When was it that Alice began to change and become different from before? I have no recollection at all, as if overnight she had turned into a completely different person. Whether in her manners, speech, or temperament, she seemed worlds apart from her former self. Though I noticed it all, I kept it to myself, silently noting the changes in my heart.
Although she had been cheerful and lively as a child just as she was now, she hadn't possessed this boundless, overflowing energy. Back then, she was a very rational child who thought about things from an adult's perspective. Perhaps because of this, she came into contact with many of the darker sides of society, which seemed to leave her perpetually shadowed by a hint of pessimism. The present Alice, however, was entirely different—she had the pure mindset of a child. Though she often did things that left me between laughter and tears, it was precisely this that made me feel she was a child after all, rather than a rational machine. While she lacked the quiet, delicate grace of her childhood, she now possessed a unique charm of her own. For my part, I much preferred this innocent version of her.
I longed to share more wonderful memories with Alice. At times, the terrifying thought even crossed my mind that she might never leave me. This notion swept through my mind like a virus, controlling my thoughts. Even though I knew how frightening such a desire was, whenever I was with her, I would indulge helplessly in this warmth, as i…
Chapter 32