Christmas Gift.
Department Girlfriend.
Rubbing his hands together, Jang Hanbyul sat on the metal stool enduring the never ending playlist of the Christmas carol playing throughout the department store. Unlike normal people doing last minute Christmas shopping, he was stuck at work. He really didn't have a choice given the situation that he had nothing else to do. Both his parents were out on a month cruise leaving him alone for the holiday thinking that their son will be spending it with his girlfriend. Unfortunately, that girlfriend ended up dumping him last week.
It was like a curse. Every year, a week before the Christmas Eve he would get dumped by his girlfriends. No matter how hard he tried, it was always the same result. Propping an elbow on the counter, Hanbyul rested his chin on the palm of his head, looking at the store mannequins. Some might say he might be crazy and insane to be fond of such thing, but all in honesty; Hanbyul that she was perfect. The mannequin of course.
Every morning, Hanbyul would help his co-worker change the clothes on the store mannequins standing in front of the glass window, and every day Hanbyul would stare at it's beauty. It was made of plastic and could give him no warmth or love, but Hanbyul was content with the feeling that the mannequin girl would always be there. Sometimes he wished she was real, but then he would realize maybe he is crazy. Falling for a plastic object? Good riddance, he might as well check himself into a mental hospital.
For the rest of the day, Hanbyul spend it by opening and closing the register for each purchase and running kids out of the store whenever they came in to play around. Around the closing time, he locked the doors and gave a one more glance at the mannequin. "If only you were real." Sighing, he stuffed his hands in his pocket and walked home.
The morning light blinded his eyes. Pulling his pillow over his head, Hanbyul groaned. Everyone around the world would be running towards the Christmas tree to open their presents, but for Hanbyul, he wanted nothing but to sleep through the holiday. There wasn't a tree in his house nor presents lying around waiting to be opened. He had hoped the maybe this year he would be spending it with someone, boy was he a fool to have hoped for that.
Groaning, he pulled the cover tightly around his body. Just sleep in Hanbyul, he told himself. his lips, Hanbyul took a deep breath and exhaled before he felt the touch on his leg. His eyes shot opened. Blinking, Hanbyul felt the thing rub against his thigh. Lifting his pillow, he came face to face with a beautiful eye smiling female. Screaming, Hanbyul yanked the cover towards him and fell off the bed. Quickly sitting up, he scattered towards the corner and turn to the girl with his finger pointed.
"Who're you!?" Hanbyul shouted as the girl sat up. Recognition spread on his face, he knew that face. There was no mistaking it. She was the mannequin girl! Which means...he was dreaming! "Okay, Hanbyul. It was a good dream, now let's wake up." Slapping his face, Hanbyul smiled at the girl. Blinking, he slapped himself again and against only to see the girl sitting on his bed.
"This is a dream!" Hanbyul told himself. There was no way the mannequin would come alive! Right!? The girl pushed herself off the bed and crouched in front of Hanbyul with a smile. She was wearing the exact same outfit the mannequin wore yesterday when he had put her up on the display. If he were to run to his work and press his face on the glass window, she wouldn't be there would she? "You're not a dream." Hanbyul stared at her.
She shook her head with a smile. "Your face is like a ripped tomato, all red." She giggled as she gently poked his cheek. "I'm Kaeri, your girlfriend."
"My girlfriend?? I'm pretty sure I would know if I have a girlfriend or not, especially if was sleeping in my bed!" Hanbyul quickly got up and picked up his jeans. "You're the girl from the department store! No, not a girl, a mannequin! You're made of plastic! You're a plastic!"
"I find the highly offensive," Kaeri crossed her arms and pouted a little.
"You can talk."
"I've been talking," Kaeri rolled her eyes. "It's like you don't see a mannequin come to alive everyday, geez."
"That's the point!" Hanbyul pulled on his jeans and zipped it up. " I don't! No one does!" Hanbyul told her as he buttoned his pants and slipped on his t-shirt. "This has got to be a dream. Don't mannequins who comes to alive, like doesn't know how to talk and stuff? Like in the movies?"
"This is the twenty-first Century." Kaeri blinked. "And those are just made up."
"What are you doing here?" Hanbyul hopped on one feet while putting shoes on the other. He continued to stare at the girl, this had got to be a dream! Inanimate objects do not just come alive! Still, there was a part of him that was a bit...giddy. It was his dream girl! In the flesh. Of course, he was freaked out, but he was happy that his wish came true. Which made him wonder, why his wish for a puppy didn't come true. Santa was being picky, tsk.
"You wished for me, silly." Kaeri stood up and smiled at him. "For today, I'll be your girlfriend."
"For today?" Hanbyul raised a brow.
Kaeri chewed on her bottom lips as she looked out the window. "I have a deadline," She turned to Hanbyul and smiled. "I'm not part of this world, I shouldn't even be alive you know. So to keep the balance, I'm here just for today and at the strike of midnight, I poof away like a fairy Godmother."
"Well...that kind of.. ." Hanbyul frowned. What was the point of having a girlfriend for a day if they are going to disappear? Still, it was better than being alone, yet again. Pulling on his jacket, Hanbyul did a one take on Kaeri with a grin. She was pretty cute, but that didn't mean much when she was basically designed to be cute. Rolling his eyes, Hanbyul walked out of his apartment. Few steps down the stairs, Kaeri quickly grabbed his arm and stopped him.
"You were about to leave me, you can't leave me." Kaeri told him with wide eyes.
"You know, I'm getting this distinct feeling that you are like a little puppy." Hanbyul nodded as he tried to pull his arm away.
"Ruff," Kaeri giggled as she hugged his arm tighter. "Where are we going?"
"I'm going to work and you are staying here." Hanbyul tried to pry her fingers apart from his arm.
"Take me with you!" Kaeri pursued her lips and pouted a little.
Hanbyul debated for a moment. If he took her won't people recognize who she is? But then again, who would believe that a mannequin would come to live? Poking the inside of his cheek with his tongue Hanbyul nodded.
Sitting on the wooden bench with a cup of hot chocolate in his hands, Hanbyul had never thought this could have happened. It was an hour before midnight and he had been spending his entire day with that strange creature who couldn't stop bring him smiles and laughers. At first he thought it was too good to be true and that he shouldn't get attached, but after watching her greet the customers and help him make sales, he started to loosen up. During lunch he took her to the nearest cafe where he watched her devour the chocolate cake with a mess like a little kid. It was cute.
After work, Hanbyul took Kaeri to ice rink where they mostly fell on their butts then skate. Hanbyul was more amazed at how Kaeri was doing better than he was. Throughout the day Hanbyul was reminded how it was good to have someone to share a smile, laughter and a good time with and how he missed it no matter how hard he tried to forget it.
At first he found Kaeri very annoying and full of aegyo. He was kind of appalled by it. There was a moment when asked to the universe; what kind of Christmas gift is this? Take it back.
How he wanted to bite down his tongue. Half way along the day Hanbyul begged the Universe not to take her back that a day wasn't enough for him.
"Hanbyul!"
Startled, Hanbyul threw back his cup of hot chocolate. "Sorry, I was spacing out." He chuckled as Kaeri sat next to him.
"YOU!"
Turning around, Hanbyul's eyes grew at the sight of a large man whose clothes were dampened by his drink. "Uh-oh," Quickly, Hanbyul's face dropped at the sight of his angry expression. Grabbing Kaeri's hand, Hanbyul quickly got up and ran down the street, pulling Kaeri along.
"M-My dr-drink-k-!!!" Kaeri trotted along as fast as could while trying to keep her coffee in the cup.
Hiding behind the bricked wall, Hanbyul made sure they lost the man before he let out a relief sight.
"Look," Kaeri held out her cup. Hanbyul gave her a slight tilt of a head, confused. Kaeri scrunched her face as she turned the cup upside down to show that it was empty. "It's gone now, its gone!!" Kaeri grabbed Hanbyul's collar and shook him like it was the end of the world.
"Now I'm going to leave this world without having to taste the caffeine called coffee!" Kaeri wailed before she quickly straightened herself and smacked Hanbyul lightly on the chest. "I'm kidding, oh well." Kaeri stuck out her tongue in a childish manner with a smile.
"You're bi-polar aren't you?" Hanbyul gave her a side way glance.
"What's that?" Kaeri tilted her head to the side a little.
"Never mind," Hanbyul shook his head as he stuffed his hands in his pocket and glanced around the street. "Okay, let's go." Before he could take a step towards the street, Kaeri had grabbed his arm. Glancing at her hand on his arm, Hanbyul looked at her with a questioning look.
"There's only an hour left." Kaeri told him with a quiet tone. "Before that hour is up, there's something I need to ask you."
"What is it?" Hanbyul asked, a bit worried at the sudden quietness.
"Would you....TAKE ME TO SEE THE CHRISTMAS TREE!?" Kaeri's eyes widen with a wide smile as she jumped up and down like a five-year-old child on a candy rush.
Hanbyul chuckled; it was cute! She was just darn too cute!
"Woaaahhh..." Kaeri's eyes glistened at the sight of the giant Christmas tree that stood in the middle of the city. Sitting on the cold stone bench she smiled brightly as the lights on the tree. The corner of Hanbyul's lips curled up at her expression. Turning to the tree he took a deep breath and exhaled.
It was indeed a beautiful sight.
Slowly, Kaeri reached over and took Hanbyul's hand in her's with an eye smile, "Not a bad Christmas, eh?" She giggled.
No, not a bad one; a good one. A really good one. Hanbyul leaned closer and kissed her on the forehead. "Thank you, for coming to rescue my Christmas."
Kaeri gently caressed Hanbyul's cheek with a serene expression at the sound of the first bell. Glancing at the clock that showed both hands on twelve, Kaeri bit the inside of her cheek. Turning to Hanbyul she gently kissed him on the corner of his lips at the second bell.
Hanbyul closed his eyes. The touch of her lips against the corner of his made him want more. He slowly brushed his lips against her's at the sound of the third bell. Unfortunately, his lips met with nothing but the thin air.
Opening his eyes, Hanbyul felt empty. It was December twenty-sixth and Kaeri was gone.
That morning, Hanbyul walked back home with a heavy heart knowing that the person that had made him smile like there was no tomorrow was gone forever. Lying on his bed, Hanbyul closed his eyes with a bittersweet smile.
He'll see her again, in front of the store. She may be back to being a mannequin, but that didn't make him love her any less.
The cold air brushed up against his bare neck, causing him to flinch. It was friggin cold inside the apartment! Pulling the cover around himself tightly, Hanbyul slowly got up and made his way to the thermostat. Turning on the heat, he dragged his feet back to the bed.
"Morning, Hanbyul."
"Morning, Kaeri." Hanbyul replied back, a bit groggy from his sleep. Lying on the bed, he pulled his pillow against his chest before opening his eyes. Quickly, he sat up and turned his head to see Kaeri waving with a bright smile on his bed. "You!" He pointed before jumping out of his bed.
"Me!"
"You're still here!"
"So are you!" Kaeri laughed.
"But how?!" Hanbyul's eyes continued to widen.
Kaeri pursed her lips together and tilted her head before giving him a smile, "Your Christmas gift?"
"My..." Hanbyul chuckled. He was speechless. All he could do was open his arm and let her wrap her arms around him. Inhaling her scent, Hanbyul grinned. Christmas miracle? He didn't believe in it before, but now? Maybe, just maybe.
"We have a problem." Hanbyul told her.
"What is it?"
"My boss is going to wonder why we're missing a mannequin."
OMG I'm so ashamed ; A ;
I'm sorry if this one-shot turned out horrible. I had this perfect idea..well... I actually had like three different plotlines as a present for you, but then it didn't turn out quiet right. And since it was near Christmas I was thinking of going for more of a Christmas theme and oh geez ; n ;
I'm so sorry, I failed as a writer /sobs in a corner/ I've been lacking inspiration lately.
I'm sorry if this one-shot turned out horrible. I had this perfect idea..well... I actually had like three different plotlines as a present for you, but then it didn't turn out quiet right. And since it was near Christmas I was thinking of going for more of a Christmas theme and oh geez ; n ;
I'm so sorry, I failed as a writer /sobs in a corner/ I've been lacking inspiration lately.
Still I hope you liked it, at least a little ; u ;
Merry Christmas <3
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