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Chapter 61

Mad Hatter’s reddening face flushed back to normal at SoYoon’s nonchalant expression. He sighed.

“Sure. I shouldn’t have expected anything from you. Let’s hear why you’re here. And about that message you sent me also.”

“If you read my message, you would already know, but there’s been a problem.”

The two of them discussed what had happened a couple of days ago. SoYoon asked Mad Hatter if he could make her resistant to spells that would make her faint or put her to sleep.

“I need to know exactly what you want.”

“The research facility restrained me with fainting spells or sedatives.”

“So this would be in case you get caught by the researchers.”

It had already been four years since she had escaped the research facility. It was highly unlikely that the researchers had continued to check the signals coming from her brand. This additional protection was merely insurance.

“It’s not likely that they will go out of their way to come for me. But I have no way of knowing what they will do to recapture an escaped experiment. I would like to at least prepare for what I can predict.”

“You just want to protect yourself in the worst-case scenario.”

This overly precautionary measure was uncharacteristic of SoYoon. She believed in her strength and ability so much that she wasn’t the type to prepare for the future and instead usually solved things as they happened. This cautiousness made Mad Hatter realize how much SoYoon despised the research facility that had held her captive. It was something he could understand, having suffered from headaches and nightmares for the past ten years. Mad Hatter was lost in thought for a moment then spoke.

“If you are unsure of the timing and type of spell that will be used, there are only two options. Either you carry around a trap that will activate when it occurs, or you can engrave another insignia on your body like your brand. They both have pros and cons, but to pinpoint the cons, the trap would require you to carry it at all times, and the insignia, as you already know, will be extremely painful.”

“Then let’s go with the insignia.”

“I disagree. It might be better to create a tiny magical trap that you can hang on your ear or...”

The option that Mad Hatter presented was completely useless.

She explained. “At the research facility, the experimental subject is not allowed clothes or accessories. And so wearing such a thing will not work.”

“...What?”

“Because an experiment is so sensitive, they don’t allow anything that will cause even the slightest chance of error so...”

“No, stop. I understand, so shut your mouth.”

Mad Hatter covered his eyes.

That was the reason that it had been so difficult to find the most basic of human emotions in her. He remembered how he had torn at her clothes and cursed himself in shame.

He stayed that way for a moment then closed the gap between them. She still didn’t seem to know quite what he had told her. He opened his arms and pulled her into a hug.

“You don’t seem to sympathize with yourself, so I will sympathize for you. And you, in turn, can sympathize for me. It’s a good deal for both sides, don’t you think?”

“Mad Hatter?”

“In this situation, it would be nice to say my name. You’re no good at reading the mood, are you?”

Contrary to the critical words, Mad Hatter hugged her serenely. SoYoon called him “Yochanan” and he laughed silently and kissed her hair.

“It doesn’t seem fair that only I get called by my name...Could I ask you your name?” he asked her with great care.

The people who had chosen Wonderland to be their home were those who committed crimes or had certain unfortunate happenings in their lives. And as a consequence, very few in Wonderland asked each other their name unless they were specifically told. He thought she would reject him asking, and so his arms tensed up. Hence, he did not see her eyes grow big and her bite her lip.

Ever since she dropped into this place, she had only ever once revealed her name. It had been when she had been interviewed to determine her identity at the research facility. However, there, she had been known only as number 137, “Hey, you,” and so forth. Later, they disregarded calling her by a name hard to pronounce and instead called her the white-haired experiment. That had been more comfortable. If they had treated her the way they did while calling her by her name, it would have been even more devastating.

Asking a person their name is something done between one human and another. This was something that had been impossible for her to experience. And this had been the first time in this world that someone had asked her about her name.

She lifted her arm that was resting next to her waist and hugged Mad Hatter. She felt his surprise but continued to press her face against his shoulder. Through the scent of blood, she smelled his refreshing scent that embraced her.

“What’s going on, White Rabbit? Is something wrong? Show me your face.”

“...Yoon.”

“What?”

SoYoon lifted her head. Mad Hatter’s blue eyes looked at her in worry. She smiled as her eyes met his.

“Ye SoYoon. That’s my name.”

He blinked as if this was a hallucination, then his face broke into a huge smile.

“Call me SoYoon.”

She told him again. He touched her smiling lips and called her name.

“SoYoon.”

“Yes.”

“You were SoYoon.”

“Yes, Yochanan.”

The beautiful face came closer. SoYoon reflexively closed her eyes. His lips softly kissed hers, and Mad Hatter smiled.

“I hadn’t intended this to happen. We had been talking about something serious...”

Even as he said this, he kissed her again. It was only then that she realized that Mad Hatter had kissed her, but she didn’t feel any other emotion. They were like wounded animals licking each other’s wounds. The thought that this could be a new feeling to their relationship bloomed only for a second in the back of her mind then quickly disappeared.

Mad Hatter leaned his head against her shoulder and said, “To engrave the insignia, I will need some time. Come in two days—no, tomorrow afternoon. We will do it then.”

“Are you sleepy?” she asked, sensing his tired voice.

Mad Hatter nodded. “Stay next to me while I sleep. You can do that for me, right, SoYoon?”

SoYoon watched his hair wave and felt a strange fondness for him.

***

The midday sun soon sank in the west. Mad Hatter woke up from his deep sleep and stared blankly at SoYoon, who was quietly asleep on his arm.

“SoYoon.”

He slowly mulled over the two syllables then pulled her in a tight embrace. He knew she must have heard the sound and felt his movement, but she didn’t move in the slightest and continued to sleep.

“SoYoon.”

In this place, there wouldn’t have been anyone who called her by this name. He was reminded of his reddened eyes and the saltiness he felt in his mouth. He suddenly felt an urge to kiss her.

“Wake up, SoYoon,” he said as he kissed her round nose. She wrinkled her nose as if she was about to wake up but soon fell back asleep.

“What are you doing all night that you can’t wake up?”

His voice mixed with annoyance and jealousy as he complained out loud. He bit playfully at her nose.

When the imprint of his teeth showed white then disappeared, she opened her eyes. She blinked in surprise at the white face she saw the moment she woke up, but realized it was Mad Hatter and relaxed instinctively.

“Why Mad...Yochanan.”

“It’s noon now. Get up.”

Mad Hatter lifted her by her arms. SoYoon followed upward naturally. Mad Hatter felt an ease in her friendliness.

Whatever SoYoon gave him, he loved. However, there was something else he wanted from her. Mixed in Mad Hatter’s eyes was a combination of happiness and obsession.

Mad Hatter led her out of the bedroom and sat her at the dining table, then started to cook. He washed the fresh asparagus, cut its bottom, and scraped off the rough patches with a knife. He wrapped bacon around the asparagus and put it in the oven. When he finished, he led SoYoon into the living room.

“SoYoon? What’s wrong?”

Pulled by his attraction, he sat on the sofa next to her. He saw the first aid kit in her hand and laughed.

“You were worried about me. Thank you.”

She ignored his words and started to put ointment on the cuts on his hands. She must have gotten annoyed by her interfering hair because she wrinkled her nose at it. Mad Hatter swept her hair back with his free hand.

She glanced up at him for a moment then went back to concentrating on his hand. He, in turn, went on happily observing her fluttering white lashes and her concentrating lips.

A few moments after she finished treating him, a sound from the oven rang. Mad Hatter got up and said, “You can stay sitting here, SoYoon.”

She watched the back of Mad Hatter who scurried over to the kitchen.

“You must be hungry, having slept through lunchtime.”

Mad Hatter put a tray in front of her. A fried egg, bacon-wrapped asparagus, black tea, cold sponge cake, and vitamin capsules. The only things meant for Mad Hatter were the vitamin capsules.

SoYoon saw that the hand that reached for the bowl of capsules had a burn that had not been there moments ago. Mad Hatter realized what she was staring at and so pushed the food toward her and said, “Hurry and eat. It won’t be good once it gets cold.”

The salty bacon and the asparagus that had soaked in its juices were delicious. The sponge cake was fluffy and moist. However, she couldn’t get her mind off the burn on his hand. Mad Hatter pretended to not notice and smiled.