Vivian was a 18 years old racoon girl who had two assets to succeed in life : she was very cute and very smart.

Her beauty was not a rumbustious one like cheerleaders or prom queens, far from it. It was more like the discreet and genuine beauty of a person we always find pretty or cute whatever the circumstances, and which tempts you to spend time with her charming presence. Her small and slight silhouette was protracted by a long fluffy slik-fur tail. She let her long hair fall again her back except two small wisps in front of her face. A graceful oval face, where the procyonid facial mask showed off her large green eyes, was completed by a pretty little muzzle and often dressed with a shy smile.

But is was the second point that Vivian wanted to show off the most, undoubtedly because of her shyness. She finished fourteenth in her prom at the 233 CalTech course and did not hesitate to cross the Atlantic Ocean in order to follow an «ecology and environment protection» course in the prestigious parisian academy of La Sorbonne. But there is a abyss between international reputation and reality, and she ended up in La Sorbonne 8, a sub-campus lost in the far Paris suburbs. Indeed, she obtained a room in the nearby academic residence and her relationship with her roomate Soryane, a fennec from the french high-school «Descartes» of Rabat, was good but not really friendly. But they had to contend with the chronic lack of means, the overloaded courses and the missing lecturers…

One morning, Vivian was getting dressed in the bathroom. She wore her favourite warm clothes : thick jeans in apple green cordoroy and a wooly V-neck sweater in a more dark green, almost black.

  -   Aren't you fed up with wearing only green ? Shot the fennec, who was getting dressed too.

  -   No, it's a restful colour and it goes well with my eyes. But you’re as monomaniacial as me : all your clothing in the wardrobe is black. '

  -   Yes, but it's because it goes well with... ok, you’ve got a point. '

  -   It's too bad that they didn't substitute earlier the ecosystems chemistry teacher, we lost three weeks of courses, sighed Vivian. Why they didn't hire a substitute reader with a fixed term contract ? '

  -   Eh Vivian, we are in France in a budgetless public university. We don't hire a teacher from a private school just like that, we enlist a researcher-teacher volunteer. And they get scarce. '

By hurrying up a little, Vivian and Soryane had dig up two seats at first row – the amphitheatre 4 provided for 250 students but often took in 350, the last arrivals must sit on the stairs – where they could peer at the tiny blackboard without tiring out their eyes. The afore mentionned substitute was already there finishing the preparation of the lesson, and they were able to study him at leisure.

It was a quite young pine marten, small but long-limbed. He had the typical scientist gear : threadbare lab coat with a chest pocket full of pens and large round myope glasses. On the tick, he cleared his throat then adressed the audience :

  -   Good morning to all of you. I'm Matthias Kronecker and I take the place of Mrs. Georges, who is now in long sick leave. I’ve written my e-mail adress on the board if you want to ask me something because I don't have an office here, and I'll try to answer you within two days. In the opinion that I heard, you were stick on the anaerobic decomposition reactions of humus in tropical environment. So I'll resume the course from page 68 of the stencil.'

And he traced on the spot the matching charts on the board. The atmosphere became studious to a certain extent : after 20 minutes, Soryane began to jabber with her neighbour.

  -   He starts fast, I catch on nothing he talks about. '

  -   You should have revised regularly in case of that ', whispered Vivian. ' I think he's quite nice and efficient. And cute too. '

  -   Cute ? But look at him, this four-eyes is as small as you and he swims in his coat. Really not my type. '

A throat clearing interruped them. Mr. Kronecker was very near and looked at them with an air of strictness.

  -   Did your little discussion have a relevance to the short exercice I marked on the board ? '

Vivian blushed monstrously and ardently wished to be a chameleon to hide herself and escape the stares. The professor got along :

  -   I know well that it's my first tuition there and the comments about me may be easy to make, but if you want to chatter, make it in a discreet way. Isn't it? ' He ended with a strong voice scanning the last row of the classromm with his laser beamer, with the consequence of dazzling several incessant chatterboxes.

When he announced the end of the lesson 40 minutes later, all the students still present – some back row chatterers having sliped away discreetly – finished to take notes, arranged their gear and started to leave the lecture theatre, except Vivian. Her mind was taken up by a thought after the professor's call to order but she was unable to lay a finger on it again. She became conscious of being the last student seated in the classroom when the substitute, putting back his stencil in its place, looked at her with an astonished stare. She hurried up then and scuttled off.

The ecosystems chemistry course had been going for two months and the routine set in again, with the reasonably fast rhythm imposed by the new teacher in order to make up for lost time. Vivian and Soryane had rehabituated themselves to arriving at 8:20 to sit in the first row. Except that the podium was empty this day. The ten following minutes drained off slowly, during which the other students arrived while Vivian became more and more nervous, that worried her buddy.

  -   Vivian, are you OK ? You’re so pale. '

  -   Yeah yeah, I’m fine. It's just strange that Mr. Kronecker isn't as early as usual. '

  -   If you’re fine, why is your heart beating so fast?

Oh my, fennecs and their overdeveloped hearing... thought Vivian, laying a paw on her chest to prevent Soryane to auscultate her.

  -   I don't know ', she ending up confessing.

  -   You have a pounding heart, sweaty pawpads and you’re worrying about the teacher. Tell me, by any chance, did you have a little crush on him ? '

  -   No, not at all ! Where do you get this ! ' she denied with the most vivid reaction, the cheeks ablaze.

It was at this moment that the teacher entered in the room breathless, apologizing for his relative delay before lighting the over-head projector and starting the session. He ran the course in quick time and Vivian just lifted her muffle from her sheet that he already dashed away to make the next course.

  -   He comes, he goes, always in a hurry ... I only want to... simply attract his attention. ' she sighed.

  -   It wouldn’t be your style to bother him at the end of the course and slide him a love-letter in front of the entire class. ' scolded her buddy.

  -   I know, I'm too shy for this. But he gave us his e-mail. '

The evening, her laptop's clock showed 10:30 pm when Vivian put the finishing touches on the fourth poem she was writing. She verified a small detail in the versification dictionnary borrowed from the library, then closed it and put it away in her schoolbag. It was only necessary to type the electronic adress of Mr. Kronecker and enclose the texts with the message. She hesitated a few seconds : he claims to be 25 years old on his online CV but not his marital situation. If he is married, how will he react when he reads my message ? I don't want to drop a bombshell, she thought. She took a large breath, plucked up courage and clicked on '' send ''. Two yawns later, the laptop was turned off and Vivian sawed wood.

  -   The today's transportation strike seems to be dire : previsions for Ile-de-Françe are 1 TER out of 3 and 1 sururban train out of 4. For more information, you can contact the SNCF free dial number at 0800...'

  -   Vivian, kill the radio, I want to sleep ', muttered Soryane who really was not an early riser.

  -   Ok ', admitted her roomate while shutting down the device.' But why didn’t you get out of bed ? We have courses this morning ! '

  -   Let me laugh ! It will be a mess all over public transportation, all the teachers we have this afternoon have already cancelled their lessons, and even I'm not sure that the eco chem teacher can come. But you don't want to miss this lesson, it's your weekly contemplation session of your adored professor... ' she added with a knowing smile.

  -   We'll speak again about it when you come to cropper at the next exam ', said Vivian, looking daggers at her roomate before leaving the room, her bag on her back.

For make things worse, it had been raining since dawn and her raincoat was waterlogged when the young student arrived in front of amphi C. The old door creaked when she came into the large classroom dipped into the penumbra. The neon blackboard was the only light, making a sallow halo and letting her see a dim silhouette, Mr. Kroncker’s.

The latter heard a person entering the room and asked her to join him. Because of his near-sight and the penombra, it is only when Vivian moved near the podium that he was able to stare her in the face.

  -   Good morning, miss. You have a lot of courage to get out of bed very early in order to be on time during a transport strike. '

  -   Not really, I live in the academic residence just in front of the campus. It's rather you that had troubles this morning, isn't it ? '

  -   Not at all, I come here by bike and I only have for half an hour. ' He went back to his serious look before pushing on : ' sit down at your usual seat, I count on waiting until 9:00 before advise, in case other students arrive.

Vivian hid her smile behind her paw, thinking of the brawny legs the jeans of her speaker might cover up. She took her work binder and prepared herself to a long and ponderous waiting, that the room's clock did not risk to reflect, stuck on 8:35 for eternity. Four times, she wanted to say something to the professor but did not find her words or recanted at the last moment. At the stated time, he consulted his watch :

  -   OK, a half-hour is past and you’re still alone ', he concluded. ' I think you should leave. '

  -   Mister ', she objected vividly, ' it will be so bad that we came here for nothing. There are some points in the tuition I'm not sure I get.

Mr. Kronecker agreed and began to draw the equations to revise on the board. The following half-hour rolled in a breath, nobody joined them in between.

  -   Well, seeing that these course details seem clear to you, I just want to note your attendance at today's session before go out. '

He took the ten pages attendance list from his bag and gave it to his student, who signed quickly. He glanced through the pages.

  -   Ah, Vivian... pretty firstname. I didn't notice that you come from the US, I congratulate you on your mastery of this beautiful language that is French.

  -   It was nothing Mister, my mother lived 20 years in France, she answered while wringing her paws. '

  -   Yes, I remember you now : during my first lesson, I surprised you when you were blabbing about me. There is nothing to be ashamed, he said to his blushing student, everybody did the same thing today. '

They took along their respective things. Just before leaving the room, she ventured to ask him a last question.

  -   Professor, you said during your entry that you answer to e-mails as soon as possible... '

  -   You recently sent me an e-mail that I didn't answer ? I must say I'm drowned under the spam. There were attached files in the message ? ' He asked to Vivian by a regard, and she nodded.' OK, don't hesitate to send it again, I'll read it with pleasure. '

  -   Oh no, it's not necessary ! ' she said hastily. 'They aren't really important. And anyway, I realised that they contained errors, she murmured lowering the head without succeeding to hide her flushed cheeks.

For the first time in the semester, Vivian was late for the seminar of mineralogy and ran at full speed in the hallways of building F. Suddently, a technician in white coat turned in the corridor just before her. The collision was unavoidable and she bumped head-on into him from behind. After the brunt, he turned back with a bad temper and she gave a cry of surprise when she recognized Mr. Kronecker, a cup of tea in his paw and a large stain over his labcoat.

  -   Professor ! I'm so sorry ! '

  -   Don't worry about it, my coat has seen better times ', he said while delving into his pocket. ' On the other hand, I've out of tissues.

Before he had the time to ask for one from somebody, she lifted out a large handkerchief from her jacket pocket and began to wipe off the stain. Matthias put his paw on one of her student and said with a gentle voice :

  -   Leave it, don't make yourself later because of me. '

When she realized the situation and felt the teacher's pawpads on her fur, her heart leapt in her chest. She draw back slowly her paw and dropped the handkerchief in the coat's pocket.

  -   Keep it. Goodbye. ' she huffed before running ahead in the hallways.

After he lost sight of his student, he took the hanky again and finished wiping off the blotch, then examined it. It was a large square of white cotton similar to the washable kerchiefs of the past. A frieze of leafy twigs was finely embroided on the perimeter, completed by the monogram of its owner. Without dispute a good piece of work, he thought.

Ah...Ah...Atchoo !!!

In these experimental work rooms without heating and full of draughts because of the broken windows, almost everybody caught a cold and our young raccoon was not an exception. Despite her snorting, her muzzle remained clogged and she had no choice but to ask her seminar comrade, a slothy doberman, for a tissue.

  -   Strange, I believed you always had your hankercheif handy. ', he said giving her the coveted object.

  -   I... I think I lost it. I didn't manage to find it. ', she asserted with an unsure tone after she unblocked her muzzle.

  -   No big deal. That kind of stuff’s passé.

  -   This stuff was a birthday gift and might have lasted several decades. Anyway, you’re not making sense. Do you know how many trees you waste by using disposabe kleenex ? Do you see their woeful plight after use ? She added while throwing away the tissue filled with mucus in the trash with a disdained gesture.

  -   Don't get angry, I didn't know it was a gift. ', conceded the doberman.

Coming back to the residence, Vivian checked her mail like each day. One envelope at her name was put in the mailbox. She opened it, surprised to find her handkerchief inside with a handwritten note :

Dear Vivian,

I thank you for lending me your handkerchief this morning, and I insist on giving it back to you ( clean of course) for the reason that I suppose it has a strong sentimental value for you. On the other hand, if it is really your mother or your aunt who sewed this handkerchief, thank her from me for her embroiderer skills.

Cordially,

Matthias ∂ij

A large smile on her face and closing the eyes to centre her mind, she smelled the hanky without be able to detect a peculiar odour. ‘It's too bad mister, it was a gift, not a lending’, she thought while putting back the object at its usual spot. She noticed then that the professor had doodled the note on the back side of his professional visiting card. ' I'll finally be able to send you the documents that you were waiting for, after I improve them in my own way... ' she said at low voice.

Last friday of the month of April, 19:30 : another day of work had come to an end. Mr. Kroncker had just finished to print the last data from the size exclusion chromatograph when his Ph. D. thesis supervisor, an armenian falcon called Adbalian, came through the draining board to verify his work and retrieve the experimental results. They would permit him to end his article about 'Polypeptides responsible for the inhibition of neuromediation circuit among non-bipedal mustelines'.

  -   Matthias, you’re closing up shop, as usual ? '

  -   Of course, after I’ve checked my mail, as usual... ' he said with a little smile.

  -   And I though of it for you, as usual... ' answered the director ironically, giving him an envelope before going back into his office.

Unsealing it, the professor found a handwritten letter put into a transparent plastic bag, that he opened puzzled to read its content. It was a set of four poems, two quatrains and two sonnets, notably well composed and calligraphied. These poems broke down upon him, and his astonishment increased when he realized that he was the main subject. Moreover, he began to feel strange : his heart was pulsating more and more, his paws became sweaty, his blood got into his cheeks, he didn't succeed anymore in thinking properly and his blurred thoughs were focusing bit by bit on a person he already have seen...

Abruptly, by a rational state of mind preservation reflex he didn't know , he clogged up his nose, catched his breath and quickly put back the letter in the plastic bag before make his way towards the office’s hallway.

  -   Mr. Abdalian ', he said entering the room, ' the letter you gave me is steeped in an scent I can't identify. May you help me, please ? '

  -   I can try, but my species isn't famous for its sense of smell ', admitted the scientist, drawing out the odd letter from its bag to sniff it at some lenght.' Sorry, nothing special. '

Matthias, who had to hold back his heartbeat, thanked his supervisor then let him write his article. ' Well, my workday isn't finished yet ', he said to himself, ' a small complementary analysis seems needed to me. But first I’ll have to find a standard sample in the storage room. '

After he lauched the clear program of the chromatograph, the professor opened the fifteenth volume of the 'Handbook of Chemistry' at section P then made off to the chemical storeroom of the building to rummage among thousands of flasks before finally laying hands on the object of his search. He returned to the lab and in apnea put the letter into a condensation assembly in order to recuperate under liquid form the volatile compounds which had confused him so much. In parallel, he dissolved a small account of the standard sample in ethanol.

After injection in the chromatograph, the elution took about ten minutes and a quite complex spectrum appeared progressively on the tracing printer. When it was the turn of the compounds from the letter, ten other minutes were needed, but the resulting spectrum was nearly identical to the first one except a small peak at 35 seconds of beginning of elution. ' I was fairly sure there was dimethyl disulfide in it, in addition of the volatil polypeptides. ' he noticed aloud, his tail wriggling because of excitement from a fruitful search.

  -   Well then Matthias, you are doing overtime ? '

He jumped in his fur and vividly turned towards his thesis supervisor, whose the raised bushy right eyebrow betrayed a claim for a prompt and concise explaination.

  -   I just finished analysing the letter and found the chemicals responsible for the smell I was talking about. I'll have a little discussion with the author. '

  -   You think you know him ? '

  -   Yeah, I know her... '

Vivian did not know what to think about the lapidary note she received from Mr. Kronecker, where he asked her to meet him in the test room at the noon break. When she knocked at the door, the professor opened it then moved it aside to let her enter, all this without saying a word. He pointed her out a chair and went searching in his satchel whereas she sat down, ill at ease. The young student turned pale whe she saw him take then examine her poetry letter still in its plastic bag, and also her last end-of-term exam copy, and her pallor became more marked when he talked to her with a neutral but not very affable tone :

  -   I won't bother very long, you just have to answer by yes or no : can I congratulate you on your knowledge about marten-specific pheromones and the manner you used them ?

Dening would be useless. Vivian took the shock and lowered her head. When she raised it, she had low ears, beaten dog eyes and seemed to be on the edge of tears.

  -   No, don't congratulate me, I wanted to rush the events and I acted like an idiot. I should never have sent you this letter, it must have smelt the scent on you and beared you a grudge. How I could believe that you could be single at 25... '

  -   But I am single ! You though that by sending me this simple... love letter, you have commited an adultery ? He exclaim before pulling himself together. Oh yes, I forgot you come from a quite different culture : if in United States, it seems normal to be in couple after adolescence and wedding is a fundamental valour, the situation is very different in France. Moreover, I'm not a full professor but only a assistant researcher, and I can't properly live in couple with the skimpy incomes I have.

Vivian, visibly relieved, heaved a deep sigh. But she insisted on renewing her apologizes for the reason that she though he always beared her a grudge because of the letter’s smell. He answered with a reassuring voice :

  -   You know, I don't hold the letter against you. It's just bad that I can't read it without feeling strange, so I can't appreciate your poetic skills at their real value. '

  -   You... you really think that my writings have value ? You’re absolutly not angry with me ? ' She said, a hopeful note in her voice, looking at him in such an intense manner that he avoided her eyes and appeared to be blushing very lightly.

  -   Of course not. The incident, if there ever was an incident, is closed. '

Vivian let fly her most beautiful smile then left the room on a light footstep.

Matthias could not sleep that night. His thoughts succeeded one another in his brain without give coherent results, which he hated. ' Only one fact clearly stood out ', he said silently for himself : ' during this little tête-à-tête, Vivian's pupils widely dilated when I forgave her pheromonal blunder. Generally, such a psychological feature denotes a strong desire for her interlocutor, me in this case. '

He left his unmade bed and turned towards the white board which took almost an entire wall of his tiny studio flat. He sketched several graphs and schematics in order to clear his ideas, but they had the reverse effect. So Matthias went to bed with the mind completely jumbled. So bad that the cerebral equivalent of Ctrl-Alt-Del didn’t exist. ‘my brain really needs a forced reboot ', he thought after having decided to take a sleeping pill. It was necessary that he be fresh to correctly assure the tuitions tomorrow.

The professor was in a good mood this wesneday and his enthusiasm rebounded upon his students, more careful than usual. Indeed, he slept well thanks to the soporific, but principally his course was relocated at the end of the morning due to timetable fluctuations and he wasn’t having to hurry up.  So he took time to put away the chalk and clear the board while students rushed at the cafeteria. It was only when he had turned towards the exit that he became aware of the presence of Vivian, passing from one foot to the other, on the edge of the podium.

  -   Mister, may you have a couple of minutes to spend ? I have something important to ask you about. '

  -   Of course. Otherwise I would have already made a getaway, as usual. '

  -   I want... I just want to know : who I am for you ? '

  -   Well, it's what I call a frank and blunt question. I was sure that you ask me this sooner or later. But unfortunately... I can't give you an answer as frank and blunt. I think about it for a long time since our little... tête-à-tête but my succesives introspections always leave me nowhere. The only sure thing I can say is : I don't know. '

The bitter expression of Vivian aroused pity.

  -   Generally, when we can't know which feelings we have for somebody, it's that we don't feel them... It's not your case, isn't it ? If not, I have no choice but to melt again into the mass of anonymous students.'

  -   Wait, I didn't say that ! You aren't anybody for me. In a manner of speaking, it's the first time that a student... has taken an interest in me like this and I'm not accustomed to this situation, I must look clumsy and diffident to you. '

  -   Phew... I'm relieved. If you prefer, we can play it by ear, and who knows... perhaps your feelings will evolve between now and then. '

  -   But this evolution must stay discrete and measured. You certainly know that... deep relationships between teachers and students aren't accepted. But this can't inhibit us from staying friends. '

Vivian shook the head, annoyed.

  -   We can stay friends... you don't know how many times somebody has threw that phrase at me neither how much it can hurt. However I find in you a person with whom I can share my lonelyness, or even a shoulder on which to lean in case of hardship. But you sidestepped and dropped me heavily, as if... ' Her voice tone changed and became hot-tempered : ' You don't want me. Well then you are as worthless the others ! '

She screeched these last words while curling her chops, letting appear thin sharp canines. The professor stiffened and stared at her without saying a word. He had slid his paws inside the sleeves of his coat for hide his widespread claws. A long tense moment trickled as slowly as in a western, then the attitude of Vivian gradually changed : the hostile gleam in her eyes ebbed away, she lowered the head and gaped at her paws, as astonished by the aggressiveness which seemed emanate from. Then suddently, she scuttled off the amphi bursting into sobs.

He retrieved her sitting down on stairs and prefered to approach slowly in front of her to not frighten her further, before sitting down by her side. When she raised the head, two thin paths of tears flowed on her cheeks and she was snorting lightly.

  -   I... I'm really sorry to have hurt you so much. ' He grasped out with a contrite air.

  -   It's not your fault, it's mine ! ' Replied Vivian, turning vividly towards the professor and looking in his face.

  -   But it's me who wasn't able to answer your question... and live up to your expectations. At present I understand your frustration and the reasons for your flare-up. '

  -   Even if you understand me, I still regret having nagged at you. Can you forgive me ? '

  -   Of course ! ' He said, a smile enlightening his face. ' But I have my ruggedness towards you to make up for. And I think I know the way to put it right. '

He lifted and held out his paw to Vivian to help her to stand up. She marked a hesitation before sliding her slender fingers in the open palm and fell the coarse pawpads. Once on her feet, she released his paw with reluctance, blushing and smiling as if nothing special took place.

In the bustling and noisy room, stuffed with an old and rikkety coffee machine, that served as a staff room, Mr. Kronecker was savouring his second daily cup of tea. He was putting back in his memory the route to join his other students that afternoon on the Sorbonne-4's campus, located at ten kilometers from there, when a colleague touched his shoulder : the personnel manager wanted to see him quite soon. So he drank at one go the rest of his tea before head towards the administration buildings, reaching to the manager office after fifteen minutes. When the administrator raised his ferret head from papers he was sorting, he started before the professor had the time to greet him.

  -   Someone reported to us an altercation between you and one of your students, after which after an exchange of shouting (heard by witnesses) culminated in the flight of the above-named tearful student out of the amphitheatre where you were, student that you thus chased... it's unacceptable that a teacher make use of physical or psychological violence against his students !

Mr. Kronecker didn't breathe a word during all this then reply with a neutral but firm tone :

  -   There wasn't any violence or insults. I caught this excellent student doing chatter and after the class I wanted to remind her of this misdemeanour so that it didn't recur anymore. She apologized immediatly for her unusual behaviour, but a misunderstanding rankled the discussion and she ended up yelling. Facing the facts, she began to cry and left the classroom. '

  -   The fact remains that the parents of this student surely will make a huge scene and want to disturb the faculty president for that, and everything is your fault ! '

  -   No risk for the president being disturbed, her parents are American. And I largely had the time before come here to retrieve her : she apologized and I forgave her behaviour. Nothing to add, incident is closed. '

The manager muttered an swear-word : it must have grown into a habit for him to spend his anger on weak collaborators and he surely did not except such a firmness. Mr. Kronecker saluted him in a relatively sarcastic manner before leaving the office. But as soon as he was out of sight in a deserted hallway, he could not restrain himself to chuck a violent clawstroke against the wall, leaving long and deep marks. He instantly heaved a relief sigh, contemplated a few seconds his powerful curved claws covered with plaster, then retracted them and proceeded his way.

One e-mail exchange later, Vivian and Matthias organised a rendez-vous the following friday at 20:00 in front of the laboratory. True to her habits and knowing those of her professor, she arrived ten minutes ahead of time at the steps of the large dull concrete cubic building, settled at the periphery of Paris XI-Sud's campus. Established on the wooded side of the Orsay shelf, this vast campus give the impression either to be delicately dropped in the midst of the forest or to be invaded by the latter. In view of the woeful plight of cement tiles constituting the walkways, the second possibilty was the most probable.

She didn't have to wait for a long time. Matthias went out on the steps, saluted her heartily and adressed a admiring gaze to her. Vivian had taken care of her appearance for the occurrence, even so without overdoing it. She wore a long sheath dress in dark green jersey with a sober neckline, of which the lightly full sleeves cut out in a lighter colour fancily shown off the thin light brown fur of her arms. Her long hair was gathered in bun except two small cowlicks in front of her face. The final touch was brought by the subtle twinkling of a tiny silver leaf, suspended on her forehead by a small chain of same metal. Matthias could not detect, if he was ever able, make-up on the sweet face of her student. He look at his mottley and threadbare coat with a marked spite.

  -   I should have worn decent clothes to entertain you. '

  -   You just finished your work, you didn't have time to change your clothes, but don't worry about it. And then, it's the guest who has to be a credit to her host. On the other hand ', she said scanning the surrondings, ' I find strange that we made a rendez-vous, the nearest restaurant must be at least a mile away. '

The sudden peal of laughter of Matthias caught unawares the young student.

  -   Why have a meal out when we have whatever we need here ? But come in, you risk catching a cold. '

Vivian, intruiged, followed Matthias in the hallways of the building, going along the chemistry draining boards and the imposing analysis equipment, before coming into what it seemed to be the rest room of the lab. A table was drawn up, lighted up by a sallow neon ceiling lamp. ' Please sit down, I’ll come back in a second. ' said the professor before slipping away. He reappeared two minutes later pushing a metallic sideboard loaded with dishes. In the meantine, his guest switched on and adjusted at mid-power a halogen light lamp instead of the neon, creating by the way a heartier and more intimite atmosphere. He did not think about this detail but could not hold back a smile.

  -   I wasn't sure of your diet, nor if you have religious or allergic contraindications, so I prepared serveral sets of dishes. '

  -   Don't worry about me, raccoons are omnivorous and I don't have allergy problems. '

  -   Perfect perfect. ', he said, taking on the sideboard an erlenmeyer half-filled with an amber-coloured liquid then cupping a nip in his guest's wine glass. ' Taste this, and let me know what you think about it. '

Offhand, Vivian thought it was cognac and set about to put down again the drink, not appreciating alcohol, but she did not want to offend her host. Her first impression was belied by the smell, quite musky but absolutely not alcoholic, released by the liquid and she decided to taste it. Since the first gulp, unexpected savours excited her taste buds, so much intenses that she closed the eyes a few moments to better discern them.

  -   I'd never drink something so delightful ! Where did you find it ? '

  -   It's what I call '' squirrel brandy '', more precisely the herbs concentrate obtained after the stock from the squirrel stew I simmered as main course. Do you ever heard about molecular gastronomy ? The subject was processed recently on the TV news. '

  -   We just have the radio at the residence. But you won't miss the opportunity to explain it to me with a load of details. '

  -   Well, it's a new scientific discipline that was formed at the junction between physics, chemistry, biology and psychology. It studies all that has reference to the art of cooking : what chemical reactions occur durant the meat preparation, by what ways and in what order our taste buds interact with spaids and odorous molecules, and finally how our brain perceives and sorts these sensory pieces of information to give them a sense. Its two goals are on one side to understand preferance subtleties and other culinary byworks, and on the other side to elaborate totally new recipes or optimise these which already exist. But I talk, I talk, and I'm forgetting to bring in the next course.

The entrée was made up of king of hen eggs but with a brown-yellow colour and a thinly squashy consistency. It was what was called thousand years eggs. Traditionally, they were prepared by letting stand eggs in ash during at least two weeks. But with concentrate bases and thermostable oven, the process is a lot faster and checkable. The squirrel stew Matthias mentionned was every bit as scrumptious although cooked in a more conventional way, fried potatoes which accompanied it were perfectly swollen and crusty.

  -   To conclude on a lighter dish, I prepared sorbets. What flavour do you want : soft fruits or venison ? '

  -   I’ll leave you the meat ice cream, I reached my animal protein quota for today. '

Matthias took a cryostat on the sideboard and stuck out two frosty balls, of a cherry-red mixed to mauve, that he put down in Vivian's plate, before dishing up himself two balls of a well-cooked joint colour. She licked her chops as soon as she took the first mouthful.

  -   Neapolitan ice cream ! You won't be short of explaination on how you prepare it. '

  -   By cyclical variations of the temperature during the making of the sorbet, in order to obtain an alternation of cracking hoarfrost and mellow ice cream. It's really simple, once the subtlety is acquired.

After finishing her sorbet, Vivian shifted over towards Matthias.

  -   I think you can call me by my first name now. '

  -   I am reluctant to call people by thier first names since I don’t want to show disrespect. '

  -   Inviting me to a superb meal in the interest of apoligizing is hardly a case of disrespect. '

  -   OK, you’re perfectly right… er….Vivian. '

They left the table and Matthias collected the dishes to put them on the side board.

  -   I think my weighing machine will scowl at me for a week at least. ' sighed Vivian massaging her lightly potbellied belly. '

  -   Come on, it's not that terrible... we and you might weigh between 50 and 55 kg ? So we have the same Corporal Mass Index, about – he made a quick mental arithmetic – 18 to 20. I'm not sure for the procyonids but it's a normal value for mustelids. '

  -   It's still early ', she said looking out of the window. ' Do you mind if we do a short walk outside ? The woods roundabout appear to be magnificent and there is nothing better for digesting than a walk. '

  -   Sounds perfect for me. Wait for me in the hall, I need a few minutes to lock and turn on the lab alarm. '

When he reappeared on the steps, Vivian turned away quickly to hide her cluck from him. He sported a herringbone patterned yellow wool pullover sweater, perceptibly knitted by his grandmother, which brought out the thinness of his arms and his muscleless torso, with a threadbare elephant legs jeans. He heaved a sigh shruging his shoulders.

  -   It's useless to want to hide it, I know you must find my clothes totally has-been. '

  -   I'm far from making fun of you ! It's just that, when you asserted have the same CMI and consequently the same weight as me, I thought you were joking.

They were in the dusk and the trees which bordered the alley and were bathed in a bronze colour light. Vivian and Matthias walked side by side during several minutes dumbly, each one deep in thought and not knowing how to get the ball running. It was Matthias who made the first move and broke the silence.

  -   I finally took the time to read your poems and I congratulate you, they are really gorgeous. But why did you fill the letter with pheromons ? '

  -   I wanted to make you feel what I feel for you. It was obviously a fiasco. '

  -   To tell the truth, I found myself in a uneasy state i hope you don't mind. But it's certainly just assay mistake : what mass of pheromons did you impregnate the letter ? '

  -   Well... the powder was of analytical purity, so I weighted the least possible with the weighting machine available in the experimental works room. It might represent five micrograms. '

  -   Ouch, you put your back on it ! Usually, these molecules have effect with doses ten to hundred times less important. In addition, they couldn't escape from the plastic bag where the letter was preserved. I understand now why the symptoms I felt were so strong. '

  -   Why do you use the word '' symptoms '' ? Love isn't a disease, or else it's the most beatiful one ! '

  -   Whether it's a disease or not, I never lived it. I must confess you are the first person who fall in love for me. '

  -   Really ! ? You must be joking ! She exclaimed, more than surprised.

  -   I'm perfectly serious. During my high school years, I attended seduction games by my schoolmates as a bystander because this type of applied psychology didn't interest me at all. Further on my scientific studies, the huge male/female imbalance made pratically impossible any kind of heterosexual seduction. And now, I have no time to spare for this kind of activities. '

  -   Really ? However, what are you doing now but use a part of your so precious time to entertain me in the kindest possible way ? '

  -   I principally wanted to atone for my blunder and I think – all things considered – that I made it. '

  -   Judging from what you say, i suppose that you are still indecided about me. Do you want to tempt a little experiment to see throught it ? ' she said with a soupçon of mischievousness in her voice.

With two short strides, she drew away several footsteps from Matthias and looked back at him above her shoulder with a glimmer of tenderness in her eyes. Then suddently she swinged round on her heels and stood squarely in front of him, compelling him to stop for not crash into her. But before he could recover from his emotions, she has slipped her arms around his waist and hugged him tenderly, looking him in the eyes, their muffles nearly touching themselves.

  -   Vivian, what are you... '

He did not finsih his phrase, because Vivian put her muffle on his mouth murmuring an almost inaudile ' shh '. Then she phased it out to substitute it by her lips. He firstly opened his eyes wide because of the surprise, then relaxed gradually to finally hugged her in his turn while closing the eyes. When their lips parted, they both was blushing and regaining their breath.

  -   Then ? ' she asked.

  -   The experiment is conclusive ! ' he said with a large smile she did not know about him. It was his turn to be surprised by the peal of laughter of Vivian.

  -   Matthias, you’re priceless ! Come on, you can say it with a more conventional style... '

  -   I... I love you, Vivian. '

And he took the initiative in kissing her again.

A old wooden bench polished by time was found within a stone's throw. Vivian took along Matthias by the hand and they went sit down abreast. She let rest her head on his bony shoulder and  slipped her right arm around his waist. Matthias then enlaced Vivian's waist, and they lost themselves in the contemplation of copper coloured sheens from sun in the foliage.