Alexandr Korol

No talk about his departure — which is also strange, right? He’s a grown man,
a guest, but he doesn’t raise the subject, as if he’s waiting for me to handle the
logistics. People have become so used to me controlling everything, planning
everything, doing the thinking for everyone. He doesn’t bring up work
either. Finally, by evening, I couldn’t wait any longer — though I was secretly
delighted by how much everything had changed, how “good” he seemed
to have become. Towards evening, he says:

— Let’s talk.
— Well, yes.
— Let’s. Well… I have to go to work tomorrow. Tomorrow is Monday, work.

At that point, I had stopped asking the voice. I noticed that on the second day,
I had somewhat descended back into the world of people. I asked him:

— Do you want to continue working for me?

I wouldn’t say he was afraid, but I could see he was approaching everything
very... deliberately, I guess. In the past, he wouldn’t have thought; he would
have just said “yes” (he always said yes). But now he says:

— Well, maybe, maybe, but...

And he tells me he wants to work at that other job and at my job. He starts
listing all these things he wants. And I can see that his fear has vanished
again; it’s like he’s closing up once more. He lists his “wishes.” I wouldn’t
say they were super arrogant, but for someone like me, who perceives reality
very sharply, it sounded like: “I want to work five jobs, you all pay me full
salaries, but I won’t do anything and don’t you dare touch me.” That’s how it
felt to me. Not that crude, but I felt it that sharply. Still, I restrained myself.
Then, while he’s laying out how he wants to work here and there, he says:

— I want to tell you something. But it’ll be unpleasant, I’m afraid of a conflict,
it will definitely get to you. So, fine, I won’t say it.