Strawberry Milk [COMPLETED]

❧Chapter Nineteen

"Now look, I have a lot to teach you, but no matter how girly and frilly these lessons get, you're not allowed to back out."

"You're makin' me have second thoughts. Why are ya makin' it sound like I'm about to enter a new dimension...?"

"Beauty IS it's own world, Ichigo."

"Oh, god."

I collapse back into my seat, and the moment I become a noodle, my stepmother (who happens to be in diva mode) grabs her paper fan and whacks me in the back of the head with it. I jump back into a upright position, rubbing my throbbing skull.

"Ow! What in the —"

Chisame's lovely blue eyes are exceptionally fierce now. She was feeling victorious because I'd finally caved in to become girly. Standing in front of me with her arms folded, she glares. "Sit up straight, for goodness sake! And I'm fixing that horrible speech of yours. Ladies don't speak like that."

You know that feeling you get? That super annoyed feeling rising in your chest that gets so strong and so overwhelming that it feels like you'll explode? It usually happens when your parents are being parents and lecturing.

"Ladies, my a—"

"Shh! We're starting from the inside out. I'm taking you to a salon, and while I'm educating you, you'll get all dolled up. And you're going to start wearing dresses now in public — not those awful, over worn, unflattering clothes that you wear daily."

"Whoa, I'm keeping my mouth shut as it is, but if you think I'm wearing a dress everyday —"

"You will be. I'll burn all of your other clothes if I see you wear them again."

"Well, damn..."

When did my stepmother get so tough?

🍓

"Are ya...err. Are you sure about this color on me?"

"Of course! It complements your name and screams there's an innocence or sweetness about you."

"It's not too much of a change?"

"Of course it's too much of a change — that's the ultimate goal!"

I look at myself in the mirror, amazed at how well the shade of pink seems to match with my skin. Turning my face every which way, I admire it. It was certainly a huge change. It would take some getting used to.

It definitely made me look more feminine and approachable. Like one of those sweet, energetic anime characters, or something. Which was weird because on the inside I was the complete opposite and always ready to swing.

"Ah, look at you. Everything about the color brings out your inner princess."

"Chisame, I still don't even know what that means."

"You'll get in one day. Now, Miss Haruka is going to give you makeup lessons and I'm going to buy you a ton of products."

"Makeup? Is that even necessary?"

"Ah, ah, ah. What did we talk about?"

"Ugh. Okay."

🍓

It was safe to say I had no idea what I was doing. There were too many brushes to remember, too many serums, too many products, too many brands. I couldn't keep up! The cosmetologist helping me seemed to be really patient, though. Whenever I'd get frustrated, she'd calmly help me figure things out. I tried putting on my own face of makeup first, and then next she did it for me.

As I looked in the mirror at my accentuated features, I felt an excited feeling rise in my heart. I looked like a girl. A pretty girl. Someone you'd want to be friends with, and ask beauty secrets and gossip with and stuff like that!

Someone who would look great standing next to Hajime Matsuoka.

Someone who could crush anyone who crossed her.

But of course, in a ladylike way.