Chapter Text
ACORN’S POV
Dear Diary,
We’re back. The dorms smell like instant noodles, damp laundry, and despair. My bunk bed creaks like it’s protesting my very existence, but after Europe’s luxury hotel mattresses? I swear I could cry into this lumpy pillow.
Till’s on the other bed, hugging Ibani (a.k.a. his and Ivan’s son, don’t argue with them about it). Finally. Finally, peace.
Or so I thought.
The Betrayal of Sleep
I passed out instantly. But when I opened my eyes—boom. Grass, mushrooms, rainbow sky. And me? A literal tree. Bark, roots, branches swaying like jazz hands.
Tree-kun. Back in business.
Till? Right there in a frilly blue dress, apron tied neat. Alice. Looking very done with the situation.
“Why am I in a dress?” he muttered, monotone. No one answered.
And me? I wasn’t just standing there. I felt a rustle in my branches—acorns, baby. Ready to rain chaos.
I gave one a test shake, and it plummeted, smacking the ground near Till’s foot. He jumped, glaring up at me. “Really, Acorn?” I rustled smugly. Oh, this was going to be fun.
The Rabbit Drama
Cue Ivan, hopping out of nowhere in a waistcoat and floppy rabbit ears. “Alice, my darling! You’re late!”
“Late for what?” Till deadpanned.
“For our marriage tea party!” Ivan declared, clutching a pocket watch that was ticking backwards.
Till stared. “...No.”
Ivan, swooning: “Yes.”
He actually tried to grab Till’s hand, only for Till to slap it away with his apron.
I couldn’t resist. I shook my branches and dropped an acorn right on Ivan’s head. “Ow!” he yelped, rubbing his noggin. “Tree-kun, whose side are you on?” I rustled harder, dropping two more for good measure.
Take that, rabbit boy.
The Cheshire Menace
Overhead, Luka’s floating head appeared, grinning like a haunted billboard. “Careful, Alice. The Rabbit bites.”
“Go away,” Till muttered.
Luka’s grin widened. “Make me.”
His body slowly faded in, lounging upside-down on an invisible branch above me. “I could tell you where the tea party is... but where’s the fun in that?”
I wasn’t about to let Luka have the last word. I wiggled a branch, and an acorn bonked his floating head. “Ugh, Tree-kun, rude!” he hissed, rubbing his forehead. My leaves practically smirked.
Keep talking, cat boy, I’ve got plenty more where that came from.
The Caterpillar Vibes
On a mushroom the size of a bunk bed, Hyuna lounged with a long pipe, blowing smoke letters into the air. They spelled out: PATHETIC.
She looked at Till with a scowl. “Why are you here.”
“I don’t know,” Till admitted, frowning down at his dress.
“Typical.”
Hyuna exhaled another smoke ring. This one spelled: DUMP HIM.
Ivan gasped. “How dare you!”
Hyuna: “Watch me.”
I decided Hyuna’s coolness needed a reality check. I shook an acorn loose, aiming for her pipe. It missed by an inch, landing in her lap. She glared up at me. “Tree-kun, you’re testing me.” I rustled innocently, but another acorn “accidentally” dropped, plinking off her mushroom.
She sighed, smoke spelling: ANNOYING.
The Royal Court
Then came Sua. She swept in wearing a blood-red gown, crown tilted, face frozen in terrifying calm. “Off with their heads,” she said softly, like a lullaby.
Behind her marched Mizi, dressed as a card knight, shield in one hand, glitter glue banner in the other. “ALL HAIL THE QUEEN!” she roared. “HER BREATH ALONE IS DIVINE!”
“Who even are you?” Till asked.
“I’m everything,” Sua said, eyes like frostbite. Even the grass wilted under her tone.
Mizi squealed, “ICONIC! Your Majesty, should I collect the peasant tree’s acorns for tribute??”
Sua didn’t answer, but I dropped an acorn anyway. It bounced off her crown with a tiny clink. She didn’t flinch, just stared up at me, narrowing her eyes. “Tree-kun. You’re next.”
I froze, but Mizi scrambled to snatch up the acorn like it was sacred. “THE TREE GIFTS THE QUEEN! HOLY OFFERING!” She held it to her chest like a relic. Okay, Mizi’s safe. For now.
The Tea Party From Hell
We were dragged to a table under a crooked tree, cups clinking, teapots steaming. And at the head of it all—Hyunwoo. The Mad Hatter.
But he wasn’t pouring tea.
He was staring at me.
At the tree.
“Strange,” he murmured, circling me like a predator. “A tree at my tea party. Tall. Sturdy. Kissable.”
Excuse me???
Till: “Why are you flirting with the foliage?”
Hyunwoo, ignoring him: “I should kiss it. See what happens.”
The others didn’t even react—Luka was juggling teacups with his tail, Hyuna puffed smoke that spelled BORING, Sua sliced cake like it was an execution, Ivan kept proposing mid-toast, and Mizi saluted every move Sua made.
Meanwhile, I was rooted. Literally.
“Don’t you dare,” I tried to yell, but all that came out was rustling leaves.
Hyunwoo leaned closer. “You want me to.”
“No I DON’T—” I leaf-screamed.
I shook my branches like a tree possessed, unloading a barrage of acorns.
One nailed Hyunwoo’s hat askew, another bounced off his nose. “Tree-kun, feisty!” he laughed, dodging a third.
I kept going—one hit the teapot, splashing tea everywhere. Chaos achieved.
The Almost-Kiss
The whole table froze. Ivan gasped. Mizi covered her eyes but peeked through her fingers. Luka cackled.
And Hyunwoo... leaned in.
“STOP!” I rustled desperately. I unleashed my final acorn assault, a whole branch’s worth pelting Hyunwoo’s face. One stuck in his hair, and he sputtered, stumbling back. “Alright, Tree-kun, I get it! No kisses!”
Till sighed, stood up, and shoved a teacup between Hyunwoo and me. “Drink. Not kiss.”
Hyunwoo actually looked disappointed.
Dear Diary, this is the worst fever dream of my life.
The Wake-Up
Just as Hyunwoo’s lips brushed against my bark— I jolted awake. Back in my bunk. Human again.
But Till’s bed? Empty. Sheets cold. Ibani curled up alone, meowing softly at me like he knew something I didn’t.
And Till— our reluctant Alice, our main character— was gone.
Note to self:
One: Wonderland is cancelled.
Two: If Hyunwoo ever says “kissable tree” again, I’m moving dorms.
Three: Till’s missing.
Four: Ibani and I are worried.