Orm Kornnaphat considered herself a relatively put-together person. She was a marketing student with a decent internship, a tidy tiny apartment in the city, and a schedule that mostly made sense—at least when her professors weren’t throwing last-minute deadlines at her. She lived alone, which she liked, but she wasn’t really alone. Because she had Uni.
Uni, her tiny, dramatic Pomeranian, was the one thing in Orm’s life she spoiled relentlessly. Uni had better clothes than Orm. She had a personalized dog bed that looked comically large in Orm’s small apartment. She had gourmet treats, a rotation of the finest chew toys, and an entire Instagram account where Orm posted her best photos. She even had a special, ultra-soft blanket that Orm had originally bought for herself, but Uni had claimed as her own within minutes. And yet, despite being treated like a tiny queen, Uni still acted like she was being personally betrayed whenever Orm left for work.
Orm’s weekdays followed a strict routine. She woke up early, switched her pajamas to running clothes, she jogged around the neighborhood alongside Uni, then, she arrived home, tired, making herself an iced coffee while Uni pranced around impatiently for breakfast. Uni had an incredibly specific morning ritual: eat exactly half of her food, circle the apartment twice, and then return to finish her meal. Orm didn’t know why. She had long since stopped questioning it.
After feeding Uni, Orm would get ready—usually throwing on whatever outfit looked the least wrinkled and applying just enough makeup to seem like she had her life together. Then, she’d hurry out the door, grabbing her bag and muttering apologies to Uni, who always gave her the same disappointed look.
Her internship at a mid-sized marketing firm wasn’t bad. It mostly involved researching trends, organizing data, and pretending to look extremely busy whenever her supervisor walked past. Some days were more exciting than others—like when she got to sit in on a client meeting. But most of the time, it was just emails, spreadsheets, Photoshop, and an endless supply of coffee.
By noon, Orm was usually buried under work, and that was usually an hour for Uni's noon walk back when she was only studying. Uni’s vet was also a pet daycare, so she decided to hire them to take Uni on walks whenever she couldn’t, Orm didn’t know much about the walker, a girl named Lingling, incredibly responsible and attentive, Uni was the first one to be picked up and the last one to drop off. A few times a week, Orm would get videos or picture updates of Uni strutting down the sidewalk, looking like a tiny celebrity. Sometimes, the messages made it even funnier: "Uni is serving main character energy today." Or "She tried to chase a pigeon. The pigeon won." Orm always saved those messages—they made the long workdays a little more bearable, on return, Orm sent back a ‘Thanks’ or a heart reaction to the photo.
Afternoons at the office dragged on. By the time she was off work, Orm was usually starving, too tired to cook, and not quite ready to be a functioning adult. So, she would either grab takeout from one of the restaurants near her apartment or attempt to cook something at home, which often ended in mild disaster.
Evenings were her time to unwind. Sometimes, she would binge-watch random shows, scrolling mindlessly on her phone while Uni curled up beside her. Other nights, she would go out with friends, convincing herself that she wasn't too exhausted to be social.
Her life was busy, sometimes chaotic, but predictable. And Orm liked it that way.
Or at least, she thought she did.
A Wednesday late morning, after a successful meeting, Orm’s boss decided that since the job of the day was done, they could leave early today.
Perfect.
On her way home, she started to plan what she would do, maybe start the new season of that sit-com she liked, or rewatch her favorite movie saga, maybe she would take Uni for a walk at night and eat some street food, Orm just wanted to relax.
When Orm arrived at her apartment, she noticed the absence of barks and tiny feet hitting the floor, her lovely dog wasn’t home, she checked the time, Uni should be finishing her walk soon.
Orm changed her clothes to something more comfortable, she went to the kitchen to make some popcorn when the jingle of some keys and paws started to intensify and the door of her apartment started to unlock, she turned her head to see her little Pomeranian march into the house, directly to her direction when Uni spotted her, Orm bent down to pet the dog.
“Oh, hi, sorry didn’t know you were home, I would have knocked,” a sweet voice spoke, standing at the door.
Orm looked up, and for the first time, she saw LingLing.
And—oh.
Orm had not been prepared.
LingLing was stunning. Not just ‘pretty’ in a casual way—she had the kind of effortless beauty that made Orm momentarily forget how to function. Her long, dark hair was down, a few strands framing her face accompanied by a mole on her left cheek, and she wore a simple hoodie and jeans, looking both comfortable and effortlessly cool at the same time. Her eyes were warm, her lips curved into a polite, slightly amused smile, and Orm’s brain immediately short-circuited.
For a moment, she completely forgot how words worked.
LingLing blinked at her, then tilted her head slightly. “You okay?”
Orm, whose mind had completely abandoned her, blurted out the first thing that came to her lips. “Pigeon?”
LingLing looked mildly confused for a second before a knowing grin spread across her face. “Oh, you mean the one Uni tried to fight the other day? Yeah, it won.”
Orm internally screamed. She wanted to disappear. Why had she said that? Why?
But LingLing just chuckled, stepping forward and unclipping Uni’s leash. “She was great today, by the way. Very dramatic about a squirrel in the park, but that’s normal.”
Before Orm could respond, LingLing gave a small tug on another leash still in her hand, and a golden retriever trotted up beside her, wagging his tail excitedly. “Oh, and this is Tofu,” LingLing said, scratching the dog’s head. “He tags along sometimes. Thought I’d introduce him properly.”
Tofu immediately bounded over to Orm, tail wagging so hard his whole body wiggled. He gave her an enthusiastic sniff before attempting to lick her face, which made Orm stumble back slightly.
LingLing laughed. “He likes you. That’s a good sign.”
Orm, still recovering from the overwhelming presence of both LingLing and Tofu, managed a weak, “Yeah. Cool.”
LingLing’s smile grew, as if she was beginning to be aware of Orm’s internal suffering and found it entertaining. “Well, I’ll see you around. I hope so.”
Was that flirting?
Orm stood frozen in the doorway, her brain still struggling to catch up as LingLing turned to leave.
For the next few weeks, Orm found herself accidentally—allegedly—leaving work early some days. Not every day—she had a lot of work, after all. But often enough that she started coincidentally arriving home just in time to receive Uni from her walks.
Each time, she and LingLing had small, casual conversations. Some were about the dogs, like Uni’s ongoing war against animals in the park, and others about random things, like the coffee they happened to have or the ridiculous amount of sugar LingLing liked in her coffee.
One afternoon, as LingLing handed over Uni’s leash, she smirked. “You’re getting off work early a lot these days.”
Orm nearly choked. “Uh—yeah. Work’s been… slow?”
LingLing raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. “Right.”
Tofu barked as if calling Orm out.
LingLing laughed, and Orm found herself unable to look away for a second too long. There was something comfortable about these moments—the easy conversation, the teasing, the way LingLing’s eyes always held a bit of amusement when she looked at her. It was dangerously close to becoming her favorite part of the day.
One day, LingLing surprised her by showing up with an iced coffee in hand. “Thought you might need this,” she said casually, handing it over.
Orm blinked, taking it from her. “How do you know my order?”
LingLing shrugged. “You mumble it to yourself every time we talk about coffee.”
Orm felt her face heat up. She tried to play it cool, taking a sip—only to realize it was exactly how she liked it. “Thanks,” she said, feeling strangely flustered.
Ling grinned. “No problem.”
A few days later, it was Orm’s turn. She stopped by a bakery and picked up an extra pastry, awkwardly handing it over when Lingling arrived. “I, uh… figured you might want a snack,” she said, avoiding eye contact.
LingLing took it with a smirk. “You are trying to impress me?”
Orm coughed. “I’m being nice.”
“Uh-huh.” LingLing unwrapped the pastry, taking a bite. “If you keep this up, I might start thinking you have a crush on me.”
Orm laughed nervously, because haha, wouldn’t that be crazy?
LingLing definitely knew.
The more they talked, the harder it became for Orm to pretend she wasn’t actively looking forward to these moments. It wasn’t just about getting home early anymore—it was about seeing her.
One evening, as they stood in the doorway with Uni hopping between them, Orm hesitated for a second. “Hey,” she said, shifting slightly. “You ever been to that pizza place on Fifth?”
Lingling blinked. “Uh, yeah. Why?”
Orm tilted her head, her smile easy but just a little teasing. “Wanna go? I mean— if you have time.”
Orm’s brain short-circuited, realizing the words that came from her mouth. Was this… an invitation? A date? Or just being friendly? She surprised herself. "I was planning on taking Uni for a night walk if you want to tag along"
“I—uh—” Lingling responds still shocked. “Yeah. Sure. We'll go.”
Orm had tried to convince herself that this wasn’t a date. Just two people getting pizza. Casual. Normal.
Then why had she spent way too long picking an outfit? Why had she checked her reflection in the mirror five separate times? Why was she nervous? Even Uni had stared at her suspiciously when she changed shirts for the third time. “It’s not a date,” she told the dog. Uni blinked at her like she didn’t believe a single word.
Of course, the only way to make this seem less like a date was to drag Uni along. “It’s a dog date,” she muttered as she clipped Uni’s leash. “Totally normal.”
By the time she arrived at the pizza place, LingLing was already there, sitting at a table outside with Tofu sitting obediently beside her. He wagged his tail happily when he saw Orm, while Uni dramatically flopped onto the sidewalk like she had already given up on the night.
LingLing looked at the Pomeranian and smirked. “She didn’t want to come?”
Orm sighed. “She’s just mad I made her wear the harness.”
LingLing crouched down, rubbing Uni’s head. “You look adorable, don’t listen to her.”
Uni perked up, clearly enjoying the attention. Orm narrowed her eyes. “I see how it is. Betray me for a few compliments.”
Uni’s tail wagged. Absolutely.
They sat down at the table Lingling was on, Tofu behaving like a model citizen while Uni made it her personal mission to climb onto the table the second Orm looked away.
The conversation flowed easily—LingLing told her about the weirdest things she had seen at the vet clinic, including an overly dramatic chihuahua who pretended to limp only when people were watching. Orm shared the latest ridiculous office drama, like how a coworker kept stealing someone’s yogurt and leaving ransom notes in the fridge. Then, things got more personal. They got to know each other a bit more—LingLing commented on her love for board games while Orm said she was more of a movie night person.
Everything was going great. Until disaster struck.
Orm, in her attempt to look cool and relaxed, gestured a little too enthusiastically—and knocked her drink over. Straight into LingLing's lap.
Orm froze. “Oh my god—”
LingLing looked at her now slightly damp pants, then at Orm. Then, to Orm’s horror, she started laughing, picking some napkins to clean.
“I—Ling, I swear I didn’t—”
“It’s fine,” LingLing chuckled, dabbing at her lap with napkins. “Guess I am getting that free pizza you promised.”
Orm groaned, covering her face. “I’m never showing my face here again.”
LingLing just laughed.
The pizza arrived. They decided to order a medium size—LingLing let Orm choose the toppings. However, Orm was so focused on their conversation that she barely scanned the menu and opted for 'Diavola'. It only has pepperoni, simple and safe.
Or so she thought. After the first bite, Orm realized this Diavola pizza had a lot of spice, but it was fine. They were Thai, they could handle spice... right?
Orm was about to cry after finishing her first slice while, across the table, LingLing was already enjoying her second slice, chatting between bites. Orm wanted to listen—she really did—but her burning tongue stole all her attention. She had no drink; she had spilled it. She couldn’t ask LingLing if she could take a sip of hers—they weren’t that close. She just suffered in silence.
To say Orm’s second slice was torture would be an understatement. Halfway through it, she started sweating. Heavily. That’s when LingLing caught on.
“Orm, are you okay?” she asked, giving Orm an attentive glance.
Orm nodded furiously.
“You sure? Was the pizza too spicy?”
Orm was caught. “What? No, I’m fine, really.”
Ling squinted at her, unimpressed, and then deliberately took another bite. “Calm down. It’s not that spicy.”
Orm stared at her. “Are you kidding me? My tongue is literally on fire.”
Lingling chuckled, before she could respond, there was a sudden chomp—Tofu, tired of waiting, had stolen the last slice of pizza from the plate. The golden retriever looked way too proud of himself.
LingLing burst out laughing, trying to get her dog to spit out the pizza, as Orm stared in shock. “He ate it. He just—he didn’t even hesitate!”
"He didn't complain, I guess the pizza wasn't that spicy," LingLing affirmed, patting her dog.
Tofu wagged his tail, completely unbothered by the spice.
"Do you feed him Khao Soi? Why is he so calm?" Orm joked.
Lingling laughed harder, locking eyes with Orm for a long time, both lost on the moment.
After managing to clean up and settle the bill, they stepped outside—only for disaster to strike again.
On their walk back to their apartments, Uni’s leash slipped from Orm’s grip, as Orm was too focused on the woman beside her to actually have a tight grip. The tiny Pomeranian took one look at her newfound freedom and bolted.
“Oh my god, Uni!” Orm shouted.
Tofu, deciding this was a fantastic game, immediately yanked his leash out of LingLing’s hand and chased after her. "Tofu!".
LingLing and Orm didn't think twice before sprinting after them.
What followed was a dramatic chase through the park—Uni zig-zagging like a professional escape artist, Tofu happily running just for fun.
Orm tripped over her own feet, Lingling, who was behind her, also tripped and both fell on the ground, Lingling was on top, her right arm beside Orm's head preventing them from clashing face-to-face, Orm's breathing quickened, more than already was, she stared at the woman above, who had the sweetest smile she has ever seen, chuckling, Orm started to laugh too, after a few seconds, that felt like hours, they stand up resuming their chase, however, the dogs where nowhere to be seen.
The night guard of the park coughed behind them, holding both dogs by their leashes. “Excuse me, are these your dogs?”
LingLing and Orm nodded furiously, thanking him.
As they finally caught their breath on a bench nearby, Orm groaned. “This was… the worst night ever.”
LingLing, still catching her breath, turned to her with an amused smile. “Are you kidding? This was so much fun.”
Orm stared at her. “You got your pants soaked, I almost lost my tongue, your dog probably will get food poisoning, both our dogs escaped, and we nearly broke a bone chasing them.”
LingLing grinned. “Exactly. I didn't stop laughing, I was never bored. This is the best date I've ever been on.”
Orm blinked. Date?
“So… you don’t hate me?”
LingLing smirked. “No, but I am going to tease you about this forever.”
Orm smirked. “Fantastic,” she said sarcastically.
LingLing nudged her shoulder. “Hey, if it makes you feel better… wanna come over? I have dog treats, hot chocolate, a big TV with Netflix, and I promise not to judge you too much for being a mess tonight.”
Orm sputtered. “I—what—”
LingLing smirked. “You can say no.”
Orm groaned. “I don’t want to say no.”
LingLing’s eyes gleamed with amusement. “Then don’t.”
She stood up and walked toward the entrance, pausing just long enough to glance back. Orm, after a long moment of trying to convince herself that this was still just a casual dog date, sighed and followed.
Uni trotted ahead like she had planned this all along.
Tofu wagged his tail, happy to host a guest.
After the chaos of the night, they finally reached LingLing’s apartment. Orm was still recovering from their dramatic dog chase when LingLing unlocked the door and gestured for her to step inside.
“Welcome,” Lingling said with a grin.
Orm stepped in and immediately noticed how cozy it was. The space was small but warm, decorated with potted plants, fairy lights, and—unsurprisingly—dog toys scattered across the floor. Tofu trotted right into his bed, while Uni sniffed around suspiciously, clearly deciding if she approved.
“You have nice taste,” Orm admitted, looking around.
LingLing smirked. “You’re just saying that because I have fairy lights. It's "aesthetic"” she air quoted.
Orm shrugged. “They help.”
LingLing motioned toward the couch. “Make yourself comfortable. I’ll grab the hot chocolate.”
As Orm sat down, Uni immediately climbed onto her lap, acting as if she had always belonged there. Meanwhile, Tofu dramatically flopped onto the rug with a deep sigh, clearly exhausted from his grand adventure.
LingLing returned with two mugs of hot chocolate and handed one to Orm before sitting beside her. “So, you still think it was the worst date ever?” she teased.
Orm rolled her eyes, blowing on her drink. “I’m still processing.”
Date. She loved the sound of that.
LingLing grinned. “Let me make it up to you.”
Orm frowned. “What?”
Lingling stood up, heading toward a small shelf and pulling out 'Catan'. “How about...a board game? We’re playing Catan.”
Orm stared at the board as LingLing started setting it up. “Oh no. You’re one of those people.”
LingLing raised an eyebrow. “What people?”
“The ones who take board games way too seriously.”
LingLing grinned as she shuffled the resource cards. “Orm, this isn’t just a game. It’s war.”
Orm groaned but sat down anyway. “Fine. But if I lose, I’m blaming my bad luck of today.”
LingLing tilted her head. “How about we make it interesting?”
Orm narrowed her eyes. “Define ‘interesting.’”
LingLing leaned in slightly, fingers idly tapping on the table. “The winner gets a prize.”
Orm swallowed. “What kind of prize?”
LingLing smiled, slow and knowing. “You’ll see.” she winked.
Orm tried to play it cool. “Fine.”
LingLing nodded. “Deal.”
It started off fine. Orm built a couple of settlements. She felt confident. But then LingLing started to mess with her strategy with an evil glint in her eyes.
“You’re doing this on purpose,” Orm accused, watching as LingLing placed yet another settlement exactly where she had been planning to go.
LingLing feigned innocence. “It’s just strategy.”
Orm huffed. “It’s personal.”
LingLing smirked. “Maybe.”
The game dragged on, with LingLing casually dominating the board while Orm struggled. Every time she tried, LingLing would offer the worst trades.
“I’ll give you one brick for two wheat,” LingLing said sweetly.
Orm gawked at her. “That’s extortion.”
LingLing shrugged. “Supply and demand, babe.”
Orm choked. “Did you just—did you just call me babe?”
LingLing smirked, placing down her final victory point card. “Oh look, I win. I didn't need that after all”
Orm stared at the board, horrified. “No. NO. You tricked me.”
LingLing stretched her arms with a smug grin. “I strategized.”
Orm groaned. “I hate you.”
LingLing leaned in, eyes glinting mischievously. “Now… about my prize.”
Orm’s breath hitched as LingLing closed the small space between them. “You never actually said what you wanted.”
LingLing’s voice dropped to a murmur. “I think you can guess.”
Orm’s heart pounded as LingLing slowly leaned in, giving her plenty of time to pull away. But Orm wasn’t going anywhere. When their lips met, it was soft, warm, and just the right amount of teasing. LingLing smiled into the kiss, as if she had known all along that this would happen.
When they pulled apart, their noses were a few centimeters apart, Orm was red-faced and breathless. “You definitely trick me.”
LingLing chuckled. “Strategy Teerak”
Orm huffed, pretending to be annoyed. “Rematch. Tomorrow.”
LingLing smirked. “Looking forward to it.” she leaned in again.
Tofu yawned loudly from the corner, as if unimpressed by their antics. Uni, meanwhile, climbed onto Orm’s lap like she also deserved attention.
LingLing grinned, nudging Orm playfully. “I think she’s jealous.”
Orm scratched behind Uni’s ears, still feeling the warmth of LingLing’s lips. “She can wait her turn.”
Orm just smiled at return.
LingLing stood up, stretching, looking at the clock. “It’s late. You should stay.”
Orm blinked. “Stay? Ling, I live a block away.”
Lingling shrugged. “It't 10 pm. It’s raining outside. And you’re obviously too flustered to function.”
Orm hesitated for half a second before nodding. “Okay.”
LingLing smirked. “So...wanna watch a movie?”
“Only if I get to pick.”
“Hmm.” LingLing pretended to think about it. “I trust your judgment”.
They ended up watching ‘10 Things I Hate About You’. They lay close on the sleeper sofa, Uni curled up next to Tofu on the floor. Orm laughed at a particularly cheesy scene, glancing at LingLing, only to find her already looking at her.
LingLing smirked. “You’re cute when you laugh.”
Orm smirked, covering her face. “You really don’t stop, do you?”
“Nope.”
LingLing casually laid her head on Orm’s shoulder, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Orm tensed for a moment before slowly relaxing, trying not to overthink the way LingLing’s warmth seeped into her skin.
By the time the movie was on the final arc, Lingling turned her head slightly, her voice softer. “You’re staying, right?”
Orm swallowed. “Yeah.”
LingLing reached for the blanket draped over the armrest and tossed it over both of them. “Good.”
Silence stretched between them, comfortable and warm. Then, LingLing shifted closer, her fingers lightly brushing against Orm’s. Orm turned to face her, their noses inches apart.
LingLing’s voice was barely above a whisper. “Wanna make another bet?”
Orm exhaled a quiet laugh. “Depends. What’s the bet?”
LingLing smiled. “I bet you will kiss me by the end of the night.”
Orm’s breath hitched, biting her lips, but she didn’t hesitate this time. She leaned in, pressing a lingering kiss to Lingling’s lips, slow and deliberate, taking her time before pulling Ling's head closer, lips slightly parted then back to each other again.
When she pulled away, Linging smirked. “Looks like I win again.”
Orm sighed. “What did you win this time?"
Lingling gently turned her to the side. “I get to be the big spoon” she said as she snuggled her head behind Orm’s.
Orm rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t fight the grin tugging at her lips.
As the night settled around them, with the soft sound of rain tapping against the window, and the TV showing the end credits, Ling fell asleep with one arm holding Orm close and the other underneath the pillow. Orm realized something.
This might have started as a chaotic dog date, but somehow, it turned into the best night she’d had in a long time.
And maybe, just maybe, she wanted every night to end like this.
Orm let out a quiet breath, her gaze drifting to Uni and Tofu curled up together near the couch. The little traitor had clearly chosen LingLing’s side, snuggling closer to Tofu instead of her.
She glanced at her back at LingLing, whose slow, steady breathing pressed warmth against Orm’s shoulder. It was funny—she had spent so much time convincing herself this wasn’t a date, that she wasn’t falling, that she wasn’t interested. And yet, here she was, completely tangled up in LingLing, in every possible way.
Orm had spent years keeping her life in neat, predictable patterns. Study, work, take care of Uni, repeat. No distractions, no risks. But LingLing? When she came in that day on her apartment, everything became unpredictable. It was chaos wrapped in a soft smile and a competitive streak, Lingling was someone who made every moment feel like it could turn into something unexpected, something new. And for the first time in a long time, Orm liked that.
She turned around slowly, then gently ran a hand through Lingling’s hair, letting herself sink into the comfort of the moment.