"What do you think, Mr. Kosonen?" Kenji asked, his tone brimming with pride.
Charles didn't answer. He just kept staring. The intensity of his gaze made Kaija nervous, so she hurried toward the nearest mirror. The moment she saw her reflection, her eyes flew wide open.
The girl in the mirror was... still her, but the black hair she'd always known was gone. In its place was now a light shade of honey blonde, warm and shimmering as liquid sunlight, falling down her back in loose waves. The color made her blue eyes sharper, more striking. Her face too, somehow. She didn't look like herself anymore, but more like a mermaid that wandered too far from the sea.
"Mr. Kosonen?" Kenji prompted again, his tone slightly nervous now.
She glanced toward Charles. He called the shots. His opinion mattered more than anyone's right now. But Charles asked her instead."Do you like it?" He stepped closer, brushing a lock of her hair between his fingers, watching for her reaction.
