The Falling Rain

Chapter 11

After taking a calming shower to warm up from having stood in the downpour, Rain felt much better but was still incredibly upset about being late to turn in his assignment.

He had been thoroughly scolded by the professor about how there are rarely second chances when he gets out into the workforce and that a client would be extremely angry if their architect failed to show up on time. Rain understood and hadn't tried to argue after that, even if the professor thought he was trying to weaponize his tears.

Rain had been embarrassed, frustrated, and disappointed with himself. He was doing his best but the closer to the end of the school year, the more stressed he was about where he was going to stay over the summer. The dorms closed and so he needed to get as much money put back so he could either fly to Korea and spend the break with his aunt or he was going to have to find somewhere to rent short term. Both of these options would be expensive, his aunt claimed she would be able to help support him but Rain refused to put her in a position where she might have to spend up some of her savings.

All of this had accumulated to him volunteering to work extra to help P'Hom prepare for the catering event tomorrow night. The extra work had made him extra tired and because of his exhaustion he had slept through the many alarms he had set. He had been a little upset, and felt slightly betrayed, that Sky had not made sure he was awake before heading to his student council meeting but he had to keep reminding himself that if he relied too much on his friends then he would become a burden to them and they would revert back to how they had been before, or they would drop him entirely.

That left him feeling like he didn't have anyone to go to with his emotions. P'Pai and Sky had grown incredibly close, and Rain was quietly so happy for them because he knew if he pointed it out then Sky would clam up and end it, so he couldn't go to Pai because that could put him in an awkward position with Sky.

He went to go see P'Saifah but when he got to the auto shop he felt like he was frozen. He couldn't speak, couldn't move or knock, nothing. He stood there in the pouring rain, for who knows how long, until Saifah happened to walk by and saw him outside.

"Rain! What are you doing standing in the storm?" The older man had asked frantically.

"Nevermind…it doesn't matter, Phi."

He tried to turn to leave but Saifah stopped him, the boy looked far too dejected to allow him to wander away.

"Come inside and get dry, Nong." He guided Rain up into the loft room, hoping any bad memories wouldn't trigger and make his obvious distress worse.

Saifah didn't want to do it but he knew his brother and Rain had been texting basically every day, and according to Sky the younger boy always had a sickly sweet smile on his face when talking to Phayu, so he called his brother.

The minute he told Phayu he had found Rain standing outside in this weather, and his brother then hung up on him, he knew he was headed home.

It didn't take long for Phayu, drenched from riding through the rain, to come rushing into the office. Saifah gestured towards the garage loft and his twin immediately started towards the stairs.

When Phayu entered the room, after some coaxing, Rain had all but fallen into his arms and cried. He held him, gently patting his head and rubbing his back, until the tears began to subside.

"Go take a shower and warm up, you look like a drenched puppy right now." Phayu had told him and Rain had complied. He put on the clothes the man had loaned him and came out into the room to see Phayu leaning over his table, Rain's project sprawled out on it.

"Phi, don't look!"

"Did you get scolded for the quality or did you miss the deadline?"

"I slept through my alarms and missed the deadline." Rain replied, feeling his eyes burn again with the feeling of crying. He forced himself to stay calm, he knew this was his fault.