Under One Roof [BxB]

Chapter 4: I Am Not My Father

Dean's POV

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The sound of papers being shuffled and laptops clacking filled the room as Professor Lactuan’s lecture came to an end. I was packing up my things, ready to leave, when she called out, "Dean, could you stay for a moment?"

I stopped mid-step, my stomach flipping nervously. I wasn’t in trouble, was I? I watched as the other students filed out of the room, shooting me curious glances. My palms started to sweat. This couldn’t be good.

When the room was empty, Prof. Lactuan gave me a small smile. “I’ve been thinking about your introduction the other day. Damian Tan’s son—interesting.”

I forced a smile, already dreading where this conversation might go. "Yes, ma'am."

"I used to work with your father on a few projects back in the day. He’s one of the brightest minds I’ve encountered," she continued, her tone almost nostalgic. "And I see a lot of potential in you, Dean."

There it was. That pressure. The comparison I never asked for.

"You’re doing well in my class already, and I know it’s only been a few days, but I’d like to extend an opportunity to you."

I blinked, taken aback. "Opportunity, ma'am?"

“Yes,” she said, her expression becoming serious. “Our department is assembling a research team to work on a new project about Southeast Asian diplomacy and international relations. It’s a prestigious endeavor, and I’d like you to be a part of it—as an apprentice.”

My heart raced. I knew this was a big deal. The chance to work on a research project with seasoned professors could open so many doors. But… was I really ready for that?

“You have the potential, Dean,” she added, her voice softer now. “You’re your father’s son, after all.”

The words hung in the air like a weight around my neck. I forced myself to nod, pretending like I wasn’t on the verge of panic. “I-I’ll think about it, ma’am. Thank you for the offer.”

"Good," she said, standing up and gathering her things. "I expect your decision by the end of the week. No pressure, but I think you’d do well."

I smiled weakly, muttering a thank you before quickly exiting the classroom.

As I walked through the campus, the pressure of her words began to sink in deeper. "You’re your father’s son." Brilliant, sure, but he never cared about me. The expectations of following in his footsteps felt suffocating.

I didn’t even want to go into diplomacy or international relations. I only chose this course because it seemed like the logical path, given my background. But now I was being thrown into something much bigger, all because of a man who barely acknowledged my existence. I could feel the panic bubbling inside me.

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When I got back to the boarding house, I found Jax lounging on his bed, scrolling through his phone. "Yo, kamusta day mo?" he asked without looking up, his conyo accent creeping into the sentence.

I dumped my bag on the floor and sat down on my bed, groaning. "Horrible. My professor offered me an apprenticeship for some research project."

He raised an eyebrow. "Isn’t that, like, a good thing?"

"Yeah, sure, if I actually wanted to do it," I muttered, rubbing my temples. "She made it sound like I’m this genius, just like my dad, but I don’t even want to be anything like him."

Jax put his phone down and sat up, looking at me seriously. "Dude, that sucks. Pero like, hindi mo naman kailangang gawin yun, ‘di ba? Just say no."

"It’s not that easy," I replied, feeling the frustration build up. "She expects me to say yes. I don’t want to disappoint her or, like, make her think I’m not serious about my studies."

"Nakaka-pressure nga," he admitted. "Pero ikaw din, man. If you keep trying to live up to what everyone else expects, you’re just gonna be miserable."

I sighed, knowing he was right. I didn’t want to make a decision out of fear, but the weight of the expectations was hard to ignore.

"Look," Jax said, leaning back against the wall. "Take your time to think about it. Wag mo pilitin sarili mo. You’re already doing fine without all that extra crap."

I appreciated his laid-back attitude, and somehow it helped ease the tension in my chest. "Thanks, Jax."

"No problem," he replied with a small smirk. "Kaya nga ako andito eh, para i-remind ka na chill lang. Wag ka maging too serious all the time."

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Life with Jax as a roommate wasn’t as bad as I initially thought. Sure, he was a bit messy, leaving his stuff scattered everywhere, but he was surprisingly considerate. He would make breakfast most mornings, and in return, I helped clean up. It was an unspoken agreement, and it worked.

We’d both come home after classes, crash on our beds, and just talk about our day. Jax wasn’t one for deep conversations, but he had this way of making things lighter. He’d joke around or share funny stories from his classes, which helped distract me from the stress of school and my dad.

"Okay, seryosong tanong," Jax said one evening, lying on his bed while tossing a small ball into the air. "If you could drop everything right now and do whatever you wanted, no pressure from anyone, anong gagawin mo?"

I stared at the ceiling, the question catching me off guard. What would I do if I didn’t have to live up to anyone’s expectations? "I don’t know," I admitted. "I’ve never thought about that."

"Come on, may sagot ka diyan," he pressed. "Something. Kahit wild dream lang."

I thought for a moment, then finally said, "Siguro… I’d travel. Not for work or school, just for me. See the world, meet people, experience life."

Jax smiled. "Now that sounds like a plan. See? You’ve got options."

I nodded, feeling a little better. Jax had a way of simplifying things, of reminding me that I didn’t have to carry the weight of everyone’s expectations. Maybe I didn’t have to follow the path my father laid out for me. Maybe I could carve out my own.

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