Pink Ribbons and Sharp Tools

Yuki twirled her scissors-shaped hairpin between her fingers as she gazed out the window of Sparkle Salon. The morning sun made her pink curls shimmer like cotton candy.

"Another quiet day in Nakaibito," she sighed, adjusting her scissors earrings.

Maki looked up from organizing her thinning shears. Her green eyes sparkled with mischief. "Don't jinx it, Yuki. You know how crazy things get around here."

Yuko giggled from behind the reception desk, her purple hair bouncing as she polished her magical clippers. "Remember last week when Mrs. Tanaka's cat got stuck in that tree?"

Before Yuki could respond, the salon door burst open. Mrs. Yamamoto stumbled in, dragging five boys behind her. Their hair hung in greasy tangles past their shoulders, covering most of their faces.

"Please help me!" Mrs. Yamamoto gasped. "These boys refuse haircuts! People keep mistaking them for girls!"

The boys huddled together like scared rabbits, their eyes wide with terror as they stared at the magical hairdressing tools glinting on the counters.

The Sparrow's Message

"Ren, Riku, Haruto, Kenji, Hiroto," Mrs. Yamamoto pointed at each boy. "These are their names."

The boys pressed closer together, trembling as Yuki stepped forward with her scissors-shaped wand gleaming in her hand.

"We won't hurt you," Yuki said softly. "We're here to help."

"No!" Ren shouted, his voice muffled by his tangled hair. "Last time someone said that, they cut my ear!"

Riku nodded frantically. "My barber made me look like a pineapple!"

"And mine gave me a bowl cut that lasted three months," Haruto whispered.

Just then, a small sparrow fluttered through the open window and landed on Yuko's shoulder. The bird chirped urgently, as if delivering a message.

"What is it, little friend?" Yuko asked, stroking the sparrow's feathers.

The sparrow chirped again and flew in circles around the terrified boys, then perched on a nearby mirror, tapping it with its beak.

"I think it's trying to tell us something," Maki said, watching the bird's frantic movements.

Suddenly, the sparrow flew to the window and began chirping toward the village square, where festival music drifted through the air.

"The Spring Music Festival!" Yuki exclaimed. "That's today!"