CHAPTER 132: WE DIDN’T SINK

One by one, the applicants were called in.

The first student—a tall girl in a crisp beige suit—walked out ten minutes later, her tight smile doing little to hide the sweat gathering at her temple.

She didn’t speak as she took her seat, just pulled out her phone and stared at the floor.

Another followed. Then another.

Whispers started brewing in low voices.

"Ten minutes each?"

"Feels like an ambush."

"No clue what they asked me. My brain just... froze."

Noel tapped his foot, his fingers tracing the edge of the clipboard they were given earlier.

Notes, reminders, half-read facts—it all blurred now. His stomach hadn’t settled since morning.

Beside him, Luca was unusually quiet. Not scrolling. Not talking.

A name was called. The guy two seats down stood, his hand trembling just slightly as he fixed his collar. Gone.

Then—

"Noel Avery."

He froze for half a second.

Then stood.

Before he could move, a hand touched his forearm—firm, grounding.

Luca.

"Breathe," Luca said under his breath. His eyes held his. Steady. "You got this."

Noel gave a tight nod. "Hope so."

He walked toward the boardroom door.

It shut behind him with a soft click.

The room was quiet. Sharp.

Mr. Jeff glanced up from a tablet. "Noel Avery?"

"Yes, sir." He sat, back straight but not stiff. He made himself meet their eyes.

There were three people across from him. Mr. Jeff in the middle, two others—HR and Business Operations—flanking him.

"Tell us about yourself," the woman on the left said. "Keep it brief but relevant."

Noel exhaled. "I’m currently a second-year student majoring in International Business. My key interests lie in global market strategies and trade policy. I recently completed a research project on the impact of digital currency on cross-border transactions, and I’ve also led a campus group focused on business ethics simulations."

The woman gave a small nod.

Mr. Jeff leaned in. "Why apply to Infinity Global Partners?"

Noel didn’t blink. "Because Infinity Global isn’t just expanding—it’s adapting with intention. You’re not following trends, you’re setting direction. Opening new branches in different markets is one thing, but doing it with sustainable practices and long-term partnerships? That shows depth. That shows responsibility. And that’s the kind of growth I want to learn from—and contribute to."

One of the panelists glanced sideways at Mr. Jeff, who didn’t react.

A few more questions followed. Situation-based. Ethics-based. One curveball.

Noel fumbled for half a second—but recovered. Even that small crack made his voice more human.

When it ended, Mr. Jeff gave a measured look. "Thank you, Mr. Avery. We’ll call the next applicant."

Noel stood. "Thank you for the opportunity."

He stepped back into the hallway, letting out a slow breath.

Luca was already halfway up from his seat.

"Well?" he asked.

Noel just smiled. "Let’s say... I didn’t sink."

Luca grinned. "I knew you wouldn’t."

Their hands didn’t touch, but their shoulders almost did as they sat again.

The next candidate walked in with a stiff spine and too much cologne. He introduced himself, launched into buzzwords, and quoted textbook theories like he’d swallowed the entire syllabus. Mr. Jeff listened with polite patience, pen unmoving against the page.

"Thank you," Jeff said finally, closing the file.

The boy left with a tight smile, adjusting his tie on the way out.

girl with thick glasses stepped forward next. Quiet presence, slower pace—

but every word landed with conviction.

"I believe in systems that leave space for people. Efficiency matters, but empathy keeps a company from collapsing under its own ambition."

Jeff’s pen moved. Once. Twice.

Then it was Luca’s turn.

He stood, smoothing his palms on his trousers before heading in. The room felt colder now, quieter. Mr. Jeff didn’t look up immediately—just flipped open a new file.

Luca sat across from him, posture straight, but not stiff.

Jeff finally met his eyes. "Luca Smith."

"Yes,Sir."

A pause lingered, thick with unspoken things. But nothing passed between them—no smiles, no familiarity.

"This internship evaluates adaptability, problem-solving, and initiative. Tell me, how do you handle uncertainty?"

Luca leaned in, voice steady but not rehearsed. "I think uncertainty is where real thinking begins. It strips away routine—forces you to react, but also to reflect. The best decisions I’ve made happened when I didn’t have all the answers. Just the right questions."

Jeff’s expression didn’t shift. "What do you consider your biggest weakness?"

Luca hesitated, just enough to make it real. "I used to think everything had to be perfect before I started. But I’ve learned progress is built from momentum, not perfection."

Jeff nodded once, scribbled something.

"Final question," he said. "Why should Infinity Global choose you?"

A flicker passed across Luca’s face—then cleared. "Because I’m not here to prove I know everything. I’m here to learn what I don’t. And I don’t just want to be part of a system—I want to challenge it."

There was silence.

Then Jeff capped his pen.

"Thank you, Mr. Smith."

Luca gave a short nod, rose, and left.

The door clicked shut behind him.

Luca stepped out, the door clicking softly behind him.

Noel stood without thinking. "Hey—how was it?"

Luca let out a slow breath. "Could’ve gone worse."

Noel tilted his head. "You okay?"

Luca didn’t answer right away. He just brushed a hand through his hair, then bumped Noel’s shoulder lightly. "Your breathing advice worked."

Noel smiled, a little proud. "Told you."

They sat again. Luca tapped his knee, then stilled it. He didn’t ask about Noel’s turn. He didn’t need to.

One by one, the remaining students were called in. Some returned with forced grins, others visibly deflated. Someone muttered that Mr. Jeff barely looked at them. Another whispered that he wrote the whole time. A girl said she forgot her own last name for a second.

But in the middle of all that noise, Noel and Luca sat still. Watching. Waiting.

When the last student returned and slumped into a chair, relief rippled through the room—nervous laughter, low sighs, unfinished jokes.

A moment later, the woman from earlier stepped back in, holding a sleek black tablet. Her heels clicked with quiet precision, her expression calm but unreadable.

"Thank you for your patience," she said. "The interview process is now complete."

Everyone straightened in their seats.

"You’ll be contacted soon with your results," she continued. "Please ensure your contact details are up to date and monitor your email closely. Further instructions will be provided to successful candidates."

Noel’s breath hitched—just slightly.

Luca didn’t move, his posture still composed but focused.

The woman offered a brief, polite smile. "That’s all for now. You’re dismissed."

Chairs shifted. Voices rose in a quiet wave. Some students made a beeline for the door, eager to escape the tension. Others lingered, eyes scanning, trying to read faces for clues.

But Noel and Luca stayed a moment longer.

Then Luca stood, brushed invisible dust from his jacket, and glanced sideways. "Want to grab food?"

Noel looked up, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "You read my mind."

And together, they walked out—shoulder to shoulder—leaving the pressure behind, at least for now.

Outside, the afternoon had mellowed.

The city buzzed in the background—horns, footsteps, the hum of traffic—but to Noel, everything felt muted, as if the tension from the interview room was still fading from his skin.

They stepped onto the sidewalk together. Luca adjusted the cuffs of his blazer with casual ease.

"Well," Noel said, exhaling. "That was... something."

"Which part?" Luca asked, glancing over. "The room that smelled like recycled air, or the part where you casually impressed a man who’s been in business longer than we’ve been alive?"

Noel smirked. "You heard that?"

"Hard not to," Luca replied, nudging his elbow gently. "You sounded like you’d rehearsed it a hundred times."

"I didn’t, "Okay—maybe ten. In my head. While panicking."

Luca laughed. "Could’ve fooled everyone."

They reached the corner, waiting for the light. A breeze tousled Luca’s hair. "There’s a small bistro down the next block. Quiet, good food. And their bread doesn’t taste like cardboard."

"That sounds dangerously specific," Noel said, raising a brow.

"Learned the hard way," Luca murmured, eyes flicking to the pedestrian light. "Come on."

They crossed. Noel kept pace, shoulders relaxing with each step. "You think we did okay?"

"I think you crushed it," Luca said without hesitation. "And me?" He shrugged. "I didn’t pass out. That’s something."

Noel gave him a look. "You didn’t just not pass out. You were solid."

Luca glanced over. "Solid?"

"Yeah. Cool. Calm. Confident."

Luca smirked. "You forgot charming."

Noel scoffed. "Oh, that part was implied."

They reached the bistro, glass panels reflecting the soft golden hue of the city’s late afternoon. Luca pulled the door open with one hand and gestured.

"After you, Mr. Future International Strategist."

Noel chuckled as he stepped inside. "Careful. Keep calling me that, and I might actually believe it."

The door closed behind them, sealing the afternoon chill outside. Inside, it was warm. Familiar. Still not certain—but enough for now.