Paper Dolls

Chapter 9

Sadly, there's a zero tolerance policy for violence here at Firefly. 

We walk into a dimly lit room that looks like a huge walk in closet. I notice clothes line the back wall and the carpet under my shoes is soft pink like cotton candy. 

Yiren grabs two towels and hurls them at us. I grab one and the side of it hits my face, making it feel like a slap. One look at Yiren's boiling face makes me wonder is it was. 

"Wipe yourselves and strip. Take off those soggy shoes while you're at it. Honestly, how dare you walk into my studio looking like that!" She marches up and down the small confines of the room looking like a bomb about to explode. 

Terrified, we do as told and strip down while wiping ourselves in the process. Yiren turns on the heater to full blast and I am so thankful I could hug her. Though, I would probably get my head bitten off so I refrain. 

She grabs a measuring tape and starts measuring us from head to toe, starting with Binna. 

"When are you girls ever going to learn that you are never safe in that house. People get wiser by the year but it seems to be the opposite for you two." Her tone softens once she starts taking our measurements but she still radiates anger. 

"I checked the alarm before bed. I didn't realise she changed the time instead," Binna admits in regret and Yiren sighs. 

"That's smart. For her at least." 

Yiren pats Binna's back, signalling that she is done with her and I take her place. I understand her anger. Yiren's been on our side since the beginning but there's only so much she can do for us. 

People saw us barging into the lobby just now and flooding the floors with our clothes. Also, the girls at reception would surely report our tardiness to management. There is no way Yiren can protect us from that, no matter how hard she tries. 

Yiren used to be a trainee about ten years ago and then she left the company in her third year, deciding she wanted to pursue health science instead. She got a degree in nutrition from SNU and then rejoined Firefly in the weigh management department. 

Her loyalty and dedication to the job earned her the role of head of department after only three years. She worked hard to get where she is which is probably one of the reasons why she dislikes JinJin so much. 

Granted, JinJin is talented but it is no secret she got in and survived so far with the help of her doting uncle. 

And if it's one thing Yiren hates more than tardiness, it's nepotism. 

"The moment I saw that gleeful annoying look on that devil's face, I knew. I just knew," She murmurs as she jots down my measurements. 

"Yeah. We should have been more careful. Sorry," I reply half heartedly. Here we are standing in what looks like a large laundry room as our clothes lie in piles of sogginess on the floor. Unprepared, shivering and feeling stupid. 

I really feel like curling into a ball on the floor and crying but we still have to get ready. There's no way we can go on stage looking like this. 

"You've lost quarter of an inch. You'd better not be developing any eating issues. Not on my watch, missy." Yiren waves a pen in my face and then she leans to one side, studying me. "Are you? Because you can tell me. I promise I won't scold you. We need to work on this kind of thing together." 

"No. No. It must just be the stress. I've been eating all the food you've prepared for us." And some additional fried stuff. 

She exhales in relief and finally I see her smile. "Okay, we need to get you two ready." She claps her hands together and her smile disappears almost immediately.