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The drizzle had turned into a steady downpour, and the streets, once bustling with the energy of a typical weekday, were now quieter. The usual hum was replaced by the soft patter of rain against pavement, as though the world had momentarily muted itself. Gemini, lost in thought, walked briskly, his steps echoing in the deserted alleyways. The jacket he wore clung slightly to his body as the cool rain made contact, but he barely noticed. His mind was elsewhere—on his work, on the things that had been left undone in the chaos of his daily life.
The city always had a way of feeling a little more distant when the rain came. The usual rush of people, their hurried steps and jumbled conversations, seemed to fade away, and for a moment, Gemini could almost feel as if he were the only one walking the streets. But even in the quiet of the rain, his thoughts continued to swirl, as they often did. The pressures of the world were always on his shoulders, and while he liked to believe he could carry them all, there were times when it felt heavier than usual.
"Gem!" A familiar voice broke through his thoughts, clear even over the sound of the rain.
Gemini turned, startled, and spotted Liam Wattanachai standing under the awning of a small bookstore. His dark hair was damp from the rain, but his face was lit with a grin that seemed to chase away the gray of the day. Liam was holding a bright yellow umbrella, its vibrant color almost comical against the muted tones of the city around them.
"Liam?"Gemini said, a small smile breaking across his face. "What are you doing out here in this weather?"
"Same as you, I suppose," Liam replied, stepping out from under the awning to meet Gemini. "Avoiding life's responsibilities, pretending the rain makes it all okay."
Gemini chuckled, shaking his head. "You've always had a way with words."
Liam shrugged, his grin never fading. "What can I say? Rain makes me poetic. Or maybe it just makes me lazy. Either way, I saw you brooding over there and figured you could use some company."
Despite himself, Gemini felt a flicker of gratitude for Liam's presence. There was something grounding about his friend, a lightness that seemed to balance out Gemini's often heavy thoughts.
"Let me guess," Liam continued, tilting the umbrella slightly to shield Gemini from the rain. "You were overthinking again. Work? Life? Or is this about the mystery man from the other day?"
Gemini's head shot up, his expression caught somewhere between surprise and defensiveness. "How do you know about that?"
Liam raised an eyebrow, his lips quirking in amusement. "Oh, please. You don't think Maya didn't tell me about your little run-in? She said you looked... what was the word? Flustered."
"I was not flustered," Gemini protested, though the heat rising to his cheeks betrayed him.
Liam laughed, the sound warm and infectious. "Sure, sure. Whatever you say, Gem. All I'm saying is, you don't usually get distracted like that. It's kind of nice to see you caught off guard for once."
Gemini rolled his eyes, but the smile that tugged at his lips couldn't be helped. You're impossible, you know that?"
I've been told," Liam said with a wink. "Now, come on. You look like you're about to catch a cold out here. Let's find a coffee shop or something. My treat."
His phone buzzed in his pocket—another notification, another reminder that there was always something waiting for him. He checked it quickly, but then, just as he pocketed it again, his attention was drawn to a flicker of movement on the sidewalk ahead. A figure, slightly hunched against the rain, was standing under a small awning, watching the street. The person was partially obscured by the blur of raindrops, but something about the posture and presence felt strangely familiar.
Gemini's eyes narrowed, trying to make out the details. The figure looked striking, framed by dark, damp hair, with an unmistakable air of casual confidence. For a moment, Gemini wondered if he had seen him somewhere before. Then it clicked—the man from the other day. The one who had caught his attention so effortlessly.
Fourth.
The recognition hit Gemini like a jolt, and for a brief second, both of them stood frozen, as if the world around them had paused. The rain continued to fall, but in that moment, it felt as though the storm had quieted, leaving only the two of them in an almost surreal stillness. Fourth's gaze met his, and the moment stretched on. There was no denying the connection, the pull between them, even if it was unspoken.
After what felt like an eternity, Fourth's lips curled into a knowing, slightly mischievous smile, breaking the tension between them.
"Well, fancy seeing you here," Fourth said, his voice warm and teasing, his tone holding a playful lilt.
Gemini blinked, and then smirked, allowing a soft laugh to slip from his lips. "I could say the same about you. The rain must be bringing us together again."
Fourth leaned against the awning, hands stuffed into his jacket pockets. "Maybe it's fate. Or maybe you just can't stay away from me."
The playful remark caught Gemini off guard, but instead of recoiling, he found himself amused. There was something about the easy confidence Fourth exuded that pulled him in, like a magnet he didn't want to resist. Gemini raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Is that what you think?"
Before Fourth could respond, the rain intensified, coming down in sheets. Gemini glanced up, realizing they would both be soaked if they didn't find shelter soon.
"You're not planning to just stand there all day, are you?" Gemini asked, his voice cutting through the growing storm. The thought of getting drenched wasn't appealing, and he could see Fourth's casual stance beginning to shift as the rain grew heavier.
Fourth sighed dramatically, glancing at the downpour. "Well, it's tempting, but I suppose I should join you in not turning into a drowned rat."
Gemini grinned, stepping closer. He wasn't sure why, but something about the banter, the interaction, felt almost too good to let go. "I don't suppose you'd mind sharing that awning, would you? I'm not particularly keen on getting drenched."
Fourth's eyes flicked toward Gemini, narrowing playfully. "Ah, I see. You're looking for shelter. I suppose I could oblige. But only if you promise not to steal all my cover."
Gemini chuckled, shaking his head. "I'll try to keep my side dry. Promise."
Fourth raised his eyebrows, half-skeptical, but the amusement didn't fade from his expression. "Sure, I'll take your word for it. You're not as bad as you look."
With that, Gemini moved under the awning, standing just a little too close. The closeness felt natural, but also charged. He couldn't ignore how his body seemed to react to the proximity, though he quickly pushed the feeling aside. The rain continued to pour, the world beyond their small corner a blur of mist and gray. They stood there for a moment in comfortable silence, watching the water fall from the sky. The soft sound of the rain against the ground filled the space between them, a quiet rhythm that seemed to add to the unspoken tension.
Gemini couldn't help but notice the way Fourth was taking in the rain, his body leaning against the small structure with a casual ease that Gemini almost envied. It was as if Fourth didn't care about the world around him, or at least, didn't let it affect him the way others did. His expression was thoughtful, even distant, but there was an unmistakable ease in the way he carried himself—like he was content to be exactly where he was.
"You always get caught in the rain like this?" Gemini asked, breaking the silence. His voice was casual, though he couldn't hide the curiosity creeping in. "Or is this just a thing for today?"
Fourth turned to him with a slow, deliberate gaze, as if weighing the question carefully. Then, with a glint in his eye, he shrugged. "Only when I'm lucky," he replied, his lips curling into a grin. "But when the rain hits, it's a good excuse to slow down, you know? Forces you to stop for a bit."
Gemini tilted his head, considering that. "Slow down, huh? I suppose that makes sense. It does kind of force you to... pause."
"Exactly." Fourth's gaze softened, his voice lowering just slightly, tinged with something quieter, more reflective. "The world moves fast enough. Sometimes, the rain's the only thing that reminds you to take a breath."
Gemini glanced at the rain, then back at Fourth. There was something in his words that struck a chord, a resonance that Gemini didn't quite understand. But it felt important, and for reasons he wasn't ready to unpack, he found himself wanting to hear more. Still, he wasn't one to wear his emotions on his sleeve, so instead of saying anything more, he shrugged.
"I guess I never thought of it that way," Gemini admitted, his tone light. "I usually just rush through it, head down, trying to get from point A to point B."
The moment hung between them, the quiet of the rain amplifying their words.
"You should try slowing down sometime," Fourth said softly, his gaze lingering on Gemini. "You might like it."
Gemini nodded, though his thoughts swirled. There was a lingering feeling that he couldn't quite shake—something in Fourth's eyes, something in the way he spoke that made Gemini question whether he was being given a hint. The truth was, as much as he didn't want to admit it, he liked the idea of slowing down with someone. Maybe it wasn't just the rain that was making him feel this way. Maybe it was the person standing next to him.
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❥to be continued…