When the Rain Clears ✓

Eight

"Cloud's going to kill me,"

Were the words Rain uttered out while they waited outside the hospital room. Phayu had questions - lots. But he knew it wasn't the time and place. So he stood close to Rain while they waited in silence.

"Phi..." Rain spoke up in the silence, earning Phayu's interest and full attention. He had rarely ever initiated the conversation first for the past two months. If not for Cloud, their conversations would be cut short with how cold Rain could be at times.

"Yeah?"

"Do you like me?" The question had caught Phayu off guard, and almost made his jaw drop. But he remained calm, taking a sip of his drink to play it off. So Rain was aware, after all.

"If I said I was?" He said in a teasing tone.

"Then I'd say to give up."

Ouch.

"Oh, really? And why's that?"

"If you have any respect for me and Cloud." Now that made Phayu shift in slight discomfort. He turned to look at Rain, thinking he'd find a rather grim expression on his face. But no. If anything it was more like a challenge. "Elaborate," Phayu licked at his lips while looking at Rain's. He knew it was the wrong time, but no one and nothing could ever stop him from craving to touch the latter. Even in such serious moments. God. He always had trouble keeping away from the latter.

"I'm just saying. We've just broken up so-"

"I like you-" Phayu interrupted, knowing exactly what sort of person Rain was, and what rant he was about to let out. "I like you so much it's driving me crazy."

"Phi, you aren't listening-"

"-I am. I always listen. But you can't expect me to push down my own feelings that easily."

"What do you even like about me? When did you even start liking me?" Phayu held back a smirk at how adorable Rain looked when all riled up. There it was. There was his short-tempered boy.

"I like how cute you are when you smile, the way you get angry. I just like everything. Loving you comes easy to me. And I think it's fair to say I've liked you since the moment I met you in the rain." The last two sentences were by accident. Phayu had said it so often it came out as a habit. He looked at Rain, unable to form any sentences. He could try and refute what he just said but he couldn't. Not when he meant every word. And technically, they did meet again while it was raining.

Rain sucked in a breath. "P'Phayu?"

"Yeah?"

Phayu watched as Rain faltered.

"N'Rain?"

"I-" Rain took a step back. "I have to go."

'Loving you comes easy to me,' and, '-met you in the rain,' brought back all memories of his Phayu with full force. It took out all the breath in him, and left him with barely any ability to process anything. Those brought back every reason why he fell in love with Phayu, and why he should stay away. No matter how much love he had for him, it wasn't enough to protect him. Even if he wasn't the careless driver, even if he wasn't the storm that caused the road to be slippery, he still was a factor for why Phayu was out in that condition anyway.

"Rain!"

He felt a forceful tug on his arm, making him stumble back and collide into a broad chest.

"Let go!" he yelled, his tears slipping through.

                        Cloud was beyond confused. For a split second she thought she had been intoxicated by some heavy dose of medication, or even dead. Until she felt the warmth of Leo's hand emitting onto her as he brushed strands of her hair out of her face. And she wondered if him or anyone besides Rain, the family, and Sky knew it was merely a wig. But that wasn't the main concern. The main concern was why he was standing before her.

"Hi, Cloud," Leo said gently. He was always so gentle towards her, making their partings all the more hurtful.

"Leo?" she repeated. "What...why are you here?"

He rubbed at the nape of his neck. "I came back to Thailand for a bit. Had some things I needed to do."

She scrunched her brows. Dread filled the pit of her stomach when she realised she was in the hospital with Leo. She gasped, getting up in a hurry, only to fall back down due to dizziness. Leo reached out but she slapped his hand away, turning to the side and refusing to look at him. After a few minutes of silence, he spoke up again.

"Um, Khun Rain said you guys broke up? I'm sorry it didn't work out."

"Please get to the point," Cloud mumbled.

"I remember, Cloud," he had a sad smile as he looked at her. "I remember how you promised me you'd wait for me but went MIA after a couple of months. I remember how I rushed back to Thailand after one of our old classmates reached out to me to tell me about the school goddess being found dead. I remember staying at your grave and refusing to leave until someone dragged me away."

Cloud felt her breath get stuck as she slowly turned to look at him. "Leo..."

"I remember, and then I realised, it changed. You changed. You left me before I had to leave. You got together with someone else after only a month and completely blocked me. You- you didn't even bother to give me any sort of reason. So tell me, Cloud - why is that?" he folded his hands together, tightly, as though he was keeping himself from exploding.

She took a deep breath, trying to put on a firm expression, "It's not any of your business."

He let out a chuckle, but it was almost...cold, something she never heard from him. "It is my business because clearly you returned earlier. Yet you still chose to stay with me, so there's love. I know there was. Unless you're that cruel? Tell me, Cloud, are you capable of being that cruel?"

"And what if I am?" No. She never wanted to hurt him. If anything, in another life, she wished she could've gotten the chance to graduate with him, and to walk down the aisle where he'd be waiting for her.

"Then I call bullshit. Did you think I spent all those years without knowing how to read you? I want the truth, Cloud." It was a demand, and a clear display of how he had changed.

"And what exactly part of the truth did you want?"

"Am I not worth waiting for?" The question had been unexpected. And it brought a pang of hurt to her heart.

"I...I can't tell you."

"Cloud...I...do you know how fucking miserable my life was without you? I loved you, fuck, I still love you. Can't you at least provide me with one answer?"

Seeing the desperation in his voice and expression, she swallowed her pride and answered truthfully.

"Of course you're worth waiting for."

A/N: Hi! It's been a while since I've done an authors note but I hope you're all enjoying this story so far! I truly am thankful for the love and support. Every comment, like, and follow, always makes my day !  :)