The wind rushed past his face as he ran into the campgrounds, his hair and jacket whipped behind him as he ran headfirst into the bustling camp.
Alfred took great enjoyment in jumping over and dodging obstacles with no intent to slow down. Despite his usually slobbish character, he had boundless energy and enthusiasm.
There was a couple of times where he almost ran someone over, only swerving last minute and yelling back an apology. He ran around the outskirts of the camp by the trees to avoid the large concentration of bodies hanging around the centre of the camp.
The first day was always so lively. The second is only slightly less. Usually, things settled down by the third day and the campgrounds didn't seem as crowded as the initial day. With the parents hanging about and most of the buildings closed, it was only natural it seemed like there was twice as many people.
He could hear the sound of water rippling as he neared the lake. Rocks and dirt crunched underneath his shoes as he approached. A few dense groups were loitering around the lakeside and on the jetty. While he recognised a few familiar faces of younger returning campers he wasn't entirely friends with, he only offered them a brief wave as he passed. He sped by and onto the jetty, the hardwood making a louder sound than the dirt as his feet hit.
Only then did he slow down, if only to not get in trouble.
He strode along the jetty, enjoying the fresh breeze that came off the water. The sun seemed to beat down from directly above, basking the surroundings in a dazzling light. At the end of the jetty, he saw some familiar figures waving him over. He waved back and marched over. The far end of the jetty was still fairly occupied and after some maneuvering, he reached the edge of the jetty.
"What is up my dudes?" he beamed as an excitable little boy threw himself at Alfred.
"Not much," replied a young girl about the same age as the boy as she joined the group hug.
"Yeah we're just hanging out, there's nothing else to do yet," the young boy pushed himself off Alfred and bounced over to his friend.
Peter and Charlotte had their differences, but they were pretty good friends. They lived in the same town and were practically inseparable at camp. Being the younger sister of one of the chaperones, Charlotte had become the face of the camp for the younger kids. Because Peter was always with her, he also gained the same status.
It was a club thing. Just like him and Emil, everyone knew them and they all knew each other.
Nearby he could see Charlotte's older brother fake scowl at Peter.
"If ya bored you could always help moi," Steve called over from where he was inspecting the contents of the boxes.
"Actually we've got some explorin' to do," Charlotte poked her tongue out and grabbed Peter.
"Catchcha guys later!" she called back as she dashed off.
"Oi" Steve called after them, pretending to be upset but bursting out in laughter a moment later at their childish behaviour. He turned his gaze to Alfred and exaggeratedly looked him over, holding a hand to his chin as he made questioning noises.
"What?" Alfred exaggeratedly raised his eyebrow.
"Now I'm assumin' this 's actually Alfred."
"Uh, yeah, who else?" Alfred chuckled and shrugged.
"Ight, jus' checkin'"
"Alright," Alfred laughed and crossed his arms, "why's that?"
"I ran inta your look-alike earlier. Now that I see ya now I'm embarrassed I mixed you guys up."
"Okay then... Wait, how look-alike are we talking about?"
"Hmmm," Steve rubbed his hand on his chin, "you got a twin you forgot to tell us about?"
"Damn I guess there's no hiding it now," Alfred's tone was thick with sarcasm. "Usually we take turns coming here every year but dad must've accidentally sent us both, whoops."
Steve snorted and waved his hand. "Honest mistake mate, don't worry about it."
Alfred leaned on the boxes and laughed. "So we really look that alike though?"
"Yeah I reckon," Steve shrugged, "But when ya side by side everyone will know the difference. Even just by that jacket. It seems pretty obvious now that I'm lookin atcha."
"Hmmm, but still," Alfred wiggled his eyebrows giddily, "this could be fun though."
"That poor bugger," Steve scoffed then paused. "Actually, he seems like he could use a friend. If you see him maybe show him around or somethin'. First time here and seems a bit lost yanno?"
"Yeah, I'll keep an eye out then. You know which cabin he's in?"
"Uhh, no clue mate, sorry."
"Oh well, I'm sure I'll meet him at some point," Alfred shrugged.
"Do you know any of the cabins?"
"Nah, couldn't tell ya, sorry."
"Guess I'll find out," Alfred rested his hand on his hand and glanced back at the shore. Groups of people were standing around and enjoying the lake. He wasn't surprised he couldn't see his friends amongst the many faces. They were probably still gathered around their cabins.
He suddenly wondered if they had met his pseudo twin yet. He entertained the idea that they hadn't. Just like that, he was bubbling with energy. He found the imagery his mind provided hilarious. It shouldn't be too hard to convince his look-alike to play some pranks with him. Who wouldn't say no? It would be too good to pass up!
"Actually, I'll go look for him," he knew he probably had an incriminating smirk on his face and attempted to stay casual.
Steve raised an eyebrow suspiciously and sighed in playful defeat. "Sure, just don't overwhelm the little guy alright?"
Alfred chuckled and stepped away from the boxes. "Don't worry. I'll be nice!"
"If you say so, catchcha later then."
"Yeah, see you around 'mate'" Alfred called back as he ran along the wooden surface.
He jumped from the wood to the path and put his alleged parkour skills to use as he ran through the people and buildings on the campground. He doubted his look-alike looked more alike than a similar resemblance, but he'd have to evaluate that for himself. Even if there was just a general similarity, it was enough to catch Steve off guard. Hopefully, other chaperones and campers would follow. Maybe even his friends.
He was promptly distracted as he ran past the dining hall. The smell of cooking meat had wafted past him and was likely the reason for the lingering crowd. He knew that lunch probably wouldn't be for a while, but ran over to the log building anyway. He couldn't see anyone he knew his age or anyone who could potentially be his look-alike, but he recognised the chaperones carrying fold-out furniture onto a nearby patch of grass.
"Want some help with that?" He announced as he approached from behind in an attempt to surprise them. To his dismay, neither Tino nor Berwald seemed affected by his sudden arrival.
"Sure," Tino grinned and Berwald passed him a table to unfold. Alfred quickly got to work, expecting it wouldn't take too long.
"I was wondering where you've been!" Tino picked up a folded chair from a nearby pile and flicked it open with ease. "We were waiting for you to come to say hi."
"I haven't really been anywhere yet," Alfred said as he stepped away from the upright table, "I just got here."
Tino frowned then raised his eyebrow sceptically. "Right. I suppose it is like you to get distracted. You do know it's nearly lunchtime?"
"What? Yeah I know it's nearly lunch! I've been travelling all day and I'm starving. And you saw me carrying my stuff just before!" Suddenly it dawned on Alfred and he tried not to smirk. "Wait, did you think you saw me before then?"
"We saw you this morning, by the lake. We waved at you. You saw us and waved back. Then you left?" Tino looked between Alfred and Berwald apprehensively. Berwald nodded to back up his story.
"Okay, I see what's happened here," Alfred held in a laugh. It seems like he'd have to give in and tell them what's going on.
"Apparently I have a look-alike, I haven't met the guy yet but apparently we've already been mixed up." His tone was playfully smug with the big reveal.
Tino blinked, not expecting to hear that as the reason.
"That makes sense," Berwald mumbled as he kept working on folding out the tables.
"I believe you," Tino agreed, "now it makes sense why 'you' were acting strangely. Now I realise he didn't have your signature jacket."
"Did you get a good look at him?" that makes three chaperones who mistook them. Alfred was even more invested than before, it was just too good to pass up. "How alike is he?"
"He was too far away to properly see, maybe that's why we thought he was you?"
Alfred hummed and he folded out another table. This guy might not look so much like him up close. "Have you seen him since?"
Berwald shook his head.
"Oh well," Alfred shrugged it off and changed the subject. "Do you know who's in what cabins?"
"No sorry," Tino faltered, "I don't know who would either."
"Does it matter?" Berwald asked.
"I guess not. We're gonna find out eventually right?" Alfred scoffed and kept maneuvering a tricky table to stand upright. After a few minutes, the rest of the tables and chairs were all erected with little difficulty.
"Well guys, I'm glad I could help," Alfred said as he placed the last chair on the grass. He was practically vibrating with energy as he prepared to take off again. "I'll see you guys around!"
"Thanks, Alfred," Tino replied warmly and waved. "Sorry about the misunderstanding."
"It's no problem," Alfred called back. Honestly, he just found it funny. If his look-alike looked enough like him, hopefully, he'd have a sense of humour and agree. Either way, it was a free friend and free fun.
He raced around the camp, scanning everyone he passed for familiar faces. Not seeing any, he changed his path back up to the dorm cabins. There was no need to rush things, he could wander around again after lunch.
He could see his friends, minus the chaperones still loitering around the cabin, though having migrated to the shade on the deck.
He quickly weighed his options. Search for look-alike or join friends.
It didn't seem like his friends were going anywhere, so the chances of them finding the look-alike before him were low. Plus finding his look-alike in these crowds would be pretty difficult, he was lucky to have found his friends. Maybe he should wait until some of the parents leave and the crowds to thin, then continue his search.
With an enthusiastic smile returning to his face, he jogged over to join them. He'd search for his look-alike after lunch.
They had been talking about their lives back at home and what activities they were looking forward to. A joke here and there. Usual catching up, small talk stuff. Alfred was more than happy to pipe in with a joke when the opportunity presented itself and the conversation would continue.
He was sure their group would be on fire once they started messing around and having fun in the next couple of weeks. Everyone was enthusiastic about their promotion to their new cabin arrangements and flexible schedule.
Not long after he joined Vash and Lilli departed so Lilli could find her friends. Alfred waved them goodbye and good luck. On the first day in these crowds, they'd need it.
Maybe he was exaggerating, it shouldn't be that difficult.
At some point, Emil trekked over to the cabin to join their group and sat on the wooden steps. "Lukas and Mathias are helping with the lunch. I snuck away," he stated indifferently like he had no preference between being there or here.
"When exactly is lunch?" Alfred tried to pry the information out of him, expecting that being so close to the chaperones he'd be privy to such secretive knowledge. Emil just apathetically shrugged, apparently not too sure on the specifics.
Realising his stomach was quite empty, Alfred didn't show how bummed he was. Deciding he'd have to wait until lunch instead of suggesting pinching food on the first day back, he changed the topic.
Alfred had informed them of his plans to have a cabin party and stay up late at night playing games, though they all agreed to wait for a couple of days before sneaking around after dark. He may have exaggerated by saying his entire case was filled with games and snacks, but he did pack a lot. Pretty much all the games in the house and as many snacks as his allowance would get him.
Hopefully, whoever his other cabinmates are would be as thrilled as he is and join in. So far with just him and Toris in his cabin, they didn't have enough people for it to be fun.
"Have you seen anyone around my cabin?" Alfred asked as he squinted at the log building not too far away.
"Sorry," Felix facepalmed, "I totally forgot about that."
Toris patted him on the back. "I haven't been paying attention either," he cringed at Alfred. "Sorry."
"It's fine," Alfred brushed off, "we'll find out eventually."
After some speculation from Feliks about their cabin mates being newbies - which seemed like the larger possibility at this point - Feliks spontaneously dragged Toris off to find some chaperones to chat with instead. With a sigh of defeat, Eduard and Raivis were obliged to follow.
Soon it was just Alfred and Emil leaning on the railing, gazing out at the lake. Some parents were walking by, watching their children fondly as they ran around and babbled about the camp.
"Your dad didn't make it this year?" Emil asked as he watched the family in the distance.
The majority of busyness around the camp was caused by parents who were sticking around to explore the camp with their kids or for the community lunch. By evening the grounds would be less packed, but the energy levels would be about the same.
"Nah," Alfred replied. Emil asked every year and his answer was always the same. "Your parents?"
"No," was Emil's usual response. At this point, it was just tradition to ask. A moment passes when they stared out at the camp.
Unable to let the conversation drop, Alfred thought of topics to talk about. Sometimes, it felt like they didn't have anything to talk about. Some of his friends at the camp were like that, yet he reassured himself they were still friends.
So Alfred suggests they go for a walk, to which Emil agrees in a way that gives Alfred the impression he doesn't care either way.
They find themselves in the forest behind their cabins, chatting idly about what they were looking forward to as they roamed. At the back of Alfred's mind, his look-alike is itching his curiosity. But his sense of adventure quickly overrides his pondering.
His mind is also mentally counting down to lunch, or maybe that was his stomach. Pushing branches out of the way as he walks, he moves up the incline of the hill. He's sure there'll be plenty of food when they get back, just in time for lunch. He didn't plan on walking for too long anyway.
After a couple of minutes, they find a path trailing up the hill. They walk along the stone trail and Alfred begins to recognise the area. A few more minutes pass and they reach a clearing paved with rock, overlooking the lake. In the centre was a stone monolith with carved ledges, surrounded by a stone bench. The bench is almost a full circle, except for a gap that serves as an entrance.
They sit down on the bench, facing outwards towards the basin of sparkling water. The sounds of the camp are far away, there's the soft rustling of tree leaves above their heads and dried up leaves littered on the ground.
Watching ants crawl over the stone beside him, Alfred strikes up a conversation again.
"So apparently I have a look-alike hanging around somewhere. I haven't seen him so I don't know if he's a complete copy, but Steve, Tino and Berwald all thought he was me."
"Really?" Emil raised an eyebrow at that. Alfred didn't know which aspect it was in response to though.
"Yeah crazy right?" Alfred gushed, "I haven't found the guy yet so I don't know what he looks like but imagine the potential."
"Clearly you do know what he looks like. He looks like you," Emil stated, "It's extremely unlikely, but there are approximately six people in the world who look like you."
"Really? I didn't know that. Is that cool or creepy or what?"
Emil just shrugged and turned back to the lake. "It's very improbable but still possible you've met your doppelgänger. I doubt you'd find it creepy."
"No way! It would be super cool!" Alfred insisted.
Emil hummed in response, his eyes staring idly out at the shining blue lake.
Alfred jumped up on the bench, balanced himself, and started pacing around the circle. He wracked his brain for a topic to bring up, thinking back to what their group had spoken about before Emil joined. Eventually, he settled on the basic first day back questions they all asked each other.
"What activity are you gonna go to first?"
"Probably horse riding. You?"
"I dunno, I can't choose. I'll do everything," Alfred switched directions and carefully moved back, "I know I'm finally going to beat the high scores in the arcade!"
"You said that last year. Don't spend all your time in there."
"This year I'm actually gonna beat it! And I've got eight weeks to kill."
"Okay," Emil acknowledged passively and continued staring out at the lake. Alfred frowned, feeling like Emil agreed too easily.
"Anything interesting happening at home?" He brushed it off and pushed on.
"No."
Alfred thought of the answer to his own question.
"Yeah, I guess nothing really important's happened, just the usual with me."
Alfred slumped down next to him. "Should we go back? I bet lunch is ready now."
"Probably," Emil responded, standing up and walking away.
Alfred jumped up and followed. "Which one's your cabin?"
"It's only a couple down from yours," Emil stated.
"Alright," Alfred grinned, "It's so great we don't have to sleep with a chaperone supervising us anymore."
"They'll still check-in," Emil warned. "You'll have to be careful if you're sneaking around."
"I know," Alfred groaned, then hesitated. He was sure that Emil didn't care, he was his friend and pretty cool, but he was close with Lukas... "You're not gonna snitch if we do stuff, right?"
"No."
"Cool." Alfred felt a bit silly for asking.
"It's up to you not to get caught."
"I don't plan on it." Alfred grinned. "It's not like they'll kick us out of camp."
"They might put you in a supervised cabin."
"I'll sneak out."
They moved off the path and weaved between trees towards the lakefront. The ground was covered in broken off leaves, only a few of which crunched satisfyingly under their shoes. After a few minutes of walking downhill, they reached the camp.
Fewer people were roaming the campgrounds, instead, the majority were now located around the dining hall.
The smell of food caught his attention. Suddenly his stomach was eating itself up with hunger.
"I'll save you a seat!" Alfred yelled as he ran over to the hall, knowing Emil wouldn't be running after him.
As he got closer he noted that all the fold-out furniture was occupied. He dashed up the stairs onto the deck and looked in through the window. Inside was densely packed with bodies everywhere. He took a step back and looked around at those already seated to see if he could squeeze in with a group he knew.
He noticed Michelle, Peter and Charlotte sitting around one of the further tables under a tree with some other younger kids and parents.
He stopped briefly by the table in front of the hall to grab a plastic plate and pile it up with a bit of everything, then made his way over.
There weren't any free seats at the cramped table, but that didn't put Alfred off.
"Scooch over!" He placed his plate on the table beside Peter and squeezed into the chair with him.
"That's not going to work out," Michelle giggled as she watched them struggle to balance with the other beside them.
"Sure it will!" Peter argued as he almost toppled off the small surface. After a few more adjustments, they were seated securely and pressed up against each other.
"See?" Alfred said and turned his attention to his food, "teamwork!"
"I sit corrected," Michelle noted lightly as she munched on a piece of salad.
Alfred laughed and scanned the crowd behind him. He couldn't see any of his friends or chaperones. With one last look and no sign of Emil, he turned back and eyed his plate.
'At least lunches for the next eight weeks won't be so overcrowded', he thought dismissively.
Once Alfred began eating, he realised how hungry he was. His excitement for today has temporarily tamed his healthy teenage appetite. He devoured his plate while chatting with Peter and Charlotte about the camp.
Currently, he was telling them about his lack of schedule.
"So you can go to any activity when you want?" Peter gawked.
"Well there's still going to be chaperones around," Alfred admitted. "But yeah that's right!"
"We still get some choice," Charlotte pointed out to Peter, "It's just a choice between a few things at a certain time."
"Yeah a few things," Peter rested his head and arms on the table.
"That's what you have free time for!" Michelle chimed in, pointing her fork at Peter. "You have free time every day!"
"Guess so," Peter slumped back in the seat and threw his head back. "Hey, Emil."
Alfred leaned back. Emil was holding his own plate and was staring accusatively at him, though there was no real heat to his gaze.
Alfred threw his hands up in mock surrender. "I know I said I'd save you a seat," he said through his mouthful, "but I'm sure Charlotte won't mind sharing!"
Charlotte narrowed her eyes at Alfred and stuck her tongue out. She still moved over slightly and patted the space beside her.
"It's fine," Emil shrugged and turned away, "I'm going to find Lukas."
"Good luck!" Alfred called as he walked away. A moment later he realised he finished his plate already and jumped up. "I'll be back!" He promised as he wove through the crowd back to the food display.
He quickly made his decision and used tongs to grab a selection of chow. The selection was limited but he still managed to grab a few handfuls of chips, cut carrot and apple slices. He sandwiched some bacon, sausages and onion in some bread and slapped a fair amount of sauce on it. He topped up his plate with some scoops of potato salad. It was a balanced diet.
Completely preoccupied with his appetite's craving, his focus was on walking back to the table and clearing his plate for thirds. Whatever he wanted to do, he could wait until he was running on a full stomach.
It only occurs to him how much time has passed when distinctly realises it's less crowded than before. He glanced over his shoulder, careful not to jostle Peter with the quick motion.
The tables around the grass are still mostly full, his included, though they were slowly dissipating. But there was less congestion allowing him to see past those on the closest table. He turned his gaze to the dining hall. Chaperones were in the middle of packing up the table the food had been on. The deck was clear and through the windows, he could see the inside was far more spacious than before.
He was a little shocked he didn't notice, but he was a bit of an air-head and brushed it off. So he got caught up in conversation, he did that all the time. Most of the adults usually leave after lunch each year. Not that he's even been too focused on it, considering an adult had never been here for him.
Some groups from nearby tables stood up and left, taking a portion of the ambience with them.
He twisted back to his table in time to see a large group of kids run by, catching the interest of the other kids on the table.
"I wonder what's got them all worked up," Michelle commented as they passed by loudly.
Mathias ran over to their table and slammed his hands down excitedly. "We're going to the games field! You guys wanna come?"
A series of affirmative answers were heard as many kids jumped up and ran after the group.
"Hell yeah!" Alfred stumbled off the shared chair in enthusiastic haste.
"You'll have to be on our team, Alfred!" Peter claimed.
"Then it won't be fair for the other team," Michelle teased as she stood up and stacked the forgotten plates on the table.
"I'll go easy on them," Alfred promised as he grabbed his own plate. "Besides, it's just a game for fun!"
"I'll join the other team!" Mathias turned to Michelle, "give them some opposition."
"Too bad I'm assigned to packing this up," Michelle sighed. "But you can bet I'll join you when I can!"
"Or!" Alfred snapped his fingers as the idea suddenly came to him and he leaned over the table energetically, "I could do it for you!"
Michelle tried to protest as Alfred snatched the plates from her hands.
"I'll be way quicker than you anyway! And you get to join in sooner!" Alfred boasted as he stacked all the plastic from the table in his hands.
"I'm not gonna argue with him," Mathias chuckled and ran a hand through his hair.
Michelle sighed. "So you're fine to clear all the tables and wipe them down?"
"Yep, it won't take long," Alfred promised cockily. He honestly didn't mind, knowing the kids would be happy to have Michelle there.
"Thanks Alfred. You're so sweet!" she smiled brightly and turned to the lingering kids. She winked at them before turning and bolting. "I'll race you there!"
Peter, Charlotte and Mathias called after her as they sprinted to catch up.
There were only a few seated at nearby tables, the grassy area more desolate than before. In place of people was the rubbish they left behind. Alfred dashed from table to table collecting the plastic plates, cups and cutlery and tossing them in the bin by the hall. He scrunched up his nose as he flipped the lip shut, the heat making the plastic object warm and the contents inside smell nasty.
He trekked up the steps and went inside. He instantly noticed the temperature difference with the overhead fans cooling the room. There were a few small groups of people occupying the round tables, chatting amongst themselves with their plastics scattered around their tables. He walked past and poked his nose into the kitchen. There were some chaperones and cooks busy packing up the supplies and cleaning. Eying a cleaning cloth, he went into spy mode and snuck in. He cautiously shut the door and moved through the room. He grabbed the cloth and nearby conveniently placed spray bottle, then carefully backed out as not to be seen.
As Alfred exited the dining hall, he looked over to the carpark. There were fewer cars than before, but a fairly considerable-sized crowd still lingered as they said some final words before departing. Turning the wet cloth over in his hand, he marched over to the tables and swiftly wiped them all down.
While he wiped, he watched as a group of adults and kids from inside the hall made their way down the stairs and towards the lake. Some of the kids recognised him and waved. Alfred cheerily waved back.
Returning to the dining hall, he repeated the process. The last group inside was made up of kids., a mix of girls and boys. Alfred could see Vash and Lilli in the gathering. He could see his wishes of good luck were fruitful.
Lilli, caught up in the animated conversation with her friends, didn't pay him any attention. Vash was leaning back with his arms crossed, only paying attention to the conversation at a surface level. He regarded Alfred as he approached.
"What are you doing?" Vash asked tonelessly as Alfred cleared their table. There were multiple utterances of thanks as he carried the plastics a few feet away to the bin.
"Thought it'd look good on my resume," he joked and hastily wiped down the table.
Vash grunted and rolled his eyes in amusement.
Either Vash looked bored, or that was just his resting face. Alfred couldn't tell. Though if Vash was bored why didn't he just hang with his friends and leave Lilli with hers? Some thought it was cute, but it just seemed a bit clingy how they always stuck together. Though Alfred supposed it must be a sibling thing he didn't understand.
Satisfied with the completion of his work, Alfred left the cleaning supplies on a nearby table and stepped out onto the shaded deck of the hall.
He stood on the steps and basked in the warm sun for a moment, his body instantly adapting to the temperature change. Briefly wondering where his friends were, he glanced around the vibrant campgrounds.
Surely some of them would like to join in on the games field, for whatever game was chosen. Hopefully, he'd find them quickly and they could join in too.
He could see some chaperones hosting impromptu games in the nearby tennis court too. Most of the kids were on the younger side, so he didn't move closer to look for his friends.
Skipping down the steps, Alfred glanced around the dining hall one last time before jogging towards the cabins. He didn't see his friends during lunch - not that he'd been looking too hard - and had no idea where they would be. There was a small chance they went back to the cabins to unpack, so he decided to quickly check.
As he approached the incline, he noticed some familiar faces walking away in the distance. Yao Wang, Im Yong Soo and some of their cousins were gabbing away with each other, ignorant of Alfred's fierce waving. He sighed and dropped his arm when he saw them disappear from sight, deciding to hunt them down later.
Walking along the path to the dorms, he noted the lack of activity surrounding the log buildings. Alfred frowned but continued onwards, only stopping when he reached the cabin everyone was gathered around before.
It was empty. His shoulders slumped and he threw his head back as he groaned. No doubt the game was already underway and he was using up precious time searching. Fine, he'll have fun without them! As he turned to walk back, his eye caught something instinctively. He took another step as his mind processed it.
He paused and turned fully towards his cabin. The door was left open. He strode towards it with curious anticipation. He wondered if Yao Wang and Im Yong Soo had come from that cabin. At least he knew they both weren't assigned to the same cabin, considering how there was an unknown person and one spare bed.
Maybe someone else was in there. Or whoever had dropped their stuff off last forgot to shut the door. All good theories. It wouldn't hurt to look, he might find some clues as to who he'd be sharing the dorm with.
Alfred burst into the cabin and scanned the main room. He was disheartened to see it was empty, though the last bed had been claimed. He recognised the bags as Yao's.
One mystery solved, one more to go.
Movement in the bathroom caught his eye and he snapped his head in that direction.
He faltered.
Alfred wavered slightly, mind blank as he brought his hand up to his face. His reflection did not follow. He was sure he was matching the shocked and apprehensive expression in front of him. He dropped his hand and the gears in his mind churned.
It was like there was a mirror right in front of him. But he knew that couldn't be right.
A smile crept across his face and he held back compulsive laughter. Look-alike? He found his clone! His clone was in his cabin! This was going to be great!
Alfred recovered first and made the first move. With his confidence returned, he stepped forward, and again, until he was outside the bathroom. The look-alike, who seemed to have previously been splashing his face with water - the droplets falling from his hair and running down his chin being a clear giveaway - recovered and loosened his tense posture.
"Hi I'm Alfred," he stepped inside beside the clone, "Did you know that there's apparently six people in the world who look like you?"
The boy used both hands to slide his glasses back on his face, which was previously sitting on the counter beside him. Minute movements came from his hands as he peered through the spectacles.
"Yeah I've heard," the boy didn't make eye contact with Alfred, instead looking at the two duplicate figures reflected on the mirror's surface. He noted they were the exact same height as they stood side by side, though that didn't hold a candle to the rest of the similarities he noticed right off the bat.
"This is insane!" Alfred gawked, vibrating with childish intensity. The stunned figure beside his reflection nodded, before quickly blinking and jolting to face Alfred.
"Matthew," he blurted and stuck his hand out. He looked completely disoriented as he stared at his hand with confusion, apparently unsure as to why he was holding it out.
Alfred felt a little unsure too, for reasons he couldn't understand, but he pushed those weird feelings aside and laughed reassuringly. He slapped either side of the hand then curled his fingers into a fist bump, which his clone hastily mirrored and crashed together.
"Nice to meet you Matthew!"