UNSCRIPTED FEELINGS | LINGORM (ENGLISH)

CHAPTER 11

Lingling couldn’t believe how quickly her mood had shifted. One moment, she was enjoying the warmth and comfort of being close to Orm, and the next, Ying had appeared out of nowhere, interrupting what felt like such an intimate moment. It wasn’t the first time Ying had casually slipped between them during these quiet moments on set, but for some reason, today, it bothered her more than ever.

Lingling wasn’t sure what had gotten into her. She had never considered herself the jealous type. In fact, she had prided herself on being calm and composed. But the second Ying showed up, flashing that overly familiar smile at Orm and tugging her away, Lingling felt an uncomfortable wave of possessiveness well up inside her chest.

She watched as Ying leaned in close to Orm, laughing at something Orm said, and Lingling’s fingers tightened around the iPad in her hand. It wasn’t like she and Orm were together—or anything like that. They were co-stars, colleagues, friends. But something about the way Orm smiled at Ying, the way they seemed so at ease with each other, made Lingling’s stomach twist.

“What’s wrong with me?” Lingling muttered under her breath, frustrated with her own feelings. She had no right to be jealous. Orm wasn’t hers to be jealous over.

Still, it was hard to ignore the troubling feeling that had settled in her chest. She thought back to the moments she had shared with Orm over the past few weeks—the small smiles, the lingering touches, the way they had grown closer both on and off camera. Lingling had never expected to feel this way about Orm. But now that she did, she couldn’t stop herself from wanting more.

As Lingling stood off to the side, pretending to review her lines on her iPad with more force than necessary, she couldn’t help but steal glances at Orm and Ying. They were standing close together, chatting as if they had known each other for years. The sight of it made Lingling’s heart ache. She wanted to be the one making Orm laugh like that, the one standing by her side during these quiet moments on set.

Just as she was lost in thought, the director called for a short break in filming. Ying gave Orm one last playful tap on the arm before wandering off to talk to another crew member. Orm turned and caught Lingling’s gaze, flashing her that familiar smile that always seemed to make Lingling’s heart skip a beat.

“P'Lingling, you good?” Orm called out, walking toward her with that easy, playfulness that seemed to come so naturally to her.

Lingling forced a smile, hoping it didn’t look as strained as it felt. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

Orm studied her for a moment, a slight frown creasing her forehead. “You sure? You look like something’s bothering you.”

Lingling shook her head quickly, trying to brush off Orm’s concern. The last thing she wanted was to let Orm know how jealous she was feeling. It was embarrassing, really. They weren’t even together, and yet here she was, acting like some lovesick fool because someone else was getting Orm’s attention.

“I’m fine,” Lingling repeated, hoping Orm would drop it.

But Orm didn’t seem convinced. She stepped closer, her gaze softening as she reached out to gently nudge Lingling’s arm. “Hey, if something’s up, you can tell me, you know?”

Lingling’s heart melted a little at Orm’s concern. She always had this way of making Lingling feel like she was the only person in the world, even when they were surrounded by dozens of cast and crew members. But Lingling couldn’t bring herself to admit what was really bothering her.

“It’s nothing,” Lingling said quietly, averting her gaze. “Just… tired, I guess.”

Orm didn’t press further, but the worried look didn’t leave her face. She reached out and gently squeezed Lingling’s hand, a simple gesture that sent a wave of warmth through Lingling’s chest. “Okay, but if you need anything, just let me know.”

Lingling nodded, forcing another smile as she watched Orm walk away to grab a drink from the refreshment table. The jealousy still lingered in the back of her mind, but Orm’s kindness had softened it a little. Maybe she was overreacting. Maybe she was just tired, like she had told Orm.

But as she watched Orm from a distance, the way she interacted with everyone around her so effortlessly, Lingling couldn’t help but wonder if her feelings for Orm were starting to run deeper than she had realized. Maybe it wasn’t just jealousy—maybe it was something more.

Lingling sighed, running a hand through her hair as she tried to shake off the uneasy feeling in her chest. She didn’t want to feel this way. She didn’t want to be jealous or possessive. But the truth was, Orm meant more to her than she had ever expected. And seeing her with Ying, even in such an innocent context, had only made Lingling realize just how much she cared.

As the break ended and they returned to filming, Lingling made a silent vow to herself. She would push these jealous feelings aside and focus on what really mattered—her friendship with Orm. No matter how confusing her feelings were becoming, she didn’t want to ruin what they had by letting jealousy get in the way.

But deep down, Lingling couldn’t help but wonder if it was already too late to stop herself from falling for Orm.

— Unedited