Asia seemed open and friendly to him, and Anton began to hope that his plan would finally work. Anton and Asia continued to talk in the hall, and the conversation between them revealed more and more personal sides of them. Asia was charmed by the sincerity and passion of Anton, who, despite his awkward Russian accent and initial nervousness, could start a conversation on any topic. As the evening grew late and many guests began to leave the event, Asia suggested that they take a walk.
"It's too noisy here", Asia said, looking around at the crowd. "How about a walk in the park? It's not far from here, and it will be much quieter under the stars".
Anton couldn't believe his luck. They went outside, and Asia actually managed to find a cozy place – a quiet park with soft grass and illuminated lanterns. In the distance, you could hear the murmur of a fountain and the rustling of leaves. They sat down on a bench, and Asia, like a true lady, offered Anton to put her hand on it, which was such a simple, yet touching gesture that Anton felt his heart fill with warmth.
"I was so happy when I saw you again", Anton began, looking at her sincerely. "I don't know why, but you seem to make me forget about all the difficulties".
"I'm glad to hear that, Anton. You are truly an amazing person. Tell me more about yourself", Asia asked, tilting her head to the side.
Anton took a deep breath, collecting his thoughts.
"Well, where do I start?" he chuckled, then continued. "I come from Ivanovo, a small town in Russia. My childhood was pretty normal. My father, Andrey Anatolyevich, he's... Well, a pretty strict man. He was always against my hobbies, especially when I started studying philosophy. He thought it was a waste of time. But I went to university anyway".
Asia, listening attentively, smiled slightly.
"And your father didn't support you in this?"
"No", Anton answered. "He always said that philosophy is for people who don't know what to do with their lives. He would rather see me in business or engineering. My younger sister, Albina, also lives with him. By the way, she is very cheerful and always tries to support me, even when my father and I have disagreements".
"It's hard when your loved ones don't understand your hobbies", Asia said, looking at him sympathetically. "And what about studying?"
"Oh, I have some interesting stories here", Anton continued, rubbing his hands. "My philosophy teacher, Sergei Ivanovich Vlasov, he just loved
to tease the students. Especially me. I remember him always saying that if I couldn't explain a concept, then maybe I didn't understand anything at all. He even once said that maybe I only came to his class to raise the statistics of losers. It was so humiliating, but I continued to study anyway. And now, after all that, I ended up here".
Asia laughed, clearly amused by his story.
"It's really funny. But it looks like you managed to not only overcome these difficulties, but also find a path that leads you to your dreams".
"Yes, and there is another person who helped me along the way", Anton said, a note of pride in his voice. "This is my friend Dmitry Vinogradov. He is a hacker, and he was always ready to help when needed. He was the one who found a way for me to get to this event and meet you".
Asia looked at him with deep interest.
"So this is your friend who helped you realize your dream. You really know how to attract people who want to support you".
Anton nodded, and his gaze became more serious.
"Yes, and it is thanks to Dmitry that I am here. He was able to find information about the event and help me get a chance to meet you. I can't even express how grateful I am to him for that".
"You have already achieved so much", Asia noted. "And I am glad that you have people who support you. It is important".
"That is true", Anton agreed. "And I am glad that I was able to meet you. This meeting really means a lot to me".
They continued to sit under the stars, and the conversation became more personal and warm. Asia liked the way Anton talked about his life, and she felt that this strange Russian guy who pursued his dreams with such persistence was really very special. They sat on the bench, leaning back, and turned their gaze to the night sky, strewn with stars.
"You talked a lot about your father and your best friend", Asia began, "but what about your sister? Can you tell me more about her?"
Anton thought for a moment, looking at his hands, as if searching for answers in them.
"Oh yes, Albina... She is very special", he began, smiling. "She is five years younger than me. When I was in university, she always supported me. Although our father was quite strict, she was always the light at the end of the tunnel for me".
Asia nodded, looking at him with interest.
"And how did she support you?"
Anton was silent for a while, collecting his thoughts.
"Well, she always tried to help me when I couldn't do something. Even when I felt like a failure, Albina knew how to find words that could cheer me up. For example, when I lost confidence in my abilities, she always reminded me that my efforts would not be in vain. Even when I was studying for exams or writing my thesis, she brought me food, cleaned my room and was just there".
Asia looked at Anton with warmth, surprised by his sincerity.
"She sounds like an incredible support", she said. "It's so important to have someone who believes in you, especially when others may doubt you".
Anton nodded, his eyes filled with nostalgia.
"Yes, and it was especially important when our father did not support my decision to study philosophy. Albina, despite her youth, knew how to see the meaning in it. She even knew how to joke to cheer me up. Once, when I was especially depressed, she came to me at the university with a homemade sign that said "The best philosopher in Ivanovo!" and began to carry it in front of all the students. Everyone laughed, and I realized that, despite all the difficulties, I have people who love me".
Asia laughed, touched by the sincerity of his story.
"That's really sweet. She seems incredibly caring. I can imagine how important it was for you to have such support".
Anton looked at her with a smile.
"Yes, and she really was my source of inspiration. I am very proud of her, even if our father was not always on the same page with us".
Asia shook her head in admiration.
"You are a very lucky person, Anton. Not only because you have such close people. But also because you have the ability to see beauty in simple things and appreciate what you have".
Anton looked at her, his eyes shining with gratitude.
"Thank you, Asia. I am glad to hear you say that. And honestly, I feel lucky too that I was able to meet you and share my story with you. You mean a lot to me".
Asia smiled tenderly.
"I am glad that we met. Your stories and your outlook on life are truly inspiring. Let's continue to enjoy this evening and perhaps see each other again".
Time flew by, and by the time they returned to the venue, it was already late evening. Asia looked a little tired, but happy, and Anton felt that this evening was the beginning of something new and meaningful for him.
Anton continued walking forward with Asia when suddenly his beautiful companion's phone rang. The latter looked at the screen and frowned.
"It's Jorge", she said, looking at Anton anxiously. "I need to answer".
Anton nodded, feeling the excitement building inside him. Asia, noticing his anxiety, gently touched his hand for comfort and answered the call.
"Hello", she said, trying to keep her voice calm.
On the other end of the line, Jorge's voice was full of frustration and anger.
"Asia, where have you been? Ryan and I sniffed out everything. This Russian guy is ready to ruin your life! He needs to be stopped!"
Asia froze, her face turning pale. Anton, standing next to him, felt his heart beat faster.
"Jorge, I can't believe you're saying this. Anton is a good man, he doesn't deserve to have you and Ryan meddling in our lives. We just spent the evening together, and I... I really fell in love with him".
Jorge sighed, his voice even more irritated.
"Asia, you don't understand what we've done. Ryan and I had everything set up. We decided that this event was going to be our last resort to stop this crazy Russian. We're not going to let him ruin our plans".
Asia took a deep breath, her eyes on Anton full of determination.
"Jorge, I can't accept this. I want Anton to stay in my life. If you and Ryan are going to do something, you're going to have to do it against me".
Jorge replied irritably,
"Asia, you don't understand. If you continue this, I will make sure that you and Anton will never see each other again. Do you want to be with this man? Fine, but remember that you are going against me and Ryan. We will not allow you to be together".
The call ended and Asia hung up, her face lit up with excitement and determination. Anton noticed her hands shaking and stood next to her to support her.
"Asia, what is going on?" he asked, trying to understand the situation.
Asia looked at him, her eyes full of fear and determination.
"Jorge and Ryan found out about us, and now they are joining forces to separate us. They are ready to do anything to prevent us from being together. I am very sorry, Anton, but they are powerful and influential people".
Anton felt his determination grow. He knew that now he had to fight not only for his love, but also against two very powerful opponents.
"Asia, I can't let them tear apart what we just built. We have to make sure that they can't stop us".
Asia grabbed his hand tightly, her face determined.
"You're right, Anton. We have to face this. I won't let Jorge and Ryan ruin our love".
Anton and Asia returned to the event, where his thoughts were focused on how he could face Jorge and Ryan. He knew it would be an uphill battle, but he was willing to do anything to save his feelings and his relationship with Asia. Anton and Asia returned to the event, trying to maintain a calm façade despite the unrest inside. However, the tension in the air was palpable. Anton felt that this was only the beginning of his fight for his love.
Amidst the laughter and music, the roar of a motorcycle was suddenly heard. Anton turned his head to see Ryan Donowho, a forty four-year-old actor and musician, parking his motorcycle at the entrance with an undisguised irritation and determination on his face. In his gaze was the same dislike that Anton had already had the pleasure of seeing.
"Look who's here", Asia whispered, her voice full of anxiety.
Ryan, with a rough expression on his face, walked straight towards Anton. He took off his helmet and threw it on the ground, his gaze focused and full of hatred.
"Are you still here, Russian garbage?" Ryan barked, his voice sharp as a knife.
Anton couldn't hide his indignation. He stepped forward, clenching his hands into fists.
"I'm not going to run away, Ryan. You have no right to interfere with my life and my relationship with Asia".
Ryan, wasting no time, grabbed Anton by the shoulder and pushed him. Anton, surprised by the aggression, responded in kind. They began to exchange blows, a brutal fight ensued between them. Anton tried to remain calm, but every blow from Ryan was full of rage and hatred.
"You don't understand what you're doing!" Ryan screamed, landing another blow. "You're just preventing me and Asia from being happy!"
Anton parried the blow, frowned and replied:
"I'm not bothering you. I just want to be with the man I love, and I won't let you break that up!"
People around began to gather in a circle, watching the conflict, some tried to intervene, but the crowd grew. Asia was the center of attention, her face full of fear and pain. She screamed, trying to break up the fight.
"Stop it!" she screamed, but her voice was lost in the noise.
Anton and Ryan continued to box, each blow more painful than the last. Ryan, using his strength and aggression, struck at the stomach and chest, but Anton, despite Ryan's physical superiority, continued to resist.
"I did it for us", Ryan continued, "because you, that Russian loser, have no right to be near Asia!"
Anton, catching his breath, replied:
"This is not your life, Ryan! This is my life and my love!"
At some point, Ryan gained a slight advantage and, grabbing Anton by the collar, threw him to the ground. Anton felt the blow knock the wind out of him, but he did not give in. He looked at Ryan, his eyes full of determination and pain.
"You can beat me, but you can't take my love", Anton said, getting up from the ground and preparing for the next round.
Ryan was so consumed by his rage at this point that he did not notice how the security guards of the event ran up to them. They quickly intervened, breaking up the fight.
"That's enough!" one of the guards shouted, grabbing Ryan by the shoulder. "We're calling the police if you don't stop this immediately!"
Anton, breathing heavily, looked at Ryan. His face was covered in sweat, and his eyes were full of determination and pain.
"I'm not going to leave until I get what I want", Anton said and continued boxing.