Undone by Time | LINGORM

In the first couple of weeks after Ling left the hospital, the time spent together had been different from anything they had ever experienced before.

They had time. 

Without interruptions related to work, without pressure, without running around. 

The circumstances weren't perfect, Lingling was still in too much pain, but at least, for once, they had an opportunity to spend time together. And that was comforting. 

They reclaimed the pleasure of lazy mornings tangled in the sofa. The pleasure of simple things like playing cards. Of reading a book. 

There was something about the stillness of those days that felt like rediscovery.

Ling couldn't do much, but somehow, she was still able to do small things that made Orm's heart flutter.

Many of those mornings, Ling had made a habit of writing small notes full of love, and leave them underneath Orm's pillow. Orm would find them when she was making the bed, and she'd smile softly, reading them and collecting them in a small box. 

Ling had gone back to play the guitar, something she always loved but never had time to do.

Orm loved listening to Ling's singing and playing. She'd find herself doing something in the kitchen, and all of a sudden she'd hear Ling's soft voice, singing and playing.  

It was always a slow tune, something romantic, something that Ling was singing for her, glancing at her every so often. 

"I'll take you way back, countless centuries

Don't you remember that you were meant to be

My Queen of Hearts, meant to be my love

Through all of my lives

I'd never thought I'd wait so long for you

The timing is right

The stars are aligned"

Orm would smile, glancing back, completely enamoured.

And for once, they had time to talk, to fill the blanks of seven years apart. To talk about mundane things.

One of those afternoons, the apartment was quiet. The TV was playing a new show, but neither of them was really paying attention.

Ling was curled up in the corner of the couch, her legs stretched across Orm's lap. Orm's fingers absentmindedly traced along her shin, slow and comforting, as they settled into one of those quiet moments.

Orm tilted her head, watching Ling with a small, knowing smile. "You know, for someone who built a whole company in Hong Kong, I feel like you never really told me the full story."

Ling glanced at her, intrigued. "What part?"

Orm hummed. "All of it. One day you were an actress, and the next, you were a businesswoman designing toys and collectibles. How did that happen?"

Ling exhaled a quiet laugh. "It wasn't that simple."

Orm smirked. "I figured. You always hated business meetings."

Ling scoffed, nudging Orm with her foot. "That's true."

Orm chuckled. "So? How'd it happen?"

Ling sighed, shifting slightly. "Yan. We were old friends, before I moved to Thailand when I was seventeen. We reconnected when I stayed in Hong Kong for the first few months. She had this idea of starting a small design company."