Lookism: What Am I Even Doing?

Chapter Fifty-Five

(Two Days Until)

The roles of my position were laid out clearly for me to understand. This was mostly an in house position, meaning my presence would be needed directly in the Bird Garden. The only time I would be asked to leave this building is on Saturday nights when we ship our "Canaries" to their buyers.

Canaries is a term used to refer to people sold during the biddings. Not all our Canaries require the accompaniment of a Red Mask. It's more of a complimentary service given to our regular and highest bidding customers. These are the ones that buy in bulk for whatever damn vile reasons. Seo-ah told me not to think about it too much. These were people with too much money on their hands.

How could I not think about it though? She tried to reassure me by saying things get easier over time. I'm not sure how much that worked. The only reason I haven't slammed her head into the damn table and set this place on fire, is because I'm afraid of what that psychopath Jong-su would do to everyone.

As for my role inside of the Bird Garden. It was to maintain regulation and order within the house. This meant making sure that all shipments were timely, in order, and as they should be. If things were to get out of hand with any of our "Birds", then I am to step in and stop things from escalating.

Birds used as a term to describe our "products"

I'm also to make sure that all Birds are well behaved and compliant during their check-ups every Sunday. I almost wanted to laugh when Seo-ah said that the Bird Garden is closed on Sunday's. How ironic, but I guess there's that saying that says not even the devil works on Sundays. Or however it goes.

The last thing that I am to do, is take care of any intruders or people that have in any way betrayed or disrespected the Bird Garden or its Birds. By taking care, Seo-ah gave me a heavy implication that the word meant to kill them and make sure no one found out about it. I hope that I'll never have to resort to doing that.

Right now, I'm stuck in the office trying to pull myself together. The space was pretty small compared to the waiting room upstairs. It was a thirty by thirty room with a large desk planted against the far side of the room, a large desktop sitting on it with other stationary and papers. A large meeting table took up the rest of the room. It was black and round at the edges and there were a total of eight chairs around it.

I sat farthest from the door, right in front of what would normally be the executive's desk. I leaned over the table, with my hands covering my face as I took a deep breath. For some reason, my whole body was starting to feel all hot despite the low temperature of the room and the light fabric on my skin.

Was it the guilt weighing on my body that was making me feel this way?

Seo-ah had stepped out a long time ago and hasn't come back. She neither explained to me where she was going or when she'd be back so I was stuck here not knowing what to do. She had instructed me not to step out of this room and I gladly followed that order. The only reason I can leave this room is if there's an emergency, but even then, there's supposed to be another red mask on the lower floors with the buyers already.

Strange, I didn't see anyone down there but I was very distracted by the thoughts of murder consuming my head. I slammed my head on the table and muttered a soft string of curses. I've been sitting here for almost three hours in silence and it was driving my mind insane.

It was the boredom, it was the thought that I knew something clearly very wrong was happening on the other side of that door and there was nothing I could do about it. I laughed softly to myself.

Oh, so now I want to go play hero...is that right? When have I ever been so good hearted?

'You're pathetic."