"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach."

Theerpanayakul mansion –

"Okay Phi. Then let's go and have dinner. Rain hiew maak," Rain said, finally getting up from the swing and entering the room. Phayu looked at him, surprised and a bit puzzled. 'No, make that like a LOT puzzled,' he thought in his head. "Rain, are you okay?" he asked, his voice betraying his inner turmoil. "Khap Phi, I am okay. Any reason I shouldn't be?" he asked as he opened the door to the room and left, throwing Phayu a sassy come-ahead look over his shoulder. Now Phayu was even more worried. Had the recounting of his past broken something inside Rain? Why was he behaving like this? Anyone else in his place would have been crying and screaming, asking hundreds of questions, trying to find reassurance that he was still the most important! But here was Rain, calm and cool, collected, no tantrums, nothing except that one question to indicate he had even heard what Phayu had told him.

Phayu was still staring at the door, when Rain stuck his head back in. "Phi! Coming or not? I am starving!" he said, grinning adorably. Phayu nodded and rushed behind him. In the dining room, everyone was gathered around for their meal when the two entered. "Phayu, Rain, I was just about to send Pai to call you," Porche said. He, and the rest of the family was smiling, but the worry was clear on their faces. What had happened? Was everything okay between the two boys? "Thank you Papa P! I was so, so hungry!" Rain said, bouncing upto the table. "Oh look Phi! Basil pork curry! My favourite! Did you make it Pa?" Rain asked. As he took his seat in between Phayu and Pete. "Umm.. yes baby. I know you love it, so I made it for you," Pete said. Had Phayu not spoken to him? What was happening? Pete looked over Rain's bent head at Phayu. His look was clear. Phayu shook his head, and mouthed, 'later.'

After dinner, everyone sat in the family common room, discussing something about the incident that had caused Phayu to be injured. Rain and Sky suddenly got up, saying that they wanted to get some fruits. Pete said that he would send the servants, but the boys insisted on doing it themselves, and walked out. "Phayu? Did you not tell him everything?" Kinn asked. "I did Papa K. I told him everything. Even stuff I hadn't told you all," Phayu said, completely confused by this point. "I kept wondering when he would breakdown, rant and rail, but he seems to be taking this so calmly. I don't understand," he added.

Everyone fell silent. Just then Rain and Sky entered the room with bowls of beautifully cut fruits. "We bought some for everyone," Sky said happily. "What were you guys talking about? Something serious? Did you find out who hurt P'Phayu?" Rain asked. "How are you so calm Rain?" Pai blurted out, earning glares from everyone. "Calm? Why should I not be calm?" Rain asked, a very quizzical look on his face. "You are too calm after I told you everything about me. I told you about my past, my first love..," Phayu began, but Rain cut him off. "Why should I be upset about that Phi? You never loved her. And to be honest, I don't think she loved you either," he said, exuding confidence. Everyone looked properly appalled. "Plus, why should I berate you for telling me about your past. I was waiting for you to share it with me, and I am so glad you did. Why should I be angry?" he added.

Pindrop silence followed his words. The entire family stared at Rain. "What do you mean? What do you mean I didn't love her?" Phayu asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "Phi, isn't it obvious?" Rain asked. "How?" Pai asked. "How did you figure that out Rain?" Pete asked, before anyone else could say anything. "Pa, it's so obvious, no? Did P'Phayu not tell you the whole story?" "Not really," Vegas said. "Well, from whatever P'Phayu told me, it is quite obvious that he didn't love P'Amy. She was at max, a crush, an infatuation. In fact, he was more enamoured of the fact that someone liked him, that he could show-off to his peer group he had a girlfriend. Love was nowhere in the picture. She was just a teenage boy's fantasy. He just felt attracted towards her. He never bothered to stay with her when he found out she was sick. He chose to return to his family. If he truly loved her, he would have given up the world for her. Happens," he shrugged nonchalantly, completely unaware that he had thrown the whole house into turmoil.

"And what do you mean by the fact that she didn't love him either Rain?" Porche asked. "Well, again obvious. From the things she said, and the way she behaved, it is evident she needed him for a social standing as well. And, the promise she made him give? Again.... I am pretty sure she already knew she was ill. She just wanted him to never have what she wasn't going to get. She was a very selfish young woman, who bound him to a promise that would probably he would have taken to his grave, considering how proud he is of his legacy. I also am convinced that her brother and she knew who P'Phayu and P'Pai both were. It's not that difficult to find that out, right?" Rain finished speaking and looked around the room. Everyone looked at him, completely aghast. Phayu sat shell-shocked during this entire explanation.

"What? Why is everyone looking at me like that?" Rain asked, surprised at everyone's reaction. Pete stood up, went to Rain, and hugged him tight. "Rain, in these past 6 years, we all but lost our son, thought we will never get him back. We almost gave up. In fact, I think even Phayu gave up on himself. But you, you gave us back our son. I think, this whole family will be indebted to you for a lifetime," he said, tears simply pouring down his cheeks. "Pa, I didn't do anything. You all were just very close to the situation because of P'Phayu. I only looked through it objectively, and came to these conclusions," Rain said, patting Pete on the back. He was a bit taken aback at the response of the family members. What he had done, was seriously not such a big deal. "You are also close to Phayu. If anything, this should have affected you the most Rain," Kim said. "You guys don't know Rain," Sky said. "He doesn't let anything personal get in the way of logic. Even my Dad, the great ambassador Leo Suansri takes advice from him," he added, proud of his friend.

"Dad, Pa, I want to speak to Rain alone," Phayu suddenly stood up. "Can I be excused? And Rain too?" Vegas nodded. "Go, talk it out," he said. "Rain, please take a walk with me," Phayu asked. "Okay Phi, let's go!" he said. He held his hand out to Rain, and Rain happily complied, not just holding his hand, but also interlocking his fingers with his Phi. The two went out into the gardens, and Phayu took him directly to his most favourite place. A small gazebo almost in the middle of the estate, but hidden behind the sprawling mansions which were on the front. He went and made Rain sit on the cushions on the side, but himself paced around, not knowing how to express himself in front of him. Rain must have sensed his disquiet and at first did not say anything.

As Phayu continued to look spaced out, Rain finally could not tolerate it. "Phi, why don't you talk to me? How long are you going to keep wondering what to ask me? And how to ask me whatever you want to ask me? I am okay with answering any questions," he said, smiling, wanting to encourage his Phi to say what was in his mind. Rain very well understood the turmoil inside Phayu. At first, at Phayu's recollection of his past events, Rain had felt the same storm inside him. Several times, he had wanted to tell Phayu to stop talking, but something about the way he had expressed it, had sent chills down Rain's spine. He had become engrossed in the story, but had realised multiple things simultaneously. P'Phayu had grown up with P'Amy, so for him, it was not easy to distinguish between where friendship ended and love started. He also realised that somewhere, P'Amy had known P'Phayu's feelings. She had taken advantage of a childish fantasy and locked his Phi's emotions and feelings by making him promise something that was completely ridiculous and toxic.

In the time he had taken to think and analyse whatever P'Phayu had told him, Rain had very clearly understood that a person like him would always put family first. If he genuinely believed that Amy was the one for him, he would have truly told her who he was, and not kept his family or his business secret from her. And he would have moved heaven and earth to ensure that he could stay with her, however important his business had been. And after he had received his response from P'Phayu, he had been convinced that what he had been thinking had been right. That was why he had confidently replied to the family also. But there were things that were troubling him. Why had P'Phayu not told his family everything about P'Amy and P'Lhong? Why had they not questioned him either?

But now he wanted Phayu to question him, understand how he had reached his deductions. He was bitterly afraid that his Phi might not believe him. He might feel that Rain was not experienced enough to judge what was right or wrong. He wanted Phayu to understand that whatever had happened was not his fault. He had the right to live his life the way he wanted to and not be burdened by the ghosts of the past, who had captured him in web of lies and deceit. He willed P'Phayu to agree with him, whatever happened. Even if he didn't fully comprehend or was not fully in agreement, he wanted him to have an open mind and listen to him.

"Rain," Phayu finally said, his voice dry and raspy, almost as if he was keeping his emotions in check. Rain surged forward in his seat, not wanting to miss a word from him. "Rain, how did you figure all this out?" he asked. "Look, first and foremost, let me assure you that I don't doubt you. Like ever. You contemplated long enough for me to know that whatever you said, it was not a spur-of-the-moment thing. So that is out of the question. But still, whatever you said, still begs the question. How did you reach this verdict?" Rain was thrilled. This is what he had been hoping for. "Phi, can I ask you a question?" "Of course," Phayu said. "Imagine you have an important meeting tomorrow," Rain said. "Okay," Phayu said, puzzled as to why Rain was asking him to imagine something so weird, but game. "When you are on your way, you get a call, saying that I had an accident..," "Rain!!" "Phi, please let me finish." Phayu nodded, albeit reluctantly. "So.. you get a call saying that I had an accident, and am being taken to the hospital. What would you do? Go to the meeting? Or the hospital?" Rain asked. "Is that even a question Rain? Isn't the answer obvious? I would directly come to you. You are my breath Rain!" Phayu said, without hesitating even for a minute.

"Okay. I asked you another question before. If you would let me know where you are at all times. Do you remember your response to that?" "I do. I said I will tell you everything," Phayu said. "Is the answer obvious yet?" Rain asked. Phayu analysed his own responses and nodded. "This answers one part of my question. How you figured out why I may not have loved her. But what made you realise she didn't love me?" he asked. "Phi, if something happens to me, you will be the first to know. Even in my wildest dreams, I would not hide any part of me from you. Also, another question. God forbid, if you are not part of my world anymore, would you want me to die every day, or would do want me to move on and be happy?" Rain asked. "Of course I would want you move and live happily," Phayu said immediately. "Well, now do you know the answer to your other question?" Rain asked, laughing.

Phayu looked with complete amazement at the young boy in front of him. Suddenly, the sorrow, the pain, the anxiety, and most importantly, the guilt that he had been carrying in his head, like the heaviest burden, fell off. Rain had freed him, and his heart was ready to soar again.