MTP_2

I can't believe what I see when I catch my reflection in the store windows. Is this me? Not only did I get a once in a lifetime haircut, I also got waxed and manicured to boot. It's hard to equate the girl looking back at me with the girl that went into the salon. Hanazawa Rui got his hair cut first and while I was waiting two beauticians came in and went to work on me.

My eyebrows still sting, but it was worth it when I saw the results. I look at my nails, shining and perfectly French manicured, then strain to catch a glimpse of my reflection in the next window along. I still can't believe my hair, I hope to God I can make it look as great as Fukuwara has. I shake my head, marveling in how light and soft my hair feels as it gently brushes my face. It barely touches my collarbones, but he has cut in several longish layers and feathered the hair that frames my face. And to top it off, he gave me red-gold highlights. It's a really bold and pretty style and I don't look so much like my mother anymore. between the hair and the new, nearly mocking arch to my brow, I almost don't recognize myself.

Hanazawa Rui is just walking along next to me with his hands in his pocket. As we left the salon he told me how much he liked my new look, but he's been pretty quiet since. He's humming again and I don't think it's the same tune from before because I don't recognize it. He's got me curious.

"What's that melody your humming, Hanazawa Rui? It sounds pretty." He stops and looks over at me.

"Nothing much, just a little something I'm composing."

"Composing?!?! Really??? You can write music too?" I know my jaw is on the ground. Why am I continually surprised by what the F4 know or have? "Have you written much?"

"Not in a long time. I guess I didn't realize I had a muse to inspire me until recently." He gives me the most gorgeous smile and sets butterflies to wing in my stomach, even as it triggers memories of my time with him in New York and everything that was said and done. We haven't brought it up much since we got back to Japan as there's not much to be said that he didn't say then, and without Doumiyouji here I guess he hasn't felt the need to repeat himself or do anything drastic.

I feel myself blushing to the roots of my hair and I break eye contact.

"You know what, Makino?" He changes the subject.

"Huh? What?"

"Do you know what day it is?"

"It's Tuesday."

"No, I mean the date."

"Ummm...November 14th...no, 15th." Suddenly I was struck by the coincidence of sharing my memories of Shichi-Go-San on the very same say years later -- never mind in a traditional setting. Weird.

"I've got an idea, but you've got to promise you'll go along with it first." He's looking for some agreement from me.

"Tell me what it is first." I demand.

"No. You've got to promise." His tone is harsh, he's serious. I think about it for a second and realize he's Hanazawa Rui -- he's never done anything to put me in danger before so he's probaly not about to start now.

"Okay, I promise to go along with it." My voice sounds lighter than I feel.

"Good." He takes me by the hand and sprints to catch the lights so we can cross to the other side of the street.

"OI! Where are we going?" I call, as he drags me across the intersection. He looks over his shoulder at me.

"You'll see. It's about a block away." Like that helps, Hanazawa Rui.

"Well, aren't you going to tell me anything?" I'm dying to know what I've promised to go along with.

"Save your breath, we're almost there. Then you'll see." He apparantly isn't to be argued with. He finally stops in front of a boutique and ushers me across the theshold in front of him. "Here we go."

"What's in here?" I ask breathlessly, looking around at the interior. It looks like a really nice sitting room. Is this a store? As the door closes behind us a small bell tinkles some where in the back and a few seconds later a woman, dressed in a beautiful kimono, comes out to greet us.

"How can I be of service, Hanazawa-san?" she asks. Does everyone in this town know the F4 by sight?

"We'd like to see your selection of wa-fuka, please." Hanazawa Rui tells her. "Whatever you have that you think would compliment Makino-san's complexion." I can feel my eyes widening. What's he up to now?

"Certainly." The woman replies. She walks over to where I'm standing and bows politely, "Please take off your coat and scarf and follow me." I look over to Hanazawa Rui for help but he motions that I should follow her. I take off my mittens and remove my scarf, handing them to Hanazawa Rui before I unbutton my coat, a slight frown settling between my brows as I do so. I shrug out of the coat and hand it, in its turn, to Hanazawa Rui.

"What's going on, Hanazawa Rui?" I hiss softly, for his ears only.

"Sssshhh!!!! You promised to go along with it." He bends over close to my ear and answers just as softly. He cocks his head towards the doorway where the clerk is standing waiting for me. "Off you go -- I'll be waiting right here -- come back and model for me." His smile is cheeky now, like he's so sure of everything.

I guess I did promise. "Okay I won't say a word." I reply, even though I'm not sure what I've inadvertntly let myself in for, I walk over to the clerk and she motions for me to follow her through the door. What am I doing here?

"Come with me, Makino-san." We walk past a room where two girls are folding material. The woman escorting me stops and barks a quick series of orders at them. When they've scattered to do her bidding she gestures for me to continue following.

I'm ushered into a beautifully appointed room. "Please wait here for a moment." The clerk tells me. "I'll be back in a few moments, can you please remove everything but your undergarments."

She's not serious, is she? "Everything?" I find myself asking in a tremulous voice.

"How else can we try the clothes on?" she replies.

"Ah yes.." As the door closes behind her I start removing my uniform. I fold up the bow, shirt and pinafore neatly, placing them in a pile on a nearby stool as I wait for her return. I feel naked standing here in my bra, panties and socks. I'm aware of how self-conscoius I am so I sit down in the plush, velvet covered chair set in the corner of the room waiting for the clerk to return, hans resting awkwardly on my knees as I try to make myself comfortable.

A few minutes later, after what feels like forever studying the walls around me, the door opens and the clerk returns, her two assistants following behind her laden down with piles of beautiful material. I sit up straight, trying not to fidget or show my discomfort.

"Makino-san, please standup so we can try on some of these things." I obey and step to the centre of the room, where they are standing. In the span of ten minutes, I feel like I've been cinched into every single kimono on the island of Honshu. All the while the head clerk is making comments such as 'This won't do.' Or 'That's not quite right.' I wonder what is right. Soon they've collectively narrowed it down to three very different looksand I'm being manhandled into a white and silver number. I breathe in as far as I can as they wind an ice blue obi around my waist and fasten it in place. One of the assistants then takes my socks off and replaces them with tabi. I slip into the zoori she sets don in front of me and I'm finished.

"Now, let's go and get Hanazawa-san's opinion." I'm ushered back to the salon at the front of the boutique. When I walk out the door, I notice a flash in Hanazawa Rui's eyes as he stands up. What was that look?

"Hey, Makino, you look really pretty." he tells me before turning to address the clerk. "It's beautiful but the tones are cold. What about something to play up her eyes and colouring? Something that'll make her glow?" Make me glow? What am I, a light?

"I have narrowed it down to three choices of which this is just the first. We'll have her come out wearing the other two as well and then you can make up your mind, Hanazawa-san, although I'm sure you'll agree all three outfits are exquisite."

"I'm sure I will, but I want her to have the one that suits her best."

He does? Why? What's he have planned? why did I agree to go along with his idea? I'm led back through to the dressing room where the two assistants still wait, tidying and sorting the discarded kimonos. In a matter of minutes, I'm changed into a completely different kimono. This one is black with small green leaves sewn into it. The obi is the same emerald green as the leaves, but it has small flowers embroidered on it with gold thread. The whole outfit is breathtaking. They lead me to a mirror where I gaze at my relection in disbelief, before they take me to Hanazawa Rui again. Is that really me? He's standing looking out the window at the rush hour traffic when we return to the salon. He turns and looks impressed.

"Wow, now this is more like it. Turn around." I obey, wondering why I do. When I face him again he asks, "What do you say, Makino? Do you like this one better?"

"I do, actually." I admit. "The other one would be too easy to get dirty." I blush. My mother raised me to be too practical.

"You're right, that first one would be too much trouble. Okay, now let's see the last one."

Once again I'm being stripped and redressed. This time the kimono is red with violent and lilac accents. I now know what they want me to do before they ask, holding my hands up and moving automatically, this way and that, as they remove and replace pieces of clothing. In the fastest time yet I'm decked out in the last choice and we walk back to the salon to find out what Hanazawa Rui thinks of it.

"You look beautiful." are the words I'm greeted with. Does he really think so? I can feel my cheeks redden at the compliment. He's smiling at me and nodding at the clerk and her two assistants who followed. "Don't you think this colour suits her?' He asks them. They nod.

"Yes, I do." the clerk answers. "It is very flattering because it brings out the blush on her cheeks and the shine in her eyes."

It does?

"What do you think of this one, Makino?"

"It's really pretty, Hanazawa Rui." I reply, glancing at my reflection caught in the mirror across the salon. It is really pretty. I feel like a doll.
"All right. That settles it then. We'll take the one she's wearing right now and there's no need to wrap it up as she's going to be wearing it." I am?

The clerk nods and goes back to the dressing room -- presumably to retrieve my uniform and I'm left alone with Hanazawa Rui. "What's the big idea?" I ask.

"You promised, so no questions."