"The first step is always the hardest."

"Rain, please, you have to listen to Phi once na?" Phayu hated the pleading tone in his voice, but he had to do everything he could to get this boy to notice him. For him, it was a matter of life and death. He was standing on a precipice, and it would be only Rain's answer that would be his safety net, or nothing at all. And he knew that he needed to tell Rain what he felt, before he decided to give up on himself. The boy standing in front of him, pulled his heart like no one else had done. His beauty, his innocence and his quiet attitude, made Phayu realise that Rain was nothing like what he had thought he would be. So he would have to adjust what he would say, how he would say it.

Rain nodded, "okay Phi, please tell me. I don't want to prolong this discussion. My friends are waiting for me." "Rain, first, whatever you heard about me is true. There are things in my past that I am ashamed of. I am not going to lie and tell you that seeing you has made me a changed man, but you have definitely stirred interest in my heart, a heart I had long thought dead. Second, I am not looking for a night with you. If that was the case, I would have taken you home on the day we danced together. You and I both know you would have come home with me that day if I had called." Rain looked up at Phayu's words, shocked at realising how much truth was there in them. He would have literally been easy pickings for Phayu that day, so why had he done nothing?

"Third, when I said you were taken, I didn't mean you were my boyfriend. I was not trying to stake a claim or something. I don't know what came over me, but I was .. jealous I guess." Rain was even more shocked. What was this man trying to tell him? "And fourth, I want your permission today." "Permission? What kind of permission?" "Permission to officially hit on you. You are 18 years old, and I am 24, so it's obvious I can't go further that that. But I would like to start a journey with you, and see how it goes. I am not expecting you to accept me right away, never will I do that, but I still want to ask you for a chance to prove myself worthy of your love," Phayu spoke, wearing his heart on his sleeve. Rain was flabbergasted. Of everything he had expected, this candid confession was definitely not one of them.

"Phi, since you have been honest with me, let me reciprocate. I am 18 years old, as you said, and you are 24. You are worldly wise, and I have never even been in a relationship. If I am to accept you, I will definitely have to really think hard and beyond your current reputation. I don't want to answer you in the spur of the moment and regret it later. One circulated photo, and I already had dozens of people come and tell me about you. If it becomes official, I need to be both mentally and emotionally prepared for the onslaught of your past 'victims', and so, please give me a while. Hope you understand," Rain said, his words showing not only someone smart, but mature and wise beyond his years. Phayu was very impressed because it was not something he had foreseen, but his admiration for Rain went up tremendously. "Okay Rain, I will wait impatiently for your answer. In the meanwhile, can I at least message you once in a while?" he asked, hoping beyond hope that it would be yes.

"Phi, since I am taking this time to think about you, about 'us', I feel it would be better if I am the one to contact you first," he said, smiling slightly to take the sting off his words. Phayu's face fell, but then he smiled right back. "Of course Rain, I will be looking forward to your reply," he said, smiling on the outside, but he could feel his heart shatter, knowing that a boy like Rain would never be interested in someone like him. But he also knew that no matter what happened, he would wait forever for this boy. It already seemed like he had waited a lifetime for him, so what was a few more days? The two made their way back to where Pai and Rain's friends were waiting. All of them looked up as Phayu and Rain reached the table, with the same quizzical look on their faces. 'What had happened?' was probably the only question on their minds right now. "Thank you for giving me chance to talk to you Rain. Let's meet again soon. Ai'Pai, let's go," Phayu said. Pai got up from the table, and the juniors all waiied to the two older men, as they left.

"Phut!! Speak up! What happened? What did he say?" Nut asked eagerly. Rain repeated the conversation between Phayu and him almost verbatim. All his friends listened silently, without interrupting once. Once he finished speaking, he looked around the table. "So? What do you think?" he asked. "Look Rain, fact of the matter is, he is right. If he wanted only sex with you, he would have used that night to his advantage. So, with you at least, he is not toying," Sky started. "What I feel is, even if he has slept around, I would take what people here said with a pinch of salt. I mean, probably everyone here has a crush on either him or you. So if you both connect, in all likelihood, there are going to be a lot of petty jealousies," Yihwa said. "Yihwa is right Rain. But finally, it's your decision. It is very easy for us to give you any large number of advices, but in all honesty, the final decision is yours because we are not going through what you are," Sig spoke up. "Also, we cannot always judge a book by its cover, right? Maybe you can give him a chance?" Sky said. "You didn't say anything Por," Rain asked. "You should eat Rain. Thinking on an empty stomach is not good for the brain," he replied, and all the friends burst out laughing, diffusing any last tendrils of tension that lingered within Rain. If he had friends like these, he could take on the world.

Kirigun House, later that evening –

"Tharn, have you talked to Rain today?" Type asked, a frown furrowing his brow. "No ter. Why? What happened?" Tharn said. "I don't know what has happened, but he seems quieter, moodier than usual. He is usually so full of stories about college and all that, but something seems to have changed," Type said, worry for their son clear in his voice. "Type, if you are worried ter, let's go talk to him. He usually never hides anything from us. If something is troubling him, let's solve it for him? Okay?" Tharn tried to comfort his husband. He knew Type very well. He would not get worried without reason. If he said something was wrong, then something was. So he got up from the couch to go and talk to Rain, when Rain himself came down the stairs.

"Dad, Pa, can we talk?" his face a silent question. "Of course Rain," Type answered immediately and Tharn nodded as well, sitting back with a smile on his face. "Before I begin, I want you both to promise me, that you will not interrupt anything I am going to say. This is my one and only condition," Rain said, a slight worry eking through as he looked at Type. Their son was the light of their lives, and nothing was important to Tharn than Type and Rain's happiness. But he also understood his job. Even after so many years together, Type was impulsive and volatile. He had to be the voice of reason here. "Go ahead lukchay, Pa and I are here for you," Tharn said, keeping a hand on Type's shoulder, more as a way to ground him rather than support. Rain began from the event at college where Phayu gave him the bouquet, to whatever had happened till today afternoon. Both his fathers listened carefully to him. Finally he stopped speaking and looked at them. "Are you done Rain?" Type asked. "Hmm, yes Pa. Why?" "So I can go kill that asshole Phayu," Type said, vibrating with anger. "Why? What is wrong Type?" Tharn asked. "What do you mean what is wrong?" Everything is wrong," he started. "Type, he has behaved in nothing but a gentlemanly manner with our son. There were several moments that he could have taken advantage of him, but he did not. Instead, he put the choice to our son, made it completely and solely his decision. Showed nothing but respect and love there. Don't you think?" Tharn asked.

Rain could actually see his Pa calming down as his Dad spoke. For him, this was the sole reason he needed to speak to his fathers. He knew that they would never judge him, instead would give him unconditional support and the correct advice. "Rain?" Tharn called his name. "Khap dad?" "What are your thoughts? I know that maybe you are confused, but you must be having something on your mind?" he asked. "I feel something towards him Dad. Like a magnetic pull, like something is connecting us without even realising. It could be a crush, but I know in my heart of hearts that it's not just a crush. I think I am falling in love with him," Rain spoke candidly in front of his parents. All his life, they had taught him this one thing. He could share anything with them, no matter how small. Rain was excellent in keeping secrets for others, but when it came to him, he was an open book in front of Tharn and Type.

"Rain, we can understand where you are coming from. And we are okay with that. However, you are our only child, born and raised in love, and a single tear from your eye will kill us," Type said. "Pa, I am stronger than you think. I am your son after all. Do you really think a big, bad alpha figure like Phayu Theerpanayakul scares me?" Rain laughed joyously, bringing a smile to his fathers' faces as well. "So, what do you want to do Rain?" Tharn asked, wanting to know what their son had decided. "I want to give him a chance Dad, but I need your support too, yours and Pa's. I can boast all I want, but without the two of you, and without my group of friends, I am just an empty threat," Rain said, hugging his dad close. Tharn looked at Type over Rain's head and Type nodded. "Okay Rain. We are with you. But promise us, no matter what happens, you will not regret your decision," he said. "But before that dad, I have a request, and I hope you can fulfil it for me," Rain said.

A/N: Any guesses what Rain's request is going to be? 

Taking a holiday for 3 days, will carry my laptop, and will try to update, but please be patient with me na kha?

Rak maak readers, thanks for loving this book... keep reading, keep voting, keep commenting.. your love motivates me!! <3