𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞 ☆ 𝐬𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐣𝐨𝐨𝐧𝐠

𝐕. 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍 𝐌𝐄, 𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐄

༺　♥　༻

As time went on, Yeosang grew in grace and beauty under Madame Ima's guidance, along with all the children she had. She dedicated most of her time taking care of them, offering them a good education and a well-defined set of manners they never disposed of. Something they couldn't afford having in their previous life. Madame's ways of teaching felt like homeschooling routine, making sure that her beloved flowers would learn how to behave properly, according to the societal model, how to read, how to count and use the numbers correctly, then, when the kids stepped on higher levels, she started to ask for more than just the basics.

The mistress hired French governesses to help the children learn to recite or write poetry, to sway the brushes in different shapes and colors on a canvas, to use their vocal cords in the most diaphanous manifestations of art, and even to take French lessons, because Madame Ima's wish was to make her children distinguished gentlemen and ladies. Refined. Her girls were obligated to practice a few hours of ballet every day so that their elegance wouldn't wither and the dust wouldn't cover all the woman's endeavor, while the boys were taught to play an instrument, but they would end up getting the ones meant to arouse passion: piano and violin.

And until Yeosang's accommodation in Madame Ima's home, the only rule was that no one was allowed to talk during meals, but as the children grew older, discipline and obedience became the staples of that mansion's well-being.

The transition from Yeosang to Alice had helped the young boy a lot to survive in a new house, full of souls wherever you looked. Perhaps if Madame Ima hadn't given life to an alter ego that night, not even fate would have foreseen a future for the poor soul trapped in a nightmare that still haunts his existence from time to time, but it didn't happen as often as usual, because in this house, also called the 'house of wonders', Alice had been accepted into a big family. Besides the kids he met the first night he had dinner with them, there were a few other seniors he was told about but weren't around at that moment.

He learned how to open up slowly, mostly guided by the soft-hearted maid who showed him patience and affection and taught him what self-confidence is. Then, he learned how to communicate whenever someone wanted to speak with him. It all started with Annika, because she took care of him most of the time and she used to make him happy 24/7 with sweets, fresh flowers she would bring in his room every morning, bedtime stories along with forehead kisses and hair strokes that the boy grew to love. As if... he was her own child.

Next in line was Madame Ima, because she was the reason Alice still existed in this world in the first place, but she had that intimidating aura and it wasn't that easy to talk to her. It felt like... every time he would open his mouth in front of her, his heart hammered in his chest, too scared to say something silly. But, since she was a busy woman, her beloved Alice wouldn't really see her face more often throughout the day, only for a few moments during breakfast and dinner. Lunch was the only meal the kids took alone. And he was alright with that.