My lover is my boss (LingOrm)

7 - Strong arms

The date was going downhill fast, and there was no denying it. I found myself sitting across from Bright at the mall café, sipping my drink while he prattled on and on about his gym routine. Every other sentence out of his mouth was some boast about his "firm arms" or how much weight he could lift. To say I was bored would be an understatement.

"So, yeah, I've been focusing a lot on my upper body lately," he continued, flexing slightly, as if I hadn't already noticed. "My arms are getting super firm." He gave his biceps a subtle squeeze, as though I hadn't heard him mention his "firm arms" at least five times already.

I forced a smile, nodding along. "That's... great," I said, my voice thin with forced enthusiasm. I was trying to be polite, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to mask how much I wanted to leave. The worst part was that we were still at the mall, and the date felt like it had been going on for hours.

At one point, he decided to try on a jacket from one of the nearby stores. He strutted over to the changing area, grabbed the first jacket he saw, and slipped it on. When he came out to show it off, I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing. It was way too tight in the shoulders and arms, and it made him look like he was being strangled by the fabric.

He tugged at the sleeves, frowning. "Urgh, it doesn't fit my strong arms," he muttered, flexing yet again as he tried to take the jacket off.

I almost lost it. Strong arms, I thought, barely able to keep a straight face. I could feel a giggle bubbling up inside me, and I quickly turned away, pretending to be interested in the women's section of the store to avoid laughing in his face.

"Maybe I'll just look around here," I said, trying to make a graceful exit from the men's section. Anything to get away from Bright for a few minutes. As I wandered through the racks of clothes, my eyes scanned the store until they landed on someone familiar—Ling.

She was standing a few feet away, laughing with a woman I vaguely recognized from the crew. Something about the sight of them together sparked an unexpected flicker of irritation inside me. I didn't understand why I felt so annoyed, but I found myself walking toward them before I could stop myself.

"Hey, Ling," I called out, forcing a smile as I approached.

Ling turned, her expression brightening when she saw me. "Hey, Orm!" she said, then motioned to the woman next to her. "This is my friend, Ying Anada."

"Nice to meet you," I said briefly, barely glancing at Ying before turning my attention back to Ling. Without thinking, I grabbed Ling's arm and leaned in, whispering, "Can we talk for a sec?"

Ling looked at me curiously but nodded, excusing herself from her conversation with Ying. We stepped a little away, and I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, though I wasn't sure why. Maybe it was the frustration from the date, or maybe it was something else.

"Sorry to interrupt your date," I started, feeling a little embarrassed, "but—"

"It's not a date," Ling interrupted with a slight smile. "And Bright is being an asshole?"

"Yeah!" I said, feeling a wave of relief that she understood. "He just said he has 'strong arms' and that's why jackets don't fit him. Oh, and he also said he has 'firm arms.' It's all he talks about—his gym routine, his muscles. It's driving me insane."

Ling chuckled, clearly amused. "He only talks about the gym?"

"Yes! Please rescue me," I pleaded, feeling desperate. "But don't end your date or anything, just call me and say you need me for a meeting or something."

Ling raised an eyebrow. "Orm, I'm not on a date. I just bumped into her."

"Uh-huh, sure," I said, not entirely believing her. "But can you do it?"

Ling looked at me thoughtfully for a moment before a sly smile tugged at her lips. "No," she said, her voice soft but firm. "Instead of leaving... come on a date with me."

I blinked, completely caught off guard. "What?"

Ling met my gaze, her expression unreadable but calm. "Come on a date with me."

I hesitated, my mind racing. "But... you're my boss," I stammered, feeling flustered.

"Is that the only way you see me?" she asked quietly, her voice softening in a way that made my heart skip a beat.

"I-I—" I began, fumbling over my words. "I mean, yeah—you're my boss."

Ling's expression shifted, her eyes darkening slightly with something I couldn't quite place. "Fine," she said, her voice cool now. "Go back to him, and I'll call you like you wanted."

I wanted to say something, but the words caught in my throat. "But we can—" I started, but Ling cut me off.

"I don't need pity, Orm," she said, turning away slightly. "Go."

Her words stung, and I felt a strange sense of guilt wash over me. Without another word, I left Ling standing there and headed back to Bright, feeling like I had somehow messed up. As I walked away, I could hear my own thoughts screaming at me: Lingling Fucking Kwong just asked you on a date, and you turned her down. You're an idiot.

When I reached Bright again, he greeted me with a smile. "Oh, you're back," he said, oblivious to everything that had just happened.

I smiled weakly. "Yeah," I muttered, still reeling from my conversation with Ling. My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out to see Ling's number flashing on the screen. My heart skipped a beat.

"Did you find anything interesting?" Bright asked, clearly trying to make small talk as we continued walking.

"Not really," I said absently, my thoughts still on Ling. "Just you." It came out without much thought.

Bright grinned. "Funny. Let's check out another store," he said, putting his arm around my shoulders. I stiffened at the contact but said nothing, trying to focus on my phone.

The phone rang again, and then again. Finally, I answered it, stepping away from Bright slightly. "Hi," I said, keeping my voice low.

Ling's voice came through the line, cool but not unkind. "Did you die on your way back to him, or are you two fine already?"

"We're fine," I said, though I could hear the hesitation in my own voice.

"Good," Ling said flatly, though I could tell she wasn't happy. "I wanted to go on a date with you, but fine. You like the asshole who only cares about the gym, so stay with him."

"It's not that I prefer him over anyone else—" I started, but Ling cut me off.

"Yeah, right," she said sharply. "Because you've got two options: the gym guy and your boss. Go back to the gym guy then." And with that, she hung up.

I stood there for a moment, staring at my phone, feeling a knot form in my chest. I hadn't meant for things to go this way, and I felt like I'd blown it with Ling.

Bright appeared behind me, completely oblivious. "Everything okay?" he asked, peering over my shoulder.

"Yeah," I said, forcing a smile. "But my boss called. She needs me for a meeting back at the hotel."

"Oh, okay," Bright said, his disappointment evident. "I'll drive us back, then. You can rest after the meeting."

"Thanks," I said, feeling more conflicted than ever as we walked out of the mall together. My mind kept circling back to Ling, to the way she had asked me out, and to how I had turned her down. I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd made a huge mistake.