"Many snakes"

The young man stood by the glass window in his large company, dressed in an elegant suit, gazing at the sky in deep thought. He then said:

"Vitus, how did we get here? Since when have we become like this?"

...

A knock on the door.

"Come in."

"Sir, if you don't mind, could you sign here? These papers are very important."

"Of course, let me review them. Place them on the table."

The young employee noticed the strikingly handsome yet sorrowful features of his boss. Concerned, he asked:

"What's wrong, my friend? You've been frowning for days. Did something bad happen?"

The director replied: "Nothing… just an old friend crossed my mind."

"Aurelius, isn't meeting an old friend a wonderful thing? And who is this friend? Isn't Vitus your oldest friend?"

Aurelius's lips trembled slightly as he became aware of what was said. He then composed himself and firmly responded:

"Sain, put the papers down and leave, please."

...

The two children walked to school together—Vitus, both happy and anxious, while Aurelius carried no worries or expectations.

The sun cast its golden glow over the vast fields as two small feet walked side by side. Aurelius, the beautiful child with refined features, walked with steady steps, reflecting his noble nature. Beside him, Vitus, the large boy with simple clothes and rough hands from labor, walked anxiously, feeling the weight of the gazes around them.

In the marketplace, the vendors paused their work for a moment, staring at the elegant boy, his soft brown hair falling over his forehead and his eyes resembling a clear sky. One of them whispered to another:

"Who is this child? I've never seen someone this beautiful before!"

While another wondered:

"But why is he with that boy? Isn't Vitus known as the foolish elephant?"

Vitus was not oblivious to those looks, but he tried to ignore them, staring at the ground at times and glancing at Aurelius at others. He wanted to walk faster, but Aurelius was in no hurry; he was enjoying walking beside his new friend, unaware of the whispers trailing behind them.

As they approached the large wooden school gate, some children gathered near the courtyard. One of them said:

"Here comes Vitus the woodcutter! Will he drag logs into the classroom again today?"

They laughed mockingly, but as Aurelius walked closer, their whispers turned to astonishment. His presence was strange among the crowd of simple children. His luxurious clothes, his elegant coat, even the way he stood—everything about him was different.

"Why does he look like a prince?" one of them asked, while another muttered in disbelief:

"How can he be friends with Vitus? That doesn't make sense!"

Vitus, realizing that the ridicule would soon begin, felt a surge of fear. He didn't want Aurelius to know the truth; he didn't want to see pity in his eyes. For the first time in his life, he had someone walking with him to school as a friend, not as a group of bullies following him to mock him. He couldn't bear the thought of losing that.

Without a word, he suddenly turned and ran away, ignoring Aurelius's call. Aurelius stood still, watching his friend's footprints fading in the dust.

Then Aurelius softly said,

"Vitus, where are you? It seems there are many snakes here."