Day 2

Scene 1

*Sound 18

Frame 1
*Classroom, a teacher stands at the blackboard

Teacher
Knowing our true desires is much harder than most of us think; it is one of the most difficult problems of human existence. We desperately try to avoid this problem by accepting standard goals as our own. Indeed, we find similar statements to Erik Fromm's in the works of his older compatriot....

Nika
I don't understand why we need to study philosophy in economics.

Yura
I don't know, I like these lectures.

Nika
As for me, it's a complete bore. When it comes time to submit my quarterly report, for example, am I going to write about free will according to Schopenhauer? As if I can't choose to do my job, but all beings are just striving for freedom, so I went home!

Yura
(Laughs) Is it just me or are you taking everything too literally? I think that all these theories and concepts are just an invitation to think, which can ultimately help us in our professional lives.

Nika
Maybe you're right, but I have no desire to think about the fact that what I really want is not what I want.
Or what is it?

Yura
Well, can you clearly say what you want?

Nika
Of course I can!

Yura
Why do you want to do this?

Nika
Well, I... It's all nonsense!

Yura
Ha-ha, you see, it's a little more complicated than that. You just don't think that if you knew exactly why you wanted this or that, you could make more informed decisions.

Nika
I don't understand.

Yura
You know, last week you suddenly had a sweet tooth in the evening. You ate half a bag of ice cream, and then spent the rest of the evening upset because, first of all, you were full for the night, and secondly, your throat started to hurt.

Nika
So what am I supposed to understand here?

Yura
You suffered from your own desire. You didn't want to have a sore throat or worry about eating too many calories. You had an impulsive urge that you couldn't resist.
If you had thought about it from the beginning, you would have realized that with all these consequences, you wouldn't really want ice cream. The desire would have been greatly reduced or eliminated altogether.

Nika
You know, it makes sense, but oh, how delicious it was...!
Yura
Are you saying that the weekend spent in bed with a sore throat was worth it?

Nika
They are not worth it at all. I just couldn't give up the idea in the moment. It would be better if my throat didn't hurt afterwards, and the calorie content of such tasty foods was like that of vegetables or fruits.

Yura
(laughs) It's a very naive and childish perception.

Nika
Oh, come on. I just want something, that's all. We'll think about it later. We need to solve problems as they come!

Yura
What if the consequences are extremely bad or even disastrous? Won't you wish you had thought about it in advance?

Nika
It will happen for sure. But that will never happen to me. Plus, as I understand it, you've got a great handle on everything and will tell me what's what.

Yura
Ha-ha-ha, how brazen of you to delegate responsibility for your life.

Nika
Yes! And for this trust, you'll pay with half an ice cream next time we eat it.

Author.
The steam is over.

Nika
That was the last one for today. Shall we go home?

Yura
Yeah. I'll have to stop by the store on the way back. Do you remember that we agreed to have a movie day tomorrow?

Nika
Yes! Let's start with Twilight.

Yura
I was hoping you would forget about them.

Nika
Don't make fun of it! This is a wonderful movie about passion, love, and how it overcomes everything.

Yura
Is there much passion in a hundred-year-old vampire sneaking into someone else's house and watching a schoolgirl sleep?

Nika
It's like you've never watched me sleep.

Yura
You don't understand, this is different!

Nika
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Listen, I wanted to go to one more place. Do you want to come with me?

Yura
Of course, but where to?

Nika
I can't say yet. The only thing is, do you promise me that you won't leave right away? And you won't fight? Okay?

Yura
How can I promise something I'm not sure about?

Nika
Just promise. Please. I don't have any arguments to convince you that there is nothing terrible or unpleasant there. But it is very important for me that you go with me.

Yura
With such clarifications. Everything began to look as dubious as possible. I could have done without them.
But okay. I promise. If you ask me to.

Nika
Thank you! This is very valuable to me.

*Sound 19*

Frame 2
*Café*

Author.
The place where Nika wanted to go turned out to be a coffee shop next to our building. We've been here many times before and I wouldn't say that the coffee here is super delicious. It's more like super mediocre.

Yura
Are you confused?

Nika
No, that's right. Go find a table, and I'll get us some drinks. Are you the usual?

Yura
This time, let's just have tea, it's almost evening, and I'd like to sleep properly.

Nika
Nerd! Just so you know, tea has more caffeine than coffee.

Yura
I heard something like that, but the selective part of me wants tea.

Author.
I had a bad feeling about it, to be honest. It was clear that she was up to something, and if you add up all the facts, I would definitely not like it.

Scene 2

Frame 1
*Table in a cafe, first-person perspective

Author.
Looking down at my phone, I didn't notice who approached my seat. Feeling comfortable and safe, I thought it was Nika, so I didn't look up. Suddenly, a man's voice spoke to me.

Vladik
Hi. Can I sit here?

Author.
Strange... But I was not surprised to meet him.

Yura
Hello, Vlad. You don't have to sit here, there's room over there.

Author.
It was a strange feeling. His appearance did not make me angry at all. Just emptiness.

Vlad
I thought Nika explained everything to you.

Yura
That's how she explained it. It turns out she just lured me here by tricking me.

Author.
Nika came over at that moment.

Yura
Nika, what's going on?

Author.
I could tell from her face that she was worried. It's not surprising, as I didn't often address her so formally, and in such a cold tone. Apparently, she expected some kind of negative reaction, but not so cold, even a little aggressive.

Nika
Я... I wanted to help you. I thought that talking to Vlad would help you let go of the situation. And you'd feel better.

Vladik
You can even...

Yura
Please don't interfere, you see, we're talking to Nika.
I am very pleased... I just think it was wrong to do it behind my back. Because now I have a lot of questions in my head, instead of feeling grateful and peaceful that I am being taken care of in such a way.

Author.
Without realizing it, I said the last sentence a little sarcastically and aggressively.

Nika
I knew you wouldn't agree, but I just...

Yura
All right! Let's talk.

Author.
Even though it was mean of her. She did it for me, after all, and she was scared by my unexpected reaction. Even though I had strange feelings inside and a lot of questions, I was still pleased that she took such a risky step for me. Besides, it was a good opportunity to wrap the wound with gauze as soon as possible. Yes. Then I remembered that quote by Remarque, completely forgetting its ending....

Yura
Sit down now.

Author.
I tried to say it as gently as possible.
We sat in complete silence for a minute or two. While Vlad was selecting the words with which he wanted to start his speech, for Nika this time passed like the last minutes before Armageddon. She was sitting next to me, so I could feel her trembling a little.

Yura
Give me your hand.

Author.
She grabbed at it sharply, like a drowning man catching his last breaths of oxygen, but soon calmed down, smiled embarrassedly, and whispered.

Nika
I'm sorry...

Author.
In response, I squeezed her hand tighter.

Vlad
Listen... No matter what I say now, it will not be possible to change what happened two years ago, no matter how much I want to and try. I can't go back to that day and give up the idea of robbing that store. I can't go back and make sure that your pregnant mother didn't end up there.
But after that incident, I realized a lot. I realized how wrong I was, and I realized that I almost lost my life. Yura...

Yura
I heard you.

Vladik
But I haven't said everything...

Yura
I heard all the most important things. I do not hold a grudge against you. It would be unfair to say that I stopped blaming you and forgot everything, no.
I just don't want to go back to it anymore. That case poisoned my life and not only mine, so it's time to let it go.

Vladik
Really?

Yura
I hope you don't expect us to become friends. You can't change the past, but the fact remains that you had something to do with my brother's death. Obviously, if I had my way, you would have continued your old existence, and my brother would be learning to walk and talk now, but that's all in the past.
I like to think that this is his gift to you.
Hmm? How about that? A parting gift ticket to a new life. If he was so kind as to recognize you as a person worthy of this, then I should do the same.

Vladik
I don't deserve it.

Yura
He decided you deserve it, so answer him!
Thank you for today. And thank you, Nika.

Nika
?

Yura
If not for your performance today, I would not have made up my mind and decided to move on. In fact, I did it a long time ago, but I thank you both anyway.
It's not cool that you did it behind my back, but what does it matter if the result is positive?

Vladik
...

Nika
I'm sorry for what happened...

Yura
Now, keep your head up, everything is fine!

Author.
We shook hands with Vlad as a sign of a new beginning for both of us.
In fact, not only Vlad, but also I received this gift from my brother.
I felt inspired and light inside. Finally...
After all this time.

Yura
We have to go now. I'll see you Monday in class. Come on, Nico.

Nika
Yes! I'll see you on Monday.

Author.
She looked at him strangely when she said goodbye. Wasn't this their whole plan?