The Shimmering Salon

Yuki adjusted her scissors earrings and checked her reflection in the salon mirror. Her pink curls bounced as she turned her head, and her purple eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Another busy day ahead!" she announced to her magical hairdressing friends, Maki and Yuko, who were already arranging their tools.

Maki, with her emerald green hair tied in a neat bun, smiled warmly. "I heard there's a group of boys in the village who really need our help."

Yuko nodded, her silver braids catching the morning light. "Their parents are quite worried about them."

Through the salon window, Yuki spotted five boys walking past. Their hair hung long and tangled, covering most of their faces. She noticed how they kept their heads down, avoiding eye contact with anyone.

"Those must be them," Yuki whispered. "Ren, Riku, Haruto, Kenji, and Hiroto."

The boys quickened their pace when they saw the salon, practically running away from the building.

"This might be trickier than we thought," Maki observed quietly.

Fountain Fears

Later that afternoon, Yuki spotted the five boys near the village fountain. They sat in a circle, heads down, while a group of older boys surrounded them.

"Look at these girls!" one of the bullies laughed, pointing at Ren's tangled hair. "Are you sure you're not wearing wigs?"

Haruto pulled his knees to his chest. "Leave us alone, Daisuke."

"Not until you admit you're actually girls," Daisuke sneered. His friends giggled meanly.

Yuki's heart sank as she watched Kenji's shoulders shake. She wanted to march over immediately, but something made her pause behind a tree.

"My mom says I have to get my hair cut tomorrow," Hiroto whispered to his friends. "She's going to drag me there."

"Mine too," Riku added quietly. "But what if they mess it up again? What if it looks even worse?"

The bullies finally walked away, still laughing. The five boys remained by the fountain, looking smaller than ever.

Yuki bit her lip. These boys weren't just avoiding haircuts—they were terrified of them. And their fear was making everything worse.