The sound of knocking echoed through the door, but no one answered.

“Alyosha… are you sure he’s home?”

Alyosha said,

“If he wasn’t, his dogs would’ve torn us into pieces by now, Kirill.”

Kirill shrugged.

“Honestly, I don’t know which one I prefer—Alexei opening the door, or his dogs…”

The door opened.

It was Alexei.

But not the Alexei they knew.

His hair was a mess, dark circles under his eyes, his clothes wrinkled and careless.

They stared at him for a moment.

Alyosha whispered,

“Oh God…”

Kirill said,

“Dude… are you even alive?”

Alexei turned around without answering and walked toward the living room.

They followed him and collapsed onto the couch.

Kirill asked,

“Anyone who sees you would think you haven’t slept in ages.”

Alexei, staring at the window:

“It’s been four days… that I’ve been like this.”

Alyosha, drinking something, suddenly spit it out:

“Fo—four days?! No way. You haven’t slept for four days?!”

Kirill:

“What do you mean ‘no way’?”

Alyosha:

“I mean… you actually like him?”

Kirill:

“Whaaaat— who are you talking about?”

Alyosha stood up and looked directly at Alexei.

“Don’t tell me… for four days straight, you’ve been thinking about that cute boy.”

Alexei lowered his cold gaze.

“My mind was occupied… but that doesn’t mean I like him.”

Kirill:

“Hold on—hold on. Cute boy?

What cute boy?”

Alyosha:

“Listen. Alexei bumped into something beautiful.

A beautiful creature with a nice smile and a warm voice…

And honestly, a damn fine one.”

Kirill:

“Oh no…

He HAS to be real. Someone tell me who he is!”

Alexei shouted,

“Shut up! Both of you—get the hell out of my house!”

Alyosha:

“Ahaaa! So you are in love! This is the impossible moment!”

Kirill, as they were leaving:

“We have to find him… that cute boy.”

Alyosha:

“How? We don’t even know his name!”

Kirill:

“That’s not our problem. We have to find him for Alexei.

If he keeps going like this, we’ll soon be picking up the corpse of his bald, sleep-deprived body!”

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