The Unfamiliar Dress
Mister Ferman. I really liked the sparkling necklace. Amy handed it to me.
"Whoa..." I sat down on the floor and examined the necklace. It sparkled, emitting a light that seemed to flow like water depending on the angle I looked at it.
"Is this mine?"
"Yes."
At Amy's words, I clutched the necklace tightly to my chest. It wasn't the only one. Another sparkling necklace, differing only slightly in color from mine, was handed to Shine. Shine, receiving her necklace just as I had, held the gem up to the light with eyes full of curiosity.
"It's pretty." I didn't know the name of the gem, but I absolutely loved how it sparkled with a blue hue, just like Rain's eyes. I slipped the necklace around my neck and moved around to see it shift. Shine put hers on too. The green gem resting against her neck sparkled beautifully.
"It's different from Jeff's."
"Only the color is different."
"I like having the same thing," Shine said, looking up at the cart piled high with boxes. She seemed to be searching for a necklace of the exact same color as mine.
"There aren't any more."
"There's only one of each necklace."
Amy scooped Shine up into her arms as she clung to the cart. Shine wore a pout on her face. Amy smiled, gently stroking her hair.
"Do we have to wear these?" I asked, pointing to the clothes piled on the cart. Honestly, I had no desire to put them on. I was grateful for the sparkling necklace, but clothes that extravagant felt suffocating. Seeing my reluctance, Amy gave an awkward laugh.
"I guess you don't like what you're wearing right now."
At Amy's words, I looked down at my clothes. What's wrong with this? It was an outfit Amy had prepared for me. Even if it didn't quite fit the atmosphere of this place, I really loved this black tracksuit that let me move my arms and legs freely. If my dinosaur pajamas were number one, this was easily number three.
"I think Jeff would look really pretty in this." Shine wriggled down from Amy's arms and began rummaging through the clothes.
"But I don't want to wear it."
"I want Jeff to look pretty."
I made a face at Shine's words and hid behind the sofa. As I sat there, fiddling with my necklace, Shine finished picking out an outfit and approached me, holding it out. Resting in her outstretched hands was the extravagant dress I had seen earlier.
"I don't like this kind of stuff."
"Why? It's pretty."
It was pretty, but... I imagined Shine wearing it. It would undoubtedly look amazing on her. In a dress of blended black and white, Shine would look exactly like a doll. And so would I, sharing the same face. I shook my head to dispel the thought.
"No."
"Not even if I ask nicely?" Shine sat down beside me. "Jeff."
"Yeah?"
"Why do you hate it so much?"
"Just... it feels weird. The thought of me wearing it... it's hard to stomach."
"Why?"
I shut my mouth at Shine's question. Why? For what reason? The unanswered questions swirled in my head, unresolved. I bit my lip. I don't really know either, Shine.
"Just... I feel like I shouldn't be wearing something like this."
"No, it'll look great on you, Jeff." Shine grabbed my hand and guided it toward the dress. The smooth, silky fabric brushed against my fingertips.
"Soft, right?"
"Yeah..."
"Come on." Shine pulled my hand and stood up. Dazed, I followed her lead and got to my feet.
"Have you decided on that one?" Amy asked.
"Yes."
"Jeff too?"
I kept my mouth shut at Amy's question. Stepping in front of me as if to block my hesitation, Shine answered on my behalf. "Yes. Jeff is going to wear the same thing as me."
I hesitated, my mouth twitching. A refusal rose to the tip of my tongue, only to sink back down. In the end, I couldn't say a word. Led by Amy, we headed toward a corner of the room. There was another door there—a room within a room. Once inside, Amy helped Shine and me out of our clothes. My black tracksuit pooled onto the floor.
"What kind of room is this?"
"It's a dressing room."
I looked around in awe at Amy's answer. Wardrobes lined the walls endlessly. It was a vast space, easily rivaling the size of Amy's entire room. Did that mean all of these clothes belonged to Amy? As if to show it was meticulously maintained even in her absence, there wasn't a single speck of dust to be found.
"Alright, arms up."
My body reacted reflexively to Amy's instruction. The dress slipped over my head and draped down. As if custom-made for me, it clung snugly to my body without a single uncomfortable spot. Amy's hands moved busily, zipping up the back and smoothing out the fabric. She neatly brushed down my hair and adjusted the necklace resting on my collarbone.
"Now, lift your foot."
I lifted my foot awkwardly. In Amy's hand was a pair of black knee-high socks. The sensation of the socks sliding up, wrapping around my pale legs, felt incredibly foreign. I squeezed my eyes shut and held onto Amy's shoulder for balance.
"Other side."
My body complied obediently. Unfamiliar with the sensation wrapping around my thighs, I shifted my legs awkwardly. Once the knee-highs were fully on, she slipped my feet into shoes. A pair of flat, black patent leather shoes gleamed under the light. I looked down at my small sneakers, which had been pushed into the corner.
While Amy changed Shine, I gathered my discarded clothes and held them to my chest. Since Amy had given them to me, I couldn't just leave them lying around. I even gathered Shine's discarded clothes and held them in my arms. Shine had transformed into someone truly beautiful. Her hair was neatly styled, her expression serene. She wore an elegant dress and shiny black shoes. I stared blankly, my mouth slightly open, admiring her.
"All done?"
"Yes. You both look lovely."
Shine spun around on the spot, checking her reflection. She looked highly satisfied.
"Jeff, come here." Shine gestured to me, standing in front of a large full-length mirror. I approached her with hesitant steps. Once I got close enough, Shine tugged on my arm. Pulled in by her, I ended up in her embrace.
"What do you think?" Shine asked from behind, resting her chin on my shoulder.
I stared into the mirror and murmured, "Pretty..."
Two identical girls stood side by side in perfect harmony. Embracing me gently from behind, Shine's hands wrapped softly around my waist.
"I love it." Shine seemed to highly approve of my appearance.
Once we were fully dressed, we stepped out of the dressing room. Rain, who had been waiting outside, widened her eyes the moment she saw me.
"Gasp!" The little chick scurried over and began spinning circles around Shine and me. "So pretty!" "Pretty!" "Pretty!" Rain chanted the same word over and over, spinning around us in a frenzy.
I blushed at Rain's praise and hung my head. It was a bit embarrassing. Everything felt so unfamiliar—from the clothes on my body to the shoes on my feet. It felt so awkward, almost as if I had stolen someone else's clothes. I carefully walked toward the sofa. It was then that I felt Victor's gaze. He watched me silently, not saying a word even when our eyes met.
Approaching the sofa, I stuffed our old clothes and shoes into my dinosaur bag. The dinosaur's belly swelled up to a plump bulge.
"H-How do I look?" I asked Victor, seeking his opinion.
At my question, Victor's eyebrows twitched significantly. Embarrassed, I twirled a lock of my hair around my finger and looked away. Soft white strands slipped through my fingers. I was embarrassed—incredibly so. My face felt so hot I wanted to splash cold water on it.
"Extremely."
"Extremely?"
"Extremely. It suits you well."
The compliment from Victor made my tense face relax. I patted my cheeks and quickly turned my head away. "Ugh."
"Jeff, you're so cute!" Seeing me like this, Rain smiled brightly and gave me a tight hug. A ticklish sensation welled up from deep within my chest. Perhaps because of the unfamiliar clothes, I found myself moving much more gently than usual. If I moved too wildly, the dress draped around my legs would flutter chaotically. I sat quietly on the sofa and pulled out a toy. Lucy's magic wand, which had been hidden deep inside my bag, gleamed as I brought it out. *Tinkle, tinkle.* With a single wave of my hand, the wand lit up with a whimsical sound and vibrated faintly.
As we passed the time like this, another knock sounded from outside the door.
"Lady Amy. The Chairman is looking for you."
Amy didn't answer. She only let out a small sigh.
*Knock, knock.*
When Amy didn't respond, the knock came again.
"Lady Amy?"
"Sigh... Yes, I'm coming," Amy said, rising from her seat.
Just as she was about to leave, the voice from outside spoke once more.
"The Chairman also requested that you bring the young ladies."
Amy turned to look at us in silence.
"You should probably take them. They'll have to stay here for a while anyway, right?" Victor said, looking at Amy.
Amy couldn't find any words to counter Victor's point, her shoulders slumping in defeat.
Watching the two of them, I jumped up from my seat and clung to Amy's leg. The "Chairman" the employee outside mentioned had to be Ferman, right? He wanted to see Shine and me. What on earth was he planning by calling for us? Regardless, I didn't want to make things difficult for Amy.
"Let's go, Amy."
"I'm going too."
Shine, who had been sitting on the sofa, followed close behind the moment I moved. Amy looked down at us and let out a small chuckle.
"Whew..." Amy composed herself with a soft breath and walked forward. Shine and I followed right at her heels.
"Have a safe trip!" Rain's voice called out from behind.
Glancing back, I saw Rain waving with a bright smile. I waved back to say goodbye.
*Click.*
Opening the door we had entered through earlier, we stepped outside to find a man in a black suit bowing in front of the door.
"It has been a while, Lady Amy."
"It has, Chen."
The man named Chen raised his head. His gaze swept over Shine and me before quickly darting away.
"The Chairman is absolutely delighted."
"Why would my dad be delighted?"
"Well, you always said you had absolutely no intention of getting married, yet you brought children home first..."
"Sigh..."
Chen's gaze drifted back to Shine and me. Meeting our eyes, he bowed politely to greet us.
"My name is Chen. Please, feel free to speak comfortably."
Shine and I hid behind Amy's legs without answering.
"You're making the children uncomfortable," Amy chided.
"My apologies." Chen bowed in apology, then turned around. "Let us head over first. The Chairman is waiting anxiously."
"Very well."