As Nex stood there, trying to decide whether he actually needed the jacket, the rest of the main cast began to drift into the store one by one.
Lucas noticed first. "Well, well, look at this wholesome sibling moment," he said with a grin, leaning against the doorway. "Elaria actually dragging you around like a lost kid."
Marcus smirked. "Lost kid? More like an unwilling mannequin."
Even Kaelith, who rarely commented, let out a quiet chuckle. "Didn't think I'd see you willingly let someone hold onto you for this long, Nex."
Nex just shot them a flat look, but Elaria didn't miss a beat. "You all can laugh, but I'm the only one who noticed something important."
She turned to face him fully, studying him with mock seriousness. "Your hair has grown way too long. You're starting to look like some brooding bard in a tavern."
Before he could protest, she was already pulling him toward the door. "Come on, we're fixing this right now."
"Wait, what—" he started, but she had a surprisingly strong grip.
The others followed behind, grinning like they were about to watch a show. Sylphie leaned toward Rose. "This is going to be entertaining."
Rose smirked. "Poor guy doesn't even know what's about to happen."
By the time they reached the corner salon, the whole group had gathered outside. The interior glowed with soft golden light, mirrors lining the walls and a faint scent of herbal oils in the air.
Elaria pushed him into one of the chairs before he could escape. "You sit. I'll tell them what to do."
The stylist, clearly amused, took one look at the way Elaria was hovering and nodded. "Sister?"
"Unfortunately for him, yes," Elaria replied with a teasing smile. "Make it neat but don't cut too much. I don't want him looking like a clean-shaven knight. He needs… mystery."
The comment earned a round of laughter from Lucas and Marcus. Ryan even whispered to Sylphie, "She's actually serious about this."
As the stylist began snipping, Elaria folded her arms and stood beside the chair like she was supervising an important mission. Nex just stared straight ahead in the mirror, deadpan, while the others watched from behind, enjoying the rare sight of him trapped in someone else's plans.
The rhythmic snip of the scissors slowed, then stopped entirely.
The stylist stepped back, almost in disbelief at the reflection in the mirror. "Well… that's… unexpected," she murmured.
Elaria's brows furrowed. "What do you mean unexpected?"
But then she saw it too.
Nex's hair now framed his face in soft, effortless curls, just short enough to look sharp but long enough to keep a certain untamed charm. The strands caught the salon's golden light, and his calm, almost distant expression gave the entire picture a surreal quality.
For a moment, even the chatter in the salon faded. A few customers glanced over, whispering to each other. One woman actually dropped her magazine.
Elaria, usually quick to tease, just froze. Then a small, nostalgic smile formed on her lips. She stepped forward, gently running her fingers through his hair.
"You…" her voice softened, "…you remind me of the little boy who used to follow me everywhere. Like a duckling."
Nex tilted his head slightly, a flicker of confusion crossing his eyes.
Before he could speak, she leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to his forehead. The gesture wasn't loud or dramatic, but it carried years of memory and unspoken care.
Behind them, Liora—who rarely allowed herself to be outwardly impressed—gave a slow, approving nod. "Not bad." Her voice was quiet, but her gaze lingered a little longer than usual.
Lucas grinned. "Oh, great. Now he's going to have an even bigger crowd following him around."
Marcus smirked. "You mean the girls are going to be tripping over themselves."
Sylphie's golden eyes sparkled. "Angel is the right word. He actually looks… softer. In a dangerous way."
Rose folded her arms, tilting her head as if studying a rare artifact. "Hmph. Perfect face, perfect hair… annoying."
Ryan just laughed. "Well, I guess I'll be walking next to a celebrity from now on."
Aria just made a proud expression and gave a" Thump's up"
Nex said nothing, still sitting in the chair, headphones resting around his neck, but there was the faintest curl of a smile tugging at his lips.
Elaria finally stepped back, brushing a loose strand off his forehead. "There. Now you look like someone worth being my brother."
The stylist gave a small, proud nod. "That'll be 30 zen points… but honestly, I should charge more for making him look like this."
When they finally stepped out of the salon, the late afternoon sun caught in Nex's newly trimmed curls, making them gleam faintly like strands of silk. The air outside was warmer, but it still carried that slight chill of approaching evening.
Elaria, walking proudly at his side, reached up without hesitation and pinched his cheek. "Honestly, how dare you look this cute and not tell me," she said with mock indignation.
Nex gave her a flat look, but the faint pink on his face betrayed him. "You're going to stretch my skin."
"Good. Maybe it'll make you smile more," she shot back, grinning.
Liora walked just behind them, her eyes flicking to him every now and then. She wouldn't admit it aloud, but the sight of his soft curls framing those sharp features made her fingers twitch, as if she wanted to pinch his other cheek. She quickly looked away when she caught herself, clearing her throat.
Lucas let out a low whistle. "You know, Nex, this is unfair to the rest of us. We work hard to look decent and you just… walk out looking like that."
Marcus gave a rare smirk. "Guess you're officially the team's 'pretty boy' now."
Sylphie clasped her hands together dramatically. "No, no—he's a dangerous type of pretty. Cute enough to pinch, handsome enough to make girls trip over themselves. I'd be careful if I were you."
Ryan laughed as he walked alongside. "I already saw a couple of people turn their heads when we came out. Can't wait to see what happens in the market."
As they passed through the busy streets toward the main shopping district, it became obvious Ryan wasn't exaggerating. A few first-years sitting outside a café stopped mid-sentence. A group of girls whispered behind their hands, their gazes flicking toward Nex before quickly looking away when he noticed.
Elaria, catching this, leaned toward him with a smirk. "See? You're basically a walking festival now." She gave his cheek another squeeze just to prove her point.
Nex sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets, but he didn't pull away from her. If anything, there was a small, almost hidden smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
Even Liora noticed it—and for some reason, she found herself staring just a second longer before forcing her gaze elsewhere.
With Elaria still latched to his arm and occasionally giving his cheek another playful pinch, the group made their way through the crowded main street toward the potion shop. The golden glow from hanging mana-lamps reflected off polished cobblestones, while colorful banners fluttered above shop entrances, advertising discounts for the upcoming first-year mission.
"Alright," Ruby said, stretching her arms as they approached the wide glass doors of Alcera's Elixirs. "We need mana potions, health potions, and maybe some stamina tonics—just in case."
"I'll grab extra mana," Lucas chimed in. "Kaelith, you handle the health kits?"
Kaelith gave a curt nod. "Fine."
As they stepped inside, the air was heavy with the mingled scents of herbs, crushed crystals, and alchemical brews. Rows of shelves gleamed with glass bottles in every shade imaginable—deep blues for mana, rich reds for health, soft green for detox tonics.
Elaria was still glued to Nex's side, reaching up to lightly tug a curl that now rested neatly above his forehead. "See? Much better. No more hiding under that messy hair."
"Elaria…" he muttered under his breath, but his quiet tone only encouraged her.
Ryan glanced at him with a grin. "Man, you're living the dream. Most guys would kill to have someone fuss over them like this."
Marcus smirked from the next aisle. "More like endure it."
Sylphie, inspecting a row of neatly stacked stamina vials, glanced over her shoulder. "You two really do look like siblings who grew up tormenting each other."
"That's because we are," Elaria said proudly, pulling Nex a step closer as if she were showing him off.
Rose, the violet-haired girl, chuckled softly while placing a few pale-blue vials in her basket. "I can't tell if you're protecting him or bullying him."
"Both," Elaria replied instantly.
While they picked out their supplies, a few other students in the shop stole glances at Nex. Some whispered, others pretended to browse while their eyes lingered too long. Liora noticed, her brows faintly knitting before she turned back to the row of enchanted first-aid kits.
"Alright," Ruby called, holding a small stack of labeled boxes, "who's paying for the kits?"
"I'll cover it," Marcus said simply, walking toward the counter.
Nex stayed toward the back, hands in his pockets, letting the others handle the purchasing. Elaria, however, didn't let go of him even once.