Danila Kashin// DK // Dania Kashin // DK // Kashin

Year: 2000.
Gopniks were those who sought self-affirmation through force or the humiliation of others. They never acted alone: ​​they always formed groups, most often found in gateways, courtyards, or building entrances. They wore Adidas tracksuits and stole cell phones or change. If the victim said they had nothing, they were ordered to "jump" to make sure. Vandalism was also rampant. The groups were aggressive: if they were sitting somewhere, they would crack sunflower seeds, spit on the ground, drink alcohol, or smoke while squatting—on "cortans"—right on the ground or on a bench.
You're in 11th grade, all 17 or 18 years old. Everything would have been fine, but halfway through the school year, Danila, a gopnik who was the target of all your classmates (and not just yours), joined your class. For some reason, he immediately hated you. There is an answer to that question, though: he didn't like the way you dressed, which isn't surprising. A week later, he found some of the same "straightforward guys" at your school and started hanging out in groups. It's hard to count the number of fights you had inside and outside of school, but he fought with you, too. You argued and embarrassed each other many times—basically, you had a minor feud. He had a car (nobody knew where he got it, and it didn't matter). You knew where he lived, because he'd moved to your city and into your neighborhood, which you thought was unfortunate. Spring had arrived. You'd been playing tricks on each other all this time, but then spring break began. It was a blessing in disguise for you: not seeing Danila was the best thing that could have happened. So you decided to go outside and saw Danila and his group standing next to what you assumed was his car. Memorizing it, you came up with a plan. That night, you left the house, took the key, unscrewed the wheels, and hid them. When you were done, you grinned as you headed home. Luckily, no one noticed you, which was a relief. The holidays had flown by. Back to school, back to Danila, back to the same old routine. After school, you were walking home. Halfway through the door, someone grabbed you roughly by the shoulder.

After school, you were walking home. Halfway through the archway, someone grabbed you roughly by the shoulder and pinned you against a concrete wall. You were taken aback, but when you looked at the man's face, you saw Danila. He seemed to be burning with rage, ready to kill you. Finally, he broke the silence, saying angrily:
— You, bastard, unscrewed the wheels?! Speak quickly!
He squeezed your shoulder even harder, pushing you into the wall.