CH-04

After enjoying a pleasant time strolling around together, Mean and Ling decided to stop by a restaurant for dinner before Mean would drop Ling off at her house. The atmosphere that evening was warm and cozy, accompanying their steps as they entered the carefully chosen restaurant.

Although Ling noticed a few cameras capturing moments of her and Mean together, it had become a normal occurrence for her. Being in the entertainment industry meant they were always in the spotlight, even during their private moments. However, Ling had grown accustomed to such situations, and the presence of cameras no longer bothered her.

After waiting for a short while, the food that Mean and Ling had ordered arrived. The two began to enjoy their meal while engaging in light conversation.

"I forgot to ask, who was the woman with Kwang earlier?" Mean asked, his eyes filled with curiosity as he looked at Ling.

"Her name is Orm Kornnaphat. She's my new assistant," Ling replied calmly after finishing a bite of her food.

"Really? You're hiring that young woman as your assistant?" Mean raised his eyebrows, a little surprised.

"She's the same age as Kwang. I hired her because Kwang recommended her, and I trust Kwang wouldn't suggest the wrong person," Ling answered casually, taking a sip of her drink.

"Ah, that’s a relief... I trust Khun Kwang’s judgment too," Mean responded, visibly more at ease, before continuing to eat. "But just as a suggestion, it might be good for you to know more about her background, like her social media presence. Have you checked that?"

Ling, who was savoring another bite of her meal, paused for a moment, realizing she hadn't yet asked for Orm's LINE contact or social media details.

"I'll ask her later..." Ling mumbled quietly, refocusing on her meal.

•••••

The clock struck eight in the night when Orm finally arrived at her apartment. She had chosen to stay there because it was closer to both her university and Ling's house. Usually, Orm would spend time at her parents' home during the weekends or whenever she felt like going back.

After entering the apartment, the first thing Orm did was take a shower to refresh her tired body. Once she was done, she changed into comfortable clothes and sat down on a chair. Her hand reached for the bag she had brought with her earlier, then pulled out the book Kwang had given her.

"Is P'Ling really this complicated now?" she muttered, reading through several pages of the book. Orm turned page after page, making a sincere effort to memorize the details of her tasks.

Suddenly, the sound of a notification from the LINE app echoed through the room. Still engrossed in the book, Orm blindly reached for her phone on the table. Her eyes widened when she saw the notification was from none other than Lingling Kwong.

"Shhhia!" she exclaimed, half in shock. Quickly, she checked the LINE profile to confirm, and sure enough, the message was indeed from Ling. The message was simple—Ling was just asking Orm to save her contact. Orm immediately replied to the message, but after several minutes passed, there was no response from Ling.

Realizing she had waited long enough, Orm decided to put her phone down and refocus her attention on the book.

°°°°°

A white car came to a stop in front of a luxurious house. Orm carefully stepped out of the vehicle, then stood for a moment beside it, gazing up at the grand home before her. This was Ling’s house, where she had been working for the past week. Despite her days of service, Orm still felt a twinge of nervousness, especially now, since she was arriving alone. Kwang, who had always accompanied her before, was no longer there, making this visit feel distinctly different.

Orm retrieved a few items from the backseat of her car, her hands and feet hesitant as she prepared to walk toward the main door. Taking a deep breath, she stared at Ling's front door, gathering the courage to go inside.

From behind the window, Ling had already noticed Orm standing outside. Seeing her assistant rooted to the spot, she decided to open the door and call out to her.

“Why are you still standing there? I’ve been starving, waiting for the food,” Ling’s voice carried a hint of impatience, snapping Orm out of her thoughts.

Orm quickly lifted her head, shaking off her hesitation, and saw Ling standing in the doorway. “Sorry for the delay, P'Ling. But I’ve brought breakfast,” Orm replied with a faint smile, holding up the bags of food she had brought.

“Hurry up and come in, you're always late,” Ling grumbled. Her face wore a slightly sour expression, having waited far longer than usual—she was normally finished with breakfast half an hour ago.

Orm swiftly followed Ling inside. “I’m sorry, P'Ling… The line at your usual breakfast place was really long, so I had to wait,” she explained softly, her voice filled with regret for keeping her boss waiting.

“I don’t want to hear your apology. Just get the breakfast ready,” Ling responded tersely as she made her way to the dining table.

“Just a moment, P'Ling,” Orm hurried to the kitchen and began preparing the meal. Her hands moved quickly, unpacking the food and arranging it neatly on plates. Meanwhile, Ling sat at the table, arms crossed, her gaze fixed on Orm as she worked.

Once everything was ready, Orm served the food and drink in front of Ling. “Please enjoy your meal, P'Ling,” she said gently, with a slight smile. “I’ll be in the living room, preparing a few things,” she added, bowing respectfully before she started to leave.

However, Ling suddenly spoke, “Sit here and have breakfast with me.”

“Eh?” Orm was taken aback by the command. “I feel uncomfortable… Besides, has Kwang ever joined you for breakfast? According to Kwang’s notes, you prefer eating alone.”

Ling gave Orm a blank stare. Without a word, she reached out, grabbed Orm’s hand, and pulled her into the chair beside her. “You talk too much… Not everything written down can be trusted,” Ling said in a cold tone.

“I’m sorry if I spoke out of turn, P'Ling,” Orm apologized with a faint smile, lowering her head in guilt for saying too much.

Ling then began to eat her breakfast slowly. Every now and then, she glanced at Orm, who now sat silently beside her. Orm said nothing more, sitting quietly and waiting for Ling to finish her meal.

•••••

After completing all the photoshoot sessions and commercial filming that had drained her energy, Ling finally arrived home. Her feet moved slowly as she walked inside, and without a second thought, she collapsed onto the sofa. Her tired body sank into the soft cushions, savoring the relief that came with finishing her schedule earlier than usual, in the late afternoon.

Ling glanced toward Orm, who was busy tidying up her belongings, working swiftly and neatly as she always did. Yet, something felt different. Throughout the day, Ling had noticed that Orm seemed quieter than usual. While Orm could still joke and act cheerful around the crew, there was a certain coldness when she was with Ling. This subtle change puzzled Ling.

“Orm…” Ling called out, her voice soft but firm.

“Yes, phi?” Orm responded quickly. After finishing tidying up, she promptly walked over to Ling, standing tall before her. “I’ve put everything away, and I’ve also prepared dinner. Is there anything else you need, P'Ling?”

Ling looked at Orm for a moment, her eyes searching for a clue in her young assistant’s face. However, Orm’s expression remained calm, showing no signs of irritation or discomfort. “I don’t need anything else…” Ling finally replied, her voice sounding slightly softer than usual.

Orm nodded and gave a faint smile. “Tomorrow, there’s a live event in the afternoon. I’ll be there as soon as my classes are finished,” she explained in her usual composed, polite tone.

“Okay,” Ling replied briefly, though her mind was still full of questions about Orm’s change in behavior today.

Orm bowed slightly, signaling her departure. “If that’s all, I’ll take my leave now.” With that, she walked away from Ling, her steps light but quick, as if eager to leave.

Ling remained silent, her eyes following Orm’s back as it grew smaller and eventually disappeared behind the door. Her curiosity lingered. Was something bothering Orm? Had she done something wrong? Ling stood up and slowly walked over to the window, peeking through the curtains. She watched Orm exit the house and head toward her car, but she lacked the courage to call out or ask her directly.

Ling’s lips felt sealed. Despite the questions swirling inside her, no words could escape her mouth. She simply stood there, watching quietly, while her thoughts continued to churn restlessly in her mind.

•••••

It was 8 PM when Orm stretched her tired muscles after the professor had left the classroom. Slowly, she rose from her seat, adjusted the bag hanging over her shoulder, and walked out of the room. Her steps were light, even though her body was a bit fatigued.

Orm rarely attended night classes, but ever since she started working with Ling, her schedule had become much more packed. To balance her job as a personal assistant and her responsibilities as a student, she had no choice but to take night classes. It wasn’t easy, but Orm knew this was the best way to stay focused on her studies while still fulfilling the demanding duties she had for Ling, which often required a lot of time and energy.

The campus that night wasn’t too quiet. Many students from other faculties were also attending night classes, keeping the campus alive with activity.

“Huh?”

Orm’s steps suddenly halted as her vision went dark. A hand gently covered her eyes, surprising her. Instinctively, Orm reached up to remove the hand from her face. She turned around, her eyebrows raised high in shock when she saw who it was.

“P'Meen…” Orm exclaimed, her voice filled with both surprise and delight. Standing before her was a man with a wide smile—Meen Nichakoon. Without a second thought, Orm gave him a quick hug before pulling away again. “When did you get back, phi?”

Meen smiled warmly, his eyes twinkling as he looked at her. “I came back this morning,” Meen replied casually. “I was looking for you, but Prikhing told me you had night classes, so I came back here to find you.”

Orm pouted a little, crossing her arms. “You didn’t even tell me you were coming back!”

Meen just chuckled softly and placed his hand on top of Orm’s head, like he used to do when they often saw each other. “Of course I missed you,” he said gently. “I missed your constant chatter,” he added, playfully ruffling her hair.

“P'Meen!!” Orm shouted, pretending to be upset as she quickly tried to fix her now messy hair.

“Sorry, sorry…” Meen laughed at Orm’s reaction and helped her smooth her hair back into place. “Have you had dinner? If not, let’s go grab something to eat. I’ve got so much to tell you,” Meen said warmly.

Orm paused, pretending to sulk because of her tousled hair. She pouted her lips, signaling that she was still ‘mad.’

Meen, who knew Orm all too well, immediately put his arm around her shoulders. “I’ll treat you, and you can eat whatever you want,” he said coaxingly, knowing exactly how to win her over.

Orm couldn’t resist and finally nodded, accepting Meen’s offer. It just so happened that she was starting to feel hungry, as she hadn’t eaten since lunchtime.

.

.

.

.

Meen took Orm to a restaurant that had long been familiar to both of them. This place held many memories, especially as it was where Meen had first brought Orm for a meal together. It had become somewhat of a historic spot for them, filled with the nostalgia of their shared experiences.

Once inside, Meen allowed Orm to choose their table, and she opted for a spot by the window, which overlooked a small garden outside. They sat across from each other, and Meen called for the waiter to take their order. After the waiter noted down their selections and left, a comfortable silence settled between them. They exchanged looks, neither feeling awkward in the quietness.

"So, how’s your research going in Khao Yai?" Orm eventually broke the silence, her voice filled with curiosity.

"It’s still ongoing. I’ll probably need to head back there again soon," Meen replied casually, his smile broadening. He didn’t seem too weighed down by the work, even though Orm knew that his medical research must demand a great deal of time and energy.

Orm chuckled softly at his response. "I’m glad I didn’t choose to study medicine. If I had, I’d probably be as stressed out as you are, Phi," she said teasingly, her eyes glinting mischievously.

Meen Nichakoon, at 25 years old, was Orm’s senior at university. He was a medical student at the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University. Not only was he her senior, but he was also the son of her father’s close friend. Worried about Orm’s negative experience at her previous university, Mahidol University, Orm's father had transferred her to Chulalongkorn and asked Meen to look after her. There were even rumors that their families had plans to set them up together.

"Even if I’m stressed, there’s no escaping it. I have to become a doctor and take over the family’s hospital business," Meen said with a warm smile directed at Orm.

"Phi can be stressed, as long as you don’t go crazy," Orm quipped, her voice full of playful humor.

Meen shook his head, laughing softly, enjoying Orm’s lighthearted nature, which always brightened the mood. "What about you? Prikhing mentioned earlier that you’ve been taking more night classes because of work."

"Yeah, I’m working as a personal assistant for an artist now. I wanted to try something different," Orm said, her tone proud yet relaxed.

Meen furrowed his brow slightly, looking puzzled. "Huh? A personal assistant? Isn’t that a tough job?" he asked, surprised. "That doesn’t seem like your kind of thing, Nong Orm. Why’d you take it?"

"I already told you, Phi. I wanted to try something new. When else will I get the chance to be the personal assistant of Lingling Sirilak Kwong?" she replied with a smile, adding a hint of pride at the mention of the celebrity's name.

Meen nodded, understanding Orm’s reasoning. "Ah… Lingling Sirilak Kwong. I’ve heard of her," he murmured. "Well, I hope this new experience goes well for you, Nong Orm."

Their conversation paused momentarily as the waiter arrived with their food. The delicious aroma filled the air, making their already hungry stomachs rumble with anticipation. Without further delay, they both started to enjoy the dishes laid out before them.

As they ate, their conversation continued to flow effortlessly. Lighthearted banter and laughter filled the space between them, creating a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere as they shared stories and caught up on life.