Chapter 37: The Unexpected Connection: Classmates Reunited
“Today is the day for our company representation,” Oki said, adjusting her tie nervously. His hands were slightly shaking, betraying his calm facade. “Remember, this is a big opportunity for us.”
Rafta, glancing around at the team with a mixture of confidence and apprehension, added with a grin, “Good luck, everyone. And let’s make sure not to screw this up.”
Haari raised an eyebrow and shot back, “Look who’s talking. Remember, you were the one who nearly forgot the data sheets.”
“Hey, that was one time!” Rafta protested, his chuckle barely masking his own nerves.
“If we screw this up, Bose will definitely fire us,” Haari said seriously, his voice tinged with genuine worry. The mention of their boss's potential wrath cast a shadow over the group. “And I don’t want to be the one explaining why we failed.”
Oki nodded, his face a picture of concern. “Good point. Let’s stay focused. Good luck, everyone. Now, it’s time to head in.”
The team gathered their materials and walked towards the conference room, their footsteps echoing in the hallway. As they neared the entrance, Haari's face suddenly went pale. He froze, his eyes locking on one of the judges—Kaeya Yami.
Ashi, noticing the shift in Haari’s demeanor, asked, “Haari, are you okay?”
Haari swallowed hard and nodded, though his face remained ashen. “I’m fine. Let’s just get this over with.”
When their turn came, Haari tried to push his unease aside and took the lead in presenting their work. His hands shook slightly as he held the remote, but he spoke with conviction. The presentation went smoothly, and the judges nodded in approval. The team finished and left the room, their breaths a collective sigh of relief.
Outside, Ashi looked at Haari with concern. “What’s wrong, Kichiro-san? You seemed off during the presentation.”
“Nothing. I’m fine,” Haari said, though his tone was less convincing than he hoped. He cast a furtive glance back at the conference room.
Before Ashi could press further, a woman approached from behind and hugged Haari tightly. The team was taken aback. The woman was one of the judges.
“Ah, good evening, ma’am,” Oki said, trying to mask his shock. “We didn’t expect to see you here.”
“Good evening,” the woman said warmly, still hugging Haari. Her eyes sparkled with recognition. “Your presentation was quite impressive.”
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“Thank you, ma’am,” Oki replied, visibly relieved but puzzled.
“So, who wrote that presentation?” the woman asked, her gaze shifting to the team with a mix of curiosity and affection.
“We all contributed, but the main key points were prepared by Kichiro-san,” Oki explained.
The woman playfully tapped Haari on the shoulder. “Same as always, huh, Haari? Always the star student.”
Rafta, Oki, and Ashi exchanged bewildered looks. This was the first time they had heard someone use Haari’s first name so casually.
“You haven’t changed a bit,” the woman said with a nostalgic smile.
“You’re not much different yourself,” Haari replied, his tone softening. The warmth in his voice contrasted sharply with his earlier nervousness.
Ashi, unable to contain her curiosity, asked, “Did you two know each other?”
“Classmates?” Rafta, Oki, and Ashi exclaimed in unison, their surprise evident.
“Yes,” the woman said with a nostalgic smile. “We graduated from the same university. Haari was always the top of the class.”
“Oh, how rude of me,” the woman said suddenly realizing. “I haven’t introduced myself. My name is Kaeya Yami. It’s nice to meet you all.”
Oki quickly introduced his team. “My name is Oki Habi, and this is Rafta Densi and Ashi Nicawa. We’re friends of Kichiro-san. It’s nice to meet you too.”
Kaeya’s eyes twinkled with recognition. “The pleasure is mine. I’ve heard a lot about all of you. It’s great to finally put faces to the names.”
“You didn’t mention this,” Ashi said, looking at Haari with renewed curiosity. “Why didn’t you tell us?”
“I didn’t think it was relevant,” Haari said defensively. “Besides, it’s been years.”
Kaeya laughed. “You haven’t changed a bit, Haari. Still modest as ever.”
“Not much different from you either,” Haari said with a grin, the tension melting from his shoulders.
Ashi, still curious, asked, “Did you two stay in touch after graduation?”
Kaeya shook her head. “Not really. We lost touch after university. It’s nice to see an old friend again, though.”
Kaeya smiled. “I’ve heard a lot about your company. It’s great to finally put faces to the names.”
Rafta chuckled, trying to bridge the gap. “Well, we’re glad to hear that. It’s nice to meet you too.”
Oki stepped forward. “My name is Oki Habi, and this is Rafta Densi and Ashi Nicawa. We’re friends of Kichiro-san. It’s nice to meet you too.”
As the team and Kaeya walked together towards the cafeteria, the initial tension from the presentation seemed to melt away. The air was filled with a mix of relief and curiosity.
“So, Yami-san,” Ashi started, “what’s been keeping you busy since university?”
Kaeya’s eyes reflected the warmth of her memories. “Well, after graduation, I moved into the corporate world and eventually found my niche in project management. It’s been quite the ride.”
Oki, always eager to learn more, asked, “What’s the most interesting project you’ve worked on recently?”
Kaeya’s face lit up. “Oh, there was this one project where we had to implement a new customer relationship management system for a major client. It was challenging but incredibly rewarding. I love the problem-solving aspect of it.”
Ashi nodded appreciatively. “That sounds like a great experience. How did you end up as a judge for this competition?”
Kaeya shrugged modestly. “It was a natural progression, really. I’ve always been passionate about mentoring and giving back. When the opportunity came up to be a judge, I jumped at the chance. Plus, it’s always exciting to see what the new generation of talent is coming up with.”
As they entered the cafeteria, the team took a seat at a large table near the windows. Kaeya gestured for them to order their drinks and snacks. The atmosphere was relaxed, and everyone seemed to enjoy the break from the formal setting of the conference room.
To be continue.........