New look

[Yoshida Family Home] 

Saki stands in front of her bedroom mirror, carefully observing her reflection. She runs her fingers through her hair, adjusts her glasses slightly, and replays Takae's words in her mind: "You should totally invite him~." Yet, as she studies her image, she shakes her head. "There's no way someone like him would be interested in someone like me," she thinks, letting out a small sigh. 

Finally, with renewed determination, she makes a decision. She heads downstairs and finds her mother in the living room. Mrs. Yoshida is comfortably seated on the couch, a book in her hands. Saki hesitates for a moment, nervous, before speaking: 

"Mom..." Saki says, her voice slightly wavering. A faint blush colors her cheeks. Mrs. Yoshida closes the book and sets it aside. "What is it, Saki?" she asks, noticing her daughter's nervous demeanor. 

"Could you... teach me how to do makeup?" Saki finally asks, a mix of shyness and embarrassment in her tone. 

Her mother's reaction is immediate. Her eyes light up with excitement as she stands and claps her hands. "Of course, I can!" she exclaims, quickly approaching Saki. Before she can react, her mother grabs her arm and cheerfully drags her toward her room. 

Saki finds herself seated at her mother's vanity, watching her reflection as Mrs. Yoshida begins pulling out various makeup products. "With just a few touches, you'll look amazing," she says, applying a light coat of lipstick. "This shade should suit you perfectly." 

Saki notices the difference in the mirror. Her lips have a slight sheen, just enough to highlight her face without being flashy. It's a subtle yet significant change. 

Mrs. Yoshida pauses for a moment, as if struck by an idea. "I know! Why don't we go to the beauty salon right now?" she suggests enthusiastically. She had always wanted to share these experiences with her daughter, but Saki had never shown interest before. 

"The salon?" Saki asks, somewhat surprised. 

"Yes, it would be much better if a professional worked on your hair," her mother replies as she untangles Saki's braids. "And they could teach you how to style it differently, too." 

Although surprised, Saki slowly nods. "I think... that sounds okay," she responds, allowing her mother to guide her into this new experience. 

[Beauty Salon] 

At the salon, a professional stylist takes care of cutting, styling, and straightening Saki's hair. As the process unfolds, Saki watches her reflection in the mirror, curiously noting how her appearance transforms. 

"What do you think?" Mrs. Yoshida asks, waiting for her reaction. 

Saki lets out a small nervous laugh. "It's... different," she says, running her hand through her hair. The change is striking: her braids are gone, replaced by smooth, loose hair framing her face. Her glasses have been swapped for contact lenses, and a light layer of makeup accentuates her features. 

"I wonder what everyone else will think," Saki muses as the stylist finishes the final touches. Her thoughts wander to her classmates, her friends, and finally, to Aiden. The idea of their reactions unsettles her, but she also feels a small spark of excitement about presenting herself in a new way. 

[Minami High School] 

From the moment Saki sets foot in the school, she notices something has changed. The stares and whispers are more prominent than ever, and all seem directed at her. "What's happening? Didn't it work? Did they see through me?" she wonders, feeling a nervous knot in her stomach as she hurries toward her classroom. 

Upon entering the class, the atmosphere isn't much different. The usual chatter filling the room immediately ceases, replaced by curious gazes. Saki lowers her head and quickly walks to her seat, trying not to trip over the desks along the way. 

As soon as she sits, the space around her fills with classmates who usually pay her no attention. A girl, with whom Saki has barely exchanged words, leans in enthusiastically. "You look amazing! I love your new look," she says with a smile.

[Image] 

Before Saki can respond, a boy interrupts, pushing the girl aside rather brusquely. "Saki, right? A few friends and I are hanging out after school. Why don't you join us? I think we'd have a great time." 

Saki freezes, unsure of what to say. "Well, I..." she begins but is quickly interrupted by a familiar, firm voice. 

"Get lost, vultures~!" exclaims Takae in her usual confident yet commanding tone, approaching with Yuna and Aiko right behind her. 

The group surrounding Saki hesitates for a moment before scattering, murmuring among themselves. No one seems willing to face Takae. 

"Thanks," Saki murmurs, letting out a sigh of relief as she looks at her friend. 

"Don't mention it," Takae replies with a satisfied smile, sitting next to her. "By the way, you look really nice today." 

Yuna nods in agreement, while Aiko gives an enthusiastic thumbs-up. 

Saki can't help but smile. Her friends noticing and complimenting her means much more to her than any praise from her classmates. 

The rest of the day, however, proves exhausting for Saki. No matter where she goes, someone is always trying to invite her to join their group, grab a meal, or make after-school plans. Despite her efforts to be polite, she ends up turning down all the invitations. 

In the end, all she really wants is to be with her friends—the only place where she feels comfortable and safe. 

[Mini Market] 

Classes are over, and Takae approaches Saki with her usual energy. 

"Let's go buy some stuff. Want to come along?" she asks, as Yuna and Aiko join her. 

Saki quickly nods. "Sure, let's go." The group walks cheerfully to a nearby mini-market, chatting about trivial things. 

As soon as they enter, Yuna stops. "I'll... be right back," she says before heading toward the bathrooms. 

"I want some chips," announces Aiko before running down one of the aisles, accidentally bumping into some items along the way. 

"HEY! Don't go too far," shouts Takae, chasing after her, clearly worried about the chaos Aiko might cause. Before disappearing after her, Takae turns to Saki. "We'll meet back here in five minutes, okay?" 

Saki nods and watches them disappear among the shelves. Not having anything specific to buy, she decides to wander around. She reaches the magazine section and starts browsing the covers. 

"Maybe I'll find that manga I like," she thinks as she searches through the stacks. 

She doesn't find the manga she was hoping for, but a fashion magazine catches her eye. The shiny cover features models in elegant outfits with flawless makeup. Saki picks it up and starts flipping through it. 

Her concentration is interrupted by a male voice she doesn't recognize nearby. 

"Oh, that's the latest edition... I've been looking for that." 

Saki turns her head and sees an older guy. He seems interested in the magazine she's holding, and she quickly realizes that he probably wants it. 

"Sorry, I was just skimming through it," she says, putting the magazine back on the shelf a bit awkwardly. "You can have it if you want." 

The guy smiles casually. "Oh, I wouldn't dare take it from the prettiest girl around here." 

Saki blushes instantly. She's still not used to receiving such comments. 

"Uh... thanks," she murmurs, not knowing what else to say. 

The guy picks up the magazine and flips through it briefly, as if evaluating the content. Then, he looks at her again with a curious expression. 

"You have good taste. Are you a model by any chance?" 

"Model? No, I'm not..." Saki responds, clearly surprised. 

He smiles more broadly, as if amused by her reaction. "Well, you should be. You're prettier than the girls in this magazine." 

The comment throws her off even more, and Saki can barely hold his gaze. 

The guy pauses for a moment, as if thinking about something. Finally, he says, "Standing here reading magazines is a bit boring, don't you think? Hmm..." He pauses again before suggesting enthusiastically, "I know! How about we go somewhere more relaxed to chat?" 

"Uh... thanks," says Saki, considering accepting. It would be the first time someone invited her out like this, and the idea is tempting. However, a pang of guilt stops her. She remembers she's with her friends, and it would be rude to leave them. 

"Sorry, I'm busy," she replies in the end, politely turning him down with a shy smile. 

"Come on~ it won't take long, we can get to know each other better," he insists in a gentle tone, showing no signs of giving up. 

"No," Saki repeats, more firmly this time. "I already have plans," she adds, slowly walking away. She decides to wait for her friends outside, thinking they won't take long. 

"It's better to wait for them here," she thinks, leaning against the wall near the entrance. She looks around, trying to distract herself, but the same voice from earlier grabs her attention again. 

"Oh! I thought you had plans," says the guy with a mocking smile. His gaze scans the area, looking for someone else, but there's no one nearby. 

"Though, if you were stood up, you can still come with me. I know a fun place~." 

Before Saki can respond, he grabs her wrist firmly, preventing her from backing away. 

"I don't think..." she tries to reply, but her voice barely comes out as a whisper. 

"Relax, it'll be fun. I promise," he says, pulling her along. Saki feels uncomfortable, but her resistance is weak. 

Suddenly, a firm hand clamps down on the guy's wrist, forcing him to let go immediately. A familiar female voice, full of authority, breaks the tension: 

"Where do you think you're taking my girl, huh?" 

Takae stands in front of him with a defiant expression. Her tone is firm. 

The guy turns to her, surprised for a moment, but then smiles arrogantly. 

"Relax, we were just getting to know each other," he says in a casual tone that quickly turns more aggressive. 

"How about you let go and let us continue our date?" 

Takae doesn't flinch. 

"How about you go find girls your own age? Or can you only harass high schoolers?" she snaps sarcastically, her eyes locked on him. 

The comment bruises the guy's ego, and he frowns angrily. Without thinking, he tries to grab Takae, starting a struggle. 

"No! Leave her!" Saki shouts, worried about her friend, but she doesn't know how to intervene and feels powerless. 

Luckily, Saki doesn't need to intervene.

"AH!" the guy shouts as he falls to the ground, clutching his leg. Something struck him violently. "Who did that? Idiot, you're dead!" he yells angrily, turning to find the culprit.

When he turns, he faces a woman with an imposing presence. Her white hair contrasts with her perfectly fitted uniform, and her gaze radiates authority. Behind her, a few steps away, stand two girls: one blonde and the other with black hair tied up in a ponytail. 

"In another situation, the guy might have tried to flirt with the white-haired woman, but the sight of the baton spinning in her hand and her officer uniform makes him think twice."

"Well, well, well... what do we have here? Harassing high school girls?" the officer asks sarcastically as she continues spinning the baton skillfully. 

"No, no, it's not what it looks like!" he quickly replies, raising his hands defensively. 

The officer looks at him with disdain and then pretends to analyze the situation. "Well, it looks exactly like that to me," she says indifferently. 

"No, really! This is a misunderstanding, babe..." he tries to explain, but he doesn't finish speaking before receiving another strike to the leg with the baton. 

"Officer Nannyra, to you, criminal," clarifies Nannyra in a tone as authoritative as it is sarcastic. 

The guy stumbles and falls backward, and as he does, a small plastic bag with pills slides out of his pocket. The officer picks it up and examines it, shaking it in front of the guy with a mocking smile. 

"Looks like it's my lucky day," Nannyra comments as she tucks the bag into her belt. 

The guy freezes for a second, his eyes filled with panic, before trying to get up and run. He doesn't get far. With a swift motion, Nannyra throws the baton, hitting the guy on the head and knocking him down instantly. 

"Central, I've got a possible trafficker," Nannyra informs through her radio as she walks over to handcuff him. 

Meanwhile, Saki approaches Takae with a worried expression. "Are you okay?" she asks, checking her friend's wrists, which have slight marks. 

"I'm fine," Takae replies, shrugging as her friends gather around to support her. 

Not long after, a patrol arrives to take the guy away. Before leaving, everyone thanks the officer, though Nannyra responds indifferently as she climbs into the patrol car. 

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," she says with a wave, disappearing into the vehicle, leaving behind a scene Saki won't easily forget. 

As the patrol drives off and the group is left alone, Takae raises her fist and lightly bumps Saki on the head—not hard, but enough to make her yelp. 

"Ow!" Saki exclaims, turning to look at Takae. "Why?" she asks, holding her head, visibly confused and hurt. 

"You should be more careful about who you talk to!" Takae responds, crossing her arms, her tone a mix of concern and annoyance. 

"I didn't know..." Saki murmurs, lowering her gaze. "He was very nice at first." 

Takae frowns, clearly frustrated. "He looked like he was 23, and you're 15!" she exclaims, raising her voice. "Obviously, he was a predator!" 

Saki doesn't know how to respond. Thinking it through calmly, she realizes there were signs that something was wrong. It's quite obvious that it's not normal for an older guy to approach a teenage girl like that in a convenience store. 

Takae sighs, letting the frustration dissipate. She can't really stay mad at Saki because she knows her friend didn't do it on purpose. Instead, she realizes just how naive Saki can be. 

"Ahh..." Takae sighs again, shaking her head in resignation. She approaches Saki, and instead of continuing to scold her, she gives her a gentle hug. 

"Seriously, you need to be more careful," she says softly but firmly. 

Saki feels a knot in her chest, a bit foolish for not noticing the signs, but at the same time, deeply grateful to have Takae by her side. "I'm sorry," she murmurs, returning the hug. 

[Yuri?] 

A few minutes later, they're all sitting at a table outside the convenience store, enjoying some time together. Saki, not in high spirits, lets out a sigh. "Maybe I should stop wearing this makeup," she says quietly, looking at her reflection in the store window. 

"What?! Why?" Aiko exclaims, clearly confused. "You look great!" 

At that moment, an unknown guy approaches with a confident smile. "Hey, pretty~ How about I buy you a drink?" he asks, raising an eyebrow in an exaggerated manner. 

"GET LOST!" Takae shouts with such intensity that the guy doesn't think twice and runs away. 

Saki sighs, watching the guy leave. "I think all that attention is annoying..." she murmurs uncomfortably. 

Takae looks at her seriously and shakes her head. "You don't need to change or stop wearing what you like just because some jerks don't know how to behave." 

Saki goes quiet for a moment, lost in thought, and finally whispers: "Maybe... I don't like it that much," admitting while touching her hair. "I liked my braids. The contact lenses itch, and putting on makeup all the time is... annoying." She trails off, noticing Takae, the most makeup-wearing one among them. 

"Without offending you!" she says quickly, looking a bit worried. 

Takae, unfazed, shrugs her shoulders. "It doesn't offend me. I wear makeup and this," she says, pointing to her accessories, including her signature choker, "because I like them. If you don't like it, that's okay."

Saki sighs in relief. She didn't want to offend Takae and feels grateful for her understanding.

"Then, why the change?" Yuna asks, raising an eyebrow, curious.

Takae smiles mischievously. "You're not trying to get someone's attention, are you~?" she teases. But seeing that Saki doesn't respond, her tone shifts, and she lets out a tired sigh. "Ah… you're trying to impress someone, aren't you?"

Saki says nothing, but her face slightly reddens. Takae, thoughtful, observes her for a moment. She knows Saki doesn't usually talk to many people, much less guys. There's only one option left.

"It's Aiden, isn't it?" she asks with a knowing smile.

Saki doesn't respond, but her deepening blush confirms Takae's suspicions.

"You're such an open book!" Aiko comments, laughing as she looks at Saki, who now covers her face with her hands, embarrassed.

At that moment, Takae stands up and offers her hand to Saki. "Come on," she says with a smile. Saki looks at her, confused. "Where to?" she asks.

Takae looks at her and, without overcomplicating it, replies, "To make you more comfortable." Saki, though a bit surprised, decides to follow her.

They walk to a small beauty salon. Inside, there's a girl sitting on a chair, staring at her phone. Takae approaches her and, without waiting for a response, speaks. "Hey, Junko! Mind if we use some stuff?"

Junko, not even lifting her gaze, replies, "Sure, go ahead." Takae nods and turns to Saki, motioning for her to sit. "Sit here," she says while grabbing a few products.

Saki, a bit hesitant, asks, "Won't she mind?" Takae smiles confidently. "Don't worry. She owes me money, and we're not using much."

Takae observes Saki's face and, without hesitation, asks, "So, you don't like makeup much?"

Saki stays silent for a moment, reflecting before responding. "I like lipstick… but not much else," she says, a bit unsure.

Takae nods and begins gently removing the excess makeup from Saki's face. "Then we'll keep the lipstick," she says while cleaning her face. "Honestly, you don't need all this. You're really beautiful just as you are."

[Yuri? x2]

Saki blushes slightly at hearing this but doesn't know what to say. Takae keeps working, slowly removing the makeup. Saki takes out her contact lenses, feeling relieved to be rid of them.

In the end, Takae adjusts Saki's ponytails, tidying them up. "All done. How do you feel now?" she asks, giving her space to look in the mirror.

[Image]

Saki looks at herself and, touching her ponytails, smiles. "I feel better," she replies, standing up. "I feel more like myself." The group of girls leaves the salon, with the manager still glued to her phone, not even saying goodbye. Saki feels a slight calm within herself; for now, she feels more at ease.

Aiko and Yuna part ways shortly after, but Takae decides to stay with Saki, concerned for her after everything that happened. By late afternoon, as they're walking, Takae looks at her with a mischievous smile.

"Now that you look so cute, why don't we stop by your neighbor's house?" Takae teases in a playful but flirty tone. "Maybe you can ask him out."

Saki is startled by her words. "What?! No way!" she responds immediately, shaking her head.

Takae looks at her for a moment, intrigued. "Why not?" she asks, curious.

Saki doesn't hesitate to reply. "Fear of rejection," she admits, lowering her gaze.

Takae, with a confident smile, puts a hand on her shoulder and pulls her a bit closer. "Come on, the worst he can say is no," she says, encouraging her.

Saki looks at her incredulously. "I can think of 40 things worse than a 'no,'" she replies, making a face.

Takae chuckles and shrugs. "Don't worry; I have a plan," she says mysteriously.

Saki, now a bit more interested, raises an eyebrow. "If he breaks your heart..." she jokes halfway. "Then I'll break his window with a rock," Takae finishes.

Saki stares at her, shocked. "What?! You can't!" she quickly protests.

Takae bursts out laughing. "Haha, I was kidding!" she exclaims quickly. "But seriously, look who's over there."

Saki follows Takae's gaze, and as they're already near home, it's not unusual to run into Aiden around there.

"You've got this!" Takae whispers to Saki as she gently nudges her forward.

"Ahh!" Saki lets out a small squeal, startled, which catches Aiden's attention. Noticing her, he smiles and approaches.

"Hey, Saki. You look really pretty today. I like your ponytails," Aiden says with a friendly smile.

Saki blushes, nervously grabbing one of her ponytails and stroking it. "Thanks, a friend helped me fix them," she responds shyly.

From where she's standing, Saki sees Takae watching from a corner. Takae holds up a rock and gives her a thumbs-up, encouraging her.

"Is something wrong?" Aiden asks, a bit confused by Saki's distraction.

"N-no… well, yes…" Saki hesitates, growing more nervous. "Actually, I wanted to know if you'd like to go out for lunch or see a movie or something one of these days… of course, if you're not busy."

Saki's voice grows smaller as she speaks, but Aiden smiles at her words and nods.

"I'd love to!" he replies with a genuine smile.

Hearing his response, Saki gets overly excited and raises her voice more than necessary. "Yes!" she exclaims enthusiastically. Then, realizing her mistake, she coughs a bit. "I mean… call me, and we'll plan something," she corrects, stepping back slightly.

"But I think I should go now… hehe," she adds, quickly saying goodbye to Aiden as she heads toward Takae.

"He said yes!" Saki says excitedly, grabbing Takae's hand and pulling her toward home. "Come on! We need to plan a few things!"

-/- 

Author's Note: Someone's going to die of diabetes, or so I hope. I've made too many good-guy types; I need a criminal, maybe a furry, to make it more outrageous. 

Someone suggested MHA, but I thought of something else—what about Sky High with Layla? It's something similar but cheaper because let's be honest, there are tons of MHA fanfics, but when would you get the chance to see a Sky High one? [Image]

Leave your ideas—I love reading them. 

Hugs and kisses.