Then you heard a rustling. Then you saw a cat. Or was it a boy? It was definitely both a cat and a boy. There, sitting on a high tree branch was a blonde boy – was everyone here blonde? – with a mask covering his face. Two orange cat ears took place on the top of his head and an orange tail waved back and forth, proving he was a cat. He had the prettiest eyes you had see thus far.

 “Looking for something?” the boy asked from the tree, pulling off his mask. He took a bite out of the apple you didn't see him hold before.

You looked up at him.

“Well, yes. Yes and no. I was originally looking for a bunny named Zelo, have you heard of him? Well, it doesn't matter. Now I’ve just been trying to get away from Him Chan. He seems quite mad, you know?” you rambled, glad to have someone to talk to.

“The Mad Hatter? Mad? Oh, you can’t help that. Almost everyone here is mad,” the cat let out a roar of laughter.

“Are you mad too?”

“No comment.”

“Who are you anyway?” you asked curiously.

The cat boy swung his legs back and forth on the tree branch. He put up both his hands and waved. “Hello, I am Dae Hyun, otherwise known… as the Cheshire Cat.”

You involuntarily waved back.

“Why are you called the Cheshire Cat?” you asked curiously.

“Well, isn’t it obvious? It’s because of my smile,” he explained, grinning brightly. 

You nodded; it certainly did make sense. Did it make sense? You didn’t even know anymore. Then you saw the cat boy eating a cookie. Where did he get the cookie?

“Can I ask you which way I should go? I’m quite lost.”

“That depends on where you want to go.”

“Oh, it doesn’t really matter, as long as I ge-“

“Then it really doesn’t matter which way you go!” Dae Hyun cut you off, giving you a look from the corner of his eyes. He bit into a banana; this too, you didn't know where he got it from.

 He then moved from his sitting position to start hanging from the branch by his hands. He flashed you smile.

“Oh, by the way, if you’d really like to know, he went that way.”

“Who did?”

“The white rabbit.”

“He did?”

“He did what?”

“Went that way?”

“Who did?”

“The white rabbit!”

“What rabbit?”

“But you just said… I mean… Oh god…” you held your hand to your head. You suddenly felt exhausted, feeling the toll today had on you. “Anyway, I- I- I’m through with rabbits, especially that Zelo one. I want to go home! But I can’t find my way, as I’m lost.”

“Naturally. That’s because you have no way. All ways here are the Queen’s ways.”

“But I’ve never met any Queen, though I keep hearing about her.”

“You haven’t? You haven’t!” Dae Hyun said as he brought his right thumb to his mouth, thinking. It was a wonder to see him hanging from one hand and a tail like that. He then pulled himself up to sit on the branch again. Dae Hyun took a bite from a moon cake you didn't know he had.

“Oh, but you must,” he pointed a finger at you, his eyebrows furrowed a little bit.

“The Queen... is quite something else… Off with her head!!” He brought his hand back and pointed it at you again, this time with strength and force. Dae Hyun’s face scrunched up from shouting.

You jumped a little from the cat’s outburst. “A little sneak peak of what you’ll see.”

“How can I find her?” you asked. “I must ask her to take me home.”

Dae Hyun gave you a sly grin before his ears started flicking.

“Do you hear that?” he asked, starting to bob his head. His tail waved back and forth. A cupcake was in his hands. Where did it come from?

You listened carefully, and you could start to hear it. It was the beginning of a song; music was in the air. Dae Hyun his lips as his face showed amusement.

“It looks like you didn’t need to find her at all; the Queen has found you,” he told you.

You looked around wildly, trying to find the source of the music that was growing louder.

“Over theeerrree,” Dae Hyun helped, pointing in a direction behind you.

Relieved at his help, you sent him your thanks. “Oh, thank you, thank you, Dae Hyun! Now the Queen will get me home!”

Dae Hyun said nothing. He gave you a bright smile – befitting his name as the Cheshire Cat – and disappeared into the height of the trees.

Now where was the Queen?