The Glimpse Of Us

The late afternoon sun stretched long shadows over Lingling's house, where Orm, Lingling, and Mae Chu sat at a wooden table under the cool shade of a mango tree. The warm breeze carried the scent of freshly cut grass, rustling the leaves overhead. On the table lay a small basket of young green mangoes, their skins still smooth and taut.

Orm picked one up, watching Mae Chu peel it with practiced ease. Sliced into crisp wedges, the fruit gleamed pale green, served with a small dish of nam pla wan—a sweet, spicy, and tangy dipping sauce made of fish sauce, palm sugar, and chili.

The moment Orm took a bite, a sharp, sour jolt hit her tongue. Her entire face scrunched up, eyes squeezed shut as a shudder ran down her spine.

"Oh my god!" she gasped, gripping the edge of the table. "Why is it so sour?! But also... why can't I stop eating it?"

Mae Chu chuckled, slicing another mango. "Addictive, isn't it? Once you start, you can't stop."

Lingling, who sat beside Orm, smiled at her reaction. "And to think," she said, reaching for a piece, "this is the same fruit that turns golden and sweet when ripe."

Orm shook her head in disbelief, popping another wedge into her mouth despite the way her entire body braced for the sour shock. "I don't understand nature sometimes."

Mae Chu laughed. "I'll make khao niew mamuang (mango sticky rice) for you later," she promised. "Our sticky rice is freshly harvested. You'll taste the difference."

Orm gasped dramatically before wrapping an arm around Mae Chu in a side hug. "I love you, Mae Chu!"

Lingling laughed softly. "Careful, she might actually adopt you."

Just as Orm was about to make another playful remark, the sound of an approaching vehicle interrupted them. Moments later, a familiar voice called out—

"Mae Chu, Phi Ling, Phi Korn!"

Orm turned to see Danny approaching, his hands tucked in the pockets of his cargo pants. His usual mischievous grin was in place.

"It's time to drain the rice fields," he announced. "The villagers are already gathering. Thought you might want to see it."

Orm perked up. "Draining the rice fields?"

Danny nodded. "Yeah. Before the rice grains ripen, we have to remove the water so they can dry properly. But before that, the villagers catch the fish in the ditches and canals. It's kind of a big thing. Kids, adults—everyone joins in." He tilted his head at her. "Wanna see?"

Orm lit up immediately. "Absolutely!"

She turned to Lingling. "Come with me?"

Lingling hesitated.

"I don't think—" Lingling hesitated, instinctively shifting her foot. Her ankle had been healing well, but too much movement still made it ache.

"You don't have to do anything," Danny cut in, addressing Lingling directly. "We can sit by the side and just watch. It'll be nice."

She considered it for a moment longer, then finally gave a small nod.

"I suppose a little outing wouldn't hurt."

"We'll take it slow." Danny assured her.

Orm beamed and stood up, brushing her hands together. "Alright then, let's go!"

As they prepared to leave, Orm crouched down to Uni, stroking her fluffy head. "You be good, okay? Stay with Charsiu and Tofu. Watch the house for us."

Uni barked in response, and Orm grinned before hopping into Danny's pickup truck.

***

They rode in Danny's four-wheel pickup truck, bouncing along the dirt road until the horizon stretched into vast rice fields. The landscape was breathtaking—endless green swaying under the golden glow of the late afternoon sun. Orm leaned against the open window, resting her chin on her arm, half of her head outside as she let the wind tousle her blonde hair. She inhaled deeply, taking in the crisp scent of earth and rice paddies, utterly lost in the beauty of it all.

Danny, noticing how immersed she was, smirked before suddenly swerving the truck just enough to jolt her. "Careful, superstar! Wouldn't want you falling out."

Orm yelped, grabbing onto the seat. "Danny!!"

Lingling, completely unfazed, sighed. "Drive properly."

Danny only chuckled. "What? I'm just making sure she stays alert. City girls need to toughen up."

Orm shot him a glare but couldn't help laughing along. "You're the worst."

Danny grinned. "You'll survive."

By the time they arrived, the water had begun to recede, and the fields were alive with movement. Villagers, young and old, waded through the muddy water, scooping up fish with baskets, nets—some even grabbing them with their bare hands. Laughter and playful shouts filled the air.

Orm's eyes widened in excitement.

"This is amazing!"

Without another word, she rolled up her bermuda shorts, adjusted her backward cap, and sprinted toward the action.

Lingling called after her. "N'Orm, your shoes—!"

Too late.

Orm was already knee-deep in muddy water, her arms flailing as she tried to catch a slippery fish. She lunged forward, hands outstretched—

Only for the fish to slip through her fingers.

"Aghh!"

She stumbled forward, nearly face-planting into the water. The villagers laughed good-naturedly.

"Phi Korn, you look like a kid who's never seen a fish before!" Danny teased Orm from the side.

Orm shot him a glare, but her face was lit with pure exhilaration. "I haven't seen anything like this before! Let me have my moment!"

Danny chuckled, leaning on the wooden railing beside Lingling. "She's got energy, I'll give her that."

Lingling, sitting calmly, smiled as Orm let out a high-pitched shriek when a fish wriggled right out of her hands. Amusement flickered across her face, the sound of Orm's unrestrained energy stirring something familiar within her. "She does," she murmured, an odd warmth filling her chest. It had been a while since she last felt the sun on her face, the breeze against her skin, the lively sounds of the villagers around her. And now, Orm's laughter, mischievous and bright, laced through it all.

Danny glanced at his sister, noting the soft expression on her face. It had been a long time since she sat out in the open like this, the warmth of the sun on her skin. Her ankle was still wrapped under her dress, but she seemed at ease, even smiling. A rare sight. A rare moment.

His grip on the railing loosened as his heart lightened. It's good for her, he thought. Being around Orm is good for her.

Meanwhile, in the field, Orm had given up on staying clean. Her clothes were soaked, her arms covered in mud, and her cap was barely clinging onto her head. But the grin on her face said it all.

She let out another laugh as she finally caught a fish, holding it up triumphantly.

"I got one!"

The villagers cheered, and Danny called out from the side, "Nice job, Phi Korn!"

Orm only laughed harder at the teasing.

***

After an hour of fish-catching chaos, Orm emerged from the fields completely covered in mud. Her shorts, her arms, even streaks on her face. She looked like she had crawled out of the earth itself.

Danny took one look at her and burst out laughing. "You're a mess."

Orm wiped her face with her forearm. "It's called dedication."

Danny shook his head in amusement. "Come on, let's get you washed up. I'll show you something while we're at it."

Before following him, Orm turned to Lingling, who had been keeping her shoes safe. She offered a grateful smile. "Thanks, P'Ling. I'll wear them after I wash my feet."

He led them to a small facility near the fields, where Orm saw various farming equipment and technology—drones, sensors, irrigation systems.

Orm, now somewhat cleaned up, listened intently as Danny explained how sustainable farming had changed the region.

"The soil was completely ruined when I started," he said. "Years of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. Nothing could thrive properly. No fish, no insects—nothing."

Orm frowned. "But now... there are so many."

Danny nodded. "Because we fixed the soil. Used organic methods, biofertilizers, natural pest control. Slowly, the ecosystem returned." He glanced at Orm. "That's why I do this. Not just for profit, but because it actually matters."

Orm looked at him, genuinely impressed.

Danny laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "What? You didn't think I was capable of deep thoughts?"

Orm smirked. "I just didn't think I'd actually admire you for once."

Danny snorted. "I'll take that as a compliment."

***

As the sun dipped toward the horizon, Orm and Lingling sat on a wooden pier by the water canal. The late afternoon air carried a lingering warmth, tinged with the crisp scent of earth and ripening fields. A gentle breeze brushed against Lingling's skin, carrying the distant hum of cicadas and the soft rustling of rice stalks. Beneath them, the water lapped lazily against the pier, its rhythmic movement soothing. Orm shifted beside her, the faint creak of wood under her weight blending into the tranquil symphony of the evening.

Orm exhaled, stretching her legs out in front of her. "It's beautiful."

Lingling nodded. "You should see it when the rice grains ripen. The golden yellow panorama will captivate your mind."

Orm hummed thoughtfully. "It would be great if they built homestays or chalets here. More people should experience this beauty."

Lingling's expression turned pensive. "Farming land should be reserved for farming. Tourism brings pollution. Waste from buildings, sewage runoff... it would ruin the water supply."

Orm glanced at her. "So you think it should be strictly protected?"

Lingling nodded. "Yes."

Orm smiled. "I like that you think that way."

A small breeze rustled through the fields, carrying with it the scent of earth and water. Orm stretched her arms before resting them on the wooden pier behind her, leaning back slightly.

"You know," she mused, "earlier today, when I was chasing fish while Danny just sat there laughing at me, everyone was screaming, the water was splashing everywhere—it was pure chaos. But it reminded me of something else."

Lingling tilted her head slightly, listening.

Orm chuckled to herself. "My concert rehearsals."

Lingling's lips quirked up slightly. "Catching fish reminded you of concert rehearsals?"

"Not the fish part." Orm laughed. "But the chaos. The way everyone is running around, setting up lights, adjusting sound levels, my dancers rehearsing, my musicians warming up, directors going over last-minute details—it's this wild, intense energy. But somehow, despite the madness, we always come together in the end."

Her voice softened as she gazed at the sunset. "Everyone gives their one hundred percent. They put their hearts into making the show the best it can be—not just for me, but for the fans. I appreciate that kind of commitment."

Lingling listened in quiet contemplation before finally saying, "You work too hard."

Orm turned her head, meeting Lingling's face, serene yet unreadable.

Orm chuckled, brushing her blonde hair back. "That's what everyone says."

"Because it's true," Lingling countered, her voice gentle but firm. "I can tell by the way you carry yourself—like you're always pushing forward, always holding something heavy on your shoulders."

Orm exhaled, tilting her head back. "I love what I do, P'Ling."

"I don't doubt that," Lingling murmured. "But love shouldn't feel like punishment."

The weight of her words settled between them. Orm watched the sky, the vast stretch of orange deepening into dusk. Then, after a moment of silence, she admitted, "I never wanted to be famous."

Lingling's brow lifted slightly. "No?"

"No." Orm shook her head. "I wanted to be good. I wanted to understand music, to create something real. Fame just... happened along the way. And I won't lie, it brings opportunities—opportunities I'm grateful for. But it was never my goal."

Lingling absorbed every word, her expression unreadable. But something about Orm's tone—the raw honesty in it—stirred something deep within her.

"Then why do you push yourself like this?" Lingling asked again, softer this time.

Orm smiled, but it was small, almost wistful. "Because I don't want to waste it. The chances I have, the platform I've been given... I don't want to take it for granted. If I don't give my best, then what was the point of all this?"

Lingling's fingers brushed against the wooden floor, reaching subtly toward Orm's hand. She didn't touch her, but she was close enough that Orm could feel her presence, steady and grounding.

"You know," Lingling said after a beat, "you don't have to prove anything to anyone."

Orm turned her head, looking at Lingling's serene face—at the beauty mark on her cheek, the long lashes that framed sightless eyes. "Maybe," she admitted, "but I still have something to prove to myself."

Lingling didn't argue. Instead, she simply nodded, as if she understood more than she let on.

For the first time, she saw Orm not just as a free-spirited young idol but as someone deeply committed to her craft. Orm hadn't been handed success—she had earned it. Not because she sought fame, but because she loved music enough to give it everything she had.

Most would assume an idol simply chased fame, but Orm wasn't like that. There was something about her sincerity that struck Lingling in ways she didn't fully voice.

Orm's words echoed in her mind.

I never wanted to be famous. I wanted to be good.

The sun dipped lower, casting long golden shadows across the fields. The air felt different—lighter, as if something unspoken had shifted between them, loosening a weight neither had fully realized was there.

And for the first time in a long while, Lingling found herself wanting to know more about the girl sitting beside her.

A quiet breeze passed between them, the moment lingering, unspoken. Orm studied Lingling's face, the way her features softened against the fading golden light. There was something peaceful about her presence, something steady and unwavering.

Without thinking, Orm reached for her phone. The golden hour glow framed Lingling perfectly, and before she could second-guess herself, she tapped the shutter.

Click.

Lingling's head tilted ever so slightly. "Did you just take a picture of me?"

Orm froze. Her thumb hovered over the screen, guilt flashing across her face like a child caught sneaking an extra dessert. "Uh—no?"

Lingling crossed her arms, pouting her lips. "Koh̄k (lie)."

Orm burst into laughter at her expression. "Okay, okay! Maybe I did. But you looked really—" She stopped herself just in time. "I mean, the lighting was nice."

Lingling huffed, her pout lingering for a second longer before she sighed dramatically. "Next time, at least ask for permission."

Still caught in her laughter, Orm grinned. "But then it wouldn't be candid."

Lingling huffed a soft laugh before standing. "Come on. Let's go home."

Orm exhaled, watching as Lingling turned toward the path. She glanced down at the photo still open on her screen—Lingling, bathed in warm light, expression serene. A fleeting moment, but one Orm wanted to keep.

Maybe, deep down, she already knew.

Orm blinked up at her.

Lingling turned slightly, lips curling into the softest of smiles.

"Mae Chu's mango sticky rice is waiting for you."

Orm grinned, hopping up. "Now that's an invitation I can't refuse."

They walked back together, their footsteps in sync, the evening air cooling around them, carrying the lingering warmth of the fading sun.