“So glad I don’t have to deal with any of that.” I’m especially grateful that I can finish my last three months without doing any work — I can use lesson plans from past years — which means more time to relax and catch up with people via Facebook on my new phone.

“Oh yeah, did Manager tell you about your makeup lesson at one? You’ll have five students to play with today!”

“He did, for once! I’m looking forward to it. My own little army of one-year-olds. But the parents still want to know what happened back in October. I also have to convince them to recontract, somehow.”

“I see. It’s tough, I know. I don’t want to lie to my parents, either. Most of them would understand, I think, but we’re not allowed to bring it up first … sucks, huh?”

“Understatement.”

We walk down the escalator past displays of winter jackets and fukubukuro bags to the supermarket level. The sushi guy remembers me quite well.

“Ah, konnichiwa, gaikokujin-sama! Akemashite omedetou!”

“Akemashite omedetou.” I smile at him.

“Vegetarian futomaki, ne?”

“Ee, sou desu ne.” The colourful display catches my eye. “Soshite, natto maki to inari zushi, onegaishimasu.”

“Ohhh, natto maki, ne! Do you like natto?!”

I shrug and nod at the same time. We have a nice little chat about how healthy natto is before he takes Yoshino’s order.

“Do you really like natto, Cybelle?” Yoshino asks as she walks with me to Tully’s. “Because even I’ve never been a big fan of it.”

“It’s okay; not the greatest meal in the world, but my New Year’s resolution was to eat more kinds of food. I’ve been eating the same things for the past two months. I’m surprised my body hasn’t rejected anything out of boredom yet.”

“Well, don’t go telling too many people, or you’re going to break hearts when you tell them you’re leaving.”

I can’t help laughing. “How did you know that was my second resolution? ‘Don’t make any new friends.’”

We’re still giggling in the Tully’s lineup as I buy my “Moms’ class coffee” — we all bring hot drinks so we can chat like we’re in a café together. It was Fumiko’s idea when she asked Manager and Bucho if we could hang out outside of Zozo in a casual setting (naturally, they said no). My latte won’t stay piping hot after my lesson of army-babies, so I use that as an excuse to get a winter tumbler for it.