The teacher continued explaining the project details, his voice commanding attention. "Now, as part of this collaboration, you'll meet the members assigned to your team from the other department. Proceed to the allotted rooms to begin your introductions and discussions."
Kiyoto glanced at Miyano, who gave a casual nod. "Well, this should be interesting," Miyano said, standing up.
Kiyoto's mind wandered as they walked. He wondered if he'd be able to get along with their new teammates. The thought of working with strangers made him uneasy, but then his gaze shifted to Miyano. As long as Miyano's with me, it should be fine, he reassured himself, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves.
As they reached the allotted classroom, a boy came running toward them, his excitement evident in his wide grin. "You must be the team from the other department!" he exclaimed, his voice animated as he adjusted his oversized glasses that kept slipping down his nose. "I've been waiting for you guys! This is going to be so much fun!"
"Let me introduce myself! I'm Homi Tomiyoka," he said enthusiastically, extending his hand toward Kiyoto with a bright smile.
Kiyoto hesitated for a moment before shaking his hand. "Kiyoto. Nice to meet you."
"I've heard quite a lot about you," Homi said with a wide smile, shaking Kiyoto's hand enthusiastically.
Before Kiyoto could respond, Miyano smoothly took Homi's hand and shook it firmly. "And I'm Miyano," he said with a calm smile.
"Oh, hello, Miyano-kun! You look so beautiful, like a princess," Homi said with genuine excitement.
Miyano froze for a moment, narrowing his eyes. "What!?" he exclaimed, clearly caught off guard.
Kiyoto couldn't hold back a small laugh, covering his mouth slightly to hide his amusement.
Homi quickly turned to Kiyoto, beaming. "And you also look so handsome, Kiyoto-kun!" he added, completely oblivious to Miyano's reaction.
"Okay, so where's the other team member?" Miyano asked, glancing around the room.
Homi adjusted his glasses and gave a nervous chuckle. "Oh, he's not here. Honestly, he rarely shows up to class. It's just how he is."
Miyano sighed. "Great start."
"Anyway," Homi continued enthusiastically, "let's not waste time. We can start the project work without him!"
"No, it's not right. Let's wait for him," Kiyoto interjected, his voice calm but firm.
Miyano glanced at Kiyoto and smirked. "So considerate, aren't we?"
Kiyoto shrugged. "It's a team project, after all."
Homi adjusted his glasses, looking between them. "Alright then, I guess we wait."
As they waited for their last teammate, Homi sighed dramatically. "I really don't think we should wait for him."
Miyano raised an eyebrow. "It's barely been two minutes! Relax, let's give him some time."
Homi adjusted his glasses, looking a little exasperated. "See, I doubt he's even going to join us or do any work. He barely shows up to class, and honestly, I don't think he's interested in studying at all."
Curious, Kiyoto asked, "Why do you say that?"
Homi hesitated for a moment, then leaned in slightly as if to share a secret. "His character... well, let's just say he's short-tempered. If someone crosses him, he doesn't just argue, he beats the crap out of them. Oh, uh, sorry for the language, but that's the truth."
"Okay, then let's start the project discussion," Miyano said, looking at Kiyoto and Homi. "If he comes, we'll just explain everything to him."
Kiyoto nodded, and Homi adjusted his glasses with a sigh. "Alright, let's dive into it."
Miyano glanced at the project brief. "The project is about design and business, right? We'll need to combine both aspects."
Kiyoto leaned in, tapping his fingers on the table. "We could focus on designing a product and creating a business model around it. We'll need to consider the market, target audience, and how to position it."
Miyano nodded, glancing between Kiyoto and Homi. "That works. So, Kiyoto and I can focus on the business side, figuring out the market strategy, branding, and how to make it profitable. Homi, you'll work on the design aspects. We'll need something eye-catching and practical."
Homi grinned. "Leave the design to me. I'll make sure it stands out."
Kiyoto added, "Once we have a rough idea, we can start refining it. We'll need to present our concept clearly to make a strong impression."
Miyano smiled. "Agreed, let's create something impressive."
After the discussion, as they began packing up their things, Homi couldn't help but laugh lightly. "See? He didn't show up," he said, shaking his head with a resigned but amused expression.
Miyano, with a hint of frustration but still determined, glanced around the room. "We can't just leave it like this," he muttered, feeling the pressure of the project mounting. "I'll go talk to him after class. He has to be here to contribute."
Homi leaned back in his chair with a casual shrug. "Good luck with that. He's hardly ever in class, and even when he does show up, he's not the easiest person to approach."
Kiyoto, who had been quietly observing the exchange, spoke up. "We shouldn't waste too much time hoping he shows up. Let's move forward with what we can do. If he comes, we'll fill him in. Otherwise, we'll handle it ourselves."
Miyano nodded thoughtfully, taking in Kiyoto's words. "Yeah, you're right. We can't let him slow us down. We've got a plan, and we need to stick to it."
There was a moment of quiet agreement between the group, a shared understanding that no matter what, they would keep pushing forward with the project. Even if their missing teammate didn't show up, they were determined to make progress.
The next day passed much the same way as the previous one—no sign of their missing teammate. They continued to work through the project, each of them focusing on their respective tasks.
Miyano, Kiyoto, and Homi sat together, surrounded by notes, sketches, and ideas. As they discussed the project, they found themselves bouncing ideas off each other, their thoughts flowing easily despite the absence of one member.
Miyano, focused as always, suggested a few changes to the business model they'd been working on. "What if we target a different market? It could open more doors for our product."
Homi nodded, adding, "I like that. We could redesign the packaging to fit that audience's tastes too."
Kiyoto chimed in, "And we should consider how to market it something fresh but simple. We don't want to overcomplicate things."
As they shared their thoughts, there was a moment of silence where they all seemed to consider each other's input. It felt like they were starting to understand each other's strengths and ideas more deeply.
By the end of the day, they decided to wrap up for now. Kiyoto gathered his things and headed to his next class, while Miyano was packing his bag. Just as he finished, he heard Homi rushing towards him, breathless.
"I saw him! I saw him near the parking lot!" Homi exclaimed, his words coming out in a rush.
Miyano's brows furrowed in confusion. "Seen whom?"
"Our teammate! He came today," Homi replied, his excitement evident.
Miyano stood still for a moment, processing the information. Then, without hesitation, he nodded. "Okay, I'll go and talk to him."
Homi's eyes widened. "Wait, are you sure about this?"
Miyano gave a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. I'll handle it. You stay here and let Kiyoto know when he gets back."
With that, Miyano quickly gathered his things and walked briskly towards the parking lot, determination in his steps. He had to find out what had been going on with their missing teammate, and now that he had the chance, he would not let it slip away.