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Happy Birthday to Mr ZEE PRUK PANICH
I am uploading this chapter much earlier than anticipated in conjunction with your birthday
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Saint woke up exceptionally early that morning. He had been practicing relentlessly for the past few weeks. He would go to his grandfather's restaurant so that he could use the kitchen there after the restaurant was closed. He would also ask for his grandfather's opinion on the desserts he made. He had a list of 4 dessert dishes that he wanted to try but at the end of it, he decided to choose a dish called Forbidden. He named it after watching Reynold Poernomo cooking something similar on Masterchef Australia and was inspired by it. Forbidden, just like his desire to have Prince Zee to love him. The impossible. The unattainable. The perfect dessert to represent how he felt and what he was facing.
His parents also woke up early that morning fussing about Saint and whether he had breakfast and whether he needed anything. Saint was grateful that his parents supported him and not once complained to him about quitting school. They understood him. His parents were also 100% behind him in his quest for apprenticeship at Tul's Crazy Concoction. They were happy that he was no longer locking himself in his room while refusing to eat nor talk to anyone. Saint's father knew everything as he had told his old man. His mother knew that someone broke his heart really really bad without knowing who the person was.
That morning, Saint and his parents uploaded everything that Saint needed in the family car and drove to Tul's Crazy Concoction. When they arrived there, they realised that there were so many young people who wanted to apprentice there. Saint's father had to park the car about a block away and they had to lug everything to the restaurant. There were 6 rounds that day where 7 people would be making their desserts in each round. Saint was informed that they would know the results on that day itself. Saint found everything exciting, exhilarating and scary at the same time. His parents wished him the best and he took his first step into the restaurant. He was directed to a station and he smiled as he hoped for the best. Then, he started making his dessert, Forbidden.
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"Good day. My name is Saint Suppapong and I am 18 years old. I am a local resident here in Chiang Mai. I have here a dessert called Forbidden." Saint stood nervously in front of the owner of Tul's Crazy Concoction introducing the dessert dish he had prepared that day.
"Tell me about this dessert." Tul Pakorn asked.
"It is a chocolate mousse inside with a raspberry coulis coated with chocolate ganache and cocoa butter. I also added some raspberry and strawberry on chocolate soil." Saint explained.
"That's it?" Tul teased the young man.
"Oh yes... No... I'm sorry... and I also have some raspberry sorbet." Saint added to Tul's amusement.
"Young man... This is spectacular. I love the colours you have on the plate." Tul commended.
"Time to taste." Tul said and he cut into the chocolate ganache and the raspberry coulis in the middle of the chocolate mousse oozed out.
"Mr Suppapong... the moment of truth." Tul scooped the mousse and the coulis together with the chocolate ganache in one big heap and ate. Saint licked his lips nervously. Tul savoured the dessert while studying Saint who was staring back him agitatedly.
"Mr Suppapong."
"Yes Chef?"
"This dessert has all the elements to be great... but you need balance." Tul smiled as he explained. Saint on the other hand nodded.
"You try the dessert. Then, you tell me what you need to do." Tul said. Saint tasted his dessert and thought for a while.
"What do you think Mr Suppapong?"
"The chocolate ganache is too overwhelming... it drowns the raspberry flavours." Saint commented.
"Good observation. Thank you Mr Suppapong." Tul said.
"Why is the name... Forbidden?" Tul questioned as he studied Saint.
"I guess sometimes a dessert can be something forbidden to some. Yet, you still want it because once you tasted heaven... even though it is forbidden... You still crave for it." Saint explained.
"Have you ever experienced that Mr Suppapong?"
"Yes." Saint whispered.
"Do you still crave... The... Forbidden?" Tul waited for Saint's reply. The young man seemed contemplative.
"Yes Chef. I do unfortunately." Saint answered and smiled sadly.
"Thank you Mr Suppapong." Tul said before he moved to the next cook with her dessert.
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"Zee... I heard that you have been acting out f character these few months. Are you alright?" Queen Kamon Victoria asked her son as they sat in a lavish drawing room at the palace while enjoying tea that late afternoon.
"I am fine mother." Prince Zee replied.
"Honey... Tell me what's wrong?"
"There's nothing wrong mother."
"Does this have anything to do with Saint?" His mother questioned.
"No mother."
"I know when my son is lying. Zee... Look at me please." The Queen touched Zee's face.
"I... I can't mother."
"Zee... Do you care for Saint?" His mother asked him. He kept quiet.
"Do you care a lot for this young man?" She questioned. Prince Zee continued to be silent.
"Prince Zee Pruk Panich III... You carry a huge burden and unprecedented responsibilities as the future King of Thailand. You have to be strong. You have to be the best example to the people. You have to put others first and you second. Sometimes you have to put your feelings away because of these responsibilities." The Queen explained.
"I know mother."
"My heart goes to you Honey... If you think you have done the best... Then you have to let things go." His mother continued.
"What if the best makes me feel like I'm the worst?" Prince Zee questioned the Queen.
"That is the burden that you have to face every time you make a decision Zee. The needs of the many always outweigh the needs of the few." Queen Kamon whispered and wiped the tears falling from the Prince's eyes.
"You are the blessed and the unfortunate few darling." She murmured and gathered her son in her embrace.
"I hurt him mother." Prince Zee cried.
"I'm sorry Zee... I'm sorry that you are carrying so much pain in you." The Queen comforted him.
"I hurt him."
"Do you see a future with him?" His mother asked Prince Zee. He remained silent.
"I am the Crown Prince... I don't dare to dream."
"I wish I could help you Zee. We in the royal family will always sacrifice for others whether they know it or not. I am blessed that I have your father and my children. Many are not as lucky. Our hands are tied. We just have to make the best of the situations."
"Be strong Zee. You have to be strong for yourself and for Saint. There's no future for you and him. YOU especially... know this. The royal family always needs an heir may it be a prince or a princess. It is our responsibility."
"It's so painful mother. I can't stop feeling the pain." Prince Zee whispered.
"Honey... You can't drown your pain and sorrow by drinking..."
"I know mother... But I don't know what else to do." He murmured.
"You love him?"
"It is a feeling that I cannot afford to dream mother." Prince Zee answered.
"My poor boy... My poor poor boy." The Queen tightened her embrace.
"I think... You better keep this." The Prince took out a small piece of paper and gave it to his mother.
"You have this with you all the while?" Queen Kamon Victoria held the paper in her hand and wiped her tears.
"I can't afford to hold on to futile hopes and dreams mother." Prince Zee stated as he stared at a small picture of 2 sleeping children hugging one another. One was as cute as button while the other had maturity beyond his years.
"Zee... You have this with you?" His mother whispered.
"I knew he was Aint from the beginning." Prince Zee whispered.
"Did you ever tell him about it?" The Queen asked.
"It doesn't matter mother." The Prince replied.
"Fate can be cruel sometimes." His mother murmured.
"I still have many fond memories of him... He loves cooking... He loves making desserts the most... He hates Tom Yum Goong... He loves taking care of our cats... He is terrified of treating cuts and bruises... He is very clumsy... He enjoys riding his bicycle... He loves Patrick Star and wears those ridiculous childish pyjamas..." Prince smiled sadly while listing what Saint liked and enjoyed.
"Zee... Honey..."
"It's time to let go mother." The Prince whispered as his mother wiped her son's tears.
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"Thank you ladies and gentlemen for being patient with all of us today. It has been a very long arduous day indeed. Initially my colleagues and I planned to take 3 apprentice but unfortunately we have decided to only select 2." Tul explained to the crowd.
The crowd was getting understandably restless as it was very late in the evening and after waiting hours; they would finally know the results. Saint was standing the back of the crowd with his phone phone firmly in his hand. His parents had been incessantly sending messages asking him about the results, nevertheless him, his parents and also everyone had to wait. Upon hearing what Tul had announced, Saint felt that his chances were pretty slim. There were too many talented people and there were only 2 spots and not 3 as they had announced initially. Saint's shoulders began to slump. He was one of the youngest people who tried out for the apprenticeship. Some of the desserts looked spectacularly stunning while some used techniques Saint had never seen before. Saint had been religiously jotting down notes as his mind was once again preoccupied with his passion for making desserts instead of thinking of the forbidden.
Saint could not lie to himself unfortunately, his heart was still for Prince Zee. Until one day maybe, when someone else could take his place Saint would forever love him. The pain was still there. The tears were still there. He was Saint's first love. He had never ever felt like that towards anyone before. To meet heartache and heartbreak when it was your first love was not easy. Saint would sometime follow threads about the Prince just to cure his misery. Nevertheless, every time he saw him online the more heartbroken he became. Saint noticed that Prince Zee seldom showed himself in public nowadays. Some even said that he was looking pretty serious these days leaving his condominium only for class and nothing else. Some even gossiped that they saw the Princess getting into his condominium and never leaving. A few even stated that his roommate left because the Princess had taken residence at the Prince's condominium. There were numerous stories and gossips swirling around Prince Zee.
He was transported back to Tul's Crazy Concoction when people began clapping their hands. Saint was unsure what was happening and smiled at the people around him. Tul Pakorn was still talking and giving a speech in front. Saint would die and go to heaven if he could be an apprentice at Tul Pakorn's dessert restaurant. For a very young cook like him, it would be a dream come true. He did not care about the pay. He did not care about the hours he would to spend in the restaurant. He had gone to the restaurant twice to taste Chef Pakorn's desserts and they were out of this world. The man was a genius when it came to creating and making his desserts. Saint could only afford two trips to the restaurant as the prices for Tul Pakorn's desserts were rather astronomical to Saint.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to announce our new apprentice. 2 very lucky people I would say. First, Alexander Davenport." Tul announced. A very tall Caucasian man jumped from the chair he was sitting on. Saint breathed in and out trying to calm his rather frazzled mind.
"Congratulations Mr Davenport. Looking forward to work with you and learn from you." Tul clapped his hands.
"The other apprentice is... Mr Saint Suppapong." Tul turned his head towards Saint who was dumbstruck by the announcement that he just heard.
"Come to the front you guys!" Tul smiled at the two young man.
"Congratulations to the both of you."Tul Pakorn welcomed the two apprentice to the front while crowd cheered happily for the two.
Saint could not believe that his dessert made him an apprentice at Tul's Crazy Concoction. It was utterly surreal to Saint.
"Hi. I'm Alex Davenport. Congratulations!" Alex offered Saint his hand and smiled.
"Hi. I'm Saint Suppapong. Thank you! Congratulations to you too." Saint beamed.
"This is SUPER cool!" Alex grinned.
"I still can't believe that it's true...." Saint smiled at his new friend.
"I just arrived in Thailand yesterday morning. I'm from Sydney Australia." Alex shared.
"I am here from Chiang Mai... My home is about 30 minutes away from here." Saint said.
"Maybe I can visit your home one day." Alex added.
"Sure... I would love you to."
"Mr Davenport? Mr Suppapong? You are now part of Tul Pakorn's family." Tul shook hands with two new apprentice.
"Thank you Chef." Saint and Alex thanked Tul.
"You can call me Alex, Chef Pakorn." Alex said.
"And you can call me Saint." Saint asserted.
"I am amazed by your skills. You two have tremendous talents." Tul smiled at them.
"Thank you Chef." Saint blushed by the compliment.
"Alex, where are you staying right now?"
"At a hotel Chef." Alex answered.
"We have rooms that you can rent above the restaurant. Most of my staff rents the rooms there. You can check them out of you want." Tul explained.
"Thank you Chef."
"The rent is rather reasonable. Plus, you just have to come down to work... And... If you were late... I know where to find your ass." Tul joked.
"Please come back tomorrow around 8 in the morning so that I can give you the contract and also explain how the apprenticeship works in my restaurant." Tul said as the two nodded their heads.
"Please get my phone number and some details about my restaurant from my secretary... She's over there. Her name is Anne Pakorn. She's my sister." Tul pointed at a young woman dressed in pink shirt and black jeans.
"I'm so glad that I have you guys as my apprentice. Looking forward to your ideas and for you to develop your skills even further. Saint, is it possible for us to perfect your dish and to put it on the menu here in the restaurant. Don't worry, it is still your creation... But we will perfect it." Tul continued.
"Of course Chef! I'll be honoured." Saint smiled.
"Okay... Till tomorrow gentlemen." Tul left the two.
"I need to call my parents." Alex informed Saint.
"Me too!" Saint grinned.
Saint shook hands with a few of the people in the restaurant before making his way to the front of the restaurant and opened the door. He then sat on one of the many wooden benches in front of the restaurant and video called his parents.
"Hi Dad! Where's mom?"
"Hi. How did it go? Your mother is in the garden."
"I got the apprenticeship Dad!! I did it!"
"Oh my God!!!!! Congratulations Saint! I'm so proud of you!"
"I can't believe it Dad! I am still shocked!"
"Wait..." His father walked to the back of the house.
"Where is your mother..." His father mumbled and he went searching for Saint's mother.
"HONEY!!!! Saint got the apprenticeship!" His father yelled.
"REALLY?" Saint could hear his mother's voice and then he could see the beaming faces of his parents.
"I DID IT!" Saint teared up.
"I know you could do it Honey!" His mother grinned from ear to ear.
"I'm so proud of you!" His father said.
"We are going to pick you up... Then we celebrate! Where do you want to celebrate?" His father asked.
"At Grandpa's!" Saint replied.
"Of course! Have you called your Grandpa?" His mother questioned him.
"Not yet... I'm going to surprise him." Saint retorted.
"We'll be there soon Honey." His mother said.
"Okay Mom... I love you guys so much!" Saint kissed the screen of his phone.
"Love you too Son."
Forbidden Fruit (Reynold Poernomo's dish on Masterchef Australia) - I imagined Saint making it 😄😄😄
Tul Pakorn - Owner of Tul's Crazy Concoction