“No, I mean, when we were singing the ‘Goodbye Song.’ You didn’t hear anything?” Manager blinks at me. “You know what, never mind.” Hitomu and his mother have already left so there’s no way to follow up and ask, anyway. Not that Manager would believe me. I wonder if I have any Advil in my purse.

In the staff room, Yoshino, Misaki, Seri, and Yuri are frantic as they prepare for their lessons and I assume for this special staff meeting. “Has anyone seen the footstool?” Yoshino asks. “I need to put these things back on the top shelf.”

“Allow me.” I take the binders in her hands and put them on the shelf by standing on my tiptoes. It turns out I don’t need to strain as much as I anticipate. Maybe I’ve grown a couple of inches lately?

“Thanks, my tall friend,” Yoshino says. “Don’t want to leave these lying around, there’s hardly enough space on the bench as it is.”

“No worries. So … what’s this meeting all about, anyway?”

“Oh, the usual,” Yoshino rolls her eyes. “Except now we have Bucho to rake us over the coals for losing students to this new branch in Osaka. You’re lucky not to be part of it, trust me.”

“I guess. I’ll be so bored, though.”

“Sorry,” Yoshino apologizes for no particular reason. “On the other hand, it gives us more to look forward to when the day is over!”

“Oh … yeah!” I had completely forgotten about hanging out with her tonight. So much for nursing this headache with soup and rest. “Can’t wait! Um, what’s the name of the bar again? Parappa the Rapper?”

“Kappa Garappa. And don’t worry about me staying late tonight. With this meeting, I don’t think that’ll happen. She’s going to have two hours to chew us out, and then it’ll be up to Manager what needs to be done next.”

“Ugh. Suddenly I’m not so jealous about this meeting.”

“I don’t blame you.”

Outside, we hear Bucho snapping at Manager, who sticks his head into the staff room with a quick “Minna-san, kaigi ga hajimarimasu!” Even before he finishes his sentence everyone makes a rush to grab their things and head out. I sit down at the bench and toy with my phone, waiting to hear them all reply to Bucho’s “Yoroshiku onegaishimasu” that starts their meeting before digging into the Cambodian-style fried rice I made last night. Twelve minutes later and I’m still hungry. I search the mountains of papers and binders left behind, hopeful for another box of leftover cakes or some untouched omiyage snacks. No such luck. I write a note on a little Gudetama Post-it (Cybelle will be right back!) and pray that I don’t return to an earful about the dangers of leaving Zozo unattended or unsupervised while Bucho is here.