Ai Kamuro and Michiko Azami

Michiko sighed as she leaned back in a salon chair. Today, a new employee had just joined the hotel salon, however...

"Pluck, pluck! That's the last of those nasty eyelashes, madam!" Ai cackled as she finished plucking out the last of her client's eyelashes.

Ai's poor victim sobbed as Ai then began ripping the wax off her head to reveal her now completely hairless state. "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!? I- MMPH!?"

"Shhhh, your makeover isn't done, madam. I still need TO DESTROY YOUR HAIR FOLLICLES AT THE ROOT!" Ai cackled as she smeared a fresh glob of wax over her victim's mouth.

Michiko merely put her hand over her head in disappointment as Ai proceeded to grab the depilatory cream and ensure her victim never had hair for the rest of her life.

...

"You're fired."

"How? I made that bitch beautiful, yes?"

Michiko scowled and flashed a copy of the lawsuit Ai's victim had just filed against the salon. "The client asked for a simple touch up, and you shaved and waxed her eyebrows along with her entire head and face, plucked all her eyelashes out, and smeared her with our most potent depilatory cream, which her doctor claims has permanently destroyed her hair follicles for good. Kamuro, this salon is a product of my talent, and I will not tolerate behavior like this that will sully it's and my reputation!"

"So you gonna shave me bald as punishment? That would really turn me on!"

Michiko cringed in disgust, yet before she could react further, some customers arrived. As Michiko forced a smile and greeted them, one asked for a "pin and a skewer", raising Ai's curiosity as to what they might be referring to. To Ai's surprise, Michiko ended up leading the entire group to the back and opening the door to a secret passageway.

Before Michiko realized it, Ai had stormed over and was gazing in wonder at the secret puzzle cafe hidden within. "Wow, is this a secret lounge? You gonna shave me smooth in there!?"

"NO! In fact, this is a member's only club!" Michiko scowled as she tried to push Ai out.

"But I want in!"

"Then WWCF card."

"Ww what?"

"Then you clearly aren't qualified to enter if you don't know what that is. OUT!"

Michiko managed to shove Ai out and quickly closed the door behind her, locking it from the inside. This caused Ai to throw a silent tantrum as she got up and stormed over to a salon chair. As she began wrapping her hair up in rollers and smearing beauty cream on her face, a young woman with long blonde hair entered the salon.

The woman was the daughter of the hotel's manager, and had come to talk to Michiko, though upon noticing Ai, she began to scowl. "I told you to get out! You're fired!"

"Don't be a meanie, Mina. Oh, and could you tell me how to get into Miciko's club?"

The woman scowled and pulled out her WWCF card, explaining that it was a card for chess players. Ai naturally didn't know what chess was. but nonetheless, Mina decided to play a practice game. Yet before she could even tell Ai how the pieces moved, Ai made her first move.

Deciding that it was better to just humiliate her, Mina shut up and began playing. Yet to Mina's utter shock, Ai trounced her. With a rating of 2099, Mina was by no means a bad chess player, yet Ai had not only beaten her, but completely outclassed her.

Yet despite the humiliation, Mina began to smile from ear to ear. "So you have talent. In that case, you are most certainly welcome in the club... If you can pass one simple test that is..."

Inside the secret puzzle cafe, Michiko clutched her head as she sensed something bad. Her fears were confirmed when Mina entered the secret puzzle cafe along with Ai.

"So you passed the test."

"Yup, now SHAVE ME BALD! No, WE BOTH SHAVE EACH OTHER BALD!"

Michiko scowled as she figured this meant Ai would not in fact be fired. Yet despite her annoyance, a small smile found it's way to her lips.

Mina took notice and quickly whispered something into Ai's ear, causing Ai to groan in annoyance. "Fine! Never mind Michiko, don't shave me YET! But when the time is right, I'll tell you. In the meantime, make sure to taunt me with the prospect of shaving me bald every now and again!"

Michiko chuckled and ushered Ai outside to a salon chair. "Then how about I remove those curlers in your hair by "shaving them off"?"

That was all it took for an aroused smile to appear on Ai's face. Since that fateful day, Michiko had not snipped one hair off Ai's head, though that didn't stop her from dying Ai's jet black hair and eyebrows red and orange and restyling her eyebrows to look more like fireballs.

...

"To think that was the start of our uncanny relationship," Michiko mused as she finished washing Ai's hair.

"So you're NOT shaving me bald today!?" Ai fumed.

"Sorry Ai, but none would recognize the fiery Maestro Himitsu if she suddenly shaved all her iconic hair off."

"Then I guess I gotta wait until "the day" until I can embrace baldness."

"Hmm?"

"Oh nothing. Nothing..."

"Ah speaking of shaving bald, a high profile client is actually requesting a complete hair removal shave believe it-"

"IS IT A GIRL!?"

"Yes-"

"I'M SHAVING HER!"

Michiko merely chuckled as she gazed down at Ai. "And that's exactly why she requested a crazed stylist like you."