(1) Motionless

“Hwang Zitao. I told you to win the bet and all you had done is wasting my money in this stupid, ing miniature of Chinese Great Wall and some fake panda fur. Why did you do this to me, huh?!”


“It can't be help!” From the corner of his eyes, Chanyeol saw the boy named Zitao is still trying to explain everything to his great grandpa who had always been this mad for his grandson unfortunate luck. It was a rare case actually for Zitao's not winning the bet but his grandpa seemed not to care about every reason Tao had given him. Grandpa looked absolutely furious after hearing that it was actually the Wu's who had tackled his grandson's chance for buying 3 limited edition of Asian angelic porcelain dolls he's been craving so bad. Everyone in this neighborhood knew that the Hwang and the Wu were enemies in antique stuffs business.


Chanyeol was happened to be one of the Hwang's special costumers.


Chanyeol had been becoming their costumer since he was five. His father was a big fan of antique stuffs even though he didn't attend Archeology major on university. His father's hobby had influenced him so much that he turned to be like his father too even if he wasn't live with him anymore since the divorce. Being an antique collector himself made Chanyeol getting closer to the old man Hwang's grandson, who happened to be his junior in school back then. Ever since, they always played together after school or just studied while sorting some stuff to be displayed in Hwang's. Zitao merely chuckled every time Chanyeol was getting mesmerized by some of his antique collection and the taller boy had never get tired of visiting Hwang's every now and then, even just for seeing Zitao or buying some of the items.


Grandpa Hwang finally spotted him standing in front of an antique China pot and suddenly waved him hello with smile plastered on his face. The boy only grinned at Grandpa while holding his chuckle because of Zitao's rolling eyes at him. Chanyeol approached them and smacked Zitao's shoulder playfully. “I think you two are having a serious discussion so I didn't come closer.” Chanyeol saw Zitao huffs and Grandpa merely chuckled at his words.


“Nu'uh. Nothing's serious, it's just Zitao.”


“I've told you it's not my fault!” Zitao felt offended, ready to explode at any time if it wasn't for Chanyeol who had squeezed his arms. The red-headed boy still looked mad but Chanyeol didn't say anything.


“Well, I think you should bring Chanyeol with you to discuss about getting back the China dolls to our store.” Grandpa finally stood and left them with confusion hanging in their mind. Especially Chanyeol, since he didn't know anything about the China dolls matter or something related to Grandpa's words.


“If he's not my grandpa and that old, I'm sure I'll throw him out right away. From the window!” Zitao groaned, still annoyed with the way his grandpa told him to do something he didn't want to do. Typical Zitao, Chanyeol thought as he positioned himself in front of his friend, playing with some of the ancient necklace from Nepal. “You can help me with that?” He asked Chanyeol without explaining first.


“What was that?” Chanyeol's brows knitted, curious yet confuse with the way Zitao said his request.


“That is trading with the Wu. Getting those stupid China dolls back for my old whiny grandpa.”


“What China dolls exactly? Don’t you say you barely find them interesting?”Chanyeol asked nonchalantly, but from the sparks in his orbs everyone could tell that he was slightly doubted Zitao's attempt to get those for his grandpa. Zitao scoffed.


“I have the same thought like you said at first until I saw them.” He leaned closer, too much for Chanyeol's surprise, those eagle eyes rounded with some suspicious glint Chanyeol had never seen before in his friend's eyes. It was the glint when he found something unexpectantly interesting, like he found wushu or panda plushy interesting for him. It was a rare case that Zitao found China dolls interesting, because he wasn't like Chanyeol who was a big fan of porcelain dolls.


“So?”


“Just come with me and get yourself amazed.”Zitao challenged him, making Chanyeol's curiosity grew stronger on him.


“Let's go then. Just remember to save your for your own good if I found out the China dolls aren’t as amazing as you said,” Chanyeol snorted, much to Zitao's amusement.



 

oOOo

“What the are you doing here?”


Well, that was Yifan, the grandson's owner of the Wu's, the one who beat Zitao in the trade for China dolls his grandpa had been desired. Tao shot the dark haired boy a dirty look before casually walking inside the store, much to Yifan's annoying. Yifan didn't even realize that Zitao came to his store with Chanyeol who had been following from behind. While the grandson's owner had busied himself glaring hole to Zitao's back, Chanyeol had find a perfect timing to admire Wu's collections.


“I want you to offer me to see the China dolls, Wu Yifan. Could I?” From his place Chanyeol could hear Zitao had begun his persuasion by asking question in casual manner, despite his annoyed feeling inside. He might be not in the mood for a good talk, but he could suppress the feeling for trading sake. “Because I've got some surprise for you.”


Yifan raised his left brow and stopped at his track. “What the hell are you talking about?”


“You're not listening,” he rolled his eyes, and then continued to approach the restricted area by stepping oh-so-slowly. Yifan, much to his awareness, at no time stood behind Tao, still glaring at him with no avail. Chanyeol, who had been wandering to the other side of the store, finally got closer to them and followed Yifan from behind. He had never seen Yifan before, so he got surprised by realizing Yifan's giant built. He could hear Zitao's mere chuckle in the front. “Chanyeol here have been wishing to trade your China dolls collection with pretty high price. Right, Chanyeol-ssi?”


Chanyeol got surprised upon hearing Zitao's tricky statement. This is not good, he said to himself as Wufan turned to glare at him. you, Zitao, he cursed while looking at creepy Zitao who still shadowed behind Wufan. “I-I wish I could... buy your collection. Yes. I've been searching for those China dolls around the world and Zitao just informed me that you sell those.”


“I'm not going to sell those things. Is that clear, Mr. Chanyeol?”


“Who said we're not going to sell those dolls, you chicken ribs maniac?! Get off. I want to talk to my costumer.” They were taken aback by the sound of stack of papers hitting Yifan's head and an unapproving growl from the black haired male. Chanyeol had to suppress a giggle while Zitao snorted in a mocking way to the tallest boy. The old man suddenly turned his head to Chanyeol and brought him closer to the restricted area. “Well, you're Chanyeol-ssi, right? Come to see our latest collection of limited edition China porcelain dolls. I'm sure Zitao from Hwang's is the one who offered you to go to our shop, right? That's a right decision, because we have all the Hwang's haven't.”


“Umm,” Chanyeol looked helplessly at Tao who had gestured him to follow the old man. “Actually, I want to know the price first because I don't want to buy something that isn't worth to be paid with high cost.” The old man stopped and carefully looked at Chanyeol.


“Here, young man, we will never be offering low quality goodies for Heaven's sake. We can lose our customers and I can't take that risk by selling something not worth to be paid.” He cleared his throat and continued, “We can discuss the price later, can't we? Now, you have to see the dolls first.”


Chanyeol was fidgeting in his position. The stuffs that packed in the restricted area was everything he had never found at Hwang's before. Some of them were dangerous--or perhaps illegal to have--and Chanyeol couldn't risk his freedom for those goddamn things despite his desire to own each one of them. Yet he failed to control his eyes for glancing every now and then at the shelves on top of the walls, mouth-watering. It seemed like the old man witnessing Chanyeol's antic that he had to nudge on his ribs. “Don't forget to close your mouth when you've got to see these beautiful dolls. Even if they are male-like, they're even more beautiful than the girl-like dolls.”


Chanyeol's jaw slackened before he eyed Zitao who had stood behind him with 'I-told-you-so' look on his face. Yifan was still towering him with his suspicious look to Chanyeol and Tao. When Grandpa Wu finally tugged his costumer to the corner of the last shelf, Chanyeol apparently hold his breath.


Not far from his position, standing three humanlike dolls on their glory, still wrapped in their transparent plastic cover. Zitao hummed while Kris was eyeing the dolls without even blink, and Chanyeol--well--he'd lost for words. Grandpa Wu easily pulled him closer and Chanyeol stammered when he was getting closer to one of the petite blonde doll. Actually, the Wu had two blonde dolls and a dark haired doll but Chanyeol didn't know why the petite one had attracted him from the start. He didn't even know that he had things for a petite, blonde male.


“I think you have decided which one that had captured your heart, haven't you?” Grandpa Wu . Chanyeol gulped, not being able to talk for a while until Zitao hit the back of his skull a little hard.


“Get out from your y thought. Now, what's your choice?” He sounded a bit pushy but Chanyeol hadn't come out from his mind. Zitao had to call his name for nth time until Chanyeol finally blinked and nodded. He approached the petite blond doll and glanced at its milky white skin. A small placard on its right shoulder informed Chanyeol about the doll's name.


Baekhyun.


“I want this.”


That night, Chanyeol finally purchased 15000 dollars for Baekhyun alone.



 

oOOo

Zitao helped Chanyeol placing the doll inside, while the boy's own doll had been arriving safe and sound at his grandpa's store. They could tell how happy Grandpa Hwang had been by seeing at his toothy grin he failed to suppress. They bought the blondes and placed one on Zitao's shop while the petite one named Baekhyun was ready to be placed at Chanyeol's apartment. He lived alone so it was going to be easier for them--especially for Chanyeol--to hide this doll from others. Al least his apartment hadn't been visited by anyone since his ex-boyfriend, Kyungsoo, left him to be with someone named Kai. Well, it couldn't be help, even if Chanyeol still had feeling for Kyungsoo but he tried to forget it. He didn't deserve someone who couldn't accept his antic of collecting unique stuffs.


The doll stood still inside his bedroom, still because Chanyeol hadn't decided whether to put it on clothes or not. Even if he wanted to do it, he wouldn't as long as Zitao was here. Who knew that Chanyeol probably had something to do with the doll which he didn't want Zitao to witness. After finished placing him inside, Chanyeol closed the door behind him and gestured his hand to his comfortable couch. “So, want to have some drinks? Soda or coffee or what?” Chanyeol was about to stand when Zitao suddenly grabbed his wrist and yanked him down forcefully. Chanyeol frowned and rubbing his wrist in mock expression. “You jerk, what've happened to your manner?”


Tao didn't even listen him. “Look, you have to keep this secret for the rest of your life, understand? Grandpa is greedy as , I can tell he will robe your house as he found the fact that one of his favorite dolls is here.” Here comes Zitao's warning and Chanyeol merely nodded with distracted mind. “Keep quiet and don't act like you own something called 'limited edition China porcelain doll', you got it? Then, bye.” He walked out from Chanyeol's apartment as if nothing happened and the latter only glanced at Zitao's back until he disappeared on the corner. He went back and locked his apartment door, slightly rubbing the back of his neck while stepping to his own bedroom. He couldn't escape from the fact that he was attracted to the doll. From afar, if he didn't knew that Baekhyun was a doll, he could be mistaken it as a guy. A perfect, beautiful guy he ever saw in his life. Not to underestimate that the other dolls weren't as pretty as Baekhyun, but this particular doll had given him a strong impression. Not to mention its perfectly shaped thighs and those curvy hips, besides the milky white and soft skin that embraced its built in a tempting way.


“Perfect,” he said to himself out of the blue, gently caressing Baekhyun's bare arms and chest before placing a tentative peck on its forehead. “Even if you just a doll, it's enough.”


God, since when he had been that desperate?


He was pretty sure that he could do better than just imagining himself got laid by this doll on his bed. Just took a walk, hit some random y strangers and ed. It was all legal in the name of fun. But as adventurous as Chanyeol could be, he couldn't do that. All he need was a partner, someone who could be his other half and shared everything to him, even for oxygen. Chanyeol hadn't found one in his almost 24 years of life--Kyungsoo had proven him that he was not the one for Chanyeol, instead.


His hands fall on either side of his body before slowly walked away from Baekhyun doll. He crushed his body to the mattress and laid down there squeezing his eyes shut for about two minutes. Then he remembered he hadn't washed his face when suddenly he was about to wake up. But his body automatically freezing when he saw something odd coming from the doll.


Baekhyun's skin glowing slightly before his small eyes blinked in rapid motion, made Chanyeol left speechless. He gasped as he saw the doll became more alive--with some robotic motions to straighten its bending arms and legs, then rotated its head as if to get away from stiffness it'd been experiencing the whole day. Chanyeol couldn't believe his eyes; he wanted to call Tao and shouted the out of him. Who knew that this doll had been possessed by some ghost who made it alive? When he was about to reach for his phone, the doll's eyes found his and shot a look at him.


Beautiful but creepy, yes.


Chanyeol let out an unmanly shriek before crawling out from his bed to rush over his living room. His fingers felt numb as he punched Tao's phone number and waited for his attempt to pick up. He growled as Tao didn't even pick up his call, almost throwing his phone on the floor if it wasn't for a soft yet cool hand on his shoulder.


“E-excuse me. Could you please tell me where I am now because I've been lost in track of time and place?” A soft, husky voice rang behind him, much to Chanyeol's astonishment and he almost jumped to the nearer couch because of frightened.


“Holy ! Don't come near me, you're not allowed to come near me, you possessed doll! Go away!” He was always afraid for something horror and a speaking and moving doll was his last expectation. “Oh God, Zitao you ing jerk, I'll rip your hair from your--DON'T YOU DARE ING COME NEAR ME, DO YOU COPY?!” Chanyeol was really scared his body was trembling and the doll had made his way back from the couch, looked a little bit hurt.


“I'm so sorry, sir. I-I don't even know why I ended up here.” He looked over his body, slightly embarrassed by the way his milky skin exposed to the frightened man in front of him. “And .” He took Chanyeol's blanket for covering his body and sighed at the dejection. Even if he was still scared, finally he'd come to his sense that the doll had been retreating his step to the corner of the room before sat down hugging his knees to his chest. This time was Baekhyun's turn to get frightened as he dipped his head lower to his knees.


“Where am I?” Chanyeol could hear the former doll muttered something under his breath, sounded helpless and weak. He wasn't sure what to do now beside called Tao and asked him about this problem with Baekhyun. But he found himself scooted closer when he heard a soft sniffling sound. What the hell was happening actually? He cursed inside, stopping when he was almost touching Baekhyun's shoulder.


“Hey, don't cry, okay? I don't know what had happened to you because I have no idea why you suddenly turn into human. I--.”


“I am human for Heaven's sake! Don't you see it? I'm real, a real creature and not a doll!”Baekhyun yelled, suddenly feeling offended.


“But you are a doll before! You can't fool me around, you know? Don't mess with Park Chanyeol.”


“I'm not messing with anyone, as so you know!”


“Then why you suddenly turned into a human, then?!” Chanyeol blurted out in despair. The latter seemed not to hear his question because his eyes suddenly widened with an horror expression, making Chanyeol scrunched his nose in confusing way. “What?”


“Wait. So, are you really seeing me as a doll before?” Baekhyun asked with his still widened eyes, watching Chanyeol's mere nod while squeezing his fingers unconsciously. “So, that was real... that I've been petrified and... tell me where did you buy me--what's your name, by the way?” His hoarse voice suddenly knocked Chanyeol down from his deep thought.


“Chanyeol.”


“Right, Chanyeol. Now tell me, where did you get me?” He asked with a stern voice.


Chanyeol's fingers suddenly found their way to his black short lock. “From the Wu's. Why do you want to know?”


“Take me there.” Without asking, the former doll opened his wardrobe and threw some of his clothes on the bed, ready to take off the duvet that covered his figure before. The taller merely gasped as he couldn't take his hungry eyes from enjoying the alluring view in front of him. He swiftly shifted his gaze as Baekhyun turned his back to make sure that Chanyeol wasn't looking at him.


The taller male wasn't sure about taking Baekhyun back to the Wu's as he remembered what Zitao had told him earlier. Don't let anyone figure out that you have a China porcelain doll in your house--but what if the doll become a human out of the blue? Did he still have to obey his friend's warning? “Wait a sec, Baekhyun. We can't go now.”


The smaller guy was about to wear his grey oversized hoodie when Chanyeol grabbed his wrist in a stubborn manner. Baekhyun tried to yank his hands from the taller's grip but unfortunately he was just too strong. Baekhyun was slightly fabberglasted by the way Chanyeol gazed right onto his dark orbs and he found himself flushed at the action. On the other hand, the dark haired man didn't seem to realize what just had happened to the boy in front of him.


“Why can't we?” Baekhyun flinched as Chanyeol's grip became tightened on his wrist.


“Because there's someone who wanted to kidnap you out there.”


Chanyeol didn't know what he had just said, but that words seemed have to instantly affect Baekhyun by the way his body finally froze and stilled. “The hell was that?”


“I'm being serious here, Baekhyun. There's someone who wished to have you as his collection and put you in his storage room for God-knows-for-how-long.”


Yeah, that was something Zitao's grandpa would do if he found Baekhyun wandering around pedestrian walks in the middle of the day.


Much to Chanyeol's astonishment, he could feel Baekhyun's body shivered beside him, suddenly becoming pale upon hearing his warning. The smaller male looked like nearly fainted if it wasn't for Chanyeol who hold his weakened body, trying to support the pretty male for him not to fall down.


“What can I do now?” He asked in a faint manner. Chanyeol didn't know that his words would be affecting Baekhyun this much; he was nearly running out of ideas when Baekhyun asked that question to himself. However, there was one thing for sure he could do to save this doll for tonight, even if it was barely acceptable for Baekhyun himself.


“You're going to stay here until I call Zitao tomorrow.”



 

oOOo

When he called Zitao in the morning, his grandpa said that he had just flown back to China to meet his parents.


“Crap,” Chanyeol cussed in thick frustration. If Zitao was going to China then who could give him advice about Baekhyun's condition? He couldn't just go to the Wu's and faced Yifan who was pratically going to scold him by letting his grandpa sells Baekhyun that time. Next time, he had to tell Zitao to give him his China cellphone number so Chanyeol could keep in touch with his friend just in case something like this happened for the second time. On the other hand, Baekhyun seemed to think a lot about his dangerous condition that he barely listened to Chanyeol's calling to have breakfast together and stuffs.


“Hey, Baekhyun.”


This time, Chanyeol was greeted by Baekhyun's saddened puppy eyes, and he nearly spitted his orange juice. The way Baekhyun's dark orbs shot his despair made the taller male left speechless so he tried to look away from the doll. Nevertheless, he couldn't help but concern much to the latter's condition. He might be confused a lot, Chanyeol thought, as he made his way to stir a cup of herbal tea for Baekhyun. He brought the tea with some pieces of toast bread together and placed them in front of the smaller male.


“I have no appetite for breakfast,” he sighed contemplatively. Chanyeol didn't seem to hear him, however.


“Eat first. Then I'll find another way to reach Zitao.” Baekhyun shot him a dark glance.


“This is all your fault, Chanyeol. If it's not because of you--.”


“Hey, that's an understatement!” Chanyeol felt slightly offended. “If it isn't because of me, probably you won't taste the tea and toast bread I have prepared you just now.”


“I'm still not going to thank you for whatever you do to me--.”


“I'm the one who save you,” Chanyeol interrupted.


Baekhyun sighed for the second time that morning. “Whatever you say. You just some childish guy who'd like to be called a hero.” The smaller male crossed his arms in front of his chest in sulking manner. “Touche.”


Zitao didn't mention that the China doll could be this annoying, did he?


Baekhyun gasped unconsciously when he suddenly found Chanyeol's face was so close to his. “I'm still your owner, remember?” He whispered right into Baekhyun's ear, making the smaller boy shuddered at the mere contact of Chanyeol's lips with his sensitive skin. “I have rights to do anything to you, so don't mess with me, Baekhyun. You are my doll.” He emphasized, but suddenly aware of Baekhyun's hurt expression which had made the taller felt a pang of guilt on his gut. He watched the doll nodded.


“Right. I am your doll.”


He could hear his grunt erupted from behind his throat.


“Look, that's not what I mean, okay? If I say 'doll' it doesn't mean that you're like one who have to obey every things I tell you. You're a doll... who lived.”


Chanyeol, please, he mentally slapped himself. He's not Harry Potter or whatsoever.


“There's nowhere save to go but here, in my apartment. Where no one can't find your presence so they can't harm you. At least for a while.”


He still couldn't guarantee Baekhyun's safety until Zitao came back from his hometown three days later. That was why on three days, Baekhyun had to bear living in Chanyeol's, doing clueless activities which made him slightly bored. Chanyeol, being a good host he was, even couldn't make Baekhyun suppressed a smile he supposed to let out by looking at Chanyeol's kindness. It wasn't like Chanyeol never helped him to conform with his new environtment, but Baekhyun was still too shocked by the reality that someone was still into him in the most frustrating way.


However, Chanyeol had never given up to make Baekhyun felt at home in his apartment.

A/N : This is actually a birthday present for waifu. I thought it would be good if I split this into three shots. Enjoy reading xD