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A hot flush could happen for many reasons. Rain had learned that he could instantly turn into a tomato when near Phîi Payu, and he would ripen even more when Phîi Payu touched him closely. But he had forgotten that one cause for feeling shivery, having a hot face, and trembling was... a fever.
Ugh! He wasn't feeling lightheaded from having his mouth sucked; this was a fever, dammit!
"Hmph, bloody fucking insane!"
The youth whispered to himself as he pulled the duvet up to his shoulders. Hot and cold flashes were bad enough, but now there were body aches on top of it. He didn't know how he had managed to drive home this morning. But as soon as Mâe Máa finished her scolding, he had collapsed, lying flat on the sofa. Now, he could only lie there, suffering from the fever's effects on his sweat-soaked bed.
It was terrible.
The thoughts of someone curling up even tighter.
Does Phîi Payu know I've come home yet?
Thinking of that other person made him want to whine. He didn't want to act like a child; he knew he was grown up. But when he was unwell, his heart longed for the person he most wanted to be with. And it just had to be the person he had run away from. Now he couldn't stop thinking that if he were still at Phîi Payu's house, there would probably be someone to wipe him down and nurse him.
As for his Mâe.. Máa...
"Here, take your medicine and sleep.
After forcing the medicine down his throat, she just left. He knew it wasn't that she didn't care, but could she keep him company a bit?
Rain thought this before dozing off again, not hearing the phone he had put on silent since yesterday. This time, it wasn't just eight missed calls; it was about to reach twenty.
"Thank you very much, but I'm already imposing too much."
"What imposition? I'm the one who should feel bad. I'm still feeling thankful about the car, and now you've taken the time to visit this damned troublemaker too. Thank you."
"It's no trouble. I'm happy to."
Why does that voice sound familiar?
Rain didn't know how long he had been asleep, but he woke up again when he heard the familiar voices of two people not far away. He peered out with eyes red and blurry from the fever, then almost raised his hand to rub them, because the broad back and hairstyle looked so familiar he thought he was hallucinating.
Is that Phîi Payu? Appearing in my bedroom? I must still be asleep.
The young man told himself wearily, almost closing his eyes to sink back into sleep. If it weren't for that back turning around, this time it wasn't just familiar. Because a face like this, eyes like this, mouth like this—there was probably only one person.
That's it.
No, wait, there's also Phîi Sai-fah. But with a clean face like this, it's definitely Phîi Payu!
"How did you get here?" He was sure he had asked with all his strength, but in reality, only a hoarse, low voice came out, unlike his own, weak and feeble. It made the sharp eyes sweep over to look at his face. The tall figure moved closer, right to the edge of the bed. And whether the sick person was imagining it or not... that face looked like a giant's.
"Rain's Máa let me come up."
"Mâe? Cough cough And you... how did you get here?" the sick person asked confusedly, his brain attacked by the fever, having forgotten what happened this morning. His mind was just focused on the person he most wanted to see appearing right in front of him. He wanted to whine, wanted to say his head hurt, wanted to say many things, but what he most wanted to know was how he got here.
"And why wouldn't I be able to come?"
Why was his voice so hard?
Rain flinched secretly.
"Why are you looking at me like that, Phîi Payu?"
"Oh! So Rain doesn't want me to come, is that it?"
"No, no, it's not that. It's really not," Rain shook his head vigorously, which made his head hurt even more. But he was already upset by the demeanor of the person who looked extremely angry. Even though just yesterday, he had held him tightly, washed his hair, constantly rubbed his back, and supported his shoulders. He tried to reach out and grab the other's arm, but Payu was the one who took a step back.
"Then why did you run away from me?"
"No, I didn't run away," he tried to defend himself, but it only poured oil onto the fire, because the other's face was stern, his gaze intense. If he weren't sick, believe me, a certain young man would have gotten his butt beaten numb.
"Didn't run away?" Payu repeated the question, sending a shiver down the listener's spine.
"If you didn't run away, then why didn't you answer my calls? Okay, last night I didn't answer your call, Rain could say you're getting back at me. But do you know how worried I was? This morning I saw you had a slight fever, so I didn't want to wake you, let you sleep first. But who would have thought that after being gone for work just one hour, a certain young man would disappear from the house? No matter how I contacted you, you wouldn't answer. If Rain had an accident somewhere, what do you think I would feel?" Throughout, Payu didn't yell, didn't raise his voice, but speaking in a calm tone made the listener's heart skip a beat.
"Phîi Payu..."
"Rain doesn't care about my feelings at all, do you?"
When Payu asked that final sentence, the sick person... let tears fall in streams.
"Sorry, I'm sorry, Phîi Payu. Don't be angry with me. I'm sorry. Hmph."
Tears fell drop after drop from his reddened eyes, a pitiful sight that would soften anyone's heart. But for Nai Payu, who had run around searching for him everywhere, it did nothing to alleviate his distress!
Waking up this morning, he had been so worried because he saw Rain had a fever. He intended to let him eat and take medicine when he woke up. But then an urgent work call came in, forcing him to leave briefly to handle it. Who would have thought that after just a short while, he'd return to the bedroom to find it empty? His heart dropped. Coming outside, he saw the car was gone. He worried that Rain was angry about what he had done last night. But Payu had no intention of letting this young man slip away. No matter how angry he was, he would never let him go.
But... yes, that's how it was. No matter how he called, Rain wouldn't answer. From worry, it transformed into anxiety, worrying frantically about what had happened.
When he couldn't make contact, Payu didn't hesitate to storm over to Rain's house. He wasn't afraid of the other's parents. And then he was relieved to find Rain wasn't in serious trouble, just had a fever.
Was he worried? Of course he was very worried. So he tried to persuade, befriend, build trust, using every skill he had to make the young man's parents feel at ease, until he was allowed up to the bedroom. But if you asked how he felt now... he was furious.
He grew even angrier when a certain young man asked how he got here...
And who told you to run away from him?
"Rain does care about your feelings. This morning, I was just embarrassed, just so embarrassed. And then when I got back, I fell asleep right away. I didn't know you called. Don't be angry with me, Phîi Payu." While Payu's cold demeanor and stern, scolding tone made the smaller figure upset. Even though he had no strength, Rain tried to sit up and grab his hand, shaking his arm to soften the other's heart, his face smeared with tears.
The youth knew Payu wasn't pretending to be angry; this was real.
This time, when the storm hit, the listener's heart was shattered to pieces.
"Phîi Payu, cough cough cough," Rain pleaded, then let go of the hand to cover his mouth, coughing loudly. His demeanor was utterly pitiful as he tried to appease while coughing and sniffling wetly, making a certain hard-hearted adult move to sit on the bed.
Thump
Thump!
Two arms wrapped around the sick person's body, pulling him tight against his chest.
"Don't disappear like this again."
As the warm embrace enveloped him, Rain nodded, his neck almost coming off. He would give in completely now. As long as the other didn't maintain a still face, speak in a cold voice, and step back away from him, he was willing to do whatever the other said. He was willing to be teased later about being weak when sick. He was really upset, damn it.
Seeing the pliant attitude, the person holding him tightened his embrace, noticing the temperature was even higher than this morning. A large hand stroked his back comfortingly, pressing his lips down onto the crown of Rain's head.
After a moment, it seemed Payu was calming his emotions, making sure the other was really okay. As for the sick person, he sat still, not making a peep, surrendering completely. His two hands held tightly onto the slim waist.
"How should I punish Rain?"
"Huh?!" The person whose tears had dried looked up, unable to believe his ears, and met sharp, glinting eyes that were frightening.
"Pu...punishment?" Rain repeated, his voice trembling. He already had goosebumps, but now his spine was tingling.
"Yes, punish the person who made me worry." That wicked smile appeared again, but it didn't inspire any confidence at all.
"But I'm sick," the youth tried to appeal for sympathy.
"Right, so I specially prepared something for a sick person."
Round eyes inadvertently followed Payu's hand as he reached into his back pants pocket and pulled out something... some kind of tube of medicine.
He just had a fever, not a rash, hives, or pimples. What did he need ointment for? That made Rain's eyes widen.
"You're not saying that's for applying..."
"Mmm, where does it sting for Rain right now?"
Pluck!
"No, no, no! I don't want it! No, no!" That was it. The young man both pushed and struggled to break free from the embrace. But normally, he had no strength to fight; being sick like this, where would he get the strength to win? He could only look at the thing in Payu's hand as if it were an alien from another world. Because the only place that stung for him... was his butt!
To be more specific, the crevice there.
Whoosh!
"It helps, believe me," Payu said in a kind voice, but his large hand had already flipped the blanket away from the young man. Rain tried to squirm away, scrambling to get off the bed, but there was no way he'd be allowed to escape easily. The tall figure used his larger size to trap the room's owner in his embrace. His other hand pulled the waistband of the basketball shorts until they were almost off his hips.
"No! I don't want it, damn it, Phîi Payu! I don't want it!"
"Rain," Payu called softly, but it was bloody fucking terrifying.
"If Rain is loud, your Máa will come up to the room. And I don't think Rain wants her to see..." Payu pressed, his gaze intense. His demeanor made the youth freeze stiff. He blinked his eyes, then shook his head vigorously, pleading in a whisper.
"You can't, Phîi Payu. You can't."
"Then will you let me apply the good medicine?"
"But..."
"Should I take your pants off, or will you take them off yourself?" Two choices, neither of which led to escape, made the sick person look like he wanted to cry, wanted to complain, wanted to swear. But in reality, what the stubborn youth did was move his hand to the waistband of his pajama pants and say in a soft voice.
"Th...then move back, Phîi." He chose to take them off himself.
Payu moved back as requested, but didn't go far, just shifted to the foot of the bed.
"Don't look, Phîi."
"If I don't look, how can I apply the medicine?"
"Then I'll apply it myself," he tried to negotiate, even though the waistband was already past his hips, he still used his hand to cover himself.
"You dare to apply it yourself?" But when Payu raised an eyebrow, asking in return, lowering his gaze, the person who had just used that part but had never done more than wash the outside made a face like he was about to burst into tears, shaking his head vigorously, saying he didn't dare. That made Payu laugh, then wiggle his index finger left and right, indicating... then spread your legs.
"Counting from one to three. If I reach three, I won't be merciful anymore."
Whoosh!
His heart wanted to shout in his ear, "Is this your mercy for me?!" But in reality, before he even said 'one,' Rain had already spread his feet apart wide, covered his face with his hands, exposing his private parts, which had been explored all last night, without anything covering them. To be honest, he was bloody fucking embarrassed. He could only peek through his fingers at the other's face.
Phîi Payu was splitting that wicked smile again.
"You're teasing me," the sick person voiced his suspicion, which made Payu's eyes twinkle.
"No, I'm not teasing. I'm punishing a disobedient youth."
Rain swore, at the moment when a fingertip coated with cool gel swept in to apply medicine to the wound... that he would absolutely never make Phîi Payu angry!
Let him ask again, what kind of medicine was this, why did it feel so damnably tingly!
"Enough, Phîi, enough," the youth's voice trembled sharply. He held Payu's wrist tightly, shaking his head vigorously, looking pleadingly. But there was no one willing to stop.
"Wait, the medicine won't reach inside properly." Rain was sure that Phîi Payu was laughing. But as for him, he tried to close his legs together, but was hindered by the large hand pressing his thighs down onto the bed. Then... it probed.
"No.... don't. Ugh!"
The punishment that Rain wanted to be over with, before things went too far. But if he had known who would end it all, he would have rather let Phîi Payu continue as he wished. Because right then...
Creek!
"Payu, I brought snacks up for... Oh, Rain, you're awake? He's been visiting for an hour now."
Warain felt his heart drop, thought he was going to die. Because the moment he heard the doorknob turn was the moment Phîi Payu quickly grabbed the duvet to cover him up to his chest. Fortunately, his Máa was holding a large tray, so she took time to turn back and steady it before entering her son's room. Otherwise, she would have seen a scene shocking enough to send her to the hospital.
"What's wrong, dear? Are you hot? Should I wipe you down?"
"No!"
Rain shouted loudly, clutching the duvet tightly as if it were a protective shield. Because his squirming uncomfortably wasn't due to heat or his clothes being soaked with sweat, but because... his pajama pants were in Phîi Payu's hand, who had his hands behind his back.
As for the lower part... it was completely exposed.
"What's wrong, dear? Are you embarrassed for me to wipe you down in front of him?"
"Tha... yes, yes! Rain can manage himself. Mâe, don't worry." The speaker's face was contorted, holding the duvet even tighter. And bloody fucking hell, he could hear Phîi Payu laughing from beside the bed!
"Sigh! What a headache, Payu. My nephew is like this. Sometimes he's so fussy. Oh, Payu, is there anything you can't eat?"
"No, there isn't."
"Then that's okay."
"Why did Mâe ask Phîi Payu that?" the sick person wondered. He had been curious ever since his Máa looked at the tall person so fondly. Since his Máa shouldn't be someone who would fall for a handsome, intense face like that. But now he was more curious about why she asked what foods Payu was allergic to.
"I invited him to have dinner with us. Speaking of which, you really deserve a scolding, Rain. It's one thing to stay over at a senior's house, but not to go out in the rain and cause trouble for him. And answer my calls from now on. Look, you came back without telling him first. Payu was so worried he came to see you at home. That's how I found out, you see, that Payu is the senior whose shop you took the car to. I had to thank him for helping look after the car, and for taking care of my son too." Mâe Máa said it all in one go.
Rain knew his Máa wanted to say thanks ever since she found out about the car. But who would have thought they'd run into each other so quickly? Moreover...
"Rain knows, knows! Mâe, why don't you go downstairs."
"Are you kicking me out?"
Yeah!
"Not at all," the sick person bowed his head, feeling that his fever would definitely spike tonight. While he squirmed uncomfortably, he glanced at Payu and found him smiling broadly, looking trustworthy.
"I think Rain is worried, afraid you might catch his cold."
"No way. He just doesn't want me coming in and causing a fuss."
"I don't think Rain thinks that way."
Warain didn't understand what Phîi Payu and his Máa were chatting so much about. At first, he was cold from the fever; now he wasn't sure if his legs were cold from something else. Had he forgotten that his pants were still in his hand? If he tilted just a little, Mâe would see everything!
Suddenly, the sick person flinched because the visitor turned to look at him and moved his lips.
That was it. Warain ducked under the duvet. No talking, no arguing with anyone. And if possible, he would absolutely never make Phîi Payu angry. Because just now, Phîi Payu had moved his lips to form the words...
Punishment.
A word that made the youth remember clearly: it's best not to provoke a storm.
And right now, Mâe, please get out of the room. I beg you. My legs are tingling.
"So Payu is a senior in Rain's faculty?"
"Yes, Rain is in the Rahad major under me."
After sleeping all day, by evening, Warain had just enough strength to walk unsteadily down and sit quietly at the dining table. Looking left and right, listening to his Phô chatting animatedly with Payu. He truly didn't understand how skilled the guy was. Besides managing to come up to his room, Mâe even invited him to dinner. Now, even Bpǎa was getting along well with him. As for the son... he was a rotten dog, of course.
He really wanted to tell on him, that he was bullying me!
But he didn't dare. If he asked what he was being bullied about, he'd be implicating himself.
The thoughts of someone eating his rice porridge quietly.
Now his Phô was asking where Phîi Payu worked, how his job was, how many siblings he had. The conversation even touched on studies, which made Mâe suddenly speak up as if she'd just remembered.
"Rain, I heard that you asked Payu to help tutor you during this break?"
Tutor what!?
Rain was dumbfounded, looking at his Máa's face as if she were an alien. He almost shook his head and said he hadn't asked for anything, but he was too late for the tall man sitting beside him.
"It's about Rain saying he wants to prepare before his second year," Payu answered instead, then turned to meet his eyes, substituting the question: Prepare for what, Phîi?
Payu didn't answer the question in his eyes, but turned to continue talking with his parents.
Bloody fucking disgusting. Whose Phûa are you!?
"Since I happened to meet both of you today, let me take this opportunity to ask for permission directly. Some days I might have to stay until late. Rain might need to stay over at my house. But if he needs to stay over any day, I'll call to ask again. That way you won't have to worry. I also don't want you to think the young man is loafing around somewhere." The young man said in a polite tone, almost apologetic towards the youth's parents. But Rain's Bpǎa laughed loudly, waving his hand.
"Oy! We're the ones who should feel bad for disturbing Payu so much. Go ahead, drill him hard. A man must give his all, right, Dee?"
This time, Dee had no strength to argue that he wasn't Dee anymore.
"Look how well he speaks. We should feel bad for Payu. He has his own work to do, and still has to tutor our Rain too."
"It's no trouble," Payu smiled handsomely, winning over both parents completely, before turning to the son and smiling... let's just say he took his heart and crushed it playfully.
"I'm happy to."
Rain really wanted to shout and ask: Asking like this, are you bringing the betel nut set to propose?
In the end, the sick person went back to bowing his head, letting his Máa ask if his fever had returned. But the fever had gone down; what hadn't gone down was the embarrassment of encountering "the Phûa" invading his home. Moreover, it seemed he wouldn't be wasting his time this break. It looked like he would fall into the hands of the man named Payu, the kind where struggling wouldn't get him free at all.
"Since when did you arrange this with my mom?"
After finishing dinner, Payu chatted with Warain's parents for a while, then excused himself to bid farewell to the sick person who had retreated to his room. As soon as he saw his face, Rain opened fire first.
"You're not referring to yourself as 'Rain' anymore?"
"Should I refer to myself as 'Mia' then?" the youth retorted sarcastically.
Thump!
But then he gaped, realizing what he had just said.
"Uh, when did you arrange this with my mom, Phîi Payu?" Then he swiftly changed the form of address without waiting for a repeat.
Payu stepped forward to sit at the foot of the bed, making the person who had just been punished that afternoon quickly scoot away. Even though he knew that at this distance, if his foot was pulled just once, he wouldn't be able to fight back.
At least keep some distance first. Don't touch me with those hands. Every time they touch, it's like hives breaking out, red and swollen all over.
"When I arrived," Payu decided to let the word 'Mia' pass for now.
"Hmm."
"I had to explain who I was, why I came, how I know Rain. I had to build some credibility. For later, when I frequently steal their son away, I'll have a satisfactory excuse for the adults." Payu said it as if it weren't anything important. But for the listener, it was very important.
He was happy that his Phô and Máa liked Phîi Payu, but another part of him was secretly afraid.
"How should I tell Bpǎa and Mâe?"
"Tell them what you think."
"How can I tell them, Phîi Payu? We..." the speaker's voice trailed off, bowing his head again, poking the blanket with his finger to ease his shyness.
Aren't we Phûa and Mia who have already been intimate?
Rain thought shyly, having completely forgotten about the declaration to chase him until he was caught, about making him fall in love. Because things had progressed this far, it naturally meant everything was already finished.
"As senior and junior." But he was the one who froze when Payu replied in a flat tone.
"Hey!" The sick person looked up immediately, and his heart fell somewhere unknown.
"Our relationship is just senior and junior, isn't it, Rain?"
Thump!
From initially scooting away, now Rain was the one moving to grab Payu's arm firmly, shaking his head vigorously, refusing to accept what came out of Payu's mouth. When the tall figure raised his eyebrows as if asking what was wrong, he shook his arm even more, unable to suppress the fear from what he heard.
"Phîi Payu, you can't say that."
He wouldn't accept it. No way!
The stubborn person, who had misinterpreted and willfully assumed their relationship had leaped forward, shook his hand with a pitiful expression. That made Payu bring up another matter.
"The one-month period we agreed upon is over, Rain."
Over a month ago, a certain someone had declared that he would chase Payu until he was caught within one month. When Rain thought back carefully, he found that it had been several weeks past the deadline. His heart skipped a beat, his hands almost losing strength, but he still held the tall person's arm tightly like someone about to drown.
"Are you angry that I ran back this morning, Phîi Payu? I already said sorry. And you already punished me. Phîi Payu, no, don't play like this." The youth tried to laugh, even though he knew how forced it sounded. The more the other showed no reaction, the less motivated he was to continue.
Was all this just his own wishful thinking?
"I'm not angry. I already punished Rain."
"Then why are you joking like this?"
"I'm not joking. I'm just stating the truth." Payu removed the hand gripping his arm, but Rain still refused to let go, until he heard the next sentence that made his two hands almost lose all strength.
"Rain's time to chase me until I'm caught is up."
Is Phîi Payu saying that our thing... is over?
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