-To School-

...Jien-kun, come here for a minute. Teacher wants to talk to you. Now...

Yes, I DID quite like your show and tell. Yes, he's cute. Jien, no, Jien-kun, listen to me...

Sigh. I see. He's six months old.

Jien! Shush! Listen to me for just one minute!

Now, as much as you love your baby brother, we don't bring little brothers and sisters in for class show-and-tell. It's not good for them, especially since he--

All right. Gojyo's his name--I know. You named him--Especially since _Gojyo_-chan is far too small to come to school with you. And you carried him in your schoolbag? Oh, Jien-kun, he could have suffocated!

...Even if he is tough, he's still little. Babies weren't meant to be carried in schoolbags.

Just because, Jien-kun! Did your mother even let you bring him to sch--

You didn't tell her. You didn't tell her?!

...This gets worse and worse. I'm serious, now, Jien. This is very irresponsible of you. How can you take your baby brother to school without your mother even knowing? I bet she's worried sick about now!

Don't lie to me, young man. You may only feel that way. There's no such thing as a mother who doesn't care about her child.

Your mother asks you to take care of him? She won't do it herself? Oh, I see where this is going. Now, Jien-kun, I know it's hard having a new brother or sister in the family, but you mustn't be jealous, you know. He--

That's a horrible thing to say about your own mother, Jien-kun! It can't be true!

...That's it. Stand in that corner, young man, and think about what you have just said. Don't turn around until the final bell rings.

Hush. Off you go now.

-0-0-0-0-

Mrs. Sha? I'm so glad you were able to come. Terribly sorry for getting you out of the house. You see, your son took his brother to school without your permission and...

...Gojyo. Isn't he your son?

Unusually quiet today in the house? Ah. I see. But then, surely all babies cry, Mrs. Sha. Jien-kun, too...Oh no, no, I'm sure he was a happy little baby. An obedient one too, by the looks of it.

Yes, of course boys will be boys, ah ha ha ha ha...

Er, anyway, I turned Gojyo-kun over to the school nurse until the final bell. Actually, the reason I asked you to come was about him. He's...what, six months old?

...Six months of eternity. Well, they grow up fast enough. I think perhaps it would be good to talk to Jien-kun yourself. He seems to love his little brother, he really does, but the things I've heard from him, well, they shock me terribly.

Oh, he said things like he had to take care of Gojyo-kun because you refused to, and you didn't have any love for him at all...yes, yes, that's what he said. I can't see how that can be the case. He's a dear little boy, isn't he?

Sorry, I didn't catch that? Oh, it's nothing. I talk to myself sometimes too. Don't worry yourself.

Ah, yes, one more thing I must bring up. When the school nurse took charge of him, we both noticed all these plasters on his back. There were all these claw marks and bruises all over him! Jien-kun has to be told that you can't rough-house with babies like this, even if he is jealous of the new arrival. Perhaps you could ask your husband to...

...He's...dead? I'm terribly sorry, I didn't know. Please accept my condolences. Well, that must explain Jien-kun's behaviour. Perhaps he would benefit from developing a closer bond with you, Mrs. Sha. He seems to need the guidance.

You'll tell him. I'm so glad we both agree on this.

Yes, I think that's all. Jien can go home now. I'll go get Gojyo-kun from the school nurse, just give me five minutes.

...

Hey, Mrs. Sha! Don't forget Gojyo-kun, ah ha ha ha...

Ara, he's woken up. There, there now, your mummy's here...

...Oh my God! Mrs Sha, don't shake him like that, you'll hurt him!

(Jien-kun, why are you looking at me like that?)

Maybe that's it, he wants his big brother for the time being, ah ha...ha...wow...Jien, you're very good at this, aren't you?

Yes, thank you, Mrs. Sha, for coming--and Jien, I'll see you tomorrow.

...W-e-l-l, If your mother lets you, I'm sure the school nurse wouldn't really mind.

Oh, you don't, Mrs. Sha? You'd be...delighted? Keep him away from your feet?

Well, all right. Goodbye, Jien.

...I must remember to dig up some antiseptic cream and a few toys from the attic tonight.

-0-0-0-0-

-kun: Japanese suffix used towards juniors. In this case, a teacher uses it towards her student.
-chan : Japanese diminutive suffix. Most commonly used for girls, rarely for boys unless they're very young.