You've just noticed the woman has a pair of scissors in her hand. The blade draws close to your face and you shut your eyes just as you hear a series of snips across your forehead. You feel something soft brush past your nose. Opening your eyes, you see a lovely set of black bangs covering your forehead down to your eyebrows.
The extent of this makeover is beyond anything you feel you have a right to ask for. You blush heavily, tucking your chin down into the V-neck of the yukata. "Thank you, miss... but...," your voice is quite soft and airy. "...you don't have to go to so much trouble for me."
Your guardian applies some pink blush to your cheeks that will retain a nice bit of color on your face once your blush of embarrassment dies down. "No need for that. I'm happy to help. It's wonderful that you're going to be meeting new friends tonight at that sleepover."
Somehow you've forgotten why you're getting so done up in the first place. "That's right! I..." You realize something odd about what she said. You weren't going there to make friends. Wasn't there another reason? "I... hope..." You're forced to shut your eyes as your guardian brushes a light touch of eye shadow over them. "...I make a good impression."
"You sure will in that lovely yukata," she says. Then she gives your lips a coating of lip gloss that makes them a slightly pinker color.
You automatically pucker your lips to set it in and take a good look at yourself. Your waist-length black hair perfectly frames your Asian face, and the makeup your guardian has given you adds a touch of beauty without going overboard. Just perfect for a sleep-over... you think. You've never been to an American sleepover before.
You shut your eyes as your headache comes back. Why'd that thought come up? You've been to sleepovers, just none with girls. As your eyes roam over your figure, noticing your chest is swollen beneath the yukata, more questions well up in your mind. Did you put on a bra? How did the woman get your eyes to look so different? You scratch your head and your fingers get tangled in your silky hair. When did you put on this wig? You tug your hair and feel the pull in your scalp. Your headache gets worse, so you stop. There's something wrong about all of this.
"I-I-I need to go," you stammer.
"Yes, it's almost time," your guardian says. Wait, how long have you been thinking of her as your guardian? And why? You have parents back in Japa--back at your house. Down the street. "Do you remember how to get to the house?"
"Yes, it's just down the street," you answer in that new airy voice. You don't know how you've gotten your voice to sound exactly like a girl's, but you're already questioning too many things right now, and you have to fulfill that dare.
"Here are your things." The woman gives you the blue kinchaku you found in the garage. You take it and bow to her. "Oh!" she says suddenly. You stand up straight, thinking she was shocked by your gesture. You're not even sure why you did it. "Where is your fan?"
"Fan?" you reply, confused. How did she know you had a fan? "I-it's... in here." You hold up your kin-- the bag.
She pulls out the paper fan, unfolds it, and tells you to turn around. You decide not to question her, especially after she went to all the effort to fix you up for tonight. She tucks the fan into the bow on your back. "There!" she says with satisfaction.
"Er... Thank you." You feel a pain concentrated at the front of your forehead that makes you bow to her again. Your hair slips around your shoulders and falls cutely down your front on both sides.
Your hogosha beams down at you with pride. "Have a great time tonight, Nariko."
"I will. See you tomorrow." Only after you turn to leave through the front door do you realize that she got your name wrong. You glance back. "I'm actually Nari--" You pause. You try to concentrate, but the only word that comes up when you think of your name is Nariko. You know that can't be your name. But it feels like a good name to use for your cover as a foreign exchange student, so why not keep it?
Your hogosha looks worried now. "Are you all right?"
Not wanting to make things weirder, you smile and nod. "Just nervous. Have a good night!" You close your house's door behind you and head down the street.