The woman staring back at her in the mirror was not one she recognized, and Kagome turned her head side to side to try and dispel the illusion. Soft curls bounced in front of her ears, the ebony locks silky and carefree as Kimiko admired her work.
This was what her natural hair looked like? She'd been straightening it for so long that she'd actually forgotten.
"Thank you," she whispered, meeting her gaze in the mirror. "I've never… I had no idea."
Kimiko waved her off. "It is what I do, dear. Just be sure not to take such a lovely gift for granted. Flaunting what we were born with will come more naturally the more often you do it."
"Some are easier to show off than others," Kagome mumbled, returning to her reflection.
Kimiko leaned down, her chin hovering above Kagome's shoulder. "Then we must thank those who take the time to notice them." She couldn't tell, but Kagome was sure she was talking about Sesshoumaru and nodded stiffly.
She was chagrined to admit she'd been thinking about him a lot over the last few hours, especially considering how much Kimiko looked like him. They hadn't even known each other for more than a couple of weeks, but he'd definitely made an impression.
Perhaps too much of one.
Deciding to go for broke, she collected the mosaic of brightly coloured bottles Kimiko had recommended and used during their session. If she was going to maintain the hairstyle, she might as well use the expert's advice.
However, when she opened her wallet, Kimiko gave her an odd look. "Your session has already been taken care of."
"What? I can't let you do that!"
The hairdresser chuckled as she leaned over the counter, resting her chin on a set of perfectly manicured claws. "I have done nothing. It appears you have made an impression with my son, as he indicated ahead of time that he would be covering all expenses."
Kagome's mouth fell open, barely managing to keep a hold of her credit card. "He's your son?"
A pale eyebrow raised. "Did he fail to mention that as well?" Kagome couldn't tell which piece of information shocked her more. She could only imagine how much the session itself cost, but adding all the products on top, she didn't even want to think about the cost. "It appears you made quite the impression on him, Higurashi-san."
Kagome flushed, not for the first or even second time since she'd arrived.
"Do call me if you have any questions about the upkeep," she said, offering her a friendly smile that slowly turned into a smirk. "Though I am sure Sesshoumaru would be more than happy to review it with you as well."