Chapter 59 - Under Pressure

The impact of the headlines on that image made Ye Rim's heart skip a beat. It was very tragic news, and she had never really stopped to think further. Kim Jun Hyeon mentioned twice, en passant, his late noona, but didn't disclose details. "No wonder why…!' The very thought of having a close relative trapped in a fire like the one in the photo made her shiver.

Although the images were large, the quality of this newspaper scan was not that good, and she could barely read it. So scrolled to read the comments in the forum. Someone have asked,

"Poor thing. That was really sad. They were so beautiful to look at! Did she survive?"

The dance community shared photos and even some short videos of the dancing twin couple at various stages of life, and showed their support; but no one seemed to know more.

From the pictures, Ye Rim had the vague feeling of seeing them on TV as a child: a couple of star dancing twin siblings who used to make appearances on TV shows, dancing; or as cameo candy-eyes in several TV shows. They tapped and were quite flattered for being twin children who danced with excellent tune, synchronism, and precision.

She saw images of them performing. From the very early years as cute star child dancers, and their career progression as the years passed: from being just cute dancing twins to squee at, to performing tap dance as professionals as teens.

It was so surprising and wonderful! To think Jun Hyun was once a child star along his twin. It was just so...unfitting to him! Also, she didn't made the connection with the name of the The Ji Hyeon Foundation until now. At first she thought it wasn't related to Mr. Go family. Now she realized the Ji Hyeon that got a famous Plastic Surgery Clinic named after her was Mr. Go grandchild, and Jun Hyeon's twin.

Ye Rim knew that Kim Jun Hyeon's twin sister was deceased; but a morbid curiosity moved her on wanting to know more about it. She wanted details, but couldn't find it in the comments. She even ignored a message alert on her cell phone to keep looking.

Some messages of support and curiosity later, someone finally dryly answered:

"Kim Ji Hyeon committed suicide a few years later. It was out on TV."

"Ah!" Ye Rim bit his fist, in even greater shock than the first. "Omo, how sad!"

She was scrolling to morbidly try to find more facts when the phone called, and she couldn't ignore it anymore. Picking up the phone awkwardly while using her other hand to scroll the laptop screen, she answered,

"Hello?"

It was President Song, much to her surprise. The Pearl's owner cheerful voice cut off the sick interest in the Kims' tragedy.

She was being called to a meeting at Pearl in less than an hour; and felt a bad feeling about it,

'What else could be happening now?'

…

A little annoyed at being interrupted in her leisure time, Ye Ri arrived at the club at around 6 PM, unable to take the image of the column of fumes and flames in that newspaper picture scanned for an internet forum.

Apparently she was the last to arrive, not knowing for sure what the meeting would be about. Lately all meetings were to try to calm employees' morale about late salaries, but never in a case like that, did Mrs. Song call with such a laid back tone. When she ran into the club's doorman, Bak, he was smiling:

"Mr. Bak, what's going on?"

But the big man didn't answer, just gestured for her to enter the hall.

Ye Rim saw that all the band except for Duk Mi, along with other employees, were there. President Song made her a friendly gesture to join the group. In greeting to all her sunbaes and hoobaes, Ye Rim got a seat in the improvised circle of chairs in the middle of the main hall, still puzzled.

The owner then began to say:

"Dear staff, two nights ago we had a great occupation and it turned on a good earning, thanks to our Wednesday's VIPS customers. And with Thursday's dancing bingo earnings," just then one of the musicians made a funny sound imitating a trumpet, by blowing his fist; a distinctly sarcastic sound, which made some people laugh.

President Song was disconcerted, but decided to ignore it and continued, "Because of that, we raised the remaining amount to partially repay our debt to our personnel." The band and the kitchen and service staff reacted in different ways, as Pearl's owner passed the envelopes forward.

"It's not the total amount, just a workweek's equivalent, out from the four weeks in total the club owes you. I am so grateful that you wait and totally understand the renting issue."

"Is it all you've got for us?", someone asked, but was interrupted by the usual loud entrance of the club's diva; or rather, main singer.

Duk Mi arrived this time, asking. "But what's up, why are we all gathered here?"

"To receive a week of arrears to which we are entitled," the cleaning lady replied, smiling and showing her envelope to him.

The male singer sighed heavily, and sat down on an empty chair, not looking very happy.

Ye Rim was glad that the visit of Mr. Baek and his guests had been so fruitful and lucrative for Pearl club, but she knew that this was an exception to the rule. As for her part, she would make good use of this money.

But she also thought she might be able to wait a little longer and suggest President Song use her paycheck to fix the wiring in her brooms closet; or rather, her dressing room.

Shortly after receiving his envelope, the clarinetist stood up from his chair with some fuss, catching everyone's attention. The club's owner turned to him, interrupting the distribution of envelopes, intrigued,

"Musician Chang, what happened?"

Musician Chang, a man in his forties who liked to dress like an American jazzist, took his Trilby hat and put it on his head, taking a while to answer. When he finally did, it was to say,

"There is nothing more for me to do here. For me it's the last straw. This place should acknowledge its bankruptcy and close down for once. I really have nothing else to do here."

A murmur of mixed reactions began, and Ye Rim was the first to protest,

"Musician Chang! I understand that you are impatient about late payments, but the President is doing what she has promised. Didn't she say that with the first money coming in, she would start paying the arrears?"

He looked at the young singer and shook his head.

"What's the use? In my case, things are not so bad, because I don't have a family to support. Waiting for this meager partial payment was difficult, but I hoped things would change. Mrs. Song promised that things would change. They really looked like they would change… For a while."

"You're being ungrateful, Ho Seong, " Duk Mi said in disgust. "You should be grateful to have this job, and President Song was your guarantor when you left jail."

'As usual', Ye Rim thought, 'Sunbaenim Duk Mi is bringing up things he shouldn't.'

"People may be grateful, but for how long is this place going to strive like this? We know this place can barely afford the expenses; and if there are any unforeseen times, we have to give up our salaries because rent is the top priority!"

Apparently Chang Ho Seong's courage made supporters, and the cook stood up, and demanded,

"President Song, pay us all the arrears!"

"I can't! It's not a secret to any of you what Pearl's situation is!" the ajuhmeoni spoke in a squeaky voice, feeling pressured. Duk Mi stood up and stood beside her:

"What are you doing? Are all of you crazy? If the President pays you all at once, she won't be able to pay the rent and that… that… " apparently the adjectives that crossed Duk Mi's mind were not the most polite, but as there were several women in the meeting, he just wasn't able to utter whatever was in his mind. But Ye Rim took the floor:

"We know the rent cannot be late a single day because of the clause in the contract. I don't think we should press on here. I don't know how much it takes to pay everyone, but I don't think Pearl has it all right now. What I do know is that President Song is the most honest person I know, and will pay everyone as the money comes in."

"The problem is, my dear Ye Rim, that our audience is not growing," the bassist said.

"On the contrary," a younger voice from the service staff was muffled, followed by malicious laughter. Ye Rim was upset by the lack of respect, but from where she was she couldn't see who said it.

Chang and Duk Mi were facing each other with hostility until the instrumentalist walked away. "Nevermind. This place is doomed to failure now that Ye Rim ssi is gone."

"What?!" the owner of Pearl turned to the singer, who felt her cheeks burning as everyone turned to her with the same shocked judgemental expression.

"What?!" she repeated quietly, not getting it at all.