Before Sasuke could make sense of whether the midnight experience was reality or hallucination, Sakura abruptly dragged him to the equipment room, the place where window dressers prepared wooden accessories for mall display windows.
Sakura marveled at the automatic cutter, creating a cacophony while slicing through wood beneath it.
Grumbling, Sasuke promptly shut off the cutter by yanking its cable, irritated that his work was being disrupted by a creature that had no business being alive—a blatant violation of its mannequin nature.
However, Sasuke's vexation couldn't quench Sakura's enthusiasm as she marveled at the modern tools for the first time. She gleefully activated all the machines, including the wood smoother, drill, and even the automatic nail gun.
"The things I could've done with these tools!" Sakura exclaimed, watching the automatic nail gun in her hands, pondering how to use it.
"You like working with your hands?" Sasuke nervously inquired, still petrified by the mannequin that not only lived and spoke but was also toying with a dangerous automatic nail gun.
"Yes. I love building and inventing things. Back in Tokugawa, my husband and I even made a pair of wings," Sakura replied with a broad smile.
"And I'm sure you flew," Sasuke retorted sarcastically, leaning against the wall, trembling as he observed his living mannequin companion who couldn't resist talking.
"That's right. Almost," Sakura asserted confidently. "You still don't believe I'm real, do you?" she sceptically asked.
To everyone's surprise, Sakura fired a nail with the automatic tool in her hand, prompting Sasuke to reflexively dodge the projectile that narrowly missed his eye.
Sasuke felt his heart threatening to leap out of his chest and let out a relieved breath when the three large nails landed inches away from him.
"I'm open for discussion," Sasuke deadpanned, pretending indifference, though deep down, he wanted to scream and flee from the animated mannequin.
"Wow," Sakura whispered in amazement at the shot nail in her hand, nearly attempting another shot before Sasuke hastily intervened.
"Why don't we stick to good, old-fashioned hand tools for now," Sasuke suggested in frustration, holding both of Sakura's hands. His heart raced wildly as he felt the unnaturally smooth hands of the mannequin girl. He then snatched the automatic nail gun from Sakura's hand, swiftly unplugging its cable, and stashed it on the table behind him.
"You've got some impressive hands there," Sakura complimented, half-whispering, as she held both of Sasuke's hands, which were significantly larger than hers.
"Thanks," Sasuke responded, momentarily caught off guard by her charm.
"I enjoyed the way they felt while you were assembling me," Sakura said with a smile. Unconsciously, Sasuke continued to stare at her face with a starry-eyed look, though his expression seemed grumpy. For a brief moment, he struggled to find words, marvelling at the extraordinary beauty of the mannequin he had created, even though he had seen it countless times. However, at this moment, she wasn't the stiff, lifeless plastic figure with vacant eyes. Somehow, magically, she had transformed into an incredibly charming woman who could captivate anyone.
Sakura gently caressed Sasuke's cheek and nearly brought her lips close to his before Sasuke adeptly moved his face away.
"This isn't real, Sasuke. No matter what, she's just a lifeless mannequin. Tomorrow, you'll wake up, and she'll be standing frozen as usual. You'll be labeled insane for having kissed her," Sasuke berated himself in his own mind.
Shortly after, overwhelmed, Sasuke chased after Sakura, who ran like a child while swinging a tennis racket through the deserted mall.
In panic, Sasuke scanned his surroundings, especially the ceiling, looking for the mall's CCTV cameras. He tried his best not to respond to the words of the living mannequin, fearing that security guards might see him on their screens, talking to himself like a possessed person.
"Tonight, we'll do something different and special," Sakura exclaimed with laughter, "Something this store has never seen before." She continued with full force, tossing her racket towards Sasuke, who adeptly and anxiously caught it.
"I wish you didn't look so worried," Sakura teased while snatching a black bolero hat from the head of one of the real mannequins standing in front of her, half on tiptoe. She then twirled to face Sasuke, swaying her hips, playfully showcasing her style to impress the man.
"Easy for you to say," Sasuke smirked, intentionally grabbing the bolero hat worn by Sakura and returning it to the real mannequin, making Sakura pout.
"As a mannequin, you'll always have work," he taunted again nonchalantly. He then pointed at himself, "Me, I'm gonna end up in the nuthouse after this."
He sighed audibly while briefly checking his own phone, "I wonder if insanity is covered in the employee health plan?"
"That's the dress I should flaunt in the window!" Sakura exclaimed, dashing towards another real mannequin elegantly adorned in a blue satin dress.
Out of the blue, Sakura stripped off the red dress she was wearing, presenting her naked body directly to Sasuke.
Sasuke's eyes widened, his heart racing uncontrollably as he attempted to retreat from Sakura with wobbly legs. "Don't do that," he stammered, vigorously shaking his head, his face a canvas of sheer terror.
"You weren't this shy when you were sculpting me," Sakura teased sensually, nibbling on her red lips. Without a single thread covering her, she sauntered towards Sasuke.
Sasuke could feel his cheeks blazing crimson. "You weren't so real," he mumbled, caught between fear and bemusement. It marked his first encounter with a stunningly gorgeous woman stark naked before him.
"Good God, who are you?" Sasuke exclaimed, eyes wide with disbelief. Unconsciously, a smile crept onto his face, acknowledging the undeniable arousal triggered by the sight of this incredibly sexy woman. However, his protective instincts kicked in, and he instinctively grabbed a satin coat hanging on one of the clothing displays, hastily draping it over Sakura's front.
Sakura giggled joyfully, seizing the chance to envelop Sasuke in a tight hug, leaving him utterly immobilized.
The next morning, Sasuke dozed off in the display window, only to be abruptly awakened by the persistent tapping of a disheveled homeless man. Grinning with yellowed teeth, the man pointed excitedly behind Sasuke, muttering incomprehensibly. Bewildered, Sasuke reluctantly turned to see what had caught his attention. To his astonishment, the window display was now impeccably arranged in a particular theme, a transformation that left him perplexed since he hadn't lifted a finger to decorate it. Even more bizarre, Sakura, now a lifeless mannequin, sat with folded hands gracefully, her gaze averted.
Reflexively, Sasuke wiggled his fingers in front of Sakura, confirming that the mannequin was the same beautiful woman who had passionately embraced him the previous night and stood naked before him. Desperately, Sasuke touched Sakura's cheek, gently caressing it, only to feel the unyielding plastic surface as before.
Sasuke's eyes widened, his heart racing. He shook his head while nervously biting his lip. It couldn't be that the events of last night were just a dream. The mannequin had genuinely come to life and spoken to him, and everything felt so absurdly real. Sasuke vividly recalled the scent of strawberries and peaches that had filled the air when Sakura hugged him. Strangely, Sakura had transformed into sports attire with a white tank top, a pink polka-dot tennis skirt, silver crescent moon earrings, and a tennis hat—all without any visible assistance. Sasuke surveyed the surroundings, taking in the tennis-themed display with numerous rackets on the wall and fake tennis balls propelled by an automatic wind machine.
Sasuke tugged at his own hair, questioning the absurdity of it all. Who had changed Sakura's clothes and orchestrated the display so flawlessly? Was the mannequin truly alive, or was this merely an outrageous hallucination brought on by his prolonged singlehood? To make matters worse, he had been caught snoozing inside the display window with a mannequin! What would people and his boss think? Sasuke realized that the sun was shining brightly, and pedestrians strolled past the store.
Oh no! They must think I'm as nutty as that homeless guy, Sasuke fretted, tousling his hair in frustration, and making a hasty exit from the display window.
Later, in the majestic office building of Illustra Department Store, Karin geared up for a meeting with the entire board of directors and members of the store. The agenda: the acquisition of Vaganza Department Store and Illustra's grand plans to transform the previously struggling mall, drowning in debt, into a profitable venture.
However, Karin's peace was abruptly shattered by Suigetsu, who greeted her with a teasing whistle, "Karin, you look so foxy!" he winked mischievously.
"I'm not in the mood for your catcalling, Suigetsu," Karin retorted sharply. "There's a crucial meeting that we both need to attend. Have you prepared the sales reports you're supposed to present later?"
"Ah, the reports," Suigetsu mocked in a whisper to Karin's ear, without her consent, playfully wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "Of course, I'm ready for anything, including our dinner later."
"Tch! I absolutely refuse to have dinner with you!" Karin rejected bluntly, pushing Suigetsu's hand away disdainfully.
"Oh, don't tell me the Uchiha wanker hanging on the Prince Co. sign yesterday still excites you, Karin," Suigetsu mocked with a half-laugh. "Hmm, maybe now he's working as a lowly janitor."
"I don't mind that," Karin grumbled, adjusting her glasses, "Besides, I love Sasuke just the way he is!"
"Oh, come on, Karin," Suigetsu teased, again forcing Karin into a one-armed embrace, causing her to push his arm away with annoyance. "I know your true nature. You care about luxury. That Uchiha won't give you a single penny. He might give you a mountain of debts for sure."
"Listen here, wacko! If you try to touch me again, I'll report you for sexual harassment!" Karin threatened angrily. "Remember, our relationship is strictly professional!"
"So, a lunch invitation is also considered a professional relationship?" Suigetsu raised and lowered his eyebrows playfully.
Karin rolled her eyes.
Their banter suddenly halted as the management team and directors passed by. Karin and Suigetsu immediately bowed incessantly as Orochimaru, followed by his manager Uchiha Itachi, walked past them into the grand meeting hall.
"Good morning. Good morning," Karin and Suigetsu greeted simultaneously with fake smiles, bowing incessantly. Winning favor with superiors is one way to survive in the cutthroat world of work.
"Ah, Karin, I hope you're ready for our presentation on the prospects for Vaganza Dept after our acquisition," Itachi reminded coldly, without a smile, pointing towards Karin.
Shaken and jittery, Karin immediately delivered an exaggeratedly enthusiastic salute to the imposing Itachi, "Ready, boss!"
"And you, Suigetsu, make sure our sales reports are recorded perfectly," Itachi commanded again with casual indifference before entering the meeting room.
"Ready, boss!" Suigetsu shouted, mimicking Karin's style with an artificially high-pitched voice.
Annoyed, Karin slapped Suigetsu's mouth. Suigetsu, chuckling, leaned in and whispered into Karin's ear, "By the way, I know the color of your panties today. Wanna guess? Probably maroon again, right?"
Suigetsu's mockery earned him a punch in the stomach from Karin, who couldn't help but let out a frustrated laugh.
…
Before the joint meeting with the directors, management, and shareholders began, Orochimaru suddenly cooked up an idea to embarrass Itachi.
"Ah, Mr. Uchiha, it seems you missed the spectacle of your viral little brother yesterday," Orochimaru, the president director, chimed in, veering off entirely from the morning meeting's agenda.
"I assure you, Mr. Orochimaru, I meticulously perused the news on the internet," Itachi replied calmly, casually flipping through his files, seemingly impervious to his superior's jabs.
"Well, it appears he has successfully forged a rather personal relationship with the owner of Prince Co. Perhaps one day you can use it to acquire that long-forgotten mall. What do you think, Mr. Uchiha?" Orochimaru teased again with a half-laugh. "Besides, he has excellent skills in hanging like a chimpanzee."
The meeting members couldn't resist joining in the laughter and mockery.
Itachi sported a sarcastic grin. However, he couldn't stand by and let his younger brother be ridiculed like this. "That's quite an intriguing idea, President Director," Itachi responded sarcastically but with a calm demeanor.
"It seems your relationship with your brother hasn't been going well lately," Orochimaru teased again, seemingly relishing the opportunity to embarrass his subordinates in public.
"I believe my personal relationship with my family members has no relevance to today's meeting's agenda," responded Itachi with a fake smile, though deep down, he entertained thoughts of punching his boss in the jaw.
"Of course, it's relevant, young man," said Orochimaru with a laugh. "However, according to my trusted sources, your brother is now officially part of Prince Co., a long-standing obstacle for us. Oh, is this some kind of secret plan you're quietly orchestrating behind my back? Are you deliberately placing your useless brother there with the same pitiful theatrics to rescue the almost bankrupt mall?" Orochimaru suddenly asked with suspicion.
The meeting members began whispering to each other.
"It seems you're a tad too suspicious, Mr. Orochimaru. My brother is now an adult and has decided to work there, undoubtedly his own decision. I didn't even know he's working there until I saw his viral video on the internet," Itachi replied, trying to maintain composure.
"Oh, really?" Orochimaru asked while lighting his cigarette. "This is very interesting. Two brothers working for two competing department stores."
Itachi bit his lip upon hearing Orochimaru's laughter.
"It would be much more interesting if you made him the main pawn to take down that damn Tsunade, huh? Let's see how your little brother reacts if his own brother wrecks the boss he saved from the billboard tragedy," Orochimaru chuckled, blowing smoke from his cigarette towards Itachi.
Itachi reflexively started coughing, and Orochimaru became even more delighted with laughter.
Karin and Suigetsu exchanged puzzled glances. However, Suigetsu grinned mischievously as his hand stealthily intended to grip Karin's thigh under the table.
Caught off guard, Karin tried to maintain her composure in front of the important board members and forced a fake smile. Meanwhile, her red stiletto immediately stomped on Suigetsu's foot.
"Shit!" muttered Suigetsu, attempting to endure the pain without screaming, or he would become the center of attention in that meeting.
…
After that exasperating meeting, during which his boss intentionally belittled him in public, Itachi found solace alone in his office, engrossed in reading the sales reports submitted by Suigetsu. He let out a deep sigh, pondering the strained relationship with his younger brother, who had purposefully severed contact since graduating college without offering a clear explanation. Every attempt Itachi made to visit Sasuke's apartment was met with mysterious absences, leaving him wondering about Sasuke's whereabouts. There was even an instance when his brother rudely dismissed him through the intercom.
Itachi was well aware of the root cause behind the rift with his brother—his father's blatant favoritism towards himself since childhood, constantly boasting about him. Itachi's gifted intelligence and talent, earning him the status of the golden child in the Uchiha family, made Sasuke, with his peculiar hobby of carving wooden dolls, remain overshadowed. Itachi's academic success at Harvard with a full scholarship contrasted with Sasuke's lack of motivation in high school, where he resorted to delinquent activities, joining gangs and venting insecurities through physical altercations. Although Sasuke put less effort into academics, he effortlessly secured a spot at the University of Tokyo on his first attempt, emerging as one of the top graduates in the sculpture department.
The continued preference for Itachi by their father and incessant praise only served to further diminish Sasuke's already fragile self-confidence. This led Sasuke to isolate himself from the family, especially after gaining the freedom to live independently at the age of eighteen. Additionally, Sasuke's career trajectory was not as fortuitous as his older brother's.
As Itachi glanced at his phone on the table, he couldn't shake the strong desire to call his brother and offer congratulations on the new job at Prince Co. Little did he know that Sasuke was employed as a stock boy—a fact that would have intensified his regret.
Without hesitation, Itachi dialled Sasuke's number, fully anticipating the prompt rejection from his obstinate brother.
At the same time, after rejecting Itachi's call with a grumble, Sasuke reluctantly slipped his phone into his pants pocket and pushed the large cart containing numerous boxes of items to be distributed to various display sections in the Prince Co. Stealthily, the young man infiltrated the secret door leading to the window display when he felt no one was paying attention, intending to observe his mannequin up close.
Itachi let out a long sigh and roughly placed his phone on the table. He couldn't fathom his brother's unchanged attitude, treating him like a stranger based solely on jealousy.
Affection had transformed into hatred.
With a distant gaze, Itachi stared at a small framed photo on his desk, depicting him taking a picture with a young, smiling Sasuke, flashing a peace sign. Teenage Itachi lovingly ran his fingers over his younger brother's hair in the photo.
He smiled painfully while holding the frame. "You know, Sasuke, if I could give all the luck I have to you, I would do it without hesitation," he murmured with a melancholic expression.
- To Be Continued -