Chapter 101 (2/2)

SoYoon blinked. These were not words the great Mad Hatter would ever say about anyone. But she continued as if it didn't faze her.

”It's because you've done something like this before.” Mad Hatter was talking about the time that SoYoon had pushed Alice upon him. SoYoon closed her mouth. His eyes curved into a pretty crescent shape as he smiled. ”I didn't mean for you to feel sorry.”

Those words were scarier than if he had demanded an apology. But she was unable to apologize. Back then, she had thought that it had been the right thing to do. And he seemed to be saying this now because he also realized that she'd had little choice.

SoYoon glanced over at Mad Hatter. She realized that a shadow had fallen over his face. She asked him, ”Were you unable to sleep?”

It was easy to tell that this was the case. He still had his sleeping cap on in the middle of the day and his ceramic-like face was shadowed. She was certain that he had woken up the moment he'd received her message. He shook his head at her question and brought her rough fingers up under his eyes, smiling a bit embarrassedly.

”My head is hurting a bit.”

His headaches were practically a chronic illness. And the only treatment for this illness was SoYoon. Mad Hatter grabbed SoYoon's hand, which was getting farther from his face, and placed it back on his cheek.

”Are you busy?”

He pressed his red lips onto SoYoon's palm and smiled with his eyes. His eyes drooped as if he was drowsy from the medication and it made him look irresistibly seductive.

She was already weak when it came to his attractiveness, but looking at his face right now, it was impossible to say that she was busy. She shook her head and Mad Hatter smiled joyfully.

The two of them went into the bedroom on the 1st floor. The bedroom had the curtains drawn shut and it was dark and peaceful inside. Mad Hatter laid down first and SoYoon removed her sword and laid down next to him.

His long arms reached out and pulled her in, closing the remaining small gap between them. He buried his face into her hair and breathed in deeply, then kissed the top of her head. First, it was a light peck, but his lips started to move more and more with purpose. SoYoon pushed him away gently.

”You should sleep now.”

”I don't want to. It's been such a long time since I've spent time alone with you.”

Mad Hatter was forcing his closing eyes to remain open. She saw his eyelids twitching and no longer let him continue his tantrum. SoYoon put her hands over his eyes and pressed slightly down on them.

”I will stay here until you wake up.”

”Then... I'll just sleep for just a little bit...” he mumbled in a voice full of regret. But he already sounded as if he was half asleep. In a few seconds, the sound of his deep rhythmic breathing spread through the bedroom.

SoYoon looked up at him. A smile was planted on Mad Hatter's face. She wondered what he was so happy about. But she could see the tiredness in his face and she reflected upon her flaws.

SoYoon knew that she was not sensitive to these sorts of things. And as White Rabbit, she was expected to be so. Knowing how hard it was for Mad Hatter to sleep without her there, she knew that he must have spent several nights in agony.

She had finished most of her work. She could concentrate on him for a while, but this was only a temporary fix. SoYoon buried her face into his chest. His drowsiness was contagious and sleep overtook her.

***

When SoYoon woke up from her sleep, all her surroundings were dark. To check the time, she looked for her smartphone.

”It's only 1 o'clock. You should sleep more.” Her hands had been feeling around the bed when Mad Hatter grabbed them. His voice melted into the peaceful night air and was crisp, unlike that of someone who had just woken up. SoYoon escaped from his embrace and got up.

”When did you wake up?”

”Just now.”

Mad Hatter got up also. SoYoon looked over him. Sensing her gaze, Mad Hatter smiled.

”I'm fine. I've gotten a lot better.” He told her this as he combed through her tousled hair. But even in the darkness, she could see that, contrary to his words, he looked exhausted. SoYoon remembered the thought she'd had right before she fell asleep. Her lips moved impulsively.

”Should we live together?”

At that moment, an unnatural silence blanketed them. Mad Hatter froze in the middle of sweeping back her hair over her ear. Stone-faced, he looked like a strange, living doll. Then the red lips moved.

”What are you talking about?”

Only then did he realize what SoYoon had said to him and his eyes grew wide. His cheeks started to blush, then the redness spread to the rest of his face. When SoYoon blinked, he hurriedly covered her eyes.

”Wait. Don't look at me.”

”Yochanan?”

”This is cheating…”

Even his voice seemed to be blushing. SoYoon removed his hands. When she did, he hugged her tightly. Through the thin clothes, she could feel that his temperature was higher than usual.

By his reaction, it didn't seem to be a rejection, but she still felt a little insecure from his lack of an exact answer. Then Mad Hatter mumbled softly, ”Really, I was preparing myself to ask you myself.”

Mad Hatter's arms relaxed and released her. SoYoon lifted her head and looked at him. Still blushing, he asked her cautiously, ”Will you live with me?”

That was when SoYoon understood how Mad Hatter felt. She turned her head swiftly. Mad Hatter laughed quietly and kissed her blushing cheeks.

”I'm going to assume I already heard the answer.

”...That's what I said.”

She had always been so determined to leave if given a chance. But this moment had officially allowed her to ground herself in this place.