Eun Ah sat stiffly in the car as Himchan drove her towards the hospital. The whole time she was wondering why Himchan claimed that he shot Sung Wok down even though his gun hadn't been fired.

None of it made sense. He had no reason to lie, she couldn't see what he'd gain out of doing it. If it wasn't him, it could've been Tao or Minseok but that still didn't explain why he'd take the credit.

"Hey."

Eun Ah looked up and noticed that Himchan was standing outside of his door ducking his head into the car.

"What's the matter with you? We're here, get out."  She shook her head of those thoughts. There must be a logical explanation behind it and she was probably reading too much into it.

Eun Ah made a face at him before  getting out of the car and following him into the hospital. He headed straight for one of the rooms where Youngjae was waiting for them.

"If you wanted to see me so badly, we should just have lunch one day, you don't need to keep putting yourself in danger."

Eun Ah snorted at his joking tone and took a seat on the bench. Youngjae inspected her cuts while Himchan fiddled with his phone, off to the side.

"Jesus, these cuts are gruesome, what, did you take a chain saw to them?"

Eun Ah grumbled incoherently and snuck a glance at her brother who was staring intently at his phone. As if he sensed her eyes on him, he glanced up and met her inquisitive look .

"Hey, I'm going to grab your stuff, I'll be back soon." Eun Ah barely had a chance to respond when Himchan disappear out of the door.

 "What was it this time?" Youngjae asked as he pulled out ointments and anti-bacterial cream to tend to her cuts.

"I dropped glass and I tried to pick them up and they slipped and then I fell on top of it. It was a whole, painful thing." Eun Ah chose to go with the story that she and Himchan had decided on, on the drive over. She didn't want to tell him the truth and have him feel guilty for not being there to help her.

Youngjae gave her a look that told her that he didn't buy her story but she didn't offer him a new one nor did he ask for one.

"You should be more careful." He scolded gently.

"Yeah, yeah." She waved him off.

"Well, no matter how you got hurt, I'm keeping you here over night."

Eun Ah blinked at him. She didn't think he'd actually do that to her. She thought Himchan was being overdramatic.

"You're making me stay overnight for a cuts? Isn't that a waste of hospital resources?"

Youngjae smirked, "I know how you really got hurt. Daehyun told me. So stop being a smartass and do what I say."

Eun Ah's jaw dropped at the snobby tone, but all she could do was cross her arms and pout. "I can't believe you used to be my favourite."

Youngjae's face suddenly switched to his innocent smile, "Used to?"

Eun Ah turned her head away, "Too late now buddy. Now leave me alone, I need my rest."

Youngjae rolled his eyes at his dramatic patient. "You know, I've had some kids come in as patients and they're more disciplined that you."

Eun Ah shot him a smile but the boy just shook his head and walked to the door. "I'll check back on you later, just try to rest."

Eun Ah leaned her back against the wall and closed her eyes as she finally let the events of that day catch up with her.

It felt like her emotions were on a timed delay and only came up after the actual moments. Her tears felt dried out and exhaustion take over.

Just as her eyes were drifting shut she heard the door open. She kept them closed and addressed the intruder. "I thought you said that you were going to check on me later. Later isn't 5 minutes, Youngjae."

"Um...did you want me to get Youngjae for you?" A nervous voice spoke up. She opened her eyes and saw Kris standing  in front of her dressed fully in black with a hat tilted over his face.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, sitting herself up.

 "I just wanted to check on you, see how you were doing." He said as he tilted his hat down.

Eun Ah snorted, "Did you really think that dressing in all black was going to keep you hidden from Himchan? You're a giant. You're like Waldo in a sea of people dressed in black."

Kris gave her a blank, unamused look before pulling his hat off and sitting in the chair that Youngjae had just occupied.

Eun Ah took this moment to really focus on his face. There was no denying that he was handsome. His blonde hair pushed off his face and sharp eyes that seemed to jolt around the room, but there was still something dark and hidden behind them.

His skin looked porcelain, almost like a character from a manga.  She could still recall the feeling of relief when she saw him and the others in the warehouse when Sung Wok dragged her in. It was the first time she had felt hope since she was taken.

"Why does Himchan not like you so much?" She asked innocently.

Kris frowned, "I'm not sure. I never asked."

Eun Ah made a face at his useless answer and shifted her gaze down at her bandaged wrists. Kris followed her gaze and instinctively grabbed her hands to inspect the damage.  

"Does it still hurt?" He asked gently, his warm breath smoothing over her sore skin. She shivered a little at the strange sensation it made her feel.

"It's alright. It should heal in a few days." She mumbled.

He brushed the bandage with his thumb, his eyes drilling into her hands as if he could see through the cloth and at the bruise. His eyes trailed down her wrists and landed on her fingers. Eun Ah saw how his eyes focused on her ring and saw the blatant look of confusion at the piece of jewellery.

She pulled her hands out of his grip and stared him down. "Why are you so surprised that I still wear my ring? You asked me about it when I first went your house, too. "

"I just didn't think you'd want the memory."

"Why wouldn't I?" She asked in confusion.

"It's just a constant reminder of what was taken away from you." He said with a casual shrug. 

Eun Ah frowned, "I want a constant reminder. When someone is that important in your life, you want to remember whatever is left of them."

"I don't get it." Kris looked lost. 

"Why not?"

Kris frowned, "He died out of nowhere, you're never going to get closure, every time you see that ring, you'll just be reminded of that. You won't be able to move on."

"Why are you so negative?" She asked, her tone bordering on annoyance. 

"Because I know what it's like spending your life chasing after ghosts." He said softly. Eun Ah was taken aback by his words and watched the mirage of emotions falsh through his eyes.

"He's not a ghost." She said quietly. Kris didn't respond and just watched her quietly. 

"Who's Al?" She blurted suddenly. 

Kris jolted up straight. "Excuse me?"

"I know you said Al today. When you hugged me. Who is that?"

"She's no one." He said coldly, turning away.

Eun Ah's eyebrows rose.

He said she.

They sat there in silence until Kris rolled the sleeve of his black shirt up. He held his arm out for her to see. Drawn from his wrist, up his arm, to his shoulder were tattoos of Alice in Wonderland. Every character and every symbol was carefully carved into his skin. Even though the images were drawn individually they all came together as one large painting on his pale skin.

The one thing that stood out the most to Eun Ah was the tattoo of Alice herself. She was drawn beautifully but right under her, words were written in cursive.

Imagination is the only weapon in the war against reality.

Eun Ah unconsciously stretched her hand out and ever so gently, traced the ink. Kris flinched, but didn't pull away when he felt her warm touch melt through his cold blood. Kris's gazes stayed pinned on her as she brushed over every singled curve, gaping at his arm in awe.

"You must really love Alice in Wonderland."

Kris swallowed down the uncomfortable lump of confusion down his throat. An explosion of mysterious, inexplicable emotions rushed him.

He was wondering if he was bipolar.

One second he was speaking to her in short, curt sentences, as if he couldn't see her, the next he was reaching out to touch h