Pink Scissors and Morning Plans

Yuki adjusted her scissors earrings and checked her reflection in the salon mirror. Her pink curls bounced as she nodded with satisfaction. Today felt special, though she couldn't say why.

"Good morning, Scissors & Magic!" she called to her empty salon, twirling in her pink dress. The heels clicked against the wooden floor as she organized her tools. Pink nail polish gleamed as she arranged her scissors, each one shining like tiny treasures.

Her phone buzzed with a text from her friend Maki: "Five new customers coming today. Boys who really need help."

Yuki's purple eyes widened. Five boys? In Nakaibito village, most boys avoided salons like they were full of dragons. She touched her scissor-shaped hairpins nervously.

"Well," she said to her reflection, "magical girls help everyone, right?"

Outside, she could hear footsteps and what sounded like arguing. Her heart jumped. Were they already here?

The Frightened Five

The salon door burst open with such force that Yuki's scissors clattered to the floor. Five boys stumbled inside, their hair so long and tangled it covered their faces completely. Behind them, three women pushed through the doorway.

"Please, just this once!" one mother pleaded, gripping a boy's shoulders as he tried to escape.

"No way!" the boy shouted, his voice muffled by greasy hair. "I'm not letting anyone near me with scissors!"

The other boys huddled together like scared animals. One peeked through his hair at Yuki's scissor earrings and immediately hid behind his friend.

"You have to understand," another mother explained to Yuki, "people keep mistaking them for girls. The school called yesterday because Ren here was sent to the wrong bathroom line."

A boy with particularly long black hair crossed his arms. "I don't care! Last time someone cut my hair, they made me look like a pineapple!"

Yuki's heart sank. These weren't just boys who needed haircuts - they were terrified. She touched her scissor-shaped hairpins nervously, wondering how her magic could possibly help with this.