You walked into the room, expecting to see Nejire’s usual long, flowing periwinkle locks—but instead, you froze mid-step.

Her hair was short.

It wasn’t gone completely, but the signature waves that once cascaded past her waist were now trimmed to just above her shoulders, still soft and bouncy but way shorter than before.

She turned around, clasping her hands behind her back with a slightly nervous smile. “Sooo… what do you think?”

You blinked, still processing. ”You… cut your hair.”

She nodded, tilting her head. ”Uh-huh! I felt like a change~! It was getting super long, and it kept getting in the way when I fought, so snip-snip!” She made a scissor motion with her fingers. ”And now it’s way lighter!”

You stepped closer, eyes still fixed on the shorter waves framing her face. It was different—but it definitely suited her. The fresh cut made her big, bright blue eyes stand out even more, and it gave her an extra playful, lively look.

She then beamed and did a little twirl. “Hehe~! I’m kinda loving it! Short hair, new arc unlocked~!”

She nodded confidently. “And the best part?” She suddenly threw her arms around you, pressing herself against your chest. ”It won’t get all tangled when we cuddle anymore~!”