"9 Uhr, Tristanstra?e 8, Wannsee."
Haeften tacitly approves that this is on Saturday. After all top student will never give out most of their time at school to help others, there are more willing to use their time to improve themselves. He's not sure about whether Stauffenberg same as them, cause he seemly looked that healthy and external, but seemed to distance himself from others. However, this is understandable, because he figured out from the last time he met Stauffenberg at the cafeteria that Haeften in 2008 didn't know him in this timeline. So that's how normal people will also do when they first meet a stranger--be friendly with estranged.
But they are strangers to each other, even though he asked for Stauffenberg's help; how could he invite him directly to his home? There are many places to choose, why his house?
Unless he remembers something...
We'll see.
Friday night, how excited for Haeften. He doesn't know nothing about why people in 2008 had such bad shirt tastes. He dug deep and deep into Haeften(2008)'s closet, and finally pulled out a set of clothes that were slightly dignified compared to these T-shirts and shorts--a deep blue shirt and black pants. He ironed them without any wrinkles. Smiling is also hard for Haeften from 1944.
I mean, he could still laugh and make jokes sometimes in 1943 when he was with his friends, and at that time they were already talking about something cannot be spoken during the Third Reich. In 1944, they needed to be more cautious and serious; Haeften couldn't be apart from alertness, but this couldn't be shown in front of Stauffenberg(2008)'s face. He practiced smiling in the mirror for a long time, just trying to conceal that emotion.
Hmm, History is not hard for him for sure, he studied at the Realschule in Berlin Schmargendorf until March 1927, when only 16 students passed the university entrance exam (Abitur).
He wants to disguise himself as a pitiful creature seeking help. That's the best way he could think of to get close to Stauffenberg(and thanks to those spies who once tried this way)
When he wanted to make his last pose of a smile for ending today's practise, Agnes, his mother, called him downstairs.
"Werner, I want to talk to you." She called him softly, and she coughed for a moment--his mother illed again.
"Mother, are you alright? Need I bring some pills upstairs for you?" Haeften ran towards her.
"Just sit down, Werner. And I think of your father's a bit too serious, which may make you feel unease, so I'm the only person here now who wants to ask you something." She continued to say,
"You're...quite different this week. Since Monday, you have been behaving very differently from yourself. Looking at today, you used to wear casual clothes, but in order to meet your classmate tomorrow, you actually took out the formal clothes that you said you didn't like before and ironed them."
"Tell me, Werner, what's wrong with you?"
Well...He can't think of what Haeften's behaviour in 2008 is like, and he can't bear with that behaviour, so he just stayed what his like. Agnes was a nice woman, and although his father was sometimes serious, they were all kind. He believes in this timeline, too. Therefore, he decided to shake out some facts.
"Mother...I think there's something I need to tell you. But I'm afraid you will not believe this and not gonna trust me." He acted quite hesitantly.
"Werner, just speak it out, bitte."
"Emm, actually, I'm not from this era, and I'm not your son in 2008. Have you ever heard about the Oberst Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg?" He bet she knew him.
"Sure..? Wasn't he the man who planned the plot that tried to kill Hitler?" Agnes asked with uncertainty.
"Yes, then you must know his adjutant, Werner von Haeften, who accompanied him to the Wolf's lair." He spoke out with a proud voice.
"That was just a coincidence, wasn't it? How can a person travel these long years to 2008 and still retain his name? School let you read too much science fiction, sweetie." She frowned and made a confusing face.
Haeften stood up from wood chair and chuckled, "No matter what you say, that's how it is."
"Mother, can I go upstairs and sleep now? You observed all the preparations I've done for tomorrow, so you know it's important for me. A nice sleep could help me more fresh."
"Gute Nacht, Werner. And remember, no matter you said which space you come from, I will always love you." She smiled and hugged him. She surely sees his claim as a joke. She surely wants her true son, but this boy is so much like him. Time-travelling seems not possible either in the atheist world or in this Catholic family.
Werner was just ready to start going up to his room when a group of drunk people, yelling at an unbearable voice, passed by the Haeften family's house. That really scared Haeften, who suddenly stood straight but soon realized this was not the world that used to have the SS secret police raid homes for visits. That's the volume they have.
Around the dining table, there's only Agnes and Haeften, and Agnes saw his action very, very clearly.
He's not her son.
Her son never reacts to such things once, and these things happening are normal in today's society; normal people do not care about these at all.
But he does. His lips were pursed into a line, his legs were tightly clasped together, his left hand seemed to be about to open the door, and his right hand almost couldn't help but lift up. This really looks like the standing posture of a soldier. Is what he said true?
Sweet night, no dreams, and Saturday came.
He gets up very early, about two hours before their meeting time, checks everything properly again, and gets on that bicycle and shuttles through the city alleys. Berlin has already produced many modern buildings, but he still remembers the road to Wannsee clearly in his heart. The road is surrounded by lush trees, and the sunlight shines through the tree canopy on the forest path. The air is fresh, and the environment is quiet. The road has never changed.
When he finally stopped in front of the house, his hands trembled again. This is a two-story residential building with a traditional red brick-paved gable roof. There is a very prominent wooden balcony on the upper level. The entrance is equipped with a circular brick-and-stone arch (arched passage). The owner of the house allowed the ivy to grow as freely as they wanted; nobody could stop them.
Summer never came.
The flowers bloomed but held no flame.
They never touched the cold water,
As though the season forgot their name.
Haeften stood in front of the door and took a deep breath. He raised his hand and rang the doorbell.