Chapter 52
1670 Words
Chapter 52 – U and I connect
I spent the rest of the day working on my project. At quarter to six, I went back to the professor’s room and saw him staring at his niece again.
I quietly sat beside him and watched.
He was like this when I first met him. He was either playing mobile games or staring at his niece’s picture for the whole day until he falls asleep on his desk. I thought he was simply a slacker, until I realized that he has a memory palace in his mind where he escapes to do his research work.
“Professor, it’s time to leave.” I gently tell him.
“Mmm... sandali...” he answered as he stares blankly at the picture.
Come to think of it, it was also around March when I first came here. It seems that Prof. Antonio is most active during this time of the year.
Could it be, perhaps, the month of his brother’s birth? Or maybe his death?
I could never ask him.
He likes to tell me stories about his late brother, even though I have no interest on a dead person who is my biggest rival for the professor’s attention.
The only story I have interest in, how ever, is how his brother met his fated pair. But he never tells me personal information about his brother, like the date of his birth, his diagnosis, or the details surrounding his death.
My second rival, his niece Meme, on the other hand, was born on July. The professor always sets a couple of days on that month so he could go on a trip to celebrate with his late brother’s family. He asked me to accompany him a year ago, I never went with him though. It was a family event, something I have no interest in. Besides, I have no intention of watching him flirt with his niece all day.
“Okay, halika na,” the professor stood in front of me. “Sa’n mo gusto mag-grocery?”
“Anywhere would be fine. Somewhere close would be ideal.”
We went to the nearest mall and did our grocery. We went through all the ailes since the professor was too lazy to make a list, while I picked all the essentials I listed down on my phone.
I was busy looking for a new toothbrush while the professor looked around, when an alpha stood beside me.
“That’s cute,” he smiled dashingly at me and pointed at the purple toothbrush I was holding. “Purple’s my favorite color too.”
What a lame pick-up line.
I chose to ignore him. He refused to back off and surveyed our cart instead.
“What a coincidence! I see you like to use ‘Isis Spring’, too? That’s my favorite scent as well!”
I was about to send him away when I felt an arm around my waist.
“May kailangan ka ba sa Habibi ko?”
The man took one look at the professor, mumbled an apology and went on his way.
“Hay, talagang `di kita maiwan kahit sandali, ang cute mo kasi masyado, eh,” he told me.
“Thank you, he was beginning to irritate me.”
“Dapat ata magsuot ka ng karatula na may nakalagay na `I’m Taken’ para walang lumalapit na alpha sa `yo.”
“There is no need for that.”
“Gusto mo ba pagawa tayo ng matching t-shirt na may nakalagay na `This is my Habibi’?” he said with a grin.
“I said there is no need for that.”
Besides, it would be too embarrassing.
I may not look it, but I am very particular about my self image. It was engraved upon me as a prince since I was a child. Appearances are important to members of royalty, after all, since our actions would reflect on our parents.
“May nakita akong matching shirt sa parte doon, halika, tignan mo!” he took my hand and pulled me to the apparel section.
He pulled out two shirts. One shirt has the chemical symbol `U’ for Uranium and the word `con’ at the bottom. The other shirt has the symbol `I’ for Iodine and the word ‘nect’ beneath it.
“`Di ba? Ang cute?” he asked with a big grin on his face.
“It does not make sense.”
“It’s not supposed to make sense, it’s supposed to be cute!”
He held the two shirts next to each other.
“Ayan, anong nababasa mo?” he asked with a grin.
“Uranium Iodine?”
“Hindi!” he held it closer to me. “U and I connect!”
I stared at the two shirts. One is in purple, the other in blue.
“Uranium Triiodine is a highly toxic, radioactive substance.” I told him.
“Oo, pero ang cute ng dating, `di ba?”
“It would have been better to use `bond’ rather than `connect’.”
“Mas magandang tignan ang `con’ at `nect’, kesa sa `bo’ at `nd’ na masyadong maiksi.” he sighs and shakes his head, then puts the two shirts back. “`Wag na nga lang.”
“Sir, eto po mas cute baka gusto n’yo?” said a sales person beside us with a big smile on her face. “Best seller po namin `to.”
She held two shirts with the alpha and omega symbols on it, spelling the word `fated pair’ at the bottom.
“Thank you, but we decided not to buy a shirt,” I declined. “Professor, what else do we need to buy?”
“Hmm... bili tayo ng tsitsirya at iba pang kutkutin para pang-midnight snack.”
I watched as he made his way to the Snacks Area. It is true that a lot of people mistake him for an alpha. He’s very tall after all, and years of cooking after him has fattened him up a little. He’s not as thin and sickly as he was before, particularly since I persuaded him to join me whenever I go to the gym.
I have also been telling him to shave regularly and bought products for his oily hair, chapped lips, and dry skin, now he looks quite dashing, in fact, a lot of brave interns have openly flirted with him in the laboratory.
Until they see him lose his temper.
We were still stocking up on snacks when another interference appeared.
“Dr. Abdel!”
We both looked back and saw Dr. Perez pushing a small cart towards our direction.
“Aba, tignan mo nga naman!” said Prof. Antonio, “Ang liit talaga ng mundo.”
“Good evening, Dr. Abdel, I see you’re doing your groceries today as well. I guess we both have nothing to do on a Friday night.”
I chose to ignore him.
“Oo nga, Dr. Perez, bakit nga ba wala ka’ng ka-date ngayon? May date ba sina Dr. Hilario at ang asawa n’ya?”
Dr. Perez’ perfect smile wavered a little as he faced Prof. Antonio.
“Ah, Sir Eric, nandito ka rin pala, pati ba sa pag g-grocery sinasama mo pa si Dr. Abdel?” he said this as a joke, but the look on his face as he laughed said otherwise. “Is this part of your job description, Dr. Abdel?” he asked, looking back at me.
“We are shopping for our needs back home,” I answer coldly.
“Ah, tama, balita ko nga, live-in assistant ka ni Sir Eric,” he looked back at the professor. “Sabi nga nila, magaling daw na yaya si Dr. Abdel, kaya hindi ka na masyadong mukhang bangkay,” again, he laughed, “ang dami talagang loko sa opisina! Pati tuloy si Dr. Abdel nadadawit sa kung anu-anong chismis tungkol sa inyo.”
“Chismis? Anong chismis?” the professor asked with his head to one side.
“Well, you know...” Dr. Perez smirked. “That the respectful doctor was cohabiting with you.”
Professor Antonio laughed. Dr. Perez laughed along with him, while I stared at them indignantly.
“Habibi, alam mo ba `yung tungkol sa chismis na `yun?” the professor asked me.
I chose to keep silent.
He went closer to me and placed an arm around my waist.
“Biro mo, chismis lang daw iyon?” he said.
I looked at him then, and was surprised when he suddenly pushed me back, supporting me with one arm, and while holding my chin, up, he leaned over me and gently kissed my lips!
I heard Dr. Perez gasp.
I stared wide eyed as the professor slipped him tongue in my mouth and continued kissing me with his eyes closed.
I felt my face burn.
It felt like a lifetime when his eyes opened and he pulled me up again.
I stared at the professor, my mouth ajar. He smiled back at me, mischievously, then faced Dr. Perez who’s jaw was wide open.
“Ano, mukha ba `yung chismis sa `yo?” he asked.
Dr. Perez seemed to have frozen on the spot, I, on the other hand, finally snapped out of my initial shock.
“Waghad ghabi! You idiot!” I slapped the professor right in the face!
“O, bakit ka nananakit?!” he frowned, holding his left cheek, “Hinalikan lang naman kita, ha?”
“N-not in public!” I bellowed.
The professor simply laughed and placed his arms around me.
“Ikaw talaga, Habibi, halika na nga, uwi na tayo, para `di ka na magreklamo!”
- Writer
