Volume 1 Chapter 32 Under The Enchantment Of Pygmalion
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Hey, hey, big brother, are ya interested in bein’ a haircut model?”
”Huh?”
He remembers being more surprised than confused by those sudden words.
The clean outfit of a simple white blouse and skinny black pants made sense for someone looking for a haircut model.
”Well, ya see, I’m goin’ to beauty school, and I’m lookin’ for someone to practice haircuts on.”
With flashy blonde hair, she looked perfectly fine for her age.
But when she spoke in a thick Kyoto dialect, it completely threw him off, and he couldn’t think straight.
It felt like he had encountered an unknown creature; it was that shocking.
”From the looks of it, yer hair is pretty long, and I can’t pay ya much, but of course, I can cover yer expenses! So, what do ya think?”
”Wow, I didn’t know there were different patterns for multi-level marketin’ these days.”
Her reaction to his finally spoken words was dramatic.
”What!? That’s not it! I’m really lookin’ for a proper haircut model! What’s up with ya, big brother? Ya bein’ mean!”
Her pretty face puffed up as she pouted, instantly making her look younger.
──What a funny girl.
Before he knew it, he was smiling and saying yes──this was almost 6 months ago when he met Tsuchimi Mei.
* * *
”──Naoshi-kun, are you getting sleepy? Are you okay?”
”Ah, no, I was just thinking a bit.”
The pleasant sound of scissors echoed in the quiet salon after closing time.
Mei’s workplace, a small beauty salon with only 2 chairs, was a family-run business that seemed to have little interest in making money.
If he arrived at the closing time of 7 PM, the lights were already off, and he would enter with the key Mei had given him.
”Hmm, another woman?”
”Another? No, no, I was just rememberin’ the first time I met Mei-chan.”
”Oh, when ya thought I were tryin’ to recruit ya for multi-level marketin’?”
”Exactly.”
”I was really surprised back then, thinkin’, ‘How could ya say somethin’ like that?’.”
”No, no, Umeda is to blame. This square is a popular spot for pickin’ up people, right?”
”Well, I didn’t know much about Kita back then; I just picked a busy place.”
”And if a beauty like Mei-chan talks to ya, it’s natural to be cautious. No matter how handsome I am!”
”Ya so full of yerself──well, I was also worried after I talked to ya, thinkin’, ‘Is this person okay?’.”
”Is that so? What did ya think of me?”
”Ya tall, good-lookin’, and dressed well, plus ya seem experienced with girls. I was wonderin’ if ya might trick me and then drown me in the bath!”
”That’s terrible! Ya thought that about me…”
”Well, that was back in September or so.”
”That was just recently! Why would ya think that?”
”Ah! Naoshi-kun, I’m gonna cut the back of yer neck, so please look down a bit.”
”Okay, okay.”
As Mei moved around, occasionally adjusting her scissors to check her work, he could see her improvement and comfort in what she was doing.
Since he didn’t really care much about his hair, it was hard for him to judge her skill, but seeing Mei grow was a different story.
At first, she looked so stiff and couldn’t even talk while working, but in just a few months, she was doing it naturally.
”──So, how does this look?”
”Oh, it looks good!”
”Come on, ya need to be more clear; it makes me nervous!”
”I never thought I’d hear that from a neighbor!”
”Prejudice depends on the time, place, and person. Now, is this okay?”
”Yeah, ya did a great job. Let’s go with this.”
”Okay, then I’ll wash yer hair now. Please come this way.”
”Okay, okay.”
He shook off the hair from the cutting cape and moved to the shampoo station as directed.
Lying back, a gauze was placed over his mouth.
”Mei-chan?”
”Oh, I made a mistake; sorry!”
She giggled as she adjusted it to cover his whole face.
Then the sound of water started, and he could feel the temperature rising with the steam.
”How’s the water temperature?”
”Probably around 38 degrees? Just right!”
”Come on, I taught ya that, didn’t I?”
With warm water, Mei’s thin but surprisingly strong fingers slipped into his wet hair.
The treatment was being rubbed in from the scalp to the tips.
”I’ve thought this for a while, but Naoshi-kun, yer hair is really beautiful.”
”Is it? I can’t tell myself.”
”It’s fine and strong, and it has a nice shine. How do ya take care of it?”
”Isn’t it just natural? I don’t do anythin’ special.”
Even though he said that, Naoshi suspected that his spirit power had something to do with it.
Since ancient times, hair has been deeply connected to magic, and the influence of spirit energy is probably significant.
”Ah, that’s so enviable… Well, I’ll rinse it out now.”
”Okay, please do.”
Mei’s fingers moved skillfully through his hair.
Naoshi relaxed and let himself drift off into sleep from the pleasant feeling.
* * *
”──Hey, Mei-chan, can I help with somethin’?”
Leaning sideways in a different seat from where he was sitting before, Naoshi called out to Mei, who was still cleaning.
Her dried, straw-colored hair swayed lightly after finishing the drying and styling.
”Yeah, that’s fine. But Naoshi-kun, ya a guest, so just relax.”
Mei, using a handheld vacuum to clean up the hair scattered on the floor, replied without looking up.
”Even though I’m a guest, I haven’t paid anythin’.”
”If I take yer money, it would be illegal, remember? Did ya forget what I explained?”
”Huh? Well, then I guess I’ll just enjoy watchin’ ya work.”
At those words, Mei stopped and looked up.
Her cheeks puffed out in dissatisfaction.
”Come on, what’s so interesting about watchin’ me?”
”Well, I just think Mei-chan is a hard worker.”
”Really? I’m just doin’ normal cleanin’.”
”It’s not about the amount of work; it’s about yer attitude. It’s nice to see how dedicated ya are.”
”Hmm? I can’t really see it myself.”
Maybe she understood he wasn’t teasing her, as Mei started moving her hands again.
After a moment, she opened her mouth without stopping her work.
”Ah, but ya know, I think I mentioned before that I’ve never really done much at home, so this is fresh and fun for me.”
According to her, Mei seems to come from a prestigious family in Kyoto.
Considering her flashy appearance and how inexperienced she is with the world, it might be true.
This life as a vocational school student, where she is allowed some freedom for the first time, seems to be her only chance.
In these two years, she needs to find a job that will satisfy her family and a marriage partner to pursue her dream of becoming a hairstylist.
If she can’t do that, she will have to return to training to be a bride and marry the man chosen for her.
”Oh, I see.”
While he thought it was an old-fashioned way of thinking, the world of exorcists also holds similar values.
Naoshi himself has never regretted following his family’s traditions.
However, he also thought that he could have chosen a different, easier way to live.
That’s why he found this girl, who was working hard for a life he couldn’t have, dazzling and was drawn to her──though it wasn’t just that, he couldn’t deny that through his relationship with Mei, he was enjoying the possibilities that might have been available to him.
”…Come on, ya lookin’ again.”
And perhaps because she was aware of his gaze, Mei kept glancing at him through the mirror.
When he squinted and waved at her, Mei turned her face away in a huff.
”Really, Naoshi-kun, ya so mean.”
”Should I just spread out a newspaper and act like a dad on a day off?”
”Yes, do that!”
”No way, ya really got mad at me.”
As Naoshi chuckled, Mei’s eyes narrowed even more.
”──Now, ’cause of ya, Naoshi-kun, it’s takin’ longer than it should.”
”I’m sorry. So what should we do? If we hurry, we can still make it to dinner and a movie, but we might just catch the last train.”
As Mei finished cleaning and started getting ready to leave, Naoshi glanced at the clock.
”Oh, today. I told me family I was stayin’ at a friend’s house. Yoko-chan is helpin’ me with me alibi.”
”Is she the girl from Awaji?”
”Yeah. It’s kind of bad that ya remember these things so well.”
”That’s just a pretext. First of all, if ya say that, Mei-chan, who is lyin’ to her family, will also become a bad girl, won’t she?”
”That’s probably the influence of the person ya’re dealin’ with.”
”It’s hard to deny, but please stop blamin’ everythin’ on me. Oh, then I have to get a hotel, don’t I?”
”Oh, but I’ve been havin’ it since this mornin’, so I can’t have sex today…”
”Oh, is that so? Then it’s not a good idea to walk around. How about yer appetite? Can ya eat normally?”
”I can eat, but… I don’t feel like walkin’ much. But is Naoshi-kun okay?”
”Okay, well, I mean, it’s fine. What do ya mean?”
”I mean, if ya can’t do it, will ya go home today?”
”Mei-chan’s impression of me is really terrible…!”
”Well, according to what me friends say, it seems that there are people like that.”
”Ah, well, young people might be like that, but not all men are like that.”
”Young people, Naoshi-kun is only four years older than ya.”
”There’s a big difference between a new student and a new employee. And, besides, do I look that eager?”
”Hmm, sorry. Naoshi-kun certainly doesn’t have any trouble with women.”
”I still feel like there’s a thorn in me side… well, anyway, I invited ya today, and I’m happy just to be with ya. Don’t worry about it.”
”Is that so? Then I’ll take ya up on yer offer.”
”Which hotel do ya want to go to… let’s decide at the nearby restaurant?”
”Hmm, I don’t mind a love hotel? I’ve been curious about the room service at those places for a while. I think there’s also karaoke and movies, right?”
”I don’t think the room service is that grand… and besides, are ya gonna make me sing again?”
”Is that bad?”
”──Well, if Mei-chan is okay with it, I don’t mind.”
”Hehe. Then let’s go, not for a break, but for a stay. I’m lookin’ forward to it.”
The two of them left the store, and the door bell rang as if they were reluctant to part.
Naoshi took the bag he had been holding and carried it as Mei locked the antique-style door.
”Well, today I’m not doin’ anythin’.”
”Me friends say ya shouldn’t believe a man’s ‘I’m not doin’ anythin’.”
”Isn’t that reply unfair? Should I at least fondle yer chest?”
”Ya can’t do that, Naoshi-kun.”
Saying it cheerfully, Mei entwined her arm with Naoshi’s and pulled him along.
In that moment, she looked like an ordinary girl you could find anywhere.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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