“Exactly. But at the same time, my choices in friends are limited by being ‘foreign’ due to language barriers and gaijin fear. At first, I wasn’t picky about who I hung out with. That led to a lot of bad experiences. It took a long time to understand that I wasn’t permanently stuck with them. Eventually, they left. Whether it was to go back home or relocate to Tokyo. Everybody leaves.”

“Interesting. So, you might say you have an ichigo ichie attitude toward relationships.”

I give him a sideways glance. I think I’m smiling, too. “Are you interviewing me?”

“Well, kinda,” he grins back. “Not sure if you’re up to the job, though. It’s not an easy one.”

“Hey, as long as I earn enough to eat, I’m happy.”

He leans back with a smile, then blushes under Manager’s and Bucho’s shocked stares. “That’s all I wanted to know. Thank you.”

“Thank you.” I have no idea what the hell that was about, but it was a nice end to our interview. Maybe this won’t be such a shitty day after all.

I get up to reach for the handle. Zaniel reaches it first. “Please, allow me.” He’s so close, I can smell him; he smells less like cologne and more like real peach. It makes me so hungry I can’t even thank him. He seems to read my mind. “If anything, I should thank you. For interviewing me. I know a hard worker when I see one.”

Now I know I’m smiling, no matter how hard I’m trying to hide it. “Good luck.”

“Thank you. I hope I get to work with you someday.”

I stumble my way to the staff room where the other teachers, minus Lieko, have sequestered themselves to gossip; they swarm me before I can collapse onto one of the stools. It’s hard to understand any of them when my head is swimming this bad. I can understand Yoshino, however, loud and clear.

“Ho-ly shit,” she grabs me by the shoulders. “Could he be any sexier?! What was he like? How good is his English? Tell us everything.”

“Well … I …” I got nothing.

“Eh, maybe, Shibelle-sensei,” Misaki holds up her pinky. “Rabu-rabu?”

“No.” I don’t bother trying not to make a face. “I’m just hungry. I need food to be civil, no pun intended.”

“Here. They’re from Bucho.” Yoshino starts to slide a half-eaten box of shioaji manjuu toward me. “No, wait! I want details first, woman. No, wait, forget it. Don’t tell me anything, it’ll break my heart if Manager doesn’t hire him. Please Manager give us a break and hire him.”

“But I think it’s Bucho who will hire him, no?” Seri pipes up. “Because I know Manager really wants male teachers.”

“Yeah, good point. She better.” Yoshino crosses her arms and pouts. “He reminds me of someone … What’s his name? You know, that guy … Shoot, it’s on the tip of my tongue …”