Luckily, I’m saved as the man we’re waiting for pops into the meeting. “Mara, Nathan, Miss”—he squints at the screen—“Minami. So sorry I’m late.”
The man is younger than I’d pictured. He’s maybe late twenties? It’s hard to tell with the dim lighting. But I canmake out a strong jawline, sharp cheekbones, and thick, curly dark hair.
“Not to worry, Theo. We haven’t started yet,” Mara says. “I appreciate you stepping in on such late notice. I know you were traveling, but there wasn’t anyone else available to fill in and?—”
“No need to explain, Mara. I’m always happy to help.” His voice is a low, steady rumble. “You had the perfect timing when you called. I’d just checked in. One second...” He stands and flicks on a lamp. “That’s better.”
As he reappears on the screen, the lighting hits him full force. The “just checked in” is literal. His eyes are bloodshot, rimmed with heavy shadows. The nape of his neck and jaw are coated with a day’s worth of stubble. His navy sweater is slightly rumpled. However, despite his appearance, his blue eyes are bright with focus. “Enough about me. We’re here to speak with Miss Minami.”
Mara’s cheeks flush light pink and she introduces the two engineers—Nathan and Theo—and herself again.
The first questions from Mara and Nathan are standard fare—my career motivations, academic background, and why I want to work for Excelsior Parks.
I relax as I talk about my passion for physics and roller coasters and how it led me to pursue a hybrid civic- and structural-engineering degree.
Theo listens without interrupting, occasionally jotting notes on a tablet. When we move to my portfolio, he finally looks up fully.
“Your designs are interesting. I’d like to focus on your hyperloop prototype. I’ve noticed you opted for an electromechanical braking system. Given the speeds involved, we’d typically use a pneumatic system instead to distribute the force more evenly and provide a cleaner fail-safe if the power cuts out. What was your reasoning here?”
I close my eyes briefly and picture the schematics—the silver cradle, the magnetic suspension, the web of sensors beneath the shell.
I take a deep breath and open my eyes. “A pneumatic system has a higher risk of failure if even one component is damaged. I opted for the electromechanical system because it includes built-in backups. They’ll activate if anything goes wrong and will isolate the failures instead of cascading them.”
Theo and Nathan nod, jotting down a few notes.
“For example, in a power-out scenario,” I continue, “the backup generator supplies enough power for a controlled, safe stop. My design choice prioritizes guest safety, which as you all know, is one of Excelsior Parks’ key tenets.”
Theo’s gaze sharpens. “A controlled deceleration to a full stop on a backup system,” he repeats slowly, like he’s testing the edges of the idea. “And hypothetically speaking, what would you do if that system failed?”
My pulse is still spiking. In all my lab models, there were never any failures. The electromechanics brakes always held. I gaze up at Theo, who is watching me with curiosity. Is he testing me?
“If we’re considering a worst-case scenario, you’ll notice that I’ve designed the track to work with us. I’ve included permanent magnetic fins at the terminal end. They create an automatic, invisible drag—eddy currents—that would bring the pod to a safe stop even if the entire park lost power.
His eyebrows twitch. Bingo. Itisa test.
And just to show that I actuallyunderstandthe physics of his world, I add, “A pneumatic system in that samescenario? Without air pressure or power? That’s just a runaway train. Which is exactly why I designed my coaster the way I did.”
He just gives a single, slow nod, his attention fixed on me a second too long before he looks back at his tablet. “Thorough,” he murmurs. “Expensive to build but... thorough.” He clears his throat and shifts his focus. “Thank you, Miss Minami.”
Yes!A surge of triumph courses through me. For the first time since the interview began, I’m not just answering questions—I’m being seen. And more importantly, I’m on fire right now! Nothing can bring me down. “Do you have any more questions?” I ask.
“No, I think we’ve gotten everything we need,” Nathan says. “Theo?”
“Likewise.”
“In that case, we appreciate your time today, Kaori. We’ll be in touch with our decision in a few weeks,” Mara says.
As the screen finally fades to black, I jump out of my chair and do a happy dance that’s on-par with Hugh Grant inLove Actually.
I’ll let you in on a little secret—Even with years of classical Japanese dance and ballroom training behind me, I still can’t dance. My brain can derive complex equations, but my body can’t hold on to a single bit of choreography. What I’ve perfected over the years is to, one, let your partner lead you, and two, if all else fails, rock back and forth and fake it ’til you make it.
As the adrenaline drains out of me, my mind is already racing ahead. As good as I feel about Excelsior Parks, nothing is a given. When I was applying to colleges, Ithought I’d nailed every interview. It never crossed my mind that I’d receive any rejections.
But in the end, Stanford, Berkeley, CalTech, and Michigan all sent the dreaded “too many qualified applicants” form letter. Which was fine, honestly—MIT was my first choice anyway.
Over the next few days, between the whirlwind of graduation, I have a handful of interviews with East Coast firms. They’re safe choices—companies that would let me stay close to the life I’ve built here. I’ll take whatever job I’m offered to get my foot in the door, but deep down, I’m crossing my fingers that the Excelsior interview pans out.
It’s the future I want. Even if it means moving across the pond.
