“It’s okay!” Lieko shouts in English over the screams. “Hitomu is just shy! I will take him outside for a quick walk. Say, ‘See you again,’ Hitomu!” I hop up to open the door for them, at which point his screams reach a frenzied pitch. “It’s okay, Hitomu, now we’re outside! We are safe!”

Safe? I grit my teeth and count to three in my head. The boys watch me, wondering what’s next. I take a deep breath. I can’t lose focus. “Who wants ‘Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes’?!”

The boys jump up and down. “Yossha!”

Lieko re-enters the room holding Hitomu’s hand just as Yuta, Toshiro, and I are about to go through the super-fast version of the song. His face is dry, his sobbing reduced to frequent hiccups. Without a word, she closes the door behind him. When he turns and realizes she is on the other side of the viewing glass, he bursts into fresh tears and runs to the door. Lieko holds the doorknob on the other side to keep him from escaping. Trying to finish the song is a bust. Yuta and Toshiro refuse to put their hands over any body parts other than their ears. Hitomu gives up with the doorknob and collapses in a corner. I congratulate everyone on a job well done and put magnetic stars on the board beside their names, even Hitomu’s. I really don’t feel good.

“Sensei, mou ikkai!” Yuta and Toshiro beg. “One more. One more time!”

“You know what, guys, let’s take a break from ‘Head and Shoulders.’ Please get your colouring books!”

“Yossha!” the two boys repeat, pumping their little fists. We all sit down on the carpet and break out our crayons. Lieko’s figure bobs back and forth between the door and the window. She’s talking to someone, maybe Bucho. I sneak over to dig out Hitomu’s colouring book and crayons and discretely arrange them next to his shivering figure. I obeyed Lieko’s ridiculous request by not saying a word to him. I did my best. Ganbarimashita.

“Sensei, sensei,” Yuta smacks me on my thigh for attention. “Hitomu ga naiteru no.” Hitomu is crying.

“I know, sweetie, but I’m contractually obligated not to talk to him.”

“Eh? Nani?” he asks Toshiro. Toshiro shrugs, continuing to colour. “Eigo wakaranai.” They colour for another minute, then suddenly Toshiro claps his hands over his ears. “Damn, I can’t stand it anymore!” he curses in Japanese. “HITOMU! SHUT UP!”

“Toshiro!” I snap. He pouts. “Gomen ne, sensei …” he begins.

“Don’t apologize to me. Say it to Hitomu.” I point to the small child now scratching at the carpet. “We don’t yell at each other like that … no matter much we might want to,” I add to myself as Toshiro drags his heels to the other side of the room.