The familiar tone that resembled like a bell from your phone notified you with the incoming message. You rub a hand on the back of your neck, popping the stiffness away.
You open your phone and sure enough you read a request.
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You replied with,
"Hello, sir. We could do the Diagnostic testing on Monday. Please confirm if you are okay on Monday, June 27 at 11am.
If yes, please message your child's name, age grade, and subject you want him or her assessed."
You schedule the appointment and forwarded it to Mr. Aizawa.
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"See you on Monday in our center, sir. Please don't forget to come on time and to bring a pair of socks for you and Eri to wear." ---
You tie your into a halfup ponytail just as a kid was ushered in the classroom. She had bluish, off-white hair, messy and unkempt, which parted in the middle of her forehead. The little girl sat down and you began the diagnostic testing.
From the start, you had a struggle because Eri didn't know how to write her own name as well as how to read the time. She was also very shy and a bit fearful, widened eyes at your every movement.
You patiently give her your instructions and by the time the test was over she got 15 out of 70 in reading. It was alarming. You slide over some wooden number blocks to Eri.
"Hey, will you help me with this? Teacher needs the number to be in order starting from one up to a hundred. Will you help me?"
The girl nods at you and you walk over to the parent, the father you assumed, who wore a black suit and his hair well-groomed, held back in a low bun at the base of his neck. You took little time to admire him and got down to work. He was sitting by the parent observation table the teachers placed at the back of the classroom.
"Mr. Aizawa?" You queried.
He looks up in attention. You sit down infront of him and slide Eri's test paper on the table for him to see. "This is Eri's results for Reading. You said she's an incoming 1st grader?"
"Yes." He nods gravely. "She is."
"We give 10 minutes for diagnostic tests and in that window, 14 of her answers are correct which is good. However, it does take her over a minute to recognize each kanji."
"I'm sorry for that." He bows his head to you.
You wave your hands to stop him. "No need for that, Mr. Aizawa. With the diagnosis, Eri would have to start at the very foundation." You rest your hands on top of Eri's test paper. "But I would like cooperation with you, Mr. Aizawa. If you decided to enroll Eri here in Padma, I need us to be in a partnership. I need you to guide her well at home."
Partnership. The word has been said to countless parents since you started teaching but this time, the word made you strangely shy for no reason.
His eyes crinkles as he smiled. "I'm a teacher as well. I am confident."
You flushed. "I see. So you probably know about the whole spiel."
He shook his head kindly. "I teach high schoolers. Grade schoolers are another level. Please educate me."
"..." Surely not.
He quirks a brow. Almost imperceptible.
You cleared your throat. "So, tutoring here will only have twice a week meeting but homework is everyday." You struggle to keep the eye contact so you look away for a second and then resumed. "We're going to build Eri's habit of doing homework everyday, let her choose a specific time to do it and try to maintain that schedule. I swear she will carry the habit as she grows up."
"I see." He sighs dejectedly. "We're really worried about her education since she... started late."
"Don't worry about it, Mr. Aizawa!" You try to reassure him with a smile. "There are many cases like Eri and give her a few months, I'm sure she'll catch up." You stare into his eyes fighting the urge to look away. Eye contact. Be polite. "I also need you to understand that Eri's progress isn't instant so as much as possible, we'd like for you to commit Eri here for at least a year, before we let her go." And then, you added. "Though, alot of Padma students kept going even after a year."
Aizawa thumbs the Eri's test paper thoughtfully. His eyes flickers back to you. "You don't need to worry about that. I'm fully committed."
You look away for the umpteenth time and then wrenched your gaze back to him. "If you want to enroll right now, we can provide you the enrollment papers and have her start her first day."
---
"Would you like to observe for the 2nd day?" You peered through the door as you glanced upon Eri's dad.
"Is it a bother?"
You shook your head. "Not at all. This is the last time though. We need Eri to find her independence from you so she could be confident." Walking to Eri's table, you eyed Aizawa making his way to the same table he took the other day. You noted he was wearing matching socks with Eri with neko embroidery. Adorable.
He smiles and waves his hand, and you watch Eri's reaction to which she glumly waved back.
"Eri, we're going to practice your strokes okay?" You point a finger to the exercise book. "Follow the strokes for each word." The little girl gripped her pencil too hard and you tap her softly. "Hold it gently, Eri. There you go."
You heard a shutter sound and looked up to Aizawa, holding his phone up. "I'm sorry."
You shook your head. Parents would sneakily take pictures all the time. You resumed the instructions for Eri. "This time, there's no more guide for the strokes but you still remember how to do them right? You're very smart." The kid beamed at you, reminding you of reasons why you love being a teacher.
---
You slide Eri's first quiz result. "Perfect. She's a fast learner."
"Time to celebrate?" Aizawa scooped Eri in his arms and then reached out for her quiz paper. He reads over your little note for Eri, and his lips quirked into a smile.
You were about to head inside the classroom once more when Eri grabbed your arm to stop you and then whispered to her dad.
He slowly nods and your heart started pounding hard.
"Would you like to have some afternoon snacks with us? Eri and I will wait for you."
--- AN: jddnxindjxnxon i hate migraines. y'all getting to comfy with my absence, how dare you.
