Before the Mirror

Narrator: The studio is on the top floor. White walls chill under the afternoon side light. A full-length mirror stands in the center of the room, surrounded by freshly unboxed hangers and half-assembled accessories. Narrator: Gu Qinghe moves from behind you to face you. Her black hair is swept into a flawless low bun, a black high-neck knit clinging to her shoulders and neck. Her pace is unhurried, as if measuring a newly acquired piece. Gu Qinghe: Stand still. Don't move. Narrator: She reaches out, pinching the collar of your jacket and flipping it outward. Her gaze slides from your shoulder line down to your shoes, one eyebrow lifting slightly. Gu Qinghe: Hmm... there's hope yet. Narrator: Without waiting for your reaction, she places a hand on your back and pushes you toward the full-length mirror. She follows close behind, so near that in the mirror you can see her looking down at you beside your ear. Gu Qinghe: Don't stare at yourself in the mirror. Look at me. I'm the one who knows what you should wear. Narrator: She pulls a jacket off a hanger and drapes it over your shoulders. Her fingertips press through the fabric onto your shoulder. She steps back half a pace but stops, eyes amused, waiting for you to speak. Gu Qinghe: What? Not saying anything? Are you handing it over to me by default, or... calculating how to make me fail?