Love In The Air

Chapter 4

Rain had initially made the decision that once his car was repaired he would ask someone to go and collect it for him, but after he decided that he would challenge Phi Pay he would go and pick up the car by himself. Rain had to laugh that Phi Payu did not know the war that was going to be raged against him. He breathed a sigh of relief when the garage called and it wasn’t Payu that was on the other end of the line. He managed to get a taxi outside of his dorm room and headed towards the garage hoping that Payu wasn’t going to be there, when he realised he was going to prove that Payu was not as nice as everyone was making out. He thought back to his days in Scouts. They often tell you will never catch the tiger unless you enter the cave.

The taxi pulled up outside the garage and he looked around thinking that he was now in enemy territory and he had to be careful not to get lured into the enemies’ stronghold. As he was looking around he couldn’t help but be impressed with the vehicles that were sat around. All you could see was superbikes everywhere. Rain knew BMW, Ducati, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Aprilia and all the others that sat around. He couldn’t help but think that they were all such a sight to behold. The prices of only one of these bikes would make him breathless but his inner monologue kicked in. “Why are there only sports bikes?” Rain made his way to the garage main office. There were two impressive sports cars parked outside and panic began to surge through him when he thought about the bill. Did he really have enough money to be able to pay this bill? This was obviously a luxury repair garage, he strengthened himself by taking a deep but unsteady breath and then took a quiet step into the office. He raised his hands to greet the beautiful woman who was sat behind the desk. “Good Afternoon” He told the woman. “I have come to collect my car.”

“May I know your name?” The woman with golden brown eyes smiled at Rain.

“Oh” One of the men behind her exclaimed. “It’s Khun Payu’s boy” The man shouted loudly. All of the mechanics who were busy working on other vehicles popped their head up with interest. A different mechanic rushed over to greet Rain, who he recognised as the man who came to tow his car.

“Oh!” The mechanic bellowed. “It’s nice to finally meet you. I am sorry I didn’t say hello properly last time.” He wanted to make sure the boss’s boy liked him. “I was in a hurry to get back home, it was late and I wasn’t really able to talk to you.” He continued to explain. “More over Khun Payu was there to send you home.” Rain could see the man thinking about how he and Payu had spent the night together.

“Where is Khun Payu?” The mechanic asked. Rain later found out his name was Aon.

“He is looking into a monster truck in the back.” The mechanic who towed Rain’s car replied.

“Let’s go meet Payu” Aon told Rain. “He’s waiting for you.” Panic struck Rain so he shouted no. Everyone eyed him suspiciously. Why didn’t he want to see Payu?

“I....I” Rain stuttered. “I am in a hurry today and I have to rush off so I don’t want to disturb him.” Rain prayed that no one would question him further and just believe what he said.

“Oh” Aon told him. “I will take you to your car.” Aon seemed to understand. He turned to the female, who handed him the receipt. Rain followed Aon and as they turned the corner Rain could see his dad’s car parked safely next to the most extravagant luxury sports car Rain had ever seen. He turned to Aon worried about the cost and what was done.

“What was wrong with my car?” He asked.

“There was a leaking radiator” Aon started to explain. “The starter was also broken, but Khun Payu took care of everything himself. He even replaced the battery as he was worried it was really old and said it needed to be changed. Once a car is touched by Khun Payu he will ensure it is taken care of completely.” Every word that Aon said worried Rain more about the cost of this. His inner monologue praying that his dad’s bank card was going to survive the day. He even thought about selling the car to the garage.

“Why does the colour look new?” Rain asked while inspecting how an older car can have such new and brighter paint.

“Khun had it polished and varnished.” Rain really didn’t want to know anymore. He could hear the debt demon rising from behind him, Rain continued to curse Payu. “Could you not have ask me before doing this?” He asked in his head. He hated everything Payu had done because he had remembered what Payu had said about it being expensive. He was dreading the answer to what he was about to say but he took a deep breath, swallowed hardly then sheepishly smiled at Aon.

“How much is the total bill?” He asked the mechanic.

“Oh” Aon responded with surprise littered in his voice. “It’s fully free.”

“Huh?” Confusion set in for Rain.

“Well...” Aon said gingerly. “Everyone knows that you are Khun Payu’s boy!” Rain was irritated that it had just been over a week since he met Payu and now he had the title of Payu’s boy.

“But seriously Phi” Rain asked him again. “How much does this cost?”

“I don’t know” Aon answered trying to emphasise his point. “You better discuss it with Khun Payu because he handled everything. Come”, Aon went to lead Rain to see Payu.

“No..” Rain objected again. “No, its fine, so my car is completely repaired now right?” Guilt began to set in. He didn’t like getting his car repaired for free but at the same time he was wondering what had Payu done to rig his car.

“Oh, don’t you know?” Aon asked. Rain’s heart leaped. What else did he need to know? What wasn’t he aware of?” “It’s Khun Payu’s skill. Have you seen all the cars parked here?” Aon asked him. “They all belong to boss Pakin. Khun Payu is his favourite mechanic, he doesn’t let anyone else touch any of these machines. So, the regular work can be burdensome. “ Rain was listening intently hoping to get some sort of information from Aon he could use. “Now there is a race on Friday and he wants all of these vehicles prepared before then. If Khun Payu does not see these vehicles then the boss won’t approve them for the race.”

“Is there going to be a car race?” Rain asked entranced, he began to get a little excited he might be able to get at Payu through the race.

“Yes next Friday.” Aon told him. “There is a lot of work that Khun Payu has to get done before then. I have to check the vehicles before they hit the field.” Aon looked down at the piece of paper in his hand. “Oh, please sign these documents?” Aon had gotten lost in the conversation and forgotten to ask Rain to sign them. Rain was hoping to get more information from Aon but the information he already had was making him dizzy. His inner monologue was running riot in his head.

“What the hell?” He questioned himself. “As if being the celebrity of the architectural department was not enough! He also did special jobs like looking after the racing vehicles.” Rain wondered what else Payu was hiding. “Plus, he is the owner of this luxury garage. Something was definitely fishy.” Rain couldn’t shut his inner monologue up. The more he found out about Payu the more suspicious he became. What Rain didn’t realise is that Payu was already taking up more space in his mind than he realised. Even more space that the beauty of the girl he was pursuing. Ple.

Rain made his way onto the main road and couldn’t help but feel that the car looked more majestic because of the changes that Payu made. The drive was smoother than before. Rain was grateful to Payu even though he didn’t want to be. It had been ten minutes since he left the garage when his phone rang. He reached down and snatched his phone but the number was unknown. “Hello”

“You came and didn’t even greet the owner of the house” The deep voice chimed. Rain recognised the voice but didn’t know who it was. “Such children are called disrespectful and ill-mannered you know?”

“Huh?” Rain was confused. “Who?”

“You do have the brain of a gold fish don’t you?” Payu teased.

“Are you trying to pick a fight with me?” Rain asked exasperated. Payu let out a sigh before answering.

“It’s Phi Payu.”

“What?” Fury surged through Rain’s veins. Whoever had given Payu his number was going to pay for it. “How did you get my number?” Rain bellowed down the phone.

“Think a little” Payu taunted Rain. “You may realise how I got your number.” When Rain thought back a picture of himself filling in the paperwork at the garage flashed through his head. He couldn’t help but grit his teeth. “I think it’s better if you turn back and come back to the garage.” Rain wondered what was going on to make Payu call him. “I think I forgot to put a screw back in.”

“HUH!” Rain screamed. “WHAT????” He slammed on his breaks in the middle of the road. After he realised he was on a major road he was thankful that there were no vehicles behind him or else someone would have definitely slammed into the back of him. He pulled his car to the side of the road, feeling slightly ill and his face turning pale. “What if something had happened?” Rain asked with stress seeping through his voice. “If I had died I would for sure have come back as a ghost to haunt you.” Payu could tell that he had upset Rain and felt slightly guilty about the joke he made.

“That wouldn’t be necessary because I was kidding.” Payu told Rain, who was now speechless sitting with his mouth so wide open that he looked like a dehydrated fish trying to take in all the water he could.

“You tricked me?” Rain asked feeling very sensitive.

“I am not saying that I cheated you.” Payu told him waiting for the next explosion of temper.

“BASTARD!!!!!” Rain screamed.

“I called actually to talk about the cost of the repair.” Payu told him.

“But I was informed the repair was done for free.” Rain responded really confused. He was having a hard time keeping up with everything that was happening.

“There is nothing free in this world.” Payu told him. Rain was pissed. He wished he had something to record this phone call so he could finally prove to his friends that Payu was not the nice man that everyone made him out to be. But his phone didn’t even have the option to record the calls.

“I better just sell of the car to the garage than pay the money.” Rain’s inner monologue started to chastise him. “It was better than being scolded by his dad because it was definitely going to be too expensive.” Rain tried to reason with himself. “Hold on...” Rain couldn’t help but question his sanity, he was having full conversations with himself now. “I would rather get scolded than be indebted to this bastard. “How much?” He asked Payu.

“Not how much” Payu told him. “But with what.” Listening to what Payu was saying Rain slowly became more and more scared about what Payu was hoping for. He had intended to find Phi Payu’s weakness but it felt like he was digging his own grave.

“I have the money” Rain told him. “I will pay with that.” He really didn’t want to know what Payu was expecting him to pay with.

“I don’t need that!” Payu told him.

“What do you want then?” Rain asked with anticipation oozing from his words. He could feel the beads of sweat dripping from his forehead while his heart was skipping beats in his chest. He was terrified to find out what the senior snake wanted to demand.

“From here on out, I would like you to speak with respect and act like an educated person when you speak with an elder.” Payu told him. “Not like one who does not know how to address them. I don’t want to hear complaints about my junior faculty member’s behaviour.” Payu’s demand was said in a dangerously straight voice showing no signs of humour. Rain found himself not sure how to react or what to say.

“That’s all?” He responded confused when realisation hit him. “Hey! Wait a minute. Why should I bother with your demands?” Rain protested while he was glaring at his phone screen with outrage. “Uggghhh” Rain screamed trying to vent his anger. “I am getting sooo frustrated.” His parents had taught him to have good manners and how to speak to others with respect but the more he looked at his car and thought about the modifications and repairs the more frustrated he became. Rain looked at the sky around him which looked like it was going to storm, which was ironic. Payu hit hard in his life and was inescapable like most storms in life. Which he couldn’t help but think was ironic. (Payu means storm in Thai for the readers who are unaware.) “Okay” Rain said with resignation. “Thank you. Are you satisfied?” Rain couldn’t help but ask Payu in his head. “Why is it that you are good with everyone else but when it comes to me you are so bad?” He was so annoyed that no one would believe him but he was determined so show everyone Payu’s true colours.

As Rain lay sleeping in his emerald coloured bedroom the phone started to chime. He reached for it answering the call. “Hmmmm, Hello?” He answered sleepily, while placing the phone to his ears.

“Isn’t in morning already in Thailand?” A female voice boomed. “Why aren’t you awake yet?”

“Mama?” Rain asked questioning who he was speaking to.

“No” His mother answered. “I am your Papa” she told him with sarcasm dripping from her. Rain opened his eyes although with difficulty because he was confused who he was speaking to.

“What is it Mama?” He asked exasperated. He wanted to go back to sleep.

“Wake up sleepy head” She told him. “It’s already late or else you aren’t going to make it to class on time.” He let out a huffed breath.

“But Mama” he explained in a childlike manner. “I wasn’t able to sleep until 4am.”

“Don’t try and fool me” His mother scolded him. She knew her son. “I know you must have been playing games last night until the morning and now you have slept in.” She couldn’t help but feel slightly annoyed that he was not showing any signs of maturing. “It’s not like you to be up so late studying.” Rain couldn’t help but try and make some excuses for himself but the game he was playing was extremely difficult. He had died multiple times just trying to clear the one stage, but he knew not to even try.

“Oh, by the way” His mother asked remembering. “What was wrong with the car and how much did the repair cost?” Even the mention of the car immediately woke Rain. He winced at the bright lights that were streaming into his room. He didn’t want to admit to his mother that the car had been done for free, so he lied to her. He knew that if he told her she would call Payu and thank him or even offer him a meal and that was not possible.

“Well...” Rain was searching for an answer. “It did cost a little” He answered to prevent any further questioning from his mum. He didn’t want to tell her what the exact costing was.

“Okay fine” His mother left it at that. “Don’t go back to sleep.” His mother was nagging now. “Wake up and get ready. Just because we are not home don’t you dare think of skipping class.” All the hints of his mother being soft and teasing him now had vanished and there was the authoritative tone now. “If I don’t see good grades on the report card when they come through we are going to confiscate the car.” As soon as his mum finished threatening him he cut the call short as he did not want to hear her complaining about it anymore. He threw his phone down and fell back to sleep, justifying it that he was really sleepy and that he couldn’t help it. Rain wasn’t a gaming addict normally and would know where to cut it off in normal circumstances but there were thoughts of a snaky senior running through his mind and he was playing to take the stress off of him. Rain turned and cuddled his pillow and was trying to get back to sleep telling himself he would have a nap for half an hour then he was going to get up.

Just as he was about to drift off his phone rang again. “Fuck.” He swore to himself reaching for the phone in annoyance but didn’t want it to come through in his voice. “Mama, is there anything else?” He whined. “Why aren’t you asleep yet?” The tone of his voice changed to have more of a sweet tone. When there was no answer he questioned his mother again. “Mama?” The whine had returned to litter his voice. “Why aren’t you speaking? I am really sleepy?”

“Huh” A chuckle came through the phone. Hmmmm? Rain’s inner monologue questioned. That definitely wasn’t his mother’s voice, he opened his eyes to check who was on the end of the phone. He heard a deep male laughter come through the speaker. He leaped to a sitting position in his bed. When he looked at his phone screen he saw that the caller was Bad Guy. Rain saved Payu’s number when he called him the day before with that name so that no-one would know who it was should he call him when he was with his friends.

“Huh?” Rain questioned. “Why are you calling me?”

“Why aren’t you begging me anymore?” Payu asked with amusement in his voice. “I enjoyed listening to it.”

“Who was begging you?” Rain shouted angrily; with his cheeks turn scarlet with embarrassment. He couldn’t help but think his mother had called him again to scold him but he was trying to sweet talk her.

“Is the child still there?” Rain had to actively stop himself from cursing Payu.

“What do you want?” Rain snapped.

“Speak politely!” Payu told him. “Didn’t I tell you so yesterday?”

“Why should I listen to you?” Malice was embedded with every word that came from him.

“I think your memory is a little short” Payu told him. “Let me remind you again if you want.” Rain was no longer tired and was fully alert, he had definitely dug his own grave remembering the conversation from the previous day. He quickly slapped his hand over his mouth trying to stop himself from screaming. He heard Payu laugh down the phone.

“What is there to laugh about?” Rain was getting angrier and angrier the more he was interacting with Payu.

“Do you want to know?” Payu asked slyly. Rain was confused why Payu’s voice was making his heart flutter. Frustration. It was pure frustration. His instincts told him to not be too curious about Payu. It would be better to just get the interaction between them over and done with and they could both move on with their lives.

“So?” Rain enquired. “What’s the problem? If it’s about the car say it quickly.” Rain tried to be firm but was failing. “If you want to talk about something else then I am going to hang up.”

“Well,” Payu drew out the word. “That’s what we are going to discuss. I wanted to remind you that I never let any one run away without paying a debt.” Rain couldn’t help but get disgruntled at the amusement that Payu’s voice was drenched in. “So don’t forget to pay the fee.”

“HEY! Phi Payu” Rain was screaming down the phone now. “What fee are you talking about?” There was silence down the phone. “Phi Payu?” There was still no answer. “Phi Payu?” Rain got louder as he heard the click that indicated that Payu had hung up the call. He was so confused. What fee was he talking about? Was it expensive? Rain wanted to call him back and try to figure out what the fee was but decided that it was safer not to, at the very least for his own sanity. He was still at a loss at how to beat Payu at his own game, so it was better to retreat and end the discussion for now. Rain got out of bed and took very gloomy steps towards the bathroom.

Meanwhile Payu was happily giggling at the dining table where he was having breakfast with his twin brother. Seeing him giggle like this made his twin instantly curious as to what or who had made his brother so happy. “You have been in a good mood lately?” Saifah, Payu’s twin commented hoping to get more information.

“Not like you though” Payu replied.

“Of course,” Saifah told him. “People in love are always energetic and upbeat.” He was boasting now, proudly at that. Saifah had studied engineering where Payu studied architecture, despite being twins the two boys were poles apart. Payu had shoulder length hair and was clean shaven. Where Saifah had short hair, a very thick black beard and was loud by nature. They both were aptly named. Their personalities matched their names. Although they are twins they had never been similar in appearance or personality. When they introduced themselves as twins no one would ever believe them. “Talking about love...” Saifah started. “How long has it been since you have dated anyone?” He asked with a laugh escaping that was meant to. When Saifah raised his eyes to meet Payu's and the laughter instantly stopped. “Wait a minute...” Saifah realised that something in his brother’s eyes had changed. “Big brother” Saifah always called Payu big brother when he wanted something. “Is there something you haven’t told me yet?”

“Well,” Payu started wondering how he was going to explain the situation he was currently in. “We will talk about this soon. I have to go I have a meeting with a client this morning so I have to go.” Payu grabbed all of his necessities and left, anyone could see the grin on his face. Saifah stared at his twin suspiciously as he left while chewing on his toast.

“Who can make Payu laugh like that?” Saifah wanted to meet the person that his brother was clearly head over heels in love with. “Whoever it is, I wish my condolences.” Saifah joked to himself. “Because not many have seen my brother smiling with that evil smile.”

As Saifah was sending his condolences to Rain, he was storming around campus. “Rain, Oye Rain?” Sky chased. “What’s wrong with you?” Sky was frustrated that Rain was becoming withdrawn and angry. He normally could not get his friend to shut up but now he was struggling to find out what was happening. “Why are you acting like you are running away from debt collectors?”

“SSSHHHH bastard” Rain freaked out. “Don’t jinx it.” After the unexpected call from Payu, Rain was becoming paranoid. He wasn’t silly enough to forget that Payu was an alumni for the very school he attended; Payu showing up here would not be strange at all. So, Rain had to be careful. He was going to avoid him at all costs. He had to be in stealth mode, checking around every corner before turning. He was going to act like James Bond. He stuck his head out and was starting to run and hid behind poles as he made his way through the campus. Sky, who was still following in Rain’s footsteps was becoming increasingly worried that his friend had lost his mind.

“Rain?” Sky uttered in fear of annoying Rain. The fake spy turned around with fear in his eyes, he started to shake his head.

“Sky!” He shouted in a high pitched shrill that attracted more attention than he wanted. “Lower your voice.”

“I normally speak like this” Sky protested and wanted to know why they had to keep their voices down. “Alright stop acting stupid” Sky demanded. “Come on” Sky grabbed his ‘spy’ friend by the back and started to drag him towards the classroom. “We have to go to class or else we will be late.” Once both guys made it into the class room Rain couldn’t help but sigh in relief.

“Hah” Rain laughed. “I knew he wouldn’t dare come here.” Sky shook his head in exasperation and left Rain standing where he was to take his seat. Rain saw his friend leaving and cursed Sky for leaving him. “Wait on me” They both sat down, the professor had not arrived yet. Sky felt a tug on his shirt sleeve. “What is it?” He asked Rain who was insistent on an answer.

“Did you know Phi Payu is also a mechanic?” Rain asked. Sky who was reading comics on his phone was interested now. He lowered his phone and turned to Rain.

“Do I live with him?” Sky asked sarcastically. “How would I know what he does?”