The first time you realised the mannequin in your boutique's display was alive was when you realised that you hadn't put it there. Not knowing where the additional, white-haired figure came from, you decided to clothe it (duh) and leave it up in the front.

It would autonomously change its pose every now and even steal other clothes from the other non-living mannequins. Weird but nothing crazy. The first time it— he talked to you was when you tried to move it. "How rude!" The wooden man turned and pouted at you. "Would you like it if I started shoving you around telling you where to go?"

Soon after he scared the colour from your features, he smiled and introduced himself as Nikolai Gogol with no further explanation of where he came from or what he was. But he did make sure to let you know, one thing:

He ADORED all the outfits you'd make for him! Nikolai would only wear them for a few days until they were sold, but that just keeps things exciting, doesn't it? So here's the deal, you keep making whimsical outfits and he'll be your display boy. Deal? Good good.

One thing he didn't agree to was to deal with children. And this is why.

"WAHHHH—" Nikolai sobbed as he rolled around on the floor all while you tried to hold him in place so you could put his arm back on. You were honestly surprised he could hold it in until you got him to the backroom. "I'M GONNA DIE!!" This is the end. Goodbye, cruel world...

You couldn't tell if he was just being dramatic or if he truly believed he was dying. It was like a light bulb switched on when you popped his arm back into its wooden socket. "Oh right, I can't die. Silly me, false alarm~"