Chapter 51 (2/2)

”She's not particularly great at it. Either way, Heart is after her.”

”What? That rumor was true?”

”'Going after' a person has many meanings.” Baby laughed ambiguously.

***

After feeling a sort of betrayal from SoYoon, Twins went out to Central often to look for her. However, they were unable to find or talk to her and were getting frustrated about it. When Alice found Twins at Central, it had been 30 minutes after they had let SoYoon get away from them.

”Twins?”

Assuming Central was safe, Alice had been walking around alone without Jeremy and approached Twins. That day, they had been out and about at Central under Tweedle Dum's persona. They turned toward the sound of the voice and at first, didn't realize who it was.

”Who are you?”

As, technically, Alice and Dum had never met before, his reaction was appropriate. Alice smiled softly. The unique situation with their split personalities had fooled the rest of the people in Wonderland, but they could not fool Alice. Already infatuated by Alice, they would slowly start to fall for her as they realized that she had figured out their secret.

Making them realize that right now would be a bit premature. Right now what was important was to create an impression upon them.

”I saw you at Heart's house last time.”

”...I haven't been there. Are you maybe confusing me with Dee? I'm Dee's brother, Dum.”

”Oh, I see. Sorry.”

Alice slightly stuck out her tongue and smiled. Inside, Dee gagged at her reaction. Really, Blondie. You really must be blind. Dum agreed with Dee and smiled widely. Her face and body are nice though...What do you think, Dee?

”That's all right. Um, if you have some time, would you like to go get some tea together?”

”If the Undertaker cared so much for this girl, wouldn't she have a special taste?” Dum whispered to Dee.

Dum was quite a good person to date. As her escort, they ate good food together and looked around the stores. Distracted by this, Alice didn't realize that they had come into a back alley.

”This way is a shortcut.”

Tempting her with delicious chocolates, Dum pushed her into an empty house.

”Why—why are you doing this?” Alice asked Dum as he locked the door.

He bared his teeth and charged at Alice. There was no middle stage. Both unaware of their jealousy, they grabbed Alice's clothes and ripped them open. Her full breasts were open to the afternoon air.

”Aack! Let go! Is anybody there? Help me! Heart!”

Alice pushed Twins away desperately. But soon, they forced her onto the floor. Seeing Twins come at her with their mouth wide, she screamed the name of the next strongest person after Heart.

”White Rabbit!”

White Rabbit was the only character she saw in battle. Merely having had heard of the scene, she knew the extent of White Rabbit's power. And the reaction toward the name was powerful. Twins, who had their face inches away from her breasts, stopped and stepped back.

”What's your relationship with Undertaker?”

Alice opened her tightly closed eyes. Twins' face, which was right in front of hers, looked like a starving predator. Scared, she backed away, buttoning up her shirt.

”What's your relationship?” Twins asked in a sedated voice.

She answered, flustered, ”Someone who likes me.”

That moment, an immense viciousness overtook Alice. Unable to handle it, she fainted.

A few moments later, when she woke up, Twins were gone.

Alice rearranged her ripped clothes and ran out of the place. She rejoined Jeremy, practically ran back to Heart's place, and stayed locked in her bedroom.

The situation that day was not something that was meant to happen. She shook her head fiercely, trying to erase the memory.

Why? Why is this happening? What went wrong? Was the fact that I didn't save him that big a mistake?

She trembled under her blanket and kept drifting to sleep only to jump awake in surprise until she finally was able to fall asleep.

Jeremy, who had been standing outside her door, headed to Heart's office only after making sure she had completely fallen asleep.

After hearing Jeremy's synopsis, Heart felt a strange intuition that made him think of SoYoon and caused him to smile. It had been four years since she came here and yet she still had one foot in a different place. Slowly, I will pull her out by the roots and make her completely get rid of her foolish dreams. He would make sure that she would forever stop trying to run away.

He felt a tingling in the emptiness between his arms. He clicked his tongue softly.