Him and I

Of wounds and wishes

"Shia! Busted!" Rain said, as he tried to hide behind Pai, his face a mask of absolute terror and fear. "What the hell do you think you were doing Rain?" Sky said, as he moved forward. "Did you really think I would not be able to figure out you were not in the washroom, as you had said? Did you forget that we can find each other's location?" Sky finally stood in front of them, his face completely wrathful. "Mianhae! Chalmuthaesso Ai'Sky!" Rain said, in a baby voice, still hiding behind Pai. "P'Pai, I request you to move please," Sky said, folding his arms on his chest. Realising that this was a norm between the boys, and that Rain was probably afraid of what Sky would say, he stepped aside, revealing Rain to Sky. Rain glared at him sideways, not daring to lift his head, his eyes clearly screaming 'TRAITOR!' Pai only shook his head, and stayed away. Rain still stood with his head bent down.

"Rain? Are you going to answer me or not?" A new note had entered Sky's voice. There was fear and desperation in that voice. Pai immediately turned to look at him. He also saw Rain's instant reaction as well. He looked up and went and hugged Sky and stroked his hand down his back, trying to calm him. Pai felt happy that Sky had someone like Rain, but also he felt jealous. He wanted to be the one to soothe his boy. 'His boy? Ai'Pai, yut!' he said to himself. "Was it them? He heard Sky whisper. "Sky, don't worry about it, okay?" Rain finally leaned back and looked at him. "You are hurt! Why didn't you tell me you are hurt?" Sky shouted. That's when Pai looked at Rain. His face was littered with marks and his lip was bleeding. Sky was running his hands frantically on Rain. "Are you okay? Are you seriously okay Rain?" he asked, his voice trembling.

"Nan gwhenchana Sky! Shincha!" Rain tried to pacify Sky. But Sky was having none of it. "Khopuna khap P'Pai, for helping Rain, but we need to go," he said, waiing to his senior. "Ah, no problem. By the way Sky? Was it you who called the cops?" he asked. "Cops? I didn't call any cops," Sky replied, puzzled. "Oh okay. I heard sirens so I thought," he trailed off, when Sky took out his phone and played the tone of a siren. Rain laughed at Pai's flabbergasted face. "Ouch!" he said, when the movement caused his busted lip to hurt. Sky immediately reacted. "C'mon, let's get you home!" he said, trying to be stern, but his voice betraying his fear. Both boys thanked Pai, waiied and left. Pai looked at the retreating figures, and pulled out his phone.

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Pai entered the condo and was promptly ambushed by Phayu. "What the hell happened to you?" he asked. "Rain," Pai replied. "What? What the hell did you do to Rain that he beat you like this?" Phayu asked, his temper rising. "I didn't do anything to him. It happened because of him," Pai said. "Tell me exactly what happened?" Phayu demanded. Pai explained everything that had happened at the market. To say that Phayu was shocked would be an understatement. He was furious. "They fucking ganged up on a young boy? And why didn't you go help sooner?" Phayu asked. "Dude, he didn't look like he needed my help. He literally decimated them. Then I think they realised that they could not take him out if they stayed in front of him, so one of them hit him from behind! That's when I lost my cool. You know I hate underhanded methods the most!" Pai was furious.

"Thanks brother! I have no idea what would have happened if you hadn't been there," Phayu said, profound relief that Rain was safe, running through him. "But you know what shocked me the most? Even more than the fact that Rain is a tiger when riled? It's the fact that Sky, even though he was not even there, knew exactly who it was who attacked Rain," Pai said thoughtfully. "Pai? Did you notice something weird at the match against Arthan the other day?" Phayu asked. "What?" "Sky never came to the ground. Usually he is Rain's biggest supporter. In any faculty match, or even the friendly inter-collegiate matches we had with the other two teams before the main matches started with the one against Arthan, Sky was a constant presence, even sitting exactly in Rain's line of sight. But that day, he was not there, and Rain was deadly," Phayu said. Pai looked at him with pensive expression on his face. "He led Stop and Gun away from making goals, which means he was aware that they would target him the moment he stepped into the field, right?" Pai asked. "Exactly! I am pretty sure there is more to this than meets the eye!" Phayu added.