Everyone looked up as Rain came out of his room. It had been three days since the gala, and this was the first time Rain had come out. He looked tired, almost haggard, eyes tinged with red. All of them had taken leave and stood guard at home, wanting to be there for him, whenever he was ready. Yihwa immediately rushed to him. "How are you feeling baby?" she asked, pulling him to sit with everyone. "I am okay," he said, shaking his head, and tried his best to smile, so his friends would stop worrying. But he could see that none of them were fooled.

"Rain..," Ple began, but trailed off when Rain held her hand. "I know you guys are worried. I am fine. I will be even better in a few days. I have plans that I want to make, and things I want to do. So I will do what is right for me. I kept thinking I needed to better myself so that people would love me. But I have clearly understood that only I need to love myself, and I will be happy," he said. All of them looked at each other, and then at Rain. "Okay. Tell us what you need," Sky said. "I am going to start my own company. I know I am good at what I do. I have made my contacts in the market. I am pretty sure I can do what I wanted to aim for there, in my own firm," Rain said. "Cool. We will all put down our papers. P'Cho is a lawyer. He can help us with the legal parts. We all have experience and savings. We are ready," Yihwa said, her confidence absolute. "What? No way Yi! What are you saying? I will not allow it, " Rain said, sounding shocked.

"Rain, we are not asking for permission. We are informing you. You are never going to be alone. We are always going to be right by your side, and do what it takes to help you, okay? You are not to say anything, because we don't care. We love you and we are here," Sky said, hugging Rain from the side. Rain nodded gratefully, eyes filling with tears, as he looked at the best people in his life. "Thank you so much. You guys are the most important reason I can feel so confident in any decision I take. I love you guys too!" he said.

"Umm.. Rain..," Por trailed off as he looked away. "What? What is it?" Rain asked. "Don't you want to know about P'Phayu?" Sig asked, blunt as ever. It was Rain's turn to look away, as he refused to meet the others' eyes. "What to know about him? He must be happy where he is. After all, he got what he wanted from me," Rain said, sarcasm dripping from his tone. He looked at his friends then, realising that they were not saying anything. "What happened?" he asked, worried for the man who held his heart.

"Rain, P'Phayu is in very bad shape. In the past three days, he did not stopped drinking. Late last evening, he was admitted into the hospital, because he passed out due to excessive alcohol intake and not eating anything. The prognosis is not too great," Ple said, eyes filling with tears. "WHAT?" Rain stood up, shocked to the core! Hadn't P'Phayu just taken advantage of his single status? Didn't he just consider Rain someone he could use and throw? What the hell was happening? "Rain, anything I say in favour of P'Phayu, it's only going to make you hate us too, so I won't. But I will say one thing. Just go and see the man. Don't regret a decision taken in anger later on, okay?" Sky said, ever the practical one.

Rain nodded thoughtfully. "Let's go now then," he said. "Right now?" Yihwa asked. "Yes, right now," Rain said. They immediately left for the hospital. Rain was a little afraid of what they would find. "Rain! So happy to see you buddy!" Saifah said, as soon as Rain entered the room. Rain actually felt a little guilty at how happy Saifah was on seeing him, when he could have easily blamed him for his brother's condition. Rain could not believe his eyes! Who was this person lying on the bed? Where was the bright and beautiful man he knew? Phayu looked pale, gaunt, as if the very fight had gone out of him. Rain could see the difficulty his Phi was having in breathing, despite the mask. "What happened?" he asked, collapsing on the chair beside the bed, unable to understand this rather strange turn of events.

"He tried calling you after that day, even sent you messages. When there was no response, he locked himself in his room, refusing to come out. I guess he had drinks stocked somewhere. It was when Pai and I heard something falling and shattering, that we realised that something had happened. So, we broke open the door and found him lying on the floor. We rushed him here, but he still hasn't regained consciousness," Saifah said, sounding like he would break down any moment. "I am sorry Phi," Rain said, and he was. "Rain, please don't say that. Look, I am not going to take sides here. Phayu is my brother, and I know he was wrong not to talk to you right away, especially when he knew you guys were getting serious. But Rain, trust me, Phayu has never felt this way about anyone, the way he feels about you. I guess his method was not right, but believe it or not, his heart was in the right place."

Rain nodded. "Can I sit with him for a few minutes? Alone?" he asked and Saifah nodded and immediately ushered everyone out. Rain continued to sit and watch that beloved face. He knew he had lied that day. Phayu had never been a rebound. Rain had developed feelings for the man way before he had broken up with Stop. He could never forget the first day Phayu had turned around, and he had felt so pulled towards the older man. He remembered how Phayu had been with him, and how he had started maintaining a distance from him. In the three days that he had been holed up in his room, he had thought about everything that had transpired between the two of them.

Phayu had never crossed a line, probably because he knew Rain was taken. He remembered how Phayu had stayed aloof, once P'Stop had joined him in the car. He had understood why his Phi hadn't told him about Stop; would you believe someone you had met less than 24 ago or someone you had known 3 years? Phayu had been protecting his own heart, right? "Actions speak louder than words Phi; you always managed to show me that. I was the one who was silly, you know? I fell for you even though I was with someone else, even though that person had stopped meaning something to me, I continued to persist. I have never been loved Phi, not until you came along. I hurt you Phi, because I was too stupid and too selfish. You don't have to forgive me Phi, but just wake up, okay? I want to apologise to you in person; tell you that the boy you like is an absolute idiot," Rain said, holding Phayu's hand to his cheek. "I love you Phi, I really do. And I think I always will. You will forever be my shining star, the one who guides my path, the one who holds my hand even when I don't understand myself that I want to be held. Just come back soon to me, okay?" Rain was still talking to Phayu when suddenly the monitors started going crazy!

Rain leaped back as the doctors and nurses ran in. He was ushered out where he was immediately surrounded by the others. 'What happened in there?" Sky asked, looking worried. Rain was looking pale and disoriented. "I don't know. I was talking to him, and suddenly the monitors went crazy. I..," Rain trailed off when a doctor came out. "Doctor, my brother?" Saifah asked, looking like he would go crazy. "He is absolutely fine. And back with us. He is asking for you," the doctor said, smiling at everyone. Rain swayed, and would have fallen if Por had not held him up. Saifah ran in, and Rain turned to his friends. "Let's go home. I am pretty sure he doesn't want to see me right now. I mean, even I don't want to see myself right now," he said, with a bittersweet smile.

"I dreamt he came to me, and told me he will not trouble me again. He looked so guilty. I felt so bad. What must he be thinking?" Phayu said, looking sad. "It was not a dream. Rain was really here Yu," Saifah said, as Phayu stared at him, shocked. "What? Where is he then?" he asked, trying to get up. "Hey, hey, hey! Relax Hulk! I will go call him," Saifah said, shaking his head at his lovestruck brother. "Fool!" he muttered as went out, surprised that only Pai was there. "Where is Rain?" he asked. "Left. He was worried Phayu will not want to see him," Pai said. Saifah sighed, rolling his eyes. "Another fool! Rain will not pick up my call. Call Sky and ask him to bring Rain back. Phayu is ready to get up and leave to go behind him," he said, fed up of all the drama. Pai also shook his head and called up his boyfriend, asking him to bring Rain back.

Three years later :

"Rain!!! Your ride is here," Sig shouted from downstairs. "Coming!" Rain said, as he rushed down. In the past three years, the advertising agency Rain had wanted to open had grown by leaps and bounds. They had even taken an award for the 'Most Promising Ad Firm' in a recent ceremony that celebrated some big firms. They had purchased a nearly dilapidated warehouse near Bangkok's Chao Phraya river, converting it into a place of beauty. They put in a lot of time and energy, their only goal was to become as successful as possible. All of them worked day in and day out, sacrificing sleep most nights, just so that they could make ends meet. There were people who wanted to help, but they refused, wanting to work on their own, and earn rewards on their own merit.

"These are the files for Talec. Khun Jun-ho has to approve the final design and we are set to go," Yihwa said, as Rain was collecting other things. He was planning to go home after this last meeting, so he was packing up what he needed to get gone. "Rain!" Ple came on a run, breathless. 'What? What? Where is the fire?" he said, ignoring her. He was too used to her shenanigans to actually be too worried. "Memento, that we got made for all our existing clients. Don't forget to take to Talec," she said, huffing out a breath. 'Okay! I am gone guys. See you Monday!" Rain said, as he rushed out, almost skipping with joy as his cab driver opened his door for him. "No kiss first Phi?" he asked, mock pouting and looking up at the man who held his whole heart and world. Phayu bent down and kissed the love of his life. Even after 3 years together, their love for each other had not diminished one iota. Rain's world still revolved around Phayu and for Phayu, Rain was his soul, his breath. If there was a picture of someone next to the word 'whipped' in the dictionary, then that must be Phayu's. If needed, he would kiss the ground his pretty boy walked on.

Three years ago, Sky had rushed Rain back, and Phayu and Rain had talked. Phayu apologised profusely for not telling him about what he knew. "I know why you didn't tell me Phi. And I really don't blame you. When I thought about it carefully, I might not have believed you if you had said anything. There were so many things that could have gone wrong at that point. I was in a bad place, that's true. But Phi, my feelings for you were never a rebound. That day..," Rain trailed off when Phayu put his finger on Rain's lips. "Rain, let's just admit that we both were stupid, okay?" he said, smiling at his love. "For me, right now, the most important thing is that I love you. I love you very much, and I want to spend the rest of my life making up for the silly mistakes I made. Will you let me be yours sweet boy?" Rain looked at Phayu with stars in his eyes. "Even I want to do that Phi; make up with you every day, love you every day, be a part of your life, for as long as you are willing to have me," he said. Phayu hummed thoughtfully. "Hmm.. that should be like.. forever? Does that work for you? Spending forever with me?" he asked. Rain nodded happily and then bent down and kissed Phayu. "Forever Phi. Always!" he said, with complete conviction.

Phayu had fully supported Rain's idea. The three of them; Phayu, Pai and Saifah, all wanted to contribute in the business, but the gang categorically refused. And today, Rain was proud to stand beside the man he loved just as much his man was. Rain would never forget the moment when he had walked upto the stage to receive his award. If Phayu had been happier, he would have surely burst. They were everything to each other, and Phayu was still Rain's favourite cabbie, and his very personal one. Their business had also grown, so they had a fleet of drivers, but for Rain, his Phi was the best one. Rain could not imagine a life without Phayu, and he gave thanks every day for the cab he had booked one night, three years ago!