Sitting in a chair facing the mirror, Azlan watched Akane standing behind him with scissors in hand. The girl two years older than him looked serious, her eyes focused on every strand of hair being cut.
"What hairstyle does Azlan-kun want?" Akane asked while twirling a lock of Azlan's hair around her finger.
"I don't know much about this. As long as it's not bald or a buzz cut, I don't mind."
"Hmm... Order received. I have a hairstyle recommendation that suits you. Don't complain later if you don't like it, okay? I already asked beforehand."
"Mm."
Already accustomed to Azlan's short answers, Akane began working. The scissors in her hands moved nimbly, trimming strand after strand of his hair. Occasionally, she sprayed water to make his hair easier to cut, ensuring each strand was neat.
Not long after, while her hands remained busy, Akane suddenly asked: "Hey, Azlan-kun. Do you like women with long or short hair?"
"What's the meaning of that unexpected question?" Azlan glanced at Akane's reflection in the mirror.
"I just want to get to know you deeper through your preferences." Akane answered while smiling, but there was a clear curious tone in her voice.
"I see..." Azlan fell silent for a moment. "I've never thought about it."
"Then think about it now." Akane urged.
"..."
Azlan was silent briefly, thinking about a question that had never crossed his mind.
"Between women with long or short hair, huh... For me, women with long hair are more attractive."
"Ugh..."
Hearing that, Akane's hands stopped momentarily before continuing to cut.
"Men really don't know how troublesome it is for women to maintain their long hair."
For a reason Azlan didn't know, Akane began complaining.
"Just washing it takes a long time, then drying it. Especially if it's tangled, combing it can make your hands tired. Not to mention treatments like conditioner, hair shampoo, and so on to keep it healthy and shiny. In summer, long hair can feel hot and stuffy. And during heavy activities, hair can be bothersome, right? All that requires a lot of time and effort!"
"Oh, that's new knowledge. You've broadened my horizons, Akane." Azlan responded casually, not realizing the hidden implication of Akane's complaints about women's long hair.
(So Azlan-kun likes women with long hair. It seems I need to grow my hair longer.)
Seeing the reflection of her currently shoulder-length hair in the mirror, Akane inwardly decided to let her hair grow to butt-length. Although she knew it would be troublesome, if that's what Azlan liked, she was willing to do it.
The process of cutting men's hair was indeed always faster than women's. In less than twenty minutes, Azlan already had a new appearance. His hair was now shorter, but not cut too neatly—deliberately done that way by Akane so he wouldn't look nerdy.
The top part of his hair had volume and looked slightly messy, giving a casual yet energetic impression. His bangs were brushed to the side, leaving his forehead open, though a few strands of hair still fell around his face and temples. Overall, his hairstyle had a textured look that appeared layered and light.
(Oh my, Azlan-kun was already handsome from the start, now his handsomeness has doubled! Middle Eastern male genes are truly amazing.) Akane praised inwardly, her cheeks slightly flushing.
Although she herself had styled Azlan's hair, she couldn't hold back her admiration. She had to admit that currently she preferred Middle Eastern men over Japanese men.
"My head feels lighter and more comfortable." Azlan said while patting his new hair. "Your claim about deeply immersing yourself in the hairstylist role turns out not to be exaggerated. Your skills are no less than professionals."
He looked at his reflection in the mirror with satisfaction. "You're amazing, Akane."
"Good that Azlan-kun is satisfied." Akane answered, trying to sound casual.
But in her heart, she couldn't take her eyes off the man. Every time Azlan praised or acknowledged her abilities, her heart beat faster.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Late December was the peak of winter. Without humans doing routine cleaning, snow had piled up three meters high, blanketing Tokyo city in a thick white cover. This phenomenon was actually advantageous in one way—the wandering zombies were now frozen, but the negative impact significantly slowed their decomposition process.
But the other threat, Titans, were completely unaffected by the snow. The giant creatures continued wandering aimlessly as usual, leaving large footprints in the expanse of snow. They didn't need to eat or excrete, like perpetual motion machines that would only stop if their napes were cut.
Titans would only react when they detected humans within their perception. For example, right now...
*BUM!* *BUM!* *BUM!* *BUM!*
A group of Titans was chasing Azlan who was flying in the air with his Divine Dividing. But Azlan completely ignored them—at this height, Titans couldn't do anything to him.
"According to Akane, Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden is the location with the most pine trees in the Shinjuku area." Azlan muttered while holding a dusty map.
He nimbly maneuvered between snow-covered skyscrapers, his eyes searching for signs of the national garden Akane mentioned.
This would be their first Christmas in the world that had ended, and Akane insisted on celebrating it. When the girl proposed the idea, Azlan didn't object. For him, there was nothing wrong with occasionally doing enjoyable activities.
They both had gone to look for a store selling Christmas supplies. Unfortunately, although they found various decorations, they didn't manage to find a pine tree. Akane felt Christmas wasn't complete without it. So, she asked Azlan to go to Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden to cut down a pine tree, while she herself stayed home to decorate.
Azlan finally arrived at Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden.
"Here it is. There are indeed many pine trees here."
Stopping his flight and hovering in the air, he stared at the pine forest growing lushly amidst the snow piles. The view was actually quite beautiful—if only there weren't Titans wandering below.
"Akane asked for just a small tree, one that fits inside the house."
His eyes then caught one perfect pine tree—about two meters tall, with a symmetrical shape and lush branches.
"Before that, let me get rid of these annoying stalkers."
*WHOOSH!*
Azlan shot at high speed toward the group of Titans chasing him. His hand touched one of them.
[Divide!]
His Divine Dividing power activated. The Titan he touched immediately weakened, its strength halved, while Azlan felt a wave of new energy flowing through his body.
*ZING!*
With the newly acquired strength, Azlan created an energy scythe from his Ki. With stunning acrobatic movements, he slashed the napes of the Titans one by one, while avoiding the large hands trying to catch him.
Five minutes later, all the Titans chasing him had been finished off. The giant bodies began to evaporate, leaving only puddles of water on the snow.
"Now it's time to cut down the tree. Don't let Akane decorate the house alone."
*ZING!*
He formed an axe from his Ki and with several skilled chops, his chosen pine tree was successfully felled. Carefully, he lifted the tree and began flying back home.