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2-1
TN: As usual, quick TL and un-proofed. Enjoy.
Once every few years, Mary would get herself a straight perm.
Of course it was to de-roll the vertical drill, but it was so hard to get rid off…At the salon, those alloy drill was known as the beautician-killer.
However, she kept taking on that challenge, because she was, after all, a teenage girl who long for gentle wave hairstyle. Above all, now that she’s a second year at the university, she wanted an elegant figure with fluttering silver hair just like her mother.
Vertical roll combined with dress were too childish after all. Until high school, that style was suited for a noble daughter, but that was not the case in university.
That’s why, even though she understood that it was futile, she kept on trying the straight perm. One could say she is bad at giving up, or admirable…
“Mary-sama, we’ll make it this time.”
Don’t worry! And so they encouraged, as the beautician dry her silver hair as if patting them.
Mary who heard that, replied with a smile, “Yes, I’m looking forward to it,” despite thinking ‘how many times this conversation had happened…’  Although they kept losing, Mary couldn’t disregard the beauticians who expend all their skill in these battle.
Above all, it’s also for the sake of their comrade who fell against these beautician-killer Alloy drills… Aah, her tears welled up when she remembered…
“Sorry for the wait, Mary-sama. It’s finished…”
They gulped down their breath. Speaking of the size of the sound, it was something that represents the degree of tension of the beautician.
But it couldn’t be helped. Usually, her drill would roll back the moment they said “finished now”. With figurative kyururu sfx, those drills rolled back vigorously as if laughing at their futile attempt.
This time too, Mary already accepted her defeat somewhere inside her heart, and waited for the beautician to finish her sentence.
…..
…………
The beautician and Mary, no, the whole salon went silent as those silver hair didn’t make a single movement.
“My Lady, let’s forget the impossible and get something to eat! “
And so Addie broke the silence. As usual, this rude attendant who didn’t act like one appeared in the salon, tilting his head at the strange silence inside the salon. He wondered what just happened. It wasn’t the first time they fail against Mary’s alloy drill, so to be this silent…
Feeling the unusual tension, he looked around the salon for Mary… only to stop his gaze at the figure of a person with gentle, wavy hair.
A dumbfounded expression. His eyes widen as if he saw something unbelievable, not only that, his jaw dropped as well.
She gave a small laugh at his reaction, and slowly stood up with pride. With elated smile, she approached him while her silver hair swayed.
“My Lady?…”
“What do you think, Addie? “
“We, well…”
“Oh my, don’t be that surprised, will you. Well, can’t say I’m not surprised too.”
“A, are you alright! ? “
“What do you mean! “
“To be that straight, are you not in pain! ? “
“There is no pain nerve in those drill! “
Mary snapped back as Addie rudely expressed his surprise.
The salon went back to normal at their usual banter, with the beautician stared at those silver hair with satisfaction.
“Mary-sama, it totally suited you.”
“Yes, thank you. Your skill has improved as well. ….it’s a really long, long battle.”
Looking back at their repeated battle in the past, Mary clasped the beautician’s shoulder. All the staffs watched them with tear in their eyes, because they knew how long the battle was.
With the beauticians rotating their shift, sometimes taking more than half a day, but those drills were unbreakable. That’s why, the emotion in this moment couldn’t be easily expressed, some even wiped the corner of their eyes with handkerchief.
Of course, that included Mary too. As the one who feel the most excitement, Mary pulled Addie’s hand, “Let’s show it to everyone!”
“To think there is someone rude enough to destroy your alloy drill…”
“In this moment, in this salon, I think you are the rudest one. Anyway, let’s return to the mansion. I want to show this new hairstyle to everyone! “
“That kind of! Is it okay going outside without equipping those drill! ? “
“Yes, it is enough to go out and dismiss a very rude someone.”
“We, well, let’s go! I’m sure everyone will be surprised! “
Look! This time, it was Addie who pulled on Mary’s arm.
On the other hand, Mary sighed and walked with light steps as her hair sways, biting her lips.
And when they returned to the mansion and showed her new hairstyle off…
Starting from “Who might you be?” to “Mary-sama, why don’t you lie down for a while?”, and in the end, “Did you drop it somewhere? I will go find it.” was the unexpected reaction.
Even Mary would receive damage from those comment–and no, her defense definitely didn’t go down because she lost the drill– After making a full round trip around the mansion, her shoulder dropped and gloomy atmosphere surrounded her.
The vigor she had when she left the salon was nowhere to be seen, only teary eyes. Addie also regretted his previous blunder, muttering, “Oh dear.”
“To think that everyone only talk about the drill…””E, everyone was just excited! They weren’t being serious.”
“Of course! Even the guard said, “It haven’t been delivered yet,” when he saw me! If that is serious, I’ll slap him with a dismissal notice right now! “
Grrrrr! Addie tried to calm her anger down with a “Now, now.”
As if calming an animal, as expected Mary who was already filled with dissatisfaction glared at Addie. …but, she only hold Addie’s hand.
Not only that, all her anger just now went somewhere and she smiled. The loosely wound silver hair swayed, adding adult charm to Mary’s who was originally beautiful.
Addie shook his shoulder at her unusual attitude.
“My Lady?…”
“I accept your feeling.”
“Eh, that is…! “
“Your feeling to receive the dismissal notice earlier than the guard!　Just you wait, I’ll slap you with it! “
“With your drill gone, you even lost your composure! “
“Are you still saying that at this time! “
I will definitely fire you! Mary yelled –although it was a problem that she wasn’t serious until now– Addie tried to deflect the subject by laughing and raise his hand to touch her silver hair…only to stop.
Previous joke-filled banter went away and he lowered his eyebrows to take a peek at her face with affectionate expression.
“Um…do you mind if I touch your hair? “
“We, well, I don’t mind.”
Mary replied to Addie who asked again for permission, with a tone that said ‘after all this time’.
Receiving her permission, he touched her silver hair, caressing her wavy hair gently. Mary chuckled at his careful ministration, as if he was handling fragile glass work.
“It totally suits you… very pretty.”
“Ah, I see… thank you.”
As if he was happy for himself, Addie complimented her, and she shyly smile back. It was embarrassing when she got complimented again, and even more so to be touched this way.
To be caressed with the back of his fingers, sometimes entwining her hair between them, it was strangely pleasant. She narrowed her eyes as she also felt this vexing embarrassment that was hard to say deep in her heart.
What is this sweet and numbing sensation she never felt before… Mary shifted her gaze toward her hair as she was intoxicated with that feeling.
There was no more trace of her alloy drill. A huge change that will surprised anyone. —although, aside from her hair, nothing changed. The reaction to her drill from her surrounding was huge (despite being late), to the point Mary thought it was a something major–
Gazing at her soft hair as Addie’s fingers caressed them, ‘Perhaps with this…’ she smiled happily and unconsciously said,
“With this much change, no one will know I’m Mary Albert if I study abroad at the neighboring country.”
And so it slipped her mouth.
Oh no, the moment she thought that, it was too late.
Addie’s fingers already went stiff.