The Twins Chronicles

It was supposed to be a normal day.

Lingling was seated in the living room, gracefully flipping through a stack of documents, exuding an air of effortless control. The twins, Sirilak and Norrawan, were happily playing nearby, occasionally babbling to each other in their adorable toddler language.

Orm was in the kitchen, focused on making snacks, and Becky and Freen had, as usual, stopped by under the guise of "visiting the children" but were, in reality, there to witness—and encourage—toddler chaos.

Everything was peaceful. Calm. Predictable.

And then—it happened.

Freen, ever the agent of chaos, smirked as she leaned lazily against the couch, watching Lingling shuffle through her papers like an overworked CEO preparing for a board meeting.

"You know, Ling, you kind of have dad energy."

Lingling's hand froze mid-page turn. Slowly, she turned her head, an eyebrow arching dangerously.

"Excuse me?"

Becky perked up instantly, already sensing the potential for entertainment.

Freen, completely unbothered by Lingling's icy tone, waved a hand casually. "I mean, think about it. You're the overprotective, slightly scary, rich, secretly soft parent. That's total dad behavior."

"I am NOT a dad, Freen."

"I dunno..." Freen tilted her head, pretending to consider it. "Ling-Dad has a nice ring to it."

"STOP THAT."

"Ling-Dad."

"FREEN, I SWEAR—"

And then—

From across the room—

Two tiny voices echoed back the words.

"Ling-Dad!"

The room fell into complete silence.

Lingling's face went blank.

Orm, peeking in from the kitchen, blinked in shock.

Becky, mouth full of chips, gasped dramatically.

Freen, eyes widening in absolute delight, covered her mouth with both hands like she had just discovered the meaning of life.

And then—

Sirilak pointed a chubby little finger straight at Lingling.

"Ling-Dad!"

Norrawan, not to be outdone, nodded very seriously. "Ling-Dad!"

Lingling felt her soul leave her body.

"NO."

"YES," Freen wheezed, already losing it.

"NOT YES. ABSOLUTELY NOT YES."

Orm had to clutch the countertop to keep herself from falling over, laughing. "Oh my god, they actually picked it up."

"THIS IS A NIGHTMARE."

Becky, practically vibrating with joy, grabbed her phone. "Say it again, babies!"

Sirilak, delighted at the attention, clapped her hands and declared, "Ling-Dad!"

Lingling grabbed a pillow and screamed into it.

Lingling dropped to her knees in front of the twins, her hands on their tiny shoulders, her voice the most serious it had ever been.

"Sirilak. Norrawan. Listen to Mom."

The twins blinked at her in innocent confusion. Then, as if conspiring, they looked at each other.

"Ling-Dad!"

"No. No, no, no. NOT LING-DAD. JUST MOM."

Norrawan tilted her head, considering. "Ling-Dad... Mom?"

"NO, NO 'DAD.' JUST MOM."

Sirilak, ever the instigator, giggled. "Ling... Dad-Mom?"

Lingling clutched her head in pure existential despair. "WHAT IS HAPPENING?!"

Freen, wiping a tear from her eye from how hard she was laughing, clapped her hands together. "Oh, this is so much better than I imagined."

Orm, finally taking pity on her suffering wife, knelt beside her and gave the twins a soft, encouraging smile. "Okay, girls, let's say 'Mom,' okay?"

Sirilak stared at Orm. Blinked.

Then, with the most determined expression ever—

Shook her head. "No. Ling-Dad."

Becky actually fell off the couch.

Lingling turned to Orm, looking utterly defeated.

"I am going to change my name."

That night, Lingling lay in bed, her arms crossed, staring at the ceiling like she had just experienced an existential crisis.

Orm, still giggling to herself every few minutes, finally turned over and poked Lingling's cheek.

"Babe, you okay?"

Lingling turned her head just enough to glare at her.

"No. My own children have betrayed me."

Orm tried to smother another laugh but failed. "It's just a phase, love."

"WHAT IF IT'S NOT?!"

Orm snuggled closer, pressing a soft kiss to her temple. "Then you'll be the coolest Ling-Dad ever."

Lingling let out a long, exhausted sigh, throwing an arm dramatically over her face.

"This is my villain origin story."

Orm chuckled, pulling the blanket over both of them. "You'll survive."

"I won't."

"You will."

Lingling groaned. "You don't understand. If I let this happen, Freen wins."

"You do realize you're acting like she declared war on your empire, right?"

"IT'S BASICALLY THE SAME THING."

Orm just laughed, kissing her cheek again.

"Go to sleep, Ling-Dad."

Lingling let out an offended gasp. "YOU TOO?!"

Orm giggled, hiding under the blanket before Lingling could retaliate.

Just as Lingling was finally beginning to drift off to sleep, resigned to her fate, convinced that the madness was over—

A tiny, whisper-soft voice crackled through the baby monitor.

"Ling-Dad."

Lingling shot upright.

Orm, already half-asleep, lazily cracked an eye open.

"Babe, don't do it—"

But it was too late.

Lingling grabbed her pillow and screamed into it.

And from the baby monitor—

Another tiny whisper.

"Ling-Dad."

Orm gave up, burying her face into the mattress as silent laughter shook her entire body.

Lingling, dramatically flopping back against the pillows, groaned.

"I am never going to win again, am I?"

Orm reached over, still giggling, and laced her fingers with Lingling's.

"Nope."

Lingling sighed.

Orm squeezed her hand.

Lingling squeezed back.

And despite all the chaos, despite the betrayal of her own flesh and blood, despite Freen ruining her life one joke at a time—

Lingling couldn't help but smile.

Lingling sat beside Norrawan's bed, gently brushing her tiny curls back, feeling an overwhelming warmth in her chest. These were her daughters, her pride and joy. Being their mother was her greatest honor and tonight, she was about to bask in their love.

"Wan, time to sleep," she murmured, tucking the blanket around her.

Norrawan, already snuggled up, beamed.

"Mom kiss!" she demanded, stretching her tiny arms out.

Lingling smiled, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead.

Norrawan giggled, then suddenly grabbed Lingling's face with her little hands and planted the wettest, sloppiest toddler kiss on her cheek.

Lingling nearly melted into a puddle right then and there.

"Love Mom!" Norrawan declared proudly, eyes sparkling with joy.

Lingling felt her heart explode.

"I love you too, baby," she whispered, feeling like the most cherished mother in the universe.

This was it.

This was her moment.

She was winning.

Lingling then approached Sirilak's bed with the confidence of a mother who had just been showered with love.

Norrawan had just given her the most precious, slobbery toddler kiss, declared her undying love, and wrapped her tiny arms around her like she was the best thing in the world.

Lingling was winning.

She was at the top of the parental leaderboard.

So, naturally, she expected Sirilak to follow suit.

She sat beside her second-born, smoothing out her blanket, her smile warm and full of maternal affection.

"Lilak, time for Mom's kiss."

Sirilak, hugging her stuffed panda, looked up at her.

And then—without hesitation, without remorse, without an ounce of consideration—

She turned her head away.

Like Lingling didn't even exist.

Lingling froze.

"Excuse me?"

Sirilak slowly turned back just enough to look Lingling in the eye.

And then, with the calmest, most uninterested expression—

"No."

From the doorway, Orm, who had been sipping her water, nearly choked.

Lingling leaned in, her voice softer now, more pleading.

"Lilak, sweetheart, Mom needs her goodnight kiss."

Sirilak simply blinked.

Then, channeling every drop of Lingling's DNA, every ounce of unshakable Kwong composure, she repeated—

"No."

Lingling clutched her chest like she had just been physically wounded.

"I HAVE BEEN REJECTED."

Orm was on the verge of passing out from laughter.

"Babe, I think you just got a taste of your own medicine."

Lingling whipped around, pointing aggressively at Sirilak.

"THIS IS A BETRAYAL. I WAS THERE SINCE DAY ONE."

Orm, barely keeping herself together, grinned. "Technically, I carried them for nine months."

"IRRELEVANT."

Sirilak, completely unbothered, rolled over and snuggled her stuffed panda, tucking herself in.

"No kiss, Mom," she murmured sleepily.

Lingling turned to Orm, wild-eyed and desperate.

"FIX THIS."

Orm, still giggling, knelt beside Sirilak's bed.

"Lilak, baby, does Mama get a kiss?"

Sirilak immediately turned back and held out her tiny arms.

"Yes, Mama!"

Lingling gasped.

"WHAT?!"

Lingling, in absolute heartbreak, clutched her chest.

"I AM OFFICIALLY THE LEAST FAVORITE PARENT."

Orm pressed a smug kiss to Sirilak's forehead. "Goodnight, my love."

Sirilak hugged Orm's arm tightly.

"Love Mama," she whispered, her tiny voice filled with warmth.

Lingling gasped even louder.

"WHAT?!!"

Orm, grinning ear to ear, turned to Lingling. "Not my fault you made a mini-you."

Lingling groaned, flopping dramatically onto the bed.

Lingling took a deep, steadying breath.

She refused to be defeated by a two-year-old.

She leaned in one last time, gathering every ounce of maternal warmth and affection.

"Lilak, please? One little kiss for Mom?"

Sirilak slowly turned her head back.

Lingling smiled, hopeful.

Only for Sirilak to raise her tiny hand...

...and gently push Lingling's face away.

Firmly.

Calmly.

Coldly.

Like a CEO dismissing an unworthy intern.

"No, Mom."

Lingling staggered back like she had been SHOVED off a cliff.

"SHE PUSHED ME AWAY. SHE PHYSICALLY REMOVED ME."

Orm collapsed onto the bed, shaking with laughter.

Lingling pointed at Sirilak, dramatic as ever.

"YOU BETRAYED ME."

Sirilak yawned.

"No, Mom."

Lingling, utterly shattered, flopped onto the floor.

"I AM NOT SURVIVING THIS CHILD."

That night, Lingling lay in bed, sulking aggressively.

Orm, still in the best mood of her life, kissed her cheek.

"You okay, babe?"

"No."

Orm chuckled. "She's just independent, like you."

"SHE HATES ME."

"She's TWO."

"AND SHE ALREADY REJECTED ME. IT'S OVER, ORM."

Orm giggled, kissing her again.

"I still love you."

"AT LEAST SOMEONE DOES."

Orm snorted, pulling Lingling into her arms.

"Come here, you big baby."

Lingling groaned into the pillow.

And just as she finally started to drift off in her dramatic self-pity—

A tiny voice crackled through the baby monitor.

A sleepy, innocent little voice.

"Ling-Dad."

Lingling shot upright so fast she nearly knocked Orm off the bed.

Orm, half-asleep, cracked an eye open.

"Babe, don't do it—"

But it was too late.

Lingling grabbed her pillow and screamed into it.

From the baby monitor—

Another tiny whisper.

"Ling-Dad."

Orm, cackling into the pillow.

"Oh my god, she did."

Lingling collapsed back onto the bed.

"I have lost. Again."

Orm kissed her cheek, still grinning.

"You'll live."

Lingling let out one final, defeated sigh.

"...Barely."

The Grandparents visit

The moment they arrived, Madame Kwong knelt down with open arms, an elegant smile gracing her face.

"Come here, my sweet girls!"

Norrawan immediately ran toward her, arms wide open, giggling as she launched herself into her grandmother's embrace.

"Grandmama!"

Madame Kwong melted on the spot. "Oh, my little sunshine! You're so full of love!"

Lingling sighed in relief. One child was affectionate. This was good. This was normal.

Then, Madame Kwong turned to Sirilak, expecting the same enthusiasm.

She was sorely mistaken.

Sirilak stood perfectly still.

Her arms were crossed.

Her tiny, unimpressed face exuded absolute authority.

She tilted her head slightly, calculating, analyzing.

And then—

In the calmest, most indifferent voice imaginable—

"...Hi."

The entire room paused.

Lingling's father choked on his tea.

Madame Kwong blinked.

And then—

She burst out laughing.

"Oh. Oh my god. She's YOU."

Lingling groaned. "Don't say that."

"LOOK AT HER! THE ATTITUDE! THE STANCE! THE JUDGMENTAL EYEBROWS!"

Lingling massaged her temples. "Mother, please—"

"THIS IS YOUR KARMA, LINGLING!"

Her father nodded in agreement, still recovering from his tea mishap. "I always said you'd get a child just like you. And here she is."

"I AM NOTHING LIKE THAT."

Sirilak, still deadpan: "Mom, yes."

Lingling gasped.

Orm, barely holding in her laughter, whispered, "Oh my god."

Madame Kwong was not letting this go.

She sat on the couch, wiping away tears of laughter, completely delighted.

"I just—this is so unreal. Lilak, darling, do you like hugs?"

Sirilak blinked.

"No."

Madame Kwong grinned, eyes shining with mischief.

"Lingling, do you like hugs?"

Lingling shifted uncomfortably. "That is not relevant—"

"LINGLING, YOU HATED BEING HUGGED AS A CHILD."

Lingling's father nodded. "She used to avoid them like they were bad business contracts."

Orm snorted. "I can confirm that's still true."

Lingling glared at her. "You married me. Accept it."

Meanwhile, on the other end of the spectrum, Norrawan was bouncing on her grandmother's lap, giggling and radiating sunshine.

"Grandmama play!" she cheered, hugging her grandmother's entire face.

Madame Kwong cooed, holding her tight. "Oh, sweet pea, you are so different from your sister. You love hugs! And games! And joy!"

Norrawan clapped her tiny hands. "Wan happy!"

Lingling's father leaned back, observing them carefully.

"So one child is Lingling, and the other is Orm."

"Yes," Orm grinned. "Balanced parenting."

"No," Lingling sighed. "This is a nightmare."

As the visit continued, Madame Kwong tried one last time to get some warmth out of Sirilak.

"Lilak, darling, do you like cookies?"

Sirilak nodded once.

Madame Kwong smiled. "Do you want one?"

Another silent nod.

Madame Kwong held up the cookie, her voice sweet and persuasive.

"Then say, 'please, Grandmama,' sweetly."

Sirilak blinked once.

Then, in the driest, most monotone voice ever recorded in history—

"Please, Grandmama."

Madame Kwong screamed with laughter.

"SHE EVEN SAYS IT LIKE YOU USED TO! LINGLING, HELP ME!"

Lingling massaged her temples. "I don't see the resemblance."

"YOU DON'T SEE—LINGLING, SHE JUST NEGOTIATED A COOKIE LIKE A CEO IN TRAINING!"

Lingling's father patted her shoulder. "You'll survive. Probably."

Orm, still grinning, nudged Lingling. "She's thriving, actually. I think Lilak's going to be our future businesswoman."

"Over my dead body," Lingling muttered.

Meanwhile, Norrawan had climbed onto her grandfather's lap and was now spinning in circles, laughing.

"Wan go zoo! See tiger!"

Lingling's father chuckled. "Oh, you want to go to the zoo, little one?"

"YES! TIGER BIG RAWR!"

Madame Kwong sighed happily, running a gentle hand through Norrawan's curls. "This one is just pure sunshine."

"She takes after Mama," Orm said proudly, pressing a kiss to Norrawan's forehead.

Lingling turned to Sirilak, who was calmly eating her cookie with the poise of a business executive in a board meeting.

"And this one takes after you," Lingling's father added, amused.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Lingling lied.

Orm nudged her again, smirking. "Babe, face it. You have been cloned."

That night, after the grandparents had left, Lingling sat on the couch, staring at the ceiling.

Orm, curled up beside her, cuddling close. "Babe, you okay?"

"No."

"Because you realized Sirilak is a mini-you?"

"She is... too powerful."

Orm giggled. "And Norrawan is a mini-me. Which means she's going to get away with everything."

Lingling groaned into her hands.

"I AM SURROUNDED BY LAWLESS INDIVIDUALS."

Orm kissed her cheek. "You love us, though."

Lingling sighed dramatically.

"Against my better judgment."

Orm laughed softly, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"You wouldn't trade us for anything."

Lingling grumbled, but her fingers gently traced slow, lazy circles on Orm's back.

And just as she finally started to relax—

A familiar, calm, serious voice crackled through the baby monitor.

"Ling-Dad."

Lingling sat up instantly.

"DID SHE JUST CALL ME LING-DAD AGAIN?"

Orm burst into laughter, burying her face in the pillow.

"I love our kids."

Lingling flopped onto the couch, groaning into her hands.

She was never winning this battle.