Pink Curls and Morning Light

Yuki twirled in front of her bedroom mirror, watching her pink curls bounce. Her scissors earrings caught the morning sunlight streaming through her window in Nakaibito village.

"Perfect!" she said, adjusting her scissor-shaped hairpins. Her purple eyes sparkled as she grabbed her magical scissors from the dresser.

Downstairs, her phone buzzed with a text from Maki: "Emergency at the salon! Come quick!"

Yuki slipped on her pink heels and rushed outside. The cobblestone streets of Nakaibito were already busy with villagers going about their morning routines. She passed Mrs. Tanaka's flower shop and waved.

When she reached the Crystal Cut Salon, she found Maki and Yuko standing outside, looking worried. Through the window, Yuki could see five boys with incredibly long, messy hair hiding behind the waiting chairs.

"They won't come out," Maki whispered, clutching her thinning shears wand. "Their parents brought them here, but the moment they saw our tools..."

One boy peeked over a chair, his eyes wide with terror.

The Sparrow's Warning

Yuki stepped inside the salon, her pink heels clicking on the polished floor. The five boys crouched behind chairs like frightened rabbits.

"Hello," she said softly. "I'm Yuki."

The tallest boy with shaggy black hair peeked up. "Are you going to cut our hair?" His voice trembled.

"That depends," Yuki said, sitting cross-legged on the floor. "What are your names?"

"I'm Ren," the tall boy whispered. "This is Riku, Haruto, Kenji, and Hiroto."

A small sparrow suddenly flew through the open window, landing on Yuki's shoulder. It chirped urgently, then flew in circles around the room.

"What's it saying?" Riku asked, his brown eyes wide.

Yuki frowned. "Something about danger coming... and angry parents."

The sparrow chirped again, then flew out the window. Moments later, heavy footsteps echoed from the street. Through the window, Yuki saw five angry-looking adults marching toward the salon.

"Hide!" Haruto whispered.

The boys scrambled deeper behind the furniture. Maki and Yuko exchanged worried glances.

"They're coming to drag us home," Kenji said, his voice shaking. "They said if we don't get haircuts today, they'll shave our heads completely."