A love of beauty seemed to be a girl's natural instinct, especially for girls in this island nation.
Exquisite makeup and clothing were essential passes for socializing. Girls who dressed too plainly could even become easy targets for bullying. In this regard, Kiyoharu felt that China, his homeland in his previous life, had been far more free. Regardless of gender, no one really cared whether someone wore makeup or what style of clothes they wore, as long as it did not violate public order or good morals.
Perhaps this was also inseparable from the reason Shimaura Hitomi was ostracized at school.
Yet when faced with Kiyoharu's suggestion, Shimaura Hitomi rejected it decisively. The fear faintly revealed from deep within her made Kiyoharu keenly realize that there was more to it.
He had always regarded her purely as a friend, so he had not paid much attention to Shimaura Hitomi's casual appearance. Only now did he belatedly realize that it was definitely not as simple as her merely being too lazy to groom herself.
"You don't need to dress extravagantly. Just change a few details so you look a little more mature and less easy to push around." Kiyoharu encouraged her. "Those teachers always underestimate you, don't they? It's time to make them see you in a new light. You mentioned wanting to lose weight before, junior. I guess that was part of the reason too."
"Mm-hmm, it was." Shimaura Hitomi clasped her hands before her like an elementary school student and nodded repeatedly. Her senior really was perceptive; he had seen through her thoughts without making a fuss.
For her, losing weight was much easier to accept psychologically than changing how she dressed. Of course, out of professional responsibility, Shimaura Hitomi had already rejected the option of losing weight.
Then... should she try her senior's suggestion?
If the makeover was not too drastic, perhaps it could work.
Seeing Shimaura Hitomi waver, Kiyoharu suggested that Ayano could help advise her as well.
So the two returned carrying milk tea, and Kiyoharu told the others about it.
"A makeover... indeed, Hitomi looks too childish right now. She probably can't keep unruly students under control." Airi understood this deeply. She had begun working for the Chihaya Conglomerate at a young age, and to keep her subordinates from looking down on her, she had always worked hard to cultivate the image of a mature, elegant woman.
"Great idea! Then today's shopping theme will be helping Hitomi!" Kitahara Ayano smiled with narrowed eyes and glanced at Kiyoharu, clearly plotting something wicked.
Having thrown out the bait and achieved his objective, Kiyoharu immediately entered stealth mode, letting the three women chatter away in discussion.
However, Airi clearly had no intention of letting him disappear.
While Ayano introduced brands to Shimaura Hitomi, Airi slowed down and walked side by side with Kiyoharu, who had been trailing behind them.
She suddenly reached out and viciously pinched the soft flesh at his waist.
"Hiss—" Kiyoharu grimaced, then helplessly lowered his voice. "What are you dissatisfied with now, Young Lady?"
"So you've become addicted to playing stylist, have you? Since when was Hitomi's image something for you to worry about?" Airi glared at him with a meaningful fake smile. "Does Kiyoharu-kun want to turn Shimaura Hitomi into a cute little girl so he can make a move on her as her office senior...?"
"Quite the opposite. I'm concerned about her appearance purely because she's your best friend. Didn't you ask me to look after her? Workplace women care deeply about image management nowadays. I think the Young Lady knows that better than I do. I'm helping her improve her relationships with others."
"Oh~"
Airi merely hummed noncommittally. She stared into Kiyoharu's eyes, trying to find traces of falsehood, but found nothing at all.
After thinking for a moment, Airi spoke somewhat gloomily. "Hitomi... has a reason for not dressing up."
"Family reasons?"
"Mm. You know her parents' situation is unusual. It left her with some childhood psychological scars."
Airi did not say more. Perhaps she felt Kiyoharu did not need to know, or perhaps shopping was not the right setting for such a discussion.
But in any case, Kiyoharu now had a clear direction for his investigation. He could find a suitable opportunity to ask Shimaura Hitomi about it. If it was something within his ability to help with, Kiyoharu did not mind finding a way to untie the knot in her heart.
In this world, Shimaura Hitomi was one of the few friends he could trust.
After Kitahara Ayano's preliminary assessment, she declared that the most urgent matter for Shimaura Hitomi was changing her hairstyle.
Her long hair was thick and dense, and its color was healthy enough, but it looked rather messy.
At the mention of this, Airi perked right up and enthusiastically recommended the salon she often visited to her best friend. It happened to be in this upscale shopping district.
The group headed for the salon. A staff member assigned to receive them led all four into the VIP area and arranged for experienced female stylists to wash their hair and give them massages.
Airi also decided to get her hair trimmed while she was there. Though Kiyoharu could not see what there was to trim from his perspective, perhaps that was simply the perfectionism of a Young Lady!
The two went into private rooms to have their hair washed, leaving only Ayano and Kiyoharu outside to rest.
Airi did not suspect anything, but Kiyoharu knew this gave Ayano the perfect opportunity to cause trouble.
Kiyoharu had a sudden idea and asked Airi whether he could get some hair treatment too. That would greatly reduce Ayano's chances.
What he received was Airi's disdainful eye roll.
"Kiyoharu-kun doesn't need that. Be good and wait outside."
Thus, Kiyoharu could only sit across from Kitahara Ayano in the lounge, wearing an awkward yet polite smile.
"Just thinking about Kiyoharu-kun spending every day with a woman who has such a terrible temper sounds exhausting. I'm truly curious—what exactly is Kiyoharu-kun doing it for?"
"Curiosity killed the cat. I advise Miss Kitahara not to pry too much."
"Is that a threat?"
"Not quite. But if Airi finds out what you did to me, she definitely won't let you off... You said so yourself—her temper is terrible."
Airi had once uncovered a subordinate's corruption and embezzlement, then directly thrown the person out of a third-floor conference room window.
Kiyoharu did not think Airi would show Ayano any special tolerance. Best friends? They would have to fall out!
"Kiyoharu-kun wouldn't want Airi to know the truth."
"You're that certain?"
"Mm, how should I put it... Being around a tyrant for so long and suppressing your needs as a man, anyone would develop the desire to fall in love. In other words, I am not coercing Kiyoharu-kun. I am helping Kiyoharu-kun escape his misery."
"Heh, what twisted logic." Kiyoharu said disdainfully, "I will forever be loyal to Chihaya Airi. You may be able to coerce me, but you will never be able to tempt me."
In this life, I had truly turned over a new leaf and renounced worldly desires.
Looking at Kiyoharu's righteous expression, Kitahara Ayano wanted even more to see what that handsome, ascetic face would look like after being thoroughly ruined.
"Please stop being bound by society's conventions. Now, I will help Kiyoharu-kun understand his own heart."
Suddenly, Ayano stood and switched off the lights in the lounge, then drew the curtains tightly shut. The room immediately became dim, with only faint yellow light spilling in from the corridor leading to the hair-washing and massage rooms.
Kiyoharu immediately became alert. "What do you want?"
"I want to help Kiyoharu-kun face reality—right now, in an environment that is only slightly suggestive, even with Airi next door, Kiyoharu-kun will still be unable to resist desiring me."
"Ha ha, you're joking..."
Before Kiyoharu could finish speaking, everything around him suddenly froze.
Today's Time Stop had arrived.
Before you continue