Entwined Destinies

Chapter 5: The Wedding

Lingling stood in front of the mirror, adjusting her veil for the tenth time, trying to ignore the butterflies waging war in her stomach. Today was her wedding day—the day she never thought would arrive in quite this way. She glanced at herself again, barely recognizing the nervous bride staring back.

"P'Ling!" Milk's voice broke the silence as she swung open the door and sauntered in, immediately lounging on the bed like it was just another day. "You look... pale. Are you okay?"

Lingling turned toward her sister, trying her best to look composed. "I'm fine. Really." She offered a weak smile. "Just, you know... a little nervous."

Milk gave her a knowing look, folding her arms behind her head. "You look more than a little nervous. Are you sure you're not about to faint? Should I call for a doctor? Or better yet, an escape car?"

Lingling laughed, though it was mostly nerves. "Stop it, Milk. I'm not going to faint... or run away. It's just... it's a big day, you know?"

Milk sat up, her playful demeanor softening as she studied Lingling more closely. "Yeah, I get it. It's not just any wedding—it's your wedding. With Orm." Her voice trailed off slightly, and for a moment, there was an awkward silence in the air.

Lingling's smile faded a bit as the weight of her own thoughts returned. "Yeah. With Orm." She sighed, brushing her hands nervously against the lace of her gown. "I know this is an arranged marriage and everything, but it's still strange, you know? I keep thinking about... well... you and Orm. I don't want it to be weird between us."

Milk blinked, looking down for a moment before standing up. She walked over to Lingling, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Look, Ling, don't worry about that. Don't think too much about Orm being my ex, okay? That's ancient history. We weren't ever in love. It was more like... I don't know, a passing thing. We weren't meant for each other, and I knew that pretty quickly."

Lingling bit her lip, her eyes searching Milk's face for any sign of discomfort, but her sister's expression was calm, almost peaceful. "Are you sure? I mean, I just want to make sure this isn't—"

"P'Ling," Milk interrupted softly. "Listen to me. I'm fine. Really. I don't want you to feel guilty or worried. I know this whole thing was arranged, but if anyone deserves happiness, it's you." Her voice softened, almost like she was choosing her words carefully. "I just hope that you and Orm... that you two find something real in all of this. You deserve to be happy, okay?"

Lingling smiled at her sister, feeling the warmth behind Milk's words. "Thank you, Milk. That means a lot."

Milk hesitated, her gaze flickering as if there was something else she wanted to say but wasn't sure if she should. "There's, um... something I've been thinking about lately, about when—" She paused, biting her lower lip, then quickly shook her head. "Actually, never mind. Forget it."

Lingling raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "Wait, what? What were you going to say?"

Milk blinked, caught off guard, and waved a hand dismissively. "Nothing, nothing. It's just... you know me, always overthinking stuff. Forget I said anything. Anyway, it's your day. You shouldn't be worrying about the past. You should be looking forward to what's ahead."

Lingling narrowed her eyes, not fully convinced but not wanting to push. "Okay... but if there's something I should know—"

Milk quickly cut her off with a nervous laugh. "Nope, nope. Nothing to worry about. Just focus on making this day about you and Orm. I'm serious. I'm rooting for you two."

Lingling watched her sister for a moment longer, then sighed and gave a small nod. "Alright, I'll trust you on that."

Milk grinned, her usual playful smirk returning. "Good. Now, seriously, if you need me to cause a distraction or stage a dramatic fainting spell, just say the word."