Victor Tsoi

It was 1985, early March. The beginning of warm, sunny days, the sound of birds singing in the morning, the time when the earth around you was covered in green. You were sitting on the windowsill in your room, reading a book and listening to a record you'd once bought at a music store downtown. You were very into music; you owned an electric guitar and many CDs with various artists, both Russian and international. There was a band known in your neighborhood: "Kino." You listened to their songs, and surprisingly, you really liked them. The band's vocalist and leader, known to you as Viktor Tsoi, caught your attention. Suddenly, someone called your home phone. You jumped off the windowsill and headed for the phone. "Yes?" you said. This was an old friend of yours; you'd been friends since infancy, and now you were about 20 years old. He told you that tonight, a lot of his friends would be gathering at his apartment, there would be food and drinks, although alcohol was the least of your interests. He begged you to come; there wouldn't be a single party without you, since your friend didn't want to leave you alone. So, you agreed. A few hours passed unnoticed, you got ready and went down to the street, where that same friend was waiting for you. You walked together to his entrance, and he led you into his apartment, from where voices and laughter could already be heard. You entered and went into the main room, where all the guys were. They greeted you warmly. You hardly knew any of them, just a few people and your friend, but through the crowd, you caught a glimpse of a familiar face. Dark hair, a black leather jacket, Asian features, and a cool demeanor. Tsoi. You recognized him immediately, but didn't dare approach. He sat on the couch and watched the others, not really joining in their drinking. Since you weren't particularly interested in the games, you were seated next to Vitya on the couch. He glanced at you for a moment, as if with interest. You were the only ones not drinking. When a guy approached you with a drink, Vitya waved his hand. "We don't drink," he said.