STORM CHASING [Love in the Air | PayuxRain]

nine

The weather had been very unpredictable the past few days. One moment it was sunny and warm. The next, it will be chilly and raining. 

It was a bright morning. The sky a fine blue it was surreal. The breeze just cool enough to fight off the warmth of the sun. 

The car window was down and Rain let the wind blow past his cheeks and hair. 

"So... I decided to add more plants in our garden," Rain continued his tale. "It's always been a plan to have a catio too but I haven't gotten around it."

Sky who was the one driving, nodded. 

"I'll install an enclosed pathway around the house so it looks like a tunnel."

"I see," Sky replied.

"Drizzle will have a blast," Rain smiled as he imagined the fluffy orange cat that Payu had adopted years ago.

"..."

"Have I sent you a picture of him lately?" Rain asked as he fumbled, fishing for his phone from his pocket. "Ma said that cat is a menace but loves the province. That cat probably won't like the city anymore, huh?"

Rain finally got his phone and scrolled to the latest picture his mom had sent him. It was Drizzle dangling from a tree branch as the feline tried to catch birds. He showed it to Sky and Sky briefly looked at the phone screen.

"He indeed has gotten fatter," Sky commented as he maneuvered the car to park at a grocery store.

Once the car was parked and the car was quiet, Rain inserted his phone back to his jeans and released the seatbelt. He was humming a song he heard in the morning radio earlier.

Sky released his own seatbelt and then turned to Rain.

"Are you okay?" Sky asked.

Rain was confused. "Huh? I am. Why?"

Sky pursed his lips, watching Rain intently. "You're weirdly chatty today."

Rain laughed. "Isn't this the normal me? You even said I can talk your ear off."

The other sighed. "I know. But this... right now. It feels unnatural."

"..."

"You don't have to pretend around me."

Rain grinned. "But I am alright."

Sky chewed on his lip while squinting at Rain. After some time, the man sighed and looked at the front, across the plain grey wall of the parking lot.

"Your doctor, Hima, right?" Sky mumbled. "He was glaring at you earlier when we dropped by his office. Your check up has been long overdue. If I didn't see the reminder on your phone, will you be even going?"

Rain pouted. "Aww, I was really planning to go today. Good thing you visited the house early." Rain lifted his left arm, patched from getting his blood drawn. "I didn't have to drive. This thing hurts."