“I see. But why not text me?”

“Ah, Lieko say she text you and you don’t reply. But now, it does not matter. You can do trial lesson today? Please?”

“Sure.” I look back at the shrieking child. “Hi, Hitomu.”

Didn’t think it was possible, but yes, he can scream louder. Whatever, fine, let’s get this over with. “Okay, fine, I’ll get Room Five set up now —”

“Ah, Cybelle-sensei,” Manager sucks air in through his teeth. “Ah, lesson is, not now. Hitomu will take your lesson at lunch. So, please take your time, but … maybe, Hitomu will need some time to get ready. So, you must be ready for sometime between twelve and one o’clock.”

“What?” I can’t keep the edge out of my voice. “I’m sorry, but I thought trial lessons only take ten minutes. It’s Saturday. When am I supposed to eat lunch?”

Manager’s smile twitches. I’m pretty sure everyone sees it. “Ah … Cybelle-sensei … jitsu wa … maybe, it is the only time that Hitomu can have a lesson, with you. So, maybe, you must do it between twelve and one o’clock. So, maybe, it is best to get ready for Miyu’s lesson, and Honoki and Reiki’s lesson, and Sakura and Ayuna now, otherwise …”

Is this happening? I mean, I’m fine in terms of lesson prep, but I wonder if I’m hearing things right. Is this guy really telling me I have twelve minutes to get ready for seven hours of back-to-back classes without a lunch break? “Ow,” I rub my eyes. “Son of a — I mean, I see.”

“Ah! Thank you for your understanding! Okay, Hitomu, please take your time and say, ‘See you again, Cybelle!’”

Hitomu screams again, and clings harder to his mother.

“Uh, ‘take your time’ doing what?” I ask.

“Ah, well, Hitomu and mama are not sure what lesson they want to take. Hitomu and his mother want to watch some lessons first. You see, Hitomu is almost three years old, so maybe he is too old for Baby Two but maybe, he cannot do Zippo and Zappo. He has no experience without mama, so they would like to see all lessons, and then maybe they will choose. Maybe.”

“Oh.” I think for a moment. “So, they’re going to stay here until twelve.”

“Yes. And maybe, they will stay until Zozo closes at seven.”

“Say what now?”

A horde of excited children streams out of the elevator and swarms around the reception desk before I can muster a scathing follow-up. I am not happy, but I can tell Manager is not happy either after Hitomu disrupts the first two hours of the day screaming in the lobby. Several parents ask who he is and what’s wrong with him, and if his mother is really his mother or did his mother step out and leave him with a stranger, and so on and so on. I wish I had answers for them. I’m curious as to what the heck is going on myself, but it’s fine. I can be professional. That’s the Zozo policy: always be professional, polite, and playful. I can do all three, easy.