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The bell rang above his head as he walked into a new salon. He quite honestly hated trying new salons, having a hard time trusting people with his hair, but after his old stylist left he felt that maybe a change in scenery was in order.
Jeonghan had been growing his hair out for some time. It was finally just below his shoulders, and as annoying as it could get, he loved it. What he didn’t necessarily love, however, was the color. Medium brown was too normal, he wanted something exciting and new, something that would make him question his own reflection. He wanted his hair to be platinum, as white as his shirt. He hoped whoever he ended up with could do it.
“Do you have an appointment?” she asks, standing behind the counter. Her hair is a pretty ashy blue, and he shakes his head in response. “What do you need done? We may be able to fit you in somewhere soon.”
“I need a trim and a color, platinum,” he responds. She hums and opens a book, scanning down lists that he only assumes are pre-made appointments. He slowly rocks on his feet, patience slowly draining from his body. He’s excited, of course, but he knows he’ll have to wait at least a little while.
“It looks like Minghao should be finishing his current appointment up soon, if you wouldn’t mind waiting?”
“Sure that’ll be fine. Should I just stay here or…” Jeonghan trailed off, he wasn’t quite sure what he was supposed to do. He would always make his appointments in advance so he’s never had to wait for a questionable amount of time.
The girl behind the counter nodded with a smile. “Absolutely! What’s your name? I’ll put you in his register and he’ll call you back when he’s ready.”
“Jeonghan, Yoon Jeonghan,” he replied, smiling before sitting down. He pulled out his phone, pulling up a game.
Jump, jump, jump, jum- are you kidding me? You were supposed to jump you stupid thing. Okay, again. Jump, jump, jump, jump, stay… Jump, jump, jump…
Jeonghan was startled out of his trance by someone calling his name. Closing the game and putting away his phone, he stood up, looking for the owner of the voice. When he finally found him, his breath stopped for a second. He was so cute, the cutest stylist he’s possibly ever seen. He was thin and around the same height as Jeonghan himself. Probably around the same age, too. What made him so cute, however, was his curly light brown hair.
“Hi, yes, that’s me,” Jeonghan finally said, walking over to greet the boy.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Minghao. It says on my register that you want to go platinum? Are you sure? It can be pretty rough on your hair.”
“Yes, I’m sure. I want change, something huge, something drastic. I feel like I need it right now, you know?”
Minghao nodded and gestured to follow him. They weaved through the salon, Jeonghan watching as some stylists were blow drying fresh styles while others were simply giving trims. He’s always found salons so interesting, everyone there had a story. Every person who walked in had a plan for their hair, most had a reason. Especially when the change was drastic.
“Sit here, I’m going to go mix. Do you want a water or anything?” Minghao asked, spinning the chair for Jeonghan to sit. Jeonghan shook his head no and thanked him, sitting down as the other walked away. He adjusted himself to get comfortable, his stomach suddenly erupting in nerves. What if this is a bad idea? What if he ended up looking terrible in platinum?
Before he could truly rethink and back out, Minghao was already back, mixing some strong smelling half-liquid half-paste concoction in a small black bowl.
“Is it safe to assume that you’ve never bleached your hair before?” his stylist asked, setting down the bowl and pulling out a brush. Jeonghan nodded as the brush ran through his hair, slightly catching at the bottom. “Your hair is so long and beautiful, I can’t believe you’re really going platinum the first time you bleach. It smells really strong, and might make your eyes water a little when I get the hair closest to your face. When I apply it closer to your scalp it’s going to itch pretty bad. If it starts to get to be too much let me know and we’ll rinse, dry and start again. When I’m done applying it I’ll give you a comb or something that you can use to scratch with, if necessary. Sound good?”
Jeonghan nodded once again, head slightly muffled with all of the new information he just took in. Minghao placed the cape around Jeonghan’s neck, snapping the buttons at the back. Minghao put his gloves on and separated Jeonghan’s hair, tying over half of it up on his head.
There was no time to process what was happening as Minghao applied the first of the bleach to the back of Jeonghan’s head. Nervous was an understatement, and the two sat in silence for a majority of the application process, the only talk being when Minghao asked if he was still doing alright. His head felt like it was on fire, but he ignored it as best he could as he sat and waited.
Minghao told Jeonghan to stand up and follow him, handing him a comb with a slight point on one end. “You sit right here, I’ll be back to check your progress after I’m done with the cut I have scheduled. Do you want a water now or are you still good?”
“I’m still good,” Jeonghan replied, smiling lightly. Minghao smiled back and walked away, exclaiming excitedly at the person who walked over to his chair. He seemed much more talkative with the boy he was caping. Jeonghan wonders if he’ll ever get that comfortable with him, laughing and talking as if they’ve been friends for years. He shrugged and pull out his phone once more, opening his game and occasionally scratching his head.
Jump, jump, jump, stay, scratch, jump, jump, double jump, scratch, jump…
After half an hour and four new levels completed, Minghao finally approached him and poked around at his head, checking the lift. “Alright, let’s head over to the sinks.”
If there’s only one thing that Jeonghan will never understand, it’s salon hair washes. Not for what they are, no, that’s pretty obvious. He’ll never understand why it’s one of the best feelings in the whole world. Even now as he has his head in the sink, water lukewarm, Minghao’s fingers carding through his hair, he just doesn’t understand. It feels so intimate but not at the same time, and it doesn’t make much sense to him. He wonders if Minghao thinks that way, but he probably doesn’t since he must wash at least four or five people’s hair each day.
“Okay, back to my chair. Time to blow dry and see how you feel,” Minghao said, tilting the sink chair up so Jeonghan could stand up. He felt as though his heart may come out of his mouth, anticipation for the grand reveal almost more than he could handle.
When they arrived back to Minghao’s station, he sat down but wasn’t turned to face the mirror. Instead, he was facing the rest of the salon as Minghao combed through his hair and did a quick trim before pulling out the dryer. Jeonghan’s hair began to feel more and more light as Minghao moved through his hair, alternating between using a comb and his fingers. Once the drying was done, Minghao pulled out a straightener and went over Jeonghan’s already smooth hair. Upon being satisfied, he slowly turned the chair around.
Jeonghan couldn’t believe his eyes. Never had his hair been so light, so bright, and he couldn’t look away. This was the change he needed, but now that it was here he wasn’t quite sure what to do.
“Since it’s practically white, you’ll want to make sure you get some anti-brass shampoo and conditioner. It isn’t necessary so to speak, but it will help keep your hair this shade a bit longer. I also suggest investing in a good hair mask to do once or twice a week, and try not to use too much heat. If you have to, use the lowest temperature possible. I know it may seem pointless to use such a low heat but your hair will thank you,” Minghao said quickly, using his fingers to brush some more of Jeonghan’s hair forward. “Do you like it?”
“I… I love it. It’s just what I needed. Thank you so much, Minghao,” he replied, smiling in the mirror. Minghao smiled back and removed the cape, grabbing the blow dryer once more to remove any extra hair remnants.
The pair moved to the front of the salon, standing on opposite sides of the counter. Jeonghan paid and left a substantial tip, the cost had been lower than he expected and Minghao had done a wonderful job.
“Here’s a punch card, ten haircuts and you get the eleventh free. This is my card, my personal number is on the back for if you have any questions.”
“Thank you, Minghao. I really appreciate it,” Jeonghan spoke, putting both cards in his wallet. Minghao smiled in response before waving another customer to his chair, leaving Jeonghan to show himself out.
✂
A month had passed and Jeonghan was once more tired. Tired of the platinum, yes, but also of his roots. He didn’t realize just how annoying roots could be until his were at least ten shades darker than the rest of his hair. This wouldn’t make him go back to dark hair just yet, of course. He decided that this time he would do a medium blonde, still light but not as shocking to the eyes.
When his appointment with Minghao finally arrived, Minghao seemed to agree with his color choice. He still double checked anyway, always wanting to be on the safe side.
“I think this would look nice on you. Are you sure?”
“I sure am, this one should be less of a shock to me now, don’t you think?” Jeonghan asked, lightly twirling his now dull platinum hair. Was he slightly fishing for compliments? Sure he was, but that’s not what matters.
“I do. You sit, I’m going to go mix it up. Water?” Minghao asked as they walked, glancing back slightly. Jeonghan accepted this time and sat in wait for him to return with the water and dye.
Jeonghan was lost in his little world when he saw a water plopped down in front of him along with the little black bowl containing his hair’s near future. He took a sip of the water as Minghao caped him, brushed his hair and once more tied half on top of his head. This time Jeonghan wasn’t nearly as nervous as he felt the first of the dye being applied to his head, his hair becoming heavier almost instantly. He relaxed as the other boy slowly applied more and more dye to his hair, eventually letting down the top half and finishing up. This time, though, Minghao didn’t have another appointment, so once the dye was applied the two talked for a while. Starting at small talk and working up to friend circles and personal plans for the weekend, Jeonghan felt closer to his stylist than when he first had his hair done a month ago.
Minghao checked the time on his little watch and peeled back a piece of tin foil on Jeonghan’s head, assessing where he was in the process. “About five more minutes and we’ll head back to the sinks. I’m going to go clean this up really quick.”
Jeonghan was once more left alone at the station, eyes wandering and admiring the other stylists as they performed their work.
“If I didn’t know any better I’d think you’re looking for a different stylist for next time,” Minghao joked as he came back and gestured for Jeonghan to follow him. Jeonghan refused to get flustered but followed him back to the sinks.
“Why would I do that? I would never replace the cutest stylist here with someone else, that’s silly,” Jeonghan responded, sitting down and settling his head into the sink bowl. Glancing up he noticed Minghao’s slightly red cheeks as he adjusted the water. Lukewarm water and shaking fingers began rinsing his hair as he closed his eyes, a small, satisfied smile spreading across his face.
The rest of the appointment passed in normalcy, the quiet small talk and sounds of the hair dryer. This time, though, Minghao didn’t pull out the straightener. Instead, Jeonghan felt delicate fingers separating his hair into thirds.
“What are you doing?” Jeonghan asked, confusion clear in his voice. Minghao gave him nothing but a hum in response, fingers moving nimbly behind his client’s head. He heard a slight ah sound before being turned around.
As he faced the mirror, Minghao pushed the braid forward and adjusted the few strands around his face. Jeonghan’s gasp was audible, he had never seen himself look quite like this before. A bun on top of his head, sure, but never a braid. He glanced at Minghao in the mirror, a small smile shown on his face.
“You look beautiful,” Minghao whispered, coughing slightly to cover his face and the words. Jeonghan had heard him though, and he had never heard the words be handed to him in such a pure form. No ill intent. A good, genuine compliment from someone who has only seen him twice. Enough times to not be a passing flirt, not enough to be considered the lie of a friend.
“Thank you,” he responded, cheeks flushed. His eye contact didn’t waver though, still just as stuck on the other boy as it had been since he uttered the words. He wanted to convey how much the pure words meant to him, how nice it was to hear them genuinely.
“Of course, um… Let’s go get you cashed out then,” Minghao replied, removing the cape and scurrying to the front.
This time when Jeonghan left the tip, he also left a slip of paper with his phone number on it.
✂
A few months and store bought dye boxes passed before Jeonghan made another appointment. He needed a trim, nothing more, but he still made sure to book Minghao instead of just walking in. He wanted to see the other boy; it had been too long.
Upon walking into the salon and scanning the floor, his eyebrows furrowed. He couldn’t spot the curly haired boy anywhere. Surely if he wasn’t going to be here they would have rescheduled, right? Had he been too forward giving his number to the boy? Was the compliment truly in nothing but client-stylist manner? Does Minghao not want to be his stylist anymore?
“Hello, I have an appointment with Minghao,” Jeonghan said, startling the girl who had been on the computer. With a second look, he realized it was the same girl who had set him up with Minghao for his first appointment.
“Oh, yes, he’s in the back! I’ll go get him for you,” she replied with a smile. Jeonghan sat back down until he saw the pair emerge from the back room. He felt his eyes widen as he laid his eyes on Minghao. His hair was no longer curly and light brown, it was now a darker shade, softly swept off to one side. He still looked as beautiful as usual, just in a different way this time.
“What’s this, Jeonghan, you leave for all that time and you see a new stylist for a color? How could you?” Minghao said, pouting and and placing his arm over his forehead for dramatic effect. Jeonghan shook his head and laughed, following the other to the salon chair.
“Believe it or not, I was the stylist. Boxed dye works wonders when your hair is a pretty consistent shade,” he joked, holding his hair as Minghao caped him.
Brushing through his hair, Minghao huffed a few laughs, occasionally spraying with a water bottle to wet the hair. “So, what are we thinking?”
“I want it gone this time.”
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
✂
Jeonghan had his hair at chin length for a while. He didn’t mind it, not after hearing Minghao’s quiet wow once the cut was done. It was all around a good decision; it was far easier to take care of and the amount of money spent on hair products decreased pretty significantly. But it had been long enough, and Jeonghan was desperate to see Minghao again.
Other than Jeonghan occasionally sending a text or two, the pair rarely talked outside of the salon. Typically that wouldn’t bother Jeonghan. Really, he wouldn’t think about it at all. This was a new situation for him, a gray area he didn’t fully understand.
He walked into the salon that day more determined than he had ever walked, well, anywhere. He spotted Minghao easily and smiled as the boy waved him back, already twirling the chair for him.
“And what are we doing today?”
“The palest, lightest pink you’ve got. Short with bangs,” Jeonghan replied, trying to gauge Minghao’s reaction. Other than slightly wider eyes, he didn’t really get a whole lot.
“You sure?”
“Absolutely.”
“Well, alright. You know the drill, I’ll be right back,” Minghao spoke, rushing to the back. Jeonghan’s stomach erupted much as it had the first day, only this time for a whole new reason.
“So we’re going to bleach you and rinse, then do pink toner, sound okay?” Minghao asked as he came back with the little black bowl. “Jeonghan? Hey, are you listening to me?”
“Oh, yeah, yeah that’s fine. Sorry, just a little off today,” Jeonghan chuckled awkwardly, cursing himself. He was confident when he walked in, what happened?
Minghao hummed and offered a small smile, twirling and pinning half of Jeonghan’s hair to the top of his head. Dying went on as it always did, mostly quiet, Minghao making light jokes about things he heard customers say throughout the day, small smiles and laughs shared between the two.
Rinse, toner and another rinse later, Jeonghan returned to the chair, once more facing the rest of the salon. “You know, you don’t have to face me this way, I can handle watching you cut my hair.”
“No! It’s more fun this way. I get the process to myself and get to see your cute expressions when it’s all done! It’s a win-win situation,” Minghao replied, running the brush through his hair. He was always so gentle, much more gentle than previous stylists sometimes were.
“Minghao, sweetie, I think you mean win-lose situation. I’m not winning anything here,” Jeonghan stated, smiling slightly as he felt the brush halt for a moment at the name. Minghao was sometimes so shocked when he said something slightly flirtatious or caring, and it was endearing.
“Yeah, whatever,” he mumbled, switching the brush out for the comb and scissors. Jeonghan felt his remaining hair being snipped as he watched it fall to the floor, slightly shocked at how easy it is for it to be gone. The color was exactly what he wanted though, so he was excited to see how it would come out. He hadn’t had this particular hairstyle in years, he was almost afraid of what he would look like.
Minghao moved around to the front of the chair and started combing some of his hair forward so he could do the bangs. Jeonghan hadn’t been this close to him before, at least not where he could see him, and he was almost afraid it was a dream. He breathed as lightly as he could, terrified that if he was too loud the small boy in front of him would disappear. He was so focused on his breath that he didn’t even realize Minghao had pulled out the hair dryer, his fingers lightly fluffing Jeonghan’s hair as he went.
“Okay, we’re all done. Are you ready? You look so, so cute Jeonghan I can’t believe this, you look tiny!” Minghao said, slightly clapping his hands. He wasn’t usually this excited and it somehow made Jeonghan nervous.
“I look cute, huh?” Jeonghan asked, quirking his eyebrow at the slip. Minghao stopped clapping and slightly sputtered, spinning the chair instead of giving an answer. Jeonghan’s eyes widened as he looked in the mirror. He really did look tiny, and while he wishes he could hate it, the look on Minghao’s face tells him that it isn’t something to hate. “I love it, Hao.”
Minghao’s face lit up, over the confirmation or the nickname Jeonghan wasn’t sure. He followed the boy as he gestured up towards the counter, slightly peppier than usual. It was a little odd, but cute nonetheless, so Jeonghan just accepted it. As Jeonghan was pulling out the separate tip money, Minghao stopped him.
“Take me out to lunch instead,” he said, handing Jeonghan his change.
“Lunch, huh? Does that mean one day I’ll get all the free haircuts I want?”
“I wouldn’t go that far.”