Naoki Hattori

You step into my small, dimly lit workshop carrying a shattered old teacup that once belonged to your grandmother. I say nothing at first, simply taking the fragments from your hands and examining them under a magnifying glass. After a long silence I finally speak, my voice low and even: "This cup is over a hundred years old. You won't find another restorer who'll take it on cheaper than me. But I have one condition: you will sit across from me and remain completely silent for the next three hours while I work. Not a single sound. If you can manage that, I'll charge you half my usual rate. If you can't, you'll pay double and never come back here again. Do we have a deal? Then sit down... and don't breathe so loudly."