Tilli’s Second Chance – Chapter 5

The air in the meeting room buzzes with anticipation, and I fiddle nervously with my pen as I wait for Professor Nishimura to begin her presentation. Glancing around the room, I notice there’s still an empty seat beside me.

I guess no one wants to sit next to me, either?

I’m already starting this off on the right foot.

Just as Professor Nishimura clears her throat to start, the door slides open with a whoosh, and in walks a young woman. She’s late, but she doesn’t seem flustered; instead, she exudes an air of confidence. A person behind her offers a quick apology for making her late, explaining there had been an issue with her admissions badge.

“Sorry about that,” the young woman says, flashing a grin at the room as she takes the seat next to mine. I sit back and take a long look at her. She’s wearing a mix of eccentric and pop-culture inspired pieces that somehow come together to create a cohesive, eye-catching ensemble. I wish I could be half as stylish. She’s gotta be at least five or six years younger than me, and her style speaks to a boldness I envy.

I think I’m going to make her my new friend.

“All right, now that we’re all here, let’s get started,” Professor Nishimura says, and the room falls silent.

“Welcome, everyone, to this year’s spaceship design competition. You’re probably wondering what the theme this year is?”

She wiggles her eyebrows as she steps to the side and a screen comes to life with the words “Interior Designs for Ship Common Areas.”

Oh, really? I lean forward, anticipation fluttering in my chest.

“Our aim this year is to challenge you to create innovative interior designs for a ship’s common areas. This includes meeting spaces, galleys, recreation rooms, and exercise rooms. Teamwork and creativity are key components to your success in this competition.”

The weight of expectation is already settling on my shoulders. This is my chance to prove myself, to show that my passion for spaceship design is more than a fleeting interest. My brain spins up with ideas immediately, imagining the room and everything I could do to it.

“Each team must incorporate specific elements into their design, such as efficient use of space, adaptability, and a focus on both form and function,” Professor Nishimura adds, her eyes scanning the room. “However, I encourage you to think outside of the box. Push the boundaries of what we’ve done before. This is your opportunity to create something truly groundbreaking.”

As she speaks, a spark of excitement grows in my belly, and I glance over at the young woman next to me. She seems as eager as I am to dive into this competition, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.

“Remember,” Professor Nishimura concludes, “innovation and teamwork will be the keys to your success. I look forward to seeing what each one of you creates.”

As Nishimura whispers to one of her colleagues, murmurs grow in volume.

“Hey, I’m Tilli,” I say, extending my hand to the young woman next to me.

“Hiroko,” she replies, grasping my hand. “Nice to meet you.”

“Same here.” I already feel a sense of camaraderie between us. “I’m so excited about this. Spaceship design has always been my passion. You?”

“Same.” Hiroko’s eyes light up. “I’ve been obsessed with it since I was a kid. I used to spend hours doodling designs in my notebooks during class.”

“Me too,” I confess. Wow, there are other people like me? “My teachers hated it, but I couldn’t help myself.”

She rolls her eyes. “They were so adamant about us learning all the basics. None of them wanted to see us fly ahead.”

I nod. “True. True.”

She narrows her eyes at me. “I don’t recognize you. Were you in the class before me? Did you take a gap year?”

More like almost a gap decade. “Something like that.”

Her tablet buzzes. “Oh shit. I forgot to turn that off. Sorry.”

As she handles whatever is on the screen, I scan the room and my eyes fall on Kaito sitting across from us. A pang of unease shoots through me as I recall our encounter in the hallway. The way his gaze slipped from mine, like he didn’t want to be seen anywhere near me, turns my stomach.

“You okay?” Hiroko asks, noticing my sudden shift in mood.

“Uh, yeah,” I reply, trying to brush off my discomfort with a tight smile. “Just a little distracted, that’s all.”

The sound of Professor Nishimura’s voice quiets the room again.

“Sorry for the interruption, everyone. Okay, back to business.” I like her smile. She seems warm and easy to get along with. “Each of you will be paired with a mentor who will guide you throughout the competition,” she announces, her eyes scanning over the room. “The winner’s mentor will also receive a bonus at the end of the competition, so there’s something in it for everyone. We only have four spots for this team. This means that, unfortunately, some of you will either go to your second choice or go home.”

I swallow. My second choice is administration, which means never working on designs again or even going into space.

I need to pass.

My wandering attention span has taken a turn for the worse, landing on Riku. His eyes are locked in my direction — though rather than staring daggers as usual, it’s more of an entire armory he seems to be mentally hurling my way. His congenital hatred for all things related to my family is inspiring in its pettiness and longevity.

I offer Riku a sarcastic smile and wave, which seems to incense him even further. Honestly, he should watch that blood pressure of his. All this prolonged rage and resentment can’t be good for one’s health. Riku may cling bitterly to the past, but I have better things to do than dwell on his issues. There are spaceships to build, and no time for small-minded vendettas.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Hiroko asks again, her concern evident in her tone.

I force a smile, trying to conceal my anxiety. “Yeah, just thinking about the mentorship thing,” I lie. “I’m curious about who we’ll get paired with.”

Please not Riku. Please not Riku. Please not Riku.

If I get Riku, I’m screwed.

“Me too,” she says, turning to face the rest of the room. “But whoever it is, we’ll make an amazing team.”

I chuckle. I like her confidence. “Definitely. You’ll do fine,” I agree, nodding with forced enthusiasm.

Professor Nishimura lists off the mentor-student pairs, and the room buzzes with anticipation. Each announcement brings a mix of cheers and groans from the students as they discover their fate.

My heart pounds in my chest. Who will my mentor be? My fingers tap on the table while I wait for my name to be called, and I steel myself for whatever comes next.

“Next up, Hiroko Jansen,” announces Professor Nishimura. “Your mentor will be Riku Saito.”

A flicker of annoyance crosses Hiroko’s face, though she tries to hide it as she glances over at me. “Great,” she mutters under her breath, “just what I need — Mr. Know-It-All himself.” She rolls her eyes, and I can tell she’s had her fair share of dealing with Riku.

Oh… Oh wait…

“Last but not least,” continues Professor Nishimura, “Tilli Kimura, you will be paired with Kaito Nakamura.”

Shit. I knew his name hadn’t been called yet.

My stomach drops, and I glance across the room to where he sits. His eyes meet mine for a moment before he looks away, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. I struggle to maintain a neutral expression. How am I supposed to work with someone who can’t even look at me?

“All right, everyone.” Professor Nishimura claps her hands together. “Take a few minutes to get acquainted with your mentors and discuss your plans for the competition. Remember, innovation and teamwork are key.”

Hiroko leans closer and whispers, “You know, they say Kaito is a genius with spaceship design. You’re really lucky.”

“Maybe,” I murmur back, forcing a smile. But try as I might, I can’t kick this feeling in my gut that this won’t end well. Can we bury the hatchet and play nice? Or is this another headache to deal with on my already long, crazy road?

The room shifts as everyone moves to meet their mentors, the hum of conversation growing louder. I glance around, trying to find Kaito in the sea of faces. He’s whispering with Professor Nishimura, nodding at whatever she says.

I can already tell this is going to be uncomfortable.

“Um, Tilli?” Kaito’s voice is quiet when he finally approaches, his eyes not quite meeting mine. “I’m sorry for being standoffish with you in the hallway earlier. I was just surprised to see you, that’s all.”

The apology catches me off guard, causing a flicker of surprise to pass through me. I force a smile, shrugging away the uneasiness in my belly. “It’s fine. I completely understand.” I hope my voice sounds more confident than I feel. “We all have off days.”

“Thanks.” His strained smile warms his eyes. He’s thawing a bit. “So, we’re partners now. I’ll do my best to help you in the competition, but the onus will be on you to do most of the work. Do you think you can handle it?”

The hair on my neck stands up. “Yeah,” I say, puzzled. “I mean, I want this to be my job someday. If I can’t handle the competition, then I can’t handle the job.”

What is he insinuating? Does he already think I’m a flake? It’s been a long time, but we were direct competitors in the Academy. He knows I’m smart.

“Good.” He nods once, seemingly satisfied. “Let’s make the most out of this situation, shall we? We should talk about our schedules, and when we can meet next.”

“Oh, excuse me,” says a young man, butting into our conversation. “I have all the contracts and legal documents you need to sign.” He inserts his tablet between Kaito and me, causing me to step back and take the tablet into my hands. Kaito waits patiently.

“Just a sec,” I tell him, scrolling down the screen. A non-disclosure agreement, a code of conduct, privacy statement, terms of use for all the equipment, blah blah blah. I scroll and scroll and sign at the bottom, pressing my hand to the screen when it calls for my palm print. Fine. Whatever. I’m here to work, so I’ll sign just about anything.

I hand off the tablet and pull out my own.

Opening my calendar, I show it to Kaito. “You wanted to talk schedules? Mine’s wide open, as you can see.”

He narrows his eyes. “You don’t have a job you need to go to? Lots of people who take gap years work.”

“No. I live at home, and they don’t charge rent.” I shift my eyes from his and futz with my bag. “So, if we need to work together, we’ll have to do it someplace else.”

Kaito is silent before I look up at him. He runs his hand through his hair and it’s even messier than before. He probably has no idea how hot that is.

What is wrong with you, Tilli?

“I see. Well, we’ve been assigned a study library here. I’m sure they updated your badge, which means you can come and go as you please.”

Just past Kaito, Riku is watching me with an undeniable air of superiority. His eyes gleam with malicious intent, and I can almost see the wheels turning in his head as he plots how to spoil my chance. I clench my fists around the fabric of my bag, frustration bubbling up inside me.

“Hey.” Kaito’s voice pulls me back into the present, and I realize I’ve drifted off in thought. “You seem a bit… distracted.”

“Sorry,” I mutter, forcing my focus back to him. “Thinking about the competition, I guess.”

“Understandable.” He gives me a small, sympathetic smile. “It’s going to be on your mind for the next four weeks, so get used to it. I’ll be with you every step of the way.”

But despite Kaito’s words, I can’t shake the feeling that he won’t be as invested in this partnership as I am. And with Riku working against me, failure is an all-too-likely outcome. I don’t like my odds.

Hiroko’s colorful outfit catches my eye as she approaches, her brightly colored hair swaying with each step. She wears a lighthearted smile that helps me forget the tension in the room.

“Hey, Tilli,” she says, her voice a lively melody. I like her already. “Wanna grab some coffee?” She checks the clock on the wall. Just after four-thirty P.M. “It’s still early. Riku has given me a ton of reading to do before tomorrow.” She rolls her eyes.

I shrug. “Sure. I can always go for more coffee.” I turn to Kaito. “Do you have reading for me to do?”

He shakes his head, the ghost of a smile haunting his lips. “Nope. I’m sure you’ve got it covered.”

“Of course I have it covered.” My tone is simple and matter-of-fact. This is my life, and I’m ready to live it. “Ivan! I’m heading out!” I call towards the bookshelf.

Ivan unfurls his body, stretches, and yawns before jumping down to meet me.

“I’ll have our room set up for tomorrow by six in the morning. Come any time. Scan your hand at reception and they’ll show you where to go, like today. The room monitoring system will alert me when you arrive.” He nods as he leaves the room before us, Max on his heels.

Okay. I can handle all business, if that’s the way he’s going to be.

I have a job to do, anyway.