I spent the rest of the day working on my pet project.
At quarter to six, I went back to the professor's room and saw him staring at the picture of 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... wait..." 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 brag about his late brother, even though I have no interest in a dead person who is my biggest rival for the professor's attention.
The only story I have interest in, is how his brother met his fated pair, but he refuses to tell me more 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 once asked me to accompany him a year ago. I declined the invitation, 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, let's go," the professor stood in front of me. "Where do you wanna go grocery shopping?"
"Anywhere would be fine. Somewhere close would be ideal."
We went to the nearest mall to buy our groceries. The professor went through all the aisles since he was too lazy to make a list. I went ahead and picked all the essentials I listed down on my phone. I was busy looking for a new toothbrush when a person 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, but he refused to back off and surveyed our cart instead.
"What a coincidence! I see you like to use Ninivea, too? That's also my favorite body wash!"
I was about to send him away when I felt an arm on my shoulder.
"Do you need something from my habibi?"
The man took one look at the professor, mumbled an apology and went on his way.
"Hay, I can't even leave you for a second!" he told me, shaking his head. "I guess being cute has its own drawbacks."
"Thank you, he was beginning to irritate me."
"Perhaps you should wear a sign that says 'I'm Taken' to keep pesky flies from bothering you."
"There is no need for that."
"You wanna get matching t-shirts saying 'This is my Habibi'?" he said with a grin.
"I said there is no need for that."
Besides, it would be too embarrassing.
I am very particular about my image. It has been ingrained in me since I was a child. Appearances are important to members of nobility and royalty, after all, since our actions would affect the whole family's reputation.
"I think I saw matching t-shirt back in that aisle, c'mon, I'll show you!"
The professor took my hand and led me to the apparel section. He pulled out two shirts from a rack. One 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.
"What do you think? Cute, eh?" 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.
"See? What does it say?" he asked with a grin.
"Uranium Iodide?"
"No!" 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 Iodide is a highly toxic, radioactive substance," I told him.
"I know, but isn't it cute, though?"
"Also, it would have been better to use `bond' rather than `connect'."
"Well, it looks nicer to use 'con' and 'nect', rather than 'bo' and 'nd'. It would look too short and senseless..." He sighs and shakes his head, then puts the two shirts back. "Never mind..."
"Sir, don't you think this one is cuter?" said a sales personnel beside us with a big smile on her face. "This is our best seller!"
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... lets buy some chips in the snacks section," he said with a sigh.
I watched as he made his way to the other aisle.
It is true that a lot of people mistake him for an alpha. He is very tall after all, and years of cooking and looking after him has fattened him up a little. He is not as thin and sickly looking as he was before, particularly since I have 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. That is, 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.
"Why, look who's here!" said Prof. Antonio. "It's such a small world, after all."
"Good evening, Dr. Abdel, I see you're doing your groceries today as well, he said, ignoring the professor. "I guess we both have nothing to do on a Friday night."
I chose to ignore him as well.
"That's right, Dr. Perez, why are you alone on a Friday night?" the professor replied on my stead. "Is Dr. Hilario too busy with his wife?"
Dr. Perez' perfect smile wavered a little as he faced Prof. Antonio.
"Ah, Prof. Antonio, I didn't notice you there. Do you even drag Dr. Abdel with you when you go grocery shopping?"
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. "I sure hope you're getting paid extra!"
"We are shopping for our needs back home," I answered coldly.
"Ah, that's right, I did hear that you're the professor's live-in assistant," he glanced at the professor. "They say it's all thanks to you that the professor doesn't look like a homeless thug anymore!" Again, he laughed. "Really, the things people say... it's kinda sad to think that such rumors are dragging down your good name and reputation!"
"Rumors? What Rumors? the professor asked with his head tilted to a side.
"Well, you know..." Dr. Perez smirked at us. "That the respectful doctor was cohabiting with you."
Professor Antonio laughed. Dr. Perez laughed along with him, while I stared at them indignantly.
"Habibi, did you know about that rumor as well?" the professor asked me.
I chose to keep silent.
He went closer to me and placed an arm around my waist.
"Can you believe that they think it's just a rumor?" he said.
I looked up at him, a bit surprised, and was shocked when he suddenly pushed me back, supporting me with one arm, and while holding my chin up, 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 until his eyes flickered 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 left wide open.
"Tell me, Dr. Perez, does that look like a rumor to you?" 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!" [stupid idiot!] I lightly slapped the professors face!
"Ow, why did you hit me?" he frowned, holding his left cheek. "All I did was kiss you!"
"N-not in public!" I bellowed as I felt my face burn.
The professor simply laughed and placed his arms around me, kissing me on the cheek.
"Really, my Habibi is so shy! Let's head home then so you won't have a reason to complain."