“Alright, good work girls!” I said as we wrapped up practice. “That last run was the best yet, keep up the good work and the practice and you’ll be able to do this in your sleep.”

I wiped my face with a towel as the girls sang out a chorus of “Thank you”s. When I opened my eyes again, I was surprised to see Kyla still standing there. “Hey,” I said. “What’s up?”

“I just wanted to ask, have you ever considered debuting as an idol?”

I laughed. “I can’t sing to save a life.”

“Maybe you could rap? You’re such a great dancer and really pretty, too.”

I placed a hand on my heart. As awkward as it felt to be receiving these compliments, it also felt a little nice. “Thank you.”

“How do you stay so skinny?” she asked next.

“I’m always so busy I hardly ever have time to sit down and eat,” I said with a chuckle. “I practically live off of granola bars, yogurt cups, and vitamin water.”

She smiled and nodded. “I see.”

“My mother says I need to gain weight, but I recently lost 7 kilos in two weeks instead.”

Here eyes sparkled. “Wow. How did you do that?”

“In a very unhealthy way that I refuse to recommend to anyone else. Kyla, I know what they say about you. The other trainees, the ones who don’t get to see how talented and dedicated you are. They are wrong.”

Kyla’s lip quivered. “It’s not just them. It’s… Never mind.”

“What? Who else? Netizens?” She shook her head. “The other Pledis Girlz?” Again, she shook her head. “Is it… management?” She slowly nodded.

“They’re saying if I don’t lose weight, I can’t debut.”

“That’s bull,” I said. “Pardon my French.”

She smiled. “I really shouldn't have told you, though, I’m not supposed to tell anyone that they said that.”

I sat down cross legged on the floor and beckoned for her to do the same. I leaned in to whisper to her, choosing to speak in English. “I’m going to tell you a secret. I haven’t had my period regularly in two years. Two years ago is when I first dipped below the normal weight line and I have yet to resurface. I am so unhealthy. So underweight. Do you want to know why I stay this way? Because I have to. I am a dancer. No one takes a healthy-weighted dancer seriously around here. You’re either severely underweight, or you’re in the wrong line of work.” I took her hands in mine and I smiled at her. “But you are an idol. You sing. You rap. You’re not a dancer by profession. You can be taken seriously by your talent rather than some arbitrary number that appears when you step on a scale.”

She had tears b her eyes. “But what if they really throw me out of the group? I really want to debut.”

“You are at a healthy weight for your size and your age. Do not let them pressure you into changing that. You’ve already made appearances as Pledis Girlz. They can’t kick you off without making an explanation, and they sure as hell won’t say, ‘we have our heads so far up our asses that we chose to kick her out because she didn't want to starve herself.’ Again, pardon my French.”

“They will, though. They can word it differently.”

“How many years have you been a trainee?”

“Six.”

“Since you were nine?”

She nodded.

“No wonder you believe they have a right to treat you this way. They don’t. You practically grew up with them.”

She stared at her lap.

‘Is she allowed to model? Ask her that.’

You’re awake? You’re listening? Jeez, that’s creepy that I couldn’t tell.

‘Just ask her.’

“Are you allowed to model?” I asked. Why do you ask?

‘I have a plan.’

“Not here, but I think I still can in the States. I used to as a kid.”

Okay, what’s your plan?

‘It’ll take a few hours to piece together. Get her number and tell her you might have a way to get management off her back.’

“I might have a way to get them off your back.” I saw fear strike in her eyes, and I rushed to say, “I promise I will not do anything that might jeopardize your debut.”

We exchanged phone numbers, and she got up. I made her promise to eat healthy and workout, and to not try anything drastic to lose weight. Then she left.

I really hope your plan works.

***

I got up out of bed and stared at my hands. I really didn’t want to mess this up for Kyla. I remember being in her exact position.

I called Thalia. “I need a favour from you guys,” I said.

We met up at an In’n’Out over breakfast. “Seriously?” Jason asked. “Burgers for breakfast?”

Hannah and Jenny were there, too. “I’ll get straight to the point. Thalia, how hard would it be for you to get someone a modelling gig?”

“My dad’s a shareholder of H&M, if that works?”

“How big of a shareholder? Could he set up a modeling gig?”

“What is this about?” asked Jason.

I sighed. “There’s a trainee at Pledis being pressured to lose weight. She’s perfectly healthy. I’m hoping to try to get them off her back by getting her a modelling gig.”

Jenny stared at her burger. “Did you really need all of us here to ask Thalia a question?”

“Well if Thalia’s answer is no, then I’d need as many brains in this brainstorm as possible,” I answered.

“My answer is maybe,” Thalia said. “They don’t just do photoshoots all willy nilly. The new season is a few months away. It’s the middle of October for crying out loud.”

Huh. I get the feeling that they’re all pissed at me. “Okay, okay. Look. This girl is not far from developing an eating disorder. I am terrified for her. I was there just a few years ago before I debuted. If she gives in and loses weight right now, the company will not let her off the hook, just like they’re doing to me. I need your help. Please.”

The table was silent for a few minutes, until Jenny spoke up. “What if Hannah took the pictures?”

“Then we just have pictures of some girl who looks obsessed with H&M,” replied Hannah.

“What if Hannah took the photos, and then Jenny published an article about it?” suggested Jason. “She’s still influential on the Internet.”

Thalia started to nod. “My dad may be able to get H&M to share the article to their following?”

I nodded. “I can, too. The more traction, the better.”

Jason tapped the table awkwardly. “And what do I do?”

“Do you remember what you did in the eighth grade?” I asked.

“Umm…” he replied. “I highly doubt that’ll work.”

“It will if it gets to the right person, and I know who those right people are.”

“More than one? Jeez.”

The girls looked back and forth between us. “What did you do in the eighth grade?” Hannah asked.

“He wrote a letter to the principal, begging her not to shut down the Anime Club,” I answered.

Thalia burst into a fit of giggles. “No way!” she wheezed. “You were a nerd?”

“Ha!” Jenny laughed. “Was. Girl, he is a nerd. Just last week I caught him rewatching Fullmetal Alchemist and crying when their mom dies.”

“So, like, the first episode?” Hannah interjected.

“Anyway,” Jason said, blatantly trying to change the subject. “I can write letters. You’ve just gotta tell me who to write them out to.”

“Perfect!” I cheered.

‘Do I get a task, too?’ Alice asked.

Yours is the most important. Keep Kyla safe. If ever you hear anything being said to her, you step in. Try being subtle, but heard. We don't want her getting in trouble, but we also don’t want management to just blow off your comments.

‘Gotcha.’

***

When I walked into work later, I noticed a sign that said the shop was hiring. I rolled my eyes and sighed. “Good evening,” I greeted.

I put my stuff behind the counter, plugged my phone in, and clocked in.

“Hey, Alice,” Mr Jung shouted from the back, over the sound of the blender.

I checked the cashbook to see how much cash was currently in the register, and I noticed that the person who worked the front before me hadn’t even counted. In fact, I noticed a trend. I was the only one who regularly wrote in the book. “Mr Jung?” I called out.

He joined me up front, and looked at the book I was pointing at. “Huh.” He placed his hands on his hips. “Did you notice the sign out front?” He tapped the book. “