Chapter 47 (1/2)

Chapter 47: Chapter 5 Wi GaHyun-4

Alice, dressed in her lovely pink-beige dress, stepped out of Mad Hatter's front door with Jeremy. In her hand was the smartphone she had ordered and received at a much earlier than anticipated date.

The moment the door closed, Mad Hatter pressed hard at his temples with a look of great annoyance. His migraines had returned. He opened his windows wide. The wind that came in through the window swept away the scent of the silverbell flower perfume. That made his headache lessen a bit, but it couldn't fix its main cause.

Using the smartphone as an excuse, Alice visited Mad Hatter's house every day. Learning from her mistake the first day, she didn't try to touch him again, but even her gaze caused him discomfort. Her eyes were full of a strange desire. It was a look too familiar to him, and every time he witnessed it, it made him feel as if he was living the nightmare all over again.

He walked angrily into his bedroom. He had spent the last several nights working to finish the smartphone quickly so that he could spend less time with Alice. He felt as if he could sleep for several days straight.

That night, his nightmares returned.

He was standing in a creepy unattended garden. As he lifted his head, he saw a gloomy-looking building. It was a building that stood erect through the test of time, the Castle of Chapelier. He looked up at the building blankly until he saw blue-gray hair pass from beyond the window. He hurriedly turned and headed for the door.

The bag on his back felt heavy. Inside were textbooks that he didn't need. Whether he refused to open those books or attend class, the teachers just accepted it because he was the genius who returned the glory back to the Castle of Chapelier. He was the most powerful and intelligent wizard whom they had prophesied would never come again.

The people who had only seen two people with such blue-gray hair stole glances at him as he passed. There was no one here who did not know him. He hid himself in an alley corner and tugged at his hair. He wanted nothing but to pull out all his hair.

He suddenly smelled a foreign scent. The world around him crumpled like paper. Spinning, it swirled as if he was being sucked into a drain. Am I being kidnapped again? he thought with his eyes closed. What experiments would they do to him this time? Whatever those experiments might be, they wouldn't compare to the abuse he endured from his father. At least they were strangers.

The scent became more potent. It was the smell of fresh fruit. He felt a familiarity with it. White hair fluttered in front of him.

”White Rabbit.”

Mad Hatter stared at the ceiling. It was the familiar ceiling of his own house.

”Is this a dream?”

He laughed as he pressed on his throbbing forehead. He had to give Heart some credit for his patience. He could barely stand these couple of days with that girl, but Heart had to endure her for several weeks now. Mad Hatter thought he could still smell the silverbell flower scent coming through the closed door.

He got up from his bed and went to his living room. There was no one in the house except him. Realizing this, he stumbled through the darkness like a sleepwalker and left the house. Having figured it out, he couldn't pretend to ignore his need to feel the warmth he craved.

***

Night in Wonderland smelled like the gutters. It was pungent and disgusting to the point that it numbed the senses until you began to think it smelled of roses. He staggered through the pervasive smell.

His clothes and sleeping cap were wrinkled, and he wore indoor slippers. He looked as if he was a drunk. Because it was the middle of the night, the only person wandering around at this hour was him—fortunately for both him and the others.

When he arrived at SoYoon's house, he slowly pushed the door. The unlocked door smoothly opened. When it did, he was met by the familiar scent of her soap. Inhaling, he felt the headache he had been suffering from all day dissipate a bit.

He stood at the foot of SoYoon's bed. Not having been asleep even before Mad Hatter had entered, SoYoon muttered in annoyance.

”Why are there so many unwelcome guests in the middle of the night...oof.”

Mad Hatter hugged SoYoon tightly. SoYoon was still for a moment and then she patted him lightly on the shoulder. He was much taller and well built than her, but he clung to her like a child.

She was reminded of Heart from a different night. That man also had embraced her desperately before. As if he had heard her thoughts, Mad Hatter's arms released her.

”Don't think of anything else.”

SoYoon looked into his eyes. On the tips of his tightly closed eyes were blue-gray eyelashes that trembled fragilely. Seeing that up close made SoYoon's heart feel as if small raindrops were falling inside it. What is this? That's strange. She frowned.

”Did you have a bad dream?”

To him, the fact that his dream was his past was in itself a nightmare.

”My head hurts so bad, I want to go insane. But...”

His long fingers were now intertwined in her hair. Mad Hatter felt SoYoon flinch, and he smiled.

”If I am with you, I feel a bit better.”

SoYoon pushed him away.

”It's suffocating. Let me go.”