What the Heart Knows

Talent Show

"We have got to do this!" Rain says excitedly, clutching the flyer in his hand.

"Do what?" Sky asks suspiciously.

"This!" Rain puts the flyer down on the table so everyone can see.

TALENT SHOW, open to all students. Grand Prize all expenses paid stay in the luxurious Blue Crystal hotel in downtown Bangkok and a spot in the Top Thailand Talents televised talent competition this summer.

"Yes!" Ple, Phan and Sig

"Absolutely not!" Sky and Anya

"What sort of thing did you have in mind?" This from Por, "I can't really sing or dance."

"I'll teach you," Rain says confidently, he decides to ignore Sky and Anya for the minute. He'll talk Sky around later and Phan will charm Anya into it.

They all meet at Rain's dance studio that was his birthday gift from P'Phayu. It's the perfect place to practice and work out their routine. Sky is still looking sulky over the idea and Anya looks ready to make a run for it if Phan lets go of her hand.

Rain tells them to have a seat then reaches for the remote to the large screen tv. He feels a little like a teacher giving a demonstration and decides he likes the feeling.

He pulls up the dance routine he has in mind to everyone's amusement. Even Phan and Ple look at him like he's lost his mind.

"Rain, are you crazy we can't do that, it looks horribly complicated." Sky says.

"It's not so bad, we just need to break it down in sections." Rain says with a smile, "We can do it. It's perfect there are seven of them and seven of us, each person will just need to learn the one routine of their mirror."

"Why are they dancing like that, they look like birds?" Anya says. She finds that interesting, she has never paid a lot of attention to popular music or dances.

"Good observation, they are dancing like birds because the literal translation of the song is about large birds and small birds. At the same time it's about someone being born rich versus someone being born poor. The dancers are acting out both through their moves. It's a type of social commentary." Rain says.

Everyone but Anya stares at Rain as if he had suddenly grown a second head. It just wasn't the type of thing they expected Rain to say.

"You really love music." Anya said picking up on Rain's passion.

Rain nods, "Music is my favorite form of expression. If you are happy, or sad, or angry, or whatever it can be expressed through music and dance." Anya nods, suddenly very excited about this new idea. "Besides we get to wear some really cool costumes." Rain finishes.

Everyone laughs. "Now there is the Rain we all know and love," Sig says.

Rain assigns each of them their personal routine to learn. Even Sky begins to feel himself get a little excited, Rain has taught and led them in dances in clubs. Maybe this will be fun after all.

They vote on a name, several silly suggestions are made but the two finalists are Midnight Idols, Ple's suggestion, and Idol Kittens, Por's suggestion. Idol Kittens wins 6 to 2.

Sky spends that night practicing his part of the routine with P'Pai giving tips and encouragements. It's actually surprisingly easy to pick up on.

P'Pai hands him a towel looking appreciatively at the way Sky's sweat soaked clothes cling to his body. "Remind me to send Rain a thank you gift," he says with a smirk.

Sky smacks his arm and goes to take a shower.

Anya and Phan practice together at Phan's house. Anya feels like her mother wouldn't approve of this activity either, she seldom approves of anything. Phan's parents are exact opposite, they adore Anya and are always kind and supportive to the girls. Anya finds herself spending more and more time at Phan's house, and not just because the two are officially dating now.

Rain watches the video of the group performing their dance routine on repeat carefully taking notes about each performer's moves and timing. After that is done he starts sketching his ideas for their costumes. He wants them to look good at the same time they need to be easy to move in, comfortable, and not too hot or stuffy. He sketches until P'Phayu calls him to come in for dinner. Rain had lost track of time, he didn't even know that P'Phayu was home much less that it was dinner time.

Rain excitedly shows P'Phayu his sketches over dinner. The design is based on an old TV series that Rain saw on YouTube once. Loose fitting blue denim overall shorts with white crop tops and neon colored baseball caps, each person's a different color.

"These look amazing. Maybe you should give up architecture for costume design." P'Phayu teases him.

"Maybe I will do both like the way you like to work on bikes and design houses." Rain says.

"My smart boy could absolutely do that." P'Phayu answers with a grin.

"Stop, stop, stop," Rain says holding up his hands. "Phan and Ple, very good. Sky and Anya, wow just wow, you guys are doing awesome." He sighs and looks at the last two members of the group without comment. "Let's do this. You four go to that side of the room and practice and I will work with Sig and Por alone."

"We're that bad?" Asks Por.

"Well," Rain says evasively, "I just think you need more practice."

"In other words we suck," laughs Sig.

"I can teach you," Rain says.

"So ajarn Fon, show us what to do then." Sig says.

"Stop calling me Fon, it's Rain. R-A-I-N. Got it?" Rain says, but moves behind each to help them get into their starting position then carefully shows them each move of their mirrors until both can easily follow and coordinate with the group. Sig might have been joking but Rain actually is a really good teacher.

Rain pulls the group back together and watches them for one round before taking his own spot for a full practice. We might actually win this thing, he thinks.

P'Phayu recruits a friend of his to sew the costumes. When Rain tells her the song they are performing she suggests putting a different rhinestone bird design on the front of each overall and a smaller matching one on the caps. Which Rain thinks is absolutely perfect.

They practice almost everyday and by the night of the talent show all agree that they have worked hard and done their best no matter what happens.

They are going close to last, so they watch several of the first acts. Some of them are very good. A girl with a guitar who has a voice of an angel. A boy who raps the lyrics of an English song so fast it makes Rain's head spin, and several others just as talented.

Finally it is their turn and everything goes off without a hitch. Rain once heard a someone describe "being in the zone" and that's what it feels like, his group is in the zone. The crowd goes absolutely wild for them.

They wait nervously as the results are read. An all girl group who had sung a popular Blackpink song gets forth place, the guy who did the rap is third, the girl with the guitar is second. Rain holds his breath as first place is announced.

After a pause the host opens the envelope and announces, "First Place goes to Idol Kittens"

Ple squeals while the rest of the group cheers excitedly before going out to accept their award. They had won. First Place! They were going to be on a national televised talent show!

Rain is already planning ideas for their next routine and costumes while the others are just thinking of going home and getting some sleep. It had been an exhausting few weeks.

********

Notes:

Song: Silver Spoon by BTS.

YouTube video of the dance routine I had in mind while writing: https://youtube.com/watch?v=bPM7uIuB2Gs&si=EnSIkaIECMiOmarE