I felt a restlessness in my heart... the burning sensation was forcing me to hurry. Without knowing where to go, I just kept walking - driven to continue moving forward. 

Where I reached out was--

"...!"

My eyes opened wide in astonishment. Then I finally realized that I had lost consciousness. Beyond my reach, I found the unfamiliar ceiling above me. It was too distorted to call it an ordinary room... I had never seen such a weird place before. 

"Where am I...?"

There was irritation in those words. It wasn't because I was lying down on a cold, hard floor. Indescribable emotions that were neither anger nor despair twisted my heart. I couldn't figure out what was wrong with me.

(I feel dizzy... No, it's more like pain...)

Having exhaled to chase away these sickening feeling, I sat up.

"What a strange cave..."

There was a clock embedded in the twisted wall and cards sprouting from the slanted floor. It was a mysterious place with no telling of night or day.

"What was I doing here again? Wait... Who am 'I'...?"

"You're Alice." ? 

"...What?"

A sudden voice struck me. I reflexively looked back, and I found a man standing right before me. 

"Good morning, Alice." ?

Lingering drowsiness I may have had instantly swept away. This man of singular beauty had such an amazing deep crimson hair and eyes. I was completely lost in admiration, but calmly responded to him. 

"I'm not Alice."

I confidently replied...

My name w