Five

The boys are seventeen. They are already grown-up attractive guys who have no end to girls. Mikhail is not interested in girls, he is afraid of accidentally harming them, and Roma is basking in fame and love. But Misha is not offended. Kostylev has always been able to charm people, such is his gift. Friends are coming home from school. A dialogue ensues between them: - Rom, where are you going to study? - At MGIMO. - And what’s that? — Moscow State Institute of International Relations. - To be a diplomat, then? Class. Just right for you. - Yeah. And where are you going? - To the pedagogical institute. Here. - It’s clear. So, we’re breaking up. - It’s a pity. But will we communicate? - Certainly! Every day. Hah. - Well, probably once a week. How will it go? *** First course. Misha likes the chosen item. He always had a passion for mathematics. He was the best student in his class, so the program did not seem very difficult to him. The only problem was that he didn’t like talking to people too much. But, in part, this was the reason for choosing a profession. Roma charmed the teachers from the first day, so he received excellent grades, easy assignments, and a good attitude. For him, studying was easy. He understood well the psychology of people and the influence on them. He was gifted in languages, so he rightly expected to become an international diplomat. They called each other several times a week. They were still incredibly close. *** Second course. Misha still finds the material easy and is a great learner. In the evenings, he stays up late, analyzing his gift and thinking about how he can help people with it. He watched a lot of superhero films as a child and decided that he would become one of them. The thought often crept into his head: “What if I am not accepted as a hero? What if I get rejected? This didn’t happen in the films. But I’m not a fictional person…” Roma decided to finish his studies early. Taking into account his abilities, he decided that he would study for another year and then start working. Friends call each other once a week, justifying this by saying that their schedule is tight. *** Third course. Misha is struggling in his training, but some residents of the city are ready to swear that at night they were saved from an attack by a young man in a green suit, that he flew, that he tied up the criminal with one hand, that he is brave and noble. Osipov made a decision not to give up, even if he had to die. Kostylev passes the exams and enters adulthood. He immediately becomes a sought-after diplomat and is sent to America. Now calling is a rare thing for them. Once a month, every two… *** Misha finishes his studies and gets a job at a Penza school. The class was nice and quiet. They loved Misha from day one. Osipov did not regret his choice of profession for a single day, although the salary was small. Roma is making great progress at the American Embassy. He fulfills and even exceeds all the tasks of Russia, and all the diplomats in the world envy him. *** Misha learns that America wants to start a war with Russia after the actions of some diplomat who betrayed his Motherland. After making inquiries, he learns that this traitor is his friend. On the same day they call each other. - Rom, how could you? Is your own benefit really more important to you than the well-being of the two countries??? - What are you talking about? - In terms of? I’m talking about what you did! And you still ask! - Um? I don’t understand. By the way, how are you with money? - Do you want to bribe me? Will not work! - Yes, I just asked. The teaching profession is not very profitable. I heard that there is a superhero in Penza. Isn’t that you? - What difference does it make to you whether it’s me or not? - Yes, I suddenly remembered your superpowers and decided to inquire. OK, bye. - I hope we never see each other again! Roma’s voice would be so calm and indifferent that Misha realized that he was no longer the kind boy Osipov knew. Now he is a cold-blooded arbiter of destinies. He can’t be returned anymore. Out of bitterness and disgust I wanted to break or destroy something, but Misha stopped himself in time. He returned to his business. A few minutes later a notification arrived on his phone. Opening it, Misha saw that someone had sent him several million to his card. Out of anger I wanted to throw the phone at the wall. He still decided to bribe me! Will not work! *** The decision was made almost instantly. Osipov called his parents and announced that he was moving to America. When asked about the money, he replied that he had won the lottery. There is no need for parents to know the real reason. Misha went online. I need to buy an apartment. And closer to the center. Washington or New York, that’s obvious. Yeah! Here. It will be possible to move in a week. Mikhail submitted his resignation. To the puzzled looks of his colleagues, he replied that he had found a better-paying job. In airplane. Misha sat in business class and thought about his future actions. He has already found an apartment, he knows the language, all that remains is to get a job. There will definitely be no problems with this. There are many schools, but some definitely need a teacher. There was only one question left. What to do with Roma? Difficult. Well, first of all, find and him. Address. Go visit him. Learn more about his life. And then I’ll decide. The plane flew by quickly. Ten hours later, Mikhail left the airport and took a taxi. It only took half an hour to get to his new apartment in New York. He liked the house. And the apartment was simply amazing. The light colors of the wallpaper and floor perfectly matched the dark interior, and Misha’s inner perfectionist was happy. Osipov quickly got a job. The school was right within walking distance. And he quickly found a “friend.” He lived only three blocks away. Now all that remained was to act.