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Chapter 7 - Caring Enemy

Two days had passed since Ling's accident, and the tension around the hospital was thick. Orm hadn't left Ling's side since that night. She refused to go home despite Sia and Tina's attempts to drag her away for rest. Instead, she spent most of her time slumped on a chair outside Ling's room, her red, swollen eyes and shaking hands betraying just how much guilt she was carrying.Ling's parents visited on the first day, and the anger on their faces was impossible to miss. They immediately blamed Orm, demanding an explanation."You're the one who faught, her" Ling's father said, his voice stern. "How could you do this ?""I—I didn't…" Orm stammered, but her voice cracked, and she couldn't continue.Ling's mother narrowed her eyes, but as she looked closer at Orm's trembling form and her tear-streaked face, her anger softened. They said no more, simply patting Ling's hand and quietly promising to visit again tomorrow.That night, Orm didn't move from her chair. She sat with her head in her hands, tears streaming silently down her face.Sia and Tina, who were watching from across the hall, exchanged worried glances."I've never seen her like this," Sia whispered."Me neither," Tina replied. "Why is she blaming herself so much? It's not like she was driving the car."The next day, Sia and Tina finally convinced Orm to come home for a few hours. She reluctantly agreed, showered and changed her clothes, but as soon as she was fresh, she grabbed her bag and headed straight back to the hospital.Despite pretending she didn't care, Orm spent the next day quietly taking care of Ling. She would bring fresh water, adjust Ling's pillow, and even make sure Ling had extra blankets at night. But she did it all while hiding from everyone, acting like she was just "passing by."On the second day, Orm decided to take it a step further and blend in with the hospital staff. She managed to "borrow" a spare nurse's uniform from a storage closet and wore it while tending to Ling."Perfect disguise," she muttered to herself as she tied her hair into a bun and tucked it under the cap.But it didn't take long for the others to notice.Tina raised an eyebrow when she spotted Orm adjusting Ling's IV. "Is that… Orm in a nurse's uniform?"Sia snorted. "What gave it away? The snack bag sticking out of her pocket?"When Ling woke up later and saw Orm hovering awkwardly in the corner, she immediately called her out."Orm, I know it's you," Ling said flatly.Orm froze. "What? No! I'm a nurse. You must be hallucinating from the pain meds."Ling rolled her eyes. "Take off the hat."Everyone burst out laughing as Orm sheepishly pulled off the cap.Two days later, Ling was discharged from the hospital with a cast on her right arm. She struggled to hold anything with her left hand and quickly realized she couldn't even eat without help.Orm, as expected, was hovering nearby when Ling called her."Orm!" Ling snapped.Orm jumped, startled. "What? What do you want?"Ling smirked. "How did you know I was going to call you? Were you spying on me?"Orm crossed her arms defensively. "I wasn't spying. I just… happened to be in the area.""Sure," Ling said, raising an eyebrow. "Well, since you're so conveniently here, why don't you help me? You know, out of guilt and all."Orm hesitated, glancing at the others. Sia shrugged. "We all knew it was you from the start. Might as well own it."Orm sighed and stepped forward. "Fine. What do you need?"Ling smirked again. "Feed me.""What?""I can't use my hand, and I'm hungry. Feed me," Ling said, her voice dripping with fake innocence.Grumbling, Orm picked up the spoon and began feeding Ling. At first, it was awkward, with Orm glaring and Ling grinning smugly. But as they continued, something changed.Orm's expression softened, and Ling, for once, didn't say anything sarcastic. Their eyes met briefly, and Orm's hand trembled slightly as she brought the spoon to Ling's mouth.Sia and Tina, sitting nearby, exchanged a glance. "Uh-oh," Tina whispered.Back at the house, Ling wasted no time taking full advantage of Orm's guilt."Orm, can you get me water?""Orm, I need a blanket.""Orm, my cast itches. Can you scratch my back?"Orm did everything without complaint, though her patience was clearly wearing thin."Ling, you're left-handed. You can do some of this yourself," Orm muttered one evening."But it's funnier when you do it," Ling replied with a smirk.When it came to studying, things didn't get any easier. Orm tried her best to help Ling with her notes, but it quickly became clear that academic work was not her strong suit."Wait," Orm said, frowning at the textbook. "So the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell?"Ling stared at her. "That's basic biology.""Well, excuse me, Miss Genius," Orm said, throwing her hands up. "Why don't you write it down yourself?"Ling waved her cast in the air. "I would if I could."The two argued for twenty minutes, with Orm dramatically flopping onto the bed in frustration and Ling laughing so hard she nearly fell off her chair.One evening, Ling struggled to change into her pajamas. When Orm offered to help, Ling immediately refused."I can manage!" Ling snapped, fumbling with the buttons on her shirt."You're struggling," Orm said, grabbing the shirt. "Let me help!""Orm, no—"But Orm didn't listen. She unbuttoned Ling's shirt and helped her change, all while Ling turned bright red and mumbled protests."You're so stubborn," Orm said, rolling her eyes."I'm stubborn?" Ling shot back. "You're the one who forced me into this!"They bickered until Sia poked her head into the room and asked, "Are you two married or something?""GET OUT!" they shouted in unison, both red-faced.When Ling jokingly asked Orm to help her shower the next day, the entire house erupted into laughter, and Sia firmly told Ling, "Absolutely not."After a week of chaos, Ling finally returned to college with Orm by her side. On the way, the two began bickering immediately."You walk so slow," Ling complained."You're the one with a cast!" Orm shot back. "How are you faster than me?""Maybe because I actually go to class," Ling teased."Yeah, yeah. Keep talking, genius," Orm muttered.As they entered the campus, Sia and Tina trailed behind, watching the familiar scene."They're back to normal," Tina said with a sigh of relief."Yeah," Sia replied with a small smile. "Whatever 'normal' is for them."