Everything that could possibly gone wrong in one day had gone wrong that day. First, he had gotten up late, which in itself was not surprising, since he had been working on this shit project for the most horrible clients non-stop since the past one week. His Pa had sent out as SOS even, never having gone so long without seeing his older son. Ro had been with Chai, since he had declared that his Phi Chaai was too grumpy a person to live with at the moment. Then he had burnt his egg (like.. how did you burn boiled eggs?) and his toast, having forgotten that the setting had been kept higher. Then his car broke down, and since he had realised something was wrong, thankfully on the side of the road. Then thunder had rumbled, and he was mortally afraid that the blueprints he had worked on would get soaked before he could reach.

He pulled out his phone to call a cab and realised his phone was out of charge. He had been so exhausted that he had completely forgotten. He stared down at it, wanting to just throw everything on the ground and stomp his feet like a little child on a temper tantrum, when suddenly a van pulled up. His first instinct was fight, but a head poked out of the window. "Khun, I can drop you wherever you are going," the man said. He was a jolly looking fellow, rotund, with a weirdly mushroom cut that made him look like someone's long lost uncle. Phayu considered. He had his gun, fitted in the snug of his back, if push came to shove. And he really had to go, get to work as urgently as possible. So he acquiesced, albeit reluctantly, slipping into the passenger seat. There was a dark glass separating the front and the back of the van. It set him on edge, but he did not seem to have much choice.

"Sorry Khun, my client is sleeping. He has been preparing for a competition and he is exhausted. Hope you don't mind," the man said, and Phayu was even more suspicious. "My name is Ma Chen, and I am an agent. My boy back there is a dancer, and we were in the studio until the wee hours. Plus he has Uni in a couple of hours, so I am letting him sleep. His Dad and Pa will have my head if he gets too tired," the man rambled on. While Phayu was not completely appeased, the fact that the man mentioned Uni and the boy having parents, it did put him a little at ease. The man dropped him off, handing him an invitation card. "Come see my boy's performance if you can," he said, happily waving and driving off. Phayu stuck the card in his messenger bag and promptly forgot all about it as he rushed into the office for his presentation.

Thankfully, the presentation went well, and the clients seemed satisfied. He charged his phone and informed Ro about his car, and to get it towed. He picked up something to eat with a couple of his colleagues and had just returned to his desk, when Mhok called him inside. "Phayu, meet Khun Thara and Khun Thiwat Kirigun. It's their son's birthday in a few days, and they wish to gift him a dance studio. They have found the perfect piece of property, and they are set for it," Mhok said, introducing the two men. Phayu waiied politely. "I am Phayu. If you would tell me your exact requirements, I will do my best Khun," he said, with his most professional demeanour. "Son, honestly, we have no idea. We found the land, and we were told to meet you, as you came highly recommended. We wanted to come in person and request you to meet up with Rain and finalise all the details," Khun Thiwat said.

"You could have called Khun," Phayu felt distressed. These two men had come in person, and he felt honoured they took out time, but bad that they had to make this trip. "It's okay. It was worth the trip," Khun Thara said, smiling. "So when can we have you come see the property and meet Rain?" Khun Thiwat asked. "My schedule for next week seems pretty clear Khun. You can let me know?" Phayu said. "One sec," Khun Thiwat said and then proceeded to message someone. "How about Monday afternoon around 3?" he asked. Phayu nodded. He was pretty free on Monday, and that also meant he could meet his parents on Sunday, which he had been unable to do for a while. He really hoped that this Rain, his clients' son, was not some temperamental artist who would blow his top for the silliest things.

Monday afternoon saw him at the dance studio, the address of which had been sent to his phone earlier in the morning. He was in a pleasant mood, having spent a great weekend with the family, and having finally met Pai's elusive boyfriend, who turned out to be from the same Uni as his. He was a serious boy, completely opposite to Pai, which, now that he thought about it, applied to every couple in his family. Each and every one of them was the polar opposite to their partner, and it made him wonder what his partner would be like. He sighed as he entered the studio, and for the first time in his life, was struck dumb. The boy.. no, no.. the angel in front of him was.. Phayu stood there, speechless, as the angel danced, his body lithe and flexible, flowing to the beats of the music. He could feel the saliva pool as the boy lifted his t-shirt and stuck and edge of it in his mouth. His abs beckoned, and Phayu fought down the irrational itch to just reach out and run his fingers over that milky white skin.

He shook himself out of a stupor, fixing himself as the music died down and the boy turned around. He jolted a bit to see Phayu, then quickly picked up the towel, wiping his sweat as he made his way to the older man. He waiied politely. "You must be Khun Phayu?" he asked and Phayu trembled. Even his voice belonged to that of an angel. Phayu had always wondered what type of person he would fall for. He was bi, and his looks, combined with his accolades and family name, made him the object of desire for a lot of people. But Phayu firmly believed in love that could last over years, and was not keen on just settling down with someone who did not fulfil his exacting requirements. And even though looks were never his top need, this boy seemed to have them in spades, holding Phayu mesmerised.

"Yes Khun.. Rain, I presume?" Phayu asked. "Just Rain Khun. You are older than me. No need of any formality," Rain said sweetly, gesturing towards a seating area. "Please, come. Can I offer you something?" he asked politely, further capturing Phayu's attention. He was always enamoured by sweet, soft spoken and polite people, so this boy definitely checked those boxes. "Water will do Nong. And you can call me Phi. I really don't think I am that much older to be called Khun," Phayu smiled back. Rain handed him a bottle and startled him when he sat on the floor instead of the seat beside Phayu. "Nong?" he asked, sounding surprised. "Sorry Phi. I am really sweaty, and the studio guys will have my head if the couch gets stained," Rain said, sounding apologetic. Phayu nodded, making a mental note to get the name of the people who owned the studio and give them a piece of his mind.

"So Nong, your fathers said you are looking for a dance studio?" Phayu asked. The boy nodded, all excited. "Yes Phi. It's hard when you have to work far from your place and then then prepare for Uni and projects and everything," he said. "So, what exactly do you need Rain?" Phayu asked. "Well.. there is enough space. While it's not a very large piece of land, I am looking for two small spaces side by side, or over 2 floors. One will be my studio, the other place is somewhere I can crash when I am not too tired. And do my homework and other stuff. Where a friend or two can come over to help me out," Rain said. "What kind of projects does the faculty of Performing Arts have?" Phayu asked, genuinely interested. Rain laughed. "Phi, I am in the faculty of Architecture. Dancing is a passion that happens to get me a lot of money. It's not that my parents need it, but it's always nice to have something to call your own," he said.

Phayu was shocked beyond words. This boy was an architecture student? And danced? What was he thinking? Then Phayu stopped. Hadn't he been the same? He also worked and studied at the same time. Even now, apart from his job at P'Mhok's firm, he had his work cut out at the garage and his family business also kept him on his toes. As long as the Nong was able to balance his time.. "Are you able to get everything done? And balance your time?" Phayu asked. Rain nodded enthusiastically. "Monday and Thursday are fairly easy days at the Uni, so I come here after 12, unless there are extra lectures organised. I am good at planning and models, but theory is a bit hard, so Sky and I mix it up. He get theory into my head and I work with him on his project ideas. Luckily, we work well together, so it's all great. Plus I have other friends in my group who help out as well," he said, happily talking about himself.

Phayu couldn't help but fall a little in love. This boy checked every single one of Phayu's boxes so far, but there were still somethings he wondered about. But he could wait, be patient. After all, he would soon be working with Rain in close quarters, so he would get all he needed out of him. "Okay, first things first. I would recommend you go for a double storey low building. That way, you get one bigger space, rather than 2 smaller ones," Phayu said, sketching as he spoke. He explained his vision and Rain listened carefully. When Phayu was done, Rain took the pad from him, looking at it, head tilted to one side, lip stuck between his teeth. Phayu wanted to tell him not to do that, but he restrained himself. This was not the time to be horny and scare the fuck out of the boy. Rain took the pencil and made some changes and handed it back to Phayu. normally, Phayu would have blown a top if anyone touched his work. The fact that he let Rain do it was a dead giveaway in his head that he was feeling things he probably shouldn't.

He looked down at what Rain had done, only to be shocked out of his wits! Rain had taken his already good plan and made it great. The things he had changed made it clear that he had an excellent vision and a tremendous potential to be a wonderful architect. Phayu was impressed beyond himself. "This is an amazing idea Nong," he said, surprise lacing his tone. "Thank you Phi. This is something that will look pleasing aesthetically, yet give back to nature. Sustainable projects are what I want to specialise in Phi," Rain said. Phayu nodded. "I can see that Rain. I am very glad that you have such great vision," he said, meaning every word. "When can we start Phi?" Rain asked. "I will go back to office and work on the blueprints. I should be able to have them by Wednesday or Thursday. Then I will mail them to you and discuss it. But it would be great if we could see the property today," Phayu said.

Rain nodded. "My manager dropped me off Phi. I was planning to call Dad or Pa to pick me up, but if you can get me to the property, they can come directly there. They would also like to see the ideas," Rain said. "I can Nong, I have a car. Shall we go then?" Phayu asked. Rain nodded, and immediately collected his stuff. "Why don't you put the directions in the map Rain? I will stow your stuff," Phayu said, as he put everything away. On the drive, Phayu got Rain to open up a little more about himself, trying not to cross the line when it came to asking about personal stuff. He was so fascinated by the entire conversation that it was not until he was turning towards the large black gates that he realised that this was his own home, or rather, the compound his parents lived in.

"Rain, why is your property located in the Theerpanayakul compound?" he asked, through gritted teeth. "Oh! You know them Phi? Pa and Uncle Pete are great friends, as are Dad and Uncle Vegas, so I have known everyone since long. When Pa told them about the fact that they were looking for property for my dance studio, Uncle Porche suggested a piece on their estate. At first, Dad and Pa disagreed, but then Uncle Vegas and Uncle Pete said I could pay rent if that was what was bothering them. Plus Uncle Arm has promised my fathers that every possible security measure will be implemented. And honestly Phi? I totally fell in love with this spot. It felt like home," Rain said, either unaware of the turmoil inside Phayu or not bothered about it. Most likely the former, since Rain did not look like someone who could keep quiet if he sensed something wrong about another person.

The property that was given to the boy lay almost at the back of the estate, well hidden from view within a gorgeous glade, but still well-lit with natural lighting. It was one of Phayu's most favourite spot to chill in as a child, and the fact that Rain had picked that very spot and called it home made something inside Phayu light up with warmth and peace. Was this what his fathers, his uncles, his brothers all felt when they found their person? He couldn't help but ruffle Rain's cute black hair as he smiled at the boy's child like enthusiasm. He knew all about love. He had seen it, felt it all around him, and had always wondered what it would be like for him. That it had come to him in this form, that too at first sight, he could have never even imagined.

"Rain, may I ask you something?" Phayu asked. Rain simply nodded. "What if it's not just a studio you build, but a house?" Phayu asked. Rain stared at him. "I don't get it Phi," he said. "Rain, this piece of land, what if I get you permission to use a bit more beside it? Then you can build a house here, and a small studio to the side?" Phayu said. Rain looked thoughtful. "Honestly? I would have loved that Phi. But I don't want to impose on the family. They have already been so good to me. I couldn't, in all honesty, ask them for more," he said, sounding distressed. "What if I say I know the person who has the land next to this?" Phayu said. "He would just give it to me Phi? No, no, no way. I am just happy with this," Rain said stubbornly.

Phayu knew from the set of Rain's mouth that he wouldn't be budged, so didn't bother to try. But he knew what he needed to do. It might not be easy, but Phayu was prepared for that battle. Plus the land around belonged to Venice Theerpanayakul, to do as he willed. And if he wanted to build a house there, he would. That was that! He had been putting off building a house in the compound because he never had a partner he could actually bring home, someone whom he could tell who he was. He preferred the house he had in the city, and the room above the garage, that Ro called his 'fuck-pad', because no one went beyond that. But now he could see the possibility. It had stung a bit when Pai had pulled him aside on Sunday and asked him if would consider working with Sky on building a home for them on the land he had on the estate.

The estate was huge, several hundred acres of land, that the Theerpanayakul family had commandeered over a period of time. The central building was a humungous 'H' shaped one, the top floors of the central part belonging to Uncle Khun and the lower floors to general family. Anyone. Anytime. Then the other four wings belonged to the other 4 brothers, Kinn, Kim, Vegas, Macau and their respective partners and children. Slowly, each couple had begun to see the need for an escape pad, so they had chosen their favourite part of the compound and built their little world. But the central compound had always been the seat of command, and that would never change. Phayu had his spot, but never his space. And now Rain was here, taking up his spot, and Phayu was ready for his space. He laughed to himself. It had been just couple of hours since he met the boy, and he was already dreaming of so many possibilities.

"Have you met the kids of the family?" he asked casually. Too casually, hoping Rain would not get the need in the question. But Rain answered readily enough. "I have met Uncle Vegas's younger son, P'Rome. And Uncle Kinn's son P'Phoenix also. But I am yet to meet P'Venice. Apparently, according to P'Rome, he is a grumpy old man, and according to P'Phoenix, he is a caveman, preferring to stay at home all the time, buried in work and lonely forever," he said, scrunching his nose a bit, as if feeling something wrong. "What happened Rain? Do you feel the same?" Phayu asked. "I don't feel anything Phi. I don't know the man well enough to comment on his lifestyle. However, even though what P'Rome and P'Phoenix said was probably in jest, it just doesn't feel right," Rain said.

"Whatdo you mean Rain?" Phayu asked, his heart in his throat. "Well Phi, we all have our ways of doing things. Some people enjoy working, some people prefer taking time off. For example, I love dancing and I do that every minute of my free time. I love being an architect, and I study or do my thing in my remaining time. Sometimes, I enjoy going out with my friends, but I also love staying at home with Dad and Pa, and if I have a partner in the future, with them. Staying alone and doing your thing doesn't mean that you are lonely Phi. You can be with a million people around you and feel alone, and sit alone with your thoughts and not be lonely. It's all about perspective Phi. Doing anything that gives you happiness is the best thing you can do to alleviate your loneliness," Rain said. Phayu was dumbstruck at the beautiful insight the boy had. If he had thought he was falling in love.. well now he was sure!