Tilli’s Second Chance – Chapter 7

For the next few days, Kaito continues his work while I research and sketch. He’s a very intense guy, his hand hovering over the holographic blueprints, his fingers pinching and dragging the virtual elements with practiced precision. He’s the same way with these tools as I am with my pencil and paper. I watch as he meticulously aligns a design he’s working on for his job. His attention to detail is almost poetic.

Ah. There he goes again, brow furrowed in concentration, completely lost in his own engineering world. Watching Kaito sketch ship specs is better than any romantic movie. The way his eyes light up when inspiration strikes, hands flying over the screen to capture some new idea before it escapes? Honestly, it’s a miracle I get any work done with that level of distraction just across the room.

Not that I’m complaining. If this is the view I get to enjoy for the foreseeable future, there’ll be no objections from me. Sorry, were we in a meeting just now? I was distracted by the way his fingers tap that stylus. And is it getting hot in here or is it my imagination?

Yep, I’ve got it bad.

And it’s probably one-sided. Sigh. What the hell am I doing?

He looks over at my sketch. “Your work is quite impressive. The way you blend aesthetics and functionality is fascinating.”

“Thanks,” I reply, biting my lip, taken aback by the praise. My heart swells, yet I remain cautious. However, if he were to drop even the slightest hint of interest in me, I would jump him in a heartbeat. “I think your engineering expertise has really complemented my designs well, too.” I groan as I realize my neck is locked up.

Looking at the clock, I’m surprised to find it’s almost two in the afternoon, and we haven’t eaten yet. On cue, my stomach grumbles loud enough for both Ivan and Max to hear. Kaito laughs.

“I think we should take a break for lunch.” He stands up and stretches. I catch a glimpse of his stomach when his shirt lifts, and suddenly, my sex-drive kicks up a gear.

Well, if he weren’t mentoring me, he would be the perfect guy. We have similar interests. He’s kind and forgiving, willing to put the past in the past. I’d love to know more about him though, before letting my libido get the better of me.

He leans over and pulls a bento box from his bag. I laugh.

“What?” he asks, a smile playing at the corner of his lips. “I always pack a lunch, if I can. Eating out is time consuming when I’m on nothing but deadlines.”

I reach into my bag, pull out my bento box, and slide it onto the table next to his. This time it’s his turn to laugh.

“Great minds…” he says, and then sighs. He suddenly seems melancholy. “I just realized I’ve been an ass for abandoning you at lunch every day this week. Sorry. Why don’t we eat out in the courtyard? There are lots of open tables there, and we missed the usual lunch rush at noon. I need to grab a green tea from the vending machine in the lobby. Do you want one?”

“Yeah, sure.” I open my bag and fish around for a coin. I don’t usually carry cash on me when almost everything is virtual, but I don’t want to short him.

“Oh no.” He waves my money away. “I’ve got it.”

Max jumps up from his spot and woofs at Kaito. “Yeah, sure. Come on,” he says to Max. “I’ll meet you outside, Tilli.”

The door clicks shut, and I’m left alone in the silence. It’s a stark contrast to the energy that filled the room moments ago.

I turn my attention back to my sketches spread across the table. Our work together has given me a newfound confidence, but I can’t shake the lingering doubts that whisper at the edges of my mind. I’m missing something. There’s a piece to this puzzle I haven’t seen yet.

And there’s Kaito. Can I really trust him? Can I trust myself?

I stretch out my neck. Whatever. I just have to keep at this.

“Come on, Ivan. Let’s get some fresh air.”

The sun sits high in the sky, casting its warm glow on the courtyard where Kaito and I sit down for lunch. The vibrant colors of our bento boxes contrast against the dark gray table. A gentle breeze tickles my skin, carrying with it the scent of jasmine from the garden around the corner.

“Did you grow up around here? This neighborhood?” I ask, picking at a piece of seaweed-wrapped rice.

“Somewhat,” Kaito replies, his eyes squinting from the sun’s glare. “I spent most of my childhood on the north side of town, but I moved here when I started working for the agency. I have a one-bedroom apartment in the Rising Sun Suites.” He points west. I know the place. Plenty of people I went to school with have apartments there.

“Ah, that makes sense,” I nod, taking a bite of my food. “Of course, you know where I live.” I shrug. When your dad was the mayor for a long time, everyone knows your business.

“I do.” He eats a sausage from his meal, chewing and humming at the same time. He filled his bento box with neatly organized rows of vegetables and rice, with a side of fried sausages and a drizzle of teriyaki sauce. I wonder if he makes it himself.

“Everyone does.” I try not to sound grumpy, but it’s impossible. Once Dad ran for mayor, our entire world became public knowledge. It was the worst.

“Everyone did,” he emphasizes, a slight smile playing on his lips. “Your dad’s retired now. Anyway, my parents were teachers, so I guess you can say we both come from families who value hard work.”

“I can see that.” A warmth spreads through me as I realize we share this common ground.

As we continue eating, Kaito leans back in his chair, a more relaxed expression on his face. “Actually, Max has played a big part in keeping me focused and grounded throughout my career,” he says, referring to his Akita.

“How did you two meet?” I love hearing the stories of how people meet their pairs. I sip my green tea as he reaches out to scratch Max’s head.

“Four years ago, I was visiting an animal shelter with a friend. Max was there, and the moment we made eye contact, I knew we were meant to be together. He opened his mouth and words came tumbling out.” He laughs. “What a magical experience. You know how it is.”

I smile. “I do. I felt the same way when I met Ivan six years ago. It was like finding the missing piece of my soul.” I pause, recalling the day I found my grumpy Russian blue cat. “He was sitting on a ledge, looking down at me like he’d been waiting for me all along.”

“Isn’t it amazing how our pairs can change our lives for the better?” Kaito says, his eyes distant with fond memories.

“Absolutely.”

Feeling more at ease with Kaito, I decide to open up about my past. “You know, after failing that test to get into the Interstellar Agency —”

“You didn’t fail,” he interrupts. “You passed with flying colors. Top one percent.”

I blink a few times as I watch him destroy the side salad he packed.

“How do you know that?” I press my hand to my chest. “I didn’t know that. They never told me my grade.”

He wipes his mouth and closes the napkin in his empty box. “I asked a few days ago, after I was assigned you.” He sighs as he rubs his face. There’s already a shade of stubble across his cheeks. “I remembered the accusations and the rumors from back then, the shocked look on your face as they escorted you from the building. And I wanted to make sure you were qualified before I sunk my time into this.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “You thought I was going to be a waste of your time.”

I don’t know why that hurts. It shouldn’t. Kaito is a practical man — a wickedly smart, competent, practical man. He should be protective of his time and energy.

“I was wrong. Obviously.” The humor in his voice relaxes me. He laughs. “Look, I may have an IQ off the charts and a promising career ahead of me,” he says, putting up air quotes and rolling his eyes. “But I am often wrong and not afraid to admit it.”

I lift my bottle of green tea. “You might be the ideal man. Don’t join a dating site or you’ll be flooded with requests.”

This causes him to tilt back his head in a hearty laugh. I like his laugh. “Don’t tell that to my mother or she’ll have me signed up to every one of them before nightfall.”

So, he’s single. I drink my tea to cover my smile.

“Well, what I was going to say before I was so rudely interrupted was that I tried starting a few businesses of my own during those interim years.” I twist the top on my bottle. “None of them did well.”

“Really? What kind?” he asks, his interest piqued.

“Oh, the list is a kilometer long. Mostly tutoring services until those leads dried up.” I take a deep breath, feeling vulnerable as I reveal this part of myself. “Then catering, and then finally a pet accessories business that got me into trouble with the Hiyukis.”

He sits forward. “You got in trouble with the mob?”

“Yes,” I say, lifting my hands. “I’m lucky to have all of my fingers.”

“Tilli.” His voice is serious.

I shrug. “I had nothing left but Ivan and my family. If Suri hadn’t paid them off, I wouldn’t be here today.”

I’ve put three years between me and that mess, and I can finally look back at it and not have a panic attack.

“I lost pretty much everything when I got kicked out of the Academy and sent home for cheating. You can see why this means so much to me.”

He nods slowly, his eyes focused far off.

“I…” He stops for a long moment, his fingers drumming on the table. Something about him is wrong, like he’s upset. But whatever it is, he shakes it off. “I think you have a real chance now, if you can just focus on something that will make the judges take notice.”

“Easy for you to say,” I mutter, looking down at my half-eaten bento box. “You’re one of the top designers at the agency.”

I raise my gaze to meet his, seeing sincerity in his eyes.

“What do you need to stay inspired?” he asks. “How can I help you?”

My mouth is dry, and my tongue refuses to work. Kaito is not what I expected at all. Back in school, he was a quiet guy, a bit nerdy and definitely an introvert. This is not the boy who did that cool flame experiment that demonstrated the principles of a Rubens’ Tube and then didn’t talk to anyone for a week after. He won the science fair with that one, but he didn’t seem to care.

He’s grown up.

And after spending a week watching his hands work, I’m sure he’s really damned good in bed, too. Like, fantastic at it.

“Wait. I know.” He holds up his hands, and my belly squeezes. “You said it before. You’re inspired by looking back. You said it’s helpful to explore older designs for inspiration.”

“Sure,” I say, finding my voice again. “There’s often something valuable in revisiting the past, even if it’s just to see how far we’ve come.” I drink more green tea because my mouth is as dry as the desert.

“Then let’s do that,” Kaito says with enthusiasm. “We can look through the reference library together, find inspiration from past innovations, and build on them for this competition.”

“Okay, sure.”

“Let’s go now, and then we’ll get back to work.”

Descending into the basement reference library, I’m struck by the sheer size of the room. The walls are lined with compression shelving, preserving countless old spaceship blueprints and design books. Kaito walks beside me, his casual stride exuding confidence.

“Wow,” I murmur, awestruck by the treasure trove before us. “I had no idea this place was so huge.”

“Isn’t it incredible?” Kaito grins, nodding toward the shelves. “These compression systems keep everything safe and tucked away until we need them.”

As we search for older ship designs, excitement buzzes in my chest in this quest for inspiration. With each blueprint we find, I grow more confident in my abilities. How could I have let fear hold me back for so long?

“Hey, Tilli!” a familiar voice calls out, the playful tone unmistakable.

Hiroko weaves through the stacks of books towards us, her colorful outfit a stark contrast to the muted surroundings. We’ve grabbed coffee together a few times this week, and I already consider her a friend.

“Hi!” I greet her, glad for the company. “What brings you down here?”

“Looking for a specific book on spaceship design,” she replies, her eyes scanning the shelves. “You know how it is — always trying to stay ahead of the curve.”

“Yeah, I do.” I chuckle at our shared pursuit of knowledge. We’re very similar. “Kaito and I are doing the same thing.”

“Looks like we’re on the same quest.” Hiroko glances at Kaito with a nod of acknowledgment. “Good luck with your search!”

The sudden sound of Riku’s voice cuts through the air, making my heart skip a beat. Ugh. Why must he always be around?

“What a surprise.” His sneer is turned up to full, his eyes darting between Kaito and me. “The dynamic duo, hard at work.”

“Riku,” I reply, trying to keep my voice steady. It’s impossible not to feel the jealousy radiating off him, threatening to poison the surrounding atmosphere.

“Looking for some cheat materials, Tilli?”

I press my lips together, hoping his accusations will stop if I just don’t say anything.

When I don’t answer, he smiles. “Need a hand, Hiroko?” he asks, ignoring me and focusing on her instead. There’s an unmistakable edge in his tone that makes me clench my fists.

“Thanks, but I think I’ve got it covered,” Hiroko replies, her voice cool and casual.

“Come on, Tilli, let’s get back to work,” Kaito interjects, sensing my growing discomfort. Riku’s very presence causes my anxiety to shoot sky high. I want to punch him every time I see him. Kaito glances at me before turning to face Riku. “We all have deadlines, right?”

“Of course.” Riku forces a smile. With that, he turns on his heel and stalks away, leaving a trail of tension in his wake.

As soon as Riku is out of earshot, Hiroko leans in close and whispers, “Don’t let him get to you. He’s just jealous because he knows you and Kaito are a force to be reckoned with.”

“Thanks,” I murmur. I need to remember that Riku’s envy doesn’t define me — my skills and determination do. His actions say more about him than they do about me.

“Besides,” she continues, her voice brightening, “I heard the funniest story about Riku the other day. Apparently, he tried to impress a girl by claiming he could levitate objects with his mind.” She rolls her eyes dramatically, making me chuckle despite the lingering unease.

“Really?” I ask, leaning against the wall.

“Yep,” Hiroko confirms, grinning. “And when she asked him to prove it, he ‘accidentally’ knocked over a vase and blamed it on his ‘overwhelming psychic energy.'”

I bend forward in a hearty laugh. “Sounds like something he’d do.” The mental image of Riku floundering in his attempt at flirtation is enough to lighten my mood considerably.

“Exactly,” Hiroko agrees, her laughter mingling with mine. “So don’t worry about him, okay? Hey. Why don’t we all go out for dinner tonight? It’ll be a nice change of pace from working non-stop.”

“Oooh, I like this idea.” The thought of spending more time with my newfound friends brings a smile to my face. “We could go to Izakaya Tanaka. My sister Myra works there. The food is amazing, and it’s not too far from here.”

“Perfect!” Hiroko exclaims, clapping her hands in excitement. She glances at Kaito, who’s been standing a bit apart from us, lost in thought. “Kaito, you should come too.”

“Uh, sure,” he agrees, his eyes meeting mine. “I could use a night out.”

“Me too,” Riku interjects, returning to our group. His tone is casual, but I can sense the underlying tension as he invites himself along.

I hesitate, my enthusiasm dampened by Riku’s presence. But before I can voice my doubts, Kaito speaks up. “The more the merrier, right? We’re all working together, so why not enjoy some downtime together?”

His words are meant to reassure me, and they do, to an extent. Still, a pang of unease hits me in the chest. If Riku acts like a jerk, I will not be able to hold back telling him so.

“Okay, fine,” I say, trying not to show my reluctance. “Let’s meet at Izakaya Tanaka around seven?”

“Seven it is,” Hiroko confirms, shooting me an encouraging smile. She walks away to get back to work, Riku following behind her. Great. A lingering sense of disquiet sits heavy in my stomach.

“Hey,” Kaito says softly, pulling me aside as the others depart. “I know Riku can be a pain, but maybe if we all spend some time together, he’ll warm up and stop being such an asshole.” His hand rests on my shoulder, a comforting weight.

“Maybe.”

Kaito’s pretty optimistic, even though my own doubts linger. His confidence, however, makes me want to trust him.

Can I trust him?