Pakin and Phayu returned almost together into the house. "I met Dad downstairs," Phayu informed, laughing, as he handed over the fresh bread he had brought. "And Rain's fried dough?" Graf asked. "In the same packet Pa. I didn't forget," Phayu said, as he went to his room to wash his hands. "I will freshen up and come, by the time the kids come," Pakin said, dropping a quick kiss on Graf's lips. Graf nodded, smiling as Pakin rushed off, and not a moment too soon, as Pai came to the kitchen to help his Pa to set the table. "Where is Rain?" Graf asked. "Yu will bring him. He doesn't listen to me," Pai said, rolling his eyes. Graf nodded. Phayu was the only one in their family who had some semblance of control over Rain. He was the only one who could rein in Rain's shenanigans and channel them into something more creative.
Phayu knocked on Rain's door before coming to the dining table. "Rain?" Graf queried. "He will be here," Phayu said confidently. Pakin also came by that time, and just as they all sat down, Rain barged in. All their jaws dropped open as they took in the sight of what Rain was wearing. "What, by all that's holy, are you wearing Rain?" Graf asked, closing his eyes in surrender. No one could make him as happy as his son. No one could rile him up as much as his son. Rain was dressed in black ripped jeans, with so many holes that it was less cloth and more skin. It was combined with a black tank tee, with armholes that reached his waist. The t-shirt had a skull on it. There was black nail polish, black make-up and a tattoo sleeve on his left arm. Apart from that he had added chunky, chain like jewellery.
"This is going to be my look for the first day of school. I need to set the tone for the year Pa!" Rain said, pretending to sound belligerent. "A tone of what? What are you aiming to look like?" Pakin asked, unfruitfully trying to control his laughter. "A badass Dad!" Rain looked offended that no one understood his look. "All that you look like is very wannabe gothic vampire young man!" Graf said, also unsuccessful in hiding his laughter. Rain pouted and huffed. "Go change! And come and eat. You don't want to be late on the first day of school," Pakin said, sincerely attempting to be serious. Rain rolled his eyes and flounced off to his room to change, as Phayu looked on indulgently at the person to whom he belonged to from the time he was 8.
"P'Graf? Are you in here?" a voice called out. Graf poked his head out of the kitchen. "Ah Anong! How are you? And how are you here on a weekday?" Graf asked, greeting Aya's sister in-law. "Nothing Phi. Ananda and I were here to buy some supplies for the farm, and I had some pickled duck eggs and home grown watermelons for the kids. Where are they?" she asked looking around. "They are in school. It's the first day no?" Graf said. "Oh! Look at me, I completely forgot. Becoming old, that's the problem," she waved her hands around as she laughed. "Why? Isn't it the first day of school for Tae also?" Graf asked. "In our little village, where do we have time for school Phi? There is so much that needs to be done in the fields," Anong said, looking sheepish. Graf nodded. "Anyway Phi, how are the kids? And Rain? He must be so grown-up now," Anong said. "Yes. It is his first day of high school today," Graf said. "That's wonderful. Time sure flies," Anong said, as the two of them settled in for a nice chat about everything that was happening in both their lives.
"Paaaaa, we are home!!" Rain called out, as Phayu, Pai and he walked into their house, Pakin walking in right behind. "That's wonderful. Go wash your hands. Dinner is almost ready," Graf said. The children ran quickly to their rooms. "Did you get the stuff I asked you to?" Graf asked Pakin. "Yeah, fresh strawberries and water chestnuts. You continue with dinner, I will cut the watermelon that Anong brought," Pakin said. Graf nodded and finished plating the dishes, just as Phayu and Pai rushed in. "We will set the table Pa," Phayu said, as he and Pai immediately started taking out the cutlery. Graf nodded at the boys. As soon as they all sat down, Pai poured the drinks into glasses. Just as they were about to begin, Rain walked in. "I have something important to announce!" he said, dramatically posing. "What? What is it? Did you do well on a test on the first day of school?" Graf asked. "Huh! As if! It's even better! Today was the day!!" Rain said excitedly. "Day for what?" Pakin asked patiently. Phayu and Pai snickered. They all knew their Rain. he was the world's biggest drama king. "Today is the day Rain Anchali masturbated for the first time!" Rain exclaimed, flinging his arms outwards. Everyone choked on their own saliva as they stared shocked and confounded at him, with no idea what to say!
Rain ran into the school's central public announcement system. "Hey! You can't be here!" one of the seniors said. "I know! but please, please, I need to make an urgent announcement," he said, joining his hands and begging. A few minutes later, a voice breached the central system. "Grade 3 Class 2, Grade 3 Class 2, calling Phayu Anurak, calling Phayu Anurak," it said. Phayu looked up, completely confused. "Your brother is in trouble. Your brother is in trouble. Calling Phayu Anurak to go to the lane beside the school," the voice continued. Phayu was shocked. He left whatever he was doing and ran at breakneck speed to get to his brother. Meanwhile, Pai was arguing with the two thugs who had cornered a young boy. "What do you want?" he asked belligerently. "He broke some expensive medicines when he bumped into me. How is he going to pay for it?" one of the men asked. "He said you bumped into him. deliberately. Are you now trying to cheat honest citizens? He said he doesn't have money! Make yourself scarce before the Storm and Rain arrive!" Pai said, sounding a bit crazy.
The men looked at him as if he was demented. One of them dared to lay a hand on his collar. Rain came running in, shouting at the top of his voice. On the way to help his brother, Rain had found some bricks that had been left behind when some construction work had been going on at school. He put a brick in his bag as he ran towards his brother, preparing to throw the bag. Pai, who knew Rain just as well as he knew himself, immediately ducked and put his entire body to one side and exposing the other man. Rain's bag hit him square on the face and he fell backwards, his companion falling as well, trying to protect his friend. The two men tried to stand. "You will pay for this," one of them warned, as he took his friend's hand to help him.
Just as they were about to lay their hands, on Rain and Pai, another war cry rent the air. Phayu jumped into the fray with a shout in their direction. The two men, when confronted by a gang of three, had no recourse but to actually run away. It was clear from their faces that this retreat was appalling to their dignity, but who would want to face three wrathsome teenagers, especially one who had hit them with a fucking brick?
Not surprisingly, Phayu, Pai and Rain were called to the Principal's office and given a dressing down. The man was furious that they had used a public address system for personal use as well as fought around school premises. The fact that they were helping someone was not his problem. He asked them to reflect on their behaviour and only go to class when they had well and truly thought about what they had done. "Rain? If you had the bright idea of using the PA system, why the hell didn't you call a teacher to help?" Phayu asked, irritated by these turn of events. "How are we supposed to keep you out of trouble like Pa asked us to, when you routinely get us into trouble too?" he added. Rain could feel Phayu's ire increasing with every question he asked. "Dude, be happy he at least called for you. If not, don't you remember what happened the last time? When he thought he could do it on his own? I am glad we didn't have to see a repeat of that," Pai said, which mollified Rain and Phayu a bit.
Just then, someone came up to them. It was the boy whom they had helped. "Hello. My name is Sky Somsri. I am grateful for your help," he said, looking at the three boys, his gaze lingering on Pai. The three of them shrugged. "It's okay," Rain said. "Which class are you in by the way? In case Principal Sir asks, and we have to ask you to bear witness?" Pai asked. "I am in his class," Sky said, pointing at Rain, much to the shock of Phayu, Pai and even Rain himself. "He is your class?" Phayu asked. " I don't know," Rain shrugged again. " What? But I am your class monitor!" Sky exclaimed. "Hello monitor," Rain said, giving him a small, snappy salute. "If you didn't even know who I was, why did you help me?" Sky asked, shocked by these turn of events. "Being brave and courageous!" All three of them said together, leaving Sky's mouth gaping.
Later that evening, Graf found Rain's bag on the couch. He lifted it up, deciding to give the boy hell for not taking care of it properly, but was surprised by the weight in it. He looked inside and was shocked to see the brick. "Rain!" he shouted. The call brought Rain, as well as Phayu and Pai, to the living room. "Do I even want to know why you have a brick in your bag?" Graf asked. "Pa! Not my fault. You can ask Hia Phayu and Hia Pai. I was just helping my class monitor," Rain said diffidently. "Who you didn't even know was your class monitor," Pai muttered under his breath. "What?" Graf asked. "Nothing Pa. Pai is being dumb," Phayu said, glaring at Pai. "It is as Rain said Pa. These two thugs were harassing that boy, and we just helping. No one got hurt," Phayu said. Graf rolled his eyes heavenwards. "I would like to retire as a father please," he said slumping down on the couch.
"Rain, may I talk to you for a moment?" Sky asked, just as Rain was about to exit the class. "Yeah sure! What's up?" he asked Sky. "Actually, I would like to thank you for your help. And I would like to treat you to some ice cream," Sky said softly, afraid of rejection. "Wow! Ice cream? Where?" Rain asked, all excited. "There is a new Haagen-Daas ice cream parlour that has opened nearby. How about there?" Sky asked. "Okay. But can I bring my brothers?" Rain asked. "Yes, yes. After all, they both also helped me," Sky said, a little hesitantly. Soon, the four of them were seated in the ice cream parlour. After looking at the menu, Sky paled a little. It was on the more expensive side. "We will pay for our family," Phayu said, looking at Sky. "No, no, please. You all helped me, and this must be my treat," Sky said, with a confidence he was not feeling. "How much money do you have?" Rain asked. "500 baht," Sky said tentatively. "Ooh! That's a lot! We will not be shy then!" Rain said and quickly ordered for himself and his brothers. Sky went with a simple vanilla flavour.
When the ice creams arrived, all of them had one spoon each from their own bowls. After that, Sky marvelled at the camaraderie of the three boys as they nonchalantly ate from each other's bowls without a single thought. "How is yours?" Rain asked Sky. The question seemed to jolt Sky out of his fascination. "Umm.. it's not bad?" Sky said. "Let me taste. Here, you can taste mine in the meanwhile," Rain said, pushing his matcha flavoured ice cream towards Sky and tasting his vanilla. "Not bad," Rain said, as soon as he had eaten, prompting Phayu and Pai to taste too. "Hmm, it's good," Pai said. Phayu nodded. Sky was staring at them. "Hey! Have some of mine!" Rain said, and Sky jumped. He nodded frantically and took a bite of Rain's ice cream. "It's good no?" Rain asked. "Hmm, yeah, nice," Sky said, simply surprised by the family in front of him.
Slowly, the friendship between Sky and Rain blossomed. Rain explained how the three of them had become family. At first, Sky had been confused, then he had started understanding that not all bonds needed to be blood bonds. Family could be made on the basis of love and trust as well. The two of them were often seen walking around school together. It was the first time that Rain had made a friend outside of his two brothers, and it was a nice feeling, especially knowing that he would probably not have too many people around when his brothers left for college. On the day of their Parent-Teacher conference, the two walked into the hall with Sky's arms tucked into Rain's. "So? Where is your mom?" Rain asked. "There," Sky gestured with his head. "The one holding court," he added disdainfully, hating his mother, yet loving his mother. "What happened? You don't sound quite thrilled to see her?" Rain asked. "I came second this time. She is going to be up my ass," Sky said despondently.
"Where is your dad?" Sky asked, wanting to change the subject. "There, that's my Pa," he nodded towards Graf, who was sitting alone and looking around the class, seeing if he could find familiar faces. "And what about umm..," Sky trailed off. "Ah! Dad?" Sky nodded. "He will be in Hia Phayu and Hia Pai's classes. They take turns in going to our classes. It's easier that way," Rain said, just as Sky's mother summoned him peremptorily. "Go," Rain said. "Come with me. Let me introduce you," Sky said, not yet ready to face his mother. "My Pa's looking all lost. Come find me later?" Rain asked. Sky nodded, reluctantly moving towards his mother. Rain plopped down next to his Pa. "That was Sky Pa," he said, gesturing towards Sky and his mom.