Masumi Usui/Boy Alice in a Dream

Boy Alice in a Dream

Backstage Stories

Part 1Part 2Part 3

Alice's Friend A	Hey, Alice. How about we drop by the pub along the way home? Senpai said that he’ll be bringing along his little sister’s friends.
Alice's Friend B	Idiot, there’s no way that Alice will go, is there?
Alice	Alright, got it.
Alice's Friend B	What?
Alice's Friend A	Well, see you later then.
Alice's Friend B	……That’s rare of him to be joining us in things like this.
Alice's Friend A	He’s been agreeing to come along with us recently.
Alice	……
Professor	Hello, Alice-kun.
Alice	Professor……
Professor	It seems like you’ve been leading a meaningful school life recently. I no longer see you at the base of this very tree everyday anymore.
Alice	I just tried to follow your advice.
Professor	I see. What’s most important is that you’re having fun. Won’t you come drink a cup of tea together with me sometime too?
Alice	Didn’t I already tell you that your teatimes are too crowded?
Professor	My my. It seems like it’s rather hated by you.
	……Right, you’ve changed. You no longer need teatimes.
Alice	……?
Professor	Till later then, Alice-kun. Have a nice weekend.
Alice	……
	……He doesn’t have any classes today huh.
	(Come to think of it, it’s been quite some time since I’ve read a book down here since I’ve been really busy up till now)
	(It’s really calming here after all……)
	……
	……Hm?
	(This place……it’s still not over?)
	(But unlike that time, there aren’t any white rabbits. I’ve not fallen into any holes either. So, why……)
White Rabbit	Oh no, oh no, I must hurry.
Alice	Oh, Oi, hey youーー
White Rabbit	What should I say since I’m lateーー
Alice	Oi, wait.

Alice	……I’m here again huh.
White Rabbit	Phew, barely made it on time.
Cheshire Cat	You’re both late. The tea will go cold.
Mad Hatter	The one who’s late is Alice-kun.
Alice	What?
King Of Hearts	That’s a death penalty.
Mad Hatter	Now now, wait a minute, king. It’s not anything to rush, is it? The tea party has just started.
White Rabbit	It hasn’t even started.
Cheshire Cat	We have to hurry and start.
Mad Hatter	Right, right. That’s true. We’re already behind time by 5 minutes.
White Rabbit	Not 5 minutes. It’s an hour.
Mad Hatter	Hm? That’s strange, the clock seems to be off. Alice-kun, what day was it today again?
Alice	It’s the 4th day.
Mad Hatter	So it’s been off for 2 days……alright. In other words, since today’s the 4th day, right, we’re 5 minutes behind time.
White Rabbit	I’m saying, 1 hour.
Cheshire Cat	It’s off again. I think we should have fixed the date.
Alice	……My head hurts. It’s meaningless to be only fixing the date, isn’t it.
Mad Hatter	Really? Well, whatever. Let’s hurry and start the tea party now.
	As the only one late for the tea party, Alice-kun, show us a trick or two.
Alice	Hah!?
White Rabbit	That’s nice. If so then I want to see you balancing a ball.
Cheshire Cat	I want to see you swinging in mid-air.
King Of Hearts	I want to see a trick that sends your head flying.
White Rabbit	He’d die if he did that, wouldn’t he?
King Of Hearts	That’s because it’s a death penalty.
Cheshire Cat	Sounds interesting!

Alice	Something like that isn’t even an act or anything, is it?
Alice	Saying that I’m late is just your plain assumption. Besides, I wasn’t even invited in the first place.
Mad Hatter	Is that so?
White Rabbit	That might be the case.
Cheshire Cat	Isn’t that the case?
King Of Hearts	Either way’s fine. I’ll place you in prison.
Mad Hatter	No choice then. If you can’t do tricks then how about we have you do a buzz and answer?
White Rabbit	That’s a nice idea.
Cheshire Cat	Agreed!
King Of Hearts	Hurry and do it.
Alice	Please don’t go deciding things all on your own.
Mad Hatter	Well then, here’s the first question. Why is a large piece of glass similar to a desk used for writing?
Alice	…..You don’t need a reason for that, do you? In the first place, they aren’t even similar.
Mad Hatter	Then, why can’t you solve it?
White Rabbit	That’s right, that’s right.
Cheshire Cat	Do it once over.
King Of Hearts	Otherwise, you’ll face the death penalty.
Mad Hatter	You have the obligation to find an answer that satisfies us.
Alice	How stupid. I can’t solve a riddle without an answer. I can’t think of it as anything else but a waste of time.
Mad Hatter	That’s how you spend time just like that. How about you try taking a note from “Him” a little more?
Alice	“Him”?
Mad Hatter	If you spend your time with me, you won’t end up like how “Him”
Alice	I don’t get what you’re talking about.
Mad Hatter	I thought that you had changed a little but it appears that you haven’t changed at all.
Alice	What do you want to say. In the first place, all those things you were saying beforeーー
Mad Hatter	Before?
Alice	Someone who really resembles you told me that I’ve changed.
Mad Hatter	I see, I see. But that just means that you’ve essentially not changed at all.
Alice	You’re being to vague.
Mad Hatter	It seems like the person who told you that really thinks that way. What a show of courage.
Alice	Show of courage?
Mad Hatter	Or rather, he’s given up.
Alice	I don’t understand what you’re saying.
Mad Hatter	My, is that so? Well, I don’t know much of it since I’ve only just picked it up.
Alice	Why do you understand what the professor thinks so well?
Mad Hatter	You should already know the reason to that.
	I understand what the professor thinks better than anyone else. And so, I forced you to participate in this tea party.
	And then, what’s the most logical consequence which can be derived from it?
Alice	What can be derived from that……?
Mad Hatter	Well, just drink the tea and take your time to think about it slowly.
Alice	……
	ーー
	(What? All of a sudden, my consciousnessーー)
Mad Hatter	Good night, Alice. Sweet dreams.
Alice	ーー
Professor	Morning, Alice.
Alice	Professor……
Professor	How about you have a cup too?
Alice	……Ittadakimasu.
Professor	Oh? I thought you said that you didn’t like it?
Alice	It’s because I don’t hate the taste of the tea you make. Moreoverーー
	You wanted to drink tea together with me, didn’t you?
Professor	That’s an interesting opinion. I’d like to hear your reasons behind those views.
Alice	Let’s take our time to talk about it over tea.
Professor	That’s a nice idea. You seem to have figured out how to spend your time too.

Ran