The Shape of a Beginning

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🌫️ THEERAPANYAKUL MANSION — KITCHEN

The first sign of trouble wasn’t fire.

It was smoke.

Not thick, black smoke — just enough to creep lazily into the hallway, curl against the ceiling, and set off every internal alarm Payu had ever developed living in this house.

Payu stopped mid-step.

Sniffed.

“…No.”

He turned sharply toward the kitchen.

The closer he got, the worse it became. Steam. Smoke. The sharp smell of oil overheated just past the point of forgiveness.

And then he saw him.

Rain.

Standing in front of the stove like a man at war.

Apron crooked.
Hair tied wrong.
Sleeves rolled unevenly.
Stirring a pan with far too much aggression.

A servant hovered nearby, visibly torn between helping and saving their own life.

Payu froze in the doorway.

“Rain.”

No response.

“Rain.”

Still nothing.

Payu raised his voice. “RAIN.”

Rain snapped his head around. “WHAT?”

“What are you doing?”

Rain looked offended. Genuinely offended.

“I’m cooking.”

Payu blinked. “Why.”

Rain frowned. “ Because I said I would. Because I want everyone to try my cooking, to eat something made by me”

He stepped closer, eyes narrowing at the pan.

“…Why is it smoking?”

Rain glanced down.

Paused.

Then shrugged. “It does that.”

Payu pinched the bridge of his nose.

“You turned the heat too high.”

Rain scoffed. “No I didn’t.”

Payu reached out instinctively to lower the flame.

Rain slapped his hand away. “HEY.”

Payu stared at him. “Do you want to burn the kitchen down?”

Rain crossed his arms. “You’re being dramatic.”

The pan hissed louder.

Payu lunged forward and shut off the stove himself.

Steam billowed.

Rain stared at him, furious. “You ruined it.”

Payu stared back. “You were about to set off the fire system.”

Rain opened his mouth to argue—

—and promptly coughed as smoke caught his throat.

Payu grabbed his wrist without thinking and pulled him back a step.

“Breathe.”

Rain stumbled slightly, chest heaving. For half a second, he didn’t pull away.

That half second stayed with Payu longer than it should have.

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