He turned his focus to Anko's hair in his mind space. The spiky strands gave him the absurd illusion that if he reached out carelessly, they'd jab him full of holes. Glancing at her real hair from across the shop only reinforced the image.
Shaking off the thought, he steadied himself and held her ponytail carefully. It felt softer than he imagined, almost making him want to pull it. But he held back the silly thought. Just holding the ponytail replica with his mind wouldn't let her notice, but it he pulls it, it would cause her real ponytail to be yanked as well.
Slowly, emotions seeped into him from her hair—cheerful, cautious, supportive.
'So that's how she feels now. She's cheerful by nature, but right now, she's holding back—focusing on supporting Kurenai through her grief.'
After a moment of thought, Renji stepped toward them.
"Hello. Miss Kurenai, we meet again."
Kurenai turned at the sound of his voice. Her eyes, still heavy with exhaustion, flickered faintly before focusing more clearly as recognition dawned.
"Oh, it's you," she said softly. "It seems you've recovered well."
Renji nodded. "Yes, all thanks to you. If you hadn't pulled me out of the rubble that day, I wouldn't be here. Thank you—truly."
She gave a small shake of her head and waved it off. "No need to thank me. I was just doing my duty."
Anko leaned in with a curious grin. "Hey, bestie, who's this guy?"
Kurenai opened her mouth to answer, then froze. A realization struck her—she had never asked his name! That day had been far too chaotic to bother with introductions.
Noticing her discomfort, Renji stepped in smoothly. He turned to Anko and inclined his head politely. "Hello, miss. My name is Renji Aoki. Miss Kurenai rescued me from my collapsed house during the fox attack and brought me to the hospital. She saved my life."
Anko's expression softened as she nodded, now understanding the connection between them.
"Nice to meet you, Renji-kun! I'm Anko Mitarashi. You can call me Anko."
Renji offered a small smile. "Nice to meet you too, Anko-san."
He then addressed Kurenai, "I know it's nowhere near enough to repay you, but… could I treat you ladies to some ramen?"
Kurenai's lips parted, ready to refuse, but Anko cut in before she could. "Sure! We won't hold back, then."
Kurenai sighed softly, but seeing Anko's eagerness, she gave a reluctant nod.
Renji's smile brightened. He went over to Teuchi, quietly explaining that he'd just withdrawn money from the bank and wanted to cover the meal for the two kunoichi. Teuchi chuckled warmly and nodded, more than happy to oblige.
So the three of them—Renji, Kurenai, and Anko—sat down together at one of the shop's wooden counters.
Their conversation drifted lightly over everyday topics. By the time their bowls were half-empty, Kurenai's expression had eased, her mood steadier than when she first walked in.
When the meal wound down, Renji cleared his throat. "I'll be opening a hair salon this Monday. I'd like to invite you both. Please come by if you can. For the whole day, any service you want will be completely free."
Anko raised an eyebrow, leaning forward with interest. "A salon? What exactly is that? I've never heard of something like it."
Renji explained patiently, "It's a place for women to relax. We'll provide hair washing, cutting, styling, and even massage services—for now, at least."
Kurenai tilted her head slightly, mild interest flickering in her eyes. Still, none of those things struck her as essential for a kunoichi's lifestyle. It's like a bathhouse, she thought, but only for hair.
Anko, however, leaned forward, curiosity plain on her face. "I get the cutting and styling part. But what do you mean by washing? I wash my hair regularly. How's that any different from what you do?"
Renji's eyes lit up as he answered, clearly pleased by the question.
"While the end result might seem the same, the real point of washing hair at a salon is the process itself. We use professional products that improve hair quality, and special techniques that make the experience deeply relaxing. Some people even fall asleep during the wash, only to wake up completely refreshed."
He gave a small smile before continuing. "It's the same with massage. It stimulates the blood vessels beneath the scalp, promoting healthy hair growth. And in terms of relaxation, it can be just as soothing—if not even more—than washing."
He could tell he'd hooked Anko—small flares of interest pulsed through her ponytail the whole time, bright and curious. In his mind space he kept the replica of her hair lightly cupped, reading the emotions like: novelty, curiosity.
'She's only drawn to the novelty,' he noted.
When he shifted his focus to Kurenai, the tone changed. The emotions were quiet, heavy—still tangled in grief for her father.
'Kurenai's not really interested. She's still brooding over her father's passing. Still, with Anko keeping her close, I'm 90 percent sure she bring her as well.'
He imagined a whining Anko pulling her to try this novel thing, and chuckled.
'Even if I'm just blurting out whatever comes to my mind, with [Hair Manipulation] and being able to control demonic energy, I can replicate those salon effects.'
'If I wanted, I could crank them up to eleven—boost the relaxation and stimulation far beyond normal.
Thinking this, Renji felt his confidence grow.
"Please do drop by if you can," he said with an easy smile. "I'm sure you'll come to see the benefits for yourself."
Kurenai blinked, a little surprised by how certain he sounded. She didn't comment on it, only gave a small nod. "I'll keep it in mind."
Anko, on the other hand, grinned. "I'll be there, count on it."
With that, the two girls excused themselves, and Renji bid them a polite farewell as they stepped out of the shop.
At that moment, Teuchi walked over, lowering his voice. "Renji, are you interested in one of them? You know they're kunoichi, right? Even though you're all about the same age—fifteen and up—kunoichi usually only marry other shinobi."
His tone carried a hint of worry, as if afraid Renji might trap himself in unrealistic hopes.
Renji chuckled softly and shook his head. "It's nothing like that, Teuchi-san. The curly-haired kunoichi, Kurenai—she was the one who saved me during the attack. I just want to get to know her better, and maybe repay the favor someday. The spiky-haired one in mesh clothing is her friend, Anko."
Teuchi seemed satisfied with that answer. "You should've told me earlier. I would've given the girls free meals."
Renji chuckled, and the two of them continued chatting idly as the evening wore on.
A/N: Have you ever pulled a girl's hair, just because?