Chapter 43
Almost three months.
That was how long it had been since Lingling left Thailand.
Almost three months since the airport goodbye.
Almost three months of waking up in different cities, living in different time zones, and learning how to love each other through screens.
Three months of calls.
Three months of voice messages.
Three months of whispered goodnights when Bangkok was already deep in sleep while Paris was only beginning another day.
Three months of missing each other.
But also-
Three months of trying.
Three months of keeping their promise.
One step at a time.
They hadn't rushed.
They hadn't forced anything.
They simply stayed.
And perhaps that was why, when Lingling finally decided to come home, she didn't tell Orm.
She wanted to surprise her.
She wanted to see the expression on Orm's face.
She wanted, just once, to give her something unexpected.
Something happy.
Something that would make all those lonely nights worth it.
So at exactly five in the morning, the elevator doors opened on Orm's apartment floor.
Lingling stepped out.
She was dressed simply-a white jacket over a pink shirt, comfortable trousers, and sneakers. Her hair was slightly messy from the long journey, but somehow, it only made her look even more effortlessly handsome.
In one hand, she carried a huge bouquet of fresh flowers.
In the other was a small suitcase.
At her feet were several paper bags filled with things she had brought from abroad.
She checked the apartment number.
Orm's apartment.
She smiled.
She had spent almost three months imagining this moment.
Now that she was actually standing outside the door, her heart was pounding.
She lifted her hand.
Knocked.
Once.
Twice.
Nothing.
Lingling checked the time.
5:02 AM.
Of course.
She was probably sleeping.
Lingling knocked again.
This time, there was movement inside.
A few seconds later, the lock clicked.
The door opened.
And Lingling nearly lost it.
Because standing in front of her was Orm.
Barefoot.
Wearing a comfortable nightgown.
Her hair was completely unruly, strands sticking out in every possible direction.
Her face was bare.
Her eyes were barely open.
She looked like she had been dragged out of the deepest sleep known to humanity.
Orm stared at Lingling.
Lingling stared back.
Silence.
Five full seconds.
Orm blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Then her eyes widened.
Almost comically.
"What the fuck?"
Lingling bit the inside of her cheek.
"Hi, Orm. Good morning to you too."
Orm didn't move.
She simply stared.
Her brain was clearly refusing to process what her eyes were seeing.
Because according to everything she knew-
Lingling was supposed to be in Paris.
Working.
Busy.
Far away.
She had called Orm the previous night and told her she had been assigned to a three-day engineering inspection for one of the company's projects in Spain.
She had sounded exhausted.
She had complained about the schedule.
She had kissed Orm goodnight through the phone.
She had said-
I wish I could wake up beside you.
And now-
Lingling was standing at her apartment door.
At five in the morning.
With flowers.
Orm slowly raised one hand.
Then pinched her own cheek.
Hard.
"Ouch."
Lingling's lips twitched.
Orm pinched herself again.
"Ow."
Lingling finally laughed.
"Orm..."
She couldn't hold it anymore.
She laughed so hard she had to lower the bouquet for a moment.
Orm looked offended.
"Why are you laughing?"
"Because you're adorable."
"I'm dreaming."
"You're not."
"I am."
"You're not."
"I am."
"Orm."
She laughed again.
"Open your eyes."
"They are open!"
"Apparently not."
Orm stared at her again.
Then, as if suddenly overwhelmed, she slammed the door.
Bang.
Lingling froze.
She looked at the closed door.
Then at the flowers.
Then back at the door.
A grin slowly spread across her face.
From inside came a muffled scream.
"Oh my God!"
Lingling covered her mouth.
Then she heard Orm talking to herself.
"No."
A pause.
"This is a dream."
Another pause.
"Okay."
Then-
"Why the hell does Dream Lingling look so handsome?"
Lingling burst out laughing.
"Orm!"
Silence.
Then-
"Shut up!"
Lingling laughed harder.
She knocked again.
"Orm, open the door."
"No!"
"Why?"
"Because you're not real!"
"I flew all the way here and apparently I'm imaginary."
"You were supposed to be in Spain!"
"I finished early."
"You said three days!"
"I lied."
"Why?!"
"Because I wanted to surprise you."
Silence.
Lingling could almost picture Orm's face on the other side.
She smiled.
Then knocked gently.
"Orm."
Nothing.
"I really am here."
Another silence.
"I missed you."
The apartment became quiet.
Lingling's smile softened.
"I missed you so much."
Inside, Orm stood frozen.
Her heart was beating so fast it hurt.
She covered her face with both hands.
This couldn't be happening.
Not after three months of waking up alone.
Not after three months of looking at Lingling through a screen.
Not after three months of missing the warmth of her hand.
She took a deep breath.
Then immediately ran toward the bathroom.
"Wait!"
Lingling heard running footsteps.
Then the sound of water.
Then gargling.
Then-
"What am I doing?!"
Lingling laughed quietly.
Inside the bathroom, Orm stared at herself in the mirror.
Her hair was a disaster.
Her eyes were swollen from sleep.
Her face was puffy.
She looked like she'd fought with a pillow and lost.
"Okay."
She fixed her hair.
"No."
She looked at it again.
"Worse."
She tried again.
Then washed her face.
Applied moisturizer.
Brushed her teeth.
Used mouthwash.
Then stared at herself.
"Okay."
She nodded.
"Presentable."
She opened the bathroom door.
Stopped.
Walked back.
Looked in the mirror again.
"Still terrible."
She fixed her hair one more time.
Then returned to the door.
Her hand trembled slightly as she unlocked it.
She opened it.
Lingling was still there.
Still smiling.
Still holding that enormous bouquet.
Still looking at her like she was the most beautiful person in the world.
Orm's eyes immediately became wet.
"You really came."
Lingling nodded.
"I'm really here."
Orm didn't say anything else.
She simply stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Lingling.
Hard.
Lingling immediately dropped her suitcase handle and hugged her back.
Orm buried her face against Lingling's shoulder.
Then kissed her cheek.
Once.
Twice.
Then the other cheek.
Then her forehead.
Then her nose.
Then her lips.
Lingling laughed breathlessly.
"Orm..."
"I missed you."
"I missed you too."
"You didn't tell me."
"I wanted to surprise you."
"You scared the hell out of me."
"I'm sorry."
"You should be."
Lingling grinned.
Orm kissed her again.
Then hugged her tighter.
For three months, they had been separated by thousands of kilometers.
Now they were standing in the doorway of Orm's apartment, wrapped around each other like neither wanted to risk letting go.
Finally, Orm pulled away.
Her eyes moved toward the bouquet.
"Are those for me?"
Lingling lifted them.
"Of course."
Orm took them.
They were beautiful.
Fresh flowers in soft colors, carefully arranged.
Orm pressed her lips together, trying not to cry.
"You remembered."
"I remember everything about you."
That did it.
Orm's eyes filled.
She hugged Lingling again.
"Come inside."
Lingling smiled.
"Okay."
The apartment slowly filled with the scent of flowers.
Orm placed the bouquet in a large vase while Lingling brought her bags inside.
"Why did you bring so much?"
"Things for you."
"For me?"
"And Liam."
Orm turned.
"You brought things for Liam?"
Lingling smiled.
"Of course."
She opened one of the paper bags.
Inside were small gifts.
A cute shirts.
A miniature truck that he loves to watch.
A stuffed dinosaur.
A children's storybook.
And several chocolate treats.
Orm's heart melted.
"You really missed him."
"I did."
She paused.
"Both of you."
Orm walked toward her.
"Why are you really here?"
Lingling's expression became serious.
"Because I have something to tell you."
Orm's heart jumped.
"What?"
Lingling reached for her hands.
"My company transferred me."
Orm blinked.
"Transferred you?"
"Yes."
"Where?"
Lingling smiled.
"Bangkok."
Orm froze.
Lingling continued.
"The firm opened a new Bangkok branch."
Orm stared at her.
"They asked me to head the engineering division."
She swallowed.
"So..."
Lingling squeezed Orm's hands.
"I'll be working here."
Orm's mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
Lingling laughed softly.
"Orm?"
"You..."
Orm's eyes immediately filled with tears.
"You're staying?"
Lingling nodded.
"I'm staying."
"For how long?"
Lingling smiled.
"Indefinitely."
Orm covered her mouth.
"No more Paris?"
"I'll still have projects there occasionally."
Lingling stepped closer.
"But my base is Bangkok now."
Orm started crying.
"You're really here."
"I'm really here."
"No more waiting for your calls."
"No more."
"No more waking up alone."
"No more."
"No more counting time zones."
Lingling shook her head.
"No more."
Orm laughed through her tears.
"You're really staying."
Lingling wrapped her arms around her.
"I'm staying."
Orm cried against her shoulder.
And Lingling held her.
Not as a temporary visitor.
Not as someone passing through.
But as someone who had finally found her way back.
-
Breakfast became an entirely different experience.
Orm insisted on cooking.
Lingling insisted on helping.
Orm refused.
Lingling sat at the kitchen counter and watched her.
"You know," Lingling said, "I missed this."
Orm glanced at her.
"What?"
"Watching you cook."
"You watched me cook before."
"I know."
"So why did you miss it?"
"Because I missed watching you do ordinary things."
Orm stopped chopping.
Her eyes softened.
Lingling smiled.
"I missed the little things."
Orm turned back toward the stove.