Chapter 62 (1/2)

Chapter 62: Chapter 6 Sudden Change-10

After finishing all the food and treating Mad Hatter's cut hand, SoYoon left his house. Then as she got close to March's house, she changed directions upon remembering that the girl had woken up.

Dor, who had been in the living room, greeted her.

”Welcome, Rabbit!”

Dor let go of the towel and tub and jumped into SoYoon's arms. Usually, she would have stayed a long time in this position, rubbing her head into SoYoon's, but this time, she released her quickly and grabbed the towel and tub again. SoYoon took the water-filled tub and asked her, ”What's this for?”

”To wash her. She still can't move well, so I have to do it for her.”

SoYoon followed Dor into March's room. The dark-haired girl was asleep on the bed. Even though Dor was loud, she didn't wake her up.

”She sleeps all the time. I'm bored. Brother said that if I take care of her well, then she will get better soon. Do you think so?”

”She will. She woke up because you took such good care of her.”

She stroked Dor's head. Dor smiled, blushing. Underneath her white hair, SoYoon looked down with softened eyes.

SoYoon left March's house when the sunlight started to fade. Suddenly reminded that she hadn't had anything to eat for breakfast, she stopped by Central.

She was returning home with bread and a small pack of milk when she saw Twins at a place five minutes away from her house. Twins saw her just as she was about to turn into the alleyway leading to her house.

”Oh, Undertaker.”

The way they dressed was not the only way to differentiate between Tweedle Dee and Dum. Unlike Dee's drawling voice, Dum's was soft and crisp. With his lush pink lips, he smiled, and an aura of light emanated from his head.

SoYoon was reminded of the first time she met Twins. It had been exactly this time of day then also. The sunlight had been hitting their dark golden hair through the window they were standing near.

Dum walked up to her. The sky behind him was red. Shadows covered his, but she could still see that he was smiling. He stopped with a step left between them and asked her with his head tilted, ”You're alone today?”

With those words, she realized who had been on the other side of the wall yesterday. When she didn't say anything, Dum reached out his hand. Her hair was still a mess from having just woken from a nap at Mad Hatter's. He swept his fingers through the side of her hair, and it slid down slowly.

His fingers passed her ear and stopped for a second at her mask, exactly over her lips. Two days ago and yesterday, Heart and Mad Hatter had kissed her. Another stimulation to her lips made them tremble. Dum felt that slight movement beneath the cloth of her mask and smiled.

When he swept past her lips, she turned away, not liking it. His blue eyes had been glimmering, but as she moved away, he smiled again, trying to look polite.

”Sorry. Did it hurt?”

”What business do you have with me?”

”Don't be so scared. I was hoping to put in a request from time to time. But I don't have your number. Will you give it to me?”

SoYoon received Dum's phone, put in her number, then returned it to him. He asked, ”How come you didn't give it to me last time?”

”Last time?” SoYoon asked.

Dum understood what had happened and ground his teeth.

”No, never mind.”

He waved it off and put out his hand.

”Just a friendly gesture regarding future business.”

SoYoon hadn't participated in many handshakes before, so she hesitantly took his hand. He squeezed her small and rough hands.

***

The next afternoon, SoYoon went to visit Mad Hatter and was escorted not into the second-story laboratory but into his bedroom. He stared at her with a dissatisfied expression as he explained how he was going to draw the magic insignia on her body.

Taking into consideration that it would have to be hidden even in her naked form, there were not many options available. Mad Hatter recommended the inside of her lips, her lower gums, or her scalp. SoYoon nodded, having thought the same thing.

”Of course, if they decide to examine you closely, they will discover it. Um, your hair is white, so your scalp is a bit dangerous, I think. I would prefer you do it on the insides of your gums instead of your lips because it will be harder to find. What do you think, SoYoon?”

”Then let's do it there.”

He pulled out a fingernail-sized paper, on which the magic insignia was marked.

”It looks a bit complicated because we had to combine defenses against two types of magic.

”

He said this nonchalantly, but SoYoon could tell from his eyes and sunken skin that he had spent all night fabricating this.