Wild Days

The mall was bustling, a hum of activity filling the air as Orm and Lingling strolled through the wide, glossy halls, their hands casually intertwined. It was their rare day off, a chance to relax without the constant demands of the café or Lingling's corporate empire. Orm carried only her phone, while Lingling, despite her protests, had ended up holding all the shopping bags.

"You're sure this is necessary?" Lingling asked, glancing at the growing pile in her hands. "You've bought enough for a small army."

Orm smirked. "You're the one who said you wanted to come along. Besides, you look cute playing bag carrier."

Lingling's lips twitched, but she kept her icy composure. "I'm being practical. You were struggling."

Orm laughed, leaning into her. "Sure, Ling. Very practical of you."

As they turned the corner into a trendy boutique, Orm suddenly stopped short. Standing by a rack of leather jackets was someone she hadn't seen in years—her ex, Riri. Tall, confident, and still rocking her signature leather jacket and tousled hair, Riri spotted Orm immediately and broke into a grin.

"Orm? Is that you?"

"Riri," Orm said, her tone surprised but warm. "Wow, it's been a while."

Riri sauntered over, her smile widening. "You look amazing. Still running the café?"

"Yep, still at it," Orm replied, glancing briefly at Lingling, whose expression had turned noticeably colder.

"And who's this?" Riri asked, her tone friendly but with a hint of curiosity.

Lingling stepped forward, her posture radiating authority. "Lingling Kwong. Girlfriend."

Before Riri could respond, another voice cut through the tension. "Riri, is that you?"

Becky appeared from a neighboring store, her eyes lighting up as she spotted Riri. "I knew I recognized that jacket."

Riri broke into a grin. "Becky! Still causing trouble?"

"Always," Becky replied, pulling Riri into a quick hug. "What brings you here?"

"Just browsing," Riri said, her tone casual. "And catching up with old friends, apparently."

Becky smirked, glancing between Riri and Lingling. "Well, this is interesting. Orm, you didn't mention we'd be running into your ex today."

Orm rubbed the back of her neck. "I didn't know we would."

"Small world," Riri said with a shrug. "And who could forget Orm? She's kind of unforgettable."

Lingling's eyes narrowed slightly. "Isn't she?"

Becky, sensing the tension, decided to stir the pot further. "So, Riri, still swooning over Orm? Or are you just here to remind her how charming she is?"

Riri chuckled, her smirk deepening. "I think Lingling's got that covered, but I've got to say, Orm, you still light up a room. Must be that smile—it's as dazzling as ever."

Lingling's jaw tightened, and Orm coughed lightly, clearly amused by the tension. "Thanks, Riri."

Riri wasn't done, though. "I can't help but recall our wild days together," she said, her tone teasing but unmistakably deliberate. "Late nights, lots of energy... let's just say coffee wasn't the only thing keeping us awake."

"Good times," Orm echoed, chuckling softly.

Lingling's tone was icy. "It sounds... exhausting. Patience like that must be rare."

Riri's smirk widened as she caught Lingling's glare. "I'll let you two enjoy your day. Orm, take care of yourself. Lingling, good luck keeping this one in line."

Lingling's smile was tight. "Luck isn't necessary."

Riri gave a small wave before walking off, but not before throwing one last wink at Orm. Becky watched her go with an amused look before turning to Lingling. "Well, that was fun. She really knows how to push your buttons, doesn't she?"

"Fun isn't the word I'd use," Lingling muttered, her hand slipping possessively around Orm's waist.

Freen arrived just in time to catch the tail end of the scene, holding a pretzel and looking thoroughly entertained. "What did I miss?"

"Oh, just Riri," Becky said breezily. "Orm's charming ex. Lingling here handled it with her usual grace."

"By grace, she means barely concealed murder," Orm added, laughing.

Freen snorted, taking a bite of her pretzel. "Lingling? Jealous? Shocker."

Lingling gave Freen a pointed look. "I'm not jealous. I'm protective."

"Sure," Freen teased, grinning. "Protective of what, though? Orm's heart, or her impressive leather jacket history?"

Becky cackled, leaning on Freen for support. "I can't believe you said that."

"Someone had to," Freen replied, unfazed.

Orm shook her head, still laughing, and gently tugged Lingling closer. "Relax, Ling. You're the only one who matters."

Lingling exhaled, her posture softening slightly. "I know. But it's good to remind people sometimes."

When they were finally alone, walking through the quieter part of the mall, Lingling glanced at Orm with a raised eyebrow. "Wild days, huh?"

Orm burst out laughing, gently squeezing Lingling's hand. "Oh, come on, Ling. You know Riri was just messing with you."

"So, there weren't any 'wild days' at all?" Lingling asked, her tone still icy but laced with curiosity.

Orm grinned, shaking her head. "The 'wild days' she's talking about were all-night café shifts and debates over the best espresso blend. One time, we stayed up way too late rearranging the café furniture. It was about as wild as a tea party."

Lingling narrowed her eyes, her lips twitching into a reluctant smirk. "So, no late-night escapades or forbidden romance?"

"None," Orm said firmly, her voice filled with amusement. "Unless you count her terrible latte art as scandalous."

Lingling huffed, but her smirk grew. "She's lucky I'm not the jealous type."

Orm raised an eyebrow. "Oh, not at all, huh?"

Lingling gave her a pointed look but didn't respond, instead intertwining their fingers more tightly. "You're lucky I love you."

"Very lucky," Orm said, her grin softening as she leaned closer to Lingling. "And just for the record, I wouldn't trade one second of my 'wild days' with you for anything."

After a beat of silence, she glanced at Orm, her voice quieter. "Do you ever think about her? About why it ended?"

Orm turned to face Lingling fully, a reassuring smile on her lips. "Not really. Riri and I broke up because it wasn't working. We wanted different things, and honestly, it was mutual in the sense that we both knew it was time to move on."

Lingling studied her, the tension in her shoulders easing further. "And now?"

Orm reached out, taking Lingling's hand in hers. "Now, I'm exactly where I want to be. With you. No doubts, no second thoughts. You're it for me, Ling."

Later that evening, Becky texted Orm: "Lingling really said 'I own this mall and Orm too.' Iconic. I need a replay."

Orm replied with a selfie of her and Lingling on the couch, cuddled up. Becky's response came instantly: "Relieved and disgusted at the same time. Get a room, you two."

Orm laughed, showing Lingling the text. "Becky's still Becky."

Lingling rolled her eyes but smirked. "She's lucky I'm in a good mood."