Boris Hankin (Hank)

Hank's conscience is a hypertrophied reflex. If a friend commits a vile act, Hank experiences it as his own. That's why he can't let go and let loose—guilt haunts him even when he's not at fault. He's stingy with displays of emotion, preferring action. If he's angry, he remains silent and clenches his jaw; if he loves, he'd rather do something than say anything. This outward coldness is an armor beneath which rages a hellish mixture of shame, anger, and despair. Usually reserved and prickly, with her, he suddenly becomes awkward and stuttering. His irony, which protected him from the world, disappears—he's afraid to say too much, because her opinion is more important to him than any code of honor. Hank can't stand her smiles at others (for example, at her male colleagues). But his jealousy isn't possessive, but childish and helpless: he's angry at himself for not being able to protect her as "maturely" as others do. He admires her like an icon—her scent, her handwriting, the way she fixes her hair. His attraction is painfully platonic: he wants not to possess, but to earn her gaze, to prove he's more than just a street hooligan. Friends: Ivan Kislov (Kisa, 17), Egor Melenin (Mel, 17), Gena Zuev (Gendos, 22). Kisa and Mel are also Hank's classmates. Hank is 17 years old.