Chapter 35 - Chapter 4 Alice in Trouble-6 (1/2)
Chapter 35: Chapter 4 Alice in Trouble-6
The next morning, Mad Hatter looked down at the warmth he felt next to him. He would be lying if he said he hadn't wanted it. And now he was being rewarded by his desire.
SoYoon hadn't left. She was in his embrace. In the bluish haze of dawn, her white hair looked similar to his. He smiled widely.
SoYoon opened her eyes then. She awoke without any fuss and was alert the moment she opened her eyes. The beautiful face that looked down at her made her think that she might have still been dreaming. She wondered if she accidentally said her thoughts aloud when the godlike red lips chuckled.
”Are you talking in your sleep? Staying sleep may not be such a bad idea.”
Their body temperatures separately were cool, but when they met, the heat inside the blanket was blazing. It was so warm that they thought they might be happy just dying like this.
He rubbed his head into hers. He realized that he wasn't wearing anything over his head, it didn't matter at the moment. He had no reservation about SoYoon seeing this side of him.
He looked into SoYoon's eyes, which seemed to ask him, ”Are you hurting that badly?” and pulled her back into an embrace and went back to sleep. In his ear, he heard the sigh of soft surrender.
***
It was late afternoon when the two of them finally got out of bed. SoYoon straightened her wrinkled clothes. He sat her in the living room and preheated the oven and placed an egg in water on top of the induction. When the water started to boil, he took the scone out of the fridge and stuck it in the oven. He then placed a kettle on the stove.
After eight minutes, he removed the pot from the stove, poured out the hot water, and replaced it with cold. His fingers burned slightly, thanks to his lack of a potholder, but he ignored it.
The water in the pot was boiling. He hurriedly turned off the flames, placed the tea leaves into the teapot, and steeped it. From the black tea leaves, golden tea steeped out the bottom.
He placed the top of the teapot and set the timer. Then he broke open the egg that was sitting in the cold water in the sink. When he removed the shells and cut the egg in half, the timer read four minutes and 30 seconds.
He wiped off the water from his burn and removed the tea leaves. The oven went off. Mad Hatter opened it and placed the scone on a plate. He was trying to take it out quickly, so he burnt himself, but again he ignored it.
Mad Hatter put everything on a tray and added his vitamin capsules and a plate of salt.
As he came out with the tray, SoYoon was watching him. Through her messy bangs, he could see her brown eyes. She was not wearing her mask, so he could see her lips too. He knew that he would soon see those lips chewing happily.
You're not the only one who can see this. He hummed as he thought of Heart.
As expected, SoYoon ate well. Maybe next time, I'll fry an egg, Mad Hatter contemplated.
SoYoon split the scone in half and asked, ”Don't you have to lock your door?”
Mad Hatter checked the doors and found they were closed properly.
”What are you talking about?”
”Didn't you get rid of your security features to stop intruders?”
”Are you stupid? Or do you think that I am that stupid?”
I've only made it so that instead of one person allowed to enter, I rewired it to allow two. But that oblivious girl thinks I opened the door to anybody.
”You are the only person allowed entry. You can enter without my permission from now on.”
SoYoon stopped as she lifted her teacup. Her gaze went up to his uncovered hair. Mad Hatter tried to pretend he didn't see the complicated emotion that flashed in her eyes. When she tried to change the subject, he accepted it gladly.
”Do you remember Alice?”
”You mean Heart's mistress?”
”Um, she has a special skill…”
He was able to understand what was going on upon hearing those words. Ever since Alice came into Wonderland, all the things that had happened—Dor waking up, Heart's reaction, Cheshire's movement, and SoYoon's words a couple of weeks ago that ”it will soon be okay”—started to make sense.
He was sure that this girl's power was to heal. Seeing SoYoon's reaction, he could tell that she thought she could heal his broken brain also. He reacted blandly, however.
”I see. Congratulate Heart for me. Wait, you've got something on your mouth. So clumsy.”
Mad Hatter removed the scone crumb from her mouth, looked down at it, then put it in his mouth. He did not retch as he expected. Instead, he thought it tasted good. He smiled like a flower blooming. The girl's eyes shook upon seeing this.
How dare you try to stick another girl on me! Let's see what happens if you keep trying it.
***
Tweedle Dee looked down at the food his chef made him. The T-bone steak, cooked to his liking, smelled and looked appetizing. He cut a small piece of the steak and put it in his mouth. Even the bit of sauce on it was perfect. However, Dee shouted curses and said to Dum, ”Hey, switch places.”
Dee switched places with Dum and looked around. It was the safest situation as it was just the two of them. Plus, there was delicious food placed in front of them.
”What's the matter, Dee?” Dum asked, and his brother answered, ”I'm not hungry,” which meant he wanted to eat something else. Dum changed his clothes and went outside.
The Twins, unlike their birth and life, had a look that matched very well with the bright sunlight. That in itself was one of their strengths.
When they had escaped the small room and first stepped out into the world, there were a lot of people who approached them, thinking that they were easy prey. The Twins were like poisonous chocolate, eating those who tried to eat them. And as they grew more separate in identity, Dum wielded the power of his looks much better than Dee.