14 Chapter Fourteen

(Uptown, 777 Grant Wood Road, Gotham City)

It's been two days since Jayden's Grand opening and so far things have been going great.

He's been getting customers every hour, he's met some interesting people and even got people to make appointments for their family members and friends.

It was around the afternoon and like always this was around the time that customers would dwindle in numbers.

He would say that it was around high noon that he would receive most of his clients. For now, however, Jayden was just relaxing on one of the barber chairs and texting away on his phone.

He was actually texting both Lola and Selina, they had unfortunately not been able to make it to his grand opening but promised to make it up to him.

He didn't know what the girls were so busy with but he had some idea, though he just hoped that they wouldn't put themselves in any serious danger.

Selina has been Catwoman for around two years now, and Batman around six. Superman made his debut around five years ago, just one year after Batman.

There's no news about Hawkman or Hawkwoman, and he hasn't heard any news about Green Lantern but there has been news about a new hero in Central City, they call him the red blur, but the name Flash has been circling around as of late.

So it's actually not been too long since the appearance of superheroes...wait no that isn't right either because Diana or Wonder Woman did appear around world war two.

But ever since then, there has been no sign of her presence anywhere on Earth.

"My guess is she went back to

Themyscira, but why? I thought she would have stayed in man's world to protect it and lead it down a better path, maybe this wonder woman is different from the other ones."

As Jayden was thinking about the heroes of this universe the familiar sound of the doorbell rang throughout the open shop.

A customer walked in, clutching a well-worn book of Shakespeare's sonnets. Jayden looked up, intrigued by the visitor's choice of literature.

' I've not seen a book about Shakespeare since high school in England where we had to read either Romeo and Juliet or Macbeth.' Jayden thought as he decided to add a little spin to his normal introduction.

"Good morrow, sir!" Jayden greeted the customer with a warm smile. "How may I assist you today?"

The customer, a middle-aged man with a twinkle in his eye, replied in a dramatic, theatrical tone. "Hark! I seek a haircut befitting the language of the Bard, with all the pomp and flair of a Shakespearian play."

Jayden chuckled, appreciating the customer's enthusiasm. "Ah, a Shakespearean haircut, a most noble request indeed. Pray, do tell me more about the style you desire."

The customer flipped through the pages of the book, pointing to a passage. "I desire a haircut that captures the essence of the tragic hero, Hamlet, with layers as deep as the prince's soliloquies."

Jayden nodded, his creative gears turning. "Fear not, good sir, for I shall weave a haircut that embodies the essence of Hamlet's melancholy and introspection. Pray, take a seat, and we shall begin this theatrical transformation."

As Jayden skillfully sculpted the customer's hair, he engaged in playful banter, occasionally reciting lines from Shakespeare's plays. The customer, fully immersed in the spirit of the experience, responded with equal fervour, adding his own dramatic flair to the conversation.

"Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio," Jayden exclaimed with a theatrical flourish, pointing to the mirror where the customer could observe his evolving haircut.

The customer played along, feigning surprise. "Yon mirror doth reveal a transformation most profound! Verily, thou art a master of the shears, Jayden."

Hours passed, and the Shakespearian-inspired haircut took shape, with layers and angles reminiscent of the tragic heroes that graced the stage. The customer admired his reflection, a mix of awe and amusement evident in his expression.

"Thou hast crafted a masterpiece upon my head, good sir." The customer declared, unable to contain his delight. "I shall walk through Gotham's streets with the soul of a poet and the hair of a Shakespearian protagonist."

Jayden bowed playfully. "It was my pleasure, dear patron. May thy newfound hairstyle inspire thee to soliloquize with grandeur and captivate all who lay eyes upon thee."

Just as Jayden finished, Raven, who had been perched on the counter observing the spectacle, decided it was time to make her entrance. With a mischievous gleam in her eyes, she leapt onto the customer's shoulder, startling him.

"By the heavens! A feline muse joins the scene." The customer exclaimed, his voice a mix of surprise and amusement.

Raven purred and began gently batting at the customer's newly styled hair, adding her own artistic touch. The customer laughed heartily, accepting Raven's playful antics as part of the grand performance.

Jayden joined in the laughter, taking a moment to photograph the amusing scene. "Behold, fair patron, even Raven, the official greeter of Barbet, doth approve of thy Shakespearian transformation. 'Tis a sign of great fortune."

The customer, still chuckling, thanked Jayden for the unforgettable experience. "Thou hast truly created a memorable moment, my good sir. I shall sing thy praises and tell tales of this extraordinary barbershop that brings Shakespearean flair to the hair."

Jayden nodded gratefully. "I am but a humble barber who takes joy in creating unique experiences for my customers. Spread the word, good sir, and may the tales of Barbet's Shakespearian transformations echo through the streets of Gotham."

With a final bow and a flourish, the customer bid farewell and left the shop, his hair standing tall as a testament to the artistic journey he had undertaken.

Once he had left Jayden chuckled before turning to his feline companion." I never thought I'd meet a real-life chunibyo...a Shakespearian one at that."

" Good job as well Raven, looks like your charm is irresistible, even to eccentrics."

Jayden gave her a soft stroke before cleaning up his area.

But as he was, he couldn't help but wonder what the real legend would think of his haircut.

...

The rest of the day at Barbet continued with its usual mix of customers—some seeking conventional haircuts, others looking for bold and unique styles.

Jayden crafted each one with care and precision, infusing a bit of his own creativity into every haircut.

As the day drew to a close, Jayden and Raven sat side by side. "Well, I guess there won't be any more customers today so I'll close up a few minutes early."

Jayden still had to pay back Mrs Xue for the favour she had done for him. A lot of the customers that had come on his opening day was because she told them to.

So to thank her he would be ordering a lot of Chinese food and afterwards giving them out to the homeless.

" Alright girl, let's get going." Jayden said and Raven purred before jumping down from her counter and following after him outside.

But as Jayden left his shop, he hadn't noticed that a spotted hyena with red tuffs of fur was watching the pair from an alleyway.

" Hey, you guys look down 78th while I patrol around this area." The Hyena panicked hearing the voices of the gruff-sounding men and immediately ran away to try and escape its dangerous captors.