The Glimpse Of Us

"How did you even end up in Kalasin, anyway?"

Orm glanced up from where she was tossing a small rock into the grass. She was sitting on the lawn, Uni curled up beside her with her head resting on Orm's knee, while Charsiu and Tofu lay lazily at Lingling's feet. The morning air was crisp, the scent of breakfast still lingering. It was a rare, peaceful moment—until Lingling's sudden question made Orm blink.

"Dinosaur," she answered simply.

Lingling tilted her head. "Dinosaur?"

Orm nodded enthusiastically. "Yup. The first day I came here, I visited the Kalasin Dinosaur Museum because it was right after I entered the province. It was cool—lots of fossils, dinosaur models, and interesting stuff about prehistoric times."

Lingling smiled. "But I've never seen you visit any of the dinosaur parks since then."

"That's because I found something even cooler." Orm flashed her a cheeky grin. "You."

Lingling chuckled, shaking her head. "Flatterer."

"But—oh! That reminds me!" Orm suddenly sat up, eyes sparkling with excitement. "There's a place where you can see real dinosaur footprints on river stones! I think it's somewhere around here!"

"The Phu Faek Forest Park," Lingling said without hesitation. "I used to go there with my friends when we were teenagers."

Orm gasped. "Let's go there today!"

Lingling hesitated. "I don't—"

"Pretty please?" Orm scooted closer, taking Lingling's hands and swinging them gently, like a child pleading for candy. "Just this one time! I really want to see the dinosaur footprints!"

"You can go by yourself."

"No," Orm pouted. "I want to go with you... Please, P'Ling?"

Lingling exhaled, tilting her head as if considering. "And what do I get in return for indulging your dinosaur obsession?"

Orm gasped. "My eternal gratitude?"

Lingling chuckled, shaking her head. "Hmm... tempting, but not quite enough."

Orm pouted, swinging their joined hands. "I'll be really, really good today?"

Lingling hummed, pretending to think. "...Still not convinced."

Orm leaned closer, pleading. "P'Ling~"

Lingling stilled for a fraction of a second before sighing in surrender. "...Fine. But if you get tired halfway, I'm leaving you with the dinosaurs."

Orm lit up like the sun.

***

The trek through Phu Faek Forest Park was filled with the sounds of nature—the rustling of leaves, birds calling to one another, the occasional murmur of a breeze. Orm eagerly took the lead, describing everything in vivid detail as she guided Lingling along the path.

"The trees here are so tall and dense, I feel like we're in a prehistoric jungle!" Orm exclaimed. "Oh! And over there's a huge rock formation. It kinda looks like a sleeping dinosaur, I think."

Lingling smiled as she listened, taking in the warmth of Orm's voice. She had forgotten what it was like to be in a place like this—to feel the damp earth under her shoes, to hear the whispers of the river, to breathe in the crisp, untouched air of the wild. She couldn't see the scenery, but she experienced nature in her own way. She listened to the rustling leaves, the distant calls of birds, and the soft flow of the river. She trailed her fingers along the rough bark of trees, felt the warmth of the sun on her skin, and inhaled the fresh, earthy scent of the forest.

As they made their way deeper into the forest, Orm suddenly stopped in her tracks, eyes widening as she spotted a bird perched on a nearby tree branch. It was large, with glossy black wings and a striking chestnut-brown back. Without thinking, she reached for Lingling's hand, squeezing it lightly.

"I just saw a black and brown bird," she whispered.

Lingling tilted her head slightly, listening. "Oh, that might be a Greater Coucal," she said smoothly. "Or as we call it in Thai, nok krapood yai."

Orm's jaw nearly dropped. "You're seriously a walking encyclopedia, aren't you?"

Lingling chuckled. "Not really. I just remember things. Greater Coucals are common in forests like this. They have a deep, echoing call—almost like a ghostly laugh."

As if on cue, the bird let out its haunting, low-pitched whoop-whoop-whoop from the branches, sending a slight chill down Orm's spine.

She turned to Lingling, playfully narrowing her eyes. "Okay, now I'm convinced you can actually see."

Lingling let out a soft laugh, her fingers brushing lightly against Orm's wrist. "I just pay attention in different ways, N' Orm."

Orm stared at her for a moment before clearing her throat. "W-well, let's keep moving before we start attracting ghosts instead."

Lingling laughed softly, letting Orm lead the way once more.

"Are we close?" she asked.

Orm grinned. "Almost! Just a little more—ah! We're here!"

She rushed ahead before turning back excitedly, grabbing Lingling's hands. "Come on! The footprints are right here in the stone!"

Orm guided Lingling down carefully, bringing her hands to the surface of the ancient imprints.

"Here, feel this," she said softly, pressing Lingling's fingers along the grooves.

Lingling traced the shape, her fingers moving along the indentations left millions of years ago. She couldn't see it, but she could feel history beneath her touch. When Orm placed her hands on the dinosaur footprints, she took her time tracing the ancient impressions, absorbing the history beneath her fingertips.

"They're big," she murmured.

Orm didn't answer right away. Instead, she took a small step back, lifting her phone and snapping a quiet photo. Lingling, head tilted slightly downward, fingers delicately following the grooves, looked serene—like someone listening to a story only she could hear.

"Yeah," Orm breathed, watching her. "It's amazing, right?"

Lingling nodded, a quiet smile playing on her lips. "I've missed this—feeling the world in a way I had almost forgotten." She exhaled softly. "I haven't done this since..." She trailed off, shaking her head. "It's been a long time."

Orm squeezed her hand. "Then we'll do it more. As many times as you want."

Lingling chuckled. "That's impossible."

After marveling at the prehistoric footprints, Orm led Lingling to a shaded spot by the riverbank, where she had packed a small picnic. The sound of water flowing over rocks mixed with the rustling leaves, creating a peaceful atmosphere.

As they settled on the picnic mat, Orm chattered endlessly about the view while swatting at bugs, her animated voice filling the quiet. Lingling, on the other hand, tilted her head slightly, as if listening to something beyond Orm's words. The gentle lapping of water against the rocks, the occasional rustle of a fish breaking the surface—details she had almost forgotten.

Stretching her legs comfortably, Lingling let the warmth of the sun seep into her skin while Orm eagerly opened the food containers.

"Here, P' Ling, open your mouth~" Orm teased, holding up a piece of grilled chicken.

Lingling chuckled. "You don't have to feed me every bite."

Orm gasped dramatically. "And risk you dropping food on your hand and licking it off again?! Absolutely not."

Lingling raised an amused brow. "What's wrong with that?"

Orm pouted, shoving the food into Lingling's mouth. "It's dangerous for my heart, okay?!"

Lingling only smiled, savoring the food while Orm kept swatting at invisible mosquitoes.

"Ugh, these mosquitoes won't leave me alone... and now the ants are trying to steal our picnic too," Orm grumbled, flicking away a tiny intruder.

Lingling tilted her head slightly. "Mosquitoes prefer people with Type O blood. Are you Type O?"

Orm huffed. "No, I'm Type B! And yet they're still obsessed with me."

Lingling chuckled. "Maybe they just have a preference for dramatic idols."

Orm gasped. "Are you saying I taste like fame and success?"

"You're surprisingly dramatic for someone who wanted an adventure," Lingling teased, tilting her face toward the sun.

Orm paused, watching her. Lingling sat there, bathed in golden sunlight filtering through the trees, her long black hair catching the glow. The gentle rise and fall of her breathing, the way her delicate fingers rested on the fabric of the picnic mat, the soft curve of her lips—everything about her seemed so effortlessly beautiful. Orm's gaze lingered on the small mole on Lingling's left cheek, a mark she had memorized by heart.

Her chest tightened.

Maybe it was the way nature framed her—serene, untouched, like she belonged here all along. Or maybe it was simply Lingling herself, and the quiet way she existed, making Orm's world feel fuller just by being in it.

Before she could say anything, Lingling shifted slightly on the uneven ground adjusting her position, her fingers brushing against the mat—and suddenly, her foot slipped.

"Ah—"

Orm reacted instantly, catching her by the waist and pulling her close.

"Are you okay, Jie Jie?"

Lingling stiffened slightly in Orm's arms.

The name slipped out so naturally, so effortlessly. Orm didn't even realize what she had said. But Lingling did.

Jie Jie...

Maybe she repeated it in her head, as if testing how it felt.

She stayed composed, though a small smile touched her lips. "I'm fine."

Orm slowly let go, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly. "Just... be careful, okay?"

Lingling nodded.

Orm didn't notice the way Lingling's fingers curled slightly, as if holding onto something invisible.

***

After their adventure, they found themselves at a local Thai restaurant, their stomachs rumbling despite their earlier picnic.

Orm flipped through the menu, scanning each page with increasing dismay. "No pasta?!" she blurted out, staring at the options as if they personally offended her.

Lingling chuckled. "Of course not. This is an authentic Thai restaurant, N' Orm. Only the best, tastiest local dishes here."

Orm narrowed her eyes. "Define 'best.'"

Lingling ignored her skepticism and turned to the waiter with practiced ease. "We'll have tom yum kung, som tam, khai jiao, and jasmine rice."

The moment the dishes arrived, Orm stared at the som tam suspiciously. "That looks... dangerous."

Lingling smirked. "Oh? You're not afraid, are you?"

Orm scoffed. "Afraid? Please. I'm just being...strategic." She picked up her fork and took a cautious bite.

Two seconds later, her soul left her body.

Lingling had the audacity to giggle. "Spicy?"

Orm gasped, fanning her burning mouth. "This is not food—this is a trap!" She grabbed her drink and gulped down half of it. "Who—who invented this? Who decided to mix fire with papaya?!"

Lingling's laughter was almost as unfair as the spice itself. "It's delicious once you get used to it."

Orm wheezed. "I don't want to get used to it."

Lingling only smiled, enjoying her meal with serene ease, while Orm hesitantly poked at the rest of the dishes. Once the worst of the heat subsided and she could properly enjoy the tom yum and omelet, Lingling tilted her head slightly.

"You always eat Western food. Why is that?"

Orm blinked at her, caught off guard. "Huh?"

"I've noticed," Lingling mused. "Back at home, you never really asked for Thai dishes either. You grew up here, didn't you?"

Orm shifted, twirling her spoon. "Well... I was a pretty weak kid. Always sick, always getting colds. My parents were super protective about what I ate." She gave a small laugh. "They hired this dietitian chef who just happened to prefer Western food, so I kind of just...grew up on it."

Lingling hummed in understanding.

Orm poked at her rice, suddenly thoughtful. "Now that I think about it... I've eaten more Thai food in these past few weeks than I have in my entire life."

Lingling smiled. "Then we'll just have to make up for lost time."

Orm scoffed. "That better not mean more som tam."

"No promises."

Orm groaned, but her heart felt oddly warm. She had never really talked about her childhood so casually before, yet with Lingling, it felt... easy.

She wasn't sure what that meant.

***

By the time they returned to the resort, the day had melted into night, and exhaustion settled into their bones.

They stood at the doors of their separate rooms, lingering for just a moment.

Lingling turned to Orm. "Thank you."

"For what?" Orm asked, tilting her head.

"For today. For bringing back something I thought I had lost."

Orm softened, a warm, sleepy smile curling on her lips. "Anytime."

Lingling hesitated for just a second, then—

"Goodnight, Baobao."

Orm froze.

Did she just—

She did.

But years of performing on stage had trained Orm well. She forced herself to stay calm, casually leaning against the doorframe with a lazy smirk. "Goodnight, Jie Jie~" she sang, as if she was the one teasing.

Lingling only chuckled softly before turning toward her room. The moment her door shut—

Orm bolted inside hers.

She locked the door, took a deep breath—then promptly shrieked into her hands. She threw herself onto the bed, kicking her legs wildly, her face buried in the pillow to muffle the sheer joy vibrating through her entire body.

"She called me Baobao. She actually called me Baobao!"

Orm rolled onto her back, clutching the pillow to her chest, staring at the ceiling like she had just been personally blessed by the universe itself. Her heart was practically doing backflips, and she could feel the heat creeping up her neck and ears.

"Act cool, Orm. Act cool."

She inhaled deeply, exhaled slowly. Nodded to herself. She could handle this.

Then she immediately kicked the blanket off and rolled around in giddy excitement all over again.

What made it worse—better—was that Lingling had said it so naturally. Like it was effortless. Like she had already claimed Orm as her Baobao without a second thought.

Her thoughts spiraled for a while before exhaustion finally caught up with her. And just as predicted—despite all her excitement—Orm passed out the moment her head hit the pillow, a sleepy smile still lingering on her lips.