"It's Not My Fault You're too Dim !"

At that precise moment Diane arrived in the kitchen. "You knew didn't you ?" Debbi exclaimed angrily, waving Li's phone with the explanatory photo at her rival. Diane just grinned. "You stitched me up" Debbi continued to fume. "You said it was some sort of tea ceremony !"

"Excuse me but I said nothing of the sort. You made that assumption and I just replied that it was something like that. It is Japanese after all. It's not my fault that you're too dim to do any research" Diane replied. "How am I supposed to look up nyotwhatsit ? I can't even spell it !" shouted Debbi. "Nor pronounce it is seems" laughed Diane. "What if I won't do it ?" yelled Debbi. "Then we are going to have some very disappointed Japanese" replied Diane. "Almost certainly so disappointed that they cancel the contract. And it'll be clear to Jeff and the MD who's fault that will be !"

Debbi scowled at her. "And why did you invite the MD ?" She whined. Diane smiled as she could see that the argument was already won. "It'd look pretty strange not to have him at a celebration dinner for the most important new contract of the year so far" she said.

"Look ladies, we really don't have time for this. There's a lot of preparation to do" Li interrupted. "Yes" agreed Diane. Jeff came with me, the MD's on the way and the Japanese'll be here any minute."

"Jenny, show Debbi the staff room where she can get undressed" Li repeated the instruction from earlier. Diane grinned as Debbi traipsed after the student.

Debbi remained furious as she stripped down to her bra and pants. "I'm keeping these on" she said defiantly to the girl who had stayed in the staff room watching her. "It's not up to me" Jenny answered. "We've never done this before, only Li knows what he's doing" she continued. That did not fill Debbi with confidence either, as she left the relative privacy of the staff room and emerged back in the kitchen clad only in her underwear.

"That's no good, those have got to come off too" Li pronounced when he saw the offending garments. "I'm not taking these off" Debbi insisted, acutely aware of the interested gaze of the other four kitchen staff. "You have to" Li replied. "It's food hygiene standards. Do you want me to get your colleague back in here ?" he threatened.

"Sod it" Debbi sighed and turned back towards the staff room. "Is there anywhere I can leave my clothes ?" She had left her outer clothing draped over a chairback. "She can put them in your locker Jen" Li suggested. "'Spose so" the girl agreed unenthusiastically.