Morning Preparations

Yuki adjusted her scissors earrings and checked her pink nails one last time. Her elaborate pink curls bounced as she walked through the peaceful streets of Nakaibito village. The morning sun painted everything golden, and magical girls waved cheerfully from their shops.

"Good morning, Yuki!" called Maki from her flower stand, her blue dress swishing as she arranged daisies.

"Morning!" Yuki replied, her purple eyes sparkling. She loved being part of this magical community where everyone had special talents.

At her salon, she unlocked the door and stepped inside. Scissors gleamed on pink counters, and her spray-bottle wand rested in its special holder. Everything looked perfect for another day of making people beautiful.

Then her phone buzzed. A text message from the village council made her heart skip.

"Emergency appointment needed. Five boys. Parents insist. They're... difficult cases."

Yuki frowned. Difficult how? She'd handled fussy customers before. How hard could five boys be?

The Unexpected Visitors

Twenty minutes later, Yuki heard shouting outside. She peeked through her salon window and gasped.

Five boys were being dragged down the street by their parents. The boys had long, tangled hair that hung past their shoulders like curtains. Their clothes were wrinkled and their sneakers squeaked against the pavement as they tried to dig their heels in.

"No! Please! Not the scissors!" one boy wailed.

"Ren, you look like a girl!" his mother scolded. "People keep calling you 'miss' at the grocery store!"

The other boys - Riku, Haruto, Kenji, and Hiroto - were equally messy. Their greasy hair stuck to their faces and necks. Parents pulled them forward while they kicked and screamed.

"We don't want haircuts!" Hiroto shouted.

Yuki watched in amazement. She'd never seen children this terrified of hair scissors. The boys' eyes were wide with panic, like they expected the worst possible outcome.

The group stopped right in front of her salon. Through the glass, she could see the boys trembling. Their parents looked exhausted and frustrated.

Her phone buzzed again. "They're here. Good luck."