Rain was about to hail a cab when someone tapped on his right shoulder. He turned towards that side, and then the other when no one was there. On his left side stood Phayu. "Hey ghostie! I waited for you," he said. "Phi, I am sure there are enough and more people waiting for you to show up to places. I am definitely not one of them. But in any case, thank you for offering your help," Rain said. Phayu was a bit taken aback by the venom in the boy's voice. "What do you mean Nong?" he asked, surprised. "I know people like you Phi. People who use their good looks to take advantage of fools," Rain said. Phayu looked a bit angry now. "You know nothing about me Rain, to pass such a judgement," he said. Rain gave a sarcastic bark of laughter. "I literally just saw a brother and sister fighting over who wanted to meet you first," he said, his lips twisted in irony.

"That's their problem. How does that involve me?" Phayu asked, out of his wits. Rain simply shook his head and turned away, looking for a taxi. Phayu caught his wrist again. Rain jerked his hand of Phayu's grasp. "Rain, I don't even know who you are talking about," Phayu said, his face a study of emotions. "Are you saying you don't know P'Som and Ple?" Rain asked. "Som and Ple? Architecture department of Chula? Of course I know them. But what does that have to.. wait a minute. How do you know them?" Phayu asked. "Ple was my classmate and P'Som my senior. Guess that makes you my super senior?" Rain said. "You are that Rain?" Phayu asked, looking shocked. "Which 'Rain' do you mean?" Rain asked, sounding arrogant. "You are Sky's best friend, the one from his high school," Phayu said. "High school to Uni," Rain said. "And the winner of the 'Most Promising Creative Designer' and the scholarship from National University of Singapore?" Phayu continued, as if Rain had not interrupted him.

Rain nodded reluctantly. "How is it I never saw you in Chula when I would come there? Sky told me that you used to do half the work of the Council with him?" Phayu asked. "P'Som never let me come for them. I was too stupid and too airheaded to do anything right," Rain said bitterly. Phayu clenched his fist. "Don't they know about Singapore?" he asked. Rain shook his head. "Only Sky knows about the scholarship. Others think I went there to only work. Which I also did," Rain said. "I am sorry they thought that Rain," Phayu said. "I didn't tell you that so that you would pity me. I don't need you sympathy or pity," Rain said, turning and walking away. Phayu fell into step beside him. "I am not pitying you. I am pitying them because they couldn't see what an awesome person you are," he said. Rain looked at him disbelievingly from the corner of his eyes. "Whatever. You know what? You need to stop this. I need to get home," he said, starting to walk a little faster. "Do you plan to walk like this all the way home?" Phayu asked, a smirk on his face. "If that's what it takes to get you off my back," Rain countered. Phayu again caught Rain's arm. "Let me drop you sweet boy," he said, swinging Rain around to look at him in the eyes.

"Sweet boy?" Rain squeaked out, a blush covering his entire face. Phayu was enthralled to see Rain's collarbones also redden slightly as well. The boy was adorable. And a bit sassy, just the way Phayu liked them. But he kept his smile to himself, not wanting Rain to run. The boy was skittish as it is. "Wouldn't it be better if you went back to your admirers?" Rain asked, his voice bitter again. "Nope. I had rather stay with someone I admire," Phayu said, deadpan. Rain blushed again, turning away. Phayu held his hands tightly behind his back, trying to tamp down the insane urge to run his fingers down all that gorgeous skin. Living the life he lived, the family he belonged to, and his sexual orientation, Phayu had seen a great number of beautiful people in his life, slept with a few too. But no one had brought out this insane reaction this boy had managed to. "So? May I drop you home?" he asked again, and watched thrilled, as Rain nodded reluctantly.

"You live here?" Phayu asked, looking around at the area where Rain had gotten down with a critical eye. "Not everyone can afford to live in mansions and estates Khun," Rain said. "Why am I Khun now? Phi was fine," Phayu said, sounding a bit sad. "Rain," he stepped closer to the younger man. "Does Sky know you live here?" he asked. Rain shook his head. "Don't tell him either. I am not going to be anyone's burden or charity case," Rain said, bristling again. Phayu shook his head. What was it with this boy? One moment, he was blushing at Phayu's words. Another moment, he was ready to take off his head. Phayu was sure he was getting whiplash at Rain's erratic behaviour. But he knew very well that Rain was not going to confide in him anytime soon. It was upto him to find out a bit, and then he would get back to Rain. He let Rain go, and watched him climb up the stairs. He waited, but none of the lights came on. He understood that this was the younger boy's way of telling him that he did not want Phayu to know where exactly he lived.

Phayu went back to the party and joined his family, looking downcast. "What's up lu? You look like your puppy died," Kinn said, not mincing words. "I met a bunny porcupine," Phayu said, looking and sounding disgruntled. "Huh?" Pete looked at his son, as if he had lost his mind. "I met the cutest bunny, but every time I tried to get close to him, he became prickly as a porcupine. I have never quite met someone like him," Phayu said. "You met Rain?" Vegas asked, looking at his older son with a smile on his face. "How did you know that?" Phayu asked, staring shocked at his Dad. "Well, the only bunny like person we met today, who could fit your description was Rain. Sky brought him over to introduce us," Porche said. "He said he didn't know you personally though," Pete said, adding salt to his son's wounds. Phayu glared at his Pa. "True that, but that's mean," he said, pouting. "But if he is one of Sky's friends, why doesn't he know you? Did you not meet him at the Uni?" Vegas asked. "That's because P'Som never let Rain come to Council meetings. And Rain really didn't care. He was in the Council just for me," Sky spoke, as everyone turned around to look at him.

"Why do you want to know about Rain Phi?" he asked, as he walked up with Pai to the table where the family was sitting. "Rain is not someone you can hurt. He is my best friend, and he has already suffered a lot. I don't want you to hurt him anymore." "What if I say I am interested in him?" Phayu asked, ignoring the shocked gasps from his family members. "What kind of interest Yu? Rain is like my younger brother, so I have a vested interest in this," Pai asked. "The same interest you had in Sky," Phayu said, looking around the table. Pete grasped Vegas's arm tightly. "Do you mean what you just said?" he asked. Phayu nodded. "I know it seems like I have never wanted to settle down. But the truth is, I never found someone I could settle with. Something about Rain.. it just pulls me in.. like I can feel that connection. I know he may not feel it yet, and to be honest, I am surprised at myself. But I think.. I think he is it. He is most likely the one," Phayu said, not knowing that the person he was talking about was thinking about him at that very moment.

Rain lay back on his bed, looking up at the ceiling. Phayu had been surprisingly different from what he had expected him to be. Rain had always been a good judge of character; that was what had helped him survive in the world. He had seemed genuinely interested in Rain and his feelings, and had not really shown any change in expression when Rain had spoken about Ple and Som. Was the feeling they had all one-sided? Phayu had not given any sign that he would welcome their advances. If Som and Ple had known Phayu from Uni, why hadn't they been able to win him over yet? Rain pulled his sheet over his head. He was such an idiot. What was the point of analysing all this and coming to these conclusions after he had been so rude to Phayu. He had not even tried to listen to Phayu. Well. No point crying over spilt milk. It was not like he was ever going to meet Phayu again.

The next morning, Rain reached office to find the whole office in uproar. "What happened P'Yihwa?" he asked his direct senior mentor. "Khun Venice is coming directly to discuss those plans that we have been drawing up for the new resort," she said, sounding frayed at the edges. "And that's bad?" Rain asked, having no clue who or what she was talking about. "It's not bad Nong, just scary. Khun Venice is an exacting task master, and things must be perfect before presenting to him," she said. "Plus the management is afraid that since it's your first project for the family, should you really be the one to present," she added, her lips twisting in a sneer. "What?" Rain asked, his heart breaking. "They want someone else to present your work Nong. Someone from the senior team. If it is liked, they will pass it off as their own. If it is not, well.. you will be thrown to the wolves so to say," she said, her heart breaking for the sweet boy in front of her. She knew how creative and talented he was, and how hard he had worked on this. So seeing the great opportunity pass him by, she was livid on his behalf.

Rain stared at her for a few seconds, then smiled. "Don't worry Phi. Everything will be fine. Who cares, right? As you had told me on the first day I joined. Keep your head down and mouth closed. That will help you keep your job longer. Well, that is exactly what I am going to do," he said calmly. He kept his things and then opened his system and began to work. Yihwa stared at him, then shrugged and sat down. She had said that to him, so she couldn't even blame him. The boy was too sweet for his own good, and she had hoped she would be able to protect him. But it looked like her plan would come to naught.

Phayu walked into the large conference room of 'Anakhot', the company that was his brainchild, although he didn't directly work there. He had left his degree behind when he had taken over the reins of the empire from his father, as had Pai and Fah. The three worked side by side, but always made time for their personal interests. 'Anakhot' was the Theerpanayakul family firm, taking care of most of their design projects. They had extremely talented architects, interior designers as well as full time construction, landscaping and maintenance crews, that worked year round on different projects. The land that had been procured recently, the permits for the resort had finally come through, thanks to Pai's efforts, and in anticipation, Phayu had asked the team at the firm to start preparing the blueprints for it. He wondered for the umpteenth time why Sky refused to work here, but that was a discussion for another day. The entire team was there. They waiied, and Lai, one of the senior architects stood up with the presentation.

As she started off, Phayu's mind boggled. Where the hell had she got her degree from? What the hell was she presenting? This was her first presentation. Apparently, she had been tasked with building the resort. Phayu banged his hand on the table. "What the fuck are you presenting in front of me?" he asked, his voice going deeper with anger. "Khun Venice, isn't the plan to your liking?" Praew asked, looking like she would pass out at any moment. "Are you saying that piece of shit is what you came up with after 3 months of work?" Phayu asked incredulously. "And who promoted her?" "Khun Venice.. I.. I didn't make this plan. A junior architect did. I was just presenting for him, so that he wouldn't feel the pressure," she said, stuttering. "I see," Phayu looked thunderous. "Why don't you call the architect then?" he asked. Praew immediately picked up her phone and sent a message. Phayu looked up when the door opened, and was struck dumb. What the fuck was Rain doing here?

Rain waiied politely, his eyes widening slightly at seeing Phayu there. But to his credit, he neither acknowledged the older man, nor did his expressions change. "Khun Venice, this is Nong Varain. He is the one who drew up these messy plans," Lai said immediately. Phayu found that very hard to believe, especially when a small smug smile twinkled on to Rain's face. It was so fleeting that if Phayu had not been staring at the man, he would have definitely missed it. "Is that true Nong Varain?" he asked, calmly. Rain looked at him first, then up at the screen. "No Khun Venice, these are not my plans," he said calmly. Lai immediately turned to him. "Don't lie. These are the prints I took from your system," she said. "You mean the ones you stole from my system, like you almost stole my final project in Uni Lai?" Rain asked. "Shut up! I stole nothing from you," she hissed. "Varain, you say they are not your plans, Lai says these are. Can you both produce proof?" Phayu asked. "Khun Venice, after the debacle at Uni, where Lai almost stole my project, I was shocked. Luckily, I was able to make some changes, and even though Lai presented first, extenuating circumstances proved that she had tried to plagiarise my work. So when I came to know that she is working here, I took all the necessary precautions. From the time I started working on this project, alone, I have kept a dummy plan in my system at all times. The actual plan is this," Rain said, as he held up a USB. Chaos erupted around the room, but Rain stood calmly in the eye of the storm, not caring about the repercussions of his actions. He knew this was bound to happen, and that he would be kicked out of the company for trying to protect his own interest, buthe couldn't care less. He was just a little upset that this had happened in front of Phayu, but he schooled his face and quietly waited for the sword to fall. "Let's see your plans then Nong." Rain's head snapped up at the absolute command in Phayu's voice and his heart stuttered as those piercing black eyes stared into his own.