Hello! If you're a returning reader, then I encourage re-reading the whole story, since with posting Chapter 13, I've added some changes to the previous ones. If you don't feel up to it, reading just 13 is fine too, you shouldn't feel too lost, but don't blame me later in case you will :D

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April 4th, Saturday

„Hello?"

„Ah, Alex, darling!" a cheerful, young voice rang on the other end of the line. The woman was his landlady. "I know you told me anyone is alright, but I'm a bit worried after all. Have you met him yet?"

"No, no. I'm still in the train. I should be there in an hour or two. Is there a problem?" he asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Well… I'm not sure. He has barely moved in so I went to check on him today. You know, just to make sure everything is alright. And he just seems a bit off."

"What do you mean?"

"It's probably nothing, really. Maybe it's just that he's not even European. I don't know. I was never good with foreigners," she sighed. "Just let me know when you meet him, okay?"

"I will, but why―"

"Don't worry about it. I don't want to bias your opinion."

And there he was, going back from his hometown where he visited his family for his father's birthday, a new flatmate awaiting to meet him in their now shared apartment. He had to admit it all sounded very nice. Like he was having a pleasant, peaceful life. It might have been so if it wasn't just...

Lies. Big, giant lies.

Alex? No. Oh fuck no. His name was Allen, not Alexander, goddammit. There was one person a long time ago – long enough that he shouldn't even have memories from those times at all – that couldn't remember this one word. Allen thought it was aggravating then, but now― now he would have to argue with his birth certificate about that.

The same document stated he was born twenty four years ago. He would call it a joke if it wasn't so depressing. Because it was really so much earlier than that. He didn't like to think about it, but it wasn't like he could just forget; that he was not normal. He wondered so many times if he wasn't just sick somehow, mentally. But what would that make his friend, Fen? No, not Fen – Lenalee. Would it mean she was an illusion? He almost snorted. It was so highly unlikely. Illusions didn't have jobs as flight attendants. Didn't have husbands, children, co-workers.

He met her when he was twelve, flying by plane to spend two weeks of his precious vacations with his parents and little brother on Hawaii. They could afford that. Which was only one of the many things Allen couldn't get used to.

When he noticed her then, he dropped his meal. He felt really bad for it since she had to clean that up after him, but he couldn't help the shock that overwhelmed him. It was the first sign of his unexplainable memories being real. His mother was looking at him with a really weird expression for the rest of the day, but running after Lenalee to the second class compartment was still worth it. He clutched her arm, maybe a bit forcefully and she was clearly bothered by that, not sure if she should make a real problem out of that since he was only a child. When he pathetically stuttered "It's you, isn't it? Lenalee," her rigorist job was probably the only reason she managed to remain calm. She was on the verge of crying though, he saw that.

They exchanged mail addresses then and met up as soon as they could. In London, when Allen told his parents he was going to his friends' for a birthday party. They believed him easily, he was – for obvious reasons – a really mature child and they trusted him.

He and Lenalee were in contact since then and he was endlessly glad about it. There were moments when she was the only thing keeping him sane. Though, being a mother already, she fawned over him sometimes, cooing what an adorable child he was. It was a bit embarrassing, but he let her do as she pleased. She lived in USA anyway, so it wasn't like they met up very often. Though still it was possible, due to her being a flight attendant. She had always let him know if she was in England.

Smiling at the thought of her, he let his mind wander around the new flatmate. Should he be worried? His landlady seemed really thrown off by him, whoever he was. Not European, huh?

That didn't sound like a problem, so he hoped they could get along.

His mind still lingered on the thought when he got into the metro. He was tired. Being with his family always did that to him. It was horrible, really. He wasn't the person they thought he was and he couldn't really let them know. So being asked about how was he doing he could only talk about college and his job. No mentions of feeling lost and not quite in place.

He rearranged his travelling bag on his arm, now walking the streets, the surprisingly warm April sun shining down on him. He wondered what was waiting for him in the apartment. He was admittedly so distressed that he stood in front of his door for about two full minutes before he turned the lock. Well, he would take on anything that comes his way. Surely nothing could be as bad as being constantly alone with his thoughts.