COLD RAIN

CHAPTER 46

Early the next morning, he could hear the door opening in the next room and the sound of footsteps downstairs.

Another quarter of an hour passed before Pon got up to get dressed and wash.

When he came out of the bathroom downstairs, Auntie was putting a bouquet of roses into a vase.

She smiled seeing Pon and said, “The bouquet that Mr. Sailub bought is just right, one more flower and it wouldn’t fit in the vase.”

When he ran upstairs as if escaping last night, Pon saw this bouquet of roses placed at the head of his bed.

He didn’t waste time to admire it or be grateful for it. Since it was placed in his room, it could be regarded as a gift for him.

Pon picked up the bouquet and threw it to the corridor outside the door.

He never thought Auntie would see it and find a vase to put it in.

“Mr. Sailub came back so early yesterday, so it turned out to accompany you for the holiday.”

Auntie sprayed water on the flowers with a watering can, “Young men like Mr. Sailub, who are so busy but still find time to take care of the family, are rare. He has a successful career and is good looking. How many girls and boys out there are crying for such a man.”

At first, Pon thought that Auntie was saying all these good things at the behest of Sailub but after getting along with her for a while, he realized that those were the things that Auntie was willing to say.

From the perspective of an onlooker, Sailub could be called a perfect marriage partner. He spoiled him unconditionally and treated him so well without asking for anything in return.

On the contrary, he was an ignorant and unreasonable one.

“I am not the one for him.” Pon said.

Auntie thought he was hypocritical, “Oh, it’s common for couples to quarrel and have conflicts. I often slept in separate rooms with my old man. Don’t say this kind of nonsense in anger, you will regret it later.”

“I won’t regret it.” Pon looked at the bunch of roses that were still fresh and bright after a night, “He and I are not lovers.”

Auntie was surprised and said, “Aren’t you? Then you are Mr. Sailub’s…”

Pon thought for a while and said, “Substitute.”

A substitute he used to deceive himself.

It was rainy in summer, and occasionally Pon was unable to go out because of the heavy rains.

He stayed all day with the door closed.

When he was tired of painting, he would stand up and look at the scenery outside the window, or have a video chat with his mother and brother and talk about his recent life.

“Your sponsors are too generous, right? The hotel room arranged for you is so good.” Benz was envious in the video and turned the camera to show him his room,

“The air conditioner is broken and the repair man said the town is not easy to get to and he won’t be here until tomorrow, so I’m in for a rough night.”

Pon said, “Go to Aunt Lisa’s house to sleep. I asked her to take care of you before I left.”

Benz turned the camera back again and smiled into the camera, showing two dimples, “That’s it! Aunt Lisa asked me to sleep at their house all summer, so that she didn’t have to run back and forth to take care of me… But I don’t like our house always being empty, so I always take two days a week to come back for a night.”