Alice in Wonderland. This was the book that I first encountered in my childhood. A story about a young girl whom went missing into a unknown world of magic and fantasy. In that world, she found friendship and adventures. I bear the same name as the protagonist since my mother was so fascinated and dwelled into it. It was the first book that my young eyes saw and ears heard too. With its cover of a young girl with golden hair in powder blue dress with a pair of stripe socks to accentuate her appearance, it became tattooed in my memory. She was pretty, has a sweet smile and owns a pair of mesmerizing eyes. She was a courageous girl and she was a good person. She was one of those few that survived without having a prince to her side. However, she made it out with the help of her friends especially The Hatter. The Hatter was her constant accompany and guide all throughout the amazing realm. In that place, she faced challenges and struggles. And it was even harder when she met The Queen and King of Hearts. In the end, she made it out of the critical situation and finds herself back on the riverbank safe and sound. All of those events felt so real to her until her sister proves that what she had experienced was nothing but a dream. A long, colorful and a unique dream.

When we stood in front of the theme park's gate, I immediately had a question on my mind. How come Hoseok knows that we need to take bus to be there? I wonder if I'm the only one who was rarely been here. With the way he acts in approaching the person in-charge in the ticketing booth, I think I'm the only one that is estranged. He was smiling, speaking kindly like he used to in everyday, all the time and always. As we proceeded and began taking a look at the map and determining what ride should be board first, I stared solely to him as he talks and shifts his expressions. He was thinking, his eyes are moving from left to right while he reads, and his hair was fluttering in the summer wind. His face glowed in the yellow sunlight and the bridge of his nose appeared prominent from the distance. It got me bewildered, almost like dreaming and being deluded though I wasn't. I was wide awake, breathing, and alive. However, it felt like my soul had sunk deeply into a different realm. It was a realm without vices neither virtues. A realm with paints splattered all around and a dead silence. It is a realm where I can only see him and nobody else. It was a strange phenomenon to me. Almost like a déjà vu though it actually isn't.

I must be going mad. I must be losing my composure. I must a fool trying to climb the wall that was built around me. I don't know how I exactly feel. I no longer know if I am excited, nervous, or breaking down. I was lost in the gaze that he gave me. I stumbled and a ringing to my ears. I was unsure of what was that. But it was not the same sight that I found when I saw him appearing child-like. Hoseok was rather unrealistic, an ethereal element that is surrounded with strangeness and interesting things. Hoseok was not a high school student in his uniform that ran away with me, but a inhuman being that could summon heaven to earth.

"Do you want to ride Ferris wheel first?" his voice pushed me out of that realm. My mouth cracked open and I looked to the object that his forefinger pointing to. The sunlight directly hit my eyes and it blinded me for seconds. I bent and squirmed as I groaned to the short pain. Hoseok stood a little higher than me and I realized that he was covering the brightness for me.

"Thank you." I muttered. Hoseok took out a handkerchief and placed it on the top of my head as a protection from the heat. He walked me to a shed and we sat down there awhile to rest.

"Are you alright?" he asked. I nodded and closed my eyes. I leaned to my left and pressed my lids slightly harder to brush off the black spots dancing in my sight. Hoseok made mention of my cell phone. I shook my head and refused to turn it on for I know it will be flooded with our friends and parents messages and voice calls. I waited for him to scold me, but just he laughed and patted my head.

"What's with that?" I faked a glare.

"That's a part of my reward for you." he cheerfully said.

"Reward? For what?" I raised my brow.

"You've been studying well and hard these past days. So, as being a good student I have decided to take you to this place and treat you whatever you want." he said.

"Aren't we are here because we ran from-" he sealed my lips with a hush.

"I know, but what can I do? Alice, you know that I can't leave you alone either refuse to what you wanted. I'm looking forward for today, but you entirely changed my plan." his lips shaped into an expression of dismay. I smirked and hit him on his chest lightly. Hoseok created an forced reaction of being hurt. I hit him once again and I gave back his handkerchief and he insisted on me to keep it.

"You shouldn't have followed me at all. You will not receive a punishment and you'll be safe. You won't get scolded, embarrassed or anything. You could have been with Hanna-" Hoseok's glance sharpened. I shrugged and curled my forehead into wondering. I asked myself of why he is being that way. I supposed that he must not act that way since the two of them are already going steady. For a second, I was confused until he looked into my eyes. This time, it wasn't filled with silliness or being forceful. Strangely, it was filled with zealousness and vehement which I only encounter when it is only the two of us. I uttered a question and Hoseok turned his head away and sighed in frustration. He appeared unfathomable to me. His gestures, his sudden sullen behavior and the way he hardens his jaw. I know that he is getting irritated, but this time I couldn't find the reason behind it. Did I committed a mistake again?

I apologized and fixated my eyes on the ground. I watched the dust dance on the cemented road painted in red, blue and yellow and noticed the gradual moving of the sunlight that was nearby. The whimsical music that has been playing ever since we arrived there filled the gaps of our silence. Hoseok and I both stopped talking as if we agreed to. For the first instance, we both became uncomfortable together. The feeling was a strong contradiction on how we both were when we got reunited at the station. Oddly, I trembled and couldn't stand it. So, surrendered my stubbornness and spoke first to him. I called him and he quickly gave me of his attention.

"Let's go. We should see the aerial view of this town first." his expression promptly turned jolly. He pulled my arm and we hurried towards the spinning giant round that we could see anywhere we go in the amusement park.

My heart began to beat faster and harder as I stepped inside of the car. While Hoseok confidently sat down and watched the man in charge of letting the passengers for the Ferris wheel in, I took a series of deep breaths and shut my eyes tight. I remembered the last time that I have been on the same position. It was when I was still in elementary and it was with my father. As my father smiled kindly and told me not to be afraid, I shrieked and slouched below the leather seat. I was half-crying and half-screaming when the wheel started to revolve and taking us higher and away from the ground. I still couldn't forget how terrifying yet great the view from there. The shrinking top of the buildings, the people downwards that resembled ants, and the clouds that seemed to be closer and reachable. The wonderfulness that I found lasted for minutes and faded when I became possessed with dizziness and an upset stomach. I was supposed not to remember it anymore, but Hoseok opened the Pandora’s box inside of me.

The sunlight was stronger and on its brightest phase when the car where we are aboard reached the peak distance. The sky was more cheerful and bluish too. It was like I have been deceived by seeing its subtle beauty when I was on the land. Hoseok's energetic chuckle and excitement filled the atmosphere. His contagious gestures and expression reflected on me too. I retained my smile until the trip was over and we are about to step out from the yellow car. Bizarrely, I did not got sick or feel unwell. I was rather lightheaded and ecstatic as my hand reached for a bench under the shed. And as soon as I came, my sight suddenly swirled and I couldn't help but to throw up.

Hoseok hurried to help me out and it took several minutes to calm my stomach completely. It was a silly and an embarrassing for the other people that I own, however for him it was nothing. He wouldn't be laughing as I expected him to. Instead, his expression becomes dreaded and he was more sweating out than before. In exchange for taking care of me while I'm on a unpleasant condition, I bought him of shaved ice that he ate gratefully underneath the giant umbrella outside the snack bar. It was a hot and an almost suffocating day. We should have been inside a classroom now, but with the attack of my childish tantrum we were here and carefully counting the time left for us before we get back home.

While Hoseok was happily looking all over the place as we walk on, apprehension returns to me. I was deciding to turn my phone on, but I thought of our parents', teachers' and friends anger to what we have done. I tasted bitterness in my mouth that replaced the over left sweetness of the cotton candy. It shifted into sourness as I started to think of a way to save ourselves. It was not that I am no longer in awe of my mother's clamoring or the earnest look in my father's eyes. But rather, I was afraid that Hoseok would have to receive a weight of punishment. He was a good student but because of me he skipped classes. This was what makes it difficult to be young. You tend to wish that you'll grow up into a matured individual so that you will not mess in any decisions that you had to take. Whenever you attempt to be better, the situation's current will flow against you. You will not be able to fight it and you get carried by it. Whenever you think of holding back, your emotions will seep out like an open faucet. Whenever you try to take people out of your misery, they always ended up being a part of it. Adolescence is a journey surrounded by contradictions, confusion and struggles. It was when you try to change but always ended up being the very same no matter how many chances were given. And this, came to me for the hundredth time. As it is, I failed to be better and I even dragged Hoseok to my mistakes.

The smile that I had shown him in the next momentary glances that we shared became forced as guilt climbed onto my senses. I do feel so terrible. I couldn't contain my worrying, so when we decided to eat lunch I finally spluttered my thoughts while we were standing on a line waiting for our turn to buy hamburgers and drinks. Hoseok was again nonchalant either concerned about the aftermath of today. He told me not to think of anything even our parents and friends. Instead, he told me to enjoy him company and suggested that we should ride the Pirate Ship next. But I refused to the invitation for I wouldn't want to get my stomach upset and throw again. He laughed at my answer and so we proceeded into waiting on the line.

Some eyes, some attention were driven to us. Since we were both wearing school uniforms and it is class hours. At first, I was not bothered until it became longer and I began to feel uncomfortable. Some of the people we met on our way are whispering and making disdain. Though I do not a faint of their minds' content, it puts me into an instability. Hoseok immediately noticed my anxiety at its first kick, so he called out a break and we rested on one of the table inside the snack bar.

"I'm sorry, we should have stayed here while the sun is still up." he said while patting my back.

"It's alright. This is happening because I am losing sleep these past nights." I murmured as I rested my head on the table. The spell of dizziness came back to me and my legs began numbing for we had been walking a lot.

"Do you want to go home now?" he wondered. I panicked and raised my head.

"Will you be alright if we return?" I quickly asked.

"Shouldn't you be thinking of yourself?" he retorted. I shook my head and recollected my consciousness. My head ache instantly stops again like the way it came on. Hoseok was confused to my reaction but he only smiled and proceeded into convincing me to ride the Pirate Ship.

"I already said that I will not go there." I repeated and folded my arms. I averted my gaze and scowled. Hoseok was sometimes had a habit of talking like a child and he does it when he wants me to come with him or asking for a favor. I anticipated him to does it for more, but the tone of his voice lowered. In a second, the look in his eyes shifted into a deeper shade of adolescence from a child-like brightness. It's almost mystical and fascinating. He was the only person I knew who could easily change the weather inside themselves. Even Yoongi whom we had known to have a swaying mood was not capable of changing the look in his pupils at the blink of an eye.

"Alright, will you lend me an ear instead? Don't think of anything. Just listen to me and don't speak until I let you so." he told me in a strict way. I slowly looked to Hoseok and found saw a half-fraternal and half-unfriendly presence in him. I cleared my throat, closed and opened my eyes quickly and I tried to empty out my mind as he said. Hoseok moved his chair closer and he began talking as if he was whispering a secret that nobody must know while holding the paper bag in his vacant hand.

"Do you remember the day that Minah and you went to the comfort room in an early morning?" he asked, I nodded.

"I was about to give you of this, but you left and when you two returned Minah was mad at Jimin." he softly said as he hands the paper bag to me. I couldn't tell if he was being shy or is being forced to do it. So, I returned the gift immediately without even asking him of what could it be. I recalled the pictures of the metal box with melted messy chocolates in it and the cardboard box with empty stationary letters. Somehow, I had to reject it for I couldn't shake off that terrible memory of excessive confusion.

"You don't like it? I thought you wanted a Polaroid camera." Hoseok surprised me. His disappointment floated vividly and it made me flustered.

"What are you-." he interrupted me by pressing my right cheek. His smile became a frown and the shine in his eyes blurs.

"I couldn't buy it for your birthday. So I saved up more and finally before the ending of our summer semester I got it. Sorry, it was late and I know there's isn't an occasion so why don't you accept it already? I worked hard to buy it for you. While you were in your room, I helped out to your family's business and thankfully Mr. Jang paid me generously." he sighed, still in dismay. My eyes grew wide in the revelation. Though I should be able to keep my emotions intact, my tears gushes out. No matter how many times I judge him as a childish person, I know that I would always end up being more immature than him. It was quite painful to realize, but it's the truth. Hoseok, he is indeed a strange person. To the days and the hot afternoons that I spent entrapping myself in my room, I didn't know that he was downstairs and secretly listening to my murmurs and cries. When I thought that he was away, he was only around and silently watching over.

"I gained muscles in my arms when I lifted the boxes, you know. I also took some pills to relieve the pain on my back. You should accept it, you know. I worked hard for that. I even put an amount of my allowance for that too. So, come on Alice my arm is hurting now so get the paper bag already." he sounded arrogant but it was only to convince me. I covered my face with his handkerchief and cried quieter as I can. I was shuddering and had an indescribably feeling in me. There were butterflies in my stomach and cold air on my spine. I tranquilized of myself before my cry becomes a weeping and I stood. As I reach for the paper bag, Hoseok's eyes flickered as if something was caught in it. His legs weaken and he gripped firmly on the chair so that he wouldn't collapse. However, he couldn't halt the decreasing balance. I carefully placed down the paper bag on the table and catch him. As soon as I was able to put my arms around his torso, I fell and my back hit the floor. The people around us looked towards our direction and baffles on what happened. Those people that I saw hovering over us, some of them shouted, some of them left out from my view and some of them lifted Hoseok though I was shaking my head and telling them not to move him. None of them listened to me and the next moment I found myself was I am in laying in a hospital bed with my father beside me.

I had to rub the corner of my eyes and knock my skull to make sure that I was not dreaming. I wasn't, it's true and real that my father is sitting beside me with an expression that I couldn't read. He was rather calm, composed and not mad at all. But, I couldn't tell, he might be only holding his anger because he wouldn't want to cause a fuss while I was asleep. So, slowly and carefully I turned to right and gets up. I still winced despite of telling myself not to and my lips shaped into a deeper frown as I take off the blanket wrapped around me. Father looked at me and adjusted his reading glasses and placed one of his hand on his lap and one on my shoulder. He sighed without moving, it was out of frustration and dismay.

"I'm sorry, Papa." I quickly said achingly. The thought of what could happen to Hoseok came to me and I panic was spelled on me. I moved slightly closer to my father and recited his name. My father's mouth cracked open and a smile of gladness came instead of a glare.

"Hoseok is fine. You mustn’t get worried." he told me.

"Where is he?" I anxiously asked while wandering my eyes in a room that was filled with other patients.

"He's in the other room." my father responded.

"Can I see him now?" I lifted my arms slightly and prepared myself to leave the bed. But my father held onto my shoulder and pushed back to laying.

"Hoseok needs to rest a little longer. That child's illness relapses because he was too exhausted. Stay here Alice until it is fine to see him. Also, you should rest up too. You passed out from the extreme heat. An unknown contact called and told me that as your guardian I need to fetch you from this hospital. It's a surprise that Hoseok was with you. What did you two had in mind that you skipped classes? Oh, I almost forgot. Aside from Hoseok you had another friend with you." as soon as my father finished his statement I saw Jimin entering the room and walking towards us. He, is also in his school uniform and carrying his back bag. My eyes grew wide in the unexpected view of a friend and I went into thinking. It's peculiar how I didn't saw him at all when we strolled around the amusement park's vicinity. It had put me into confusion and my head suddenly began aching again. I was soon to pass out when my father called my name and recollected my consciousness.

"Hello sir, I'm Park Jimin. I'm one of Alice's friends." they shook hands. From my father's expression he was delighted to meet my friends. He was like of that too when he met Minah and Hanna.

"Why are you here?" I asked without considering my father's reaction to my behavior.

"I followed you two." he solemnly answered.

"Why? You shouldn't have skipped classes." I didn't hide my unwanted of him despite of my father's presence.

"Alice, well I had stopped standing from behind." Jimin did not averted his gaze. He even took a step towards me and paid a glance and smile at my father. It made me irritated and cramped, so I turned away and covered my head with the blanket. I was shuddering and bearing the headache that lingers in me. My father called me in a kinder way and kept his delightfulness in meeting Jimin. To avoid being more disrespectful to my father and not to Jimin I got up and repaired my behavior to the very best way that will not expand my irritation at Jimin.

"I'm sorry Alice, I was planning to meet you at the snack bar but I was afraid that I might disrupt your conversation with Hobi. I didn't mean to surprise you." though I was annoyed by just peeping at his face especially to his eyes, I noticed that Jimin was speaking more