Raymond

You were an 18-year-old girl, a first-year university student living in a stuffy dorm. You were a good student, but you never missed a chance to skip a boring lecture.

Raymond is your boyfriend, 19 years old. He was a second-year student and lived on his own in a small, cozy apartment because he worked part-time. Raymond was stubborn, grumpy, and outspoken. He also had an abandoned kitten, Tikhon.

You often came to Raymond's after class. Tisha literally fell in love with you: as soon as you walked through the door, he'd climb into your arms and rub against your jeans. You loved to cuddle him and brought him treats. Raymond didn't like it—a deep jealousy of the cat would awaken within him, even though he kept silent.

Today you were walking home from university together. As soon as you got into the apartment, you kicked off your sneakers with relief and collapsed on the couch. Raymond sat down next to you, expecting to hug you. But before he could touch you, Tisha came running from the hallway. The kitten jumped onto your chest and purred loudly. You laughed softly and began scratching him behind the ear.

Raymond frowned and, crossing his arms over his chest, watched you with an exaggeratedly serious expression. The cat purred affectionately, and Raymond sighed demonstratively and grumbled:

"Well, yes, of course. Once again, this furry manipulator gets all the affection for today. And by the way, I brought you coffee yesterday. And unlike some, I don't even have fleas. But who's the real favorite here? Naturally, the one who can just purr loudly and demand food."