Panpriya ran to the antique shop with her mother and stepfather following behind. The young girl had been eyeing the old toys sitting in the window for weeks and since Christmas was coming up, her parents decided to let her pick out her own toy. The girl's thick black hair flew in ribbons behind her until she came to a halt in front of the door to the shop.
The girl's mom opened the door for her and released the energetic seven-year-old on the fragile heirlooms stacked precariously on shelves against the wall. Pranpriya roamed around the store with wide eyes as she touched every toy within her reach. Nothing seemed perfect by the time she made it through the entire store so she grabbed an old stuffed unicorn and turned to tell her parents to call it a day.
The hairs on the back of her neck stood up as she felt someone watching her. The child turned to find out who was staring at her, instead, finding the eyes to a beautiful porcelain doll. The doll was sitting on the very top of the high shelves against the far wall. Panpriya walked toward the doll, her head cocked to the side. The dark eyes seemed to follow her every step and at seven-years-old, the girl didn't find it creepy; it was cool.
"Mama," Panpriya called to the woman looking at books a few feet away. "I found something!" The woman walked over to her daughter and looked at what she was pointing at.
"Are you sure," the woman asked skeptically. The doll was creepy to the older woman, who found the hyperrealistic eyes disturbing.
"Yep!"
"Alright," she sighed. Panpriya's step-father grabbed the doll and frowned at it; there was nothing beautiful about the porcelain figure to him.
When the family got home, the child ran to her room with the puppet clutched tightly to her side. She sat the doll on her bed and played with its hair. Panpriya didn't have many dolls and no dolls like the one next to her, but something about it called to her. "What's your name," she asked it.
"Jisoo," a soft voice replied.
"You can talk," Panpriya shouted.
"Only to you," the same voice told her.
"That's so cool! So, what do you want to do," Panpriya asked.
"I want to talk to you. What's your name?"
"Panpriya Manoban!"
"That's a pretty name. Where are we?" The young girl tilted her head to the side as she looked at the doll.
"Bangkok. Where are you from?"
"Seoul."
"Where's that?"
"South Korea." The two talked for hours that day. When Panpriya's parents found her talking to thin air, they figured she had an imaginary friend and didn't think anything of it. That night, Panpriya slept with Jisoo by her side. No one noticed the young woman replace the doll once the clock struck midnight.
"I'll always protect you," the woman whispered in the child's ear. "As long as you love me."
"Panpriya, come on or we'll miss all the best candy," Jennie called. The high school babysitter wanted to get the adorable eight-year-old back before it got too cold. The teenager knew the girl from the dance studio she took lessons at and grew to love her like she was her little sister. When Panpriya's mother offered to hire the Korea born girl for a babysitting job, she jumped on the chance to take the girl trick or treating.
Trick or treating was not big in Asia, but the American Embassy held an event for the children in the area. "I'm ready," Panpriya yelled as she ran down the stairs.
