Four o'clock in the afternoon. Gray clouds covered the grumbling heavens. The absence of the sun in the sky dimmed the surroundings.

JP was standing on the portico of the SDV University's Administration Building when it started to rain. Drizzle at first, but it eventually came down in buckets and filled the place with a somber melody.

The young instructor let out a wistful sigh as he deliberated how he would go back to his apartment in this kind of weather. This early morning, there had not been a sign that it was going to rain, not even a mention on the forecast, so JP had not thought about bringing a rainshade with him.

He could wait. Only, he didn't know how long this rain was going to last. There was also the option to order a cab to pick him up, but since he had just moved in a week ago and was newly employed, he was still on a tight budget this month. Worst-case scenario, he had to charge in the midst of this heavy shower.

From the opposite side of the building, JP got a view of Angela walking away with a man under an umbrella. That must have been her boyfriend escorting her out to the main gate. JP had learned a few days ago that the female professor's partner was a security guard in the public library just across this university.

He smiled faintly as he followed the couple with his gaze, remembering how his grandmother would also fetch him from school during rainy seasons. From grade school to high school, his granny had never failed to do that for him.

Nostalgia quickly changed to longing as he was reminded that there was no longer anyone who could provide him with the same comfort in this kind of bleak weather. What he wouldn't give to experience that feeling of warmth and security once again.

"Hey, JP, man, you're still here?"

The Philosophy instructor jerked as the loud, grungy voice rang in his ear. Wide-eyed, he turned around, only to be met by Dion raising his hands in mock surrender.

"Sorry. Did I scare you? You're being jumpy today. Or are you always this easily frightened?"

"No," JP replied, the aftermath of shock leaving his voice hoarse. It was an honest answer; even jump-scare movies had never spooked him. And he often watched them alone. "I was just surprised because I thought it was a thunder."

"Oh, yeah," Dion muttered and stood next to the younger educator, "It's really raining hard today. Where do you currently live, JP?"

"The Hyacinth Apartment."

"How will you go home?"

JP hesitated before answering, "I'll just walk like I normally do since it's only fifteen minutes by foot from here."

"You don't have an umbrella," Dion pointed out. The usual good humor disappeared from his eyes and was replaced by disapproval. His tone was gentle but scolding. To JP, this was the first time that Dion had sounded like what he actually was—a senior by around fifteen years, not only in the teaching field but also in life. "Do you think you're waterproof or sickness-resistant? Why do you youngsters always think you're invincible?"

Dion shook his head. Casting his eyes over his shoulder, his expression became impassive. However, the indifferent look didn't stay long on his face as he grinned and said, "I have a great idea."

Puzzled, JP followed the direction of Dion's gaze. The view that greeted him instantly made him doubtful of whatever "great idea" the older professor had in mind.

On the staircase from the second floor, Sky was descending while holding a blue straight umbrella as if it were a scepter.

JP scowled, watching the assistant professor take the steps with confidence worthy of a crown prince or a mafia boss. It was kind of annoying how this man could make even the littlest of his actions appear like a scene straight out of a Wattpad story.

Caught up in the cliché of the moment, he didn't realize when Sky had gotten in front of him until Dion asked the assistant professor, "Did you just come from the president's office?"

Sky nodded despite his reserved demeanor. "I had to borrow an umbrella."

"You're just right on time. JP here needs to get home, but it seems like the rain won't let up anytime soon. So why don't you be a good senior and give him a ride to his apartment? You're going to pass by that street anyway." Dion slapped Sky's shoulder before addressing JP, "The one in front of Retro Souls Coffee Shop, right?"

"No, there's no need for him to do that," JP blurted out, scandalized by the idea.

The two older men gave him solemn looks as if he had said something offensive.

"I don't want to cause him any more trouble," he amended.

"I'm pretty sure it's not a big deal for him," Dion said with a wave of his hand. He pushed Sky near JP, undeterred by the couple of inches that the assistant professor had over him. "I told you he's going to pass by that place. I'd bring you home myself, but my house is on the opposite road, and I promised my wife that I'd be home early today."

"It's really—"

JP closed his eyes tightly just as sharp bolts flashed, followed by a loud roar from the sky. Resisting the urge to bite his bottom lip, he gripped the strap of his bag and hugged the plastic file case close to his chest.

Once it had quietened, he tentatively peered at his surroundings. The first thing that welcomed his eyes was Sky's scrutiny of him.

"I'll fetch my brother from the Swan Town Mall first," the assistant professor deadpanned and then stepped out of the portico. He paused, faced the Administrative building back. "Are you coming?"

JP returned Sky's stoic stare with his quizzical one. He stayed rooted in place, debating whether to respond or not.

In the end, he wasn't the one who made the decision as Dion ushered him to Sky. "Of course he will. Go, go."

JP looked at the older professor incredulously, but the sentiment was lost because Dion was already running in the direction of the parking lot while holding a spread-out vinyl folder above his head.

Talk about thinking you're unstoppable.

"Let's go."

The instructor redirected his disbelief to the other man. Expectedly, he was ignored once again. He was forced to keep up when Sky began walking.

Raindrops drummed against the umbrella, creating soft vibrations over the pair. Sky and JP passed by one of the campus's garden paths, taking the stone walkway at the center of the lush Bermuda grass. The flowers and leaves around swayed as if they were dancing, celebrating the downpour.

JP sidestepped the water spattering his slack pants, but drew back as soon as his shoulder bumped against Sky's arm.

Unsure whether to shield himself from the rain or from Sky's presence, he cradled his stuff and tried to take as little space under the umbrella as possible.

Another lightning cut through the clouds, and the heavens crashed. JP flinched. His knuckles whitened as he squeezed his bag and file case.

Distracted, the instructor knocked his right foot against the corner of a planter box. He almost slipped if not for the arm that wound around his waist, helping him regain his balance.

With a jerk of his head, he turned to his right side. He stilled, stared vacantly as he breathed in the combination of cream and pepper.

JP had always imagined that Sky would be donning a spicy perfume, but he had never expected that a man like him would also give off a subtle scent of baby soap. It was a unique but pleasant blend; a sensual aroma with an undertone of chasteness.

"Pay attention to where you're walking."

Sky's cool breath wafted against JP's face, alerting him of their proximity. He pulled away, freeing himself from the man's hold, and gaped at Sky's ridiculously attractive appearance. It ought to be illegal to remain dazzling while the heavy rain was befogging everything in the background.

"And move closer, or the umbrella won't be able to cover you," Sky said and draped his arm around JP's shoulder, pulling him to his side, "I won't bite, you know."

Too dazed to resist, JP let Sky steer him as they continued to walk. His heart pounded against his chest, but he could no longer tell if it still had something to do with the lightning and thunder. As it happened, he had momentarily forgotten about his fear of electrical storms.

The tall man's warmth brought JP back to the old days when his granny would hold his hand on the road whenever the weather was howling. It had been too long since the last time someone's presence had made him feel this safe.

They reached Sky's car with a minimal smudge of wet sand on their shoes and the hem of their pants. The assistant professor opened the door to the front passenger's seat, and JP awkwardly got in.

While Sky was doing something on the trunk, JP wiped his shoes with a tissue he'd fished out of his bag. He perked up when he sensed a movement beside him.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, looking at the damp floorboard.

The assistant professor gave JP a brief glance. "It's nothing serious."

"And I still haven't thanked you, not only for this but also for when you helped me find my fountain pen earlier."

Sky's only response was a grunt before he switched on the engine.

The rest of the drive was quiet, except for the pitter-patter of the rain and the occasional thunder. Neither of the two college educators had uttered a word.

JP diverted his mind by observing the beads and streams of rainwater on the glass window. It was only when the car stopped that he shifted his eyes to the windshield. Going by the signposts, he gathered that they were currently at a pick-up and drop-off lane near the Swan Town Mall.

A boy with the appearance of a junior high school student knocked on the front passenger door. JP rolled down the window and was just about to ask the young man if there was something he could help him with when Sky spoke first, "The backseat, Cloud."

JP fixed the assistant professor with a curious gaze. With the same expression, he turned back to the boy who was now giving him a hard stare. The young man shrugged, opened the door to the backseat, and got in the car.

It took a few more seconds for JP to understand what was happening. He mentally slapped himself for being slow today. Of course, it was the brother. The name Cloud was already a dead giveaway.

But then again, as JP looked closely at the young man, he decided that the De Vera brothers had very little in common, appearance-wise. Cloud had straighter hair and smaller eyes. Sky had thicker lips and tanner skin. The assistant professor's feature was also more defined, although this one could be attributed to their age gap.

They were both handsome alright, but even their attractiveness leaned toward distinct types. If he were to compare the vibes they gave off to any character tropes, JP would say that Sky was the hot detective in a crime thriller story while Cloud was the campus heartthrob in a chick-lit movie.

JP kept regarding Cloud through the front view mirror. As their eyes met, the younger man gave him a polite nod, which he acknowledged with a smile.

Cloud then focused his attention outside, a frown briefly crossing his face. His eyes widened. Finally, his expression broke into a boyish grin.

Intrigued, JP peered over the window to check out whatever had brightened the young De Vera's mood.

The situation on the street was nothing he'd never seen before. People were walking on the nearest sidewalk, each either carrying or wearing something that protected them from the rain. Among the sea of strangers, a pair of male and female teenagers sharing an umbrella stuck out. They were talking animatedly. Or more like arguing, given the boy's pout and the girl's glower.

Both looked like they were the same age as Cloud. Both had the same black hair, although the young woman had more waves on hers. From this distance, JP could make out that they also had similar facial features.

Still, that wasn't the most interesting thing that JP had noticed on the scene. The lady's red thread traversed the street, landing up at their present location and connecting to the young lad in the backseat.

Good for him, JP thought with a smirk as he snatched a glimpse of Cloud looking undeniably smitten.

"Isn't that the love of your life, Cloud?" Sky asked out of the blue. His tone was so easygoing that, for an instant, JP thought the owner of the voice had been someone else. "Artemis, is it? Who's that boy with her? They seem very close."

"I told you so many times Tem is just my friend," Cloud denied, but the pinkish shade on his cheeks was telling otherwise, "And that's Poll. Isn't it obvious that he's her brother? They're twins, and they're practically a carbon copy of each other."

"Poll, as in Apollo?"

"Yeah."

"Pretty interesting names they have," Sky remarked, restarting the car.

JP scoffed inwardly. You're a fine one to talk. He threw a contemplative scowl at Sky. There were so many things going on with this conversation that had been piquing his curiosity.

Sky's casual behavior as he talked to Cloud was just one thing. In retrospect, JP should have never assumed that just because the man was all businesslike on the job, he would have the same attitude when he was with his family. Right now, Sky struck him as someone who was fond of his younger brother, and JP reckoned that the assistant professor could be one of those people who might get behind the catchphrase, 'Blood is thicker than water.'

In any case, what he wanted to know the most was Sky's thoughts about Cloud and Artemis's string of fate. The older De Vera sibling loathed these threads, and he had made sure JP understood that from their first meeting. Yet, he didn't seem averse to the idea of his brother being bound to that young woman.

JP's gaze flicked back to the front view mirror as he had concluded that, unlike his older brother, Cloud could not see the red strings. Granted almost his whole family had this strange ability, the possibility that it might be a different case with Sky had never occurred to the instructor.

JP leaned his head against the window frame as he felt it becoming heavy with ruminations. When the car turned into a corner, he closed his eyes and obliged himself to stop thinking.

Not today; he could not take any more. He had had enough of these questions taking residence in his mind and never inviting the answers.