Pink Scissors and Purple Eyes

Yuki adjusted her scissors earrings and checked her reflection in the salon window. The morning sun made her pink curls sparkle as she unlocked the door to "Magic Cuts."

"Another day of beautiful hair transformations," she whispered to herself, stepping inside.

The salon smelled like lavender shampoo and styling cream. Yuki's heels clicked against the tile floor as she arranged her special scissors on the counter. Each pair gleamed silver, waiting for the day's first customer.

A loud crash echoed from the alley behind the salon. Yuki peered through the back window and gasped. Five boys with wild, tangled hair were tumbling over trash cans, their faces streaked with dirt.

"No way! We're not going in there!" shouted one boy with messy black hair.

"The scissors will hurt us again!" cried another, clutching his greasy locks.

Yuki pressed her face against the glass. These boys looked terrified of something. But what could make children so afraid of a simple haircut?

The Professional Arrives

The boys scrambled to their feet, leaves stuck in their hair like messy crowns. Yuki recognized them from school—Ren, Riku, Haruto, Kenji, and Hiroto. Their hair hung past their shoulders, greasy and tangled.

"We have to hide!" Ren whispered, his dark eyes darting around the alley.

"They'll find us eventually," Haruto mumbled, picking garbage from his shirt.

A smart woman with short black hair appeared at the alley's entrance. She wore a crisp business suit and held a clipboard. "There you are! Your parents hired me to bring you to the salon."

"No!" all five boys shouted together.

The woman stepped forward. "Ms. Yuki's salon has excellent reviews. You need proper haircuts."

"Last time the barber cut Kenji's ear!" Riku pointed at his friend.

Yuki gasped. Through the window, she could see a small scar on Kenji's earlobe. These boys weren't being stubborn—they were genuinely scared.

The woman pulled out her phone. "Should I call your parents?"

The boys looked at each other with wide, frightened eyes. Yuki's heart melted. She had to help them somehow, but how could she prove that not all scissors brought pain?