Haircut and Shopping

After leaving Palette, Uesugi Hara strolled through the commercial district.

Uesugi Hara realized he had been at the school for nearly a week and had only been wearing his school uniform, so he headed toward the clothing section.

Just as he reached the entrance, a striking white figure caught his eye: a certain white-haired loli was walking out of an exquisitely decorated clothing store. A few strands of her silver-white hair, cut just past her ears, were lifted by the breeze, and a small lace bow was pinned next to her beret.

She was fiddling with a newly unboxed hair accessory, while the young maid following behind her held several shopping bags printed with various brand logos in her arms, the edges of silk skirt hems peeking out from the bags.

It was Sakayanagi Arisu and Kamuro Masumi.

Uesugi Hara initially intended to pretend he hadn't seen them and turned to leave, but Sakayanagi Arisu's playful, smiling voice drifted from behind him: "Uesugi-kun, are you going to walk away without saying hello when you run into an acquaintance?"

He paused, and by the time he turned around, his face already wore a perfectly composed expression: "Oh, it's Sakayanagi-san. I didn't see clearly just now and thought I had mistaken you for someone else."

"Hehe—" Sakayanagi Arisu lightly covered her lips with her hand, her gaze sweeping over him. "Is Uesugi-kun here to buy clothes? I've just finished shopping myself; would you like me to help you pick some out?"

Uesugi Hara knew clearly that there was no escaping this. He sighed helplessly and gave a slight nod: "Then I shall trouble you, Sakayanagi-san."

Upon hearing this, Sakayanagi Arisu's ice-blue eyes lingered on him for a moment. When her gaze swept over the bangs obscuring his forehead, she suddenly curled her lips: "Before picking out clothes, perhaps Uesugi-kun should resolve another matter first."

Uesugi Hara raised an eyebrow: "And what does Sakayanagi-san mean by that?"

"Your hair." She tapped her temple with her fingertip, her tone carrying a hint of teasing. "Hair that is too long and covers your eyes inevitably makes you look a bit gloomy—there happens to be a salon just ahead with excellent craftsmanship. Would you like to go get a trim first?"

Uesugi Hara instinctively reached up to brush his bangs; they were indeed getting in the way, and he hadn't bothered to groom himself while in a bad mood over the past few months. He glanced at Sakayanagi Arisu's meticulously styled silver hair, then at Kamuro Masumi's perpetually neat long hair, and said helplessly: "Since Sakayanagi-san has said so, it seems I should go get it tidied up."

"Hehe, that's better." Sakayanagi Arisu nodded with satisfaction and signaled for Kamuro Masumi to follow. "Kamuro, go drop off the shopping bags at the service desk ahead. Uesugi-kun, let's head to the salon first. Once your hairstyle is refreshed, it will be easier to pick out clothes."

Kamuro Masumi immediately replied with a "Yes" and hurried toward the service desk with the bags. Uesugi Hara watched Sakayanagi Arisu take the lead and had no choice but to follow—it seemed that today, not only would he be "supervised" while buying clothes, but even his hair would be subject to her interference.

The salon was filled with the faint scent of aromatherapy, and the floor-to-ceiling mirrors made the space look exceptionally bright. Sakayanagi Arisu chose a seat by the window, and Kamuro Masumi returned from dropping off the bags, standing quietly behind her.

"Please have the manager handle it," Sakayanagi Arisu said with a light smile to the staff member who approached, though her gaze remained fixed on Uesugi Hara through the mirror. "Nothing too flashy; just cut it enough to reveal his eyes—keep it sharp; that's the only way to match Uesugi-kun's temperament."

Uesugi Hara leaned back in the chair, letting the manager trim his hair. Amidst the soft sound of scissors opening and closing, Sakayanagi Arisu would occasionally interject: "A bit shorter on the left? That will make the jawline look sharper." Kamuro Masumi would then timely offer a glass of warm water.

In just ten minutes, the haircut was finished. Uesugi Hara lifted his eyes to the mirror—the bangs on his forehead had been shortened, revealing the eyes that had previously been hidden. He did indeed look less gloomy and much more refreshed.

"How is it?" Sakayanagi Arisu twirled a hair tie on her finger, her tone filled with self-satisfaction. "Only now will picking out clothes have the desired effect."

Uesugi Hara touched his hair, his fingertips brushing the clean-cut ends, and for once, he didn't argue: "It is indeed more comfortable than before."

"Then let's go." Sakayanagi Arisu stood up, her silver-gray skirt brushing against the floor. "We can go to that clothing store now—I guarantee that after today, no one will think Uesugi-kun is 'gloomy'."

As they left the salon, the sunset fell right onto Uesugi Hara's freshly trimmed hair. Without the bangs obscuring his vision, even his gaze appeared clearer.

Sakayanagi Arisu glanced at him sideways, the curve of her lips deepening: "It really is much more refreshing; this is how it should be."

Kamuro Masumi had already retrieved the shopping bags and followed behind, maintaining a perfectly appropriate distance.

The group walked to the entrance of the clothing store from earlier. Sakayanagi Arisu pushed the door open and walked straight in. The staff immediately recognized the customer who had just spent a large sum and hurried over to greet her.

"Bring out the dark gray suit we looked at earlier," she instructed the clerk, then tilted her chin toward Uesugi Hara. "Go try it on?"

Uesugi Hara took the suit and stepped into the fitting room. As the fabric touched his skin, he could feel its fine texture—it was clearly of a grade far beyond his budget.

When he stepped out after changing, even Kamuro Masumi couldn't help but take a second look: the tailored waistline perfectly accentuated his shoulders and back, and his previously dull temperament now appeared sharp and crisp. The figure in the mirror was indeed much more spirited than before.

"It fits very well." Sakayanagi Arisu tapped the table lightly with her fingertip and pointed to the shirt beside it. "Change the inner layer to an off-white one; the stripes look too deliberate."

She was like a natural stylist, setting the tone with a few casual words, even specifying exactly how many centimeters the cuffs should show.

Uesugi Hara looked at himself in the mirror, then at Sakayanagi Arisu's "I knew I wouldn't pick wrong" expression, and suddenly felt that being "pestered" on this trip wasn't so bad after all.

It wasn't until the clerk packed the new clothes into bags that he remembered to ask for the price, only to be blocked by Sakayanagi Arisu's airy comment: "Put it on my tab."

"Sakayanagi-san—"

"Consider it a gift to celebrate Uesugi-kun's 'makeover'." She interrupted him, her silver-white hair glowing softly under the lights. "I can't have you lacking a decent suit and losing face for our school, right?"

Uesugi Hara's fingers tightened on the shopping bag, but he ultimately sighed helplessly: "Then I shall accept your kindness."

"Hehe, that's better." Sakayanagi Arisu turned to walk out, and Kamuro Masumi followed immediately. "Since we're done shopping, would you like to sit at the cafe next door for a while? I heard their tiramisu is quite good."

Uesugi Hara watched her back, knowing without a doubt that this was another proposal he couldn't refuse.

He followed her, carrying his new clothes, thinking silently to himself: It seems there's no hope of getting back to the dorm early today.

As they stepped out of the clothing store, dusk had already washed over the commercial district's skyline. The orange-red glow of the sunset dyed the glass curtain walls into warm, vibrant patches of color, and the streetlights flickered on one by one, casting long, thin halos on the ground.

Uesugi Hara walked to one side, the bag of new clothes in his hand, the fabric still retaining its crisp, packaged feel against his fingertips.

Sakayanagi Arisu's silver hair was gilded with a pale gold by the sunset. She suddenly stopped at the intersection and looked across the street: "The open-air cafe over there has a great view; you can see the sunset perfectly from there."

Kamuro Masumi immediately stepped forward: "I will go confirm the seating." Before she finished speaking, she had already hurried across the pedestrian crossing, and a moment later, she gestured from across the road.

"Let's go." Sakayanagi Arisu took the first step, her cane making a crisp sound against the stone pavement. "We can't let Kamuro's trip go to waste."

The rattan chairs at the cafe still held the lingering warmth of the sun. As soon as Sakayanagi Arisu sat down, Kamuro Masumi handed her the menu.

Her fingertip paused on the words "Tiramisu," and she looked up at Uesugi Hara: "What would Uesugi-kun like to drink? Their pour-over coffee is quite good."

Uesugi Hara looked at the sunset sinking behind the buildings in the distance and replied casually: "The same as you will do."

By the time the coffee was served, only the last trace of the sunset remained. Sakayanagi Arisu used a small spoon to scoop up a piece of cake and suddenly laughed: "The current Uesugi-kun is much more pleasing to the eye than when we first met."

"It is all thanks to Sakayanagi-san." Uesugi Hara took a sip of the coffee, the bitterness followed by a lingering sweetness.

"Then would you like me to supervise you more often in the future?" The corners of her eyes curved, and the darkening sky was reflected in her ice-blue pupils. "For instance, next time we should change into a pair of suitable shoes—the sneakers you're wearing now don't match your new suit at all."

Uesugi Hara smiled helplessly. It seemed that these days of being "targeted" would not be ending anytime soon.

He gazed at the ribbon of light formed by the streetlamps, suddenly feeling that this twilight was not so unbearable after all.

As the last bit of warmth at the bottom of the coffee cup dissipated, the sky outside the window had turned completely dark, and the neon lights cast the café's outdoor seating into a mix of light and shadow.

Sakayanagi Arisu set down her small spoon and gently pressed a napkin to the corner of her lips: "The taste is quite good. Kamuro, make a note of it so we can come back next time."

"Understood." Kamuro Masumi immediately noted the address in her small notebook.

Uesugi Hara had already stood up by then and raised a hand toward the waiter: "Check, please."

Sakayanagi Arisu raised an eyebrow: "Is Uesugi-kun trying to rush to pay?"

"I can't keep letting you foot the bill, Sakayanagi-san." Uesugi Hara pulled his terminal from his pocket, his fingertips pausing on the interface. "I've already benefited from your kindness regarding the clothes; let me treat you to this coffee." His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable firmness—he was more accustomed to keeping accounts clear than owing favors.

The waiter, just about to take the terminal Sakayanagi Arisu was holding out, hesitated for a moment when faced with Uesugi Hara's gesture.

"Since Uesugi-kun insists, I shall not refuse." Sakayanagi Arisu withdrew her hand, the smile in her ice-blue eyes deepening. "However, this doesn't mean we are square—next time I think of a suitable 'return gift,' I will be looking for you again, Uesugi-kun."

Uesugi Hara's hand paused as he signed the bill. When he looked up to meet her playful gaze, he could only say helplessly: "Then I'll be waiting."

When they walked out of the café, the evening breeze carried a hint of chill. Kamuro Masumi followed behind, carrying the shopping bags, though now with an extra gift bag in hand. Sakayanagi Arisu suddenly stopped: "That's all for today. Kamuro, take me back."

She turned to Uesugi Hara, her silver hair shimmering coldly under the streetlights. "Uesugi-kun, head back to the dormitory early as well; don't let the new hairstyle and clothes go to waste."

"Take care on your way, Sakayanagi-san."

Watching their figures disappear around the street corner, Uesugi Hara looked down at the shopping bag in his hand and touched the receipt in his pocket. Although he had been "managed" for several hours and had his original plan to buy casual wear replaced with a suit, the new clothes and the bill he had just settled gave him a tangible sense that he was "truly living well."

He headed toward a side path, intending to wander a bit longer. As the evening breeze caught the hem of his jacket, his steps felt much lighter.