“Don’t interrupt, Cybelle. My point is, you need a real life, sweetie. You don’t want to end up old and bitter. I’m sure your school wouldn’t want that, either. Doesn’t your school understand that you need a life? If you’re enjoying teaching so much you can just do that here. And you’d actually have time to yourself. Please tell me you’re not signing up for another year there.”

Now seems like a good time to busy myself. I put groceries away, pour rice into the automatic rice cooker and let it do its thing. My apartment is massive by Japanese standards but small enough that I can move around and Mom can still see me on the webcam while she rants and raves about scandalous English conversation companies going under and how I should go home and work at a real school.

“I know there’s nothing exciting for you to do anymore,” Mom continues. “I warned you not to do everything your first year. Now you’re bored. Why do you insist on staying?”

Oh, that is such a lie! She’s the one who insisted I do everything adventurous my first year. “I don’t have much of a reason not to,” I say instead. “The money is good, my location is decent, I don’t pay rent, and the students and parents have finally gotten used to me. Well … most of them.” I refuse to bring up Hitomu.

“I know you’d rather just stay there and keep making lots of money, but are you really happy doing just that? That’s something you need to think about, too, you know. Money can’t buy happiness. Oh, and speaking of happiness! Did you get my message?”

“Yup.”

“About your sister? Your youngest sister?”

“Yee-up.”

She giggles. “What did it say?”

“That she shaved the rest of her head?”

“No, Cybelle. Very funny. No, I said that she has finally set a date! So now you have to come home as soon as possible!”

I make a buzzer sound. “WRONG. You said she was getting married. Which I kinda figured would happen, eventually.”

“Well, now it’s official. She’s getting married once she graduates next year. In June.”

“You mean, she’s getting married in June or she’s graduating in June?”

“She’s graduating, Cybelle. Duh. I don’t know if she wants a June wedding. I think it would be perfect, but that close to graduation? I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“I thought you just said she set a … You know what, never mind. If she’s not getting married until after graduation, there’s really no rush to come home, is there? If I stay another year, I can always take time off for the wedding.”