A close shave

Reiju grumbled as Shiruka sat at the empty desk next to her in class.

"I'm smart enough to know all the answers," Reiju growled.

"Hey, I haven't been to high school in what, nearly 15 years. This could be great inspiration for a short novel," Shiruka replied.

"I thought you were a ghost."

"I can still publish stuff as a Shiruka fan."

"Ugh, any crime visions?"

"Looks like you're a secret mystery fanatic. Nothing yet, though that's probably good."

The day went by without any notable event happening.

As Shiruka floated behind Reiju, he suddenly went pale.

"Finally have a vision?" Reiju asked.

"No, I just recognized someone before us, seriously what the hell did she do to herself? She looks like she hasn't aged a day," Shiruka mumbled.

"Who are you talking about?"

"Huh? I'm not talking about anything," a beautiful woman with long lavender hair mumbled as she approached Reiju.

She wore snazzy white hi-top sneakers and a see-through nylon dress. The bikini she was wearing underneath the dress could be seen.

"Ugh, it's my old assistant and erotic maniac, Fumiyo," Shiruka groaned.

"Fumiyo?" Reiju replied.

"Huh? Never met you before? You a fan or are you into me?" Fumiyo asked.

"Why would I be into you?" Reiju growled.

"I mean we've never met, but you're already calling me by my first name," Fumiyo blushed.

"Go away bitch," Reiju growled as she walked away.

Shiruka attempted to float around Fumiyo, only for Fumiyo to stick her hand through him. Shiruka was unhindered, but he still didn't like having Fumiyo's hand phase through him.

"I hope she can't sense me," Shiruka thought.

"Hmm? my heart's beating at the pace it only did when I got aroused by Nobuto. Could he be here in spirit?" Fumiyo thought.

Fumiyo then pursued Reiju.

"What do you want now you pervy bitch?" Reiju growled.

"You've got Nobuto energy. _! Why don't we bond a little at one of my favorite spots to frequent. Look, it's just across the street," Fumiyo pointed.

"Cabaret!? HELL NO!"

"Sadly they're not open yet. Besides, I was pointing to the fancy salon and spa I like to go to when I wanna make heads turn," Fumiyo pouted.

"I don't give a damn about my appearance."

Shiruka suddenly had a vision.

"Reiju, as much as I hate to send you into the spider's web, a crime will take place there in 30 minutes," Shiruka warned.

"Then should I go?"

"I didn't see much, only a brunette haired woman being chloroformed."

"Well, let's go."

"You want to go? Now I'm getting excited," Fumiyo smiled as she grabbed Reiju's arm and began dragging her towards the salon.

Reiju was blown away by how fancy the inside was. There were also 10 female stylists attending to the 5 customers currently seated.

"Ugh, not during peak business hours," a young brunette-haired woman groaned.

She wore makeup and the salon's uniform consisting of a white long sleeve shirt, red skirt, white sneakers, and green apron while her hair was styled in a ponytail.

"Miko-chan! Give us a couple's package!" Fumiyo demanded.

"Couple!? That's a high school girl!" the employee, Miko gasped.

"Like hell I'm dating this perv! She just dragged me here and demanded we bond," Reiju growled.

"Apologies madam. I just can't tell when it comes to our most problematic customer. So what would you like? Don't worry, I won't listen to whatever Miss perv demands we do to you."

"Boo, I wanted you to make us match," Fumiyo pouted.

"No, this girl is clearly not in the market for whatever perverted hairstyle you make us give you this."

"Do you have anything that would last 30 minutes?" Reiju asked.

"Well, we could do a wash, style, facial and manicure."

"Sure, give me that."

"I want something more extreme," Fumiyo pouted as she produced a 100,000 yen note and pointed to a woman with her orange hair rapped up in rollers getting a facial mask.

"*Sigh* take a seat, I'll have Kagura give you a hideous perm," Miko groaned.

"The new girl? Perfect. I wanna get to know her better."

Fumiyo was called back first by a stylist with short auburn hair.

"My name's Kagura. I'm a bit new here, so apologies if I mess up a bit," they stylist smiled.

"Perfect, mess ups could lead to me looking even weirder, which is good for me," Fumiyo smirked.

Shortly after, Reiju was called back by a stylist with short black hair.

"Apologies for the wait, I'm Hina. A wash, facial and manicure right?" the stylist asked.

"Yeah sure," Reiju grumbled.

Shiruka floated around the main lobby and backrooms looking for potential danger.

"In my vision, it looked as though the crime happened somewhere dark like this. If I wait, I could snap a picture of them, or maybe even warn Reiju and have her prevent the murder. Though I don't know how good her combat prowess is," he thought.

                                                                             ...

Reiju blushed in embarrassment as she looked at herself in the mirror.

"Ugh, this green goop makes me look like a freak," Reiju embarrassingly growled.

"Never had a facial before?" Hina asked.

"No."

"Well, it's a good day to get one then. Today is discounted manicure and facial day."

Reiju then glanced around and noticed all the other customers had received a facial treatment.

"Is this stuff really a big deal?" Reiju asked.

"Well, not everyone has naturally beautiful skin like you," Hina replied.

Reiju then noticed two of the stylists heading out. One had brunette hair tied in a ponytail like Miko did while the other had long black hair with multi color highlights.

"Oh don't worry, they're just going out to lunch. These masks also take at least 25 minutes to give their full effect. Don't worry, someone always stays in the salon at all times."

As Hina applied the nail polish to Reiju's fingernails, Reiju heard Fumiyo complaining.

"What, you aren't going to smear it over my mouth?" Fumiyo complained.

"No miss Fumiyo, Miko-senpai told be not to smear the cream over customer's mouths," Kagura groaned.

"Then shave everything off. Eyebrows and eyelashes too."

"HUH!? B-But you're getting a perm right now!"

"So, shave my hair off while it's still rapped up in rollers."

As Kagura trembled in disbelief, two of her seniors approached Fumiyo.

"Ugh, this bitch again? Well give her what she wants, gag her and shave every damn hair off her so she'll never come back," a stylist with short black hair growled.

"I take it you weren't here when she pulled off her dumb stunt years ago. We shaved her completely devoid of hair, yet she kept coming back for reshaves for about a year. Worst of all we had to stare at that vulgar tattoo she has every time she came in. Then when she started growing out her hair, she came back to have it styled in subjectively perverted styles. Nothing we do short of a legal restraining order will keep her from coming back," a stylist with a blonde bob sighed.

"So why not give her the restraining order?" a stylist with shoulder-length green hair asked.

"Because she technically doesn't break any rules. We can't ban someone from receiving service simply for them asking us to give them a humiliating cut or using perverted vocabulary in small talk," Miko groaned.

"See, I'm not some uncontrollable perv. I can behave like an obedient slave," Fumiyo smirked.

Miko walked up and grimaced as she smeared some of the green facial cream over Fumiyo's mouth.

"For future reference, this slut doesn't mind being gagged. I know she moans, but it's better than hearing all the perverted crap she spouts," Miko huffed.

"Um, do I shave her like she asked?" Kagura nervously asked.

"No Kagura. In fact, take a break. I'll handle her from now on. Sorry for having you deal with her. I thought it best to get you aquainted with her, but I guess that was too much for you to handle," Miko sighed as she stared at the green goop on her hand.

"I'm sorry I messed up, I can't think straight with her," Kagura sighed in exhaustion.

Fumiyo responded with a disappointed moan.

As Hina finished painting Reiju's nails, a stylist with long brunette hair and a stylist with short red hair and designs shaved into her hair headed off with Kagura to grab food.

"Now don't move your hands for a good 10 minutes," Hina explained as she placed cucumbers over Reiju's eyes.

"Huh? What's this for? I can't see!" Reiju growled.

"Part of the service. Well, I'll be back in 10."

Reiju sat in annoyance as she heard the salon door open and close.

"All this just for a murder mystery. Though wait, let me think about this, Shiruka said there was a brunette girl that would die. I counted at least three stylists with brunette hair and a customer with it. Great, it could be any of them, but I think two of them left. Guess that leaves Miko and that customer."At least this'll be done before the murder. Maybe I'll even be able to prevent it. Wouldn't that be nice," Reiju thought.

                                                                            ...

Shiruka stared in shock at the vision he received.

"Huh? but that's not what I originally saw, and the time, WAIT! THIS IS RIGHT NOW!"

Shiruka floated into the main room to find that nothing seemed to be amiss.

"Weird, the clock says this exact time, yet I'm sure I saw someone with brunette hair getting chlorophormed in here, but that stylist is here and watching the register. I don't see anyone else in here with brunette hair, maybe I should check the area."

Shiruka then floated outside and looped around the building.

"Nothing outside either. Hmm, well let me at least stay near Reiju."

As Shiruka floated back inside, Fumiyo's hand once again phased through him.

"Ugh, I'll wait outside, but poke my head in to check on Reiju," Shiruka grumbled.

"What's that ghost doing?" Reiju thought.

She heard the door open and close a few more times along with one of the sinks running as she sat and waited for the 25 minutes to be up.

                                                                         ...

"And I'm back," Hina smiled as she entered the salon.

"Huh? Where is everyone. Miko! Kana! Mira! Mocha! You in the back!?" Hina shouted.

Hina then walked up and removed the cucumbers from Reiju's eyes.

"Can I finally move my hands?" Reiju grumbled.

"Yeah, polish should be dry. The mask will be another 5 minutes though.

Reiju looked around. She, Fumiyo, and four customers were present along with Hina.

"Huh? Where's everyone else?" Reiju asked.

"The back I guess," Hina replied.

"Reiju! Bad news! There's been two murders!" Shiruka shouted.

"Huh!? Why didn't you say so earlier!?" Reiju shouted at Shiruka.

"Um, I'm sorry, I just got back myself," Hina replied.

"Relax, I was here the whole time," one of the customers stated as she removed the cucumbers from her eyes.

"Miko? Sorry I didn't recognize you from the back," Hina frowned.

"Well, I was just getting a facial, so nothing to worry about," Miko replied.

"Mmph!" Fumiyo moaned in annoyance.

"Ugh, am I gonna have to service her?" Hina groaned.

"Yes," Miko growled.

"Why!? Ugh, well let at least finish up with my customer."

"Um, excuse me, but how much longer is this going to take?" one of the other female customers nervously asked.

"Ugh, I thought someone finished with you after I went on break. Ugh I'll be there once I finish up with this customer."

"Huh, that voice sounded familiar," Reiju thought as Hina finished up with her.

"Wow, no difference at all," Hina grumbled as she washed the facial cream off Reiju's face.

Reiju then got up and faced Shiruka as Hina headed towards the register.

"So two!? Where!?" she asked.

"There," Shiruka answered as he pointed to two customers.

The two customers had their faces covered in facial masks, while their hair was wrapped up in towels.

"They look fine," Reiju grumbled.

Suddenly, the door opened and the red haired stylist returned along with the stylist with short black hair.

"Oh Hina, you're back," the black haired stylist said.

"Ugh, why did you all leave when there are 5 customers!?" Hina complained.

"Huh? There were only 3 when I left with Kana. Besides, Miko could easily handle 3 alone."

"Oh, sorry guys, I was in the back," the green haired stylist sheepishly laughed as she emerged from the back.

"Now that these two are back, take a break this time Mocha. Don't leave and come back 5 minutes later to work for a third time," Miko growled.

"But, after I gave you a quick facial and left, those customers came in and I just had to come back. They only wanted a quick touch up," the green haired stylist Mocha argued.

"Break time now!"

"Yes."

Mocha dejectedly walked out the doors.

"She sounded a little different, probably the stress from the workload," the black haired stylist noted.

"Workaholic," the red haired stylist grumbled as she walked up to one of the customers with their hair rapped up in a towel.

She then pulled off the towel revealing the customer to have a bald head.

"Huh? The hell'd that idiot wrap his head up like he had hair? Sorry, um, how long have you been here for?" the red haired stylist asked the customer.

"___."

"Fall asleep? well wakey wakey," the stylist smiled as she pulled the cucumbers off the customer's head.

Suddenly, the stylist let out a terrified scream.

"Shit, was the ghost right?" Reiju thought as she went over.

"What's wrong?" Hina asked as she ran over.

"Th- Their eyes are rolled back!" the red haired stylist stuttered.