At sixteen, Vasily Lakhtionov was a quiet enigma, wrapped in the austere garb of a devout young man. His image, as it is now, was characterized by restraint and seriousness, but in his eyes, glimpses of youthful rebellion and hidden turmoil still flickered. He was a tall, sturdy guy, wore a dark, short haircut, and often dressed in dark clothes, even when it wasn't required.

In Sunday school, he sat quietly, attentively listening to sermons and answering questions restrainedly and to the point. He knew the Bible, knew church rules, and tried to follow them, at least in public. To others, he seemed pious and exemplary, but deep down, doubts and questions fought, for which there were no simple answers.

Vasily was a deeply religious person, but his faith wasn't blind and unconditional. He pondered what he read, compared it to reality, and sometimes found contradictions between what was preached and what was happening in the world. His inner experiences didn't find an outlet in conversations, he preferred to keep them to himself, accumulating a storm in his soul, ready to burst out.

His character combined restraint and passion, a cold mind and a hot heart. He could seem detached and unapproachable, but to those who managed to gain his trust, he opened up in a different light – as a loyal friend and reliable comrade.

That's why his penchant for cigarettes was an act of rebellion, albeit small, but significant to him. Smoking became his little secret, a way to let off steam, drown out internal doubts, and feel free from rules and expectations. It was his personal territory, where he could be himself, without the mask of piety and modesty. In the taste of tobacco, he might have tasted a hint of sin, but this taste was necessary for him, as proof that he was alive, felt, and made his own decisions. This little sin became his way of expressing disagreement and proving to himself that he was capable of more than just blindly following dogma. Vasily Lakhtionov at sixteen was a rebellious angel, lost between faith and doubt, searching for his path to the truth.