New Look (Hair Salon)

[Sohma Hiro]

Hiro walked by the many shops, glancing through the windows as he passed them. Book stores, game stops, coffee shops, candy stores. He hated even looking at candy stores, they reminded him of Momiji...He rolled his eyes as he passed several of the candy shops. Why were there so many of them?

But today he wasn't interested in any of the many shops he passed by. He was meeting someone today, Rin, who he had been hoping to see soon. He had something he wanted to speak to her about, and it seemed as though she needed to speak with him as well. She had somehow managed to break into his house, leaving a note for him. His mother had almost died when she saw the lock broken on the door, but Hiro was only glad that Hinata had not been there, not that they would leave her alone anyway. But all his thoughts of someone just breaking in left as he saw a note on the table, a note from Rin. He had eagerly read it, his curiosity getting the best of him right away. And knowing it had been Isuzu breaking in had calmed his mother's spazzing panic.

The note had said to meet Rin at the shop next to the toy shop. Hiro had never been that far down this street before so he had no idea what shop he was suppose to be at, but there was only one toy shop on this street so it would be an easy find. He couldn't imagine why Rin wanted to meet him at a shop, she wasn't really the type to want to go out places that there was a lot of people at, and she didn't normally like meeting people out often.

He jumped back as he was bumped by a little girl passing him, shortly followed by a couple younger boys. Hiro smiled, thinking of how Hinata would look like that someday. He loved his sister...Looking at the girl playing a little ahead of him he started missing Hinata, he had been gone all day and hadn't gotten to see her at all. He had been at school then he left strait from there to here. He had found the note yesterday.

He stopped abruptly as he noticed the toy shop beside him. He looked into the window, the sun hitting it in a way he could see his relaxation. He frowned at his appearance, he had had gym today and his hair was going every which way. He roughly ran his hands through as though he was purposely messing it up, and let his hands go back to his sides. "There." He mumbled. His mother always hated him doing that, but it worked. Suddenly he remembered his reason for standing there. Rin. He turned to the shop next to the toy shop. His eyes grew wide and a shiver ran through his spine. "A hair salon...?" He finally managed to utter. Rin was going to cut her hair? Or was this some kind of joke?

He took a few steps toward it, his ming swirling. He couldn't believe that Rin was going to be cutting her hair. He walked up to the door, placing his hand on the handle, his palm slightly sweating. He couldn't imagine Rin playing a joke like this on anyone, but she had been growing it for so long. It had been long ever since Hiro could remember...

He opened the door slowly and entered the place. He looked around, amazed. The hair salon.

[Rin Sohma & Arisa Uotani]

Rin had arrived thirty minuets earlier and was sitting in a chair patiently waiting. Her large, brown eyes skeptically scanned each picture in a large book. She was excited, no, she was ecstatic. Rin was never scared or nervous much, not even now. Her long ebony hair swam around her tiny frame as it always did. It made her seem so much like a doll it was eerie. She remembered her mother brushing it as a little girl, telling her how beautiful it was.

That was the problem.

Her mother's wish was for her to keep her hair long, to remain looking like a lifeless doll. A doll who was there for everyones pleasure. A doll who was moved and controlled by others. A doll who sat on a shelf waiting for life to improve itself. Rin would be a doll no longer.

Her mothers love was a lie. Akito's control was suffocating. However, life wasn't all bad. She had Haru, Hiro and Kagura. A wonderful boyfriend, an amazing best friend and an awesome surrogate sister. Still, she felt like she needed a change.

Whats more empowering than a haircut?

She knew deep down she needed an extreme change, so short was the way to go. Haru had told her she would be beautiful with whatever choice she made, so her imagination flew wild at the possibilities and promise that lay between the blades of beautician's shears.

Her eyes lifted and she saw Hiro toying with his hair in the glass. She felt a smile creep its way onto her face as she imagined the look on his mothers face when she saw that her house had been infiltrated.

Rin stood up and went to greet Hiro. Many people thought it was strange, the fact she was so close with someone so much younger than her, but they had no idea of the curse. Some part deep in Rin's soul that longed to run free, was only interesting in that freedom if it included a ram, a cow and a pig. Thats just how life went for her.

As Rin stood, her long hair flowed around her, looking extra beautiful today, as if it were begging not to be cut. This appeal wasn't swaying Rin her choice- the long midnight locks were doomed.

Those thought made her smile as she gave a small wave to Hiro. Hair couldn't beg for its life....

Rin was just a daydreamer that needed a change.

And change was definitely coming.

[Sohma Hiro]

Hiro looked around the place, the shock of Rin cutting her hair going away. It was like Rin to do the opposite of what someone wanted, and now that he thought about it, everyone wanted her hair long...Maybe this was just a rebel thing she was doing to make everyone mad...She did seem to do that often...

He spotted her waving to him and smiled waving back. Seeing Rin always put a smile on his face, even though sometimes when she was trying to protect him she hurt him in the process. She had an odd way of keeping the people she loved safe...But whatever, her words hurt him sometimes, but he always got over it, and sometimes he snapped at her too, so they were even enough.

He walked over to her, seeing how long her hair was. He had to admit, he would miss it...And for some reason today it looked even more beautiful than before, though he was sure it was just his imagination. Suddenly anger filled him. Why would she make such a decision without his approval? Of course it wasn't like Rin to do that, but still, she should have.

His calm, almost happy walk turned into an angry, almost tantrum walk. He stomped up to her and put his hands on his hips. "Rin. Whats wrong with you?" He exclaimed. He didn't mean to come off so rude, but he was angry with her. She had been growing her hair for so long and now just to defy everyone she was going to cut it all off? Oh no. Not if Hiro had a say in it.

"Rin, you're crazy. I mean think about it, you've been growing your hair out for so long and now you are just going to cut it all off? Stop. You can't do that. Stop being stupid and just think." He was being rude, short and very bossy, but right now he just didn't care. Rin had to be real. IF she got in there and started getting the cut only to decide she didn't want it Hiro didn't want to hear her complaining. Well...he would listen of course...but...

He started tapping his foot. She was being ridicules. There was no way she would, no could, follow through with this...it was just...wrong.

[Rin Sohma & Arisa Uotani]

Rin felt her eyebrow tighten as it lifted, her expression turning to one of annoyance. She folded her arms as Hiro stood, tapping his foot. The dull sound of his shoes on the cheap flooring was a resounding noise just repetitive enough to be irritating.

"Look. It's my choice, not yours. I don't really need your approval. I just figured you would be twice as upset if I showed up at your house with a new haircut." Rin knew the only reason he was angry was because he cared. It was a childish way to show he cared, but Hiro wasn't exactly Mr. Maturity.

"Now, stop being a brat and help me pick a style." She said as she sat in a chair, crossing her long elegant legs. She grabbed a book and began flipping through it with a bored expression.

Bobs. Curls. Reds. Blonds. Spiky. Layers.

All of these pictures, but nothing really scream RIN. Maybe a few would look cute on Kagura or Tohru, but none would suit the impatient horse. She looked up at Hiro with her large brown eyes and sighed. "What do you thing would look best on me? Haru was no help at all."

This was true. Her ever-so-loving boyfriend had remained steadfast in his pledge anything suited her. He even went as far to say she would look good bald...then of course he laughed. the sad thing is, Rin pictured herself bald and chuckled to herself, shaking the frightful image from her brain.

In the background the sounds of scissors sniping and hair spray flying about added and extra dose of awkward to the silence. The hair spray left a strong fake rain sent in the air. She sent a sideways glance up at her companion. "Well? Standing there isn't going to help me any."

[Sohma Hiro]

Hiro rolled his eyes at Rin as she was talking. He knew she was right and he might as well give up, she was even more stuborn then he was. And who knows, He thought. Maybe this new haircut will look really good. I just...

Hiro nodded as Rin insisted he come help. He shrugged his shoulders and sat down with a book. He felt odd holding a book full of girl haircuts, and he hoped no one would take it the wrong way.
He flipped through the pages looking at many different things. Some he was unsure why people would even want. And of course he had picked up the girly haitcut book. All the girls had long flowing cuts with layers and curls. He knew something like this was not Rin's style, so he tossed the book into a little trash bin beside him. If someone wanted it so bad they wouldn't mind digging through the trash can to get it.

He picked up another book and flipped through it. This one was full of shorter haircuts. Rin would probably want a shorter haircut. He dropped his eyes to the floor. "Rin...I'm sorry I acted childish a minute ago...I just don't want you to get it cut for the wrong reasons and then decide you don't want it cut and get mad at yourself and everyone around you..." He looked up at her, her brown eyes searching for something. "Just when you do it, remember to do it for the right reason, to please yourself. Don't do it to make someone angry or irritate them..." He dropped his eyes to the book. "but assuming you are doing this to spite someone, you'll want as short a cut as you can get without looking like a dude. Not that you could..." He added. He flipped a few more pages and stopped. A picture of a red haired girl was there.

"I think I found it Rin." He turned the book to Rin to show her the picture. It was a short cut and it was almost a pixxie cut in the back and had two little strips in the front, that were short also, but they were cut a little longer and were cut strait across. Maybe this would be the one Rin wanted. Even thought the picture was of a little red haired girl, Hiro was sure it would look right on Rin. And it seemed like it would be low mantnance.

[Rin Sohma & Arisa Uotani]

Rin nodded at Hiro's apology. She knew he wouldn't stay upset no matter what. And even if he chose to remain irritated, that would be his fault and Rin would have moved on until Hiro grew up enough to forgive her. Neither of them were much on babying people.

Rin never felt pretty and feminine, despite her ultra girly flowing midnight locks.

She looked over at the page Hiro had selected and nodded, a smirk playing on her dusty pink lips. "Thats it." She said and grabbed the book away from him. The gesture would have seemed rude to the other people, but her and Hiro were just like that.

"Why are people so obsessed with hair? Its just dead cells... This one seems perfect...thanks Hiro."

Rin stood up, and as always a almost royal presence filled the room. Her lean figure, her long legs and hypnotic eyes captured every mind in the room. She demanded attention like a lightning rod.... it also didn't help she was clad in a corset that hid very little, accompanied by tight leather pants and boots. Several chains and ribbons were tied around her neck, deep black nail polish reflected light as she moved a piece of the doomed hair behind an ear that was full of silver earrings. Her arm jingled with the motion, as if angels were sounding bells for everyone in the salon to stop what they were doing and stare at her.

Which they did.

"Excuse me miss, I would like this cut. And yes I am very sure, so trying to talk me out of it wouldn't sway me." She gave a polite smile at the end as she tilted her head. She was in a good mood after all.

She glanced over to Hiro and smiled.

This was something that would be very amusing.

[Sohma Hiro]

"Thats it." She said and grabbed the book away from him. He smiled. She liked it, he could tell by her snatching. She did that sometimes...or...all the time. But he knew by this gesture she liked it. And thats what Hiro liked about Rin, he could read her well. And this was most likely due to the fact that they were so close in the zodiac. Or that is what made sense to him.

"Why are people so obsessed with hair? Its just dead cells... This one seems perfect...thanks Hiro." Hiro blushed a bit. He liked her complimenting him, but at the same time he didn't like her douting on him out in public in front of people. But to take off some of the imbarassment he snickered and said, "Yeah, well I'm just good like that."

"Excuse me miss, I would like this cut. And yes I am very sure, so trying to talk me out of it wouldn't sway me." She gave a polite smile at the end as she tilted her head. She seemed to be in a good mood. Hiro watched as Rin glanced over at him and smiled. She had such a soft, kind smile. And in truth she was kind, Hiro hated it when people called her mean. Mean she was not, rude sure, but not mean or cruel.

Hiro walked up beside her. He always felt a tight connection with Rin, and now was no exception. He was unsure how she felt, but whether she wanted him to or not, he was going back there with her. He gave the lady Rin had spoken to a little glare as she looked at him as to say that he could not go back. And if she laid a hand on him he could yell child abuse... No...I can't ruin Rin's big day... He knew that if he went back he would be rude. He turned around at the edge of the door and looked over his shoulder to Rin.

"Go on, I'll be waiting. It can be a surprise, ok? I can't wait to see." He said. He didn't want Rin to be nervous, not that she would. But some incouraging words seemed to be in order, so he said them.
He plopped down on a seat and picked up a magezine. He flipped through the pages seeing a young girl in them. She looked a bit like Kisa...Kisa...Great now he was missing her again.