Scarlet light, bursts of light from safit and ultraviolet lamps filled the club room, blurring vision, as well as time, the emerging fog, entangling tight rings of one or another arrogant employee, as if reminding - you, a nobody, are on a leash at Valentino, and there was no hiding and no escape from this.

Sometimes the music turned into a muffling one, which could only be shouted over, sometimes into a monotone, except that it changed to something new when the strippers' performances began. Most of the guests came here just for this. And Valentino, tonight, just came to... "relax." Rather, to control what is happening on Friday evening.

He looked up, sliding them around the room through the lenses of pink glasses, grinning in a satisfied smile, noticing one particular figure among the crowd, in the first seconds considering that it seemed to him. In the midst of his crowd, bursting with beauty and health, like a wild flower in spite of all the bad weather, stood someone whom he never hoped to see again.

Once upon a time, when he had just gained his power, he had one soul under his command. Rebellious, not afraid to tell the truth to people's face, a harsh, wild soul in its wildness... And that's it... Slowly drowning his soul, he wanted more. So that those eyes would not look at him with a despicable emotion of discontent, so that his voice would sound sweeter for him, and not that rattling of iron... And in order not to weaken, so as not to drag himself after that soul like a beggar, he terminated the contract and let go. For the first and last time.

And he knew. He knew that he had been avenged in the most terrible manner. By making him fall in love.

All four of his hands clenched into fists, as if he was trying to restrain himself, but, as if in mockery of himself, he stood up, coming closer.

"Well, hello, little one. I didn't expect to see you in this century."