Ch.5353. Hairstyle

*Beep beep beep beep*

Despite it being the weekend, the alarm was blaring.

Suhyeok wanted to turn off his phone right away, but he couldn’t.

Well, today was a weekend without rest.

It was because he had a shopping appointment with the Spirit members.

Even considering that, 10 AM felt quite early, and it was all because Hana had called him out separately.

She had threatened to cut off his hair.

She had deliberately set an early appointment to take him to the hair salon.

[Lee Suhyeokie]

[Lee Suhyeok awake?]

[Hey, are you up?]

[Answer]

[Hey… are you really sleeping…?]

[Wake uuup!!]

[Yah!]

Suhyeok checked all the messages with bleary eyes.

Thinking it was too much effort to even type, he just sent a thumbs-up dog emoticon.

His phone vibrated more from behind, but Suhyeok trudged weakly into the bathroom first.

He brushes his teeth and washes his face.

When he turned the lever all the way, lukewarm water flowed out—not quite what you’d call hot water on full.

As the water touched his head, it created thick strands characteristic of long hair.

And naturally, as he was shampooing in that state—

“…Wait a minute.”

This… could it be…

Is today the last day with this hair?

He had maintained this style for Rock Spirit for a full year and six months.

Suddenly thinking that it would disappear within an hour due to someone else’s will, Suhyeok felt an unpleasant chill despite the warm water.

Now fully awake, Suhyeok had two options.

Option 1: Tell Hana honestly that he doesn’t want to cut it and cancel.

There was nothing wrong with that, but from Hana’s perspective, it might be quite a deflating suggestion.

Of course, Hana would have woken up before him and would already be getting ready.

Option 2: Persuade Hana.

In fact, he needed to let her know that this hairstyle was actually very cool.

A man’s hairstyle has more variations the longer it is.

Short hair is hard to change dramatically no matter how much you blow-dry or apply wax.

But if you have an androgynous length like Suhyeok’s, it’s a different story.

Today, Suhyeok was wandering through the internet world again.

He was expressing his endless gratitude to the NewTube teachers who kindly explained everything without him having to ask.

[Use all ten fingers like this to brush your hair back.]

Even as he awkwardly followed the video, the discomfort wouldn’t go away.

Like a beginner assembling a plastic model for the first time, Suhyeok stood in front of the mirror, following the teacher in the video.

[And finally, press down firmly here! Done!]

“Oh.”

A short exclamation escaped Suhyeok’s lips.

He wasn’t sure if it was done well or not, but at least his bangs, which had been criticized for making him look like a sheepdog, were neatly swept back.

It did look cleaner.

With the curtain that always covered his eye position gone, Suhyeok felt a bit self-conscious.

Anyway, if he could protect his hair with this much investment and effort, it was enough.

Wearing his usual jeans and white t-shirt, Suhyeok headed to the meeting place with Hana.

At the same time.

Having woken up at 8:30 AM and done her full makeup, Hana was tapping her phone screen.

Every time her light pink-painted fingernails touched the screen, they made a distinctive tapping sound.

[Hey. You. Why late]

“Hana!”

Ms. Yoon Hana, who had been sulking since morning about Suhyeok’s lack of sincere replies—she had sent eight messages and he had only thrown back one emoticon—was about to give him a piece of her mind when she saw his appearance and flinched.

“What’s with you?”

“Huh?”

“Did you cut your hair?”

“Huh? No? I just styled it back.”

Suhyeok’s appearance had completely changed with just simple styling.

Of course, his outfit was still the same as what he wore to school, but Hana felt quite a sense of dissonance.

In a good way, that is.

“Why are you coming like that when we’re going to the hair salon? We’re going to cut it anyway.”

She was picking at details, feeling awkward about the criticism she had been about to make just moments ago.

“Hana.”

Suhyeok suddenly grabbed her shoulders with both hands.

“…Huh?”

What is this?

What’s going on?

Two unexpected moves within a minute of meeting!

After successfully surprising her with his appearance and now his actions, Suhyeok swallowed hard.

“Um. You know.”

Like putting puzzle pieces together, Hana was also collecting information and compiling clues.

-He dressed up nicely when I asked to meet separately.

-He grabbed my shoulders with a serious face as soon as we met.

-For some reason, he’s gulping while looking at my face.

This is totally…

“W-wait a minute!”

“Yes?”

“Does it… have to be… this timing…?”

She understood that Lee Suhyeok liked her.

She thought it was possible.

She had imagined it enough herself.

But not like this.

More precisely, she didn’t want it here.

He should do it in a more proper atmosphere…

At least after finishing a great performance would be the right way…

No, who would do this in broad daylight on the street…

“Yes. I feel like if I don’t say it now, I won’t be able to.”

Hana felt like her head was spinning from his words.

“Ah. Okay.”

Hana took a step back.

Her face felt hot, and her head tilted diagonally downward.

Suhyeok probably finds it hard to look at my face too…

He must be embarrassed.

This is consideration.

…Consideration.

“…Go ahead.”

She who would usually sigh deeply when other boys tried to confess wasn’t used to reacting this way herself.

It felt like Park Juyeon had possessed her body.

“This isn’t just something I’m saying casually.”

“Hana. If I look okay in your eyes…”

*Thump thump*

“Yes…”

I can’t lift my face…

“Can I not cut my hair?”

Silence fell.

A very long one at that.

When Suhyeok met Hana’s eyes again, he found it difficult to read her emotions.

Rather than difficult, it was more like he wasn’t sure if what he was feeling was correct.

“Are you… angry…?”

He slowly confirmed his suspicion.

Meanwhile, Hana had to deal with all sorts of emotions in that short time.

Embarrassment, irritation, self-loathing, “who does Lee Suhyeok think he is,” and so on.

“I’m not angry!”

Hana shouted.

Hmm. She’s angry.

Anyone can see she’s angry.

That was Suhyeok’s diagnosis.

If that wasn’t the tone of an angry person, what was?

Ugh… NewTube teacher…

I guess the face really does complete the hairstyle…

Though they briefly formed a teacher-student relationship, the student was utterly defeated in the ring.

I won’t tell anyone I was your student.

Is this how it feels to have your head shaved before being dragged into the military?

“Then maybe… could I just cut it a little…? This hair was given to me by my parents…”

Now he was rambling with nonsensical Confucian reasons.

“Ah. Forget it.”

Hana turned her back sharply.

It was a gesture that seemed to say she couldn’t stand the sight of him.

“Is it that bad?”

When Suhyeok asked in a dejected tone like a drooping puppy, Hana let out a sigh.

“No.”

“Then why are you acting like this?”

“If you’re that against cutting your hair, just leave it.”

Looking at him now, she thought that with a bit more styling, he could look quite attractive.

For the performance, if someone could use a hair straightener on him, it would be fine.

Turning back toward Suhyeok, Hana gathered her composure.

“It does look better with your bangs out of the way.”

For the first time, Suhyeok was able to hear an evaluation of his hair, and a smile spread across his face.

“Really?”

“Yeah. But I think we need to style it a bit more for the performance.”

“You mean I need to go to a salon?”

“No? I’ll straighten it for you on the day.”

She made the appointment in advance.

For some reason, she felt anxious that if she didn’t say this now, Park Juyeon would end up doing Suhyeok’s hair.

It was obvious to anyone observing that the distance between those two had decreased significantly lately.

“Really?”

The sense of achievement from saving his hair.

And the economic satisfaction of not having to spend money on styling.

Suhyeok smiled broadly, having accomplished his mission.

“Yeah. Why would I lie about something like this?”

“Thank you.”

They were supposed to meet Juyeon and Seo-eun at 12.

They now had two hours of free time.

“Do… do you want to get coffee?”

Suhyeok asked Hana, as it felt awkward to just stand on the main street.

“…Sure.”

“I’ll treat you! Since you said you’d do my hair.”

Even among friends, it was a proper service.

This is a bargain for just a cup of coffee.

“Okay. I want an expensive one.”

“That’s fine. Go ahead. Go ahead.”

Suhyeok walked toward the café with a smile.

Watching his back for a moment, Hana had to comfort herself as if under hypnosis.

Right. Lee Suhyeok knows too.

He knows that confessing at this timing would make him a confession frog.

He must know that, so he held back today.

Something bigger will come later, right?

He wouldn’t dare not to, right?

So stop.

Stop feeling disappointed.

Yoon Hana.