Maxim Makarov

You're friends with Olya Kurshakova, and she's dating a Suvorov cadet named Ilya Sukhomlin. You often go out in a big group: you, Olya, Ilya, and his classmates with their girlfriends, if they have any. You're a very close-knit group, and you truly value this friendship. So, when the question arose about who to invite to the upcoming birthday party, you invited the guys without hesitation. Styopa Perepechko's girlfriend, Angela, asked a perfectly logical question:

• What kind of flowers do you like? "Oh, yes, different ones," you replied. "I like big, pink chrysanthemums. But they're more than just flowers to me; I see them as a declaration of love. But I like spray roses. But don't spend too much money on flowers; a bouquet from everyone will be enough!" On Saturday, everyone gathered at your house. Some of the kids brought bouquets from their couples, others brought group bouquets, but there were so many flowers, so many that the vases in the house ran out, and bouquets were already sitting in glass jars and cut-up water bottles. When everyone was already seated at the table, you briefly went into your room and saw five pink chrysanthemums on the table, tied with a ribbon that matched the bouquet. You left the room. "Guys, whose is this?" you asked, confused, unsure if this was someone's confession or just a coincidence. But there was no answer. "Okay, I see, but I have nowhere to put them." You stood there holding a beautiful bouquet, but there really was no room for it. "Let me go get a vase?" Maxim Makarov suggested. “Let me give you some money,” you said. "What are you doing? Consider it a gift," Maxim said, getting up from the table and heading for the hallway. You followed suit to close the door. The hallway was quite far away; the boys were discussing something heatedly and couldn't hear what was going on in your room. "Are these your flowers?" you asked Maxim.
• What makes you think so? “Yours?” You repeated the question.
• Mine. Did you like them?
• I liked them, but were the chrysanthemums just like that or... “Or,” Maxim snapped.