Love is a game (Love in the air collection)

Cooking Lessons

"Absolutely not," Phayu says. Knitting his eyebrows together. Anyone but his sous chef Sky would have run the other way seeing that expression. Sky is more than a match for Phayu's temperament though and just rolls his eyes. 

"You promised you would do this competition. It will be good publicity for the restaurant." Sky reminds him. 

"I promised that I would do this competition with a celebrity chef. I thought you were going to get Ple." Phayu says. 

"We tried. Her brother is getting married to his longtime boyfriend, she is going to be out of town that weekend. Please we really need to do this." Sky sighs. 

Phayu was one of the best chefs in Thailand but their Restaurant had only been open a few months. They needed something to get peoples' attention. 

"This kid is an <i>idol</i> Sky. Does he even know how to cook?" Phayu says. 

"If not, I’ll teach him, you won’t even have to worry about him at all. Besides which, you and I can do most of the heavy lifting. Rain is a megastar and he will be there mainly to draw viewers. 

"Fine you handle it but I don't want a bunch of screaming fans around the restaurant everyday while we are trying to work. And this kid better be prepared to work hard, there are only two months until the competition. I expect him to take it seriously." Phayu says. 

"I will talk to his manager." Sky assures him. "No one knows about this so fans shouldn't be an issue." 

Rain yawns and gratefully accepts the cup of coffee P'Pai hands him. Practice for his upcoming concert had run later than expected last night because of some equipment issues. Now he is expected at the restaurant in less than an hour. They don't have a prayer of making it on time with this traffic. 

Rain frowns, he had wanted to make a good first impression on the chef that would be his partner for the competition but it seems everything has gone wrong that morning. First his assistant had forgotten to call to wake him. Then the car picking up he and P'Pai had been in a fender bender. Finally when the replacement car had been the morning rush hour that they had been planning on avoiding was in full force. 

Well it couldn't be helped now. Rain has a strict policy of not sweating the small stuff. "P'Pai why am I doing this? I can't even boil water." 

"It's going to be great publicity. Cooking reality shows are extremely popular right now, especially cooking competitions." P'Pai tells him. "Besides, how hard can it be? Phayu's team will be there every step of the way." 

"I don't want to be dead weight though. I want to do my part." Rain says, giving his slight signature pout. Pai has often called this the pout that won thousands of his fans' hearts. His critics often accused him of practicing that pout in the mirror for hours but Pai knows it’s just Rain’s natural look. Rain is one of the most open and honest people Pai has ever met. 

"I know Rainy boy. I will talk to this Sky, he is Phayu's sous chef and said he would be willing to help you learn the basics." P'Pai tells him.  

Rain uses the time in the car to update his socials, talking about the upcoming contest and promoting his merchandise line. He doesn’t say anything about the cooking competition though. He loves his fans, but some can be overzealous. He doesn’t want them or the press bothering the staff at the restaurant. 

Finally P’Pai says, “Hood up, we are here.” Between the hoodie, the sunglasses, and the mask, Rain is almost unrecognizable.

The inside of the restaurant feels cool and dark after the bright summer day outside. It’s still hours before it will be opened for business and the chairs are all upturned on the tables, silverware rolled into cloth napkins, extra plates, water glasses and candles waiting on carts nearby.