Shampoo entered her room, the quiet of the Cat Cafe surrounding her as she closed the door behind her. She let out a long breath, the tension from the fight with Akane still simmering in her chest. As much as she wanted to stay focused on her anger, the reality of her responsibilities at the cafe took precedence.

She walked over to her closet, where her maid outfit was neatly hung. The outfit was simple yet elegant, with a crisp white apron over a dark blue dress, the hem fluttering slightly as she pulled it from its hanger. Her usual wild energy was replaced with a quiet determination as she undressed, the weight of her grandmother's words lingering in her mind.

She slipped into the outfit, the familiar fabric comforting in its simplicity, yet it felt a little different now. More than just a uniform, it was a symbol of the life she'd chosen to lead in the Cat Cafe—a life where she could show a different side of herself, one that was softer, more welcoming.

Shampoo adjusted the apron, her thoughts drifting back to the confrontation with Akane. She couldn't help but feel a certain thrill from the fight, but at the same time, Cologne's advice echoed in her mind. The world saw her as a warrior, but there was more to her than that. She could be strong in many ways.

With a sigh, she smoothed the fabric and stood in front of the mirror, her eyes meeting her own reflection. The maid outfit made her look so much younger, more innocent, as if the outside world couldn't see the fierce warrior within.

But Shampoo knew better. Beneath the exterior, she was still the same, and she would still fight to protect what mattered most. Her family. Her pride.

Her thoughts returned to the evening ahead. She couldn't let her emotions from earlier ruin the night. The cafe would be busy tonight, and she had a job to do. With one last glance in the mirror, she nodded to herself.

"Time to get to work," she muttered under her breath, a small but determined smile playing on her lips.

The cafe was bustling with customers, the sound of chatter and clinking cups filling the air as Shampoo moved through the crowd, making sure everything was running smoothly. After a long shift, she stepped outside to take out the trash, needing a brief break from the chaos inside.

Standing behind the building, Shampoo inhaled deeply, enjoying the cool night air as she took a moment to gather her thoughts. The fight with Akane was over, and she wasn't going to dwell on it. Life at the cafe was demanding, but it was calm now, away from the noise of the customers.

That peace was shattered when she heard a soft scuffing sound from above. Shampoo's eyes narrowed as she glanced up. Her instincts immediately told her she wasn't alone.

"Pig-boy?" she called out, her voice sharp and unmistakable.

Ryoga froze on the rooftop, caught off guard. He'd been walking along the walls and rooftops to avoid getting lost again, but seeing Shampoo in her maid outfit took him completely by surprise. His eyes widened slightly, unsure of how to react. Shampoo, in her usual fighting clothes, was one thing—but this was something entirely different.

He didn't know what to say as Shampoo stared up at him.

"Why are you up there, Pig-boy?" she asked, her voice teasing but confused. "You stalking me now?"

Ryoga quickly jumped down from the rooftop, trying to compose himself. His mind was racing, trying to make sense of Shampoo's appearance. "I'm not stalking you!" he stammered, a little embarrassed by the situation. "I was just... passing by."

Shampoo tilted her head, a small frown forming on her face as she studied him. "Passing by, huh? On the roof?" she said, not fully understanding his odd behavior. "Why would you do that?"

Ryoga scratched the back of his head, feeling even more awkward under Shampoo's gaze. "I... I just prefer being up there. It's easier to avoid people."

Shampoo raised an eyebrow, genuinely puzzled. "Avoid people? Pig-boy, you're acting strange. What's wrong with being around people?"

Ryoga's face flushed a bit as he shrugged. "Nothing, I just... I don't like standing out, okay?"

Shampoo didn't catch his discomfort. "Standing out? What are you talking about? It's not like you're doing anything unusual." She looked him up and down, completely oblivious to why Ryoga seemed so uneasy about her outfit. "What's the big deal? This is just my maid outfit for work."

Ryoga blinked, processing her words and the fact that Shampoo didn't seem to notice how different she looked. He opened his mouth to respond but couldn't quite find the words to explain. Shampoo just continued, completely unaware of the effect her outfit was having on him.

"Well, whatever," Shampoo said, brushing off the awkwardness and smiling, though she was still confused about his strange behavior. "I'm going back inside. Don't get lost on your way home, Pig-boy."

Ryoga just stood there, his thoughts swirling. He couldn't quite understand how Shampoo could be so oblivious to how she was making him feel, but he couldn't bring himself to call her out on it.

"See ya," he muttered as she walked away, still trying to figure out what had just happened.

Shampoo turned back around, her eyes narrowing mischievously. As she started walking back toward the cafe, she suddenly stuck her tongue out at Ryoga, giving him a teasing look.

"Don't get lost, Pig-boy!" she called over her shoulder with a wink, completely unaware of how her playful gesture might affect him.

Ryoga stood frozen, blinking in surprise at her sudden teasing. The playful tongue-out gesture only confused him further, but it also made his heart race a bit faster, though he couldn't exactly pinpoint why.

Shampoo, on the other hand, didn't even pause to see if Ryoga was flustered. She was already heading back to the cafe, humming a tune to herself. After all, she'd just been doing her usual thing—nothing to be embarrassed about.

Ryoga finally snapped out of his trance and let out a frustrated sigh, shaking his head as he turned away. "She's... impossible," he muttered under his breath. But even as he spoke, he couldn't shake the strange feeling she had caused in him

Ryoga continued walking across the roofs, trying to shake off the lingering thought of Shampoo. "She's impossible," he muttered again, his words trailing off into the night air. As he moved from one rooftop to the next, his mind kept drifting back to that moment when she'd teased him. The playful look she had given him, the way she stuck her tongue out without a second thought—it left him feeling more confused than ever. What was that all about? He couldn't understand her, not at all.

Back at the Cat Café, Shampoo was busy wiping down the tables. The café was quieter now, the rush of customers dying down as the evening wore on. As she scrubbed the surface with a rag, her mind wandered back to earlier that day, to Ryoga's reaction when she'd called him a stalker. She'd noticed the slight pause in his expression, the way he almost looked... embarrassed?

Her fingers froze for a moment on the table, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. He's probably not used to someone calling him out like that, she thought, her mind filled with the memory of his face. It wasn't like Shampoo to think too deeply about things, but Ryoga had gotten under her skin in a way she wasn't used to. Even when he was angry, even when he glared at her—there was something about him that seemed... different from the others.

Shampoo shook her head, trying to focus on her work. Don't think about it, Shampoo. Focus on the cafe. But the feeling lingered, and she couldn't help but wonder: What was that really all about?