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Shinobu Kochou was not having it.
She told her parents that it would be fine. That she can handle her hair, which barely reached her ears. She could put one, one damned butterfly hairclip in it.
Turns out, that task was harder than it appeared to be.
When she finally smoothed her hair down on one side, it stood up on the other. And by the time she fixed that side, the other was back to reaching towards the skies. That's how the poor 8-year-old still hasn't managed to put that damned butterfly hairclip into her black-purple hair, even after 15 minutes of trying.
The girl groaned before grabbing the hairbrush and quite literally stabbing it into her very messy hair. She had to press her lips together, not to cry out due to the immense pain in her head skin. When her mother, or Kanae, did it, it always seemed so effortless! How come it's so hard when you do it yourself?
"Shinobu, are you okay?" an annoyingly worried voice asked, as a 10-year-old girl peered inside the room. Shinobu looked up, only to see that, on the other hand, her sister's long black hair looked painfully perfect and pretty. This only added to the already angry girl's annoyance.
"Yeah," she replied, sucking in a sharp breath, "All good, Nee-san."
"It doesn't look like it," Kanae observed, stepping into the room, while leaving the door open, letting the fresh spring air flow in. Kanae always liked spring.
The elder sister's gaze immediately fell upon the younger one's pained expression, and the way she was technically abusing her skin with that hairbrush, and the hairclip, that still lay untouched, despite Shinobu claiming almost 20 minutes ago that she would comb her hair with it in no time.
"Shinobu!" Kanae exclaimed, "If you told me you're having trouble, I would've-"
"I'm not having any trouble," the younger girl snapped, "I simply wanted a break from you, exhausting people, but it seems like even the sacred ritual of doing one's hair can't be done without interruption!"
"I wasn't trying to interrupt." The older girl smiled, going into her sister's game. "I am simply here to inform the Lady of the Rituals that the time for consuming your sacred food offering, made by no one else but your own dearest mother, has arrived."
Shinobu stared at her sister, then at her reflected self in the mirror. Then back at Kanae.
"Can you help me-"
"Yes!"
Kanae stood behind Shinobu, taking the hairbrush into her own hand. The purple-haired girl shut her eyes tight, preparing for the pain her sister was about to cause.
But nothing like that came.
She cautiously opened her eyes, only to see that her sister, holding the hairbrush gently, was even sticking her tongue out in concentration not to cause her any pain. And to whatever blessing was cast upon her sister, she was already halfway done. A few more strokes, and she has gotten further in hair-doing than Shinobu has ever done!
"I'm sorry, I might be a bit slow," Kanae said. "There are a few little knots, and I'm trying not to abuse your head skin any further. Did you roll around in your sleep a lot?"
Shinobu's body tensed at the question, causing her hair to be, unintentionally, pulled. Kanae immediately noticed.
"Shinobu?" she asked, "Did you have a bad dream or something? You can talk to me if you want to."
The younger girl stared into the mirror, seeing her sister's focused face, as she went back to placing the hairclip in her hair. She still remembered vividly the fight she saw on her face in her nightmare, which kept her up all night long, but opening up about that? How awkward would that be!
Kanae started humming a song, but only her scream in the nightmare echoes through Shinobu's head. Her sister would probably think she is dumb if she told her right? Bzt at the same time, Kanae was the one always praised for her emotional maturity and understanding, right? So in theory, she'd understand, right?
"I had a bad dream where mom and dad died," she blurted out. Then, there was no going back. "There was this demon-like creature, and it- it killed them! It almost killed you and me, too, but then- then came this tall man and he slashed the demon thingy's head off! And- and I was really scared, and- and..."
"Oh Shinobu..." Kanae sighed. The younger girl was ready to be made fun of, but instead, her sister hugged her from behind. "That must've been horrible! I'm so, so sorry!"
"And.. And I was really, really scared," Shinobu continued, feeling the tears foaming up in her eyes. "And that's why I rolled around... and my hair..."
"Shush!" Her sister silenced her by putting a finger in front of her lips. "It's okay, Shinobu. I get it, I would've been scared too. Being honest, I probably would've screamed too. You're way stronger than me."
The older girl turned her sister around to look her in the eyes. They stood there for moments, uncaring about that. Shinobu's hair was already done. Then, when the tears flew out, Kanae finally hugged her sister.
"It's okay. It's okay, and I know it felt real, but it wasn't alright?" Kanae said, comfortingly, "Demons don't exist, and even if they did, I would protect you from them. Always. Your sister has your back, alright?"
"Alright," Shinobu sniffed, "Now let's get breakfast. Mom and dad must be worried by now..."
"Nah, I don't think they are," Kanae laughed, "I think they are glad you're having an actual conversation over here, instead of being grumpy in your room."