Besides learning of the fact that he could utilise the store in more versatile ways after his little tryst with Mai, Samuel also made another convenient discovery on Friday night while he was in his neighbour’s bedroom- 6 days after regressing back to his 18-year-old self’s body.

At a measly cost of 5 SRP, the young adult learned of the ability to [Cleanse] an entire room, after his particularly messy session of sexual intercourse, which included any of his fluids in or on the recipient of his sexual prowess. 

The eager young man had gone on to ask whether the [Cleanse] could replace an enema or douching when preparing for anal sex, to which the system responded in the affirmative.

Upon this realisation, the SRP earned from performing anal sex had increased from 10 to 25 SRP, as Samuel became slightly more receptive to the idea of inserting his schlong into a woman’s back hole. Even though he had almost no experience to speak of from either of his lives with regard to anal, Samuel’s desires, which were tucked deep within his heart, surfaced.

The factors holding him back thus far, which included an increased susceptibility to contracting an infection or disease, and the work that was required when preparing for anal sex by way of an enema and such, had kept him back from entering the back hole. 

However, as a curious adult who had read and seen all things unholy in his previous 38 years, there remained a semblance of desire to explore the back hole of a woman. Supposedly, the sensation was slightly different, and the sense of dominance one gained when thrusting in and out of that particular entrance made it the primary recipient of lust for many males 20 years from now, as couples brought their pornographic fantasies into their own bedrooms.

But even though he had finally made the discovery, he didn’t think it would be such a good idea to test anal with Emily that was currently strewn beneath him. He imagined there’d need to be an element of training involved when preparing for anal, which he was unwilling to do to her while unconscious. Not discounting the fact that she’d probably feel the after-effects of any anal training the next day, thereby realising something was going on behind her back (literally), he wanted to feel that sense of dominance that came with slipping in the back hole, when a woman gasped in pain and submission as his rod thrust down a depth it did not belong in. 

So while his flaccid penis lay between the plump, creamy-white butt cheeks of his neighbour, and as he faintly sat upon her meaty thighs, Samuel’s thoughts trailed away from questioning whether or not he should just enter the back door of his enchanting neighbour anyway and focused on where his gaze was currently locked on- his pubic hair. 

When he had shoved Mai down to the base of his member earlier that very day, he’d noticed the overgrown and unattended hairs of his pubic region being an unpleasant bother in his unrepentant throat fucking of the girl. But the fact that she was an inexperienced mess as she gagged on his cock with saliva continuously flowing out of her small mouth which, with difficulty, took in the entirety of his girth had quelled the slight annoyance at the hairs. 

And such a realisation mid-fellatio in the hygiene department had made Samuel consider trimming his long head hair. With an unkempt mane that reached down to his shoulders and that he never bothered to maintain, he felt like it was a personification of his old, shut-in lifestyle and reclusive behaviour. 

But he wanted to make a change. A change that would illustrate the efforts he was taking towards reconnecting and reforming old relationships in his second chance at life, as well as aid him in his conquest of women with the help of the sex system. 

Even though men were valued more for their accomplishments and the ability to provide than their beauty, he did not doubt that a more handsome face would go a long way to increasing his odds with women- something that seemed so impossible to the previous him that it was laughable that he even considered it. While handsomeness as a teen provided shallow benefits by way of girls flocking around you, Samuel, who had adult experiences, understood that the world was cruel, and handsome males and pretty females were afforded greater opportunities. 

It didn’t even matter whether the fact that handsomeness in and of itself made these males more confident in themselves, and therefore more competitive. The fact that most US CEOs were 6ft tall and arguably better-looking males was very telling of such a fact. And Samuel wanted what these individuals had- whether it be the handsomeness or the associated mentality boosts and warmer reception that came along with it.

And such a desire had borne fruit, as the system issued a new quest that made Samuel extremely pleased. 

[Mission 5: Visit a barber/hair salon and get a new and trendy haircut]

[Reward 5: +1 Facial Features]

[Time limit: 7 days]

So pleased was he, that the young adult who had only planned for a quick blowjob from the tanned girl, had substituted her mouth for her slobbering, wet cunt and went on to fuck her twice over, which was the reason why both ended up late to the lesson earlier that day. 

And now, while recovering from the exertions of his activity with Emily, he looked down upon the mission contents and reward, before he chose to ask the system for an in-depth explanation of what an additional point to [Facial Features] entailed. He’d been quick to judge the rewards the last time- a mistake he’d avoid from now on. 

[Facial Features, unlike what the name suggests, comprise the beauty of the entire body, though with a particular emphasis on the face. Each additional point will change several features of the body such as hair volume and texture, skeletal structure, muscular disposition, eyes, the symmetry and shape of the face, skin colour homogeneity and quality, and secondary sexual characteristics. Finally, a pheromonal and metaphysical change by way of the elicited response in others of the perception of the attractiveness of the Host.]

“…”

‘System… What’s with all these complex explanations for something that seems so simple? Haa… but I guess it’s nice to know what will actually be improved. Wait… so how is the additional point that I stand to receive should I complete mission 5 going to change me? Does it distribute the point across all those listed changes?’ 

Samuel wondered whether the changes would be holistic or targeted to be able to explain his sudden changes if anyone asked. Even though he expected targeted alterations would be more troublesome to deal with, he wasn’t too sure how much an improvement from 5 -> 6 in [Facial Features] across the board would even entail. 

[Negative, Host. The Facial Feature stat reward will only result in an increased volume, texture, vibrancy, nourishment, cleanliness and order to your hair. This encompasses all the hairs of the body.]

‘I see. That’s not too bad, I guess.’ 

And with that thought, Samuel’s Friday night came to an end, as he planned a few activities for the weekend, including getting a trim, studying the markets, and spending time with family.

— — —

*Tiriring!*

As Samuel opened the door to enter a cosy establishment, the chime of the doorbell alerted the sole individual within the brightly-lit room. 

Sat on a rather gaudy-looking red sofa that was pressed up against the side of the wall- with green and white floral wallpaper, was a woman who perked up at the sound of the bell. The woman leisurely glanced over the top of the magazine that she had been engrossed in reading for the past hour.

“Eh? A customer?” 

Noticing the person who had entered through the door hesitantly making his way into the place, the middle-aged woman promptly put down the magazine after having ascertained he was here for a haircut and not some other business. 

She couldn’t be blamed for thinking something else, however, as her usual customer base was of individuals who were of the same colour as her- Black. And Samuel was by no means the same colour as her. In contrast, he was the exact opposite, as his complexion was a pale olive. Against his dark mane, he could very well be likened to a Mediterranean white male. 

“Hello, young man. What can I do for you?” She asked as she approached Samuel’s bulky frame. 

“Uh… Hi? I was looking to get a haircut, I guess.” He squeezed out, feeling slightly out of his element in the spacious room. When he’d previously been to a barbershop, there were only ever males quickly cutting away at the chairs, in a dingy room, with photos of different celebrities and their trendy haircuts plastered across the different walls. 

The brightness of this place, however, and the apparent attempts at making it look comfortable and luxurious made Samuel feel as though such a fact would be reflected in the price too. Just the fact that it had a reception counter of sorts in the front corner made it all feel so much more professional than he had ever experienced.

“A haircut? You’ve come to the wrong place, boy. We’re a bakery.” She said matter-of-factly while staring at Samuel dumbly.

“…”

Looking around the place, Samuel noticed washbasins, mirrors and tools that were all reminiscent of an establishment that dabbled in hair care service. Even before entering, he’d scouted out the interior from outside through the floor-to-ceiling glass panes as he’d considered whether or not to renter in the first place. 

It certainly didn’t look like they’d be baking any bread in here. 

While he was left slightly speechless at the remark, he heard the guffawing of the woman opposite him bringing him out of his trance. 

“Bahaha! Why so tense, kid? Obviously, we’re a hair salon. Come on, take a seat. Aunty will look after you!” 

While replying in a very welcoming manner, she ushered him towards the basin. Having experienced how genial of an individual she was, Samuel felt slightly regretful that his wallet wasn’t thick enough to stay around for a haircut, as he assumed the 5 dollars and 78 Polarian cents wouldn’t be enough to pay here. 

“Ah… That’s the issue, Ma’am. I only have 5 dollars on me th-“ Before he could finish his sentence, however, the darker-skinned woman cut him off as she waved off his concerns. 

“It’s fine. It’s fine. 5 dollars is enough, boy. Just come take a seat. I’m sure I can fit in some time in my very busy schedule to give you a haircut, haha.” She laughed, as she followed the cheery Samuel to the seat and began to ready the shower head. 

‘Busy schedule, huh? Who didn’t see you reading a magazine without a care in the world.’ Internally shaking his head, Samuel just smiled at the kind woman’s antics. 

The young adult had actually resolved himself to use a mind control potion to brute force his way through getting a haircut when he’d first chanced upon the hairdresser’s that was quite local. 

He’d been walking around aimlessly on a fine morning and had inevitably walked in the direction of his school. And just a few minutes away from LGHS, on a road just off of his daily route to the school, he found the place that he was currently enjoying the amenities of. The only issue was that it looked like it catered towards women mostly, and so he was slightly hesitant to enter but decided to try his luck in the end. Who’d have expected the woman wouldn’t even give him time to express his concerns properly before forcing him to take a seat, and running lukewarm water over his scalp, as her slender fingers brushed in between his tresses. 

“And don’t call me ma’am! It makes me feel all weird haha. Aunty or Mother Mary is better. I’m still young at heart, you know.” She winked while shutting the tap, and Samuel felt a sense of deja vu at the correction.

Samuel looked over at her and examined her with the status window skill only to find that the woman was actually 47 years old. It was by no means an old age, but it certainly didn’t reflect how young and energetic she appeared. He couldn’t help but marvel at how she’d aged like fine wine. He could have mistaken her for being in her mid-30s at most.

“So have you ever had a barber who’s a woman before?” She asked while placing a suffocatingly tight white tape around his neck after having moved him over to one of the main swivelling plush seats, before shrouding him in a black cloak. 

“Actually, no. It’s my first time.” He replied, as he watched her fumbling around the desk and organising her things in the mirror. Hearing his reply, however, the woman turned with a knowing smirk as Samuel realised what he said and recoiled. 

“Haha, I’ll be gentle my boy. Is that why you were so reluctant to come in?” She asked, deciding to sate her curiosity about his presence. While Polaria was quite diverse, communities did tend to stick to their own. She couldn’t have known that Samuel did not care much for skin colour, and made his judgement on whether or not he should check out the place based on how local it was, and consequently how convenient future visits would be. 

He couldn’t quite recall where exactly he’d gone before, but he knew it was a bus journey away- near his old middle school- and he couldn’t be bothered to trek it all the way there. A bus journey would also mean he’d have to ask his mother for the fare money which was a troubling thought.

Sure, he wasn’t stubborn enough to not borrow from his mother if he truly needed it, but there was certainly a sense of reluctance to ask his mother for money at his age. That reluctance had had him seek out the family business in the first place.

“Ah, no. It’s just the barbershop I usually visit is a lot… different to this place. So I was a little hesitant trying out your place.”

“Well, welcome! It’s good to switch things up and I’m sure you’ll enjoy the haircut. If you like it you can come back again. Also, we cater to all hair types regardless of who you are, so don’t be nervous.” She said as Samuel looked at her profoundly. 

“Alright, honey. How would you like your hair cut?” She asked while combing her fingers through his dishevelled hair. 

“Uhm… I think I’ll get rid of most of my hair.” He thought out loud while playing around with a stray lock as he stared into the pear-shaped mirror before him.

“Hmhm, That’s a good idea. Your hair’s very tangled. Honestly, it’s a mess! You need to take better care of it.” She rebuked while glaring at him through the mirror making him faux grimace. He honestly couldn’t care less about the state of the hair on his head in the past 38 years, which was an old habit that would be taking a hard backseat after his rebirth.

“Yes, so I guess a grown-out crew cut and a fa-“ Mid-sentence, the teenager suddenly stopped what he was about to say, as he suddenly recalled the fact that he was in the 2000s again. The fade haircut was only something he ever noticed become prevalent among the youth in the late 2010s, so he felt that he may have been a little excessive in his request. 

“Did you ask for a fade too? I have two boys I’ve been practising on so I can assure you the look will suit you.” But Samuel didn’t need to be so worried, as the style had actually been around for a while now in the military and among the Black and Caribbean communities.

As a mother to two sons, Mary was quite familiar with giving fade haircuts already, and so she understood what Samuel had meant. She’d only been trying to quell any unease about getting a haircut that made Samuel appear less “white” so to speak. But Samuel’s mission was about getting a new and trendy haircut, and he was sure something like a fade would qualify as a trend-setting phenomenon anyway. Matters regarding how culturally appropriate or dissimilar he would look didn't cross his mind.

“Yes, a fade. Thank you.” Relieved at the fact that he hadn’t regressed so far that trends hadn’t begun to sprout yet, and that he wouldn’t have to get back to grips with an almost new society, Samuel leaned back into the chair comfortably, as he let the older woman do her magic. 

While the pair exchanged some light chatter with Samuel having his eyes closed to avoid stray hairs getting into his eyes, Mary Jackson clipped away at his hair, as the pair awaited the final reveal. 

— — — — — —