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 7: Customer Who Appointed, Rikka. Part - 2.

Customer Who Appointed, Rikka. Part – 2.

“Fuuh… The shampoo from Onii-san felt so good, especially the hot towel.”

Rather than praising his skills, Rikka complimented the items. She grinned as if waiting for a response.

“Oh, my hands are starting to shake.”

“Hey! Don’t joke about that!”

“While I’m cutting, is it okay to talk? If not, I can be quiet, just let me know.”

“I actually prefer to communicate while working. It’s nice to interact, especially with you, Rika-san.”

“Thanks. Then I’ll take you up on that offer.”

“Yes, please feel free to speak your mind.”

Even as they converse, the stylist doesn’t pause their work. They answer with a smile and continue combing through the hair to check the volume.

“Hey, Onii-san, you’re a two-star winner of Kami-sma, right?”

“Oh, you know about Kami-sma?”

Kami-sma, short for ‘ Kami (Hair) Karisuma,’ is an award for hair salons and individual hairdressers nationwide. Roughly, there are ten three-star winners, twenty two-star winners, and seventy one-star winners among individual hairdressers. There are about fifty salons.

It’s a prestigious and valuable award.

“When I saw that award listed on your profile during the booking process, it all made sense why getting an appointment with you was such a challenge.”

“Thank you very much. It means a lot to hear that.”

“Your rate of progress is extraordinary, isn’t it? Graduating from a beauty school at 20 and winning awards already?”

“If you include the training period, it’s been about 10 years.”

“Ten years!? That’s incredible!”

This topic never fails to surprise everyone who hears it.

“Aren’t you 22 now, Onii-san? That’s what was on your profile, right?”

“That’s correct. Given that our family runs a hair salon, I’ve been receiving guidance since sixth grade.”

“Wow, you kept at it from such a young age until now?”

“It was my dream for the future. Although I must admit, the guidance was incredibly strict, like training under a drill sergeant. There were times I cried and wanted to run away.”

“But, you acknowledged and fought back, right? That’s cool.”

“D-Do you understand that…?”

“Mm-hmm.”

In the end, he persevered and worked hard, reaching where he is today. But as a child, it was quite a struggle. His father, aiming for professionalism, was strict with him.

“If not, you wouldn’t have won such an amazing award or be working at this famous salon, right?”

“Haha, well, maybe you’re right. Looking back, it’s a good memory now.”

Being assigned to a branch as an apprentice was his father’s decision. If his influence hadn’t reached that far, someone else might have been assigned. Shuuto endured and fought hard, and that’s why he’s recognized now.

“Well, Rikka-san, I’ve combed the hair modestly at this stage, but should I reduce it a bit more?”

“Go a bit bolder; it’s okay. Just make sure it doesn’t feel too stiff.”

“Understood.”

After finishing the first check, Shuuto returned to his work.

“You know, Onii-san, you look dazzling. Sorry for saying something like an old person, but you’re doing a job that’s really worthwhile.”

“Aren’t you doing the same kind of job now?”

“Actually, it’s a bit different for me. This is just payback.”

“Payback…?”

Caught off guard by her unexpected words, Shuuto momentarily forgot to use polite language. Blinking his eyes, he asked again, and she answered nonchalantly.

“Yeah, that’s right. I’ve come to terms with it, so I want you to take it lightly. But, to be honest, until middle school, I was bullied.”

“Wha…”

Involuntarily, he stopped the hand that was moving the scissors. He quickly resumed his work, but the disturbance lingered.

“When I say bullied, it wasn’t physical violence, just being ignored, left alone, or singled out. Still, it isn’t pleasant for a person, right?”

“Of course.”

Honestly, Shuuto, with his own issues and Nonoka’s troubles, felt a bit sympathetic. He waited for her to continue speaking.

“So, the reason I started aiming to be a model is because of this. Of course, I admired it too, but the bigger part was wanting to say, ‘See, the person you used to bully has turned out like this. Take that.'”

“…”

“Just recently, I received a message from someone who used to bully me, saying, ‘You’ve become beautiful’ or ‘Let’s meet again sometimes.’ I ignored it and felt refreshed.”

While the sound of scissors cutting could be heard, Rikka continued. However, this time, her beautiful face clouded over.

“But you know, right after feeling refreshed, every time I think, ‘I’m getting carried away with weird feelings.’ When I think that, I realize how small I am. …You probably thought, ‘Now she’s talking about childish things,’ right?”

“It does seem like a typical student’s worry.”

“See! You’re saying it’s childish!”

The line about ‘coming to terms with it’ made Shuuto decide that it would be more painful for her if he started being overly considerate due to her personality.

“But still, it’s surprising isn’t it? Hearing that I used to be bullied. It’s quite unexpected.”

“Cute girls are more likely to be bullied, they say.”

“Oh? You said something nice!”

Accustomed to receiving compliments, Rikka didn’t blush or act shy; instead, she narrowed her eyes with a sly grin.

“Well, let me get serious here. Personally, I think pursuing a modeling career for your own sake rather than revenge would be more enjoyable.”

“How so?”

“Now that you’ve achieved some of the revenge goals, I believe your motivation might be declining.”

“…Y-yeah. But it’s hard to switch gears. Sorry for sounding childish.”

“I understand your feelings, but I think the mindset of seeking revenge is a bit of a waste now.”

“Why?”

“Well, in my case, it didn’t go as far as bullying, but I was ridiculed. Considering that experience, I feel that way.”

“Onii-san, you got ridiculed!? Why? I don’t get it.”

Rikka widened her cat-like eyes, showing great interest. Seeing her like that, Shuuto smiled wryly and explained.

“I spent more time pursuing becoming a hairstylist than playing with friends, so people used to say, ‘Wasting time on weird things doesn’t make any sense.’ It was during elementary and middle school, so thinking like that was not uncommon.”

“That must have been irritating!”

“Well, I was serious about pursuing that path. Still, I tried to cultivate a feeling of ‘I’ll show them.’ It depends on how hurt one gets, but I hope you can maintain that kind of mindset, Rikka-san.”

“…”

He spoke gently, trying to convey his desire for her to change her mindset even a little.

“If you keep thinking about revenge, as you mentioned, Rikka-san, you’ll end up with lingering bad feelings, and it might diminish your own worth. On the other hand, if you have a mindset of showing them, it’s essential to keep improving yourself, and your motivation will only increase.”

“…”

“So, I think it’s a bit of a waste to invest effort in revenge. Your tormentors might not feel regret, and you might end up belittling yourself. ‘Getting back’ and ‘showing them’ have different meanings. ‘Showing them’ means becoming splendid and letting them see it.”

Rikka looked pensive, and Shuuto continued.

“It’s challenging to switch your mindset, so you might need some kind of trigger.”

“A trigger?”

“Yes.”

“Can I ask for an example?”

“Well, um… For example…”

“Go on.”

“Like… for example…”

Here, Shuuto furrowed his brows unintentionally. It was taking some time. Despite being the one to initiate the topic, finding an example wasn’t easy.

“If you have a boyfriend, I apologize, but… are you open to giving love a try?”

“Fufu~.”

For a moment, her white cheeks puffed up, and then she blew out a breath through her lips.

“Please don’t laugh… It’s embarrassing to say something like this seriously.”

“Sorry! I never expected you to come at me with such a serious face. Usually, isn’t it more like, ‘I want to make the customer happy!’ or something?”

“Just doing my job well achieves that goal.”

“Ah…”

Whether it’s any job, there will always be someone pleased with the result. That’s how the world works.

Rikka remained silent for a moment, seemingly deep in thought, but her expression showed understanding.

“So, to be able to show them, polish yourself more and become famous. Ultimately, use your polished self as a weapon and date a wonderful guy. How about something like that? You might even aim for a famous actor.”

Ignoring the message from those who bullied her, feeling refreshed.

It’s more beneficial than doing something like this.

Setting a new goal can be a trigger to enjoy work.

“Thanks for thinking about it. Honestly, what you said might suit my personality. To be frank, I do want a boyfriend.”

“Sure, I’m cheering for you.”

“Huh? You’re not volunteering to be my boyfriend, are you? I’m still young and have a lot of potential, you know? Like a diamond in the rough.”

After all, she served as the opening act for the Sakuran Girls Collection at just 18 years old. There’s a high likelihood that she’ll continue to soar even higher from here.

“Well, I prefer someone older than me.”

“Don’t just reject me like that with the flow of the conversation! Geez.”

“When you start enjoying your work even more than before, I’ll volunteer then.”

“Geez, you said it.”

“By that time, I think you’ll be dating someone else.”

“I wonder about that. I’m a faithful person, you know?”

“I find that hard to believe.”

“That’s rude! Well, let’s leave it at that.”

“Haha, sorry.”

They could exchange banter like this because she was the client. They both understood it was a playful exchange.

“So, how’s the amount of hair I combed through so far?”

“Yeah, thanks. It feels just right.”

“Okay, next, I’ll adjust the length for you.”

“Sure thing, go ahead.”

With that, the consultation naturally ended, moving on to the next stage.