Slava told Igor about the window incident and going by familiar look on his friend's face he knew for sure Igor was intrigued. Just as he would be intrigued by stories of the two-headed dog living in the sewer. Or rather, the individuals behind them.

The next day the school was full of students, and on his way to the classroom Slava got stuck in a foot traffic jam that blocked the middle of the corridor by the lesson schedule board.

Suddenly an eerie sensation befell him as he heard a nervous rustling sound reach him through the hum of the crowd. He turned around but the source of the sound had already passed him. Although Slava managed to glimpse the slim figure of a pale, black-haired student disappearing amongst the milling bodies. It was strange how he’d been able to maneuver his body between other students almost effortlessly, without hitting anyone or drawing much attention, as if he was gently floating past. The sound faded with him.

"You, dick-head! Move!"- Someone pushed Slava in the back. He turned around.

"What the... Kaban?! Didn't expect to see your ugly mug again. Weren’t you expelled?"

"None of your business. Now, move or I'll move you!"

"Why don't you piss off."

"What did you just say? You see this?"- Kaban raised his fist toward Slava's face showing off the letters tattooed on his fingers that together formed the word "K. O. B. A. N.", with the letter "O" crudely fixed to the "A"*.

"... Did YOU do this to yourself?"- Replied Slava, rather confused than intimidated.

Kaban’s face turned red of anger.

"C'mon, you dudes! Why won't you BOTH move, huh? You're blocking the way!"- Someone yelled angrily from the crowd.

Both guys calmed down and joined the flow of students. After some distance Kaban entered his classroom and Slava, relieved of his presence, as if having a sudden recollection of something much more pleasant, hastened his walk toward his own.

...

"...And that is why Lenin never ate coconuts, and, as the documents suggest, his hovercraft was full of ee..."

The bell rang, interrupting the teacher. Students rose from their seats and began gathering their belongings.

"For the next lesson read paragraphs 1 and 2...," The teacher shouted over increasing noise of chattering students leaving the class.

Ira took her time at gathering up and after seeing that this delay wasn't enough, with her best intentions to stay behind her band of friends she took a rag and began cleaning the chalkboard.

"She hates all those talks about how everyone spent their summer..."

Seemingly having not hearing the bell, Slava was sitting at his desk, his cheek propped against his fist.

Ira was definitely taking her time with the task as well.

"Good student!" The teacher told her before leaving the room.

"...And she always looks tired after politely answering everybody's questions... maybe even annoyed..."

"Ira!"- Tanya ran into the room -"What are you doing? You're not on cleaning duty today! C’mon, let’s go!”- She said as she dragged Ira outside.

"...And her new hairstyle…"

"Hey, you creep."

Slava jumped. On his right stood Igor wearing an indulgent smile.

"Hell! Fota, don't sneak up on people like that."

"Let's go!"- Igor replied changing tone to serious and nudging Slava’s shoulder.

*In Russian "kaban" means "boar". "Koban" is an obvious misspelling.