Chapter I

Once upon a time there lived a prince. This prince was very popular throughout the land, even in neighboring kingdoms due to his handsome face and intelligence. Due to being popular he has captured hundred hearts of maiden even princesses that were willing to give him everything, especially good dresses or garments. Due to his dashing looks everyone thought that he loved receiving dresses so they gave the prince the most expensive and beautiful garments that only fits a prince like him. But the prince was not impressed with the gifts, “Do you think that wearing fancy stuffs like that and receiving them can help our nation improve? The robes only made my closets richer, not my country.” He decided to ignore all the gifts that was given to him. All of the people that decided to give the gift were broken-hearted, because of the grief and depression of these people, there appeared a black sorceress.

While the prince was sleeping in his chamber the sorceress magically appeared, “Obnoxious prince!”

The prince woke up and saw the sorceress, “Who are you?!”

“I’m your worst nightmare! The people who like you sent you gifts but you just ignored it! And you have hurt their feelings, I’ll curse you... You will turn into a doll.... Since you don’t like being dressed up this serves you right....” She pointed to the prince and starting from the feet the prince turned being a mannequin.

“But I haven’t done anything bad to them, I just rejected their gifts since I don’t really need clothes, what I need is their affection!”

The sorceress smirked, it was only the head that has not turned into a mannequin, “I’ll give you a chance, you can only move normally when you are alone with a person, who finds joy in dressing you up and smiles when he do so, and the way to break the curse is a kiss...”

The rest of the words after the word kiss were unheard since the prince has completely turned into a mannequin.

~

April 13, 2011

Today was the first day of Yesung in the store Marcus. Marcus is a very famous store for male clothing, they have all the kinds of clothes for male costumers, especially formal clothing. Marcus have been open for 99 years that it made its own trademark but no matter happens the owners do not get endorsers for their clothes since they got a lucky charm, a life size doll-mannequin that looked like a real person.

“Good morning everyone! This is our new co-worker Yesung, starting today he will work here,” Leeteuk the manager of the store introduced Yesung to his three co-workers. Sungmin, the nice person working in the cashier. The hyper Donghae and kind Hangeng who were in charged in assisting the customers.

“It’s nice meeting all of you! I’ll do my best for Marcus! Fighting!” Yesung cheerfully exclaimed.

The four felt happy seeing Yesung’s antics, “Yeah we believe you Yesung, let’s do our best for Marcus okay?”

“That’s all, right?” Leeteuk asked the fellow co-workers.

“Oh! You forgot to introduce him to Mr. Marcus,” Donghae pointed to the mannequin.

“Donghae that again?” Hangeng asked the giggling Donghae.

Yesung looked at the direction where Donghae was pointing, there he saw a doll-mannequin. It stood in the middle of the store surrounded by clothes. Yesung couldn’t help but be amazed by the beauty that the doll was emitting if he wasn’t told that there is a doll-mannequin at the store he would thought that the doll was a real human. ‘Wow... How beautiful... silky, and fine hair... a pair of honey brown eyes... the white skin that can be compared to marble that seems to have a mysterious warmth.’

“He is a very fine store doll, is it new?” Yesung asked Leeteuk.

“No, it’s not new. In fact that store doll already was here before the store was built,” Leeteuk started to explain. “That store doll is very precious because there’s a curse that guarantees the suits he wears will be sold, no matter how much is the suit. It’s no doubt that thanks to him our store is first-class.”

“Could it be that he’s older than us? But why he looks like brand-new?”

“Nobody knows what he is made of but even if there is no difference to a dummy I think we should treat him exactly as a co-worker,” Sungmin who was behind the counter smiled.

“Oh, by the way Yesung, aside from assisting costumers you will be in charge of changing his suit, that’s all bye!” Leeteeuk bowed and went out of the store.

Yesung once again looked at the doll and gave it a heart warming smile.

~

“Good morning! Today’s suit is a favorite of mine from the Spring collection,” Yesung started putting clothes to the doll, his expression is very light, he was smiling the whole time while doing his task. He stepped back and looked at the newly dressed doll, “Woah, it really suits you well!”

“Wow, Yesung is doing it again. It has been a month right? I’m really happy to see him like that.” Hangeng was looking at Yesung while he talked to the doll.

‘I wonder if you’re just really a doll... but to me even if it’s impossible... you seems like a real human being. I would be really happy if you start talking with me,’ Yesung held the cold and hard hands of the doll.

“Don’t press so hard!”

“Huh? Did you just talked?”

“What are you doing Yesung? Ha ha ha,” Donghae greeted.

”Don’t play jokes on me! I thought it was real!”

“Sorry, sorry. I couldn’t help it. You are very serious while dressing Marcus up, I heard people saying that the suits looks more suitable to him than when we are dressing him. You’re really good huh? I learned that they wanted to put you in a higher position but you choose to be in the sales. I think that is very good.” Donghae smiled at Yesung.

“Thank you...”

“Hey guys, it’s time for the meeting!” Leeteuk called the other co-workers.

“Yes! Coming,” All of them started to go upstair.

Before going upstair, Yesung looked at the doll, ‘I wonder if he likes the suit...’

Yesung saw the doll smiled. ‘Huh? Did he... smiled.... just now?’

“Hey Yesung!! Teukie will be very angry if you are late!”

“Ah! Yes,” Yesung decided to put it aside since there was no way a doll will smile to him.

~

Another month passed away. Yesung learned how the sales work that he can do everything well but there was only one thing that he wasn’t used to, changing the dress of the doll.

While Yesung was removing the long sleeves from the doll he couldn’t help feeling shy, he was blushing hard and fumbling the buttons of the sleeves, he decided to move a little away from the doll and close his eyes as he continued undressing the doll.

‘Every time I undress him and see his skin I couldn’t help but think that he is a real human being even though his skin is cold and totally different from a human skin.’

Yesung got a mop and started cleaning since its already closing time, “Hangeng... can I ask you something?”
Hangeng was putting the data in the computer about today’s sales while he drank the coffee that Yesung prepared, “Hm? What is it?” Hangeng asked while sipping the coffee.

“You used to change Mr. Marcus’ clothes right? When you took off his clothes... didn’t you feel anything then?”

Hangeng spitted off the coffee that he is drinking, good thing that he didn’t get the computer wet.

Yesung continued talking and cleaning since he didn’t knew what Hangeng did, “Somehow I totally have a feeling as if I’m undressing a real man, I can feel my heart throb, and when I look in his eyes it somehow move something deep inside me, then...”

Yesung stopped talking when he felt Hangeng checking if he have a fever or something, “Yesung are you sure you don’t have a fever?”

Sungmin who have heard the whole conversation also checked Yesung’s temperature, “Are you sure you’re okay? Aren’t you fatigued or over working?”

“? I’m not really feeling any pain.”

“Leeteuk must have been mistaken at duty planning,” Hangeng murmured to himself.

~

Later that night.

Yesung was doing the inventory of the store alone at the basement.

“1, 2, 3, 4, 5... 5 pieces. Hmm... the inventory is going smoothly! But it seems that I’m not making any progress all by myself,” Yesung was forced to have an overtime work to do the inventory, his other co-workers were busy, Sungmin is having his anniversary with his boy friend, Donghae is going out with someone while Hangeng is assigned to another work.

Yesung wished that there will be someone to help him finish the inventory, “Achooo!! Oh I should warm up myself by drinking coffee.”

He went to the locker room of the employees and mistakenly made 4 cups of coffee since he was always with the other co-workers. ‘Hmm... what should I do with the remaining cups? It would be a waste to throw it away... maybe I could drink it all... but I don’t want to be too jumpy... ah maybe...”

“Nice job Mr. Marcus! Would you like a cup of coffee?” Yesung happily looked at the store doll standing in the middle of the store not expecting any answer in return.

“Yes... With pleasure.”

“...Huh?” Yesung didn’t knew if he was being paranoid after drinking the coffee.

“For ages... I have always wanted to drink coffee.”

‘I have never heard this smooth bass voice before... it’s very different from Hae’s imitation of Mr. Marcus’voice. Maybe he is a costumer...’

“Oh... a perfect blend...”

‘Huh...? That is the shoes that I put on “him” for tomorrow’s display... the suit is identical too... It can’t be! He totally looks like Mr. Marcus... the hair and especially the eyes... But could he be a HUMAN?!’

“E-excuse me... a, are you... the store doll?!” Yesung asked straight to the point.

“...The store doll?” The man put his hands in his chin, as if thinking, “...Oh! That is what I turned out to become of me.”

Yesung was staring hard at the alive store doll, when he heard the confirmation a smile made its way on his face then he fainted really hard.

end of chapter 1