A Young Male Hairdresser, Assigned To help Out At The Branch, Finds Himself Bothered By The Playful Antics Of A Lively High School Gal Model Who Seeks Attention. - Chapter 1: The Beginning.

The Beginning.

Time: 10:30 PM.

“Hey, Shuuto. I’ve got something important to discuss. Can we talk now?”

“Uh, yeah. What’s up, Dad?”

Inside the beauty salon “Shall Tier” owned by Shuuto’s father, Minase Shuuto was approached while practicing a haircut.

As soon as he put down the scissors and locked eyes with his father, he was hit with unexpected news.

“Oh, well. It’s really bad timing, but can you help out at the branch starting the day after tomorrow?”

“Huh? The branch!?”

“Yeah.”

“Um… Can I ask why?”

Shuuto throws the obvious question as he has no memory of making mistakes or overlooking anything. Scratching his head, his father explains the reason.

“Well, you see… It turns out one of their staff members over there decided to quit, and I completely forgot to fill the vacancy. My bad.”

“Huh. Didn’t something like this happen before? I vaguely remember talking about leaving it to the branch manager.”

“I even forgot about that. I’ve been busy, hahaha.”

“That’s not something to laugh about.”

Shuuto responds with a strained expression.

Fortunately, the privately-owned salon has prospered enough to open a second branch. Despite his occasional forgetfulness due to busyness, Shuuto’s father is a skilled hairstylist, even featured in books as a top-level beautician. Moreover, he is the hairstylist Shuuto admires the most.

“In the end, I hurriedly looked for someone, but if we can’t find anyone, I have no choice but to send myself as help. The main store can manage even if we’re short one person. Well, it’s a blow to lose you, the next best, but you’d be the most reliable for the job.”

“…”

Shuuto, suddenly pleased, is 22 years old.

Having admired his father’s work up close, he started practicing seriously since the first year of middle school, receiving guidance and fostering his interest in beauty. His passion only grew, leading him to graduate from a beauty specialized school, pass the national exam, and eventually take over the family business. Considering this experience, he is now celebrating his 10th year in the field at a young age.

“…Also, this is a confidential matter, but there’s a bit of concern about their customer base.”

“Concern?”

“From the report, it seems over there, from staff to clientele, there’s a majority of women. This creates an environment where male customers find it a bit challenging to enter. Of course, it’s not a bad thing, but to increase sales, we want to attract more male customers by adding a male hairstylist.”

“I see…”

Expanding the customer base leads to increased revenue. In essence, it means sustaining the business, ensuring stability for the staff’s livelihoods. Despite his occasional forgetfulness due to being busy, Shuuto’s father, when discussing such matters, wears a more serious expression than when tackling work.

“So, can you do it?”

“I don’t seem to have the right to refuse given the circumstances…”

“To be honest, that’s true.”

“Come on…”

Uttering a word of amazement, Shuuto had already made up his mind to help out. Not to repay the favor in such a way, but to show even a little gratitude for his parents.

“Just so you know, I’ve told the branch manager not to reveal that you’re my son. It’s better that way; the staff at the branch won’t be distant, and they won’t suspect any surveillance.”

“W-well, I trust you’re handling that part properly…”

His father holds the position of owner. If the staff were to know his identity, they might feel pressured to act more formally. His father’s efforts are directed towards making Shuuto’s work at the branch easier.

If Shuuto had been able to demonstrate his skills from the beginning, things might not have come to this. But now, it’s unavoidable.

“Got it. If that’s the situation, I’ll do my best at the branch.”

“Sorry about this, really. I’ve already explained the layout of the salon and the storage places for tools, so you shouldn’t have much trouble. If there’s anything you don’t understand, ask the branch manager.”

“Understood. So, can I go with the setting that I’m your apprentice? It’s not a lie, after all.”

“Yeah, that’s fine. It won’t seem unnatural as a reason for your assignment.”

“Got it.”

One fortunate aspect of this situation is that everyone refers to Shuuto’s father as the ‘owner.’ Since the surname isn’t well-known, there isn’t much worry about them being recognized as father and son.

With this understanding, Shuuto is now assigned from the main store to the branch of Shall Tier.

And thus, with this incident as a catalyst, the gears of fate begin to turn.