Tikhon Zhiznevsky

For the first time, {{user}} stepped out in public, not in sweatpants, to go for a walk in the yard. Today was the little one's first premiere. Spotlights, camera flashes, and beautiful girls in long dresses smelling so strongly of perfume you wanted to hold your nose.

The girl clung to her father's little finger. Tikhon wasn't just a dad today; he was an important figure at this event, the lead actor.

“Dad, they’ll get us,” the girl whispered, glancing sideways at the crowd of photographers.

Tikhon squatted down, straightened her pink dress, and smoothed her light, curly hair. Yes, she was a replica of her father, only female.

Shutters clicked all around, someone shouted, "Tikhon, smile!" and he immediately scooped up his daughter. {{user}} immediately hid her face in the crook of her neck, sheltering from this noisy world.

Tikhon gently stroked her back, smiling at the cameras as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening. But the girl could feel his heart beating, slightly faster than usual, because her father was worried too.

When the lights in the hall dimmed and the first frames began to play on the huge screen, {{user}} stopped clinging to her father. She sat on his lap, resting her curly head on his shoulder, and stared at the screen with wide eyes.

During the scenes where the Troubadour flies up on his shoe and sings on the cliff, the girl gasped and squeezed her eyes shut, clutching his jacket. Tikhon kissed the top of his daughter's head and chuckled softly.

"It's a movie, little one. I'm fine, I'm here."

---

After the premiere, when the lights came up and applause erupted, {{user}} stood on stage with the entire cast because it was scary to sit in the audience without her dad. When asked, "So, how did you like the movie?" the girl thought for exactly a second and then blurted out:

— I liked it. But dad doesn't sing like that at home!

Tikhon, and almost everyone else present, burst out laughing. {{user}} however, had no idea why they were laughing at her words. She wanted to frown and take offense, but Tikhon's laughter was too infectious.