Tea Party
Cupid at Heart
The hatter—or Myungsoo, as he preferred to be called—opened the entrance into the serene cottage. But what greeted them inside was far from peaceful. It was utter chaos.
There was one long dining table in the center of the house made of refined wood. Surrounding it were different kind of mismatched chairs; from simple wooden logs all the way to a fancy royal chair that came from the Heart castle itself, they had it all.
Nearly every chair was preoccupied with a guest. They were either animals who could morph into a human like Sungjong and Kihyun were, or regular animals who enjoyed drinking tea. Myungsoo seemed to be the only human present in this whacky place.
“Please, please, take your seat. You are in time for our celebration,” Myungsoo told his new guests, easily flicking towards the chairs. He then stepped on the wooden table and walked across it through the numerous amount of teapots, the fancy teacups, and the condiments. Even when a mouse was busy pouring himself some tea, it stopped to give Myungsoo way.
“In time for a celebration?” Hyunmi asked, eyes glancing towards the clocks. As with the teacups, there were an awful abundance of clocks hanging on the wall. All of them stood exactly at six o’clock. “What are we celebrating, Sir Myungsoo?”
Myungsoo hopped off at the far end of the table to occupy the best seat in the form of a replicated throne. “I am glad you questioned, milady. We are only celebrating the most important day, 364 times in a year.”
“What may that be?” Hyunmi asked curiously.
“An unbirthday party.”
As soon as Myungsoo spoke the words, every creature within the cottage began to cheer and yell, wishing themselves and the ones seated next to them to have a happy unbirthday. Then they continued pouring and spilling more tea by clinking their cups together.
“This is complete madness,” Sungjong said, staring with a very judgmental expression. He slowly shook his head.
“Thank you, we do take pride in it,” Myungsoo spoke, rising his chest proudly at the compliment.
Suddenly, the tall presence of another person greeted them. Upon second glance, those brown rabbit ears made him appear taller than he already was.
“Come. Take a seat, any seat. W-we have the best tea for our n-new guests,” the guy spoke as he pushed the other four to some empty spots he could find. He wasn’t nervous, yet he stammered from excessive excitement. His hands trembled terribly.
“It seems you have consumed too much sugar, my friend,” Sungjong remarked. He had never seen a rabbit with such widened and spiraling eyes.
“Fear not. The March Hare has recently discovered a new substance that causes him to go a little cuckoo at times. What was it called? Some black beans? Cafe beans?” Myungsoo asked, twirling his fingers gracefully as he tried to recall it.
“I told you I go by the name of Sungyeol now. And those are called coffee beans,” the March Hare insisted defensively.
“Ah, yes. Cafe beans. I wasn’t too far off,” Myungsoo nodded proudly at his own intelligence.
“Forgive the Hatter. He is a little mad s-sometimes,” Sungyeol spoke with a laugh. He distributed a tea cup for all four of them, and began pouring some tea with shaking hands. They all had different measures: Seulyi barely got any considering how much was spilled, Sungjong’s was only worth one sip, Hyunmi’s tea overflowed, and Woohyun’s cup broke with the first drop.
“Happy unbirthday to you all!” Sungyeol said frantically, laughed, and then danced around the table before taking his seat at the next available empty chair he spotted.
Again, the entire room chorused into numerous wishes of happy unbirthdays.
“Are we meant to celebrate the day that isn’t our birthday?” Seulyi questioned Hyunmi in a whisper.
“I suppose—”
“Hey! The two ladies over there!” Myungsoo’s voice blared, making them jump in shock. “I do not tolerate any secrecy on such a special day. Announce what you two were whispering about, or begone.”
Hyunmi looked surprised for a second, but quickly thought of a way to cover it up. “We were merely complimenting you on this lovely tea party and would like to wish you a happy unbirthday ourselves,” she said convincingly. She noted the Hatter loved compliments, and luckily she knew how to compliment people well.
She shared a small glance with Woohyun who only smiled in relief. Once again, his eyes seemed to twinkle at her clever response.
“Well, if that is the case,” Myungsoo spoke with an immediate change from his foul mood. His eyes then drifted to Seulyi’s dress, and the smile faded from his face once again. “What is that you are wearing to a party? A nightgown?”
Seulyi flinched and her cheeks soon took on a color of red that contrasted her clean white cotton dress. “I- I didn’t know I would be meeting you… I mean, would be coming to this party.”
Her hand trailed to her chest, clenching the soft fabric of her dress in her fist. What was this strange feeling? She was being scolded by the Hatter, and yet, it made her heart tremble with excitement.
“It is the effect of the love potion,” Woohyun told Hyunmi as he leaned in closely to whisper the information to her ear.
Hyunmi felt herself stiffening at his hot breath ghosting over her skin. She did not dare to look at him, and only bobbed her head in return. Love potion or not, she seemed to be experiencing similar symptoms.
“Ah, it is a mistake that could happen to any first-timers. I do hope to see you properly dressed the next time we meet,” Myungsoo spoke.
“Certainly, my love... I mean Mr. Hatter… Myungsoo… Sir.” Seulyi panicked over the words that escaped . She gave a horrid look to Woohyun and Hyunmi who both shrugged, unable to help her out.
“So Woohyun, my dearest cupid, what brings you to this humble shop of mine?” Myungsoo then questioned, finally averting his attention to the main issue.
“The youngest princess has requested a rather impossible task of me. I wanted to know whether or not it extends beyond my capabilities to perform, since you are, after all, the wisest amongst men.”
Myungsoo closed his eyes, enjoying every single bit of compliments he received. Then he opened his eyes, and took a good look at Hyunmi. “Is this the princess of Heart who is said to possess remarkable beauty? I don’t see it.”
Hyunmi was delightfully surprised for the first time ever, Seulyi was relieved, and Sungjong was cackling in amusement.
“Perhaps your vision has impaired you, dear Hatter. But the princess is the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on,” Woohyun spoke daringly in her defense. He was unaware of the way Hyunmi held her head down to hide her blush from him.
“Hm, such a formidable thing to say by a god who lived his entire life surrounded by divine goddesses,” Myungsoo spoke, and a grin formed on his lips. “So what is this impossible task you speak of?”
“Is it possible to reverse the effect of my power? Instead of love, could I make someone despise another?” Woohyun asked.
Myungsoo stayed silent for a few seconds, but then burst out into an incredulous laugh. Sungyeol and the rest mimicked his laughter without knowing what was so humorous.
“Cupid, love is a difficult emotion to attain. You could teach anyone to despise, but not everyone could love. Falling in love may require your power, but making someone despise another is something even I am capable of.”
“You’d e-excel at it,” Sungyeol spoke with a wide grin, slightly jumping in his seat.
“That, I do know,” Myungsoo agreed confidently, not taking it as an insult.
“You’d also excel at being my lover,” Seulyi whispered under her breath, which only earned a terrified look from the cheshire cat.
“So would it be possible?” Hyunmi confirmed with a hopeful tone.
“To a normal human being, yes. But as you are granted with eternal beauty, perhaps it would need an additional boost,” Myungsoo spoke.
“And what would that be?” Woohyun asked, staring at the Hatter with big eyes of anticipation.
“That is a question I cannot answer myself.” Myungsoo shrugged, calmly sipping a cup of tea with his pinky finger outstretched. He then put the cup down with a clink, and hardened his gaze towards the guests.
“What strikes to me as a greater riddle, however, is why cupid himself is so persistent in this task to help the princess?”
Woohyun looked taken aback and had that lost and confused look on his face again. “The princess can be very persuasive once you get to know her,” he answered with a sheepish smile.
Myungsoo continued staring and eventually broke out into a playful smirk. “Sure, sure, if that is what you’d like to let yourself believe, who am I to stop you?”
Hyunmi also wondered what those words meant, but she couldn’t ponder on it for too long as Seulyi suddenly grabbed her by the knee and hissed.
“I think I am madly in love, but I have no clue how to handle it. My chest feels all warm and it tingles,” she whimpered. The effect of the love potion was incredible and she looked more desperate than ever before.
Without thinking much, Hyunmi raised her hand in the air as if requesting for permission.
“Uhm, yes, the princess?” Myungsoo spoke unsurely. No one had displayed such polite tendencies in the shop whereby walking on a table was permitted.
“My friend over here is very curious about this astounding shop of yours. She would love it if you could tell her more about it. Perhaps she could listen to your incredible tales that qualify you as the best hatter in all of Mirificus,” Hyunmi spoke with such trained exaggeration that sounded genuinely sincere.
“Really?” Myungsoo lifted an eyebrow with interest, looking at the princess with delight. “Woohyun, I can already tell why you are attracted to her. She can be very persuasive, indeed.”
Hyunmi widened her eyes in surprise, feeling her heart race faster at those words. Could it be true? Was the almighty cupid who had never been in love, falling for her? Though it was seemingly impossible and forbidden, part of her secretly wished it were true.
“Come over here, Miss Nightgown. Let me tell you all about my tales,” Myungsoo asked for the head maid to join him as he stretched his arm out for the lady.
“Actually, it’s Seulyi,” she corrected him as she went to his side.
“Nightgown is easier to remember. It allows me to remember your one-of-a-kind appearance too.” Myungsoo smirked, taking her hand to link it within his own.
Seulyi blushed at their physical contact. She did not even understand what was so incredibly attractive about the hatter, but she knew her heart reacted violently to whatever he did.
“My tale isn’t all too interesting. Although I am grateful to the princess calling me the best hatter in all of Mirificus, my achievements go beyond that. I’ve been making hats my entire life, and have had a number of clients. Each individual shares their tale with me in order to create the perfect hat.”
His voice was so dreamy and whimsical. The way he chuckled so confidently was absolutely adorable. His lips formed a heart shape whenever he pouted or said the o vowel. Seulyi couldn't stop admiring all the little details she observed.
“I owe my incredible wisdom and knowledge to my customers. Although I myself am pretty fond of riddles which could increase my wit. Would you hear my favorite one?”
“Y-yes,” Seulyi stuttered.
“Why is a raven like a writing desk?”
Seulyi stayed quiet. She had no clue. Would she seem foolish for not knowing? Her eyes glanced to her friends at the table who were on par with her confusion.
“You may cause the girl to doubt her own intelligence, which she is already lacking in to begin with. Please, spare her,” Sungjong chimed in, playfully swirling his purple tail behind him.
Normally Hyunmi would’ve shushed him for his harsh remarks, but the unsolved riddle seemed to have occupied her entire mind. Lucky for Sungjong.
“Ah. Would you like me to tell you the answer, Miss Nightgown?” Myungsoo asked her with a charming smile that captivated her heart.
“Y-yes, please.”
He smirked and threw his hands in the air. “I haven’t had the slightest clue.”
His response made Sungyeol and all the other animals roar out in laughter. It seemed they had heard the riddle before, but found it funny whenever someone pondered to no avail. The cups and pots clattered when everyone bonked their fist on the table to control their dying laughter.
Hyunmi then raised her hand in the air once again, politely waiting to be pointed at before speaking up. Her face was very serious.
“Yes, the princess of Heart?” Myungsoo pointed at her with a fading laughter.
“The raven is like a writing desk because they nevar stray too far from a quill,” Hyunmi answered. “And nevar is raven spelled backwards.”
The entire room fell in abrupt silence, even the clattering teacup in Sungyeol’s trembling hands stopped shaking. They all stared at her with a sense of horrid shock. Within the change of a split second, their silence erupted into a festive and celebratory cheer. It became more chaotic than ever before.
“Remarkable. Truly remarkable. You are a princess of beauty and wit!” Myungsoo spoke, applauding his hand with b pride. The entire room echoed in a standing ovation and began to dance around the table.
“H-have I said the wrong thing?” Hyunmi blinked her eyes in confusion.
“Not at all. You have impressed them in the most wonderful way possible,” Woohyun told her, lightly patting her hand to congratulate her. But as soon as he realized the way she stiffened at his action, he quickly retracted his hand back. He tried his best to remain calm and collected afterwards.
“To the witty Princess of Heart, I shall present you the best unbirthday gift of all. Tell me in details the task you have asked Cupid to help you with, and I, also, shall offer my assistance,” Myungsoo declared out loud as he pumped his fist against his chest. The animals cheered for him like he had done something heroic.
“Me too! I shall help out as well,” Sungyeol added and laughed giddily to himself as he clapped his hands together.
“Tell us, what is it you wish to achieve?” Myungsoo stared at the princess. Suddenly, numerous pair of eyes stared along, putting her at the center of attention.
“Err… My father, the King of Heart, wishes me to be courted by the Prince of Spade to get married. But I do not love him,” Hyunmi tried to explain everything as brief and detailed as possible.
The animals cooed with great sympathy for her tale.
“Mmhmm, do you perhaps have someone else you love?” Myungsoo asked, and his eyes playfully darted to Woohyun’s direction, then back to her, and back to him.
“I am afraid I do not understand love well enough to answer that,” Hyunmi answered regretfully.
“You poor child. When will the courtship start?”
“In two days. The prince will come for a visit and the kingdom will hold a masked masquerade ball.”
“Ooh! A ball! I love dancing,” Sungyeol said, jumping in his seat out of uncontainable excitement again and began dancing with the air. “Can we join?”
“I am not sure if it’s open to the public, but I can convince my father to permit it,” Hyunmi said with new determination. She then stared at those whom she would like to call her new friends. “Will you all attend?”
“Of course,” Myungsoo said, twirling the liquid in his teacup before bringing it up towards the ceiling for a toast. Then he spoke his intended plan before sipping the drink.
“How can one ruin a ball without attending it?”
This is one of my most favorite chapter to write, because they're all mad. And Myungsoo's character is just lovely.
Also, this is my own take to answer Lewis Carroll's famous "why is the raven like a writing desk" riddle. Although raven spelled backwards is an answered I borrowed from the great man himself. Hope you are enjoying this as much as I love writing it. <3
Yay! Won the bid today! I hope you will enjoy the story~ Would love to know your thoughts, so please do leave comments too~ Thank youuu <3
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