Salon Aespa

Training Day

After two days of complete chaos, Karina decided it was time for a change in strategy. If they were going to survive the rest of the week, they couldn't keep winging it. It was obvious none of them had a natural talent for hairdressing, so they needed to learn the basics—and fast.

The group gathered at the salon early that morning, where Karina had arranged for a professional hairstylist to give them a crash course in salon skills. Her name was Soo-jin, a seasoned hairdresser with an air of authority and the patience of a saint—two things she would absolutely need for the task ahead.

"Alright, ladies," Soo-jin said, clapping her hands together as she surveyed the four pop stars before her. "We're going to start with the basics: cutting, coloring, and styling. I know this isn't your usual line of work, but if you follow my instructions, you'll get through the rest of this week without any more... hair emergencies."

Karina tried to look confident, though deep down, she wasn't sure if even Soo-jin could save them. Winter, standing next to her, looked less optimistic. "Is there a section where we learn how not to ruin someone's day?"

Soo-jin smiled kindly. "We'll start small. You'll be surprised how much you can pick up with a little practice."

They were each given a mannequin head to work on, complete with thick synthetic hair that seemed less intimidating than a real person's. Karina immediately got to work, trying to emulate Soo-jin's precise motions, while Winter hesitated, holding the scissors like they were an alien tool.

Giselle gave her mannequin a sarcastic glance. "Okay, let's not make you look like Minho."

Ningning, standing next to her, snorted. "That kid's going to need a therapist after what you did to his hair."

Giselle shot her a playful glare, but Ningning just winked at her before turning to her own mannequin.

As they practiced cutting simple layers, Karina quickly fell into the rhythm. She wasn't half bad at this, even though she still felt a little nervous. Soo-jin walked around, inspecting their work.

"Good, Karina. Just a little lighter on the layers," Soo-jin said as she passed, giving her an approving nod.

Winter, however, was struggling. She had accidentally cut one side of the mannequin's hair too short and was now trying to even it out. The result was a progressively shorter and shorter haircut.

Karina noticed and leaned over, trying to hide her amusement. "You're not supposed to give it a buzz cut, Winter."

Winter shot her a withering look. "I'm not a fan of scissors. They're unpredictable."

Karina laughed softly, moving closer. "Here, let me help."

Winter stepped aside reluctantly, watching as Karina effortlessly fixed the uneven cut. As she worked, their arms brushed slightly, and Winter felt a strange warmth flood her chest. Karina, too, seemed to notice the closeness between them, her hands moving a little more slowly as she concentrated on the mannequin's hair.

"See?" Karina said, her voice softer now. "It's all about the angles."

Winter found herself watching Karina's face more than the haircut, the way her brow furrowed slightly in concentration, the curve of her lips as she explained each step. "You're pretty good at this, actually," Winter said, surprising herself with the compliment.

Karina looked up, their eyes meeting for just a second longer than necessary. "Thanks. You're not so bad yourself, once you stop overthinking."

For a moment, the loud hum of the salon faded into the background, and all Winter could focus on was Karina—how close they were standing, the lightness in Karina's eyes, the way her hand had barely grazed her own.

Before anything else could happen, Soo-jin interrupted, clapping her hands to get everyone's attention. "Alright! Next up, we'll tackle coloring."

Winter and Karina stepped apart, both feeling a little awkward but not necessarily in a bad way. There was something bubbling between them that neither quite knew how to handle yet.

Meanwhile, across the room, Ningning and Giselle were working side by side, trying to keep their mannequin heads from looking like rainbow disasters. Ningning, who was in charge of mixing the color, was having a little too much fun with it.

"Giselle, what do you think? Should I add a bit more blue or stick with purple?" Ningning asked, holding up two different color tubes.

Giselle, with a mischievous grin, grabbed the purple tube. "Go for it. Let's make this mannequin fabulous."

They both giggled like kids playing with paint as Ningning applied the dye. While the others were cautiously mixing and applying the colors as instructed, Ningning and Giselle were making their mannequin's hair look like something out of a comic book.

Soo-jin passed by their station and raised an eyebrow at the vibrant colors. "Creative... but maybe save the experimental looks for real clients when you have a little more experience."

Ningning grinned. "Oh, we're just getting started."

Giselle laughed, giving Ningning a nudge. "Yeah, wait until we have real hair to play with. We'll take over the salon world."

As they bantered, their playful energy sparked something deeper. Every time their hands brushed or their eyes met, there was an undeniable connection—one that felt natural, comfortable, and maybe a little thrilling.

After an hour of training, Soo-jin gathered them all around to observe her finishing touches. She'd expertly colored, cut, and styled her mannequin head into something that looked straight out of a professional magazine shoot.

"Now, you all try," Soo-jin said with a smile, stepping back to watch.

Karina, Winter, Ningning, and Giselle hesitated, sharing wary glances. But then, something clicked—maybe it was Soo-jin's encouragement, or maybe it was the unexpected fun they were starting to have together. They picked up their tools, mimicking Soo-jin's movements, but this time with a little more confidence.

Karina, finishing up her own mannequin's style, looked over at Winter. "I think we're getting the hang of this."

Winter gave a half-smile. "Maybe. But if I ruin someone's hair tomorrow, I'm blaming you for jinxing it."

"You'll do fine," Karina said softly, her eyes lingering on Winter a little longer than usual.

At the other end of the room, Ningning and Giselle stood side by side, admiring their bright, funky-looking mannequin. "It's... definitely something," Ningning said proudly.

Giselle shrugged. "Hey, it's not neon green, so that's a win."

Ningning laughed and gave her a playful shove. "We make a good team, you know."

"Yeah," Giselle said, smiling at her. "We really do."

As they cleaned up, there was a new energy between all of them. They weren't perfect, not by a long shot, but maybe—just maybe—they were starting to figure this out. And with each snip of the scissors, each brush of the hair dye, and each shared laugh, they were getting a little closer to mastering the art of hairstyling—and a lot closer to each other.

And while none of them said it out loud, Karina and Winter, Giselle and Ningning, all felt it—the subtle shift, the connection that was growing stronger each day.

The real challenge, it seemed, wasn't just about surviving the salon. It was about navigating the feelings that were starting to emerge between them.