Oh. There’s already a crowd outside of the conference room. Wow. There are a lot of suits crammed into the small hallway, all talking animatedly over each other. My heart thuds in my chest as I take in the sight. I’ve never seen so many top-tier scientists and engineers gathered together in one place. I scan the people waiting, searching for familiar faces among the sea of strangers. Not that I want to see anyone in particular or anything. Many people my age who work here will remember what happened… and I’m trying to forget it.

Trying and failing.

Ivan nudges me forward, seeming to sense my hesitation. He takes a few steps ahead of me and weaves his way through the crowd, effortlessly dodging moving shoes and other animals. I follow him, grateful for his presence and confident that he won’t lead me astray.

Oh shit.

That’s when I see him — Kaito Nakamura, my former schoolmate.

A flutter of attraction stirs within me. His tall frame towers over the crowd, and his black hair is tousled, framing his angular face. His eyes sparkle when they meet mine, and my heart rate quickens as our gaze lingers for a moment. A tingle of anticipation runs through me as I take in the sight of him after all these years. Did I have a crush on him at some point? I probably did. I’ve had hundreds of crushes throughout my life, several recently.

Anyway, it doesn’t matter. I quickly shake it off. I’m here for business, not a trip down memory lane.

His eyes slide away, and my stomach drops. Memories of our past interactions flood my mind, and I wonder if he even remembers who I am. He must. I remember him being there when I was accused of cheating. But I’m probably just that girl who sat next to him in physics class and got all the answers right.

That’s right. I was the know-it-all before I was the cheater.

“Tilli, don’t let your nerves get to you,” Ivan whispers, returning to my feet. “You’re here for a reason, and you’ve worked hard to get where you are. Remember, focus on the task at hand.” Ivan’s golden eyes narrow as he watches Kaito from afar. “There’ll be time for distractions later.”

“Right,” I mutter, forcing my gaze away from Kaito to the meeting room.

I slip through the crowd, aware that some people are moving on and not staying in this room. This appears to be a transition time between the previous meeting and my upcoming one. Several people push past me, their paired animals at their feet. Someone’s fox brushes against my leg, so I move to the side…

And step straight into Kaito.