The next evening found Aiko and Javier walking through the familiar streets toward Mrs. Sato's salon, both nervous about different aspects of the meeting ahead. For Aiko, this represented the merging of two crucial parts of her life—the mentor who had shaped her development and the person who had inspired her journey. For Javier, it meant meeting the woman who had cared for Aiko when he couldn't, who had become the grandmother she had never had.
"She's going to love you," Aiko said as they approached the salon's entrance. "Mrs. Sato has been following your recovery through the videos I've shown her. She's amazed by how quickly you've developed professional-level skills."
"I'm more nervous about this than I was about my first MMA match," Javier admitted. "Her opinion matters to you, which means it matters to me."
The warm light spilling from the salon windows felt like coming home as they entered the familiar space. Mrs. Sato was finishing her closing routine, but she looked up with the kind of radiant smile usually reserved for beloved family members.
"Javier," she said warmly, setting down her cleaning supplies and moving toward them. "Finally, I get to meet the young man who changed everything for my dear Aiko."
"Mrs. Sato," Javier replied, bowing respectfully, "the honor is entirely mine. Aiko has told me how much you've meant to her, how you became the family she needed when she needed it most."
As Mrs. Sato studied Javier's face, Aiko could see her taking in every detail—his genuine respect, the way he looked at Aiko with obvious care, the intensity in his eyes that spoke of serious purpose.
"Sit, both of you," Mrs. Sato said, gesturing toward the comfortable chairs in the consultation area. "I want to hear everything—about your recovery, your training, and most importantly, your intentions regarding Aiko."
What followed was one of the most meaningful conversations Aiko had ever witnessed. Javier spoke with complete honesty about his search, his near-death experience, and his growing understanding of hairstyling as both art and service. Mrs. Sato listened with the kind of deep attention she gave to every important matter, asking probing questions that revealed her decades of experience reading people's character.
"Show me your hands," Mrs. Sato said suddenly, reaching for Javier's wrists.
He extended his hands palm-up, allowing her to examine them with the thoroughness of someone who understood that a stylist's hands revealed everything about their approach to the craft.
"Strong but gentle," she observed, tracing the calluses from his cycling and MMA training. "Steady, with good fine motor control. But more importantly..." She pressed her thumbs against his palms, testing something Aiko couldn't see. "You have natural sensitivity. You can feel tension and texture instinctively."
"Isabella has been amazed by how quickly I'm learning," Javier said. "But I think it's because I have something to learn for."
"And what is that?"
Javier looked directly at Aiko, his expression carrying all the love and determination that had driven his recovery. "I want to be worthy of her world. I want to understand what she does every day, share her passion, support her dreams from the inside rather than just cheering from the sidelines."
Mrs. Sato nodded approvingly. "That's the right motivation. Too many people enter this field for superficial reasons—money, fame, convenience. But you understand that it's about service."
"It's about seeing people," Javier agreed. "About helping them discover their own beauty."
"Exactly what I taught Aiko." Mrs. Sato smiled at them both. "I can see why you two are meant to be together. You share the same fundamental understanding of what this work really means."
As the evening progressed, Mrs. Sato shared stories about Aiko's early training, her struggles and breakthroughs, the dedication that had impressed everyone who worked with her. Javier listened with fascination, building a deeper picture of the person Aiko had become during the years they were separated.
"She has natural talent," Mrs. Sato said, "but more importantly, she has the heart of a true stylist. She sees the person in the chair, not just the hair challenge."
"That's what drew me to her originally," Javier said. "Even when she looked broken and neglected, I could see something beautiful underneath that just needed care."
"And now?"
Javier's eyes found Aiko's face, his expression tender but intense. "Now I see someone who's transformed that early potential into mastery. Someone who's become everything I hoped she could be and more than I imagined possible."
As they prepared to leave, Mrs. Sato pulled Aiko aside for a private moment.
"He's special," she said quietly. "Not just because of his natural ability, though that's remarkable. But because he understands that your success matters more than his own ego. That's rare in any field, but especially rare in young men."
"I think so too," Aiko replied. "But Mrs. Sato, are we moving too fast? Making too many assumptions about a future together?"
"My dear girl," Mrs. Sato said with a knowing smile, "some connections transcend normal timelines. You two aren't starting a relationship—you're continuing one that began years ago and was temporarily interrupted. Trust what you feel."
Walking back through the Tokyo evening, Aiko felt a deep sense of rightness about the path she had chosen. Mrs. Sato's approval meant everything to her, and seeing how naturally she and Javier connected over their shared understanding of the craft felt like confirmation that her choice had been correct.
"Tomorrow I start working with Isabella's advanced training program," Javier said as they approached the academy. "Eight months to reach competition level."
"And I'll be preparing for the same competition," Aiko replied. "We could train together sometimes, share techniques and insights."
"I'd like that. But Aiko, I also want to make sure we develop as individual artists, not just as a team. Your style is uniquely yours—I don't want to influence that, just enhance it."
The thoughtfulness of his approach impressed her once again. Even in their reunion, even in the excitement of finally being together, he was thinking about her individual growth and professional development.
"Eight months," she said as they kissed goodnight outside the dormitory. "Think we'll be ready?"
"For the competition or for whatever comes after?"
"Both."
Javier's smile was confident but tender. "With you as my partner? I think we can be ready for anything."
As Aiko watched him walk away into the night, she felt a profound sense of anticipation about the months ahead. They would train intensively, compete at the highest level, and discover what their connection could become when it was finally free to develop without obstacles.
The girl from the hill had found her way back to the boy who had saved her. Now they would discover what was possible when two people combined their individual talents in service of shared dreams.
The future had never looked brighter.