“This is the best!”

“The best..”

Theo echoed, as if it was the first time he heard ‘the best’.

I held out a mirror to Theo.

“..”

Theo stared at his own face for a long time. I spoke with high expectations.

“Maybe I actually have a huge talent for cutting hair?”

There were some awkward spots here and there, but it looked very good overall.

I couldn’t really tell if it’s because of my skills or Theo’s face. Let’s just ignore that.

“Don’t you like it?”

But maybe that’s just my opinion, for Theo’s expression didn’t look very good.

I carefully observed Theo’s face in the mirror, feeling extremely anxious.

Did he catch the mistake I made? It’s in a place where you can’t see!

“If you do this, you can clearly see my eyes.”

“Huh?”

I tilted my head and looked at Theo.

Theo was pressing down on his bangs with his hands to make them appear longer.

“..I don’t like it when my eyes are visible.”

“But you knew I was going to cut your hair.”

“..Yeah.”

Theo, uncertain of this change, studied his reflection once more.

Theo’s wound was bigger than I thought, as he couldn’t even properly make eye contact with himself .

I cautiously began speaking.

“Theo, if I say this, you might laugh. But still.. .”

I was very different compared to Theo.

Contrary to Theo’s color, which is said to be the symbol of the devil, I had revered golden hair and blue eyes.

Because of that, I speculated that if I complimented Theo’s hair or eye color, it wouldn’t sound sincere.

Perhaps, if he believed it was all a deception, I would feel terrible about it.

However, I still wanted to express my feelings to Theo.

“I like your black hair because it reminds me of the night sky, and your red eyes glisten beautifully like rubies.”

Even the colors that seem mundane are pretty.

I like you as you are.

“I’m serious. I truly think so.”

I hesitated, still holding the mirror.

“So you don’t have to hide it. I’m not sure what you’d think of me saying this.. Still, I wish you had the confidence..”

“..”

It was then.

I fell silent and blankly looked at Theo.

As if spring had come after enduring a long winter, like finding a sprout in a barren land..

The warm feeling that tickled my stomach made me feel dizzy.

I could feel my heart pounding in my small body.

“Other times, you were always confident, but now, why do you look at me like that?”

I wasn’t the only one whom spring had arrived for.

A bright smile spread across Theo’s face as the sun was shining.

Theo was looking at me, beaming as he did so.

“Iris?”

I stood there like a fool and blinked my eyes.

Theo waved his hand in front of my face like that.

“What’s the matter?”

“What.. You’re smiling.”

Theo’s face hardened at the mumbled words. He didn’t even know he was smiling.

“Ah..”

Theo probably won’t know for the rest of his life what kind of smile he just had.

“I cut your hair. You’ve got a nice smile. All you have left is to make friends. Phew, I’m so proud.”

I made a fuss to release the air that became a little awkward.

No answer came to me while I busily moved in a hurry to organize the mirror and scissors.

“Aren’t you happy? Or is it because you’re still worried?”

Turning my back while organizing, I couldn’t see Theo’s face.

What I heard was a subdued mutter.

“I don’t intend to make friends.”

“What?”

When I heard that, I turned around to approach Theo.

I cut his hair and trained him to smile. What does this mean all of a sudden?

“Why? It’s good to have a lot of friends. Then you’ll have a shield to protect you from the strange rumors.”

“If it’s that, you’re here.”

Theo looked straight at me as he spoke.

“Huh?”

I stopped and asked back.

My face seemed to have hardened because I was so shocked.

“So what you’re saying is..”

With the most confident face I’ve ever seen, Theo held my hand without hesitation. And said with that bright smile of courtesy.

“I only need you.”

Something that will make my heart drop to the ground.. It was a very unconventional remark.

“Uh.. What are you talking about?”

“Haha.”

Theo burst into laughter when he saw me pouting.

I just got teased by a 10-year-old kid?

“You.. You did it on purpose! Where did you learn this?”

I grabbed my cheeks, which must have been blazing red, and asked.

Theo, who was smiling while I was huffing, took a breath and calmed me down.

“Your reaction was fun to see, but I wasn’t kidding.”

“..”

“I’m telling you, I don’t need anyone else. I only cut my hair because you wanted me to.”

Pls read only at pink muffin tl.

“What?”

I doubted my ears at Theo’s words. However, the following words were even more shocking.

“Just, because you were happy.”

My jaw dropped when I saw Theo talking casually.

I felt like I’ve never seen Theo talk this long.

And he’s so skilled at saying such things.

“Theo, since when did you start talking this well?”

“..”

Oh. I shouldn’t have said it.

I regretted seeing Theo shut his mouth again.

He transformed into a human but turned back into a robot not long after.

“Anyway.. You said we were friends.”

I patted Theo’s head.

I was so proud that this little kitten seemed to have opened his heart to me.

Theo smiled crookedly.

I glanced at Theo and clicked my tongue.

“You’re so soft-hearted.”

“..”

“It’s done. I’ve cut all your hair, so let’s go now.”

I said quietly and walked out of the room.

No, I was going to walk—until Theo pulled on the hand that always held his.

“That’s right, we’re friends.”

“..”

Theo, holding me back, left those short words and started walking past me.

His steps seemed busy, as if he was running away.

“Now.. Are you ashamed?”

I said as I slowly followed behind Theo.

“..”

Theo looked straight ahead and didn’t answer. However, there was no way to hide his red-hot ears due to his shortened hair.

“Aww!”

Are you worried that I might be really hurt?

I held back the desire to pinch Theo’s cheek and walked side by side next to him.

My project to change the perception of Theo is not over yet.

Because Theo still has a very important problem.

“First. Don’t say you’re going to kill someone.”

“..”

“Even if you don’t mean to kill them, it’s absurd and it ultimately means the same thing. For example, you can’t take out their intestines. You can’t even break their head.”

I explained, writing hard on the ground in front of Theo.

“Got it? A person sees their inner self from the language they speak.”

“Then what should I do if there is a bad guy?”

Theo, who was also squatting next to me, frowned and said.

“I’ll get there, but not now.”

I held out my clenched fist.

“..”

Then Theo’s gaze looked at me pitifully.

“That’s not it.”

I shook my head in a hurry after revealing my wild nature without realizing it. And I corrected the explanation with a gentle smile.

“There are many ways to express anger without using cruel words.”

“For example?”

“For example..”

I fell into a dilemma. Come to think of it, I haven’t been able to hold back my anger for a while, so I think I forgot how to speak without the use of swear words.

I wasn’t this kind of person.

I could sense myself becoming corrupted and felt despondent.

Prior to remembering my previous life, I was also a pure child.

Theo, who was watching me with his chin on his hand, smiled shallowly.

He could see a lot of emotions passing by my face clearly.

“I don’t think I’m in a position to teach you that myself.”

“..”

I couldn’t provide a proper answer and silently glanced at Theo.

“Hmm, second. Don’t use violence.”

“..”

I felt a strange gaze on me again.

I was annoyed at Theo, who was giving me a look.

“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“..”

His eyes!

I grumbled inside and scratched the floor with a branch.

“So, what’s next?”

“Next.. Be kind!”

“Kind? To whom?”

Theo’s forehead wrinkled in confusion.

Theo, who tilted his head to the side, stared at me.

I smiled at Theo with corners of my mouth raised high.

“To everyone.”

While saying something that probably sounded horrific to Theo.