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 8: Customer Who Appointed, Rikka. Part - 3.

Customer Who Appointed, Rikka. Part – 3.

Subsequent events.

After the haircut, I applied shampoo and used the hair dryer for the finishing touches on Rikka.

Fifty minutes had already passed since the treatment started at 3 PM, and there was a little time left until completion.

Sitting quietly in the chair, she glanced at the clock and murmured, 

“Oh, only 10 minutes left.”

“Did it feel long?” 

“No, the opposite. This might be the fastest I’ve felt in a salon. I ended up consulting about my worries because you were easy to talk to.”

“No, no, I had an enjoyable time as well,” I replied, raising my voice a bit to compete with the noise of the hairdryer.

“Do you think you can manage your emotions well?”

“I honestly don’t know yet. But I understand that it would be better to do so, so I plan to pave the way to make it happen.”

“Please do your best.”

“Yeah.”

Despite being in the middle of drying her hair, she nodded affirmatively, so I finished up carefully so as not to be outdone by her.

“Well then, I’m looking forward to your future successes. I’ll be bringing in plenty of work, so be ready.”

“I’m counting on it.”

“And also, about falling in love or something like that?”

“Haha, yes, something like that. If you ever have any trouble, please let me know.”

“Mm. Well then, I’ll rely on you when that time comes. Knowing you, you’ll definitely tease me about it.”

“Because I’m mean like that.”

“Sure, sure.”

As she squints her eyes as if saying ‘liar,’ Shuuto confirms that her hair has lost its moisture and turns off the hairdryer, avoiding eye contact with her.

“Rikka-san, how would you like your hair styled?”

“Since we’re here, I might as well get it done. I’m curious about your styling technique, and it would be a learning experience for me.”

“Any preferences?”

“I don’t really have any particular preferences. Instead, I’d like something that suits me right now.”

“Could you elaborate?”

“I want you to create a theme for the style.”

“A theme… That’s quite a challenging request… Please give me a moment.”

Though it’s quite an unreasonable request, giving it their all is just part of the job.

Taking a step or two back, Shuuto starts to brainstorm while keeping Rikka’s overall image in mind.

“…”

“…”

Unconsciously, my brow furrowed. But during this time, I had slowly built a foundation.

“Rikka-san, would you like me to use a hair iron as well…?”

“OK.”

“Thank you. In that case, it should be fine.”

“You’re quick to come up with ideas, aren’t you? I thought it would take more time since it’s quite a demanding request.”

“I’m not very skilled with curling hair, though, haha.”

Having finished tying the cord of the hairdryer and storing it in the shelf, Shuuto then takes out a hair iron and pink hairpins.

At that moment, she widened her eyes as if she had realized something.

“Oh! That’s the hair iron famous for ‘Not Damaging Your Hair ZE,’ right?”

“Yes. We use this iron exclusively at our salon.”

“As expected of a famous salon. You must be rich. This costs around 50,000 yen, you know?”

“Uh, is it really that expensive ma’am?”

“Haha, no need to get all tense. You’re even speaking casually.”

“Ah, hahaha… sorry. I didn’t know about the price.”

Seeing her genuine reaction, Rikka grinned and playfully touched me. While feeling embarrassed about her teasing, I plugged in the iron and turned on the power.

As it’s a high-end item, it quickly reaches the desired temperature, but there’s something I need to do before using the iron.

“S-so, let’s start by tying up the back of your hair first.”

“Tying up and using the iron, right?”

“If it hurts, please let me know.”

With that preamble, I begin tying her hair.

I twist the hair from above her ears upwards, securing it with pink hair pins when it’s layered several times, creating a half-up braided style.

Then, I use the iron to create outward curls at the nape of her neck.

After combing and styling her bangs, I finish by applying hair oil to complete the look.

“H-how does this look? I also highlighted the pink inner color.”

“…”

“The theme is, um, to make your work more enjoyable, so I added a playful element with this half-up style. It’s a pun, but the outward curls represent the desire for you to spread your wings even further from now on.”

“…”

With a three-way mirror to explain, I wait for Rikka’s reaction as we both glare at the reflected set.

“Whaaat, seriously…”

“Huh?”

Shuuto flinched at the seemingly dissatisfied remark, but it turned out to be unnecessary.

“I kinda felt a bit jealous as a woman, though.”

“Huh?”

“This hairstyle is super cute! It’s amazing that a guy can create this, right?! This is totally original!”

Suddenly, Rikka leaned in with a bright, eager expression on her pretty face.

“There are many styling methods, so there might be similar hairstyles, but yeah, it turned out like this.”

“Wow, really? You must have practiced this half-up a lot, huh? It’s so cute, and the outward curls add a nice accent. The pink color stands out perfectly!”

“I’m glad you like it.”

The time spent waiting for her reaction felt like an eternity, but being able to see such a clear and positive response like this makes it all worthwhile.

I can feel satisfied knowing that the effort put into practice and study has paid off.

“Hey, can I copy this hairstyle next time?”

“Of course. If you can remember what we talked about.”

“W-what’s that supposed to mean? Geez…”

Rather than seeking revenge, I aim to prove myself.

Shuuto had hoped that today’s conversation wouldn’t be forgotten.

“I-I’m telling you, I won’t forget. Besides, the way we met was… yeah.”

“Haha, true.”

“Well, since you’ve got permission, I’ll make sure to show off this hairstyle at the next shoot.”

“Please do some promotion for Chaltier too.”

“No way.”

With a smug expression, Rikka chuckled.

She starts to show expressions more befitting a model.

“I think I’ve figured out why you’ve become popular at this salon. I won’t tell you though.”

“As a hairstylist, I’d appreciate it if you could tell me…”

Whether it’s praise or criticism, feedback from customers is valuable. Compliments guide improvement, while critics point out areas for adjustment.

Despite trying to pry it out, I’m met with cryptic responses.

“Well, for now, there might be clients who change their hairstyle influenced by your styling, especially if it has some deeper meaning.”

“I’ll have to settle for that answer.”

“Isn’t it not settling, but being satisfied? …I’m a model, you know? I.”

“Even if you say that cutely, it won’t have any effect.”

“Your calm retort is embarrassing, though.”

“I apologize for that.”

Checking the time, it’s 3:59. The scheduled time is about to end.

“Do you have another job after this? If not, want to chat outside?”

“Unfortunately, I do have another job.”

“That’s too bad, really.”

Without being demanding, she sends me off with a ‘do your best.’

“Thanks for today. I’ll see you to the entrance.”

“We can part ways here. You should take some time to rest.”

“Thank you. Understood.”

“See ya then, you meanie who won’t let me wear a hat with this hairstyle.”

“Ah…”

“Hahaha”

With one last mischievous smile, Rikka takes a red baseball cap from her bag and closes the door of the private room.

***

“Shuuto-san, this is a gift from a certain customer.”

“Huh?”

And so, at the end of today’s work, Shuuto received a letter from one of the receptionists at the entrance.

“Surely something good is written in there.”

“Ah, thank you. I’ll check it.”

Expressing his gratitude, Shuuto opened the letter alone. The contents were as follows:

‘LINE ID: Ri_kka1122 – Give me a message after work!’

Such a request in cute, cursive handwriting.