A couple of months have passed and the semester was coming to an end.
Brett was outside Associate Professor Chen's office. Just as he was about to knock on the door, he overheard a phone conversation that took place inside.
"..His name is Brett, Brett Yang. I know, it's so bad. What? Oh god no way, I certainly hope not, that would be the pits. I should just fail him so he'll end up with a Terminating Pass. Look, I'm just joking alright ??"
Brett knocked on the door.
"Gotta go, I love you, too, mwah. Catch you later."
The lecturer opened his door and was shocked when he saw who had paid him a visit.
"Brett!"
Brett showed no emotion, he tried to hide his hurt by putting up his only defence, his dead-pan facial expression.
"...Here's my medical certificate for missing out on my assessment the other day, Professor Chen. I'd like to sit for the exam at your earliest convenience, even if you want to fail me."
"Oh my god, you heard that garbage?? I am so sorry Brett, it was all a joke and it was very inappropriate."
"Yeah... I was quite disappointed in hearing all that..."
Brett tried to walk away but the lecturer stopped him by calling out.
"Brett, please, let me talk to you?"
"I don't think I should...."
"Please, Brett."
Once they were both seated inside the office, the lecturer apologised again.
"Look Brett, I am really sorry – that was so inappropriate, please do accept my apologies."
"..What have I done sir. Why would you say something like that...?"
"You haven't done anything. ...I've been wanting to ask you out."
"...What???"
"I'm really sorry."
"Is this some kind of joke? Like a dare?"
"No! Definitely not, I swear."
"I don't understand."
"Conflict of interest. I can't ask you out while you are my student. Which is why I was joking about failing you."
"...to your boyfriend?"
"Huh ?"
"You said love you too"
And let's not forget the mwah!
"I was talking to my sister! She gave me a whooping for falling for a student."
"Your sister?"
"Yes, she's a lecturer here too and knows how bad this is."
"...and you were telling her that this has never happened before?"
"Yes. I swear. I've never crushed on a student before, ever."
Brett stared blankly at the lecturer who had buried his face into his hands.
"Technically you are still my student, you haven't even taken the exam yet. There is so much room for people to suspect that I..."
"It's okay... no real harm is done, sir. I'll just take the exam.. tomorrow ?"
The lecturer looked up.
"..Of course. How about I have it ready in the tutorial room for 9am ?"
"Okay, thank you."
"No, thank you, Brett."
Brett got up from his seat and left.
There was a knock on the door of the tutorial room. The door opened and the lecturer peered in.
"Brett? Time's up. Are you done?"
"Yes, sir."
"Great, I'll take your paper and get it to the markers asap."
"Thank you for arranging the exam for me."
"You're welcome, Brett."
"I can see myself out sir, I'll lock the door on my way out."
Brett started to pack up his belongings.
Prof Chen closed the door behind his back.
"Brett, may we please talk?"
Brett sighed.
"Sir, it's all done and dusted. I've officially finished your course pending I pass the exam. I think I did quite okay but it doesn't even really matter if I get a terminating pass. I only took anthro 1 to fill up a gap in my timetable anyway. I won't have timetable space to take anthro 2 next semester or any time in the future."
"Oh."
"For the record, I really enjoyed your course."
"Thank you."
"But you won't need to worry about getting into any trouble because you won't be seeing me around...."
"...If that's the case, may I formally ask you out then, please??"
Brett looked confused.
"...Why me, Professor Chen ?"
The lecturer shuffled his feet, then grabbed the chair in front of him and sat opposite Brett.
"Look, it was your first assignment that caught my attention. You had a mature and interesting perspective and it intrigued me. It took me a while to work out which one you were out of the 200 or so in the lecture theatre as you were so quiet, I had very little opportunity to get to know you. And believe me, I tried really hard to get to know you."
"..Like the time you interviewed me for that research about Taiwan?"
Brett's mouth gaped open to see Professor Chen's face, filled with guilt.
"That wasn't even real ?!"
"I'm so sorry, I was desperate."
"I got caught up in a weird jealousy battle with some girls for that!"
The lecturer raised an eyebrow then nodded knowingly.
"I think I know which girls you are talking about. One of them propositioned me for a pass mark."
Brett looked at the lecturer.
"She whispered to me that she'd do anything for a pass."
Brett stared into the lecturer's eyes.
"..and what exactly did you say back to her?"
"I just told her to go study."
It was Brett's turn to raise an eyebrow. He had to try really hard not to smile.
"Really? You said that?"
The lecturer shrugged.
"Hell, what else was I supposed to say? To be honest, I was pretty grossed out by it."
"Um... but I still don't understand what you see in me to want to.. um.. date me?"
The lecturer ran his fingers through his hair. His cheeks were red. Brett thought it was so strange to see him look so vulnerable.
"You're selling yourself way too short Brett. You are a ...very attractive young man. While it was the way your mind ticked that grabbed my attention, I am just as attracted to how you look."
"Um... about that."
"About what ?"
"I'm definitely not a very attractive young man."
"Well, that's what you are to me. I think you look quite adorable. In fact, it worried me if the age difference was going to be too..."
"Sir, I'm 28."
The professor pulled back into his chair.
"YOU ARE WHAT!?"
"I think I'm actually older than you...?"
Indeed, the young associate professor was only 27.
"Oh my god, you're a mature age student ?!"
"Yes."
"Fuc.. excuse me. Um.. but you look 18! I thought you were a freshman!"
Brett shrugged.
"Well, technically I am, sir. This is my first degree. I had ...extended gap years."
The lecturer had run his hands through his hair so many times that there were about 20 antennae sticking out of his head in various directions.
"Um...sir? Um.. I hope it's not a problem?"
"You do ?"
"Um...yeah. Or are you only into younger men?"
"What? Hell no. I'm actually pleased we're closer in age... it explains your maturity which I really liked about you. I... just feel like it tipped the dynamics a bit.... And for goodness sakes, please stop calling me sir, I'm officially not your lecturer anymore and now that I know you're older than me, it's way too weird.."
"Okay.. um... Dr Chen?"
The professor cringed.
"...Edward?"
The man sitting opposite Brett smiled.
"So you know my name. Eddy, please"
"Eddy? I like that. It's cute."
"Oh damn it, Brett."