The Mannequin - Minsung

three

"My name is Minho, by the way." He gives the mannequin a chicken sandwich and a glass of lemonade.

He observes it and wonders if he's dreaming. What a crazy dream. If it's not that then... what a crazy hallucination.

"Minho?" The mannequin repeats. It's sitting at the kitchen table while eating happily. It licks its lips after emptying the glass.

Then its eyes glitter at Minho. They're expectant. It's still hungry.

Minho looks around. Then gives it a banana from a fruit bowl.

The mannequin almost bites into it without peeling the skin off. Minho quickly reaches over and peels it for him.

It nods seriously. Takes a bite. And then nods again. It smiles as it eats.

Minho sits across it. "So... um... are you going to tell me your name?"

The mannequin lowers the half-eaten banana. It looks sad.

"I'm sorry. I don't know that yet. It hasn't come back to me."

"Come back to you?"

The mannequin nods, shoves the rest of the banana into its mouth, and blinks at the peel confusedly.

Minho holds out his hand, takes it, and tosses it into the trash.

The mannequin nods seriously again.

"What do you mean? Sorry... I have a lot of questions and I don't know where to start. Is it... Is it okay? Can I ask you?"

"Yes. But I will turn back very soon. So let me tell you what I know first."

"Turn back? I mean, okay. Yes, please go ahead."

"Basically, I get life when I'm given love."

"You what?! L-Life? Love?"

"Yes." It nods once again.

"Wait, wait, so what exactly are you? You're a mannequin that's...?"

It stands up and comes to Minho. "I don't know. But I'm human now."

Minho cautiously pokes its arm and holds it. He takes its hand. It's soft. Smooth. He inspects its fingers. Its nails. Beautiful.

"Wow," he whispers. He moves his chair back and stands. "Can I...?"

The mannequin nods. Minho wasn't even sure what he wanted to ask. So he touches its face. Soft. Real. Warm.

"H-How..." He whispers in awe.

"I don't know a lot. Maybe I will slowly remember as the time passes. All I know is that, the more love I get, then the more life I get."

Minho has so many questions. They run through his mind. So many feelings of disbelief too. But he has not managed any words... when the mannequin suddenly grabs a hold of his face.

It pecks his lips. Then moves away.

Minho blinks in surprise. Soft. So incredibly soft. 

Almost immediately, his brain reminds him... they're the same lips.

He suspected so! "Hey! Why do you kiss me...?"

The mannequin has returned to its square plate. It's posing with arms at its sides. Its eyes are closed.

Minho runs to it and touches it. Cold. Hard. Lifeless once again.

To be continued...