Undone by Time | LINGORM

Rediscovery

She paused for a moment, her chest tightening, thinking about that time of her life where her future was so uncertain.

"At first, I didn't think much of it. But as I realised I was going to.. stay there, for Mei, and I was going to keep a low profile, I figured I had to find something else to do.  She needed someone to help her. Initially, I just helped with the cash flow, planning, operations, setting up contracts. But then.. I don't know. It became something bigger. When we spoke about designing something new, I thought about dolls. And after I designed my first one, she liked the idea, and soon after, we were dispatching the products all over China and beyond."

Orm watched her, fascinated. "Do you miss doing it?" she asked softly. 

Ling shook her head, "Not really, it was a good way to distract myself with something new, sure. And it turned out great for profits, without the need to be in the middle of the entertainment business."

Orm hummed in acknowledgment. 

Ling cleared her throat. "You know.. The first few years, I kept watching you from afar."

Orm raised a brow. "You did?"

Ling gave her a small smirk. "Of course. You never left the industry. You stayed. You thrived. And I couldn't help myself but watch your achievements. I was so proud of you."

Orm looked at her, something unreadable in her yes, "You never told me that. And.. I was just doing what I knew best."

Ling studied her. "Were you.. happy?"

Orm hesitated, thinking back to the years spent under bright lights, red carpets, flashing cameras. Always moving, never stopping.

"I was.. existing, but after you left, it never felt the same. I refused to be paired with anybody else that wasn't you, so eventually, they started proposing me only other types of projects." Orm admitted quietly. "I loved the craft, and I still do, but sometimes, I'd be on set, in between takes, and I'd just.. wonder. I'd look at the crowd, at the people watching, and I'd think, 'Will she watch me too?'"

Ling's throat tightened.

Orm let out a soft chuckle. "Turns out, you were."

Ling nodded, a bittersweet smile playing on her lips. "More than you know."

Orm tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

Ling hesitated, then exhaled. "There's something I never told you."

Orm frowned slightly. "What is it?"

Ling licked her lips, almost sheepish. "You told me that Mei showed you her dolls, right?"

Orm blinked. "Yeah?"

Ling inhaled. "There was one doll. The one you recognised, 'Princess'. That was the first one I made, thinking of you. But Mei doesn't have the entire collection, obviously. However.. there are more, out there, inspired by your characters in other movies."

Orm was caught completely off guard.

She sat up slightly, "You designed more inspired by me?!"

Ling nodded.

Orm's breath hitched.

Ling sighed, running a hand through her hair. "It was something I did for myself. For years, I could barely say your name out loud. I couldn't have anything of you. But I could make something that reminded me of you. Something that kept you in my orbit, somehow."

Orm stilled.

Ling let out a small, breathy laugh. "It was.. stupid, probably. But at the time, it was the only thing that made sense. You weren't there, but I could create something inspired by you."