Love In The Air

Chapter 11

“Oh Rain, how much do you need?” He complained to himself. It’s been a week since Rain started to use the office at Payu’s workshop to do his assignments. Today he was more excited than he normally was. He had everything he needed. He had his tools, materials and paper for building the model he needed for the presentation. He knew it was due at the end of the week, he was busy organising his materials, when a woman walked into visit him. “Am I okay to work in this office?” He asked.

“Yes” She looked at him and smiled. “You can go ahead. Do you want something to eat? Would you like something sweet or spicy? There is a tray behind you of everything you could want.” Rain turned to look and found a tray full of his favourite snacks, chips, chocolates and sweets. This wasn’t here last week.

“Is this going to be a convenience store too?” Rain joked. The smile that was already on her face became even wider and brighter.

“I was thinking the same thing.” She laughed. Rain couldn’t understand what she meant, but as he looked at the materials he had spread around the office he began to worry that he had made the wrong decision.

“Is it really okay for me to use this office?” Rain asked the woman again scared he was being a nuisance.

“It’s definitely alright” A male voice boomed. “Someone wouldn’t be able to see you sitting in the heat. Never mind listening to the sound of all the machines and smelling the oil.” Both the office clerk and Rain whipped their heads around to see how was talking.

“Hello Phi Saifah” Rain raised his hands to greet Payu’s brother. He tried to tidy up his scattered belongings quickly as Saifah made his way closer to the table laughing at the mountain of supplies.

“Don’t” Saifah told Rain. “It’s okay just keep working on your project. It’s just memories of when I had to help Payu with his projects when he was a student. Even though I studied engineering believe me I can make a mean looking model, probably better than an architectural student.” Saifah realised by the way Rain was looking at him he wanted to know more about his brother.

“Phi Payu asked you to help him with his assignments?”

“Hahahahaha” Saifah couldn’t swallow the laugh that escaped him. “Of course, at some point in the second year Payu spent too much time preparing his superbike that he didn’t have enough time to finish his project. Another friend and I sat down and was helping him cut the materials for the model until the early morning. He then rushed to sit his exams.” Saifah continued to explain to the bright eyed boy, who he couldn’t help but admit he was beginning to care about. The way a brother should care about a younger brother; if it was anything more Saifah was scared Payu would kill him. “Is there anything I can help you with? I might have lost some skills, but I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed.” Saifah started to roll up his sleeves to start work but Rain quickly shook his head in refusal.

“Thank you so much Phi.” Rain replied. “I would rather do it by myself as I have a point to prove to someone.” You could hear the sarcastic tone that was evident in his voice, this caused Saifah to burst out laughing with a witch’s cackle. He knew exactly who he was talking about. He felt sympathy toward Rain and patted his shoulder. He swore that this guy was stronger than his brother and didn’t know it.

“Make good use of the office.” Saifah reassured Rain. “I don’t mind, but I do have to ask you. What do you want for lunch? I will have someone buy it for you.” Rain’s smiled broadly appreciating the generosity that Saifah was showing, but he reached out to show the contents of his bag. He had brought lunch from home, so he didn’t have to worry.

“I have brought my own lunch” Rain smiled.

“Oh, then these will not be necessary.” Saifah said pointing towards the snack tray. Rain frowned but opened his mouth and looked at the man wide eyed.

“Phi Saifah said that....” The office clerk started to explain looking up at Saifah.

“Well, this morning” Saifah cut her off. “My twin bought all of it from the convenience store and he dropped them off here before he went to work.” Rain’s heart started to beat at double pace with happinesshe couldn’t contain the smile. He smiled so widely that his mouth started to hurt but he couldn’t help it. Payu knew and had bought all of his favourite snacks.

“Good lord!” Prapai exclaimed. “You are a freaking genius. You made him sit in the glass office room just so that you can watch him from afar.”

“You came to drop off the car right?” Payu snapped. “Now you can buzz off.”

“But...” Prapai protested. “I came as a customer.”

“I didn’t ask for this customer.” Payu arrived at the workshop after working in the office for a few hours and just as he arrived he met Prapai who had come to drop his car. Pai was a skilled broker who worked for his father’s electrical company but was an amazing racer when the sun went down. Pai was mocking his friend and turned to look at the boy who had his head bent over the table.

“You can see you why you are attracted to the boy” Pai started. “White skin, big eyes, cute looks.....” He turned back to look at his friend who was looking at him as if he wanted to murder him. Payu shook his head.

“Why haven’t you left yet?” Payu didn’t need to explain that he could find anyone with the features that his friend described anywhere. What he couldn’t find anywhere was the strong will to not give up on anything and moreover the cuteness Rain had when he was bullied. But he didn’t see the need to explain that to his friend.

“Well, I am waiting here to ask for permission” Pai told him. “May I?” Payu raised his eyebrow and glared at his friend unsure of what was to come. Pai place a hand on Payu’s shoulder. “No” Pai thought better of it. “I don’t intend to die just yet. I am not going to steal your boy. I do have something I want to ask him though. I want to go and talk to him, but your boy would wonder who this handsome Phi is?” Pai said jokingly. It’s true that there wasn’t anyone who was just as cute and attractive as his boy upstairs, but Pai wasn’t interested in him. He wanted to know about his friend, who was driving him insane. He couldn’t forget him especially after the passionate night they had together. He sighed as he longed to taste the boy again, but he when his eyes met the person in front of him he couldn’t help but shiver.

“Can’t you see he is working so hard?” Payu snapped with jealousy running through him. “Being an adult, you should be well aware that he should not be disturbed.” Payu didn’t realise that he was now shouting.

“Bro, you don’t have to shout at me.” Pai told him. “Give me 2 minutes I promise I won’t be later than that.” Pai was trying to negotiate with his friend, but the workshop owner was having none of it. He crossed his arms and looked at him with fury in his eyes.

“Did you know?” Payu told him with a low and threatening tone. “Sometimes racing cars have sudden brake issues and they may stop working all of a sudden.”

“Okay!” Pai told him. “Okay I am leaving. I shall leave the kid alone. I will come back later when he is free.” A guy who loves both speed and life very much knows that it is not good to anger the mechanics who is looking after your vehicles. Otherwise, the speed that he loved to travel would take him on a scenic tour to the depths of hell before he realised. Pai smiled broadly, patted his friend on the back and headed towards his superbike which was brought so he could get home from the garage. As he made his way and got the keys for his bike from his pocket he couldn’t help but think “Nope, no I am not trying to mess with you Payu.”

Payu turned to look inside the glass office where he saw Rain working. The cold eyes that were blazing with anger became soft and filled with a look of what Payu realised later was love. A smile slowly spread across his face as he noticed a new side to Rain that he had not discovered before. “This is a new side of you” he told Rain silently. “You are very cute.” Payu couldn’t help but think that when Rain is not being stubborn and fighting with him he was cute. Payu scolded himself. “Payu you think he is too cute a lot of the time.”

It was five O’clock in the evening and the sun had begun to set. The soft orange light spread all around Rain, you could see the reflection that fell on Rain who had fallen asleep on the sofa. The large man was standing watching Rain with a smile on his face. He walked over to lower the curtain, so it didn’t shine on his face. Payu moved towards the sofa that Rain had curled up on. He looked at the model that Rain had spent most of the day wrestling with, Payu picked up the paperwork that had fallen onto the ground and threw away the rubbish. He looked over the whole project and made some notes on a sheet of paper and placed it under the model base.

He stood up, when his gaze fell back to Rain’s face and instantly he took up all of Payu’s attention. Rain shivered from the cold, causing Payu to sit next to him. Payu couldn’t help but be fascinated by the long eyelashes brushing against his cheeks, the fair skin that looked like cream, the small stubborn nose and the plump rose red lips that often argued with him. He hadn’t heard Rain’s stubborn voice in a week and God how he missed it. He couldn’t help but reach out a finger to caress him gently, the small smile that came across his face when the touch didn’t wake him up. “Good job” Payu whispered into his ears. “Smart boy.” He couldn’t help himself as he rubbed the tip of his nose against his ears and the smell of the provocative aroma that came with Rain’s shampoo. Payu only meant to close the curtains to keep the light out but now he wanted more. He wanted to make up for the time that they had not spent together. At the beginning Payu was teasing Rain but since he started to be the cruel and disciplined man with Rain he had been punishing himself by depriving himself of the feelings he got when was with Rain. So, when there is a defenceless platter of dessert’s in front of you, you obviously had to ask for a taste. God! Payu sighed. Not only did Rain smell good but he was soft. Rain who never exercised was soft and supple everywhere. His fair skin hinted at the Chinese roots Payu knew existed. He reached out to touch Rain again, his hand sliding again his creamy smooth skin; he slipped his hand under the sleeping beauty’s shirt. His eyes moved to the door. “I should have locked it too” he told himself. His greedy ego thought about stopping but he really didn’t want to. His lips pressed a soft kiss to Rain’s cheeks and Payu’s nose loved the fragrance of Rain which was not poisoned by any chemicals.

Rain started to move as if something was annoying him. Payu started to move the hem of his shirt higher and higher. “Oh cold” Rain complained sleepily, trying to push away the hand that was still under his shirt. When Rain started to resist Payu removed his hands with a different idea. Payu’s eyes moved to the unbuttoned collar of Rain’s shirt, and he felt the saliva in his mouth double, he was salivating with the hunger he felt for this boy. The pearl white chest looked so attractive it made Payu want to try more than he had already tasted. He hadn’t had the chance to taste the whole dessert; he had just had a taste. The petite waist was driving him insane. He could wrap one hand around this waist and God that was sexy to Payu.

“God this boy is trying to kill me” Payu told himself when he noticed the low rising jeans that Rain was wearing. The top of his underwear was sticking out the top. Payu’s eyes had turned predatory, eyeing his delicious prey in front of his eyes. There was nothing crueller than having to stop when you don’t want to. “Are you tired?” Payu asked in a low and husky voice. He knew his voice was raw with the passion he felt for this boy. Payu started to stroke his finger again Rain’s stomach, which tightened. The tip of index reached the hem of his pants and travelled back to the centre of his chest. Rain started to wriggle in satisfaction, which sent a message straight to Payu’s centre. The sharp face leaned forward to press a kiss when....

“Ummm” The sleeping beauty raised his hands to rub his eyes. “What are you doing Phi?” He muttered making himself look even more adorable and pretty. Payu paused squinting at Rain who hadn’t realised that danger was lying just inches away. The newly awakened Rain didn’t even realise to look at what Payu almost done to him. As Rain awakened a little more he met Payu’s gaze. “Phi Payu!!!!” Rain shot up straight and covered his chest with both hand and looked as his senior with the big doe like eyes that Payu loved. “Why were you pinching at my chest?” Payu smiled knowing he had pinched Rain.

“Then why are you sleeping with your shirt open?” Payu asked. “Are you trying to seduce me?” He kept a straight face teasing Rain.

“No, I am not!” Payu raised his eyebrows to look at him which caused Rain to look down immediately. Rain flushed when he saw his clothes at his chest. His heart started pounding. “I had fallen asleep.” He protested to Payu.

“How would I know that you were sleeping and with your clothes opened?”

“No way!” Rain protested. “You were the one who was harassing me!”

“That means you were awake” Payu argued.

“No, I wasn’t....” Rain’s voice trailed off as he saw Payu smirk. Payu couldn’t help but fall further in love with the boy sitting in front of him and was extremely satisfied at the fact he got to see the blushing face that was biting his lips. Payu’s hands wrapped around the boy who had gone redder than a shy virgin. Rain’s project was still not finished but it was done enough that he wasn’t panicking.

“When did you wake up?” Rain fell silent and turned to face the other way trying to hide the embarrassment. “Oh, if you don’t answer it means that you want to continue the stimulation.”

“Ahhh” Rain protested. “Hold on hold! Why are you grabbing my legs? Let me go!” Rain was screaming as he jumped to the other sofa trying to free his legs when Payu caught a hold of him. Rain looked wide eyed when he understood the meaning of what Payu meant when he said stimulation. “Okay, Okay!” Rain gave in. “Since you started to undress me!” Rain knew that Payu would go the whole nine yards if he refused to tell him. No would come to his aid either. “Hey!” Rain exclaimed again. He suddenly remembered there were people in the workshop and people could see through the glass, so he was safe right?

“Even if you scream” Payu told him. “No one will come.” Rain noticed the curtain that was pulled down, as he shifted his attention he felt Payu glide over his body. The sharp attractive face was now inches away from Rain’s which caused him to go as stiff as a log. He fought the urge to kick Payu away and flee but he was worried Payu would get hurt.

“I have already answered when I woke up” Rain started to negotiation with Payu. “Now let me go.” Rain didn’t know why he didn’t push Payu away. Was it because he couldn’tfight against him or was he lost in the gaze of the person who was staring at him? The stare was making him so weak that he couldn’t fight back. Payu reach over to take a hold of his chin, his eyes fell on Rain’s lips. He leaned over and Rain could smell the engine oil emitting from him. He found the smell comforting.

“That means you weren’t awake when I spoke to you.” He whispered into his ears, which caused Rain to close his eyes instinctively. It was more than two weeks since he was able to hear and see Payu so close to him. The first week he sulked around campus in sorrow. It upset him that he had been kicked out and then cooped up in the glass office that was still so far away from the person he wanted but who would never visit him. He was working so hard during this period to try and win back his trust, but now the same boy was leaning over the top of him. He could hear his heart thumping loudly. Rain was terrified that Payu was going to hear it. His hands and lips were trembling. Could it be that he was waiting for something to happen?

“I really didn’t expect that Payu would want to kiss me!” Rain told himself. He furrowed his eyes looking at Payu when he saw the smile that was plastered on his face.

“Do you want to know what I told you while you were asleep?” All Rain wanted at that moment was for Payu to back off a bit. His heart and lungs were not functioning properly. He was scared he was going to pass out. He pressed his head down making Payu smile at the cute reaction Rain had. “I said....” Rain screamed.

“Phi are you here?....” Saifah burst into the room. The atmosphere was shattered by the person who stormed into the room. Saifah stood looking around comically, knowing that he had interrupted something. Saifah stared at Payu who was leaning over Rain with their faces inches away from each other. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what was happening. He cautiously took a step back in fear of his elder twins fury. “DAMN WRONG TIMING” Saifah shouted at himself. “Sorry” He immediately shut the door and left.

“So....” Payu said. “Where were we?”

“Phi Payu are you crazy!” Rain shouted. “GO AWAY!” Payu acted as if nothing happened, he just moved further close to Rain until he scream in embarrassment but before he could refuse any further someone burst in the room again.

SCREAM

“OH” Saifah told Payu. “I forgot, you were getting a call, and you know the lock can be done from the inside to right!”

BANG

The door slammed before it flew open for a third time.

SCREAM

Saifah opened the door again and shouted good luck. And pressed the door lock from inside, slammed it shut but for good this time. Rain melted like a puddle. Rain was strawberry red. You could see the imaginary smoke coming from his ears; he didn’t want to embarrass Rain. He leaned to press a kiss on his forehead before pulling Rain up to him. Rain didn’t have time to react. “I said you did a good job, smart boy.” Rain wasn’t expecting a compliment from the senior, but Payu the way looked at him, made him ecstatic. Rain gently rubbed the spot Payu had kissed. “Just keep trying; I am not going to disturb you further.” Payu told Rain and walked out the room with the satisfaction that he had left Rain blushing.

It took Rain a few minutes to regain his equilibrium and he covered his face with his hands to hide the embarrassment surging through him at that moment. “Bastard!!!” Rain shouted after Payu. “I feel so embarrassed.” Payu’s words gave him a boost of energy and he climbed down to the table to continue working. He looked at the paper lying underneath the model where Payu had written errors he had missed and corrections that needed to done. He subconsciously hugged the paper to his chest. His heart had swollen that he was sure it was going to burst from happiness. “Does that mean Payu was watching him?” He asked himself. “Fighting RAIN” With fire in his eyes and spirit he got back into working mode. He felt like he had one too many red bulls. What Rain didn’t realise was that Payu’s influence in his life was becoming more and more pronounced.

It was the end of the semester, the chaos had ensued. The students in the second semester felt like they were standing on the edge of a cliff. If you asked the students they would have told you the human population was diminishing while the zombie population was increasing. Not bathing became normal. Conversation and socialising became extinct. The exams had finished and the possibility of gaining extra scores in practical’s weren’t over yet. The first year students sat around waiting for the professor to grade the papers and hope of getting a compliment kept the student’s on their toes. “How do you think it will go?” Sky asked his best friend who seemed to be happier in the last couple of days.

“I don’t know” Rain replied. “But I gave my best.” Rain sighed. It has been two weeks since Payu gave him any sort of encouragement. He had grasped on to the words Payu told him for as inspiration to do well in his exams. Rain still was not through flirting with his senior, but he had to take responsibility of his duties right now and he would make sure Payu ended up his in the end. Rain felt lonely without Payu. In the short span of knowing him he had realised how often he got to see the senior, when he realised he had seen Payu more than he saw the Aunty that came to clean his house twice a week. He felt the same normality of seeing her and Payu. The two weeks without seeing him felt like he wasn’t breathing properly. “I don’t know why but I want to see his face so badly that I could die.” Rain said silently. He never gave into the temptation. He knew he couldn’t keep turning up at the garage just to be praised, although he did want Payu to see how hard he was working but it was coming to the end of the semester, and he still didn’t know how to prove anything to Payu. He was lost in his thought until the teacher finished analysing the student’s assignments. The students who the professors were happy with were relieved and the people who didn’t do so well got shouted at. There was crying in pain and laughter with happiness. It was Rain’s turn, every part of his body clenched in anticipation. He patiently waited for the results. He last one of the last people called because of his surname. He knew he gave it his best shout bit he didn’t know if it was enough. He hoped it was but was dubious.

“You did a great job” The professor told him. The fatigue, despair and regret caused him to think he was imagining things. He could only stare blankly at the professor. The professor continued to explain that compare to the other student Rain’s performance was the best. All of the ill feelings seeped away the moment he heard the professors praises. The professor knew when to appreciate and criticise, he truly did appreciate the boy who came crying into his office. It had been just a few weeks since Rain walked into his office and was unable to submit his assignment on time. The drastic change in the student was appreciated by the professor.

Rain could barely the happiness that was coursing through his veins. His hands trembled with excitement and there was only one person he wanted to tell. He put it down to being grateful the way his parents had always taught him to be. He left the class and ran straight to the work shop. “Khun Payu didn’t come to the workshop today, he probably went home” The mechanic told him. The feeling of disappointment waved through him, and he didn’t want to go back without tell Payu what had happened. He remembered where Payu lived and drove straight to the large house that he had once been inside. The house was silent, and the lights were off. Rain pulled his cell from his pocket and called Payu’s number.

“The number you are calling is currently not reachable, please try later” Rain was surprised that he was unable to reach Payu but he got out of the car anyway and pushed the doorbell but there was no answer. The rain started to fall from the heavens, so Rain ran and got an umbrella from the car. He didn’t intend on sitting in the car in case he missed the one person he had wanted to see since he was praised by his professors. He also wanted to surprise him. “Hurry and come back Phi Payu, I really need to tell you something.”