Chapter 11: Chapter 10 : New Morning

The soft morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room. Orm stirred, slowly waking up. For a moment, she felt the familiar weight of blankets and warmth beside her—Lingling. They had both fallen asleep on the couch, curled up together after the emotional exhaustion of the night before.

Lingling's presence was a quiet comfort, her soft breathing blending into the stillness of the apartment. Orm stayed still, not wanting to disturb her, but her mind wandered back to the events of the previous night. Lingling's vulnerability, the way she had opened up—it was a side of her that Orm was still wrapping her head around.

A faint rustling sound broke the silence, and Orm's eyes fluttered open fully. Lingling was no longer beside her. Instead, the sound came from the kitchen. Orm turned her head, her gaze following the source of the noise. There, through the doorway, she could see Lingling moving quietly, her back to the couch as she worked on something—probably tea or breakfast.

Orm stretched, the stiffness of the couch reminding her of their impromptu decision to stay here for the night. She sat up slowly, blinking away the remnants of sleep. Lingling seemed to sense the movement and turned around, her eyes meeting Orm’s.

“Morning, sleepyhead,” Lingling said with a grin, not looking up from her screen. “I almost thought you’d sleep through lunch.”

“Morning,” Orm murmured, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. She caught sight of a steaming cup of tea waiting for her on the table. “Did you make this?”

“Sort of,” Lingling said with a mischievous smile. “I went out to get breakfast while you were still dreaming about cake battles.”

Orm blinked. “Cake battles?”

Lingling shrugged, her grin widening. “You know, you versus Kai, round two. Winner gets to clean up the mess.”

Orm groaned, leaning back into the couch. “You’re really not going to let that go, are you?”

“Not a chance,” Lingling said, laughing. “But hey, I had my own little adventure this morning.”

Orm took a sip of tea, her curiosity piqued. “What happened?”

“Well,” Lingling began, leaning back with a playful glint in her eye, “I went to that bakery down the street to grab these pastries. You’d think it’d be a peaceful morning, right? Nope. Two uncles started arguing over who got the last loaf of bread.”

Orm raised an eyebrow, already amused. “Seriously? Over bread?”

“Dead serious,” Lingling said, nodding. “One guy even tried to sneak it into his bag when the other wasn’t looking. The baker had to step in like a referee at a wrestling match.”

Orm chuckled. “And what happened to the bread?”

“Oh, the baker split it in half and gave each of them a piece. They both walked away grumbling like kids forced to share.”

Orm burst out laughing, nearly spilling her tea. “That’s so ridiculous!”

“I know, right?” Lingling said, shaking her head. “And here I was, just trying to pay for these pastries while avoiding the crossfire. It was like a breakfast soap opera.”

Orm laughed harder, her shoulders shaking. “Only you could witness something that dramatic before 9 a.m.”

Lingling smirked, satisfied that she’d brightened Orm’s mood. “Well, it makes for good storytelling, doesn’t it? And now you’re smiling, so my mission’s complete.”

Orm smiled, warmth spreading through her chest. “Thanks for this, Lingling. Really. You didn’t have to.”

Lingling waved her off. “Hey, that’s what friends are for, right? Plus, after everything yesterday, you deserve a little pampering.”

Orm hesitated, her expression softening. “You’re kind of amazing, you know that?”

Lingling grinned. “I know. Now hurry up and eat before the pastries get cold. And no, I didn’t drop them on anyone’s face.”

Orm laughed again, feeling lighter than she had in days.

---

The warm light of the morning poured into the spacious living room of Orm’s family home. Her parents were seated at the dining table, enjoying their morning tea. Lingling and Orm had just walked in, both looking slightly disheveled from the previous day’s emotional rollercoaster.

Orm’s mom glanced up, a teasing smile already forming on her face. “Oh, look who decided to come back home,” she said, setting her cup down. “I’m guessing you two had quite the night?”

Her dad chuckled, shaking his head. “I hope you didn’t get into too much trouble. Or maybe you did, considering how tired you both look.”

Lingling opened her mouth to respond, but Orm quickly stepped in. “Good morning, Mom. Morning, Dad,” she said, her tone neutral. Avoiding their knowing looks, she brushed past them. “I’m going to get ready,” she muttered, making her way upstairs to her shared room with Lingling.

Lingling lingered for a moment, unsure whether to follow Orm or engage with her parents. Orm’s dad broke the silence, his expression turning serious.

“Lingling,” he said, taking a sip of his tea, “you should get ready quickly. There’s an important meeting coming up, and we’ll need you there.”

Lingling blinked, caught off guard. “Oh, okay,” she said, nodding politely. “I’ll be ready soon.”

Orm’s mom gave her a warm smile. “Take your time, dear. You’ll do great.”

Lingling nodded again before heading upstairs to join Orm. As she climbed the steps, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something significant was about to happen.

---

Lingling entered the room to find Orm sitting on the edge of the bed, her posture slouched, eyes fixed on the floor. The air in the room felt heavy, mirroring Orm’s mood.

Lingling frowned but quickly decided she wasn’t going to let Orm brood. She kicked off her shoes, bounded over to the bed, and launched herself onto it with a dramatic flop.

“Oh my gosh!” Lingling exclaimed, her arms and legs spread wide as she sunk into the plush mattress. “This is... wow! Is this even a bed? It’s like a giant marshmallow!”

Orm glanced at her, startled, but said nothing. Lingling wasn’t deterred.

“Orm!” she gasped, rolling onto her side and clutching the duvet dramatically. “How do you sleep on this? I’d never leave. I’d turn into a potato and live here forever. Look at me—I’m officially part of the bed now!”

Orm’s lips twitched as she tried to hold back a smile. “You’re so weird.”

“Weird? No. Appreciative? Absolutely,” Lingling shot back, rolling onto her stomach and burying her face into the soft bedding. She peeked up at Orm with wide, playful eyes. “How are you not lying here right now? Seriously, this bed deserves to be worshipped.”

Orm let out a soft laugh, her shoulders relaxing for the first time all morning. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Ridiculously cute, I know,” Lingling quipped with a grin before flopping onto her back again, spreading her arms and legs like a starfish. “Come on, Orm! Life is too short to sit on the edge of the bed. Join me in marshmallow heaven!”

Orm shook her head, a small but genuine smile forming. “You’re like a child, you know that?”

“Maybe,” Lingling said, grinning proudly, “but at least I’m a happy child. You should try it sometime.”

Orm stared at her for a moment, her smile softening. Without saying a word, she stood up, walked over to the other side of the bed, and laid down—right under Lingling’s outstretched arms.

Lingling froze, her heart skipping a beat as Orm rested her head against her arm, closing her eyes.

“Orm?” Lingling asked, her voice slightly nervous and filled with confusion. “Are you... okay?”

“Shh,” Orm mumbled, her tone calm but firm. “Just for five minutes.”

Lingling’s eyes widened as a blush crept onto her cheeks. Her initial nervousness was quickly replaced by a giddy excitement. She stared at Orm, unsure what to do with her other hand, which awkwardly hovered above Orm’s head.

“Five minutes?” Lingling repeated softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Hmm,” Orm hummed, snuggling a little closer, her eyes remaining closed. “Don’t ruin it, Lingling.”

Lingling swallowed the lump in her throat, her lips quirking into a shy smile. Carefully, she let her arm settle gently around Orm, her fingers lightly brushing against her shoulder.

The room was quiet for a moment, save for the soft sound of their breathing. Lingling’s heart raced, but she didn’t move, savoring the moment.

“You’re really warm,” Orm muttered, her voice muffled but content.

Lingling’s face turned an even deeper shade of red. She bit her lip, trying to suppress the giggle bubbling up inside her. “And you’re... um, heavier than I thought.”

Orm cracked one eye open to give her a mock glare. “Don’t push it, Lingling.”

Lingling burst into quiet laughter, her nervousness melting into something lighter, happier. She relaxed, her fingers unconsciously brushing through Orm’s hair as they lay there in silence.

And for the first time all morning, Orm felt like everything was going to be okay.

---

Just as Lingling was starting to settle into the moment, Orm’s phone buzzed loudly on the bedside table, breaking the peaceful silence. Orm stirred, her eyes fluttering open. For a second, she remained in the same position, lying on Lingling’s arm, as though reluctant to leave the warmth and calm of the moment.

Lingling, her heart still racing, smiled softly but didn’t move, letting Orm take her time.

But then the buzzing persisted, louder now, as Orm's assistant’s name flashed on the screen.

Orm sighed, her hand brushing over her face as she quickly sat up. “Ugh, I should’ve turned it off.”

Lingling smiled, watching her move to grab the phone. Orm answered it, her voice sharp and professional despite the grogginess lingering in her tone.

“Hello?” she spoke into the phone, her eyes still locked on Lingling, who had propped herself up on her elbows.

Lingling smiled softly, a sense of realization dawning on her. The office meeting. The one they had been rushing about earlier in the day. She straightened up, quickly glancing at the clock.

“Looks like I need to get going,” Lingling murmured, stretching a little as she slipped off the bed.

Orm nodded at her, her voice low as she spoke into the phone. “I’ll be there in twenty. Make sure everything’s set up for the meeting.”

Lingling quickly went to the bathroom to get ready. As she stepped out of the room a few minutes later, she found Orm already standing by the door, her phone pressed against her ear as she discussed work details with her assistant.

Lingling adjusted her bag over her shoulder and gave Orm a quick smile. “I guess we’ve both got our own things today,” she said, her tone slightly reluctant but still upbeat.

Orm finished her call and nodded, setting her phone down. She walked toward Lingling, their eyes locking for a moment.

“I’ll see you later then?” Orm asked, the question soft but filled with warmth.

“Yeah,” Lingling replied, her lips curling into a smile. “Good luck with your meeting.”

Orm smiled back, a genuine and appreciative look crossing her face. “You too. Don’t forget about the paperwork.”

Lingling nodded, slightly rolling her eyes, but the smile never left her face.

With one final look at Orm, Lingling turned and headed for the door, feeling a little lighter now that she’d shared that quiet moment with Orm. As she walked out, she couldn’t help but feel excited for when their busy days would finally end, and they could find time for more quiet moments together.

Both of them left for their respective work, the quiet but comforting knowledge of each other lingering in the back of their minds.

_to be continued_