Sunlight spilled into the apartment. Ririko sat cross-legged on the sofa, carefully painting each toenail with nude polish.
She held her breath, drew the brush steadily across the nail, then waited patiently for it to dry.
Barbara was bent over, helping her tidy the apartment, which was nearly overflowing with shopping bags-
Clothes, shoes, skincare products, fashion magazines, and a pile of unopened blind boxes bought on a whim...
Since leaving Wayne Manor, Ririko had barely made any serious effort to clean her apartment.
She kept shopping on impulse, but had absolutely no motivation to clean.
She didn't trust hiring an hourly cleaner, afraid she might end up with someone who stole from her-or worse, invite danger into her home.
So she and Barbara had struck a deal: Barbara would clean Ririko's apartment, and Ririko would teach her how to dress up.
Barbara had agreed immediately. On Saturday morning, she appeared at Ririko's door with a headscarf and an apron, looking ready to tackle the job.
Now she was crouching beside the coffee table, sorting a pile of scattered odds and ends, when she unearthed two Clown Dolls in a corner.
One had red hair and the other green, and both wore wide grins.
"Why do you have two clowns? Their hair is different colors, too."
Barbara set them side by side on the back of the sofa.
Ririko finished painting her last toenail. "I bought the green one at an antique shop in Metropolis. It's a limited edition."
Barbara thought Ririko was not only beautiful but collected dolls, too. A girl this adorable made even her heart flutter...
She sat beside her, resting one hand on the back of the sofa. Her eyes shone as she looked at Ririko's long, pale legs.
"You really pay attention to these things.