Your Girlfriend Was Amazing

My Girlfriend Doesn't Show Up at the Meeting Place

"How should I cut your hair?"

"Um… just trim it, please."

"How would you like it trimmed? Since your hair is naturally voluminous, I'm hesitant to cut too much. Do you have a specific hairstyle in mind?"

Yoomin's request to Minsoo to get his hair done was fine until he arrived at the large salon. But what followed was a series of surprises, astonishment, and confusion.

I should've just cut it at the usual place I go…

That place required no words. Just saying, ‘Please do it as usual,' was enough for them to give him the typical ‘Kim Minsoo cut.' He had never once thought about the specific shape of that hairstyle.

It was a place where they silently cut his hair, understanding each other without a word. He longed for his regular salon.

"I don't have… a specific one."

"Yes, it is…"

"Oh, is it for a date?!"

Minsoo's discomfort grew as the salon staff's friendliness radiated towards him. He wished the man would stop talking to him, and he couldn't understand why he was asking such a personal question.

What if I didn't have a girlfriend…? But on the other hand, do I seem like someone to have a girlfriend?

Minsoo suddenly felt good, his shoulders straightened, and his nose felt higher.

"Yes, that's right."

"Oh, in that case, it's a shame to just trim it when you've finally come to our salon. How about trying a perm? Your hair length is just right, and it would look great on you."

"A perm?"

"Yes, it will change the atmosphere instantly. There are many perms that would suit you. Your overall look is so stylish. I think it would look fantastic. Shall I show you a few pictures?"

"Yes, please…"

To Vincent, the chief designer at Essence Salon, dealing with this new customer is a piece of cake. From the moment Minsoo entered the salon, Vincent accurately identified who he was.

Kim Minsoo, the hero… He rarely visited our salon, but suddenly he came… Is it for a makeover? The only reason a man would dress up is for a woman! He came today determined to get his hair done for a date.

Understanding the customer's needs in advance and moving accordingly is his specialty. Nothing Vincent had said so far had been a lie. Deceiving a gloomy customer? That is truly a trashy thing to do.

I'm just suggesting a direction.

Even though he didn't know what possibilities Minsoo's hair held, cutting it the same way every time wasn't the answer.

And going on a date with that hairstyle? He couldn't be sure, but he didn't think his girlfriend would like it.

"If you check out this model's hairstyle, it's pretty similar to your current hair, don't you think? Oh, but your appearance is way better, hoho…"

"Really?"

Compliments can make even whales dance, but they should smoothly fit into the conversation without feeling overwhelming.

The chief designer at the salon isn't just skilled at cutting hair. Drawing in as many clients as possible through friendliness and communication is also an essential measure.

"Of course, I don't just spew empty words. Anyway, when you notice that the face shape is somewhat similar, it means the style will come out somewhat alike. Do you notice a significant difference in the style when this model has a perm compared to when he doesn't?"

A rhythmic and unintrusive tone, along with a natural rise and fall in the voice. Perfect diction that hits the ears just right.

Minsoo still couldn't gather his thoughts properly. Honestly, the difference in the perm didn't seem significantly changed. But if he was told it looked quite different, then it did seem that way.

"To some extent, yes…?"

"That ‘some extent' can also measure the style. So what I'd like to recommend is going for a casual perm, including a down perm, to add some volume to the hair and keeping the parting slightly natural. How do you feel about that? Also, I noticed you have a bit of a chic vibe, so how about enhancing a strong impression with a deep black color?"

"Uh… Um…"

"Oh, and considering you have some new growth, how about trying a dye? It's great if you do it now because we're currently offering hair nutrition management. This way, the color will last longer, and the perm will thrive, resulting in an overall polished look. What do you think, is that okay with you?"

"Uh… yes, yes…"

Minsoo still couldn't pull himself together.

What kind of friendliness is this? How can someone speak so much to a person they've just met?

It felt like they were speaking in a similar manner, but he didn't find it uncomfortable at all.

"Well then, please wait a moment~ While you wait, we're preparing a drink for you. Is there any specific drink you'd like?"

"Then, strawberry ade…"

"Yes~ I'll bring you strawberry ade~ Thank you, customer."

Although it seemed like a sudden big decision, Minsoo thought it was for the best.

Since I came here for a haircut anyway. It seems better to go all out with styling rather than just getting a trim.

Minsoo nodded at himself in the mirror.

Today, is Yoomin really falling for me completely?

Minsoo's already looking forward to it.

+++++++++++++++++++++

"I'll just have to wait and stay quiet?"

"Yeah, that's right. Minsoo shouldn't notice; just find a place to hide."

"And then?"

"Minsoo will probably receive a call after some time. Once the call ends, approach him naturally and just talk to him. You only need to do that once."

"If I do that, you're saying you'll participate in our new weapon development test, right?"

"That's right."

"Got it."

Melanie replayed the sudden call log from yesterday. It was an unexpected request, but it made sense as a deal.

I shouldn't have suggested modeling to Kim Minsoo…

Wouldn't it have been great if this deal with Taeyang was about modeling?

Baek Taeyang's rise was too swift to be called a rising star. He sparkled briefly, and criticism couldn't catch up with his pace.

Following Chairman Choi Youngnam of Lost Paradise group, now even CEO of Wonderland, Ben Moro…

When major players get involved, the value shoots up uncontrollably. The brief meeting she had with Baek Taeyang in the limousine seemed to be when his value was at its lowest.

Melanie, as the successor to lead Kaivan Group, couldn't even grasp such a perspective, causing her self-disgust.

Kim Minsoo is indeed on the level of a rising star. But it's a small star that can't even shine properly, overshadowed by Baek Taeyang. And being in the same class as him, the likelihood of ending up just as a promising figure until graduation is high.

Baek Taeyang has already gained such strong recognition externally that he's even called a ‘hunter' among the first-year students at Victory Academy. It's unbelievable but a reality.

Normally, there should have been resistance among the hunters, but such a thing didn't happen. This was because even Lee Minjoon, a fairly influential hunter among them, actively supported Taeyang's title.

[I hope the title of ‘hunter' doesn't fall into mere formalism anymore.]

[Since when did the condition for a hunter become academy graduation?]

[The education process is not what determines a Hunter.]

[I hope that with Baek Taeyang as the starting point, the rotten puddle in the hunter world disappears even a little.]

Whenever you heard it, it was an excellent statement. That was a short video, lasting about two minutes, and it quickly spread across the entire internet.

"What do you think, Mr. Kim?"

"Miss, you're talking about Hunter Baek Taeyang, right? From an ordinary person's perspective, it's quite impressive. Both in the department store gate incident and at Wonderland dungeon, there have been no casualties, right? Honestly, stories about S-rank gates, dungeons, etc., are too distant for me, but when it comes to casualties, it hits close to home. So, it's even more commendable."

"Hearing that makes me regret even more…"

Mr. Kim, Melanie's driver, decided to keep quiet as he felt that continuing to speak would make the atmosphere heavier.

It's not good to upset the young lady's feelings for no reason. I have to change the conversation topic. But what would be a good topic to shift to…?

He desperately rolled his eyes. It was getting a bit tiresome to endure waiting near the mall entrance. He needed to find something to freshen up her mood.

Oh? Found it.

It might not be good behavior to criticize others, but this time, he couldn't help it.

"Miss, check that out. That man went all out with his hair, but his clothes are a total disaster. Are people still dressing like that these days?"

"That's Kim Minsoo."

"What?!"

"It's the first time you've seen his casual fashion. It wasn't quite this extreme before, but it has gotten especially worse lately."

Even if he lives alone in the dormitory, isn't dressing like that a bit too much?

Perhaps Kim thought that Minsoo might be someone who's too ahead of his time. After all, the world of fashion is profound and heavily influenced by the era.

"Black skinny jeans, a large dog print T-shirt… a purple clutch bag… It's unbelievable…"

"Right. I can't believe I'll soon go out and have a conversation with someone dressed like that."

"Good luck, Miss…"

"Thanks."

It was even hard to look directly.

Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, but maybe because his chili pepper is small, it's not noticeable even when he's wearing a skinny jeans. It is at a level where a parrot might pop out, so the tight area isn't uncomfortable.

Hmm, I probably don't need to mention that.

Kim's top priority is always the young lady's peace, stability, and happiness.

+++++++++++++++++++++++

"Why isn't she coming?"

The agreed-upon time has already passed by 10 minutes.

Each time Minsoo saw his reflection in the mirror, a sense of pride washed over him. Of course, he didn't know changing his hair once would cost so much, but since he was satisfied, it didn't matter.

"Well… is Yoomin also dressing up?"

After 30 minutes, he wondered if there was an accident. He considered making a call, but he didn't want to be pushy.

After an hour, he finally picked up his phone. Seeing no response to multiple messages, it was clear that something had happened.

For some reason, an unexplainable chill ran through his body. It should be a warm spring day, and waiting for his girlfriend on a sunny day felt unexpectedly uneasy.

Why?

An inexplicable sense of crisis.

Click-

"Yoomin, what's wrong? I was worried because you haven't arrived yet…"

"Don't worry, Minsoo."

Huh?

It wasn't Yoomin's voice. A strange man's voice echoed from the receiver.

Dark clouds gathered in the clear sky.