April 1938
For the first time after four years away from home, Alexei decided to visit her sister again in Leningrad. The reason is because Anna sent Alexei the letter, which the message was an announcement of her marriage. So, right after the ensemble finished performing at Crimea and back to Moscow, Alexei booked the train ticket to Leningrad. Besides, there are six days of day off before the ensemble is active again in late Spring. Alexei also brought the bottle of wine as souvenir for both Anna and her future husband.
DAY 1
At the apartment, the siblings reunited gleefully. For Alexei, he is happy because he thought he will be free from Anna's nagging. He really wished to meet the fiancé who fell in love with her, but can't find anyone. Turn out the fiancé is working hard as factory worker in night shift. So, Alexei planned to make surprise for the fiancé who might come home in the next two days during day off, which approved by Anna.
While chatting in the dusk and eating sliced apples, both of them went nostalgic together. Talking about university life, about free life before work responsibilities... until Anna brought up deeper past: the abusive parents, death of Konstantin, Alexei murdered the mother and drive the father to insanity. Alexei is confused, as he has no memory of that. He only thought the famine strikes, with him and Anna is the only survivor who ran away to safe city such Poltava.
Anna proceeded to telling more, because she saw Alexei looking clueless. Even she went more graphic as she still remembers them all clearly. As she getting more eager to tell the story, she slipping up her confession: admitting about jealousy with Darya and that scholarship is meant to make Alexei focus on his wellbeing and her main attention... than with Darya.
In that middle of confession, Alexei actually already overwhelmed when Anna start describing the brutal part about his abusive parents. Alexei switched into Vitaly and heard all of Anna's confession silently. Then after Anna finished talking, Vitaly took the fruit knife that Alexei used to slice the apples... and quickly stab Anna's throat and skull till she cannot scream for help.
DAY 2
Vitaly then quietly and quickly:
- Took off all of drenched shirts, trousers, tapochki and socks.
- Washed everything while took shower, then dry the bathroom as if it's not used. the cleaned tapochki dried at shoe rack as usual
- Cleaned up the knife he used, dry it, then put it back to kitchen
- Packed the washed but damp clothes in one different bag
- After checking in to hotel on the second day, he immediately hanging the damp outfits at balcony. The temperature during April 1938 may be supporting to dry them.
- Drank the wine and toss it to dumpster bin outside of the hotel
- Wrote fake diary entry: "The reunion went great at first. The chat between us at first seems nice. But I was so upset when Anna admitted she still expect me to dote on her even after marriage. I can't stay in her apartment because she start to seek argument, so I choose to just stay in hotel to calming down. Though... I was so upset until I forgot to give this wine to her, and chugging it in hotel in spite. Oh well, I will buy it again after attending the marriage. For now I think I shall just rest my body at bed. Been long time not rest properly after grueling concert during Spring, haha"
- And before Alexei wakes up, Vitaly add some scents of steak or soup, then fold back the dried outfit to the suitcase... as if Alexei has finished wore it as dirty laundry
DAY 3
Alexei wakes up, reads the diary to catch up whatever he has missing. He start to felt pity for the fiancé, and planning to warn the fiancé to be careful with Anna's obsession. But he visits Anna's apartment... only to see the corpse and the grieving fiancé.
Meanwhile, the fiancé was shocked to find Alexei... because Anna never tells him she has a brother.
But as both are grieving and confused, all they can do is letting the police and medics taking care Anna's corpse to be cleaned and put into coffin for the funeral. Because the year is still when The Purge in rampage, they thought Anna may be randomly picked by NKVD.
DAY 4-5
The funeral happens. Those two days spent by Alexei and the fiancé exchanging information and experience. Both of them are blinded by Anna who hid and lied so many things. The fiancé now had conflicted feelings: the grief for lost love, but also anger for the wicked woman. Alexei, too, unconsciously shove his memories to Vitaly and forgetting it. He only know Anna died with full of lies.
DAY 6
Alexei has to boarding to train station, as soon the ensemble rehearsals incoming. He would seek comfort from his friend through condolence words soon.