Chapter 2
Two
My brain has officially switched into graduation mode, and for the first time in months, I actually have stretches of time to myself. This morning, I didn’t have to set an alarm. I slept in until eight. And it was glorious. In a perfect world, I wouldn’t be up before ten if I could swing it.
Now I’m propping my laptop on the kitchen counter, still dressed in the oversized MIT hoodie and shorts I’ve worn for three straight days. I may have a wardrobe full of designer gowns and sensible pantsuits, but I’m a jeans-and-hoodie girl at heart.
I tug open the fridge and pull out a container of leftover spaghetti, debating if it’s still edible and whether it counts as linner when my laptop screen lights up with an incoming call.
A moment later, Princess Alice’s face fills the frame. We’ve been friends since we were in diapers, a side effect of both our fathers attending Trinity College at Cambridge. Twenty years later, not much has changed. Our families try to connect at least once a year.
The last time I saw Alice was about a year ago when she visited Japan on her first solo engagement representing her father.
But tonight, she’s not in “princess mode.” She’s dressed in loungewear, her blond hair thrown up in a messy bun.
She’s curled on her plush velvet sofa. “Cheers, Kaori!” She toasts me with a mug that says Future Structural Engineer.
“So, how does it feel?” she asks.
I blink. “How does what feel?”
“To officially be done with uni and be a real engineer, silly.”
“Nothing is official yet,” I say, setting the spaghetti down and pulling a plate from the dishwasher. “But it is a relief that I can finally focus on roller coasters instead of worrying about Spanish 21. Honestly, I’m still mad I ended up with a B.”
“You’re not alone. Learning a language is bloody hard! And I don’t even have to take any. Thank goodness.” She chuckles. “But I am jealous that you’re done. I can’t wait to get out into the real world.”
“Your last two years will go a lot faster than you think. Enjoy the ride.”
“That’s what Art tells me too,” Alice says. Arthur is Alice’s boyfriend of about a year. He was once her bodyguard and is now a member of the London Metropolitan Police’s mounted division.
“So, I’ve been dying to ask,” Alice says. “How did your interviews go this week?”
I focus on scooping spaghetti onto my plate like it’s suddenly the most fascinating task in the universe. “They went well. At least I think they did.”
I take her through the highlights of the last three days. I’d talked to a heavy-hitter firm in New York that specializes in bridge suspension and a smaller boutique firm in DC that focuses on urban infrastructure. They were both safe, entry-level bets. But neither was anything to write home about.
Alice raises an eyebrow over the rim of her mug. “I thought you were going after firms that specialize in theme-park attractions.”
I shake my head, focusing on the leftover spaghetti. “There aren’t that many. And most of the firms I looked at would only consider candidates with a few years of industry experience. So I thought I’d be safer if I cast a wider net.”
“Did you apply to any internships, then?” she asks, taking a sip from her mug.
“No. But I did have an interview with Excelsior Parks.”
Alice sits up taller. “Oh, I’ve heard of them. They specialize in coasters, don’t they?”
“They do.” I grin.
“And you didn’t lead with that because . . .?”
“Getting the job is a long shot,” I answer honestly. “I felt on top of the world right after the interview. But then I went down a Reddit rabbit hole.”
“Kaori,” she shouts.
I pinch the bridge of my nose and nudge my glasses up a few centimeters. “I know. I shouldn’t have. But you can’t blame me.”
“I can’t. Because if I were in your position, I’d do the same thing.” Alice sighs, sinking back against the couch. “What did you find?”
“Excelsior Parks is selective when it comes to offering interviews. Rumor has it they do about a hundred a year for . . . wait for it . . .” I pause dramatically. “One to two positions.”
“Well, it’s a rumor for a reason. Anybody can post on Reddit. They could be wrong,” she emphasizes.
“Maybe. But my gut tells me they’re not.”
“Well, let’s say it is true. Statistically, on paper, the odds may be stacked against you, but I wager that you managed to shine during your interview.
” Alice leans in closer to the screen. “Whenever you start on about roller coasters, you’re passionate to the point that you’ve almost had me convinced a few times that I should switch my course from structural to civic engineering. ”
She laughs. “Passion like that isn’t something you can fake. It’s your strength. And I’m sure whoever interviewed you saw that. And in the end, it’ll make you stand out against all the other applicants.”
“I hope you’re right, Alice,” I say softly. “I can’t see myself being happy working anywhere else.”
“When will you know?”
“In a few weeks. Which is probably for the best,” I say with a tired sigh. “There’s a lot I need to take care of before my parents arrive for graduation. Plus, I have those Zoom calls for United Voices tomorrow.”
“I never had a chance to thank you for that!” Alice says, her face lighting up. “Our Kindness Ambassadors are going to be so excited to talk to you. It’s been hard keeping it a secret from them.”
I smile. “I wish you’d asked sooner. You’re doing so many amazing things with your foundation. I’m so proud of you. I wish I were more like you.”
And I mean it. In fact, it makes me hyperaware that I should be doing more. Unlike Alice, who built United Voices from the ground up, I don’t have a clear platform of my own. Yet.
While I make an effort to do monthly virtual appearances for my parents’ official charities, I feel disconnected from it all. I mean, I’m happy to support them, but it doesn’t feel like it’s enough. It’s just going through the motions—reading the script I’m given and smiling when I’m told to.
“You’re too hard on yourself, K,” Alice says. “You’re doing plenty.”
“Not really, but thanks for saying so.”
A small ping from my laptop cuts through our conversation at the same moment the microwave beeps. Normally, I’d ignore my emails until later, but my breath catches when I see who it’s from before the notification vanishes—Excelsior Parks.
My stomach does a slow, dizzying flip. It’s only been three days since the interview. Mara said it would take a few weeks, not days.
“Kaori?” Alice leans closer, frowning. “What’s going on?”
“I just got an email from them.”
“Them who? One of the companies you applied for?”
I nod.
Alice leans in, her eyes wide with anticipation. “Well. Don’t keep the audience waiting. Open it,” she urges.
“I want to, but what if it’s a ‘thank you for applying, but we’ve gone with another candidate.’”
“Then at least you’ll know and you can move on,” Alice says firmly. “But K, remember, you’re an MIT engineer who’s graduating magna cum laude. If they passed on you, it’s their loss. Now, quit being a chicken and open the damn thing.”
My fingers hover over the track pad. My pulse is pounding in my ears as I minimize the video chat and click the mail icon. I take a deep breath.
My inbox loads. I click.
The email expands, filling the screen with the Excelsior Parks logo. My eyes scan the lines, searching for the words “regret to inform you” or “unfortunately.”
Instead, I see:
Congratulations. On behalf of the Excelsior Parks recruitment team, we are delighted to formally extend an offer of employment for the position of Junior Theme Park Attractions Engineer.
I read it twice, then a third time, just to be absolutely sure my eyes aren’t playing tricks on me.
A wide, uncontrollable smile spreads across my face.
I press a hand over my mouth as laughter bubbles up.
I’ve been offered the job. Not just a job.
My dream job. I’m going to be a theme-park engineer. A real one.
“Kaori! What does it say?” Alice’s voice is laced with anticipation.
“I got it,” I whisper, my voice cracking. “I got the job. They offered me the position.”
“Oh my gosh! Congratulations!” she squeals. “I knew you would! Their main office is in London, right? Eek, you’ll be so close to me! If you don’t mind a bit of a commute to central London, you can even move in with me and Art. We’ll be like sisters. Maybe we can even—”
I’m barely listening. My eyes are glued to the screen, scrolling past the salary details and the benefits package to the most important line:
Your skills and qualifications were noted as a perfect match for our newest American satellite office in Orlando, Florida.
A small wave of disappointment washes over me, taking my excitement down two notches. Orlando. Florida. A satellite office. Not London, where all the major flagship projects happen.
I slump back in my chair, picturing the two times I’ve visited Florida.
It was hot, humid, and wet. Basically, a Tokyo summer with more alligators.
I love warm weather, but I’m not built for the kind of humidity that turns my jet-black hair into a frizzy halo and makes a pantsuit feel like a sauna suit.
Still . . . this is a real engineering job that anybody else would kill for. And with my dream company, nonetheless. Every great adventure starts with something unexpected, right?
I let out a slow breath. “It’s Orlando. The job is in Orlando.
” I tap on the screen and pull the video chat box back up.
Alice’s face is filled with a momentary flash of pure disappointment, but she’s a professional optimist. She shifts gears instantly, leaning into the camera to put a positive spin on the news.
“Orlando is still nice. There’s loads of things to be excited about, like Disney World, Universal Studios, and amazing beaches with year-round sun. That’s something you’d never get here.”