Love In The Air

Chapter 8

“What do you want to eat?” Rain asked as they were shown to a table in the small restaurant.

“Are you trying to pry information out of me?” Payu teased.

“No, I am not!” Rain protested. “It was just a simple question. I am going to order rice.” Rain wasn’t sure if Payu was trying to tease him but looking at the mischievous grin that was spreading across his face he was sure of it. He looked up into his and he could see the smile that he always had across his face when he was mocking him. “He could captivate anyone with those eyes” Rains inner monologue kicked in; he couldn’t help but think that his smile was perfect with his white teeth that gleamed whenever he saw them. Anytime Rain saw Payu smile his heart would literally skip a beat.

“So, what do you want to eat?” Payu asked looking at Rain. He put down the pick and started to write the order down. It was quite late in the evening, so Rain wanted to eat any type of rice.

“Hmmm” Rain thought. “Rice with water spinach, rash and salted egg salad.” Rain answered Payu before quickly changing his mind. “Hmmmm no. Spicy egg salad would be better.”

“Okay” Payu told him. “Want some porridge?”

“Yeah sure” Rain replied. Payu called the waiter over and handed over the order list. “Wait!” he demanded. “I can order for myself!”

“It’s too late” Payu laughed as he told Rain. Payu couldn’t help but think that Rain was so naive; Rain thought it was him who had tricked Payu when in it was the other way around. Payu was gathering all the information on what Rain liked to eat, and he sat and watched as Rain sat with the knowledge that he had at least failed to achieve the goal of knowing anything about Payu. Both men sat in silence as they waited for the food to come. Payu could tell Rain was nervous, he was constantly avoiding eye contact and his cheeks were turning the cutest shade of pink Payu had ever seen.

Rain tried to distract himself by pulling out his phone and started to check his messages, except no one had messaged him. How was he meant to act normal around the guy that kissed him a couple of nights before? He opened an old message from his mum, there was an embarrassing video of an old car that sounded like it was snoring. He couldn’t help but laugh. His mood brightened and he turned to Payu. “Phi Payu look at this video my mum sent me.” Payu could hear the excitement in his voice now. “The car is snoring like a human. It’s so cute” Rain nudged the big guy and reached for his face to bring him closer to the video.

“That’s funny” Payu told him, taking in the scent of Rain’s hair as they were so close. Rain was so entranced by the photos and videos his mum had sent him didn’t realise that Payu had not looked at his phone once. He couldn’t help but admire the way Rain spoke so animatedly explaining every detail so cutely.

Rain turned to look at the person beside him but didn’t expect that the big guy was staring at him and not the phone. “Oye!” Rain objected. “What are you looking at?” He asked as he backed away.

“Stupid boy” Payu commented. “I was looking at you from the start.” Rain looked away, suddenly finding the wall opposite him very interesting. The cute pink colour of Rain’s cheeks had now turned to a sunburnt red colour. He felt the flush spread all over him. Rain couldn’t help but feel shy, why was he always like this with Payu? Rain questioned himself.

“Honestly” Payu told him. “You are getting embarrassed for things like this? How are you going to flirt with me?”

“PHI PAYU!” Rain wasn’t embarrassed because of what Payu said, it was because it was Payu that had said it. The waiter came to serve their food and Rain began to panic that he had overheard what was being said between the two men. The server looked at both Rain and Payu smiled and walked away. “Why are you talking about it here?” Rain whispered through gritted teeth.

“Hmmmm” Payu laughed. He couldn’t help but giggle as he looked at the young man sitting in front of him with puffed cheeks. “Do you really think you can make me fall in love with you?” He questioned. “Look at this right now; you couldn’t even speak out loud in fear of being heard by others.” Payu was laying another trap for Rain, and he didn’t know it. “I think you are going to quit soon.”

“Don’t you dare think that way!” Rain argued with more vigour that Payu had seen in him. His cheeks now red with anger instead of embarrassment, with his eyebrows furrowed.

“You wouldn’t be so daring” Payu challenged.

“I am daring enough.” Rain countered.

“Then dare to eat this?” Payu teased further. Rain looked at Payu suspiciously. He picked up a water r****h with the chopsticks in front of them and brought it to Rain’s lips, daring him to eat it. Rain’s teeth trapped his lip in between them and told himself that he was never going to be a quitter. He reached out and pulled Payu’s hand to his mouth as he tried to move them away and ate the water chestnuts. Just as Rain released Payu’s hand the waiter brought the egg salad to the table.

“Phi” Rain told the waiter. “I am flirting with this man help me out!” Everyone in the restaurant went silent, so silent you could hear a pin drop. Rain lowered his head as he felt the gazes turn to their table. If you ask Rain, he swore steam would come out of his ears because his face burned that badly.

“Sure, I will help” The waiter told Rain, as he turned to Payu.

“Wow!” A different diner commented. “What a brave man!”

“What are you going to do?” Rain asked.

“Fighting!” The waiter gave Rain encouragement and walked away. As the waiter walked away all the diners applauded and gave encouragement to Rain, who was so shy and embarrassed that he almost fled the restaurant but instead he just put his head in his hands. OH, how I wish I had a time machine, he thought to himself.

“Sorry” Payu apologised. “I just wanted to break your shell and not be afraid to talk to me.” Payu was trying to hide the laugh that was brewing inside of him. “I didn’t expect you to have such an outburst.”

Damn! Rain thought to himself. “If you had pity on me, you could have at least take the initiative to stop me.” He was talking to Payu in his head. Rain continued to curse Payu in his head, it was all he could do. He didn’t want to be punished by the snaky senior across from him.

Payu watched Rain squirm uncomfortably at the situation he had caused and burst out into laughter, so much that he had tears in his eyes. Rain blushed again adorably. God this boy is going to be the death of me, Payu thought to himself. Rain got so annoyed that he hit Payu’s shoulder. “I am sorry” He apologised again. “It’s just so cute looking at you.” Rain couldn’t help but turn shy.

“I don’t find it funny at all.” Rain turned to stare at his favourite wall again. “You are teasing me.”

“There is a difference in affectionate laughter” Payu started to explain. “And mocking laughter.” Rain turned quiet throughout dinner, Payu knew he was angry. After they finished eating it was pretty late at night. Rain couldn’t remember the taste of the food as he wasn’t in the best mood, and he stayed pretty quiet in the car as Payu drove back to the garage. Rain jumped from the car, running to the office to collect his things and tried to leave in his car. As he tried to sit in the driver’s seat, he felt the strong grip that belonged to Payu.

“Let me go” Rain demanded. “I have to go home.”

“Before I let you go, let me tell you something.” Payu asked him, turning Rain to face him. Rain looked to the floor smiling in shyness.

“What?” Rain mumbled.

“Next time you visit” Payu told him. “Let me know ahead of time. Send me a message in line.” Rain looked at Payu with confusion in his eyes. “I know you are still a student and have a lot of work and studying to do and I don’t want you to waste time by waiting hours for me.”

“Why?” Rain questioned. Payu placed a hand on Rain’s head, who’s reaction was to shake it off instinctively, but the gentle touch gave him so much warmth that he left the hand in place. He waited intently for Payu’s response.

“You help people that are trying to make you fall in love.” Payu told him.

“So, there is still hope!” Rain asked with enthusiasm dripping from his voice.

“Oh....” Payu teased. “I don’t have much to say on that front, but having you around is still fun.” Rain was stunned to silence as Payu rubbed his head.

“Phi Payu!” Rain shrieked, he was furious and Payu knew it.

“But better you divide your time between studies and other things equally” Payu wanted to ensure that Rain did everything he could to study properly. “I don’t want to be blamed for being a distraction. As a senior of the same faculty, I have to make sure you are responsible and behave well. Now go home and sleep.” Rain shook Payu’s hand from his head, he was furious and Payu could see it. He had turned Rain into a clown for his amusement and Rain detested it more than anything. “Do you understand stupid boy?” Rain didn’t respond he just climbed into the driver’s seat but couldn’t close the door as Payu was stood in the way. “Drive carefully!” Payu told him as he took two steps back. As Payu closed the door Rain started to rub at his chest trying to calm his heart down.

“Do I have a crush on Payu?” Rain asked himself. He wasn’t sure if he was flirting anymore just because of the bet. Things were going topsy turvey like a roller coaster and his mind was working the same way as well.

“MAMA!!!!” Rain exclaimed. “PAPA!”

“Oh Rain” Rain’s mother shouted in excitement as she got out of the taxi that had pulled up in the driveway minutes earlier. “We are finally back” Rain ran down to hug his parents, his dad hugged him like a bear hugging his cub, tightly and closely. They called it a man hug. Rain swore you could hear his bones break. His mum sighed, shaking her head. “Driver could you please help in unloading the luggage?”

“Was the trip good?” Rain asked.

“The best!” His dad replied. “I felt like a kid again. It was too bad you couldn’t come son.”

“Oh please, don’t exaggerate Papa” Rain told him dad. “Mama let me help you with the luggage.” He rushed to her side before she could kill him for allowing her to get that far.

“How was everything while we were away?”

“Everything is fine; everything is still intact and in place.” Rain started to explain. “No damages and the maid came twice in the last two weeks to clean the house. I started the Benz every day to keep it functioning, but I didn’t drive it.” Rain reported with hand saluting. He didn’t dare lie to his parents. Especially his mother.

“Okay” His mother told him scrutinising him thoroughly. “How much did you spend?”

“I didn’t spend a lot” He explained. “Just the allotted money you guys gave me before you left.”

“Oh?” His mother sounded surprised. “What about the cost of the car repair?” Rain stood dumbfounded. He completely forgot about the lie he had told his mother; he didn’t want to talk badly about the person because the situation between him and Payu had changed.

“Actually, I did have to spend a little” Rain admitted. “The person who fixed my car was a senior of my faculty and the workshop belongs to his family. He wouldn’t let me pay anything.” Rain told them truthfully

“What?” His dad asked with surprise. “Really???”

“I just had to pay for the labour costs that was it.” Rain explained. “He changed a few parts of the car which needed replacement. But he didn’t charge me and wouldn’t take any money from me.” He tried to explain without giving too much away.

“Such a good lad” His mum commented. “Even if he didn’t receive money tell him that your parents are grateful and thank him.” His mum paused but before Rain could say anything she waved a hand and told him. “Actually, Mama will thank him and give some gifts to him.” She immediately made her way over to open the luggage. Rain ran over with her excited to see what presents that his parents brought home, he was surprised when his mum picked out gifts for Payu. “Pick some good ones and give them to your senior as a thank you. It’s not like you can eat all of that yourself.” Rain couldn’t help but get excited looking at the gifts his parents brought back, he was like any other kid who was obsessed with looking at the souvenirs brought back from trips. He watched as his parents walked upstairs to freshen up.

Rain’s mum made her way back downstairs a little while later just as Rain was choosing what to give to Payu. “This, this and this.” Rain looked at all the packaging. “This one is less sweet, Payu will like it.”

“Rain!” His mum scolded. “Mama said....”

“I know, I know” Rain interrupted. “I won’t eat it all myself, I have already picked the things I wanted to give to Phi Payu” Rains mother watched in amazement as her son’s arms filled with snacks, souvenirs and chocolates. She couldn’t help but think that was a lot more energetic than normal, he looked like a puppy who had just been told he was going for walkies.

“Rain is this senior a girl?” His mother ventured.

“It’s a man!” Rain answered in surprise. “How can any girl named Payu know how to fix cars?” She looked at her son who looked more excited to meet this senior than she had seen him to meet any girl.

Rain was back at school and watching the clock. “I have to finish this soon and leave before 7o’clock. I have to get to the garage” he told himself. Rain was at the garage almost every day to spend time with Payu. It became ritual for Rain to text Payu and for them to spend the evenings together. After he got a text back, he would always become restless waiting for the evening and eager for the evening to come so he could see Payu. He kept reassuring himself it was for the bet between them. But the heart flutters he felt when he thought of Payu, told the truth of the situation.

As Rain and his friends were working diligently towards their project, they commented on the change in him. It wasn’t that Rain wasn’t a smart student, he was one of the top students in the class, it was he chose not to be punctual and never showed any interest in studying. He had a talent for creativity which made him top notch among his classmates. “Guys, I am leaving.” Rain announced as the last class of the day was dismissed.

“Rain have you finished the homework?” Sky asked. “Tomorrow is the submission.” He was worried that Rain would forget and miss the deadline.

“Ah, don’t worry” Rain assured Sky. “I will finish it at home” Rain shouted, waving at his friends as he ran towards his car to leave for the garage.

When he arrived at the garage, he greeted everyone the way he would every day. “Good evening uncle, Hi Phi Aon, Phi Pong.” All of the staff at the garage were becoming more and more familiar with Rain and now had started to call him Phi Payu’s boy. They pointed to office that was surrounded by glass that you could see everything that was happening in the workshop. Rain looked at his watch. “Ah it seems I still have time to do my homework.” He pulled everything he needed from his bag and started to work on it before Payu would come and distract him.

He was about halfway through when he felt a presence behind him. He turned to see him. “Phi Payu!” He exclaimed. The excitement in his voice made Payu’s heart skip a beat. “You are early today.”

“I came directly after I finished my work at the office.” He told him. That’s when Rain noticed that Payu was wearing formal dress trousers. They highlighted his tall legs; he had paired it with a light-coloured shirt that made his muscles even more prominent and attractive. Payu could make anyone enviable with that body.

“What are you doing?” Payu asked as he saw Rain busy.

“Homework” Rain whined.

“When do you have to submit it?” Payu asked.

“Why are you asking?” Rain teased. “Are you getting interested in me now?” Rain was trying to appear confident, but Payu just shook his head in amusement at his attempts to flirt. Upset at his failure he was starting to get angry at Payu. “Why did you laugh?”

He questioned. “Didn’t you want me to flirt with you?”

“I never told you too.” Payu responded. “It was you, who initiated it, so you want to quit now?”

“Well, if I give up then I won’t be coming here anymore.” The small figure told him angrily while slightly panicking on the inside. Should I be worried? It’s also about my body dignity in question. I will have to surrender. His inner monologue running away and getting Rain lost in his thoughts. He felt Payu sit next to him and look over his homework.

“It looks pretty good.” Payu told him.

“This guy is the reason I can’t stop” he told himself. “Sometimes I do feel that Phi Payu will like to tease and then leave me” Rain was scaring himself now, insecure of where things were heading between them. He was distracted and remembered the snacks that his mother had asked to be given to him. “Phi Payu” He muttered. “Here are some snacks, they are from Europe.”

“They are from your Mama?” He questioned.

“How do you know that?” He didn’t let Phi Payu know that he called her Mama at home.

“Goldfish brain!” Payu teased him. Rain racked his brain trying to remember if he had forgotten anything that could have given Payu that information. He remembered the phone call he was whining on the phone when he thought he was talking to his mother.

“I had called you Mama by mistake” Rain told him when he realised. “How do you even remember that?” Payu let out a laugh as Rain made a face that showed he was angry, but Payu thought he was cute. “Aren’t you going to ask why I am giving it to you?”

“If I try telling you” Payu started to explain. “You will get embarrassed, and you will try and change the topic.

“We aren’t talking about that” Rain protested. “You didn’t have to speak so loudly and let everyone know” Rain’s cheeks were so hot he was sure you could fry an egg on them.

“Then what’s the occasion for this special gift?”

“My Mama sent these,” Rain started to explain. “I told her that you fixed the car for free, so she sent them to thank you. If you don’t want them, you can give them back.”

“Who said I don’t want them” Payu told him slyly. “But I already received some of the payment.” You could see the evil smile showing again.

“Take it as extra profit” Rain replied. He was suddenly pulled by his neck and raised his hand in defence, although his small arms weren’t much help.

“I vividly remember a boy pulling my hands into the bathroom” Payu teased. “Locked up in a cubicle with him, who had promised to flirt with me....”

“Say no more!” Rain interjected. “Or else I will get angry” Rain remembered the thong that Payu had slipped in with the clothes last time he stayed here and the declaration he made to flirt with Payu.

“Come on” Payu extended his hand. Rain looked at Payu with confusion in his mind. “Dirty minded child” Payu told him off.

“You are the perverted one here” Rain argued.

“Will you take my hand or not?” Payu asked him. Payu looked at the red cheeks, while Rain clenched his teeth trying not to curse at him. He thought that if things went a step ahead in the bathroom what would his reaction be? No. Payu shook the thought off immediately, it was better to take things slowly. I will achieve things little by little. I will achieve it and it will be beautiful. Payu reassured himself. He turned his attention back to Rain. “So, when is the assignment submission?”

“Why?” Rain asked dubious to give Payu an answer.

“If there’s still time, I thought of taking you out to treat you to dinner.” Payu started. “Otherwise, you should go home and finish your work.” Payu was determined not to affect his schoolwork. “It’s not going to be a porridge place. There is a new restaurant that opened yesterday; they have pretty delicious dishes, interested?” Rain looked at Payu hesitantly, his homework wasn’t finished yet and he wasn’t even halfway done, but this opportunity wouldn’t come every day.

“What if I am not interested?” Rain asked, interested to see how much he was valued in Payu’s life. His heart sank when Payu shrugged.

“Then I will go alone.” Payu told him. There was no use of playing hard to get. Rain told himself.

“Ok! Ok!” Rain responded. “I am coming.” Payu left ahead of Rain who was rushing around to collect all of things, running to catch up to him in fear of missing out on the opportunity.

The mechanics all watched in awe as their boss left with the boy running behind him. They turned to each other with shock and amazement in their eyes. “Have you ever seen boss smile like a mad man?” All of the mechanics shook their head to indicate no, but they all knew that something was guaranteed, that it looked like the kid had been caught in the storm.

“AT LAST! DONE!” Rain exclaimed as he sighed in relief. He had come home late after dinner with Phi Payu and had to finish his homework, so he had to pull an all-nighter to finish it. He checked the time, and it was 5am. He had to submit the work at 08:30am sharp as his professor was very strict with timing. He thought that he could take a nap for two hours and then get up, he set the alarm.

RING

RING

RING

“Rain!” He heard the familiar voice but was too tired to answer. “Rain!” The voice was getting closer. “Rain do you have some assignment to submit?” His mother walked into his room asking. “Sky just called.” That woke Rain up.

“Mama, what’s the time?” Rain asked panicking.

“It’s 08:15”

“s**t s**t!” Rain rushed to brush his teeth; he didn’t bother to take a bath and dressed in his uniform. He ran collected his homework and sped his car out of the driveway.

“I won’t be accepting this.”

“But professor” Rain pleaded. “I have completed it on time.” When Rain reached the university, the class had already begun, and Rain was late. He asked the professor permission to submit his assignment, his response was to glare at him and demand that he attends a meeting in the staff room during their break.

As all the students were enjoying their lunch break Rain stood holding his project that was completed that he didn’t get to submit. It was always going to be impossible to submit it on time when he had left home at 08:15 and the deadline was 08:30 sharp. There wasn’t any traffic that early in the morning, Rain was thanking everything that he got to the university quickly, but the problem came when he couldn’t find a parking space. As he ran up the stairs to the classroom, he looked at his watch that told him it was 09:00.

The professor looked at Rain with fury in his fiery eyes. Rain looked down to the ground in fear, “When I have given clear instructions about the timing, your assignments must be submitted according to the instructions I give.” The professor’s voice boomed. “How many days were you given for it?”

“One week” Rain’s voice came out as a whisper.

“What time was specified?” The professor asked.

“08:30am” Rain responded; he didn’t like the way the conversation was going.

“Yes” The professor stated. “Therefore, I am not accepting your work, please leave.”

“But professor I have completed it” Rain tried to argue his point, hoping for a small amount of leniency for the mistake he had made.