Hanamichi was having a dream. He didn't remember any of it, just that there was someone with blue eyes and another man with red hair. Then he felt someone nudging him gently.

"Ugh...what?" he mumbled groggily and blinked a few times. A man was looking down at him. Then the events yesterday came back like a ton of bricks.

"Gyah!" yelled Hanamichi, now fully awake.

Flashback

"Who are you?"

The man smiled. "Aren't you going to invite me inside first?"

"Oh! Gomen." Hanamichi hurriedly fumbled in his bag and fished out his keys. Once inside the house, he started to ask questions again.

"Are you my cousin? I've never met any of my relatives before, besides my grandparents in my father's side that is. But they live at Hokkaido," babbled Hanamichi. The stranger ignored him, and went on walking around the house. 'This man sure is strange,' thought Hanamichi. It continued for a few more minutes. Then the man went back to the living room and promptly flopped down on the couch.

"Sorry about that. I just really missed being inside this house."

Hanamichi was really confused now. "How can that be? I've never met you before and this is the first time you've been here."

"Really now," said the man, a small smile playing on his lips. He looked at teenager expectantly, as if he should know that the answer already. "Still don't get it do you? Sit down."

Hanamichi frowned. He hated playing mind games, and this guy just told him to sit on his own couch, acting like he owned the place. But he complied nonetheless.

"Well?"

The man took a deep breath and said, "I'm you."

"Excuse me?" Hanamichi said incredulously. He didn't think he heard it properly.

"My name is Sakuragi Hanamichi. Except I'm from the future and ten years older," the man explained. He looked into Hanamichi's eyes, gauging his reaction.

Hanamichi didn't know whether to believe it or not. He was at loss for words.

"Look, I'm not pulling your leg. It's true."

Seeing the teenager was still not convinced, he got up and walked over to a table where all the pictures of the Sakuragi family were placed. He picked up Hanamichi's favorite picture, the one with him being carried by his mother and his father holding his hand. He traced a finger in the frame lovingly, a sad smile in his features.

"It doesn't really go away, does it?"

Hanamichi felt a stab of pain and loneliness in him. He understood and nodded. He looked at the older version of himself again and mentally berated himself. It was stupid of him not to notice that there was really not that much difference; only his features were sharper and his eyes were different, wiser. But they still held innocence and the spark of fire that he alone possessed.

"So…would you like something to drink?" said Hanamichi lamely. The older one shook his head.

"No thanks." A pause.

"Er, aren't you going to upset the whole space-time continuum by coming here?" asked Hanamichi nervously.

The older Hanamichi laughed all of a sudden, till tears came out of his eyes. It took a while before he fully composed himself. "No, that's ridiculous. You really can't believe what they say in movies, because most of them are just a load of bull. The past, present, and future is one straight line. What's going to happen will happen, and neither time-traveling will do anything to disrupt it." He grinned. "Kinda takes a load of your chest right?"

"Yeah," Hanamichi agreed, while shifting in his seat. He still didn't like the thought of people just popping out of nowhere though.

"But listen, don't tell anyone that I'm you. Makes things less complicated and saves me a lot of time answering questions," his older version continued. Hanamichi nodded. He didn't think the others would believe it anyway.

"So what name do you want me to call you? There can't be two Hanamichi's running around," said Hanamichi.

"You're right," the older Hanamichi rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "How about Alexi?"

"Uh, why Alexi?"

"Because it rhymes with Hanamichi! Great eh?" said Alexi happily.

'Now I know I'm going to grow up to be weird,' mused Hanamichi. He gave his older self a strained smile.

End Flashback

"Still in a bit of a shock I see," said Alexi. "Sorry about that. You better get ready; you don't want to spoil your perfect attendance record do you? I'll make breakfast." He got up and went downstairs. Hanamichi showered and dressed, still in a daze.

When he went down, he found himself, correction, Alexi, waiting for him. He stared at his breakfast, then back at Alexi. It just felt so…strange. 'This has got to be the weirdest morning of my life.' he thought. Alexi waved a hand across his face to get his attention.

"Come on, eat up. Your oatmeal is getting cold," wheedled Alexi. "Oh yeah, I'll be seeing you practice this afternoon ok? Just for old time's sake."

Hanamichi dropped his spoon. "What?"

"Now don't have a cow. Everything will be fine," Alexi winked, and sipped his coffee.

Hanamichi groaned. Now he wished his life was boring again.

About what Alexi said about time being a straight line and all that, I'm just making it up. I reckon Stephen Hawkins will have a heart attack if he reads this. :)