Bullets & Promises ✔️

9. The Bullet of No Return

The psychologist lets out a chuckle observing the way his eyes light up. "Then I hope I'll be seeing you in a new color for the next session." The timer placed on the wooden table rings, indicating the hour session coming to an end. "That'll be all for today."

Haneul bows to the man before leaving his room. "Thank you, Jung-ssi." He steps out of the room with a grin and pulls at his dark locks, already excited to go for a change. And that's where he heads, directly to the hair salon.

"Kim Haneul, to what do I owe this pleasure?" A woman wearing green overalls with auburn hair and red highlights gawks, her hands spreading wide to welcome him. Her plump lips are stained in dark brown, a septum piercing in her small nose and chubby cheeks littered in glitter. "It's been years since I saw the last of you."

"I—I want to dye my hair again," Haneul answers, accepting the hug the stylist offers. "And what better way to get it done than you, the great Lisa."

"Keep the compliments for later," Lisa snickers, "you'll be signing off half of your property when I'm done with you." She chuckles, motioning the doctor to take a seat.

Haneul laughs wholeheartedly, head shaking. "You never change, do you?"

Lisa is a bold and independent woman, who dropped out of high school and worked her way up to open a salon after years of hard work. Haneul met her the first time he dyed his hair when he was a teen. He was nervous but the lady just ruffled his hair and cracked a joke. "Relax, pretty boy, I am not going to steal your property, just upgrading your hair." A poor joke but it was all it took for Haneul to go through with his impulsive decision to dye his hair. Since then, he had always let the woman work on his hair.

"And Haneul?" Lisa calls out, the doctor turning to her.

"Yeah?"

"Laugh more often like this, that's your best asset. The hair color is just a bonus to your handsomely carved face."

Haneul's heart swells, his lips stretching into the widest smile he can offer. "Thank you." He beams and closes his eyes after he chooses a color, letting Lisa's fingers do their job.

And two hours later Haneul is home, looking in the mirror, ruffling his freshly dyed hair, and pressing his lips together to stop a grin from escaping. It may be a little change but he revels in the feeling that the color brings. Happiness is not an opportunity, it's a choice that one needs to make. Naeun always complained about how Haneul's outrageous choice of colors was embarrassing when he walked next to her, so he stopped dying his hair. It was hypocritical since the woman also dyed her hair regularly. Now checking himself out in the mirror feels liberating. But there's a hesitation in his mind. 'Was this a wise decision?'

"Appa, You look like my favowaite cotton candwy!" Soomin jumps in awe when she sees her father sporting a new style and Haneul's doubts are no more. The girl unknowingly manages to pull her father out from his insure thoughts. She's a lifeline for whom Haneul would do anything.

The daughter takes short steps towards him to get a better look. Haneul sits on the bed and her small hands card through his hair. "Appa is cheating," she pouts, tugging his strands. "You're blue, I want pwink hair," Soomin whines, climbing into his lap.

Haneul chuckles, holding her on the sides. "Do you like Appa's hair, huh Minnie?"

"A lot!" Soomin wiggles in her father's grip. "Can I do it too?"

"When you become this big," Haneul drawls, lifting his hand in the air as far as his fingertips can reach. "For that, you'll have to drink lots of milk."

"Hmph," the girl frowns, moving away. "I don't like mwilk."

"Then no pink color for Minnie."

Soomin lowers her head, eyes giving Haneul a not-so-intimidating glare. "...okay, I'll drink mwilk."