyes despite having them closed. “And it's not like you have someone to keep fighting it. Plus it's just three years, P'Ling. If it doesn't work out, then okay, you'll have the majority of the shares without spending a single dime…but if it does, then…” 

Lingling snorted. 

Freen glanced at her cousin, smiling softly as if saying you know I'm right. 

“Who knows if that deal was made up or not? But between us…the only one benefiting is you, Khun Kornnaphat.”

“Do you have anything else to say to me…Khun Sirilak? If none, please excuse me.”

Maybe she went too far on that one, Lingling thought. For what it's worth, she tried to be nice by offering tea to Orm, which she rejected. She even had her sit on the sofa, and not stand in front of her office table like the others. 

“Anyway, I'm sure you know what to do.” 

Lingling didn't answer—she didn't know what to do. She just kept her eyes closed as they drove around the city. She just wanted the company, but why was her father making it too hard for her, she thought. The whole marriage thing was exhausting. 

Chapter Text

The whole week went by so fast. It was Friday already—only about 3 months remaining before the end of the stipulation for inheritance. Lingling went out for an early morning run with Junji, Namtan and Faye at the park. After reaching their goal, the group went to rest by the lake.

The sun was rising, a mix of yellow and orange colored the sky, and birds chirping as they flew by. The water was serene and the air was less humid.

“How's your engagement going?” Junji opened the topic, a dreaded one by Lingling.

Lingling ignored the question, focused on doing some arm stretches to cool down, so Namtan answered for her. “They're not engaged…yet.” She glanced at her future sister-in-law before chugging her bottled water.

“Why not?” Junji asked, now also doing cool down stretches. Lingling gave her a look as if saying ‘seriously?’

“It will be a waste if you don't marry her.” Faye, who was sitting on the bench, chirped in. “I know I told you to stand your ground, but maybe this is the best thing to do in this situation. I mean…besides her being insanely gorgeous, she's already there, Nong…Your father knows her. You already met her family…unless you want us to find you a random person to marry.”

“Agree.” Junji nodded.

“P'Faye has a point, P'Ling. You can just treat this like any other business deals you had. The important thing is that you'll get your shares by the end of it.”

The three of them waited for Lingling's reply, but the girl just continued stretching, eyes closed this time. Faye sighed and stood up while Namtan shrugged her shoulders while wiping her sweat.

“Or maybe you still want—”

Lingling suddenly stopped.

Faye gave Junji a pointed look, thankfully she stopped.

Lingling let out a forceful breath before turning to face her friends. Her hair was sticking to the side of her face.

Faye frowned at Junji who mouthed ‘what?’, while Namtan had no idea what exactly it was about.

“I'll think about it.”

That caught the three of them by surprise.

“I have to run some more.” Lingling with a serious expression on her face, nodded and started running once again.

The three friends were left by the lake. Namtan was amused, while Faye and Junji exchanged looks.

Lingling kept running, earphones plugged in. She was sweating profusely.

“And it's not like you have someone to keep fighting it. Plus it's just three years, P'Ling. If it doesn't work out, then okay, you'll have the majority of the shares without spending a single dime…but if it does, then…”

She remembered what Freen told her in the car as well as what Faye said earlier.

“Your father knows her. You already met her family…unless you want us to find you a random person to marry.”

Her pace wind down as their words kept repeating in her mind. She looked up, eyes closed. Her chest was rising and falling slowly, trying to catch her breath.

Meanwhile, Orm's alarm has rang twice already, but the girl was still deep in slumber. Third time, and Eclair barged in.

“N'Orm! Wake up!”

“Five minutes.”

“No!” Eclair was stressed. “Your alarm woke everyone up in this neighborhood except you.”

Orm yawned and mumbled, “What time is it?”

“It's 7:30—”

As if being splashed by cold water in the face, Orm immediately rose up causing her head to collide with Eclair. They both cried in pain. “Oh my, P'Eclair! I'm sorry! I'm so so sorry!”

“Ay, N'Orm!” Eclair's stress level was to the roof.

“I'm sorry…but I have to prepare for work.” Orm pouted while rubbing her hands together as an apology.

“Go. Go.” Eclair just gestured for Orm to go.

“Sorry! Thank you!” Orm hugged Eclair a little too aggressively before dashing to the bathroom. The latter could only shake their head.

As soon as she finished preparing, Orm ran towards the station, not bothering to eat before leaving. That day, the taxis that drove by were all taken, so she settled to ride the bus to work. On the way, she silently scolded herself for sleeping in. The traffic was bad that morning. In the end, Orm was more than 20 minutes late at work.

“Sorry, I'm late.” Orm bowed her head multiple times at her senior. Gold said it was okay and that they understood, while Prigkhing gave her a judging look. For an unknown reason, Orm could feel that the latter hated her guts. She ignored it and just went to her desk. “Sorry, I'm late, Phi.”

“Don't worry.” Jaja made an okay sign. “Traffic is bad today. I also arrived just on time. I think there's road work somewhere.”

Orm smiled and nodded. “I've finished the tally for this month's inventory, by the way. I sent you the email.”

“Oh, you did?” Jaja was impressed. “I'll check it now. Good job, N'Orm.” She patted her shoulder.

Time passed, and they were busy at R&D. Manager Ya suddenly announced that the Vice Chairwoman will be visiting their department for inspection.

While others were nervous regarding the sudden inspection, and others excited to see Lingling which includes Prigkhing, Orm was dreading it. She was still upset when the older girl indirectly called her a gold digger.

Not long after, Lingling arrived followed by Nene and someone from the HR. Everyone greeted her, Orm did too purely for professionalism. Jaja, who was standing behind Orm, exchanged subtle wave and smile with the secretary.

Afterwards, Orm kept her distance, posing purely as an employee. She forced herself to focus on work and fight the urge to glance at Lingling's immaculate face and her infuriating proud smile, not that she was smiling anyway.

Manager Ya and Golf were the ones talking to Lingling during the inspection. They updated her regarding the product development and inventory. They walked around the office to check if there were things to be replaced. Golf offered a coat to Lingling for the laboratory, but the girl said there was no need, she just wanted to talk to the managers directly.

“Thank you for visiting our department, Khun Sirilak.”

Orm heard manager Ya from her spot. She subtly straightened her back to look over and saw Lingling standing by the door. She narrowed her eyes at the girl, but then Lingling suddenly turned her head to her direction, so as fast as she could, Orm bent down.

“Phew!” Manager Ya released a sigh of relief.

“For a minute, I thought she hated the proposal we sent.” Golf chuckled.

“Maybe it's her new policy to conduct random inspections.” Manager Ya replied.

Orm, again, looked over and saw that Lingling already left. ‘She probably just came to see if I'm actually working or just leaching on their money. Hmp.’ She blew some air and went back to work.

At lunch time, Orm went to the cafeteria with Jaja, Looknam and Heng. After getting their free meal, everyone except Orm went to line up at the dessert's stand. Jaja offered to get her a piece upon noticing that she had low energy that day.
Orm was waiting for her workmates to get back when someone stopped in front of their table.

“Kornnaphat Sethratanapong, right?”

Orm lifted her head and saw a tall, well-built man wearing white shirt with sleeves rolled up to his elbows. She had no idea who he was and how he knew her name. “Umm…” She looked around awkwardly since he was smiling at her rather brightly. “Y-Yes? May I help you…Khun…?”

“Jakarin Puribhat. Gap for short.” Gap introduced himself rather enthusiastically.

“Ah…Sawasdee ka, Khun Gap.” Orm wakwardky greeted him.

“Sawasdee khrap, Nong." He then say down opposite Orm. "Aren't you the big boss's fiancée?”

Orm was caught off guard. “Huh?”

“You're the girl who’s about to marry Lingling, right? You are Kornnaphat, yes?” Gap nodded. He felt excited to meet the infamous girl.

Orm's eyes widened at that. She looked around and hushed the guy. “Quiet, Khun Gap.” She scolded him, which he found amusing. “Someone might hear. Also, I'm not…I'm not going to marry her.”

“Huh?” Gap was confused. He has not been updated due to work, and was wondering if Lingling has found a way to ran from the conditions set by her father. ‘Or did she find someone else to marry?’ He asked.

“She doesn't want to so…” Orm shrugged her shoulders. “Also, P'Lingling hates my guts, but whatever, I don't care. But please don't tell her I said that. I don't wanna lose my job.”

Orm sounded like a kid ranting. It was amusing to hear. “Lingling doesn't hate you.” He replied, but she huffed, making him let out a quiet laugh. “She doesn't hate anyone, I assure you.”

“Jakarin Puribhat!”

“Jaja! Hey!” Gap stood up to hug Jaja.

“Sawasdee kha, Khun Gap!” Looknam as well as Heng greeted Gap before sitting down.

“Sawasdee khrap.”

“You're back?”

“Nah. Just for today. I have to stay at the construction site.”

“I didn't know you and N'Orm knew each other.” Asked Jaja looking between the two.

Orm didn't know him before today, so she didn't know how to answer that. Thankfully, Gap did. “I knew her through a mutual friend.” He said, smiling.

“Ah.” Jaja nodded. Fortunately, she didn't ask anything further. “By the way, N'Orm…if you want to know something about Khun Ling, you can ask Gap.” She told Orm in a quiet voice, eyebrows wiggling, as if it was a top secret.

“Khun Gap is the head of the construction unit and went to the same school as boss, so they're close.” Looknam said and Heng agreed.

Orm was a bit embarrassed upon learning that Gap was one of the big shots in Noiam.

“Hep hep. I'm not gonna snitch on my friend ‘coz that's not what friends do. Do you agree, Nong?” He asked Orm.

Orm thought Gap was nice. If only Lingling was half as nice as her friend. “I agree.” She smiled.

After lunch, Orm and friends went back to the lab. One week in, but they already had a lot of work to do since the end-of-the-quarter reports needed to be submitted by the end of the month. Orm was busy typing on her laptop when she was approached by Golf.

“N’Orm, Khun Nene called. She said the Vice Chairwoman requested for you.” Golf told her discreetly, not knowing what it was about, maybe due to Orm being late that day, so she kept it quiet.

“Oh. Okay. Thank you, P'Golf.” Orm only nodded. ‘What is it again this time?’
Meanwhile at her office, Lingling moved the tea set to her desired position for the nth time. She sat down on the sofa while waiting for Orm to enter. When she heard a knock on the door, she immediately straightened her back, sporting the usual dominant aura she exudes.

But it was not Orm.

It was Nene with the small charcuterie board that she requested. After putting the food down, she asked if Lingling needed anything else.

“It's fine. Have you called the R&D Department?” Lingling asked, subtly tapping her thumb against arm.

“Yes, Khun Lingling. I've notified the manager of your request.” Nene answered, and Lingling nodded. “Do you need anything else?” She asked, but her boss's eyes were glued to the row of wall clocks showing different time zones.

“No, you may go. Thank you.” Lingling did not remove her gaze from the clock.

And so, Nene bowed her head before going out of the room. She giggled upon closing the door, covering her mouth with her hand, amused about her boss's unusual behavior. That exact moment, the elevator door opened revealing Orm.
“Khun Kornnaphat!”

Orm was a bit overwhelmed at Nene's cheerful tone, but she was still suspicious as to why Lingling would call her.
“Khun Lingling's waiting for you. Please enter.” Nene gestured to the door.

Orm gulped but nodded anyway. She knocked first before pushing the door open, but as she did, she readied herself about whatever mean word Lingling might say to her this time. She saw Lingling once again sitting on the white sofa set just like days ago. This time however, her eyes landed on the charcuterie board on the table. It looked appetizing to be honest, but it was still suspicious. Orm told herself to not let her guards down this time.

‘What is she up to this time? Maybe she's actually being nice for once? No! She's probably just showing off. But maybe—No, Orm! It's a trap. More food equals more mean Lingling Kwong.’ Orm's subconscious was split with two contradicting ideas.

“Aren't you going to sit down?”

It was only then that Orm came back to her senses. “Huh? Ah.” She was about to take a step forward but stopped. “No.” She firmly said, which caught Lingling by surprise. “If you called me just to insult me again, then just tell me right now. I have work to do, Khun Sirilak.” She saw that her words made Lingling frown. Subtly, she gulped down because deep down, she was scared, but she had to stand her ground somehow.

“Lingling.”

‘Huh?’ Orm pursed her lips. Of all the words Lingling could've uttered, she definitely didn't expect that one.

Lingling cleared her throat and lifted her chin just a bit. ‘I shouldn't have drank that coffee, now I'm palpitating.’ Her fingers rubbed the sleeve button of her blazer. “You can call me P'Lingling again if you want to.”

Orm still hasn't said a thing. She didn't expect any of this.

Lingling closed her eyes and sighed. “Please sit down, N'Orm.”

Orm's mouth turned agape. ‘She called me Orm. Woah.’ She shook her head lightly, again, telling herself not to let her guards down easily. She sat down carefully on the opposite seat while eyeing Lingling.
“I called you to properly talk about…um…that marriage situation that we have.”

“What about it?”

Lingling bit her lip. Only Orm had the guts to talk to her like that. She was well aware that Orm has been distancing herself since their last talk, not that she was bothered by it, no, not at all. “Since your family needs the partnership with Noiam and if I don't marry you…”

Orm furrowed her brows. This conversation could turn upside down, so she readied herself whatever Lingling may end up saying.

“...I would still have to marry someone to get my inheritance, so I've been thinking…considering the circumstances, I have decided to marry you.”

Silence followed then. Orm did not reply, and Lingling wasn't sure if she should explain further.

It was uncomfortably quiet until Orm spoke up. “What if I don't want to do it anymore?”

Again, Lingling frowned—she did not expect that. “Are you really—”

“I'm kidding.” Orm immediately added, letting out a quiet giggle.

Lingling wasn't sure how to feel about that, but she did let out a relieved sigh. She then straightened her posture and cleared her throat. “Ah. Okay.” She replied, more like whispered.

"But don't you have a partner?"

"Sorry?"

"You were...with someone...last Monday."

Lingling furrowed her brows, trying to recollect who she was with last Monday. "Ah. You mean Freen? She's my cousin."

'Oh.' Slowly, a smile formed in Orm's lips. "Gotcha."

Lingling found Orm's expressions peculiar but amusing. “Anyway, that's all I wanted to talk about.”

“Are you not going to make me sign anything, P’Ling?”

“Sign what?”

“Set of rules? You know…as part of the deal, I can do this, I can't do that. Bla bla bla.” Orm explained with matching and gestures.

“You mean a prenup?” Lingling asked but Orm shook her head. The latter realized that the former probably wasn't fond of watching dramas on TV. “I don't know what you mean, but anyway, once I tell dad, we'll meet with our lawyers to sign a prenup. I'll let you know once the papers are ready.”

“Okay, P'Lingling.” Orm smiled.

It was the same sunshine smile she wore when they first met at dinner, Lingling noted. She then stood up then ran her hands through her blazer. “I guess that's a deal. I'll see you then.”

“Can I get a snack?”

Lingling looked at the charcuterie board then to Orm and nodded before going to her desk. She settled in front of the mahogany table, leaning against it while the younger girl grabbed a bite from the plate of food. She scanned their group chat before sending a quick message.

Lingling: I'll marry Orm.

Just like that, messages flooded. It was as if her friends didn’t have work.

Faye: Who's Orm?
Freen: Are they the same person or is this a different one?
Gap: @Faye_ @FrnSarocha Kornnaphat
Gap: Saw her earlier 55555
Namtan: 🙈
Junji: OMG LingOrm 😌😍

Lingling frowned at Junji's message. ‘What the hell is that?’

Faye: YES
Faye: That's what I'm talking about 🍾🍾
Freen: Congratulations P'Ling!
Namtan: 55555 We should celebrate
Gap: Where are we going to celebrate @LinglingKwong ???
Faye: My 🐱🤏 all grown up 😭
Junji: That's true 😭😭

Lingling shook her head. ‘So dramatic.’ She put her phone on silent mode then put it on the table. She glanced at the pile of documents beside it; she could only sigh. The end of quarter reports are approaching fast and needed to consolidate everything before the board meeting.

“P'Lingling?”

Lingling turned her head towards Orm and saw the girl looking at her as well with her little bashful smile. “Yes?”

“Can I get one more?” Orm asked.

Orm didn't need to ask, Lingling thought. She didn't need to make that kind of face either. “Go ahead.”

Orm grinned at that, again Lingling thought that, too, was unnecessary. The former grabbed a quick bite before standing up and approaching the latter.

“P'Ling.”

“Yes?” Lingling raised her brow and backed up ever so slightly to keep a distance between her and Orm.

“Thank you for telling me first. I appreciate it a lot.” Orm then offered her a soft smile.

Unconsciously, Lingling gulped. “Okay.” She nodded.

Without a warning, Orm opened her arms wide to embrace the older girl.

Lingling’s eyes widened. Fortunately, her reflexes were fast enough to stop Orm. She ended up pushing against her forehead. “Hep.”

“Aww.” Orm whined when Lingling gently pushed her away.

“I agreed to marry you to get my inheritance. I didn't say we're friends.”

Orm pouted, earning yet another pointed look from Lingling. “Okay. Got it.” She made an okay gesture before fixing her hair. “I'll go now, P'Ling.”

Lingling nodded, but she suddenly remembered something. “You were late earlier, weren't you?”

“Ahhh.” Orm made a guilty expression before nodding. News travels fast at Noiam, she thought. “I overslept and when I got into the bus, there was already heavy traffic. Sorry, P'Ling.” She bowed her head once.

“Bus? Don't you drive?”

“Hmm…I do in Buriram, but here in Bangkok, no.” Orm answered. “I won't be late again, P'Ling, I promise!” She added. Again, it felt like Lingling was scrutinizing her.

“Anyway, put your phone number here.” Lingling handed Orm her phone—latest version of iPhone.

Orm did. Afterwards, her phone rang.
“That's me. Please save it.”

“I will, P'Ling.” Orm smiled once again. Then, she gestured to the door. “I'll get going now.” Lingling only nodded. So, she did, but before she could exit the room, she turned around, “I'll get one more, P'Lingling. Thank you!”

Lingling watched Orm walk swiftly to the coffee table to grab a treat from the charcuterie board before exiting the room. But before she did so, girl turned around to face her, beaming as she waved goodbye.

“Bye, P'Lingling! Nice doing business with you!” Orm said with a light laughter. 

As soon as Orm was out the door, Lingling was actually lost for words. She only let out an amused laugh.

Upon returning to the R&D Department, Orm was approached by Jaja. “N'Orm, you okay? I heard Khun Ling called you upstairs.”

“Ah. Yeah.” Orm nodded—she was already in a better mood. She couldn't just tell Jaja about the whole engagement thing, so she settled with a partial lie. “She asked me why I was late, but it’s fine now.” It was more than fine, she thought. ‘I will be able to fulfill my promise to you now, grandma.’

Lingling left the office early today, way earlier than usual. She drove through the streets of Bangkok; but decided to use the expressway after a while due to traffic. After quite a long drive, she arrived at the campus of one of the International Schools in the city. And after patiently waiting inside her car, she finally got a glimpse of her sister among the sea of high school girls. She pushed the door open and stepped outside.

“P’Lingling!”

Lingling was immediately approached by Milk along with her friends, Ciize, View and June. “Sawasdee kha, P’Ling.” They all greeted her.

“Sawasdee kha.” Lingling offered them a smile. “Are you all going home now?” Her sister’s friends nodded. “How are your classes?” She spoke to them with a softer tone unlike at the company.

All went to tell her about their day. They were all in the same grade, but Milk was homeschooled until middle school, so she was new to the group. Thankfully, Ciize, who lives in the same village, introduced her to her friends. They grew close to the family, and Lingling all treated them as her younger sisters as well.

“Milk got the highest score in our Chem Lab quiz today, P’Ling!” Ciize told Lingling with a proud smile.

“Really, Nong?” Lingling smiled wider this time, her eyes did the same. Milk gave her a bashful smile while nodding. “You did a great job, N’Milk.” Lingling pulled Milk into a hug, patting her shoulder gently as she did so. “P’Lingling is proud of you. Always remember that.” She told milk in a quieter and softer tone.

“Thank you, Phi.” Milk grinned. She loved getting recognition from her oldest sister. Ever since Lingling moved out, she would see her less since her sister was busy with work, but she would show up to pick her up at school from time to time just like today.

“We all did well, P’Lingling! Can we hug you too?” June chirped in with her expectant smile.

Lingling chuckled. “Of course.” And so, the four friends went in for a hug. “P’Ling’s proud of all of you.”

Afterwards, Lingling was about to invite them for dinner, but View spoke first.
“My mom’s here. We’ll go ahead, P’Lingling.” View bowed her head and waved goodbye to her friends. Lingling saw View’s mother, so she bowed her head to greet her, the latter did too.

“I’ll ride with View today. Bye bye, P’Ling!” June said before filling View to the car.

“How about you, N’Ciize, do you need a ride?” Lingling asked.

“Is it okay, P’Ling?” Usually, their family driver would pick up Milk, and since Ciize live nearby, Milk offered that they go home together. But Lingling picked her up today, so she was a little shy to ask.

“Of course.”

Lingling then ended up looking like her sister and her friend's driver since both settled at the back seat. Between the four friends, Milk was closest to Ciize, probably because they were friends first and they live in the same village. Ciize was also the closest to the family due to the same reasons.

Lingling treated them first to a quick snack before driving home. After dropping Ciize off, Milk transferred to the passenger’s seat.

“Seatbelt.” Lingling said, and helped Milk put the seatbelt on. “Do you want to go home now?”

“Can we buy ice cream first, Phi?”

“Of course.”

They drove to the small convenience store in the village then walked to the playground nearby. They settled on the swings as they ate their once cream cones. The sun was about to set, the streetlights were already on.

“P’Lingling?” Milk broke the silence, and Lingling responded with a hum. “Have you decided yet?”

Lingling glanced at Milk and nodded. “I’ll go through with the wedding.” She answered. She noticed Milk’s sympathetic expression, so she reached out and put her hand on her forearm. “It’s okay. P’Lingling just thinks that this is the best thing to do in this situation. Even if I don’t marry N’Orm, I would still have to marry before thirty so…” She let out a quiet laugh.

“I think P’Orm is nice.” Milk offered for some consolation.

“You think so?”

“Uh-huh.”

Lingling then looked ahead and for a moment, she remembered the scene from earlier at the office. It made her chuckle, still amused. “She definitely is unique in her own way.”

Milk watched her older sister’s expression from the sideline and smiled.

“Oops.” Lingling was quick to notice that Milk’s ice cream has melted already and was slightly dripping over her hand.

“Oh. I’m sorry, P’Ling.”

Lingling immediately stood up and walked towards Milk, bending down to clean her hands with her handkerchief. “It’s okay. Don’t worry, Nong. P’Lingling will clean it, alright?”

Milk watched her sister in silence. It felt like she was brought back to when she was still a kid. She didn’t get to meet their mom since she died giving birth to her, hence it was always Lingling who would take care of her then. She thought that maybe it was because she needed to take care of her and Film, then work for the company, that she didn’t have time for herself, more so to find love.

“There.” Lingling smiled, then sprayed some sanitizer before standing up. “Finish your ice cream now, Nong.”

Milk nodded then continued to eat her ice cream. Meanwhile, Lingling sat down again and lightly pushed herself on the swing.

That night, Orm went home a little late since they had to finish some paperwork. Once she was in her room, she pulled her phone out and dialed her grandmother’s number.

“Sawasdee kha, P’Orm!”

Orm smiled and gave a little wave. “N’Love, sawasdee kha. Where’s grandma?” She asked. Love is a distant relative and a scholar of the family, and was staying at her grandmother’s house to accompany her.

“Grandma is in the kitchen, Phi. Wait, I’ll get her.”

After a while, Orm’s grandmother appeared on the screen. Her grandmother asked how she was doing, so Orm went to tell her everything she did the whole week.

“Grandma…guess what?” Orm's smile was wide, excited about the news she was about to share with her grandmother. “P’Lingling agreed to marry me.”

Orm’s grandmother was delighted. “That’s great news!”

“Uh-huh.” Orm nodded in agreement. “We haven’t planned for it yet, but she did say she’d marry me.”

As opposed to this joyful announcement, in her black silk nightgown, Lingling stood by the window of her penthouse, leaning against it, arms crossed, as she watched the city lights in silence.

While Lingling never spoke about marriage, it was not something she thought of lightly. Growing up, before her mother passed away, she witnessed how great her father and mother’s love was.

They took care of each other and they were happy.

They were partners in everything.

Those laughters and kisses they both shared were tender and genuine.

Even the smallest gestures, no matter how simple, would bring a smile to one another.

Lingling was their oldest, and she has witnessed it all, even at the last moments of her mother’s life. How envious was the love her father and mother shared, she thought. Back when she was younger, she had hopes to find someone she would share her life with just like her parents, but things happened. And until now, at the back of her mind, she was scared that she would never find a love like that.

“Must be nice.” With that, a pained smile formed on Lingling’s lips.

Chapter Text

Lingling Kwong hated distractions. 

Being the eldest daughter, she had to be on top of everything since she was young, more so when their mother passed away. She had to plan out carefully not just for her but for her younger sisters as well since their father needed to work, hence her habit of listing down even the smallest details. Even at work, she would ask Nene of the list of all her meetings every week to plot them on her own calendar. And if something didn't go as planned or out of schedule, it would easily throw her off. 

After the engagement with Orm was finalized, Lingling had to stay up late to squeeze in the wedding preparations with her hectic schedule. The wedding was scheduled in about 5 weeks. They agreed that the ceremony would be intimate with only their families, relatives and close friends present. 

The end-of-the-quarter conference would happen in three weeks, and Lingling has been under a lot of stress because of it. After spending hours going through her schedule, she finally found a day to spare. 

It was today. 

Few hours after lunchtime, Orm pulled the huge oak door of Eclair's apartment to see Lingling’s car parked right outside. It was late at night that she received a message from her saying they have to meet the organizers of their wedding. She texted her the address of the café, so she assumed they would meet there, but here she was anyway. 

With a smile, Orm approached the car. “P'Lingling, sawasdee kha!” She mouthed, bending down to peek through the semi-tinted window of Lingling's red Porsche Carrera. 

Lingling pushed the door lightly from the inside to let Orm in. 

“Thank you for picking me up, P'Ling.” Orm settled on the passenger seat, sporting her usual bright smile. 

“Seatbelt.” 

“Ah.” Orm grabbed the seatbelt and fixed it around herself. 

“I don't want to wait in case you're late.” Lingling said, both hands on the steering wheel. 

“That was one time!” Orm pouted, glancing at Lingling, who raised her brow at her. “Okay. Twice. Geez.” Today, she noted that the older girl was wearing a cream-colored pants-blazer-low-cut top combination with sleeves rolled up halfway to her elbows as if she was trying to attract women. Meanwhile, she was only wearing a simple floral dress. 

“By the way, N'Orm—”

"Hmm?!" Orm beamed at that, humming. Having Sirilak Kwong call her by her nickname was an accomplishment. It was the first time after days that she heard her call her name. 

“—this is our itinerary for the rest of the day. Please go through it, and tell me if you have another agenda, so I can fix it.” 

Orm scanned the 1-page document on the iPad Lingling handed to her. She was expecting a random list but this one was very detailed, even the estimated traveling time was included. “Uh…this is good, P'Ling. I don't have anything to do today.” 

“Okay.” Lingling nodded. 

When Orm handed back the iPad to Lingling, the latter carefully placed it inside the compartment. The former noted that everything was kept tidy. As they were driving, she couldn't help but notice Lingling's eye bags were a bit puffy today. She probably was juggling her schedule between the upcoming end-of-the-quarter conference and their wedding, especially since it has been moved earlier to two weeks from now. “Have you eaten, P'Ling?” 

“Huh?” Lingling glanced towards Orm for a moment, frowning a little. “Why? Are you hungry?” 

Lingling's logic made Orm chuckle, but her reaction somehow confused Lingling as well. “I was asking if you had lunch already. I know you probably had to squeeze in preparations for our wedding to your schedule, so I hope you're not neglecting yourself.” 

Lingling blinked twice. “Ah.” Gulping down, she nodded. “I’m not. I ate already.” 

“Okay. Okay. Very good.” Orm gave her thumbs up which was again Lingling found a bit humorous. “P'Lingling?”

“Yes?” 

“Can we play a song?” 

Lingling felt like Orm would do what she wanted even if she'd say no, so with a sigh, she nodded. “Do what you want.” She seemed to not be scared of her or at least intimidated by her—Orm was the first person who dared to answer her with ‘what about it?’ in her entire life anyway. 

“How do you…” Orm wasn't accustomed to sports cars, so she was clueless. She felt a little embarrassed and nervous that Lingling might mock her for it. “P'Ling?” 

But she didn't. 

“This one right here. It's connected to the internet, so you can just search whatever you want.” 

“Thank you.” Orm felt like Lingling's action towards her improved greatly when she stood her ground against her. She hasn't said a single mean word since even when they met to review the prenuptial agreement days back. 

Lingling subtly watched as Orm scrolled through the playlist, interested in what she would choose. 

Baby, baby
There will always be a space for you and me 
Right where you left it 
Enough time will pass
We'll look back and laugh
Just don't forget it

Lingling was not familiar with the song. But as she listened to it, the more she was intrigued with Orm's song choice. 

And I'll be here
'Cause we both know how it goes
I don't want things to change
I pray they stay the same always
And I don't care
If you're with somebody else
I'll give you time and space
Just know I'm not a phase
I'm always, ways, ways

Lingling glanced at Orm who was looking out the window seemingly lost in haze as she hummed with the song. There was a minute of a longing smile on her lips. She could only wonder what was going on in her head. She thought that she didn’t consider the possibility that maybe Orm had to give up something in order to marry her. ‘Maybe.’ Unconsciously, her gaze fell. She cleared her throat, then pushed the thought away. 

‘I wonder how the people at the office react when they find out I'll be P'Lingling's wife? Huh! In your face, Prigkhing.’ Orm thought. The idea was too exciting, that she had to bite her lip to suppress a smile. 'I probably can't tell anyone.' She pouted and sighed. ‘Anyway, I love this song.’ So, she continued humming softly as the song played. 

Always, can count on it sure as the stars in the sky
Always, you can count on it sure as the stars in the sky

From her peripheral vision, Orm watched Lingling drive—the girl was hyper-focused on the road. The serious expression on her face was, to be honest, attractive. It seemed like everything she did was attractive. No wonder why people would turn down other job offers just to work under her, she thought. Turning a little to see her more clearly, not thinking much, she sang the last two lines of the song. 

Always, my love for you ain't goin' nowhere
Always, I will be here

The softest smile graced Orm's face. In her mind, she told herself that no matter how things would turn out after three years, she would always keep it in her heart and memory that she was once Lingling Kwong's wife. 

Meanwhile, Lingling could feel Orm's staring at her. Was it making her uncomfortable? She wasn't sure, but her heart sure was palpitating. She held the steering wheel tighter as she told herself not to turn her head towards her. 

Yeah, yeah, yeah! 
BLACKPINK in your area

But suddenly, Kill This Love came on. Both girls were startled.

“Oh My God.” Orm clutched her chest, calming herself from initial shock. The playlist was on shuffle mode, it seems. “Sorry, P'Ling. I'll just change it.”

“No.”

Orm was about to play next but stopped. She didn't expect Lingling would like such music. 

“I meant that you don't have to if you like it. I don't care, really.” 

Orm snickered. Lingling seemed to secretly enjoy the song, so she decided to just leave it be. So, she leaned against her seat and went back to watching the clouds outside. And as the seconds went by, the both of them fell into a significantly less uncomfortable silence. 

Upon reaching the café, the pair went out of the car and settled on the corner table while waiting for the organizers. Lingling told Orm to order whatever she wanted while she went through the catalog sent by the organizers. 

Orm took a bite of the chocolate banana muffin, but was not satisfied with the taste, she put it down and took a sip of her frappe. 

“Don't you like it?” 

Orm was surprised to hear Lingling speak. The older girl was so focused on reading that she didn't think she would see that. “It tastes fine.” She shrugged. She didn't like it. It wasn't sweet enough for her. “Wanna try?” 

Lingling was about to say no, but Orm was already about to feed her the muffin, so she ended up accepting it. It wasn't too sweet for her just like how she likes it. “Hmm-mm.” She nodded. “It's good.”

“Huh?” Orm made a disapproving expression. She took another bite exactly where Lingling did. “You're right, P’Ling. I guess it's not that bad. Want more?”

“No, thank you—” Lingling wasn't fast enough because Orm already made her take another bite. She chew the food carefully in her mouth while frowning at the younger girl—she seemed to not have an idea what personal space meant. “Thank you, N'Orm…but I'm—” She ended up taking another bite. 

Giggling, Orm also took another bite. “P'Lingling, have some again.” 

“No more, N'Orm.” Lingling told Orm before sipping her brewed coffee. “You finish it since you ordered it.” 

“But I'll finish it faster if you help me.” 

Lingling raised her brow. “I didn't order that, did I?”

“But P'Ling.” Orm pouted, making Lingling feel a little awkward. 

Lingling couldn't keep up with Orm's energy, really. With a slight smirk, she leaned a bit closer then said, “No.” 

“Awww. But you like it, right?” Orm protested but Lingling ignored her. “P'Lingling Kwong.” 

Lingling inhaled deeply then sighed, turning her face away from Orm, ignoring the pout from the latter. “If you can't finish it, just leave it there.” 

Orm made an effort to finish it anyway. While munching on the muffin, she moved closer to Lingling to see the catalog. “I like that one.” She whispered, for some reason, that made Lingling jolt a little. “Sorry, P’Ling.”

“It’s fine.” Lingling gulped and nodded. Orm’s head was too close to her neck—the girl really doesn’t have a sense of personal space. She didn’t say anything else, not that Orm would listen anyway, she thought. She looked down on her iPad, taking note of what Orm said she liked. 

Slightly, Orm moved back a little, thinking she might have made Lingling uncomfortable. 

“N’Orm.”

“Hm?”

“Choose whatever you like and then tell me.” Lingling handed the iPad so Orm could choose better. She then pulled out her phone to check her emails, but making sure to glance over the catalog whenever Orm would say she likes something. 

After a while, the organizers arrived. It was Orm who noticed them first. “P’Ling.” She said, putting her hand on top of Lingling’s without thinking. 

Lingling glanced at the pair approaching their table, then to Orm’s hand on hers. But the latter removed it as soon as she stood up to greet the organizers. The former blinked a couple of times, for some reason, the sensation of Orm’s hand lingered—even her friends would not touch her so casually. She pushed it aside anyway to stand up as well. “Sawasdee kha.” 

The four of them settled down. Lingling told Mr. Nop and Ms. Bambam, the wedding organizers, order whatever they want from the menu. 

As they were waiting, the pair started discussing their proposals for the theme of the wedding, asking the couple if they have any specifics. Lingling was particular with the details, Orm noted, however there were aspects that she got too specific. The conversation was going well until Ms. Bambam brought up the schedule. 

“Sorry? Two weeks?” 

“We were informed by Khun Plai that the wedding will be moved to 2 weeks…um…” Ms. Bambam and Mr. Nop gave each other a look. “Is…there a problem?”

Orm also turned her face to Lingling. She thought she knew. 

“I wa—” Suddenly, Lingling's phone rang. “No, there's none.” With furrowed brows, she stood up. “Sorry, I have to take this. Please continue discussing it with N'Orm.” 

Orm kept glancing at where Lingling was talking on the phone while the organizers continued to talk about the wedding details to her. When the older girl came back, Orm could feel that she wasn't in a very good mood anymore, but trying to hide her annoyance. 

“Sorry for that. Where are we?” Lingling settled down beside Orm, not a trace of smile from her since the phone call. 

After an hour or so, they finally came into an agreement. Lingling asked Ms. Bambam to send her a copy of the draft of the schedule as soon as possible. Afterwards, the two of them went back to the car. It was around five in the afternoon already and they had to meet Plai for dinner. 

“P'Ling?” Orm walked faster, trying to catch up to Lingling who walked rather briskly. “P'Lingling, wait!”

Lingling abruptly stopped upon reaching her car. “Do you know this?” 

Orm was about to answer, but Lingling shook her head. “Let's just go. Get in.” The latter got inside first, while the former reluctantly followed. The whole ride to the hotel where they would meet Lingling's father was silent and uncomfortable. The older one didn't say anything else, but Orm felt reluctant to speak nor do something as well.

In the end, the dinner ended up being awkward, at least for Orm. She could feel that Lingling was trying her best to control her temper and be polite while her dad remained nonchalant and oblivious. The ride back home was, again, gloomy—Lingling has been in a consistently bad mood since the afternoon, Orm could only guess when she would cool down. 

After the painstakingly long and quiet ride back to Orm's place, the two of them stayed inside the car—Orm did not make a move, but neither did Lingling tell her to get out. 

1 minute. 

2 minutes. 

“P'Ling…” Orm broke the silence between the two of them. Lingling, on the other hand, did not respond nor looked her way. “Look…about the change in schedule—”

“Since when did you know?” 

Lingling's voice was calm yet with a hint of irritation, but her eyes weren't cold unlike when they first met at the hallway and at the office. They were something else, Orm couldn't quite understand. “Just…yesterday. Mom and dad called.” She answered. 

“Yesterday…huh.” Lingling squared her jaw, hands still squeezing the steering wheel. “I called you last night, and you didn't even bother to tell me?” She was exhausted. She has been drained from juggling the reports, the quarterly conference in three weeks, wedding preparations, meetings. And just today while at the meeting with the organizers, she received the news that the delivery machine they bought from Europe would be delayed. Now, the production will also be affected. 

“I didn't know you weren't aware of the changes, P'Ling.” Orm reasoned out, trying to talk to Lingling as calmly as possible, so as not to aggravate her more. 

“And you just agreed?”

“Yes…but—” Orm saw the older girl squeezed her eyes shut—she was mad and was about to explode if she made a wrong move. And the thing was, she didn't have a choice but to agree to begin with. “Wouldn't it be a good thing, P'Ling?” Felt like she was on thin ice. “Even if it's in five weeks or two weeks…o-or even 3 months from now or next year, it wouldn't matter, right? We'll still get married, and then um…” 

Lingling's frown turned a little deeper, eyes kept looking ahead instead of Orm. 

“At least three years will come faster and you'll—”

“Easy for you to say.” This time, Lingling did face Orm. 

Orm pursed her lips. ‘Did I…say something wrong?’ She gulped. This time, Lingling's gaze turned cold once again. 

“I'm not like you, N'Orm. I can't afford to come to work late and still, everything will be fine.”

Orm was slightly offended, but didn't say anything. 

“Of course you wouldn't have a problem moving the dates because you don't have anything else to do.” Right then, Lingling's lips formed a spiteful smile. “And you really can't wait for three years to be done, huh?” 

“P'Ling.” Orm warned, brows furrowed—Lingling's eyes were blazing, but she wouldn't let herself get burned in them. It seemed like tonight, the mini improvement in their relationship would all go down the drain. 

“What? Didn't you say that earlier?” Lingling asked in a mocking tone. 

“Don't twist my words, P'Ling.” Orm retaliated. "That's not what I meant and you know it."

“My father really is trying to make my life hell…” Lingling said, stressing the last word. First, forcing her to marry a stranger, now moving the date of the wedding without telling her first. “…I'm going to tell you this, N'Orm, so you better listen.” She leaned closer, catching Orm by surprise. The mocking smile on her lips remained. “…I’ll make sure that in those three years, I won't be the only one living in it.”

That made Orm gulp. ‘Was that…a threat?’ Her heart was pounding against her chest—nervous or fed up, she wasn't sure. But at that very moment, she could feel her patience leaving her body; hands itching to slap the smugness out of Lingling's face. ‘Control yourself, Orm. You've come so far, and you made a promise.’ She told herself. 

Lingling kept her eyes on the younger girl, asserting her dominance over the other.

Breathe in. 

Breathe out. 

They were okay, then there were not. Orm understood that Lingling was furious about the change in schedule, but she couldn't understand why she was mad at her specifically. She wanted to just push the door open and walk out, but felt like that would make things worse. 

No words were said, and in that moment, it felt like they were standing on a landmine. One wrong move and they would both be finished. Any of them stepping away would make it explode as well. 

So, if saving both of them meant staying above that landmine, then Orm would hold Lingling close even if she burns while doing so. “You have a unique way of saying you want me close, P’Ling.” She said with a rather soft and radiant smile. 

Lingling did not expect such a response. She was perplexed. “What…did you just say?” Her smile faded and turned into a frown. What more when the younger girl reached out and held her chin—no one ever tried except her. 

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Inside the car, the two of them were seeing eye to eye—fiery orbs staring into the warmest ones. Was Lingling annoyed? Maybe. Was she confused? Probably. But whatever emotion she was feeling that moment made her stay still and her heartbeat doubled. 

“If that's how we're gonna live, then I’ll be your queen in hell, Lingling Kwong.” 

Unconsciously and not so subtly, Lingling's eyes traveled down to Orm's lips then back to her earthy-brown eyes that felt like the sun. She gulped. 

Breathe in. 

Breathe out. 

With a smile, Orm pulled her hand away from Lingling’s face, making sure to brush her fingers lightly against the older one’s soft skin.

“Goodnight, P’Ling.” 

Orm opened the car door and went out. She then hurriedly went inside the house. And as soon as the door shut, she was able to breathe. Her heart was pounding against her chest as she stood against the front door. Not long after, she heard the older one driving away. 

“If that's how we're gonna live, then I’ll be your queen in hell, Lingling Kwong.”

“O-M-G.” Orm whispered. Perhaps her patience was growing thinner and thinner by the second that she had to wipe that proud smile on Lingling’s lips. “OH MY G—“ She exclaimed upon remembering touching the girl’s chin. “I’m so dead!” She sighed, thinking she might have crossed the line on that one. “What was I thinking? Did I just flirt with P’Ling? Ugh.” She added, with a disgusted expression of how cringe it was. “No Orm. It was the only way to shut her up. Right.” She nodded. 

“N’Orm.”

“And I did shut her up.” Whispered Orm with a proud smile and a nod. “It had to be done.” 

“…Nong.” 

“She’s making a big deal out of it, then be mad at me for—“

“Oi, N’Orm!” 

“Ah!” Orm squeaked, nearly jumping in fright when she finally realized that she wasn’t alone. “P’Eclair!” Now flustered by the fact that Eclair might have heard her venting. “Hi! Didn’t see you there.” She instead played it off with her usual bright smile. “I’m going to bed. I’m so tired.” She told her cousin while faking a yawn.

“Hep, hep, hep.” 

Orm squeezed her eyes shut—she really can’t get away with this one. She carefully turned to face Eclair with a sweet innocent smile. “Yes, Phi?” 

Eclair narrowed their eyes at Orm with suspicion. “Oi…Khun Lingling picked you up earlier and drove you home tonight.” With a teasing smile, they said. 

“Hmm. Uh-huh.” Orm nodded, acting like what just happened moments ago was nothing, not that it meant something to her. No, not at all. 

“So…you two really are okay now, huh?” Eclair asked, and Orm wanted to say yes, but after tonight, probably not. “I guess that's a yes…” Followed up by the former as the two of them walked towards the living room. “...since I saw you two…k-i-s-s—”

Orm stopped dead in her tracks. “Phi!” Scandalized, she hushed the older one. 

Eclair leaned closer, accusingly squinting their eyes at the younger one. 

“What are you even talking about?” Orm shivered. “Gosh.” She whispered, looking away—a picture of the whole grabbing Lingling's chin etched in her mind. 

“KISS!” Eclair emphasized while making a kissing gesture with their hands. “Outside, inside the car? You stayed too long in there, oi! And didn't you kiss Khun Li—”

Orm covered Eclair's mouth as if someone else would hear them. “Shh!” The latter shook her way out of her hold immediately, simultaneously giving her a judging look. “I didn't kiss P'Ling, okay?” 

“Uh-huh.” Teased Eclair. 

“Phi!” Orm whined. 

“Hm-hmm. Just don't do it out in public, okay?”

Orm was scandalized. “P'Eclair!” She whined as she followed her cousin inside. 

“…I’ll make sure that in those three years, I won't be the only one living in it.”

It was past 10 o'clock at night already. Once Lingling got home, she tried to divert her attention from what just happened earlier that night by hyper-focusing on fixing her schedule. However, after a few crumpled papers, she decided to give up, packed her bag, and hit the gym. 

‘Why did I even say that?!’ Lingling was scolding herself while running on the treadmill as she has been doing so for the last 30 minutes. She was so mad, she exploded on Orm once again. For honestly, she thought her soon-to-be wife would retaliate with something sarcastic but she did not. 

“If that's how we're gonna live, then I’ll be your queen in hell, Lingling Kwong.”

Or did she? 

Lingling turned the speed down until a complete stop. Squeezing the handle of the machine, her mind went to replay the scene earlier. Her heart pounded against her chest. 

Despite what she said, Orm smiled at her. It was a reaction she didn't expect to receive. She felt like the girl wasn't even fazed by her words at all. Her throat ran dry when she remembered how Orm's soft hand felt against her skin. She gulped. 

“...then I’ll be your queen in hell, Lingling Kwong.”

She remembered what Orm's lips looked like under the dim light sipping through the car window from the streetlight nearby.  They looked so soft, pillowy, luscious, and kiss—

Lingling's eyes widened. She turned the speed on once again and started running, now faster than earlier, as she turned the music up on her earphones, scolding herself to expel such indecent thoughts. 

As Lingling was running, Faye arrived at the gym. She wanted to clear her thoughts, and did not expect to see her friend there as well. 

“N'Lingling.” Faye tried to call her, but seeing her friend was too absorbed in running, she decided not to bother her and do some stretching instead. 

Lingling stopped running after some time. She was drenched in sweat and some of her hair was sticking onto her face. She was heaving, trying to catch her breath. She grabbed her jug and towel at the side then wiped her neck while drinking. That was when she noticed Faye at the other side of the room. Removing her earphones, she approached her. “P'Faye?” 

“Nong, hey.” Faye nodded her head to acknowledge her friend. She put the equipment down as the other girl approached her. 

“How long have you been here?” Asked the younger one, towel and bottle in hand. 

“Um…a while ago.” Faye answered and Lingling nodded. “Clearing your head?” 

“Kind of. How about you?” 

Faye shrugged. “Yeah…but I frequently come here at night anyway.” 

Lingling followed Faye towards the latter's next station. She leaned against the machine while the other one did some stretching before lifting some weight. “Same same?” 

That made Faye chuckle. “Uh-huh. Same old problem.” She blew some air as she lifted the dumbbells, glancing towards Lingling. “How about you? What could be the issue that's bothering our N'Lingling huh? 

Lingling snorted. She didn't want to admit to herself that her argument with Orm earlier was bothering her. “Well…I had an argument with N'Orm earlier…” Her words came out unsurely. “Not that I'm bothered by it really, but—” She sighed, and Faye patiently waited for her to finish. The girl was visibly troubled by whatever it was. “—I have said things that I shouldn't have.” 

“Like?” Faye asked, but Lingling was visibly hesitating. “Come on, you know I won't judge you.”

Fate was right, she never said anything judgemental towards her ever, Lingling thought. “You see, the wedding ceremony is initially scheduled in 5 weeks. But suddenly, I learned that it was moved to 2 weeks from now.”

“Two weeks? That fast?” Faye asked and Lingling nodded. “So…it was the reason for the argument, correct?”

Lingling nodded. “You know I got a lot on my plate right now with the quarterly conference…and the fact that she knew and didn't even bother to tell me when I called her last night, I-it—I got mad.” 

‘You're in the calling stage now, huh?’ Faye wanted to comment, but fortunately controlled her tongue. “And then what happened?” 

“I told her that…well…” Lingling carefully said, so Faye gave her an encouraging nod. For some reason, she could feel her heart beating fast. “...since I feel like dad is making my life hell, then I'll make her life hell too.” 

That made Faye stop, mouth hanging open, making Lingling frown. “What? Where did you learn that, Nong? That was...” She was flabbergasted. "...cheesy."

“You said you won't judge.”

Faye burst out laughing. “Come on, Nong. Why would you say that to the poor girl?” 

“I am aware that it was wrong. I was mad.” Linking sighed. 

“So…what did she say?” 

“If that's how we're gonna live, then I’ll be your queen in hell, Lingling Kwong.” Lingling was again occupied by Orm's words and her irritatingly alluring smile. “I'd rather not say.” 

“Come on!” Faye urged, but Lingling denied her. “Okay. So she's mad at you and it's bothering you.” 

“That's the thing, P'Faye! She wasn't mad.” 

Faye furrowed her brows, confused. “You're bothered because she's not mad at you?” 

“No, it's just—” 

Lingling seemed to be threading her words carefully which was hilarious to see, Faye thought. 

“I wasn't expecting her reaction, that's all.” Lingling shrugged, frowning. “It felt like N'Orm was mocking me. She always makes fun of me. She doesn't even seem to be remotely scared of me or anything.” 

Faye put the dumbbells down and leaned against the chair. She could only imagine what Orm could have told Lingling to cause such a reaction from the latter. “It seems like you, N'Lingling, just found a match.” She laughed a little. 

Lingling inhaled deeply then looked away. 

“You should be nice to her, Nong.” 

Lingling raised her brow at Faye. “I am nice.”

Faye chuckled. “Of course, you are. Between all of us, you are probably one of the nicest but…you know you can be ill-tempered, Nong.” She tilted her head since Lingling looked away again, but she knew she was listening. “Maybe she is scared of you but just trying not to cause more trouble…so, maybe…try to be a little kinder?”

Lingling hated how Faye always had the right words to say. She didn't have an older sibling, and Faye being just a year older, she has been an older sister figure to her. 

Faye, knowing that she would not get an answer, smiled anyway. She knew Lingling was listening, and that was more important. “Are you heading home now?”

“I might run some more. Can't concentrate on anything.” 

Faye found it intriguing how affected Lingling was by the said argument. She stood up and approached Lingling—at this distance, the exhaustion in her eyes were visible. “Why don't you go home and rest, Nong? Just for tonight, let tomorrow worry about itself.” 

Lingling seemed to be considering it, but decided not to. “I can't. I still have a lot to do. I just need to clear my head.” She took a deep breath and blew them through her lips. “I'll run some more then go home.”

Faye could only shake her head and chuckle. “Okay.” She watched Lingling go back to the treadmill, immediately turning it on and running. “Always stubborn, Nong.” She shook her head. 'Kornnaphat Sethratanapong, you're the only one who could make Lingling act like this. How interesting.' She thought with a smile.

Meanwhile, on the other side of Bangkok. 

Eclair was returning to her room after getting a glass of water when she noticed that Orm was sitting by the window of her bedroom. She knocked on the door so as not to startle her, before going inside and approaching the girl. 

“N'Orm, why aren't you sleeping yet?” Eclair sat down beside her on the floor. 

“Just want to watch the sky for a while. The past few days, it's been too cloudy to see the stars, but tonight, I can see them more clearly.” 

Eclair looked at Orm and saw her smiling. She must be missing Buriram, she thought. 

“Phi…earlier with P'Lingling…”

“Oi! I was just teasing you, Nong.” Eclair bumped her lightly. 

Orm shook her head. “P'Lingling got mad at me…again.”

“Huh?!” 

“It wasn't that serious but—” Orm sighed, her soft smile was replaced with a sad one. “I feel like finally, we can be civil with each other but after she knew about the change in schedule of the wedding, she got angry at me like it's my fault. I didn't have a choice, to begin with.” 

Eclair didn't say anything, but she did pull Orm to her shoulder. 

Orm sighed. She looked at the night sky. “P'Lingling is like the space, you know, P'Eclair.” 

“Hm?” Eclair hummed, now also looking up. 

“At night, we could see stars and thought, wow the universe is beautiful. But when we realize it, we still don't have any idea what's out there.” 

The older one glanced at her cousin and saw her frowning like when she was trying to answer a crossword puzzle. 

“I mean, I thought I somehow figured her out, but it turns out, I still don't have any idea who P'Lingling really is.” 

Eclair nodded. “It's only been a couple of weeks…”

“And you really can't wait for three years to be done, huh?” 

Orm gulped. She never really thought about what would happen after three years. She was just happy to fulfill her promise to her grandmother, her great grandmother's last wish. She always told herself that at least she got to be Lingling Kwong’s wife.

“...you have three more years to get to know her.” 

But now, thinking about it after three years, what would become of them? 

Chapter Text

Yawning, Orm went out of her room, now dressed for the office. Today, she wore a beige collared top and black slacks partnered with heeled sandals. “P'Eclair?” She called while walking down the stairs. She wanted to tell her that she would skip breakfast, but her cousin might not have heard her. “P'Eclair, I'll get going now! I'll lock the doors, I pro—” She stopped dead in her tracks upon reaching the bottom of the stairs. “—mise.” 

Eclair was sitting on the lone chair with none other than Lingling Kwong on the other one who both turned their heads at her. 

“N'Orm!” Eclair stood up and met Orm halfway. “Khun Lingling said she wanted to talk to you about something.” 

Orm gave Eclair a questioning look, but her cousin only shrugged, also had no clue on what it was about. 

“Khun Lingling, I'll go and leave you two.” Eclair bowed a little before stepping back and leaving despite Orm's protest. 

‘What again?’ Orm didn't bother to sit down. “P'Ling—”

Lingling put the cup of tea down that she has been holding on top of her lap for the past thirty minutes, and stood up. “Sawasdee kha, N'Orm.”

“Ah.” Orm nodded and greeted Lingling as well. “Sawasdee kha, P'Lingling. What…are you doing here so early?” She asked, still unsure what the older girl was doing in their apartment that early. ‘Is she here to say sorry? No, probably not.’ She thought. 

Lingling once again confused as to why her heat was beating fast. She didn't even finish her coffee earlier nor did she took a sip of the tea Eclair served. “I wanted to give you this.” She said, handing Orm a folder. 

Orm tilted her head. Confused, she flipped it open and saw yet again another detailed schedule for their wedding preparations. ‘She came here early just for this? She could have waited until we're at the office. She could have sent this via email even.’ She was surprised, very much so. “Uhh?”

“That is my proposed schedule for the next two weeks to accommodate everything we needed to attend for the preparation. If it interferes with your schedule, please tell me. It's only a draft. I'm planning on sending it to Ms. Bambam once you're okay with it.” 

That was a long explanation, Orm thought. “I'll go through them later, P'Ling.” She said, not that she has anything else to do really. “Is there anything else you wanted to talk about?”

Clearly, there was an elephant in the room that was making the atmosphere a little awkward. 

“No.” Lingling shook her head, her voice was quieter. 

Orm nodded and smiled a bit—she realized she wouldn't get an apology. “Okay, P'Ling. I have to um…go to work now.” 

“Will you ride the bus?” Lingling suddenly asked. 

Orm noticed the subtle uncertainty in Lingling's expression. It was something she never noticed in any of her television interviews before. 

“Since your family needs the partnership with Noiam and if I don't marry you…I would still have to marry someone to get my inheritance, so I've been thinking…considering the circumstances, I have decided to marry you.” 

Right then, Orm realized that it was the same expression Lingling had when she told her she would push through with the wedding. It was a little endearing, she thought. “Why? Are you coming with me, P'Ling? Do you even know how to commute? Hmm?” 

Lingling has never ridden a public bus in her life. She couldn't calculate how long it would take to get to the office if they would commute. 

“I'm kidding.” Orm smirked. She narrowed her eyes at Lingling who was now frowning. 

“Oh. Very well, ride with me to the office instead.” 

‘Is this her way of making up with me?’ Orm was amused. “Aww, P'Ling. You're taking the ‘I'll be your queen’ way too seriously. You really want me close, don't you?” She grinned. 

Orm’s smile was too bright, Lingling had to look away and shut her eyes for a moment. ‘She's making fun of me again.’ She sighed. “You'll be my wife, N'Orm. If you're always late, then that would be a scandal, wouldn't it?” 

‘P'Lingling would say everything except admit that she wants to make up with me.’ Orm just hummed. “Okay, whatever you say...” She mouthed, followed by a chirpy, “Lingling Kwong.” For a moment, she thought Lingling might get offended that she didn't use honorary once again like last time, but just like two nights ago, the other girl didn't say anything about it. 

Lingling just nodded, clearing her throat subtly. “The car's outside.” She gestured to the door, this time letting Orm walk first. 

Outside, there was a black Jaguar XJ L parked outside their apartment. It wasn't the car Lingling used to pick her up two days ago. The driver greeted both of them before opening the door. He was in his early 50s with gray hair, a little on the plus size, with an approachable smile. 

Orm went inside first followed by Lingling. 

“Is Milk already at school, Uncle?” Orm heard Lingling asked. 

“Yes. Jaran texted. He dropped off Milk at school a while ago.” The old man answered. 

“Thank you.” Lingling nodded. She noticed that Orm was looking between them, and thought that she may have some questions, so she leaned a bit closer—close enough that Orm can hear, but far enough to not invade her space. “He's Kiet Chaichana.” 

Orm turned her face to Lingling. It was a bad idea since her field of vision was solely occupied by her gorgeous face. So, she looked away, pretending to look at the man. “Hmm-mm.”

Lingling moved back a little, sensing that the distance might have made Orm uncomfortable. 

“Maybe she is scared of you but just trying not to cause more trouble…so, maybe…try to be a little kinder?”

Lingling remembered Faye’s words. Now, she felt a little unsure once again. “Um…he's been with our family since I was young, and now, he's Milk's driver.” 

“Ah.” Orm smiled. She thought it was cute how Lingling addressed their driver as uncle. 

Right then, the two of them fell into silence. Kiet glanced at them with the rear-view mirror. He noted that Lingling has not picked up her iPad nor checked her phone like usual. He only saw Orm once back at the Kwong's residence, so he had no idea how deep their relationship has progressed by this time. But anyone who knew Lingling personally could tell that she was lacking the usual dominant and confident aura she had at this moment. It was a slight to see. 

“By the way, uncle will be picking you up alone tomorrow since I have to go to Hong Kong for a meeting. It will be temporary, just while you're staying at P'Eclair’s.” 

“Sorry?” Orm was taken aback. ‘This isn't a one day thing?’ 

“You will be my wife soon—”

Lingling has been stressing that out quite a lot today, Orm thought. 

“—and it's just proper that you don't ride public transportation to work.” 

Again, Orm was lost for words. Lingling's reasoning was really something else. 

“Or do you want me to request a car for you instead?” 

Lingling's tone wasn't sarcastic at all when she offered to get her a car unlike two days ago when they had an argument or that one at the office. Orm felt doubtful but something was telling her this is maybe Lingling's peace offering. For now, she chose to believe it was the reason. “Hold up, P'Lingling. Calm down.” 

Lingling furrowed her brows. ‘Was that too much?’ But then Orm let out a giggle. She didn't know how to feel about that. 

The car came into a halt as the stop light turned red. 

“Isn't Uncle Milk's driver?” 

There was something about Orm calling Kiet uncle as well that made her lips curl up ever so slightly. “Yes, but for the meantime, he will be driving you wherever you go. You can just tell uncle if you need to be somewhere even if it's not the office.” 

Again, Orm found it amusing how Lingling would literally say anything, but apologize. She realized that she might never hear sorry from her, but at least she tried. “If that's your decision, then it's okay with me.” 

“That's not—” Lingling felt that she might have sounded pushy. Once again, Faye's words rang in her ear. “Alright.” 

Orm leaned a bit closer. “Thank you, Lingling Kwong.” 

Lingling tilted her face a bit and saw Orm smiling at her. Her eyes unconsciously darted down yet again to her lips. “Don't worry about it.” She replied, blinking twice as she did so. Without looking, she grabbed the tablet from the compartment and handed it to Orm. 

Orm looked down on the tablet then back to Lingling. “What's this for, P'Ling?”

“You can play a song from there. It's connected to the speaker.” 

“Oh!” Orm browsed through the playlist. They were all piano music.

“It's also connected to the internet.” 

Orm smiled at that. Lingling might have noticed her scrolling through the default playlist. In the end, she chose to play a piano cover of Daylight by Paul Hankinson on the playlist. 

Just then, the gentle melody of the song filled the car. 

Orm figured that Lingling might love the song so much that she included it in her playlist, and thought it may relax her if they listen to them instead. She smiled and watched the scenery outside—the sun was peeking behind the buildings. Maybe in the future something might go wrong again and they might end up arguing, but at least for now, it was peaceful. She liked it. 

Kiet smiled, trying to suppress a chuckle. He has witnessed Lingling growing. She was always quiet and reserved as a kid, but polite at the same time. She thought Orm was the opposite of Lingling—she seemed like a bright happy young woman. 

Meanwhile, Lingling was quiet on her side of the seat. As the song went on, memories of her childhood watching her dad play the piano while her mother sat beside him, singing and laughing, crossed her mind. Orm choosing to play this brought back memories. She then glanced at Orm. She couldn't see her face fully since she was looking outside, but could see a tiny smile on the side of her lips. Her gaze fell. She gulped and decided to look the other way. 

After some time, they finally reached Noiam. Since Orm was with Lingling, the car drove straight to the basement parking lot. As they were pulling up at the driveway, Orm saw some employees walking towards the elevator. Although it was an exciting thought for people to know that she was Lingling's fiancée, it would be a problem if they knew now. For sure, people would talk about them. She didn't like too much attention as well. She also didn't want to assume that it was okay to tell anyone. As unfortunate as it was, they were not exactly getting married because of love. 

As soon as they pulled over, Orm thanked Lingling. Kiet was about to get out of the car when Orm spoke. “I have to rush, P'Ling. I forgot I have a report to submit.” She bowed a little and went out without letting Lingling talk. 

“N'Orm!” Lingling tried to call her but Orm was already out of the car. She watched the girl get in the elevator as fast as she could. She was flabbergasted. 

Kiet watched the confused Lingling through the rear-view mirror and let out a quiet laugh. He shook his head and went out to open the door for Lingling. 

“Thank you, Uncle.” Lingling was about to leave when she added, “Is there a faster route from Orm's house?” 

“There is one shortcut along Chao Phraya.”

“Please ask N'Orm if she's okay to take that route when you pick her up tomorrow.” Lingling said and Kiet nodded. She bid farewell before walking inside the executive’s elevator. 

It looked like Orm wasn't discreet in hiding from fellow employees because inside one of the cars parked a few meters away was Prigkhing. “Khun Sirilak…and that girl Orm?” She frowned. 

Meanwhile inside the elevator, Lingling's mind traveled back to her visit at their family house yesterday. 

Sunday morning, Lingling went to visit their family home. It was early in the morning, her family probably were still sleeping then, so she decided to drop by her father's home office. Standing by the grand piano, she pushed a couple of random keys. She never learned to play the piano. Her parents didn't pressure her to do so anyway. They were just happy that she would stay and listen to them play. Maybe they were thinking that she would eventually want to try it. She smiled a little, a longing yet fond one. 

It felt like it was only yesterday that they would gather in here and sing and laugh…and be happy. 

Her father was a great pianist. He knew a lot of piece and would play all of them like a mini show every Sunday. He never once played again after their mother died, at least not in front of them anymore. 

Up until that moment, there was still fear in Lingling’s heart that she might not find love as strong as what her parents had. 

Since her talk with Faye the night before, she has been thinking. Her argument with Orm kept her awake last night. She wasn't angry at Orm, but she couldn't talk back to her father either. She shouldn't have said those harsh words to her fiancée, she knew that—Orm was simply trying to fulfill her promise to her grandmother and help her family. She realized that maybe, marrying someone like her wouldn't even cross Orm’s mind if she wasn't the one betrothed to her. She sighed. 

Walking around, her gaze landed on an old notebook on her father's table. It was her mother's notes. She grabbed it and scanned the pages, carefully taking in every word. 

‘My love, Khun Plai…’

Lingling traced her mother's handwriting on the now yellowish page. She imagined her mother smiling as she was writing. 

‘...a few months from now, we will welcome our third child. Can you believe how fast time flies? It has been more than 12 years since we got married. Do you remember when I almost ran away from our wedding? Because I always look back at that time—’

Lingling furrowed her brows. She could only remember how in love her parents were, and wishing she would find someone like them as well. She didn't care about anything else back then. 

‘—and thank the heavens that my shoes got broken and I, being a primadonna as you always say, didn't want to walk barefoot under the blazing sun. If I did then we wouldn't have our Lingling and Film, and soon enough, our third princess, Pansa. We will name her Pansa, alright?’  

Lingling smiled. Her mother was as radiant as the sun. She remembered thinking she wanted to be like her when she grew up.  

‘Lingling is growing up so fast. Our baby. I can't help but feel emotional as I watched our daughter blow her candle on her 12th birthday. She's growing up just like you, always responsible and obedient. I'm very proud of her…’ 

Her gaze fell, her smile turned into a sad one. 

‘...My wish is that our Lingling will grow as a healthy and happy child. It seems so far away but years from now, Lingling will also find someone to love and someone who will love her just as much. I'm sure she will be as loving and understanding as you, my love. I'm sure of it...’ 

“Lingling?” 

Lingling swallowed the thick lump in her throat and hurriedly dried her eyes before facing her father. “Dad, good morning…You were all sleeping so I went here instead.”

Plai peeked at his table and realized that Lingling read her mother's writings. He was fast to notice the exhaustion in his daughter's eyes. “Did you sleep late?”

‘I always do.’ Lingling wanted to answer but didn't. “I had to do something.” 

Plai nodded. Lingling was a happy kid before her mother passed away. After that, she transformed into this responsible yet reserved person that she is now. He needed to continue working for the girls, while Lingling was stuck to take care of her siblings. To be honest, he used the company to distract him from grieving. It was an escape, and he would again and again feel guilty for being selfish. Lingling had to grow up faster because of it. 

“Dad? Why didn't you tell me earlier?” Lingling asked, looking at her father from across the room. “The change in schedule of the wedding, I mean. I even had to hear it from the organizers.” She ended up arguing with Orm because of it. 

“I must have forgotten to tell you. We just thought it would be better for the wedding to happen sooner than later.” 

Lingling looked down and smiled to herself. How foolish of her to expect a decent answer from her father regarding this whole thing. She nodded anyway. “I'll go and check on Milk, dad.” She smiled a bit before walking past her father. 

Lingling closed her eyes and breathed out through her parted lips. 

Orm was inside the food laboratory when she felt her phone buzzing in her lab coat pocket—an unknown number was calling. She ignored it until it went to missed calls, but after a while, there it was again. 

“Aren't you going to answer your phone? It's distracting.” 

Orm heard Prigkhing say from the other table. When she turned around, the girl was giving her a pointed look. She rolled her eyes and saw that it was the same sumber. It wasn't Lingling's number unless she had another one. Thinking it might be Lingling, she pressed the answer button. 

“N'Orm! It's me, Gap!” 

“Khun Gap?” Orm was caught off guard. She lowered her voice then knowing that Prigkhing was just behind her. “How did you get my number?” 

“I ask Jaja.” He chuckled from the other line. “Sorry to call abruptly, but we would like to invite you for lunch.” 

“We?” 

“Yes. Have lunch with me and Freen.” 

‘Khun Freen? Why would they want to have lunch with me?’ Orm's brain couldn't catch up with what was happening. 

“We'll help you get close to Lingling.” 

‘Oh.’ That was a tempting offer, to be honest. 

“Hello? N'Orm, are you still there?” 

“Yes. Yes.” Orm let out a subtle sigh. “Alright. I'll meet you two for lunch.” 

“Perfect! I'll send you the address.” The call ended then. 

“O-Kay.” Orm still couldn't believe what just happened. And so, she ended up sitting across from the owner of a start-up ad agency and the head of the construction committee at Noiam. They sat there quietly while waiting for their food—Freen seemed to be scrutinizing her while Gap was just happy to be there. She told herself that Freen and Lingling were undoubtedly cousins. 

“So what do you want to know about P'Lingling?” 

Orm was surprised to hear Freen break the silence, but also taken aback by her direct question. “Um…” She wasn't sure what to ask really or what was allowed for her to ask. “I'm not sure. I'm sorry.” 

Freen smiled a bit. “Okay. Well…you can choose from what p'Lingling doesn't like or what she likes instead.” 

‘This is my chance to know P'Ling.’ Orm nodded. “What doesn't she like so I could avoid them.” 

Freen glanced at Gap, who in turn nodded. “She hates loud noises and noisy people.” The latter started and the list went on. As they were talking, their food came. 

Strike 1. Orm gulped. First one and they already described her. 

“She hates it when people invade her space.” 

“Correct.” Freen agreed, nodding. 

Strike 2. Memories after memories of her moving too close to Lingling. Now she realized that Lingling might have hated it. ‘Oh no.’

“P'Ling also hates having interruptions on her schedule—”

‘Strike 3 already?! No wonder she hates my guts.’ Orm could only sigh. 

“—It throws her off.”

Gap nodded. “Lingling has this fixation of organizing her schedule to the smallest detail.” 

Orm couldn't agree more. That two-week schedule Lingling gave her was indeed detailed. 

“Well, that's all.” Gap smiled and so did Freen slightly. “As for what she likes umm…” He glanced towards Freen. 

Freen put her fork down and clasped her hands. “There's only some that you need to know to get close to P'Lingling.”

Orm swallowed her food and leaned a bit closer. She nodded, her full attention on what Freen was about to say. 

“The fastest way is if Milk likes you, then P’Lingling will like you too.” 

That was a little more difficult than she expected. She only met Milk once anyway. 

“Aunty died after giving birth to Milk.” Freen recalled and Orm nodded, she heard about it during the family dinner with Lingling's family. “P'Ling basically raised her. She's a little introverted compared to Film but like I said, if Milk approves of you, then you'll definitely get closer to P'Ling.”

“I see.” Orm nodded. 

“Oh! It will be a plus point if you accompany her to the gym.” Gap interjected. 

Orm dreaded the idea. The only thing closer to her lifting weights was her picking up fallen mangoes on the ground back in Buriram. Although the thought of seeing Lingling in her gym clothes was interesting. “Is there anything else?” 

“She likes food. Good food. P'Lingling is a foodie.”

“Right?!” Gap laughed. “Cook for her or bring her food. She'll appreciate that for sure...but make sure it's delicious, okay?"

‘That I can do.’ Orm smiled in her mind. ‘I didn't win a cooking show in the province for nothing. Hehe. Prepare to be amazed, Lingling Kwong.’ 

“Yes, we'll reevaluate the policy and make necessary changes before the quarter conference.” Lingling told the board. They decided to hold the meeting online since a lot of them were out of the country and her dad still needed to rest. 

The meeting ended after a while—27 minutes past 1 o’clock in the afternoon. It was already her second today. She collapsed against her leather chair and closed her eyes. She was exhausted. She heard a knock on the door. Knowing that it was Nene, she didn't bother to open her eyes. 

“Khun Ling, Khun Kornnaphat—” 

Lingling opened her eyes at the mention of Orm's name. 

“—left this for you. The meeting was still ongoing, so she asked me to give this to you instead.” Nene said while approaching the table. 

Lingling watched as her secretary put the paper bag down in front of her. “Thank you.” She replied, her voice quiet. 

Nene tried so hard to suppress her smile, since earlier when Orm dropped by with the take out bag knowing full well it was for her boss. She bowed her head and left, giving Lingling some space. 

Lingling looked inside and saw a couple of take out boxes. They smelled appetizing. Unconsciously, her lips formed a smile. 

Just then, her phone screen lit up. It was a calendar alert but beneath that was messages from Orm. She swiped to read her messages. 

From: Kornnaphat
- P'Lingling, Khun Nene said you're at a meeting so I asked her to give you the food I bought for you. Please eat them, ok ok? 😁😁
- Btw I'm not sure what you like so I just bought what I think is delicious 5555555 
- Take it as a thank you gift for picking me up earlier 🙇🏻‍♀️🙏🏻
- If you don't want it then give it to Khun Nene or something 
- But hey! Don't throw them away ok? It's a sin to throw away food 🤓 
- Enjoy! 
- Don't worry there's no poison in there!!! 
- Eat well, P'Lingling 5555555 

'How can she tolerate texting so many.’ Lingling let out a light chuckle. She wasn't like Orm, however. She didn't have the patience to type in her phone. She sighed—a short thank you won't hurt. 

However, in the middle of composing a message, Nene knocked once again. 

“Yes?” 

“Khun Pithaya is one line 2, Khun Ling.” 

Lingling furrowed her brows as she put her phone down. She nodded. She glanced at the food Orm bought for her and sighed. ‘You might have to wait.’ She said to the take out bag, but more to herself. She then went on to answer the call. 

Orm watched the three dots of Lingling’s message on the screen. ‘Is P'Lingling writing an essay?’ She tilted her head. It has been almost a minute now and it appears that she was still typing. After a while, it disappeared but there was no reply. She pouted. ‘I wonder if P'Ling received the food I gave her.’ Instead of dwelling on it, Orm went on with work. 

It was nearly 6 o'clock in the afternoon when Orm went down. She repeated what she had talked about with Freen and Gap earlier at lunch while walking. Some of her workmates at the R&D already went home while some stayed behind to finish their work. As she was walking out of the building, she was greeted by Kiet.

“Uncle…um…are you waiting for P'Lingling?” Orm looked around. There were not many employees around at this time. 

“I'm here to drive you home, Nong.” 

It wasn't an imagination, Orm thought. She was about to ask about Lingling when her phone buzzed. 

From: 😈👠
N'Orm, uncle will take you home. I still have one more meeting. I'll be gone tomorrow, so I'll see you at the food tasting on Wednesday. 

“Ah.” When Orm lifted her gaze, she saw Kiet open the door for her. She looked around cautiously before going inside. 

“Do you have anywhere else you need to go first, Nong?” 

Orm shook her head. “Straight home, uncle. Thank you.” She slightly bowed her head in respect. The old man smiled a little and started driving. 

To: 😈👠
I'm on my way home, P'Lingling
Please take care! 
Have a safe trip to Hong Kong 🤓 

Orm put her phone down but it buzzed once again. 

From: 😈👠
Thank you, N'Orm. 

Lingling’s message made Orm giggle. Even in chat, she sounded so formal. ‘Cute.’ She shut her eyes and shook her head, smiling. She leaned back and decided to watch the sky outside—the sun was almost out. Even if Lingliing still felt like outer space, she was somehow able to get to know her a little more today. ‘One step at a time, Orm.’ She smiled. 

Chapter Text

It seemed like the time at Noiam was going painstakingly slow today. Like always, Prigkhing went to work on time. Manager Ya told the R&D team that Orm called in sick, not that she cared if the girl had a simple cold or a life-threatening one. They were not friends to begin with. But after witnessing Orm getting out of Lingling's car, she started having suspicions. 

A little after 10 o'clock after Jaja made her accompany her to get the coffee they ordered, Prigkhing went to the restroom to freshen up. However, as she was about to enter, she overheard gossip from who knows who those girls were. 

“You know what I heard? Khun Sirilak is getting married.” Said one of the girls with a high-pitched voice, followed by a loud gasp by another. 

“Really?! Girl, don't be fake news oi.” 

“It's the gossip upstairs, I tell you.”

“Who could it be?” 

Prigkhing thought back to what she saw at the parking lot, a rather laugh of disbelief escaped her lips. 

Meanwhile, Orm was picked up by Kiet to bring her to the restaurant for their scheduled food tasting. To be honest, she still has not processed it yet that she had her designated driver now. Yesterday, Kiet came very early and waited outside until she was ready to go. She wasn't sure if it was Lingling's order to drop her off in front of the lobby, but she didn't want to draw too much attention, so she asked him if she could go out to the basement instead. Even today, he was already there an hour early. 

Orm reached the place around 30 minutes before lunch time. Upon entering, she saw Lingling sitting on one of the tables by the window. Today, she was wearing a more casual outfit, still with black blazer, but this time with white shirt tucked in her jeans. 

“P'Lingling Kwong!”  

Lingling looked up at Orm and saw her radiant warm smile once again. Right then, she felt her heart beating faster which she blamed her second cup of coffee for. “You're late.”

Orm pouted. “Sorry.” She mumbled. 

That wasn't the reply Lingling was expecting. She thought Orm would reply with something along the lines of ‘you’re just too early, Lingling Kwong’. So, she cleared her throat at that, averting her gaze from Orm's annoying puppy face to her iPad. “Come sit down. Ms. Bambam is just talking with the manager inside.”

“She hates when people invade her space.” With Gap and Freen's words in her mind, Orm sat down opposite Lingling. However, as she was settling down, the older girl gave her a pointed look. 

“Ms. Bambam will sit there.” Lingling flatly said, gesturing to Orn to sit by her side. 

“Ah.” Orm nodded. She went around the table then carefully sat down roughly more than two feet away from Lingling, almost near the edge. She clasped her hands on top of the wooden table, not sure if she should ask Lingling about Hong Kong seeing as the girl was busy reading some document in her iPad. 

As time went by, Orm felt uneasy. In her mind, she was recounting the list of what Lingling dislikes. ‘First strike already. Ay!’ She sighed. Subtly, she turned her head to glance at Lingling. However, the girl was already looking at her, frowning. ‘OMG! What did I do? What did I do?!’

“Did I upset you, N'Orm?” 

‘Eh?’ Orm was taken aback. She just noticed that Lingling has already put her iPad down on the table. 

Lingling drew a sharp breath. “Why are you sitting so far away from me?” 

Orm didn't know how to react to that, and Lingling looked serious about it too. 

The moment Orm sat down near the edge, Lingling was confused but she let her be. Knowing the girl and her lack of respect for her personal space, she thought she would eventually move closer but she didn't. It bothered her thinking the younger girl might be again mad at her. “I don't think I did anything to upset you except to point out that you're late which is true.” 

“I'm not—” Orm pursed her lips. And so, she quietly moved a little closer, not that she didn't want to argue with Lingling, but because she didn't know how to answer her. But still, the older girl was frowning at her. ‘What does she want?’ 

This time, it was Lingling who moved closer until their shoulders were a few inches apart. 

‘Oh.’ Orm was again lost for words. She stared at the older girl, but this time, she went back to reading. Slowly and finally, her brain caught up. ‘This is what she meant, huh?’ Her lips formed a smile. She looked at Lingling and narrowed her eyes at her, grinning. ‘Could've told me she wants me close.’ 

“I will stop pointing out that you're late if it's upsetting you, but please try to come earlier.” Lingling said, glancing at Orm for a split second. 

‘Why is she like this today? Did she eat something in Hong Kong?’ Orm felt like her heart stopped for a moment—Lingling’s tone was quieter for some reason, maybe she was hallucinating, but still. ‘She looks like a puppy.’ She chuckled. 

“Excuse me?”

Orm's eyes widened a little. ‘Did I say that out loud?!’ “What?”

“What did you just call me?” 

Lingling was looking at her intensely. Now, she looked like an annoyed puppy. She thought of something that may turn this around, but her mouth was faster than her brain. “I said you look cute when you're sulking.”

‘The heck? She's making fun of me again!’ Lingling sighed rather dramatically. To make things worse for her, she heard Orm giggling. She glared at her coffee mug instead since her heart was beating faster again, followed by lightly pushing it to the side. 

“And I wasn't mad at you. I just thought you needed some space to rest.” Orm tilted her head a bit, but Lingling didn't respond. While looking at her, she noticed that eyebags were a bit puffier today. “P'Lingling?”

“Yes?”

“What time did you come back from Hong Kong?” 

“We landed around nine.”

Orm's mouth hung open. “You mean, you came here straight from the airport?” She asked and got a nod in response. “Why didn't you say so? I could've come alone, you know?”

Lingling looked back at Orm and saw the genuine concern in her eyes. “Even if our marriage is purely for business, it's still our wedding. Both of us should have a say in it…”

‘I didn't mean it like that.’ Orm thought Lingling might have taken offense with her statement. “It wasn't—”

“...I don't want people to think that I'm neglecting you. This is my responsibility just as much as it's yours.” Lingling kept her eyes on Orm's earthy brown ones. “I could've arrived earlier, but my flight was delayed. But you don't need to worry. It wasn't a long flight anyway, so I'm not tired.” 

“Okay.” Orm smiled and nodded. ‘Whatever happened in Hong Kong, I thank you.’ She leaned back against the cushioned backboard and looked ahead. 

Meanwhile, Lingling's lips formed a subtle smile. She opened her iPad once again and continued to read. 

After a while, Ms. Bambam came back and greeted the pair. She told them that the chefs were already preparing the food. She also introduced them to the manager of the place whom Lingling was already familiar with. 

“I have great news. Khun Kasem was able to procure alternative ingredients to accommodate some possible food restrictions of the guests. Just to confirm, Khun Orm, you have a peanut allergy?” 

Lingling turned her head to Orm and saw her nod. 

“Yes.” 

“Alright. That's noted.” Ms. Bambam wrote down on her iPad. “I have to leave you two lovebirds for a while again. I'll go check on the kitchen if the food is ready.”

Once they were alone, Lingling asked, “You have an allergy to peanuts?”

“Uh-huh.” Orm seemed to be preoccupied by something, but managed to nod. 

“You work at the food department. Are you sure that's okay with you?” 

“Yes…Um…it's not so bad—” She waved her hands, seeing that Lingling was a bit concerned. “—I don't get an attack when I smell them, only when I accidentally eat them. The last one was when I was little, so…uh…I'm fine.” She chuckled. 

Lingling nodded, brows furrowed. “Okay.” 

Afterwards, the food came. Both of them tried various delicacies from appetizers up to deserts. They also chose what type of charcuterie boards they would be including. They also chose the cake design and flavor to be done by the restaurant's pastry chef. They ended up going with the chef's suggestion of red velvet since it was the usual flavor Lingling would choose during Noiam functions. 

Done with the food tasting, Lingling and Orm drove to their next appointment at Bang Phrom to pick out the flowers for the ceremony. The drive was relatively quiet but it wasn't uncomfortable. Orm decided to watch the road to let Lingling rest quietly. 

When they arrived, Orm realized that Lingling must have fallen asleep on the way. She tilted her head and smiled while watching her sleep. ‘You must be really exhausted, P'Ling.’ She was about to tap her shoulder when she started waking up. She immediately withdrew her hand. 

“Did we arrive already?” Lingling asked, blinking a couple of times. 

“Yeah.” Orm nodded. She thought Lingling still looked attractive even after just waking up. 

Lingling nodded and straightened her back. 

Kiet was quietly and fondly watching them from the rear-view mirror. Seeing that Lingling was fully awake now, he went out and opened the door for them. 

Lingling went out first followed by Orm. Ms. Bambam with the owner of the shop met them by the entrance. After brief pleasantries, they proceeded inside. They went straight to the back where the rows of a wide variety of flowers and shrubs were stored. 

“Wow.” 

Lingling heard Orm whisper. When she glanced at her, she saw a twinkle of excitement in her eyes like a kid inside a candy store. 

They talked about what flowers they would want in the aisle, at the reception, at the entrance among others. They already chose the theme of the wedding, so choosing flowers wasn't a hard task. While Lingling was talking to the owner and having her explain the symbolism of the flowers, Orm, on the other hand, was just busy admiring them. Ms. Bambam even offered to take a picture of Orm, which the latter gladly agreed to. 

“Your fiancée seems to love flowers.” Ms. Jin, the owner of the shop, commented to Lingling. 

Lingling gave her a little smile and a nod. “She does.” She answered while watching Ms. Bambam take pictures of Orm among the rows of flowers from the other aisle. She noted that Orm's wavy floral dress was complimenting the place. “Would it be possible if you include pink hydrangeas in the wedding bouquet?” 

“Hm?” Ms. Jin glanced at Lingling but her eyes were glued to the scene in front of them. She grinned and giggled to herself. “Of course, Khun Sirilak. It will arrive from Japan just in time for the wedding.” 

“P'Lingling!” Orm suddenly called Lingling. She gestured if she wanted a photo but the latter shook her head. “Okay!” She gave her an ‘ok’ sign before getting her phone back from Ms. Bambam. 

After all their agenda was done, the two of them stood by the car with Ms. Bambam. 

“I've crossed out the ring appointment that was previously proposed since you'll both be using each family's heirlooms as wedding rings, yes?” Ms. Bambam asked. 

“Yes.” Lingling answered and Orm nodded. They agreed to use each family's heirloom rings as wedding rings to be given back as stipulated on the prenuptial agreement if divorce will push through after three years so as not to buy new ones anymore. 

“Alright, Khun Lingling, Khun Orm. Khun Nop will meet you this weekend to finalize the venue.” 

They bid farewell and went inside the car. The drive back to Orm's place was smooth and fast. This time, Lingling walked Orm to her door much to the latter's surprise. 

‘What is in Hong Kong's air that's making P'Lingling unusually nice to me? Is this a trap?’ It was too good to be true for Orm. A part of her told herself that maybe Lingling truly was sorry for acting like an asshole last Saturday. “Would you like to come in?” She asked, unsure. 

“No, thank you. I still have to meet my dad.” 

“Ah.” Orm nodded. ‘So why did you walk me to the door?’ 

“I'll see you on Sunday.” 

‘Just to say that? Suspicious.’ As subtle as she could, Orm narrowed her eyes at Lingling. “Okay, P'Lingling. See you! Please rest?” She gave her a smile. 

Lingling nodded. It took her a couple of seconds to turn around and walk back to the car. As soon as she sat down, she squeezed her eyes shut. ‘What was that, Lingling? See you on Sunday? What?!’

Kiet could only stifle a laugh as he glanced at Lingling from the rear-view mirror. 

On the other hand, Orm watched Lingling's car drive away. With a confused and amused smile on her face, she said, “She's so weird today.” She chuckled to herself. 

“You should have gone for the lips.” 

Orm jumped. “P'Eclair!” She was genuinely startled. Her heart beat spiked for a moment.

"What a wasted chance." Eclair laughed and hummed a random song, leaving her cousin by the door. The younger girl could only shake her head before going inside. 

As they were driving, Lingling’s phone rang. She opened her eyes and looked at who it might be. She immediately answered the call. “Grandma, good evening.” She greeted her in chinese. “Yes, I'm on my way to meet dad. We just dropped Orm off at their house.” She looked out and sighed. “Yes, grandma. I'm being nice.” She nodded. “See you at the wedding. Goodbye, grandma.” 

“I said you look cute when you're sulking.”

‘I wasn't sulking.’ Lingling tried to remember how she answered, but as far as she was concerned, she wasn't. ‘Was I?’ Ever so slightly, it made her smile. With a sigh, she pushed the thought aside then posted a photo in her private Instagram profile—a snap photo of the flowers at the shop earlier. She tried to catch some rest but her phone started buzzing uncontrollably.

Junji: [sent an Instagram link]
Junji: 👀👀👀
Gap: Ohhhh bouquet picking
Freen: That's a nice picture, P'Lingling
Junji: LOOK AT THE WHOLE PIC
Namtan: 👀🥺
Gap: OH 555555
Faye: Not our Lingling soft launching her wedding N'Orm 😎👏🏻
Junji: Exactly! 🥂

Lingling got confused with the terminology, so she replied. 

Lingling: Soft launch? 
Junji: Aww our Lingling is clueless 🥺
Faye: You cute little hermit @LinglingKwong 🤏🤏
Namtan: That's Orm in the pic right? It's like a sneak peek 😊
Freen: [Sent a link from urban dictionary]
Gap: Like a teaser to a movie, Miss Ma'am 5555

“Huh?” Lingling inspected the photo, this time taking a closer look. ‘Oh. Is this what soft launch is?’ She zoomed in the photo and half of Orm's body was in the background. She remembered taking the photo when Orm was busy posing in the opposite aisle. 

Lingling: I see. 
Junji: I didn't expect this type of reply tbh
Faye: (2) 
Freen: (3) 
Gap: (4) 
Namtan: She may be mad I'm scared 🙀

Lingling shook her head. She was so done with her friend group's antics. She put her phone on mute and decided to sleep. 

The next day, as soon as the car pulled up near the basement elevator, Orm thanked and waved goodbye to Kiet, not letting him open the door for her. 

“Thank you, uncle! See you later!” Orm's chirpy voice made the old man smile. She again hurriedly walked towards the elevators making sure there were no other employees nearby. 

Her workmates welcomed her back. They asked her if she felt better now, and she almost slipped and tell them that she wasn't sick. Well, all of them except one. The whole morning, Prigkhing was looking at her differently as if she was judging her whole being. They didn't like each other but the other girl made it too obvious this time, not that Orm cared about what she thought of her. During lunch, Jaja and Orm went down later than their colleagues since they had to finish the new formula for the product they were working on. 

As they were getting their trays, Jaja noticed an addition to the food stand. “Oh wow. They put the complete list of ingredients per delicacy.” She nodded, impressed. 

Orm bent her buddy a bit to the side and saw what Jaja was talking about. 

“Must be a new company policy.” Jaja shrugged. She leaned closer to Orm and said, “It's safer for people with allergies. Don't you have one, N'Orm?”

“You have an allergy to peanuts?” Orm suddenly remembered that Lingling did ask her about her peanut allergy. “Yeah.” She didn't know how to feel about that if the older girl did all these for her, but it sure made her blush a tiny tiny bit. 

“Ah! I heard someone had an allergic attack last time. Must be because of that.” 

What a way to crash her delusion, Orm thought. She sighed. ‘Must be just a coincidence.’ 

They grabbed their food and settled on one of the empty tables. As they were eating, Jaja waved and gestured for someone behind Orm to join them. When the latter turned around, she saw Nene approaching. 

“Khun Kornnaphat, sawasdee kha.” Nene greeted Orm with a smile before sitting down beside Jaja. 

“Sawasdee kha, Khun Nene.” Orm timidly greeted the secretary back. She noted that Jaja and Nene were close, probably too close. 

“Ah. Khun Kornnaphat?” Nene called. Orm was about to ask what it was, but the former didn't wait. “Khun Lingling told me to include the ingredients list here at the cafeteria since you have a food restriction. Do you like them?” 

Both Orm and Jaja almost choked on their food. 

“Oh my!” Nene frantically opened the bottled water and handed it to Orm, earning a look of disbelief from Jaja, who thought it was for her. 

Jaja, after she finally recovered from a ‘near death experience’, stared at Orm in shock. “So you're who Khun Lingling is marry—”

Orm swiftly covered Jaja's mouth before she could finish her sentence. She looked around cautiously and hushed her senior. “Shhh! People might hear.” 

Jaja wiggled herself free. “Oh. Is it a secret? So that's why you knew Gap.” She whispered, leaning a little closer on the table. 

“I just knew him that day.” Orm answered, mirroring Jaja's stance. “Please don't tell anyone, P'Jaja. I don't want any trouble for P'Lingling.” 

Nene, who was now also leaning across the table, said, “Sorry.” 

Jaja leaned back and nodded. “Pardon my initial reaction. I was shocked…but anyway, I see why she likes you. You're pretty.” 

Nene have Jaja a pointed look, but the latter just mouthed ‘what'.

“It's an arranged marriage.” Orm said, causing Jaja's expression to turn apologetic. She smiled a bit—it felt different saying it out loud. “Anyway…” This time, she smiled wider while looking at Nene. “...you're not busy upstairs, Khun Nene?” 

“Khun Ling—I mean, I came here to eat with Jaja.” She answered, glancing at Jaja, who just smirked. “I was sent here to evaluate the labels we put up.” 

‘So…it's really for me?’ Orm felt a bit giddy at that, but kept it cool and nodded. “How about…” She gestured—saying Lingling’s name felt like saying Voldemort. 

“She usually skips lunch.”

Orm was perplexed. “Really?” She asked and Nene nodded. 

“She's probably busy with work.” Jaja shrugged. 

‘She's too workaholic for her own good.’ Orm furrowed her brows just a bit before resuming her meal. 

Lingling was in her leather chair, eyes closed and brows furrowed. It was only Thursday but she was already exhausted. Even for a while, her body wouldn't let her sleep. As she was resting, she heard a knock on the door. She didn't bother opening her eyes thinking it was just her secretary. 

“P'Lingling?” 

When Lingling opened her eyes, she saw Orm peering behind the door. Again, wearing her usual sunshine smile. 

“Hi.” Orm waved the take out bag from the cafeteria before pushing the door open and approaching Lingling's table. 

“What's this?” Lingling raised her brow. 

“Food?” 

Lingling narrowed her eyes at Orm. “I know it's food. I mean…what for?” 

Despite sounding skeptical, Lingling still grabbed the bag to herself. Orm could only smile in amusement. “I heard you put up the food labels for me?” She squinted her eyes at the girl. ‘Don't you deny it, Lingling Kwong.’ 

“Correct.” Lingling saw the slow formation of a smile across Orm's face. Before the girl could make fun of her again, she added, “It's too late for me to find a new bride if you die. Also, it's for legal purposes in case someone sues the company for food allergy.” 

‘You and your reasons, Lingling Kwong. You and your reasons hmm.’ Orm looked away and smirked for a moment. She then let out a deep exhale. “Okay then.” 

Lingling furrowed her brows. ‘What is she upset about again this time?’ She gave up. “Thank you, N'Orm. I appreciate it.” 

“You're welcome!”

Orm was again beaming, Lingling couldn't help but let out a quiet sigh. ‘Okay, so that's what she wants.’ She looked at the younger girl and was confused why she had yet to leave. “Are you…going to watch me eat?” 

“If I have to, yes.” 

Lingling was taken aback. She wasn't sure if Orm was serious or not. She did look serious. 

“I'm kidding. I have work.” Orm shrugged. “But hey, P'Lingling. I heard you skip lunch a lot, so please eat that. You're the only one I can marry.” 

Right then, Lingling felt her heart beating fast again. It's the coffee, she told herself. 

“I'll let you enjoy your food. Bye!” Orm winked and hurriedly turned to run towards the door. 

With that, Lingling was left alone inside her big office. ‘You're the only one I can marry?’ She shook her head. Without her realizing it, she was genuinely smiling. ‘She's so weird sometimes.’

Meanwhile outside, Orm was biting her lip to suppress a smile while walking towards the elevator. 

“Are you…going to watch me eat?” 

‘P'Lingling sure looks like a puppy.’ Orm giggled. “Ay. Now I miss my Uni.” 

Chapter Text

The next day, Orm, Jaja and surprisingly Prigkhing went together for lunch at the cafeteria. As they were waiting in line, Orm couldn't help but feel giddy about the fact that Lingling had those food labels for her. To be honest, she has not moved on since yesterday. She found it very considerate of her to do that.

“Have you heard the new gossip?”

Orm overheard the conversation of the two other employees in front of them. She wasn't paying much attention until they mentioned Lingling.

“I heard that Khun Sirilak's fiancé is also from Noiam.”

“Really? Who could it be?”

Jaja subtly glanced at Orm. Behind them, Prigkhing was also eyeing her, waiting for her reaction. Orm told herself to just ignore them, not like she could do anything about it, but despite the line already moving, the gossip didn't stop.

“Do you think it's Khun Pentaii? He’s part of the board and they are close, no?”

“Huh? Isn't he…” One made a gesture insinuating the man's sexuality.

“But isn't Khun Sirilak…” And the other one did so too. “...too? I mean, does it matter if it's for business anyway? Rich people do that, right?”

That made Orm frown. She already didn't like that they were gossiping about Lingling. More so, when they casually talked about the girl's sexuality like it was their business.

“Calm down.”

Orm realized that she might have been deep in thoughts when Jaja nudged her arm gently. “Oh um…” The older one nodded which she returned with a little smile.

Prigkhing saw everything and just snorted. Raising her brow and sighing, she went to grab a plate.

After lunch, Orm decided to bring Lingling lunch in case she has not had hers yet. While on her way, she leaned against the mirrored wall of the elevator. ‘Who's Khun Pentaii anyway? He's close with P'Lingling? Why didn't she mention him at all? I thought Khun Gap is her only male friend?’ She narrowed her eyes at her own reflection then. ‘It's me, hello? I'm the one who Lingling Kwong is marrying. Not him.’ She then shook her head. “Hayy!”

Not long after, the elevator door opened. She went out and saw Nene by her table. She was immediately noticed by the secretary, and greeted by her.

“Sawasdee kha. Is P'Lingling inside?”

Nene seemed surprised by Orm's question.

Orm didn't understand Nene's reaction, but waited for her answer anyway.

“Actually…Khun Lingling went home…” Nene said, this time leaving the girl puzzled. “...She hasn't been feeling well since this morning. I think it got worse, so she decided to go home instead.”

“Oh.”

“I apologize, Khun Kornnaphat. I thought Khun Lingling told you.”

Orm waved her hands and told Nene it was okay, seeing that the latter was apologetic about it. “I was going to give this to her, but please take it instead.” She handed the take out lunch to Nene and thanked her before returning to the R&D.

Again, Orm stood inside the elevator door, leaning against the wall with crossed arms. She thought Lingling's condition must have been so bad that she was forced to take a rest. Knowing how stubborn her future wife had been so fat, she wouldn't go home if she could handle it.

‘She's old enough to take care of herself, right?’

She contemplated on messaging her, even going so far as opening their chat, but couldn't find the guts to do so.

‘Should I?’ She started typing but went to delete everything. ‘P'Lingling wouldn't care if I message her or not anyway. She probably didn't want me to know either.’ She sighed and put her phone back in her pocket.

However, the whole afternoon, despite trying to concentrate at work, Lingling kept popping in Orm's head from time to time. In her mind, she scolded the older girl for being hard headed and for not taking proper care of herself.

“Watch it.” Prigkhing sharply told Orm when the latter nearly bumped against her at the food laboratory.

Orm would normally give the girl a subtle glare but she was on the wrong this time. “Sorry.” She slightly bowed her head before walking up to her chair. ‘Ugh, P'Lingling! Is this your way of making my life hell?’ She could only sigh.

Even inside the car going home, her thoughts were still with Lingling. She shut her eyes close and sighed.

“Uncle?”

“Yes, Nong?”

“P'Lingling said you can drive me anywhere besides our house and the office, right?”

Kiet nodded, glancing at Orm in the rear-view mirror. “Correct.” He smiled a bit. “Do you have somewhere else to be?”

“Um…” Orm hesitated. ‘Just for your peace of mind, Orm. I'm sure P'Lingling is fine. I just need to see it.’ She gulped down and said, “Can you drive me to P'Lingling's place?”

Kiet was a little surprised, but nodded anyway. “Okay, Nong. I’ll make a u-turn when we reach the bridge.”

“Can we stop by the pharmacy first?”

“Of course.”

On the way, Orm called Gap to ask what unit Lingling lives in. He was shocked but expected much from his friend. He told her that he would call Junji to check on Lingling as well.

After getting everything she needed, Orm arrived at Lingling's condo. The place screamed ‘hi-so’. There were paintings adorning the marble walls and chandeliers on the high ceiling of the lobby. Kiet went ahead first to whisper something to the receptionist, who looked at Orm before telling another staff member to assist her.

“You're okay to go up, Nong.” Kiet told Orm with a smile.

Orm nodded, plastic bag containing medicine in hand. “Does P'Lingling know I'm here, uncle?”

Kiet subtly cleared his throat and nodded. “Yes. Go ahead.”

“Thank you, uncle.”

Meanwhile, Lingling just woke up. She has been asleep since she came home, and has not eaten anything since the morning. Despite feeling a bit dizzy, she pushed herself up and guided herself down to the kitchen. She then poured herself a glass of ice cold water. However, upon drinking, she started coughing so she decided to sit on one of the stools of the marble kitchen island.

“Ugh.” Lingling groaned after a coughing. She already drank medicine before going to sleep, but her body felt hot. She didn't want to go home and leave work, but it would be a bigger problem if she collapsed in there. She clasped her hands on top of the table then rested her forehead against them. She sighed.

Lingling have not had a good sleep for a long time. It was either short or fragmented, especially this time that the quarterly conference was approaching. This would be the first one without her father's attendance. There was just too much to do with very little time, that she couldn't afford to rest, but this happened instead.

In the silence of her home, Lingling suddenly heard her doorbell buzzing. Coughing, she ought to ignore it, but the person kept on going. ‘Go—’ She groaned, thinking it was the concierge. “Ugh. Okay, I'm coming!” She shouted, irritated by the sound.

Carefully, Lingling walked towards the monitor to see who it was. However, upon seeing the person who kept on ringing her doorbell, she was shocked to see the last person she thought she'd see on her doorstep. “N'Orm, what are you doing here?” She coughed once more. Thankfully, it was after she let go of the microphone button.

Orm seemed to be startled by the sound at first, but she quickly figured it out. She leaned closer to the intercom, perhaps too close that Lingling could only see her lips through the monitor. Then she said, “I heard you're sick so I decided to drop by. I brought some medicine and fruits here.” She lifted the plastic bag to the camera.

And again, Lingling felt her heart beating faster, but this time she blamed her fever. “I'm fine. Go ho—” Her sentence was cut off by another coughing fit. ‘Fuck my life.’ It was too late before she let go off the mic button, hence Orm heard everything.

“P’Lingling?! P'Lingling, are you okay? Please let me in.”

“I'm fine. Thank you for dropping by, but please go home.” Lingling said again. She didn't tell Orm because she didn't want to bother her nor does her health concern her anyway. So, she didn't expect her to actually show up. But to be fair, she didn't really tell anyone whenever she got sick, even her family.

“No—”

Lingling could only rub her forehead.

“—Please open the door, P'Ling. I won't go home until I see you.”

“Why—” Lingling leaned her forehead against her monitor and sighed. “Fine.” She whispered. She didn't have the strength to argue with Orm today.

Orm tapped her foot while waiting for Lingling to open the door. Hearing her cough made her more worried. ‘You didn't listen, so look what happened now? You don't eat. You don't rest. You don't take care of yourself. You stubborn little pu—’

“N'Orm.”

“P’Lingling!” Orm's train of thought was cut short by the sight of a sick Lingling only in a loose white UPENN shirt and dark gray satin pajama pants. Her hair was not as neatly put up as it always was at the office. She looked so small and precious. But Orm thought, Lingling still looked just as stunning.

“Now that you saw me, you can go.” Lingling was trying her best to look fine, but her body couldn't hide it. She was about to close the door again, but Orm stopped her.

“Hep!”

“N'Orm, let go.”

“No.” Orm couldn't believe Lingling took her words literally. ‘Stop being stubborn!’

If Lingling wasn't sick, she would've closed the door already, but she already was feeling dizzy and Orm wasn't helping. “Kornnaphat let go of my door and go home…or…or I'll call the guards.”

Orm once again found herself at the edge of her patience. “I'll scream!”

“I don't care!”

“If you don't let me in, then you better find a new bride, Sirilak Kwong, ‘coz I won't marry you.” Orm was already struggling holding the door open. She could only guess how strong Lingling would be if she wasn't sick. “Have you forgotten that we haven't signed the prenup yet?” That seemed to have Lingling stop resisting. “I'm not kidding.”

That seemed to have worked because Lingling stopped resisting.

Orm snorted. ‘Look who needs who now?’ She was about to tease Lingling, but the girl started having another coughing fit. “P'Lingling! Oh My God!” She was fast to be by her side, drawing circles on her back for comfort. Then, she heard her mumbling something inaudible. “What did you say?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?”

“I said you didn't have to come here. I can take care of myself.” Lingling said, frowning. Her voice had become slightly raspy from coughing.

‘So grumpy. Be thankful you look cute when you're sick.’ Orm rolled her eyes. “Come on. Let's get you to the couch.” Lingling protested at first, but let Orm help her settle down anyway.

Orm looked around the place unpacking the bag—it was mostly white, black and gray. The furniture complimented the color scheme as well. She knew just by looking that Lingling was the one who curated the whole space.

Meanwhile, Lingling was quietly watching Orm as she put the medicines out of the plastic bag. Whenever she got sick, she wouldn't tell anyone so as not to cause any inconvenience. She wasn't used to someone being this persistent to seeing her in such a state. “N'Orm, I really appreciate you coming here, but you should go home. You might get sick too.” She said followed by a cough.

Orm smiled at that. “Don't worry I'm not that weak.”

Lingling frowned. “Are you making fun of me?”

Instead of teasing her further, Orm chuckled instead. “No.” She shook her head and smiled. “I'm saying…you're stubborn. Didn't I tell you to rest? Look what happened.”

Lingling rolled her eyes. She collapsed onto the sofa and looked away.

“Oi!” Orm nudged Lingling’s knee with hers. “Look at you being a puppy again.”

“Will you stop saying that? It's annoying.” The older girl sighed. It seemed like Orm was having a field day on teasing her now that she wasn't in her best health. But then again, Orm would do it even on normal days.

“Did you drink your medicine, P'Ling?”

“Earlier—” Another cough. “—when I got home.”

Orm glanced over her watch and estimated how long it had been. “Let's check your temperature first.” She then grabbed the new ear thermometer she bought earlier.

“I'll do it.”

Lingling was about to sit up, so Orm gently pushed her back down. “Uh-uh. No. Stay still.”

“N'Orm.” Lingling protested but Orm went ahead instead. She could only sulk silently and look away. ‘If I'm not sick, I would've carried you to the door already and locked you out.’

Orm shook her head. Her fever was still high at 38.6C. “It's still high. You should take one pill now, P'Lingling, then I'll go cook something so you can have dinner.”

“Excuse me? Dinner?” Lingling was caught off guard with that one.

“Uh-huh.”

Lingling was now contemplating whether she has been too nice to Orm because the girl seemed to not care about boundaries anymore. She sighed and closed her eyes. “Whatever. Do what you want.” She mumbled.

“Also, your doctor friend will drop by to check on you.”

Lingling furrowed her brows. "You told them?" She looked up at Orm, who was staring back at her with an innocent expression. Once again, her heart rate spiked up. ‘Count your happy days, N'Orm. Once I feel better, you won't be able to make fun of me anymore.’ She sighed.

Orm, however, gave Lingling an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I was worried so I asked Khun Gap where you live…that's why…”

Lingling looked away, Orm’s change in tone did not help at all. She didn't bother asking how she knew her friends, knowing it was them who probably contacted her first.

Orm waited for Lingling to respond but she didn't. ‘I know you don't want me here. I'll go after I make you dinner if that's what you want.’ She wanted to say that but didn't. She then stood up. “Drink your meds now, P'Ling.”

“Hm-hmm.”

Orm could only sigh before going to the kitchen.

Lingling heard Orm's sigh, however. ‘Is she upset?’ She frowned, eyes closed. ‘What did I do this time? I should be the one who's upset. She's invading my privacy for crying out—’

“P'Lingling.”

Lingling’s breath hitched. She thought Orm already left. “Yes?”

“Here's a glass of water. Take your medicine now.”

Lingling pushed herself up, making her cough in the process. She silently watched Orm take a pill from the blister pack, analyzing if she was indeed upset.

“Here.”

Orm didn't smile when she handed the pill, Lingling noted. She took the pill then went back to lying down. From her position, she watched the girl walk away towards the kitchen. She looked down and felt guilty for some reason she couldn't even understand. She shook her head and decided to just sleep it off.

On the other hand, upon putting the glass in the sink, Orm stopped to look at Lingling from her position. Even from her spot, the frown on her face was visible. ‘How can I get mad at you when you look like a puppy?’ She chuckled to herself and went to approach the other girl once again. “P'Lingling?”

“Hm?”

“Where can I get the extra blankets?”

‘Is she…going to spend the night?’ Lingling didn't know if she liked the idea or not, but pointed blankly to the door behind the sofa anyway. She was afraid that if she opened her mouth, she would end up coughing again.

“Okay.”

‘Is she still upset?’ Lingling could only sigh once again.

Orm grabbed one from the pile as well as a pillow then went back to the sofa. Without a word, she put the blanket around Lingling.

Lingling didn't expect Orm's gesture at all and she didn't dare to make a move.

“Lift your head, P'Ling.” Orm gently instructed, and Lingling followed without a word. “Go to sleep, P'Ling. I'll be in the kitchen.”

As Orm was walking to the kitchen, Lingling opened her eyes and watched her. Ever so slightly, her lips formed a smile. She pulled the blanket to her face then let sleep take over.

Orm, on the other hand, went to work. However, when she opened the double-door refrigerator, she was welcomed by rows of bottled water, energy drink, biscuits, packs of protein bars, 2 pieces of avocados, a dozen eggs, and some herbs. ‘What is this?!’ She turned her head towards Lingling and scared the sleeping girl in disbelief. ‘You don't cook, do you?’ She could only shake her head. With little that she had, she settled for porridge instead. ‘Probably she has rice, no? Please there be rice in this house!’ She tried to look around, and fortunately, Lingling did have rice.

“Okay. Okay.” Orm went to line up the ingredients over the kitchen island. She put her hair up in a ponytail and rolled up her sleeves before starting. As she was cooking, she would check on Lingling from time to time. Not long after, she was finished. She went back to the sofa with a bowl of porridge. Putting it down on the table, she called to wake up Lingling who thankfully was able to sleep. “P'Lingling.” She hesitated on touching her shoulder, so she ended up just tapping it lightly. “P'Lingling.”

Lingling woke up after a while. She wasn't a deep sleeper after all. When she opened her eyes, she immediately saw Orm's soft earthy ones looking back at her. “N'Orm...” She unconsciously uttered.

Orm smiled. “Hi.”

There was it again, her heart beating fast. Lingling gulped down and broke eye contact.

“It's time to eat.”

Lingling, still coughing, pushed herself up. She looked at the food in the bowl and then at Orm. “Porridge?”

“Hey, don't judge. I can't make anything fancy out of those things from your fridge.”

“I wasn't judging.” Lingling frowned, while Orm stifled a laugh. “How would I know that you're not trying to poison me?”

Orm rolled her eyes and without hesitation, she ate a spoonful. She forgot that it was newly cooked, her tongue was burning. But she had to fight it to keep her pride. ‘Freaking mother of porridge!’ She was sure her eyes were so close to tearing up. “If you die, I die. Now eat.”

Lingling blinked a couple of times, trying to process what just happened. She meant to ask that as a joke.

Orm didn't forget to blow it first before feeding Lingling. “Ahh.”

“No.”

“You have to eat.”

“I can feed myself.”

“Just eat already.”

“My hands are working fine, N'Orm.”

“Good to know.” Orm answered, and Lingling finally shut up. “Now open your mouth.”

“I won't eat tha—” Lingling once again ended up being fed by Orm just like at the café.

“How is it?”

“It's fine.” Lingling mumbled. It tasted good, surprisingly delicious even.

Orm narrowed her eyes at Lingling, and slowly nodded. “One more.”

“I'll feed my—” Lingling realized by this time that Orm would do as she pleased, so she gave up.

“Another?” Orm asked and Lingling nodded. She smirked and fed her another spoonful. “See when you let me feed you, P'Lingling? It's very respectful—” She said before blowing the porridge and feeding it to the older girl. “—very mindful. Very demure.”

“Huh?” Lingling frowned, confused at to why Orm was spewing words in english.

Orm stifled a laugh at how clueless Lingling was. “Very demure, P'Lingling.” She grinned, and the other girl didn't know how to react to that, so she just nodded. “Ahhh.” Again, she went to give her another spoonful.

The two of them fell into a comfortable silence. There was no music or fireworks, but it was peaceful and it felt nice.

Junji arrived while the pair was still having dinner. Orm opened the door for her. She sat down on the lone chair adjacent to where the other two girls were sitting. To be honest, she didn't know what to feel while watching Orm feed Lingling. She was both amazed and confused that her friend didn't seem to care about it at all nor the fact that she was there as well. It was her fault anyway when she told them it was okay for her to wait.

After all that, Junji quickly examined Lingling and gave her some orders. She told them that it would be better if she would rest in bed. She offered to help, but Orm and surprisingly Lingling too said that there was no need. And so, she watched the former help the latter up the stairs and into the bedroom. Before following them up, she secretly took a photo of them on the stairs.

Junji: [sent a photo]
Junji: My LingOrm heart 🥹

Just like that, their group chat was active again.

Namtan: 🫣🫣🫣
Gap: Awww 🥹
Gap: They look like an old married couple
Freen: I just realized that P'Lingling is shorter than Orm

Even Junji didn't notice that Orm was taller until now.

Junji: OMG she is!!! 55555555
Junji: 🥺🤏
Faye: Oh wow you're right, Nong looks so tiny 🥺🤧
Faye: Who's that cutie patootie @LinglingKwong 🤏🤏
Gap: 555555 she'll kill us if she reads this
Freen: She doesn't back read. We should flood before she gets back.
Faye: So smart 😎
Gap: 55555555
Naman: Phi! Film said please tell Orm thank you for taking care of P'Lingling

Junji giggled while reading their group chat.

Junji: She was feeding her porridge when I arrived btw
Faye: 😱
Gap: Boss is down bad I fear 555555
Freen: She let her? Wow
Junji: I'm not kidding!
Junji: You know how hard it was for me to sit through it?
Junji: The pain 🔪 the jealousy 🤧
Namtan: Film thinks it's cute 🙈
Namtan: Me too 😁
Faye: And she ignored me when I tried to feed her before? Now I'm jealous 😒
Freen: Tbf you're not her fiancée P'Faye
Faye: Fair 😂

“Ah…Doc?”

Junji was so entertained by her friends’ messages that she didn't realize that Orm was talking to her. “Me?” She asked, and the girl nodded. She not so subtly turned her phone off, so Orm wouldn't see their chat. “N'Orm, no need to call me that. Just call me P'Junji, okay?” She said, grinning.

Orm smiled and nodded. “Thank you for checking on P'Lingling. Sorry for the inconvenience, P'Junji.” She bowed her head a bit.

“Hey, don't worry about it. N'Lingling is my friend. If anything, I was even entertained.” Junji chuckled—Orm didn't know what to feel about that. Anyway, please give her another tablet at around 11PM then around 3 or 4 o'clock if she still has fever.”

“Oh um…I'm about to head out too.”

Junji tilted her head to the side. “Huh? You're gonna leave her here…looking like that?”

Orm turned her head to Lingling who was lying down on her bed facing the opposite side. “You said she's okay?”

“Well, yes.” Junji nodded. That was a slight oversight on her part, to be fair. “But she'll recover faster if you look after her just…you know…for tonight while she's sick.”

“But P’Lingling doesn't want me here.”

‘Girl, be for real!’ Junji pursed her lips. “Walk with me, N'Orm.” And so, both of them walked down the hallway to the stairs. “You know…N'Lingling is hard to read—”

Orm nodded. She couldn't agree more.

“—but once you do, you'll realize how transparent she is with how she feels.”

As they were talking, Orm didn't realize how comforting it felt to hear such words from Junji. Not long after, they reached the door.

“I'll leave you to it, N'Orm.” Junji hastily put her shoes on and slid outside before Orm could change her mind. “I'm rooting for you, okay! Ciao!”

“Phi, wait—” Orm could only sigh. She grabbed her phone then dialed Kiet's number and told him that she would spend the night there. The old man told her it was okay, but conveniently left out the fact that he assumed that she wouldn't go home anymore, so he already went ahead as well.

After calling both Kiet and Eclair, Orm went back upstairs but was surprised to see Lingling up and sitting at the edge of the bed.

“P'Lingling.” Orm called out before walking inside. When Lingling lifted her head, she wasn't sure if her mind was playing tricks on her or did the older girl looked relieved to see her.

“N'Orm…I thought you already left.”

“Do you want me to?”

Lingling looked down, breaking eye contact. “You might get sick.”

Orm suddenly bent down, arms on top of her knees, much to Lingling's surprise. She looked up at the older girl with a smile.

Lingling wanted to look away but she couldn't find the strength to remove her eyes from staring into Orm's earthy ones.

“If I get sick, then you have no choice but to take care of me too, ‘P'Lingling.” Orm grinned.

“You're stubborn.”

“Look who's talking.” Orm chuckled, making Lingling feel things—the latter told herself it was because of fever. “I know you said we're not friends, P'Lingling…but I will be your wife anyway. Maybe we'll be more like a business partners—”

Lingling gulped.

“—so if something happens then it affect both of us. We are each other’s responsibility now, P'Lingling…so you have no rights to say no anymore, hmm?”

‘How is it so easy for you to say all that?’ Lingling stared into Orm's eyes. ‘Why is it so easy for you?’ Like usual, it was her to looked away first. “Suit yourself.”

Orm giggled to herself and stood up. “I'll be back.”

After a while, Orm came back with a basin with water and a couple of white towels that she saw earlier in the stock room. “Before you sleep.” This time, Lingling just let her. So, she gently dabbed the wet cloth across the older one's face down to her neck. “My grandma used to do this whenever I get sick.”

“You said you don't get sick.” With this distance, Lingling could see every detail of Orm's face clearer. From her full lips that turns into a somewhat heart shape when she smiles, to her perfectly pointed nose, up to her earthy brown eyes. Looking at them felt like busking in the scent of morning dew.

“I said, I'm not that weak now…but I got sick a lot when I was younger, that's coz I used to play a lot outside in the rain when I was little, then at night, I would get sick.” Orm laughed softly at the fond memories of her childhood.

“Ah.” Lingling nodded. 

“Have you tried running under the rain, P'Lingling?”

“No.”

Orm glanced at Lingling's face for a second. “You missed out big time.” She shook her head while chuckling. “It's fun, you know? I kinda miss it.”

‘I'm afraid I missed out on a lot of things.’ Lingling didn't say a word. Instead, she silently listened to Orm, and watched as she wiped her arms.

After that, Lingling laid down once again while Orm changed into more comfortable clothes  that she lend her. She looked away from the door and into the night sky outside the window. Pulling the blanket to herself, she closed her eyes and wished for sleep to finally visit her.

On the other hand, once in fresh clothes, Orm went to stand by the door, but her attention was captured by the photos on the shelf. She glanced at Lingling who had her back at her before looking at each frame. There were photos of the older girl with her family and friends. Out of them, she noticed that there were only 3 where Lingling was smiling so wide as if she was genuinely happy in them. She never saw her smile with her teeth out in during interviews, even in person, she has yet to see such smile from her.

One was when she was young. Lingling was holding a cake, her pregnant mother on one side with Plai who was carrying a laughing Film on the other.

'Cute.' Orm smiled as she poked young Lingling's nose.

The other one looked like she was in high school already. It looked like they were on a picnic near the lake. Lingling was grinning while hugging who Orm assumed was Milk. She noticed a sloppy handwriting on the corner that read 'Film' with a camera.

And the last one was her with her friends. They were at the field and all were wearing their college uniforms. Orm saw Gap and Junji. She knew who Faye was since she was a known DJ and model, and Gap and Freen mentioned her already. The other one who was wearing glasses looked familiar. She read about her in the news, just couldn't recall where. But the last one—

Orm straightened her back, unconsciously squaring her jaw. The foreign-looking girl was sitting too close to Lingling and was even smiling while staring at her when the shot was taken. The only one she wasn't familiar with was Namtan, but she doubt it was her. She took a deep breath then looked at Lingling's figure, brows furrowed.

“N'Lingling is hard to read, but once you do, you'll realize how transparent she is with how she feels.”

With Lingling, there was always something that would pop up and Orm wouldn't know anything about it.

Everything felt like a never ending jigsaw puzzle.

Everything was not how she imagined things would be.

Since young, Orm was just as fascinated with the idea of love just as much as her passion for astronomy and cooking. She grew up hearing the story of the friendly bunny and the chick from her grandmother. She would smile whenever she remembered it. That was why she always imagined love to be grand like the feeling of being in the middle of an orchestra, or time slowing down as the fireworks light up the sky. When Plai went to Buriram and told her it was Lingling who she was betrothed to, Orm felt everything stopped—imagine ’the’ Sirilak Kwong turned out to be the person whom she was going to marry. But when they finally met, there was no music nor fireworks.

Even now.

Orm let out a sigh and went out to get herself a blanket.

Lingling was awake the whole time. She listened until Orm's footsteps was gone. She furrowed her brows. She couldn't sleep, but then again the hours of sleep she had today already exceeded her daily average. She then opened her eyes and stared at the night sky outside. The city lights looked like nearby stars. She suddenly remembered Orm's words earlier.

“We are each other’s responsibility now, P'Lingling, so you have no rights to say no anymore, hmm?”

‘I guess, I don't.’ She thought, smiling a bit, a little wistfully.

As the night went on, both of them fell asleep. Lingling on the bed and Orm on the massage chair just beside it. The latter would wake up from time to time to check on the former and to give her medicine. 

In the middle of it all, Lingling woke up and saw Orm fast asleep. She felt guilty to have bothered her with her condition. She grabbed her other pillow then as carefully as possible, lifted Orm's head as not to wake her up. She also went to fix the blanket around her. She froze when the girl moved in her sleep, but then...

"Uni..."

Lingling heard Orm mumbling a name and it made her frown. She then saw her nuzzle her face against her pillow while smiling. Must have been a great dream with whoever Uni was, she thought. Since Orm's hair was covering her face, she wanted to tuck her hair behind her ear. She was about to, but pulled back.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

With a sigh, Lingling gently tucked Orm's hair behind her ear. She smiled softly. There was only the dim light coming from the bedside lamp, but she thought Orm was just as beautiful during the day. "Goodnight, N'Orm. Thank you for staying."

It was already around 7 o'clock in the morning when Orm woke up. She was welcomed by the softness of the pillow she realized she has been hugging. ‘Smells like P'Lingling.’ She smiled despite being still sleepy. She thought Lingling must have given her a pillow and fixed her blanket when she was sleeping.

“P'Lingling…” Orm quinted her eyes to the direction of the bed. The room was dark since the blinds were down. When her vision finally adjusted, she instead saw an empty one. She immediately jumped out of the chair and folded the blanket as neatly as she could. “P'Ling?” Putting her sleepers on, she hurried to the door, but before she could go out, she glared at that certain photo on the shelf.

"Lingling Kwong?" Orm called out while going downstairs and once she did, she saw Lingling setting the table. “P'Lingling!”

Lingling stopped upon seeing her. “N'Orm, I was just about to wake you up.”

Orm looked down and laughed at herself. She approached the table, yawning a bit. “Wow.” She said while scanning the variety of fancy looking food on the table.

“There are no other food that can be cooked with what's in my fridge, so I decided to just order.”

‘Just admit you don't cook.’ Orm hummed. “How are you? Are you feeling better, P'Ling?”

Lingling also sat down. “Yes. I don't have fever anymore.” She subtly cleared her throat before adding, “Thank you, N'Orm.”

“You're welcome—” Orm leaned closer and grinned. “—Lingling Kwong.”

Lingling could only let out a quiet laugh and shake her head. “Go eat.”

“Are these all for me?”

Lingling gulped down. Orm didn't have to look at her again cutely. ‘Why are you looking at me like that cat in Shrek?’ She drew in a deep breath. “Just eat, N'Orm.”

“Hmp.” Orm pouted, but chuckled right after.  She wanted to ask who that girl was in the picture but felt like she didn't have any rights.

Meanwhile, Lingling also wanted to ask who 'Uni' but she felt like it was embarrassing to say that she heard her talk during her sleep. She didn't want to sound like a creep. Perhaps some other time, she thought.

Once again, just like last night, they ate in silence, a peaceful one.

After breakfast, Orm bid farewell to Lingling. She wanted to hug the other girl but felt shy to ask, so she didn't. The last time she attempted to hug her, she was rejected anyway. But while in the elevator, she thought about what Junji told her last night.

“...once you do, you'll realize how transparent she is with how she feels.”

Reading Lingling Kwong was like trying to understand a black hole, Orm thought. She shook her head and chuckled.

Meanwhile, Lingling stood by the floor-to-ceiling window.

“...you have no rights to say no anymore, hmm?”

“It does feel…nice.” She whispered, smiling softly.

However, Lingling's phone on the table top buzzed, so she went to see what it was about. As usual, it was her friends. There was already a hundred plus messages on their group chat that she chose not to ignore this time.

Junji: [sent a photo]

The first thing she saw was a picture of her and Orm.

Junji: My LingOrm heart 🥹
Namtan: 🫣🫣🫣
Gap: Awww 🥹
Gap: They look like an old married couple
Freen: I just realized that P'Lingling is shorter than Orm

Even Lingling herself just realized how short she looked beside Orm. She frowned at her friends’ messages as she scrolled down but didn't bother replying until she reached the most recent ones.

Lingling: Thank you. I feel better now. Thank you also P'Junji for coming over.
Junji: You're welcome, Nong 😊
Faye: Did the wifey still with you?

Lingling understood the word so she was able to answer.

Lingling: N’Orm went home already.
Faye: Awww you call her wifey now 🤧
Faye: You grew up so fast my child 🥺
Junji: I'm crying 🥺
Namtan: I'm glad you're ok now P'Lingling 😁

"Ah." Lingling almost forgot one thing. She dialled on her phone, and thankfully, she didn't have to wait for an answer “Hey. Yes, thank you.” She glanced at the huge wall clock on the wall. “No, let's do it today. I'll see you.”

“Okay, I'll clear my schedule tonight.”

“Khun Engfa.”

Engfa turned around and saw her assistant approaching. “See you tonight.” With a smirk, she ended the call and looked over the document on the iPad. “Looking good. Be sure to hook me up with Ms. Williams. I need that property.”

“Yes, Khun Engfa. By the way, Khun Winai is already at the lounge.”

Engfa nodded. She removed her golf gloves and handed the caddie her golf club. As they were driving back to the club  house, she scrolled through Twitter and saw something that piqued her interest.

HOT TOPIC: Bangkok's Hi-So heiress and most eligible bachelorette secretly tied the knot? 🏳️‍🌈

There was a blurred photo of a girl underneath that was obviously Lingling Kwong. It made Engfa laugh. ‘You're married?’ She looked out at the trees and smirked. “Huh. Poor girl.”

Chapter Text

It was around thirty minutes before four in the morning when Koy woke up to an empty bed. She went down and saw her husband by the dining table, glasses on, reading various business documents like he had been doing so since they returned from Bangkok. 

“Ton?”

Ton lifted his gaze to her and smiled. “Ah, teerak. It's still early. Go back to sleep.” 

As always, the softness of her husband's voice made her smile. She then went to approach him, enveloping her arm around his shoulder. “You're thinking about Orm, are you?” 

Ton was quiet for a moment before letting out a sigh. “Please tell me we're still doing the right thing.” He looked up at his wife, eyes reflecting uncertainty and somewhat guilt. 

“It's Orm's decision to go through with it, teerak. I am worried too, but our daughter is old enough and smart enough to choose for herself.” Koy said, offering some consolations. 

“I know.” Ton put his hand over Koy's on his shoulder. “I just can't help but worry. You know Orm is our angel. In a week, she will be living with Khun Lingling. What if she doesn't treat her right?” He then rubbed his forehead. “If only our family doesn't need them.”

Koy's lips formed a sympathetic smile. “I'm sure she won't. She seems like a nice girl, and I know Orm won't let anyone treat her badly.” She answered, but her husband couldn't help but still worry  about their only girl. “And if ever something happens, our daughter knows she will always have a family she can get back to.” 

Ton gave her a weak smile. He could only pray Orm would be treated well by her future wife. 

Sunday, Orm woke up feeling recharged. As soon as she got home yesterday, she texted Lingling that she had safely arrived and got another thank you in return. Yawning, she stretched her arms and neck, but perhaps too much that she groaned in pain. “Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. Ouch.” It took a while before the pain subsided but not fully. ‘Ay, Orm!’ She scolded herself, moving her neck a bit from side to side, as she jumped out of her. “Aww.” 

On the pin board across the room, she looked at her schedule for the day—Lingling's printed wedding preparation schedule now decorated with colorful scribbles and drawings on the side. “Wedding dress.” She read. She then went to look at herself in the mirror. “I'm gonna get married in a week…Oh.” She tilted her head to the side as she scanned her body. “I should have gone on a diet.” She sighed. 

After preparing, Orm went down. Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, her eyes landed on the person sitting on the sofa, back turned on her. “P'Lingling?” 

But it wasn't Lingling. 

“Ah. Orm, hi!” It was Lingling'a younger sister, Film. 

“Sawasdee kha, Film!” Orm gave her a smile before approaching Film who has been friendly since the dinner. She was then welcomed by a hug. “Sorry, I thought you were your sister.” She said with an apologetic smile. 

“P'Lingling already went dress shopping with Namtan yesterday.” Film replied, but then realized Orm might have been clueless so she added, “I meant, with my girlfriend—”

“Yesterday?” Orm was perplexed. 

Film confirmed it with a nod. “We thought it would be exciting if you guys went separately for you know…element of surprise and P'Lingling agreed so….” Shrugging, she giggled a bit. “But don't worry, Orm, I'm sure you'll love my sister's dress. I already saw it.” 

‘I think Lingling Kwong will look stunning no matter what she wears.’ The thought of Lingling in a dress, much more on a wedding dress, was already captivating. Orm was about to nod, but, ‘Wait a damn minute! That's not what I meant.’ She furrowed her brows. “But she was just sick the other day.” 

Film could have guessed Orm's real concern was, but didn't think much about her question earlier. It actually made her smile. 

Orm was about to apologize thinking she sounded too demanding, but Film spoke up. 

“Yes, but she called yesterday so Namtan went to accompany her to the shop. You know how P'Lingling is…if she can, she would. She's that stubborn just like dad.” Film let out a lighthearted laugh. 

Orm could only shake her head. Lingling’s stubbornness was irritating, but her determination was one to be admired, to be fair. Suddenly, she remembered something. ‘Namtan is Film's girlfriend…so who's that girl? Did P'Lingling ever have a girlfriend? Were they—’ 

“Um…Orm?”

Orm snapped back to reality and realized that Film was looking at her confusedly. “Oh, sorry, I didn't get that.”

Film chuckled. “I said…you should scold P'Lingling.” 

“Oh, ah, huh?” 

“She won't listen to us, but she needs to get scolded from time to time. I think only you can do that.” 

“I—” Orm shook her head. “She doesn't listen to you, how do you expect her to listen to me?” 

‘Looks like she did last Friday.’ Film recounted the messages on her sister's group chat through Namtan, remembering clearly that Junji said Lingling let Orm feed her with porridge. “I feel like she would.” She laughed a little then gestured to the door. “I'm driving us today, by the way.” 

After bidding farewell to Eclair, Orm followed Film out. She was shocked to see a huge white SUV, Toyota LC-300, parked outside. 

“Do you like it?” 

Orm glanced at Film and saw her smiling expectantly. She thought her vibe was significantly lighter and friendlier than her older sister's. Their tastes in their outfit’s color schemes and cars were also different. “Yeah.” 

“Namtan and I call her Oon.” Orm found it adorable, both of them chuckled. 

They settled inside and not long after, they were on the road. 

“We have to get you the perfect dress that would leave P'Lingling in awe. That's our mission for today. “ Film glanced at Orm for a moment. 

That time, “Please Please Please” by Sabrina Carpenter was playing inside the car. 

Orm could only laugh at that. ‘Did she forget the reason why we're getting married?’ She bet Lingling wouldn't even care what kind of dress she'd wear. 

“Oh! By the way, we'll pick a dress then we'll meet up with P'Lingling and Namtan at the venue.” 

Upon arriving at the dress shop, Orm and Film were greeted by the manager and were ushered to the VIP fitting room at the back. 

“We have Vera Wang, Oliva Bottega…” The manager went on to show them a variety of wedding dresses which some brands that Orm were not familiar with.

Orm tried to peek at one of the price tags and when she did, her eyes widened at how pricey it was. Even if she worked overtime everyday, her salary for five months wouldn't suffice. ‘What the?! 270,000 baht for a dress?!’ 

“Orm, are you alright?”

Orm immediately turned her head towards Film in embarrassment, thinking that she might have seen her reaction to the prices. “Yeah—” However, it caused her neck to hurt once again. “Aw.” She winced. 

“Oh my! Are you okay?” Film was quick to ask her. 

“Oh uh…yes.” Orm nodded, giving the other girl an ‘ok’ sign. “I had a stiff neck. I overstretched it when I woke up.” She chuckled. 

Film nodded. “I hope it gets well soon.” She said, and Orm thanked her. “So…let's start shopping?” She grinned. Orm only was able to nod before Film gave her a bunch of dresses to try on. 

The first one got rejected. 

“Hmm. Try another one.”

One after another. 

“This one?” As soon as Orm went out, Film and the manager gave each other a look then shook their heads. She could only sigh. “I'll try another one.”

And another. 

“This?”

“Ummm…no?”

Orm wanted to groan in irritation, but complied anyway. She never imagined choosing a wedding dress would be this exhausting. She thought that if it was Lingling who she was with, she wouldn't care much. After trying God knows how many dresses, she was nearly giving up. With a sigh, she went out. 

Both Film and the manager stared at her. 

“What…do you think?”

Slowly, smiles formed in their lips. Both looked at each other and nodded. “That's the one!” Film said and the manager agreed. That made Orm smile, both because she felt flattered by their reaction, and she was finally done trying on dresses. 

“Wow! You look gorgeous, Orm!” Film approached her, leaning back so she could see the whole of Orm's dress. “Look at you!” 

‘Do you think P'Lingling will like it?’ Orm wanted to ask, but settled with, “Is this okay?”

Film chuckled and nodded. “More than okay, Orm.” She brought her to the mirror and pointed at her reflection. “It suits you just right. See?” 

It was a floral lace wedding dress, Altsoba, from Olivia Bottega. Not as expensive as the Vera Wang dress she tried earlier, but still worth more than Orm's two month salary. She smiled while looking at herself in the mirror. ‘I really am getting married.’ She felt her heartbeat going faster, not sure if it was excitement, anxiety, or dread. 

“P'Lingling will love it for sure.” 

Orm inhaled deeply at the mention of Lingling. ‘I am about to marry Sirilak Kwong.’ Film let her take in the whole look as she went to talk to the manager for the payment and the adjustments. ‘I'm about to get married in a week. It's really happening. Great grandma, please make this work.’ She closed her eyes for a moment and exhaled deeply before opening them again. ‘You’re getting married to Lingling Kwong, Orm.’ 

Breathe in. 

Breathe out. 

In a week, Orm would officially be Lingling’s wife. She sighed, but it went out shaky. 

Afterwards, Orm went to change into her casual clothes then she was ushered into the other room where her measurements were taken. Once done, she then joined Film by lounge. The girl immediately offered her a cup of complimentary tea and biscuits as she sat down. 

“How much will I have to pay for it?” Orm asked, but Film only hummed nonchalantly. “I mean…for the dress.” 

Film let out a lighthearted chuckle. “Don't worry about it.”

“Huh?”

“You're marrying my older sister, so it's basically a whole family event. Everything is taken care of already.” Film said with a smile. When she noticed the slight change in Orm's expression, she swiftly added, “Sorry, I didn't mean to insinuate anything bad.” 

“Oh no! I was—” Orm wanted to say that she wasn't, because she really was not offended, but Film kept talking. In fact, she was embarrassed to know that the Kwong's paid for everything in the wedding.

“It's just a big deal to us.” 

“Marriage?” 

Film shook her head. “No…but P'Lingling getting married is.”  She said, making Orm a little confused and taken aback. “Hey, Orm?” 

There was a change in Film's expression that she couldn't quite point out. Despite that, she saw how genuine her smile was when she mentioned her sister. “Hm?”

“Please be patient with P'Lingling.” Film looked into Orm's eyes, silently pleading. “That's the only thing I want to ask of you.” 

Lingling was lucky to have a sibling like Film, Orm thought. With how stubborn Lingling has been since they met, she thought she'd need a lot more patience to handle her for the next years to come. “I will.” 

“Thank you.” Film's smile went wider. “If ever you need help or if you have questions about P'Lingling, then you can just ask me.” 

“Thank you, Film.” 

“No…thank you.” Film replied, making both of them laugh. “Also—” The former held the latter's hands. “I know this is an arranged marriage but…I want you to know that whatever you or P'Lingling decide after three years, you will always be part of our family, Orm.” 

All of a sudden, Orm felt a pinch in her heart. Now that the wedding was drawing nearer, the 3-year stipulation felt not so distant anymore. ‘No matter what happens after three years, you were once Lingling Kwong's wife, Orm.’ She offered her the best smile she could muster at that moment as she nodded. “Thanks.” 

After everything was settled, the two of them drove to meet Lingling at the wedding venue at Banyan Tree. They rode the elevator until they reached the rooftop. As soon as the elevator door opened, Orm's eyes found Lingling who was dressed in a Valentino belted wool and mohair jumpsuit paired with ivory colored Valentino Garavani pumps, dark Celine shades, and black and white Chanel purse. Beside her was Mr. Nop and another girl who was dressed more casually who she guessed was Namtan. 

As they were approaching, Orm couldn't make out if Lingling was judging her for being late yet again under those dark glasses. 

“Sorry, we're late. We got stuck in traffic.” Film apologetically told her older sister before hugging her. 

Orm stood behind Film as she watched Lingling quietly say something to her younger sister during the hug. She remembered that she wanted to embrace her goodbye the day before but thought the older girl wouldn't willingly hug her like that. ‘We wouldn't be late if we didn't eat at the other side of Chao Phraya.’ Orm thought, but apologized as well anyway. She greeted Mr. Nop, and Film introduced her to Namtan. 

Lingling pushed her shades up to her head. She squinted because of the sun, but ended up looking like she was frowning. “Did you eat?” She asked Orm. 

Film was about to answer for Orm, but the girl nodded already. To her surprise, her sister only said “okay” and moved on. They were almost an hour late. She smiled in amusement. 

While the brides-to-be talked with the wedding coordinator and the manager of the hotel, Film and Namtan leaned against the railings while watching them from a distance. 

“Orm’s still taller than my sister even if she's wearing flats.” Film giggled, so did Namtan. To be fair, Lingling was only wearing 1.5 inch heels. 

“I think Orm is good for P'Lingling.” Namtan said while watching the two closely. 

“You think?” Film glanced at her girlfriend and saw her nodding. She smiled. “I think so too.” While looking at her sister, she remembered to ask, “Did P'Lingling see the online article?” The smile on her face was now gone. 

Namtan nodded. “She didn't care.” She answered and Film only hummed. “But she did say it was fake news since they're not married yet.” She followed up with a laugh. 

“Technically.” Film shook her head while chuckling. They tried to make the wedding as private and intimate as they could, but she realized now that her older sister was basically a celebrity in the business world. 

After discussing the details, Nop excused himself to talk to his team, leaving Orm and Lingling alone. 

Lingling turned around for a split second to see if her sister and Namtan were looking. Upon seeing that they were engrossed in each other’s presence like usual, she grabbed something from her purse. “N'Orm.”

“Yes, P'Lingling?” Orm waited for Lingling to talk, but did not. It took her a while before realizing that the older girl wanted to give her something. It was a cooling balm.

“Film texted me earlier. She said your neck is in pain.” 

Orm's lips broke into a smile. She leaned a bit closer. “Thank you, Lingling Kwong.” She then giggled. 

Lingling noticed once again that Orm's upper lip turns into a heart shape when she smiles like that. She nodded. “Okay.” 

“It's very mindful of you. Very demure.” Orm wiggled her brows. 

Lingling wanted to facepalm herself. Orm was again spewing those words in English that didn't even make sense. “What does that even mean?” 

“You don't know that? Come on, P'Lingling.” Orm pouted and sighed. “That's a famous meme. Live a little.” 

Lingling drew in a sharp breath and shook her head before turning around and walking away. 

“P'Lingling!” Orm stopped her before she could take another step. “I'm sorry. I'm kidding. I'm kidding.” She chuckled. “How are you feeling?” She asked while nonchalantly rubbing the balm on her neck. 

Lingling’s gaze followed Orm's hand movement on her neck. 

“Hm?” 

Lingling cleared her throat and looked away. “Better. Thank you for asking.” 

Orm smiled, glancing at Lingling. “I was going to scold you about what you did yesterday, but…” She shrugged. 

“I just followed my schedule.” Lingling answered. She then told Orm to keep the Balm when the girl handed back the balm. 

“See? You don't listen, P'Lingling.” Orm shook her head and sighed, acting disappointed. 

“I wasn't sick anymore…and we can't go dress shopping together. I read somewhere it will be bad luck if they see their partner's wedding dress before the wedding.” 

Orm bit her lips to suppress her smile. She didn't peg her to believe in superstitions. “Aww. You wish good luck to our marriage.”

“I wish good luck, yes.” Lingling nodded. 

“And here I thought you'd make sure it will be hell.” Orm smirked. 

Lingling shut her eyes forcefully. “Will you forget about that already?” Then, she looked into Orm’s. “I was out of line and I'm sorry.” 

Orm nudged Lingling’s arm gently. “I know I was just teasing.” She smiled at her softly, to which Lingling responded with a nod. She realized that this was the first time Lingling actually apologized to her regarding the incident. “Anyway…I already have my dress.” 

Lingling only nodded. 

“There were so many. I didn't know what to choose.”

Lingling turned to face Orm. “It doesn't matter.”

Orm expected that Lingling wouldn't care, but she did feel slight disappointment. 

Looking away towards the city, she said, “You look good in whatever you wear anyway.” 

‘Oh.’ Orm pursed her lips. ‘Did she just call me pretty?’ She looked down and smiled to herself.

Lingling saw that in her peripheral vision. She suddenly felt shy after seeing Orm's reaction, but tried her best to keep her composure. She then cleared her throat. “You're going to Buriram this week, right?” 

“Uh-huh.” Orm nodded, still smiling. “Manager Ya told us last week. I called dad too. We’ll meet them at the farm.” 

“When is it again?” 

“Thursday.” 

“Okay. I'll in and out of the company this week and next week. I'm—”

“Khun Ling, Khun Orm…” Their conversation was interrupted by Mr. Nop and another staff member of their team. “Sorry to interrupt, but we'll explain the flow of the ceremony.” The couple both nodded at that. “Shall we?” 

Mr. Nop explained where the platform would be placed, the carpet, and all that. “So, Khun Lingling, you will walk down the aisle first. There will be rows of flowers on both sides. The carpet will be here…” He guided Lingling towards the sport where the platform will be placed. 

Orm quietly watched Lingling walk towards the center, just before the stairs. And when she turned around and looked back at her, she imagined what she would look like in a wedding dress. 

“Khun Orm!” Mr. Nop waved his hand to get Orm’s attention. “As soon as the music changes, that's your cue to walk the aisle.” He said and Orm nodded. “Both your parents will walk with you…” He then went on with the instructions. “...and then walk.”

“Oh um…” The other staff member gestured for her to go, and so Orm nodded. As she walked down on the imaginary carpet, she suddenly found herself feeling nervous. Her eyes searched for consolation until they fell on Lingling's, who was also looking at her. ‘We really are getting married.’ She told herself. 

And with every step, the wedding started feeling real…

…and it was. 

April 7—Sunday.

Orm stood in between her parents at the end of the carpet under the huge floral arch made at the rooftop of Banyan Tree that was closed to the public the whole night to accommodate their wedding. The sun was starting to set then—the sky was a combination of yellow, orange and pink. The whole space was filled with the gentle melody of piano, violin and cello. 

“Are you ready, darling?” Ton asked, while Koy could only look at Orm with teary eyes. 

Orm, still feeling a bit nervous since the night prior, nodded. “Yes.” This was it. There was no turning back, she told herself. 

Not long after, Mr. Nop ordered their team to part the flower curtains once again to reveal the bride. As soon as it opened, Orm found herself in the middle of everyone's attention. 

“Go.” Mr. Nop whispered with a smile as he gestured for them to walk. And so as “Enchanted” was being played by the band, Orm and her parents started walking down the aisle. 

Orm scanned the crowd. Everyone from both their families was there. Lingling’s friends were all present as well. She smiled when she saw Jaja sitting with Nene on the side. And more so when her gaze landed on her grandmother who was looking at her with love and pride like she always did. ‘This is for you, grandma. I fulfilled my promise.’ She smiled back at her, trying to talk to her through her eyes. 

As they continued to walk, Orm, however, saw a lot of unfamiliar faces including those higher ups at Noiam that she only saw once during the welcome ceremony. For a moment, she forgot that this was a marriage of convenience. 

It felt too real, she almost forgot. 

Orm could only muster some courage to smile, slightly looking down. But then, she felt her mother's gentle squeeze in her arm. When she looked at her, her mother gestured to look ahead, and so she did. There, she found herself staring into Lingling Kwong's eyes. Slowly yet surely, she could breathe normally again. 

Orm thought that Lingling looked ethereal in her fitted wedding dress. With her hair up, she could see all her features clearly. Her soon-to-be wife had a smile on. However, her smile wasn't the same as those in the photos she saw back in her place. She could only wonder if it was real, if Lingling was genuinely happy to be marrying her. But just for today, at this moment, she liked to believe she was. 

Breathe in. 

Breathe out. 

As soon as they reached the front, Lingling bowed and greeted Orm's parents before looking back at her again.

“N'Orm.” 

Orm looked down and saw Lingling asking for her hand. She didn't say anything else after that. So with a smile, she put her hand on hers. 

As the sun was setting, the two of them exchanged vows. 

“Sirilak Kwong…” Orm could feel her heart beating stronger and stronger against her chest as she was staring into Lingling's eyes, lost in the deep and dark universe reflected in them. “...thank you for accepting me into your life. From this day forward, I promise to support you and to be by your side through everything. I promise to be faithful…” She said every word as genuine as she could. She wanted Lingling to know that despite their marriage being arranged, she would be a person she could trust and rely on. “...to be truthful and to be patient.” For a moment, she saw Lingling's lips curled up at the mention of the last word. It made her smile as well. “Since we met, I’m grateful for every moment that I've spent with you…and I will always be thankful to be able to make more memories with you.” Orm then put the ring her grandmother gave her on Lingling. “Please take this ring as a sign of my devotion to you.” Once done, she looked back into Lingling's eyes while smiling. 

Then, it was Lingling's turn to say her vows. “Kornnaphat Sethratanapong…” As she started hers, Orm kept her eyes on Lingling's, her heart felt like it was about to explode as the older was looking at her as if she was the only person that matters in the whole room. “Today, I stand here…with a heart open to the future we will build together…” Orm found herself swallowing a thick lump in her throat. She didn't care if this was only for show. She chose to believe that Lingling meant every word. “I vow to be a supportive and understanding partner…to be present and work with you to…to create a life filled with respect and mutual understanding…” Then there was a fairly long pause as if Lingling was finding the right words. She then smiled a little, subtly breathing through her lips. “While our journey may still be unfolding, I promise to give my best to our life together. I am here to face the future with you and do my best to support and cherish our shared path. Please take this ring as the symbol of my vow to you.” 

Orm bit her lip. Despite the voice in her head saying these were all part of the show, she couldn't help but feel touched by Lingling's vow. She watched the other girl slip the emerald cut diamond ring of their family into her finger. She let out a quiet chuckle upon noticing Lingling's hand to be shaking. 

And again, their gazes found their way back to each other. 

Breathe in. 

Breathe out. 

“You may kiss your bride.”

“N'Orm.” Lingling mouthed. 

Orm, on the other hand, suddenly felt nervous once again. She almost forgot that she would have to kiss Lingling Kwong. She has not kissed anyone before, not in the lips. 

Breathe in. 

Breathe out. 

The sun was almost out of the sky, now behind the buildings in the West. 

“N'Orm…” Orm felt Lingling's thumb rubbing her arm. She saw her silently asking her to kiss her. She technically didn't have a choice, so she nodded. She saw Lingling's eyes travel down to her lips then back to her eyes. Unconsciously, she did the same. Slowly, Lingling leaned in. Both closed their eyes as their lips touched in the softest way. 

Orm's first kiss. 

Their first kiss as a married couple. 

Unlike how she imagined it, Orm didn't hear fireworks or music…

…but at that moment, it was silent like there was no one around. Just them sharing their first kiss, and it felt comfortable and peaceful. 

And when they leaned back, Orm's breath hitched. ‘Why are you looking at me like…’we’ have a chance?’ 

Breathe in. 

Breathe out. 

But the moment was broken when Lingling looked away towards the crowd. When she did too, that was the only time she heard their cheers. She looked back at Lingling and waited, but she didn't look back. She laughed at herself in her mind. Perhaps, her brain was only messing with her, she thought. 

The reception was also held at the rooftop of Banyan Tree. It was already night time. The 360 degrees view of Bangkok from the rooftop was majestic. The city lights looked like distant stars. The aisle during the ceremony was quickly converted to a dance floor. The couple greeted their guests one by one. Lingling introduced Orm to the members of the board, their other relatives and close friends. 

Orm introduced Lingling to her grandmother next. While the two were talking, she went to talk to her parents, “Where's Love?” She asked, looking around the area. 

“Oh, she's with Khun Milk and her friend.” Her father answered. 

“Ciize.” Eclair added, and Ton nodded. 

"There they are." Koy pointed at the trio near the floral arch. Ciize and Love seemed be grew close ready, meanwhile Milk stood by their side, looking shy still.

Meanwhile, Lingling listened to Orm's grandmother as she asked her a favor. “Please be patient with Orm. I know she may be a little childish at times, but she's a lovely girl.”

Lingling smiled and nodded. 

“While you're married, please take care of her.”

The smile on Lingling's face slightly vanished, but nodded anyway. “I will.” There, she felt the old woman squeeze her hand, silently thanking her. 

“Lingling, Orm.” 

All of them at the table turned their heads towards the sound, and saw Plai with Lingling's grandmother approaching them. Orm and Lingling stood up to greet them. 

“Orm!” Orm was caught off guard when Lingling's grandmother pulled her into a hug. “You look wonderful, dear.” The woman was already in her late 70s with white hair and visible age lines up front. “Lingling, you should always stand beside your wife.” 

Wife. 

Orm still wasn't used to hearing people addressing either of them as each other's wife. But with that, Lingling did move closer to her. One thing she noted since their first meeting was that Lingling never talked back to her father and now to her grandmother. She was always obedient. 

“Has my granddaughter been treating you well, Orm?”

“Yes um…grandma.” 

“Are you sure? Lingling?” 

“Yes, grandma. I am being nice.” 

Orm glanced at Lingling and she was sure, if she could only roll her eyes, she would have already. It was quite adorable. “She really is.”

“Very well. Tell me if Lingling is giving you a hand time, alright, dear?” 

Orm smiled and nodded. “I'll keep that in mind, grandma.” 

After that, their grandmothers went to sit together. Both of them went back to their own table to rest since they have been walking around greeting people for the past several minutes. 

‘What are we supposed to do after this?’ Orm suddenly felt her cheeks heating up as less decent thoughts popped into her mind. She felt chills down her spine. 

“What is it?” 

“Huh?” Orm saw Lingling looking at her with furrowed brows, her usual expression that was somehow comforting for her to see at that moment. 

“Do you want a cocktail?”

‘Do I look like I want one?’ Orm thought that maybe she had been looking in the direction if the bar and Lingling noticed it. “Ah. Yeah.”

“Okay. I'll be back.” 

“P'Ling—” Orm tried to stop her, but Lingling was already up and about. She sighed and ate her slice of cake instead. “I should have asked for a chocolate one.” 

Meanwhile, Lingling quickly asked for two glasses of tequila sunrise for her and Orm. As she was waiting, Faye appeared beside her. 

“Confidence boost for the honeymoon?” 

Lingling saw Faye smirking and rolled her eyes. “Orm wanted one.” 

“Kidding!” Faye chuckled. “Relax, you just got married. Enjoy it.” She silently watched her friend for a moment before saying, “I'm proud of you, you know?” Lingling glanced at her then, so she smiled. “Everything will work out in the end.” She patted her friend’s shoulder lightly. 

Lingling looked down. Perhaps out of all her friends, Faye knew her best. “Thanks, Phi.” She breathed through her lips, pushing the same bothering thought aside. “You came alone?” 

“Hmm. Yeah.”

“Are you fighting again?”

“No, but you know how it works…we can't be seen together.” Faye answered. Out of their friend group, only she came alone—Junji went with Mario, Freen with Becky, Gap and Pentaii went together, and Namtan with Film, of course. “You should go back to your bride. She's waiting, you know.” 

Lingling nodded. She went back to their table with two glasses of tequila sunrise. “Here. Do you want anything else?” 

“We could have asked the staff, you know?” Orm smiled teasingly. “You're acting nice ‘coz of your grandma, am I right?” She smirked. 

Lingling frowned. “Of course not.” 

Orm giggled and without thinking, she bopped Lingling’s nose. “You look like Uni.” 

“Uni?” 

“My dog.” Orm answered with a laugh, and Lingling pursed her lips. “I meant…you look like a puppy again.” 

Lingling let out an amused laugh while shaking her head. “So that's Uni?” She whispered. 

“Sorry?”

Lingling was back to her usual composed demeanor. “Nothing.”

“P'Ling!” Orm pouted, but Lingling shook her head. 

The host then asked the couple to take the floor for their first dance, and so they did. They stood in the midst of all their guests. 

Orm knew how to dance, but they didn't practice so she was afraid she might step on Lingling’s foot accidentally. Lingling might have sensed her worry since she quietly asked her to hold her hand while nodding as if to encourage her that it was okay. Gulping down, she put her hand on top of her wife's. 

Slowly, music from the violin and piano filled the place. (Music: Wonder by Daniel Jang) 

At first, Orm was too cautious with her steps, going as far as looking down on their feet. 

“Look at me.” 

Orm did. She saw Lingling nod once more. The more she looked into her wife's eyes, the more she forgot why she was nervous in the first place. By the time the first chorus came, she was already comfortable. The two of them moved in sync, both smiling now. 

And as the song approached the second chorus, paper lanterns started lighting up around them. 

“Everything’s clear. Everyone…” Mr. Nop instructed her staff through walkie-talkie all around the Banyan Tree rooftop to stand by. “...release the lanterns in 3…2…1!” 

The second chorus came just as Lingling spun Orm around—Orm's mouth fell open as the paper lanterns started floating, filling the sky above the Banyan Tree with starry lights. 

“Oh My God.” Orm looked up and watched the lanterns float in the air all while still dancing with Lingling. 

Lingling, on the other hand, was quietly watching Orm with a smile on her face. 

“P'Ling!” Orm tapped Lingling’s shoulder, excitedly urging her to look up. “Wow.” She felt like crying. When she looked back at her wife, her breath hitched once again. There it was again, that look in Lingling's face just like when they shared their first kiss. 

Again, there were no fireworks nor the feeling of standing in the middle of an orchestra. 

But at that moment, Orm felt like she had been sucked into the black hole that was Lingling Kwong. Time didn't stop, but it felt like it moved at its own speed between the two of them. 

Orm smiled softly. If she was being, she didn't care. If everything would turn out to be a dream, she didn't care. At least for tonight, she didn't care about any of that because Lingling Kwong was looking at her like she was the only person in the room. 

‘At least for tonight…’ Orm thought. 

The next morning, Orm woke up in the softest bed she has ever laid on. She felt tired despite her sleep. Out of habit, she tried to blindly look for her phone on the bedside table, but then as soon as her hand hit the wood, it made a flanking sound. Frowning, she turned on her back. Her head was slightly pounding. She ought to cover her eyes with her hand, but then she did it so carelessly, her ring hit her forehead too hard. 

“Ouch!” Orm opened her eyes abruptly. She had to blink a couple of times to adjust her vision. Right then, her gaze fell on her wedding ring. 

Wedding ring. 

Lanterns. 

Vows. 

First dance. 

First kiss. 

Lingling Kwong. 

Orm’s eyes widened. ‘I'm married!’ Her jaw dropped. “OMG!” She looked around and realized that she wasn't in her old bedroom anymore. It was a totally different place. The white, black and gray color scheme—She was in Lingling’s place. However, it wasn't her wife's bedroom. 

Orm jumped out of bed, not minding the pulsating pain of the ring's impact on her forehead. She couldn't remember anything else from the time that they were driving home. Clueless, she looked down. She was fully dressed in cream colored satin pajama shorts and shirt. 

‘Did P'Lingling change my clothes? Nothing happened right?’ Her heart started beating fast. 

Looking for Lingling, she went to her room first but saw her bed was already made. “P'Lingling?” She then called out while walking down the hallway. “P'Lingling?”

It was Monday then. 

‘She didn't possibly go to work right?’ Orm jogged down the stairs. “Lingling Kwong?” She looked around and saw no one. 

“How can you be sure that she's not just pretending?” 

Everything was left as neatly as they were the last time she was there. 

“P'Lingling?” Orm looked around, but Lingling wasn't there. She probably went to work, she thought. A part of her expected this much. The quarterly meeting would happen in a week anyway. She looked down and smiled a bit, remembering how Lingling looked at her when they were dancing. ‘Maybe I was really just delusional.’ 

Chapter Text

Three days before the wedding, the R&D team at Noiam was set to go to Buriram to do a field evaluation on Orm's family's farm that would be the company's new supplier of selected crops. 

Around 7 o’clock in the morning, Orm arrived at the airport, bag in hand, dressed in white silk shirt with long sleeves rolled up to her elbow, black semi-fitted jeans, and white Nike sneakers. Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail. She immediately located her colleagues and joined them at the waiting area. 

“Sawasdee kha, Phi.” Orm greeted Jaja, who was already smiling at her while she was just approaching. 

“Sawasdee!” Jaja patted the seat beside her, which Orm gladly occupied. “Boss drove you?” She teased. 

Orm waved her hands and shook her head. “Oh, no. P'Ling—” She stopped herself before she could mention Lingling, afraid that Prigkhing might hear despite the girl having her headphones on. “There's a designated driver for me.” 

Jaja hummed, smirking. “I can't wait to come back to Buriram.” She let out a happy sigh. 

“Is this your first time visiting again?” 

“Uh-huh.” Jaja nodded. “My mom's now living with my brother's family, so I don't really have any reason to visit.” She said, and Orm nodded. “By the way, when are you going to bring Khun Lingling to Buriram?” 

“Phi.” Orm shook her head, indirectly hushing Jaja, but she didn't understand. So, Orm motioned to Prigkhing's direction behind her. 

Jaja tilted her head in confusion, but understood what Orm meant after a while. “Oh.” She smiled apologetically. 

“I haven't talked to her about it. I don't think she has time to visit.” Orm whispered. 

“Well, she is always busy.” Jaja shrugged. 

Orm couldn't agree more. ‘With how busy P’Lingling is, she probably won't have time anyway.’ She then looked ahead—a plane just took off. She has not seen Lingling since Sunday nor received a message from her. She thought she was probably busy. 

That Monday, Orm went to bring her lunch, but Nene said Lingling was in an ongoing meeting, so she just left the food with her. Tuesday came, Lingling wasn't in the company. She learned from Jaja that Nene told her they were evaluating the factory renovations outside Bangkok. Wednesday was the same, but this time, Lingling went alone to attend a personal meeting with someone named Ms. Williams. Today, she wouldn't be able to see her again since she would be in Buriram and Lingling would be in Chiang Mai. She wasn't expecting a message from Lingling, not really. That would be too demanding of her, she thought. She didn't have rights to do so anyway. But a tiny part of her had this constant urge to check her phone in case Lingling sends her something. 

Orm sighed, shaking the thought off of her mind. She crossed her legs as well as her arms, and closed her eyes. ‘I wonder what you're doing right now, Lingling Kwong.’ 

It was around 10 o’clock when their team arrived at the farm that Orm's family owned. As the service van entered the property, Heng asked, “You own this?” He was in awe of how vast the land was. 

“Oh no, I don't. My parents do.” Orm gave him a bashful smile. 

“Ay, you're too humble, Nong! She's an only child, so she'll eventually inherit their farm.” Jaja proudly interjected, making Heng and Gold tease her, while Manager Ya watched them with a fond smile from the rear-view mirror. Meanwhile Prigkhing who was sitting at the back, subtly rolled her eyes at Orm’s denial. 

“If you're this rich, why are you still working at Noiam?” Heng asked, and Golf agreed. “If I were you, I'd just enjoy life.” The latter added. 

Jaja cautiously glanced at Orm. At the back, Prigkhing narrowed her eyes at her, quietly waiting for her answer. Even Manager Ya was interested.

“I was always interested in food research and Noiam Foods is one of the largest companies in food retail and development in Thailand, so it's a huge opportunity that I can't pass up.” Orm answered. Thankfully, they seemed to be satisfied by her answer except for one, of course. There was some truth to it anyway aside from the fact that she needed to stay in Bangkok while married to Lingling. 

Jaja smiled proudly. That was a great save, she thought. 

Not long after, they reached the 2-storey farm house-turned-office at the center of the property. The team was welcomed by Orm's parents. They all greeted each other warmly. Orm also went to hug her parents. 

They all went inside the house. As they were settling down, their helper brought them snacks and refreshments. Heng and Golf gave each other a look, both awestruck to learn this part of Orm's life after a month of working together. Even Prigkhing was secretly surprised by it. 

“These are the products we're developing this year…” Manager Ya gave Ton and Koy copies of the Noiam R&D documents. They discussed the ingredients for the products and possible dates for delivery. 

While their manager was having a discussion with Orm's parents at the dining table, Orm was put on the hot seat by her colleagues. 

“So…you live here?” Heng asked. 

“No.” Orm shook her head. “We live in the town proper. My grandparents used to stay here before, but now grandma's living with us since grandpa passed away.” 

“You have another house?” Heng was in awe once again. “She's rich.” She told Golf who eagerly nodded. 

“We're really not.” Orm was already embarrassed by the whole situation. They were nowhere near the wealth of the Kwong's, she thought. 

“You two went to the same school?” Golf asked Jaja this time. 

“Uh-huh. N'Orm is three years my junior.” 

“So…how was Orm at school?” Heng asked Jaja before looking at Orm. “I bet you're popular, no?” 

Orm felt a little awkward having asked all these questions. Perhaps she got used to the peaceful silence whenever she was with Lingling. 

“Yes, Nong is very famous in high school. I remember when she was a freshman, boys and girls would wait outside their classroom just to say hi to her.” Jaja proudly recalled much to Orm's embarrassment. It left the others in awe except for Prigkhing who didn't have any reaction. “Every Valentine's Day, N'Orm would receive bunch of gifts and flowers—”

“And love letters?” Golf asked, seemingly too invested in the conversation. 

“Not just love letters. People would confess to N'Orm.” Jaja grinned. 

“Phi.” Orm wished the earth would swallow her at that moment. 

“Awww.” Both Golf and Heng said in unison. 

“But she turned everyone down.” Jaja shrugged. 

“Everyone?” Heng asked, shocked. “You mean you never had a boyfriend?” He turned to face Orm. “Or girlfriend. I don't judge.” 

“I already have someone I want to marry.” Orm remembered the very sentence she used to tell anyone who confessed to her or tried to court her. While she did promise her grandmother that she would fulfill her great grandmother's wish, saying that made it easier for her to reject them. She wasn't just interested in anyone. She found it amusing that the person she would eventually marry was the least she expected. “I—” 

“Ah, Ying is here.” 

Orm didn't get to answer as her father called the person who just entered the house. Everyone turned their heads towards the door and saw Ying, dressed in white shirt and jeans. 

“P'Ying!” Orm excitedly called her. 

Ying smiled as soon as she saw Orm. “N'Orm.” 

Orm stood up and gave Ying a tight hug. “How are you?” She asked. 

Ying melted into the hug. “Good.” She missed Orm too much that she didn't want to let go but she knew she didn't have any rights. ‘Now that you’re here.’ So when the younger girl broke the embrace, she couldn't help but wish it was longer. 

“N'Ying.” 

“Oh!” Ying's jaw dropped upon seeing Jaja. “P'Jaja, sawasdee kha. You're back! It's nice to see you again.” 

“Sawasdee kha.” Jaja went to hug Ying as well. “Just for today. But hey, look at you. You're even taller now.” She chuckled. 

“Ah.” Ying only smiled, a bit shy. 

Ton then stood beside Ying. “Manager Ya, everyone, this is Ying.” He put his hand over her shoulder while smiling proudly. “She's in charge of the farm's production. She's very dependable and responsible. She'll be the one to tour you around the plantation later.” 

“She's pretty.” Heng whispered to Jaja. 

Jaja smirked. “She's not into you, dude.” She then chuckled at Heng's disappointed face. 

Koy, on the other hand, watched the scene from the side. Her husband has favored Ying since then. She was indeed responsible, hardworking and trustworthy. If Orm didn't agree to marry Lingling, Ton would probably push her to marry Ying instead. While looking at her husband, she sighed. 

“Lunch is almost ready. Join us, Ying.” Ton said. 

Ying's eyes darted towards Orm for a moment and saw her looking. “I um…I only came here to bring this, uncle.” She handed the envelope to Ton. “I also need to fetch Noi from school,  so I have to decline. I'm sorry, uncle.” 

Ton nodded. “I understand. Drive safely.” 

Ying thanked him. “I'll go ahead.” She bowed to Ton, Koy and Manager Ya. She then turned to face Orm. “N'Orm.”

Orm smiled and nodded. “Drive safely, Phi. See you later.” 

Ever so slightly, Ying's smile became wider. She nodded then looked at the others. “P'Jaja.” She bid farewell to her senior who waved at her in return. With a smile and full heart, she left the house. 

“Is she your sister? Cousin?” Golf asked Orm. 

“No, P'Golf. P'Ying is the daughter of one of the workers here…but she's like my older sister. We grew up together.” Orm answered. 

“Ah.” Golf nodded. “Is she single? I know a friend. I can hook her up.” 

Orm chuckled. “I'm not sure.” She shrugged. 

“The friend is me.” Golf whispered, making Orm laugh. “I'm kidding. I'm kidding.” She also did. “But she's pretty huh.” She added, and Orm couldn't agree more. 

After lunch, the whole team met Ying at the mango plantation. The weather was a little hotter that day, unfortunately. They toured around the property despite the heat. 

“We mostly use organic fertilizers for our trees.” Ying went on to explain how the farmers grew crops in the plantation as they walked towards the warehouse. “After harvesting, we bring the mangoes to the warehouse where we sort and weigh them…” 

Upon reaching the building, Ying let everyone walk in first. Since today wasn't harvest day and most of the workers were on day off, only the small door was open, so they had to bend down to get in. “Careful.” 

“Thanks, Phi.” Orm smiled at Ying before going in. 

Ying looked down and smiled to herself. She was about to go in when she noticed that one member of the R&D has yet to enter. 

“God.” Meanwhile, Prigkhing struggled to walk through the uncemented ground. She hated everything. She hated walking. She hated sunlight. She hated having to sweat all over. Her wanting to see what Orm’s life was made her volunteer for this trip. Now, she just wanted a nice cold bath and scrub. Her white Prada sneakers were covered with dust already. Trying to catch up to everyone, she walked as fast as she could towards the building. 

“Do you need water?” Ying nicely asked, but instead received an eye roll. 

“Ugh.” Prigkhing looked at Ying from head to toe and up with irritation before going inside. 

Ying frowned. ‘What’s her problem?’ She was simply just being nice. She eyed Prigkhing as she went to approach Manager Ya. “Uh…” She shook her head—the girl was obviously not listening nor was she remotely interested. “So…this is where we store the mangoes and pineapples. The warehouse next to this is where we store the sacks of rice…”

“Just how big is your farm really?” Heng asked, once again in awe. “Damn.” He subtly whistled. 

Orm only smiled. Suddenly, she felt her phone buzzing. She immediately checked if it was Lingling. It wasn't much to her disappointment. She smiled a bit before putting her phone back to her pocket.

“...yes. We're set to harvest at the end of April.” Ying slightly furrowed her brows upon seeing Orm's expression. She didn't want to assume, but she had a strong feeling that it was related to Lingling Kwong. “Ah, by the way, we prepared mangoes for you to try.” 

Another worker came with a tray of chopped mangoes. 

“N'Orm.” Ying handed one to Orm. 

“Thank you, P'Ying.” Orm smiled. 

“Are you okay?” 

“Huh?” Orm furrowed her brows for a moment but nodded anyway. “Uh-huh. You're doing a great job here, by the way.” She smiled. 

“Thanks. Just trying to do my job.” P'Ying thought Orm's smile could make anyone's heart melt, including hers. She wouldn't want her to lose it just like earlier. If only, she thought.  

“Oh wait, I almost forgot.” Orm excused herself to approach Golf. “P'Golf?” 

Ying gulped and sighed. She watched Orm walk away once again. 

“Wow. It's sweet but there's still a bit of sourness to it which is just right.” Manager Ya said, getting Ying's attention. “These ones are from a rare variety, right? How do you plant this again?” 

“Ah. We acquire the seed from the…” Ying went on to explain how they grew that certain variety of mango. 

“I see. It's very impressive. No wonder Noiam partnered with you.” Manager Ya nodded as he enjoyed eating the fruit. 

Ying smiled. She found herself staring at Orm who was talking to Jaja this time. She was there when Plai came to see Orm's family. Noiam wouldn't have partnered with them if it wasn't for her agreeing to the engagement. 

If it wasn't for that engagement…

“I hope whoever I'm going to marry would be as kind as you, P'Ying!”

‘If I had told you the truth, would you also have turned me down?’ Ying could only guess what could have happened if she didn't cower back then. She was already at the entrance of the gym back in high school holding the flowers that she bought from her savings, and Orm was sitting by the stage waiting for the person who slipped the note in her bag. She was so close, but the fear of rejection and possibly losing Orm's friendship made her walk away. And now, she could only admire her from a distance. 

Afterwards, they went to the greenhouse where they grow more crops. It was their last stop for the day. As the group was taking a break under the shade, Noi came running to them. 

“Phi!” 

“Noi, careful!” Ying shouted back. 

Meanwhile, Orm's smile grew wide upon seeing the young girl. “N'Noi!” She bent down and welcomed her with a big tight embrace. “I missed you!” 

“I missed you too, P'Orm!” The little girl grinned. “You know, Phi? I did my homework fast, so I can come and see you.” 

“Awww, really?” 

Noi happily nodded. 

“Sorry, N'Orm, this brat's really excited to see you. She barely slept last night when she heard you were coming.” Ying said, standing right beside them, causing her little sister to frown. 

Orm looked up and giggled. “Is that true, Nong? Aww.” 

“Hmp! You were also—” Noi whined but Ying immediately covered her mouth. She glared at her older sister who in turn, gave her a warning look. 

Orm looked at them confusedly but laughed anyway. Usual Ying and Noi relationship, she thought. “Come Nong, I'll introduce you to my friends.” Orm held Noi's hand as they walked back to the team. 

Ying was left there standing. Her sister looked back at her and stuck her tongue out. She could only sigh—that was close. 

As they were resting near the fields, Orm's parents came and brought them local delicacies for snacks. They also brought Uni with them. 

Orm only took a little since her appetite was down for the day. So with Uni in her lap, she sat down by the huge tree root. “Uni…you will have another mommy soon.” She whispered to her dog. “I'm just not sure if she likes dogs, so you might have to stay here.” She looked ahead, watching a couple of workers in the field. “I wonder what she's doing right now.” 

“Nong…”

Orm looked up and saw Ying standing in front of her. She smiled. “P'Ying.” 

“You didn't eat a lot.” Ying said, sitting beside Orm under the tree. The latter moved a little to give her space. 

“I'm not that hungry.” Orm answered as she continued to rub Uni's back. 

Ying carefully glanced at the rest of Orm's workmates before asking, “How are you? I mean, honestly.” 

“I'm…” Lingling Kwong's unsmiling yet adorable face slipped into Orm's mind, which made her smile as odd as it was. “...doing well. Better, I guess?” She shrugged. 

Ying wanted to be happy for Orm, but she couldn't deny that deep inside, at that moment, she wished Lingling would continue to ignore the girl. It was selfish, she knew that. “Looks like you already changed your opinion of her. Didn't you say last time that you can't stand her?” 

Orm nodded. She could remember saying that. It was the night of her first day at Noiam. She couldn't tell her parents about it. Eclair was also out at work that night. So when Ying messaged her to ask how she was, she went on to vent on her. But as the days went by, she realized that maybe her and Lingling just got off on the wrong foot. “I can see that P'Lingling is trying. I don't know…it's just—” She wanted to say Lingling was adorable especially when sulking, but she stopped herself. “—She's not that bad…and she's actually nice.” She smiled. 

“How can you be sure that she's not just pretending?” 

That made Orm frown a little. She knew Ying meant well, but for some reason, she didn't like the tone of her question. She recalled those times that Lingling did those little things without asking, like getting her opinion regarding their wedding, attending meetings with the coordinators with her despite her hectic schedule, fixing her blanket and giving her own pillow, or when she bought a cooling balm for her after knowing that she got a stiff neck. If those were just pretend, then she was foolish for falling for them. 

“I mean…the farm needs the partnership with them, but she also needs something from you, right?” 

‘Maybe she’s just acting…maybe she's not, but...’ But then Orm smiled softly. “I'd like to believe it's all genuine.” 

Ying gulped. Orm was too good, she thought. Even then, she always chose to see the good in people. Perhaps it was one of the things that made her fall for her. “She better take care of you then. If not, then she'll get a taste of this.” She raised her fist while smiling despite the shattering of her heart. 

Orm laughed. ‘I'd rather not. Lingling Kwong's face is too perfect to be bruised.’ She shook her head. “Thanks, Phi. You know, whoever you're going to marry is lucky.” 

Ying hummed. “Me?” 

“Yeah! You're responsible and caring.” Orm grinned. “Right, Uni?” She then went to hug the dog, wiggling and kissing it. 

Ying could only stare at Orm with the softest yet longing gaze. ‘Can it be you instead?’ 

“Ah, Phi?” Orm looked at Ying once again. The latter immediately straightened her back. “Will you attend my wedding?” 

‘I don't think I'll survive it.’ Ying smiled and shook her head much to Orm's disappointment. “Harvest season is approaching. Someone needs to stay to coordinate with the farmers.” 

Orm pouted but nodded anyway. “I understand.” 

Meanwhile, Koy and Ton, who were standing by the table, watched Orm's interaction with Ying. 

“Ying always takes care of Orm.” Ton spoke first. 

Koy looked at him. Orm was their only child, so it was just natural for a father to wish the best for her. He already had reservations about the whole engagement in the beginning, but was forced to agree since their family badly needed the partnership. Perhaps, he became more worried about Orm after their dinner with the Kwong's. Lingling was respectful and had a calm composure, but she didn't show any interest in knowing their daughter. “Ton, Orm is getting married soon.” 

“I know.” Ton gave her a smile. It was sort of a regretful one. He didn't know if Ying had feelings for Orm, but he had appreciated how she was always there for their daughter. 

Back to Ying. She blindly picked up pebbles and threw them lightly. “Are you going to visit again?” She asked, glancing towards Orm. 

“Hm. I'm not sure.” Orm shrugged. Besides the wedding in three days, there was a lot of work at the office. “I—” Suddenly, her phone screen lit up—Message from 😈👠. Her lips broke into a smile. She turned it off immediately. 

Ying was able to see the contact name on Orm's phone. She could only guess who it was. 

“Hey,  Kornnaphat.” Both girls looked up and saw Prigkhing standing in front of them, arms crossed. “We're going.” 

Again, Ying saw Prigkhing throwing daggers at her. She stood up, confused as to why the girl seemed mad at her since they arrived. 

“Oh, okay.” Orm stood up and dusted herself. She followed Prigkhing who rolled her eyes at her for some unknown reason. 

The van picked them up directly in the fields. Manager Ya thanked Orm's parents before sitting at the passenger's seat. Heng and Golf settled on the front seat. Jaja followed afterwards, settling down behind them. 

“I'll go now, Mom, Dad.” Orm hugged both her mother and father. Her father kissed her cheek, making her smile. “I'll see you on Sunday?” Both nodded. “Please tell grandma I said hi.” 

“Take care, darling, okay?”

“Yes, dad.” Orm then hugged Uni tightly. “Bye, baby. Mommy needs to go home to another mommy now.” She whispered. She gave Uni one last kiss before handing it to her mother. She also bid farewell to Noi who has been very friendly to her workmates. “Bye bye!” 

Ying, who was standing by the car door, bid her farewell to Orm. 

“Bye, P’Ying.” Orm smiled and waved her hand then went to sit beside Jaja. 

Prigkhing walked past Ying, almost bumping into her as she went inside the van. This time, she settled beside Orm, much to the girl's surprise. “What? It's bumpy at the back.” 

Orm and Jaja gave each other confused looks. 

Ying peered inside wanting to say goodbye to Orm once more, but saw Prigkhing giving her an icy glare, so she settled for a wave and closed the door. As they drove away, she silently stood in her spot and watched as the figure went smaller until they were gone. As she wallowed in yet another heartbreak and regret, she felt her sister hold her hand. When she looked down at her, she saw a sympathetic smile on her face. 

As they were driving to the airport, Orm pulled her phone out and finally opened Lingling's message. 

From: 😈👠
Good afternoon, N'Orm. What time is your flight back to Bangkok? 

This was the first message she received from Lingling after their last meeting on Sunday. She slightly furrowed her brows trying to recall if they had a meeting that she forgot. She first typed ‘P'Lingling hello!’ but swiftly deleted it. She didn't want to sound too eager. 

To: 😈👠
We'll leave at 5:30 

Orm turned her phone screen off, but surprisingly got a reply within seconds. 

From: 😈👠
Okay. 

Orm tilted her head sideways. ‘What was that for?’ Lingling didn't say anything else. Not knowing how to answer that one, she decided not to reply anymore. 

The flight wasn't that long but it got delayed for almost an hour. The team reached Bangkok at around 7:30 PM already. Everyone was exhausted already. Manager Ya went first. He had to go back to Noiam for some documents. Prigkhing's driver was already waiting outside. She left as soon as she bid farewell to everyone. 

“We'll ride with Heng. How about you, N'Orm?” Golf asked. 

“I'm okay. Thank you, Phi.” 

“Okay. Message us when you get home.* 

“I will. Bye! Drive safely!” Orm nodded and thanked everyone before parting ways with them. She looked around wondering why Kiet had not arrived. Right then, her phone started ringing—😈👠 is calling. 

Orm was caught off guard. She was always unprepared whenever Lingling called. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the answer button. “P'Lingling?”

“I'm in the white car.” 

Orm furrowed her brows. She looked around and saw a white BMW X6 M Coupe parked just a couple of meters away. When she squinted, she finally saw Lingling through the semi-tinted glass. She smiled and waved her hand. “Lingling Kwong, hi.” She was about to walk towards it, but the older girl stopped her. 

“Don't move. I'll drive there.” 

And so, Orm waited for Lingling to pull over in front of her. She could have walked to the car with no problem, but she knew she wouldn't win against Lingling Kwong's logic, so she just let her. She went in and settled on the passenger's seat. “Thank you for picking me up, Lingling Kwong.” 

Again with her chirpy voice, Lingling thought. She started driving after a while. Without a word, she handed a take out bag to Orm. 

Orm was again caught by surprise. “For me?” 

Lingling who was slightly frowning nodded—Orm was looking at her with cute eyes like that one cat in Shrek, and it was making her heart beat faster. Once Orm was already settled and eating, she asked, “How's your visit?” 

“It's okay.” 

“Were you able to talk about the proposals?” 

“Uh-huh.” Orm, still holding the nugget Lingling bought, suddenly yawns out of exhaustion. “Excuse me.” She looked away and yawned once more. “Sorry. We'll send the full report by next week.”

Lingling glanced at Orm as they drove through the expressway. She wanted to say something, but didn't. 

“How about you? Weren't you in Chiang Mai today?” 

Lingling nodded. “I only stayed there until 2 o'clock.” 

Orm frowned. “Two?” She was sure that after coming back from Chiang Mai, Lingling had to go back to Noiam for work. “Aren't you tired? We're not supposed to meet Ms. Bambam today, right?”

Lingling gulped. “No, but I asked uncle to accompany Milk and Ciize to their field trip, so he’s not available.” She then glanced at Orm and saw her frowning. “And I'm not tired.” 

“Lingling Kwong.” Although the fact that Lingling personally came to pick her up was heart fluttering, she  couldn't help but feel frustrated that she was neglecting herself and not resting yet again. 

“I'm really okay, N'Orm.” 

This time, Orm saw Lingling smiled, silently trying to comfort and reassure her. ‘How can I get mad at you when you look like that?’ She sighed. “Fine…but you still have to rest.” 

After that, Orm couldn't remember what happened next. She could only remember that Lingling let her choose the music. But before she succumbed to sleep, she was sure the older girl changed it to a more relaxing piano piece. And when she woke up, it was already past midnight and she was already in her room. 

Back to the present time. 

“Khun Sirilak, do you need any assistance?” The staff of Pristine Towers approached Lingling upon seeing the bunch of takeout boxes in her hands. 

“It's alright.” Lingling thanked the staff, slightly bowing her head, before proceeding to the elevator. Now dressed in loose cashmere clothing, she stood inside and silently stared at her reflection in the mirror. ‘I wonder if N'Orm is still sleeping.’ Before she went down, she took a peek inside Orm's room and saw her deep in slumber, so she decided to just let her sleep. 

It was about lunch time in half an hour. She thought she would just wake her wife up by then. 

‘Wife.’

Lingling felt herself blushing at the word. She remembered last night, not that something did happen. But when they reached the building, Orm was fast asleep, so she brought her in and helped her change into more comfortable clothes. Her wife was an attractive woman, she wouldn't deny that, so it was a struggle for her to change her clothes. 

Upon reaching the penthouse, Lingling immediately unlocked their door and slid in. But as soon as she stepped inside, her eyes fell on her wife who seemed somewhat relieved or surprised to see her. 

Orm was indeed glad to see Lingling. ‘You're here.’

Lingling realized that Orm might have thought she left. “I went down to get our food. I tried…but I don't know how to cook.” She said, looking away due to embarrassment. 

Orm met Lingling halfway. “I thought you went to work.” She said, more like asked, not minding the confession Lingling just made. At that moment, she was just happy to see her. 

“We just got married.” Lingling casually answered like it was the most obvious thing. 

Orm laughed at herself for assuming the worst. She should have been used to Lingling Kwong's logic by now, she told herself. “Let me help you with that.” She offered, but her Lingling told her she got it. 

“What happened to your forehead?” 

Orm touched the spot that her ring hit earlier and let out a chuckle. “It's nothing. It's just me being clumsy.” 

Lingling stared at it for a couple of seconds before sighing. She wanted to tell her to be careful, but decided not to. “Okay.”

They walked towards the kitchen. While her wife was unpacking the boxes, she looked over her shoulders and said, “Wow. You bought a lot.”  

Lingling nodded. “I didn't know what you like, so I got um…these.” She answered, which meant she basically ordered a bit of everything on the menu that didn't have peanuts in them. 

“I'll help you.”

“It's fine. I can do it.” Lingling answered too fast, she almost interrupted Orm. Worried that she might have upset her with her tone, she added, “You can just sit down, N'Orm. I'll just prepare these.” 

Orm stopped for a while to watch Lingling from behind. Her wife's attitude towards her significantly changed compared to when they first met. If she was only acting, she didn't care. “We're partners, remember? I'll help.” She nudged her arm gently. 

Lingling glanced towards Orm who was smiling softly at her. ‘There you go again. Why is it so easy for you?’ It made her gulp. “Okay.” She nodded and moved aside a little. “Thanks.” She mumbled. 

The newlyweds brought out a bunch of tiny containers of food from the boxes. Lingling went to set the table while Orm went to get water. Once everything was laid out, the younger girl realized that Lingling just brought a whole feast to their table. It made her giggle a bit. And just like before, the two of them fell into comfortable silence. 

As they were eating, Orm couldn't help but take subtle glances at Lingling who was quietly enjoying her meal. She noticed that her eyebrow would flick up if she liked the food. She would take big bites off of them. She thought it was rather cute—Lingling has always exuded regal composure that she never thought she was a foodie.

Lingling felt Orm's gaze on her, making her slow down and eventually stop. When she turned her head, she saw her smiling at her. There it was again, her heart beating faster. ‘What is it again?’ She didn't like when people stare at her when eating, but this time, she felt shy instead. With furrowed brows, she asked, “What? Don't you like the food?” 

“I just noticed that you're a big eater, P'Lingling.” Orm answered before letting out a giggle. 

‘Oh.’ As odd as it was for her, Lingling didn't know how to answer that comment. She thought she might have not been mindful of her image while eating. “I haven't eaten anything earlier, so I'm hungry.”

Orm hummed. “Go on, eat.” 

As long as she was with Orm, there would be no boundaries or personal space, she told herself that she should be used to it by now. And so, Lingling awkwardly reached for another bite. 

With a happy sigh, Orm chuckled and resumed eating. Before she could eat something, however, she noticed that Lingling slightly stood up to reach the container near the center of the table. “Let me get it, P'Ling.” She stood up, herself, and grabbed it. 

Lingling was caught off guard. She sat back but then noticed that the satin pajama shorts and shirt that Orm was wearing looked way too short on her compared to when she was wearing them herself. She couldn't deny that her wife's flawless long legs were attractive, and even with messy hair, she thought she looked radiant. She shook her head as she sounded like a pervert in her mind. 

“Here, P'Ling.” 

Lingling thanked her. She cleared her throat and avoided eye contact with Orm. “Did you sleep well?”

“Uh-huh. Thank you.” Orm grinned, and Lingling nodded. “By the way, P'Lingling…I have to ask.” There was one question that she has been itching to ask. “Did you change my clothes last night?”

There it was, Lingling thought. Again, last night's struggle caused a slight blush to creep up her cheeks. “I did.” She answered rather quietly. She saw Orm's mouth hang open. ‘Oh no. She might think I did something.’ She immediately added, “I didn't look. I'm not a pervert.” 

Orm jokingly narrowed her eyes at Lingling. She believed her but she wanted to tease her a little. “I'm not sure if I believe you.” 

Lingling sighed. 

“You didn't peek even a little? Hm?” 

“I didn't.”

“Don't you find me desirable?” 

Lingling was taken aback. It was something those girls she met at bars before would say, but she thought Orm might not realize it. She was so innocent that she sometimes talks before thinking about it much. 

Orm, on the other hand, just realized what she just said. ‘OMG. I just flirted with Lingling Kwong.’ She subtly gulped, feeling her heart beating faster. ‘OMG! OMG! OMG! What will she say? She's probably judging me right now!’ It was agonizing since Lingling took  while to answer. 

“You did look attractive last night, but I'm not going to take advantage of you. I wasn't raised like that.” 

Orm thought she wouldn't know what to do if Lingling actually flirted back, but even with this type of response, she was out of words. But she found it heart fluttering. “I was just teasing.” She said with a bashful smile. 

“I know.” Lingling smiled this time. 

‘Ugh stupid! That was embarrassing!’ Orm scolded herself. 

It was quiet for a while, both not knowing how to move on from that little banter. It was Lingling who broke the silence. “By the way, N'Orm, please tell me if you want any renovations with your room. I'll have someone do it.” 

Orm appreciated Lingling’s effort to change the subject, so she smiled. “It's okay. I already like it.” 

Lingling felt like she was busking under the sun while looking at Orm's smile. “Okay.”

“Ah, P'Lingling?”

“Yes?”

“Don't you have a set of rules around here?” Orm imagined those series she watched with lines going 'you can't fall in love with me'.

Lingling shook her head. “You can do whatever you want. Just be discreet about it.” 

Orm was confused with the last line. But she didn't think much about it since she liked the sound of ‘whatever you want’. “Whatever I want?” She smirked. 

That made Lingling freeze, preparing herself in case Orm threw in another flirtatious line without thinking. “...Yes.”

“Okay. I'll go grocery shopping then—”

‘Ah.’ Lingling pursed her lips. ‘That's what she meant.’ 

“—because we can't live like this anymore, Lingling Kwong. Your fridge badly needs a makeover.” 

And so, Lingling found herself pushing a grocery cart along the aisle at the supermarket. It has been ages since she last went grocery shopping. She mostly had them delivered since she didn't have time. She didn't know how to cook as well, so it wasn't really a necessity. 

“This one.” Orm grabbed two cartons of milk from the shelf and put it inside the cart. “What coffee brand do you use?” 

Lingling pointed at the one on the opposite shelf and Orm went to get it. 

“This?”

“No, the one beside it.” 

“Okay.” Orm nodded before grabbing the container and putting it beside the milk cartons. She checked the items on her list then scanned through it. “Let's go to the meat section.” She started walking with Lingling trailing behind. 

“P'Lingling, do you have any specific food you wanna eat?” Orm asked while walking. 

Lingling, who was pushing their cart, shook her head. “It's up to you.” She raised her brow when Orm looked at her judgingly. “I don't cook. I just eat.” 

Orm scrunched up her nose and chuckled. Lingling didn't seem to be joking at all, but she found her answer quite funny. “Okay, Khun Sirilak.” She teasingly said before walking ahead. 

Lingling was left guessing if she sounded condescending. She didn't like it when Orm called her by her real name. With a frown, she pushed the cart faster to catch up to her wife. 

As the pair was choosing among the variety of meat cuts, Faye saw them from a few aisles away. 

“Huh.” Faye watched them with an amused smile. She took a picture of the couple and sent it to their group chat. 

Faye: [Sent a photo]
Faye: Look who I bumped into 😌
Junji: Is that N'Lingling and N'Orm? 
Freen: Wow they're already grocery shopping together 
Junji: Aww 🥰🥰 N'Orm probably saw her fridge 😂
Freen: I bet. She doesn't have anything worth eating in there tbh 
Junji: Hold on I have a patient 😂

Lingling felt her phone buzzing from her pocket, so she pulled it out and saw that their group chat was active again. Once she opened the message, she looked around to look for Faye. 

“What is it?” Orm asked upon noticing the frown on Lingling’s forehead. She followed her line of sight and saw Faye approaching. 

“N'Lingling. N'Orm.” Faye greeted them with a wave. 

“Sawasdee kha, P'Faye.” Orm smiled and bowed her head. She still couldn't believe that she could stand close to celebrities that she used to just watch on TV before thanks to Lingling. 

“How's your honeymoon?” Faye teased—Lingling rolled her eyes at her while Orm got flustered. “I'm kidding!” She chuckled and so did the latter. “Good job on forcing N'Ling to buy groceries. It's about time.” 

“What are you doing here?” 

Orm glanced at Lingling. She thought her tone was a bit snobbish. Faye didn't seem to care, however. 

“Went to buy these.” Faye lifted a tub of ice cream in one hand and a pack of sanitary pads on the other. 

Orm didn't think much of it, but she noticed that Lingling seemed to not be pleased about it for some reason. 

“You stayed there, didn't you, Phi?” Lingling didn't like how Faye's new relationship was going. Even in a private event like their wedding, Faye’s girlfriend couldn't even accompany her. It felt like she was watching her turn into her past self from her previous one, but ended up heartbroken in the end. 

Faye cautiously glanced at Orm before nodding at Lingling. “You know how it is.” She gave her friend a reassuring smile. “Anyway, I just came to say hi and congratulations again.”

Orm smiled while Lingling only nodded. 

Faye stepped a little closer to Orm and whispered, “N’Lingling is like a slow hermit. She's still figuring things out, so please be patient with her.” She then stepped back and winked at her. 

‘Figuring things out?’ Orm furrowed her brows. 

“What was that about?” Lingling raised her brow, but Faye just laughed about it. 

“I just gave Nong some heads up on how stubborn your ass is. Don't worry, she's all yours.” Faye smiled at Lingling’s sulky face. “I’ll leave you two now. Enjoy!” She was about to leave when she remembered, “Ah, N'Lingling, good luck on that project. I see you're making an effort for it. Everything will work out in the end, okay?” 

Lingling gulped and looked down. With a smile, she shook her head. It seemed Faye indeed understood what she meant that night. 

That piqued Orm's attention. She ought to ask Lingling, but she found her looking down. “P'Lingling?” 

Lingling cleared her throat and looked up. “Yes?”

Orm wanted to ask what Faye meant, but she thought it was too intrusive, so she decided to just change the topic. “Let's get some beef?” 

Lingling, for a second, thought that Orm would ask questions but she didn't. She was thankful that she didn't. “You can get whatever you want.”

Once they were done grocery shopping, their cart was filled to the brim that Lingling had to get another one. It was Lingling's first time in ages to fall in line. She would have contacted the manager for express checkout since she knew him, but thought Orm would disagree, so there she was standing in line at the checkout counter. 

While waiting, Lingling checked her emails while Orm scanned their shopping list. Not long after, it was their turn. As they were putting the items on the counter, the former couldn't help but notice the guy at the counter was stealing glances at Orm. She narrowed her eyes at him and stacked the items one on top of another creating a wall. 

Orm looked at Lingling who remained stoic while putting the items on the counter. She looked very determined to put everything in that tiny space at the same time. “P'Lingling.” 

Lingling felt Orm’s hand on her arm, making her stop. When she looked at her, she saw her shake her head. She frowned but obliged anyway. She stood beside Orm, arms crossed, while waiting for the items to be scanned. 

“Hi…Are you Khun Orm?” The guy finally spoke, getting both Lingling and Orm's attention. “In TikTok?” 

“Oh…uh…yes.” Orm was a little surprised that someone recognized her. It has been quite a while since she last uploaded a video in that app. 

Lingling furrowed her brows. ‘What's that?’

“I used to watch your videos—”

‘Videos?’ Lingling didn't say anything, but listened closely to what he had to say. 

“—My wife and I tried your recipe. They're easy to make but delicious.”

“Ah. Thank you for trying them.” Orm bowed her head and smiled. It wasn’t a formal thing. Since she loved cooking, she decided to upload videos in TikTok. She didn't expect someone outside Buriram to watch them. 

Lingling didn't know this fact about Orm. But then again, she didn't really know a lot about her. 

“We're looking forward to your next upload, Khun Orm.” 

“I'll try.” Orm replied out of decency. She probably won't have time for it anymore. She didn't know if she could do that in Lingling’s unit as well. She glanced towards her wife, but the girl seemed uninterested. So, she just smiled a bit and helped her with the grocery. 

It was already late in the afternoon when they finished restocking. Orm started cooking while Lingling went to read some documents in her home office. 

While Orm was cooking, Lingling stood up a little and peek at the kitchen from her spot. Upon seeing that her wife was busy, she clicked on google and searched Orm's TikTok. It took her a while to finally find her account. 

‘@Ormelette_27?’ Lingling let out an amused laugh. She scrolled through her account, but every time she pressed on a video, she was being redirected to an app installer. “Ay.” She didn't like installing social media apps on her phone, so she contemplated whether to do it or not. 

One minute done and she still hasn't decided yet. 

Two minutes…

…until it was already ten minutes later. 

Lingling sighed and ended up installing the app. However, she encountered another problem as she had to sign up. ‘What the hell? This is a lot of work.’ Again, she contemplated whether it would be worth it or not. Frowning, she ended up signing up anyway. Now, she just needed to make a username. 

“What should I put?” It was a huge dilemma for Lingling. “@LinglingKwong.” 

‘Username already taken.’

“Huh?” Lingling raised her brow. Who on earth would use her name on this app, she thought. Shaking her head, she tried another one—@Lingling_Kwong but it was also taken. She was confused. ‘Are there many Lingling Kwong out there?’ She sighed. “@Lingling11.” The app showed a green check mark then. But then Lingling thought she needed something more discreet. Typing and erasing a couple of times, she finally got it. She smiled triumphantly. 

“Now let's see…” Lingling typed on her phone, struggling a little on how to navigate the app. “...@Ormelette_27.” 

“SAWASDEE KHA! IT'S—” 

“Ah!” Lingling jumped when Orm's voice blasted through her phone's speaker on full volume. ‘OH MY GOD!’ She immediately turned the volume down before Orm could hear her. Afraid that the younger girl might have heard it, she stood up and peered behind her office door. It seemed like Orm didn't, so she let out a sigh of relief. She then went back to her seat and started watching. 

“Sawasdee kha! It's me again, Orm!” 

Lingling watched Orm's TikTok videos in a much lower volume this time. 

“It's the weekend and I’m craving for noodles, so today, we're going to make Pad Thai! Do you know that…” Orm exuded a warm aura in the video, Lingling noted. “...But first, let's prepare—No, let's wash our hands first!” Lingling snorted. “If you're making Pad Thai with me, you better wash your hands too. Did you wash them? Hm?” Orm narrowed her eyes at the screen as if she was talking directly to her viewers. Unconsciously, it made Lingling smile. 

And so, Lingling watched Orm's video one after the other. She found Orm quite charming and entertaining. 

“Delicious, right? What recipe do you want to try next?” 

“Sweet and sour pork. Send.” Lingling then furrowed her brows, debating whether commenting was a bad idea. After a considerable amount of time, she just let it be. 

Meanwhile, Orm noticed her phone screen lit up. She wiped her hands first before checking it.

‘@00sk11 left a comment on your video.’

She pressed the notification and read, “Sweet and sour pork.” She tilted her head to the side. “Huh?” She then shrugged, thinking it was just some random person on the app who came across her account. 

After cooking, Orm called Lingling for dinner. They both sat down and shared what the former made. 

“Here, P'Ling.” Orm handed the bowl to Lingling, but the latter spoke up. 

“Did you wash your hands?” 

“Huh?” 

Lingling raised her brow. “What?” 

Orm eyed Lingling suspiciously. “I did. You won't get food poisoned, okay?” 

‘It was a joke.’ Lingling pursed her lips. That was a huge failure. “Just checking.” 

Orm jokingly rolled her eyes and urged Lingling to eat. “It's just khao pad and eggs.” The foods she has seen Lingling eat at home so far were all take outs from hotels, so she wasn't sure if she'd like ordinary ones. 

Lingling scanned the food for a moment—Thai fried rice with tofu on top and cucumber on the side, and soy marinated eggs with sesame seeds. To be honest, she couldn't wait to try Orm's cooking again. The porridge she made last time was flavorful. 

Orm, on the other hand, waited for Lingling’s reaction. She pretended to get her own food while glancing at her wife. And so, when she saw Lingling’s eyebrow flick, she knew she did a good job. Smiling to herself, she grabbed a bite and enjoyed another silent yet comfortable meal with Lingling Kwong. 

After eating, Lingling volunteered to wash the dishes, arguing that Orm cooked already so it was just proper. So, the latter went up to her room and took a shower. 

After changing into her pajamas, Orm sat down by the window and looked at the night sky. The sky looked different from this height compared to watching it from the ground; clearer and somehow felt nearer. Lingling still feels like outer space beyond the sky, but now being near her, Orm feels that she's one step closer to knowing who Lingling Kwong really is. 

In silence, she recalled everything that has happened today. Again, she laughed at herself for assuming Lingling left. If she did, she would understand, but she was thankful she stayed. Perhaps, she still hasn't figured her out fully, but maybe someday. She didn't smile often still, but she could feel that she was at least trying to be civil with her. ‘Baby steps.’ She thought. 

Maybe they could be friends one day. 

Or more. 

Orm leaned against the glass window and let out a chuckle. ‘Baby steps.’ She let out a deep breath and pushed herself up. “I'll go check on P'Lingling.” 

Walking down, Orm thought of surprising Lingling, but instead, she was the one who got surprised—Forbes Asia 30 Under 30, Lingling Kwong, was leaning against the sink munching on their supposed leftovers from a tupperware. 

‘She likes my cooking.’ Orm felt a blush creeping in her cheeks. Lingling seemed to be enjoying her food, even nodding and smiling with every bite. She may not hear ‘it's delicious’ from her, but seeing those tiny nuances she does when she likes the food was already a success. ‘Baby steps, Orm. Baby steps.’ Smiling happily, she decided not to disturb Lingling anymore. 

After Lingling finished the second round of her dinner, and washing the dishes, she went back to her home office to check her deliverables. It was past 9 o'clock already, but Orm had not come back down, so she thought she might have retired to bed already. They will return to the office tomorrow anyway. With a filled and satisfied tummy, she then proceeded to work. However, as she was getting a pencil sharpener from her drawer, her attention was caught by a certain piece of paper. She grabbed it and leaned against her chair. 

‘Project…’ Lingling snorted. She remembered what Faye told her the night before the wedding. She took a deep breath and sighed. “I guess I only have three years.”

Chapter Text

Orm's first day as Lingling Kwong's wife felt like a fever dream because the next morning, she had to face the reality that she's now the Vice Chairwoman's wife.

Today, a new driver picked them up. Orm wanted to ask to be dropped off at the basement parking, but she was too shy to do so. Lingling was also busy reading documents on her iPad, probably trying to catch up with work since she barely did the day before. And so, when they arrived in front of the lobby at Noiam, she took a deep breath and quietly exhaled through her lips.

Lingling went out first followed by Orm. Nene, who was already waiting for them by the main entrance, greeted and congratulated them again.

"You have a meeting at 10 o'clock with the Engineering Department." Nene listed down Lingling's schedule for the day as they were walking.

As soon as they stepped into the building, Orm's gut feeling was right. All the other employees were looking at them and not-so-subtly whispering among themselves. Uncomfortable under people's scrutinizing gazes, she quietly walked behind Lingling.

Despite being one of the popular girls in their high school, Orm was the receiving end of a lot of girls' hate. Almost everyone in her grade was distancing themselves from her and would whisper behind her back.

"Look at her. She's so fake."
"Did you hear that she turned down P'Top? Who does she think she is?"
"Such a pick me."
"Ugh! She's annoying!"
"I hate her so much."

Orm didn't have a lot of friends back then, more so when Ying graduated two years ahead of her. She acted like it was nothing, but she hated it. Fortunately, things got a little better in college. To be honest, the thought of being introduced as 'the' Sirilak Kwong's wife to the world was thrilling, and she thought she could bear the whispers, but the lingering feeling of being under everyone's scrutiny kept coming back in situations like this. The only thing she could do and knew how to do was keep mum about it and pretend everything was okay.

"You have to go to the factory in the afternoon for the installation of the machine we acquired from Germany."

Nene continued, but Lingling wasn't listening at all. She knew her schedule for the week already anyway given that there were no changes. 'Why are you not walking beside me?' She gave it another few seconds before halting in her step, causing Orm and Nene to do so as well.

"Also, you're-" Nene pursed her lips.

Counting from one to three, after not getting any movement from Orm, Lingling turned around. Orm was only looking at her, so she tried to quietly tell her to stand next to her.

'What do you want?' Orm tried to deduce what Lingling wanted but couldn't get anything from her except that she looked like a grumpy puppy. But for a moment, she forgot that they were in the middle of the company lobby.

Lingling sighed. She turned towards Nene and asked, "You were saying?"

"Ah." Nene nodded. "Your grandmother's assistant called. She said Khun Usha requested lunch with you and Khun Kornnaphat."

'Me?' Orm only got the part where her name was mentioned. When she glanced towards Lingling, she saw her looking at her. Thinking her wife was waiting for her answer, she nodded. "Okay." She said, smiling a little.

Lingling's hand itched to snatch Orm's but didn't want to make her uncomfortable, so she didn't. Folding her hand, she let out a subtle sigh. Orm's mind seemed to be somewhere else, she thought. So, she turned her heels and walked slower this time hoping that her wife would eventually catch up. However, to her disappointment, she didn't.

When they entered the elevator, Lingling finally got Orm to stand beside her. However, her wife seemed to be in a not so good mood. She recalled what happened at home before they went to Noiam and analyzed if she might have said something to upset her

Earlier...

"You're still here, P'Lingling? I thought you went ahead already." Orm asked upon seeing Lingling on the sofa waiting for her. She cooked breakfast while Lingling was out on her morning jog. After taking a quick bite, she headed upstairs and prepared for work but got distracted with social media. She didn't think the older girl would wait for her.

Lingling folded the newspaper and put it down on the table. She then looked over her watch and sighed. "Let's go." She simply said before standing up and walking to the door.

Lingling furrowed her brows. She couldn't recall what Orm's reaction was when she said that. To be fair, she waited for her for more than half an hour, and she didn't point out that they were about to be late. But then again, her tone must have been mean-sounding to Orm. 'I should be more careful of my expression.' She wanted to ask her, but Nene was with them. And so, she pulled her phone out and started typing. 'Are you upset with me?' However, she hesitated on sending it. She glanced towards her wife who was only looking down, expressionless. She shook her head and deleted the message. 'I'll just ask her later.'

Orm, on the other hand, stood still while waiting for her floor. Lingling seemed to be preoccupied and she didn't want to bother her. She also wouldn't want to vent on her, thinking her wife might think she was being too sensitive. It wasn't her problem to begin with.

Meanwhile, Nene felt like a child of divorce as she stood behind the newlywed couple. The silence was agonizing to say at least. She could see both were stealing glances at each other from time to time but wouldn't speak up. 'Please talk.' She begged the two in her mind. Fortunately, the elevator door opened.

"I'll go ahead, P'Lingling." Orm told Lingling who just responded with a nod. She also bid farewell to Nene before going out.

As soon as the elevator door closed, Lingling let out an exaggerated sigh much to Nene's surprise. 'Did they have a fight?' She asked herself while standing awkwardly behind her boss.

"Khun Nene?"

Nene straightened her back. "Yes, Khun Lingling?"

Lingling wanted to ask if Nene also thought that Orm seemed upset, but decided not to. "Until my meeting at ten, please don't accept any calls."

"Alright." Nene nodded. 'Oh. They really did.'

Upon reaching their floor, Lingling went straight to her office. Once seated, she opened her phone camera and stared at herself. 'Did she think I was mad at her?' She tilted her head to the side. She saw herself frowning at the thought. "Ay!" She then massaged her forehead while sitting up straight. "I might have looked scary." She drew in a sharp breath and shook her head. "Smile, Lingling." And she did-Lingling Kwong tilted her head from side to side as she analyzed how she could look more approachable to Orm. "Ah. Better." She nodded. "Okay."

Meanwhile at the R&D Department...

"You're married to Khun Sirilak?!"

Orm was put in the hot seat as soon as she arrived at the office. "Ah...yeah." She nodded uncomfortably.

Almost everyone was huddling around her and asking her questions simultaneously. Even Prigkhing was listening closely. As for Jaja, she stood beside Orm but didn't bother telling others that she attended her wedding to avoid aggravating the issue.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Heng asked, pouting a bit.

"It's-" Orm couldn't answer in between their questions.

"How did you meet Khun Sirilak?" One asked.

"Is that the reason why you're working here?" Her other colleague followed up.

It was probably a harmful question, but she was slightly offended by it. "No, I really wanted to work here." She answered, a bit defensively. Although being married to Lingling was one of the reasons, her wanting to work under Noiam Foods was genuine. Some of her co-workers seemed upset while some were just intrigued. But if anyone had the right to be upset, it should be Heng and Golf, who she had grown quite close with since she started working at the company.

"Have you been dating or was it arranged?"

Orm pursed her lips. She didn't know whether she would answer or not. Their engagement was private. There weren't even any photos of their wedding anywhere. Also, the first time she arrived at Noiam, Lingling still didn't want to marry her, and when she finally did, she wouldn't just go around and boast, 'I'm going to marry Sirilak Kwong'. And, she didn't want to draw attention to herself or cause trouble to Lingling.

Perhaps it was too much of an invasive question that Manager Ya decided to intervene. "Stop that, everyone. Let Orm do her work."

Prigkhing subtly rolled her eyes before turning around and resuming her work while the others dispersed to their work stations except for Heng, Golf and Jaja.

"Phi, I'm sorry for not telling you." Orm slightly bowed her head to her seniors.

"Hey, N'Orm, I understand. It's your personal life, and we all keep secrets." Golf patted Orm's shoulder reassuringly. To be honest, after knowing her junior's family background, it didn't come so much of a shock to her that she married Lingling, may it be arranged or not. "Don't worry about it too much."

"Hm! I'm upset. You didn't even invite us to your wedding, Nong." Heng crossed his arms and pouted. Golf elbowed his arm while Jaja shook her head. "I'm kidding!" He chuckled. "Maybe a little bit I understand too."

Orm was touched and relieved at the same time. "Thank you." She glanced at Jaja who gave her an encouraging nod. Afterwards, they all went back to work. People would get over it eventually, she told herself.

When lunch time came, Orm excused herself from her friends to meet Lingling at the lobby. When she got there, she sat down at the waiting area and busied herself with her phone, avoiding eye contact with anyone. Not long after, her wife emerged from the elevator hall.

"N'Orm."

Orm stood up as soon as she saw Lingling approaching. "P'Lingling." She smiled.

Lingling didn't find Orm's smile the same as her usual one. She was about to frown, but stopped. So, she smiled a little and nodded. "Let's go?"

Orm was a little surprised to hear a lighter tone of voice from Lingling. It felt a little bit suspicious. She nodded and followed her to the car.

As they were traveling, Lingling noticed that Orm's mood got better compared to earlier. She contemplated whether or not to ask her if she was upset or not. "N'Orm..."

"Hm?" Orm turned to face Lingling, but the latter hesitated. "Yes, Lingling Kwong?" She tilted her head to the side and raised her brow while smiling.

There was it again, Orm's sunshine smile. 'Ah. Maybe I was just overthinking.' Lingling thought. So, she smiled once again. "I have to go to the factory later, so you can go home without me. I won't be going to the office tomorrow and on Thursday morning as well. I have to oversee the installation of the new machine at the factory."

Orm was beginning to suspect something was up because Lingling was being too 'smiley' today. 'What's with you today?'

"Just so you know."

There it was again, Lingling smiling. It was about a quarter of an inch wider than her usual smile, and it did not feel natural at all, Orm noted. Despite still being confused by this sudden change in her wife's demeanor, she nodded. "Okay." She then smiled rather awkwardly and looked the other way.

'Just okay?' Lingling nearly frowned once again but raised her brows instead. 'Be nice. Look nice.' She told herself. She glanced at Orm, who was again looking outside. She let out a quiet sigh and busied herself with reading.

Orm furrowed her brows. She was sure that she had seen this version of Lingling's smile before, but couldn't recall when. 'I swear I saw that smile before.' She quietly watched the billboards on the expressway until her eyes landed on a jasmine tea advertisement. Suddenly, it clicked. 'Huh.' It was the same smile when the older girl called her to her office for the first time. 'That fake ass smile.' She peeked at her wife for a moment and saw her reading. She only met her wife's grandmother on the day of their wedding. She seemed nice, but she sounded strict to her granddaughter. 'Maybe that's why.' She snorted and shook her head.

But the lunch was actually quite nice. Lingling's grandmother was lovely. She kept talking to Orm and even told Lingling to bring her to Hong Kong soon. She said she would leave tomorrow and was looking forward to seeing them again. Talking with her made her miss her own grandmother.

Before they parted, Usha, Lingling's grandmother, took Lingling to the side to talk to her while Orm stood by the entrance of the restaurant's VIP room. The latter could hear them, but she couldn't understand a word since they were talking in Cantonese. But she noticed that Lingling seemed to be timid while her grandmother was talking. Since she couldn't understand a word, it looked like her wife was being scolded. But then again, Lingling had always been respectful to the elders which she found endearing. 'I wonder what they're talking about.'

Usha stood tall while holding her crane for support. "Lingling, I expect that you'll take care of your wife. Remember what I told you, you must always stand beside her. There is a time for work and a time for family. You late grandfather and I made sure we have time for each other, so you should make time for Orm."

Orm heard her name and wondered what it was about.

Lingling nodded. "Yes, grandma."

"When is your honeymoon?"

Lingling felt herself blushing at the word, but kept her composure. She subtly glanced at Orm for a moment before answering. "We pushed the date of our trip to Italy until next month since we still have a quarterly conference coming up."

"Very well." Usha nodded, then turned her attention to Orm. "Orm, dear." With a smile, she approached her.

Orm smiled as well. Usha gestured for them to walk, so they went towards the entrance of the VIP area with Lingling walking behind them.

"Please take care of my granddaughter." Usha said in a significantly softer tone than when she was talking with Lingling.

Orm smiled and nodded. "I will, grandma." Meanwhile, Lingling was silently watching their interaction from behind.

"If Lingling causes trouble, don't hesitate to tell me."

Orm chuckled this time. "P'Lingling has been kind to me, but I will keep that in mind, grandma." Lingling snorted and looked away, unconsciously smiling at Orm's answer.

"Come and visit me in Hong Kong soon, alright? I'll show you pictures of Lingling when she's still a child."

Orm beamed at that. "Really, grandma?"

Usha nodded. "Lingling is a sweet child, you know?"

Usha seemed to like Orm a lot, and honestly Lingling was happy about it. She walked behind them while her grandmother talked about her childhood years as if she was not around.

"I have one where Lingling was crying."

Orm tilted her head to the side. "Crying?" She asked. Lingling, on the other hand, tried to recall what exactly her grandmother was talking about, but couldn't recall anything from her memory.

"We were at a flower field and there were a lot of bugs, so she cried and wanted me to carry her." Usha laughed fondly at the memory.

'Ah. That.' Lingling frowned. She was just five years old then. "Grandma." She mumbled, whining a little.

Orm turned to look at Lingling. "You're afraid of bugs, P'Lingling?" She said with an amused smile.

'Now N'Orm's judging me.' Lingling sighed.

Orm imagined her wife as a child running towards her grandmother while crying. She must have been really adorable back then.

"She is." Usha answered for her granddaughter. "Lingling used to..." She went on to tell Orm her memories with Lingling until it was time to bid farewell.

Afterwards, the pair went back to their car. As they were walking, Lingling spoke up, "We'll drive you back to the company first before going to the factory."

"Are you picking up Khun Nene?"

"No. She's already there."

Orm nodded. She glanced towards her wife and asked, "What were you talking about earlier, P'Lingling?"

As odd as it was, Lingling felt shy to tell Orm what her grandmother told her. "Nothing important."

"Lingling Kwong." Orm pouted. Lingling liked it every time she called her like that, but still didn't answer. "Did grandma scold you?"

Lingling furrowed her brows. She realized that it might have appeared like that since they were talking in a different language. "No."

Orm narrowed her eyes at her wife, then playfully smiled. "Looks like I'm Grandma Usha's favorite now."

'Ah. I really was just overthinking. N'Orm's not upset. Silly.' Lingling thought. "Perhaps you are." She answered. She didn't mind Orm being her grandmother's new favorite.

"Hmm." Orm once again narrowed her eyes at Lingling. "Then perhaps you should keep me?" She whispered.

"What was that?" Lingling heard Orm say something but it was too quiet to be comprehensible.

"Nothing." Orm shrugged and went inside the car. She giggled once seated.

Lingling frowned and followed after. "What did you say?" She asked once more but Orm innocently shook her head. Seemed like she wouldn't get an answer, so she sighed.

Orm, on the other hand, smiled wider upon seeing the version of Lingling that she knew-no more forced fake smile.

"What?" Lingling hesitantly asked, seeing that her wife was staring at her and smiling.

"You're pretty, P'Lingling. Have I told you that?"

Lingling felt as if her heart skipped a beat. That was so random. She was aware of her own attractiveness, but she didn't know how to react to that. Thankfully, Orm giggled and looked away before she could see the faint blush on her cheeks. 'You're talking without thinking again.' She slightly looked down and smiled.

Orm, on the other hand, shut her eyes and wrinkled her nose. 'That was cheesy. Nice one, self.' She bit her lip and decided to just watch the road.

As they were about to enter the company's vicinity, Orm spoke up, and Lingling was quick to listen.

"P'Lingling, can we drive directly to the parking lot?"

Lingling put her iPad down and turned her head towards Orm. "N'Orm requested to be dropped off at the parking lot." She remembered her conversation with Kiet.

Lingling seemed to be waiting for an explanation, so Orm plastered a sheepish smile. "It's just nearer to our office." But the truth was, she didn't want to attract more attention. If her being invisible would make the whispers die down faster, then she would gladly do so.

"Okay." Lingling nodded. She made eye contact with the driver through the rear-view mirror who in turn nodded. 'It's probably really just that.' And so they did.

Upon reaching her floor, Orm decided to go to the restroom first. It was on the other wing, however. As she was about to walk across the elevator hall, her name got mentioned amidst the talks. A handful of employees were gossiping about her and Lingling. What was worse was that she recognized one of the voices to be from a colleague at R&D. She stood behind the wall and didn't dare to make a move.

"She married that new hire from your department, right?" She heard an unfamiliar woman's voice.

"Uh-huh. Kornnaphat. You know our department doesn't even need new food technologists, but here she is. And the other one didn't even graduate in food technology but got hired as well." Amara, her colleague, answered.

"Ay! Nepo babies are the worst." It was a man's voice that sounded familiar, but couldn't tell his name.

"Exactly. She's just here because she's married to Khun Sirilak. She doesn't even know how to use a microplate reader." Amara said.

Orm wasn't close with her other workmates at the R&D, but she didn't know there were some who hated her presence.

Then, another man's voice added to the talk. "Wait! Is she rich? I mean, I'm sure Khun Sirilak won't marry just anybody."

"Apparently, she is, Khun Khiang. I heard her family owns the farm Noiam recently partnered with. It's now the new primary supplier for the company, you know?" Amara snorted.

"Maybe that's why." That guy, Khiang, answered. "It's all business at the end of the day for them." He chuckled.

"I bet. I don't think she's Khun Sirilak's type." The first one spoke again, which made Orm frown. "Do you remember the online tabloid article last year?"

All of them apparently did. They even laughed at the said article which Orm had no clue what it was about. 'Article?'

"Yes, I remember that!" The first guy answered, but was hushed by Amara, so he spoke in a more quiet voice. Then the elevator door opened. "They took it down fast. Money really works wonders, eh?" He added

"It's true-"

Orm wanted to know what it was about, but their voices died down as the elevator door shut. She sighed as she stood behind the wall while calming herself down. 'It's probably not important.' While she hated the gossip, she couldn't do anything about it. It would look bad on Lingling if she talked back anyway.

'It's just the first day. It will be fine tomorrow.' Once she called down, Orm let out a deep sigh and proceeded to the restroom. Thankfully, she was alone. Frustrated, she grabbed the tissue a bit harshly. It felt like high school all over again. 'They're just gossip, Orm. They don't matter.' She told herself over and over again while staring at herself in the mirror. She took a deep breath and smiled. 'It's fine. I'm fine.'

The pair did not see each other much for almost two days since Lingling had to oversee the installation of their new machine at the factory as well as its trial run. She also had to come back after office hours to Noiam to finalize the report for the board meeting tomorrow.

It was Thursday then when Lingling decided to accompany Orm to Noiam first before going to the factory. Before she entered the car, however, she was asked again by their driver where she wanted them to be dropped off. Just like with Kiet, she found out that Orm also requested to be dropped off at the parking lot entrance. She didn't think much of it since she believed the reason her wife gave her, but then something felt off. Maybe she had just become too sensitive with how her wife acts around her, but she noticed Orm hadn't been talking much. Even during their car ride today, Orm did not say a word to her. She didn't even bother playing a song on speaker like she used to. They seemed fine last Monday, so she thought that maybe Orm felt neglected since she had been out most of the time. And so, she planned to make it up to her. She messaged Orm while still at the factory to ask if she was busy, hoping to invite her for lunch in a restaurant near the company, but she said that she still has reports to finish. Lingling understood her, so she opted to have a nice dinner later at home instead.

It was around lunch time on that day, Lingling just came back from the factory. They were already near the company complex when they stopped at a red light. She was scrolling through a catalog of Swarovski jewelry when the car behind them honked. She looked outside but then her gaze fell on Orm who was having a meal with her co-employees at a café.

'I thought you were busy?'

Orm seemed to be enjoying their time with them. She looked away just as their car started driving. She gulped down, not liking how she was feeling at the moment. On the screen of her iPad was a Swarovski bracelet with flower design.

She recalled her conversation with Kiet a week ago. Just like this week, she also requested to be dropped off and picked up at the parking entrance. The first time they went to work together, Orm couldn't wait to get out of the car and didn't even wait for her. Even last Monday, it was their first appearance as a married couple but she didn't seem to be enthusiastic about it. When she learned that Orm lied about being sick to her workmates to attend their wedding preparations, she didn't make a big deal out of it despite not understanding why she had to make an alibi. One more thing, they were fine when they were preparing for the wedding and on the day after their wedding but why did it suddenly feel like she was ashamed to he with her? If she was just upset with her, she would've told her already, right? She couldn't understand and she hated it. She then came to a realization that maybe Orm felt uncomfortable being seen with her within the company grounds.

But why?

She thought that even if Orm didn't feel anything towards their marriage, she would appreciate it if she would act happy in front of the people at Noiam when they're together.

Gulping down, Lingling deleted the tab for the jewelry then opened another company file. She wasn't sure if she was annoyed or hurt, but she sure was upset. Drawing in a sharp breath, she made herself busy with work.

Nene, who was sitting in front, had noticed the sudden change in Lingling's expression through the rear-view mirror. She tried to see what her boss was looking at but they already turned around the corner towards Noiam. 'Are they still fighting?' She asked herself. However, when she asked Jaja how Orm was doing, she said that she didn't notice any change in her mood.

Meanwhile, Orm sat down on one of the window seats of the café near Noiam with her friends. When she looked outside, she caught a glimpse of a black car, the same model she and Lingling used for work. She thought about her wife then. She received a message from her earlier asking if she was busy. When she told her that she had reports to finish, she only received a 'Alright. Let's just order dinner later.' They had not shared a meal for days now since her wife was busy.

"N'Orm!"

Orm was snapped out of reverie when Jaja bumped her arm. She chuckled bashfully. She was so preoccupied that she didn't notice that they were asking her something.

"Nong, are you still thinking about what those people said?" Golf asked.

Orm thought after a day or two, gossip would die down but she was wrong. It seemed like as the days went by, more and more people at the company disliked her. They weren't subtle with their whispers either. It would have been fine if it was only about her, but they were gossiping about Lingling as well. What more if they knew about their 3-year stipulation.

Jaja nudged Orm gently. "Hey, Nong, don't worry about it. They're just jealous."

"True." Heng nodded.

The three of them noticed how others were starting to treat Orm differently after learning about her marriage to Lingling. They thought that she might feel better if they ate outside so she could have a breather from all that gossip. At first, Orm didn't want to go since she had reports to do and Amara's words were engraved in her mind, but agreed after some convincing from them.

Orm poured. She appreciated her friend's effort to cheer her up. "Thanks."

After lunch, they went back to the company. As they were riding the elevator up to their floor, Orm received a message from Lingling.

From: 😈👠
You can go home first later. I still have work to do.

'Ah.' Orm's face fell. She thought they could finally have a meal together. She pushed the unpleasant thought aside. 'She's probably busy with the board meeting tomorrow.' Sheet out a quiet sigh and sent a quick reply.

To: 😈👠
Alright, P'Lingling

"It's our floor."

Orm turned her screen off and followed her friends out.

The next day came and the pair found themselves again in the back of the car enveloped in an uncomfortable silence as they drove to the company.

Orm clasped her hands together over her lap while glancing at Lingling from time to time. The whole week, her wife has been coming home very late. She would wait for her while working, but she would eventually succumb to sleep and exhaustion. She also kept her room door open, so she would see if she was home already. It felt like their first day really was a fever dream, and now, they were back to reality. The only consolation she got was that Lingling ate the food she made, except for last night and this morning. Earlier, she did not leave her room until it was time for them to go. Orm thought that maybe her wife was just preoccupied with the board meeting today. To be honest, she didn't like this silence surrounding them. It wasn't peaceful nor comfortable at all unlike before as if something was wrong, but she couldn't point out what.

Inside the elevator, the two of them stood next to each other but none made a move to break the silence enveloping them until they reached Orm's floor.

"It's my stop, P'Lingling." Orm quietly said, sounding unsure.

Lingling nodded. "You don't have to wait for me later. The board meeting might end late."

Just like when they first met, Lingling's expression was cold, although her tone remained the same. 'What's happening, P'Lingling?' Orm nodded at her wife before exiting the elevator.

Lingling looked down as soon as the door shut. Knowing how outspoken It was petty, but she was intentionally giving Orm a cold shoulder. Knowing how outspoken she usually was, she thought she would have already confronted her about it but she didn't, and it felt as if she didn't seem to care that she was upset.

Then came lunch time, Lingling sat down on her chair, mindlessly scrolling through TikTok. She ordered food, but it didn't taste as good as before. 'Orm cooks better.' She thought while chewing the noodles. Her fingers were itching to type Orm's handle and watch her cooking videos again, but her pride was preventing her from doing so. She had yet to watch another video on her profile since yesterday.

"Ay." Lingling shut her eyes then ended up on Orm's page once again. Just now, she noticed the new description on her profile - 'Married 4/7 💫🦋'. She stared at it for a considerable amount of time. "Ah." She let out an amused laugh. At least Orm put in her public profile that she's married, she thought. 'Maybe I'm just being too sensitive again.' She sighed and started watching.

Everything was fine at first. It made her mood improve significantly, even, until she came across one particular video.

'Ying?' In the video, Orm was with this woman Lingling had not seen before. She seemed very close to her wife, yet she wasn't at their wedding.

"Try it, P'Ying." Orm fed this girl, Ying, the food she made. "Good right?" They were laughing and Orm had a big smile plastered on her face. The other girl was even holding her close as annoying as it was. Frowning, she scrolled through the comment section.

'Aww! So sweet! 🥰'
'I wish my partner would cook with me too.'

'Partner?' Unconsciously, Lingling rolled her eyes. It wasn't the only comment that was like that. There was even one asking who the girl was, but Orm did not reply nor denied the 'partner' comment. If she didn't know who Orm was, she would also think they were dating. Then a thought crossed her mind. She thought that maybe Orm was thinking about this woman, that was why she would look outside whenever they were in the car. Her face fell. She contemplated whether to comment or not. She gulped. She lost her appetite already. Just like that, her mood dropped again.

"Khun Lingling..." Nene knocked on the door before entering.

Lingling turned her phone down and waited for her to continue.

"...Khun Pentaii is already in the lobby."

Lingling nodded. "Let him in when he comes up." She answered. Once alone, she drew in a deep breath. 'Whatever.'

Lingling Kwong's mood stayed like that the whole day.

It was already past 9 o'clock in the evening and Lingling had yet to come home. Orm stood by the floor-to-ceiling window of their living room.

The night sky was devoid of stars tonight.

"N'Lingling is hard to read, but once you do, you'll realize how transparent she is with how she feels."

Orm could only sigh. She knew Lingling wasn't at the office anymore since Jaja already posted that she and Nene were hanging out and 'destressing'. Or if ever her wife was still at Noiam at this hour, she was being stubborn again and neglecting her health. She wanted to message her but afraid she might sound demanding. She didn't have rights anyway.

"Where are you, P'Ling?"

On the other side of Bangkok, Engfa sat on her huge leather chair, sleeves rolled up to her elbows and glasses on. She was making some edits on their proposal for the acquisition of the Manoban property near Chao Phraya River. She had been eyeing it ever since the news came out that Lisa, the granddaughter of the late Khun Atid Manoban, was considering disposing the land. So, her team was working extra hours to complete the designs and proposal to win the bid.

"Khun Engfa..."

Engfa looked up and saw her staff by the door. She smiled and asked what it was.

"You have a caller on line 2. She said you were waiting for her call."

"I am?" Engfa didn't have any idea who it was, but answered it anyway. "Hello?" She smiled as soon as she heard her voice. "Ah. You finally accepted my invitation." She glanced at her employee before answering. "Send me the address. I'll see you there." When the call ended, she told her staff, "Let's call it a night."

Chapter Text

“What do you think happened?” Gap motioned towards Lingling who was running on the treadmill in a visibly bad mood. 

Namtan shrugged. “I don't know.” They were in their mid routine when Lingling arrived. She only greeted them with a nod before starting on her own. “I heard today is the board meeting, right?”

Gap nodded. He didn't hear anything significant from Pentaii, however. “Do you think they're fighting?” 

Namtan furrowed her brows. “It's only been a week.” She silently watched Lingling from her spot. “Don't you think it's about the article online? I can't believe tabloids will do anything just to get a picture of their wedding.” 

Gap chuckled. Lingling and Orm's wedding wasn't as discreet as they thought it was. “Does it matter? Freen will take it down soon anyway.” 

Namtan shook her head, letting out an amused laugh. She remembered that one time, several months ago, Lingling was photographed checking in a hotel with someone. In just half an hour, there was already no trace of the photo anywhere. “Well, you're right.”

Lingling’s step wined down until the machine stopped. She grabbed her bottled water on the side and drank the remaining content. While catching her breath, she opened her phone, she realized that it was past 9 o'clock already. There was no message from Orm, so she put it down again. 

‘I wish my partner would cook with me too.’ 

Lingling shook her head and wiped her sweat, also pushing the irritating thought aside. After an early dinner with the board members, she went back to Noiam to pass time, but couldn't concentrate, so she went to the gym instead. She was so engrossed in pouring her frustrations on working out that she didn't notice the time. ‘N'Orm's probably sleeping already.’ With a sigh, she grabbed her bag. 

“Are you heading home, P'Lingling?”

Lingling was so deep in her own thoughts that she forgot that Namtan and Gap were there as well. “Yes.”

“Alright. Drive safely.” Namtan waved her goodbye. 

“That's right. Go home. Your wife's surely waiting for you, uy.” Gap, on the other hand, said, lowkey scolding his friend. 

‘She didn't even message me.’ Lingling pursed her lips. She decided to ignore his comment and go home. 

While putting her bag on the compartment of her car, Lingling’s phone screen lit up. She immediately checked it and was disappointed that it wasn't Orm's message. Instead, it was an email from Swarovski. She almost forgot that she asked them about the flower bracelet that she saw yesterday since the design was not available in Thailand. She thought of giving her wife a bracelet to make up for her absence. She remembered her wearing bracelets with Swarovski crystals during their first meeting with their wedding organizers, so she thought she would get her a new one. Despite being upset, she decided to buy it anyway. But instead of replying, she dialed on her phone. The person picked up after a while. 

“Hello, Alessandro.” Lingling spoke in English. 

“Lingling, it's been a while, eh? I heard you got married.” Alessandro, Lingling’s batch mate from Wharton, spoke from the other line. 

“Yes, I did recently.” Lingling answered. He congratulated her then before asking if she needed anything. “I want to ask you a favor.” 

“Anything.” He said. 

“I sent you a photo. Can you buy that one for me, please? It says that it's available in Italy. I'll send you the payment now if it's okay with you.” 

“Hold on.” Alessandro's end was silent for a moment before an amused laughter was heard. “Swarovski? You don't like Bvlgari anymore Ms. Kwong?” 

Lingling rolled her eyes. 

“I'm just joking.” He chuckled. “I'll do it. Consider it done.” 

When Lingling arrived at their unit, the lights were dimmed already. On the counter, she saw that Orm left some food for her again. She sighed and ate it in silence. They had been like this the whole week and it didn't feel good. But she had to hold on to her pride at least until her wife noticed that she was upset. After washing her plate, she went up. Just like the days prior, she stopped by outside Orm's room for a while before going to her own room. 

The morning came and Orm woke up quite early. She ought to go back to sleep but couldn't, so she went down and made breakfast. She wasn't sure what exact time Lingling got home last night, but was relieved to know she ate the food she left at the counter. Around a quarter before six, Lingling went down and was actually surprised to see her up. 

“P'Lingling, good morning.” Orm smiled with a bit of uncertainty. 

Lingling smiled a bit as well. “Good morning.” She was in a better mood than yesterday but still upset since Orm ignored her comment on her video as well. 

Orm saw that Lingling was dressed in running attire and found an avenue to spend time together and maybe reconnect, so she asked, “Are you going for a run?” Her wife only responded with a nod, however. She watched her pack her bag for a moment as she contemplated whether to continue their conversation or end it at that. Her hand gripped the spatula a bit tighter. “I made breakfast.” That made the older girl stop for a second, but her reply was disappointing. 

“I'll eat later.” 

Orm bit her lip. They were just okay, but now Lingling had been acting distant once again. She wasn't as cold as before, but it just didn't feel right. So, she mustered all her courage and said, “Can I come with you?”

Lingling finished zipping her bag then. She looked towards Orm and saw her looking at her expectantly. Again, she was giving her that begging cute cat eyes. ‘What for? You feel uncomfortable being seen with me, right?’ She gulped, wanting to say that, but ended up nodding. “Sure. Do what you want.” She answered. 

That made Orm genuinely smile this time. “Okay. I'll just change my clothes.” 

When they arrived at Nong Bon Lake Park, they did some stretching first. During the car ride, the Lingling didn't say a word and it was bugging Orm big time. But the latter thought that maybe spending time with each other would eventually solve whatever strain their relationship had, not that they have ‘that’ kind of relationship. 

However, Orm found out that she might be wrong because Lingling kept running, not even minding that she was lagging behind. “P'Lingling.” She called out but was ignored. They have been running around the trail for an hour and she was exhausted already. “P'Lingling, wait up please.” It was past 7 o'clock but the sky was starting to darken. “P'Lingling!” Orm called while trying her best to catch up. She was afraid that it might rain soon. “Lingling Kwong!”

Lingling stopped this time. 

“Wait for a moment please. Let's—”

Abruptly, Lingling turned around, frowning. Her sweat-streaked hair was sticking down on the side of her face. “What?!” 

Orm frowned at Lingling’s tone. She was exhausted and heaving. She was not built for such strenuous physical activity and her wife was not helping at all. She opened and closed her mouth, wanting to say something but didn't. She could feel her patience growing thinner. 

Lingling wasn't aware that she shouted at Orm. She harshly pulled one of her AirPods out and asked her once again in a much calmer tone, “What do you need?” They were standing more than five meters away from each other now. 

Fists clenched, Orm could feel her tears forming. Lingling was being mean once again.

Lingling looked down on the ground and sighed before averting her gaze at her wife. Her hands on her waist as she tried to catch her breath. “What's wrong? You asked to come.”

Orm looked up and blinked them away. She sighed deeply. She gave up. So much for spending time together. “If you didn't want me here, you could have just said no.” 

Lingling furrowed her brows but didn't say anything. 

Orm took calming breaths, but she was mad and upset. “Go and run on your own, Lingling Kwong. I'm just gonna go home.” And with that, she turned on her heels and started walking back. 

“Orm!” Lingling called but Orm ignored her. The park was far from their building, and she doubts that her wife even brought her wallet with her. “N'Orm, come back here.” She looked towards the lake and bit her lip. ‘I should be the one who's upset.’ She shut her eyes tightly and exhaled deeply before running after her wife. “Orm! N'Orm!” Seemed like the younger girl was not a fast runner, but surely was a quick walker. “N'Orm, wait up!”

Orm was mad. She ignored Lingling's calls as she walked down the pavement. ‘You don't want me here? Fine!’ She bit her lips to keep her tears at bay. “You're mean.” She kept mumbling while walking as fast as she could. 

Lingling tried to catch up with Orm as fast as she could but this part of the trail was a bit rocky. “N'Orm, slow down. Watch your—” 

“AH!” 

“—step.”

Orm fell on her knee after her right foot twisted in when she accidentally stepped on a larger pebble. “Ouch.” Lingling was beside her in a split second, but she pushed her hand away as she stood up. “I'm fine.” She said while dusting herself off. ‘Really?! Ugh! It's embarrassing.’

“No, you're not. Sit down first.” Lingling side, more like pleaded. 

“I said I'm fine.” Orm said once more while avoiding eye contact. The truth was, it hurt so much she wanted to cry. “Aren't you gonna run more? You went here for that right?” She said before walking past Lingling. 

Lingling gulped. Now Orm really was mad at her. 

“You always come home late. We haven't even shared a meal in days.” Orm was mad, and she made sure Lingling knew that. 

‘But you lied when I asked if you were busy.’ Lingling wanted to say that, but she thought it would make things worse. She may still be upset with Orm, but she felt worse seeing her like this. So, she walked in front of her to stop her from making another step. “I'm sorry, N'Orm.” Orm looked up at her this time. ‘Are you crying?’ She gulped down, unsure of what to do. “I'm sorry. Please, N'Orm…take a seat first.” 

Orm saw the genuine concern in Lingling’s eyes and now, she hated herself for giving in so fast, but she wasn't gonna tell her that.  “Whatever.” 

Lingling nodded then helped Orm to sit on the wooden bench at the side of the trail. 

Orm quietly watched as Lingling knelt down on one knee to massage her sprained foot. She passively flexed her knee, causing her to wince. 

Seeing that Orm was hurt when she flexed her knee, Lingling carefully touched her knee. “Does it hurt here?” 

Orm nodded. She felt like a kid in a doctor's clinic, especially now that Lingling was talking to her with a softer tone. Her wife asked her if she could roll her jogging pants to her knees, so she nodded once again. Turned out she got scratch marks when she fell down. 

Lingling massaged Orm's sprained foot. It was her fault that she fell down in the first place. 

“I just thought we could finally spend some time together.” 

Lingling heard Orm mumble. It made her feel happy and guilty at the same time. “I’m sorry.” She said without looking up at her. 

This  was the only time Orm got multiple apologies from her wife. Even when she insulted her or threatened her before, Lingling would do anything to make up with her except apologize. Maybe getting hurt wasn’t so bad at all, she thought. “It’s okay.” She said, and on the corner of Lingling’s lips, she saw a tiny smile causing her to do the same. 

The two of them fell into a comfortable silence that both of them have been unconsciously craving for the past days. Just like always, Orm didn’t feel the so-called grandeurs of love, only the peaceful feeling of being in Lingling’s presence.

“Let’s go back.” 

Orm has calmed down now, so she smiled a bit teasingly. “Aren't you gonna finish the trail?” 

Lingling let out an amused chuckle and shook her head, so Orm looked down and smiled as well. She then stood up and bent down a little in front of the latter. “Come on.”

“Huh?” Orm understood that Lingling wanted to carry her, she was just caught off-guard. 

“Hop on. I'll carry you.” Lingling looked back at Orm for a moment before looking ahead, feeling a bit shy about it. “We're still far from the parking lot, so it might strain your foot more if you walk.” 

Orm felt her heart skip a beat. She eyed Lingling for a second and nodded. “Okay.” And just like that she was being carried by her wife on her back, although she was worried that she might be heavy. “Thanks, Lingling Kwong.” She mumbled. 

This must be the closest they have been since they met, and Lingling couldn't seem to calm her heart down. 

Orm tightened her hold just a little bit more as they were traversing yet another rocky path. 

“We're almost there.” Lingling said. She felt Orm nod, so she added, “Are you okay?” 

“Uh-huh.” Orm nodded once more. Lingling smelled good even when sweating. She subtly leaned her head closer to get a sniff of her wife's scent. She smiled in satisfaction. The fresh scent of her skin complimented the rather sweet fragrance of her hair. She could get used to this, she thought. 

It was starting to get dark, a warning of the upcoming rain, but Orm didn't mind the long path ahead because she realized that she liked being this close to Lingling. 

After a while, they reached their car. Lingling opened the passenger seat and helped Orm sit down as carefully as she could. 

“Does it still hurt?” 

“Not so much anymore, P'Lingling.”

Lingling nodded. “Wait here, okay? I'll just buy some ice in the store right there.” She pointed at the convenient store near the parking lot. 

“Okay.” Orm smiled softly and nodded. She looked up and saw the dark clouds forming. “Do you have an umbrella? It might rain soon.” 

“I'll be quick.” 

Orm watched Lingling jog towards the store. Now that she wasn't running after her, she finally appreciated her wife's slender figure. Even the way she ran was attractive. It kind of feels a little unfair. In times like this, she found it hard to believe that she's married to Sirilak Kwong. She let out a sigh of contentment. 

After buying everything she needed, Lingling left the store. She squinted to see their car and saw that Orm settled inside already. While walking back, she saw her phone screen lit up. 

‘@Ormelette_27 replied to your comment.’ 

Lingling stopped in her tracks and opened the app. 

@00sk11: Who is the other girl? 
@Ormelette_27: My sister 😄

‘Sister.’ Lingling hummed. She scrolled through the other comments. Seemed like Orm finally decided to reply to everyone this time. 

@ไอลาเต้: I wish my partner would cook with me too
@Ormelette_27: P’Ying is my sister from another mother 55555 But I'll see if my wife has time to cook with me next time 😄 

Lingling gave the idea of cooking with Orm a thought. She would probably just watch her cook if ever. She let out a chuckle, feeling silly for being upset about the video. 

Suddenly, raindrops started falling. 

“Ay.” Lingling hurried towards their car, opening the back first to get her first-aid kit before sliding inside the driver's side. As soon as she closed the door, the rain started pouring harder. 

“P'Lingling, did you get wet in the rain?” Orm worriedly asked, abandoning her phone to focus on Lingling. 

Lingling shook her head, smiling at Orm's concern. “Put your feet here.” She thought her wife might not have understood what she meant, so she explained, “Let's clean your wound.” 

Orm understood what Lingling wanted, she was just surprised and a bit flustered to obey just like earlier. She hesitated for a while, but did so anyway with her wife's help. And so, she ended up leaning against the car door with her feet across Lingling’s lap. 

“By the way, here.” Lingling handed a sandwich from the store to Orm before taking out the antiseptic from her kit. 

“Thanks.” Orm held the sandwich in her lap while watching Lingling prepare things from her first-aid kit. The wound on her right knee wasn't serious, just some scratch with minimal bleeding. She winced when the older girls applied a solution on her wound. 

“Does it hurt?” Lingling glanced at Orm and saw her shaking her head despite the pout on her lips. “We have to clean it, so it will heal faster.” She added. Since she was the one who took care of Film and Milk growing up, it became a habit of hers to bring first-aid kits everywhere. “There. We're done.” She looked up then and saw Orm looking at her as if they were a real couple. She gulped and looked away. “Eat your sandwich, N'Orm.” 

Orm looked down on the sandwich in her hands. When she first met Lingling, she was convinced that she was cold and full of herself. She remembered when Jaja told her how much she admired Lingling, she found it quite unbelievable. If she would tell the version of herself almost two months ago, she wouldn't have believed that Lingling Kwong would be this gentle, caring and considerate. She thought that maybe, slowly, they might work. “Have a bite first.” She smiled, handing the sandwich to her wife. 

Lingling's brows slightly furrowed.

Orm pushed the food towards Lingling more. She only gave her a nod, but her wife might have understood it since she apprehensively took a bite off of the sandwich.

“Thanks.” Lingling mumbled. On the corner of her eye, she saw Orm bite the same spot that she did. She swallowed the bread and cleared her throat. To avoid any unnecessary thoughts, she grabbed the ice cream tub from the bag. 

“Ice cream?” Orm asked. It was basically a downpour outside. 

“Ah. There's only one ice pack left, so I thought we could use this as cold compress.” 

Orm giggled. ‘You and your logic, Lingling Kwong.’ She watched her wrap the ice pack neatly on a towel and dabbed it on her foot. It felt soothing. Lingling was about to hold the tub on top of her knee as well, so she volunteered to hold it instead. “P'Lingling.” 

Orm was urging her to take one more bite, so Lingling did. 

“Can we play a song?” 

Lingling nodded. “Pick whatever you like.” 

Orm adjusted on her seat to type on the screen. Not long after, an English song started playing—a female cover of Only Love by Trademark. 

“Aren't the lyrics a little sad?” Lingling asked, listening word for word, while massaging Orm's sprained foot. 

Orm shrugged. “I like the melody.” She chuckled. 

Lingling nodded. “I guess, it's good.” She quietly answered. As she was listening, the 3-year stipulation of their marriage came into her mind. 

When the song ended, Orm went to search for another. With that, another English song played inside the car. 

I walk this road 
It takes me home
Where skies are blue 

“Let me guess, you also like the melody?” Lingling asked. 

Orm smiled and nodded. “Uh-huh.” She saw Lingling smile and nod then. The truth was, she realized while listening to the first song that the lyrics were indeed sad. She wasn't sure if her mind was playing with her or Lingling's expression dropped. So, she played this song she recently discovered, in case her wife really was listening to the lyrics. 

When you're by my side
I always know
When it's you and I
I'm always, always home
I'm always home

“Should we eat this ice cream?” Orm tilted her head as she lifted the tub of ice cream. 

The rain had yet to stop and the air conditioner in the car made it more chilly. 

“If you want.” Lingling nodded. 

Orm suppressed the urge to smile so wide. Despite earlier impediments and this rain, she was happy to be in this moment with Lingling. 

“By the way, Freen and Becky invited us to dinner tomorrow.” 

Orm nodded. “Alright.” 

The song kept playing in the background while Orm and Lingling shared a single tub of ice cream inside the bubble of their car, not minding the rain outside. 

After spending time at the park, the couple's relationship seemed to be okay again. And on Sunday evening, they went to Freen and Becky's house for dinner. That day marked the first week of their marriage. 

After dinner, Orm and Becky sat down on the sofa at the veranda near the pool while Lingling and Freen went to grab a bottle of wine from the pantry. 

The couple's house was huge and modern. Just like with Lingling’s unit, Orm felt like she was walking inside Architectural Digest. Seemed like all her wife's friends were rich—Gap is an executive at Noiam, Freen is a CEO her own marketing company, Junji is a doctor, Faye is a celebrity, and for sure Namtan is too since she's able to date Film. If not for her marriage with Lingling, for sure, she wouldn't meet any of them. 

“How's your married life so far, Orm?” Becky asked. She immediately got close to Orm after meeting her at the wedding. 

“It's going well.” Orm then hummed. “P'Lingling was just busy recently but we're okay now. I guess she was just stressed out with the meeting last Friday. It was her first time presiding over it without Khun Plai.” She smiled softly. 

Becky nodded. “Does she have moods too?” She asked, glancing inside the kitchen where Freen and Lingling were. 

Orm chuckled at that. ‘Definitely.’ She nodded, also averting her eyes towards her wife who was now frowning while talking to her cousin. ‘She looks like a grumpy puppy again.’ 

“I guess it runs in the family.” Becky giggled and Orm hummed in agreement. “Freen's like that when we started dating too. P'Lingling will come around eventually.” 

‘Dating?’ Orm blushed at the word. Thankfully, the light was dim enough to hide it. It wasn't like she and Lingling had a romantic relationship to begin with. They weren't even in the friendship level yet officially. ‘Maybe soon? Ay, Kornnaphat!’ She scolded herself. She grabbed a bite from the charcuterie board before glancing at Lingling and smiled. 

Meanwhile, Freen listened to her older cousin's mini rants while choosing among the bottles of wine on the shelf. 

“I just felt that she was uncomfortable to be with me at the company.” Lingling said. She wasn't upset anymore, but since Freen asked, she told her about what she felt. She thought she would understand since Becky was her employee first before they got together. 

“And you didn't like it?” Freen asked, more like stated. 

“I don't.” Lingling shook her head. 

Freen snorted. Lingling didn't even hesitate to answer. To be honest, her cousin was direct and transparent when it comes to her emotions. But then again, she knew her since young unlike Orm. “I'm guessing you ignored her? I heard Gap and Namtan saw you at the gym last Friday night, P'Lingling.”

“I was upset.” Lingling walked beside Freen and scanned the selection. “This one.” She pointed at a bottle of Joseph Drouhin. 

“White?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay.” Freen grabbed the bottle then they walked back to the kitchen island. “You ignored her because of that?” 

Lingling wouldn't admit the second reason, of course. “Some other things too.” She casually answered. 

“And did it work?” Freen raised her brow at her cousin, who only responded with a sigh. She let out an amused laugh. “You just got married, P'Lingling. Give her a break. Don't you think there might be another reason why Orm felt that way?” 

Lingling frowned.

Freen knew Lingling was thinking about it now. Being with Becky for a couple of years now made her think differently and maturely compared to before. “I'm not saying there is…but it won't hurt to look at it from her perspective, right?” 

Monday came and once again, the couple was dropped off at the parking lot entrance. But this time, Lingling considered what Freen said. She still wasn't sure what was making Orm uncomfortable, but after thinking about it last night, she decided to just have to make a compromise if it would ease what her wife was worrying about, 

The line at the elevator was quite long today. 

Orm felt anxious once again, but did her best not to let Lingling notice. She walked with her to the elevator walking past the other employees in line. They were greeted by them as they pass. ‘Fake ass.’ She could pinpoint among them who has been gossiping about them. She could even remember that girl who had the audacity to glare at her at the cafeteria. 

Lingling quietly observed Orm's demeanor. If she wasn't paying much attention, she wouldn't notice the slight stiffness in the way she stood. On the corner of her eyes, she took note of their surroundings. A realization dawned on her. 

‘...it won't hurt to look at it from her perspective, right?’

The security personnel then pushed button for the executive's elevator for them. 

Lingling squared her jaw and called the security. The guy only nodded while glancing at the other employees. 

Orm couldn't hear what Lingling was saying to the security, however. She simply stood behind her. 

Lingling glanced towards the others on the line before saying, “Let's go, N'Orm.” 

Orm stood on the same spot she usually stands on whenever she was with Lingling. But then, she felt her wife's soft hand wrapping around her forearm. When she looked at her, she saw her motioned back. 

“Let's step back.” 

Orm didn't understand but she did anyway. Right then, other employees started walking in. ‘Ah.’ She glanced at Lingling who was only looking ahead, but has yet to let go of her arm. 

“If it's just me and my wife, or if there are no other board members around, you can let them use this elevator.” Was what Lingling told the security. She thought that maybe Orm was having a hard time because others felt that she was given special treatment. Of course, Orm would because she is her wife, but if this would lessen the issue, then she's  willing to compromise. 

The elevator wasn't that full, but Lingling was still holding her close, Orm thought. It seemed that her wife had no intention to let go any time soon. Although she was still anxious, being this close to Lingling was slowly relaxing her. 

“You'll attend the conference later, right?” Lingling whispered. 

“Yes.” 

“Okay.” Lingling nodded then looked ahead once again. She eyed each one of the employees with them. They were quiet and no one dared to talk. Of course, no one would because she was with them. 

Not long after, they reached Orm's floor. 

“It's my floor, P'Ling.” Orm said and Lingling nodded. The latter bit her lip, smiling a bit. She motioned down on her arm, but her wife didn't understand. So, she glanced back on the others first before leaning in, much to the older girl's surprise. 

Right then, the elevator door opened. 

“Your hand, P'Lingling.” Orm whispered. 

Lingling looked down and realized that she had been holding Orm. “Oh.” She quickly withdrew her hand. “Sorry.” She mouthed. 

Orm let out a chuckle. “I'll go ahead.” 

Lingling watched Orm exit the elevator along with a couple more employees. Once the door closed, she started down on her hand that she used to keep her wife close earlier. She couldn't help but smile. 

Around o'clock in the morning, Lingling went down with Nene to the conference hall to inspect if everything was in place before the company-wide quarter conference start. She didn't have to, but she wanted it to be perfect. She was able to lead the quarter board meeting last Friday without a hitch, but this was next level. Her father texted her just an hour before that he would be attending. She thought that it would be her chance prove to him that she could manage the company well in his absence. 

Thirty minutes before the program starts, the hall was slowly being filled with employees, department heads, and executives. A couple of board members had arrived as well. 

Lingling kept her eyes on the entrance to see if Orm have arrived. She saw her wife's workmates whom she saw at the airport when she picked her up last time, and then Jaja, but no Orm around. 

“Khun Nene?”

“Khun Ling?” 

Lingling slightly moved closer and asked, “Has Jaja mentioned anything about Orm?”

Nene was taken aback, not by the question but by the fact that Lingling knew about her relationship with Jaja. She tried to think, but Jaja haven't told her anything much. But then she remembered. “Ah. She told me that they went to eat outside last Thursday to cheer up Khun Kornnaphat.” 

‘Last Thursday?’ Lingling suddenly remembered when she saw Orm at the café nearby. 

“I don't think I have the rights to comment, Khun Sirilak, but I think some employees were giving Khun Kornnaphat a hard time.” Nene 

Lingling gulped. Right then, Orm emerged through the entrance door finally. She was waiting for her to look her way, but she kept her gaze down as she went to join the other employees from R&D. 

“Shall I fetch Khun Kornnaphat?” Nene offered. 

“No, I'll go there myself.” And so, Lingling walked towards the right wing seats and went up to where Orm was. 

Orm was consumed by her own thoughts to notice Lingling's presence, so Jaja nudged her. “Huh?” She looked towards Jaja, but then saw Lingling standing on the aisle. “Ah.” She stood up and approached her. “Do you need anything, P'Lingling?”

“Sit with me.” 

Orm was caught off-guard. “Do I have to?” She whispered, not that she didn't want to, just didn't expect it. 

‘I just want you to.’ Lingling thought of something that would force Orm to agree. “Dad will attend.” 

“Oh. Okay.” Orm nodded. 

Lingling's heart was beating fast. She was used to be in the center of everyone's attention, but right now, she felt nervous because she wanted to grab Orm’s hand. ‘You're already here.’ If her wife pulled her hand away, she would understand. “Let's go.” She reached for her hand and held it. 

Orm's eyes slightly grew wider. She should be used to how Lingling's hand felt since she held her close when they shared their first kiss at their wedding, or when they danced together, or just last Saturday when she massaged her foot. But her holding her hand felt different. Again, time didn't stop, but she felt as if was running at its own pace just between them.

“Wow.” Golf and Heng commented. 

Meanwhile, Jaja’s lips slowly formed a smile. On the corner of her eyes, she caught a glimpse of Prigkhing smiling for a split second, but maybe she was just hallucinating. 

Lingling reintroduced Orm to the board members that she had met already at their wedding before sitting down on the front seat. 

After a while, the program started but Plai had yet to arrive. Lingling thought that her father must have changed his mind, but she still left a seat empty for him beside her just in case. She was then called to the stage to give an overview of the report. 

Orm watched Lingling go to the podium. Seeing her upstage brought her back to her very first day at the company. She remembered that Lingling's hair was also Awavy that time. But this time, she wore a combination of light blue denim pantsuit with a darker shade of blue silk blouse underneath. Just like before, her wife talked with confidence. 

“...Lastly, the past quarter, Noiam Foods has secured a full-time partnership with SereneSprout Agriculture in Buriram—” Lingling scanned the crowd and saw that upon mentioning Orm’s family's business, there were indeed a number of them who started whispering among themselves. “As you all know, SSA Ltd. has been one of Noiam’s minor suppliers for a couple of years now. They have been providing high-quality crops for more than a decade as proven by a consistent high rating from the Food Ministry of Thailand, which has even improved to 4.8 in recent years.”

Orm watched Lingling talk from her seat. She noticed that she wasn't glancing down on the laptop in front of her anymore. 

“Through this partnership, we are confident that every product under our company will be will be top-grade. I, as the CEO, together with everyone at Noiam Foods Including my wife, Kornnaphat Sethratanapong—”

“Ay. That's so sweet of her to mention N’Orm.” Golf whispered to Jaja and Heng. Meanwhile, Prigkhing snorted.

Nene, who was sitting on the side of the stage, stifled a giggle. That part wasn't included in her prepared speech. 

Meanwhile, Orm felt shy all of a sudden as her gaze connected with Lingling for a moment. 

“—will ensure that Noiam will always provide high-quality, sustainable, and healthy food products both locally and internationally as we stand at the forefront of Thailand's food industry...” 

Lingling went down after. As she was walking back to her seat, she kept her eyes on Orm who was looking at her just like that time when they were inside the car last Saturday. She could feel her heart beating fast but it felt nice. She sat down beside her with a soft smile on her face. 

“N'Orm.”

“Hm?”

“I'm sorry. I didn't notice right away.” Lingling whispered. 

Orm felt her heart skipped a beat. Lingling didn't say much, but she understood what she meant. She gulped down, feeling a bit emotional as odd as it was. She didn't say a word, instead, she put her hand on top of her wife's then squeezed it gently. 

Lingling smiled at that. ‘It does feel nice.’ Busking in the calmness of being with Orm, she turned her attention towards the presentation once again. 

Both girls were unaware that Plai saw the whole thing. He arrived late, so he decided to sit on the back while Lingling was talking. He watched how Lingling interacted with Orm, and smiled seeing that there has been an improvement in their relationship. ‘I think I made the right choice, my love.’ 

“Khun Plai, there's a seat for you in front, sir.” His staff told him. He only nodded then followed them down. 

The report halted to greet the Chairman. It was his first appearance at the company after his open-heart surgery. 

“Dad.” Lingling smiled and bowed her head. 

“Sawasdee kha, Khun Plai.” Orm did too. 

They all sat down after. The presentation continued and Plai felt proud to see the numbers going up. He was also glad to hear Lingling taking time to explain the data to Orm from time to time. 

After the conference, Lingling and Orm walked with Plai outside the conference hall. It was around lunch time already and the company had prepared special buffet for all the employees at the cafeteria. 

“Impressive run so far, Lingling.” Plai proudly said. 

Hearing that made Lingling happy. She has been working under Noiam since college and she didn't want anything else but to lead it to success. “Thanks, Dad.” 

“Keep it up.” He said with a smile before bidding farewell to the pair. "I'll go ahead. Orm." He nodded at Orm and the girl bowed her head.

“You're not going to get lunch with your dad?” Orm asked. 

“No, he'll attend Milk's practice match at school.” 

Orm nodded. “I'll get going now too, P'Lingling.” 

“No.” Lingling abruptly said, much to Orm's surprise. “I mean, wait, N'Orm. Have lunch with me in my office.” 

Orm let out a chuckle. “Okay.” 

When they got there, a variety of Thai and Chinese delicacies were already laid out on the table. They were a lot for just the two of them to finish. 

“Are we…waiting for someone?” Orm asked. Lingling only shook her head before sitting down, so she decided to just follow her. ‘God, she's so extra.’ She cleared her throat to get her wife's attention. “How about Khun Nene? Should we call her?”

“No need. She has her own set.” Lingling casually answered and Orm could only shake her head in amusement. Meanwhile outside, Nene was giving thanks to the Gods that her boss finally made up with her wife. 

“P'Lingling?”

“Yes?”

“Thank you. I appreciate what you did earlier.” Orm smiled. 

Lingling looked down for a moment and nodded. “Don't worry about it. At first at thought, you were just uncomfortable to be seen with me…that I didn't notice you were having a hard time.” 

Orm then realized something. ‘Oh. Was that why you were acting distant?’ She smiled a bit. Even she didn't pay enough attention to Lingling to notice it. “Were you upset because of that?” 

“No.” Lingling first answered, but then, “Maybe a little…” She let out a quiet chuckle. “I guess.” She mumbled. 

“Sorry.” Orm tilted her head to the side to see Lingling’s face clearer. 

“Don't worry about it.” 

Orm sighed then. “I'm not ashamed to be seen with you. You're Sirilak Kwong, remember?" She grinned, and Lingling shook her head. "I just thought that if you hear what they say, you would eventually get uncomfortable.”

“Well, you are my wife, N'Orm—”

There was that again, her heart seemingly skipping a beat whenever Lingling looked at her like this.

“—so whatever they say do not matter to me.” 

‘What are we?’ Orm laughed at her delusional self in her mind. A part of her still tried to rationalize that Lingling was like this to everyone. "Okay."

“Let's eat?” Lingling asked, and Orm nodded. 

That seemed to have boosted Orm's confidence. They came to an agreement that they would go to work together and go home together if Lingling didn't have any meetings late in the afternoon. 

At home, after dinner, Lingling buried herself with work inside her home office while Orm finished her report inside her room. 

It was around 11:30 PM when Lingling decided to retire to bet. As she was walking towards her room, her steps slowed down then stopped outside Orm's room. Her wife was already in bed. With a smile on her face, she watched the rising and falling of her chest for a moment. It somehow became a habit of her to so. She found it rather calming. “Goodnight, N'Orm.” With that, she proceeded to her room. 

Orm, on the other hand, was only half asleep. Just as Lingling was walking away, she caught a glimpse of her. She frowned. “P'Lingling?” She whispered. “Hmm.” She shrugged, thinking she might have been dreaming, and went back to sleep. 

Meanwhile at Diamond Hotel. 

Engfa put a robe on before standing up from bed to look at her phone notifications on the nearby table. Everyone in their company were working overtime to get the proposal done. 

“Leaving already?” 

Putting her phone down, Engfa turned around and smile at the woman she had just slept with, who didn't even bother covering herself up. “Do you want me to?” She asked cooly. 

The woman let out a laugh. She found the CEO rather charming. “I heard Noiam will also submit a proposal.” 

“I know.” Engfa hummed. “But I will win.” She stepped closer to the bed. “And you're gonna help me.” 

“You really think us fooling around will help you, Ms. Waraha?” The woman asked, smirking. 

And so, Engfa leaned down, both hands on the bed. “Is it not working?” She answered, mirroring the smirk on the woman's face. 

The woman flirtatiously smile before grabbing the phone on the night stand. 

“Yes, Ms. Williams?”

“Bring another bottle of champagne to my room.” Laura Williams, business representative of the Manobans for the estate bidding, pulled Engfa by the collar. “Not quite.” She said before kissing her again. 

Chapter Text

Several days passed and the couple were already about to hit the one month mark of marriage. It was Monday then, the 6th of May, and Lingling was scrolling through a travel guide website to choose where to bring Orm to celebrate this milestone. It wasn't hard for her to plan things out, but she found it hard this time to pick one this time. 

‘This one?’ Frowning, Lingling swiped the images of the restaurant she saw on the website, but felt that it wasn't perfect. As she was juggling her choices, her attention was caught by a knock on the door. 

“Khun Lingling, it's time for the product proposal.” 

Lingling glanced over her watch and realized that she has been fixating on choosing a restaurant for almost thirty minutes already. She nodded then stood up. 

As they were going down to the smaller conference room on the 7th floor, Nene couldn't help but notice the frown on her boss's face. She had not seen such expression on her in a while. The past month, the young CEO has been smiling a bit more especially when she was with her wife. She loved seeing her boss in a good mood, more so whenever she would invite Orm up for lunch, she would also have her own set from expensive restaurants. ‘Could they have argued about something?’ She asked herself. 

“Khun Nene?” 

“Yes, Khun Lingling? Do you need anything?” 

Lingling felt a little embarrassed to ask, but she told herself she had to. It was a necessity, she thought. “Hypothetically…” She started quite unsure, but her secretary was all ears. “...supposed Jaja asked you for a date, where would you want her to take you?” 

Nene blinked a couple of times at Lingling’s directness. ‘Is Khun Lingling asking me for advice on where to take Khun Orm?’ That realization dawned on her after a second, and it left her in awe. ‘Wow. Khun Lingling is asking me for advice on their date! OMG!’ She smiled and nodded. “Hypothetically, Khun Lingling, if Jaja were to take me on our first date…” She started, emphasizing the ‘first’, assuming it would be Lingling and Orm's first date. "...I would like to have a pleasant dinner with her at a nice restaurant maybe.” 

“Yes, but what kind of restaurant?” Lingling immediately answered, and just realized that she did after a while. “Hypothetically, I mean.” 

At this point, Nene felt giddy that her boss seemed to worry about this date with her wife so much. “Since we like each other so much, the place wouldn't matter…”

That didn't help, Lingling thought. 

“...I'll go wherever Jaja takes me.”

Lingling nodded. “I see. You'll let her choose whatever.” 

“Yes. As long as she's happy, then I'm happy.” 

‘Would Orm think the same?’ Lingling asked herself. “I guess you have a point.” 

They both looked ahead. Nene happily stood behind her blss, glad to have rendered her service to their flourishing love story. 

Upon reaching the floor, they went straight to the conference room. As soon as they entered, everyone stood up and greeted them. 

Lingling immediately spotted Orm on the opposite side of the table and saw her smiling, so she gave her a nod and soft smile. She thought she looked good with her hair tied up. Her gaze then fell on the gold floral bracelet she gifted her. Seeing the jewelry piece worn by her wife everyday would always make her smile. And so when she sat down on the seat at the end of the table with the COO of Noiam Foods on her left and her secretary on her right, she looked down on her iPad, pretending to focus on her copy of their presentation to hide the subtle smile on her lips. 

“Let's start?” Mew, the COO, said on behalf of Lingling. 

As the meeting progressed, Orm couldn't help but make subtle glances towards Lingling. She always found Lingling attractive when she had her business face on. For a moment, she looked down on the bracelet her wife gave her and smiled. 

Tomorrow will already be one month since their wedding day. There were still a handful of other employees who would make side comments about them, but Orm has learned to live with it, thinking that if it didn't bother her wife, then she should not let them affect her as well. At home, on the other hand, they fell into this peculiar yet peaceful daily routine of acting more than just housemates but less of a romantically involved married couple. She liked it, the feeling, and she was starting to get used to it. 

Meanwhile, Lingling was focused on the presentation at hand, putting aside planning for her and Orm’s date tomorrow for a while. 

“Khun Lingling…” 

When Lingling turned her head, she was a bit startled to see her COO's face close to hers. But she was able to recover immediately and nodded, subtly moving away in the process. 

“I think the color of the packaging should be a little brighter. What do you think?” 

Lingling furrowed her brows while scrutinizing the design photo on screen. “Yes. The color scheme is a bit dull.” Lingling said and Mew smiled. 

Orm saw that, however, and without her knowing, she rolled her eyes. Fortunately, the conference room lights were out to highlight the presentations. She noted that Mew would lean closer to Lingling from time to time. The COO was gorgeous, she would give her that, and she knew they had to discuss the proposals but was it really necessary to get too close to her wife? 

“N'Orm, we're up next.” Jaja whispered. 

Only then Orm realized that she hadn't been paying attention to the presentations. She shook her head, silently scolding herself for getting distracted. “Okay.” She nodded and prepared the PowerPoint on her laptop. 

“Please change the color scheme and have a bigger font for the product name.” Mew told the representative of the design team. 

“We'll make the necessary changes then send the revised proposal to you.” 

Lingling as well as Mew nodded. “The R&D and the marketing team also have proposals, right?” The latter asked. 

“Yes, Khun Mew.” Golf stood up together with the head of the marketing team. “We will present the new formula for…” She went on to explain the new formulation for the noodle packet that they recently completed. 

While the two employees were talking, Lingling noticed that Orm was hugging herself a little while moving the slides from her seat. ‘I told you to wear a coat.’ She slightly lifted her hand to gauge the room temperature before turning to Nene. Her secretary was fast to ask if she needed assistance. “Please lower the AC a little.” 

Nene nodded and went to adjust the air conditioner to a more tolerable temperature. 

“Thank you.” Lingling nodded at her secretary while eyeing if Orm felt less cold. When she saw that her wife felt better, she smiled to herself and went back to reading the proposal on her iPad. 

The moment Lingling looked down, however, was the time Orm averted her gaze at her. She felt that the room got a little less cold a few moments back and on her peripheral vision, she noticed that Nene went to adjust it. Lingling might have told her to, she thought. Maybe her wife was cold too, but her delusion made her believe she did it for her. She bit her lower lip while telling herself to focus on their presentation. 

“We're also looking into putting out a special advertisement to celebrate 39 years of Noiam Foods this year.” Manu, head of the marketing team, added. “We're proposing a series of advertisements that would not only showcase the quality of our products, but also the process of making them…”

Lingling considered it. So far, they only put out ordinary advertisements for their products. They seem to be effective since their sales remained high, but maybe a little change wouldn't hurt, she thought. ‘Right. This company is turning 39 years old this year.’ With furrowed brows, she carefully read the details. 

“...Now that Noiam Foods has officially partnered with SSA…” Manu continued to explain the details of their proposal as well as the timeline. 

“Wouldn't that be too expensive if we get several well-known chefs?” Mew asked Lingling. 

The advertisement proposal was interesting, but Lingling thought they needed to plan it thoroughly. “Yes, but I think it's interesting. It's something we could look into.” She nodded, glancing over her watch. The time allotted for the meeting would soon end, and she needed to attend another one in an hour. Once the presentation was done, she said, “Let's schedule the food tasting next week.” She said and Golf nodded. “Khun Manu, let's set up a separate meeting to discuss your proposal.” The old man happily nodded at that. 

“If there are no other comments, let's end the meeting here. Thank you. Good job, everyone.” Mew followed up. 

The lights went on after, so Orm folded her laptop and stood up. She was about to approach Lingling when she saw Mew embrace her goodbye, causing her eyes to twitch. But when her wife finally turned to look at her, she straightened her back and smiled. 

Lingling met Orm halfway. “N'Orm, I still have one more meeting.” She said and her wife nodded. “Is it really okay for you to accompany Milk at the dentist?” 

“Uh-huh.” Orm nodded with a smile. “It’s near River City and I need to buy some things for our trip as well anyway.” They were walking towards the door then. 

Lingling nodded. They would be traveling to Italy on the 8th and would stay until May 12th for their ‘honeymoon’. 

To Orm's surprise, Lingling pulled out her card from her wallet and handed it to her. “Why are you giving me your card?” 

“You said you’re going shopping.” 

Lingling’s tone was so casual that it was almost amusing to Orm. Aside from them, only Nene was still inside the conference room. “I am.” She chuckled, gently pushing her wife's hand away. “I'll use mine.” 

“But I should provide for you.” 

Orm gulped. She instantly felt shy, so she glanced at Nene, who in turn pretended to be busy checking her boss’s schedule but obviously was trying to hold a smile. Lingling was serious about it as well. 

“And you can use it to buy a dress for tomorrow.” 

Orm resisted the urge to pinch Lingling’s cheeks. She looked like a golden retriever puppy holding out her card like this. “P'Lingling, it's really okay. You don't even let me pay for anything at home. That's enough.” She then gave her a reassuring smile. 

Lingling was a little disappointed, but nodded anyway. She wouldn't want to argue with Orm over it. “Okay. I'll see you at home?” 

“Yes. See you.” Orm once again nodded. 

Then, a thick air of awkwardness dawned on them. Both felt an urge to go in for an embrace, but held back. 

“Bye.” Lingling nodded. 

Orm smiled rather awkwardly too. “I'll go ahead.” She gave her a small wave before turning her heels and walking towards the other direction. 

Nene, on the other hand, heard Lingling let out a sigh as they also turned around and walked towards the elevator. It was a pain watching them hesitate. If she could have just pushed either of them towards each other, she would have already. She could only shake her head.

After work, Orm went to pick up Milk at school to accompany her to her dental appointment at a clinic near the mall. She noted that the youngest of the Kwong's was not as cheerful as Film but slightly less reserved than Lingling, just more timid. 

When they arrived, Milk was immediately seen by the dentist. Orm, on the other hand, sat down on the sofa at the reception area. While waiting, her eyes fell on the stack of magazines on the table. It had a picture of Lingling on the lower corner of the cover, so she picked it up and flipped through it until she found a page dedicated to her wife. 

“...Sririlak Kwong, 28, graduated with honors from the Wharton School of Business…She is the heiress to the multi-million dollar business empire of Noiam Group…She is currently the CEO of Noiam Foods and…”

Perhaps Orm was so used to seeing a casual version of Lingling Kwong on a daily basis that she almost forgot that she was one of the premier young businesswomen in the country. It was an old issue of the magazine, but it still amazed her whenever she would be reminded how great of a woman her wife is. She could only hope to give her the same pride that she's feeling right now. 

After some time, Milk emerged from the doctor's room. Upon seeing the young girl, Orm stood up and approached her. “You're good?” 

Milk smiled and nodded while pushing her glasses up a bit. “She just cleaned my teeth.” 

“So…you can eat ice cream now.” Orm replied with a smile, and Milk gave her a rather shy smile with a nod. “Come on. P'Lingling said you need supplies for a project as well right?”

“Yes, Phi.” Milk answered as they were leaving the clinic. “Thank you for accompanying me, P'Orm.” 

“No problem.” Orm grinned. “P'Lingling needs to finish some work first before we fly to Italy, so she needs to do overtime today.” 

The two of them drove to the mall nearby. They went to the bookstore first to buy what Milk needed before going to the department store to buy extra clothes and a pouch bag for her and Lingling’s trip. Milk seemed to relax more as the time went on. She would help Orm shop and even helped her pick the dress for her and Lingling’s dinner tomorrow. She also complimented her and told her that her sister would surely love it, to which Orm felt a bit flustered about. Afterwards, Orm treated Milk for dinner, letting the younger one choose what she likes. And so, they ended up in a local Thai restaurant on the ground floor. 

While waiting for their food, Milk's phone rang. She quickly answered it upon seeing that it was Lingling. “P'Lingling!” 

Orm also smiled at the mention of Lingling. She wondered if her wife would follow them, but given that she received a message from her that she wouldn't be able to go home early due to work made it sound impossible. 

“Did you get everything you need, Nong?”

“Yes, Phi. P'Orm and I went to the bookstore earlier. I also bought a book.” 

“Ah, yes. I heard the second book of the novel you were reading came out recently.”

“Uh-huh.” Milk nodded, smiling. 

Orm noticed that Milk seemed happier while talking to Lingling. Then she remembered what Freen and Gap told her weeks before—fastest way to get Lingling to like you is through Milk. She also remembered that the young girl was technically raised by her wife ever since their mother died. ‘I wonder how cute P'Lingling would be with babies? Aww! I bet she will be—’ Her thought was abruptly cut when she realized what she was daydreaming about. 

“How about Orm? Is she with you right now? Did you accompany your P'Orm to shop?” 

“Yes, P'Lingling. P'Orm is with me. We're at the restaurant right now.” 

Orm heard Milk mention her name. She suddenly got flustered at the thought of Lingling sensing she was thinking of her. 

“Was she able to buy everything she needs?” 

“I think so.” Milk answered, glancing at Orm with a smile. She felt quite pleased hearing the subtle brightness in her sister's voice while asking about her wife. 

“Did she buy a dress? What does it look like?” 

“Yes—” Milk was about to answer when Lingling interrupted her. 

“No, don't answer that. I'll just wait tomorrow to see it. I'm sure it's um…it's pretty anyway.” 

“She does, Phi.” Milk chuckled and Orm could only wonder what they were talking about. The food came in as well that time, so the latter went to put the glass of soda on the fomner's side. 

“May I talk to her for a while, Nong?”

“Of course.” Milk grinned and nodded as she handed the phone to Orm. “P'Orm, P'Lingling wants to talk to you.”

Orm nodded. She felt a little too excited with the fact that Lingling wanted to talk to her too. “P'Ling?” 

Lingling didn't answer until a couple of seconds after. “N'Orm, did you get everything you need?” 

“Uh-huh.” Orm answered. Then, there was silence once again. Her wife seemed to have no further questions but didn't tell her to give the phone back to Milk either. She didn't want their conversation to end like that either. And so, she took a deep breath and said, “Have you eaten yet?”

“Are you going to eat dinner now?” Lingling spoke at the same time. 

Orm let out a giggle. “Our food just came, P'Ling.” She said, nodding at Milk to start eating. “How about you? It's past 7PM.” 

“Not yet. I'm still finishing the financial report—”

A frown formed on Orm's forehead. “Ling—” She was about to call Lingling by her full name in front of her sister. Thankfully, she was able to stop herself before she could.

“—but I have food. I ordered for everyone. I'll go home after this too.” 

Orm smiled then. “Okay. Don't overwork yourself.” 

Again, it took Lingling a couple of seconds to respond. “I won't. I won't keep you. You have to eat dinner too.”

“See you at home?” Orm asked and Lingling hummed. There it was again—the line between being bound by a marriage of convenience and this feeling of being a real couple was getting thinner and thinner as the days went by. 

The call ended after Lingling bid farewell to Milk. The dinner was going well. Orm discovered that Milk was also a fan of Yoko, the famous violinist, so they started fangirling together.

“Do you have her Harmonic Strings vinyl too, P'Orm?” 

Milk seemed to idolize Yoko just as much as she did. It's quite amazing how she conveniently found another fan of Yoko. With others obsessing over K-POP and Thai actors or actresses, she was there geeking out over the violinist's first album. She just found her compositions relaxing while watching the night sky. 

“Of course! I even lined up to buy it at the record store here in Bangkok, you know?” Orm said proudly. Milk was the same age as Love and she used to fangirl with her cousin, so it wasn't awkward at all. 

Milk beamed at that. “P'Lingling bought it for me.” 

Orm wouldn't lie, that information was heartwarming. “Aww. That's nice of her.” 

“P'Lingling also went with me and Ciize to Yoko's concert last year.” Milk added. 

“Is that her first solo concert? The one without Khun Big?” Orm couldn't believe it if it was what Milk meant. So when the young girl nodded, her jaw dropped. That would mean her and Lingling were once in the same place at the same time before everything. “I was there too!” She pursed her lips upon realizing that she said it quite loudly. “N'Love and I attended it.” 

Milk was in awe. The venue was a 2000-capacity theater only. She thought that maybe, unbeknownst to them,  her sister and sister-in-law walked past each other then not knowing they would end up getting married. It almost sounded like destiny as naive as it sounded. “We all could have met then, Phi.”

Orm smiled and nodded. “Yeah.” She whispered. She felt as if it was fate. ‘Small world.’ She thought, still not over the fact that she could have met Lingling sooner. 

“Ah, Phi?”

“Hm?” Orm then saw Milk brought out a small box from her bag and put it in front of her. She quietly asked if it was for her, and when the girl nodded, she carefully opened it and saw a pink flash drive. Before she could ask, the other girl spoke up. 

“It's my friends and I's wedding gift for you and P'Lingling.” Milk started. She watched as Orm grabbed the flash drive from the box. “We made short videos for you and P'Lingling. Please promise me, Phi…you'll only open one file per month.”

Orm was a little confused. So it wasn't just one video, she thought. “Okay. I promise.” She agreed anyway seeing that her request was genuine. 

Milk smiled then. “It's our gift for you every month. We made one file for every month until your third anniversary.”

‘Oh.’ Just as the line between their relationship grew thinner, Orm was splashed with the reality of their marriage. She almost forgot. “Thank you, Nong. I can watch one tomorrow, right?”

“You can watch it tonight, P'Orm…but just the first one.” Milk emphasized once again making Orm chuckle. 

“I'll tell P'Lingling.”

“It's only for you, Phi.” 

Orm was a bit surprised about that. “Just for me?”

“Uh-huh. I gave P'Lingling a different gift.” Milk answered. They put so much effort into those videos, so she hoped that everything would be worth it in the end.  “Thank you, P'Orm.” 

Orm tilted her head sideways. She should be the one saying thank you for the gift. “What for?” 

“For marrying P'Lingling.” 

Oddly, Orm felt her heart stop at that moment. Maybe it was because of what Freen and Gap said. Maybe it was because she knew that now that she got Milk's favor, she might actually have a chance with Lingling. But whatever it was, it meant a lot. “You don't have to thank me.” She smiled softly, thinking of the first woman she would see in the morning and the last one before going to bed. ‘I would marry her again and again if I need to…if she wants me to.’ 

Lingling arrived home around 10 o'clock. She was exhausted from reading tons of reports but she was determined to finish them all in order to maximize her vacation with Orm in Europe. Upon entering their unit, she saw that the lights were dimmed already. ‘N'Orm must be sleeping now.’ She thought. She was so tired, she didn't bother looking for food at the counter, and went straight upstairs. Like before, she stopped by Orm's room to get a glimpse of her, but she wasn't there. 

“N'Orm?” Lingling frowned. She stood by the door and peered inside, but the bathroom lights were off too. Suddenly, she felt a tap on her shoulder. Her eyes went wide. 

“P'Ling—”

“Ah!” Lingling jolted, stepping away in fright. But when she finally turned around, she saw Orm looking at her with a raised eyebrow. “N'Orm…” Her heartbeat was fast, but not in a good way. “...you…when…” 

“I was waiting for you downstairs but you didn't notice me.” Orm answered, quite amused at how scared her wife looked. 

“You were?” Lingling was so close to smiling, but held it back. “Why didn't you call me? You scared me, you know?” 

“Sorry.” Orm chuckled. “Anyway, why are you looking inside my room, huh, Sirilak Kwong?” 

Lingling subtly cleared her throat. “Milk texted me. She said she wanted to thank you again.” 

“Is that it? Are you sure?” Orm asked a little teasingly, clapping her hands behind her back. 

“Uh-huh.” Lingling nodded. 

“Ah.” Orm hummed and nodded. For a second, Lingling thought she got past that one, but she was wrong. “So what about last night? And the night before? And—”

Lingling was dead wrong. It made her gulp down. 

Orm had noticed Lingling’s habit of stopping by her door for a couple of minutes before going to her room weeks back. She just has yet to find a perfect time to confront her until now. Well, not confront per se, more like ask her wife why but not because it bothered her. She was genuinely just curious. Truth be told, it has become a habit of her to wait for Lingling to do so as well while pretending to be asleep. It just gave her the comfort of knowing that Lingling would finally go to sleep and rest. 

“No reasons.” Lingling shrugged. She couldn't control the erratic beating of her heart. Her wife was cornering her. 

“None? At all? Hmm?” Orm hummed. 

“Y-Yeah.” Lingling nodded, straightening her back and slightly lifting her chin. “And why don't you even close your door? Aren't you afraid I'm going to sneak in and do something to you?” 

“Would you?” Orm asked, making Lingling shut up. After a couple of heartbeats, her wife shook her head quietly. She smiled wider then. “I know you wouldn't.” She then opened her arms wide much to her wife's surprise. “Come on.”

“What…”

“I don't know why you like stopping by my door, but if I have to guess…I’d assume that you want a hug from me…so bring it in.” Orm grinned. 

Lingling was again caught off guard. At this time of the night, Orm still looked just as radiant. 

“Come, Lingling Kwong.” Orm urged, but Lingling didn't make a move. So instead, she gathered all strength and confidence to step forward and pull her wife to an embrace. 

At that moment, Lingling felt as if her heart stopped. Everything did. 

Breathe in. 

Breathe out. 

Orm, on the other hand, debated whether she crossed the line and made Lingling feel uncomfortable. But when she felt that her wife slowly relaxed into her embrace, she finally was able to breathe again. She held her close, wanting her to feel that she could be someone she could come home and relax into after a long day at work. She wanted her to find peace and security in her presence just as much as she did with her. 

Meanwhile, Lingling’s lips formed a soft smile as she melted into Orm's embrace—it felt warm and safe and calming like the feeling of standing in the middle of a flower field, much like whenever she would let herself be drowned in her wife's earthy eyes. 

‘Can we stay like this for a little longer?’ One thought. 

‘I don't ever want to stop feeling this way.’ The other one did too. 

Time didn't stop, but it moved at its own speed just between the two of them. But one way or another, time must progress back to its natural course. 

Orm and Lingling stood facing each other. Both unsure what to say. 

“I'll…” 

“Are you…” 

Both said at the same time. 

Breathe in. 

Breathe out. 

“We should…um…go to sleep.” Lingling said, more like asked. 

Orm bit the inside of her lip but nodded. “Yeah. Goodnight?” She smiled softly. 

Lingling nodded. “Goodnight, N'Orm.” She pointed back to her room the same time Orm motioned to hers. 

Orm chuckled and so did Lingling. “Goodnight, P'Lingling.” It took her quite a lot of courage to step away and go to her room. 

Lingling went to her room as well. 

Orm looked out to the hallway just in case Lingling was still there, but she was already inside her room as well, so she shook her head while giggling. “Baby steps. Baby steps.” She let out a happy sigh and went to bed. 

Unknown to Orm, the moment she went back inside, Lingling peered out of the hallway as well. Seeing that Orm must have gone to bed already, she looked down and smiled to herself, feeling a bit silly. She went to sit at the edge of her bed and stared at her wedding ring. The rock on the ring glowed, reflecting the light from the skyscrapers outside. “One day at a time, Lingling.”

As Orm laid awake on her bed, the feeling of their first embrace lingered. She couldn't believe it took her almost a month to find the courage to pull Lingling into a hug. She could only chuckle. While staring into the ceiling, she decided to watch the video Milk and friends made. 

One for every month. 

“Sawasdee kha, P'Orm!”

Orm knew who all of them were—Milk with Ciize, June and View. Lingling introduced them during their wedding.

“Happy one month of your wedding!”

“We prepared 36 videos for you, P'Orm. You have to watch one every month.” View said. 

“We are on a mission, but we can't tell you what until you have watched everything.” Ciize said this time and everyone agreed. 

“I hope you like our gift, P'Orm.” Milk said, smiling softly with a hint of shyness. 

“We worked hard for it, Phi!” June added, but View frowned at her. “What?” 

Orm watched as the two girls at the back argued. She guessed they didn't cut the video. It was funny and cute at the same time. 

“Anyway, enjoy! We love you, P'Orm!”

Orm couldn't help but feel touched with the greeting from the four girls. She has not interacted with them that much, but they all seemed like good kids. 

“Who is Lingling Kwong?”

It was an animation. They drew Lingling like Shin-chan which Orm found quite fitting. “Cute.” The video was only two minutes long and was about Lingling's basic information in a slam book format. It was as if they were introducing Lingling to her. She had to pause at a certain frame however since they put her wife's baby picture in it. “Lingling Kwong.” She pouted at how adorable baby Lingling was. 

At the end of the video, Orm felt like she was reintroduced to her wife. As odd as it sounds, it felt refreshing as if the scene at the hallway during their first meeting didn't happen at all. She was tempted to watch another one but she promised Milk, and couldn't break her trust, so she pulled out the flash drive and closed her laptop. 

“See you next month, I guess.” Orm whispered to the flash drive before putting it inside the drawer beside her bed. She then looked at the ceiling once again. “Goodnight, Sirilak Kwong. It's nice to meet you.” She whispered, smiling, before closing her eyes. 

First month. 

May 7th, at around 5:30 in the afternoon, Orm stood in front of the full length mirror inside her walk-in closet. Although going out to celebrate their first month as a married couple was included in the stipulations of the prenup, this would still be their first date and she wanted to look good for her wife. 

‘Is my dress too simple?’ Orm turned from side to side. She shook her head. She remembered that Lingling did tell her she looked great in whatever she wears. ‘But—’ She sighed. She straightened her back and smiled. “Here goes nothing.” 

And so, Orm went out of her room then downstairs to where Lingling was waiting. 

“N'Orm.” 

Orm felt like her breath was taken away upon seeing Lingling. She was wearing a slim-cut below the knee length asymmetrically pleated red dress with slit on the side. Her soft wavy hair cascaded down on one side highlighting her jaw and collarbone. The dress wasn't too tight, but her breasts looked fuller in them. If Orm didn't know better, she would assume Lingling was trying to seduce her with this dress. 

Lingling on the other hand thought Orm looked as pretty as ever. Just like always. Just like everyday. Her wife wore a cream-colored knee-length v-neck dress. She had her tied up emphasizing her gorgeous slender neck. She was wearing the bracelet she gave her as well.

“Do I look okay?” Orm asked. 

Ling smiled and nodded. “You look beautiful as always.” 

Orm bit her lip. She approached Lingling while smiling. “You look gorgeous as well, Lingling Kwong.” 

The couple drove to the restaurant Lingling chose. They were escorted immediately to their table near the grand piano. However as they were about to sit down, Lingling saw a familiar face. 

“P'Engfa?” 

Engfa saw them as well so she went to excuse herself from the lady she was talking to before approaching them. “Lingling, it's been a while.” 

Lingling smiled. 

Orm looked at Engfa and recalled that she was the girl wearing glasses in the picture at Lingling’s room. 

“And who is your lovely friend?” Engfa looked at Orm and scanned her from head to toe while smiling much to the latter's comfort. 

“We're not friends—”

Orm heard Lingling say. Before she could think about anything unpleasant, the latter immediately followed up her statement. 

“—Orm is my wife.” 

Orm looked at Lingling and saw that she was smiling a little less now. But she appreciated that she didn't hesitate to say it. 

“Oh right. I heard you got married.”

“N’Orm, this is P'Engfa. She's an old friend of mine.” 

“Sawasdee kha, P'Engfa.” 

“Sawasdee kha, N'Orm.” Engfa smiled. “You know…I’m a little hurt that you didn't invite me to your wedding, Lingling.” Engfa said, acting disappointed. 

“Oh…um…” Lingling didn't know how to answer that. They were close since grade school, but months before she went to study in the US, Engfa stopped hanging out with her. She didn't cross her mind during the wedding preparations, to be honest. “I thought you were busy.” 

Engfa chuckled. “I'm kidding. It's okay. I was out of the country then anyway.” She then turned to face Orm. “So…you're the girl from Buriram the tabloids were talking about.” 

Lingling felt uneasy but tried not to think about it much. But she kept her eyes on Orm just in case she felt uncomfortable. 

“Yes, that's me.” 

“It's your first time staying in Bangkok, I supposed?” Engfa asked and Orm only nodded. “Well then…piece of advice, N'Orm…” She then leaned a bit closer, much to Orm's comfort and Lingling’s annoyance. If she wasn't her friend, the latter would have already pushed her away. “...be careful of people here in Bangkok. They're only good to you when they need something from you. You can never be sure.” 

‘What does that supposed to mean?’ Orm kept her composure but deep inside, she decided that she didn't like her. 

Meanwhile, Lingling was preoccupied by the fact that Engfa leaned closer to Orm to even listen to what she had to say. 

“I'll go ahead. Enjoy, you two.” With a smirk, Engfa turned on heels and walked out of the restaurant. 

Lingling drew in a sharp breath. She didn't like how Engfa talked to Orm. She has changed so much since they last saw each other this close. She used to be respectful and humble. She even thought Engfa was the nicest person she ever met. But tonight, she reeked off too much confidence that it almost felt arrogant and rude. She also didn't like that she brought up the tabloid articles to Orm. She couldn't care less what those trash news say, but they must keep her wife out of it. 

“P'Lingling.”

Lingling then felt Orm's soft hand on hers. Slowly, she started to relax. ‘Right. We're celebrating our first month. Let's not ruin tonight, Lingling.’ 

“Let's sit down.” Orm motioned to their seats and Lingling nodded. And so, they settled down. Maybe they both read each other’s minds, but none brought up their encounter with Engfa. They just wanted to have a nice dinner and no one could ruin that. 

The waiter served them wine while the kitchen prepared their food. With the mellow music from the piano, a foreign man in a tuxedo approached their table and gave a bouquet of red and white roses to Lingling. “Thank you.” 

Orm frowned in confusion. She looked around to see if someone really had the audacity to send a bouquet of flowers to her wife in front of her. 

“N'Orm…” 

“Huh?” 

Lingling let out a chuckle and Orm was still confused. “This is for you.” 

Orm's brows shoot up. “For me?” She asked and Lingling nodded. She watched her stand up from her seat to hand the bouquet to her. ‘Woah.’ When her wife didn't give her flowers earlier at home, she thought wouldn't receive any tonight. Turns out, it wasn't what Lingling had in mind. 

Once she was seated, Lingling said, “Happy first month, N'Orm.” 

Orm smiled while sniffing the fragrance of the roses. “Happy first month, Lingling Kwong.” She replied, slightly hiding behind the bouquet, blushing creeping up her cheeks. She didn't care if this was a part of the prenup or whatever deal Lingling had with her father. For her, this was all real. And for tonight, she didn't care about the 3-year stipulation. 

Not at all. 

Just for tonight. 

When they got home, the two of them sat down on the floor, still in their dresses, backs leaning against the sofa, as they stared into the night sky outside. The bouquet of flowers was sitting on top of the table in front of them. 

“Did you like the food?” Lingling asked. They decided to have another round of dessert with the ice cream tub from the fridge. 

“Uh-huh. We also got to talk to the chef so that's a plus.” Orm grinned before eating a spoonful of ice cream. 

“I'm glad.” Lingling smiled. They were just inches away from each other and she could smell the fresh scent of her wife's hair. 

“Ah. By the way, P'Lingling…it's time for me to give my gift.” Orm stood up and pulled a wrapped rectangular-shaped gift from the drawer. She then went back to sitting beside Lingling. “Here.” 

“You didn't have to…but thank you.” Lingling said, but deep inside, she was thrilled to have received a gift from Orm. She then carefully unwrapped the box. 

Orm stifled a laugh while watching Lingling unwrap her gift without destroying the wrapper. She found it adorable yet again. She felt excited to see her reaction. 

After a while, Lingling successfully removed the wrapping paper. She then saw a Parker Sonnet stainless steel gold trim fountain pen and ballpoint pen set with additional refill syringes. The set alone costs thousands already. 

“Open it, P'Ling.” 

Lingling did. And there, on both pens, was her name ‘Sirilak Kwong’ engraved on them. There it was again, that feeling like she couldn't breathe. 

“Do you…like it?” Orm asked, a little worried if Lingling liked her gift. “I know you have a lot of pens, but I thought I'd give you a pair. I pray for them to bring you good luck and may you use them to sign more deals and contracts and—” But then, Lingling suddenly hugged her. It was the second time in two days. 

Just like always, what she felt was the calmness of being in Lingling'a presence. She was just happy to be in that moment with her. 

“Thank you, N'Orm.” 

“You're welcome, Lingling Kwong.” 

Lingling was the one who broke the embrace. 

Orm smiled while looking into Lingling's eyes. She might not get the kind of smile her wife had in those pictures, she believed that she was genuinely happy right now. 

Breathe in. 

Breathe out. 

Lingling once again broke eye contact. She looked down on Orm's gift with full heart. She thought this was the most thoughtful gift she ever received. 

Orm quietly watched Lingling. The one in front of her looked the same as the one in the magazine, yet this one felt warm and familiar and sincere. The truth is, the moment she learned from Plai that she would be marrying Sirilak Kwong, she was both excited and nervous. She knew her from television and she admired her since then. The first time they met, Lingling was headstrong and frank and cold. She even thought about backing out, that maybe it wasn't worth it after all, that maybe her grandmother would understand if she gave up. But as the days went by, she realized that behind all of how her wife projected herself in the media and in the company, she was just Lingling Kwong—a girl that is caring, responsible, hardworking, who likes to go to the gym, who has a habit of planning to the smallest detail, who types messages in a formal way, who would do everything except apologize, who would be there for her sisters and friends despite her busy schedule, who is a foodie, who would volunteer to wash the dishes saying that it was just fair, and someone who would stop by her door before going to bed just to say good night. ‘I don't want to lose this feeling, Lingling Kwong…ever.’ 

“I um…I also have a gift for you, N'Orm.” 

“Besides the flowers?” Orm asked and Lingling nodded. She wasn't expecting anything, to be honest. She was just happy to spend time with her. 

“It's uh…here.” 

It was her card yet again. “Why are you giving me your card again?” Orm tilted her head, eyebrow raised in both confusion and amusement. 

“No. No. That's not my card. It's yours.” Lingling answered in her defense. “I just thought that you didn't want to use my card because it's mine, so I made one for you.” She added, brows furrowed. 

Orm didn't know whether to laugh or what—Lingling Kwong's logic, she thought. “How much did you put into this?” 

“It a…”

“Huh?” Orm asked but Lingling mumbled incoherently once again. “Lingling Kwong.”

“It's 1,000,000 bhat.” 

Orm's eyes widened. “What?!” 

“It's yours.” 

Orm shut her eyes tightly. ‘Why are you so extra?’ She bought her gift for 10,000 baht, and she already thought it was expensive. And the fact that Lingling was unconsciously looking at her like a puppy yet again while holding the card out wasn't helping. So, she took a deep breath then grabbed it from her. “Okay, I'll accept this. But just so you know, I won't be spending this unless necessary.” 

“Okay.” Lingling smiled to herself. She almost thought Orm wouldn't accept it. 

With a sigh, Orm rested her head on Lingling’s shoulder without thinking. She was about to pull back when she felt Lingling relaxed. “Thank you.” She whispered. 

“You're welcome, N'Orm.” Lingling whispered back while watching the night sky outside. 

Breathe in. 

Breathe out. 

They stayed inside their peaceful bubble for several minutes. Lingling didn't dare to move to let Orm rest for a while. 

Breathe in. 

Breathe out. 

Lingling glanced towards Orm and smiled. She couldn't see her face fully, but she knew she still looked pretty. She felt the urge to bop her nose but was afraid that she might wake her up, it was making her heart beat faster. ‘Let's stay like this, N'Orm.’ With that, she gave in and gently poked her nose. With a sigh of contentment, she looked ahead once again. 

Unbeknownst to Lingling, Orm was only half asleep. The moment Lingling's finger touched her nose, she felt butterflies. 

“N'Lingling is like a slow hermit. She's still figuring things out, so please be patient with her.” 

‘Is this what P'Faye meant?’ Orm thought, pretending to be asleep. Maybe this was it or maybe not. She bit her lip to suppress a smile. ‘Until you figured it out…let's take baby steps then, Lingling Kwong.’ 

Chapter Text

Thursday night, the gang decided to hang out at Namtan's automobile repair shop after a day at work and law school. 

“Are they in Europe already?” Freen asked while opening the battle of champagne she brought. 

“Yep. P'Lingling texted me that they landed around noon earlier.” Film replied, her hands holding Namtan's while her head rested against her shoulder. 

“You know it's a pain watching them.” Gap added in while Freen poured the liquor into his glass. “It's obvious that they’ve already fallen for each other.” He rolled his eyes, making Film hum in agreement and Junji chuckle. 

“I really thought N'Lingling was the only slow one.” Faye shook her head before drinking her beer. She still found it funny how Lingling was totally clueless on how to go about ‘courting’ a woman that she had to ask them why Orm didn't like her gift. 

“Give them a break. It's technically our Lingling’s only relationship.” Junji giggled. 

“Fair.” Gap agreed to that. He shrugged his shoulders before sitting down next to Faye. “She's still testing the waters, maybe.” He chuckled. 

“Too careful.” Freen emphasized.

Faye nodded at that. “Correct.”

“From what I heard, Orm has never been in any relationship before either.” Film added and just like always, Namtan nodded. 

“That explains it.” Faye let out a laugh. 

“They're both clueless.” Freen shrugged. She raised her brow at Gap when he snorted. “What?”

“That's huge coming from you, Freen.” Gap laughed when his friend rolled her eyes at him. 

“Should we do something?” Namtan asked, glancing towards her girlfriend who seemed to be thinking. 

“I'm sure they'll figure it out themselves.” Junji grinned while swirling the wine inside her glass. 

“Guys…they're in a foreign land all by themselves...” Film smiled rather mischievously. 

Faye narrowed her eyes on that but liked whatever Film might be going with it. Freen raised her brow. Junji hummed. Gap pursed his lips while nodding, probably got what Film meant. While Namtan was just smiling at whatever her girlfriend was saying. 

“...I might have suggested a thing or two on what Orm could do for P'Lingling’s birthday.” Film proudly smiled.

“Genius.” Namtan grinned, making her girlfriend giggle. 

“I know right.”

“Whatever that is, cheers to that.” Faye raised her bottle and so did the others. 

Meanwhile at the other side of the globe, Orm sat down by the window of their flat while watching the scenery outside. Italy was everything she imagined it to be. They arrived at dawn, tired from the long flight, so they rested for a while before getting breakfast. The Kwong's place in Florence was a few blocks away from the famous museum. It was a 350 sqm. apartment building with tenants on the first 3 floors. The top one was reserved for them. 

They were able to visit the Opera del Duomo Museum and take pictures there before finding a market place to stack their pantry. However, Lingling got called for an urgent meeting with the board. It was technically their honeymoon, yet people at Noiam couldn't let her wife rest for a couple of days. Now, the older girl was busy with her iPad reading the document they needed her to sign urgently. 

It was dusk then. The way the retreating sun cast its rays on the old buildings of the city was picturesque. Orm could only wish the executives at the company would let Lingling live at this moment. With a sigh, she stood up to finish arranging her clothes in the closet. While doing so, she realized that her hygiene pouch was missing. 

“Huh?” 

Orm tried to look for it but then it dawned on her. She brought it out when she brushed her teeth at the airport while waiting for their car ride. She only stuck her toothbrush into the side pocket of her backpack and forgot to grab the pouch since Lingling was already calling her. She shut her eyes tightly. “Gosh. Stupid.” Now her facial cream, toner, dental floss, everything was gone. She glanced over her watch. Seeing that it wasn't late, she decided to just buy essentials from the pharmacy she saw down the street. 

Meanwhile, Lingling was stressed out with the sudden workload the board wanted her to finish. She closed her eyes and massaged her forehead. 

“P'Lingling…”

Lingling straightened her back a bit and looked at Orm with a smile, a visibly exhausted one. “N'Orm, are you hungry?” 

Orm glanced at the iPad then back to Lingling. “Nope.” It was irritating and she felt bad for her wife. “But I'll just go down to buy some supplies. I left my hygiene pouch at the airport.” 

Lingling furrowed her brows, making a swift glance at the time. “I'll buy it for you. Just tell me what you need.” 

Orm knew Lingling was tired already, so she shook her head. “I'll be fine. I will just be at the store across the street.” 

“I'm almost done with this anyway, N'Orm. I can—” 

Walking to stand behind Lingling and putting her hands over her shoulders, Orm smiled when her wife looked up at her. “I'll be quick, okay? Just finish that already then we'll have dinner so you can rest after.” 

Lingling sighed. “Alright…but don't go far please.”

Orm leaned down, her chin almost touching Lingling’s hair. “I won't, Lingling Kwong. I'll be back quickly.” 

And so, Lingling watched Orm go out the door. Letting out another sigh, she pinched the bridge of her nose then went back to reading. She wanted to finish it as soon as possible. She already felt bad that they had to stay inside for the remainder of the day because of the meeting. She would have loved to bring her wife to the garden, visit galleries and the cathedral, walk around, and have a nice cup of coffee or dinner outside. 

Orm waited for the car to drive past her before crossing the street. She giggled at the rather adorable size of the vehicles in the city. She pulled her jacket towards her body since the air was chilly. Upon reaching the pharmacy, she pushed the door and it made a bell sound. There was an old man with a stoic face and pointed nose behind the counter. A couple of locals were also scattered around the place. Wanting to go back as quickly as possible, she went to find the things she needed. 

After a while, Orm got the things she needed, well not everything but whatever was available in the store. She waited for a couple of minutes on the line before it was turn. The old man quietly scanned her items, still expressionless. “Hi, do you have a cooling balm? I can't seem to find it.” She asked him in English, but he only looked at her for a split second and didn't respond. She wanted to buy one for Lingling because she was worried that she might be having a headache since she has not rested since they arrived. With a subtle sigh, she pursed her lips. ‘Okay then.’ 

Suddenly, Orm felt a light tap on her shoulder. When she turned sound, her eyes landed on the rather tall muscular man wearing a floral shirt. He looked intimidating. 

“Tourist, yes?” 

Orm didn't know whether to answer or not. 

“That is 23.55 euros.” The old man at the counter said. His deep voice suited his face. 

Orm nodded and grabbed bills from her purse and gave it to him. She glanced at the tall man behind her and saw that he was looking at her like he was waiting for her reply. It was her first time in Europe, so she wasn't sure what the locals here would be like. “Y-Yes.” 

The man smiled, saying something in Italian to someone she couldn't see from behind the aisle, and Orm found herself not knowing what to do. 

“Finally.” Lingling sighed deeply. She covered her iPad and put it on the side. She clasped her hands and rested her head against it. Then, she heard the doorbell ring. She let out a chuckle thinking Orm might have forgotten to bring her keys. She stood up, smiling, and was ready to tease her wife for it. “N'Orm, you didn't bring—” But it wasn't Orm. “Ah. Lucia.” 

Lucia, the caretaker of the apartment who was living on the 3rd floor, stood outside their door. The old woman went to kiss Lingling’s cheeks before saying, “I have talked to Matteo to reserve a car for your tour tomorrow.” She said in a thick Italian accent. 

“Thank you, Lucia.” Lingling said with a smile. Glancing for a second over her watch, she asked, “Have you seen Orm? My wife. The one I was—”

“Sì. I saw downstairs earlier. She said she's going to buy something.” 

Lingling nodded. She suddenly got worried because Orm had not returned for almost 20 minutes already. “Thank you again, Lucia. I'll let you know what time we will be going out tomorrow.” She then bid farewell to the old woman. ‘There must be a lot of people in there.’ She thought. So, she went to the window where she could see the pharmacy her wife was pertaining to earlier. 

Not one but two people had already gone out but Orm wasn't one of them. 

“It's my first time traveling to Europe, P'Lingling . I'm so excited!”

A wrinkle formed between Lingling’s brows. She brought out her phone and dialed Orm's number, but alas, she didn't bring her phone with her—it was on the table beside the couch. Suddenly, she felt a surge of panic down her spine. Not bothering to grab a coat, she immediately went outside and down towards the street. 

First, Lingling went straight into the pharmacy but didn't see any sign of Orm in there. And so, she went back out on the streets. ‘N'Orm, where are you? You said you'd just be here.’ There weren't any other stores around the area, so she opted to walk further. 

“N'Orm?!” Lingling called out. 

Only a tiny fracture of the sun had yet to set and it was already dark. It was past 7 o'clock in the evening already. Her heart rate was rising and she felt restless. She couldn't find her wife anywhere. 

Lingling closed her eyes while trying to calm herself down. ‘Where did you go?’ 

“Gracia—Grazie!” Orm immediately corrected herself. She has been reading basic Italian on a language app during their flight. 

“Prego, signorina." The bearded man who owned the little Italian restaurant at the next block from the apartment replied. 

Orm grabbed the take out bag and held it securely against her chest. ‘I hope P'Lingling’s done with work now.’ She thought. However, as she was walking out of the place, she thought she caught a glimpse of her wife passing by outside. “P'Lingling?” She thought she just imagined it, but hurried outside anyway. 

The moment she pushed the door open, the chilly night air of Florence hugged her skin making her shiver. Right then, out of the corner of her eyes, Orm saw Lingling was about to cross the streets. She fished out her phone from her coat pocket but realized she didn't bring it. ‘Shit.’ She shut her eyes, cursing herself in her mind, before shouting, “P'Lingling!”

Once her wife turned around, Orm saw her frowning. 

“N'Orm.” 

“...don't go far please.”  

Orm gulped—it was a little cold outside, and Lingling wasn't wearing any jacket or coat. ‘Did you go out to look for me?’ Her wife looked mad and she readied herself to get scolded…

…or yelled at…

“P'Ling—”

But no. 

Orm found herself in between the strong arms of Lingling Kwong as she hugged her tight. Her breath hitched. 

Breathe in. 

Breathe out. 

Orm expected Lingling to ask where she went or even tell her she didn't listen or she wasn't careful, but instead, her wife only asked her if she was okay. 

“P'Lingling…”

Lingling, at that moment, felt like she could breathe normally again. ‘Don’t leave me like that again.’ She closed her eyes as she swallowed the thick lump in her throat. 

“...I'm okay.” Orm whispered with the softest voice. Slowly, she circled her hands around her wife as well, chin resting against her shoulder. She felt giddy, happy, and guilty at the same time to have her wife worry about her. 

In each other's arms, a minute-long hug felt like eternity as if time moved at its own pace just between the two of them. 

“I'm okay.” Orm whispered once again,  feeling the need to reassure her wife one more time. 

Breathe in. 

Breathe out. 

“P'Lingling, aren’t you cold?” Orm asked as soon as they separated. 

Lingling was able to relax now that she found Orm. She realized that she was only wearing a shirt, and just then she started feeling the cool night air against her skin. She smiled at the concerned look on her wife's face and shook her head. “No, I'm alright. Where did you go?” 

The gentleness in Lingling's voice and the genuine concern in her face was making Orm's heart ache. “I was at the pharmacy and I met this couple…and they said I should try this restaurant…” She pointed at the place behind them. It looked like her wife didn't like the idea of her talking to strangers. She seemed to be wanting to say something. She knew that was naive of her, and she would accept if Lingling would scold her, plus the fact that she forgot to bring her phone with her. “I thought I…um…buy us dinner. I'm sorry for making you worry,  P'Lingling.” 

Lingling furrowed her brows. Although the fact that her planned itinerary was disrupted because of work, what was more irritating was that they would have explored the city more today and she could have accompanied Orm outside. She sighed. “It's okay. I'm just glad you're safe. Let's go back?”

Orm smiled and nodded. They walked back to the apartment building side by side. “Lingling Kwong?” 

“Yes?” 

“Are you sure you're not cold?” Orm asked once again, and Lingling gave her a reassuring smile while nodding, not wanting the former to offer her coat knowing she gets cold easily. However, her wife's cheeks were already turning pink. A thought crossed her mind, but she was too shy to do it. She glanced at her wife who seemed to be deep in thoughts. ‘You can do it, Orm.’ 

Meanwhile… 

“ Orm is your wife. You can't treat her like one of your one night stands.”

Lingling's phone conversation with her friends played in her mind two nights back. Despite her protest, they kept teasing her about bribing Orm with money like those women she slept with way before she met her, not that she ever thought of it that way before either. And this time, she just wanted to give Orm whatever she likes. 

“That's not how you woo a woman, P'Lingling . Know what she likes and do it with her.”

Lingling furrowed her brows—Freen was right. She realized that it was just her who made their itinerary for this trip. But then, her train of thoughts was disrupted when she felt Orm's soft hand grab hers. 

“It's getting colder.” Orm casually said, but the rather bashful smile on her lips gave her away. 

A quiet Lingling chuckle left Lingling's lips—holding Orm's hand felt nice. “You're right.” Subtly, she tightened her hold. In her peripheral vision, she could see her wife looking down and smiling. “N'Orm…”

“Hm?”

“We'll go wherever you want to go tomorrow.” 

“Me?” Orm asked and Lingling nodded. She hummed, thinking. “Why don't you ask P'Lingling to bring you to Disneyland in Paris? She only went to amusement parks when she accompanied us. I don't think she got to enjoy it back then. It would be great if she finally gets to enjoy this time.” That was what Film told her when they met a few days back. She thought about it and realized that yes, maybe Lingling is the way she is because she needed to grow up to take care of her siblings. “Can we go to Disneyland?”

Lingling was caught off guard. “In Paris?” 

“If um…if it's okay.” Orm mumbled, but then she saw Lingling nodded. 

“Okay. I'll book us a flight to Paris tomorrow once we get home.” Lingling smiled. If it was what Orm wanted, then so be it. 

Orm smiled then, and Lingling thought it was a ray of sunshine amidst the cold night air. 

“Signorina Orm, ciao!” 

“Ah!” Orm motioned towards the two men across the street. “That's the couple I told you about.” She waved her hand at them. “Ciao, Antonio! Ciao, Luca!” 

‘They’re the couple  N'Orm said?’ Lingling saw two men—one was tall and muscular wearing a floral shirt while the other one was shorter and more slender with receding hairline wearing glasses and coat. 

“You visited Trattoria Bella Notte?” Luca, the shorter one, shouted from across the street. 

“Sì!” Orm nodded while smiling. “Grazie!” She added. 

“Your wife, yes?” Antonio pointed at Lingling then. 

“Yes. I mean, sì!” Orm grinned.

“Bella!” Both of them said this time. “Enjoy your stay, signore! Arrivederci!” Antonio blew them kisses while Luca waved his hand. 

“Grazie again!” Orm shouted before the other couple went on their way. 

Lingling, on the other hand, was stuck staring at Orm both amazed and amused. She could only smile. 

Orm knew she owed Lingling some explanation, and so she did. “Antonio was behind me in line earlier at the pharmacy. They asked me if I'm a tourist and at first I was scared…but they turned out to be nice. They even helped me find a cooling balm. They asked if I was alone and I said I'm with you, my wife I mean—”

Lingling nodded, urging Orm to keep speaking as they walked. 

“—and then they said they're going to get married soon too. And they told me we should try the restaurant where I was earlier…uh…Trattoria Bella Notte? I'm not sure if I'm saying it right…but yes, that's how I got there.” Orm then realized she must have been rambling and suddenly got shy. 

Finally, they reached the door to the apartment building. 

“Sorry. Was I rambling?” Orm asked, finally catching up with the fact that Lingling was staring at her. 

Lingling shook her head, smiling, and didn't say anything else. ‘It's cute.’

For some reason, it made Orm feel much more shy. “Let's go in? You might catch a cold.” 

“Okay.” Lingling nodded. 

When they reached their flat, Orm told Lingling to sit down while she prepared their food, but the latter insisted on helping. And so, while the former put their food onto the plates, the latter went to set the table. They both settled on their seats after. As usual, they ate in comfortable silence with little conversations here and there. 

“Ah…P'Lingling?” Orm spoke up, putting her utensils on the side. Lingling only hummed but put her meal on hold as well. “Are we going to use just one bedroom?”

Lingling pursed her lips. It would be the first time they would share a bed if ever. She has been wanting to ask, of course, but she didn't want to make Orm uncomfortable. There were three rooms available, but after earlier, she realized that she would feel more at ease if she could keep an eye on her wife. “If it's okay with you, yes.” 

Tonight would be the first time they would sleep on one bed, Orm realized. She gulped as her heart suddenly started beating madly. “Okay.” 

After eating, Lingling once again insisted on washing the dishes despite Orm's protest. 

“Go take a shower, N'Orm. I'll do it.” Lingling pointed to the bedroom. 

“But you're already tired.” Orm pouted. 

Lingling chuckled. “I'm fine. Go.” She said, gently pushing Orm out of the kitchen. “Go.”

Orm pouted but gave in anyway. She went inside the shower. It looked like they already renovated the bathroom to a more modern one. Now that she was alone, she was able to reflect on what happened earlier. As the warm water from the shower hit her body, she stood there thinking about how Lingling must have been to go out and look for her, not minding how cold it was outside. She felt bad knowing fully she was at fault. Her mind replayed the moment her wife turned around—she was frowning, maybe mad and rightfully so, but her eyes showed a glimpse of relief. 

“I'm just glad that you're okay.”

Orm stood there frozen in place thinking how it felt when Lingling hugged her tightly. Just like earlier, her breath hitched. 

Still, she didn't see any fireworks or hear music or felt like she was in the middle of an orchestra like how she imagined love would be like. 

But at that moment, she felt safe. 

It felt warm… 

…and calming…

…and peaceful.

At home was what she felt with Lingling Kwong. 

The feeling was overwhelming that her heart seemed to be on the brink of exploding. 

As Orm stood in the shower, she suddenly felt dampness on her cheeks. When she touched her face, she realized that a tear had fallen from her eyes.  

“I…really am in love with Lingling Kwong.” She whispered, lips trembling. She swallowed the thick lump in her throat and tried to laugh it off. She scolded herself for crying, feeling silly, but she couldn't help it. 

When Orm agreed to the engagement, the only thing she wanted was to have a civil relationship with Lingling while married—she did it to fulfill her promise to her grandmother and to help her family’s business in the first place. But as the days went by, she found herself getting more and more comfortable with her. She realized that she wasn't as cold as she portrayed herself to be when they first met. Instead, she was caring and warm. Then, she started getting fond of having her around and seeing those subtle quirks she had every single day. She got so used to having her near that she couldn't go to sleep until she knew Lingling was home. Whenever her wife would smile at her, she started feeling this selfish desire to be the primary reason why she does. And then she wondered if she was starting to fall for her. 

Orm thought that maybe it was because Lingling was always with her or her wanting things to work out since they were already married anyway. She has been wondering for a while now. And now she was finally able to say it out loud. 

She realized that maybe love isn't about hearing music or seeing fireworks…but maybe finding a home in someone. 

“Silly. Why are you crying?” Orm scolded herself while wiping her tears. 

Finally, she was able to admit it to herself. But, she felt frightened at the same time because falling in love with Lingling Kwong felt like voluntarily going into a black hole knowing full well there was no way out. 

“I'm screwed, am I?” She could only laugh at herself. 

Meanwhile, Lingling finished washing the dishes then. After wiping the sink clean, she went inside the room to grab her iPad. She looked at the door of the bathroom where Orm was, taking comfort at the sound of the shower. She then went to sit at the edge of the bed to buy whatever available tickets were left to go to Paris tomorrow morning. She did promise to take Orm wherever she wanted to go, not knowing the real motive of the girl. 

Not long after, Orm emerged from the bathroom, now in her pajamas. 

“N'Orm.” Lingling smiled and so did Orm, but she noticed that her eyes seemed a little less brighter. “Are you okay?”

Orm gulped. “Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?” She jokingly raised her brow, trying to keep a straight face. Her wife seemed to accept it, so she smiled and sat down at the edge of the bed to apply facial cream. 

“I'll go wash up.” Lingling motioned to the bathroom before standing up. With her clothes in hand, she stopped by the foot of the bed. “By the way, I booked a flight for us already. We'll leave at 7:15 tomorrow.” 

“Okay.” Orm replied with a smile. She pretended to be busy applying the cream while Lingling went to the bathroom. As soon as she heard the door closed, she shut her eyes tightly and put her hand over her chest. “Oh my go—ay, Kornnaphat!” It felt exciting and scary at the same time. “Keep it cool. Baby steps right?” She whispered. 

It didn't take long for Lingling to finish showering. When she got out, she saw Orm sitting on the right side of the bed, phone in hand, and leaning against the headboard. “Aren't you sleepy yet, N'Orm?” She asked while massaging her temple. 

Orm didn't answer her question, instead she asked, “Is your head aching?” 

Lingling nodded. “A little.”

“Come here.” Orm said, patting the spot next to her. 

Now that she must really lay beside Orm, Lingling started to hesitate. She suddenly felt nervous. But, she couldn't back out now. So, she obliged. She slipped under the blanket then her wife told her to lie down. With that, she also obeyed. 

“I thought you might get a headache since you haven't rested since we got here, so I bought a cooling balm from the pharmacy.” Orm said while getting an adequate amount of soothing balm from the container. She leaned down, adjusting herself, so that one arm rested above Lingling’s head so she could massage both her temples. 

Lingling gulped—Orm's face was only inches away from hers. She couldn't help but look down from her eyes to her lips. They looked inviting. Despite the urge to lift her head and kiss her wife right there and then, she instead closed her eyes. ‘Stop it, Lingling. You promised you won't do anything that might make Orm uncomfortable.’

Orm, on the other hand, was no better than Lingling. She could hear her heart beating erratically against her chest. Her eyes scanned the entirety of her wife's heavenly crafted face while drawing relaxing circles on her temple. “Better?” She asked. 

“Yes.” Lingling answered quietly. It really was. 

Orm's eyes traveled down to Lingling’s lips then. They looked fuller tonight. Unconsciously, she licked her lips. She thought about what would happen if she kissed her lips, would she kiss her back, she asked. 

The clock on the wall kept ticking. 

And Orm kept asking herself if she should or not. 

“P'Lingling…” 

No answer. 

Right then, Orm realized that Lingling’s breathing had become even. She already fell asleep. “Ah.” She let out a giggle. “You must really be exhausted.” She sighed. She then stopped massaging her head, but didn't move from her position. She stared at her face and whispered, “I want to kiss you.” She then shook her head. With a sigh, she pushed herself up and lay down facing her wife, head resting on her arm. Even from this view, Lingling looked perfect. “P'Lingling…if I tell you…will you—” Her voice cracked. 

What if she read it all wrong? 

What if Lingling didn't feel the same way? 

“I'll be here once you figure it out.” Orm then put her index and middle finger against her lips, then as carefully and gently, she placed them against Lingling’s cheeks. She let out a contented sigh then. “Goodnight, Lingling Kwong.” 

The next day, Orm woke up to an empty bed. Before she could think of anything, she heard the sound of the pan from the kitchen. “Ah.” She giggled. Lingling was once again trying to cook. She sat down, leaning against the headboard. Everything felt nice, she thought. She grabbed her phone from the table and saw a couple of messages from her mother asking her how she was. There was also one from Film. 

From: Film 
Hi Orm! How’s Italy? Are you having a good time with 00K? 

‘00K?’ Orm furrowed her brows. And so, she replied with the same question. It took her a while to reply. 

From: Film
P'Lingling 😂
0 = Ling in chinese

Orm tilted her head. For some reason, it sounded familiar. She sent a reply while thinking. ‘I know I saw that before. Where was it?’ And after a minute, she finally realized it. “Wait a minute.” Immediately, she went to open her tiktok, and yes, there it was—@00sk11. “Lingling…Sirilak Kwong? 11 as in…” Her jaw dropped. “Lingling Kwong?!”

“Yes?!”

Orm covered her mouth. 

Lingling was fast to come to their bedroom, looking half confused and half worried. “Are you okay, N'Orm? Do you need anything?” 

Orm gulped. She shook her head, a bit embarrassed. 

Lingling slightly furrowed her brows but nodded anyway. “I'm making breakfast…” She said and Orm nodded. “I'm following a YouTube video, don’t worry. We'll also leave in an hour, by the way. You can go take a bath first.”

“Okay.” Orm nodded. She looked away for a moment, not knowing what to do since Lingling seemed to not want to move from her spot. 

‘How can you look perfect in the morning?’ Was what was inside Lingling’s head at the moment. She gulped realizing that she had been hovering at the door for too long. “I'll go back to cooking.” 

“Yeah.” Orm smiled a bit. “I'll go and take a bath too.” 

Lingling nodded. “Okay.” 

One. 

Two. 

Three. 

There wasn't any sign of moving from the two of them for a significant time.

“I'll go.” Lingling pointed to the kitchen. 

“Yeah, me too.” Orm stood up as well to grab her towel. 

“Okay.” Lingling nodded once again. And with a sigh, she turned on her heels and left. 

Orm squealed inside all while scolding herself. ‘What was that, Kornnaphat?!’ Missed the chance, she thought. Maybe if she knew way back that Lingling and the person who kept commenting on her video was the same, she would have teased her already. But today, she just couldn't. Everything that her wife did was making her feel flustered. “Ay, Orm.” She gently hit her head. 

‘Gosh! Where's your game, Lingling Kwong? Come on! It's embarrassing!’ Lingling shook her head in frustration while walking towards the kitchen. 

Orm seemed to have calmed down after taking a bath. They had breakfast together. Lingling's cooking was a little bland for her but at least she did not burn the ingredients. After both had prepared their things, Matteo drove them to the airport. The flight wasn't long, and they arrived at the hotel in Paris around 10 o'clock. They rested for a bit then had brunch before going to Disneyland. 

As soon as they entered the gate, Orm turned her attention to Lingling and saw her looking around. 

“Sometimes I think that P'Lingling didn't get to enjoy being a kid because she had to take care of me and P'Film.”

“P'Lingling.” 

Lingling pondered on old memories of coming to places like this. The last time was back in college when she accompanied Milk to Hong Kong Disneyland with their grandmother. Her train of thought, however, was cut when she heard Orm called her. “Hm?” She asked, but her wife only motioned for her to look down. And when she did, she saw her asking to hold hands. 

“Come on.” 

Lingling looked up at Orm and saw her smiling. She has always loved the way her lips would turn into a heart shaped one when she does. “Okay.” She nodded all while putting her hand over Orm's. 

Orm grinned. She held Lingling’s hand tightly before walking. 

They walked around hand in hand, taking pictures here and there. Orm glanced at Lingling from time to time to see if she was enjoying it or not. She thought that her wife must have been so used to behaving in a certain way in public that her actions remained restrained. 

“Ah, P'Ling? Let's buy souvenirs?” 

“Okay.” 

Orm and Lingling went inside the souvenir shop. The latter only stood behind the former, following her wherever she went. 

When Lingling saw Orm seemingly debating on two plushies, she said, “Do you like them?” 

“Yeah…but I don't know what to choose.” Orm pouted a bit. 

“You can get them both.” Lingling replied casually. 

Orm glanced at Lingling and chuckled. Before, she thought that she was bragging when she bought a whole charcuterie board when she called her back to her office. She realized that maybe it was her love language. She immediately blushed at the thought. ‘Ay, Orm! You're so delusional.’ 

“This too if you want.” Lingling grabbed an alien plushie from Toy Story. 

“Just this one. It's cute.” Orm ended up choosing a Mike Wazowski plush toy. “Come on.” Without thinking, she grabbed Lingling’s hand once again. She only realized what she did after she had done it. But since her wife didn't seem to care, she smiled triumphantly. “Let's buy hats.” 

“Okay.” Lingling nodded. 

Orm started choosing from the pile. She chose a Minnie Mouse headband for herself then lifted a couple of hats for Lingling. She ended up choosing a Nemo hat for her. After they paid for everything, they went out into the sun again. 

Orm giggled while looking at Lingling. “Cute!” She pulled out the film camera from her bag and told her to pose. “I'll take a picture of you.” 

And so, Lingling smiled. It was her usual camera smile like in the interviews, but she still looked beautiful, Orm thought. To be honest, she didn't care whatever her wife would want her to do. She was just happy to finally spend the day with her. 

“One more.” Orm moved closer to take a selfie with her camera. 

Before Orm could click the shutter button, Lingling turned her head towards the former and stared into her captivating brown eyes. ‘I'm sure.’ She thought, more like telling herself once again—I'm in love with you, Kornnaphat Sethratanapong. 

Click. 

“There we go.” Orm grinned, but when she turned to face Lingling, her smile vanished. That moment, she felt like she was brought back to the day they got married because Lingling was again looking at her like she was the only person in the world. 

Lingling thought Orm looked like a personification of sunshine. She knew that if she went so far as to stand beside her, she might burn, or even if she just stared at her, she might go blind, but she didn't mind. 

Orm felt the urge to confess right there and then, but at the same time, she felt scared. 

Breathe in. 

Breathe out. 

In the end, Orm didn't. 

“Let's go there?” Lingling pointed at the game booths, thinking Orm would be impressed if she won her a stuffed toy. 

“Okay.” Orm nodded, feeling a little disappointed in herself for backing out. 

After observing the play, Lingling chose the one where she needed to shoot the balls inside the barrels thinking it looked easy. “I need to shoot twice, correct?” She asked the staff who nodded and repeated the instructions for her. 

“Go, P'Lingling!” Orm cheered for her. 

Lingling was so focused. She was confident as well, but the ball didn't stay in. The second one didn't as well. She only has one left. It wouldn't matter if she put this one in, she wouldn't win anything anyway. But she did try. ‘Go in please.’ 

It didn't. 

Lingling shut her eyes. 

“It's okay, P'Lingling, we can—”

“One more round please.” Lingling said, so Orm pursed her lips. Now, the competitive side of her wife was shining once again. So, she cheered on her once again. 

One one this time. 

“One more.” 

Orm could only watch in amusement. While Lingling was focused on gauging how to shoot the ball, she secretly took a photo of her. 

‘Here goes.’ With a sigh, Lingling threw the ball gentler this time and it went in. Her jaw dropped. 

“Yay!” Orm gave her a thumbs up. 

The second one didn't go in much to Lingling’s irritation and disappointment. She blew air through her lips and begged the heavens to make her win. ‘Please go in. Please go in.’ She whispered an ‘ok’ before releasing the ball from her hand. ‘Please!’

“OMG!” Orm squealed—the ball went in. 

“Yes.” Lingling cheered. “What do you want, N'Orm?” She asked, smiling wider. 

“That one.” Orm was just as excited as Lingling. She pointed at the huge unicorn stuffed toy on the rack. 

“The unicorn please.” Lingling told the staff. 

Orm, while smiling, decided to take a photo of Lingling. The moment the staff handed the unicorn to her wife, she lifted the camera. “P'Lingling!”

Lingling turned to her while hugging the unicorn. She was smiling like in the photos in her room. Her eyes almost disappeared as she did so. Orm who was looking through the camera almost forgot to push the shutter. Finally, she saw the smile she had been craving for from her wife. When she put the camera down, she gulled—it was oddly an emotional moment for her. 

“This is for you, N'Orm.” Lingling handed the stuffed toy to Orm. 

“Thank you, Lingling Kwong.” Orm said in a chirpy voice, leaning in a bit. “Good job.” Lingling smiled once again. The former thought she would do everything to make the latter smile like that always.

“It was too easy.” Lingling shrugged. 

“Ah.” Orm slowly nodded her head, chuckling at Lingling's sense of humor. “It is.” They both smiled. “You're tough.”

“Yes.” Lingling nodded, jokingly acting proud. 

“Then let's see how tough you are, Lingling Kwong.” Orm meant to grab Lingling's hand, but the latter reached for hers first this time, making her blush. “To the rides!”

Lingling immediately turned nervous but nodded anyway. The last time was 10 years ago already. “Okay!” 

They started out with the milder ones. Lingling seemed to be letting loose and starting to enjoy, Orm noted. They bought snacks while resting in between. It was around 5 o'clock in the afternoon already when they decided to line up at Hyperspace Mountain since it was the nearest one from where they were. 

Lingling wasn't afraid of riding a rollercoaster per se, but it has been so long since the last time, hence she felt anxious riding one. But since Orm wanted to, she couldn't say no. They were close to getting in when the kids, maybe around 8 and 14 already, were throwing a tiny tantrum behind them. 

“I don't want to. Let's go back!” The younger one whined. 

“But we're already here.” The older one replied. “Dad will scold me, Calum.”

“You didn't bring my Buzz!” 

Lingling smiled a bit, reminiscing about the time when they were still kids. Film had that phase too where she wouldn't go anywhere without Blue, her bear stuffed toy. 

“Cal, come on. Mommy said she has it but they're outside.” 

“No! You said you’ll bring it but you didn't!”

It seemed like the kid, Calum, had been grumpy the whole day. For some reason, Lingling turned around. The older one subtly scolded her brother for causing a scene. But instead, Lingling bent down to match the kid's height. “Hi, I'm Lingling. What's your name?” 

“Calum…” Calum was frowning but answered anyway. 

Orm noticed that Lingling wasn't by her side, and when she turned around, she saw her talking to the kids behind them. 

“It's our turn soon. Why don't you wanna go? It will be fun.” Lingling said in English. 

Maybe it was because Lingling’s face looked angelic that Calum didn't seem to care about her being a stranger, Orm thought. 

“Livie didn't bring Buzz.” 

“Is Buzz your favorite?” 

Calum, pouting a bit, nodded. 

Lingling glanced at Livie, the sister. 

“It’s with our parents.”

Lingling smiled and nodded. She then looked back to Calum. She had been like Livie before. “Well…what if I…” She released the alien plushie keychain from her bag. They decided to buy it earlier at a souvenir shop. “...give this little green man to you instead? It's not Buzz but it can be like you're on a mission to save Buzz?”

Calum seemed to be pondering about the thought. Livie was a bit skeptical and embarrassed with her brother at the same time. 

“You’ll travel the galaxy with this little friend. It will be fun, I promise.” Lingling smiled reassuringly despite feeling scared herself. 

“I can have it for free?” The boy asked. 

“Uh-huh. This cute thing can be Buzz's friend as well.” Lingling replied. “Here.” She handed him the plushie. 

“Thank you.” Calum mumbled. 

“You're welcome.” Lingling smiled and patted his head gently. 

Orm stood there in daze while watching Lingling's interaction with the kids. In her mind, she pictured Lingling holding their child in her arms calling her. Her wife was smiling just like today—genuinely happy. Slowly, without her knowing, she was smiling. ‘Must be nice. I want that too.’

Lingling, on the other hand, let out a sigh as soon as she turned around to look at the trail. She had the audacity to cheer Calum up, but deep inside she wanted to back out as well. “N'Orm…” 

“Hm?” 

Lingling was so nervous she didn't notice the way Orm was staring at her. “Are you really sure about this?” She whispered, not wanting the kids behind them to hear. 

Orm stared into Lingling’s eyes. “Yeah…I'm sure.” She nodded. “I love you.” 

‘What?’ Lingling was frozen in her spot. She blinked a couple of times making sure that she didn't hear wrong. “N'Orm.”

Right then, the staff spoke up through the announcer, snapping Orm back to reality. 

“What did you say?” 

Orm found Lingling frowning. “I—” Her throat ran dry. She didn't mean to confess just like that. She even had plans to go to a nice restaurant tomorrow to celebrate her wife's birthday, and maybe finally tell her what she feels then. But it all went down the drain. 

“It's your turn, Miss.” The staff approached them. 

Orm didn't know what to do. Her heart was beating fast because of her premature love confession. ‘Stupid!’ She nodded and let the staff guide them to the ride. 

If earlier Lingling's heart rate rose due to anxiety for the ride, now, it was beating madly because of Orm's sudden confession. She wanted to ask if she meant it. She wanted to confirm if her mind wasn't just playing tricks with her. She sat down next to Orm with the staff helping them secure themselves. 

The attraction was booming with people's conversation and the Star WarsWars’ theme song, but inside their part of the seats, it was deadly silent.

Orm subtly glanced at Lingling and saw her frowning, deep in thoughts. She caught her off guard, she knew that, she did herself as well. Now she was scared that this might destroy the progress they have made and ruin the fun they were having the whole day. She wasn't numb to not feel how Lingling treated her, but at the back of her mind, she asked, what if she read it all wrong? 

What if after this ride, they would go back to zero? 

“Ready!” 

Breathe in. 

Breathe out. 

The ride started out skie. Other people with them seemed to be excited and enjoying themselves, but the two of them remained silent. 

They went into the space-like dark tunnel with the Star Wars theme filling the place. Orm couldn't see Lingling's expression. She wasn't speaking as well. She bit her lips, feeling a bit overwhelmed with fear. She never confessed to anyone before. She now realized how scary it must have been for those people who came up to her now that she was in the same spot. 

“Yeah, I'm sure…I love you.”

Lingling felt as if her heart was going to explode. ‘Did you mean it?’ She wanted to ask, but every time she would open her lips, she felt like she was about to cry. She couldn't see Orm's face as well. She would be devastated if she suddenly told her she was just kidding. 

Lingling was a risk taker, yes. She was a businesswoman to begin with. But to be truly honest, she would rather take calculated ones instead. Maybe it was because growing up, she needed to be careful, to be as perfect as possible in order to be suitable to take up the highest position at Noiam when the time is right. Her marriage with Orm isn't something she takes lightly. Hence, she has been very cautious. She didn't mind taking the long road if it meant Orm would be waiting at the end. But moments earlier, her wife suddenly said the words she has been wanting to hear and it scared her that she might have heard wrong or Orm might take it back. 

Breathe in. 

Breathe out. 

Lingling has always been careful, but she told herself to take a leap of faith. Whatever Orm would say, she would accept it. ‘If it’s not, then I will just have to work hard for it more.’ So, taking a deep breath, she leaned closer to Orm's side and loudly said, “N'Orm—”

Orm felt relieved to hear Lingling’s voice. She has been feeling lost in space, quite literally, until she spoke up. 

“—did you mean what you said?!”

Orm couldn't see Lingling, but she wanted her to know she wasn't kidding. She meant it. She meant every word. “Yes! Yes, I do, Lingling Kwong!” She shouted above the music and the different voices. 

Hearing that made Lingling’s heart full. She wasn't scared of the ride anymore. She didn't care about what drop there may be. At that moment, she was just happy. “If you do…then let us not get a divorce! Be my wife forever, N'Orm!”

Orm felt like crying. She opened her lips but closed them once again. She was about to answer when the ride started accelerating and everyone started screaming in excitement. 

Lingling didn't hear Orm answer, but she didn't mind. She was just glad to know that she meant what she said. So, she let herself enjoy the ride, not scared anymore. Not at all. 

Once the ride ended, both women were both trying to suppress their smiles. Lingling got out first and held out her hand to help her wife. 

“Thanks.” Orm said, a bit shy. 

Lingling, on the other hand, just started at Orm while smiling, not minding that she has yet to give her a response. 

They went back to grab their unicorn stuffed toy from the counter and went out of the attraction towards the main road. 

“N'Orm—”

Orm grabbed Lingling's hand then, catching her off guard once again. “You can't take it back anymore, Sirilak Kwong.” She grinned. 

Lingling couldn't help but let out a giggle. “I'm not planning to...” She softly said all while intertwining their fingers together. “....Kornnaphat Sethratanapong.” 

Orm chuckled then tightened her hold. “Let's go?” 

Lingling nodded. “Lead the way.” 

And so, the two of them went to explore the theme park further. Around 15 minutes before 7 o'clock, they came across the parade. They stood amidst the rows of people watching the Disney characters parade around the theme park. 

“Oh, look it's Mulan!” Lingling pointed excitedly. When she saw them walking up to the crowds and interacting, she smiled and said, “Wow!” She waved back when one of the princesses waved at her. “N'Orm, look!” 

While Lingling was happily watching the parade, Orm was stuck staring at her. She had a colorful childhood herself. Being an only child, her parents would make sure she would get the best gifts, she'd experience playing outside, run in the rain, and go to amusement parks. She didn't have to take care of anyone. In fact, she was the one who received the most care back in their farm. But Lingling wasn't like that. She thought that she loved these Disney characters because she grew up watching them. But for Lingling, maybe the genuine happiness in her eyes right now was because she got to reminisce what it felt like being a child. 

“Snow White waved at me, did you see?” 

Orm couldn't help but smile. “Yeah?” She asked and Lingling nodded before watching the parade once again. From then on, she promised herself that she would do anything to make Lingling happy—innocent and genuine. ‘You can be a child when your with me.’ 

The parade was about to end then. As they were watching, Orm's phone buzzed inside her pocket. ‘Ah.’ She turned it off then tapped Lingling’s shoulder. 

“Yes?” Lingling asked, but instead of getting a response, she was once again caught by surprise when Orm leaned in and kissed her cheek. Her breath hitched. 

“Happy birthday.”

Despite being dazed by Orm's kiss, Lingling was a little confused with the greeting. It wasn't that late, she thought. 

“It's already midnight in Thailand.” Orm chuckled. 

“Ah.” Lingling looked down and smiled. This thing being in love was making her feel flustered with every little thing that Orm did. “Thank you, N'Orm.” 

While Orm was still shy, she kind of felt a little bit courageous tonight. So, she leaned in and whispered to Lingling’s ear, “I love you, Lingling.” 

Lingling felt a bolt of electricity down her body. Feeling brave as well, she also leaned and whispered back, “I love you too, N'Orm.” 

Orm crinkled her nose while Lingling looked away smiling. Both made a move to hold hands until their fingers were intertwined. 

At that moment, they were not just the two women who were forced into a marriage to fulfill a pact that was made by their great grandmothers. 

They were not Sirilak Kwong, who was the heiress to one of Thailand's top conglomerates, and Kornnaphat Sethratanapong, the only child of the owners of the largest farm in Buriram. 

They were not the boss and the employee. 

They were simply Lingling and Orm. 

When the couple got back to the hotel, they stayed up for a little while more while talking about their newly discovered feelings for each other. They didn't do anything else but cuddle in bed with kisses here and there—Lingling caressing Orm's hair while the latter absentmindedly played with the former's  fingers. They stayed like that until they both fell asleep in each other's arms. Lingling did promise that she wouldn't do anything that would make her wife uncomfortable. In this relationship, she would let it flow in Orm's time. 

Maybe Lingling felt the air getting colder or the absence of Orm by her side waking her up. “N'Orm?” She called out, wiping her eyes. Carefully rising up, she tried to look at the bathroom but the lights were out. “N'Orm?” She asked once again, but there was no answer. Brows furrowed, she jumped out of bed and out of the bedroom. “Nong—”

“Hi.” 

Lingling found Orm standing by the table in the middle of the living area of their hotel room. There was a candle lit set up and a small cake on the table. She immediately glanced at the clock and saw that it was a little over 12:30 AM. 

“Happy birthday.” Orm grinned. 

Lingling was in awe and confused at the same time. “How did you…” 

“It's a secret.” Orm swayed a bit, smiling. She got the idea from Film who told her to contact Andre who was working at this hotel to help her set up. Turned out the guy was the manager. She didn't know how Film came to know him, but it wasn't important. She grabbed the cake from the table as Lingling approached her. “Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday. Happy birthday—” Then her wife was in front of her then. “—Happy birthday to you.” 

Lingling bit her lip. This day has been the happiest already. 

“Make a wish.” 

“It's already been answered.” 

Orm felt herself blushing. She looked away for a moment to calm herself down. Then, she watched Lingling blow the candle. “Happy birthday, Lingling Kwong.” She went in to give her wife a peck making her smile. “Let's try this.” 

Lingling nodded. She let Orm sit down first before moving her chair beside her. 

‘You love me that much, don't you?’ Orm blushed at the act. “Here.” She served a slice to Lingling and another for herself. A bottle of champagne rested in front of them, so the older one went to pop it open and pour themselves a glass each. 

“Hm.” Lingling let out a satisfied hum with the first bite. 

“You like it?” Orm asked and Lingling nodded. It was a red velvet cake just like the one they had at the wedding. 

As they ate their piece, the two of them fell into their own comfortable cocoon once again.

“Where do you wanna go tomorrow? I mean later.” Lingling asked. 

“Where do you wanna go? It's your birthday, so it's your call.” Orm answered. She put her arm on top of the table and rested her head against her palm. 

“But I want you to decide.” Lingling pouted a bit, and Orm thought she looked like a puppy once again. 

Orm played with Lingling’s hand using her free hand. “I'll go wherever you take me.” 

Lingling furrowed her brows while thinking. “Alright. We can go to the Louvre then see Mona Lisa…”

“You're prettier than Mona Lisa.” 

Lingling chuckled. “Oh please.” She grabbed her glass and took a sip. 

“What? It's true.” Orm smirked. 

Lingling could only shake her head. “We can take picture pictures at the Arche de Triomphe…or go to Notre Dame…then maybe we could go shopping—”

Orm closed her eyes and shook her head. If before their confession, Lingling was already attempting to spoil her, maybe this time, it might get worse. 

“—then we can grab dinner at the Eiffel Tower. I can try reserving us now if you want—”

There it was, Orm thought. 

“—or just…I mean…we can go anywhere you like.” 

“Do you know how adorable you are, P'Lingling?” 

Lingling pursed her lips. She has been called a lot of adjectives but not adorable. Maybe Faye and Junji, but they were just teasing. Only Orm would constantly call her adorable. 

Lingling looked lost once again, and Orm let her intrusive thoughts win. She dipped her finger onto the cake’s icing and touched Lingling's face with it—it got her lips down to her chin. 

Lingling's jaw dropped. “N'Orm.” She couldn't believe what she just did. 

Orm stifled a laugh. 

Lingling was about to wipe her face when Orm held her wrist and leaned in, licking the icing from her lips, kissing her at the process. She froze. 

When Orm leaned back, she giggled, not really thinking about the implication of what she just did. Her laugh died down upon seeing the intense stare that Lingling was giving her. 

Her heart was beating madly, Lingling could hear it ringing in her ears. She tried holding on to the last remaining self restraint she got. 

Orm gulped. Even if they only have a couple of candles lighting the room, she could see Lingling's eyes darkened. She bit her lip. The expression in her wife's face was making her feel things. 

Maybe it was the Paris air or the intimate setting they have at the moment or the fresh feeling of their confession, but whatever it was, it was driving them crazy. 

“N'Orm…” Lingling whispered as she leaned closer just a little bit. Her eyes traveled down from Orm's eyes to her lips. She wanted to kiss them so bad. She gulped as she stared back into her eyes. “Can I kiss you?” 

They have kissed while cuddling earlier and didn't have to ask, but Lingling did this time, and Orm found herself nodding. 

And so, Lingling started leaning in, her eyes on her wife's lips. Slowly and carefully until their lips met. She kissed softly. 

Orm melted into it. She felt Lingling held her nape and her waist, pulling her closer. As they were kissing, she circled her arms around her wife's waist. 

The soft kisses turned into hungrier ones. And when they separated, they were both heaving. 

Lingling wanted more. Orm did too. Lingling leaned in once again and Orm met her halfway. 

As they let themselves get lost in each other's touch and kisses, Orm ended up sitting on Lingling’s lap. The former let out a soft moan. 

Lingling broke the kiss. She leaned back and stared into Orm's dark orbs. “N'Orm…” She whispered, and Orm might have been thinking the same thing since she nodded. 

They made sure the candles were put out before kissing each other again. With just the light from the bedside lamp lighting their path, the two of them walked towards the bedroom without breaking the kiss. 

Lingling bumped into the door but she didn't care. She kissed her wife hungrily while letting her hands wander around her body. Once they reached the bed, she broke the kiss and laid Orm down on the mattress gently before lying on top of her. 

Orm looked up at Lingling. Her wife seemed to be quietly asking her if she was sure about what they were about to do. To be honest, she felt nervous. Lingling was the only person she kissed on the lips, more so make love with. But since it was her, she knew it would be alright. So, she reached up and tucked her hair behind her ears and smiled. 

Lingling was ready to stop if Orm tells her to. And seeing her silently telling her she was fine made her smile. “Just tell me to stop.” She told her and she nodded. She looked at the totality of her wife's face, engraving this moment in her mind. 

Orm looked down at Lingling’s lips then back to her eyes. Her breathing has become shallow. She was both excited and nervous at the same time. It was making her insane. And when her wife started leaning down, she closed her eyes and waited for their lips to touch. And when it did, she felt like it was the only thing that mattered at the moment. 

“I love you, Orm.” Lingling whispered against her skin as she pressed a trail of kisses down her neck. 

“I love you too.” Orm barely able to say it back. It felt good. Too good. Again, she let herself be sucked into the black hole that was Lingling Kwong. 

Orm was embarrassed to be naked in front of her wife for the first time, but Lingling reassured her that she was perfect. Her wife looked at her as if she was the most precious thing in her life…like she was the most beautiful woman she ever laid her eyes on…and it helped her relax. And so, with the view of the Eiffel Tower from their hotel room window, they ravaged each other's touch and kisses until their bodies both ached in pleasure. 

“How are you?” Lingling asked while they both rested after making love for the first time while carressing Orm's cheeks. 

Orm smiled and grabbed Lingling’s hand then pressed kisses on her knuckles. “Great.” 

Lingling thought Orm looked radiant despite her hair being all over the place. She then pulled her closer. “Come here.” She hugged her wife close to her chest. Then, she placed a feathery kiss on her forehead. 

Orm closed her eyes, hugging Lingling tighter. As she nuzzled her head against her wife's neck, she smiled and let herself enjoy this moment with her wife. 

Lingling has always been afraid to think that might never find love like her parents, and although it was too early, she finally got to say that she has. ‘I'll do my best to earn your love everyday.’ She smiled as she tried to engrave this moment in her mind. ‘It does feel nice.’ 

That morning, the birthday girl woke up first. She was spooning Orm from behind. She smiled and took in the fresh scent of her wife's shampoo. She lifted herself a bit to see if her wife was still sleeping. It was already past 8 AM. ‘Did I tire you?’ She smiled thinking about their love making session. Their first one. First of many. 

Lingling mentally patted herself on the back. Orm seemed to have enjoyed it a lot. Feeling a little mischievous, she pressed a kiss on her nape, then another one of her neck, and onto her shoulder blade while rubbing her arm gently. “N'Orm…” She whispered before kissing her again. 

“Hmm…” Orm hummed, smiling but kept her eyes close. 

Lingling adjusted herself to kiss Orm's neck once again, making the latter giggle. 

Orm shifted to her back, still a bit sleepy. “Good morning.” She smiled. Her body was aching but in a good way. She smiled more when her wife kissed her forehead and nuzzled her nose against hers. 

“Good morning.” Lingling replied before giving Orm a peck. She lied back down then pulled Orm closer so she was lying against her chest. “How's your sleep?” 

“Good.” 

Lingling rubbed her thumb across Orm's arm while caressing her hair with the other. 

“I can't believe our trip is almost over.” Orm sighed. 

“How about…we extend our trip?” Lingling suggested. 

Orm looked up at her, frowning a bit. “Hm?” 

“It's our honeymoon anyway, right?” Lingling smirked. She hummed, pretending to think. “I can take you to Germany…or we can go to Switzerland…or Barcelona in Spain, maybe…or Prague?” 

It made Orm chuckle. As much as she wanted to, there was still a lot of work at the company. “The higher-ups might hate me too if I take you away for too long.” 

Lingling snorted. “A week wouldn't hurt.” She pouted when Orm shook her head. “Three days?” Again, no. “Two?” 

Orm sighed. She wasn't sure if Lingling already figured out that her looking like a sulky puppy was her weakness. “If won't get in trouble with your dad, then okay.” 

Lingling smiled then. “Okay. I'll ask him.” For sure he would agree. “So…where do you wanna go today?”

“Anywhere.” 

Lingling smirked. “Why don't we just stay in then?” She said rather seductively, but Orm only raised her brow. “We can put something on the TV then we can…” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. 

But Orm genuinely did not get it. Her morning brain wasn't fully functioning yet. “We can what?” 

“You know…” Lingling tried to motion once again, but Orm shook her head in confusion. She sighed. “Make love.” She mumbled. 

Orm's jaw dropped. She felt herself blush once again as the memories of last night popped in her mind. “You're naughty.” She chuckled and so did Lingling. She then pushed herself up before another indecent thought filled her mind. 

“Where are you going?”

Orm hasn't even stepped out of the bed but Lingling already pulled her back. “I have to pee.” 

“Ah.” Lingling nodded. 

Orm stood up and Lingling watched her fix her hair while smiling. She bent down and kissed her wife one more time. “It's your birthday, so it's your call.” She smirked before walking inside the bathroom. 

Slowly, a huge smile formed on Lingling’s lips. She felt like a regular teenager with her crush. She was so happy, she could die. She grabbed her phone on the bedside table and saw tons of messages. 

From: Dad
Happy birthday, my Lingling. How are you and Orm? I heard you got called to a board meeting while there. Let dad handle it, ok? Just enjoy your vacation with your wife.

From: N’Milk 
Happy birthday, P’Lingling! I hope you are having a great time in Europe. Please be safe. I love you, Phi!

Lingling both sent them a reply. She also asked her father if they could extend their vacation and immediately got an approval. There was also one from Nene, Pentaii, from the board members and people at work. What caught her attention was Film's message. 

From: N'Film
Happiest birthday, P'Lingling, my dearest older sister! I have a gift for you once you come home but I'm sure you enjoyed Orm's gift, huh? Kidding! Love you! 🤭🥂

Lingling shook her head. She wondered if Film had something to do with how Orm has been acting the whole trip. If she did, she thanked her for it. 

To: N'Film 
Yes, I did. Thank you, Nong. 

From: N'Film 
😯

Lingling bit her lip. She then opened their group chat next. 

Freen: Happy birthday, P'Lingling. Have a good one. 
Gap: Happy birthday, boss! I hope you're enjoying Europe with wifey 😁
Junji: Maligayang Kaarawan @LinglingKwong 55555 
Junji: Happy birthday 🎂🎉🎁
Junji: You're growing up so fast 🥺😭 
Faye: Happy birthday 🐱🤏  
Faye: Did you get some? 
Faye: Birthday sex~ Birthday sex~ 
Faye: 😂😂
Junji: Stupid 5555555 
Naman: 55555555 Happy birthday P'Lingling! 😄
Freen: 🤦🏻‍♀️ 
Gap: P'Faye! 55555 Boss will block us now for sure 55555

Well, she did, Lingling thought, but she wouldn't tell them that. What happened between her and Orm would stay with them. 

Lingling: Thank you all. I appreciate your greetings. 

Messages kept coming in after that. She was reading the messages when she noticed Orm's phone lit up. ‘MOM’ it said. She was about to reach for it when it stopped. “N'Orm, your mom called.”

“Huh?”

“Your mom called!”

Orm peered behind the door. There was lather on her face. “Can you check it please, P'Lingling? Mon might have texted or something.” 

“What's your password?”

“My birthday.”

“Okay.” Lingling opened Orm's phone with no problem. She knew very well when Orm's birthday was. She also had it as her passcode. She pressed the message up, but didn't see any new messages from her mom. She was about to tell Orm when she noticed something. She frowned. 

Orm emerged from the bathroom, towel in hand while wiping her face. “What is it?” 

“There isn't a message.” Lingling said and Orm nodded, thinking it was nothing. “Is this me?” 

“Huh?” Orm asked but then saw where Lingling was pointing. ‘Oh.’ She was too lazy to change it, now her sife saw it. “Ah that…” 

“A devil emoji, really?” 

“I mean…you did tell me you'll make my life hell, remember?” Orm was expecting Lingling to roll her eyes like before, but instead, she pouted. ‘Oh no, don't pout!’ She found herself overwhelmed by how cute her wife looked. It seemed like after yesterday, she unlocked this side of Lingling. She sat down on the edge of the bed and held her wife's cheeks. “Awww, P'Ling…I'm just kidding.” She said but Lingling still looked disappointed. “‘Coz when we first met, you're like Miranda Priestly. You know the ‘Hello, Miranda Priestly's office’, that one. The Devil Wears Prada?” 

“So you think I'm bad…” 

Orm knew she fucked up. “No, of course not.” She said, but Lingling pretended not to buy it. “Lingling Kwong…please don't be upset.” She pouted as well. 

“But you said—”

Orm cut her off with multiple kisses. “I'll change it.” 

“You better.” 

With one more kiss, Orm nodded. “I wonder what I should change it to?” She tilted her head, then narrowed her eyes at her wife shile grinning. “How about 00sk11?”

Lingling froze like a deer in headlights. 

“You're not that sleek, Lingling Kwong.” Orm giggled. "Turns out you're my new fan, eh?"

“How did you know?” 

“I got my ways.” Orm said before kissing Lingling once more. 

“Really?” Lingling grabbed Orm by the waist and pulled her closer. 

The naughty smile on Lingling’s face was turning Orm on. She put her arm around her neck while the other one played with the button of her pajama. “Uh-huh.” 

Lingling groaned lightly. She bit her lip while staring at Orm's. 

Then suddenly, Orm’s phone started buzzing once again. 

“Ah. It's mom.” 

Lingling nodded. She motioned for Orm to answer it. 

Orm grabbed the phone from the mattress but didn't dare step out of their current position. “Mom?”

Lingling waited for Orm to finish taking to her mother. As she did so, she planted kisses on her shoulder blades. But then, she noticed that her wife's face dropped. 

“What? When?”

Orm shut her eyes tightly. “I'll—” She sighed. “Okay.” The call ended then. 

“What is it?” Lingling asked. 

Orm pouted then. “Grandma was rushed to the hospital.” 

Lingling's smile vanished. “What? Why?”

“I-I-I'm not sure. She was diagnosed with cancer last year and she has been on chemo and—” 

Lingling nodded. She pulled her wife into a hug. “I can book us the soonest flight back to Thailand.” 

Orm leaned back. It was bad enough that they only technically had two days to themselves, and now they had to cut their trip shorter, and on Lingling’s birthday out all of the days. “Are you sure? Mom said it's okay.”

If they kept this trip, Lingling thought Orm would just be worried about her grandmother more. She knew her wife loved her grandmother so much, so she thought it would calm her if she was with her. “Grandma needs you. We can come back next time.” She gave her wife a reassuring smile. “Hm.” Then kissed her shoulder. 

Orm smiled in defeat. “I'm sorry.” She nuzzled her head against Lingling's neck. “I'm sorry we didn't get to go out to celebrate your birthday today.” 

“It's okay.” Lingling drew comforting circles on Orm's back. “We already did, remember?” She whispered tenderly earning a quiet chuckle from Orm. “It's okay.”

Meanwhile in Thailand, Orm's mom and dad with Love stood outside while the doctor explained the patient's condition. 

“Like what we talked about last time, your mother is not responding to chemotherapy anymore. There's already metastasis to the liver—” 

Ton nodded. Koy stood by her husband in support. They didn't tell Orm about the chemotherapy. They didn't want to ruin her vacation in Europe with her wife, but they got scared that her grandmother might succumb to cancer soon. Earlier, she had terrible abdominal pain. She was crying out and clutching ber tummy. If something happened, Orm might be more devastated not knowing. 

“We have to keep her here until tomorrow for observation.” 

“Thank you, Doctor.” 

After talking with the doctor, they went inside the room. Love was beside her grandmother, wiling her face with a clean towel. 

“Did you call Orm?” Ton asked and Koy nodded. 

“She said she's coming home.” 

Ton nodded. As they were talking, someone knocked on the door. It was Ying. 

“Uncle. Aunty.” 

“Ying.” Ton stood up and approached Ying, putting his hand on her back. 

Koy furrowed her brows a bit. She didn't approve how her husband was treating Ying especially now that Orm is married. 

“We'll stay here until tomorrow. If everything goes well, we'll take Ma home.” Ton said and Ying nodded. “Take care of the farm while we're here.”

“Yes, uncle, I will.” 

Ton smiled. For him, Ying was the best for Orm. “I trust you with that.” 

Yung smiled and nodded. “Is…Does Orm know?”

Ton nodded. “We called her. She's coming home.” 

Again, Ying found herself being selfish once again. She nodded, but deep inside, she was happy to hear it. 

Chapter Text

“P'Orm!”

As soon as Orm walked into the arrival area of Buriram airport, she spotted Love waving her hand amongst the crowd. She smiled despite the anxiety she has been feeling since she heard the news about her grandmother. “Nong, have you been waiting long?” 

Love gave her cousin a hug and replied, “I just got here too, Phi.” 

“How's grandma?” Orm asked. Her smile faded upon noticing the gloomy expression on her cousin's face. She let out a shaky breath. 

“Grandma feels a little better now. The medicines they're giving her are helping with the pain.” Love answered. She cried the moment the doctors told them the news and had cried secretly when their grandmother was sleeping. “But I think it's better if uncle tells you, P'Orm.” 

‘It's that bad, isn't it?’ Orm wasn't stupid not to understand the undertone but she nodded anyway. If she could only be with her grandmother for a week or a month more, then she would make the most out of it. “Okay.” 

Their driver helped Orm with her bag as they went straight to the parking lot where their van was at. As soon as they got in, she closed her eyes and tried to get some rest. Upon landing in Thailand, she only got to rest for a couple of hours before heading back to the airport again to go to Buriram. Her head was aching and her body was again trying to adapt to the time, but she pushed it aside since she was determined to see her grandmother before it's too late. 

As they were driving to the hospital, Orm tried but she couldn't sleep. Aside from worrying about her grandmother, she couldn't stop thinking about Lingling. It had been just hours after she last saw her at the airport in Bangkok, but she already missed her. 

Back in Paris. 

“We'll book the earliest flight to Buriram once we arrive in Thailand, okay?” Lingling said with utmost softness in her voice while comforting Orm in her embrace. 

Again, Orm apologized, “I'm sorry, P'Ling.” 

“Shhh.” Lingling kissed the side of Orm's head in response. “We'll go there, alright?”

Orm leaned back a little and looked up at Lingling. “Is it okay? Have you checked your schedule yet?” 

“Not yet…but it's probably just meetings that I can reschedule. Dad did say we could extend the trip, so maybe I can come with you to Buriram instead.” Lingling replied. After yesterday and last night, she only wanted to spend more time with her wife and be there for her for anything. “If it will put you at ease, I'll go check it now.”

And so, Orm sat up so Lingling could check her phone. 

Lingling has not checked her emails since yesterday. Usually, Nene would send her schedule on Saturdays. When she opened her account, there it was, an email from her secretary. She was right, they were mostly just meetings she could reschedule except for One on Tuesday. “Oh.”

“What is it?” 

Lingling has almost forgotten that she requested another meeting with Manoban's business representative. She never forgets important meetings. “I have a meeting with Ms. Williams. It almost slipped my mind.” 

“Ah.” Orm was a little disappointed but she expected it somehow. Her wife was the head of the company anyway. 

“I can try to reschedule—” Lingling apologetically said, but Orm hushed her down as she touched her lip. 

“It's okay, P'Ling. You can just go to Buriram when you can.” 

“Don't you want me there?” 

There it was again, Lingling sulking. Orm had to shut her eyes upon seeing the pout on her wife's face. She then let out a chuckle and pecked her lips once. “You're cute…” She whispered but that didn't seem to appease her wife. “...but that's not what I said. I want you to be there, of course. You're my wife…But you're also the head of the company and I know you'll be busy from time to time. I knew that much before I married you, Lingling Kwong.” She tilted her head and smiled a bit. “You did mention that you've been trying to get a meeting with her, right?”

Lingling looked down and sighed. “Yeah.” She wanted to be with Orm and support her, but this meeting was also very important. “I'm sorry, N'Orm. I'll follow right after, I promise.”

Orm smiled and nodded. “Okay…just don't overwork yourself, alright?” 

“I won't.” Lingling whispered before kissing Orm's lips. “I promise.”

Orm opened her eyes and looked out the window. ‘I miss you already.’ She sighed. 

They arrived at the hospital after some time. Orm immediately went up to her grandmother's room where her parents and Eclair were. 

“Dad. Mom.” 

“Orm!” Orm's parents went to give her a hug. It was their first time seeing her since the wedding. “How are you? How's your flight, darling?” Her father asked. 

“I'm okay, Dad, just a bit jet lagged.” Orm smiled. 

“Sorry you had to cut your trip short.” Her mother added. 

Orm's eyes fell at that. Again, Lingling Kwong popped into her mind and it made her long for her presence much more. “It's alright, mom. P'Lingling said it's fine too.” 

Koy wanted to ask if Lingling would come as well, but decided not to. For the past month, they only got a ‘we're fine’ response from Orm whenever they would ask about their marriage. 

“How is grandma? Has she been sleeping a lot?” Orm asked, now watching her grandmother's chest slowly rise and fall. 

“Ma just fell asleep a little before you arrived.” Koy answered and Orm nodded. 

“Let's go outside.” Ton motioned outside the room. With that, everyone's mood dropped a little more. While Orm and Koy followed Ton outside, Eclair and Love exchanged looks, both sighing. 

“It's bad, isn't it?” Orm asked, her voice quiet. 

“The doctor said Ma has a week or two at most. The cancer has spread to her other organs and the medicines aren't working anymore.” Ton replied. He loved his mother dearly. He was an only child to begin with, but he has been preparing himself for the worst ever since his mother was diagnosed with an advanced stage cancer. 

Orm looked away, tears welling in her eyes, but she blinked them away. With a shaky breath, she nodded. “Is she…still in pain?” 

“From time to time, the doctors had to adjust her meds.” Ton answered. 

Koy moved closer to her daughter and pulled her into a hug. “Your grandma will be happy to see you.”

Orm hugged her mother while looking inside the room, her grandmother sleeping still. She looked healthy when she attended her wedding. She also would tell her she felt fine whenever she would get a chance to talk to her over the phone. She knew her grandmother wouldn't tell anyone whether she was in pain or not even if she was. She closed her eyes and sighed, praying that a miracle would happen. 

Meanwhile, back in Bangkok, Lingling strode through the floors of Noiam's lobby right after driving Orm to the airport. She was welcomed by Nene who immediately repeated her schedule for the day as they were walking to the elevator. 

“Weren't Khun Sirilak and her wife just abroad? She's already working today?” 

“I don't see her wife anywhere.” 

“Yeah. That's sus.” 

Lingling closed her eyes just as the elevator door shut. She knew she promised Orm that she would rest for today, but she thought she would be with her sooner if she finished all her pending works as fast as she could. Plus, she would be alone at home and she didn't like that idea. 

“What time tomorrow is my meeting with Ms. Williams again?” 

Nene scrolled through her tablet before answering, “It's at lunch time, Khun Ling. I've already reserved a table for you and Ms. Williams at La Bottega.” 

“Alright.” Lingling nodded. “Please make sure the documents are ready before then.” 

“Yes, Khun Lingling.” Nene nodded. She observed her boss's demeanor, and while she was frowning, it didn't seem as if she was pissed. She wanted to ask where Orm was, but she didn't want to overstep. 

“Also, can you send all the files that I have to review? I need to finish everything as soon as possible. And, please notify the manager at the factory that I'll be doing the inspection tomorrow instead. I have to fly to Buriram this week.” 

‘Oh. Khun Orm must be there.’ Lingling answered her question without her asking, Nene thought. “Will do, Khun Ling. I'll also send the files to your email once we're up.”

“Thank you.” Lingling glanced over her watch. ‘N'Orm must be with her grandmother now.’ She missed her already. 

Since their grandmother was still sleeping, Eclair invited Orm to grab some sandwiches and coffee from the hospital cafeteria. The older one noticed her cousin’s silence since she got there, so she thought she could bring her outside the room for a little breather. As they were walking back, since the younger one didn't seem to have energy to open a conversation, the older one asked about her trip instead. 

With that, Eclair saw a tiny spark of happiness in her cousin's eyes. 

“It was great. We spent the first day in Italy then we flew to Paris the next day.” Orm answered before biting her sandwich. 

“Ooh. You went to Paris?” Eclair was both impressed and jealous. 

“Hm-mm.” Orm hummed. “P'Lingling and I went to Disneyland.” She smiled, reminiscing the happiest memories she had with Lingling in Paris. 

“Aww! It's like a date.”

‘It was.’ Orm bit her lip. “I love you too, N'Orm.” She gulped as Lingling’s soft voice rang in her ears. “Yeah.” She mumbled. 

“But why Disneyland? Why not have dinner near the Eiffel Tower?” 

Orm remembered that Lingling suggested that for their second day in Paris, her birthday. She blushed knowing full well how that night may have turned out if they did. “We planned to.” She answered. “Anyway…” She chuckled and changed the subject upon noticing her cousin's sympathetic expression. “...P'Lingling enjoyed it a lot. We um—” 

“Hm?”

“Nothing.”

Eclair narrowed her eyes on her cousin. “Nothing, sure? Why do I smell something fishy?”

“Your breath maybe?” Orm jokingly said, earning a glare from her cousin. “I'm kidding, Phi! I'm sorry. I'm sorry.” She chuckled. “Well, I—”

Eclair stopped from walking and so did Orm. “Hm?” The former raised her brow. 

Orm looked down for a moment and sighed, a blush creeping up her cheeks. “I accidentally confessed to her.” She mumbled. 

“You did what?” Eclair honestly did not understand it. 

So, Orm took in a sharp breath and said, “I accidentally confessed to her.” She saw her cousin's jaw drop then. “I didn't mean to. I mean I planned to but not at that moment. I was so nervous, P'Eclair, you know? I didn't do that to anyone before. And P'Lingling didn't answer right away—”

Eclair blinked a couple of times. She could feel that there was already something brewing in between the couple, but she thought that her cousin was too oblivious and innocent to recognize her own feelings. 

“—but she asked me if I meant it while we're on a rollercoaster. Can you believe that? And then I said I do and she said—” Remembering Lingling’s words made Orm pause. “—She asked me to be her wife forever.”

“Aww!” Eclair was thrilled to hear that. “N’Orm! That's freaking sweet, uy!”

“I know!” Orm still felt giddy about it. 

“Now I want a partner too.” Eclair pouted. “I'll just talk to my hand for now.” She sighed, making her cousin laugh. “What happened after? Did you…” Her cousin didn't answer immediately, so she followed up with, “You know…” She said while making a kissy hand motion. 

Orm gulped. The memory of their first night was clear as a day. “We um…” She bit her lip, suppressing a huge bashful smile. “Yeah. We did it after.” 

“Huh? It?” Eclair was caught off guard. To be honest, she only meant to ask if Orm kissed Lingling at least after her confession. 

“What do you mean huh?” Orm suddenly realized that she might have misunderstood the question. So now, she was flustered, her ears turned red. 

“You had sex?!” Eclair whispered rather loudly. 

“Phi!” Orm slapped her cousin's arm. There were quite a few people in the hallway. “We um…we did.” She quietly answered, still flushed. “Ay! Let's not talk about it anymore. Shh!” 

“Ahhh!” Eclair laughed. “It's not a bad thing. You’re married. I just didn't expect you'll go all out that fast.” She said teasingly, earning an eye roll from her cousin. “Did you like it at least? Ay, don't answer. That's a dumb question. I can see it in your face.” 

“Phi!” Orm whined but Eclair only laughed. “But yes, it felt great. I liked it a lot. P'Lingling was great.” She added with a giggly smile. 

“Ayyy!” Eclair slapped Orm's arm playfully. “Now I'm jealous.” 

“Hmp.” Orm smugly shrugged her arms while smirking. 

Eclair narrowed her eyes on her cousin. “You naughty girl, uy.” The former said while the latter only hummed. They both laughed right after. 

They went back to their grandmother's room then. Before they could enter the room, Love was already by the door waiting for them. 

“P'Orm!”

“Did something happen?” Orm was a bit rattled. She could only breathe out when Love smiled and shook her head. 

“Grandma's awake now. She's looking for you, Phi.”

“Ah.” Orm smiled then. She glanced at Eclair, who nodded at her, before entering. “Grandma.”

“N’Orm.” Anong, Orm's grandmother, smiled upon seeing her granddaughter. She has become weaker the past few weeks due to both her condition and the treatment side effects. 

Orm sat down on the chair beside the bed and held her grandmother's hand in between hers as gently yet firmly as possible. “How are you feeling, grandma? Do you feel pain anywhere?” 

The old woman shook her head. “Weren't you supposed to be on vacation with your wife?” 

“I had to see you.” Orm offered her a weak smile. 

Anong sighed. “You should have stayed with your wife. Grandma is okay.” 

Orm looked down for a moment. Even in such a condition, her grandmother would still prioritize herself last. She cleared her throat and gave the best smile she could muster. “Grandma…I have good news.”

“What is it, my angel?” 

“P'Lingling and I decided not to get a divorce anymore. We'll make our marriage work.” Orm said, and with that, she saw her grandmother’s features softened. 

“Ay, N’Orm.” Anong was overjoyed to hear it. She has been hearing nothing but bad news about her health for weeks now, this was the first time she received a good one. “Thank you.” She said, squeezing Orm's hand gently. 

Right then, Orm's phone rang. She answered it immediately upon seeing that it was Lingling. “It's P'Lingling, grandma.” She put the phone on speaker then. “P'Lingling—”

“N'Orm—”

“—I'm with grandma.”

“You are?” Lingling asked from the other line, so Orm hummed. “Sawasdee kha, grandma.” Her voice was still as formal as usual, but it sounded lighter than before. 

“Sawasdee kha, N’Lingling.” 

“Did you—” Orm was about to ask if Lingling was able to rest at home when the latter butted in. 

“I'll FaceTime you instead, N'Orm.” 

“Ah.” Orm smiled and nodded as if Lingling could see her. “Okay, P'Ling.” It took less than half a minute before her phone rang again. This time, her wife was requesting a video call. Her cheeks heated up upon seeing her wife on screen. She wanted to say ‘I miss you’ but was too shy to do so, so she settled with, “Sawasdee kha again, P'Lingling. Here's grandma.” 

To be honest, Lingling froze for a split second upon seeing Orm's grandmother. From her memory at the wedding, Anong looked healthy. She knew she had cancer, but she wasn't aware that it was this bad. It was evident that she lost weight and there were bald spots on her head from chemo. “Sawasdee kha.” She smiled softly while bowing her head. “How are you feeling, grandma?” 

“I am doing okay, Nong. Thank you. I apologize for cutting your trip short. I told N'Orm that she didn't have to rush over here.” 

“It’s alright, grandma.” Lingling thought that maybe they moved the wedding date so that Orm's grandmother could attend with no problem. She realized how selfish she was back then to not ask about the real reason, and extremely unfair to her wife for pouring her anger about the situation on her. “I'm sorry I can't accompany N'Orm today, but I'll visit soon.” She said and the old woman told her not to worry about it. “Please take care. I'll be praying for your health, grandma.” 

Orm smiled while listening to her wife and her grandmother's conversation. However, her smile vanished upon realizing where her wife was. As soon as she got the chance to talk, she said, “P'Lingling, where are you?” 

“Uh…” Lingling was quiet for a moment. She figured Orm would get upset, but it was a necessity. “I'm at the office.” With that, she saw her wife sigh. 

“Ling—” Orm stopped herself before she could say Lingling’s full name in front of her grandmother. “P'Ling.”

Lingling offered her wife an apologetic smile. “I'm sorry. I know I said I'll go home, but I thought I could squeeze in some work today.” She carefully explained, but Orm wasn't having it. “And besides…” She hesitated for a moment. “...you won't be there.”

Orm subtly went outside of the video to bite her lip. ‘God, she didn't care that grandma could hear her.’ Maybe Lingling has yet to notice it, but every time she would make a sulky or pouty face, Orm couldn't handle it and would give in just like that. “Okay. Okay. But, don't work too much. Go home early.” 

Lingling couldn't promise that. 

“P'Ling.”

Lingling quietly nodded then. “I will.” She said, but Orm narrowed her eyes on her. “I promise.” She added which earned her a smile from her wife. 

“Good. You better.” 

Anong, on the other hand, was just quietly and fondly watching the couple talk. Her granddaughter seemed to be comfortable now with her wife and vice versa. Her wish and prayer has been granted, she thought. 

Everything was going well until that night when Anong had another episode of severe abdominal pain that the doctors had to come in and adjust the dose of her pain medications. Orm knew that her grandmother's condition was becoming worse, but at that moment, she was frightened that it may be the last time she would see her. Her heart felt like it was ripped out of her chest every time her grandmother would cry in pain. Once her grandmother was stabilized and fell asleep, she went out to the garden to get some air. 

While sitting on the bench, Orm tried to fight her tears but they kept falling. So, she sat there in silence as her tears fell. 

“N'Orm.” 

Orm flinched. She quickly wiped her tears before turning around. “Ah. P'Ying.” She said with a smile. 

“I knew you’d be here.” Ying gave her a sympathetic smile. She knew well that Orm didn't like crying in front of people, even her family. Also, she knew her well enough to find her where she could watch the sky. It would always calm the younger one down, she was aware of that. “May I sit down?”

Orm glanced at the bench and nodded. 

Ying sat down around two feet away from Orn. She wanted to offer her handkerchief, but hesitated. “How are you?” 

“I'm okay.” Orm gave her a weak smile. “What are you doing here so late, by the way, Phi?” 

“I came to pick up uncle and P'Eclair. I heard grandma was in pain again.” Ying said, glancing at Orm. 

Orm, on the other hand, was looking up into the night sky. “Yeah. It was scary.” She sighed. Earlier, she couldn't do anything, so she just stood on the corner frozen while the doctors were talking to her parents. “I didn't know what to do.” She turned her head to Ying, smiling helplessly. 

Ying made a subtle move to hug Orm, but didn't. She wanted to. She also wanted to tell her that everything will be fine, but she knew it wouldn't be of any help. “I understand. I would be scared too.” 

As the two of them sat by the garden, Ton went out of the building onto the patio. He meant to tell Ying that they would be going already but stopped in his tracks upon seeing her with Orm. He debated whether to approach them or not, but in the end, he didn't. 

“Hayyy.” Orm sighed, still worried about her grandmother’s condition. She then went to watch the night sky once again. Unconsciously, she wrapped her arms around herself reminiscing what it felt like when Lingling was hugging her that time she learned about her grandmother’s current state. She longed for the calmness she felt in her wife's embrace. 

Ying looked up as well. “The stars are out tonight.” She said, trying to lighten up the atmosphere. 

“Uh-huh.” Orm nodded. It was indeed a starry night. The night sky in Buriram was definitely different from Bangkok. “They’re beautiful.” She missed this sight a lot. 

Ying looked at Orm then. “They really are.” She wished at that moment that the younger girl would look at her too, but she didn't. She could only smile in disappointment. 

Orm smiled a bit then sighed. ‘I wonder if you're seeing this too, P'Lingling.’ She shook her head. ‘I hope you're resting well…my Lingling Kwong.’

Indeed, Lingling was watching the night sky from their unit on the other side of Thailand. Already in her nightgown, she leaned against the floor-to-ceiling window of their living area while looking outside. She hugged herself while contemplating whether to call her wife or not. They already texted good night earlier and she didn't want to appear needy. She also thought that Orm may be sleeping already since she barely got to rest before going to Buriram. 

As promised, Lingling went home early. She didn't want to upset Orm any further. Their place didn't feel the same without her wife. It was a little funny to her because her wife had only lived with her for a month yet she already imprinted a part of her in that unit that her absence made their home feel lacking and empty. So, in order to take her mind away from missing her wife, instead of resting, she decided to work some more. 

‘I miss you.’ Lingling looked down, pouting. To be honest, she never expected herself to long for someone as much as she has been longing for Orm, and it has only been a day. In her yearning, she felt her phone vibrate. At that moment, she felt excitement. ‘N'Orm!’ But she was wrong. "Ah."

Junji: Nong I heard N'Orm's grandma is at the hospital. I hope she'll recover soon. 
Faye: We'll be praying 🙏🏻
Gap: Me too boss 🙏🏻
Freen: Sending love and prayers 
Namtan: Same here Phi 

Lingling smiled despite feeling a little disappointed. She then texted a quick reply before closing her phone. ‘I thought it was N’Orm. Silly. She's probably asleep already’ A dry laugh left her lips then. “What happened to you, Lingling?” She sighed deeply. 

At around 11:30 PM, she decided to go to bed. Out of habit, she stopped in front of Orm's room before going into hers. However, she couldn't sleep much like the other days before their trip abroad. She tossed back and forth on her bed but couldn't seem to find a comfortable position. With a deep sigh, she went out of bed and opted to get a glass of ice cold water. However, as she was passing by her wife's room, she felt an urge to go in. 

And so, Lingling went inside. She has never stepped past the door of Orm's bedroom before. She was content to just get a glimpse of her from the hallway before going to bed. Carefully, she lied down. The pillow smelled like her wife’s shampoo. It was somehow comforting. She grabbed the other pillow and hugged it. She felt silly but she couldn't help it. Nuzzling her head against Orm's pillow, she closed her eyes and hoped that sleep would visit her soon. ‘Goodnight, N'Orm.’

“Ying, did you tell Khun Sunan to stop by here before going to the hospital?” Chailai, Ying's mother, asked while packing the food she prepared for Orm's family at the hospital. 

“I'll bring it there myself, Ma.” Ying replied. She was in the shade just beside their house, cleaning her motorcycle that she has not used for a while now. She thought that maybe she could invite Orm for a ride to relax her a little. 

“Aren’t you supposed to supervise the seed selection for the new crops?” Chailai asked. They live in a bungalow within the farm complex. The owners were gracious enough to give their workers a piece each to either build a house on. 

Ying pushed herself up and walked inside to the kitchen. Her sleeve was rolled up on one side up to her shoulders and there was a bit of motor oil stains on her shirt. “Yeah.” She nodded. “But it's later this afternoon, so I can still go to the hospital before then.”

Chailai knew her daughter too well. She might not say it but she noticed her mood brightened upon knowing that Orn was coming home to Buriram. “Ying, you should remember to keep your distance. N’Orm is married now. Her wife might not be happy about your closeness with N'Orm.” 

‘If she cared enough, she would be here.’ Ying wanted to say that but didn't. “We're not doing anything wrong. I'm just trying to support my friend.” She offered her mother a reassuring smile. 

Last night, Ying and Orm sat on that chair quietly while watching the stars just like when the latter was still in Buriram. Orm may feel at peace while watching the night sky but for Ying, she felt calm in her presence. She has not felt it since the younger girl moved away. 

Chailai nodded. “Alright.” 

“I'll just take a quick bath, Ma.” 

Chailai didn't know what Sirilak Kwong was like, none of the workers knew her or had seen her in person, but if she was the same as the person they saw on the internet, she seemed like someone you can't mess with. 

At the hospital, Orm was watching television with Love and grandmother. Her father attended a meeting today at the town hall for business owners while her mother and Eclair went to the farm house to prepare the rooms since Anong wanted to stay there instead. Earlier, they were introduced to the personal nurse that would accompany them there who would adjust the pain medications if needed. 

While they were watching, Orm felt her grandmother touch her hand. She was fast to ask if she was feeling any pain. But, Anong shook her head while smiling before looking back towards the television. 

Orm smiled then held her grandmother’s hand with both of hers. Love, on the other hand, smiled upon seeing it. 

“Knock. Knock.” 

They all looked towards the door and saw Ying holding a paper bag. 

“Ah. Ying.” Anong smiled and so did Orm and Love. 

Ying went inside, lifting the bag, while walking towards the table opposite the bed. “My mom asked me to give you this for lunch.” She felt joy in seeing Orm smile. 

“Thank you, P'Ying.” 

Ying nodded. “What time is grandma going to be discharged?”

“We're still waiting for some lab results, so maybe later tonight.” Orm replied. 

Ying nodded once more. “My Cherie Amour?” She motioned to the screen. 

Orm nodded. “Yeah. It's a replay.” She saw a commercial about it, and she thought that one of the characters had a resemblance with Lingling, so she wanted to watch it. “Do you want to watch it with us?” 

It was an invitation to stay and Ying wanted to, but she was needed at the farm. “I still have work to do.” She answered and Orm nodded. She was meaning to ask her if wants to go on a motorcycle ride just like when they were in college, but figured it wasn't the right time yet. ‘Maybe tomorrow.’ She thought. “I'll get going.” 

“Drive safely, P'Ying.” Orm said. 

Ying smiled and nodded. “Grandma.” She bid farewell to them before going out. Upon reaching the parking lot, she smiled to herself, patting her motorcycle gently. “Maybe tomorrow, Ying.” 

Meanwhile in Bangkok… 

“Are the documents complete?” Lingling asked Nene as they were going down to the lobby. 

“Yes, Khun Ling.” Nene nodded. She learned from Jaja last night that Orm's grandmother was at the hospital, so she thought that maybe it was the reason why Lingling has been fast racking their work. She found it both admirable and endearing. 

The elevator door opened then. And so, both of them walked across the lobby towards the car waiting outside. 

“I've already called La Bottega to confirm the reservation. It should be ready once you get there, Khun Ling.” Nene said while handing the folder to her boss. 

“Alright.” Lingling nodded. “Ms. Williams confirmed her attendance as well, right?” 

“Yes, ma'am.” 

“Okay.” Lingling nodded once again. “I'll see you at the factory.” She said and Nene nodded. Her secretary bowed her head to her before she entered the car. 

As they were driving to the restaurant, Lingling glanced over her watch and sighed. Last night, she was able to sleep after an hour, but she had to get up early to prepare her breakfast and exercise. She texted Orm good morning which was responded to after a while. She thought that her wife must have been very tired. 

“Khun Lingling, there’s heavy traffic ahead. Would you like to reroute?”

Lingling heard her driver ask. She checked the time once more. “Okay.” She told him and so he turned right to the next street. She then flipped through the document they prepared for the meeting. The final project proposal submission was about a month away. 

Laura Williams was the business representative of the Manoban cousins, hence her opinion on the proposals was critical. Lisa Manoban, the owner of the largest sum, trusted her that much. And this project, despite being a great location for a new business establishment, was significant to Lingling personally. Her mother knew the old couple who originally owned the land, Lisa's grandparents, since she was one of their doctors back then. Inside the complex, there used to be a garden where her mother used to bring her before. Hence, she wanted to acquire it and turn it to a place where families could go and enjoy. She wanted to win the bidding, so this project has been her fixation for a few months now after the rumor that Lisa wanted it on sale came out. 

‘I'll get this property.’ Lingling told herself while staring into the lot area printed on the proposal. 

After some time, they reached La Bottega. Lingling was immediately escorted to their table on the farthest left of the restaurant which was partially covered by the huge potted plants. She sat down and waited for Ms. Williams to arrive. While waiting, she already ordered some food and wine. She was rechecking their proposal when the woman arrived. 

“Ms. Williams, sawasdee kha.”

“Sawasdee, Lingling Kwong.” Laura said with a smile which caught Lingling off guard—during business meetings, she was always addressed by her Thai name, and only Orm would call her like that. “I can call you that, right?”

Lingling nodded anyway. “Of course.” She held out her hand for a handshake which the other woman gladly took. “Pleased to meet you in person, Ms. Williams. Thank you for accepting our invitation.” 

Laura let out a chuckle. “The pleasure is all mine.” She made sure to let her fingers linger a little longer before letting Lingling’s hand go. 

Lingling gulped. She indeed felt Laura's fingers linger quite longer but she pushed the thought aside, thinking that maybe it meant nothing. “I hope you like Italian.” 

Humming, Laura scanned the area. “It's my favorite actually. Looks like someone did their homework.” She smiled—it had a subtle tone of playfulness. “But I've been craving for some Thai for a while now.” She said while looking directly into Lingling’s eyes. 

Lingling didn't know if that was an innuendo or a genuine one. “I see. My apologies.” 

Laura chuckled under her breath. 

Lingling handed the folder to Laura and there it was again, the latter again made sure to brush her fingers against the farmer's. Thankfully, the server approached them with a bottle of fine wine.

“There are some changes from the original proposal I sent you during our online meeting.” 

“I see.” 

Lingling quietly watched Laura read through the pages. She seemed to be focused this time. She was nodding on some points, but there were times where she would furrow her brows. So, she thought that maybe the woman just had a playful personality and it was no malice. “Please tell me if you have any questions.” She said and the woman hummed. 

After a while, their food came. 

“Ah. Brioche.” Laura smiled once again at Lingling. Another set of plates were placed each on their end. 

“Your secretary said you like Mediterranean octopus with saffron sauce. I hope it's correct this time?” Lingling asked. 

“You really do research, huh?” Laura smiled, more like a smirk. Lingling responded with a little smile. “You seem to be someone who would go to great lengths to get what they want. Am I wrong?” 

Technically, yes, Lingling was someone like that when it comes to business, but it was more like working hard and making sure everything was perfect. “I guess you can say that.” She smiled a little and nodded. 

“That's admirable, you see.” Laura was still holding the documents open. “Plus it's even better that you are such a dashing young businesswoman.” She said while masterfully swirling her wine. “You're even more beautiful in person, Ms. Kwong.” With a smirk, she drank the remaining of her wine. 

Lingling lifted her chin subtly. Now she was convinced Laura Williams wasn't just being friendly. 

Laura then raised her hand to call over the waiter. “One more glass please.” While her glass was being refilled, she kept her eyes on Lingling. 

Meanwhile, Lingling's eyes went down to her watch for a split second. 

“Do I bore you, Ms. Kwong?” 

Lingling gulped. Despite Laura making advances, she knew her limit, and she didn't want to cause a bad impression on her. This project was such an important deal to her anyway. “No, not at all.”

Laura smirked while putting her glass down before closing the document. “I've finished reading your proposal. I'm quite confident that Ms. Lisa would be pleased. However…” 

Lingling felt Laura's leg touch her then. She immediately withdrew hers. 

“...I think you need to step up your offer. Lisa and her cousins may be private people but they're also businesspersons. I've read several proposals with better offers than Noiam.” 

“I see. We'll make necessary adjustments.” Lingling made sure to make her tone firm. To be honest, Laura Williams was stunning herself and had a model-like figure much like those she spent the night with before she married Orm. 

“You know...we can talk about it…” 

Again, Lingling felt Laura leg against hers. She drew in a sharp breath. Her gaze turned sharp. 

“...in a more private setting.” The woman smirked. 

In Buriram, meanwhile, that night Orm traveled to the farm house with her grandmother. She did not receive a message from Lingling the whole afternoon. She wanted to text her, but she thought she must be busy. Her wife did tell her that she would be meeting the business representative of the Manoban family. 

After they settled in, Orm's parents went home to their house at the town proper since her father still needed to attend another town hall meeting tomorrow. Eclair also retired to her room since she had work while Love accompanied Anong downstairs while doing her homework. The assigned nurse was also staying with them in a spare room on the first floor. It was already past 10 PM when her grandmother fell asleep. 

“We fixed the shower upstairs earlier as well.” Ying said as she and Orm were going out of the house and into the backyard where her motorcycle was parked. 

“Thank you for your help, P'Ying.” Orm smiled. The night was a little chilly, so she kept her hands wrapped around herself. 

“You can just message me if you need anything around here, N'Orm.” 

“I will.” 

“Hey…are you okay?” Ying asked upon noticing Orm's expression. She thought she must be worried about her grandmother again. 

But the truth was, Orm was thinking about Lingling. She knew her wife must be busy with work, but even now, she has not heard anything from her and it was making her quite upset. She cleared her throat and nodded. “Yeah.” 

“Come here, Nong.” Ying, for some reason, found it hard to resist hugging Orm, so she did. She smiled when the younger one accepted it. “Everything will be fine.” She finally said it. 

“P'Orm is at the back.” 

Ying patted Orm's back. She didn't want to let go. It felt like they were back to how they were when Lingling wasn't in the picture yet.

Orm nodded. “Thank you, P'Ying.” She was about to step back when she heard her name. 

“N'Orm.” 

Orm turned her head towards the house and so did Ying. There, Lingling Kwong was standing at the veranda with Love. Immediately, the former broke the embrace, leaving the latter reminiscing her warmth. 

“Lingling Kwong.” Orm whispered in excitement. She missed her wife so much, she couldn't believe she was now here. “P'Lingling!” And so, she hastily walked towards her. “Hey…I didn't know you'd come today. Why didn't you tell me?”

Lingling wanted to surprise Orm, but ended up getting surprised herself. She knew it was silly, but she did feel jealous. She didn't like the first thing she saw in Buriram. “I wanted to surprise you.” But, she still gave her wife a smile. She, however, made sure to give Ying an icy glare. ‘So she's the ‘sister’ you told me about…’ 

“Ah. That's P'Ying. She helped us settle in.” 

“Sawasdee.” Lingling said. 

Ying bowed her head and smiled a bit. Lingling was looking at her coldly. They were right, she was indeed intimidating. 

“P'Ling, there's a—”

“Let's go in.” Lingling told Orm while holding her wrist. She didn't want to see Ying any longer. 

“Ah. Okay.” Orm nodded. “Bye, P'Ying.” She waved her hand before going inside the house. 

Ying snorted. She didn't like that Lingling cut off Orm. The latter looked uneasy. ‘You really are full of yourself just like others say’. She sighed deeply before putting on her helmet and driving home. 

Chapter Text

“I'll prepare you a warm bath.” Orm told Lingling as soon as they entered her room. While she was at it, the latter sat down on the side of the bed. 

Lingling smiled while looking at the photos on the wall. They were Orm's childhood photos as well as some family photos. She thought her wife looked adorable. She stood up to get a closer look. There was one where baby Orm was drenched in the rain but she was smiling happily. She remembered that she said she used to play in the rain. She thought that her wife really had a colorful childhood. As she was looking at them one by one, she felt soft hands circling her waist. Her smile grew. 

“I looked like a street child.” Orm chuckle. 

Lingling turned her head towards Orm a bit. “You look cute.” 

Orm wrinkled her nose and rested her chin on Lingling’s shoulder. 

Lingling carefully removed Orm's hands to turn around so they were facing each other. She then put them over her shoulders. “Hm?” She gave her a peck then. “You do look cute until now.”

“Ay.” Orm pouted. “Now you're just being silly.” 

“No, I'm not.” Lingling grinned while shaking her head. She leaned in once again for a kiss that her wife gladly received. “I missed you.”

Orm felt herself blushing. “I missed you too, Lingling Kwong.” She kissed her this time. “You must be exhausted. Go take a shower, so you can rest.” 

To be honest, Lingling was still a little upset about what she saw but she didn't want to bother Orm with her petty jealousy especially during this time. And with every kiss, she felt a little better. “Okay.” 

While Lingling was inside the bathroom, Orm went to arrange her clothes in the dresser. Afterwards, she helped her dry her hair and apply moisturizer. As she was doing so, she couldn't help but feel giddy since her wife had her eyes closed and smiling happily at her. She looked so adorable, she wanted to kiss her so bad. “All done.” And she did. 

“Thank you…” Lingling smiled once more. She gulped and then added, “...my love.” 

Orm was taken aback. She didn't expect that one. But, once she recovered, she let out a giggle. “You’re welcome, Bubu.” She said before leaning down and giving her wife another kiss. She has been thinking about what to call her wife and she found bubu to be cute. Finally, she was able to call her that. 

Now, it was time for Lingling to get flustered. She felt like a kid blushing. “Bubu?” 

“Uh-huh.” Orm chuckled. “Because you look like a cute baby pup, so I'm calling you Bubu.” 

“Ah.” Lingling looked down and smiled to herself. 

Orm still felt like seeing Lingling smile like this a fever dream. She liked it a lot. 

“If so…then…can I call you baobao?” 

Orm playfully whined. She knew that one. Lingling Kwong's cuteness was making her insane. She pouted and nodded. More so when she heard her wife giggle. “Okay.” She said in a cute voice. 

Lingling stood up and led her wife to bed. “Let's go to bed, Baobao.” She lied down first before inviting Orm to lie down next to her. Once her wife was beside her, she pulled her to her chest and kissed her head. 

Orm unconsciously ended up playing with her wife's fingers again. “Thank you for coming here, Bubu.” She said while looking up at Lingling. She was blushing so hard at the last word. 

“I told you I'd follow you soon.” Lingling said with a soft tone while smiling. 

Orm let out a happy sigh. She was already sulking earlier since Lingling has not sent her anything at all only to find out that she was coming home to her. “How's your meeting with Ms. Williams?” With that, she noticed her wife's smile faded a little. “Hm?” 

“It was okay…” Lingling furrowed her brows a bit. “...but I guess I'll just ask Gap to meet her if we must.” 

“Huh?” Orm pushed herself up a bit so she could see Lingling’s face clearly. “What happened?” 

Lingling thought back to their lunch meeting and how uncomfortable she felt. She was sure Laura knew she was married, but still made advances at her. “She kept on flirting with me. I—”

Orm rose up then. ‘Ms. Williams when I see you! Ugh!’ She rolled into her stomach so she was facing Lingling. “She did?” 

Lingling pursed her lips. Orm looked pissed. She doesn't like it when her wife gets mad. She silently nodded. 

Orm sighed. 

“But I immediately set the record straight. I promise!” Lingling added. She pulled Orm by the waist. Now, her wife's face was just inches away from her with her arm underneath her neck. "I told Gap to take care of it." 

“It must have been uncomfortable. Are you alright?” 

"Hm-mm." Lingling appreciated that Orm asked how she felt. “But I am now, so don't be upset anymore, Baobao. Hmm.”

Orm whined. ‘Why are you so cute?!’ She pouted and there goes her wife kissing her again. “Okay.” She nuzzled her head against her wife's neck which earned her a giggle from her. “I love you, Lingling Kwong.” 

Lingling felt like she would melt with the way Orm was staring at her. “I love you too, N'Orm, so much.” 

Orm gave Lingling multiple kisses, and the latter smiled through it. Afterwards, Lingling let out a giggle before tucking Orm's hair behind her ear. 

“Tomorrow, mom will bring Uni.” 

Lingling remembered when she got jealous over a dog. “I can't wait.” 

“She'll finally meet her other mommy.” Orm giggled and so did Lingling. 

They shared a few more kisses here and there before the both of them fell asleep. 

The day after, Koy arrived at the farm house early with food that she cooked at home. She saw Love getting ready for school, so she asked her if she had eaten yet. 

“Yes, Aunty. P'Orm and P'Lingling made breakfast earlier.” Love answered with a smile. She was going to tell her aunt that they even packed lunch for her, but was cut off. 

“Lingling is here?” Koy was surprised to hear that. 

Love realized that Orm might have not told her parents yet. “Ah. Yes, Aunty. P'Lingling arrived late last night.” She said and her aunt nodded. 

“I see. Are you going to school now? Here, I have extra—” Koy was about to grab some cash from her wallet, but Love stopped her. 

“It's okay, Aunty. I still have allowance and P'Orm packed some lunch for me.” The younger girl said. “They're inside.” She added, knowing that her aunt may have wanted to ask where Orm and Lingling were. 

“Okay. Drive safely to school, Nong.” 

“Will do, Aunty. Bye bye.” 

Koy waited for Love to drive away on scooter first before going inside the house. Upon entering, she immediately spotted Orm sitting beside Lingling. They had their backs on her, so they haven't noticed their presence yet. She was again caught off guard to see her daughter holding Lingling’s hand on her lap underneath the table while the latter was talking to Anong. It made her smile nonetheless. Maybe Orm's ‘we're fine’ really meant this. 

“Sawasdee kha, Khun Koy!” Chari, the assigned old nurse to Anong, greeted Koy. It was the only time the couple noticed her presence. 

“Mom!” Orm and Lingling stood up. 

“Sawasdee kha, Aunty.” Lingling paid respect to Orm's mom. 

“Lingling, welcome.” Koy wanted to give Lingling a hug, but hesitated. But she smiled when her daughter-in-law helped her with what she was holding. “You didn't tell us you'll be coming here. We would have asked someone to pick you up at the airport.” 

“P'Lingling wanted it to be a surprise.” Orm answered for Lingling while her mother went to hug Anong. “You brought food, mom?”

“Yes. I thought you wouldn't cook.” Koy said while sitting down next to her mother-in-law. Their helper went to get a plate for her then. “Orm doesn't cook when she's here.” She told Lingling. 

Lingling chuckled then while Orm protested. 

“I do cook, mom.” 

“Yes, only when she records herself cooking.” Koy told Lingling once again. She felt more at ease when the young girl let out a giggle. It was the first time she heard her laugh. She always looked serious during the occasions that they saw each other. Even her smiles then were timid and formal. She thought that maybe Lingling finally felt comfortable this time. 

“Mom!” Orm whined. 

Lingling, on the other hand, was only smiling while looking at Orm. She thought her wife and her mother had a close bond, which kind of made her miss her own mom. 

“P'Lingling loves the one I make for her at home. Right, P'Ling?”

“Yes, I do.” Lingling nodded while smiling, still looking at Orm. 

“Lingling's answer looks forced.” Added Koy to tease her daughter. 

“P'Ling.” Orm narrowed her eyes on her wife. 

“They're all delicious, Baobao.” Lingling absentmindedly said, making both Orm and Koy fall into silence. 

Meanwhile, Chari thought they were a lovely couple. Anong may be thinking the same because when she glanced over to her patient, the old woman was smiling brightly as if she wasn't sick. Even the family helper was smiling at them. 

‘OMG my heart!’ Orm felt her cheeks heating up. Lingling really didn't have a filter. “Lingling Kwong.” She mumbled. 

Koy was once again surprised for the third time in less than 15 minutes. ‘Wow. They are already in this stage.’ 

After a couple of moments, Lingling realized her slip up. She cleared her throat and said, “I love N'Orm's cooking. She cooks very well.” She averted her gaze downward, not sure where to look exactly. Now, she felt flustered as well. She already shared a meal with Orm's family, but that was way back before she discovered her feelings for her wife. 

To clear the air, Koy spoke up, “How was your flight, Lingling? I heard you arrived late last night.” She could see clearly how both Orm and Lingling were flustered by the word. 

“It went smoothly. Thank you for asking, Aunty.” Lingling smiled, this time, she seemed shy. 

“You should eat more. I brought more food.” Koy told Lingling directly. 

“Thank you, Aunty.” 

There was a variety of food on the table. The breakfast was quite nice. Orm asked where her dad was and her mother said he was needed at the town hall. She also asked where Uni was and her mom told her she brought him to the vet and had to stay for a whole day much to the couple’s disappointment. The latter also asked about Eclair, so the former said that her cousin was still sleeping since she worked until late hours. 

As they were eating, Koy couldn't help but notice that Lingling and Orm had fallen into a habit of communicating without using any words. When Lingling's glass was only half full, Orm went to pour her some more juice. Even when Lingling accidentally spilled juice on her hand, Orm was fast to grab a napkin. However, Lingling has already licked it off her hand so Orm gave her a look, but the former only smiled apologetically, and the latter went to wipe her hand still. Another was when there was no more food on Orm's plate, Lingling just looked at her and she nodded. Afterwards, she watched her daughter-in-law put more food on her daughter's plate. It seemed like they already knew each other well, and they have only been together for a month. They wouldn't if they were not spending time together, Koy thought. To be honest, she had reservations about Lingling. They didn't know her personally, so even she was worried about how she was treating their daughter. But witnessing this with her own eyes, she thought that maybe they made the right choice. She could only hope Ton was present to see it. With this, he'd realize Orm was already with the right person who could take care of her. 

After breakfast, Lingling had to work again. She did tell Nene and her team that she would still work despite being in Buriram. There were still a lot of documents they needed to review as well.

Lingling was sitting on Orm's desk by the window in front of the bed, reading a financial report on her iPad, when she saw Orm by the door. She smiled and held out her hand.

Orm approached Lingling while smiling. She clasped their hands together. “Are you hungry? Anything I can get you, Bubu?” 

“I'm good. I still have some biscuits here.” Lingling said while smiling. 

“Okay.” Orm said with a chirpy voice. “I'll go to town to buy groceries, just in case you look for me. I'll be quick. I promise this time.” 

Lingling shook her head, chuckling. The last time Orm told her that, she was gone for almost half an hour and she couldn't find her anywhere. “I'm sorry I can't go with you.” 

“It's okay. You need to work.” Orm held Lingling's cheek then, letting her thumb brush against her soft skin. “You being here is enough.” 

Lingling held Orm's hand over her face, grabbing it, and planting a kiss onto her palm. “I love you, Baobao.” 

Orm wrinkled her nose. She bent down and grabbed Lingling’s cheeks. “Bubu, you're so cute!” She kissed her three times, making her giggle. “I love you most. See you later, okay?” 

Lingling nodded, still smiling. 

Again, Orm kissed her once. “Rest for a while, Lingling Kwong.” 

After a while, Lingling saw Orm walking towards the white van in front of the farm house. Her wife saw her looking, so she waved her hand at her, and so did she. She watched as they drove away before resuming her work.

Minutes passed, Lingling felt her head aching. She has been reading for a few hours now and has made quite a progress already. When she looked at the time, it was already past 10 AM. She turned her iPad off and looked outside the window. ‘Orm grew up here.’ She thought. 

The only thing Lingling could see from her window were trees and distant mountains. It was the opposite of where she grew up in. When she looked outside her window in Bangkok back when she was still living at their family house, the only thing she could see was the lake surrounded by tall buildings. Right now, looking outside felt relaxing. Orm’s mother and grandmother were also caring and lovely people. No wonder why Orm grew up to be the bright person she is, she thought. 

Lingling asked herself what would have happened if she met Orm sooner. She could only imagine it. Maybe Orm would have brought her here and they could play in the rain just like in her stories. Would they end up like this as well, she asked herself. She closed her eyes and let the calmness of the provincial air surround her. She smiled, letting out a sigh of content. 

Around 10 minutes past 11 AM, Orm arrived at the farm house with bags of groceries. She first looked up at the window of their room but didn't see Lingling. She smiled thinking maybe her wife might have come down. Their driver grabbed a box of groceries while Orm grabbed the ones in plastic bags. 

“N'Orm.” 

When Orm turned to the side, she saw Ying approaching. “Ah. P'Ying, sawasdee kha.” She smiled. 

“You went grocery shopping? Let me help you.” 

Orm meant to tell Ying there was no need since their driver was doing it, but the girl went to grab a box so she let her be. “Thank you.” 

Meanwhile, Lingling just woke up from her nap when she noticed the white van parked outside. A smile immediately formed in her lips. ‘N'Orm is here.’ She excitedly stood up, but then her smile was replaced with a frown when she caught a glimpse of Ying. She gulped, inhaling deeply. “What is she doing here again?” She sighed and went down. 

“Oh. Thanks, P'Ying. You can just put that there.” Orm said while scanning the receipt. 

“N'Orm.” Lingling said upon reaching the kitchen. 

Orm smiled upon seeing her. “Hi.” 

“It's the last one. I'll get going now.” Ying said while putting down the last box, glancing towards Lingling this time, smiling with a hint of smugness. 

Orm nodded. “Thanks again, P'Ying.”

“You're welcome, N'Orm. Khun Lingling.” Ying once again smiled before leaving. 

‘Please. I can carry a box 3x bigger than that.’ Lingling fought the urge to roll her eyes. ‘And who does she think she is calling me Lingling?’ She squared her jaw and looked down to calm herself. 

“Bubu, are you okay?” Orm asked, head tilted sideways. 

Lingling’s expression softened then. She offered her a smile. It was petty jealousy and she didn't want to add to Orm's worries. “Of course.” But a part of her couldn't let it go just like that. “Good thing your sister accompanied you.” 

‘Sister?’ Orm was a bit confused for a moment. “Ah. You mean P'Ying?” She asked and Lingling nodded as casually as she could. She did remember that she replied to user @00sk11 regarding Ying. “No, I went alone but she saw us carrying the boxes, so she offered to help.” 

“Ah.” Lingling smiled, nodding. ‘See, Lingling? You're just being ridiculous.’ She looked around and saw no one, so she pulled her wife into a hug. 

“Hm?” Orm playfully raised her brow. 

“I just missed you.” Lingling whispered. 

“Ay.” Orm chuckled, wrinkling her nose. “Stop being so cute for once, Lingling Kwong.” 

“Why not?” Lingling grinned. 

“You're making me fall for you more.” Orm pouted. 

Lingling let out a laugh. “Well, that's the plan really.”

“Lingling Kwong!” Orm whined, but Lingling only smiled. “You're done with work?”

“Not yet. I fell asleep.” 

“Ah.” Orm giggled. ‘That's why.’ She kissed her once. “I'll prepare you a snack for your, Bubu. Go sit down.” 

“Hmm…” Lingling looked up, seemingly thinking. “I'd rather have you as my snack.” 

“Lingling Kwong!” Orm slapped Lingling’s hand playfully. “We're in my grandma's house.” 

“I'm kidding. I'm kidding…unless…” Lingling wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, but her wife gave her a pointed look. “I'll behave.” She kissed her cheek then. 

Unbeknownst to her Koy, Anong and Chari could see them through the window from the garden. 

“They are a lovely couple, Khun Koy, Khun Anong.” Chari said while fondly watching the girls’ interaction. 

“They are.” Koy answered while smiling. She covered her mouth when she saw Orm fix Lingling’s clothes. 

Anong also was smiling. ‘I hope you are happy, Ma.’ She felt like she was back in the 1950s as a five year old girl. 

“I'll make you a sandwich.” Orm said softly. 

“Oh my! I think I'm going to have diabetes!” Orm and Lingling turned towards the stairs and saw Eclair approaching. “You two are disgustingly sweet in the morning.” She pretended to throw up, making the couple smile sheepishly. 

“It's already lunch time, Phi.” Orm spat back. 

“Eh.” Eclair shrugged. “Good morning, Khun Lingling.” She bowed her head then and greeted her back with the same gesture. “Go on. Don't mind me. I'll just eat here with my imaginary partner.” She dramatically sighed. 

Orm rolled her eyes while Lingling only smiled. 

“I might be the only one without a partner later.” Eclair sighed once more. 

“Later?” Lingling asked Orm. 

“Ah. We've invited the workers tonight for a little get together. We figured grandma might like it.” Orm answered. 

‘That means that girl will also be here, right?’ Lingling couldn't bear the sight of Ying, but for Orm, she would try. “I see. I'm sure grandma will appreciate it.” 

The night came and the house was filled people from the farm. Ton went to the farm house around dusk. He was surprised to see that Lingling was indeed in Buriram even after his wife told him earlier. They greeted each other but the awkward air was still there since they didn't have other things to talk about besides business. 

Lingling knew Ying would be there, so she made sure she was with Orm at all times. Her wife would introduce her to everyone, but it seemed like the workers were uncomfortable. It felt like they were avoiding any interaction with her. Maybe it was because she was used to getting so much attention during events that it bothered her, but it was mostly because she wanted to make a good impression on them. She's Orm's wife to begin with. Although it was a little upsetting, she made sure her wife wouldn't notice. 

While they were sitting on the sofa with Anong and Koy as they were talking to some elderly farm workers, they heard a rather odd cheering from outside. When Lingling turned her head towards their direction, she saw Orm's father pattting Ying's back. 

“P'Orm!” 

“Aunty! N'Noi!” 

Lingling watched Orm get up to hug a woman maybe in her late 40s and a young girl. They seemed close. 

The woman, Chailai, noticed Lingling looking at them, so she went to greet her. “Sawasdee kha, Khun Sirilak.” She bowed.  

“Sawasdee kha.” Lingling offered her a smile as she greeted her back. 

“Noi, greet Khun Sirilak. She's your P'Orm's wife.” Cailai told her daughter.

Noi was in awe, however. She and her friends searched who Sirilak Kwong was after learning that she would marry their P'Orm. All of them thought she was pretty but she was even more beautiful in person. “Sawasdee kha, Phi.” 

Lingling bent down to match Noi's height. “Sawasdee kha, little one. What's your name?” She smiled. 

“Wow.” Noi mouthed. “Noi. My name is Noi, P'Sirilak.” 

“Nice to meet you. You can just call me P'Lingling.” 

“P'Lingling.” Noi smiled happily then. “Okay, P'Lingling.” 

Orm giggled at Noi's reaction to Lingling. It seemed like Noi got a little crush. “Aunty is P'Ying's mom and Noi is her little sister.” 

Lingling's mood dropped a bit at the mention of Ying's name but pushed the unpleasant feeling aside. She nodded then. “Please have a seat.” She offered instead. 

“Ah, no, Khun Sirilak. We'll just sit outside.” Chailai said. She was a bit shy to sit beside Lingling knowing that she was from one of the richest families in Thailand. 

Lingling felt a little disappointed but she let them be. 

As the party went on, Lingling felt more out of place. They were talking about the farm and some people that she didn't know about. She was great with social gatherings, but this was an exemption, it seemed. It was better when Eclair was still with them. At least she was talking to her. But, she had to go up since her work was American Time. Love, on the other hand, was with some friends as well. 

“Are you okay, Bubu?” Orm whispered. 

Lingling gave her wife a reassuring smile while nodding. “Yeah.” 

“I'll just go pee, okay?” 

“Okay.” 

Lingling watched Orm go to the restroom at the back of the house leaving her sitting alone by the door to the veranda. Orm's dad seemed to be getting along well with Ying. She lived with them anyway, she thought, but still it was a little envious. She could only sigh. 

“Go play with other kids.”

“I don't want to.” 

Lingling saw a kid clinging unto his mother. She smiled a bit. She was once like that with her mom. She could remember the first time she attended a birthday party of the daughter of one of her mother's colleague at the hospital. She was so shy, she didn't want to play with other kids just like the little boy right now. She also hid behind her mother then. 

On the other hand, Koy noticed Lingling sitting alone. She stood up and approached her. But before she did, she followed her line of sight and saw that she was looking at the shy young little boy who was hiding behind his mother. Right then, she remembered, “Their mother passed away when Lingling was only twelve.” Plai mentioned it during their first dinner with the Kwongs. She thought that Lingling might be missing her mother. “Lingling…”

Lingling looked up and saw Orm's mother. “Aunty.” She smiled a bit. 

“Are you done eating? You didn't eat a lot. Do you want me to get you more?” 

“Ah.” Lingling looked down on her empty plate. “It's alright, Aunty. I'll just get—”

“Let me. Just sit there, okay?” Koy asked for Lingling's plate, and although the latter was hesitant, she still gave it to her wife's mother. 

Lingling clasped her hands on her lap. Orm's mother has been very attentive to her since this morning. She thought she was such a motherly figure. She thought that if her mother was still alive, they would be close friends. She now knew where her wife got her caring side. 

“Here, Lingling.” Koy went back with more food. She then sat down beside Lingling. “Just tell me if you need anything, okay?”

“Thank you, Aunty.” Lingling felt a little better that despite Orm's dad being a aloof, at least she wad getting along well with her mom. 

Koy observed Lingling from the side. The girl was quiet just like how she was during their first dinner. “Do you like the food?” 

Lingling nodded while smiling. 

Koy didn't expect Lingling to say something further but she did. 

“N'Orm made something like this before at home.” Lingling motioned to the green curry. “It was delicious not that this one is not. I also like this one, Aunty. I was craving for green curry when I watched a video of her in TikTok making one, then she made it.” 

Koy listened to Lingling talk about Orm. Her expression brightened while she did so. Maybe if she told herself from three months ago that Sirilak Kwong would end up talking about her daughter like she was the most precious thing, she wouldn't have believed it. “I'm glad that Orm is taking good care of you.” 

Lingling nodded. “She does.” 

As they were talking, they heard a commotion amongst the kids who were playing by the mango trees. One of them was Noi. 

“I'll just check on them, Aunty.” Lingling motioned to the kids and so Koy nodded. She stood up and walked towards them then. 

That exact time, Orm went back from the restroom. She bumped into a couple of workers on the way back, hence she took a while. “Mom, where is P'Lingling going?”

“I think the kids need some help, so went to check on them.” 

Orm nodded while sitting down. She remembered when they were at Disneyland in Paris, Lingling also stepped up to console the young boy behind them in line. Once again, she thought her wife will be a good mom once they build their own family. Her thoughts were disrupted when her mother spoke up. 

“Orm, lend Lingling some of your shirt.” 

“Hm?”

Koy overheard some of the workers talking about Lingling earlier. Knowing how rich she was, they felt hesitant to approach her, not that Lingling was in any way judgmental or condescending. But she thought that maybe the way she dressed was a factor. Lingling’s standard of ‘ordinary’ was different than the people at the farm. She noticed that it somehow bothered her as well. So, she thought this may be a solution. “It's hot outside during the day. Lingling might get uncomfortable with the clothes she wears.”

“Ah. Alright, mom.” 

Koy nodded. She didn't want to tell Lingling directly as to avoid any issues. “Okay.”

Meanwhile, Lingling walked towards the group and asked, “Hey, what's wrong?”

“P'Lingling!” Noi shouted. She ran towards her and so did her friends. 

“Nong, what happened?” Lingling asked and all the seven kids talked simultaneously. “Hep. Hep. One by one. N'Noi, can you tell P’Lingling what happened?” 

Noi pouted. “We were playing catch but I accidentally kicked the ball high. It got stuck in the tree.”

“It's there!” Another kid pointed at the branches. 

Lingling squinted her eyes and saw the ball stuck between two branches. “Do you know where the—” She didn't know what a fruit picker was called but she knew what it looked like. “—the stick…”

“Huh?” The kids were all confused. 

“Um…” Lingling tried to recall but couldn't. “You know the stick with a basket at the end. The one used to get mangoes from the tree?” 

“Ah! I know that!” Noi exclaimed. “We have it, Phi!” 

Lingling was led by the kids towards the side of the shed. Orm didn't know what was happening, so she furrowed her brows. But after a while, her wife and the kids emerged behind the shed with a long fruit picker. “Ah.” She shook her head while chuckling. 

“Wow! You're strong, P'Lingling!” One of the kids say in awe when she lifted the fruit picker towards the tree. 

Lingling smiled at them. It wasn't that heavy for her. 

“Lingling is strong, no?” Koy commented while watching Lingling lift the one of the longer and heavier fruit picker they have at the farm. 

“Uh-huh.” Orm fondly watched her wife from her spot. “She goes to the gym often. She's really strong.” She smiled proudly. During their first night, Lingling had her arms on either side of her head while she was on top of her. She could remember how strong and hard they were when flexed. Looking away, she bit her lip. 

After a while, the ball fell.

“Yay!” 

“Thank you, P'Lingling!” The kids went to give Lingling high fives except for Noi who hugged her instead. 

“Thank you, P'Lingling.” Noi said once again. Her smile grew when Lingling patted her head. 

“Ay, Shawn!” Shawn's mother approached them. “I'm sorry, Khun Sirilak. These kids caused you trouble.” She bowed multiple times. 

“Oh no, it's alright, Khun Ping.” Lingling remembered the woman since Orm introduced her earlier. 

Ping, on the other hand, was surprised and overwhelmed that Lingling remembered her name. “Oh…ah. Okay, Khun Sirilak.” it made her smile. 

Orm furrowed her brows upon seeing Lingling shake hands with Ping. The woman was one of the younger mothers in the farm. If she was not mistaken she was the same age as her wife. 

“I'll excuse myself. I have to put this back to the shed.” 

“I'll do it, Khun Sirilak.” Ping offered. She insisted even with Lingling’s protest, so the latter let her. 

Lingling walked back to the veranda where her wife and mother-in-law were. “Hey.” She greeted Orm. 

Orm patted the spot next to her and like a kid, Lingling obliged. “You were great with the kids, Bubu.” The former whispered.

It made Lingling smile. Her being her siblings caretaker helped a lot. “Thank you, my love.” 

Orm let out a giggle. 

Koy was still beside them but it seemed like Lingling and Orm was inside their own world. She could only shake her head and smile. 

As the night grew older, only a few guests remained. Only the closest friends of Anong and the family. It was only half past nine. Someone then had an idea to play a game of charades. 

Eclair went down then, saying she wouldn't miss a game. Everyone knew that Anong loves when everyone gathers and have fun together. They wanted to make every moment count. 

“Gather around!” Eclair acted as the game master. “The lovebirds should be on different teams just to be fair.” 

Lingling wanted to protest but kept her mouth shut. However, Orm did for the both of them. 

“Fine.” Orm sighed. 

“This side versus this side.” Eclair pointed to either side of Lingling and Orm since they were sitting in the middle. 

“Are we playing?” Ton came with Ying and her father following him. 

“We'll play charades, uncle.” Eclair answered. “You can just stay there. You're team Orm.” 

“We can do it.” Orm cheered her team. 

Ying, who was standing behind the sofa, was staring at Orm while smiling. 

Lingling saw this, so gave Ying a subtle glare. She grabbed Orm's hand then to get her wife's attention and she did. So, she triumphantly smiled. 

It was Orm, Ton and Ying among other players on their team while Lingling, Koy and Love on the other. The game started then. It was Orm's team first. 

Eclair generated a random list from the internet then showed it to Orm. The first word was Thailand. 

Orm started acting out the word. She put her index finger out. 

“One word?” 

Orm nodded. She thought of how to act out Thailand. She smiled then made a greeting gesture. 

“Sawasdee kha?” 

Orm motioned for them to continue. 

“Greeting? Thai?” Her father asked and Orm pointed at him while nodding. She even repeated the gesture again. 

“Thailand?” 

“Yes!” Orm grinned. 

“Ah. That's easy.” Someone from Lingling's commented. 

“That's 36 seconds. Wow!” Eclair clapped her hands. 

“Good job, Ying.” Ton patted Ying on the back which Lingling once again saw. 

“Now from Team Lingling. Who's gonna go first?” Eclair asked and Love volunteered. “Here's your word, Nong.” 

Love frowned a bit. It was stage fright. She let out a breath through her lips as the timer started. 

Lingling did her best to concentrate. She wasn't just going to met Ying win. “Two words, okay.” 

Love went to act out the first word. 

“Box?” 

“TV?” 

Orm sat next to Lingling and fondly watch her wife guess. Maybe she finally found something her wife wasn't good at. She looked cute nonetheless so it didn't matter. 

“Flat? What?” 

“10…9…8…” Eclair started counting down. “...and 1. Time's up, Nong.” She laughed. “To be fair, it's a difficult word.”

“It's stage fright.” 

“Oh.” Lingling pursed her lips. How could she not get that, she thought. She felt Orm squeeze her hand as if to tell her it was okay, which made her smile. 

The game went on. Ying would always guess the word right much to Lingling’s dismay. On the other hand, their team she was able to guess a couple of words right, but mostly she was bad at this game. They went on until it was Ying's turn. Her word was Milky Way. 

“It's a hard one.” Eclair commented. 

Yung started then. She put her index and middle finger out. 

“Two words?” They asked and she nodded. 

Ying waved her hands from the center to the side then made twinkling gesture. 

“Sky?”

“Stars?” 

As their team was guessing, Ying pointed at Orm and looked at her as if telling her ‘you know this’. 

Orm furrowed her brows. 

Lingling, on the other hand, kept quiet but also fidgeting her fingers against her clasp hands on her lap. 

“10…9…” Eclair counted down. 

“Galaxy?” Orm asked and Ying excitedly nodded while telling her to cobtinue.

“...5…4…”

“Ah! Milky Way Galaxy? Milky Way!” 

“Correct! That was close.” Eclair chuckled. 

Orm stood up and gave Yung a high five. “Great job, P'Ying.” Ton did too. 

“I knew you'd get it.” Ying grinned at Orm. She knew the girl liked astronomy a lot anyway. 

Lingling gulped and looked down. 

“It's Khun Lingling’s turn now.” Eclair announced and their team cheered for her. 

“P’Ling—” Orm wanted to grab Lingling’s hand, but her wife already walked in front. She found it a little odd, but tried not to think much of it. 

Lingling’s word was Disneyland. She couldn't help but smile at the word which Orm noticed. 

Eclair put that word on purpose. Orm did tell her it was where they both confessed their love for each other, so she wanted to tease them a little. “One minute. Go!” 

Lingling put one finger up just like the others did. She and her friends rarely played such games, so she didn't really know how to go about it. For fun, they would go to clubs or drink somewhere instead. 

“One word?”

Lingling nodded. She first traced a castle but they didn't get it, so she twirled around like a princess as embarrassing as it was. 

“Princess?”

‘Ah.’ When Orm realized what it was, a huge smile formed on her lips. She made eye contact with Eclair who just gave her a smug smile. She shook her head while biting her lip. 

“Disney princess? Cinderella?” 

“Beauty and the Beast?” Love asked but realized her mistake. “Ah, right. One word. Tangled?” 

Lingling drew in a sharp breath. She then acted out as if she was on a rollercoaster. 

Orm giggled. She thought Lingling looked adorable. ‘God. I love you so much, Lingling Kwong.’ 

“Disney?” 

Lingling nodded. ‘Go on!’

“Time's up!” 

“It's Disneyland, right?” Orm asked this time. 

“Oh! I was thinking about that.” Love sighed. 

Lingling already forgot that she was upset earlier. She smiled softly and nodded. She sat back down beside her wife. 

Orm leaned closer. “You did a good job, Bubu.” 

Lingling felt ticklish for some reason. She let out a quiet chuckle. “We didn't win.” 

“It's okay. You're the winner to me.” Orm sweetly replied. 

Lingling looked down and smiled. It seemed like the two of them were inside their own little world once again. 

Ying could see them from her spot. She gulped down and looked away. 

After the party, Lingling helped arranging the plastic chairs while Orm helped in the kitchen. As she was doing so, she noticed someone went to help her. Her mood dropped the moment she realized it was Ying. 

“I can do it.” Lingling coldly said but Ying didn't budge. She let out a deep sigh. It seemed that the other girl was taunting her. 

“I'm just giving you a hand.” 

Lingling snorted. She was almost finished with everything when Ying decided to show up. ‘And what? Tell them you did it?’ She rolled her eyes and went back to arranging the chairs. 

“Do you know why N'Orm got Milky Way that fast?” 

Lingling tried to ignore Ying and continue with work. Whatever she would say, she didn't care. 

“She loves astronomy—” Ying said, glancing towards Lingling while arranging the chairs. “She even dreamt of working at NASA when she was a kid. Has she told you that?” 

Lingling wanted to ignore her but Yung sounded bragging. She put the chair down and coldly stared at the girl. 

“N'Orm loves watching the night sky—” Ying continued, that one Lingling knew about. “—I even accompanied her back at the hospital.”

With that, Lingling's face formed a subtle frown. That was Monday. She couldn't sleep but she hesitated on calling Orm thinking that she might be sleeping already. ‘You…were together?’ She gulped. 

“Do you also know that N'Orm tripped over when she was young that's why she has a scar on her chest?” Ying put the chair down as well. They were each holding the last two chairs. “She was only eight then. Her fall was so bad, uncle and aunty had to bring her to the hospital for stitches.” 

Lingling knew Orm had scar but she didn't asked her how she got it. When they made love, she made sure to plant a kiss on it. However, she wouldn't brag about it. She valued that memory with Orm so much to use it in an argument. “And you're telling me this because?” She raised her brow. 

“I'm just curious how well you know your wife.” Ying asked, smiling wryly. 

Lingling clenched her jaw. Ying was getting in her nerves but she wouldn't give her the satisfaction. So, she smirked. “Don't worry, I have the whole eternity to get to know my wife.” 

“Is that so? I heard N'Orm only has to marry you for three years, isn't that right?” Ying said, matching Lingling’s tone. 

Lingling's eyes faltered then. She asked herself how important really was Ying to Orm's family that she even knew their marriage stipulation. Her wife's father seemed to trust her a lot. Even during the game, he looked proud of her. She hated it. “Yes…but don't get your hopes up because N'Orm and I won't get a divorce.”

Ying let out a dry quiet laugh. Lingling's whole being was infuriating for her. 

“And one more thing…let’s say we did…how sure are you that N'Orm will choose someone like you?” Lingling lifted her chin, smiling smugly. “I only came into her life three months before…while you have been with her—” She kept her eyes on Ying. Now, it was her to have the upper hand. She was a businesswoman to begin with, she knew how to turn everything around. “—way back…even then, N'Orm didn't fall for you. I wonder why?” 

Ying didn't know how to answer that one, to be honest. Why? Again, she could only imagine what would have happened if she confessed her feelings to Orm back then. 

“Hm?” Lingling smirked. 

“She's—”

“P'Lingling!” 

Both girls turned towards the house and saw Orm walking towards them. Lingling cleared her throat while Ying let out a calming breath. 

Orm looked between the two. Their conversation seemed heated when she saw them from inside the house. “What were you two talking about?”

Ying glanced at Lingling. She was about to open her mouth to say an alibi when the latter spoke up. 

“We were talking about the partnership with Noiam.” Lingling said while giving Orm a reassuring smile. “I mentioned about the commercial proposal but it's not final yet.”

“Yeah. Khun Lingling mentioned it. We still have to think about it in case.” Ying added. 

While Orm still felt something was off, she believed them for now. She nodded and motioned inside. “Let's go inside, P'Lingling. It's a little chilly here. You might get sick.” She grabbed her wife's hand before looking at Ying. “We'll get going, P'Ying. Thanks for helping today.”

Yong smiled. She could see their intertwined hands from her peripheral vision. “Me too.” 

Orm and Lingling went inside then, but as they were walking back, the latter made sure to pull the former closer for Ying to see. 

“The charades was fun, huh? I think Ma enjoyed it a lot.” Ton said just as Koy went to sit down next to him. He was going to hug her, but she pushed his arm away much to his dismay. “What's the matter, Teerak?” 

“Ton.” Koy was visibly upset. “I told you to stop giving special treatment to Ying especially that Lingling is here.” 

Ton sat up. “Huh?”

Koy sighed deeply. “Don't act like you don't secretly want Ying and Orm to end up together. Lingling is already here and she's taking good care of Orm. She's making our daughter happy.” 

Ton furrowed his brows. He has always thought Ying was the best one not just for Orm bit for the family. She always showed care to Orm as well as the farm. 

“Maybe you would notice it if you just paid attention to your daughter-in-law.” 

Ton sighed. “I just didn't know how to talk to her.” 

Koy looked away and closed her eyes. At first, she was also hesitant to talk to Lingling. With a sigh, she held her husband's hands. “She's a good kid, Teerak. If you were just here this morning, you would see how great she is with our daughter.” 

Ton smiled a bit. Orm didn't say anything whenever they would call her so he wasn't sure how their relationship was going. “You're right, Teerak. Maybe I was a little unfair to Lingling.” 

“You really were.” Koy smiled this time. “Give her a chance. Orm is happy, Teerak. That's what's important right?” She asked and he nodded. 

Meanwhile on the other side of the hallway, Orm went out of the bathroom after showering and saw Lingling by the window looking up into the night sky. She grinned and snuck from behind to hug her. But before she could reach her, her wife already caught her. 

Lingling held out her hand which Orm took. She pulled her closer until they were hugging each other. 

“What are you thinking about, Bubu?” Orm asked, pouting cutely. 

Lingling shook her head. “I thought the sky is pretty.”

Orm glanced into the night sky and nodded. “Yeah.” She said before looking back at her wife. “You're prettier though.” She grinned, making the older girl shake her head and chuckle. 

“You like Astronomy? I just remembered you mentioned it before.” Lingling asked, purposely omitting her conversation with Ying earlier. 

“Uh-huh. It's interesting…” Orm answered. She then touched Lingling’s nose with her index finger. “...just like you.” 

“Me?”

Orm hummed and nodded. “You remind me of outer space…galaxies…stars…everything out there basically.” 

“How so?” 

“Because no matter how people try to understand what's out there, there's always something new.” Orm smiled softly. She lifted her hands and cupped Lingling's cheeks. “It's like with you…it feels like everyday, there's something new that I will discover. It's like I'm getting to know you over and over again everyday.” 

Lingling felt like crying. She was reminded once again how in deep in love she was with Kornnaphat Sethratanapong. It was scary. It felt as if this love was a quicksand that she willingly stepped into. “Will you promise me that you'll still stay with me even when there's nothing new to discover anymore?” 

Orm thought that she was already inside the black hole that was Sirilak Kwong the moment she admitted to herself that she was in love with her. “I doubt it but I promise. We're partners now, remember? You're stuck with me for life, Lingling Kwong.” She kissed her then. “You can't get rid of me anymore. You have no rights.”

Lingling chuckled. She kissed Orm once again. This time, it wasn't just a peck. Their kisses were soft at first before they got heated. 

When they separated, Orm swiftly pulled the dark curtains close. “Take me to bed, Lingling Kwong?"

Lingling breathed through her parted lips. Her gaze traveling down her wife’s lips. She wanted to remind Orm that they were under the same roof as her parents, grandmother and cousins, but even she has been craving for it. She nodded before connecting their lips once again. 

The two of them took steps blinky until Orm's leg hit the bed. Before they could lie down, Orm was already unbuttoning Lingling's pajama while the latter was already pushing aside the strap of her wife's night gown. 

They ended up in bed once again just like in Paris with Lingling on top of Orm. “Are you sure about this?” The former asked. 

Orm pushed the loose strand of Lingling’s hair to her back. “Yeah.” She smiled, pulling her wife into another searing kiss. 

Meanwhile back in Bangkok, Milk went to have a sleepover at Ciize's place. They went down to grab some soda and cookies since they were rewatching Harry Potter when they heard the latter's father talking on the phone. 

“Yes, sir. Are you sure you want to put your property here in the village on sale?” 

Ciize's dad was a real estate broker. He was one of the top brokers in Bangkok. He waved at them from his office as they were passing by. 

“Sawasdee kha.” Milk mouthed a greeting to him which he responded to with a smile. As they were going up, caught the surname of the caller. 

“Alright, I'll process the papers as soon as possible, Mr. Austin.”

Milk frowned a bit. She only knew one Austin family who used to live in their village. They migrated abroad years back as far as she could remember. ‘They're selling their house?’ She shrugged and went to follow Ciize. 

Chapter Text

The next morning, the couple survived breakfast without anyone suspecting what they did the night before. The meal was pleasant to say the least. This time, Ton seemed to have tried to interact more with Lingling which the couple appreciated a lot. Afterwards, Lingling took a bath. She used the shirt her wife prepared for her this time, although it seemed a bit bigger on her. Currently, Lingling was sitting on a chair near Orm's grandmother as she was reading reports from the office while her wife was taking a bath. On her lap was Uni who seemed to be at ease with her already. 

Lingling stopped for a while to watch Anong breath as she was sleeping. Her health has declined greatly compared to when she attended their wedding. She was too weak to stand. That was why she needed to sit on a wheelchair if she needed to go outside. Last night, she was just watching as they played charades. But even in her condition, she would always smile. It felt as if she wasn't afraid of dying. Although they hadn't interacted much, she was frightened by the possibility of her not waking up one day. However, on one side, it was comforting to think that at least they would be able to say goodbye. 

When Lingling’s mother passed away, they were all in shock. It was supposed to be a happy day. They were supposed to welcome a new addition to the family and they did, but at the expense of their mother's life. She never blamed Milk. She would never do that. She just couldn't bear the fact that it was all too sudden. She didn't even get to say goodbye to her mom. She didn't even get to hug her one last time. Perhaps until now, there was still a lingering feeling of bitterness in her heart. 

“Lingling Kwong…”

Lingling's train of thought was broken when she felt soft hands touch her shoulders. She looked up and saw her wife. “Hey.” She smiled. 

“What are you thinking about, Bubu?” 

Lingling shook her head. In her peripheral vision, she saw Orm had her laptop out on the dining table. “Are you going to work?” 

Orm nodded. “My report has been on hold since last week. I have to at least make some progress.”

“You don't have to.” Lingling replied, now holding her wife's hand. 

The younger one only chuckled. “I have to. I can't slack off. It's bad for my boss-wife's image.” She said a bit teasingly before pressing a kiss onto her wife's head. “I will just be at the table.” 

It seemed that Lingling would change her wife's mind, so she ended up nodding, “Okay.” 

Meanwhile outside, Ton was helping load some crops into his pick-up truck that he would be delivering to the market. While doing so, he recalled what he witnessed during breakfast. His wife may be right. It seemed like their daughter already found the right person for her. 

“How is your stay here in Buriram so far, Lingling?” Ton asked. He was still a little hesitant to address Lingling by her name without honorifics like they used to. 

“It has been great uncle. Thank you.” Lingling answered with a smile while pouring herself a glass of orange juice. 

Ton nodded. He couldn't think of anything to talk about with their daughter-in-law except business. He silently but subtly observed the young couple. That time, Orm was also making coffee. But to his surprise, the two of them switched glasses without saying a word. 

“I hope you like tiger prawn, Lingling.” Koy spoke this time while pushing the plate towards Lingling. 

Ton saw that Lingling was about to open her mouth but Orm answered for her instead. “She does, mom.” The latter said and the former only smiled. Afterwards, he thought Lingling was getting rice for herself, but instead, she put some on Orm's plate first before putting a scoop on hers. All while their daughter was peeling shrimp which she served on her wife's plate. 

During their first dinner with the Kwong’s, despite not saying anything, he noticed that Lingling was purposely ignoring Orm. He thought that she was calm but intimidating. Somehow a complete opposite of Orm. During the wedding, seemed to treat their daughter better but there was still a voice in his mind saying it was all for show. The deal was to have their marriage last for three years and nothing more anyway. Orm also didn't tell them anything to begin with. However, being able to see how they treat each other with his own eyes made him realize that maybe he judged Lingling too soon. He has been unfair, he knows that now. He smiled and resumed his meal. 

Koy, on the other hand, smiled as well upon seeing her husband's reaction. She wanted to tell him ‘I told you so’, but she thought she would just let him reflect on himself. 

“It's the last one, Khun Ton.” 

Ton nodded and thanked their workers for their help. Before he could enter the passenger seat of the truck, his wife called him. “Teerak.” 

Koy handed her husband's bag. “Please drop by the temple after, Teerak.” She said and he nodded. 

“Ah. This is for Orm and Lingling, by the way.” He grabbed a plastic bag with a couple of ripe mangoes. “I don't think our daughter-in-law has tried this variety yet.” 

That made Koy's smile grow. “I told you so.” 

Ton let out a quiet laugh. “You're right.” He nodded. “We better go now.”

It wasn't dark yet, but the weather forecast said there was a high chance of rain, so she said, “There's an umbrella in your bag, Teerak. Drive safely.” 

Upon entering the house, she saw Orm and Lingling sitting at the table while working with their laptops. Meanwhile, Eclair was talking with Anong and Chari on the veranda. After preparing mango slices, she put a plate in front of the couple. 

“You should try it, Lingling. Ton picked them up from the tree earlier.” 

“Thank you, Aunty.” 

Koy smiled then patted Lingling's shoulder before leaving them. 

“Why—” Orm was about to ask Lingling why she wouldn't call her parents as mom and dad, but stopped. 

“Yes, Baobao?” Lingling asked, glancing at Orm, while pulling the plate with mangoes towards them. 

Orm realized that even she was addressing Lingling’s father as Khun Plai only since she was too shy to address him as dad. She thought that maybe her wife felt the same. “Nothing…I mean—” She motioned to the mangoes. “That's a different variety from the mangoes they served last night.” 

Lingling poked a slice with a fork then ate it. “Hmm.” She furrowed her brows but smiled. “It tastes different. Kind of sweeter but still with a hint of sourness.” 

Orm grinned. “My grandfather acquired the seeds years back. It’s a product of biotechnology, so it’s not like an ordinary one.” She said and her wife nodded. She also went to eat one. “This is the one we used for mango jelly at the food lab.” 

“I don't think I have tried that one yet.” 

“Uh-huh. We're still trying different varieties of fruits for the jellies. It's not yet final.” 

“I see.” Lingling nodded. “But I like this better than the ordinary one. We're using the same kind of mangoes from last night for production, right?” 

“Correct.” Orm answered before eating another one. 

Lingling hummed, now in business mode. “Since it's way sweeter and has a lot more juice, would that mean we can use smaller portions with each jelly?” 

Orm smiled brightly before giving her wife a peck. “Yes. You're correct again, Bubu.” 

“Ah.” Lingling felt proud of herself for that. 

‘God! She looks like a puppy again with that smile.’ Lingling was once again smiling with her eyes, Orm thought. “That's the plan. We're still trying to figure out…I mean for the mango one…if we can lessen the mango juice concentration as well as sweeteners we use per cup without compromising the taste. There's a problem though.” She said, making her wife frown a bit. “Here in the farm, we only have around 4-5, I think, trees for this variety. I think dad planted a couple more last year but they're still not big enough. We might have problems with supply if we use this.” 

“Oh.” Lingling nodded. Orm was right. That might be a problem. “Did you include this in your proposal?” 

“Not yet.” 

“I see.” 

Orm smiled. It somehow felt like she was presenting to Lingling as an employee. “Let's go for a walk, P’Lingling.” She said, and her wife gave her a confused look then. “I'll give you a tour around the farm, so you can do some little inspection here and there. You're already here anyway.” 

‘I might see that Ying girl again.’ Lingling nodded anyway. “Okay.”

And so, the two of them went out to the fields. They first went to the greenhouse where the herbs and seedlings were, but they didn't go inside anymore. Next, they walked through the patio near the rice field. They already harvested those planted during the dry season which were mainly corn more than rice, and now farmers are planting rice again since the wet season has started. They also visited the rows of pineapple plants. Orm told Lingling that they also sell a portion to dressmakers who use pineapple fibers at a lower price aside from the supplies they export and the ones they deliver to Noiam. Afterwards, they proceeded to the mango plantation. 

The amount of land Orm's family owned was huge. Lingling was surprised, to be honest. She knew they were the biggest in Buriram but she didn't expect it to be this vast. Judging from last night's gathering, it seemed like they had more or less a hundred farmers excluding their families. 

“This is the mango tree I told you about. Also that one—” Orm pointed at the one beside the tree nearest to them. “—also that one—” Then at the two big ones behind the storage house. “—and those two also. The ones with labels on them.” But then, she noticed Lingling in deep thoughts. “You okay?” 

“N'Orm?” 

“Hm?”

“Why did you marry me?” 

Orm was taken aback. She didn't know where that came from. “I told you already. I made a promise to my grandma.”

Lingling knew that—their great grandmothers’ pact. She still didn't believe there was ever a deal, but that was beside the point. 

“Why? Are you tired of me already, Bubu?” Orm jokingly pouted. 

Lingling was swift to deny it. She grabbed Orm's hands then. “Of course not. Don't ever think that, okay?” 

“I know, silly.” Orm chuckled. Her wife was too serious. 

Lingling let out a sigh of relief. “I'm just curious. Hypothetically, there was no pact, given the same circumstances, would you have still agreed to marry me?” 

‘If I didn't make a promise?’ Orm could only guess why Lingling suddenly asked that. 

Lingling gulped. It was taking her wife so long to answer. Was it really a difficult question, she asked herself. “Forget about—”

“If there's no pact, we wouldn't have met.” Orm answered. 

Lingling thought Orm had a point, but for some reason, she wasn't satisfied by it. Sure, the partnership with Noiam Industries boosted them. But with this amount of land, they would have been able to land a partnership with a different company. Her friends were right. Orm's family may have needed Noiam's help but she needed Orm more. 

‘Why are you sulking? What answer do you want me to say?’ Orm felt like they were back to the early days of their relationship—guess what Sirilak Kwong wants. It was rather funny now. ‘Ah.’ She pulled her hands away much to Lingling’s dismay, then grabbed her wife's cheeks, pinching them lightly. ‘Cute!’ She smiled brightly. 

Lingling’s gaze softened then as she stared into her wife's earthy eyes. She always loved looking at them. 

“Even without a pact, if we were offered a partnership in exchange for marrying you, of course I still would do it.” Orm told her wife firmly. “Come on, you’re Sirilak Kwong!” 

Lingling let out a quiet giggle. But then her smile was replaced with dread when Orm pulled her hands away but this time looked away, arms crossed. 

“But I know if there's no pact, you wouldn't have married me. Hmp!” 

Lingling’s jaw dropped. Now, it was Orm who was upset. ‘Ay, Lingling Kwong! You should have just kept your mouth shut!’ She went in front of Orm but her wife looked the other way again. “N'Orm.” 

“Hmp.” Orm pretended to be upset just to get a reaction from Lingling. It may be evil, but it was satisfying, to be honest. 

Lingling once again stepped in front of Orm. Her wife was about to turn around once again, but she stopped her this time. “Baobao.” She scolded herself. She screwed up this time, she thought. 

“See? You hated my guts when we first met. Of course, you wouldn't.” Orm let out an exasperated sigh. 

Lingling gulped. 

Orm shrugged, still keeping the act up, and stepped back. But then her wife pulled her into a hug. ‘OMG.’ They were in the middle of the mango plantation. Thankfully, it was just about lunch time so there were no people around—there were, including Ying's mother. Maybe even if there were people, she was convinced that her wife wouldn't care. 

“I didn't hate you.” 

Orm didn't hug Lingling back since she was still acting upset, but she couldn't help but smile. Fortunately, her wife couldn't see her face. 

“At first, I didn't want to get married, not because it was you.” Lingling kept her eyes on the tree trunk in front of them. “I was just scared that I might not find someone who will love me like how my parents loved each other…” 

‘Oh.’ The mischievous smile on Orm's lips vanished then. 

‘...P’Lingling getting married is.’ 

‘Please be patient with her. She's still figuring things out.’

‘You didn't want to get married…because you were scared that I wouldn't love you?’ For some reason, Orm felt tears building in her eyes. All this time she believed that Lingling hated her then because she thought she was using her. 

Breathe in. 

Breathe out. 

Lingling leaned back then, so Orm cleared her throat and blinked her tears away. 

In that moment, it felt like they were once in their own world where time ran at its own pace—safe and calming. 

“...so thank you for loving me back, N'Orm.” 

Orm gulped. She started into her wife's eyes, as dark and deep as the galaxies. She held her cheeks once again. This time, tenderly while rubbing her thumb against her skin. “I can't help it even if I try.” She said with a smile. 

Lingling looked down and smiled to herself. Orm was making her feel so many emotions all at once. 

All of a sudden, raindrops started falling one by one. They were already near the house, so if they ran, they would get there before it became a downpour. 

“Come on, P'Ling—” Orm grabbed Lingling wrist but then stopped upon seeing Lingling looking up at the sky, her hand held up to feel the raindrops. She remembered one of their conversations then—Lingling never experienced playing in the rain. “We can stay.” 

"Huh?" Lingling looked at Orm then and saw her smiling. The raindrops were getting more and more numerous until it became full on rain. 'Ah.' Orm remembered and it made her happy.

‘You can be a child when you're with me, P'Lingling.’ Orm intertwined their fingers then. She made that promise to herself back when she admitted to herself that she indeed loves Sirilak Kwong. 

“Where is—” Koy went out to the veranda where Anong and Chari were. From there, they could see Lingling and Orm from a distance. “Orm! Lingling!”

“I'll bring them an umbrella, Khun Koy.” Their helper said. 

“Koy.” Anong held her daughter-in-law’s arm. 

Koy looked down on Anong and saw her smiling while watching the couple. She also did, and this time, what she saw was Orm being a kid once again. She couldn't help but feel emotional at how fast time flies. It felt like yesterday that Orm would run around with other kids at the farm. She would fall down but get up again. She didn't care if her shirt was all dirty from playing in the field. Now, she's married and set to build her own family with Lingling. 

Seemed like the heavens were on their side because the rain wasn't that strong nor too mild. It was a perfect rain to dance in.

“There's that song about rain…what was it?” Lingling asked. Both of them were now drenched in the rain. 

Orm jumped up and down excitedly. “I know! I know!” She started humming first since she didn't know the full lyrics. 

“Yeah, that one.” Lingling giggled. 

“....Staring at the blank page before you. Open up the dirty window!” Orm sung, nodding to encourage Lingling to sing as well. “Let the sun illuminate the words that you cannot find—”

“—Reaching for something in the distance. So close you can almost taste it…” Lingling started singing then and Orm was surprised at how good her singing voice sounded. She sounded so sweet, it made her wife smile wider. “...Release your inhibitions—”

“Feel the rain on your skin!” Both of them sang at the same time. 

Orm hummed the next lyrics since she forgot the exact one, but it seemed like her wife memorized it. 

“Only you can let it in.” Lingling teasingly raised her eyebrow, bragging that she knew the lyrics. “No one else, no one—ah!” Orm suddenly jumped into the puddle, splashing the muddy water into her. “N'Orm!” She was once again amused by her mischievous wife. 

“Drench yourself in words unspoken—” Orm ran away a little while singing before Lingling could take a revenge on her. She laughed when Lingling ran after her. “Ah!” 

Lingling splashed the rain onto Orm instead. They didn't get to finish the chorus but she didn't mind. 

Orm playfully frowned. “Lingling Kwong!” She shouted before running into Lingling. 

Lingling didn't run away this time. She welcomed Orm into her arms. It was rather cheesy but she didn't care. 

Orm grinned. “Hey.” Even with wet hair, Lingling looked like a goddess. She smiled even more when her wife kissed her forehead. They were outside, so she understood. 

“Should we go in now?” Lingling asked. 

“Are you happy?” 

Lingling nodded while staring into her wife's face, making sure to engrave this memory in her mind. “Very.” 

When the couple returned to the farm house, they were immediately given towels and told to take a shower. They both had it in mind to share a bath together for the first time but Koy told Orm to use Eclair's instead so she wouldn't have to wait. 

Lingling peacefully took a shower while reminiscing her memories from earlier. Meanwhile, before she could enter the bathroom, Orm was teased non-stop by her cousin saying they should have done the scene from The Notebook. 

The rain didn't last long for an hour. The farm was then filled with the scent of the earth after the rain. 

It was around 20 minutes before 5 o'clock in the afternoon then. Orm thought of making pandan tea, so she stood up and went to see if they had any left. 

“Do you need something?” Lingling asked, standing up. 

“I want to make cha bai toey but there's none left.” 

“I'll get it for you.” 

“It's—”

“In the greenhouse, right?” 

“No need. I can just ask—” 

“I’ll go.”

There Lingling went, leaving Orm dumbfounded. The latter tried to run after her, but her wife was already walking out to the patio. “Lingling Kwong!” She frowned in confusion and amusement. With a sigh, she went back in. 

“Khun Orm, did you need anything?” Their helper emerged from the dirty kitchen. 

Orm smiled and shook her head. “P'Lingling already went. Thank you.” 

Ying was attaching the net for sepak takraw on their makeshift court underneath the mango trees when she heard Orm shout after Lingling. She saw Orm by the door while Lingling stormed up to somewhere. 

‘I only came into her life three months before while you have been with her way back. Even then, N'Orm didn't fall for you. I wonder why?’ 

Lingling’s smugness was annoying. Ying could only sigh. 

Meanwhile, once Lingling entered the greenhouse, she realized that she was doomed. For some reason, she felt like if Orm went herself, Ying would approach her once again, so she ended up volunteering. But the thing was, she may be good in economics and business, but agriculture wasn't her strongest suit. She knew what pandan leaves looked like when served. But right now, they all looked the same to her. She was good at tasting food and not identifying them. She wasn't the one who inspects the supply delivered to Noiam, to begin with. ‘I should study them.’ 

Lingling went to read the labels one by one but didn't find pandan. Right then, her phone buzzed. 

From: Baobao❤
[Sent a photo]
It looks like this jic you don't know 5555555
It's outside the greenhouse on the side Bubu 

“Ah.” Lingling felt embarrassed that Orm felt the need to help her. She sent a quick thank you message to her wife before going out. 

Ping saw her then. “Khun Sirilak?” 

Lingling greeted Ping and the woman did too. The other girl asked her what she needed, so she answered, “I'm looking for pandan leaves.” 

“They’re right here.” Ping led Lingling to the side of the greenhouse where the row of pandan leaves were planted. “Are you going to cook, Khun Sirilak?”

“N'Orm wants to make tea.” Lingling answered with a smile. She was about to get them, but Ping intervened. 

“Let me get them for you.” 

“Thank you.” 

After gathering some, Lingling and Ping walked back towards the farm house. 

“We're about to play sepak takraw, Khun Sirilak, if you want to watch...” 

Lingling turned her head towards a small gathering of people near the mango trees. Her eyes landed on Ying who was tossing the ratan ball up and down. She might have felt her gaze since she also turned to look at her. They both gave each other an icy glare. 

“Want to play, Khun Lingling?” Ying shouted from her spot. 

Lingling pursed her lips. She didn't like it when Ying addressed her not with her Thai name. They weren't close, to begin with. 

“We still need one more.” Ying said again and almost everyone was looking at her now. “But it's okay if you don't know how to play.”

Lingling fought the urge to raise her brow. “I'll join.” She said, making Ying snort while Ping and the others were surprised. “I'll just give this to my wife.” She told Ping before going inside. 

“Took you a while.” Orm chuckled when Lingling entered the house with a bunch of pandan leaves in hand. “You got them. Good job.” She then gave her a chaste kiss, making her wife smile like a cute puppy that she is again. 

“Baobao, I'll go play sepak takraw with them outside.” 

“Huh?” Orm was taken aback. She didn't know her wife knew that sport, much less how to play it. It was another discovery, she thought. “Okay. I'll go watch. We'll just prepare this.” She gave her another kiss. “Good luck, Bubu.” And there Lingling was again grinning, smiling with her eyes. 

“You'll watch?”

“Of course.” 

“Okay. I'll go put my shoes on.” Lingling went up to get her shores then. After a while, she went down wearing Celine sneakers partnered with the black Fendi silk shorts she had been wearing for the day and a random loose white NASA shirt Orm lent her earlier. “I’ll go now.” 

“Okay.” Orm smiled and nodded. 

And so, Lingling went out with a smile but peered behind the door to wave goodbye at Orm. 

Orm nodded while smiling, quietly telling her wife she would be there. ‘Oh my heart—’ She facepalmed herself at how adorable her wife looked. ‘—Lingling Kwong, you're so cute. What the heck?’ She shook her head while smiling. 

Lingling joined the others at the court.

A handful of workers saw her in the rain with Orm earlier and thought it was a lovely scene between her and their precious Nong. It somehow made them feel more at ease with her. 

“Khun Sirilak, you can join Ying’s team.” Ping told Lingling. Since Ying was one of the good ones at this sport in the farm, they thought that maybe it would be fair if Lingling joined them instead. 

Both Lingling and Ying gave each other subtle cold glare. None of them wanted to play side by side with each other. “Okay.” Both of them said at the same time much to each girl's dismay. 

The old man who served as the referee explained the game to them, more like, to Lingling specifically. 

The game started then. Both teams had one man each. The opponent team served the first ball. It started out slow. They were already leading by four points at 10-6. Lingling felt as if the other team were going easy on them. It even felt like they were passing the ball to her. And they wouldn't even run after it when she hit them near the edge of the court. She still didn't like playing with Ying, however. The girl would always run towards the ball even if Lingling or the other guy, K, was nearer. 

It was Lingling’s time to serve again. At that moment, Orm and Koy arrived at the court. It was already past five then, so more people including the kids came to watch. Anong, Eclair and Chari were also watching from the veranda. 

“Hi.” Orm waved her hand at Lingling who also waved back at her. “Good luck.” She mouthed while smiling. 

Lingling smiled sweetly. 

“Aww.” Ping whispered to the other girls beside her. "Go Khun Sirilak!" She shouted which Orm heard—for some reason, it was annoying. Meanwhile, Ying looked away and drew in a sharp breath. 

‘This is for you, N’Orm.’ Lingling smiled then hit the ball, but it hit K’s back instead. She shut her eyes for a moment then ran up to K. “Oh shoot! I'm sorry. Are you alright?” 

“7-10.” The main referee shouted. 

“I'm okay, Khun Sirilak.” K said, he even sounded apologetic himself. 

Ying snorted.

“Khun Sirilak got distracted by N'Orm. How cute!” Someone from the audience said. Some let out lighthearted laughs while some felt giddy. 

Lingling was looking down with a bashful smile. Orm knew she felt embarrassed, but she thought it was cute. When her wife looked up at her, she mouthed, “It's okay.”

Lingling inhaled deeply. “Okay.” Then exhaled through her mouth. She readied herself for the opponent's serve. ‘Focus. Focus.’ She told herself. She wanted to impress Orm. 

The rally started then. It was the longest one so far. The guy from the other team hit the ball quite strongly, thankfully Yung was at the end of the court to receive it. It was a challenging shot, so K hit the ball higher. Lingling saw an opportunity and hit the ball with her head towards the other side of the court. Their opponents hesitated as the ball landed in between the two players, hence they scored. 

“11-7!” 

“Nice shot, Khun Sirilak!” K gave Lingling a thumbs up. 

“Yay!” Orm gave Lingling two thumbs up as well. She lifted her hand to her forehead, subtly asking her wife if it hurts. 

Lingling shook her head while smiling. She played sepak takraw for a while in college aside from doing athletics, so she knew a thing or two. It was almost a decade ago, so she was a bit rusty. 

“That was good.”

Lingling turned around and saw Ying smiling a little. She didn't expect a complement from her, to be honest. “Thanks.” She nodded. 

“Come on, let's play!” Ying clapped her hands loudly, subtly telling their opponents to step it up. 

The game continued. The other team did step up. They were running after shots now. As it went on, Lingling and Ying fell into a rhythm while playing. Maybe it was because of their competitive nature but it was fun to watch. 

Love joined the crowd, still in her school uniform. She was surprised to see Lingling playing since she always thought she was more of a chess person. She pulled out her phone and snapped a photo. 

To: Milk Kwong🥛
[Sent a photo]
Look!

Love immediately received a response from Milk. 

From: Milk Kwong🥛
Is that P'Lingling? 😯 
She played in college before. I didn't know she still knows how to play it 😆 

At the end of the set, Lingling and Ying's team won 21-17. They went for a water break and Orm immediately stood up and wiped Lingling’s sweat. “I didn't know you're good at this?” 

“I played for a while in college.” 

“Ah.” Orm bit her lip to suppress a smile. It seemed that there would always be something new that she would discover about her wife. 

Eclair was thrilled by what she was seeing. “Look at their chemistry.” She told Chari, pointing at the couple. The old nurse could only agree. Anong only quietly watched them while smiling. 

Ying, on the other hand, could see the couple from her spot. She looked down and sipped her jug of water. She could only keep her emotions to herself. 

After a while, the second set started. Ton arrived just after it did. He stayed by the truck while watching. He thought the Lingling he was seeing was far from who they met a couple of months back. 

“3-1!” 

“Nice one.” Lingling complemented Ying this time when she saved the ball after a hard hit from their opponent. 

“Thanks.” Ying smiled back before going to the service line. 

“Orm, maybe you should have lent Lingling jogging pants. Her legs are getting red.” Koy told Orm. She thought that the girl's skin was so delicate that she might end up with bruises. 

Orm looked closely then and saw that Lingling’s legs were indeed reddish on the spots that the ball hit. She only nodded at her mother's comment. ‘I'll just massage them later.’ 

The game went on. This time, the other team found their rhythm. They were tied at 14-14. K served this time and it went in. The rally began with two teams hitting the ball back and forth. The crowd was cheering loudly. 

Chet, the guy from the other team, jumped so high and hit the ball. It went in between Lingling and Ying. 

“I'll get it!”

“I got it!”

Both women went in at the same time. They ended up bumping into each other causing both to fall over and the ball hit the ground instead. Everyone was shocked. 

“P'Lingling!” Orm exclaimed. 

“Ugh!” Ying cried out. She twisted her ankles causing her to land on her butt. 

Meanwhile, Lingling fell to her side but managed to stand up quickly. She held out her good arm to Ying, which she took. She looked so much in pain. She wanted to say sorry, but was not able to. 

“P'Lingling.” Orm was fast to be by Lingling’s side, quickly examining her. Her wife's white shirt was now filled with dirt as well as the side of her body where she fell on. Koy was also by their side along with Love, dusting off Lingling's shirt. 

But then Ying cried out in pain again. “Agh!” It was bad since she already jumped before she collided with Lingling, that was why it was painful when she landed and fell. 

Orm looked over to Ying as the referee as well as her mother helped her to the seats. It looked pretty bad. 

“N'Orm—” Right then, Lingling felt Orm's hand slip away. ‘Don’t go.’ She watched her walk over towards Ying. Her face fell which Koy noticed. 

“Are you okay, P'Ying? Should we call an ambulance?” Orm only meant to check on Ying, nothing more. She was her friend anyway. 

Lingling watched Orm worriedly look at Ying. ‘I got hurt too.’ All the others have asked her if she was okay. She wished her wife would have asked her that too. “I'll go change my clothes, Aunty.” She quietly said before walking back to the house. Koy and Love could only look at each other and sigh. 

Ton came running then as well as Chari to check on the girls. “We got it, darling.” He said, subtly telling his daughter to stay with her wife. 

Orm nodded. But when she turned around, Lingling was already near the house. Koy nodded and motioned at her to follow her wife. She looked down and shut her eyes tightly. ‘I fucked up, didn't I?’ 

“Lingling…” Anong was genuinely worried about the girl. Even from their spot, her fall seemed bad. 

“I'm alright, grandma. I'll just go wash up.” Lingling gave Anong a reassuring smile before going inside. 

Eclair noticed that despite saying she was okay, Lingling's eyes glistened with tears. She did fall pretty badly. Even Uni was looking up at her as she passed by. 

Lingling went straight to their room and into the bathroom. Standing in front of the mirror, she took her shirt off and saw that the spot on her arm that hit the ground was now turning red. She could move her arm around with no problem, so she knew she didn't have a fracture. However, it was absolute that her arm would end up with a huge bruise. She also moved her face to the side to see the part of her jaw that collided with Ying's arm. It was painful but tolerable. 

With a sigh, she opened the faucet to wash herself. Ying’s injury did look pretty bad. She might need to put a cast on it. She didn't mean to hurt her. Today, she even enjoyed playing with her and thought that maybe once everything was clear, they could be friends. She was her wife's close friend growing up anyway. She hated herself for feeling jealous all the time just like now. It was petty, but she couldn't help it. She swallowed the thick lump in her throat before wiping the tears building in her eyes. ‘Silly.’ 

Once done, they went out while wiping her body with a towel, only in her sports bra and shorts to get a new pair of clothes, but stopped in her tracks upon seeing Orm waiting for her. 

“P'Lingling.” Orm stood up from the edge of the bed. Her wife's body was exposed. Fortunately, the curtains were almost completely closed then. 

Lingling smiled a bit. “How's Ying?” 

“They brought her to the hospital to get her checked.” Orm answered and Lingling only nodded. She watched her wife walk towards the dresser, but before she could, she grabbed her hand. “Let me see.” 

Lingling gulped but nodded anyway. She let Orm take a closer look at her.

Orm frowned upon seeing the big red mark on Lingling’s arm. “I'll get an ice pack. Sit down on the bed first, okay?” 

“I'm—” Lingling wanted to say she was fine, but Orm wouldn't agree, so she obliged. "Okay." She sat on the edge of the bed while waiting for her wife to come back. 

Orm came back after a while with a warm bucket of water with soap and towel as well as an ice pack. She quietly wiped Lingling's body clean, making sure to wipe her legs and feet as well. Afterwards, she sat down beside her at the side of her bad arm. She applied the cold compares, pressing it gently against her skin. 

“I'm sorry, N'Orm. I didn't mean to.” Lingling quietly said. 

Orm smiled a bit. “I know.” She replied. Lingling didn't need to apologize to her or anyone. It was an accident anyway. “Does it hurt?”

Lingling nodded. 

Orm stared into Lingling’s face and saw her puppy eyes. Her eyes seemed rounder whenever she would look at her like this. With a smile, she bent down and pressed a gentle kiss on her wife's arm much to her surprise. 

“It hurts here too.” Lingling tilted her head a bit to show her jaw. She also received another kiss there. And so, she decided to point on her lips as well. “This hurts too.” She mumbled. 

Now Lingling just wanted to kiss her, Orm thought. She bit the inside of her lip and shook her head. “That one too?” She asked and her wife nodded—this time she was smiling. And so, she leaned in and gave her a peck. “Better?”

“It still hurts.” Lingling pouted. 

Orm drew in a sharp breath. She was convinced that Lingling now knew how to get her. Smiling, she leaned in again. This time, her wife met her halfway. She closed her eyes and held her cheek. She was still holding her cold compress in between them. 

Meanwhile, Lingling held her wife's waist firmly with one hand while the other held her nape, pulling her close and deepening the kiss. She nibbled her wife's lower lip before going down, pressing a trail of kisses on her jawline and down to her neck, earning a soft moan from her. She made sure to kiss the scar on her wife's chest, near her collarbone. 

In the heat of the moment, Lingling pulled Orm to her lap so that she was straddling her. The bag of cold compress fell to the floor but none of them cared. 

Orm circled her arm around Lingling’s neck as she received kisses on her neck. Her chest was rising and falling harshly. She groaned when her wife's hand slipped under her shirt. 

“Lingling, Khun Cha—” 

The couple froze. Their heads snapped to the direction of the door and saw Koy standing in shock. 

“Mom!” Orm exclaimed, immediately climbing down Lingling’s lap. She remembered that her wife was only wearing a sports bra, so she quickly grabbed a pillow and covered her. “Please get out, mom!” 

Koy was frozen for a moment. She swiftly closed the door. 

“Gahhh! Mom, why didn't you knock?” Orm frowned while Lingling was just too flustered to have been busted while making out with her wife by her wife's mother. It was their fault for not locking the door anyway. 

Koy opened the door again. This time, just a bit. “I’m sorry! Khun Chari will check on Lingling. Dinner is also ready.” She said before closing the door once more. She didn't know they were at that stage already. She thought that at this rate, if Lingling was a man, they would already welcome their first grandchild in a year. 

Orm sighed and facepalmed herself. Now the mood was broken. 

Lingling cleared her throat before standing up. “I'll um…I should change my clothes.” She bit her lip while walking to the dresser. That was embarrassing, she thought, her ears turned red. 

The dinner was quite awkward to say the least. Thankfully, it was only her mom who knew. Although Eclair easily picked up what might have happened based on their gazes. Good thing, she didn't say anything. 

That night, Lingling sat by the veranda with Anong as they watched the night sky. Chari was sitting meters behind them by the door and Love was in front of them sitting on the steps with her phone. It seemed like after the rain, the sky got clearer because at night, the stars were out. 

“Lingling…” 

Lingling heard Anong say, so she turned her head towards her direction and smiled. 

“Please be patient with Orm.” The sickly old woman said, carefully reaching to pat Lingling’s arm. “She's a little childish at times.” She continued and Lingling could only smile at that. “I want to apologize if she may have been bossing you around.”

“Ah.” Lingling let out a quiet chuckle. “I don't mind, grandma. N'Orm takes care of me well too.” 

Anong nodded. She looked ahead once more. “I will tell you a story, Lingling.” 

Lingling put her hand on top of Anong's to let her know that she was listening. 

“There was once a five year old girl here in Buriram. She always gets sick. Almost every other month, her parents would bring her to the hospital. She couldn't play much with others because of it. The other kids didn't want to either since she was slow except for one...” 

Love stopped from texting to listen to her grandmother’s story. She has told her tons of stories before but never this one. 

“...One day, their neighbor told her mother that the experts from the city will do a medical mission in the town. Since her mother was working, their neighbor went with her. There were indeed a lot of doctors there treating sick people just like her…”

Chari, who was sitting behind them, leaned a little closer. 

“...the little girl was treated by a female doctor from the city. She was beautiful and had shiny black hair tied in a bun…” Anong looked at Lingling and smiled. 

Lingling wasn't sure where the story was heading, so she kept to her silence. 

“...The little girl was scared at first since her mother was not with her...” Anong paused for a moment. Her abdomen started aching once more but it was tolerable. “...but the doctor told her it would be okay. She asked her if she has a friend, so she said she has one. She told her he gave her the stuffed toy that he sewed himself to keep her company.”

Inside, Orm sat with her parents on the sofa. From her spot, she could see Lingling sitting closely with her grandmother. “Dad…mom…” She said, and her parents both looked at her. “Thank you for making P'Lingling feel at home.” 

Koy and Ton both smiled. Although they still weren't as close to Lingling as they liked, it was a good start. 

Koy reached for Orm's hand and squeezed it. Orm looked down and smiled as she understood that her mother wanted to tell her not to think about what happened earlier anymore. “I'll go fold grandma's laundry.” She said before standing up and leaving. 

Anong looked up at the sky once more. “The doctor said…she had a friend like that too but they had to part ways. She told the little girl that she was lucky to find a friend like him. She said she must hold on to that and that it was something she was not able to do. She even gave the little girl a hug before letting her go…” She again looked at Lingling fondly. “...the little girl thought that the doctor was so beautiful, she wouldn't forget her face.” 

Lingling smiled a little. 

“Her mother came to pick her up, to the little girl's surprise. But her mother had to sign some papers, so she left the girl standing by the entrance of that place. The beautiful doctor came out then and saw her. She asked her why she was still there and she told her she was waiting for her mother. When her mother came back, the little girl saw the shock on the doctor's face.” Anong gulped while Lingling furrowed her brows. The old woman then smiled rather longingly. “As it turned out, her mother was the friend the doctor told her about.” 

Lingling gulped. 

At that exact moment, Orm was folding her grandmother's clothes. For some reason, she felt heavy. She sighed and shook the unpleasant thought aside while putting the clothes inside the dresser beside a ragged frog head stuffed toy on the shelf. She smiled then poked it. It was the one her grandmother told her was her grandfather's first gift to her. 

“I was scared that I might not find someone who would love me like how my parents loved each other, so thank you for loving me back, N'Orm .”

She smiled upon remembering what Lingling told her. The thought that maybe deep down, she was scared too. It was true, the possibility of not finding a love as strong as the ones you grew up witnessing was terrifying. ‘I guess we're the same, P'Lingling.’ She smiled while rubbing her thumb across the stuffed toy. With a sigh, she bent down to pick up Uni. 

‘You were that little girl, were you?’ Lingling stared into Anong's eyes, subtly asking. For some reason, tears started building up in her eyes. 

Anong may have understood what Lingling was asking with her eyes because she nodded her head while smiling. 

Back in the 1950s, years after World War II, in Buriram. 

“Prim…” 

Anong looked between her mother and the doctor. Both of them were in shock after seeing each other. 

“...you got married.” Wein, the doctor, said but more like, asked. Her voice was quiet as hands trembled, so she folded them. 

Prim looked down for a moment, her hands on both sides of her daughter's shoulder. “Yes.” She replied. She had a calm facade but deep down, she felt like breaking down. It had been almost a decade since they last saw each other yet the memories they had and the feelings and emotion that came with it remained. “How are you? How is Khun Chet?” 

Wein's eyes faltered. She opened and closed her hands as if she wanted to do something she couldn't. “Can we talk?” Prim seemed like she was about to say no, so she added, “Just for a while.” 

Prim swallowed the thick lump in her throat and looked away for a moment. ‘What for?’ She wanted to say. She already healed but seeing Wein again after all those years brought everything back. 

“Please?” Wein begged. 

With a heavy heart, Prim ended up nodding. She told Anong to go sit with their neighbor first while she talked to the doctor. 

Anong didn't know what they talked about but it seemed like both of them were hurting. The last she saw was her mother giving the doctor something she couldn't see before walking up to her and telling her they had to go. 

During the ride home, Prim was quiet. And that night, it was the first time Anong saw her mother cry. 

While Anong stared into Lingling’s face, she couldn't help but see Wein in her. 

Being a five year old girl, Anong did not understand why her mother would cry like that after seeing an old friend. She only did when she was already in her 30s and already has a family after reading her mother's journal. She realized that her mothers tears then were not for a friend. Wein was her mother's first love, maybe even her greatest love, but they were both women. She also learned that her father knew all along way before he asked her mother to marry him that she was in love with somebody else. In the last pages, her mother wrote, ‘I'll remember our promise when we meet again in our next life. We will be together then, my Wein.’ Even before she died, the doctor was the one in her heart. Anong felt bad for her father, but she thought he loved her mother too much to accept who she truly was. 

For years, Anong tried to seek out Wein but failed. She was able to meet her daughter, however. She learned that Wein died not long after they met in Buriram. Lingling’s grandmother then told her that she knew about Prim. But unlike Anong, she hated it. She blamed Anong's mother for why her mother would always cry at night. She blamed her when her parents almost separated. She even blamed her for mother's death. She hated the idea so much that she even went great lengths to avoid seeing a trace of Prim's bloodline. She brought her daughter, Lingling's mother, to Hong Kong just so she wouldn't meet any of Anong's children. There, her daughter met Plai and was betrothed to him. 

Anong stopped then. She really did. She even told herself that maybe, it wasn't up to her, and to just let destiny run its course. It was selfish to make her own granddaughter promise such a thing. If it wasn't meant to be, she would accept defeat. But although it seemed impossible, she was hopeful. Until one day, unexpectedly, Plai came to seek them himself. 

During the wedding, as she sat there in her seat while watching Lingling and Orm say their vows, she couldn't help but feel as if she was back in the 1950s, but this time her mother was genuinely happy with her greatest love. That moment she told the Gods above that if she were to die soon, she would gladly face death with open arms. 

“Please take good care of Orm.” Anong said. 

Lingling let her tear fall then. She held Anong's hand in between hers. “I will.” 

Anong reached for Lingling's face and wiped her tears. “Thank you.” 

Chari, who heard the whole conversation, shed a tear as well. Love also did. She didn't realize it until a tear dropped on her phone screen. It felt as if her grandmother was ready saying goodbye and leaving her P'Orm to Lingling's care. She swallowed the thick lump in her throat while the cute Adventure Time sticker Milk sent just now flashed on her screen. 

A couple of days went by, it was a Tuesday. Lingling had to go to the company that week so she flew on Monday morning to Bangkok then back to Buriram in the evening then back again in Bangkok the next morning. 

It was around 4 PM already, Lingling was sitting on her chair at the end of the conference table as the finance department presented their report to the board. She glanced over her watch. She wanted it to end quickly so that she could fly back to Buriram as soon as possible. It was the first time Nene saw Lingling distracted during a meeting. 

It ended around 4:30 PM. Lingling talked to the Board members for a while before excusing herself to drive back to the airport. 

“Khun Lingling—”

“Go home.” Lingling raised her hand before entering the elevator alone. 

“Oh well.” Nene shrugged. 

Lingling checked her phone before boarding. There was no message from Orm. She then reached Buriram around 8PM. Orm's family driver was already waiting for her. Again, there was no message from her wife. 

As they were traveling, Lingling noticed a butterfly on the window. Despite their car moving, it seemed to stay there. She leaned closer and touched the glass. That was the only time the butterfly flew away. 

“Ma.” Ton cried in his wife’s arms while they were getting Anong's body to bring to the morgue. 

Eclair was comforting Love who was sobbing. While Orm stood quietly by the door as her grandmother's body was being put into the van. 

Some workers were outside as well to pay respect, including Ying's family. Not long after the vehicle drove away. 

Orm swallowed the thick lump in her throat. She was so close to crying but didn't want to in front of everyone, so she went out of the house and walked towards the field. 

“N'Orm—” Ying was about to follow her when her mother held her wrist. When she looked back at her, her mother shook her head. She could only sigh in defeat. 

Orm sat down behind the greenhouse and cried. She bent her knees to her chest and hugged them tightly. It felt so heavy. 

“I love you, grandma!” “I love you too, my angel.” 

“You will do great, Orm. If you believe in yourself, you can be whatever you want to be.” 

“Goodnight, my angel.” 

Orm was sobbing so much, it was getting harder to breathe. “G-Grand-ma.” She said in between sobs. 

“N'Orm.” 

Orm's breath hitched. When she looked up, she saw Lingling standing meters from her. “P'Lingling!” 

Lingling hastily knelt in front of Orm to embrace her. She didn't care if her knees would get scratches from doing so. 

“Grandma—is—” Orm tried to speak but couldn't. “P'Lingling!”

‘I know.’ Lingling's tears were on bay. She didn't say anything, but made sure to make Orm feel consolation. She could feel dampness in her blouse while her wife gripped her clothes tightly. She rested her chin on top of her head while drawing comforting circles on her back. “Shhh.” As well as planting kisses on top of her head and her trample. “Shhh.” 

Lingling has seen and has been in this situation before. When her mother died, her father had to attend to Milk since she was brought to the NICU, on top of signing a lot of papers and mourning for his deceased wife. Their grandparents then were not present since it was all too sudden and it wasn't her mother's due date yet. Which left her alone to comfort Film. She was a 12-year-old girl who just lost her mother but couldn't cry because she had to be strong for her little sister. It was just her and her sister while their father talked to the doctors. She couldn't even remember if their father went to hug them that night. It felt terrible.

“It will be okay.” Lingling whispered to her wife. “Shhh.” She kissed her head once again before breathing through her lips. The awful feeling of that memory kept coming back whenever she would remember that night. She didn't want her wife to feel the same. 

Two days after, Plai as well as Lingling's sisters came to the burial at the cemetery after the rituals at the temple. Lingling made sure to stay by Orm's side and hold her hand through it. Afterwards, they went back to the house where another ritual was done. 

Ton thanked everyone who came to pay respect to his mother's funeral. A lot of people came and told stories about how good of a person and a friend Anong was. Then, the family prepared a meal for everyone to share in honor of the deceased. 

Orm shed some tears during the burial but she felt a lot better to have Lingling by her side. While her wife was talking to her father, she sat down with Film in the living room as well as Jaja and Nene who flew to Buriram. 

“I'm sure your grandmother is happy in heaven now, Orm.” Film said while patting Orm's arm. She wanted to tease her about her sister but thought it wasn't the right time. 

“Thank you.” Orm smiled. 

Plai and Lingling, on the other hand, stood by the mango tree outside. 

“I heard you played sepak takraw with them last time?” Plai asked, glancing at his daughter for a bit, before looking out to the fields. 

“I did.” 

Plai smiled. “I'm glad that you're trying to get close to Orm's family.” He had hopes for his daughter and Orm's marriage, but at first, he was apprehensive. “You're…having a great run, Lingling.” 

Lingling let out a quiet laugh. She guessed her father would always refer to her marriage with Orm that way. “I'm doing my best.” She smiled when her father looked at her. 

Plai was happy to see their eldest fall in love. He was scared that Lingling's heart had turned cold since she had to grow up faster for her siblings, for the company, for their family. ‘I did the right thing, my love.’ He said in his mind as if talking to his late wife. He couldn't be more grateful. And so, he patted Lingling's shoulder gently. 

Lingling understood what her father wanted to say. He was proud of her. She looked away and smiled. 

Before the Kwong's, except for Lingling, went back to Bangkok, Plai heard that Love wanted to become an aerospace engineer, so he offered her a scholarship at the international school where Milk was studying, saying that it would be good in her resume if she wanted to apply to MIT for college. Of course, Love was excited but also hesitant since she was already in her senior year. She was an orphan, so she had been living with their grandmother since young. She hasn't decided yet so Plai told her to think about it. 

The day after, Lingling and Orm packed their bags to fly back to Bangkok with Eclair. As the driver put their bags on the trunk of the car, Lingling went to bid farewell to Orm's parents. 

“We will be going now, Uncle, Aunty. Thank—”

“You can call us mom and dad…only if you're comfortable.” Ton said while Koy smiled beside him. 

That made Lingling smile. 

“You're already a part of our family, Lingling.” Koy added. 

“Thank you…dad, mom.” Lingling was a little shy to address them as such. She felt giddy doing so. It just made her and Orm's marriage more real. 

Koy chuckled while Ton patted Lingling's shoulder. 

Orm saw her wife's interaction with her parents and that made her happy. She walked beside Lingling and tangled her arm with hers. “Mom, dad, P'Lingling and I will go now.” 

“Okay. Safe flight to you all.” Ton said.

Koy said while holding both Orm and Lingling’s arms. “Don't hesitate to visit again, okay?” 

Lingling and Orm went to give them a hug before going inside the car. They sat on the backseat while Eclair sat on the passenger's seat in front. 

Koy and Ton stood by the farm house with Love, who was holding Uni, as they watched the car drive away. 

“Our daughter is with the right person now.” Ton said without removing his gaze on the car. 

“She is, Teerak.” 

Meanwhile, Lingling felt Orm move closer so she looked at her and found out that her wife was also looking at her. “Hm?”

Orm leaned her head closer and whispered, “Thank you for staying, Lingling Kwong.” She said, making her wife smile. Somehow, her grandmother's passing became more bearable since she got her by her side. 

“Hmp.” Eclair could see them through the rearview mirror and couldn't handle how disgustingly sweet they were. But it made her happy to see them finally together like this. 

Lingling leaned in and placed a feathery kiss on Orm's forehead. Everything that has happened in Buriram somehow felt like a dream. And now, they would be going back to Bangkok, going back to reality. “I'll always be here, my love.” 

Chapter Text

“The shooting for the commercial is today, right?” Lingling asked Nene as they entered the chairman’s conference room. 

“Yes, Khun Lingling.” 

A few weeks has passed since Anong's death, and only a week left before the submission of the proposal for the Manoban property bidding. Lingling has gathered her team to make the final edits before they send the files in. It was already Friday and the week has been very exhausting. 

As they were working, Lingling kept looking over her watch. She thought she was subtle but she wasn't. 

“Go.” Gap suddenly blurted out. When his friend looked at him confusedly, he rolled his eyes and motioned to the door. “I know you want to check the commercial so go instead of squirming in your seat."

Lingling straightened her back. ‘Was I that obvious?’ 

Nene, who was sitting adjacent to the two, pursed her lips to suppress a giggle. Lingling's aura has changed drastically over the months. She never expected to see the day that someone would make her boss all fidgety.

Gap smirked. If Freen was telling the truth, Lingling really needed to go down. “Go. We got this.” He motioned to the rest of the team. 

With that, Lingling stood up followed by Nene. “I'll be back quickly.” She said her usual cool businesswoman tone before walking casually to the door. However once outside, she hurriedly walked towards the elevator not minding that her secretary could see her. ‘My wife will appear on TV soon. Wow.’ She thought while smiling. She was sure many would fall in love with her charm, and it was a bit irritating to think about, but then she is her wife so they didn't matter. 

“Today and next week, right?” Lingling asked Nene the span of the shooting for all the commercial videos. 

“Yes, Khun Ling.”

“Okay.” Lingling said with a rather chirpy voice while tapping her fingers on her side. 

Nene stifled a laugh. She wouldn't get tired of seeing her boss like a lovesick puppy. She was touched that Lingling felt comfortable enough to act like this in front of her. 

Upon reaching the floor, Lingling went out and walked to where they were shooting the commercial. She was excited about it. Well, until she wasn't. ‘What is that woman doing here?’ She frowned. She didn't like what she was seeing. Not at all. 

“Khun Ying, you will stand on the left side of Chef Matthew.” Freen was the director for the shoot today. She was standing with Ying near the camera while the others were still polishing their make-up.

They made a kitchen type studio on the 7th floor of the building. The first video from the commercial series that they would upload in Noiam's website, their social media accounts and on TV composed of Chef Matthew Charoen, an up-and-coming Thai-German chef with huge following on TikTok and owner of Thai Fusion Tavern, a representative from the R&D Department, and another from Serene Sprout. 

As Lingling and Nene were entering the area, the staff immediately noticed her. “It's the Vice Chairwoman.” 

“Sawasdee kha, Khun Sirilak!” With that, everyone turned their heads towards her including Orm. The rest went to greet her. 

Lingling greeted them back but made sure to make Ying know she wasn't fond of seeing her there. 

Freen, on the other hand, smirked upon seeing her cousin. She knew well that she would eventually come down. After the CEO went back to Bangkok with her wife, she received countless teasing from their group only to end up ranting about this particular woman making moves on her wife. That was the longest message she ever sent in their GC since they created it. She meant to approach her but she saw her walking up to her wife, so she stood by and smiled. 

“N'Orm.” Lingling called Orm who was already looking at her through the mirror. She greeted Golf and Prigkhing who was there to help out her wife with the script. 

Orm stood up and gave Lingling a hug. “Are you going to watch, Bubu?” She whispered. 

Golf felt like she was intruding, so she looked away. Nene, who was standing behind Lingling, looked down and smiled. While Prigkhing kept mum about it but didn't look away. 

Lingling nodded. “I thought it would be dad?” 

Orm pouted with furrowed brows. “I thought so too.” She nodded. “But dad said they called and said they needed someone younger. P'Ying knows a lot about the farm, so they sent her instead.” 

That's why, Lingling thought. “Was dad upset?” 

Orm nodded. “He was, actually.” She looked around first before adding, “They were talking earlier with Khun Freen. I'm just not sure what it was about. We should have started already but I don't know.” She shrugged. 

Lingling nodded. She reached up and fixed Orm's hair, making her smile, while saying, “I'll talk to her.” And so, she approached her cousin who seemed to be waiting for her. “Why haven't you started the shooting yet?” 

“We’re actually waiting for you, Phi.” Freen answered before subtly glancing towards Ying, who was also eyeing her cousin. “Anyway, I was thinking of replacing Orm.”

“Pardon?” Lingling was taken aback, she frowned. 

Freen moved closer to her cousin and said, “Don't you want me to?” She raised her brow before glancing towards Ying's direction. 

Lingling frowned. She wasn't that possessive, she told herself. Orm prepared for this and she wasn't going to jeopardize that because of some silly jealousy. 

“But I need your cooperation in order to do that.” Freen opened her ipad and handed it to Lingling. “Here.”

“No.” It was an invitation for Lingling and Orm to guest at a cooking show airing on CH3. “What is this for?” She handed the iPad back to Freen like it was poisonous. “And me? I don't even know how to cook.” 

“It's either that or Orm stays here—” Freen smiled; it was not a friendly one. “—with her. It might be a good thing though. The video with her on your wife's TikTok page got a lot of likes anyway too.” She chuckled when her cousin glared at her. The latter knew very well what video she was referring to. “I already talked to the team. Your COO said it’s up to you too. It would be a good promo for both the show and Noiam. CH3 is big, you know? We're just waiting for your decision.”

‘Is that why you haven't started yet?’ Lingling looked back to the set and saw Ying walking towards Orm. ‘I'm not that petty. You're not that petty, Lingling.’ She looked towards her wife again and saw Ying giving her a hug. Ying might try something and she couldn't do anything about it. She shut her eyes and sighed. “Can't you just replace N'Orm? She can guest there on her own. You know my wife is good at cooking and she has a great personality.” She bargained. 

Freen snorted. “They want both of you.” 

Lingling could only let out a sharp breath. She has already appeared on TV. She wasn't new to it. But in those times, she was talking about business which she was great at. But this time, she knew nothing about cooking. She would just look stupid. 

“People have been taking interest in Orm's TikTok account, specifically her reply about making her wife cook with her. Now that people know she's married to you, they're even more eager to see you guys cook together especially after that video of you two under the rain got viral.” Freen explained. 

“Video? What video?” Lingling was lost in confusion once again. 

“The one from Buriram. I thought you already saw that.” 

Lingling felt a little flustered upon realizing that there were indeed people at that time. ‘I thought we were alone.’ She cleared her throat. 

Freen eyed her cousin with a knowing smile. The truth was, she was recently hired by the network to direct the said cooking show and she thought it would boost the show if she got her cousin and her wife as guests plus it would be funny to watch her cousin try to cook. It was like hitting two birds with one stone. “Do you want us to pull out Orm for this project to be with you in another promo…or do you want me to replace her without any reason so people can think you're just being jealous?” 

Lingling hated how Freen would always find reasons. “Fine.” She sighed. “Do what you want.”

“Okay.” Freen smiled. 

“We will do it only if my wife says so.” Lingling lifted her chin and folded her arms. “Okay?”

Freen only hummed before talking to everyone. She and the head of marketing explained the plan to everyone. Orm was fine with it. Ying, on the other hand, knew too well it was Lingling’s idea. She could only laugh in her mind. Now, they just need a replacement for Orm. 

“How about her?” Freen pointed at Prigkhing. “You do know the lines, right?”

Ying glanced over at the girl. She could remember her as the bitchy one when they first went to Buriram. Even here, the girl has been giving her death glare. She didn't even know her, to begin with. For some reason, this girl hated her guts. ‘Please don't say yes. Please—’

“I'll do it.” 

Ying pursed her lips. She frowned when Prigkhing raised her brow at her. She wasn't sure how they would work together. 

“Okay. Just touch up her make-up.” The marketing head told the crew before everyone dispersed. 

“You okay, P'Ying?” Orm asked Ying when she noticed that she looked a little bothered. 

“Yes.” Ying nodded. “I feel like that girl hates me.” She said while motioning to Prigkhing. 

“That's just her face.” Orm replied with a laugh. 

“Ah.” Ying also crackled. “It would have been better if it's you. I—”

“N'Orm.” 

Both girls saw Lingling approaching. 

“Sawasdee kha, Khun Lingling.” Ying bowed her head while smiling—it was more of a mocking smile than a genuine one. 

“Sawasdee, Khun Ying.” Lingling nodded. She subtly narrowed her eyes at Ying who only smirked. 

Orm looked between the two and furrowed her brows just a little bit. “Let's go, P'Ling?” She held her arm. 

“Okay.” 

Orm walked, more like led Lingling to the side. “Bubu, is there something you want to tell me?” She asked but her wife shook her head like a kid in the principal's office. “Are you sure?” 

“Yeah.” Lingling nodded. “Well, I want to ask, are you aware of the video that's been circulating? The one back at the farm.” She asked, completely changing the subject. 

“P'Jaja showed it to me earlier.” Orm felt a little shy about it but it was a cute one so she didn't mind. Turns out, some workers were still at the storage house at that time and took a video of them. “You looked cute…and hot.” 

“Please.” Lingling shut her eyes and shook her head. “By the way, Baobao…” She said as they were walking towards the chairs. “...about the show Freen talked about, I'm a bit hesitant to do it.” 

“Why?” 

Lingling held the chair for Orm to sit first before sitting down beside her behind the camera. “You know I don't cook.” She whispered. She was ashamed of it now. 

Orm giggled and gave Lingling’s hand a light squeeze. “It's okay. We can practice at home.” She said with a rather mischievous smile. 

Lingling gulped. The last time they cooked together after coming back from Buriram, they ended up making out on the counter and into the bedroom. She hummed in daze. “Sounds nice.” She grinned. She couldn't help it. 

Orm crackled. “Are you staying?” 

“No. I have to go back upstairs in a while. We have to finish the proposal as soon as possible.” 

Ying stood next to the chef and Prigkhing. From there, she could see Orm and Lingling laughing in their own little world. After their stay at Buriram, she realized that she did not stand a chance against Lingling Kwong. She knew that now. But there was still a piece in her heart that felt jealous and wished it was her instead that was making Orm smile like that. 

“You look like a frog.”

Ying was perplexed when she saw Prigkhing giving her an icy glare. ‘What did she say? Frog?’

“At least try to concentrate.” Prigkhing said before passing in front of Ying to the other side almost bumping her on purpose. 

‘What is wrong with her?’ Ying frowned and eyed Prigkhing from the back. “Huh?” 

“Ready on set!”

Ying straightened her back. She could see from her peripheral vision that Prigkhing now was smiling. ‘What a brat.’ She told herself that she didn't like her at all. 

After the first dish, Freen told everyone to take five. Orm noticed that Ying was struggling a little to keep up with Prigkhing and Chef Matthew. She understood how it must be difficult for her given that she wasn't used to this kind of exposure unlike Prigkhing who was a socialite. She didn't want her to feel out of place, they were friends to begin with and she was from their farm, so she took it upon herself to approach her with a bottle of water. 

“P'Ying, this is for—”

“Me. Thank you, Orm.” 

Orm was taken aback when Prigkhing grabbed the bottle from her hand and took a sip off of it. She was shocked to even say anything. “Um…”

Ying frowned at Prigkhing but she was completely ignoring her. That was rude, she thought. She was starting to get on her nerves. She had never seen such a spoiled brat in her whole life because while Orm's family owned the largest farm in their province, she never acted in such a way that this girl was acting. 

“I'll just get you another one.” Orm smiled apologetically to Ying. 

Ying smiled then. She was glad to have Orm around. “Thanks.”

“You have to help me with the next lines, Orm.” Prigkhing finished almost the whole bottle already. “You help make the script, right?”

Orm drew in a deep breath. As usual, Prigkhing was bitching around once again, but what else could she do? She nodded. “Okay.” Then she turned to Golf. “P'Golf, is it okay if you assist P'Ying?”

Golf smiled and nodded. “Of course.” 

And so, Orm and Prigkhing went to the corner to reread the script with Ying following them with her gaze. As soon as they sat down, Prigkhing made sure to glare at Ying. 

Ying looked away. ‘God! What is wrong with her?!’

“Here's your bottled water, Khun Ying.” Golf handed a cold bottle of water to Ying, which the latter was grateful for. 

“Thank you, Khun Golf.” Yung said, making the other person smile. She smiled awkwardly when she gave her a rather romantic gaze. She again carefully glanced towards Orm's direction, but once again met by Prigkhing's fiery glare. She could only sigh and look away. 

Meanwhile upstairs, Gap and Lingling stood by the window of the conference room while looking out to the rows of tall buildings outside. The giant golden Buddha could be seen from afar on that side of the building. 

“I heard Engfa's company also joined the bidding?” Gap asked. 

Lingling nodded. “Yes.” 

“We're all in Bangkok but we haven't met ever.” He sighed. “She seems to be making a name for herself.” 

“She is.” Lingling nodded once again. To be honest, she has only seen Engfa during her and Orm's dinner to celebrate their first month of marriage. She heard before that her old friend moved to Australia to work and study there before they lost touch. “I'm happy for her.” 

Gap glanced at Lingling. Before they became friends, Engfa was already in Lingling's life. But after years of friendship, she did not just lose one but two of her best friends. “Didn't she know why you wanted this property?” 

“She does.” Lingling was looking at a distance with furrowed brows. 

Gap frowned, glancing at Lingling once again. All of them knew Lingling’s motivation regarding that piece of land. She has been vocal about it back in college. She dreamt of acquiring it one day. She wanted even just a part of it, which was the playground to be exact. It seemed like Lingling read his mind with her next statement. 

“P’Engfa is a businesswoman. Although she knows why I wanted it, that land is a great location for any real estate development really. I can't blame her for wanting it too.” 

Gap pouted a bit but nodded anyway. “I guess you're right.” 

Lingling gulped. She really wanted to win the bidding. ‘I have to make it perfect. I can't lose this one.’ Her hands folded on her side just a little bit. Even though it seemed that she and Engfa were being pitted against each other by the media, she was still the first friend she had and she valued their friendship even until now. She thought that maybe she could reach out to her after this. ‘After I win this property.’ She told herself. “Let's work?” 

Gap nodded. “Yes. Let's get you that property.” 

After a long day at work, Chef Matthew invited the crew as well as Lingling to his restaurant for an early dinner. The chef prepared two long tables in the function hall for them. It was a VIP area with a small round kitchen counter in between the two tables where he could grill meat and cook for them live. 

Lingling sat with Freen on one side and Orm on the other. Opposite them a seat was reserved for Chef Matthew, then beside him was Freen’s assistant director, the head of the marketing department, the make-up artists and the editor. The staff and other crew members were at the other table. Almost everyone has settled down and when it was Ying to choose her seat, she opted for the vacant one beside Orm, however as she walked to it, Prigkhing beat her to it, even bumping her on purpose, hence she ended up sitting in between her and Golf. 

“Are you okay, Bubu?” Orm whispered into Lingling’s ears after noticing her squeezing her eyes and blinking multiple times. She looked exhausted. She has been sleeping late the past week to work on the proposal. She did tell her she wanted to win the bidding to honor her mother's memory. 

Lingling smiled at the pet name. She gave her wife a reassuring smile, squeezing her hand underneath the table. 

“I'll drive tonight.” Orm said. Lingling encouraged her to drive last time they attended the family dinner at their house and it went fine unlike the first time she did last year with her mom, Eclair and Love. 

“Okay.” Lingling replied with a quiet yet sweet tone. 

On the other hand, Ying could only glance towards Orm but could not do anything nor talk to her since Prigkhing was a big hurdle in between them. She sighed. 

“You should try this, P'Ying. Duck with orange sauce. It's good.” Golf offered, again with another romantic stare. 

“Thank you.” Ying smiled then awkwardly took a bite from the dish while Golf was watching her. She felt like people from Bangkok that she has met so far were a little weird. “You should eat too, Khun Golf.” She uncomfortably pushed the plate back to her. 

Golf grinned, making the poor girl more uneasy. “I will. Thank you.” 

Another dish was served. It was ratatouille. It was Ying's first time to see it in person since she saw it in the movie. She went to get some. ‘What do they put here?’ She separated the layers as she planned to recreate it, but then Prigkhing spoke up. 

“What are you doing?”

Ying was about to answer but the girl cut her off before she could open her mouth. 

“Don't separate them. You can eat it with this or that—” Prigkhing pointed at the cheese and salad. “—or put it on bread.” She grabbed the basket of bread then put it in front of Ying. The latter was almost moved by it, but then, “Haven't you eaten this before?”

Ying pursed her lips. The girl's tone was insulting. 

Both Orm and Lingling heard the conversation, so they turned to look at them. Prigkhing sounded condescending, Orm wasn't new to that information, but Ying wasn't. So, she tried to disperse the situation. “P'Ying, why don't you try this? It's chicken.” She said with a friendly smile while handing the Coq au Vin to Ying. 

Freen eyed her cousin's reaction quietly while Orm talked to Ying. She could see the subtle frown on her face. She wasn't sure how she would react at first, but she didn't expect what she was about to do. 

“Baobao, tell Ying to try this too.” Lingling quietly told Orm, tapping the plate of the green curry risotto in front of them. “Chef Matthew did say it's their popular dish.” 

That made Orm smile. She appreciated Lingling's gesture. “Okay.” She said before handing the plate to Ying as well. “You should try that too, P'Ying.” 

“Ah. Thank you. I will.” Ying saw it earlier that Lingling pointed at the dish before Orm handed it over. For what it's worth, she appreciated that a lot. 

Freen hummed while smiling a bit. Lingling was truly better than her. She would have switched seats with Becky if she was in the same position. 

Everything was going well actually until it was time for dessert. Chef Matthew brought out three flavors of cake for each table, red velvet, chocolate and carrot cake, together with another set of wine bottles.

“Please enjoy.” The tall and handsome chef clapped his hands once urging everyone to enjoy the desserts before sitting down on his seat. 

Lingling went to get a slice of red velvet cake while Ying got one from the chocolate cake. 

“N'Orm.”

“N'Orm.”

Everyone at their table turned their gazes to Orm. 

Lingling furrowed her brows while Ying pursed her lips, both were caught off guard, but none put their plates down and waited for Orm to pick. 

Freen put her arm up on the table and rested her cheek against her fist while smirking. ‘Okay. Now, this is entertaining.’

“You like this right?” Lingling asked with a smile, chin slightly raised. She tried to be nice, but Ying was there again trying to push her button. ‘You better put that damn plate down, Ying.’ 

Orm was about to speak but Ying beat her to it. 

“But chocolate is N'Orm's favorite cake flavor.” Ying replied. She just stated it casually, but saw a reaction from Lingling. “Right, N'Orm?” She asked, but she wasn't looking at Orm but to Lingling. 

“I'm just curious how much you know your wife.” Lingling's patience was growing thin. She raised her brow just a little bit. ‘Are you mocking me?’ 

Chef Matthew, among everyone at their table, looked confused and intrigued at the same time. He prepared the red velvet cake because he was informed it was the go-to flavor of the CEO. They patiently waited which one would Orm choose. 

Orm was torn. She truly liked chocolate cake most but she couldn't choose that. Her wife would be super upset. But then again, she knew Lingling so well that even if she chose the red velvet, she would feel she was only pressured to pick that one because she was her wife, especially after Ying told her chocolate was her favorite. “I'm full. Thank you really.” She said much to everyone's disappointment. “But I can feed you.” She told Lingling with a smile. 

Lingling was disappointed for a while before it was replaced by shock. 

“Oh wow.” Freen let out an amused chuckle upon hearing that. She thought Orm had guts. Even the chef in front of her crackled. 

“I'll get this. Thank you.” Prigkhing grabbed the plate from Ying. And when the girl looked at her, she raised her brow, “She doesn't want to so it's mine now.”

“She's shy.” Orm teased Lingling, making the others laugh. 

Ying drew in a deep breath and smiled bitterly. 

“The food tastes delicious, by the way.” Freen spoke up to relieve the tension in their table. The chef thanked her for the compliment. “Where's this wine from, Chef Matt? I think I haven't seen this brand in the market.” She asked, being a wine aficionado herself, while swirling her glass. 

“Ah! That one is from Barcelona. I had the chance to meet the owner of a small vineyard there, not so popular, but their wine is—” He blew a kiss. 

“It does taste good. I like the sweet yet also sour aftertaste as well.”

Lingling took a bite of the cake and smiled rather forcedly to Orm. Underneath the table, she felt Orm touch her hand until their fingers were intertwined. Was she upset? Yes, she was. “Why didn't you tell me? We could have gone with chocolate cake instead.” She quietly told her wife. She just assumed that Orm liked the flavor too since she didn't say anything during their wedding preparations. That's why they would always order the same flavor whenever they were out. It was such basic information yet she didn't know about it. Her tone wasn't angry or irritated, more like hurt. 

Orm gulped. Lingling was trying to hide that she was upset, but her eyes gave her away. Since they got married, her wife has not argued with her nor raised her voice at her intentionally. Especially after her grandmother's passing, she seemed to be more careful with her. It felt as if she was holding herself back all the time. She came to love red velvet, to be honest, and she felt happy whenever she saw her wife enjoying it. ‘I messed up.’ 

Lingling looked down for a moment and turned to Freen and Chef Matthew’s conversation. 

Orm let out a subtle sigh. She got some explaining to do when they got home. The only consolation she got now was that Lingling didn't pull her hand away. 

After dinner, the couple bid farewell. Although Lingling wasn't sleeping, the ride home was quiet. Orm glanced at her wife, who was looking outside the window, from time to time while driving. She looked like a sulking puppy once again. She was visibly upset but it felt like it was because of something much deeper than the cake fiasco earlier.

Upon reaching the condo, Orm parked their car on their spot besides the other ones that Lingling owned. 

“Let's go up. I want to rest.” Lingling said with a quiet voice. She was about to open the door when Orm locked them. She furrowed her brows. “N'Orm, what are you doing? Please open the door.” 

Again, Lingling was holding herself back, Orm thought. She lifted her chin and straightened her back. “What's really going on, Bubu?” 

“Nothing.” Lingling replied. She tried opening the door once more despite knowing it was locked. “Please, N'Orm, open the door.” 

“No.” Orm firmly said, making Lingling close her eyes tightly. Perhaps, her wife has been too careful with her after coming back from Buriram that she was letting her drive their relationship by herself. Even when they were intimate, Lingling would not say no whenever she wanted to make love, but she wouldn't ask nor initiate it. And it felt great, really. But she wanted her wife to feel comfortable to express whatever emotion she has as well without holding herself back. “This isn't just about the cake, am I right?”

“Baobao.” Lingling practically begged. She didn't want to argue with her wife over some petty jealousy. 

“Lingling Kwong.” 

“Please, let's just go home. I want to rest.” Lingling massaged her forehead as she swallowed the thick lump in her throat. It was only Orm who could make her feel like this. 

“We're not getting out of this car until you tell me what's going on.” Orm pulled Lingling’s hand away when she went to unlock the door from the control buttons on her side. “No, Lingling Kwong. We're staying here.”

“It's stupid, okay? It's not important."

“I don't care if you think it's stupid. Stop pretending you're fine. If you're mad, then say it. Let's argue about it—”

Lingling frowned. “I don't want to argue with you.” She didn't want to, really. She felt silly for feeling this way and she felt even more frustrated to cause trouble to her wife. 

Orm remembered back when they were only getting to know each other. Lingling did tell her those hurtful words, but she realized she was the only person she could be mad at, at that moment. Right now, her wife was holding her back like how she would hold back her emotions in front of her father when she learned about the new wedding schedule. “Then shout at me. Scream at me if it will make you feel better—”

Lingling clenched her fists. “Please, N'Orm! I don't want a fight.” 

“—then be honest with me!” Orm stared into Lingling’s eyes. ‘You can stop pretending you're okay.’ She lifted her hands and held her cheeks gently. “Tell me what's bothering you. It's just us here. It's just me.”

Lingling stared into Orm's eyes, they were both comforting and frightening at the same time, she felt like she would be once again lost in them. “I was jealous, okay? That's it.” She gulped down to stop her tears from forming but they did anyway. “I-I just hate that she knows more about you than I do. I hate to think that whatever I know, she already knows it…t-that there will always be a trace of her in your memory growing up. It's selfish and it's petty, I know.” Lingling felt her tears fall. She wiped them away swiftly. She thought it was because she was exhausted, that's why she was being too emotional. 

Orm knew something went on at the farm between Lingling and Ying, specifically that night she saw them talking outside. She wasn't shy about showing her love for her wife and she thought everyone would get that including Ying. She didn't know what exactly they talked about, but she hated the fact that it made her wife feel insecure. 

“I just—” Lingling’s voice cracked. “I just hate to think that if you and I never met, then maybe you would have—”

Orm kissed her then. 

Breathe in. 

Breathe out. 

Lingling froze. She could feel Orm's lips against her lips but she couldn't move until her wife pulled her closer. She closed her eyes then, letting the feeling of her wife's pillowy lips take over her senses. 

Lingling has been patient with her since they got married. Now that she felt vulnerable, it was time for her to do the same. And so, Orm made sure that her wife would feel through her kisses what she wanted to tell her. ‘I love you, Lingling Kwong. Just you.’

Ying sat at the bus stop while waiting for a ride back to the hotel Noiam reserved for her. ‘I shouldn't have said that.’ She scolded herself quietly while holding the tote bag the staff gave her as a thank you gift. She sighed. Right then, a fancy convertible car stopped in front of her. It was none other than Prigkhing. 

“Get in.”

Ying furrowed her brows and looked around. It was somewhat of a busy street, so she would be able to ask for help immediately if needed. The girl was even wearing shades despite it being dark already. 

“The buses are all full and the traffic is heavy since it's a Friday, so get in, I'll drive you.” Prigkhing pushed the door open for Ying. “Get. In.” 

Ying didn't know what had gotten into her but she ended up sitting in the passenger seat of Prigkhing’s car. They drove towards the expressway. She gripped the seatbelt on her chest since the girl was driving way too fast for her liking. “It should be there at that exit—” But then, the roof went up and the door got locked. She gulped. For the first time, she was scared for her life as they drove past their supposed exit. “Where are you taking me?"

Prigkhing glanced at Ying with a smirk. 

Ying thought she might never see the light of the day again. This spoiled brat may also be a psycho. 

“Is seeking attention from a married woman your thing?”

Ying's eyes faltered. She was afraid that this may be her karma for still hoping to get a chance with Orm. 

“You're pathetic.” Prigkhing let out a mocking laugh, and Ying couldn't agree more because she knew she was. “Hey. I'm not going to hurt you. What are you so scared about?” She glanced at Ying. 

Yung still wasn't convinced. She eyed the girl who had her eyes on the road. She watched crime documentaries before and many were because they got into a stranger's car and this girl was technically one to her. She folded her hands over her lap and just prayed to the gods that she would make it out alive. If not, her GPS was open and she hoped they would find her. 

About an hour later, they entered what seemed to be a gated community. The gate was huge and there were quite a few guards. Ying was sure they were not in Bangkok anymore. She couldn't even fish out her phone from her bag in fear that this psycho brat would pull something out and hurt her. 

But then after a while, they pulled up into a mansion on the hill. ‘Is this…her house?’ It was a luxurious residence with black, white and cream colored Mediterranean design. ‘Why am I here?'

“Get out."

Ying was utterly confused as to why Prigkhing brought her there. She was sure she didn't give her the wrong signal. Hesitantly, she went out. She told herself that she was strong enough to maybe fight if she must. She looked around and realized that the girl was indeed rich. No wonder she was such a spoiled brat, she thought. 

“What are you doing?” Prigkhing, arms crossed, raised her brow at Ying quietly telling her to walk with her. She rolled her eyes when the girl didn't make a move. Then, she went to grab her hand and pulled her inside. “You're really making me pull you? Gosh.”

Ying was in awe the moment they stepped inside. It looked like one of those houses in the magazines. As she gripped her bag, the maid came to greet them at the foyer. 

“Mom! Dad!” 

Just like that, Prigkhing's parents came out of the other room on the right, the living room maybe. “Sweetheart, you're home! How was work?”

Ying stood there frozen. Her parents looked like a Thai version of Morticia and Gomez Addams from the new Wednesday series, Ying thought, only they were wearing brighter colors. 

“It's fine. You'll probably see me on TV.” Prigkhing said, uninterested. Although, it made her parents excited anyway. “By the way, this is Ying, my girlfriend.”

“Your girlfriend?!”

“Your girlfriend?”

One sounded overjoyed while the other was shocked. Even more so when Prigkhing answered yes and added that she will be spending the night. 

“Welcome to the family, Ying!” Both Prigkhing’s parents went to embrace Ying much to her confusion. She wasn't sure if she was being hypnotized or what or maybe she was being pranked. “Make yourself feel at home, okay?” 

“We'll be off to bed now.” 

“Alright, sweetheart.” Her dad said with a huge smile. While her mother added, “Goodnight, Ying. Join us for breakfast tomorrow, okay?” 

‘Huh?’ Ying was so lost she just let Prigkhing pull her upstairs. The moment she came to her senses, she pulled her arm away. “Wait up.” 

“What?” Prigkhing raised her brow once again.

“Girlfriend? Are you insane?” Ying almost raised her voice. “And where are you taking me? I won't share a bed with you.”

“Do you think I want to share a bed with you too? You'll sleep in the guest room across the hallway.” Prigkhing pointed at the second door to the right. “This is an exclusive village and there are guards everywhere, so if you want to leave, go ahead and walk.”

Ying clenched her fist. “This is kidnapping.”

Prigkhing looked at Ying from head to toe and up. “You? Really?” She chuckled. 

“Why are you doing this? Don't you hate me?” 

Prigkhing hummed. She lifted her chin proudly. “You have a girlfriend now, so stop messing with someone else’s relationship.” She said, making Ying's eyes falter. “Someone will assist you in your room. They will prepare clothes for you too.” With that, Ying watched Prigkhing walk to her room leaving her in the hallway. 

At the penthouse of Pristine Towers, Lingling kissed Orm hungrily as they walked towards the bed until the back of the latter's knee hit the edge of the bed. 

Orm pulled away, heaving, with Lingling chasing her lips. When she opened her eyes, she saw her wife's eyes were dark with pupils blown out. She looked like a predator waiting to pounce on her prey. Her wife looked so hot that even with just her gaze, she was already feeling heat all over her body. She lay down in bed and pulled her wife on top of her. 

“N’Orm.” Lingling whispered. She was craving for Orm and was so close to losing all her inhibitions. As she straddled her wife's waist, she made sure to let her eyes travel down her slender body. She thought Orm looked like a historical treasure handcrafted by the gods who should be put in museums to be adored. She gulped. She breathed out slowly through her mouth while looking into her wife's parted lips. When she felt Orm’s hands travel up to her hips, she felt all control leave her body. She took her blouse off, throwing it absentmindedly to the floor leaving her with only her bra, before leaning down and connecting their lips again.

Orm tilted her chin up to give her wife more access to her neck. A moan escaped her lips when she felt her suck her skin. She held her close, letting her hands run wildly all over her body, gripping her hair and scratching her back as her wife continued to ravage her body. 

“I love you, N’Orm.” Lingling kept repeating with every wet kiss she gave her wife. ‘You're mine.’

Orm groaned. She gulped when Lingling touched her sensitive spot. “I—” She couldn't take it anymore. All their love making before this was soft and gentle. “I love y-you too, P’Lingling…” This was making her lose her mind. 

As the heat became unbearable, all their clothes were strewn around the bedroom floor. Orm's blouse even ended up on the shelf opposite the bed when Lingling threw it hard. Soft and loud moans and groaning filled their room. As the night went on, their naked bodies rocked against each other as they let pleasure take over. 

After what felt like hours of pleasurable bliss, Orm cradled Lingling's head against her chest with a smile on her face, their legs tangled underneath the sheets. 

Lingling pressed a tender kiss on Orm's wrist while rubbing her thumb against arm. She slowly lifted her head so that they could see each other's faces. “How are you feeling?” 

‘I should be the one asking you that.’ Orm thought. She smiled softly and ran her fingers through her Lingling’s hair. Her wife would always ask her how she was feeling after making love. “Great.” She whispered lovingly. “Do you feel better, Bubu?”

Lingling nodded with a rather timid smile. “I'm sorry I made you worry about—"

“Shh.” Orm pressed her finger against Lingling’s lips. She didn't want to hear her say her reason for being upset was stupid and silly. “It's not silly, okay?” 

Lingling nodded. She lied back down, but this time, she faced Orm. She smiled as she traced the kiss marks and love bites on her wife's skin with her eyes. “Baobao?” She said and her wife hummed. “Can you…tell me the story you mentioned before? The one grandma Anong told you about?”

Orm smiled and nodded happily. “She used to tell me this during bedtime when I asked her to.” She whispered and Lingling nodded. “There were two friends…a puppy and a bunny.” She giggled while Lingling smiled. “A cute one just like you.” She then poked her wife's nose fondly. 

Lingling closed her eyes and shook her head. “And you.” She whispered. 

Orm grinned and nodded. She went on to tell how they grew to love each other more than friends. “When they saw each other, it felt like there were fireworks and music everywhere.” She smiled. That was how she grew up expecting love would be a grand feeling like being at the center of an orchestra. But she realized that not every love was like that. With Lingling, there was no music nor fireworks, but calmness and security. With her, it felt like she was in the middle of a field with gentle wind blowing against her skin. “They were happy. But they knew they couldn't be together. They were different anyway, so they had to part ways.”

Lingling’s eyes faltered upon remembering the story Anong told her. The story of their great grandmothers. 

“They did but it was killing them slowly everyday.” Orm went to tell how her grandmother told her the story. How the puppy and the bunny missed each other so much. “But one day, they met again. They were both happy and sad at the same time because they had to go separate ways again…” 

“...her mother was the friend the doctor was talking about.” Lingling remembered that one. It seemed like Anong told Orm the story indirectly by using animals as characters. 

“...but they didn't.”

Lingling gulped. Anong changed the ending. 

Orm smiled while caressing Lingling cheek. “They decided that they love each other so much to let others dictate their lives. And so, the puppy held the Bunny's hand as they traveled away from their kingdom. They found a farm and they built a house…”

Lingling thought that maybe because Orm was a child, so Anong felt the need to make it a happy ending, or maybe it was the ending she wished for Prim and Wein. 

“...they couldn't have offspring, but they were happy to have fought for their love. And so, they lived happily ever after. The end."

Lingling leaned in and kissed Orm once. “Thank you.” Orm giggled at that. “N'Orm…do you know that our great grandmothers' were in love with each other?”

Orm seemed to be thinking for a moment before smiling and nodding. “Hmm. I figured they were the puppy and the bunny in grandma's story.” She grabbed her wife's hand and kissed her knuckles. “It's a good thing they didn't run away together, don't you think?”

“Hm?” Lingling furrowed her brows. 

Orm chuckled and pinched Lingling’s cheek gently. “If they did, we wouldn't be here. I wouldn't have met you…and I wouldn't have fallen in love with you, Lingling Kwong.”

“Ah.” Lingling let out a quiet laugh. “You're right.”

“Of course, I am.” Orm giggled and so did Lingling. 

“You know I sometimes think about…”

“Hm?”

Lingling snaked her arm on Orm's waist and put the other underneath her neck, pulling her a little closer. “...if I wasn't the other great granddaughter. You would have married someone else and I wouldn't have met you.” 

“Well…yeah, I guess I would have been married to whoever it would be.” Orm nodded, making Lingling pout. She wrinkled her nose at how cute her wife looked as if she wasn't ravaging her body like an animal in heat minutes earlier. “But I'm glad it's you, Lingling Kwong.” That made Lingling smile. “I'd like to think it's destiny, you know? Even if dad didn't come to find us in Buriram, I think we will eventually meet.”

“Really?” Lingling asked, staring at Orm with pure love in her eyes. 

“Uh-huh. You know that one Khun Yoko concert last year? I was there with Love and Milk said you were there too.” 

Lingling tried to recall what concert it was. Milk and Ciize were avid fans, so she had to accompany them always despite not liking Yoko herself. 

“Her first solo concert, remember?”

“Oh. That one. Where were you sitting?” 

Orm knew her seat number too well. She was a big Yoko fan so she saved it as memorabilia. “I-17.”

Lingling was surprised to hear that. They were in row G-16 to 18 in the middle. Orm was just two rows behind her. If she just looked back, she would have seen her. She chuckled. Was it fate? She asked. “You were just behind us two rows.” 

“See?!” 

“You're right.” Lingling leaned in for another kiss. When she pulled back, they rested their forehead against each other. “I guess one way or another, I would have still fallen for you, N'Orm.” 

“Damn right, Sirilak Kwong.” Orm said, looking like she was ready for a fight but Lingling loved it. 

“N'Orm…”

“Hm?”

“Would it be okay for you to change your surname to Kwong?” 

Orm bit her lip. She almost forgot about that. Before marriage, they agreed not to change surnames anymore since they would only be married for three years. She felt giddy. ‘Kornnaphat Kwong.’ She grinned. “Of course, I'd love to!” She was so happy she leaned in and pressed kisses all over Lingling’s face. 

“Okay.” Lingling giggled. “Good.”

“Now, you really can't get rid of me now.” Orm told Lingling, and she happily nodded. “If you hurt me or cheat on me, I'll kill you myself. Hmp!” She jokingly added. 

Lingling only smiled lovingly. “I love you so much, I don't mind.”

The next day, Orm asked to meet Ying to talk. They were at a branch of the café Pentai owned. It was uncomfortable to say the least. Back in Buriram, they never had a moment like this. Ying could still see the marks on Orm's neck even when she tried covering them with concealer. 

“I was the one who sent you the flower and the letter asking you to meet at the gym.” 

Orm recalled that day. She went to the gym after reading the letter that was left on her desk. She always did anyway. She remembered that day, no one showed up. She even told Ying about it only to find out now that it was from her. “I didn't know that you felt that way about me, P'Ying.” 

Ying smiled a little. “I was scared to lose our friendship, so I ran away when I saw you there. I guess I just kept imagining what could have happened if I didn't back out.” 

“I'm sorry, P'Ying.” 

“I know.” Ying swallowed the lump in her throat. “I know that now.” She nodded and smiled a bit. She thought then that when they grew up, if she worked hard enough, she would earn her love eventually, but then Lingling Kwong came. She guessed she was just mad about the fact that despite not knowing Orm like she did, Orm still fell for her, something she wished for herself. “Khun Lingling is lucky to have you.” 

Orm smiled at that. “I'm luckier.” 

“Are you really sure about her?”

“I am.” Orm nodded. “You know at first, I only wanted to get through three years without causing trouble for P'Ling. I wasn't expecting anything at all. I didn't even expect that she would love me.” 

Ying looked down on the cup of frappe in front of her. 

“She was something I couldn't seem to read. It was like I thought I finally knew her, but it turns out, I still don't…kinda like a black hole really.” Orm chuckled. At that moment, Ying lost every inch of hope she got, thinking Orm really loved Lingling to compare her to something she loved a lot. “She may be someone I may not fully understand, but I'm willing to spend my whole life trying to.” She looked down and smiled. ‘Damn. That was cheesy, Kornnaphat.’

“You have a girlfriend now, so stop messing with someone else’s relationship.”

Maybe this was the closure she needed, Ying thought. It's the end of the road of wishful hope. “Can you please tell Khun Lingling that I'm sorry.” Orm smiled and nodded in response. “I'm sorry too, N'Orm.” Orm nodded once more.

They sat there on the table beside the window. Outside, the world kept moving. The cars pass by. People did too. 

“Come on, Nong! Let's get that mango sticky rice for you!” 

Both Ying and Orm turned to see a group of high school students passing by, laughing together. They were once like them too, Ying thought. She wasn't sure if after this, they could be the same anymore. 

Meanwhile, Orm reminisced about high school, the part where they would drop by a small local café before going home with Ying and Jaja during her freshman year. She looked at Ying and smiled. “You're still my friend, P'Ying.”

Ying swallowed the thick lump in her throat. It was as if she was mourning for a relationship that never was. She told herself to fight the tears as she nursed her broken heart. She nodded. “Thank you, N'Orm.”

Like how the world kept spinning, maybe in time, she would also move on. With her heart aching, she sat there quietly while watching Orm leave once again, for the last time with a hopeful heart. ‘I didn't stand a chance at all.’

“Are you okay, Baobao?” Lingling asked Orm the moment she entered their car. Ying was one of her wife's closest friends, so she understood that this must be hard for her too. 

Orm stared at Lingling with eyes filled with love. She grabbed her hand and pressed a feathery kiss on her knuckles. “I love you, Lingling Kwong. Just you, alright?”

Lingling’s eyes softened. She put her hand behind Orm's head and pulled her closer. “And I love you too, N'Orm…so much.” She whispered before pressing a kiss onto her forehead. 

Days went by and everything seemed to have fallen into place. Prigkhing initiated a conversation with Orm much to the latter's surprise. It was a pleasant one this time and she wasn't being her usual bitch self. The girl said she has a girlfriend now, which she was astounded about. She thought she was straight given how she flirted with Chef Matthew on set. 

As for Lingling, they were able to send the proposal to the Manoban's. They also did the cooking show Freen wanted them to do which CH3 which they put out on TV and on their YouTube channel. Surprisingly, it got a lot of hits with people praising their visuals and their chaotic energy in the kitchen as they cooked alongside a chef. It was fun to do, Lingling was surprised herself. And Orm was happy about it, so she was happy about it too. 

It was Saturday then, Lingling’s mother's death anniversary. Lingling and Orm went there early with Uni. They brought food that they offered on the grave then burned incense before settling down on the foldable chairs that they brought. 

“Mom, it's us again.” Lingling said with a smile. They held hands with Uni lying on Lingling’s lap. “You've met Orm, my wife. She's a star now. Popular.” She teasingly said. 

Orm, on the other hand, let out an amused laugh. After their guest on that cooking show, it seemed like more and more people had taken interest in her TikTok account, somehow expecting her to show what the life of Lingling Kwong's wife looked like. 

“She's just being silly, mom. Please don't listen to her.” Orm added before turning to her wife and wrinkling her nose. 

Lingling only smiled which Orm thought was too adorable for her to handle. Her eyes almost disappeared while doing so. They settled there talking as if Lingling's mom was alive. Having Orm by her side made it feel so much lighter. 

“P'Lingling!” 

Lingling's family followed after an hour. “Sawasdee kha, dad.” 

Plai greeted them back with a smile. He was happy hearing Orm address him as such. He was even more glad to see his daughter's marriage flourish. 

After the cemetery, they went to the temple to make offerings and prayers to the deceased. For an early dinner, they went back to Kwong’s residence at the village. The meal was pleasant. Love sat beside Milk. She has been living with them after transferring schools since it was nearer to the campus. Plai also thought it would be practical since Milk also studied there and Love could be her friend. Namtan also came. 

As Plai sat on his chair, he quietly watched his daughters. Lingling looked very much in love with her wife. It was a little funny how when he first told her about the engagement, she was sitting in that same seat telling him how she was so against it. But now, there she was. 

“Here, N'Orm.” Lingling smiled brightly while serving food to her wife. 

Orm was smiling too. “Thank you, Bubu.” She mouthed. 

Next, he looked over to Film and her girlfriend. They have been together since college. He thought it was only a little time before they would tie the knot as well. At first, he didn't like Namtan for his Film since she was from a different social class, as elitist as it sounds. He always hoped that his daughter would date someone from a good family background. But then he discovered how hardworking the girl was, and how caring and supportive she was to his daughter, so he ended up accepting her. Lingling did tell him also that she thought Namtan was good for her sister. 

“Actually, we were already thinking about that.” Film told her sister and Orm. “You guys were so chaotic but so cute!” She said, talking about the cooking show the couple did. 

Namtan, on her side, was just fondly listening to her. 

And lastly, Milk. Plai was still not sure about his daughter’s preference. Since his two older daughters all turned out to be in love with women, he was hoping he would get a son-in-law from his youngest. But, he learned to not get his hopes up. 

“It's tuna.” Milk told Love while stabbing her food with a fork. 

Love let out a giggle. “Don't play with your food, Milk.” 

Plai took a deep breath and smiled. He did a good job raising them, he told himself. 

As the meal went on, desserts were served, and everyone was already full, Plai scrolled through his mini iPad to read some online news. He stopped when he came across something familiar. “Oh.” He said, making everyone turn to him. “ The Austin's mansion is on the listings.” He added, surprised. 

From her peripheral vision, Orm saw Lingling’s hand froze for a moment. 

“Yes, dad. Ciize's dad is their agent.” Milk added. 

“I see.” Plai nodded. 

“Wow. P'Charlotte's family doesn't want to come back to Thailand anymore, huh?” Film tilted her head, frowning a bit. She knew who she was since her sister and the girl were best friends before they migrated abroad. 

It was a question directed to Lingling. When Orm looked at her wife, she seemed to be on her usual self, but something felt off that she couldn't point out what.

“I guess so.” Lingling smiled a bit. 

Orm recalled the photo in their room, the one where Lingling was with her friends. The only person who was still unknown to her was the one who was looking at Lingling, the one who was smiling at her. ‘Is she Charlotte?’ 

Plai was close with the Austin's. Lingling was best friends with their daughter anyway. He was still not sure why they suddenly stopped talking to each other. “Are you interested in buying it, Lingling?” 

“No.” Lingling was fast to answer, even Namtan was surprised. She subtly gulped down and smiled, holding Orm's hand on top of the table. “We'll build our home to whatever N'Orm likes.” She said, averting her gaze to her wife. 

Maybe she was just thinking too much into it, Orm told herself. So, she smiled back at her wife. 

Namtan didn't know Charlotte personally. She only entered their friend group after Lingling introduced her to them when her future sister-in-law came back from studying abroad. Charlotte’s name came out in their conversations from time to time, but it seemed that Faye, Junji and Gap were too sensitive about it. So, she didn't dare to ask. 

“Very well.” Plai smiled and reached for Lingling’s shoulder to Pat it. “Just tell me if you need help.”

Lingling smiled. “Thanks, dad.”

At home, that night, Orm stood in front of the shelf as she looked into the photo of Lingling with her friends. It was one of the three photos she originally put up before there were photos of them. It must be an important memory for Lingling to want her to put it up in her room. Her wife looked genuinely happy then. 

“Charlotte?” Orm whispered while staring into the girl sitting beside Lingling who was looking at her as if she was in love. Was she? She asked. ‘Were they dating before?’ She felt a little silly being jealous over someone she hadn't met, someone not even in Thailand, to begin with. Her thoughts were broken, however, when she felt her wife embracing her from the back. 

“What are you thinking about, Baobao?” Lingling sweetly asked. 

“Is she Charlotte?” Orm didn't hesitate to ask, now pointing at the girl in the picture. 

Lingling’s eyes faltered a bit but she nodded anyway. “Yes.”

“Ah.” Orm nodded. She wouldn't say it but she didn't like it. “Were you…I mean—” She slightly rolled her eyes. “—did you two date or something?” She asked, trying her best to sound as casual as possible. 

“No.” 

Again, Lingling’s answer was fast once again. Orm didn't know what to feel about that. 

“I told you before and I'm telling you again, I never had a girlfriend or a boyfriend before.” Lingling added. She spun Orm around carefully so they were standing face to face. She smiled while holding her close by the waist. “I never had anyone…except you.”

Orm stared into Lingling’s eyes, searching. 

“So don't be jealous, okay Baobao?” Lingling lifted her right hand to cup Orm's cheek. “Lingling Kwong belongs to Kornnaphat Kwong only.” 

Orm pouted. “Hmmm, P'Lingling!” 

Lingling grinned and kissed her wife three times. “Remember that always, alright? I will die if I ever hurt you like that. I swear.” 

Orm shut her eyes. “Bubu!” It was her, this time, who peppered her wife with kisses. “But what happened? Why aren't you friends anymore?”

Lingling looked down a bit with a sad smile on her face. “She um…” She pursed her lips and nodded slowly. She didn't want to revisit those times, but she wanted Orm to feel secure about her love for her. “She confessed to me and I rejected her. Things went downhill after that.” 

“Oh.” 

Lingling crackled at Orm's reaction. “It is what it is, I guess.” She kissed her once more, finally she saw her smile a bit. “Don't worry about her or anyone, okay?” 

On the other side of the world, it was around 3 PM in Liverpool. 

“N'Orm, stand behind me!” Lingling acted like she was shielding Orm from the oil. Both of them were laughing. 

“Huh?! What's happening over there?!” The chef shouted from the other side of the counter. 

‘You look different.’ Charlotte smiled, a bittersweet curve of her lips, as she watched Lingling laugh effortlessly with someone else. 

“Mommy, I'm ready!” 

Charlotte was pulled back to reality when she heard her daughter's voice. She paused the video and bent down in front of her. “All packed, Scar?” 

“Yes!” Scarlett, Charlotte’s 5-year-old daughter, nodded with a huge smile on her face. 

“Very good.” Charlotte smiled softly. “Your dad must be here soon.” She stood up and lifted her daughter in her arms. “Are you excited?” 

“Uh-huh.” Scarlett nodded. “Are you really not coming with us to Disneyland, mommy?” She pouted. 

“Mommy has work, but next time maybe?” Charlotte offered. Not long after, their doorbell rang. “Must be your dad already.” And so, they went to the front door and there Scarlett's father stood. 

“Charlotte.” He greeted his ex-wife with a warm smile. 

“Good morning.” Charlotte greeted him back. Their separation was amicable. Both knew their hearts weren't in it fully. 

“We'll be off.” He said, and Charlotte nodded. Scarlett kissed her mom goodbye before they went down to the car and drove away. 

Charlotte closed the door and walked towards the kitchen once again. Their house was quiet. Too quiet now that Scarlett went away with her dad. On the counter was her iPad. Felt like even fate was mocking her because she realized she had paused the video right where Lingling was staring at Orm with the softest smile and loving gaze. 

“I want nothing to do with you. Let's not see each other anymore, Charlotte." 

Charlotte gulped. ‘I wish you would've looked at me like that too, P'Lingling.’ 

Chapter Text

“Sawasdee, kha.” Orm greeted everyone upon entering the R&D Department, yawning, with a cup of take out coffee in hand. 

Jaja watched Orm settle on her table next to her. The girl seemed to be exhausted much like the previous days and it was just Wednesday. But then again, she was working on coming up with a new product formulation. “You okay?” 

Orm tried her best not to let out another yawn so she pursed her lips and tightly closed her eyes. She gave Jaja a reassuring smile while nodding. “Yeah.” She gulped before looking away. 

Jaja nodded. She stood up with her lab coat then patted Orm's shoulder. “Take it easy.” She said before walking into the lab. 

With a sigh, Orm lifted the cup and took a sip of her iced coffee. She was tired, really tired, and it wasn't even because of work. “Gosh.” She looked down and closed her eyes for a couple of seconds. But then, her phone buzzed. 

From: Bubu❤
Hello, Baobao. I'm going out for a meeting with the steel company with Gap. I miss you already. 

Orm let out a quiet giggle. She found it rather amusing yet adorable how Lingling’s way of texting didn't change a bit. ‘How do you have so much energy?’ She could only ask herself. She replied with a quick message telling her wife to take care before putting her phone down. However, her reply came so fast after. 

From: Bubu❤
You don't miss me?

Orm could only shut her eyes. It has been only a few minutes, really. If they were facing each other face to face, she knew so well Lingling was going to give her another puppy eyes. It seemed that her wife had cracked the code to make her say yes to every request. 

To: Bubu❤
Of course, I miss you, Bubu! 😆
Now go work 55555
Stop being so cute!!!

And again, Lingling replied to her message fast. This time, with a smiling emoji. Orm could only shake her head in amusement. Her wife wouldn't check any of her social media accounts and would only do it if she told her she tagged her in a photo, but she would reply like Flash with text messages. At least for her, she would reply fast. She also found it touching and cute that her wife would use emojis to text her which she didn't really do with others. 

Orm then finished her coffee and decided to continue her work at the food lab. So, with her laptop in hand, she grabbed her coat from the rack and entered the room. Aside from Jaja and a couple of others, she saw Prigkhing there as well, so she greeted her. “Sawasdee kha.”

Prigkhing, with her usual uninterested expression, raised her hand as a greeting before returning to work. 

Orm put her laptop down on the table opposite Prigkhing and opened it. She then cleaned her work station first with disinfectant wipes before sitting down. With another sigh, she shut her eyes tightly before opening them again. She was still a little sleepy. So, she took in a deep breath and exhaled deeply. ‘You can do this.’ She told herself as she tied her hair up in a ponytail. “Okay. Let's do—”

Suddenly, there was something that hit Orm's nape. It wasn't a strong one, but she was startled by it. When she turned her head, she saw Prigkhing standing beside her and silently judging her. “What?” She asked with a frown. She was exhausted already and she didn't have time to fight with the girl, if that was her intention. She tried to pull out from what it seemed like a folded on her head, but the other girl would just follow her move. “What do you want, Prigkhing?” 

Prigkhing had her eyebrow raised. “We all know you have a colorful marriage going on, but you don't need to brag about it.”

Orm furrowed her brows. ‘Huh? Brag about what?’

With a seemingly fed up look, Prigkhing motioned to Orm's neck. “The back of your neck is full of hickies—”

‘What?!’ Orm’s eyes widened. 

“—At least try to look decent before coming to work.” 

Orm hurriedly put her hand on her nape. That was the only time Prigkhing removed the folder she was holding. ‘OMG! Lingling Kwong, you—’

“At least thank me?”

That was humiliating, Orm thought. “Thank you so much.” She shut her eyes once again for the nth time while shaking her head in disbelief. ‘I told you to be careful, Lingling Kwong!’ 

“Whatever.” Prigkhing said, making sure to give Orm a judging stare from head to toe. 

Orm covered her nape with her hand, not wanting to remove her ponytail in the room to avoid contamination. She was about to stand up, but then remembered that she changed bags today. It was the new bag Lingling bought her after the first time she woke up with a bunch of kiss marks on her neck during a weekday. 

“You don't have a concealer, don't you?” Prigkhing raised her brow at Orm. She didn't need to know her answer. It was evident on her face. “I have mine. Follow me.”

It was embarrassing enough that Prigkhing saw the marks, but her having to lend her a concealer too? Orm could only pray that the ground would swallow her alive right there and then. 

“Here.” Prigkhing handed the tube to Orm. 

Orm, who had her hair down now, slightly bowed her head. “Thank you so much, Prigkhing. I owe you a lot.”

“Yeah. Yeah.” Prigkhing lifted her hand dismissively. “You don't have to return that. I don't want it anymore.” 

Orm nodded and thanked her again. She rushed to the restroom nearest to their department to apply the concealer. Thankfully, there was no one there at that time. She turned a bit to the side to see it and she was floored. Almost the entirety of the back of her neck was red. That was why it felt a little stingy earlier. She thought she was bitten by a mosquito or something. 

“Lingling Kwong, when I see you.” Orm, annoyed, applied the concealer onto her skin the best she could. 

After her grandmother passed away, Lingling has been too careful with her even when they were intimate. But after that one night, it seemed like her wife got her confidence up. They have been making love everyday. Don't get her wrong, Orm loved it. It was gentle and rough, and soft and wild at the same time. Doing it with her wife was addicting, to be completely honest. But she realized that she didn't have the same stamina and vigor as her wife. She tried to accompany her to the gym, but it didn't work out for her. She wasn't built for it either and she didn't like sweaty gym people surrounding her. She loved it but she was exhausted. 

Orm went to pee after. Before she exited the cubicle, she rested her forehead against the door. “I cannot.” She sighed. 'Lingling Kwong, when I catch you.' 

It was past 5 o'clock in the afternoon when the couple went home. They were sitting at the backseat of their car as they drove home.

Orm had her eyes closed. She was physically drained from both work and her nightly extracurricular activities with Lingling. 

Lingling, on the other hand, was quietly reading some documents on her iPad but was not concentrating at all. She kept glancing at Orm from time to time with a pleasant smile on her face. Without a word, she slipped her hand beneath her wife's and intertwined their fingers together. 

Honestly, Orm wasn't sleeping yet but she was trying. Although she was a bit annoyed by her wife's lack of self-control, she found the gesture sweet. So, without opening her eyes, she put her head on her wife's shoulder. 

Lingling's smile grew. She planted a kiss on her head before moving closer so her wife would be in a more comfortable position. 

When they arrived at Pristine Towers, Lingling held out her hand for Orm to hold as they entered the elevator. Orm's frustrations slowly dissipated away after seeing the loving stare on her wife when she woke her up in the car. However, it was short lived. 

“N'Orm.”

Because as soon as their unit door was closed, Lingling pulled Orm into a kiss. 

Orm was so close to reciprocating it, but then she came back to her senses. With that, she held Lingling's arms and pushed her away. 

Lingling was caught off guard by it. “N'Orm?” She whispered, gaze falling to her wife's lips. When her wife didn't say anything, she again tried to kiss her again only to be pushed away once more. 

Orm shut her eyes as she pushed Lingling's forehead. “No.” 

“Huh?” Lingling was genuinely confused. None of them has ever turned down the other. When Orm finally let go of her forehead, she tried leaning in again but stopped upon seeing the frown on her wife's face. “What's going on?” 

Orm took a deep breath then slapped Lingling's arm. “I told you to be careful!” Again. “Look at this!” She turned a little to the side to show her nape. The marks were covered, so the older girl was confused. She groaned then hit her again one more time. “I told you not to leave marks when we have work, didn't I?”

‘Oh. Right. My bad.’ Lingling hissed with every hit. It wasn't strong, but Orm was a little scary when mad. 

“I told you to be careful, Lingling Kwong! Do you know how embarrassing this is, huh? Prigkhing had to lend me her concealer.” Orm continued to scold Lingling, who just stood there with a rather apologetic yet mischievous smile. “You can't control yourself. Gosh!” She said before walking away to the kitchen. 

Lingling’s jaw dropped. Her wife was really mad. She went to run after her. “But Baobao—”

“You can't reason your way out this time, Lingling Kwong. You can't even hold back on a simple request.” When Orm saw that Lingling was going to approach her, she glared at her. “Hep. Stay.” And her wife did. 

“I'm sorry. I didn't mean to.” Lingling said, pouting a bit. She stood there a meter away from her wife like a kid called to the principal's office. 

‘Oh my goodness, Lingling Kwong!’ Orm took in a sharp breath. Her wife was once again looking at her with that endearing expression on her face. ‘Resist, Kornnaphat! You must resist!’ She rolled her eyes then much to her wife's disappointment. “That won't work this time, Sirilak Kwong.” 

Now, Lingling believed that Orm was fed up. ‘Well, I thought it would work. Hay.’ She watched her wife walk towards the fridge to get a bottle of water. She saw her struggling with opening the lid, so she went to approach her to open it for her but her wife glared at her once again. 

“Don't.” 

“I was just going to open it for you.” Lingling said with a sulky voice. 

Orm would lose her mind. She was very close to doing so. Her wife looked too adorable, she couldn't handle it. She sighed then held out the bottle to her. 

Lingling smiled then. She opened it with ease before handing it back to her wife. She made sure to keep a comfortable distance from her. “I'm sorry, Baobao.” She gulped. “Do you hate it?” 

This might be the 10th time Orm has breathed in sharply. Lingling’s voice was just so sweet and innocent. She wanted to hug her right there and then and tell her not to think that way. ‘No! Resist! Resist! Resist! You must learn a lesson, Lingling Kwong!’ Once she was finished drinking water, she looked at her wife who was waiting patiently for her reply. “Of course, I like it too—”

Lingling's lips formed a smile then. She was scared that Orm might be fed up with it, for a moment. 

“—but you don't have self-restraint. What if other people at work see this, huh? Plus, aren't you exhausted? Once isn't enough for you. You're insatiable.” 

“I just like it so much.” Lingling looked down. 

Orm sighed. 

Lingling then grabbed her wife's hand. “I'm sorry. I promise I'll be more mindful.” 

Lingling promised that thrice now, so Orm shook her head. 

Lingling pursed her lips. Looked like she really fucked up this time. “I'll do anything. Just tell me, I'll do it. I promise.”

Orm hummed. “Okay. No sex then—”

‘Tonight? I can do that.’ Lingling nodded. 

“—for a month.” 

“Huh?!” Lingling was taken aback. “A month?” 

Orm meant to say a week but ended up saying a month. She had to stand by it now, she told herself. ‘A month is fine. It's fine, Orm. You survived before this marriage, you can do it again.’ She nodded. “You're on like…like a time-out.” 

“I can't last a month.” Lingling furrowed her brows, whining a little. “Baobao.”

“Nope.” Orm raised her brow, standing firm on her decision. “That's for not controlling yourself, Lingling Kwong.” 

“Two weeks?” Lingling bargained, but Orm told her no. “Three?” 

“No.” 

In the end, Lingling sighed in defeat. “Okay. If that's what you want.” She pouted once again, hoping that her wife would give in but Orm just narrowed her eyes at her in warning. “Okay. Okay.” She sighed once again. 

“I'll make dinner then we'll eat then sleep. That's it.” 

“I'll help you.” 

“Nope.” Orm said firmly, making Lingling whine a little. “I'll cook on my own this time, so go and change your clothes.” 

Dejected, Lingling went upstairs. 

Orm let out a quiet chuckle. To be totally honest, it was for herself. Majority of the time that they cooked together, they would end up making out. ‘It's the right decision, Orm. You did great.’ She nodded at herself proudly. 

During dinner, Lingling still tried her luck but to no avail since Orm really was holding her ground. And so, when they went to bed, she tried to assert the situation first before carefully embracing her wife. “I'll just hug you. I promise.” 

Orm was really sleepy already but she made sure to give her wife a warning glare. 

“I promise, I won't try anything.” Lingling genuinely said. She figured she had to behave to get into her wife's good side again. 

Seeing that her wife meant it, Orm nodded. “Okay.” She smiled and nuzzled her head against her wife's neck. 

“I love you.” Lingling whispered lovingly. 

Orm felt a little bad, to be honest, but she was glad her wife was considerate about it. “I love you too.” 

Lingling smiled softly then pressed a kiss on top of Orm's head. She wanted to kiss her on the lips too but her wife might make her punishment worse, so she scolded herself and closed her eyes. 

Orm woke up that day refreshed. She had a nice long sleep after weeks of doing sexcapades with her wife. She thought she needed that for an energy boost. It was a great idea, she thought. 

Well, not so much.

After more than two weeks, Lingling seemed to be holding well. But as for Orm, she felt like a walking zombie devoid of life. Friday, Lingling went out of the country to the Philippines to attend the fundraiser their college classmate from Manila organized, so she would be left alone until tomorrow afternoon. 

It was lunch time then, Orm went outside to a café nearby for lunch with Nene, Jaja and Prigkhing. She felt dead after being devoid of any sex for so long. She was holding it together, don't get her wrong. She just missed it. Probably, she should have given in to Lingling's request to reduce it to two weeks. 

“Khun Lingling went abroad, right?” Jaja asked. 

“Uh-huh.” Orm nodded while swirling the pasta with her fork. 

“I really admire your relationship with Khun Lingling. You guys always find a way to go to work together and go home together.” Jaja said before grabbing a bite of her dish. That made Orm smile. 

“Yeah! You know, ever since you got married to Khun Lingling, she seemed to be happy all the time. It's just so refreshing to see.” Nene said this time. She has been Lingling’s secretary ever since she became an executive at Noiam. Her boss has always been serious. She rarely saw her smile before. But with Orm, she would always smile. She found it sweet and cute. 

“She makes me happy too.” Orm replied with a soft smile on her lips. 

“Awww!” Nene was thrilled. Jaja pursed her lips while smiling before teasing her junior. Meanwhile, Prigkhing rolled her eyes, smiling a bit. 

Right then, PrigkhingPrigkhing’s phone rang. When she saw the caller ID, she hummed and answered it. “I'll take this. It's my girlfriend.” She then went up and walked to the hallway to the restroom. “About time you called.” She said with an eye roll. 

Everyone at the table was looking at Prigkhing as the girl was walking away. 

“Damn. I really thought Prigkhing was straight.” Jaja said, still in disbelief. Orm couldn't agree more. 

“I told you not to judge people, remember?” Nene scolded Jaja. 

“What?” Jaja said defensively. She laughed when Nene shook her head. “You're too serious.” She went to hug her then, but the secretary felt shy and tried to push her away. “Always the kind one, huh?” She teased. 

Orm gulped. The PDA right in front of her wasn't helping at all. Now, she misses her wife even more. She could only sigh. 

After lunch, Orm received a text from Lingling asking her to go up to her office. A part of her was hoping Lingling would be there, although it sounded impossible since she just landed in the Philippines a little before lunch time. Before she entered, her wife called her. She looked around. Nothing out of ordinary until she saw something new. There beside the sofa was a brand new massage chair, an expensive one at that. 

“Surprise!” Lingling said with a huge smile on her face. 

“What is this?” Orm asked. She knew what it was, of course. They had one at home, but she was surprised and confused why her wife would buy it for the office. She now realized why Nene seemed excited about something. 

“Ah. Well…it's a massage chair as you can see.” Lingling was still smiling but it slowly faded after seeing the frown on her wife's face. “I just thought you can use it to relax a little during lunch time. I know you've been tired because of me and—”

Orm looked at the chair once again and smiled. That was very thoughtful. However, the camera panned out of her face so Lingling didn't see. 

“—I just want to make it up to you. It just came today, so I can't show you in person. I'm sorry. Don't you like it, Baobao?” 

“Huh?” When Orm looked at her screen, she realized her face couldn't be seen. Her wife seemed upset. ‘Oh no! She might have thought I don't appreciate it.’ So, she lifted her phone to her face. “Of course, I do, Bubu!” She said, and there, her wife smiled again. 

“I'm glad you do.”

“But isn't this expensive? I don't want you spending too much for me, Bubu.” 

Lingling shook her head. “I'll buy anything for you, my love.” 

Orm pouted. “Lingling Kwong!” 

Lingling let out a chuckle. “I'm serious.” 

“Can I try it?” Orm asked and Lingling excitedly nodded. She sat down and it really was relaxing. “Oh wow.” 

Lingling couldn't be happier. “It's good, right?” She asked and Orm nodded. “Oh! I have to go. We’ll have lunch now. I'll see you tomorrow at home, Baobao. I love you.”

“See you. I love you, Bubu!”

In the Philippines, Gap noticed Lingling's lack of interest. They were having a late lunch with some of their batch mates from college at a hotel restaurant in Bonifacio Global City. Her friend was always into these kinds of events, but this time, her mind seemed to be somewhere else. He thought she was probably missing her wife. 

“You know we'll only just be here for a day, right?” Gap whispered to Lingling. He kept his voice down, so the others won't hear. They were sitting at the end of the table anyway, and Pentaii was keeping them busy with business conversations. 

“Huh?” Lingling was confused for a moment. 

Gap playfully rolled his eyes. “You've been so quiet.” 

“I have nothing to say.” Lingling shrugged her shoulders. She did talk to her batchmates earlier already. And it wasn't the event yet anyway. The event would be at sunset at the hotel's grand ballroom—a charity ball and art auction. 

“Please. I know you, Lingling. What's the deal?” 

Lingling swirled her wine but didn't have any intention to drink it. “I just miss my wife—” She said, and Gap thought he was right. “—We haven't…you know.” She gave him a look, but he didn't get it. She gave him another look. “You know.” 

“Oh!” Gap got it this time. “For how long?” 

“Two weeks now.” Lingling sighed. 

Gap hissed. He patted his friend's shoulder sympathetically. “Damn. I feel for you, boss.” 

“Hm-mm.” Lingling could only sigh once more. “Well, I can't do anything about it, can I?”

Gap stifled a laugh. “You indeed are a very understanding wife, aren't you?” He shook his head. Seeing Lingling sulking was truly a sight to behold. It was entertaining. “Do you want me to help you?” He wiggled his eyebrows when his friend looked at him in confusion. 

It was suspicious, but Lingling let him be as long as it wouldn't cause trouble between her and Orm. 

“I got you. Don't worry.” Gap smiled, more like smirked. 

That night, back in Thailand, Orm was having dinner with Uni by her feet. Today, their dog was with them after staying at the Kwong's for a week. It didn't feel complete since Lingling was away. She missed her so much. The last time they were away from each other was when she went home earlier to Buriram. 

After dinner, Orm went up to their room for a shower. Once in her night dress, she settled on the sofa with Uni by her side as she watched a random chick flick on Netflix. But when it ended, she still wasn't sleepy. She was missing her wife so much, it was bad for her. So, she decided to review her formulation for the new product. She did everything she could to keep herself from longing for her wife. 

Lingling had yet to send her a message since their call at the office. She thought she might be busy at the charity event. 

It was already around 9 PM when her phone buzzed. Orm immediately grabbed it, but was disappointed to see that it wasn't Lingling, but Gap. He was just checking in on her. She didn't think much about it, thinking he might be just asking since she was away from her wife. He told her next that he would send her some pictures from the event. 

From: Khun Gap
[Sent 12 photos]
You should have been here. Lingling said you like flowers so you might like some of the paintings here. 

Orm scrolled through the photos. They seemed okay. Lingling looked stunningly hot in that A-line deep burgundy dress with fitted bodice and slightly flared skirt. She sighed in daze. Her wife really was ethereal. She looked at each one with a smile until she came across the last photos. Lingling seemed to be enjoying her time there so much, that's why she didn't even bother messaging her. In one of the photos, a random girl had her hand around her wife's waist. Another was her hugging that same girl. And in the last one, her wife was facing away with the same girl beside her on the mobile bar. 

Orm was going to type a response when she saw that Gap unsent the photos. ‘What the heck?’ 

From: Khun Gap
Sorry that was for Lingling 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Here N'Orm! 
[Sent 15 photos]

‘What do you mean for Lingling Kwong?!’ Orm, now frowning, scrolled through the photos once again. They were almost the same except for those three particular photos. She took a deep breath and sent a reply. 

To: Khun Gap 
Thank you, Khun Gap. I'm glad Lingling is enjoying herself. 🙂

From: Khun Gap
Oh she did 5555
She went ahead already 

“What does that mean?” Orm was perplexed. She dialed Lingling’s phone number but her call got redirected. She tried again but to no avail. One more, but no. Her blood was starting to boil. “What the hell, Lingling Kwong?” She abruptly stood up, surprising even their dog. “For P'Lingling huh?” She walked to the kitchen and opened a bottle of water. “And she did? What did he mean she did? Ugh!” She drank it in one go. 

Unbeknownst to Orm, at the other part of Thailand, Lingling went straight to the car where their family driver was waiting as soon as she got out at the airport. She settled in her seat with the bouquet of flowers she asked their driver to pick up beforehand. “Straight home please.” 

Not long after, Lingling reached Pristine Towers. She grabbed the huge bouquet of red roses then excitedly walked towards the elevator. “You'll be surprised I'm home tonight.” 

The elevator stopped, however, not in the penthouse. At level five, an old woman she recognized as the owner of a restaurant chain, and her little grandson went inside. Lingling greeted them in respect. 

“Those flowers are beautiful.” The old woman said with a smile. 

“Thank you. These are for my wife.” Lingling answered. 

“As a peace offering?” The old lady asked, teasing a little, making Lingling chuckle. “My late husband used to give me flowers everyday, especially when he forgets something.” 

“I guess you could say that.” Lingling answered. She then pulled out a couple from the bouquet. “This is for you, ma'am.” 

“Oh my.” The old woman let out a pleasant laugh. “Thank you so much.” The young boy beside her was only staring at Lingling in awe. They talked quite a lot while waiting for their stop. Not long after, the elevator opened to the 34th floor. “This is our floor. Thank you again. I hope everything goes well with your wife.”

Lingling nodded. “Thank you.” 

Once Lingling reached the penthouse, she hurriedly went to their unit. She was welcomed by almost complete darkness except for the dim light in the living room. It was nearing midnight in Thailand anyway. She saw Uni get up, so she went to pick her up. “Hello, baby. Did you miss mommy Lingling? Where is Mommy Orm, huh?” She squeezed her a bit tightly before putting her down. “Go sleep.” 

Seeing that her wife must be sleeping already, Lingling went up. She made sure her steps were light. When she reached their room, however, her wife was not in bed. Instead, she just emerged from the bathroom seemingly just finished showering since her hair was dripping a little. Her wife seemed surprised to see her. She walked towards her and said, “N'Orm, hey! Sur—” She didn't get to finish her sentence when Orm grabbed her by the collar and crashed their lips together. 

Lingling was caught off guard, the bouquet fell on the ground. After recovering from an initial shock, she kissed her back just as hungrily. ‘Did you miss me that much?’ She couldn't help but moan when her wife came for her neck, sucking and kissing her there, especially when she went further near her ear. It was both ticklish and arousing. “Nong…” 

Orm guided them to the bed this time. Once they reached the bed, she pushed Lingling down, who was once again taken aback. She let her eyes scan her wife's body in seconds before walking towards the door and closing it. 

Lingling was turned on. She hadn't seen her wife being so dominant when they made love. It was making her heart pound. ‘Is this Gap’s doing? Whatever it is, thank you.’ She made sure to adjust herself in bed before Orm went back. 

Orm wiggled out of her night dress as she walked back to bed, leaving her in her underwear. She climbed on top of Lingling and unbuttoned her polo. The latter, who was being impatient, lifted herself a bit to help her wife undress herself. “N'Orm, I thought you said—”

“Shut up.” Orm told her and so Lingling did. With blazing lustful eyes, Orm leaned down and connected their lips once again. 

Their hands ran wildly all over their bodies as cries of pleasure filled the room. Both of them needed it and were craving it so that it became unbearable. The heat of the moment left them heaving and sweating all over. At the end of it all, they slumped back against the pillow, both catching their breaths. 

“Wow.” Lingling stared at the ceiling. It was the wildest love making they had since. She felt like she was going to black out. 

Orm, on the other hand, had her eyes shut. She felt dizzy, she almost passed out. 

However, at the other side of the door, Uni was continuously barking. Perhaps they were too loud this time. 

“And here I thought no sex for a month.” Lingling teased. 

Orm rolled her eyes and carefully sat up. She saw the marks she left on her wife's neck and smirked. 

“Where are you going?” Lingling was fast to hold her wife's waist but Orm pushed it away. “Baobao.”

Orm didn't bother to reply. She stood up naked, causing her wife's lips to part. She went to grab a silk robe from the rack and put it on. With a sigh, she went to open the door. 

Meanwhile, Lingling pushed herself up on the pillows and watched her wife lift Uni. Her wife indeed looked like a goddess, she thought. “I wonder what Gap did?” She hummed and shrugged. 

“Why were you barking? Mommies weren't fighting.” Orm brought Uni back to her bed near the staircase. “Awww. My sweet baby.” She pressed kisses before putting her down. “Go to sleep now, Uni. Mommy Ormie and Mommy Lingling love you, okay?” 

After a couple of minutes, Lingling saw Orm enter the room once again but went straight to the bathroom. She stood up and grabbed her polo from the floor. It was long enough to cover half of her legs. The door was open, so she went in. She saw her wife in front of the mirror, washing her face. She sneaked behind her and hugged her. Orm was startled, so she let out a laugh.

“Don't touch me.” Orm tried to remove Lingling’s arms but she held her firmly. “Lingling Kwong.” She glared at her through the mirror. 

“What's wrong?” Lingling asked with a pout and a slight frown. “Huh?” She then kissed her shoulder blades once. “Aren't you happy to see me?”

“Who was that girl?”

Lingling frowned. “What girl?” She genuinely didn't know what or who Orm was talking about. 

“At the charity event.” Orm answered, visibly annoyed, but Lingling was really clueless. “The one you were being cozy with? The girl in the red dress?”

“Red dress?” Lingling tried to recall who it was because there were a lot who wore red dresses, then she thought, “You mean Jasmine?” She asked and her wife shrugged. “She's my classmate. The one I told you about who hosted the event. She's straight and married too. Her husband was there, you know? What do you mean cozy?” 

Orm looked down. ‘Oh.’ She indeed overreacted, she realized that just now. But it was too embarrassing for her to admit. First, she was the one who set the punishment, but broke it anyway. “How would I know?” 

Lingling realized that this might be what Gap did because how else did Orm get photos from the event? She exhaled deeply. She could only wonder what those photos were. She let her wife go and turned her, so they were looking at each other. “Do you really think I'll do that to you?” 

Orm's eyes faltered. Lingling must be thinking that she didn't trust her. “No.” She closed her eyes and sighed. “I guess I was just feeling a little insecure.” She smiled weakly. “We haven't made love in so long and—” She gulped.

"And who's—" Lingling wanted to tease Orm but decided not to. She shut her lips and let her wife talk. 

“I trust you, okay?” Orm held her wife's cheeks to keep her eyes on her. “But I don't trust those other people around you. You're…you know…You're Sirilak Kwong and you're beautiful and gorgeous and hot and smart and charismatic and—”

Lingling smiled then. She leaned in for a chaste kiss. “Now, you're just trying to flatter me.” 

Orm crackled as well. “But seriously, Bubu, I trust you. I was just really jealous…and you didn't text me or answer my calls.” She pouted. 

“Aww, Baobao, come here.” Lingling pulled her wife for a hug. She swayed their bodies side to side gently. “I'm sorry. I wanted to surprise you. I turned my phone off when I boarded. I haven't turned it on since. Sorry, I made you worry, Baobao.” Aside from wanting to come home for her wife, she didn't like the idea of third wheeling for Gap and Pentai really. “But…I told you I'd die if I hurt you. I mean it, okay?” 

Orm nuzzled her head against Lingling’s neck. “Bubu.” She tightened the embrace then. “Thank you for coming home to me.”

Lingling smiled softly. “I'll always do.” She leaned back and smiled at her wife, who looked adorable with that pout on her lips. “Would it be okay…to ask for one more round?” 

Orm scrunched up her nose but giggled anyway. “Just so you know, you're still on time-out.” 

Lingling chuckled. “Yes, ma'am.” She whispered rather seductively before leaning in. 

The next morning, Lingling woke up first. After last night, she woke up with a huge smile on her face. She decided to go out for her usual Saturday morning run at the nearby trail. Already in her running attire, she knelt down at the side of the bed where Orm was facing. While smiling, she ran her finger through her wife's hair gently. When she saw that she was beginning to wake up, she said, “Good morning, Mrs. Kwong.” 

Orm, while still half asleep, smiled. “Morning.” She replied with a raspy voice. 

“I'm going out for a run, okay? Then I'll just buy something outside, so you don't have to cook. Just rest, Baobao, okay?”

Orm hummed while nodding. Last night was exhausting in a good way. 

Lingling gave her a peck before standing up. At the park, she had her hair up, bottle in hand while and earphones in, while running. She saw Faye and Naman there as well so she greeted them with a small wave as she passed them by. 

“Woah.” Namtan was in awe. 

Faye was amused, on the other hand. “What is wrong with her? She didn't even cover those hickies up.” 

“I think P'Lingling is proud of it.” Namtan shrugged her shoulders. 

“Wearing it like a badge of honor, huh?” Faye laughed. “She's so down bad.” She clapped her hands slowly. “Damn. I didn't know N'Orm had it in her.” 

“Seems like P’Lingling is a bigger loser than you are, P'Faye.” Namtan chuckled. 

Faye snorted. “That's a lot coming from you.” 

Orm was already up when Lingling returned. She was putting the flowers in the vase when her wife entered their unit. She loved them, and she felt flustered while remembering their whole night. She felt like she was out of her mind last night. “Bubu, I'm here in the kitchen!”

“Good morning, Baobao.” Lingling grinned as she held the take out bags up for Orm to see. “Are you hungry? I bought—”

“Wait.” Orm felt like her blood was drained from her body. She hastily approached her wife and held her chin, turning them from side to side. 

“Why?” 

“What do you mean why? Did you go out without covering your neck?” 

Lingling nonchalantly nodded. “Yes. It was hot outside.” 

Orm facepalmed herself. “You have kiss marks, P'Lingling.” 

“Yes, by you, of course.” Lingling said with furrowed brows. She really didn't get the fuss. 

“Are you making fun of me?” Orm asked, a little annoyed. Her wife quietly shook her head. “Why didn't you even try applying concealer or something?” 

“It's not that bad.” Lingling reasoned out—it was that bad. “It looks like I was bitten by a lot of mosquitoes. And one more thing, I was sweating a lot while running, so it will be uncomfortable if I put something in there. My skin might get irritated.” 

Lingling had a point, but still, Orm thought. “Fine. Let's just put that aside and eat.” 

“Okay.” Lingling smiled. 

“But I'll put concealer on that before we go to Khun Freen's house, okay?” Orm said but Lingling had a different answer. 

“There's no need. They already saw it.” 

“What do you mean they've already seen it?” 

“I saw P'Faye and Namtan at the trail earlier.” 

Orm once again prayed that the ground would swallow her. “What?!” She shook her head. She couldn't do anything about it anymore. It was both amusing and irritating how her wife didn't care at all. 

“It's okay, Baobao.” Lingling smiled, her lips as well as her eyes. 

Orm looked down and shook her head. ‘Stop being such a puppy every time.’ 

Before they went out Orm made sure to cover all the visible marks on Lingling’s body. However, as they were walking through the lobby, the staff were smiling at them weirdly when they greeted them. Orm could only smile in embarrassment which Lingling didn't care at all. 

The couple went to the mall first to buy a gift for Becky since it was her birthday. Lingling really was not kidding when she said she would buy anything for Orm because every time her wife said something looked pretty, she would pull down her black card and hand it to her. But the younger one would reject it. She didn't want to use her wife's money for something she shouldn't buy in the first place. 

They settled on giving Becky a signature bag. As they were waiting for the product, Orm was looking through the watch display with Lingling by her side. They were all pretty but the price of one was more than her monthly salary. She thought the Gem Dior watch would look good on Lingling. Orm could only sigh. ‘Maybe next time.’

“N'Orm, do you like something?” 

Orm heard Lingling ask. When she looked at her, she was smiling at her softly. If she said yes, she would pay for it in no time. 

“The Gem Dior collection would look stunning on both you, ladies—” The male staff said, and Orm was amazed how he guessed which watch she was eyeing. “—It features a 27 mm watch face—” He went on to describe the watches. “—We have silver, yellow gold with malachite green, rose gold, steel…” 

Orm smiled and nodded. She was still debating whether to get one or not. It seemed impulsive. But she told herself that if her wife wanted it, she would buy it for her this time. Her savings from all her salary so far may suffice. She meant to ask Lingling, so she turned to look at her only to find her holding her card up as if she was presenting it to her. “P'Lingling…”

Lingling didn't say anything. She just smiled at Orm while holding her card out to her. 

Orm shut her eyes. Her wife looked like a puppy with a card. She wanted to buy it with her own money, but she knew if she turned her down once more, she would be upset. “Wait a second.” She swiftly opened her bank app but was disappointed to see that it was running low. She realized that she has been using it for everything including those gifts she was buying on TikTok. Next, she thought about using her credit card but the only one she got was connected to her parents. They would know that she bought something so expensive. She couldn't use her savings account as well since it was on time deposit. 

“It's pretty.” Lingling said with a smile. 

Orm's eyes softened. “Do you like it?” She asked and her wife nodded, still holding her black card. She thought of just accepting defeat, but then she remembered, “Oh right.” She pushed her wife's hand down. “Let's not use that.” When she said that, she was correct that her wife would be upset. She let out a quiet chuckle as she rummaged in her bag. “What color do you like?”

Upon seeing the card she gave Orm on their first month celebration, the dejected expression on Lingling’s face was replaced with a smile. 

It was Lingling's gift, but technically it was hers now, Orm thought. She almost forgot she had it since she never once used it. 

“That one.”

“This one?” Orm asked while pointing at the steel colored watch with diamonds. “Okay.” She nodded. “We'll get this…and this too please.” 

“Excellent! We will be preparing this now.” 

A couple item, Lingling thought. She was over the moon. She knew her wife didn't like the gift she gave her, but the fact that she bought something for the both of them using it was touching. She didn't care, really, what her wife would buy for her. To be honest, she would buy her a piece of candy and she would be happy about it. 

It was around 5 PM when they went back to their car. Lingling carried the shopping bag with their gift for Becky and a take out bag with a greeting cake. They were both wearing the watches they just bought today. 

“Did we get everything we need?” Lingling asked, her hand on the steering wheel now. 

“Yep.” Orm nodded. 

After happily staring at the watch for a couple of seconds, Lingling started the engine and drove away. 

As the couple's car was exiting the parking lot, a black Lexus car entered. Once parked, the driver went out to open the door. “Mr. Austin, sir.” 

Mr. Austin went out of the car and walked towards the mall. In there, he met the person who bought their property at one of the famous restaurants there. He smiled when he spotted her alongside the staff. “Engfa.” 

Engfa turned around and saw Charlotte's father. She immediately stood up and shook his hand. “Please, have a seat.” 

They settled down opposite each other. Then, the waiter came to serve them wine and hand them the menu. As they were waiting, the old man asked how Engfa was doing. He also complimented her, saying she has changes a lot and looked more like a businesswoman now. 

“When Mr. Phapakithi told me the house has been sold, I was intrigued about who it might be. I'm glad to know that it was you. I said I had to come and thank you personally.” 

Engfa nodded, smiling a little. “It was a great property with lots of fond memories. It would be a shame if someone else buys it.” 

Mr. Austin smiled at that. He couldn't agree more. He looked out to the river, seemingly thinking about something. 

Engfa held her glass while stating at the liquid inside it. She lifted her gaze when Mr. Austin spoke up once again. 

“How is Lingling?” 

Engfa's eyes faltered. ‘Of course, you'll mention her.’ She subtly cleared her throat and smiled, “We haven't got a chance to get together. We're both busy…but she got married recently.” 

Mr. Austin nodded. “I heard. I'm happy that she has found someone for her.” 

Engfa couldn't help but notice the bittersweet smile on Mr. Austin’s lips. She gulped. She hated it. She knew they always liked Lingling for their daughter. “How about um…Charlotte, uncle?” 

“Charlotte is doing great.” Mr. Austin smiled wider then. “She's focusing on work and being a mom to their daughter.” 

‘Right. She got married too.’ Engfa's smiled and nodded, trying to hide the disappointed in her eyes. “I'm glad to hear that.” 

Becky's birthday dinner was nice. Everyone in their friend group and their partners was there except for Faye's as usual. Afterwards, they went into groups. Orm was with Film, Junji and Becky at the bedroom since the birthday girl told them they would give her a tour to their newly furnished walk-in closet, leaving Lingling with the others by the pool area. 

After the closet tour, the girls all sat in bed. Junji was the first one to tease Orm about the gossip she heard early in the morning. 

“Well…P'Gap sent me all those photos only to unsend them ‘coz they were for P'Lingling. It was really annoying, you see…so that well…that happened.” Orm tried to explain, making the other girls giggle. 

“And you put her on time-out, was it?” Becky asked this time. And so, Orm went to explain again how Lingling was exhausting her. 

“Why? How many times do you do it?” Junji asked. 

Orm felt shy about answering. “Well…2-3 times…”

“Ah.” Junji nodded. “Well, 2-3x a week is fine, I guess—”

“...a day.” 

“Oh.” Becky was lost for words. Junji just blinked. While Film wailed. “I did not need to hear that about my sister.” She said while shaking her head. 

“Damn, girl. How did you hold that up?” Junji was amazed and amused at the same time. 

“I can't!” Orm told them. “I feel drained. Oh my gosh.” 

“Was it good though?” Junji and Becky both asked. 

Orm blushed. “Yeah. Very good, actually.” She said, making both Junji and Becky holler. 

“Again, I did not need to know that.” Film said, covering her ears, while laughing. 

Meanwhile, downstairs. 

“Let me see.” Faye teasingly touched Lingling’s neck but the girl moved away, annoyed. She laughed and so did the others. “Awww. She's shy now.” 

“I'm not.” Lingling frowned. 

Faye smirked while Namtan crackled. “You really had the guts to parade yourself like that, huh, Nong?” The latter teased once more, making her friend roll her eyes. “You're shameless.” 

“What is taking them so long in there? Are they not going to come down?” Lingling asked, completely changing the topic now. 

“Relax. They're probably gushing over all the designer bags in there.” Gap told Lingling. Freen, who was standing beside him, hummed in agreement while drinking her wine. 

“Why don't you tell us about your new watch?” Pentaii motioned to the Gem Dior on her wrist. 

“Oh this?” Lingling smiled then. “N'Orm bought a pair for us. It's pretty right?” She proudly lifted her arm for everyone to see. 

“Let me see.” Mario said and so Lingling stood up and showed it to him. “It is beautiful. Yeah.” He nodded with smile. 

“Right? N'Orm got the rose gold one for her.” Lingling proudly showed it to everyone before sitting back down. 

Faye went to her side and sling her arm around her shoulders. “You, N'Lingling, really are down bad, my friend.” 

“Please. You more lovesick than I am. She doesn't even deserve it.” Lingling retaliated. 

“Hey! That's foul!” Faye laughed. She was used to Lingling’s overprotectiveness, so she wasn't annoyed about it at all. 

“P'Faye, P'Lingling, you shouldn't fight. You're both the same.” Namtan shrugged. 

“Here's another one. That's big coming from you.” Faye told Namtan while laughing. 

Pentaii shook his head behind his glass. It seemed like all of them were the same. 

They talked about random topics until Mario opened one. Not knowing anything, he asked about the Austin mansion in the same village as the Kwong's. “I was going to inquire about it, but it's not on the listings anymore."

The sudden change in atmosphere was palpable, but none dared to point it out. Namtan stayed in her spot quietly observing everyone. 

“Someone might have bought it already.” Lingling answered, sounding casual. 

Freen studied abroad, so she weren't with them in college. She knew Charlotte, however, since she was close friends with her cousin. And while she was in the dark about the whole thing, she got a way to know what happened then. She had her ways anyway. But she didn't say anything about it. 

Namtan observed Faye and Gap exchanged subtle glances. Even Pentaii seemed to know something about it too. 

“I guess you're right.” The doctor nodded. “What a shame, I wanted to buy it.” 

“If I have known you wanted it, Phi, I would connected you with the agent. His daughter is friends with my youngest sister.” Lingling answered. 

Lingling and Orm went ahead after some time followed by Faye then Junji and Mario. Gap was still talking to Freen, Becky and Film inside, so Namtan grabbed to the opportunity to ask Pentai. 

“Khun Pentaii…do you know something about Charlotte Austin?” Namtan asked.

Pentaii pursed his lips. Namtan could see the subtle change in his demeanor. “She's someone I'm thankful is out of Lingling's life now.” He smiled a little, it felt odd. “And better if she stays out of it. Let's leave it at that, alright?” 

“Hey, shall we?” Gap approached them then. With that, Pentaii smiled pleasantly once again. “We'll go ahead, Nong. Drive safely, okay?” 

Namtan watched them leave. She stood there thinking about what Pentaii said. ‘What did he mean by that?’

The old Austin mansion. 

Engfa quietly walked inside. This house belongs to her now. She pushed the door open and flicked the lights on. It felt nostalgic walking on the same floors she used to walk on years ago, less than a decade ago. They used to play and watch TV in this house—her, Charlotte and Lingling. 

She walked towards the patio at the side of the house which used to lead to a garden. She walked further until she stopped just before the corner. It was the same spot where she stood while Lingling crushed not just Charlotte’s heart but also hers. 

Being in that same place brought back the memory of that night along whth every emotion she felt. 

More than eight years ago… 

Engfa stood by the counter of a local flower shop near their dorm room in Bangkok. She was excited as Charlotte finally agreed on going out for dinner with her. She knew it was just a friendly one, but still, she wanted to surprise her with a bouquet of her favorite flowers. 

“Here, miss.” 

Engfa bowed her head a little before getting the flowers. “Thank you.” She said before leaving the store. She hailed a taxi to the village, thrilled to finally get to spend time with Charlotte alone. Out of the three of them, only she wasn't born with s silver spoon. She only got to study in the same school as Lingling and Charlotte because her aunt who got to marry into a rich family funded for her studies. 

Upon arriving at the residence, one of the maids opened the gate for her. She wasn't new to the place, so they let her walk freely. She thought Charlotte might be at the garden since she sent her a photo of a flower an hour before, so she went there. As she was walking closer, she heard Charlotte's voice. So, she smiled and hastily walked until she came full stop. 

“Why can't you love me back?!” 

Engfa's throat ran dry. She didn't need to hear the name of the other person to know who she was. 

“Look at yourself, Charlotte. Do you really think you deserve me?” 

It was Lingling. Engfa was frozen in place as her friends talked. She could feel her heart beating faster. She wanted to intervene but she couldn't even make the slightest movement. 

“P'Lingling…” 

“You're pathetic.” Lingling's tone was cold. It felt like venom with every word she says. 

Engfa couldn't hear what Lingling said next because at that moment, Charlotte was begging her again and again. She knew Lingling could be brutally honest and frank, but she never imagined her to utter such hurtful words. Charlotte was their best friend, to begin with.  

“Please…P'Lingling, you're the only one I love. Please! Please don't—”

“Stop—Stop it, Charlotte!” Lingling shouted then while Charlotte cried. 

Engfa couldn't hear process what she was hearing anymore. She could only hear her heart breaking into millions of pieces. 

It seemed like Charlotte would never feel the same way about her like how she did to Lingling. 

It also seemed that whatever she does, she would not win over Sirilak Kwong. 

With heavy heart, Engfa ran away before her tears fall. The last thing she heard was Lingling telling Charlotte that she didn't want anything to do with her. 

Unlike that night, Engfa stepped into the garden this time. The moon casted its light on the area devoid of flowers, only the neatly trimmed green bushes were left. 

That was more than eight years ago, but her hatred towards Lingling that night had not changed at all. 

Chapter Text

“What are we doing here, Nong?” 

Lingling turned around, smiling so wide. “This is it, P'Engfa. This is what I wanted to show you.” 

Engfa stood in her spot, a few meters away from where Lingling was standing. After class, her friend told her she wanted to show her something important. She didn't know they were going to an old playground in the middle of Bangkok. 

It was sunset then. The sky looked like a canvas of pink, orange and yellow streaks with the shadow of the retreating sun casting over them. 

They were fifteen then. 

Lingling looked around with a longing gaze. Her mother has been gone for about three years then. It has been difficult for her, but somehow having someone like Engfa, who would stay and listen to her, made it somehow easier. “My mom used to bring me and Film here.” She smiled a little, a wishful one. 

At that moment, Engfa realized why the place was important to Lingling. Taking in a deep breath, she smiled and walked towards her friend. 

“It's my first time coming here again.” Lingling's smile turned into a sad one. 

Engfa nodded and put her hand on top of Lingling’s head. “I'm sure your mom's happy that you finally came back here, N'Lingling.” She said, making the younger one genuinely smile again. 

Back to the current time. 

It was two days before the 100th day of Anong's death. That morning, Lingling woke up feeling nervous. It was the day the decision of the Manoban cousins would be announced. It was a huge deal to her and for the group, and it was making her feel on edge for a few days now. 

“You're nervous about the bidding, aren't you?” Orm asked while running her palm down Lingling’s coat then fixing her collar. 

Lingling took a deep breath and nodded. “Kind of.” She chuckled. 

“You'll get it.” Orm gave her wife a peck then. “Hm? I'm sure of it.”

“I really hope so.” Lingling then circled her arm around Orm's waist, gently pulling her closer. “What time is your flight again, Baobao?”

“It's 4:30. Mom asked me and P'Eclair to buy the things we'll use for the ceremony first.” Orm answered. Her parents asked her to come earlier to the province to help prepare for the 100th day anniversary of her grandmother's death. “We'll celebrate tomorrow once you come to Buriram, okay?” 

Lingling smirked at the sexual undertone of her wife's statement. “Why not now?” She lightly squeezed the side of her body just below her breast, making her squirm. “Huh?” 

Orm let out a giggle and squeezed Lingling's cheeks. “You have to go to work. You're the boss. You can't be late, remember?” When her wife pouted, she went in to press multiple chaste kisses on her lips. “Go work for me, Lingling Kwong. I'm expensive now, you know?” 

Lingling chuckled. “Yes, Mrs. Kwong.” She leaned in and nuzzled her nose against Orm's. “I'll go now. I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?” 

“See you, Bubu.” 

Lingling went to work then. Her day started out like usual. She read reports and reviewed some documents. She had an online meeting with their importers in Myanmar and Indonesia at around 10 AM. Then, she had another meeting with the staff of the logistics department. For lunch, Khun Pithaya, the member of the board, invited her for lunch with Pentaii to discuss his proposed new policy. Upon returning to the office, she resumed reviewing the files. 

Lingling has only been halfway through the day, but she was already feeling a little exhausted. It was past 1 o'clock in the afternoon then, she sat at the back of the car to Grand Hyatt Erawan where the announcement would be made. Afterwards, she still had another meeting to attend to. She just prayed that the results of the bidding would be in her favor, so that all their hard work and fatigue for the day would be all worth it. 

Upon reaching the conference hall, Lingling and Nene were welcomed by Gap and the architect. She saw familiar faces from other companies including the CEO of a huge real estate firm. She greeted them before settling down somewhat in the middle row. She saw Laura Williams near the podium talking to the staff while eyeing her with a rather seductive smile. She pretended not to see her as she turned her head to talk to Gap instead. 

While everyone was talking among themselves, another new team entered the hall.

“It's Engfa.” Gap motioned to the door.

And so, Lingling turned her head towards her. “Ah.” There, she saw Engfa walking towards the seats. Her confident aura was unmatched. For her, it was the same as even when they were still in high school. But unlike now, she always wore glasses and loose hoodies then. Engfa seemed to notice her, so she smiled a bit and the girl did too. 

Gap, on the other hand, crossed his arms. He was still annoyed that Engfa dared to compete with Lingling for the property. But then again, her friend was right—business is business. 

On the other hand, Engfa was aware that Lingling was sitting just two rows behind her but she didn't bother looking back. She sat there with confidence. ‘Are you ready to lose, Lingling Kwong?’ 

When the program started, Lalisa Manoban, herself, sat in the front with her cousins as the Manoban's lawyer welcomed everyone with Laura Williams, who was put aside as the team head for the bidding, standing on the sidelines. There were also media outlets present in the event. 

“To give a word and announce the result of the bidding, please welcome Khun Lalisa Manoban.” 

Lisa walked towards the podium then. She adjusted the mic as the applause died down. “Sawasdee kha. I am Lalisa Manoban, one of the grandchildren of Atid Manoban—” She went to introduce herself and her cousins. She reiterated a story of how their family was able to acquire such a land. 

In the corner of his eyes, Gap noticed Lingling fidgeting. He knew she was anxious. She was never this nervous when it came to business, but this property meant so much to her. “Hey. It will be fine.” He whispered. 

Lingling was trying to calm herself down when she heard Gap whisper. She glanced towards him and nodded. It wasn't just a project she wanted to win just for the sake of winning. It meant much more to her. It was a necessity. 

“I want to thank everyone, every company, who took interest in this property. It was a difficult decision as every proposal was great. However, we ultimately had to pick the best one.” Lisa continued. 

‘Please be Noiam. Please be Noiam. Please be Noiam.’ Lingling prayed. 

Lisa looked around with a pleasant smile. “Our whole family convened and has reached a decision. We felt like with this company, the land our grandparents cultivated years ago would be developed into a place where a community can be built—” 

Lingling inhaled and exhaled slowly. She made sure their team would come up with a proposal fostering a community rather than just a mere establishment. 

“—while also ensuring that it will preserve its heritage and history of that piece of land. This is what struck me the most, at least.” Lisa went on to describe how the proposal included elements that ensure anyone across all ages could enjoy, emphasizing on the importance of keeping a tight family bond. 

That was what their proposal was about. Somehow, Lingling felt a tiny spark of hope. They made sure their proposal was in line with both the Noiam Group and the Manoban Family's vision. She even received an encouraging nudge from Gap. 

“We didn't base our decision solely on the offer nor the design alone. We made sure to look at the motivation of each one in bidding for this property…that's why, we think—”

Lingling straightened her back. She was sure it was their proposal. 

“—Horizon Urban Inc. is the company that will lead that vision into fruition moving forward. Thank you.” 

‘What?’ Lingling was appalled. 

Breathe in. 

Breathe out. 

With how Lisa described the proposal, Lingling was sure it was theirs. She sat there with her own thoughts as applause filled the room. ‘I…lost.’ 

“Oh wow. Thank you! Thank you so much!” Engfa bowed her head to everyone. 

“Oh.” Gap gulped while watching Engfa walk in front. ‘Oh no.’ He turned to look at Lingling and saw her looking down blankly. He wanted to tell her it was okay, but he knew how big of a deal it was for her. 

Meanwhile, Nene could only sympathetically look at her boss. 

“Ling—” Gap was about to hold her shoulder when Lingling looked up and clapped her hands as well as the others. “Hey.”

“Yes?”

“Are you okay?” 

Lingling nodded while smiling. “It is what it is.” 

They were friends for so long, that’s why Gap knew she was only pretending. He could see that she was trying to keep her emotions at bay like a good sport she was, but her eyes couldn't hide the pain and disappointment she was feeling. He could only sigh. 

“Congratulations. That was a great proposal.” Lisa shook Engfa's hand before posting for a photo op. 

As the event ended, others went to leave already. Meanwhile, Lingling stood up from her seat while looking towards Engfa. Maybe she did better, she thought. She cleared her throat and straightened her back, telling herself that maybe it was a good thing that Engfa won. At least it was her. She smiled bitterly at the thought. ‘Who are you trying to fool, Lingling?’ She wanted that property so bad, but in the end, someone else got it. 

“Khun Engfa, what is your plan for…” The news outlets were fast to get her statement. 

Engfa glanced towards the crowd and saw Lingling looking, but pretended she didn't notice her. She smiled at the camera then. “As stated in our proposal, we plan to—” She went on to explain their vision for the property with confidence. ‘I finally beat you, Lingling Kwong…and it's just the beginning.’ 

Laura Williams was just smiling on the side, arms crossed. She eyed Lingling from her spot. Maybe she would have changed her mind and helped her instead if she just agreed for a private little fun party, she thought. 

Lingling and her team exited the hall after a while. She thanked Gap and their architect before excusing herself. 

Gap knew Lingling was upset but she was hiding her pain as usual. He reminisced about college, thinking that after everything that had happened, perhaps it made her conceal her emotions more than she did before. She debated whether to call Orm or not, but then again Lingling said her wife went to Buriram today. “Fuck.” He sighed. 

Lingling and Nene walked towards the car in front of the hotel lobby. The secretary worriedly watched her boss from behind. She didn't utter a single word on their way down, and she wasn't sure if she would push through with her next meeting or not. 

Inside the car, Lingling immediately opened her iPad and revisited their proposal. She was sure the way Lisa described their choice was consistent with theirs. ‘Where did we go wrong?’ 

“Khun Lingling…” Nene carefully said, watching her boss through the rearview mirror. She hesitated on her question since her boss ignored her. “...would you like to reschedule—”

“No. Let's not waste people's time.” Lingling cut her off, not bothering to let her secretary finish her question. 

Nene nodded. She couldn't help but sympathize with her boss. “I'll confirm your attendance, Khun Ling.” 

‘Was it this?’ Lingling shook her head before scrolling down. ‘This?’ She swallowed the thick lump in her throat as her heart kept pounding. She shut her eyes and took a calming breath. “Use another route please. We're running late.” 

“Yes, Khun Lingling.” Their driver nodded. 

When the news came out, it became the talk of Bangkok. It was something the masses were looking forward to for months. The Manoban family was prominent in the country anyway plus the grandchildren all had millions of followers on social media. 

‘Horizon Urban Inc. wins bidding for the 18.5-hectare Manoban property’ 

Namtan was fixing a car when she heard the news on TV. She rolled out of the car and sat up. “It's not…Noiam.” 

Freen, on the other hand, was directing a show then. ‘Horizon Urban, huh?’ She raised her chin up and turned her phone off. “Cut! Let's take five!” 

At the hospital, Junji just got out of a cataract surgery when she received a message from Gap telling her they didn't win. She asked her how Lingling was doing, and sighed when he said she went to another meeting. 

Meanwhile, Faye read about the article upon seeing it on her Twitter timeline. ‘Oh. Nong didn't win.’ She was at a shoot for a magazine then. 

“Oh. Have you read about the bidding? Khun Engfa won.” 

“Really? Wow. I thought Noiam or at least Emerald Oasis would get it.”

“Well, Khun Sirilak better watch her back now. Looks like Khun Engfa is coming for her spot.”

“Hey shhh. Khun Faye is here.”

“Right. They're friends.” 

The staff tried to be discreet with their gossip but Faye could hear them clearly. Even the people on Twitter were commenting against Lingling, pitting her and Engfa once again. Some were even saying that they like the other girl more since Lingling is now married. ‘Don't these kids have other things to do?’ 

Faye wanted to roll her eyes but fought it. She wanted to call Lingling but then she knew that she would want to be left alone for a while. 

At Noiam Industries. 

It was already past 5 PM when Lingling got back to her office. She told Nene to bring the files for review to her office, telling her she can go home after that. She wanted to call Orm but thought that she must be on the plane now. She didn't want to go home either as her wife wouldn't be there. So, she thought she would stay at the office for a while. 

Lingling received messages from her friends and even from her dad. She all told them she was fine. She really was, she tried telling herself. But no matter how much she made herself believe that she should not feel disappointed or hurt, her heart kept breaking as the announcement rang repeatedly in her brain. 

As Lingling sat on her leather chair, she reeled on her frustrations. ‘You’ll be fine tomorrow.’ She told herself as she stared at the piles of folders on her table. ‘It is what it is, Lingling.’ She wanted it so badly, however that dream was just now out of reach. 

The young CEO pushed herself up and grabbed the bottle of whiskey and a glass from the shelf before sitting down on the sofa. Quietly, she poured herself a glass then drank it in one go. The sting of the liquid lingered in her throat and left a bitter taste in her mouth. She again poured another one but this time, she only held it on top of her lap as she watched the liquid glistening inside it. 

‘I wanted to build something for you, mom…but I lost.’ Lingling sniffed as her eyes welled up with tears. ‘I tried. I'm sorry, mommy.’ She smiled bitterly, engulfed in sadness and defeat. 

Lingling thought they had a huge chance to win. She thought they were able to capture the values and vision of the original family as well as theirs. It was a shame that she fell short. She couldn't blame anyone. She wouldn't blame Engfa either. While she knew how much she wanted to acquire the property, the girl was a businesswoman herself. It was just that this time, she was better. 

Gulping down, Lingling raised the glass once more and drank the liquor. It made her wince. She exhaled slowly through her lips and poured herself another glass. As she was holding the bottle, her hands trembled and a tear fell. ‘It's fine. It's fine. You're fine.’ She put the bottle down and swiftly downed the alcohol. “Ugh.” Then, she put the glass down, hitting the table top a bit hashly. She rested her elbows against her thigh for support while looking down. ‘Don't cry! Why are you crying? It is what it is. You're fine. Stop crying!’ She told herself but her tears were uncontrollable. 

Inside her office as the sun was setting outside, Lingling silently cried. 

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. 

Lingling immediately straightened her back and wiped her tears away. “Just the files on my table please.” She said, thinking that it was her secretary. 

“It's me.” 

Lingling froze. She looked up while trying to blink her tears away. She sniffed and wiped her cheeks before turning around. There, she saw her wife walking towards her. “I thought you'd go to Buriram?” 

Orm glanced at the table where the half bottle of whiskey and an empty glass was sitting. She smiled a bit, trying to control the pain of seeing her wife's misery. She sat down and immediately held her cheeks as gently as she could. Lingling’s eyes were wet with tears, making her know that has been crying. “My wife needs me.” She whispered with such care and tenderness in her voice. She was in the car with Eclair going to the airport when the news came out. She knew immediately then that she had to be with her wife. 

Lingling couldn't look into Orm's eyes without crying so she looked down. “I didn't get it.” She said with a quiet voice. 

It was a huge deal for her wife. She knew that. Whenever Lingling would tell her about the progress they made with the proposal, she would always see how passionate she was about it. It wasn't just a simple project, it was her dream. So, as they stared into each other's eyes, she wanted her to feel that she wasn't alone, that it was okay to feel disappointed, and that she knew her mom in heaven was proud of her no matter what. Without a word, she pulled her into an embrace. “I know you're tired.” 

Lingling exhaled slowly through her mouth. It went out shaky. She told herself not to cry, but as Orm held her in her arms, she couldn't fight her tears any longer. 

Quiet weeping turned into uncontrollable sobbing. 

Orm held Lingling close, resting her chin on top of her head. She didn't say anything else. She could feel the dampness of her shirt from her wife's tears. Her heart broke as her wife's sobs filled the room. She fought the tears that were threatening to fall. At that moment, she told herself that she had to be strong for her. 

That night, Orm laid awake while watching her wife sleep. She had been crying for so long at the office, her eyes became puffy. Even at home, she knew she cried in the bathroom alone. Despite telling her wife that it was okay for her to be vulnerable in front of her, she knew she would still try to hide her pain as long as she could to not make her worry. 

‘You must be so exhausted, my love.’ Orm rubbed her thumb across Lingling’s cheeks then carefully against her lips. Right then, a tear fell to the side of her face. She smiled ever so slightly. As their marriage progressed and as their love grew deeper, she slowly unveiled how Lingling genuinely valued her loved ones and friends. She realized how lucky she truly was to be loved by her. “I love you, Lingling Kwong.” She whispered before leaning in and planting a feathery kiss onto her forehead.

On the other side of Bangkok, however, Engfa sat down on the edge of the bed, the loose polo hand open in the middle. 

“P'Engfa, thank you for coming with me here.” Lingling smiled brightly at her. Perhaps, it was one of the few occasions she saw her looking genuinely happy since her mother passed away. 

They were fifteen years old then. The two of them, in their uniforms, sat down on a rundown swing. There were still quite a few people around, some kids were running around and playing while their parents either watched them or talked with another. 

“Of course. Are you happy, Nong?” Lingling has been her friend since elementary school. She was a scholar of her aunt and Lingling was the first one who approached her then. She was a happy kid with a bright smile. It was just the two of them before but now, they are three. Charlotte, Lingling’s neighbor at the village, transferred schools during middle school and became their friend since. Unfortunately today, Charlotte had to attend a family dinner with her grandparents, so it was just the two of them. 

“Yes.” Lingling grinned as she gently pushed herself back and forth on the swing. “P’Engfa? Do you think…”

Engfa looked at her friend and saw her in deep thoughts. 

“...I’ll be able to build a place like this in the future?” 

Engfa knew Lingling’s family. It wouldn't be such a surprise if one day her name would be behind tons of infrastructures across the country. But, it was endearing to think that she wanted to build a park like this instead. “Yes.” She nodded, making her friend smile. “Maybe someday they would even sell this place, don't you think? You will be working in your dad's company by then so you can buy it instead.”

“Ah!” Lingling grinned and nodded. “When I'm working already, I'll buy this place so you can design a beautiful building over there, Phi!” She pointed ahead excitedly. 

“Let's do that.” Engfa smiled as well. 

Engfa sighed. It was a precious memory of hers but whenever she thought of Lingling that night at Charlotte’s house, it would leave a bitter taint on those thoughts. 

As she was reflecting on everything that had happened that day, Engfa felt sloppy wet kisses at the side of her neck. She closed her eyes. Then, she felt soft fingers touching her chin, turning it to the side just a bit. 

Laura Williams stared into Engfa's lips with pure lust. “Aren't we supposed to be celebrating your win?” 

Engfa pursed her lips. Her eyes turned cold, completely throwing her thoughts aside. There was no need to feel bad about Lingling Kwong, she told herself. “And here I thought you already learned your lesson?” With that, she grabbed her by the neck, making her groan, before crashing their lips together. 

The next day, Lingling didn't cry anymore but she would cling to Orm while pouting. Orm, on the other hand, felt better that her wife was comfortable to show her emotions with her. Whenever she saw her wife lost in thoughts, she would go and kiss her cheek and stare at her until she burst out giggling. She knew it would take time for her wife to get over it, so she tried her best to comfort her. 

The two of them along with Milk and Love reached Buriram at noon. Eclair was already there with her parents waiting for them. Both Ton and Koy went to hug Lingling and told her that she did great, which almost made her tear up again. 

That afternoon, Love accompanied her aunt and uncle to the town. She brought Milk with them as well. Eclair, on the other hand, sat on the sofa while watching an Instagram live. While Orm, she went upstairs for a nap. She wanted to be with Lingling despite feeling sleepy, but her wife reassured her she would be fine. And so, Lingling sat on the steps of the veranda in the backyard while looking out into the fields. 

Ying arrived then. She parked the truck in the distance. As she went outside, she saw Lingling sitting quietly at the house, seemingly in deep thoughts. She read about the result of the bidding from the local newspaper earlier and thought that she must be thinking about that. Although they got off the wrong foot, she felt bad for her. It must have been a big deal for Noiam, she thought. But, she knew the girl didn't like the sight of her, so she sighed and went to work. 

Meanwhile, as Lingling was reevaluating their proposal and bargaining what she could have done better in her mind, she caught a glimpse of Ying lifting bags of whatever it was and putting them against the tree from a distance. They looked a lot and heavy for her to be working all by herself. She contemplated on whether to go and help or not. The last time they met, they were not on good terms. She gulped. 

Ying grabbed another sack from behind the truck and was about to lift it when she heard someone behind her. 

“May I help you?” 

When Ying turned around, she saw Lingling approaching. She was still as serious as how she was months back. They may not like each other, but she thought it was thoughtful of her to offer to help. “Sure. Go ahead, Khun Lingling.”

Lingling still did not like that Ying called her by that name, but she nodded anyway. She went to grab a sack and bring them to where Ying was stacking them up. They were heavy and a little pungent. She just thought she could get some work to keep her mind from being drowned in her own thoughts. 

“They're fertilizers.” 

Yung must have noticed that she didn't like the smell, Lingling thought. “I see.” 

The two of them worked under the blazing sun, both sweating, until they stacked up every single sack of fertilizers on the ground. 

“Thank you for your help, Khun Lingling.” Yung said, wiping her sweat with a morning towel. 

“No problem.” Lingling nodded. 

Ying thought Lingling may look delicate but she could lift 18 kilo bags of fertilizers without any problem. While looking at her, she couldn't help but notice the frustrations in her eyes. 

“I'll be—”

“I read about the news.”

Lingling stopped then. She smiled a bit bitterly. “Yeah.” She sighed. “Well, I lost.” 

Ying frowned a bit. She thought that Lingling might be thinking that she was making fun of her. “I somehow understand what you feel. I know you did your best.” 

Lingling’s eyes faltered. Without Ying saying exactly what she was talking about, she understood what she meant. “It…feels shitty.” 

Ying let out a quiet chuckle. “It does, doesn't it?” She pushed herself up from leaning against the truck and motioned to the greenhouse. “Come with me.” 

Lingling furrowed her brows. They weren't close to begin with. 

“Have a little faith, will you, Khun Lingling?” 

With a sigh, Lingling followed Ying to the greenhouse. She stood outside while the girl went to grab fallen twigs and dried grasses and leaves and stacked them up in a pile like she was making a bonfire. She still wasn't sure what she was planning but she didn't have anything better to do, so she stayed. Afterwards, she saw Ying go inside the greenhouse. When she went out, she was holding a pen and a paper. 

“Here.” Ying held out the pen and paper to Lingling who was just looking at her skeptically. She smiled a bit. “You can write whatever you want in there.” She then pointed at the stacked up dried twigs. “Then once you're done, you can burn it there.”

Lingling couldn't help but snort. “Whose therapist was this idea?” She asked, a little sarcastically. The last time she visited a therapist was two years after her mother's death. 

Ying frowned at Lingling for a moment. “Prigkhing told me about it. Well, she forced me to do it, really.” 

Lingling knew who Prigkhing was. She was her employee and also Orm's workmate. She didn't know Ying was close with her. She looked away for a second. “Did it help?”

Ying smiled a little. “It didn't take everything away, but it did.” 

“Okay. Fine.” Lingling grabbed the pen and paper then sat down on the huge rock at the side of the greenhouse. 

Ying went to light up the mini bonfire, on the other hand. 

As Lingling contemplated on what to write, her hand seemed to be frozen. She wasn't really sure what to put in there. Meanwhile, Ying blew on the fire to make it bigger. She glances at the other girl while doing so. 

Lingling started writing then. She wrote first about how she came up with the idea of wanting to acquire the property. After that, it just continued. She wrote about how hard they worked on that project only to lose in the end. She wrote about how she thought she made the perfect proposal, only to find out there was better. She wrote about how betrayed she felt when Engfa joined the bidding knowing full well how bad she wanted that property. She was the person who encouraged her, in the first place. She wrote down every frustration she was feeling. She wrote how disappointed she was in herself. She wrote how she hated herself for making her wife worry. In the end, her eyes moistened with tears. Breathing deeply, she wiped them up before standing up. 

Ying felt bad for Lingling. She could see herself in her. She was in the same position before after all. She wanted someone but in the end, she couldn't do anything but to watch her be with someone else. “Are you done?”

“Yeah.” 

Ying motioned to the fire, and so Lingling bent down in front of it. The latter folded the paper, rubbing her thumb across it. She wasn't sure if this would really help, but she was there already anyway. She closed her eyes for a moment before putting the paper into the flame. She watched as it slowly turned into ashes. It made her smile ever so slightly. It did help, somehow.

“How are you?”

Lingling stood up as well. “I guess you're right.” She smiled then. She realized, at that moment, why Orm was close with Ying. 

Ying smiled. “Told you.” 

Orm woke up not long after. She went down and was a little worried when she didn't see Lingling in there. “P'Eclair, where is P'Ling?” 

Eclair was still watching the Instagram live then. “Hm? I think she's outside. I heard her talking to someone there.” 

“Okay.” Orm was worried that Lingling might have ran off somewhere to cry. When she went out, however, she saw her standing with Ying near the greenhouse. It wasn't like that night when she saw them out in the dark. They were simply talking this time. She stopped in her tracks and smiled. 

The next day, the 100th day of Anong’s death, Ying delivered the bread for the ceremony later. She also went to buy extra ones for Orm's family. She saw Lingling having coffee, so she went to greet her. They ended up sharing a snack while talking about their wife and girlfriend, respectively. 

“You know I don't get her.” Ying said while breaking the pastry in half. “When I don't text or call, she would get mad…but when I do, she would ask me if I don't have anything better to do.” 

Lingling was still surprised to know that Ying and Prigkhing were together, but it was a little funny to hear the girl's rants about her girlfriend. She thought Orm had her moods too. She sometimes would text a lot or with just a word. “They're like that, I guess.” 

They agreed on that since both of them were older than their partners. Lingling was three years older than Orm while Ying was five years older than Prigkhing. 

On the other hand, Orm found Lingling nowhere when she exited the bathroom after taking a bath. She thought she must have gone down already, so she followed suit. When she reached the bottom of the staircase, however, she saw her wife having tea with Ying. She was both pleased and surprised at the same time. She was thankful that at least her wife was being preoccupied. 

“Hey.” 

Both Lingling and Ying turned their heads to Orm. Lingling smiled and held out her hand to her wife while Ying greeted her good morning. 

Orm went to press a kiss on Lingling’s forehead while holding her cheek. 

Ying smiled at them. A part of her heart was still aching, but with Prigkhing, the pain started to disappear slowly but surely. Ever since the brat forced her to be her girlfriend, it was always her who would travel to Bangkok to see her. She wished Prigkhing would also come to Buriram like Lingling does for Orm. But then again, a spoiled city girl like her might not last a day there. 

“What were you talking about?” Orm asked. 

Ying was about to make an alibi like last time when Lingling spoke up. “We're talking about Prigkhing.” She said, making the former look away shyly. 

“Huh? Prigkhing?” 

“She's Ying's girlfriend.” Lingling casually said, surprising Orn and making Yung flustered. 

“You're Prigkhing’s girlfriend, P'Ying?!” Orm's jaw dropped. ‘How?’ She asked herself. First, she also thought the girl hated her friend. “Since when?” 

Ying cleared her throat. She wasn't used to being on the hot seat. “Well…more than two months now.”

“Wow.” Orm was truly amazed while Lingling just chuckled. ‘That girl is so secretive. It turns out it's just P’Ying.’ It was an odd pairing, but she shrugged anyway. “Best of luck, P'Ying.” She patted her shoulder while laughing.

“Thank you. I need that.” Ying sighed. 

Lingling just laughed on the side while sipping her coffee. 

“P'Lingling, you have to go take a bath in a while, okay?” Orm said, standing behind her wife with both hands on her shoulders. “We have to go to the temple before the ceremony here.” 

Lingling looked up at her wife and nodded. “Okay.” She said with a warm smile. 

“I'll go check on Milk and Love.” Orm said with a chirpy voice. 

“Okay.” 

Ying watched their interaction and saw how different Lingling was with Orm. She was always smiling while talking to her. They really are perfect for each other, she thought. 

Plai and Film followed to Buriram as well. He talked to Lingling in private before going to town. Their whole family went to the temple for the offerings then at home, they had a ceremony to honor Anong's death. There was a gathering afterwards with the farm workers and her closest friends. The old ladies who were close to Anong shared stories as they reflected on the life of the deceased while everyone listened. 

“Sawasdee kha. I am Gib Panchamnong, N’Anong has been my friend since we were kids.” 

Lingling sat between Orm and her father at the front. 

“...As I sit here to honor the memory of N'Anong, I am still heartbroken when N’Anong, one of the few friends I have left, told me that she has been told to have cancer…” Gib went on to say how she had a hard time accepting that such a good person was given that terrible condition. Ton was saddened by it, so Koy went to hold his hand. “We all here, especially the family of N'Anong, are still grieving, maybe silently. But I am sure, N’Anong is in a better place now. The only thing that we face now is the challenge of moving forward without them. I know it is never easy to say goodbye, but today, on the 100th day of N’Anong’s journey to the afterlife, I want to speak about turning over a new leaf...” The old woman smiled then. “...as I am sure that N'Anong would want us all to be happy.”

Lingling glanced at her wife to see her reaction. She slipped her hand under hers then intertwined their fingers. She decided to push her own grief aside since today, she should be Orm's rock. Meanwhile, when Orm felt Lingling’s hand, she looked at her softly and mouthed thank you. 

“N’Anong brought so much light and love into our lives. Their laughter, kindness, and wisdom will forever remain in our hearts.” Gib continued, and almost everyone nodded. “However, as we remember her, we must also reflect on the lesson she has left in each one of us. For me, it is for us to cherish each moment…to be present…and to love deeply.” 

Orm smiled while reminiscing her grandmother's memory. She was the person who taught her what love meant through her stories. In this farm with her grandmother, she was able to truly live in the moment and cherish every second. She was the one who encouraged her whenever she felt inadequate. She was the one who told her to live like however she wanted without thinking about what other people would say. And, she was the reason why she found Lingling and understood the deeper meaning of love. 

“...Although it was hard and heartbreaking, I realized, in my age, that moving on doesn’t mean forgetting. It simply means honoring their memory by living fully.”

That line struck Lingling straight in the heart. It was not only because she was grieving over losing the property she wanted the most, but also about why she wanted it in the first place. As she reflected on it, she realized that she wanted it badly to honor her mother and because of that, she didn't appreciate their team's journey while making the proposal. In her mind, she only ever wanted to win because she thought that if she got it, she could finally build something in her mother's memory. But while she was focused on that goal, she forgot what it felt like to enjoy making financial analysis like how she used to. 

“I wish that our Lingling will grow up to be a healthy and happy child.” 

Lingling remembered what her mother wrote in her journal. To be happy, that was what she wanted for her. It felt as if as she listened to the words of Grandma Gib, her mother was also speaking to her telling her that she didn't need her to build monuments or malls or anything for her, she just wanted her to be happy. With that, she felt tears in her eyes. She took a deep breath then smiled a bit, all while holding Orm's hand tighter. 

“...As we turn this new leaf, let us commit to celebrating life like how N’Anong would have wanted us to.”

Orm looked at Lingling then and saw her eyes glistening with tears. Despite that, her wife was looking at her like she was the only person in the world much like when they got married. Without saying anything, she reached up and dried her wife's tears. She smiled when her wife did. 

After the service, Orm saw Lingling putting the trash away in the kitchen, so she went and sneaked behind her. “Bubu.”

Lingling smiled then. “Baobao.” 

Orm kept hugging Lingling from behind. She didn't say anything. She just watched her put the leftovers in the plastic. Back then, she wouldn't have ever thought Sirilak Kwong would do something like this. 

“Are you okay, Baobao?” 

Orm thought it was thoughtful of her to ask even if she, herself, was feeling down. “Of course, my Bubu is here.” 

Lingling looked down, smiling so wide. She hummed while continuing her work with her wife embracing her from behind. “You know, Baobao…”

“Hm?” Orm went to rest her chin on her wife's shoulder. 

“What grandma Gib said…it made me feel a little better.” Lingling said with a soft smile on her lips. “That's all.” She let out a quiet chuckle then. She was still upset about it, but hearing those words helped. 

Orm nodded. She felt better after hearing it too. “I love you.” She whispered, but Lingling hummed. “Just so you won't forget.” 

Lingling turned her head a little to the side, giggling, pressing her face against her wife's. “I love you too.” 

“Ayyyy! Respect to the single please!” 

The couple turned their head to the sound and saw Eclair acting annoyed but with a teasing smile while lifting the pile of empty boxes to the backyard. They both laughed. 

“Ah, Baobao…I'll go help Ying later with the chairs. She said she'll bring them back to the rental in town.” 

Orm found it amusing how fast Lingling and Ying got close. She was thankful about it instead of seeing them throwing daggers at each other. “Yeah? I think I'll be the one who's jealous now.” She pouted, acting upset. 

Lingling grinned. “You're cute, Mrs. Kwong.” She pressed her face against Orm’s once again before leaning back a little and pouting her lips for a kiss. 

Orm playfully rolled her eyes but went in to kiss her wife anyway. 

Right then, Lingling’s phone. “Baobao, can you check who it is please?” 

“Okay.” Orm said in a chirpy voice. She pulled the phone from her wife's pocket and saw that it was Nene. “It's Khun Nene. Do you want me to answer?” 

“Yes please.” 

And so, Orm pressed the answer button. “Khun Nene?” 

On the other end of the line, Nene immediately picked up that it was Orm. “Khun Orm, sawasdee kha!” She said with an enthusiastic tone. The other girl greeted her back just as energetically. “Is Khun Lingling there, Khun Orm?”

Orm answered yes as well as putting Lingling’s phone on speaker. “Yep. She can hear you.”

“Oh! Sawasdee kha, Khun Lingling!” Nene greeted her boss as well. “The secretary of Khun Engfa Waraha of Horizon Urban called—”

Lingling slightly furrowed her brows. She was not expecting that. Meanwhile, Orm kept her lips shut while waiting for what Nene would say next. 

“—They were asking for a meeting with you.”

‘Meeting with me?’ Again, Lingling did not expect that Engfa would reach out to her. But then, she must be feeling bad for her, she thought. 

Orm, on the other hand, raised her brow at that. For some reason, she felt uneasy with Engfa despite meeting her just once. She couldn't forget her subtle jab she made at her wife then.

“They were asking when is the best time for you, Khun Lingling.”

“Um…” Lingling thought about it for a while before answering, “Please check my available time this week, Khun Nene. You can tell them whatever.” 

“Alright, Khun Lingling. I will update you.”

“Thank you.” 

The call ended then. “She wants to meet with you?” Orm asked, reiterating the question. 

Lingling nodded. She didn't know what it was about, but she was intrigued by it anyway. “She probably felt bad. I don't know.” 

Orm nodded. It was Lingling’s decision anyway. “Hmm.” She smiled. 

Lunch time on a Wednesday, Lingling walked inside The Allium Bangkok to meet up with her old friend, Architect Engfa Waraha. She was ushered by the staff to their table. At the far end of the restaurant beside the huge transparent windows, she saw the girl sitting facing away from her and flipping through the menu. 

“P'Engfa.” Lingling greeted her upon reaching their table. 

Engfa looked at her then smiled. She closed the menu then gestured to the seat opposite hers. “Sawasdee kha, Nong. Please…have a seat.” 

Lingling sat down opposite the girl. The server went to give her the menu and another to pour a glass of wine for her. 

They selected their orders first. As soon as they were alone, Engfa said, “How are you?” 

Lingling smiled a bit. “I'm okay.” She answered knowing it was regarding the bidding. “Congratulations, Phi.” It was a genuine greeting. 

“Thank you.” Engfa smiled. “I'm sorry I had to bid for it too. The partners at the company pushed for it.” She said before lifting her glass and taking a sip of the liquor. 

Lingling nodded. “I understand.” 

“I know it means so much to you.” Engfa added, eyes reflected sympathy. She watched the other girl's reaction and thought Lingling was still as naive as she was. “So I'm willing to compromise.” 

Lingling furrowed her brows. She had guesses but she didn't want to assume. 

“I'm willing to give you my share of the land which is almost 50% of it.” Engfa leaned a little closer upon seeing the surprise on Lingling’s face. “But—” She smiled, more like smirked. “—I need something in return…like a trade.” 

Frowning, Lingling braced herself for whatever it was. 

“You'll have it…if you sell me your share at Noiam.” 

‘What?’ Lingling was appalled. Currently, she owns 5% of Noiam Industries. 

Engfa leaned back, legs crossed, and put her hands on top of her lap. “I don't think that’s a bad deal, do you?” She asked, a charming smile on her lips. “You'll get half of the property for free and I'll still buy your shares. You want it for your mom, right? What is a small portion of Noiam compared to the one you'll inherit from your dad anyway? I'm sure it wouldn't hurt.” 

Lingling gulped. ‘So this is why you wanted to see me?’ Ever so slightly, her hands started to fold. “You want to buy my shares at Noiam?” 

Engfa nodded. “Your shares for the property you want.” She started directly into Lingling’s conflicted eyes. “It's my proposal for you. We are friends anyway, right…N'Lingling?” 

Chapter Text

Lingling sat on the middle seat of the van going to their rest house in Phuket beside Orm with a sour expression on her face. Behind them were Milk, Love and their friends. She wasn't happy about everyone joining them but what could she do? Her wife agreed anyway. 

It was already mid October. They already celebrated Orm's birthday the week before with their whole family, and Lingling thought they could have another celebration in Phuket with the two of them. However, when their friends knew, they requested to tag along, more so when the kids discovered their plan. Since Orm was such a sweetheart, she agreed much to her wife's disbelief and disappointment, saying at least the teens would get to enjoy their break before the school year resumed. 

Orm knew Lingling was not in a good mood. However, she found it cute that she looked like a grumpy little puppy since they left Bangkok. She smiled sweetly then nuzzled her nose against her wife's cheek, but she only huffed and looked away. It was too adorable, it made her giggle. She then grabbed her hand and intertwined their fingers. Her wife was still looking away, but this time, she didn't make any move to pull her hand away. 

‘It should be just us.’ Lingling frowned, looking away from Orm. 

“Let's go to the beach later!” June exclaimed excitedly while looking out the window in awe. 

“And then buy souvenirs!” Ciize added with Love agreeing with her. “I'm so excited!” She held hands with Love while shaking in thrill. 

View was also looking outside in awe but she thought the sun was too hot. “We should put on a lot of sunscreen.” 

“Look here please.” Milk lifted her camera and her friends all went to pose. “It's nice.”

“Let me see.” Love extended her body to see the photo. The others did too. 

Ciize giggled. “We're so cute!” 

“Ugh.” Lingling quietly groaned. Don't get her wrong, she loved her sisters and their friends, but this was supposed to be their second honeymoon trip. She didn’t come here to become a babysitter, she thought. Hence, right now, she didn't like their presence at all. 

Orm, on the other hand, was fondly watching the younger ones through the rearview mirror. She glanced towards her Lingling, who was still annoyed, then carefully put her head on her shoulder. ‘Bubu, don't be mad.’ She wanted to say, but didn't. “It’s so pretty here, P’Lingling.” Right then, slowly, she felt her wife gently rest her head against hers. She smiled triumphantly. 

After a while, they reached the villa. It was a two-storey modern house with five bedrooms and a pool area facing the beachfront. Their property was only a walking distance to the nearest resort with a 20-minute ride to the town proper. 

The caretaker of the villa welcomed them. Orm and Lingling went up to their room while the high schoolers went to explore the area. Their friends have yet to arrive, but they said they were on their way. It meant no more solo time with her wife which just made the older one irritated more.  

While they were settling in, Orm glanced at Lingling from the balcony. “Come, Bubu. The water looks nice!” She then watched over Milk and her friends on the beach. 

‘Who cares?’ Lingling continued to sulk, purposely ignoring her wife while hanging their clothes inside the dresser. She imagined it to be a quiet vacation. Her and Orm walking hand in hand on the shore. Swimming at the beach or in the pool until they end up making out and then making love. Go on a yacht tour around the island and so much more. But now, her plans were shattered.

Orm chuckled. “Are you still upset?” 

“No.”

“Eh? Sounds like you are.” Orm leaned against the doorframe to watch her wife.

“You're unbelievable. You know how long I've been waiting for our solo trip.”

Orm bit her lip. ‘Awww, Bubu!’ She then hummed. “Well…how can I say no to them?” 

Lingling turned around and seemingly wanted to say something but didn't after her wife raised her brow at her. She turned around and sighed. “The monkey said I'll take your house, but the turtle only said yes.” 

Orm furrowed her brows, amused. “What does that even mean? You're making up phrases now, Bubu?” 

“I read about it. It's you. You're the turtle.” Lingling said, turning around so that Orm would see her frowning. She lied, however, because she just made that up. 

Orm shook her head. “And how can the monkey take the turtle’s house? He won't fit in it.” She shrugged then crackled when Lingling stopped for a second. She was fun to tease. “Okay, I'm sorry. How do I make it up to you, Bubu?” 

“Nothing. We can't tell them to go home now, can we?” Lingling sarcastically replied. 

Orm sneaked in quietly and went in front of Lingling, blocking her view of the dresser. Despite the other's disapproval, she didn't step away. Instead, she smiled teasingly. “Hi.”

“I'm putting our clothes in the dresser, Baobao.” 

Orm giggled. Even when mad, Lingling would still call her with the pet name. She snaked her arms around her waist then. “You know we only have an hour or less for ourselves.” 

Lingling rolled her eyes. ‘Guess who's brilliant idea is that.’ She tried to remove Orm's hands but the girl didn't budge. She sighed. “I know, that's why I'm trying to finish fast.” 

“You can just do it later.” Orm looked at her wife with puppy eyes while smiling mischievously. 

It made Lingling frown. “Huh?”

“Hm?”

“You’re being stubborn. I have to—” 

“Do me now.”

Lingling froze. Then slowly, a smirk formed in her lips, competing with her wife's naughty smile. “Ah. So that's how it is, huh?” 

Orm leaned forward to Lingling’s ear. It was too close, she could feel her wife's warm shallow breathing against her skin. “I've locked the door already earlier, by the way.” 

The sensual tone of Orm’s voice made Lingling shiver, forcing her to close her eyes. She let out a quiet deep laugh before lifting her wife up from the floor. 

“Ah!” Orm yelped but managed to wrap her legs around Lingling’s hips while holding on to her head. 

Lingling let her eyes wander down to Orm's soft plump lips, making her lick her own. “You are…naughty.” She whispered, lust taking over her expression. She kissed her then, softly then roughly while tracing the floor towards the bed. She put Orm down a little bit harshly before chuckling. 

Orm just lied there biting her lip as she waited for her wife to devour her. 

“This is for being stubborn, Mrs. Kwong.” Lingling uttered before leaning down, going on top of her wife, and continuing the kiss. 

The couple decided to go downstairs after that heated but blissful round. They made sure to look decent first before meeting the others. They saw that Film and Namtan had already arrived. The younger of the Kwong girls was confused as to why her older sister was all smiles. She was sure she was perpetually annoyed after knowing that everyone was coming to Phuket. 

“Where are the others?” Lingling asked. 

“P'Gap and P'Junji went with Freen and Becky to buy groceries at the town first. P'Faye said she was just about to board the plane about 30 minutes ago.” Film answered and the couple nodded. “We'll go settle in.”

“Okay.” Orm nodded. 

As they were leaving, Namtan gave Lingling a knowing look and received a happy smile in response. She chuckled. 

“What is it?” 

Namtan shook her head. “This villa is huge, love, no?” She grinned at Film who only hummed before walking up the stairs. ‘They totally made out.’ She pursed her lips to avoid laughing as she followed her girlfriend up. 

Lingling and Orm went out to look over the younger ones at the beach. She stood by the pool overlooking the sea. 

“Are you still upset, Bubu?” Orm tilted her head to the side, flicking her eyelashes cutely. 

That made Lingling feel butterflies, making her smile so wide. “I guess it's…I mean…it's not a bad idea bringing them here.” 

Orm smirked. Her plan worked, she thought. Junji was right, Lingling was indeed transparent with her emotions. “Hm-mm.” 

The couple was so engrossed in each other that they forgot the teens could see them. 

“Awww. Look at P'Lingling and P'Orm. They're so adorable!” Ciize said in awe. 

“Right? You should have seen them whenever they go home in Buriram.” Love told Ciize, making the girl pout cutely. Milk, who was beside them, just smiled while looking at both of them. 

“Ay! I'm jealous. Hmp!” June said, on the other hand. View looked at her judgingly and asked her why. “I should have been P'Lingling’s wife.” She huffed and crossed her arms. 

“You should wake up now.” View told her with an irritated tone, making Milk laugh. 

“Ayy!” June rolled her eyes at View, but the girl didn't care. 

After some time, as the two couples were chilling in the living area, the sound of a car engine was heard. 

“That must be them.” Lingling said. She was right. It was Freen, Becky, Junji and Gap with several huge plastic bags filled with groceries. They went to welcome them with Lingling and Namtan helping them carry the bags to the kitchen. 

“We bought snacks.” Becky told them while Freen asked about Faye.

“She’s on her way.” Lingling answered.

“I’ll call the kids, P’Ling.” Orm told Lingling before going out to the beach.

“Ooh! What’s this?” Film peeked inside the bag, thrilled by how appetizing the smell of the food was. 

“It’s pasta and some bread.” Gap answered as he was passing by towards the kitchen.

Junji, on the other hand, linked her arm with Film’s. “We saw a local restaurant in town that sells Italian and Thai dishes. I tried their bruschetta and it’s—“ She made a chef’s kiss gesture then. “Freaking delicious.”

“Let’s eat then!” Film said with a huge smile. 

“Let me help you with that.” Namtan went to get the take out bag from Becky as they all went to the kitchen. 

“Nong!” Orm called out from just below the staircase to the beach. The teens all looked at her. “Let’s go inside! Snacks!” 

“Yay!” View was the one who stood up first and ran towards the villa. 

June frowned at that. “View! Ay!” She stood up then ran after View. “Wait for me!”

Milk dusted the sand off her shorts first before standing up. However, before she did so, she saw both Ciize and Love holding out their hands for her. She looked at both of them and saw that they were both surprised. She decided to hold both of their hands and stand up. “Thanks.” She smiled, a bit shyly. 

“Come on.” Ciize said while smiling. 

Love smiled as well. “I wonder what snack we’re having?” 

Orm waited until everyone had gone up before following from behind. Upon entering the house, she saw Lingling smiling at her and gesturing to sit beside her, so she did. 

“This is for you, Baobao. They bought chocolate sponge cake.” Lingling opened the container for Orm before handing the plate with cheesy carbonara to her. “And this too.” 

“Thank you, Bubu.” Orm whispered to Lingling while smiling. 

“Okay.” Lingling smiled as well. “I'll get you water.” 

“Thank you.” Orm nodded as Lingling went to get a bottle of water from the refrigerator. 

Once Lingling sat back down, she opened the bottle and put a straw in it before giving it to her wife. 

“Aww. They're so sweet.” Becky whispered to Freen and Junji. 

“It's good. You wanna try?” Orm asked Lingling, pointing on the cheesy carbonara on her plate. 

‘Is she going to feed her?’ All their friends around the table waited in anticipation only for Lingling to shake her head. 

“Well.” Freen shrugged. Orm did tease Lingling back then during that specific dinner about feeding her, but she didn't really do it. 

“Bread?” Orm asked quietly enough for her wife to hear only. Lingling nodded this time, and so she went to grab a slice of bread and put some marinara sauce on it before feeding her wife. 

Lingling smiled then while munching on the bread. 

“Good?” 

“Uh-huh.” Lingling swallowed the food and Orm took it as her wife wanted another bite, so she fed her once again. 

Film shook her head in amusement while Namtan stifled a laugh. Becky felt giddy while Freen was amused to see her cousin like how Junji first described it. 

“Told you. Now you guys know what I felt like before and they weren't even married then.” Junji whispered to both Namtan and Freen. At that point, all of them were feeling like third wheeling. 

As they were eating, another car pulled up the driveway. 

“It's P'Faye—” Namtan told everyone, but then saw another person beside her. “Oh. She's with her girlfriend.”

“Wow. Really?” Junji was the first one who voiced her surprise. 

Love, who was sitting at the edge of the table, caught a glimpse of the girl. Her jaw dropped. “It's Khun Yoko!” 

“Really?!” Both Ciize and Milk exclaimed. They were both huge fans of the girl. “OMG!” The former added before standing up and going out to the living room alongside the other two teens. 

“Who's that?” View asked. 

“She plays violin. I don't know.” June shrugged. She wasn't a fan. 

“Is it really?” Orm was excited as well. When Namtan nodded, she stood up with a huge smile on her face. “OMG!” She hurried to the door with the others to welcome the girl, leaving her unfinished food, much to Lingling’s dismay. 

“I wonder what made her come?” Gap chuckled. 

“It's about time, I guess?” Freen shrugged with Becky agreeing with her. 

“Wow. Orm is also a fan of Yoko? I didn't know she's that famous.” Film commented. 

“Ugh.” Lingling wasn't a fan, however. She was already done with her meal, so she quickly finished Orm's before following her out. She stood next to her while eyeing the couple walking towards the house. “What is that girl even doing here?” She said quietly, but loud enough for her wife to hear. 

Orm realized that Yoko was Faye's girlfriend that her wife has been bashing all along. “Why do you hate her so much?”

“Hate is a strong word. I just don't like her.” Lingling argued. “And one more thing, she treats P'Faye like shit.” 

Orm glanced at her wife, who was frowning. She really was protective of her friends, especially Faye. “Okay…I understand…but we're on a vacation and she made an effort to come, so act nice.” 

“Why would I do that? This is my house.” Lingling retaliated. However, she pursed her lips when Orm raised an eyebrow at her. “Our house.” She quickly added. “Still…” She sighed. “You like her more than me.” 

Orm looked at Lingling then. She wasn't frowning anymore but now, she was pouting. She could only laugh at that. ‘You sulky little puppy.’ She gave her a chaste peck in the cheek then. “I like her, yes—” She said, and just like that, her wife frowned again. “—but I love you.” Lingling smiled then and she had to hold her breath at the sight for a second. “I'm a huge fan of hers since like way back she started playing violin. I won't force you to be nice to her but at least don't say anything bad?” 

“But—”

“Lingling Kwong.” 

Lingling looked away but nodded. 

“Here they come. Behave, okay?” Orm told Lingling once again, and her wife just crossed her arms and nodded. 

“Hey, everyone.” Faye entered the villa then with Yoko beside her. “This is uh—”

“Khun Yoko!” The teens all exclaimed at the same time. “We're your fans! We have your albums—” They went on to fangirl over the girlgirl, who was visibly overwhelmed and shy about it. 

“Sawasdee kha, Khun Yoko! Welcome to our villa.” Orm greeted Yoko as well. 

“Sawasdee kha, Khun Orm.” Yoko bowed as well, smiling pleasantly. 

Orm was left in awe. ‘OMG! She knows my name! OMG! OMG!’ It was a fangirl's dream. “You know my name?” She asked, and Yoko nodded. 

Lingling, on the other hand, fought the urge to roll her eyes. ‘Of course, she knows your name. You’re my wife.’ Her wife was too thrilled to see the girl she didn't like, herself. 

Yoko was aware of Lingling’s dislike of her. Despite that, she understood where she was coming from. If the roles were reversed, she would also be protective of Faye after what happened with her last relationship. But she genuinely loved Faye. It was that she didn't have the same freedom as all of them. “Sawasdee kha, Khun Lingling.” 

Orm turned to her wife, eyeing her intensely. ‘You better behave Lingling Kwong.’ 

“Sawasdee. Welcome to our villa. Make yourself at home.” Lingling said with a nod. She could see Orm smiling in her peripheral vision. ‘Phew. Okay. That's a good one, Lingling.’ 

Yoko, even Faye, was caught off guard. “Thank you.” 

“We have snacks in the dining room. The others are there too.” Orm smiled warmly. 

Yoko glanced at Faye, who nodded at her while smiling softly. “Okay.” She nodded at Orm. 

“Come.” Orm, alongside the teens, led Yoko to the dining room, leaving Lingling and Faye by the foyer. 

“I really thought you'd kick us out. I was ready to call back the cab driver to go to the nearest resort.” Faye chuckled. 

Once the others were gone, Lingling immediately crossed her arms. “Hm-mm. N'Orm is her fan, so I didn't have a choice.” She said, making her friend smile. “Anyway…how did you manage to bring her here?” 

“Nothing much, really. I asked her if she wanted to come…and she said she'll do her best. I'm happy she's here though.” 

When Lingling glanced at her friend, she saw her smiling softly. Although she didn't like how Yoko had been keeping Faye a secret, she was glad to see her friend smile like that again. “Seems like your hard work paid off.” 

Faye looked at Lingling then and patted her shoulder. “You're doing well with that project of yours too.” 

Lingling remembered that night. She looked down and let out a pleasant laugh. “Yeah.” She then looked up once more to her friend. “I'm working hard for it everyday.” 

“I can see that.” Faye chuckled, nudging her friend's arm lightly. 

After lunch, the group went to the nearby resort just because. The weather then was perfect for swimming and sunbathing. Orm wore a beige open back sling halter long beach dress with slit up to half her thigh, which complimented her milky complexion well. Her wife insisted that she cover up her back with a white woven sarong, so she added it to her outfit. Lingling, on the other hand, wore a white high-rise linen pants from Loro Piana with a matching dark brown bikini underneath. She topped it off with a thin black slightly see-through kimono cover up. 

They all settled on the cabanas by the beach.

“Why do I have to look after the kids?” Lingling asked, frowning. She was in a bad mood again after Orm told her to go with the teens instead. “And they're not even kids anymore. They're high school students.” 

“One, Milk is your sister.” Orm answered while applying sunblock on Lingling. “And two…you've been quiet but you keep on glaring at Khun Yoko.” 

“I wasn't glaring. I was even smiling at her.” 

Orm raised her brow. While it was true that Lingling was smiling, her eyes were instead murderous. “Yeah. You definitely were fake smiling at her.” 

“What do you want me to do? I don't like her.” Lingling argued. 

Orm shook her head and sighed. “I told you to be nice, Lingling Kwong. Now go there and look after the kids.”

“Why are you punishing me?” Lingling was still frowning, but this time, there was a tiny pout on her lips. 

“I'm not.” Orm closed the lid then. She bit her lip at the sight before holding her wife's cheeks. She leaned in her ears and said, “If you behave this afternoon, then you can do whatever you want to me later as a reward.”

Lingling’s jaw dropped. When Orm leaned back, she still couldn't believe what she just heard. She narrowed her eyes on her. “Really?” She asked and her wife nodded. 

A rather charming smile from Lingling graced Orm's eyes. “Deal?”

“Deal. Okay. I'll be nice.” Lingling nodded. 

“Okay. Okay. Go.” Orm said with a kiss. She sat there watching her wife jog to where the teens were. Now that Lingling was out, she smiled triumphantly. ‘Okay! I can now be besties with Khun Yoko! Ahhh!’ She told herself before joining the others in the adjacent cabana. 

“Nong.” Lingling greeted the teens as she approached them. 

“P'Lingling! Can we go ride a banana boat?” June asked. 

“Yes! It will be fun! Please, Phi.” Ciize plead. View couldn't care less while Milk and Love nodded their heads as well. 

Lingling didn't expect to babysit on this trip but there she was. She watched the group on a banana boat from a distance and realized that she might have to go with them. “Okay. Okay. Let's go.” 

“Yay!” 

Meanwhile, Orm, along with Junji, Film, Becky and Yoko sat around the cabana gossiping and watching the others in the water. 

Orm watched as Lingling and the teens wore their life vests before going into the banana boat. It made her smile. She thought her wife really needed something to motivate her during this trip. Film, on the other hand, was happily watching Namtan, who was riding a jet ski behind Freen. While Yoko, who was trying to stay in the conversation, kept glancing towards the water where Faye was parasailing with Gap. 

As they sat there, there were quite a handful of people glancing at them, both locals and foreigners, males and females. Someone even asked his friend if they were celebrities. 

“Hi.” Junji greeted the tall well-built foreign man with rowdy hair and charming smile, who was smiling at them as he walked by. 

“Phi!” Film scolded Junji, laughing, while Becky could only shake her head. 

“What? I have to promote tourism one way or another.” Junji shrugged. 

“You mean we're the tourist attraction?” Becky asked. When Junji told her exactly, she chuckled and accepted defeat, resting her head on her shoulder. 

“I'd say that body should be a tourist attraction itself. Look at that.” Film said while looking at another foreign man on the beach playing frisbee with his buddies. 

Both Orm and Yoko turned their heads to where Film was looking and couldn't help but disagree in their minds. 

‘My wife's way hotter.’ 

‘At least P'Faye's body looks clean. He looks like she hasn't showered in days.’ 

“Well, damn.” Junji chuckled before sipping her margarita. 

“Yeah.” Becky nodded. "That one is an attraction." She chuckled.

But then, the guy with a charming smile from earlier went back much to the girls’ surprise. 

“Hey, I'm Fernando—” The guy said in his thick Italian accent. “—can I buy you beautiful ladies…say uh…a drink, a cocktail, anything?” 

Orm immediately raised her hand with the ring. Becky did too. 

“Sorry, Fernando, but we're all into women here.” Film replied for all of them. 

Yoko stiffened at that. She was scared that someone might hear. 

“Not everyone.” Junji added, smiling while subtly showing her engagement ring. “But it's nice meeting you, Fernando. Sorry.” 

“Ah. I see. I see. No worries. Love wins, eh?” Fernando was a good sport, thankfully. “I hope you're having a great time then, ladies. Pleasure to meet you all too.” 

As soon as Fernando left, Junji burst out laughing with Orm and the others shaking their heads. 

Back to Lingling, the banana boat ride was chaotic. They almost flipped over twice. As soon as they went back to the shore, Lingling felt like she was palpitating. She sat on the back with June and had to hold the girl's vest to keep her from falling into the water almost the whole time. 

“That was fun!” 

“Let's go again!”

‘Oh no no no!’ Lingling's eyes widened. “No.” She swiftly told them. “Aren't you guys tired? Let's rest for a while, huh?” 

“Can we go parasailing too, Phi?” Milk asked her sister this time. 

With that, Lingling could say no. “Right now?” She asked and the teens nodded eagerly. She could only sigh. “Okay. Who wants to go first?” All of them raised their hands. “Well…why don't you go first N'Ciize, Nong?” Milk agreed with that. “Okay. N'Love, N'View, N'June, go sit down first and rest.” 

“P'Lingling, can I ride with you please? I'm scared of heights.” June asked, pouting cutely. 

“Okay, Nong.” Lingling nodded, making the girl grin.

"Ugh." View rolled her eyes at June which Love saw, making her laugh.

While helping Milk and Ciize get ready, Lingling glanced towards the cabana and saw Orm talking quite happily with the girls, especially Yoko. She immediately looked away, frowning a little. ‘Behave, Lingling. You'll get a reward later.’ She stood beside where the teens were sitting. However, her skin started itching a little. It was hot anyway, and she has been sweating on top of being drenched in seawater. ‘Fuck. It's so itchy.’ She then saw Gap and Faye coming out of the water, so she called them over. 

“As I was saying—” Orm stopped when she felt Junji tapped her leg. 

“Ohhh. Look at that, N'Orm.” Junji motioned for Orm to look ahead. 

And so, Orm did. Her mouth ran dry. Lingling removed her cover up exposing her toned slender body. She could hear the others talking but she didn't bother trying to understand what they were saying. ‘Wow. I got all of that to myself.’ 

“Get up, girl.” Becky teased. 

Yoko just giggled. 

“All that gym effort is paying off. N'Lingling is hot hot hot!” Junji grinned. "Bet she could throw you bed." She nudged Orm, but the girl was in dazed.

Film shook her head in amusement before pushing Orm's jaw up. 

“Oh.” Orm was flustered upon realizing that she was ogling over Lingling with her sister having to close her mouth. “Sorry.” She stood up when she saw her wife approaching and Gap and Faye looking after the teens for now. “P'Ling.”

“Sorry, I had to remove this.” Lingling motioned at the wet kimono cover up she was holding. “My skin's starting to itch.” 

“Ah.” Orm nodded, pushing her unholy thoughts aside to cater to her wife's needs. “Do you want to drink medicine? I brought—”

“No, it's okay. I can handle it.” Lingling said with a reassuring smile. “Do you want anything? I'm going to the bar to buy coco juice.” 

“Hmm…” Orm hummed while unconsciously running her hand across Lingling's abs. “I'm okay.” She smiled. 

As the two of them were stuck in their own little world, the girls behind them couldn't help but give each other looks. They were again forced to third wheel the couple. 

“Okay. I'll be back quickly.” 

And so, Lingling went to the bar by the shore while Orm went to sit down. As soon as the latter did, she was welcomed by teasing smiles and knowing gazes from the girls. “What?” She asked nervously. 

“Sawasdee khrap! What can I get you?”

“Six coconut water please.” Lingling replied while pulling out her card from her wallet. “Would it be okay to bring them to that cabana over there?” She then pointed to where the other girls were. 

“No problem.” 

“Thanks.” Lingling bowed her head a bit. As the staff was processing her payment, someone stood beside her. 

“Is this Ms. Sirilak Kwong?” 

When Lingling turned her head, she saw Natalia Sorroko, the model she spent a night with almost a year ago, and the one she was photographed with while entering a hotel. She smiled a bit, glancing towards her wife in case. “Ms. Sorroko, nice to see you again.”

Natalia let her eyes roam down Lingling’s body. “I'm glad to bump into you today.” 

“What are you doing in Thailand this time?” 

Natalia let out a giggle. She was so tall, she was looking down on Lingling. “I'm here for a magazine shoot.” She answered and Lingling nodded. “You know, I had fun last time I was in Thailand. Maybe we could…get together some time and…”

“I'm married now.” 

“Ah. Well, that's a shame.” Natalia smiled but nodded. “And I'm guessing she's your wife?” 

“Huh?” Lingling furrowed her brows, but when she followed Natalia's line of sight, she saw Orm walking towards them. “Oh. Yes.” She gulped. “N'Orm.” 

“Hey. I was wondering what's taking you so long.” Orm said in Thai. 

“I was just talking to—” Orm was smiling but Lingling knew she was grilling her in her head. “This is Natalia Sorroko, she's a model and an acquaintance.” Lingling said in English. 

“I can see that.” Again, Orm answered in Thai. From a distance, Natalia looked tall, but she was even taller now that she was standing next to her. She felt attacked by the girl's perfectly rounded and perky breasts. 

Lingling gulped again for the second time. “This is my wife, Orm Kwong.” 

“Sawasdee kha. Nice to meet you.” Orm spoke in English this time. 

Natalia couldn't understand a single Thai word, but she did get the message from seeing Orm's face. She thought the girl would pass as a model with her height and figure. “It's nice to meet you too.” 

“We'll be going now.” Lingling escorted Orm back to the cabana.

As they were walking back, Orm brushed her hair to the side, exposing her back. She may not be a model, but she got the body her wife goes crazy for.

They sat down beside each other in the empty one. “N'Orm.” 

“Yes?” 

“Are you mad?” 

“Nope. Why would I be?” 

Lingling furrowed her brows. She was not convinced at all. She moved closer then whispered, “We were just talking.” 

“I know.” Orm smiled then. 

Her wife was being passive aggressive, Lingling thought. “I'm behaved.” She said but her wife just hummed. “N'Orm…Baobao.” She looked down and pouted when she got ignored. 

Their orders came after a while. 

Lingling sat on the side, sipping her coconut water, while eyeing Orm who wasn't giving her attention. Instead, she was looking out to the water. 

The truth was, Orm was glaring at Natalia who was doing a photoshoot by the water behind her thick black shades. The girl was looking towards their cabana every time she got a chance. 

“N'Orm.” Lingling had enough. 

“Huh?” 

Lingling put her coconut down and crawled to where Orm was sitting. “What are you looking at? I'm right here.” 

When Orm turned her head to the side, she saw Lingling's face too close from hers, it made her gulp. Her gaze was so intense that it penetrated the shades she was wearing. 

“What? You can't just ignore me like that, Mrs. Kornnaphat Kwong.” Lingling was serious. 

“Let's go.” Orm stood up then. 

Lingling was frowning, but stood up as well anyway. She grabbed Orm's hand before they both walked away from the beach. 

“Well…I guess we're stuck babysitting these kids then.” Gap told Faye, and the latter couldn't agree more. 

“Where's P'Lingling and P'Orm going?” June asked. Love and View were just looking at the adults for answers as well. 

Faye felt a subtle judge from Gap urging her to answer. So, she smiled a bit. “N’Lingling’s head is aching.” She said, earning an amused look from Gap. 

“Oh. Should we go back too?” June asked, worried. 

“Oh no. No. No.” Buth Gap and Faye said at the same time. “N’Lingling just needs a little rest. N'Orm will take care of her. Don't worry.” 

“Aww. Okay.” June pouted but nodded anyway. 

Back to the couple, as soon as they arrived back at the villa and into their room, Lingling scooped Orm up bridal style before walking to their bed. She climbed up on top of her wife while the latter clasped her hands behind her neck. “Is this my punishment…or a reward?” 

Orm smiled mischievously. “Both?” 

Lingling let out a laugh, her voice was deep. 

“We have the villa all to ourselves for the remainder of the afternoon.” Orm whispered. 

“Then let's make it count.” Lingling smirked and leaned down, connecting their lips for a searing kiss, her hands holding both her wife's wrists. Her kisses went down to her jaw then her neck, biting and nibbling her shoulder, making her wife let out a pleasurable whimper. 

The sun outside shone brightly, but it seemed that inside their room, the temperature was even hotter. 

After a rather thrilling afternoon inside their bedroom, Orm was woken up by the knock on the door. When she looked outside, she saw that it was already dark. 

“P'Lingling.” Orm tapped Lingling’s hand that was holding hers. “Bubu, wake up. It's evening already.” 

“Hm?” Lingling didn't care. She even moved impossibly closer to her wife. 

“P'Lingling, Orm, dinner's ready. You guys can come down once you're ready, okay?!” The person, Film or Namtan, said behind the door. 

“It's dinner.” Orm said once again, but Lingling didn't make a move. So, she wiggled in bed until they were facing each other. “Bubu.” She said while rubbing her thumb against her wife's arm. “We have to go down.” 

Lingling nodded but didn't open her eyes. 

“I'll freshen up, okay?” Orm said, but Lingling held her tighter. “Bubu, let go.” She patted, more like slapped, her arm. 

“You can't go anywhere.”

“We have to go down.” 

Lingling pouted then, making Orm roll her eyes. 

“Let go.” Orm chuckled. She pushed her wife away, making her whine in defeat. “Follow after, okay?” She nuzzled her nose against her wife's then gave her a peck. She smiled when her wife finally opened her eyes. “Love you.”

Lingling smiled brightly then. “I love you too.” She watched Orm walk across the room without any article of clothing on into their bathroom. She let out a sigh of content. ‘I love my wife so much.’ She thought while stretching her rather sore body. 

Every one of their friends knew what went down the whole afternoon, so when they joined them for dinner by the pool area, they were welcomed by subtle nods and sly smiles. 

“Sorry, we're late.” Lingling said, her stoic face on point. She held the chair for Orm before sitting down. 

“Don't worry about it.” Faye smirked behind her glass. 

Film snorted, shaking her head at her sister. 

“P'Lingling, are you okay now?” Milk asked from the other end of the table. 

Lingling saw that the kids were all looking at her expectantly. She didn't know what it was about. 

“P'Faye and P’Gap said your head was aching earlier.” Love added while Ciize nodded. 

“Yeah! Is your head not hurting anymore, Phi?” June asked, earning a look from View. 

Lingling glanced towards her friends who only gave her a shrug. “Yes. Yes, I'm alright now. No need to worry.” She smiled at them. 

Orm, on the other hand, looked down and bit her lip. She saw Lingling put her hand on her lap, so she went to hold it before looking up. 

Lingling glanced at Freen then saw her motioning inside. Then, she remembered. “Oh! Wait a moment, my love.” She stood up and went inside the house. 

“Where…” Orm watched Lingling leave, a tiny pout on her lips. 

But after a few seconds, Lingling came back holding a chocolate cake with three long candles on top. “Happy birthday to you…”

The whole table sang happy birthday to Orm. Her second time celebrating it this year. Third, technically. “Happy birthday. Happy birthday. Happy birthday to you.”

Lingling stood next to Orm with a bright smile on her face. “Belated happy birthday, N'Orm.” 

“P'Ling!” Orm pouted. “Guys…another one?” She was touched by their little surprise. 

“Make a wish, Baobao.” Lingling said, loud enough for everyone to hear, making Orm feel giddy. 

Orm clasped her hands together then closed her eyes. ‘I pray that P'Lingling and I will be together for a very very long time. Amen.’ With a smile, she blew the candles. 

“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” Junji cheered and the rest followed. “Kiss!” 

Orm looked up at Lingling, extremely shy, while the latter just smiled at her. She kept her gaze on her wife and understood that she was asking for permission silently. So, while giggling, she nodded. 

And so, Lingling leaned down for a soft kiss. “I love you.” With that, the table erupted with cheers. 

“That's our tiger!” Faye whistled. Yoko, on the other hand, couldn't help but smile. She thought her girlfriend’s group of friends were fun and lovely people. However, amidst the celebration, she felt her phone buzzing. When she went to see the message, her face fell. 

“Nice one, boss!” Gap chuckled. 

“Aww. I want something like that too.” Ciize pouted. 

“Me too.” Love nodded. 

Milk just looked between the two of them and nodded. She wanted something like that too and hoped she would find it someday. 

“I wish it was me.” June pouted, making View raise her brow at her. “But P'Lingling and P'Orm are so cute! Hayyy.” 

After dinner the group decided to go clubbing. Junji and Gap volunteered to stay behind and watch movies with the teens since they didn't have their partners with them, plus Junji said Mario would be calling later. 

They were getting ready for the club when Lingling caught a glimpse of Faye and Yoko seemingly arguing by the beach. ‘What's the deal this time?’ After a while, she saw her friend walking back to the villa, leaving Yoko standing there alone. She could only sigh. 

“Bubu, what are you going to wear? This or this?” 

Lingling averted her attention to Orm then. “The black one, Baobao.” 

“Okay. Well...I'm going with white then.” 

Namtan was already dressed up when Faye brought Yoko's back to the car that was waiting outside. ‘She's leaving?’ She then saw Lingling and Orm walking down the stairs. 

“What is it?” Lingling asked, so Namtan motioned to the car outside. 

“Oh. She's leaving?” Orm asked. 

Lingling rolled her eyes while watching Faye wave goodbye to Yoko. ‘Ah. So this is what they were arguing about.’ 

The three of them went to approach Faye as the car drove away. 

“Phi, what happened?” Lingling asked. 

Faye was disappointed but she was used to it. Kind of used to it. “She said her mom's coming tomorrow.” 

It seemed that Lingling and Namtan understood what she meant with just that. Orm realized that this was what her wife meant. It was a little disappointing as a fan, but then again, she thought it might be hard for Yoko too. 

The others went out as well upon seeing them huddling. 

“What's up?” Freen asked, and Namtan answered. “Well.” She didn't have high expectations with Faye's girlfriend anyway. 

“We can just stay at home, Phi?” Film offered. 

“No, you guys.” Faye chuckled. “Let's go out.”

“Are you sure?” Lingling asked, and Faye nodded. 

“Positive.” Faye smiled. Yoko coming to spend some time with her in public was enough. Maybe, it was. “Plus, I bumped into a friend of mine who manages the club. He asked me to spin something tonight.” 

“Okay.” 

The seven of them went to the exclusive club 30 minutes away from the villa. The place was buzzing. There were a lot of foreigners and locals wanting to spend their money on liquor. They settled on the VIP booth at the upper floor overlooking the dance floor. They were served with various bottles of alcohol as well as glasses of cocktails. 

“1…2…3!” With that, all of them downed the tequila shots. 

“Woah!” Faye exclaimed. 

Lingling helped Orm sip the lemon slice before she did herself. “You okay?” She asked, chuckling. 

“Yeah.” Orm grinned. She could feel the kick of alcohol in her system after that shot. 

“One more shot! One more shot!” Film and Becky cheered. 

“Ugh.” Freen, on the other hand, didn't like the taste. She would rather drink a whole bottle of wine instead of doing one more tequila shot. “Not me.”

“Come on, Nong. You're no fun.” Faye teased but Freen only crossed her arms. 

“Okay then. Six shots coming right up.” Namtan went to prepare another batch of tequila shots for everyone, glazing the rim with salt before pouring the alcohol. “All done.” 

“N’Freen, count for us.” Faye told Freen. Film's phone was already up to record it. 

“Fine. 1, 2—”

“3!” All of them shouted before taking the shots. 

“OMG.” Orm giggled. Lingling was also laughing while holding her by the waist. 

“I think that's enough for now.” Becky laughed, coughing a bit. 

After some time, Faye excused herself to get ready to take over the DJ booth while the others enjoyed their time at their booth. 

“Get ready to experience the energy of one of the hottest names in Thailand’s dance music—” The local DJ said through the mic. 

“That must be P'Faye.” Namtan stood up. 

“—She’s an actress, a model and a DJ. Known as Bangkok’s beat queen, please welcome the Sonic Vortex herself, Khun Faye!” The club erupted with cheers then. Faye was pretty popular anyways. 

“Are you ready to dance tonight?! Make some noise!” With that the music changed into an EDM/Rock beat. 

“She's good.” Becky nodded and Freen did too. 

“Let's go down, love.” Film told Namtan, who just agreed. 

“Let us come with you.” Freen and Becky stood up as well. “How about you, Phi?” The former asked the couple. 

“We'll stay here.” Both answered after looking at each other. 

“Okay then.” Freen smirked before following the other three to the dancefloor. 

“You sure you don't wanna go down there?” Lingling asked her wife. 

Orm shook her head. “Nope. It's a little crowded.” She said, and her wife nodded. “We can dance here.” She stood up, pulling her wife with her. 

Lingling drank the vodka first before standing up. She was already a little tipsy, to be honest, but her wife seemed to be holding her alcohol well. 

Orm started swaying to the rhythm of music. They were in their private booth, so she wasn't that concerned. “I like P'Faye's song choice.” 

Lingling had her hands on Orm's waist. She wasn't confident with dancing like this, so she only swayed a little. “She's been doing gigs since college.” 

“Ah.” Orm mouthed the lyrics while dancing, and Lingling couldn't help but stare at her fondly, softly, tenderly…with a little bit of lust. “Come on, Bubu, dance with me.” 

Lingling chuckled. She tried but she wasn't that good compared to Orm. Her wife was like a snake luring her in and she was her willing victim. She closed her eyes, trying to let loose a little bit more. 

“That's right! See? We're dancing!” Orm giggled. Her wife really was struggling but she looked so adorable and hot at the same time. Her hand traveled down to her toned abs. “It feels good, right?”

Dancing or her touch? Lingling wasn't sure what Orm meant with that one. "Yeah." She bit her lip before spinning her wife around until she was hugging her from behind. They kept swaying their bodies close to each other, almost grinding, making her breath hitch. “I think I should tell you to behave this time, Mrs. Kwong. We're in public.” 

Orm heard Lingling whisper, and it felt ticklish, she almost shivered. Maybe the tequila and vodka shots were starting to kick in, she thought, because she was starting to feel hot. It felt that even after months of marriage, they were still lusting over each other like horny animals. If they end up in bed again, it would be their third time today. “Well, hold it in. I might give you another reward when we get home.” 

'Another one, huh?' Lingling could only shake her head. She settled for a kiss on her wife's shoulder before resting her chin on it. They stayed in that position while the song switched. Moonlit Floor came on. 

“I love this song.” Orm told her wife. 

“It's good.” Lingling nodded. 

“Put your hands up if you're feeling the vibe!” Faye urged the crowd. 

Orm raised both her hands while shouting while Lingling kept her hands around her. “Green-eyed French boy got me trippin—” 

The whole club seemed to know the song. Everyone was enjoying their time. Film was dancing close to Namtan. Becky, on the other hand, went to refill her drink at the bar while Freen swayed a little behind the other couple. 

When the second chorus came, Lingling made sure to lean close to Orm's ear, her lips slightly touching it. “Brown-eyed Thai girl got me trippin’...how your skin is always soft…how your—” 

Orm let out a quiet chuckle before turning around and kissing Lingling. Her wife immediately reciprocated it. “Hmmm.” However, Lingling broke the contact before both of them got lost in it. Although the club was exclusive, they were still in public, to begin with. As the older one, she felt it was her responsibility. 

“We can't here. Wanna check in at the hotel?” Lingling asked. They couldn't have the privacy they want at the villa anyway. 

Orm wanted to scold herself for acting like an animal in heat, but what could she do? Her wife was irresistible. “Okay.” 

“I'll just—” However, Lingling caught a glimpse of her cousin near the bar seemingly arguing with a man. “Wait up, Baobao. Something's happening.”

“Huh?” 

Lingling flared her nostrils. “It's Freen. Let's go.” 

“Oh. Okay.” 

“Don't put your hands on her.” Freen stood firmly in front of the American guy. 

“We were just talking.” The guy put his hands up, but was also as hot headed as Freen. “Take it easy.” 

“Take it easy?! You were touching her!” 

“I barely touched her! This bitch is crazy.” 

“Sir, there's a situation here at the bar.” The bartender called for the security and the manager. 

“Phi, stop it.” Becky said while holding Freen's arm. “Come on. I'm fine. Let's just—” She understood where Freen was coming from. She was shocked when the guy put his hand on her back. He would have held her waist if not for Freen intervening. She, however, just wanted to go home. 

“See? She's fine with it, so what's the problem?” 

Freen sharply took a breath. She knew Becky just wanted to avoid any altercations, but what she said added fuel to the fire. 

“Hey, Landon, what up?” Another guy who was friends with Landon walked up to them. “What's happening here?” 

“It's a club, man.” The guy, Landon, added, snorting. “This bitch pushed me. I was just talking to that girl. Fucking crazy, man.” He told his friends. 

“Fucking hell.” Freen cursed under her breath and was ready to strike, thankfully Namtan held her back. “You better watch your mouth. I’m not in the mood for games tonight.”

“Freen. Let go. Film already called someone.” Namtan went to talk her down. “Please, just…I'm sorry…just…everyone calm down please.” She also told the onlookers to mind their business.

Faye could barely see the altercation at the bar, but she couldn't leave the booth just like that. It would attract more onlookers to them as well. 

“Stay away.” Freen warned. 

Landon scoffed, however. “She's not your possession, man. You can't control who she talks to.” 

“Phi, come on. Let's just go.” Becky said, more like begged Freen. 

“Know your place. You're in Thailand, so better learn to respect people.” Freen was controlling her temper as much as she could. 

Landon leaned closer. “And what are you going to do about it? You think you can scare me?”

“Come on, man. She's a girl.” His friend said. Another friend of theirs, who was Thai, came as well. "Hey, cut it off." He said.

Freen gripped the glass she was holding very tightly. Her patience was hanging by a thread. 

“What's happening?” Lingling arrived with Orm by her side. “Freen.” She gave her cousin a pointed look, making her loosen up her grip a little, then she turned to the guys. “Do we have a problem?” 

“And who are you, bit—” Landon was about to curse at Lingling when his friend stepped forward. 

“None, Khun Sirilak. It's um…it's just a misunderstanding.” The guy who was Thai bowed his head, continuously apologizing to the group. “We're sorry. Our friend is a little drunk.” 

Lingling glanced at the guy and nodded. “Okay. Let's leave it at that then.” 

The security came after. And so, it got people’s attention more. Gladly, the tension was diffused when Faye tried to engage with the crowd once more. 

“Who the hell was that?” Landon, the guy, asked his Thai friend. They were already out of the club as insisted by the latter. “Why are we leaving like fucking pussies?” 

“That was my boss, you idiot! And the girl you were cursing at is her cousin. They're from one of the richest families here in Thailand, so if you want to come back, you better stop acting like an asshole. Be thankful they didn't file a complaint.” 

Meanwhile, Lingling stood at the side with the manager. “Please make sure nothing goes out to the media.” 

“Of course. I apologize again, Khun Sirilak.” 

Lingling nodded. She walked towards Orm and the others. “Are you sure you don't want to file a complaint, Becky?” 

Becky nodded. “Yes, Phi.” She answered much to Freen's dismay. 

“Okay. Do you guys wanna go now?” Lingling asked the five of them. 

“Yeah.” Freen answered, still visibly annoyed. She stood up and went to the exit. Becky could only sigh.

Lingling looked towards Faye until she looked back at her. “We're going.” She mouthed while pointing to the door. Her friend got it, giving her a thumbs up before hyping up the crowd once again. She paid for their tab before following them to the car. 

It was almost midnight when they arrived. The kids were all sleeping by then. The other two couples went up to their room immediately while Lingling filled Gap and Junji about what went down at the club. 

Orm, on the other hand, prepared a bubble bath in their jacuzzi for her and Lingling. She felt like they needed it after what happened earlier. Somewhat a refreshing warm bath at midnight. She also grabbed the bottle of wine they brought up to their room that afternoon. When her wife entered the room, she grabbed her hand and led her to the bathroom. “Come.” 

Lingling saw the setting and chuckled. 

“Let's relax a bit.” 

Lingling just nodded and let her wife lead her to the shower. It wasn't the original plan, but this definitely made up for it. They both removed their damped clothes before dipping in their private jacuzzi. 

Lingling closed her eyes and let out a long sigh. It truly was relaxing. She smiled at Orm, resting her head on the side of the tub. She thought she looked like a goddess with her damped hair up. She held out her hand and her wife took it without a word. And so, she rubbed her thumb against her knuckles gently while they both stared lovingly at each other. 

It felt nice, they both thought. 

Orm adjusted herself, the water was just below her chin. “You were so cool earlier, P'Lingling.”

“Was I, huh?” 

“Uh-huh. I was like ‘that's my wife right there'.” Orm giggled. “You were so chill about it too.” She felt her wife pull her close, so she just let her. She ended up straddling her legs. 

“I had to step in. Freen can be a little intense.” Lingling sighed. While it was true that she handled it calmly, she couldn't promise if she would remain cool if it was Orm. 

Orm nodded. She thought Freen was always calm and composed much like Lingling, so she was a little confused about her wife's statement. But she would agree that earlier was indeed intense, she got scared herself. She thought that maybe it involved Becky, that's why. She then pulled her to her chest, resting her chin on top of her head. “You did great, Bubu.” 

Lingling leaned back and stared into Orm's eyes. Both of them speaking without words. Running her thumb across her wife's lower lip, she gulped.

Orm smiled. In the silence of the night, she leaned in and connected their lips.

It was past 1 o'clock in the morning when Faye went home. She saw Namtan drinking water in the kitchen, so she invited her for a bottle of beer by the pool. 

“You have something to talk about, Phi?” Namtan asked as they both watched the night sky and the waves that were crashing on the shore. The night air was chilly, it almost made her shiver. 

“I bumped into Diana at the club.” 

“Khun Lisa's cousin?” Namtan asked and Faye nodded. She was intrigued why her friend would bring up that certain woman tonight. “She's been crushing hard on you, you know?” 

“Huh? How did you know?” Faye was dumbfounded. She discovered just today that Diana had a crush on her before. 

“It was obvious. She always watched your gig before.” Namtan shrugged before taking a swig. “You were still with your ex then.” 

“Oh.” Faye furrowed her brows. She didn't expect someone like Diana Manoban would take interest in her. She shook her head then. She told herself she has a girlfriend now. “Anyway…” She looked at Namtan with a serious expression, the half empty bottle of beer in her hand. “She's in the area and we got a chance to talk after my gig. She told me that she noticed that Noiam and Engfa's company had a lot of similarities in their proposals, not just the concept, as if they were conceptualized together. She just said the other company just had a better offer and additional amenities in their design, that's why they chose it.” 

“Are you saying Horizon Urban plagiarized Noiam's proposal?” 

“I'm not sure yet…but that can't be a coincidence, right? I just need to get a hold of their proposal to see if it's true.” Faye said. 

“Are we going to tell P'Lingling?” 

Faye shook her head. “No, not yet. We need proof first.” 

“How about the others?”

Faye frowned. “It's better if it’s just us. Gap or Junji would surely slip up and I don't want Freen involved this time. You know she can get a little overboard at times. You saw what happened earlier, right?” 

Namtan nodded. “Yeah. I was thankful P'Lingling intervened.” She answered. Although at first, she was intimidated by Lingling's aura, she found out that among their group, she was the most approachable one. While Freen, she was still the scariest for her. 

“Let's just keep this between us.” Faye said and Namtan nodded. She was drinking the last drop of beer from the bottle when her phone buzzed. She checked it and was surprised to see who it was. 

“You okay?” 

Faye nodded. “Yep.” She stood up and helped Namtan as well. 

“I can ask someone who can keep an eye on Khun Engfa.” 

“Okay. Let's figure this out before telling N'Ling.” 

The next day, Orm woke up earlier than everyone. She was having a cup of tea in the kitchen when the door opened. When she came to look, she caught a glimpse of Faye going up the stairs. She was still wearing her clothes from last night. She didn't give it much of a thought and just went to make breakfast. They talked about what happened at the club while having their meal. Freen was still a little irritated, but had calmed down after her talk with Becky the night before. In the afternoon, they all went to dine at the restaurant at the resort courtesy of Lingling Kwong. 

“There's a business summit in January. I heard there will be crypto traders attending too. Are you going, P'Faye?” Lingling asked before biting the bread she was holding. 

“Nah. You know how I don't like those kinds of events.” Faye shook her head. “There will just be boring business people in there.” 

“Excuse me?” Lingling raised her brow. 

“Not you, of course.” Faye chuckled. 

“Is this the one in Amsterdam?” Gap asked and Lingling nodded. “Ah. Pentai mentioned that but he won't go since it's his grandma's 85th birthday. We'll be flying to New Zealand then.” 

“Okay then. I'll go there myself.” Lingling sighed.

“Can you pass me the noodles please?” Gap asked Junji. The conversation switched to a new topic then. 

Lingling moved closer to Orm and said, “It's the summit I told you about that only happens every three years.” 

Orm smiled and nodded. “How long will your trip be?” 

“It's a three-day summit, Baobao. Would you like to come with me?” Lingling asked, looking at Orm with puppy eyes. To be honest, she wanted her to come. She was lonely enough that her friends didn't want to attend. She would just be stuck with other old board members from Noiam. 

“We have a lot of reports in January. I cannot slack off, remember? It's bad for my boss-wife's image.” Orm giggled. 

“Ay.” Lingling sighed. “Let's negotiate about it again next time.” 

They were almost done with lunch, so Lingling along with Faye, Gap and the teens told the others that they would be going grocery shopping for their little party later at the villa. 

“Do all of you really need to go?” Orm asked, seeing more than half of their table stood up to leave. 

“Uh-huh.” Gap nodded. “I'll go check if the van is outside already.” 

“We'll help with the party, P'Orm.” Love answered with her friends nodding as well. 

“They'll be buying the whole grocery store.” Junji commented. 

Lingling squeezed Orm's hand then. “See you at the villa?” 

“See you.” Orm nodded. 

And so, Lingling stood up and grabbed her bag. She was already walking away when Orm called her back. 

“Lingling Kwong.”

“Yes?” 

“Aren't you forgetting something?” Orm raised her brow while smiling. She wouldn't be paying all of that by herself. 

‘Huh?’ Lingling was confused for a moment before breaking into a smile. “Ah.” She walked back to her wife and gave her a peck. “I'll go now.” 

Orm, as well as everyone at the table, was caught off guard. “I meant…your card, Bubu.” She mumbled. 

“Oh.” Lingling turned red. ‘What the fuck?’ Everyone on the table was staring at her. She laughed nervously, wanting to facepalm herself, while pulling her card out and handing it to her wife. “Here you go.”

Orm giggled at Lingling's flustered expression. 

“I have to…” Lingling gulped before awkwardly walking back a few steps then turning around and walking hurriedly to the door. ‘OH MY GOD! That was embarrassing! What the heck?!” 

“Oh-My-God.” Junji burst out laughing. “Aren't you two adorable?” 

Orm looked down, blushing.

“You know P'Lingling changed a lot since she married you, Orm.” Film commented with Freen, Namtan and Junji agreeing with her. “She's always smiling and laughing. It's actually refreshing to see.” She added. 

“Exactly.” Freen nodded. 

“So don't be embarrassed by it, okay?” Film smiled then. 

That made Orm smile. “Thanks. P'Lingling makes me happy too.” 

They arrived back at the villa at sunset. Orm wanted to go home and help with the preparations but the others wanted to go shopping and buy souvenirs that it took them the whole afternoon. When they entered, the lights were out. 

As soon as Orm stepped outside the car, her phone rang. It was Lingling. But when she answered it, she heard Faye’s voice instead. “P'Faye? Where's P'Lingling?” Faye sounded in distress, making her feel worried. 

“What's up?” Freen asked. 

“Are they coming back? What's taking them so long?” Film asked. 

“I thought they were driving back by now.” Namtan added. 

However, Orm was so worried, she didn't answer them. “May I talk to her?” 

“N'Lingling got into a fight—” Faye said from the other line.

“What?!” Orm exclaimed. 

Junji, who already went in, heard Orm. “What's that about?” She shouted from the door. 

“Orm, what's going on?” Becky asked. All seemed to get rattled by the sudden outburst. 

“What do you mean she got into a fight?” Orm paced back and forth. Now, all the others moved closer. 

“Well…there was this guy at the grocery store and they got into a heated argument…and uh…it just happened.” Faye carefully spoke through the phone, and Orm could only shut her eyes. 

“What did she say, Orm?” Film asked. 

“P'Lingling got into a fight.” 

“What?!” Film exclaimed and so did Junji. “Where are they now?” 

“We're at a police station now. We've been here since 3:30-ish.” 

“P'Faye, why didn't you tell us sooner?” Orm was worried and annoyed at the same time. 

“Oh. I think they got in trouble. P'Gap texted me earlier. Sorry, I just saw it now.” Namtan told the others. 

“What did he say?” Film looked over her girlfriend's phone and couldn't help but bury her face in her hands. “Why would P'Lingling do that? Orm should have just gone with her. Always short tempered.” 

“Gap's driving back with the kids. I have to stay with N’Lingling here. She wanted to tell you sooner but she's embarrassed.” Faye explained. 

“Oh, she should be.” Orm scolded her wife through the phone despite not being sure if she could hear her. “What was she thinking?” 

“Nong knew you'd get mad.” 

“Oh, I am mad. She should have thought about that before getting in trouble.” Orm then exhaled deeply, trying to calm herself. She couldn't believe her wife would lose temper just like that. It was annoying and it made her worried sick. “Let me talk to her please, Phi.”

“Nong.” Faye sounded like she was handing the phone back to Lingling, but there was a faint ‘no’ in the background. “She doesn't want to talk right now.” 

“Can you at least tell me she's not hurt?” Orm asked, fidgeting. 

“Just a little scratch but she's fine.” 

“Oh My God.” Orm whispered. 'You have some explaining to do, Sirilak Kwong.’ She realized that it might be why her wife has not sent her any messages for hours now. 

“We're just trying to settle here. We'll be back as soon as we can.” Faye said. With that, the call ended. 

“P'Gap texted the address. Should we go?” Namtan asked. 

“Yes please.” Orm answered quickly and was ready to go. 

“No, Orm. Just stay here.” Film told the girl. “You know how P'Lingling is. She wouldn't want you to see her there.” 

‘But I'm her wife!’ Orm wanted to say but didn't. “But…” She was already making up an explanation to Plai if the news reached him. They can't have any scandals in any way. 

“I'm a law student and Freen knows someone in Phuket that could help them, so we got it, okay?” Film told Orm. 

“Namtan, come with us. You drive.” Freen told Namtan and the girl nodded. “Go inside now.” She whispered to Becky then. 

“Okay.” Becky nodded. “Let's go, Orm.” 

The three of them drove away while Becky and Junji led Orm inside. The sun was almost out then. Orm couldn't help but worry about her wife. She knew Lingling wouldn't want to inconvenience her, but she couldn't keep something like this from her. 

“Relax, Orm. Everything will be fine.” Becky tried to comfort Orm but the girl was too anxious to stay put. 

“Why don't you go out to the beach while I make you some tea?” Junji said. “They'll be here in no time, so try to calm yourself, alright?” 

While Orm's heart was still pounding against her chest, she nodded at them while trying to stay calm. “Thank you, Phi, Becky.” She massaged her forehead while typing a message to her wife. 

To: Bubu❤
Bubu what happened? Why did you get into a fight? 
Are you alright? Were you hurt anywhere? 
Message me please. I'm worried ☹️
I love you ok? Please come home soon 🥺

After not getting a response, Orm slid the door open. The fresh breeze of the ocean welcomed her out. But then, she noticed something. There seemed to be a cabana by the shore that wasn't there before. “P'Junji?!” She called out but no one answered. “Guys?” 

Stepping further towards the beach, Orm's view became clearer. It really was a cabana near the water. ‘What's happening?’ She squinted her eyes and saw someone stepping out of the curtains. “P'Lingling?” She tried to blink twice and it really was her wife. “But—” She was just talking to Faye that her wife was at the police station. “Weren’t she at…” She slowly descended the staircase until her feet touched the sand. ‘Was it a prank? It was, wasn't it?’ Suddenly a lighted path on the sand appeared. Orm's breath hitched. “P'Lingling!” She shouted. 

Lingling stood there with a huge bouquet of flowers with pink and blue hydrangeas, sunflowers, lilies and lily of the valley. “N'Orm!” She was wearing a huge smile on her face while waving her hand. 

Orm bit her lip. She felt like crying this time. “Lingling Kwong, you…” She hurriedly walked through the path and into Lingling’s arms. 

“Happy birthday once again, my N'Orm.” Lingling hugged her wife just as tight. 

“You're mean.” Orm mumbled, tearing up a bit. “Why would you do that?” 

“I'm sorry, my love. Were you worried, huh?” Lingling cooed, she felt her wife nod. “I'm sorry, Baobao. They said it would be a fun surprise. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Please don't cry.” 

Orm pouted. Her eyes moistened with tears. “I thought something bad happened to you.” She slapped her arm then, but her wife only chuckled. “Mean, Lingling Kwong.” Again, once more. 

“I'm sorry.” Lingling put the flowers down first to wipe her wife's tears. 

“I was thinking about how we'll explain it to your dad, you know?” 

Lingling was tearing up a bit as well. Even after all of that, her wife was thinking about how to help her. She was so happy, she could die. “I won't do it again, I promise. No more pranks for my Baobao.” 

“No more, okay, Bubu?” 

“No more.” Lingling shook her head. She pulled her wife close once again, both of them swaying at the beat of their hearts as the waves hugged the shore. 

“It looks pretty.” Orm whispered while looking around the setting. There were flowers hanging from the top, fairy lights surrounding the pillars of the cabana, and table setting at the center. 

“Yeah?” 

“Uh-huh.” She nuzzled her head against Lingling’s neck then. She felt so happy, it was overwhelming. “Where are the others?” Orm mumbled against her wife’s neck. 

“They were hiding upstairs.” Lingling answered softly. Then, she saw them all by the pool area watching them. “Well…there they are.” 

Orm looked back at the house and saw everyone. She let out a giggle. She couldn't understand how she didn't suspect a thing. She wondered whether she was just too easy to trick. 

“I was really planning on throwing you a surprise dinner for the two of us. But since they're here, I thought I can put them into use.” Lingling said while smiling towards their friends. She knew she wouldn't have pulled this off that easily if it wasn’t for them. 

They settled down on their seats and Gap came, dressed as a waiter, to serve their meal. Faye also came to serve them wine. The foods were visibly cooked by them including Lingling. That's for sure. 

“P'Faye and Gap helped me with the food and the kids made the cupcakes.” Lingling pointed on their plates. It wasn't restaurant level, but it was definitely better than if she made them alone. “I hope you like them.” 

Orm gave Lingling’s hand a gentle squeeze. “It's already perfect for me, P'Lingling.” That made her wife smile. 

They enjoyed a pleasant dinner together while talking about anything and everything. It felt like their first ever date once again. 

“I have one more surprise for you.” Lingling told Orm with excitement in her eyes. 

“One more? How many are there?” Orm chuckled. She watched her wife stand up and walk towards her. 

“Humor me for a dance, will you?” Lingling asked, holding out her hand to her wife. 

When Orm thought her wife wouldn't get any more romantic, she was wrong. “Gladly.” She answered as she took her hand. 

Lingling picked a song from her phone and right then, their wedding song came on. She put Orm's hands on top of her shoulders before holding her by the waist. 

“It's just like our wedding day.” Orm let out a giggle. 

“You're just as beautiful as that night.” Lingling whispered, tucking her wife's hair behind her ear. 

Orm gulped. Her wife was looking at her like she was the only person that mattered. She felt like at any moment, she would melt. ‘I don't want to stop feeling like this.’ 

Suddenly, a single firework shoot up from the distance. 

Orm looked towards the night sky. Their wedding song was still playing in the background. She smiled as the lights went out. Nothing came after a while, but as the second chorus blasted through the speaker, much like at their wedding, several fireworks went up, lighting up the sky. 

“Wow.” Orm was in awe. It was beautiful. 

The others came out of the villa as well to watch the fireworks display. 

“P'Lingling.” When Orm averted her gaze at Lingling, she saw her looking at her just like how she did at their wedding. Her breath hitched. She wasn't being delusional then, she told herself. 'You already love me then...don't you?' She bit her lip as tears started forming in her eyes again. 

“I love you, N'Orm.” Lingling said with the softest voice. 

“I love you too.” Orm pouted. 

Lingling smiled, holding her wife's cheeks tenderly. “Make a wish.” 

The fireworks were still coming. It was like candles in the dark sky. Orm didn't close her eyes this time. Instead, she just started into Lingling’s. “My wish…is for you to not stop loving me like this.” 

It was scary to think of the possibility that the day that the spark in Lingling's eyes as she looked at her would be gone. That her gaze would again turn into a cold one. Orm wouldn't know what to do if that happens. But at that moment, she let herself be consumed by the love she was feeling for and from her wife.

“I won't.” Lingling shook her head. “Even if I try, I won't.” She said with utter firmness. She then tiptoed a bit to press a gentle kiss onto her wife's forehead. ‘I promise.’ She then pulled her wife closer by the waist. “Are you happy?” 

Orm nodded. It's funny how their wedding song was entitled ‘Wonder’ because before she could only guess how it would feel to be loved by Lingling Kwong. But now, she doesn't have to anymore. “I am.” 

Meanwhile in Bangkok. 

“Do you need anything else, Ma'am?” 

Engfa shook her head. “Just a glass of wine. We'll order once my company arrives.” 

The waiter bowed her head and walked away. She was at a triple Michelin star restaurant that serves luxury dining with Western Cuisine. She opened her phone to check her emails. It has been more than two weeks since they started the construction at the former Manoban property. Everything was going smoothly, so far. She was still annoyed that Lingling turned her down, but she expected that much. She was minding her business when she overheard something that piqued her interest from the next booth. 

It was about Lingling. 

“The stipulation says that she needs to be married to her wife for three years without any scandals.” 

Engfa furrowed her brows. While she suspected that Lingling's marriage was arranged, she saw that she seemed to value her wife a lot. 

“If not, the stocks will be open to the market.” 

“Oh wow. I didn't know Khun Plai could be that cruel.” 

“I know. I was surprised, myself.” 

That made Engfa chuckle quietly. ‘Is that why you didn't want to let go of your shares?’

“How did you get a hold of this information?” 

There was a name that was mentioned but Engfa barely recalled who that was. 

“I have my ways.” 

‘Open to the market, huh?’ Engfa shook her head. “Interesting.” She whispered. 

Chapter Text

“Welcome to Noiam.” Lingling smiled while looking at the new employees. 

As everyone was applauding, Orm stood up to greet her wife. “That was an amazing speech, Bubu.” 

“Thank you.” Lingling smiled as they sat down. “I have to impress someone.” 

Orm looked down and shook her head. 

After the orientation, the couple walked out of the conference hall together. “We'll leave at five for dinner.” Lingling said and Orm nodded. “I'll see you later?” 

“See you.” Orm smiled before parting ways with her wife. She approached Jaja who was waiting for her at the elevator. 

“Going well, huh?” Jaja asked teasingly. 

“Uh-huh.” Orm nodded while smiling. So far, their marriage has been perfect, almost like a dream. Lingling has always been caring and romantic. She could only hope that her wife felt the same way about her.

They rode the elevator down to the R&D Department with a couple of other employees. 

“Hey, Nong, congrats on getting part of the new advertisement, by the way.” 

Orm smiled. “Thank you, Phi. P'Golf and I still need to finish the script for the R&D counterpart for that.” 

Jaja nudged Orm's shoulder gently. “You can do it.” 

The new employees were already at the department when they arrived. Orm could see herself in them during her first day at the company. Only three months and she would have been working at Noiam for a year. Time really did fly fast. 

“Good morning, everyone. I am Manager Ya and this is Khun Golf.” Manager Ya looked at the three new employees. “We are the heads of the Food Research and Development Department of Noiam Foods. And they are—” He gestured to Orm and the others. “—your seniors. If you have any questions, you can ask them or ask us. Welcome again.” 

“She's the Vice Chairwoman’s wife.” 

Orm overheard a new recruit say, so she looked at them and smiled. 

“OMG.” 

“You'll be paired with a senior employee to guide you on your first week.” Golf added. 

The first two were paired with Jaja and Heng while the third one was assigned to Prigkhing. 

“Hey, you.” Prigkhing called the flamboyant guy with glasses, who panicked when she called him. “You're with me. Let's go.” She said before walking off to the lab with the new employee scurrying behind her. 

Orm could only shake her head. She approached Golf then. “P'Golf, would you like to go over our draft first before the meeting?” 

“Oh, N'Orm. Sure, let's see that.” Golf replied. 

After work, Lingling and Orm drove to the Kwong's residence to have dinner with the family since the farmer's grandmother was in Thailand for the week. Everyone was already there when they arrived. And so, they all settled down around the dining table. 

“It’s so nice to see you all again. It feels like ages since my last visit.” Usha told the family. It was rather an overexpression since she just saw them at New Year's Eve. “How’s everyone doing?”

“I have rested well the past year, so I'm planning on going back to Noiam this year, mom.” Plai answered. 

“Oh, Plai. Why don't you stay at home and let Lingling handle the company?” 

Lingling only smiled a little. 

“You can come visit me in Hong Kong and you play mahjong with me.” Usha fondly told her son. 

“Maybe, I will.” Plai answered, glancing towards Lingling and Orm. 

“How about you, Lingling?” 

Lingling put her utensils down and answered, “Work has been hectic, grandma, but we're managing.” She glanced at her wife then. “I’ll be attending the summit at Amsterdam this week. I've been trying to get N'Orm to go with me but she has a lot on plate as well.” 

“Oh, Phi.” Orm squeezed her wife's hand gently. “We're working on a new advertisement for Noiam Foods, Grandma. Our department will be working closely with the marketing department for this one.” 

“See, grandma? She doesn't have time for me anymore.” Lingling pouted a bit, making her grandmother laugh heartily. 

“Lingling Kwong.” Orm mouthed, playfully scolding her wife. “I did invite her for a spa day, but P'Lingling had a lot of work.” 

‘Touche.’ Lingling thought. She always invited Orm to go to the gym, but she didn't want to. She grabbed her wine glass and taking a sip, chuckling a bit. 

Usha hummed. “A spa day sounds lovely. You both deserve some pampering. Be sure to find time for that.” 

“Of course, grandma.” Lingling nodded and so did Orm. 

Usa smiled at the couple then said, “I tell you…not just for you, Lingling and Orm.” She also looked at Film and Namtan as well as Milk and Love. “You know, when your grandfather and I were your age, we used to take time off just to enjoy the simple things. Sometimes a walk in the park is all you need.”

“I agree, grandma. I also love those walks but I rarely have time. We should all go together sometime, Phi.” Film told her older sister. Namtan, who was sitting beside her, was just smiling timidly. 

“That would be great.” Lingling nodded with a smile. She and Namtan along with their friends would go jog together sometimes but rarely with Orm and never with Film. “We'll make it happen.” 

“You really should. It's good for your mind and body. Isn't that right, Plai?” Usha looked at her son who agreed with her. “How about the rest of you? How is law school, Film?” 

“It's been great so far, grandma.” Film smiled, beaming a little. “We're already doing mock trials. Well…so far so good.” 

Usha smiled proudly. “I know you will do great. Make sure to win your case, alright?” 

“Of course.” 

“How about you, Namtan?” 

“Oh. Ah.” Namtan wasn't really expecting Usha to ask her as well. She has always been intimidated by her. Her aura was like Lingling's and Plai's the first time she met them. She quickly glanced at the table and saw everyone looking at her. “We have had a lot of customers at the shop. We had an increase in sales and services last year compared to 2023.” 

That sounded more like a business report rather than a casual answer. It made Usha let out a chuckle. “That's good to hear. I expect that you have your savings now. You will be marrying a lawyer in the future.” 

Namtan smiled a little but nodded. It wasn't a malicious comment, but she couldn't help but feel somewhat insecure. 

Film, on the other hand, stiffened upon hearing the word marriage. For some reason, she didn't want to think about it for now. 

“N'Namtan is hardworking, Grandma. They renovated the shop to have a wider space. They can accommodate five cars at a time now.” Lingling spoke up, telling her grandmother with a smile on her face. Then, she looked at Namtan. “You're opening a new pop-up store in the city, right?” 

“Yes, Phi.” Namtan nodded, glancing at Plai and Usha as well. 

“She's doing that all by herself too.” Lingling added. 

“That's impressive then.” Usha nodded, impressed. “And you said you're just the same age as Film?” 

“Yes, Khun Usha.” Namtan timidly answered. 

“Very well. That’s good. I'm sure your business will be bigger in the future, Namtan.” 

“Thank you.” Namtan bowed her head to the elders. Then, she smiled at Lingling, silently thanking her for speaking up. She held Film's hand underneath the table, and smiled when her girlfriend intertwined their fingers. 

Lingling only nodded before continuing her meal. 

Orm, on the other hand, looked at Lingling with a pleasant proud smile. She may not be vocal about her appreciation for her friends, but she would always cheer on them. ‘You're a good friend, Bubu.’ It made her fall in love more. 

“How about our youngest? How is school?” 

Milk gulped. She glanced towards Love who also was subtly looking at her. “Well…school is fine, grandma.” 

“Just fine?” 

Milk nodded. 

“Milk has been participating more with the school activities, Khun Usha. We have classes together and she has been doing great at class as well.” Love answered for Milk. The old woman nodded then. “We just have a festival coming up, so we might have to stay at school after classes to prepare for it.” 

“That late?” 

“They have a driver, mom.” Plai reassured his mother. 

“I see. Very well then.” Usha nodded. “Seems like all of you have a lot on your plates…especially you—” She averted her gaze towards Lingling and Orm. “—Lingling and Orm. You're both very busy with work. Have you ever talked about your plans with your family?” 

Again, it was a recurring topic since Christmas. “We're still taking our time.” Lingling answered. 

Orm was thankful that Lingling spoke up. 

“Well, don't take too much time. I'm getting older and so is your father.” Usha replied. Plai wanted to intervene, however he kept mum. “I'm expecting a great grandchild by the end of the year or next year. We know a lot of doctors who can assist you with that.” 

‘Oh.’ Orm gulped. She smiled a bit and nodded. 

“Good.” Usha nodded. “Film, why don't you tell us about the cases you handled?”

“Right. Well, I got an attempted murder case for mock trials…” Film started telling her story, averting the topic and everyone's attention. 

While Lingling wasn't directly looking at her wife, she could see the uncomfortable expression on her face after her grandmother mentioned about having a baby. She had the same expression when they were asked the same question back in Christmas and New Year. She sighed and focused on her food instead. 

At home, Lingling tried to push that certain unpleasant thought aside like last time but she couldn't. She has been thinking about Orm's expression when she went to shower and now that they're in bed. 

“Do you want me to drive you to the airport tomorrow?” Orm asked. They were cuddling in bed, her head on her wife's chest while their legs were tangled up under the sheets. She has tons of work tomorrow, but she would be willing to go home and bring her to the airport if she told her to. 

“It's okay. Namtan will drive me there anyway.” Lingling answered, her gaze glued to the ceiling. 

“Okay.” 

First, it should be a question. Orm was her wife, so obviously Lingling wanted to see her before boarding the plane. Second, they would be away from each other for almost 5 or 6 days, and her wife didn't seem affected that much. She would want her to insist a little bit more. 

Orm quietly played with her wife's fingers. ‘You'll be gone for five days, Bubu. I miss you already and you haven't even left yet.’ 

Lingling glanced towards her wife. There was silence enveloping them. It was always comfortable, but not this time. She hesitated whether to open the topic or not. In the end, she felt like she needed to. “N'Orm?” 

“Yes, Bubu?” Orm whispered. She could hear Lingling’s heartbeat becoming a little faster. She furrowed her brows.

Lingling didn't talk for some time. “Don't you want to have kids?” 

“What?” Orm immediately pushed herself up, so she could see her wife's face. “Why would you ask that?” 

Lingling felt a little insecure about it. She wasn't a man, to begin with, so they couldn't have children 'naturally' like straight couples. And since both their families prefer that they bear their own, the process would take long. With how her wife always reacted to the topic, she was anxious that she might not want to have a child at all. They haven't talked about it before they mentioned it. She wanted to ask her wife after, but didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable. “I just…I don't know. Whenever they mention babies, you would either just smile or brush it off. I just feel like…I just feel like you might not want to have children with me.” 

“Bubu.” Orm didn't know how Lingling got that idea. “Of course, I want to.” 

Lingling pouted a bit. “You do?” 

Orm nodded. She sat up then pulled Lingling to do the same. Then, she held her cheeks. “Listen to me, Lingling Kwong. Do you think I haven't imagined us having kids? I do, okay? I pictured our little Lingling's running around and laughing.” That made Lingling smile, at least. “I love you, Bubu, and of course, I want to build a family with you.” 

“Then why can't you say yes?” 

Orm's eyes faltered then. Her wife saw it, but didn't point it out. “I want to make it clear first. I want to have children with you, okay?” She said and her wife nodded. “But it's just…I feel like we're going too fast—”

‘Too fast?’ Lingling gulped. 

“—I'm still relatively new at the company and you—” Orm removed her hands from Lingling’s cheeks to hold her hands. “You're the head of Noiam currently. We both still have a lot of work to do. We're not even been married for a year yet.” 

Lingling understood Orm. She did. She was just feeling disappointed, for some reason. “Right.” She nodded. 

“Please understand, Bubu.” 

Lingling nodded. “I do.” She held her cheeks then. Her wife looked stressed by their conversation, and she hated herself for causing her trouble. “I understand, Baobao.” She gave her a reassuring smile then. “I guess I'm just feeling a little sulky since I won't see you for almost a week.” 

Orm smiled, a longing one. “We'll call each other often. Just tell me if you're free and I'll call you, okay, Bubu?” 

“What if you're busy?” Lingling asked, pouting a little. 

Again, the puppy dog eyes of her wife were driving her insane. It was making her miss her more. She hasn't even left. So, she gave her a peck. “I'll make time.” 

The next day, Lingling went to jog at the park with Faye. They already ran two kilometers, so they rested for a bit. 

“What's up with the long face?” Faye asked while tying her shoes. 

Lingling closed the lid of her water bottle then looked back at her friend. Faye has always been her confidant. She couldn't really hide anything from her since she could always read her. “N'Orm and I had a short talk about kids last night.” 

“Okay. How did it go?” Faye stood up then. 

Lingling looked away, squinting a little from the sun. She exhaled through her lips before looking back at Faye. “We both want to have kids, but N'Orm thought it's still too soon.” 

Faye nodded. “And how about you?” 

“Huh?”

“How do you feel about it?” 

“Well…” Lingling shrugged. “I just want to have our child.” She smiled, remembering those times she saw Orm with kids. To be honest, she was scared about it too, especially after what happened to her mother. She thought that if it boils down to her having to carry their baby, then she would gladly accept it. She would rather go through all of that than to see her wife struggling. “I guess I was just a little disappointed. I don't even know why.” She chuckled. 

Lingling turned 30 and will be 31 this year. Well, she was even older than her. But the difference was, she knew her friend always wanted a family even if she didn't admit it before. Faye understood that much. “Did you tell her?” 

Lingling shook her head. “She's got a lot on her plate already.” She sighed. “And I respect N’Orm’s decision, don't get me wrong. I just feel like…maybe I was…what's that word?” 

Faye leaned closer, making sure to let Lingling know she was listening. “Hm?” 

“...giving too much affection or loving someone too much?” 

“Obsession?” 

“No, not that. That word that Namtan used before…the one she said your ex did to you?” 

Faye furrowed her brows. She knew the word but couldn't remember it. “It's…” She tried until she recalled what it was. “Love bombing? Is that what you mean?” She saw her friend nod. “Why do you feel that way?” 

“I can't help but think that maybe…I'm taking things too far for N'Orm already. It's like these days, every time I try to buy her something nice or do something for her, she seems to not like it.” Lingling looked down on the pavement underneath her and sighed. “I'm scared that she might feel like I'm love bombing her…that I may not be aware that I'm already suffocating her.” 

“Hey…where is all of this coming from?” Faye held Lingling’s shoulders. When her friend looked up, she only shook her head. “N'Orm is head over heels for you just as much as you are to her. I can see that. Everyone could see that.” 

Thinking back, they only met each other before their wedding. They were strangers, technically, bound by a promise and stipulation. It hasn't been a year, Orm was right. ‘Are we really going too fast?’ Lingling couldn't help but ask. 

“Hey. Nong.” Faye told Lingling to get her full attention. “Your wife loves you, okay? You guys may not meet eye-to-eye right now, but give it a time and talk about it.” 

“I guess you're right.” 

“Maybe after you get back from Europe, you guys can try talking about it again. Give her some space to think, okay?” Faye said and Lingling nodded. “And cheer up, lover girl. You're going to attend the business summit, remember? Don't let this bother you for now. You need to focus on learning there, alright?” 

Lingling smiled and nodded. It was always free therapy with Faye. She has always been sensible. But, it made her feel guilty at the same time. “Sorry, Phi. I vented out on you again.” 

Faye laughed a bit. “No problem. I need something to take my mind off of Yoko anyway.” 

“Right. How is she?” 

“Still in Germany until next month.” Faye sighed before smiling. “But it's fine. At least her mom knew about us already.” 

“How was your first meeting?” 

They started walking down the trail then. “Well…she didn't like me. She said I'm only using her daughter.” She chuckled while shrugging her shoulders. 

Lingling snorted. “You should have told her you can build a whole theater for her daughter.” 

That made Faye laugh. “I would've...” She glanced at Lingling for a second. “...but it was mostly because I'm a woman…and well, I'm a lot older than Yoko.” 

Lingling subtly rolled her eyes but didn't say anything. 

“It is what it is. At least, we're still together.” Faye smiled. Lingling did too. “Shall we race to the next stop?” 

“Okay.” Lingling nodded. 

“Okay then. On the count of—” Faye was about to do the countdown but Lingling already ran. “Hey! Not fair!” She started running as well. “Nong! Wait up!” 

Lingling laughed while running, not bothering to look back. She inhaled deeply then exhaled through her mouth. ‘P'Faye was right. We both need time to think.’ 

That day, at the company, Orm sat down on an empty seat at the round table while waiting for the meeting for the production team for the new advertisement. Golf was talking to the head of marketing and the HR, so she reserved a seat for her beside her. 

“Sawasdee khrap. Is this seat taken?” 

When Orm looked up, she saw a guy from the marketing team looking at her. “Sure.” She nodded. And so, he sat down beside her. 

“I'm One, by the way.” He held out his hand. 

He seemed to be respectful. Orm had seen him quite a few times around the company. “Kornnaphat Kwong.” She shook his hand firmly before looking ahead once again. 

“You…seemed to be in a bad mood.” 

Orm turned her head to him, frowning a bit. “Excuse me?”

One smiled sheepishly. “Sorry. I just noticed. I'm the staff assigned for the script, by the way, so I'll be the one working with you. I apologize if my comment was too intrusive.” 

Orm thought she might have looked like in a low mood indeed. She has been thinking about their conversation last night, worried that she might have upset Lingling. So, she smiled. “Don't worry about it. I'm okay.” 

One nodded. He looked ahead and so did Orm. While she wasn't looking, he glanced at her and smiled. 

“Good afternoon, settle down. Let's start the meeting.” 

Orm heard the manager, so she straightened her back and readied her laptop. Her eyes traveled down to the time at the corner. ‘P'Lingling might be at the airport now.’ 

As the meeting went on, Orm couldn't help but notice that One was very active regarding the project. She could see his passion with the way he spoke despite being one of the youngest in the room. It was her first time working with him, but she already thought he would be a great teammate. 

After the meeting, One approached Orm again before she could leave. “Khun Orm, can we run through the scripts we made to consolidate?” 

It was a reasonable request, so Orm nodded. “Okay. Khun Golf!” 

“Yes, Nong?” Golf said from the door. 

“No, I meant—” One said, but pursed his lips then. “—just us.” He mumbled. 

“Let's read through the script?” Orm motioned to One. 

“Okay. I'll be there in a sec.” Golf replied. 

Orm heard him speak, so she asked, “Sorry, what was that?” 

One smiled and shook his head. “Nothing, Khun Orm.” 

And so, Orm smiled a little and nodded. The three of them brainstormed for ideas and how to improve the script. It was quite pleasant working together. 

“Would you like to meet again tomorrow? I can treat you ladies for coffee or…lunch?” One asked both of them. 

One seemed friendly, Orm thought. She glanced at Golf who nodded at her. “Okay. Let's have a meeting again tomorrow.” 

One smiled and bowed his head. “Thank you. I'll see you both then.” 

They went back to R&D after. While in the elevator, Golf received a message from her brother abroad. “Awww! Cute!” She tapped Orm's shoulder to show it. “Nong, look. It's my niece.” 

The little girl was dressed as Elsa and she looked absolutely adorable. “Cute! How old is she?” 

“She's five.” Golf smiled proudly. “They have an event at school, so she had to dress up in costume. You know her father, my brother, was the one who went dress shopping with my niece. How cute, right?” 

“Don't you want to have kids?” Again, their conversation last night popped inside Orm's head. “Yeah. Look at that fluffy cheeks. She's one adorable Elsa.” 

“Right?” 

“Uh-huh.” Orm smiled before looking ahead once again. The smile she had slowly vanished while replaying their conversation last night. She wasn't sure if Lingling was upset because of it. She looked down and sighed. 

That night, Orm sat on their sofa with Uni on her lap. She has been apart from Lingling quite a few times before but this would be the longest one. Her wife would be there for five or six days, almost a whole week. She wanted to give in and go with her, but she thought they were always together. Maybe, giving each other some liberty would be good, not that she didn't want to be with her wife, she always do. Plus, she has missed work several times since last year when her grandmother passed away or whenever they would have trips or family gathering. Although no one questioned it since she got Lingling’s permission, she knew others were talking already. She didn't want to drag her wife's name because of it. 

“I miss you.” Orm whispered to the night sky outside. She knew Lingling was still on the plane to Amsterdam. “Do you miss mommy Lingling, huh, Uni?” 

The dog seemed to understand her questions since it nuzzled closer to her. 

Then, her phone rang. It was her mom requesting for video call. “Mom, hi.” 

“Hello, dear. How are you?” Ko'y answered from the other line. She was currently picking clothes to bring to Bangkok tomorrow since she would be staying with Orm while Lingling was away. “You miss Lingling, don't you?” 

Orm pouted. “Yeah.” 

“You should have went with her then.” Koy chuckled, making Orm pout more. “I'm packing my clothes now. Your dad will drive me to the airport tomorrow afternoon.” 

“Okay.” Orm nodded. “Ah, mom, Uni says hi.” She put the phone in front of the dog while smiling. 

“Aww. Hello, Uni. How is our grandchild? You miss grandma, huh?” Koy fondly talked to the dog. 

‘Grandchild.’ Orm gulped. “Mom, can I ask you something?” 

“Of course. What is it?” Her mom said without looking to the screen. 

“Um…” Orm was hesitant to ask. She felt embarrassed to do so. “How far are you in your marriage with dad when you had me?” She carefully asked. She saw her mother stop, so she looked away, feeling anxious. 

Koy grabbed the phone from where it was resting to see Orm clearly. “Well…your dad and I already had you on our first year.” She said with a soft smile, reminiscing that time they first laid eyes on baby Orm. “Before we got married, we already knew we both wanted to have a child, so when we were blessed to get pregnant after a month from our wedding, we were so happy.” 

“I see.” Orm smiled a bit. 

“Something’s bothering you, isn't there?” 

“No. No, mom.” 

“Orm, I know you. I am your mother.” Koy said. She has left her clothes on the bed to listen to listen to her daughter. “Tell me about it.” 

Orm sighed. She rested her head on the armchair woth the phone near her face. “P'Lingling and I talked about kids past night.” She started and her mother nodded. “It seems like she already wants to have one but…” She gulped. She could see her mother furrow her brows with the last word. “I feel like it's too soon. I'm not sure if P'Lingling got upset.” 

“Did you two have a fight?” 

“No. P'Lingling said she understand.” Orm replied. They rarely argued. They never had a fight. They would only bicker at times for some petty and random topic like the color of the sofa they would buy or how to pronounce pecan pie or the right way to eat cereal or make tea, but never too serious. She didn't want this to be a source of problem. “I mean sure, it would take long. We still need to find a sperm donor and go through all of that stuff…but I don't know…I'm not sure if I'm ready to get pregnant yet.” 

Koy nodded. The Kwong's wanted to have them conceive their own child, rather than adopt. To be honest, both her and Ton as well. Pregnancy’s scary, so she understood how their daughter was feeling. “Have you talked who will bear your baby?” 

“Of course, it will be me, mom. P'Lingling is the Vice Chairwoman of Noiam. There's too much on her shoulders already. I'm sure she won't.” 

“Did you ask her?” 

Orm's eyes faltered. Would Lingling want to get pregnant? She didn't know. She never asked. “No.” She mumbled. 

“What if she does?” Koy smiled, making sure her daughter knew she understood her and was just giving her another perspective. “You two should talk about it again. Next time, be honest. I'm sure Lingling would understand.” 

Orm nodded. ‘What is P'Lingling does?’ She gulped. ‘What if?’ Another thought appeared in her mind then. Lingling’s mom died while giving birth. Her wife must be afraid and anxious about it too, but she loved her too much to dream of building a family with her. “I'll talk to P'Lingling when she gets back.” 

Koy nodded. “Yes…and don't think Lingling will get mad at you for being honest. I know that she loves you so much, Orm.” 

‘I love her too.’ Orm smiled. “Thanks, mom. You always know what to say.” 

"I get that a lot." Koy jokingly said, earning a playful eye roll from her daughter.

Meanwhile, on air, Lingling accidentally bit her tounge. “Ouch.” She winced, sticking out her tongue before drinking the sparkling water they served her. She pouted, rubbing her thumbs across the small round pillow with Orm's face that Namtan gave her at the airport. “I miss you, Baobao.” She pushed the window cover up and looked outside—distant lights could be seen from below. She rested her head against the wall then hugged the pillow close to her chest. “I'll be back soon.” She whispered. ‘Let's talk then, okay? I'll respect whatever decision you make, my love.’ 

“So…this is okay now, right?” One asked. They were at the café just outside the company building. 

“Yes, it's okay for me. Let's submit this later, so they can check it. I hope there won't be any corrections anymore.” Golf replied. 

“We did great.” Orm told the two. 

And so, the group turned their laptops off to enjoy their meal. As they were chitchatting, Golf received a phone call, so she excused herself. “I have to answer this. I'll be back.” She told them before standing up and leaving. 

Orm continued her meal quietly, minding her own business as usual, when One spoke up. 

“You have a talent in writing, Khun Orm. I came across your TikTok videos and you have quite a lot of followers there. No wonder because you seem to know how to engage with your audience.” One said with a smile. 

“Oh um…” Orm smiled at the complement. “Thank you, I guess.” She nodded. “My followers just grew when they knew I'm married to my wife.” 

“Oh don't say that, Khun Orm.” One replied, putting his fork down. “Don't think you're just the Vice Chairwoman’s wife. You got that because of your personality, Khun Orm.” 

‘I never think that way.’ He seemed to be a passionate young man, Orm thought. “Thanks.” 

“I'm also trying to build my account in TikTok, but I'm not sure if I'm engaging enough like you.” One sighed. 

Orm nodded. “What do you do?” 

“More on digital art and stuff like that.” He answered and she nodded. “Would you give me tips please, Khun Orm?” 

“I'm…really not sure if I'm the best one to give you tips.” Orm let out a quiet laugh. 

“Aww.” One pouted a bit while nodding. 

“I'm sure you can do it.” Orm smiled, making him do so as well. 

“Thanks, I—”

“Hey, sorry about that.” Golf returned to their table beside Orm. “I just remembered, N'Orm, I have something to give you. It's at the office.” 

“Oh? Thank you, Phi!” 

One looked between the two and smiled a bit, a little annoyed that he was always cut off by Golf. 

Before 4 PM, Orm already left the office to pick up her mother at the airport. She went to early and extended yesterday, so others wouldn't have a say. But before going to the airport, she first went to ICONSIAM to get the matching earrings she was waiting for to buy for her and Lingling. Her welcome back gift for her. 

While in the car, Lingling called Orm. “Bubu? Oh, you're in the car too.” 

“I'm on the way to the venue, Baobao. Are you going to pick up mom?” Lingling held the phone to her face, only down to the upper part of her chest was shown. 

“Uh-huh.” Orm nodded. “But I have to drop by the mall first. I need to buy something.” She saw her wife raise her brow, so she wrinkled her nose. “It's a secret for now.” 

“Aww.” Lingling pouted. 

“What time is it there?” 

“Ah…it's past 10 o'clock here, Baobao. The first talk is at 1PM.” Lingling answered. 

“You look stunning, P'Ling.” Orm said while smiling, making her wife shy. “Aww. Are you too cute when shy, huh?” She giggled. “Is that the pair we bought last time?” 

“Yes. This is it.” Lingling flipped the camera, so Orm could see. She was wearing a charcoal grey pantsuit with a white shirt underneath. 

“Beautiful as always, Bubu.” 

Lingling smiled brightly. “Just like you.” 

Orm rolled her eyes playfully. “I'm sure you'll make a lot of heads turn there.” 

Lingling hummed. “Maybe…but—” She smiled, her eyes disappearing. “—I only want one…and she's back in Bangkok.” 

Orm bit her lip. “Yeah…she's here in Bangkok waiting for her gorgeous wife to return.” 

“I'll be back in no time, love.” Lingling said while looking at Orm with adoration and yearning. For a moment, they just started at each other without saying a word. 

‘We'll talk, okay?’ 

‘Let's talk about it again when I get back.’ 

Then, Lingling was notified by her driver that they were pulling up at the convention already. “Ah. We're here, Baobao. I have to go.” 

“Okay. Take care. I love you.” 

Lingling smiled and nodded. “I love you more.” 

The call ended then, so Orm put her phone down while looking outside the window. When they reached the mall, she went out and went straight to the jewelry store. She got the Dior earrings she was waiting for with no problem. Afterwards, she dropped by the perfume store where Lingling buys. She grabbed a bottle of her wife's usual perfume before going out. However, as she was walking back to the car, she stumbled upon Engfa. 

“Khun Orm, nice to see you here.” 

Engfa was smiling but Orm couldn't help but feel uneasy. She smiled anyway. “It's nice to see you too, Khun Engfa.” She noticed that the girl was about to grab her hand just like the first time she saw her, so she swiftly pulled back. 

“My bad. I've been used to such greetings. My apologies.” Engfa bowed her head slightly. 

“It's fine.” Orm said and Engfa smiled. “There's a business summit in Amsterdam, aren't you going to attend?” 

“Is Lingling there?” 

The girl didn't answer her question, Orm thought. “Yes.” 

“I see.” Engfa nodded. “Well, we're about to finish the first phase of the construction of our project—”

Orm gulped. It was the project that affected Lingling a lot. 

“—and I'm someone who likes to keep my eyes on my work.” Engfa said, but Orm didn't reply. “Anyway, I have to go. It's nice seeing you again, Orm. Please give Lingling my regards.”

And so, Orm stood there as Engfa walked away. She really didn't like her. With a calming breath, she walked back towards her car as well. 

Meanwhile in Amsterdam, Lingling went inside and registered at the front desk. She was given a name tag and welcoming gift. As she was walking around, she saw many business personalities from both the west and the east. She caught a glimpse of Melinda Gates as well. There were quite a few kids and teenagers there as well. Maybe their parents brought them. Plai used to bring her to conferences too but only in Bangkok or Hong Kong. It would have been better if Orm was there, she thought. 

Near the glass windows, Lingling spotted one of their board members at Noiam talking to businessmen from India and China, so she went to approach them. They all greeted each other before continuing their talk. 

“You're the acting Chairwoman of your company?” The Indian businessman asked. 

“Yes, I am.” 

“That's impressive. You seem young.” The Chinese one commented, so she thanked her. 

“I trained under Mr. Rattanaphet back in college.” Lingling pointed at Khun Pithaya, one of the oldest board members at the company. “I'd say I learned a lot from him as well.” 

“Wow! Then I must congratulate you, Sir. She's leading the company well.” The Indian guy said, and the old man smiled. “I read your company value increased significantly this year.” 

Lingling nodded. Although Khun Pithaya was always strict, even now, with her and Pentaii since they first entered Noiam as interns, it was undeniable that he helped her a lot as well. 

“I agree. Keep it up, huh?” The Chinese woman smiled while patting Lingling’s shoulder. More so when the girl thanked her in her language. “Oh wow. Are you Chinese?” 

“Our family has Chinese heritage. My father is half.” Lingling answered. 

“That's nice.” With that, they engaged into a longer conversation.

After mingling with quite a lot of businessmen and women, Lingling went to walk around and read some of the tarpaulins regarding business and economic researches as well as the conference room guide. 

“Subscription-based platform for renting eco-friendly products? Huh.” Lingling read through the texts carefully, writing down notes for herself. 

However, as she was reading, Lingling caught a glimpse of a little girl standing by the wall, looking wearily at the people passing by. She was scared for a moment, thinking she might be seeing a ghost, but she wasn't. The little girl was alive since she could touch the tarpaulins as well. She seemed lost, however, so she approached her. 

“Hey.” 

The kid with a rather wide charming eyes looked at her wearily. 

Lingling smiled and bent down to talk to her. “My name is Lingling. I'm also a participant in the summit. What's your name?” 

The girl didn't answer. 

Her parents might have thought her not to tell strangers her name which was a good thing, Lingling thought. “Please don’t be scared. I'm not going to do anything, but you can’t be standing alone here. Where are your parents?” The girl didn't reply again, so, she decided to give up and just tell someone from the staff. 

“My mommy went to the loo.” 

‘Oh. She's British.’ Lingling nodded. “How did you get separated?” 

“I was just standing outside the door but I went out and I didn't know where to go anymore.” 

Lingling nodded once again. “Alright. What's your name again?” She asked but the little girl shook her head. She smiled. She glanced at her watch and it was almost 1 PM. She needed to go to the conference room now. “You don't have to tell me. But…we have to go to the lady at the front desk, so they can announce that you're there, so your mom can find you.” 

“Alright.” The little girl nodded. 

“Wait. Let's tie your shoelaces first. You might trip if we don't.” Lingling spoke to the kid softly. “How old are you?” While tying the shoelace, she glanced at her, but she shook her head once again. “Right.” So, she looked down and smiled. The kid reminded her of Orm, both a little stubborn and cute, especially when she pouts her lips too. In that moment, she imagined how their children would look like. They would surely be as adorable as her wife. 'We'll have kids whenever you're ready.' She smiled. “All done.” She stood up then. “Come on, let's go find your mom.” 

They haven't walked far when someone from behind called them. “Scarlett?!” 

“Mommy!” 

Lingling saw the girl smiled so wife before running towards the other direction. For some reason, her voice sounded familiar. 

“I was looking for you. Where did you go?” 

And it was. 

Because when Lingling turned around, she saw a familiar face that she had not seen in almost a decade. 

“She said we'll go to the desk lady.” Scarlet, the kid, told her mom. 

It has been so long, it felt unreal seeing each other again. 

“P'Lingling?" 

Subtly, Lingling's brows furrowed. She gulped. “Charlotte.”

Chapter Text

"I'm in love with you...P'Lingling. I've always loved you."

It was the end of freshman year, almost summertime. Outside, the sun was shining brightly above the sky. The rays seeped through the thick glass window of the university auditorium. Most college students either already went home or out celebrating with friends. 

Charlotte stood awkwardly, still in her uniform, while waiting for Lingling’s reply. It has been more than a minute and the other girl was just quiet, her eyes were looking anywhere but her. As the silence went on, she was beginning to realize she had read everything wrong. She couldn't shake off the feeling of dread, knowing that whatever Lingling would say would break her heart. She could feel it beating fast against her chest. “ P'Lingling …” 

“Charlotte.” Lingling spoke up then. She was in her casual clothes. After the final examinations, she already left to train at Noiam . She was just there that day to get her files. Charlotte asked to meet but she didn't know it would come to this. “Look, I—”

“You don't.” Charlotte whispered, realizing that she didn't want to hear Lingling say it. She kept her eyes on her but she looked away. She knew she wasn't good at expressing herself. They have been friends for years anyway. “I know. I know now.” She swallowed the thick lump in her throat as her eyes started to well up with tears. It was so painful that it made her laugh. 

Lingling felt bad. She really did. She was her best friend along with Engfa . She felt conflicted. On one side, she hated herself for hurting Charlotte. But on the other hand, if she told her she felt the same, then she would be lying. “I'm sorry, Charlotte.”

Charlotte nodded. A tear fell from her left eye, so she wiped it off quickly. She was always the weakest one among the three of them. She was always the one taken care of. “I just thought that you felt the same.” She chuckled. Her heart was breaking into millions of pieces. “I guess I was wrong.”  

“I didn't mean to lead you on. It wasn't my intention to do that. I swear. I never wanted to hurt—” Lingling stopped upon seeing her cry. “Charlotte.” She took a step forward. It came as a habit, but Charlotte stepped back. She gulped and looked down. “I'm s orry.” 

Charlotte smiled despite the tears. “I know.” She sniffed then wiped the years on her cheeks. “I'm okay.” She nodded while smiling, although her eyes were filled with sorrow. “I'll um…I'll get going. You should go now too, right?” She turned around then. 

Lingling felt awful. “Charlotte.” She called out. 

As soon as she turned around, Charlotte couldn't hold back her tears. She tried her best to walk away with a heavy heart 

There, Lingling stayed standing on her spot silently cursing at herself for hurting her. 

Lingling stood by the window of her hotel room looking out into the street below. It has been almost a decade since she last saw Charlotte. Everything that has happened before felt fresh in her memory like it was yesterday. Out of all the places, they would meet here. She shook her head to push the thought aside. 

To take her mind off of things, she decided to read. She opened her iPad to scan through the suggested articles at the summit. It was only 6 o'clock in the evening then. As she was reading, she received a message from Orm. “Oh.” She frowned. It would have been midnight in Bangkok already. ‘You're not sleeping yet?’

Calling Baobao ❤…

“Bubu, hey.” Orm's sunshine smile flashed on the screen. She tilted her head when she saw her wife frowning. 

“Why aren't you sleeping, huh, Baobao? It's late.” Lingling said, reprimanding her wife like a kid. 

“I'm still working…” Orm mumbled, letting her voice trail off. Lingling, on the other hand, just raised her brow at her. “Well, I miss my wife. I don't have someone to cuddle with.” She pouted. When she saw that her wife was about to respond, she added, “And before you say my mom's here, that's not the same."