Astray in wonderland || Straykids

7 || New people

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Not long after I make my decision to visit the King of Hearts, I find myself walking along a very long, curvy path with Sunghee at my side.

The entire time I walk, I can't help but feel a sense of... cold, I suppose.

The looming woods beside us don't really help the feeling settle down.

"Hey, Sunghee?" I ask, getting his attention. "What's up with this forest?"

"Hm? Oh.." He looks towards the woods, shrugging. "All I know is, don't go in there. Besides, there's nothing of interest in there anyways. I mean, to us at least."

"To us?" I question, but once again am met by a shrug.

I let the issue off with a shrug of my own, turning my gaze ahead of me.

Until, suddenly, a breeze rustles the trees beside us.

However...

No physical wind could be felt.

That's... odd, I think, scrunching my brows together.

I shake my head, before a leaf falls on it.

Once again, with no... gust, wind, or anything.

My heart suddenly starts beating faster, as I walk closer to Sunghee.

Sohye, calm down, I remind myself. This land is different than what I'm used to, remember. Maybe this is normal here-?

A tap on my shoulder makes me jump, almost screeching in surprise.

"Sohye, are you okay?" Sunghee asks, continuing to walk. "You seem a little off."

"I just felt something on my shoulder..." I tell him, now more confused than scared. "Unless... Wait- was it you?"

"Hey, no it wasn't!" He exclaims. "Why would I do that?"

Suddenly, a quiet giggle cuts through the air.

What the heck is happening, what the heck-

what the heck...

I look to Sunghee, expecting his expression to match how I currently feel. However, he just sighs, a knowing look on his face as he glares up towards the trees.

"Hyunjin, get out here you stupid boi," he says, stopping in place.

"Now, why should I~?" The voice seems to be heard only in my head, though Sunghee seems to have heard it too. "Come on, Hatter, let me have some fun~."

"I'm being serious here," Sunghee continues talking to seemingly nothing, rolling his eyes. "I have to take Sohye here to the king, and I think it's better if I'm not late."

Right before us, a wide smile appears in the air.

"Sunghee," I mutter. "What is happening?"

"It's just another citizen," he tells me, crossing his arms. "Show yourself, Hyunjin."

"But I am, Sungie."

"All of yourself-"

And just like that, his body poofs in front of us, making me jump. He had dark black raven hair, along with beautiful, slender eyes; ones that almost seem to glitter with mischief. Upon his head rested a fluffy pair of adorable purple cat ears, a tail extending from the back as it curls around him.

"Hello, Miss," he says, standing beside me. "I take it you're the Sohye he's talking about?"

"I am," I nod. "And who are you, exactly?"

"Glad you asked," he grins. "The name's Hwang Hyunjin, also known as... The Cheshire Cat."

I nearly gasp, eyes widening. "Like in the story.. I should've expected this."

"'The story'?" Hyunjin repeats, following along as Sunghee and I continue walking. "Sunghee, is she okay? I think she may have a few loose screws~."

"Hyunjin, she's from out of Wonderland," Sunghee informs him, holding his hand out as if he was about to slap the back of Hyunjin's head. "Now shut up, or else we'll never make it there."

"Aha, okay~." He shrugs, the playful grin seeming to never fade away from his face.

*~*

Opposed to what Sunghee had said nearly a million times, we made it to the castle quickly after Hyunjin had joined us.

And now, I stand inside the Wonderland equivalent of a throne room, waiting for the king to walk inside.

"This is weird," Sunghee says, grimacing. "He should've been waiting for us, not the other way around."

"Why do you think he's late, th-"

"Everyone, silence!" A castle butler suddenly yells. "The king is about to arrive! And someone, get the Cheshire Cat to stop fooling around!"

"Yes!" Another guard shouts, taking Hyunjin and pulling him outside the room, just as the king walked in. The boy pouts, his arms flailing about as we watch him get dragged out of the castle.

In complete silence, everybody watches as he makes his way to his chair, sitting down.

I notice a grin in the corner of the room suddenly pops up, on top of a decorative tree.

"Choi Sohye," the king says. "May you please step forward?"

I do so, keeping my head up.

"I believe I should introduce myself. My name is Chan. Also known as the king of hearts."

"It's a.. pleasure to meet you?" I look towards Sunghee, doing a week bow afterwards. "My alias is-"

"Alice, I know," he interrupts, nodding. "That's the reason I've called you here. And I'm very glad you came."

"Why?" I ask, raising my eyebrows. "Why is being Alice such a big deal?"

Chan freezes, looking around. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to withhold some information from you, for just a while. It's just for my kingdoms safety, at the moment."

"Oh," I nod. "Okay, I understand. Can I ask why you're glad I came here, though?"

"It's been a very long time since somebody has come to Wonderland from your world, y'know. Especially somebody with your importance," he tells me.

"That didn't really... help," I tell him, being dangerously bluntly honest. "Why am I important? Unless that could be unsafe for your kingdom, as well."

He looked almost taken aback. "It's-"

"Your majesty!" Another guard bursts into the room, interrupting Chan in the middle of his sentence. "I am terribly sorry to interrupt you, but we've found an intruder on the borderlands."

"...you what?"

"A boy was found on the borderlands, sir."

A perplexed expression was shown upon the kings face, before he regains his posture as he goes back to normal again. "Bring him in," Chan orders, sitting back down.

In less than a second, several workers walk in the room, carrying... a boy.

He was thrashing around, kicking at anything he could see, trying desperately to get out of his captors grasp. I flinch, stepping away, despite the fact that I was already across the room from him.

"May I ask who you are?" Chan asks, stepping towards him. "And your alias, please?"

The boy stops kicking, taking in heavy breaths.

"Kim Seungmin," he spits, suddenly turning his glare towards me. His light brown hair bounced as he spun his head around, letting me get a good look at the boy.

We make direct eye contact.

"The other Alice."

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Literally out of all my stories wonderland is the only tolerable one I can read ahahahah