Chapter 20: Hair-Tying Practice
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 20: Hair-Tying Practice
After Sister Bai had put me through the wringer several times, a hint of exhaustion finally crept onto my face.
I was currently wearing a feminine camisole paired with a dark, multi-layered chiffon skirt, adorned with tiers of semi-transparent lace. This time, the look included a pair of black silk stockings. Sister Bai had put them on me herself, teaching me how to avoid snags and runs as she went.
I had lost track of how many outfits I’d cycled through, from full dresses to this current skirt. Sister Bai’s suitcase was like a bottomless pit. I couldn't help but marvel at its capacity while I was being forced to play dress-up.
Though the outfit itself felt like a fairly standard combination, adding the Witch Cape immediately elevated it. That distinct witchy aura emerged instantly—it really did seem like a witch belonged in feminine attire.
And while the Witch Cape was dark, it had a sheer, gauzy texture. Once I put it on over these clothes, I realized the cape possessed a certain degree of color-adaptability, which made it far more versatile than I’d thought.
While Sister Bai was busy with her things, I picked up the Witch Hat from the side and plopped it onto my head. My long hair draped naturally down my back, giving off a somewhat ethereal, flowing vibe.
The truth was, Sister Bai hadn't really taught me how to tie my hair yet. I had absolutely no experience with such things, though I already had a hair tie looped around my wrist, ready for an attempt.
"Tired after all those changes?"
"Yeah, I'm exhausted," I answered bluntly. There was no need for fake politeness with Sister Bai, and I really had been tossed around for quite a while.
This was the first time I’d seen her so invested in something. She usually wasn't one to fuss over her own appearance, so why was she acting like a typical girl who loved playing with dolls?
She was really putting me through it...
"Sorry about that. Just consider this my 'payment' for buying you all these new clothes, okay? This wardrobe cost me quite a bit, you know."
"Mm." I didn't complain. I was getting the better end of the deal, after all; Sister Bai was just using that as an excuse to make me feel better about accepting the gifts.
"So cute~ I’m so relieved to see you being such a good girl, Xiao Han." Sister Bai suddenly pulled me into a hug, burying my face in her ample, soft chest before I could even react.
This was my first time experiencing a "face-full" from Sister Bai!
In the past, we had always maintained a certain distance, as if by some unspoken agreement. Now, that agreement seemed to have been shattered. Such an intimate gesture made it hard for me to stay calm. Wait... Sister Bai couldn't actually like me, could she?
The thought suddenly drifted through my mind, making my heart skip a beat...
No, impossible. Sister Bai probably just saw me as a "bestie." I wasn't entirely sure how best friends interacted, but this seemed normal enough. Besides, it’s not like the world was overflowing with lesbians. She knew I was a girl now; I couldn't even give her "happiness," so why would she like me? Even when I was a guy, I never saw our pure friendship showing any signs of turning into something else.
I’d heard that girls viewed female-female romance with the same discomfort guys felt toward "bromance" turning into something more, and that they hated it when people mistook close friendship for "yuri" behavior.
Besides, if Sister Bai really liked me, why hadn't she taken advantage of me while I was changing? That would have been the easiest time to do it. Instead, she had just helped me normally, teaching me how to wear the skirts and lingerie, including but not limited to the hooks, the ties, and everything else.
Sister Bai seemed to view herself strictly as an older sister, and I had never given it any thought beyond that...
"Xiao Han~ let me help you comb your hair. You need to try tying it yourself now. Leaving it loose looks good, but it gets messy easily, and many outfits don't suit loose hair."
Sister Bai interrupted my train of thought. A comb had appeared in her hand at some point, and she stepped behind me.
I sat up straight, no longer as lively as I had been during the outfit changes. At this moment, I looked like a gentle young girl sitting at her vanity.
I felt Sister Bai’s fingers slide through my hair as the comb glided effortlessly through the strands. For now, the texture of my hair was quite good—at least there weren't any tangles. I was actually a bit afraid of knots; the sensation of a comb snagging and pulling on the scalp was enough to make anyone's head go numb.
"Your hair quality is great~ remember to maintain it. Hair is a girl's second life, so protect it well," Sister Bai whispered into my ear.
"Mm, I will." I nodded slightly. I didn't want to go out with a bird's nest on my head either; that would be terrible.
If I were still a guy, I could have shamelessly ignored what others thought. After all, why should a guy care so much? But things were different now.
Change the gender, change the mindset.
But I had to admit, tying hair was a real skill. If you were out of practice, you couldn't do it well at all—especially when you had to reach behind your head. It looked like I’d need a lot of practice.
"Xiao Han, you're still a bit clumsy with the ties. Why don't you use me for practice?" Sister Bai looked at the results of my handiwork and couldn't help but chuckle. She reached up, pulled out her own hair tie, and let her long hair cascade down her back.
"Then I won't hold back~"
My eyes lit up. I wasn't going to pass up an opportunity like this. Since Sister Bai was being so proactive, I wasn't going to be shy.
As my hands ran through Sister Bai’s hair, I realized the texture was even better than mine! I almost didn't want to let go, but I remembered I was supposed to be learning how to tie a ponytail.
Since I was a beginner, Sister Bai taught me the easiest styles first—mostly variations of the ponytail, like high, low, or the "messy" look.
Of course, making it look good required effort. So far, I felt the simplest style was just tying the hair at the middle or the end; it gave that sense of being bound without letting the hair fly everywhere.
Though, if you pulled that kind of style to one side and let it rest over a single shoulder, it felt like one of those "death flag" hairstyles—the kind where the character is absolutely doomed in an anime...
Fortunately, there were no such taboos in this world.