Girls’ Nights out 3 – The Makeup Shop

(Akane's PoV)

—

And then, after walking out of the clothes shop, Hoshiko and I decided that it was time to move on to the 'serious' side of the evening: The Makeup Shop, one that the fox had personally chosen.

Luckily, it was only three streets away. 

Of course, Hoshiko didn't hesitate to tell us about some of her misadventures with her clients.

"So, Sora, there also was this client..." She could barely contain her laugh. "Well, he was very good-looking, like... big, strong, and muscular. I remember that he wanted to have a vertical eyebrow piercing..." 

"And... what's the funny part?" Sora asked, smiling.

"The funny part is that he tried to act all mighty, and he cried his heart out when I didn't even touch him. He literally screamed 'MOMMY!'" Hoshiko laughed. "Well... I know that everybody has their fears but..." A pause. "His expression was fucking hilarious."

Sora and I couldn't help but laugh. Not because of the story, but mostly because of the way she told that and her expressions.

"Hoshiko, is there a way to see these events in real time?" Sora asked, giggling. 

"Ohhh yeah! I'll call you when a strange client comes. It's easy." She winked. "But I can't promise that I won't try to do a tattoo on you..."

Sora stepped closer to me. "I don't think that I can have a tattoo right now..." 

"Oi Hoshiko, don't scare her," I said, smiling. "Otherwise, I'll come to cut all your electricity in your studio and leave you in the dark." 

"YOU WOULDN'T DARE, BABY WOLF! YOU LOVE ME TOO MUCH!" She said. 

"After all this time, you still don't know how cruel I can be, right?" I teased.

"SCARY!" She exclaimed, and the three of us laughed together.

Then, after some time of walking, stupid stories, and laughing like three idiots, we had finally arrived.

A narrow, brightly lit place packed with mirrors and glass counters, and the moment we entered, about twenty different perfumes attacked my nose at once.

Sora didn't even have the time to look around. Hoshiko marched inside like a general arriving to conquer enemy territory, grabbed a stool, planted it in front of a mirror, and pointed, as if she were the owner of the shop.

"Sit," She commanded.

Sora hesitated. "W-What are you going to do?"

"Your eyebrows, Lady Folder." She grinned.

"My... eyebrows?" Sora's voice was shaking a little.

"Relax! I'm not shaving them off!" A small pause. "Maybe..." 

"That's not what I—"

"Just a little definition for the eyebrows and some eyeliner. Nothing dramatic. Trust me, Lady Folder." Hoshiko patted the stool.

Sora looked at me with the same desperate look, and all I could do was shrug.  So, with a small sigh, she sat.

Hoshiko then grabbed a tester pencil and gently tilted her chin upward while I leaned against the counter to watch. The shop girl, a small cheerful woman in a pink smock, retreated with a look that said 'I know a professional when I see one.'

It was funny how different Hoshiko became when she was working.

The same woman who'd spent the last hour screaming about dried squid and threatening to tattoo friendship rules onto people was suddenly completely focused.

Her hand barely trembled as she traced a thin line, humming quietly to herself. 

'She's so amazing... Wish I had a glimpse of her talent with that...' I thought.

Sora sat with her eyes closed and her hands folded in her lap.

For a while, neither spoke, then Sora murmured something.

"No one's ever done my makeup before, you know? It feels strange, but I like it."

Hoshiko paused. "Really? Never?"

Sora shook her head slightly. "My mother says makeup is for people who have something to cover, so I never wore any."

I looked at her, and she gave a small, almost embarrassed laugh.

"She means well. She really does. She just believes people should present themselves naturally." Sora said.

Hoshiko continued working, though a little more slowly. "So you're telling me that this flawless skin of yours, this beautiful color, this softness, has no makeup?" She looked envious.

"Uhm... y-yes?" Sora's voice trembled. "I never used makeup, to be honest, but I do a lot of skin care, you know?"

Hoshiko paused. "I hate you." Another pause. "I hate you so much. You have no idea." 

"Me too," I said, my voice soft.

"E-Eh?" She panicked. "Why—"

Hoshiko lowered the pencil. "Chill, baby girl! We're just joking! Hahahaha!" A small pause. "We love you! But Baby Wolf and I used to go through a very hard routine to have a glimpse of your perfect skin!"

"True. Sadly true." I said. 

Sora then smiled faintly and let out a sigh of relief. "You really scared me, you know?"

Neither of us said anything, but Hoshiko then resumed working.

"And to be honest, I've never had someone to talk with at home. That place is always silent, to the point where the only sound in there is the clock ticking. I go crazy every day..." She sighed. "I think that's why I joined the student council," she continued. "I wanted to have something to do. Somewhere to go after class. A reason to stay busy." She gave another little laugh. "And honestly, I never imagined I'd spend an evening doing something like this."

In that moment, Hoshiko stopped, with a soft, warm smile on her face, and moved away from Sora for an instant.

I watched her in the mirror. Her eyes were still closed, and the fluorescent lights caught the faint shadows beneath them.

Less than two hours ago, she'd been crying in my arms, telling me something she'd probably spent weeks trying to hide.

And now she was sitting in a makeup shop, casually telling us about her life and her loneliness. I wondered how long she'd been keeping all of that to herself.

'You're such a good person, Sora... hating you would be impossible even for me.' I thought.

Then, Hoshiko cleared her throat. "*ahem* Hey, Lady Folder."

Sora opened one eye. "Yes?"

"If your house gets too quiet, you can always come to the sanctuary, you know? My house is your house." Her voice was softer than usual. "I mean it. Akane can confirm that my studio is the safest place in the world for lonely people, you know?"

"I do." I raised my hand. "And I swear on my relationship."

Sora blinked.

"You can hang around. I'll even give you work to do. So that you can still stay busy." Hoshiko said.

"W-Work?"

"Sure..." Hoshiko giggled. "Like... I don't know... sweep the floors, sort supplies, make sure I don't lose my keys five times a day, or even give me moral support. Akane used to do that every day, but she's married now, almost." She then went back to work.

I smirked, but I saw Sora flinching.

"Oh, that's true. I'm almost married, you know?" I said.

But Hoshiko ignored me and said, "And I'll make you listen to my horrible playlists!"

Sora laughed. "I-I think I'd like that."

"Good!" Hoshiko smiled. "Then it's settled. Now look up before I *accidentally* stab you in the eye."

"H-Hoshiko!" She exclaimed.

"HEHE! KIDDING!"

Sora laughed again and tilted her face upward.

A few minutes later, Hoshiko finally stepped back. "Done!" She turned the stool toward the mirror.

Sora looked at herself.

The difference was subtle.

A thin line of dark eyeliner followed her lashes, with the faintest touch of silver on her eyelids.

Her lips were a deep plum shade, almost the same color as her new cardigan.

Nothing excessive. Just enough.

Sora leaned closer to the mirror.

"Oh..." She turned her head slightly. "It's very... very subtle."

"Of course it is," Hoshiko said. "You don't need much." She put the pencil down. "You're already so fucking hot, Lady Folder. You just needed somebody to tell you it's okay to have a little fun with it."

Sora looked at her, and then at me through the mirror. Her eyes were shining.

"Thank you." She said.

I smiled. "You're welcome." Then I pointed at the lipstick. "Now buy that."

And she did, along with the silver eyeshadow, the liner, and a small black brush that Hoshiko insisted was essential to human survival.

The saleswoman, a cheerful little lady in a pink smock, slipped a free sample of lip balm into the bag and told Sora she hoped to see her again.

Sora bowed so politely that the woman looked genuinely touched.

'Jeez.'

Even while buying eyeliner, she was still the president.

Our last stop was my idea.

And probably my greatest achievement of the evening.