"Every storm runs out of rain."

In the past one week, Phayu had looked at his phone every single time it had buzzed, and looked at it even when it was someone else's that buzzed. He was moody, irritable and distracted. Finally Pai had said, "If I didn't know better, I would have thought that you were PMS'ing dude!" Phayu had glared him into shutting his mouth. Ever since that conversation at Chula, Phayu had impatiently waited for a sign from Rain, but nothing. He felt more and more despondent as the days went by, and by the end of that week, he was a mess. Sitting alone in his apartment and thinking of Rain was not helping, so he finally called Pai.

"Yo bro!" Pai's cheerful voice boomed over the phone. "What's up with you? Ready to come out of hibernation?" he asked, happy to hear from Phayu. "He still has not messaged or called," Phayu said, with no preamble at all. "Who? Bro! Be clear!" Pai was amused. "You know who!! Rain, who else?" "Phayu, if you are that worried, call him or message him yourself," Pai said. "He said not to. And I don't want to hurt my chances," Phayu said. "Aiee, he said not to call or message, shemai? You go and meet him instead. He didn't say you shouldn't no? Stop whining like a three year old who has lost his toy!" Pai was sounding irritated. "Or better yet, come to the club. We are all here, and since it's Friday night, maybe Rain and his group will come here," Pai continued. Phayu perked up at hearing that. "Okay, sounds like a plan. I will be there in 30," he said, excitement building in him.

In exactly 30 minutes, Phayu pulled up in his car in front of their family run premium club. He smiled to himself as he threw the key to the valet and walked inside, remembering how he had danced with Rain here, and how special the boy had made him feel. "We are up here!" Pai called out, and Phayu looked up to see Pai gesturing and asking him to come to the first floor. Phayu made his way through the throng of bodies on the dance floor, and went upstairs. Pai and his other friends sat there holding drinks. "C'mon buddy! You are late," Cho, one of his closest friends and classmates, called out, smiling at Phayu. "How am I supposed to be early, when Pai didn't even tell me you all are meeting?" Phayu said, shaking his head at Pai. "Ai'Satt! Is it even possible to talk to you? You are constantly biting my head off when I try to say something, so I gave up!" Pai said, rolling his eyes heavenwards.

"Why? What happened to him?" Som asked. Som was the son of a family friend, and he had been in the same university but in a different faculty. Som was gay, and his family, who knew about both Phayu and Pai, had hoped that the Theerpanayakuls and they could have a business partnership through marriage. But neither Som nor Phayu or Pai had been interested in that match for sure. Som was now dating a junior and they ended up being just great friends. "Dude! I swear! He was PMS'ing! He had mood swings, and he was cranky as fuck! For a second I almost asked him if he wanted me to buy him pads!" Pai laughed at his own joke. Phayu glared at him. "Stop being such an idiot!" he said to Pai. "Why? What happened to Phayu?" Cho asked. "He is lovesick," Pai laughed again. "What? How? Who is the poor unfortunate soul?" Som asked. "A university freshman, in the Performing Arts department. He is a cutie," Pai said. "Better stop talking Ai'Pai," Phayu punched his brother on the arm.

"Pai! Phayu! Long-time no see!" a voice called out suddenly. Both the brothers looked up and saw a beautiful, young girl walking upto them. "Namtan!" Pai immediately stood up and went and hugged her. "You will not greet me Phayu?" she asked, her voice turning softer and sultrier when she talked to him. "Hi Namtan, really long time," he replied, in a completely non-committal tone. "C'mon Phayu, don't be like that! Are you not going to hug an old friend?" she asked, pouting, in what she felt was a sexy way. Phayu gave her a side-arm hug and stepped away. Namtan was the daughter of a business associate of the Theerpanayakuls, and as such could not be ignored. She had been trying to pursue Phayu, quite unsuccessfully, since a very long time, but he had managed to escape her every single time. Even now, he excused himself and said, "I will go and get a drink for myself. Does anyone want anything?" "Your pub has amazing bartenders! Why don't you ask one of them to get you a drink?" Namtan asked, continuing to pout, a little annoyed, reaching her hand out to him. "I like mixing my own drinks," Phayu said, moving away from her. "Anything for anyone?" he asked again. "Long Island Iced Tea, the one you make," Cho said, winking. "Anyone else?" Phayu asked again. "Nope, we are good," both Som and Pai spoke up together.

Phayu went back to the bar and began to mix the drinks. But his eyes kept tracking to the main door of the club. He had come to know from Pai that Vegas had given Rain and his friends a 'carte blanche' to use the club, one of the safest and best establishments, with extra bodyguards and no drugs. The younger group were to be given VIP treatment whenever they visited the club, no questions asked. So Phayu kept hoping that Rain would come. Namtan noticed his eyes that kept returning to the door. She was about to ask Pai about it, when she saw Phayu's eyes light up, clearly sparkling with happiness and pleasure. She had never seen this look on his face and was surprised, so she immediately turned to look at the door. When she saw a group of young people enter the club, she realised that one of them had caught Phayu's interest. And her jealousy was ignited.

Phayu knew better than to approach Rain and his group. He knew he had been asked to wait, so wait he would. He was just contented enough to see his beautiful boy from afar. After making Cho's and his drinks, he made his way back upstairs. He had to cross Rain's table, and the whole group waiied politely as he went by. Only Rain did not look up. After he had left, Sky asked Rain, "do you not plan to talk to him? Isn't that why we came here today?" "I will, I want to talk to him in private and when he is free, clearly not when he is holding two drinks that are meant for someone," Rain said. "Rain, yut!" Yihwa said. "What do you mean?" he asked, surprised. "You are simply procrastinating. Stop this inane behaviour immediately and go talk to him," she said, giving Rain a push. He glared at her, but got up nonetheless.

Rain made his way upstairs to where he knew the seniors were sitting. He stood at a side and observed their table for a few minutes and then went forward again. Phayu hadn't seen him yet, because he was talking to Pai and Cho, but Namtan did. Just as Rain came close, Namtan threw herself into Phayu's lap saying, "baby!! C'mon let's go someplace else. It's so boring here!" Phayu tried to disengage himself from her embrace, but to no avail. She clung to him like a burr. When Phayu turned around to push her further, he looked up and saw Rain standing there with the weirdest expression on his face. Phayu was devastated. 'Had he lost Rain before he had found him?' His fear pulsed inside him.

He quickly got up, almost pushing Namtan away when he saw Rain turning around to back downstairs. He rushed after the younger boy. He caught up with him just outside the door marked 'OFFICE'. "Rain! Can we talk? What you saw..." Phayu trailed off when Rain nodded towards the room and asked, "is this room free right now Phi?" Phayu silently nodded. "Can we talk here?" he asked again. "Yes Khap! Let's go in," he said, his heart in his mouth. He immediately messaged Pai saying that he was going to use the back office, because Rain had said he wanted to talk. Phayu was nervous, and excited. "Rain, I have nothing to do with that girl. She just came and hugged me out of nowhere," Phayu started . "You know Phi. This was the reason I was hesitating to be with you. This was what I had been warned against. How can I ever be with a person who cares only about his next bed partner? How can I believe you? You should understand Phi, not all storms can keep their rain," Rain looked sad.

"Rain, listen to Phi na? I am telling you, I have nothing to do with that girl. She is the daughter of a business associate. I feel nothing for her, it's all from her side. I try to avoid her, but I can't ignore her because her father is a partner of the Theerpanayakul family. Please Rain, please believe me. I will never lie to you, about anything," Phayu said, nearly pleading with Rain, something he had never done for anyone. "Okay Phi," Rain said, his voice serious. "Okay? Okay what? You believe me?" Phayu asked, surprised. After everything that had happened, and the things Rain had heard about him, Phayu had never thought, in his wildest dreams, that he would believe him. Rain began to laugh, a joyous peal of laughter that was like music to Phayu's ears. "Phi, I told you, I may be innocent, but I am not naïve. I am the son of Type Thiwat Kirigun, who stands no nonsense and who is an excellent judge of character. Plus, I maybe young, but I know a set-up when I see it," he smiled at Phayu.

Phayu was extremely surprised at the confidence and maturity of the boy in front of him. He was completely bowled over. He was about to say something, but Rain spoke up. "So, I am going to get directly to the point Phi! One week ago you said some things to me. Did you mean them or were you playing a prank on me?" Rain knew very well what Phayu's intentions had been, but he still wanted confirmation from the older person. "Rain! I meant every single thing I said to you," he said, sincerity dripping from his voice. "Okay, khap Phi," Rain said. "Khap? Khap for what Rain?" Phayu asked, a bit puzzled. "Khap as in, khap, you have the permission to hit on me Phi," Rain said, with his beautiful smile, that always melted Phayu! "Really? Really Rain?," Phayu's smile was intact, even as his heart raced. "Khap Phi. I want to give 'us' a chance. So I decided to give it a go," he said.