The Glimpse Of Us

The Legacy Room was quiet, bathed in soft golden light from the setting sun outside. Framed awards, photographs, and plaques lined the walls—each one marking a milestone in Orm's career.

Lingling stood at the entrance, taking it all in. It had been years since she last stepped foot in Only U Records. Years since she had been part of this world.

And now—on her first day back—Orm had insisted on bringing her here first.

"You really have achieved so much, Baobao," Lingling murmured, admiration lacing her voice.

Orm grinned, practically bouncing on her feet. "Wait till you see the rest of the building! But first, I had to show you this."

Lingling turned toward her, lips curving. "Tawan must be very proud."

Orm's breath hitched slightly. Even now, hearing that name from Lingling's lips sent warmth flooding through her.

Lingling was Tawan.

Tawan, the songwriter who shaped her music.

Tawan, the light guiding her when she didn't even know it.

Her gaze flickered over the displays—until something made her pause.

A small frame, tucked among the other memorabilia. A piece of aged, yellowed paper, slightly curled at the edges.

Orm reached out, fingers brushing against the glass.

The old music sheet. The original piece of proof that Lingling won the Thailand Contemporary Music Championship, the exact same one as the copy she snapped during the Lam Pao Dam festival. And the one reason she was finally able to put the pieces together—discovering Tawan. Discovering Lingling.

Lingling stepped closer, her brows knitting together in recognition. "I didn't know you kept this."

Orm glanced at her. "I found it here a while ago. I just... never moved it."

Lingling let out a quiet hum, pressing her palm lightly against the glass. "It's been years since I last saw this."

Orm turned fully toward her. "This song... it meant a lot to you, didn't it?"

Lingling nodded, voice softer now. "It was our winning piece. Junji, Fluke... and me. The one that changed our lives."

Orm exhaled slowly, something tugging at the edges of her mind. Something she couldn't quite place.

She hesitated—then took Lingling's hand, lacing their fingers together. "Come with me."

Lingling didn't ask where. She simply followed.

Orm led her through the hallway, past the main studio, into a familiar space—the practice room.

A grand piano sat in the center, polished and waiting.

Orm gestured to the bench. "Play it for me."

Lingling tilted her head, amused. "You do realize I don't need the sheet music, right?"

Orm huffed a laugh. "I know. I just... I want to hear it."

Lingling smiled, running her fingers over the smooth surface of the keys. Then—she began to play.

Soft, delicate notes filled the air, gentle at first, then gradually swelling—uplifting, soaring, wrapping around them like a long-lost memory.

Orm's hands hovered over the keys before she joined in, her fingers finding the melody instinctively, playing alongside Lingling in perfect harmony.

And then—it hit her.

The sound. The rhythm. The way the notes danced together.

Her fingers faltered for just a second.

Lingling continued, lost in the music, unaware of the way Orm's breath had caught in her throat.

Because she knew this song.

Not from Only U Records. Not from something recent.

From before.

From years ago.

From an evening when she was twelve—weak, sick, struggling to move from her bed, drawn toward a melody that felt like magic.

From the balcony, where she saw a girl—tall, poised, glowing in the evening sun.

A girl who played this exact song.

Orm's heartbeat thundered in her ears.

The song that made her fall in love with music.

The song that unknowingly shaped her path.

The song that had been there all along.

Her hands trembled against the keys.

Lingling, noticing the shift, slowed to a gentle stop.

Silence settled between them.

Orm turned to her, eyes wide, lips slightly parted.

Lingling frowned slightly. "Baobao?"

Orm swallowed hard. Then, in a voice barely above a whisper—

"It was you."

Lingling blinked. "What?"

Orm exhaled shakily. "This song... you played this song. In my house. When I was twelve."

Lingling stilled.

Orm's fingers curled into her lap, overwhelmed by the realization crashing over her. "I was sick. I could barely move. But I heard it. I followed it." Her breath hitched. "I saw you, Jie Jie."

Lingling's lips parted slightly, realization dawning in her eyes.

Orm let out a soft, almost breathless laugh. "This... this is the song that made me fall in love with music."

She turned fully toward Lingling, amber eyes glistening. "And it was you all along."

Lingling remained silent, absorbing the weight of those words.

Orm let out a small, disbelieving chuckle. "Our fates were intertwined from the start, weren't they?"

Lingling's chest tightened. Slowly, she reached out, fingers brushing against Orm's cheek.

A quiet, knowing smile touched her lips.

"Yes," she whispered.

Orm leaned into her touch, closing her eyes for a moment, letting the warmth settle deep within her.

Then—she opened them again, meeting Lingling's gaze.

And this time, she wasn't looking at an angel from a balcony.

She wasn't looking at a songwriter hidden in the shadows.

She was looking at Lingling.

The woman she had always been meant to find.

Orm took Lingling's hand, threading their fingers together.

"The song that connected us," she murmured. "It was here all along."

Lingling smiled, giving Orm's hand a gentle squeeze.

And with the soft echo of their song still lingering in the air—

They played it again.

Together.

The music had led them to each other once before.

And now, it would carry them forward—always.

THE END