"What do you mean by 'what the Hatter will have to say about it'?"

Jongdae's words had me knitting my brows. I didn't understand why he would bring up Yifan. I was also surprised by his suggestion that Yifan would having anything to say about it. After taking a moment to regain my composure, I realized the absurdness of those words.

"I don't know what you're insinuating...but I'm free to spend my time with whomever I want, aren't I? I just met Yifan and we're not particularly close, so he's in no position to dictate to me."

"Right."

He must have detected the note of frustration in my voice, he raised both hands in mock surrender. 

"That didn't come out right. I apologize."

But his lips held a mocking smile as he pressed on.

"He just seemed to be searching for you frantically, Alice. So I thought he might lose it if he saw the two of you together."

"...And that was your way of warning me?"

"I can't claim to be noble, but I suppose so. I thought I'd show a little consideration."

"Hmmm..."

The young man who called himself the March Hare might not be such a bad guy after all. His rugged features made me wary at first, but I quickly reevaluated my opinion of him.

"Jongdae, do you know why Yifan is looking for me?"

Jongdae chuckled softly at my question. 

"I have no clue. He didn't seem to want to talk about it, and I wasn't that interested, so I didn't pursue the matter. Who knows, maybe he fell in love with you at first sight? You are kind of cute."

"...Well, thanks."

His smooth delivery of those sweet words had me flustered, but I went thanked him all the same. 

(Jongdae is no doubt the kind of guy that speaks his mind. That's why he was so quick to apologize earlier...)

"All right, I should get going."

While I was pondering my thoughts about Jongdae, he turned his back on me