Alpha's Human Mate

Unexpected Pop-Up Test

"Morning, my boy!" greeted Gulf as he sauntered into the classroom, plopping down beside Kokliang.

"Morning! Are you okay, Gulf?" asked Kokliang, peering at him with concern.

"I'm okay, why?" asked Gulf, raising his left eyebrow in suspicion.

Before Kokliang could respond, Professor Aunty burst into the classroom, her energy practically bouncing off the walls.

"Morning class!" said Professor Aunty, settling in and surveying the room like a hawk on the lookout for its prey.

"Morning, Madam," replied the students in unison, a chorus of resigned acceptance.

"I want everyone to distance themselves one metre away from each other!" declared Professor Aunty, waving her arms as if she was conducting an orchestra.

Everyone remained seated, firmly rooted to their seats, looking perplexed at this sudden furniture rearrangement directive.

"Come on, kids! Let's make some room! Today, we'll have a pop-up test to gauge your knowledge, future doctors," said Professor Aunty, pulling stacks of papers from her trusty carry-on bag.

"Not again, Madam!" muttered one brave student a bit louder than intended, immediately catching the professor's steely gaze.

"Yes, again, boy. Now move!" said Professor Aunty, smirking knowingly at the groans that filled the room.

"Gosh, can't she just hand us the papers without all this circus? It's not like we can cheat with her hawk-eyed surveillance!" whispered Gulf to Kokliang as they shuffled to create space.

"I know right! I should've changed my major at the beginning of the year!" replied Kokliang, eyes wide as he complied.

"Take a seat, slowpokes! My grandmother could move faster than all of you, even from her grave!" barked Professor Aunty, brandishing the papers as if they were forbidden artefacts.

"Pass this to the person behind you!" she commanded the front-row students with a practised precision.

"Okay, future doctors, you have 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete this paper. Do not cheat, don't overthink it, and most importantly, this paper will determine your score before you can embark on your posting programme!" said Professor Aunty, relishing the sight of students slowly losing their minds.

"Your time starts now!" she declared, simultaneously pressing her timer, which beeped ominously like a countdown to impending doom.

An hour and a half zipped by faster than a pizza delivery, and all the students managed to finish their tests in time, though it looked like a few of them might collapse.

"Time's up! Pens down, and hands away from those test papers!" said Professor Aunty, striding towards the front table with a determined look.

"I want the person at the end of each row to collect the papers and pass them to me," she added, turning to face the students with the authority of a drill sergeant.

The last-row student sprang to his feet, diligently gathering the test papers like a soldier on a mission before handing them over to their professor, who wore a triumphant smile as if she had already conquered the world.

"Before we wrap up this morning's class, let me ask you all: is the question hard?" Professor Aunty beamed at them, her smile wider than a Cheshire cat's.

"Yes, No, A little, Not at all!" chorused the class with answers that would make a cactus seem more cheerful, which only made Professor Aunty's motherly smile grow even fonder.

"Actually, if you focus on our previous paper, you'll notice the question is almost identical. Anyway, you all performed splendidly in my class, and I hope that when you go off to your respective postings, you'll manage to learn one or two new things!" she declared as she organised the test papers with the finesse of a seasoned juggler.

"So, there's nothing more to do here, am I right? Nate, Gem, lend me a hand with these papers. And with that, class dismissed!" Professor Aunty added as she dutifully finished organising and sashayed out of the classroom like a queen leaving a ball.

Kokliang hastily packed his things and messaged his brother to pick him up before wandering over to Gulf, who was still wrestling with his bag.

"God, at last! The test is over! I thought the test was scheduled for next week, but Professor Aunty sure knows how to keep us on our toes, huh? Luckily, I was more prepared than a squirrel stockpiling nuts for winter!" Gulf exclaimed, stretching like a cat who's just discovered a sunny patch.

"Let's get moving, Gulf," Kokliang said, standing next to him like a loyal sidekick.

They both strolled out of the faculty building, waiting for their driver.

"I need a rest, like a power nap the size of a small continent, after this," Gulf sighed dramatically, staring at his phone as if it held the secrets of the universe.

"Okay, that's my ride. See you tomorrow, Kokliang! Bye!" Gulf announced, sprinting off towards his father's car with the urgency of a kid running to an ice-cream truck.

"But... he'll be here any minute," Kokliang murmured sadly, waving goodbye like a dejected puppy.

"How was class today, buddy?" Thanayong asked as he drove them home.

"It was okay! I didn't expect the test today, but it was fine since I studied for it. Now I just need some power naps before I can function like a normal human being," Gulf said, closing his eyes and snoozing almost instantly, the feat of falling asleep standing up now officially achieved.

Thanayong chuckled, glancing at his son as they pulled into the driveway, and they entered the house, greeted by a cosy silence.

"Where's Mae?" Gulf wondered, peering into the kitchen and living room like a detective on a mystery case.

"Probably out buying something," Thanayong suggested, heading towards the kitchen, where the snacks awaited.

"Pho, please don't call me until dinner time. I'm about to embark on an epic power-nap journey!" Gulf declared, traipsing upstairs.

"What about your lunch?" Thanayong quizzed from the bottom of the staircase, his head poking around the corner like a curious meerkat.

"No need, I'll skip lunch and feast on dinner instead," Gulf called back as he ascended, already dreaming of a nap's embrace.

Once in his room, Gulf discarded his backpack and headed for his closet, selecting his most comfortable house attire before making a beeline for the bathroom.

In mere moments, he had freshened up and was set to dive into his power nap.