Curveball
Weeks had passed since their idyllic vacation in Krabi, and the glow of those sunlit days had slowly faded into the relentless rhythm of work and responsibilities.
Orm had been drowning in back-to-back meetings, overseeing projects, and dealing with her father’s unrelenting expectations. Lingling, though busy with her own duties as Orm’s assistant, felt the shift. Their days were long, and by the time they returned home, exhaustion left them with little more than a quiet dinner before collapsing into bed.
Still, they stole moments where they could. Lingling would sometimes wait up for Orm, curled on the office couch, just to finish some paperwork. And Orm, no matter how tired, would always find the strength to pull her into a lingering embrace.
But something is about to change.
The city was quiet when Lingling stepped out of the office, exhaustion settling deep in her bones. Orm was still stuck in a meeting, so she left alone, taking a cab back to her apartment.
She had been so busy these past weeks—back-to-back meetings, endless reports, and long nights at the office. It had been intense, but she didn’t mind. Being by Orm’s side every day made it all worth it.
Now, as she unlocked her apartment door, all she wanted was a hot shower and sleep.
But just as she stepped inside, she heard a familiar knock.
Lingling frowned, glancing at the clock. 10:15 PM.
She walked back to the door and opened it.
There stood Orm, looking tired but as effortlessly beautiful as always.
“Hey,” Lingling said, surprised. “I thought you were still in a meeting.”
Orm sighed, stepping inside. “It ended late. I tried to catch you but was a little late since you took the cab. I didn’t want you to go home alone.”
Lingling smiled softly. “That’s sweet.”
Orm didn’t answer right away. Something was off.
Lingling studied her. “What’s wrong?”
Orm hesitated, then took a deep breath. “I need to tell you something.”
Lingling’s stomach twisted. “Okay…”
Orm reached for her hand and guided her to the couch. She sat down next to Lingling, still holding her hand.
“There was an urgent meeting today,” Orm started.
Lingling listened carefully.
“My dad is sending me to Shanghai for the company’s expansion.”
Lingling’s breath hitched.
“For how long?” she asked.
Orm exhaled. “Three months. Maybe more.”
The words sank in.
Three months. Maybe more.
That was too long.
Lingling felt a lump in her throat, but she forced herself to stay calm. She had to be supportive.
Orm squeezed her hand. “Come with me.”
Lingling’s heart ached.
She knew Orm was serious, but…
“Orm…” Lingling looked down, gathering her thoughts. “I can’t.”
Orm frowned. “Why not?”
Lingling took a deep breath.
“Because I got into university.”
Orm’s eyes widened. “What?”
“I was going to tell you tonight,” Lingling continued, forcing a small smile. “I need to fix my papers. I’ll start in two months.”
Orm’s grip loosened.
Silence settled between them.
For the first since being together, they weren’t simply Orm and Lingling, inseparable and unbreakable.
For the first time, they were two people standing at a crossroads.
________________
The airport buzzed with movement—passengers rushing, announcements echoing overhead, families embracing, and yet, for Orm and Lingling, the world felt painfully still.
Orm stood before Lingling, her luggage beside her, her parents waiting a few steps away, giving them their moment.
Lingling swallowed hard, forcing herself to smile despite the tightness in her chest. “So… this is it?”
Orm exhaled sharply, trying to mask her sadness with a small grin. “I guess so.”
There was a brief silence, both of them unsure what to say next, knowing that whatever words were spoken wouldn’t change the fact that they were about to be apart for months.
Lingling tried to keep it light. “You better not forget about me while you’re out there making business deals.”
Orm smirked, reaching out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind Lingling’s ear. “As if I ever could.”
Lingling sighed. “You’ll be busy.”
Orm cupped Lingling’s cheek, her thumb tracing slow circles against her skin. “And I’ll still call you. Every night. No excuses.”
Lingling let out a soft laugh, though her throat ached. “Even if you’re in a meeting?”
Orm nodded, smirking. “I’ll answer.”
Lingling shook her head. “Liar.”
Orm chuckled but then her expression softened. “I mean it.”
Lingling’s gaze dropped to the floor for a second before she finally whispered, “I’m going to miss you.”
Orm’s arms immediately wrapped around her, pulling her into a tight embrace, her chin resting against the top of Lingling’s head.
“I’m gonna miss you more,” she murmured, her voice quieter now, no longer teasing.
She took a deep breath, inhaling the familiar warmth of Lingling’s presence, trying to memorize it before she had to go.
After a long moment, Orm hesitantly pulled away, but before stepping back, she leaned in closer, her lips brushing against Lingling’s ear.
“And I’m gonna miss your body too,” she whispered teasingly.
Lingling’s face burned, and she immediately smacked Orm’s arm, though her lips curled into a smile. “Seriously? That’s what you’re thinking about right now?”
Orm grinned, eyes shamelessly traveling down Lingling’s figure. “Just stating facts.”
Lingling scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Unbelievable.”
But then, the final boarding call echoed through the airport speakers.
Orm’s playful expression faltered, her smirk slowly fading.
Lingling felt her stomach drop.
“This is really happening,” she thought.
Orm took a slow step back, her fingers slipping away from Lingling’s.
She hesitated, staring at Lingling as if she was memorizing her face, before finally turning around and walking away.
Lingling watched her go, her chest tightening with every step Orm took toward the departure gate.
She wanted to call out to her. To tell her to stay.
But she couldn’t.
She had to let her go.
And so, she just stood there, watching the love of her life disappear into the crowd.
__________________
The days stretched into weeks, and though the aching loneliness of separation never truly faded, Orm and Lingling found comfort in the rhythm of their routine.
Every morning, Lingling would wake up to a text from Orm, sometimes just a simple “Good morning, love,” sometimes a long-winded rant about business meetings, her father’s high expectations, or how much she missed waking up next to Lingling.
Lingling would send pictures—her morning coffee, the restaurant where she worked, even the stacks of university paperwork she was drowning in. Orm would reply with pictures of her office view in China, meals she was eating, and occasional mirror selfies, claiming they were so Lingling wouldn’t forget her face.
But the real comfort came at night.
No matter how exhausting their days were, they never skipped their video calls.
“Babe, you look tired,” Lingling commented one night, frowning at Orm’s drooping eyelids through the screen.
Orm sighed, rubbing her temples. “Meetings from morning until night. My dad’s pushing to finalize everything within the next two months.”
Lingling hummed in understanding. “You’re doing great, though. I know you’ll make it work.”
Orm smirked, propping her chin on her palm. “Of course, I have to. My motivation is coming back to you.”
Lingling rolled her eyes but smiled. “Cheesy.”
“But true,” Orm shot back, her gaze softening.
While Orm was drowning in meetings, Lingling was drowning in responsibilities of her own.
Aside from her full-time job as Orm’s assistant, she was still helping at the restaurant, running around gathering documents for university, and even taking quick trips back to Khon Kaen to secure her transfer credits.
Between work, travel, and paperwork, her schedule was becoming nearly impossible to manage.
One evening, while she was waiting in line at the university office, her phone vibrated.
Orm: I just finished another meeting. I miss you.
Lingling smiled, quickly replying.
Lingling: I miss you too. I’m at the university fixing my papers.
Orm: Again?! Baby, you’re doing too much. Are you even resting?
Lingling: Says the woman who just got out of an all-day meeting.
Orm: Touché.
Despite her exhaustion, Lingling felt a sense of fulfillment. She was finally going back to school.
It had been her dream for so long, and even though it meant she couldn’t follow Orm to China, she knew she was making the right choice.
Orm supported her completely, but sometimes, when their video calls grew quiet, Lingling could see the sadness in Orm’s eyes—the longing, the loneliness.
And if she was honest with herself, she felt it too.
_________________
Orm’s POV
The days blurred together into an endless cycle of meetings, negotiations, and pressure.
Orm sat at the head of a long conference table, her father beside her, a row of executives on the other end. Numbers flashed on the projector screen—profit margins, projections, expansion forecasts—but Orm could barely focus.
Her father’s voice snapped her back.
“Orm, you need to lead the next phase of negotiations. I’ll be stepping back more. You have to step up. One day, all of this will be yours. Might as well get used to it.”
Orm swallowed the tightness in her throat and nodded. “Understood, Dad.”
She didn’t argue, didn’t protest. There was no room for weakness.
But inside, the weight of it all was suffocating.
By the time the meeting ended, it was past 10 p.m. Orm dragged herself back to her hotel, ignoring the ache in her shoulders. The first thing she did was grab her phone, Lingling’s name lighting up her screen like a beacon.
Her last message was from hours ago:
Lingling: Just finished my shift at the restaurant. So tired. Miss you.
Orm sighed, rubbing her eyes before replying.
Orm: Miss you too, babe. Just got out of a meeting. Call you in a bit?
Almost immediately, her phone vibrated. Incoming Video Call: Lingling.
Orm smiled, answering.
Lingling appeared on the screen, bundled up in an oversized hoodie, her hair still damp from a shower. “You look exhausted,” she said, frowning.
“You do too,” Orm countered.
Lingling pouted. “I am. But at least I’m in bed. You’re still in your office clothes.”
“Hotel room, actually.”
Lingling huffed. “Go take a shower and rest, babe.”
Orm hesitated. She wanted to tell Lingling about the delay, but her heart clenched at the thought. She had promised three months. Three months and she’d be home.
She wasn’t ready to break that promise.
So instead, she forced a smile. “I will. But first, tell me about your day.”
And just for a little while, as Lingling’s voice filled the quiet of her hotel room, Orm let herself forget about the weight on her shoulders.
___________________
Lingling’s POV
Lingling sighed as she walked through the bustling streets of Bangkok, adjusting the shopping bags in her hands. She had spent the past few weeks balancing work, transferring her university credits, and preparing for her upcoming semester in Tourism Management.
It had been exhausting, traveling back and forth between Bangkok and Khon Kaen, ensuring all the paperwork was finalized. But despite the stress, she felt proud—she was finally taking the next step toward her dreams.
Still, there was something missing.
Orm.
It had been a month since Orm left for China, and while they talked every night, Lingling still felt the distance. Orm had been busier than usual, her texts coming later, their calls sometimes cut short.
Lingling didn’t want to overthink it—she knew Orm was under a lot of pressure—but she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.
Pushing the thought aside, she entered a stationery shop to buy some supplies for university. As she reached for a planner, she suddenly bumped into someone.
“Oh, sorry—”
“Lingling?”
Lingling turned, her eyes widening in surprise.
“Charlotte?”
Charlotte grinned. “Wow! We meet again! What are the odds?”
Lingling laughed. “First Krabi, now here. Are you following me?”
Charlotte smirked. “Maybe. Or maybe fate keeps pushing us together.”
Lingling rolled her eyes playfully. “So, what brings you here?”
“I live in Bangkok, remember? I was just out running errands. What about you?”
“Getting ready for university.”
Charlotte’s eyes lit up. “That’s amazing! What are you studying?”
“Tourism Management.”
Charlotte nodded. “That suits you. You’ve always been good with people.”
Lingling smiled. “Thanks. You free for coffee? We can finally catch up properly.”
Charlotte smirked. “Thought you’d never ask.”
__________________
They found a quiet café nearby and settled into their seats with their drinks.
Charlotte leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. “So, what have you been up to besides school and work?”
Lingling stirred her coffee. “Well… That’s pretty much it. Just trying to keep myself busy lately since my girlfriend is away”
Charlotte raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Who’s the lucky person?”
Lingling chuckled. “You actually met her in Krabi.”
Charlotte frowned for a moment before realization dawned on her.
“Wait… Orm? Oh yeah. I almost forgot we met. Silly me. Just had a lot of thing going in my mind lately”
Lingling smiled.
Charlotte blinked before smirking. “Wait, Orm Sethratanapong? Damn. She’s beautiful. And rich. You really scored, huh?”
Lingling laughed. “She’s a handful, too.”
Charlotte took a sip of her drink. “So, where is she now? Haven’t seen her around.”
Lingling hesitated for a moment before sighing. “She’s in China.”
Charlotte’s expression shifted slightly. “China?”
Lingling nodded. “Yeah, business expansion. She had to relocate with her parents for a few months.”
Charlotte whistled. “Damn. Long-distance? That must be tough.”
Lingling forced a smile. “Yeah, but we talk every day. It’s been a month. Two more to go.”
Charlotte tapped her fingers against her cup. “Are you sure it’s just two months?”
Lingling frowned. “What do you mean?”
Charlotte shrugged. “Just saying… business deals don’t always go as planned. I work at a law firm, and I’ve seen these kinds of projects get delayed all the time.”
Lingling’s heart sank slightly.
Wouldn’t Orm tell her if something changed?
She promised.
She never broke her promises.
…Right?