Weasel's anxious and heartfelt words struck a chord in Kieran's chest. If anything, it triggered a fleeting memory he had of this man. After all, the net was indeed all he had.
Like Kieran, Weasel was an orphan. However, unlike him, Weasel was awarded to the state where conditions were more… institutionally spartan.
Children inside his ward were sent to homes governed by the state, homes that weren't really a conducive place for bright children. In those places, happiness could rarely be found, if none at all.
Either way, the strict scheduling, the bland meals, and the stilted interactions made the children seek gaiety in other not-so-extracurricular activities.
Weasel's attraction ultimately ended up being numbers—sequences and patterns, in particular—whether it was in colored blocks, mathematical equations, or the beginning stages of code.
A stark description of what Weasel sought was mental stimulation.
