Phayu raises an eyebrow as the boy runs into the coffee shop looking around desperately. When he spots Phayu staring at him he freezes, but then a sound of shouts from outside makes him whirl around. He looks back at Phayu desperately and Phayu nods toward the storeroom. The boy ducks in just in time.
The shop door slams open and a group of men around Phayu's age burst in.
"Can I help you?" Phayu asks the group.
"Did a boy run in here? About 18 or 19, short auburn hair?" One man, Phayu takes him to be the leader of the gang, asks.
Phayu shakes his head, "I haven't had a customer all day until you folks."
"I told you, Stop, I am sure he ran the other way." One of the other men says.
"Shut up, Bas, I saw him run this way. Let's check the convenience store up the street," Stop says.
Phayu watches them go out and move up the street before he calls, "you can come out now, those men left already."
The boy peeks his head out of the door of the storeroom. When he sees Phayu was telling the truth he sighs in relief. "Thank you." He says.
"Why were those guys after you?" Phayu asks.
Rain frowns looking out the window. "Those guys are thugs. They hang out on the corner near my house harassing highschool kids and aunties for money. I simply told the leader he was a cowardly dog."
Phayu snorts at this. He has been running this shop with his brother since he took over for his parents five years ago. He has seen plenty of people who act like the world owes them something.
"I'm Rain by the way," the boy says, giving him a polite wai.
"I'm Phayu." Phayu says.
"Thank you again for your help, P'Phayu. I should get home." Rain says.
"Wait," Phayu says, he's not ready to let the boy go yet. "Didn't you say those guys hang out near your house? What if you run into them again?"
Rain sighs, "Unfortunately my house isn't in a great neighborhood, if it's not those guys it's someone else."
"Tell you what, I will make you a coffee on the house and you can keep me company while I close up shop. Then I will drive you home myself." Phayu tells him.
"Really?" Rain asks.
"Sure, you would be doing me a favor. It's been a boring day, it would be nice to have some company," especially if the company is as cute as Rain, Phayu thinks but doesn't say aloud.
"So do you go to school?" Phayu asks him as he wipes down the tables.
"I wish," Rain says, "I wanted to."
"Why didn't you?" Phayu asks.
"Couldn't afford it. My parents passed away when I was young and it's just me and my grandma." Rain says.
"What would you have studied?" Phayu asks.
"I wanted to study architecture." Rain says wistfully.
"Really? I'm an architect." Phayu says.
Rain's eyes grow round at this. "I thought you did this?" He waves a hand around the shop.
"Only on Sundays. My brother runs the shop Tuesday through Saturday and it's closed on Monday." Phayu says. "Sunday is the slow day, as you can see. Since most businesses on this street are closed on Sundays."
"Oh, I see. Do you enjoy architecture?" Rain asks.
"I love the design aspects of it, although some clients can be demanding and unreasonable." Phayu tells him. "Let me lock the doors and put my supplies away and I will drive you home."
"Thank you so much, Phi." Rain says.
Phayu brought his bike today, luckily he has an extra helmet stored in the back of the shop for emergencies.
He drops Rain off at a tidy little home. It's obvious Rain's grandmother cares for her home as best as she can, Phayu can almost picture Rain and his grandmother working together in the small garden or Rain doing chores around the house. It's a nice picture.
Before Phayu leaves he gives Rain his number, "Just in case you want to talk sometime." He tells Rain.
Rain watches the handsome man get on his bike and gives him a little wave as he drives off. He smiles at his phone wistfully but he knows he will never dare call P'Phayu. The man is so far out of his league they aren't even playing the same game. Rain sighs and goes into the house, tomorrow he needs to go job hunting but tonight he needs to help his grandma get the house clean. She doesn't get around as well as she used to so Rain does as many chores around the house as possible.
The next morning Rain puts on his best clothes and sets off early to walk to the bus stop. He breathes a sigh of relief when he sees the street corner empty, looks like he is leaving early enough to avoid that gang of thugs.
He is just about to cross the street when a voice behind him freezes his blood, "if it isn't a certain smart mouthed boy."
Rain looks around desperately but the one called Bas grabs his arms before he can run. They drag him into a small alley between houses and Rain nonsensically thinks about asking them not to mess up his clothes, it's the only really good set he has.
Phayu smiles when he sees the number on the phone, Rain. He hoped the boy would call but he is a little surprised that he called so quickly.
"Hello, Rain?" Phayu says, but the voice belongs to a woman and it sounds like she is crying.
"Is this a friend of my grandson? I'm sorry to call but I found your number in his phone and he doesn't have many friends." She says in a rush.
"I know Rain," Phayu says, "What's happened? Is something wrong with Rain?"
The woman sobs, “Some bad men beat him up, he’s in the hospital. I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
“What hospital?” he writes down the name and says, “I will be right there, don’t worry everything will be okay, I promise.” He wasn’t sure how he could make such a promise to the grandmother of the boy he had just met yesterday, but it felt right.
He tells his boss he needs to leave, that a friend is in the hospital following an accident and P’Mhok tells him to take all the time he needs.
Traffic seems to move at a crawl, even on his bike but he gets to the hospital and finds the room Rain is in. Rain is awake, sitting up in bed but the poor boy looks like he was run over by a truck. His clothes are torn and he is covered in bruises, he has a split and swollen lip and his arm is in a cast. Despite everything, Rain is talking animatedly to his grandmother, assuring her that everything is going to be alright.
“But Raindrop,” his grandmother says, “The doctor said you would need bed rest for at least a week.”
“I’ll be fine, I can still take care of myself.” Rain says.
“You both will stay at my house.” Phayu says entering the room. “I insist.”
“P’Phayu, how did you get here?” Rain asks.
“I called him,” Rain’s grandmother says. “He said he’s a friend?”
“He is, I mean he helped me out before, but we can’t ask you to do that,” he says the last to Phayu.
“You’re not asking, I am offering. You need help and besides, what if those guys come back?” Phayu says.
“He’s right, Raindrop, those guys scare me, I don’t even like to do the shopping anymore with them always hanging out at that street corner.” Rain’s grandmother says.
“I’m sorry, grandma. My mouth got us in trouble.” Rain says.
“Nonsense,” Rain’s grandmother says, “those boys are trouble, they don’t need any provocation.” Phayu decides he likes Rain’s grandmother a lot.
Between the two of them, they bully Rain into taking Phayu up on his offer. The next day Phayu picks the two of them up and carries them to his house.
P’Mhok lets him work from home since they don’t have any client meetings and Phayu has several drafts to work on. That way he can help care for Rain, which turns out to be easier said than done. Right away Phayu discovers three things about Rain, he feels like he is bothering Phayu by asking for help, he is stubborn, and he is independent.
Finally Rain’s grandmother puts her foot down with the boy until he sheepishly asks Phayu to help him.
In the short time Phayu has known Rain he has come to feel very protective of the boy. That is why while Rain is recovering, Phayu makes two phone calls. One is to secure Rain’s future and the other is to secure Rain’s safety. The first one is to the university that Phayu attended, he ensures that if Rain can pass his entrance exam he will have a spot in next year’s freshman class.
The second and more important call is to P’Pakin. Phayu architect by day, barista on the weekends, has a third secret job. Once a month he works as a mechanic for one of the most powerful men in the Bangkok underground. Phayu calls in a few favors and P’Pakin agrees to send some of his men to clean up the street Rain and his grandmother live on. He will take care of the people who beat Rain up and make it clear that this street is under his protection.
One month later:
Rain and Phayu are having dinner, it is their first official date. It took Phayu time to convince Rain he wanted to date him, and didn’t just feel sorry for him. The boy was so silly.
“P’Phayu those guys disappeared, no one knows what happened to them.” Rain is saying, “Can you believe it?”
“Hmmm, that’s good.” Phayu says noncommittally.
“It’s nice, the people on the street can go about their business without being harassed.” Rain says.
“That’s wonderful. How is studying going for your entrance exam?” P’Phayu says.
“Good, but I still don’t know how I can afford it.” Rain says.
“Let me take care of that, I can support my boyfriend in school can’t I?” Phayu grins.
“Who’s your boyfriend, I just agreed to one date.” Rain says.
“Okay future boyfriend.” Phayu says.
Rain blushes and says, “P’Phayu you’re teasing me.”
Phayu smiles and thinks, just give it time, Rain. I’ll win this game.