To Fool the Enemy

“ABSOLUTELY NOT,” said Ryuuji, stepping back while Akari closed in, opening and closing her fingers menacingly like they were little claws.

“At him!” Hotaru yelled, prompting Akari to jump at him and start a scuffle.

“It’s for the mission. You have to!”

“I said no!”

“Ryuuji, don’t be ridiculous!” Akari pressed him as she tried to get him in a headlock. “You’ve been covered in yōkai guts before; a little make-up won’t hurt you.”

“I know, but why the hell do I have to cross-dress?” he cried out.

“Because we’re meeting Akiko-chan in a beauty salon, and it’s a posh one! You’ll stand out like a sore thumb if you enter dressed like a guy.”

“Why there, of all places?”

“Because she’s under surveillance. If we meet in a park or a restaurant, they’ll flag her from a mile away. But no one gives a damn if she’s getting skin care.”

He groaned in frustration, seeing the point but still resisting the idea.

“Just give it up, Ryuuji,” said Akari, pulling his arm at an odd angle. “You owe me one for ghosting me the other day. With this, we’ll be even.”

“I don’t see how you benefit from this.”

“Fufufu, I’ve always wanted to do your hair.”

“God damn it. First my car, and now this...”

“Ryuuji, it’s for the mission. Stop being such a child and stay still,” said Hotaru.

Driven to a corner, the man had to swallow his pride and take one for the team.

* * *

“AND FOR THE FINAL TOUCH... look cute for me, will you?”

“Ryuuji... You’re a natural...”

“Hnnng! My heart!” said Hotaru, almost drooling as she clenched her chest.

“Someone kill me already…” came a dangerously feminine voice. Hotaru had gone the extra mile and used her Kotodama to disguise him, and the result was a wildly beautiful woman with one hell of a scowl on her face.

“Oh, don’t be like that. You look lovely!” said Akari, hearts blazing on her eyes.

“You might be prettier than us…”

“He totally is. Say, Hotaru, think you can bump up his chest a little?”

“Don’t even think about it,” Ryuuji interjected.

“Fufu, I think we’ve gone as far as we can take it.”

“Aww. Well, this will have to do.”

“We still have to dress him up though.”

“Oh, hell yeah!”

The girls were having a blast at the poor guy’s expense, and on he went walking in misery to the depths of Hotaru’s room.

* * *

AN HOUR LATER, a pink SUV pulled over in front of the Lumière Éclat. It was a high-end beauty salon in the heart of Meguro, well suited for women who enjoyed the latest in fashion and skin care.

“Welcome!” greeted the clerk, happy to see clients at that hour. It was ten o’clock during a workday, and she typically didn’t have clients until the afternoon.

“Hello. I just started working here,” said Hotaru, her voice laced with power.

“Oh, that’s right! I’m sorry, what was your name again?” asked the clerk.

“I’m Sophia. I’ll take over your shift for a while; you can return in two hours. Just lend me your uniform, please.”

“Of course. Just a moment...” she said before walking to the back. Moments later, she returned wearing regular clothes and presented Hotaru with a neatly folded uniform.

“Take your time~” Hotaru waved her hand, wishing her a nice lunch.

“How many times have you done stuff like this?” Ryuuji wondered.

“More than I can count. Anyway, Akiko will arrive soon, so let’s pretend I’m working. Akari, would you mind sitting here for me? I’d ask Ryuuji, but I’d hate to ruin his make-up.”

“Heck yeah. I need a manicure, urgently. Also a mask and moisturizing!”

“Leave it to me~ In the meantime, can you work the cameras, Ryuuji? We have to doctor the footage, in case someone checks.”

“Yeah, sure…” he did have counter-security training, so a civilian-grade system shouldn’t be a problem. If anything, the main issue was how punctual Akiko would turn out to be. If Hotaru finished her work with Akari too quickly, she’d move on to him next.

He shuddered at the thought.

* * *

“WELCOME!” said Hotaru, greeting an elegantly dressed woman as she entered the establishment. She wore a silky blouse under a business suit, and had the air of a polished bureaucrat chick. It was the classy Akiko that Ryuuji remembered.

“Hello, Sophia. How have you been?” she asked, taking a quick glance at the unfamiliar lady Hotaru was giving a manicure to.

“Hotaru is fine; they’re both with me,” she assured her.

“Oh. I thought you were with Hasegawa. Did I get it wrong?”

“No, no. Get this: This is Ryuuji,” Hotaru pointed at him, with freshly painted nails, a glamorous hairdo, and exquisitely feminine make-up.

“Pffft…!” Akiko’s composure was shattered, to the point she had to support herself against the wall before her knees gave in. “Hotaru…! Wh- What in the world?”

“He’s a beauty, isn’t he?” said Hotaru with pride, Akari gawking next to her.

“It’s good to see you again, Akiko-san,” said Ryuuji, his sweet and melodious voice dripping with venom.

“Is… Is this your cover, Hasegawa?” she could barely talk to him.

“Yes. The things I do for love.”

“Oh God. You’re Hasegawa, alright...” she kept chuckling.

“So, the intel. Do you have it?” he pressed her.

“Y- Yes, it’s right here. I’ll pass it to Hotaru when she gets to work on me.”

“Tell us what you can for now. No one’s listening.”

The cameras were disabled and no other clients were in sight, so the group was free to talk openly.

“Right. Oh, where do I even begin…?”