Femme Fatale

Chapter 6: Novice Professor

I graduated on 1975 from National Maritime College in Busan, South Korea then I worked at DNCE (Dominating Navies Company for Engineers) in California, U.S. as marine engineer for 3 ½ years. I wanted to have a work experience first before I handled my father’s watercraft company but I don’t want to work under my father’s supervision so I worked for our company’s competitor in America.

My parents didn’t want me to go abroad because they wanted me to stay only in Busan with them and joined their obsession with the mermaid’s daughter whom they believed, witnessed the murder of her mermaid mother. It was only mother’s intuition that the mermaid’s family fled to Korea because the mermaid’s last words before she died were in Korean language, after we searched the whole state of Massachusetts and the whole country but failed to find the people we’re looking for.

Mysteriously no one could remember the family name who used to live in the house at North Eastham but they all told that they saw the daughter walked to the Cape Cod Bay the day of the incident and returned to the house running. All the records about them were gone as if they didn’t exist at all, but the locals got the vague recollection that the name sounds like fruit, and that’s the only lead we had since we moved in to Korea.

Monday, 1st of September 1975, California, U.S.

“I called your father, President Godeth.” President Clermont of DNCE asked me to meet him on my first day at his company “He told me to give you a hard time for you to go back to Korea, I guess your father didn’t want you to go far away from him, but because you choose to work for me instead of your own father, I’m assigning these people to teach you everything you need to know.” dialed his phone next to him “Tell them to come in.”

“Good morning, President Clermont.” A man who looks the oldest entered the room along with two other young men and a lady

“Engineer Whittle, meet Engineer Godeth, from now on he’ll be under your care.” President Clermont introduced me to the man who greeted him first

“I’m Seaof Godeth, please to meet you Engineer Whittle.” reach out my hands to him

“Likewise.” Engr. Whittle shaking my hands “So, you’re the new employee from Korea, Engineer Lee here was born in Korea.” pointing at the lady

“I’m Lee, Jinjoo, nice to meet you.” Engr. Lee spoke to me in Korean while shaking my hands “I was born in Incheon, our family moved here in U.S. when I was 9 and I’ll be 25 in 13th of November, so basically I’m an American for almost 16 years now.” speaking in English

“That’s a long introduction about yourself, Engineer Lee … hello, I’m Engineer Lawless, but unlike my family name I’m a law-abiding person so please don’t judge me because of what my name indicates.” Engr. Lawless shaking my hands

“I’m Engineer Jonas, I was the youngest among us until you came, so you’re the lucky one, huh?” Engr. Jonas shaking my hand

“Now that you meet your team, I’ll leave you to them, welcome to DNCE, Engineer Seaof Godeth.” President Clermont pats my back

“Are you ready for your first day?” Engr. Jonas leading me to the way out from the President’s office “Can you handle everything, Engr. Godeth?”

“I’ll do my best not to let everyone down.” I said shyly

“You’re the magna c*m laude from your college, right?” Engr. Lawless said “You must be very smart; this company have high expectations from you.”

“He’s not just very smart, Lawless, he’s also very rich, he’s the heir of Godeth Watercrafts Company.” Engr. Lee giving out my personal information

“Are you spying on DNCE, that’s why you’re here?” Engr. Whittle said after we got in to the elevator

“Hahaha, no, I just don’t want to work for my father that’s all.” telling them the truth “I also want to be independent, to be far away from my parents.”

“You’re still in the rebelling stage of your life, huh?” Engr. Jonas smiling at me “Well everyone wants to be liberated, and you’re just in the right place.”

“Welcome back to America, Engr. Godeth!” Engr. Lee said in uninterested tone

“Please, just call me on my name since all of us are engineers here.” making them feel comfortable towards me

“Alright, Godeth, then just call me Lawless.” Engr. Lawless said “She’s Lee, he’s Jonas and our oldest here Whittle … welcome to our team!” elevator door opens “You’ll be working with us for four months, so better prepare yourself with too much information we’re about to fill you up.”

“Is four months the only period I have to be trained?” looking at them as they exchange glances to each other while walking towards the department

“No, you’re done with training on your college I supposed, you’re here for actual work.” Whittle said “We’re teaching you the four specialties of marine engineering in just four months because we have to rendered our knowledge transition before we leave the company next year.” sits on his chair

“You mean, you four are going to resign next year?” looking at them in surprise while they’re taking their respective seats

“Yes, we’re going to be professors from where you came from, you’ll be our very first student.” Jonas said “I got an invitation from one the professors there, do you know Christopher Martin? … he’s my friend, and he told me that your alma mater is hiring professors and the offer is appealing so I accepted the job and these three are also interested so I recommend them too, with the help of Martin’s referral we all got in.”

“Prof. Martin, he became my professor on my third year along with other three British professors, they were new hired professors back then and also beginners to teaching but they’re all good.” I said as I occupied the available space

“Joseph only worked here for 1 ½ years but he’s leaving too soon, so we’re coming with him to a better future of our lives.” Lawless chuckles

“That’s why they’re learning Korean from me for two months now, it’s good to have another Korean in the team.” Lee said

President Clermont listened well to my father’s advised, he put me to a team where everyone’s going to leave by making me a one-man team. Jonas he’s in charged for naval architecture, Whittle in mechanical engineering, Lee in oceanographic engineering, and Lawless at offshore engineering. We’re in the office on Mondays and in the field on the rest of the days. I had to learned everything from them for four months because I’ll be on my own when they’re gone. Four months later, I already looked like someone on his fourth year in the company, I’m too overwhelmed with all the information I learned but I had no choice but to absorbed everything for my own good.

5th of January 1976, I moved in to the new team where everyone’s all-rounder, and I’m their 14th member. For three years, I worked like a robot on weekdays and have fun with different girls on weekends. If not for the invitation I got from my college, I won’t have the initiative to quit my current job. I’m done with the operations, having the thought that it’s time for me to develop my public speaking skills, I accepted the job offer as a professor. And like what Jonas did with my other teammates before, I also invited someone to accompany me with my new path in life, Poseidon Nevaeh.

“Aside from the loyalty to our alma mater who’s seeking assistance from us alumni, give me another good reason, why I should quit my current job?” Poseidon crossed his arms while sitting across me at the coffee shop we decided to meet each other

“I’ll help you find the girl you saw on your graduation day!” I answered in a hurry “You know I have a huge connection with girls, one of them might know her.” making him an interesting offer

“You told me that I must be imagining things since I never had a lover and I’m just frustrated because I’m still single and virgin at my age, so instead of insisting on what I saw I just let you won.” Poseidon giving me a cold gaze “Now you’re telling me, you’ll help me to find her.”

“Because you saw her, and until now you’re still single because you set your standards to that mystery girl of yours, I’m only helping you out from your loneliness of being alone.” appealing to him more

“Why are you happy spending six hours with different girls on weekends, you’re not even in a relationship too, why are you so concerned to me being single?” Poseidon doesn’t want to lose with me on reasoning “Besides being alone is my choice, I don’t need nobody else, I love myself that’s enough.”

“You’re not the considerate Don I know, I only want to be with someone I can rely on, I could use some help from someone who’s best at public speaking, since I’m shy when it comes to presenting myself to people.” doing the pitiful tactic for him to give in

“Then why did you accept the offer to be a professor when in the first place you can’t do it by yourself?” Poseidon still playing hard to get

“Because I have to overcome my weakness, and I really need a friend who can be strong for me at my side, help me please?” begging him

“Fine, I’ll go with you … but only for a year then you’re on your own after that and I’m going back to the sea.” Poseidon finally give in after I begged

And so, I persuaded Poseidon to quit his job and accept the professor position with me, he really is my best friend whom I can always rely on. He was just someone I know in college before but when I get to know him better, he’s not just a very polite and considerate person, he always checks on me to see how I’m doing and if anything’s bothering me, and he always solve problems with peaceful conversations. If I’m a girl I would definitely fall for him because of his exemplar personality aside from his visual and social status which makes him more desirable to be with.

5th of March 1979, my first day in class not as a student but a professor, I have to teach third years in the morning and fourth years in the afternoon and each class takes 1 hour and 30 minutes. It was my first-time teaching and what made me nervous the most, they gave me a class with the biggest number of students, and I’ll be meeting them every Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays first in the morning.

“I want to disappear right now.” whining at Poseidon after my last class for the day “I’ve been in four classes today but from the start until the end, I’m stuttering from nervousness, why did they put me to a class with 45 students first in the morning?!”

“That’s my last class, NA31OSE1, they’re my second favorite among the four class I had today, I can’t believe that a fourth-year college would only get four correct answers in a high school math test.” Poseidon looks upset “I had a good start with ME41DMS1, their lowest score is 8 out of 10, marine engineering is really the best, but the global maritime studies, seriously 4 in high school math??!” shaking his head

“How about the OPE31OST1, what’s the lowest score did they get?” I said while tidying up my things at my desk before we leave

“They got five, my first and last class I don’t have problem with them but my second and third, I need to teach them the basic.” Poseidon stand up from his seat “I hope my classes tomorrow are way much better than today, since it’s 2 hours duration.”

“Yeah right, even it’s just 30 minutes extra, it feels like hours for me, I need to do better tomorrow in front of everyone.” cheering myself up

“You don’t need to rush, you’re just stressing yourself, it takes time but you’ll get there sooner or later.” Poseidon pats my back “Come on, let’s go.”

“To the staff dorm … we’re back to living in dormitories but this time we’re roommates now, I’m still wondering why Dr. Tranter hates me though.”

“He doesn’t hate you; I think he just misunderstood when Prof. Lee threw herself on to you, if I didn’t see what happened I might think the same way too.” Poseidon consoling me “Should we buy him delicious food? It’s better to get along with him since we’re living in one room for a year.”

“I’m just wondering he’s a professor here since last year but he’s alone in that room for a year until we came, why no one wanted to be his roommate?”

“I don’t know, but room 208 isn’t bad anyway, at least we’re on the second floor.” Poseidon walking with me towards our dormitory room

“Do you think the rumors about him is true?” still bothered about what I heard from other academic staffs “He can read minds.”

“I’ve got no idea, but if that’s true then you should stop thinking about wild thoughts when he’s around.” Poseidon making fun of me

“Hey, you’re making me a p*****t, I haven’t been with a girl for five days now, now that I’m a professor I should be a role model to my students.” I said to convince him I want to do good now “I won’t sleep with random girls anymore.”

“Let’s see about that.” Poseidon smirks “By the way, there’s a student in NA31OSE1 that definitely your ideal type, a girl with a cute aura and short hair, don’t tell me you missed her because you’re too nervous to look at the crowd??!”

“I saw her, but I don’t have anything to do with her, I’m a professor and she’s my student, I can’t cross the line because of my manly urge.” I said

“Hahaha, alright, I just want to make sure that you won’t do anything stupid.” Poseidon laughs at me “But I’m pretty sure you won’t take your eyes off her when you teach her class, just a friendly reminder, look but don’t touch.”

“What do you think of me?!” looking at him in disbelief “I’ve had enough having fun, if I’ll be with a girl again, I want a serious relationship and not just a one-night stand … I think it’s time for me to settle down, I’ don’t want to play games anymore.”

“Ooh, after 300 girls you have, you finally realized to settle down.” Poseidon pats my shoulder

“I only had 297, since ’67 … and yeah, I’m counting, I’ve got quite a collection for 11 ½ years, right?” smiling awkwardly

“Should I congratulate you or feel sorry?” Poseidon glance at me for a while

“I don’t know, but now that you mentioned it, I also feel sorry for myself, I got that many girls but none of them was my true love.” I said

“Then marry the 300th girl, whoever it may be, you need to settle down with that girl.” Poseidon said without hesitation

“Your jokes aren’t funny until now.” giving him a cold gaze

“Hahaha, well if you don’t settle with that 300th girl then I think you’re beyond hopeless.” Poseidon opened the door as we reached the dormitory

“Geez, let’s stop talking about me, alright?!” followed Poseidon inside “Why do we end up having this kind of conversation?!”

“I’ll ask Dr. Tranter to dine out with us, you should clear your mind if you think he can read it.” Poseidon still making fun of me

When we reached our room, Dr. Tranter was already there having a rest at the couch in the living room while watching TV. He was in a good mood that evening that Poseidon didn’t have a hard time to invite him out. None of us know how to cook, so the kitchen is just a decoration that never been used since last year. Dr. Tranter either dine out or bought instant food for breakfast and dinner, since he can have lunch in the cafeteria along with the students. His lifestyle, that would be the same for me and Poseidon, unless someone will do the cooking for us.

The next day, though it’s my second time facing the crowd but they’re still new faces to me so I’m still nervous to stand and speak up in front of them as their new professor, but unlike yesterday the classes I had today were more welcoming as if they had beforehand information about me. But they’re more interested about my life than our lesson and I ended up forcing the topic while ignoring the personal questions they threw at me.

Poseidon also had the same day as me but he didn’t seem to be bothered at all, he told me that when his first class acted like reporters, he told them that he’ll answer their questions but they had to answer his question first regarding their lesson. He’s not only best at public speaking, he can also control the crowd in effective and efficient way.

Wednesday morning, and just like yesterday, students ambushed me again for an interview, I would also like to try Poseidon’s method but instead I’ve done it my own way. I told them the truth as if I’m telling a lie, and I had every student laughing at me thinking I’m joking around, but I rather be remembered by my students as a funny professor than a bashful one. Everyone was laughing out loud when I noticed the girl with a cute aura and short hair stood up, I thought she’s only going to the girl’s toilet but then she suddenly passed out. Before I went to carry her someone in the class ran out and brought her to the infirmary. The class stayed quiet for a while but the lesson must go on, so I did my job as their professor, after class I went to the infirmary to check up on my student, fortunately her situation wasn’t that serious at all, so I felt relieved to move on to my other class.

“Hey, I’ve bought dinner for us, you two paid for my dinner these past few days, so I had to returned the favor.” Dr. Tranter prepared the table for us that we only need to do is to sit and eat “I bought it from a Japanese restaurant, I hope you like sushi and karaage.”

“Sushi is my favorite food, Dr. Tranter, thank you.” Poseidon sit on his chair after he took off his suit and tie “Where is this Japanese restaurant?”

“Just ten minutes’ drive from here, they opened recently and their store isn’t easy to find if you won’t go thoroughly around Yeongdo-gu.” Dr. Tranter

“Chicken isn’t my favorite food, but one of my hobbies is eating chicken, thank you Dr. Tranter.” I sit across Poseidon after I did the same

“I see, then I bought the right dish for you two.” Dr. Tranter start eating his pork meal “This tonkatsu is really delicious.” enjoying his meal

“Same goes with this sushi, let’s go to that Japanese restaurant this weekend, I would like to see their menu.” Poseidon eating comfortably

“This karaage, I could eat this every day.” eating with gusto

After we had dinner, Poseidon and I let Dr. Tranter to use the bathroom first while we hang out at the living room and watching news at the TV. Maybe we’re both exhausted from work, Poseidon without a word fell asleep at the couch while I tried to keep my eyes open but sleep defeated me. It was already Thursday morning when I woke up lying in my bed and still wearing my work clothes yesterday.

“Morning, Engr. Nevaeh, is taking a bath right now, I didn’t know you two passed out immediately after a bottle of sake.” Dr. Tranter wearing his clothes for work “I had to carry both of you to your beds, last night.”

“We drank sake last night??!” I’m fine without hangover but I reek of alcohol “How come I don’t remember drinking???”

“Disorientation after consuming a strong alcohol, you youngsters have a long way to go.” Dr. Tranter wearing his tie on

“Seaof.” Poseidon got out from the bathroom “You remember what happened last night? I woke up reeking from alcohol but I don’t recall drinking.”

“Me too, are we that drunk and we both don’t remember anything??!” get out from my bed and walk towards the bathroom

When I got inside the bathroom, I’m still thinking what happened last night but the last thing I remembered was Poseidon and I were watching news on TV. I really don’t remember when did we drink sake and how come we both passed out after consuming sake??

“Dr. Tranter, can you take us to the Japanese restaurant where you bought our meal yesterday?” Poseidon said to Dr. Tranter the moment he entered our room “I think I want ramen for dinner tonight.”

“Sure, shall we go now?” Dr. Tranter said without hesitation

Poseidon and I wanted to investigate further as we both doubt what happened to us last night. Dr. Tranter drove us outside the campus and brought us to the restaurant. The owner recognized Dr. Tranter right away and told us that he bought the strongest sake yesterday that could make anyone who drank it knocked down if not used to drinking strong alcoholic beverage. Poseidon and I tried the sake again in order to confirm the owner’s statement, and it really burned our throat with just a sip. Dr. Tranter told us that Poseidon and I both drank a glass of sake last night, as we bragged that we can handle our liquor well. If not for the dessert that we had after, the after taste of that sake won’t go away easily.

“That’s not sake it’s poison!!” Poseidon said as he gets in to the backseat of the car

“How heavy drinkers are those people to create such drink??!” sits on the passenger seat beside Dr. Tranter

“I was amazed how you two drank it straight last night but not even a minute you’re both totally knocked out.” Dr. Tranter starts the car engine as we hit the road again to go back at the island “Now do you believe me about what happened to you last night?”

“Our memory was blank so I trust yours, that sake can make someone loss their memory after drinking it.” Poseidon said as he leaned forward to us

“Let’s not drink it ever again, memory loss isn’t good at all, as if we’ve done something but we don’t recall doing it no matter how hard we think.” I said

“Hahaha, by the way, you two are professors of class NA31OSE1 right?” Dr. Tranter glance at me and Poseidon

“Yes, why?” Poseidon and I responded

“Puth might missed your classes for three consecutive times, please don’t dropped her to your class, I already talked to her other professors and they agreed to my request.” Dr. Tranter keeping his eyes on the road

“Puth, Nene Lee?” Poseidon said in a surprise “She’s the student who passed out in your class, right?”

“Yeah, I remember.” I nodded “What’s your relationship with that student, Dr. Tranter?” looking at him while he’s driving

“She’s the daughter of my friend who’s a brother for me, I’m the one who’s taking care of her over a year.” Dr. Tranter said

“Why? Does her parents live in other country?” interested about Nene’s background

“Her mother was murdered when she’s nine and her father committed suicide when she’s eighteen.” Dr. Tranter stopped the car to let the other car passed by “Though she’s already twenty now, she still needs someone on her side, even if she’s not my real daughter, she’s a precious child to me.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that.” feeling pity for Nene

“With that condition of her, are you also her doctor?” Poseidon said as he stares at the rearview mirror “What happened to her parents were tragic, and it may cause her mental health problem, am I right Dr. Tranter?” analyzed the real situation

“You’re right Engr. Nevaeh, in fact I’m her doctor first before I became brother with her father.” Dr. Tranter said as we reached the campus

I felt sorry about the tragedy in Nene’s life but Poseidon saw the bigger picture that I haven’t think of yet. He’s truly more intelligent than I am, that’s why I envy him most of the time, aside from I’m two inches taller than him and I’ve been with hundreds of girls, I’m still no match to him.

 Dr. Tranter told us that Nene had to recover for a week before she could go back to school again. Apparently, everyone in her class knows what happened to her father but no one knows that her mother got murdered aside from us three in the room. They just know that Dr. Tranter is her acting guardian and her mother died before her father. Misfortune of someone shouldn’t be known to everyone, so even if he didn’t tell us to keep it a secret, we just know it on our own.

Nene showed up after a week, everyone’s celebrating White’s day but she didn’t c***k a smile at all the entire class session. She’s like physically present but mentally absent, and even if I wanted to ask her if she’s doing alright, I can’t do it without feeling sorry for her loss. Dr. Tranter told us that Nene hate it the most when someone look at her with pity, and I don’t want to bother her when obviously she’s not doing fine.

“You what??!” confirming if I just misheard what Poseidon told me “You did what to Nene???”

“I gave her homework to catch up with the lessons.” Poseidon said confidently as he continues watching the news on TV

“She just got back to school after recovering from stress and you gave her more pressure because you don’t want her to left behind in class.” I said

“He’s being a considerate professor, I think.” Dr. Tranter sits with us “Distracting her by pulling her attention back to studying is a great move.”

“It’s good that we have a psychologist as roommate, I don’t have to explain myself as he can interpret my actions.” Poseidon raised his cup of tea

“You reminded Nene that she’s still a college student who needs to get good grades.” Dr. Tranter also raised his cup to Poseidon before he takes a sip

“Am I the only one being too emotional about that girl’s situation??” looking at both of them

“You’re just stressing yourself over nothing, mate.” Dr. Tranter said “Let the girls around her do the emotional stuff, Nene isn’t alone, she got friends.”

“If her own doctor is this cool about everything then I shouldn’t worry too much.” taking a sip with my tea

When Friday came, I approached Nene and offered assistance if she needs me to explained the lessons she missed. Others come up to me whenever they have any questions or clarifications and I thought that she’s maybe shy to reach to me first so I did the first move as her professor.

“It’s alright Prof. Godeth, I won’t get a poor grade on your course, don’t worry.” Nene refused me coldly but she still bowed her head to me before she turned her back against me and walk over to her friends after she closed her locker

“Alright then, you did great Seaof on taking an initiative to help out your student.” muttering to myself as I watch her walk away from me

One month later, preliminary exams week got everyone busy and focused on their studies. I scheduled mine on Monday and Tuesday as I also want it to get done and over with as soon as possible, while Poseidon had his on Thursday and Friday that made everyone in his class rendered overtime to solve the problems he put in his exam. I visited his last scheduled class which is my first class in the morning and everyone’s whining at me when I entered the classroom because of the difficulty level of the test.

“The other professors can’t complain that you took half hour of their time to get every student pass their papers.” looking at the test paper he prepared for everyone “It’s only prelims … do you really have to make everyone blow their minds because of these problems??!”

“If they completely understand the theory behind those formulas then they won’t have a hard time answering these questions.” Poseidon said as he roams around the classroom and watching everyone frowning while doing the calculations “I’ve discussed everything and explain it thoroughly to them.”

“Good thing you weren’t my professor when I was a student here.” feeling sorry for everyone struggling to solve the problems “Originally, Prof. Nevaeh didn’t want to make it multiple choice, if not for the instructions given to us you won’t be saved from complete misery.”

“Last fifteen minutes everyone, I already gave you thirty minutes more so finished or not, I’m collecting your papers, I already missed lunch, I want to have my dinner on time.” Poseidon walking in every aisle of the room “Am I the only one their waiting for?” looking at me

“That’s why I came here to pick you up, I told them to go there first and we’ll follow if we don’t come back in a quarter.” I replied to him “Oh, someone’s done with her exam.” noticed Nene stand up from his seat and walk over to Poseidon to pass her paper

“Give it to Prof. Godeth, then you may go.” Poseidon points at the table where I’m leaning on “Give your papers to Prof. Godeth once you’re done.”

“Happy weekend!” I’m smiling when I received Nene’s paper but she didn’t even bother to look at me and left the classroom immediately “Maybe she’s in a bad mood because of this exam.” muttering to myself as I look at her test paper “Her solutions are neat and clean, easy to understand.”

“Prof. Godeth.” everyone in the class starts passing their papers one by one until two female students left in the classroom still struggling to answer

“Time’s up!” Poseidon took the papers from the two and one of them couldn’t hold back her tears “It’s alright, you can do better next time, besides you got the right answers from guessing the last four questions.” pats the girl shoulder to cheer her up a bit “It’s Friday, you should have fun.”