Days passed, and the bond between Orm and Ling grew stronger. They didn't realize it yet, but their once fiery rivalry had slowly transformed into something neither could name. As the day to remove Ling's cast finally arrived, Orm eagerly tagged along, insisting it was "to make sure the doctors didn't mess up," though everyone could tell she just wanted to be there for Ling.When the cast was finally removed, Ling flexed her wrist and smiled. "Finally free! No more depending on you for every little thing."Orm smirked. "You mean no more pretending to be helpless so I'd do your laundry."Ling shrugged with a mischievous grin. "I never said I didn't enjoy it."On the way back, Orm nudged Ling with her elbow. "Hey, since you're all healed up, you owe me a treat.""A treat? Fine, what do you want to eat?" Ling asked."Not food," Orm said, surprising Ling. "I want to go to the park. Rides, games, ice cream—the whole deal. You know, fun stuff."Ling raised an eyebrow. "The park? Are you a kid?""Oh, come on! It'll be fun. Please?" Orm's puppy-dog eyes were impossible to resist.Ling sighed but smiled. "Fine. Let's go."At the park, the two of them went all out. They rode the Ferris wheel, spun themselves dizzy on the teacups, and screamed their lungs out on the roller coaster."Wasn't that amazing?" Orm asked as they stumbled off the coaster, her hair a mess and her cheeks glowing from excitement."I think I left my soul back on the first loop," Ling muttered, though she couldn't hide her smile.Next came the ice cream stand, where Orm demanded the biggest cone available and ended up with chocolate smeared on her nose. Ling laughed so hard she had to lean against the counter for support."Stop laughing and help me!" Orm whined, trying to wipe her face with her sleeve.Ling shook her head, grabbed a napkin, and leaned in close to wipe the chocolate off Orm's nose. Their eyes met for a brief moment, and both froze, the air between them growing oddly quiet."Uh… thanks," Orm said, looking away quickly."No problem," Ling replied, clearing her throat.As they left the park, walking side by side, Ling's hand brushed against Orm's. Neither said anything, but soon their fingers intertwined, almost instinctively. It felt natural, though neither of them acknowledged it.That is, until a foreign tourist approached them."Excuse me," the boy said in heavily accented English. "You two are girlfriends, yes? Can I take photo? You look cute together."The words hit them like a lightning bolt. They immediately let go of each other's hands, jumping apart and yelling in unison, "NOOOOOOO!"The boy looked startled. "Oh, sorry! My bad!" He walked away quickly, leaving them standing there in awkward silence."Girlfriends? As if!" Orm scoffed, her face burning."Ridiculous," Ling muttered, though her cheeks were just as red.They didn't say another word all the way home, the tension between them thick enough to cut with a knife.That evening, as they sat in their room, Orm's phone rang. She picked it up, her face lighting up when she saw the name."Hey, Phon! What's up? You called late," Orm said cheerfully.The conversation quickly became animated, with Orm laughing and joking loudly. Ling, who had been pretending to read a book, couldn't focus."Can you keep it down?" Ling finally snapped. "Some of us are trying to sleep!""Sorry," Orm said, grinning. But she didn't lower her voice, continuing to talk to Phon.Ling's grip on her book tightened. She didn't know why she felt so irritated, but hearing Orm laugh with someone else made her stomach churn.The next day at college, her irritation only grew as Phon clung to Orm during breaks, talking and laughing as if no one else existed.Ling finally had enough. "Orm," she said, interrupting them. "We need to study. Now.""Study?" Orm asked, confused. "We don't even have a test.""Doesn't matter," Ling said firmly, grabbing Orm's arm and dragging her away.Just as Ling thought she had successfully pulled Orm away, Phon suddenly appeared again. This time, he grabbed Orm's hand and led her to a wide-open area in the middle of the campus courtyard."What are you doing, Phon?" Orm asked, bewildered.Phon dropped to one knee, pulling a small ring out of his pocket.The crowd erupted into cheers and gasps, students gathering around to watch the scene unfold.Sia and Tina, standing at the edge of the crowd, exchanged looks."Told you this was going to happen," Tina muttered."Yeah, but why is he making it so cringe?" Sia replied, cringing herself. "Just get it over with."Ling, standing at the back of the crowd, felt like her heart had been ripped out. She didn't understand why her chest hurt so much, or why her eyes were suddenly burning with tears. All she knew was that she couldn't watch anymore.She turned and walked away, wiping her eyes as she headed straight home.When Orm finally escaped the scene, she went home, immediately looking for Ling. She found her sitting on the bed, her face buried in her hands."Ling," Orm said softly, kneeling in front of her. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"Ling looked up, her eyes red and watery. "I don't know," she whispered. "I just… feel so much pressure, like there's this weight on my chest, and I don't know why."Before Ling could say more, Orm leaned forward and kissed her.Ling's eyes widened in surprise, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she kissed Orm back, her lips soft and warm as they moved against Orm's.When they finally pulled apart, Orm's cheeks were bright red. "I love you, Ling," she blurted out. "I love you so much that I'd do anything for you."Ling stared at her, her face just as red. She didn't respond with words—instead, she leaned in and kissed Orm again, wrapping her arms around her and pulling her closer.After a few minutes, Orm gently pushed Ling back. "Wait! First, tell me—do you like me? I just confessed, and you're kissing me without answering!"Ling laughed, her eyes sparkling. "You're such a dumbo, Orm.""I mean it! Just say it!" Orm insisted, pouting.Ling cupped Orm's face in her hands. "Fine. I'll say it. I love you, Orm. You're dumb, weak, and clueless… but you're also the kindest, most beautiful person I've ever met. And I want to protect you, even if you can't protect yourself."Orm's eyes widened in surprise. "You love me?""Yes, I love you," Ling said, smiling. "Would you like to be my girlfriend?""No!" Orm exclaimed, crossing her arms. "I asked you first! You have to say yes to me!"Ling laughed again. "Okay, okay. Yes, I'll be your girlfriend."Orm beamed and pulled Ling into a tight hug. "You better not change your mind!"Ling smiled, resting her head on Orm's shoulder. "Not a chance."That evening, the two of them kissed until the stars came out, both finally realizing that they'd found something they'd been missing all along.