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The day had been long, stretching out endlessly, filled with thoughts swirling around my mind

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The day had been long, stretching out endlessly, filled with thoughts swirling around my mind. Ever since Ling and I had shifted the dynamic between us from tutor and student to something else, I couldn't stop wondering what that meant for our future. I had spent the entire afternoon in my penthouse, textbooks and study notes spread out across the table in front of me, but I couldn't concentrate. My eyes kept skimming over the same lines without absorbing anything. Every few minutes, my thoughts would drift back to her. To us. What would our relationship look like now? Would we still be close, or had the change altered something fundamental between us? The uncertainty gnawed at me, making me restless.

I paced back and forth across the room, my nerves on edge, when suddenly the doorbell rang. My heart skipped a beat. I froze, staring at the door for a moment, trying to steady myself. Was it her? Of course, it had to be her. Who else would it be at this time? I quickly walked over to the door and opened it, my pulse racing. And there she was, standing in the doorway, her posture relaxed, but her expression unreadable.

"Hey," Ling said with a slight smile, her voice soft but carrying that familiar confidence that always set me at ease.

"Hey!" I responded, a little too quickly, trying—and failing—to hide my nervousness. "Come in."

She stepped inside, her gaze scanning the room briefly before settling back on me. For a moment, neither of us said anything, the air between us thick with unspoken words. Then, out of nowhere, she spoke, her voice cutting through the silence. "I'm happy," she said, her tone simple but the words carrying a weight that caught me off guard.

"Why?" I asked, a mix of curiosity and concern swirling in my mind. Happy? After all the changes, the uncertainty, she was happy?

Ling's smile widened, but there was something playful in her tone, a glint in her eye that made my heart skip. "Because I'm no longer your tutor."

My heart sank at her words. It felt like a door had just closed on a chapter I wasn't ready to let go of. I had known, of course, that she wasn't going to tutor me forever—she had said as much before—but hearing it again, with such finality, hit me harder than I expected. "Oh..." I murmured, trying to mask my disappointment. "That's... great."

Ling's eyes narrowed slightly, as if she could see right through me. "Orm, you really are that innocent, aren't you?" she teased, her tone soft but laced with amusement.

"Why?" I asked, genuinely puzzled now. What was she getting at?

"Now that I'm not your teacher anymore," she said, a teasing lilt to her voice, "I can go on a date with you."

For a moment, I didn't know how to react. My heart raced, my thoughts scattered in a dozen different directions. Did she really just say that? My breath caught in my throat, and hope surged through me, too strong to contain. "Seriously?" I asked, unable to hide the excitement in my voice.

Ling crossed her arms, a satisfied grin spreading across her face. "Yes, seriously. I couldn't before because I was under a contract. But now..."

"Now you're free?" I finished for her, my mind spinning with the implications of her words.

"Exactly," she said, her smile turning softer, more sincere. "So, how about it?"

I could hardly believe what I was hearing. This was really happening. Ling—my brilliant, enigmatic, and sometimes intimidating tutor—was asking me out. "You mean... you actually want to go on a date with me?" I asked, still half in disbelief.

Ling rolled her eyes, but there was a warmth in her gaze that melted away my doubts. "I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it, Orm."

"Wow, this is..." I stammered, struggling to find the right words. My emotions were a whirlwind, excitement mixing with nervousness. "I don't even know what to say!"

Ling chuckled, the sound warm and inviting. "Just say yes," she encouraged, a playful smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"Yes!" I exclaimed, the word slipping out before I could stop myself. "Absolutely yes!"

Ling's laughter filled the room, the tension that had been hanging in the air finally breaking. "Great! We should figure out when. How about tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow sounds perfect," I replied, my excitement bubbling over. "What do you want to do?"

"I'm sure we can find something fun," she said, her expression shifting slightly, becoming more thoughtful. "You'll have to trust me."

"Trust you? After everything?" I teased, trying to lighten the mood, though inside, my nerves were still jangling.

Ling raised an eyebrow, feigning indignation. "Hey, I can be fun! I just have a reputation to maintain, you know?"

I grinned, the tension easing out of me. "Yeah, the reputation of being the world's most fearsome tutor," I joked, a giggle escaping my lips.

Ling's gaze softened as she looked at me, something tender flickering in her eyes. "You know," she began, her tone more serious now, "I didn't just help you study. You taught me a lot too. I appreciate that."

Her words warmed me in a way I hadn't expected. "I'm glad I could help," I said, feeling a sudden rush of gratitude for all the time we had spent together. "I didn't realize how much I enjoyed our time until it was... different."

"I did, too," Ling said, her voice steady but filled with meaning. "But we need to keep things different now. No more of the tutor-student stuff. Just us."

"Just us," I echoed, the words sending a flutter through my chest. I had always admired Ling from afar, but now... things were changing, and it was exhilarating. Scary, but exhilarating.

Ling stepped closer, her presence filling the space between us. "So, are you ready for this?"

Her question hung in the air, filled with promise and possibility. I swallowed hard, my heart pounding in my chest. "Ready as I'll ever be," I whispered, though it felt like a vow.

"Good," Ling said, her smile returning, brighter than before. "Because I'm not going to hold back. This is a chance for both of us."

I nodded, the weight of her words settling over me like a warm blanket. "I won't either. I want to see where this goes."

Her smile grew, and for a moment, we just stood there, the silence between us charged with unspoken promises. "Then it's settled. Tomorrow, a date. Just us."

As Ling turned to leave, my heart raced with anticipation, a mix of excitement and nervous energy coursing through me. I watched her go, the reality of what had just happened slowly sinking in. I was stepping into unknown territory, but for the first time in a long time, it didn't feel frightening. It felt like the beginning of something new. Something real.

Tomorrow would be the start of that, and I was ready.

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