String That Ties And Bounds

"That damn Wishing Star...I can't believe she made us do all this stuff..."Allen groaned.

"It was a little overboard,but it's over now,right?"Lenalee smiled.

"I guess...we better sleep early before Komui calls.I don't wanna die so early."Allen laughed nervously.

"I'll tell him we got caught up in a snowstorm.He'll understand."

"As long as you tell him.He won't believe me."

"So...you'll sleep on the bed?"

"No.We should sleep on the bed.There's enough space for two.Besides,Wishing Star might just show up again."

"Good point."

Allen and Lenalee left their suitcases at a side and went to bed.Just as Allen was dreaming about dangos,Lenalee shook him awake.

"Huh?Wha...Lenalee?What is it?"Allen stuttered,rubbing his eyes.

"I can't sleep."Lenalee whispered,tugging at his sleeves.

"Um...all right.Sit down.I'll talk to you,but only for a bit."

"Okay."Lenalee smiled."So...about the notes on the piano,how did you come to know about it?"

"Mana taught me how to read the notes."Allen said,looking up to stop his tears."I didn't know what it meant,but I always remembered.Always...."

"Mana?"

"He's my foster father."Allen smiled,his tears almost overflowed."We were not related by blood,but I loved him more than my birth parents."

So that's why you fight for the akuma so much."Lenalee said."Because you wanted Mana to be proud of you."

"He's always been proud of me."Allen paused."Maybe he's in heaven looking at me with eyes that says,'That's my son,and I'm proud of him.'"

"He is."Lenalee smiled."If you look into your heart."

"I believe you."