“And defend your thesis!” her teacher pointed out with a cheeky smile. “I am the President of the State Committee at your Faculty… but go on! Nothing ventured, as they say.” He cut himself off. “By the way, how about some champagne? It was your last exam today! My treat.” Without waiting for a reply, Konstantin Konstantinovich called a waiter over and ordered a bottle. “So, I am all ears. Why do I surprise you?”

“Do you know what they say about you at university? Among the students, I mean?”

“Hmmm… Not all of it, I bet.” Dina’s teacher stared at her with an attentive and expectant smile.

“What do you know?” asked Dina.

“Oh no! You started it so you ought to continue.”

“All right, I will.” She paused, as if summoning the courage. “Well, they say that by the end of the course there’s no female student left who hasn’t… well, you know.”

Konstantin Konstantinovich covered his face with his hands as he laughed. “Yes, yes, I’ve heard this. However…”

Dina interrupted him. “That’s not all. Half of them are then forced to have abortions.”

“Just one small correction,” Konstantin Konstantinovich interrupted, “no bimbos… They also say that I have a child in every year level.”

“I don’t find this funny.” Dina looked serious.

“Well, it depends,” He stopped laughing and looked at Dina. “So what do you find surprising?”

“What I heard about you does not match what I am seeing right now.”

“Really? What doesn’t match?”

“Firstly, you’re not such an idiot…”

Konstantin Konstantinovich chortled. “Well, well! An idiot, but not a complete idiot! Why, thank you!”

“Don’t interrupt me,” Dina rebuked him. “You’re intelligent and have a good sense of humor.”

“One can’t look at beautiful girls with these attributes?”

“One can look, I suppose, but not at every single one…”

The waiter arrived at this moment and began removing the two extra sets of cutlery, and arranging the appetizers on the table.

“Is it OK if I smoke?” asked Konstantin Konstantinovich, as he continued to stare at Dina with the same bewildered and surprised expression on his face.

“Yes, of course.”

“You do not approve of my lifestyle then?” he asked once the waiter had left.

“What do you think?”

Dina lowered her eyes and began inspecting her pearly nails shimmering in the candlelight. She felt awkward as it sounded like she was lecturing her teacher, who was a grown man and free to live the way he wants.

“I am beginning to fear that you came on this date with only one goal, and that is to lead me back onto the right path. Hmmm?”

“Oh dear,” thought Dina. “Now I’ve gone too far."

“No, that’s not true.” She stumbled over her words a little, but immediately regained her composure. “I came because I like you.” She was silent for a short time as if gathering her courage again. “The more I speak with you, the more interesting you become.” She looked up at him.

Surprise flashed across her teacher’s face, and he kept staring at Dina.

“Just don’t think that it will be the same with me as with all the other girls. You didn’t invite me to the movies and to dinner just for nothing, right?” Dina continued.

“No,” Konstantin Konstantinovich replied gravely.

“Well, you won’t get anywhere.”

“Get where?”

“Anywhere.”

“Can we have dinner at least?” He smiled. “I’m starving.”

Dina felt the tension drain away from his easy transition from a serious to joking tone, and said:

“Yes, we can have dinner.”

“Shall we start then? Bon appetit.”

“Bon appetit.”

They began eating their salads.

Konstantin Konstantinovich suddenly stopped. “Oh! The champagne! Where is our champagne?” he called to the waiter.