Between Us || LINGORM

Chapter 2: Right Address, Wrong Timing

Settling into temporary housing had been less than ideal for Orm Kornnaphat. The small room was just a placeholder until her dormitory was ready. It was cluttered, filled with mismatched furniture that looked as though it had been cobbled together from different decades. A lime-green desk from the '70s sat awkwardly next to a faux-wood dresser. The smell of the place, a faint musk mixed with the remnants of the previous tenant's floral air freshener, had taken some getting used to.

Yet, for Orm, it was all part of the adventure. Bangkok was loud and alive, every street corner humming with the clamor of motorbikes and vendors shouting the day's specials. The city's pulse matched Orm's own enthusiasm for what this new chapter promised. New classes, new people, new freedom—it was everything she'd craved growing up under the vigilant eye of Mae Koy.

But the whirlwind had come with an unexpected complication: Lingling Kwong. That first awkward encounter at the condo still lingered in Orm's mind. Lingling, with her cool composure and sharp gaze, had unsettled her in a way few people did. Orm was used to brushing off awkward interactions, letting them dissolve with a smile and a laugh. But with Lingling, it was different. The memory of Lingling's arched brow, the crisp way she'd said, "Can I help you?" still gnawed at Orm, turning over in her mind like a stone she couldn't set down.

Days passed in a blur of campus tours, settling into temporary accommodations, and attending orientation sessions. Orm had little time to dwell on that strange, tense first meeting. At least, until she spotted Lingling on campus.

Orm was walking past the main library when she noticed a familiar figure ahead. Lingling stood under the shade of a large tamarind tree, phone pressed to her ear, one hand elegantly gesturing as she spoke. Even from a distance, Lingling exuded an effortless grace that made her stand out. She wore a white blouse tucked into black tailored pants, a sharp contrast to the chaotic swarm of students in jeans and t-shirts.

Orm hesitated, half-thinking of walking past without a word, but fate wasn't so kind. Lingling turned just as Orm's sneakers scuffed the pathway, her eyes catching Orm's with a flash of recognition. The brief eye contact was electric, a silent challenge that made Orm's palms feel clammy.

She plastered on her brightest smile, aiming for nonchalance. "Hey, fancy seeing you here," Orm said, mentally cringing at her awkward delivery.

Lingling's eyes narrowed, but she didn't immediately turn away. There was a pause, as if Lingling was weighing whether Orm was worth the energy of a reply. Orm felt her heartbeat speed up in that silence, the city noises around them fading into the background.

"Hello," Lingling said finally, her voice clipped. She ended her phone call with a brief, "I'll call you back," before slipping her phone into her pocket. "I see you've found your way to the right place this time."

Orm's cheeks flushed. Lingling wasn't letting her forget that first encounter any time soon. "Yeah, no more mistaken doors," Orm joked, scratching the back of her neck. "Turns out I'm not as great with directions as I thought."

Lingling's lips twitched—almost a smile, but not quite. It was more like she was amused by a private joke. "Good to know," she said, eyes lingering on Orm for a moment before she nodded and walked away, leaving Orm standing there, caught between relief and the sting of being so easily dismissed.

The next week unfolded with Orm bumping into Lingling more often than seemed possible. In the bustling campus cafeteria, at the corner cafe where Orm grabbed iced Thai tea, even at the student center where Lingling would often be surrounded by a group of equally poised friends. Orm learned quickly that Lingling was well-known on campus—not just for her striking appearance, but for her intelligence and presence. Rumors floated through hallways: Lingling was half-Thai, half-Hong Kong, fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese, and Thai, and even dabbled in playing the guitar.

At first, Orm thought she was exaggerating how often their paths crossed. Bangkok University was huge, a sprawling maze of modern buildings interspersed with traditional Thai architecture and lush gardens. But the pattern was unmistakable. And every time they met, Lingling's response was the same: a brief nod, an acknowledgment just short of cordial.

It was during one of these encounters, in the campus library, that Orm's curiosity grew into something more. She'd been tucked into a corner, half-hidden by stacks of old economics textbooks, when she heard Lingling's voice. It was low and measured, yet commanding. Orm peeked out from behind her book and saw Lingling sitting at a table surrounded by open textbooks and notes laid out in perfect order. A group of students sat across from her, listening intently as she explained something with the ease of someone who knew exactly what she was talking about.

Orm felt a tug in her chest, unexpected and sharp. She'd always been drawn to people who were different from her, people who balanced her own chaotic energy with something grounded. And Lingling was the epitome of control. Even the way she moved was deliberate, like every action was calculated.

Orm leaned back, letting out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. She was intrigued, and that intrigue gnawed at her, whispering that maybe this rivalry she felt with Lingling was more than just competition.

The next day, Orm found herself in an economics seminar, one of her core courses. She slid into her usual seat near the back, already scanning the room for familiar faces. A moment later, her gaze landed on someone unmistakable. Lingling, seated at the front, her back straight as an arrow, pen poised elegantly in her hand.

Orm's stomach did a little flip. She wasn't sure whether it was the unexpected sighting or the simmering frustration that came with it. Either way, she was determined to focus on the lecture. The professor began to speak, detailing the upcoming group projects, but Orm's attention kept wavering to Lingling's figure, her composed profile never turning even as students whispered around her.

"Now, I'd like to hear your thoughts on the case study we discussed last week," the professor said. "Ms. Kwong, if you'd lead us off?"

Lingling didn't hesitate. "The case highlights the limitations of comparative advantage in markets where political instability disrupts supply chains. While the theoretical model holds, it's impractical without stability, which this scenario clearly lacks."

Her voice was as smooth as it was authoritative. Orm felt a twinge of annoyance at how effortlessly Lingling spoke, as if this were as natural as breathing. But then the professor's eyes found Orm. "Ms. Sethratanapong, do you agree or do you have a counterpoint?"

Orm cleared her throat, sitting up straighter. "Actually, I'd argue that even in cases of political instability, a region can pivot and re-establish its foothold if it diversifies its partnerships. It's not about abandoning the principle of comparative advantage, but adapting it."

A murmur went through the room, and Orm saw Lingling's eyes flicker, just for a second, in her direction. There was no smile, no nod, just a subtle shift, but it was enough. Enough to make Orm's pulse race, her heart thudding in her chest.

The rest of the class went by in a blur, each argument Orm made sparking a counter from Lingling, as if they were the only two people in the room. When the lecture finally ended, the usual shuffle of students packing up seemed louder than ever.

Orm didn't expect Lingling to approach her, and she didn't. But as she walked past, there was a moment when their eyes met—Lingling's gaze not just acknowledging her but lingering, as if she were weighing something unseen. Orm watched her go, a slow smile spreading across her face.

For the first time, Orm felt that this strange, electric rivalry might just be the start of something neither of them were prepared for.