“Ah, ah, okay. That’s great …” Manager trails off, resuming his X-ray vision again. Room Five opens and a chorus of polite Japanese spills out into the hallways, diverting Manager’s attention. Finally, he relinquishes my personal space. I squeeze out from the staff room with a genuine, time-for-dinner smile. I’m free.

“Well, have a great night, Manager! Osaki ni —”

“Ah!” Manager cuts me off. “Wait! You stay. I mean, don’t go home. I mean, one moment!”

My freedom is short-lived. After he and Lieko bow to the polished-looking office workers, Manager gestures to me and speaks in super-fast, super-polite Japanese. I smile and pretend not to understand a word while I wait for the English translation.

“This is Cybelle-sensei, the Native English Teacher.” The office workers all take turns saying their names, “nice to meet you,” and shaking my hand. “She is from Canada. She is very good at English,” Manager continues. They ooh and aah and applaud. “And she is very good at making food.”

“I am?”

“Yes! You always have delicious lunch.”

“Oh. Yeah, I guess I’m okay.”

Our conversation initiates more applause. Manager explains something in more detail to them, again using the politest level of Japanese. Meanwhile, Lieko nods, smiling at the workers and sneaking a deadly glare at me. I think I know what I’m hearing, and I pray I’m wrong because it sounds like he’s talking about discussing me with Lieko. Maybe Manager is suggesting ideas to them, maybe it’s all conjecture. I know for sure that if he lets me go without translating, I’m in the clear.

“Okay, thank you very much, Cybelle-sensei. Now you can say, ‘Otsukaresama desu!’”

“Ehhh?” The office workers stare at me, wide-eyed, looking me up and down. “Nihongo de?”

Manager nods, hands clasped, begging me with his eyes to respond. I feel like a trained pet being compelled to do a trick. Son of a … “Otsukaresama desu.” I bow.

Everyone bursts into applause before returning the courtesy. “Otsukaresama desu, Cybelle-sensei! See you again!”

I switch out of my slippers and grab my shoes like I’m in a hurry to go somewhere important, then smile and wave at everyone until the elevator doors close on Manager’s high-pitched words. I don’t want to think about what he might be telling them about me. Manager was saying something about … damn, what was the word? Kaku? Writing? No, that’s not right. Unless he meant ‘status’? Which is not Lieko’s business to begin with. And now that I think about it, what was up with Manager talking about our ‘quota’ earlier? What the hell is going on around here?