Tears fell down Yoohyeon’s cheek as she intently detailed the features of Handong’s face. How could she had not recognized her? How was that even possible to have forgotten her? Her sister. Maybe because she wasn’t alive at the time. But now, she’ll never let go. She let out a choked whine and threw herself at her, holding her as tightly as she could. 

Handong, confused, furrowed her eyebrows, silently asking Minji over Yoohyeon’s shoulder what was going on; but she saw that her neighbor was crying as well « What’s going on? » She asked to obtain answers, her eyes falling on the two other women standing a little behind Minji, seeming in awe at her sight « Is everything okay? » 

« More than okay » Yoohyeon whispered, detaching herself from her slowly. 

Handong was completely lost by the situation. Yubin and Gahyeon appeared behind her, the younger one holding Nannan in her arms, both sporting the same confusion as her. Minji and Yoohyeon had also a lot of questions as to why Gahyeon was in the apartment when Handong and Yubin were supposed to have a date but now was not the time. 

« Can we talk to you? » Yoohyeon asked nervously the owner of the place. 

« Sure » Handong raised an eyebrow, intrigued, and gestured for them to enter her home. 

« This is my best friend Bora and her girlfriend Siyeon » Minji introduced them when she got to her level. 

« Nice to meet you » Handong gave them a head nod. 

« Likewise » Siyeon said eagerly and Bora elbowed her in the stomach, gaining a muffled groan, and smiled innocently at Handong. 

« It’s a pleasure to meet you » She smiled sincerely and passed by her. Siyeon followed silently and Handong closed behind them, still as confused as to when she opened. 

« So….what’s the matter? » 

Yoohyeon still couldn’t believe it. Was Handong faking not knowing? Or did she, just like her, not remember a thing? She had so many questions? Like how did Handong ended up in China, if it was true? Or how did she came to life? 

« It…uh…should be talked privately » Minji cleared awkwardly, glancing toward Gahyeon and Yubin. She sensed Handong’s confusion and how she was going to tell her to say it in front of the two clueless girls so she added « It’s about a….mannequin issue » She stayed vague but Handong’s expression immediately dropped. She turned pale and for a moment, Minji thought she was reversing back to her mannequin state. 

« How….how do you know about that? » The Chinese woman gulped. Yubin and Gahyeon were frowning, looking at one another with no idea of what the conversation was about. 

« Because I was one too » Yoohyeon let out in almost a whisper, coming toward Handong who looked at her with widened eyes. 

« W….what? » She breathed as if she couldn’t believe such a thing. 

Yoohyeon took the picture from her pocket and handed it to her with trembling hands. Handong’s brows furrowed as she took it but her face completely froze when she saw what it depicted. 

« Dongie, are you okay? » Gahyeon asked, suddenly scared from her reaction. Suddenly, Nannan jumped from her arms and rubbed his head against Handong’s legs, purring. The woman finally blinked, she kneeled and took him in her arms before looking back at Yoohyeon visibly in shock. 

« I didn’t know there was more of us » Her voice cracked, tears building in her eyes. 

« I didn’t know either » Yoohyeon let her tears fall freely down her cheeks. Handong choked up and rushed into her arms. The girls around them let them had that intimate moment. Minji was silently crying while Bora was patting her back, her head resting on her shoulder. 

« What’s going on? » Yubin mouthed to Gahyeon who just shrugged, just as lost as her. 

Handong and Yoohyeon pulled away, holding each others’ hands « Sister » Handong let out, a smile spreading on her face as she felt that somehow it was the right word to refer to her. Yoohyeon grinned, tears still running down her cheeks of happiness « What….what happened to us? » The Chinese woman asked. Since she was ‘born’, she had many questions that she had never found the answers to; and she had lost hope that she would ever do. 

« It’s a long story and I want to hear your side as well » Yoohyeon said. 

Handong nodded and just then, she looked at the girls, that she had forgotten at that moment, were surrounding them. Minji and her friends already knew and….Her eyes fell on Yubin and Gahyeon. The two women who were the closest to her. Could she let them know who she was? Her heart didn’t feel like letting them go. She closed herself for too long. Maybe letting people in would make her loneliness disappear? Nannan purred in her arms. She averted her gaze to him. His eyes let her know he approved. She smiled. 

« Let’s all take a seat. There’s a lot to unpack » She sighed. They all sat around in silence before Handong turned toward Gahyeon and Yubin « I….uh… » She gulped « I know it’s going to sound crazy but all I am going to say is true » She told them anxiously. 

« Okay » Gahyeon nodded. 

« We’re here for you » Yubin said sincerely. Yet, Handong was still scared they would run away.

« Maybe I can go first » Yoohyeon proposed to ease her nerves. Handong was really curious about Yoohyeon’s story as well, and maybe it could shed some light on her own life. There were still a lot of questions she had about her past and herself. Hopefully, Yoohyeon could help. 

The silver-haired straightened on her seat, locking eyes with Minji. After all, she was the start of her story « My eyes opened for the first time in Minji’s bedroom not long ago » She began with a small smile directed toward the woman she loved the most on this planet. Every one of them listened with interest her tale, even Yubin and Gahyeon who at times thought it was more of a work of fiction than the reality, but Yoohyeon was a very good narrator and grabbed their curiosity with every sentence. She revealed her lies about her made-up past and Gahyeon and Yubin realized it all made sense. She told them everything, including Bora and Siyeon’s discovery. She turned toward Handong, pointing at the picture « They created us. I had a flash of memory about them. It’s becoming clearer as time goes by. Maybe soon, I’ll regain all of my memory. Did you not remember anything? » Yoohyeon asked expectantly. 

Handong took a deep breath « I’m often dreaming of a doll factory » She grazed her fingers on the one her ‘father’ was holding in the picture, the exact model that she dreamt about since she was ‘born’. Now she knew that years of her life had been spent there, but it hurt her that she couldn’t remember her parents, her creators; nor Yoohyeon and her other siblings « Why have I never dreamt of you? » She met Yoohyeon’s gaze with teary eyes. 

« Maybe it was too painful » Yoohyeon put her hand on her lap and Handong held it, desperately in need of the physical contact to make sure this conversation was real. Their father had separated them to protect them but that distance between them might have broken them in a way he could have never predicted. 

« It is » Handong wiped her tears. Nannan didn’t miss the chance to once again rub his face against her arm to bring her warmth and reassurance. Handong smiled softly at him, scratching him behind his ears, which made him purr. 

« Where did you wake up? » Yoohyeon cautiously asked. She was curious but she wanted Handong to take her time to process it all. 

« China » She simply answered. 

« So that was real » Yubin said, trying to sort out as well all that she had been told. It was an insane revelation but it only amplified her feelings toward the one she had developed a crush on and for her silver-haired friend. 

« I didn’t want to lie about all of me » Handong looked at her in the eyes « I just….I knew that if I told something people might have thought I was crazy. I couldn’t risk it. But…maybe….if I became really close to someone….maybe….maybe I could have » 

« This is crazy » Gahyeon admitted « But you have us now. We know and we stay » Next to her, Yubin nodded. Minji and Yoohyeon joined them as well. 

A small smile appeared on Handong’s face as she lowered her head to look at her attention-seeking cat « My parents couldn’t have children. My dad was working at a metal factory and my mom had a small tailoring shop. With the little money she saved, she redid the shop and got a couple mannequins to display her work. I was one. Since my dad was always at work she passed her time alone at the shop. In hope of not losing her mind, she began talking aloud to herself, and soon it was to us. But to me particularly. She thought that if she would have ever had a daughter she would have looked like me » 

« She brought you to life » Minji let out. Handong nodded. 

« She was working on a piece of clothing one night when she heard a loud crash » 

__________________________________________________

Hey, guys! 

I hope you enjoyed the first part and are excited for Handong’s life story? 

I must tell you, this story is soon coming to an end :( Just a couple more chapters left. But don’t worry, I have many more stories coming :)

See you next week :)

-J