Chapter 1 Aunt with Long Black Hair

Tetsuya Kitagawa, a 22-year-old university student, reluctantly took a part-time job at a small factory, tasked with simple duties like packing products into boxes. He had assumed he wouldn’t meet any young women in such a place, and, finding only older part-time female workers, his expectations were met with a hint of disappointment. However, among them, one woman caught his eye.

Unlike her peers who sported short or medium-length brown-dyed hair, this woman had her notably thick black hair styled into a large bun that resembled the size of a melon. Tetsuya found himself fascinated by her unique hairstyle and the dazzling sheen of her hair cuticles.

As the factory manager was introducing Tetsuya to his new colleagues, he tried to gather his composure. “Starting today, he will be working here part-time. He’s Kitagawa-kun. Please take care of him.” the manager announced. Tetsuya nervously introduced himself, “My name is Tetsuya Kitagawa. Nice to meet you.” The manager then assigned him to work alongside the woman, Takimoto, who had a unique hairstyle. “Takimoto-san, please take care of Kitagawa-kun,” he said.

With a smile, Takimoto assured Tetsuya, “You don't have to be so nervous. I won't get mad at you.” They sat side by side at the worktable where Takimoto began explaining the job. Tetsuya listened attentively, although his gaze often drifted to Takimoto’s hair and not her face, which was fair-skinned and full, framed by her distinctive hair that made her look in her late 30s or early 40s.

As the days passed, Tetsuya became more fascinated with Takimoto’s hair, which was always neatly tied back, her hair ornaments and accessories changing daily. After a week of working together, Takimoto invited Tetsuya to lunch as a reward for his hard work. Over lunch, they shared personal details. Takimoto revealed she was 33, which surprised Tetsuya as he thought she appeared younger.

The conversation turned to Takimoto’s hair when Tetsuya complimented its beauty. Takimoto, touched by his genuine interest, asked if he wanted to see it untied. Excited, Tetsuya agreed, and Takimoto invited him to her house the following day to finally see her long black hair loose.

Chapter 2: Long Black Hair Released

Saturday at 1pm, Tetsuya stood nervously in front of Takimoto's apartment, buzzing with excitement and anticipation at the prospect of seeing her long black hair undone. He pressed the intercom button hesitantly.

"Okay. I'm coming now," came the response before the door swung open.

"Welcome. Come on up," Takimoto greeted him with a smile, adorned in a pale purple yukata, her long black hair still tied up as usual. She led him into a Japanese-style living room. "It’s a small room, but please have a seat. I’ll get some tea," she said, heading to the adjacent kitchen.

Tetsuya sat at a small table, taking in the room. His gaze was drawn to an old-fashioned dressing table by the window, reminiscent of a scene from the Meiji era. The table was adorned not with cosmetics but with various wooden combs, hair ornaments, clips, and bottles of a yellowish liquid — all unfamiliar to Tetsuya.

Takimoto returned with tea. "Let's have some tea," she suggested with a smile. Tetsuya noticed the yukata suited her well-rounded figure, her makeup darker than usual, making her fair skin appear even whiter against the bright red lipstick. Her long black hair, usually tied back, was styled in curls at the top of her head with a large hairpin.

As Tetsuya sipped his tea quickly to ease his nerves, Takimoto asked with a smile, "Are you nervous?"

"I see... Mr. Takimoto, your hair looks a bit different today..."

"Have you noticed? I usually keep it up so it doesn’t come undone at work, but today, I've styled it loosely. A tight tie wouldn’t look as nice when I let it down," she explained.

Tetsuya admitted his excitement at the prospect of seeing her hair loose when he first arrived.

"It wouldn’t be fun to show you right away. Besides, I wanted you to see it as I let it down," Takimoto’s expression grew serious as she continued, "Then it's finally time..."

She stood and moved to the dressing table, sitting straight with her back to Tetsuya. He watched, captivated, as Takimoto’s white hand reached for the large hairpin in her hair.

Tetsuya held his breath as she slowly pulled the pin, unraveling her hair into a flowing cascade that fell past her shoulders, waist, and over her rounded hips onto the tatami. The glossy, black waterfall of hair seemed endless, stirring awe in Tetsuya.

"How long is it...?" he muttered in astonishment.

Takimoto silently picked up a boxwood comb, carefully standing without stepping on her hair which now covered her back completely, reaching mid-calf. The sunlight highlighted the shimmering cuticles of her thick, lustrous hair.

Turning around, her hair briefly fanned out, releasing a subtle, enchanting scent. She swept the hair from her face with a playful expression.

"What do you think? My hair? It looks like Sadako’s, right?" she joked with a smile.

"Wow, I've never seen such long and beautiful hair... It can’t be Sadako. It’s beautiful," Tetsuya responded, visibly moved.

"Thank you. You're the only one who compliments my hair. I’m so happy. Hey, can you help me with this comb?" Takimoto offered the comb to Tetsuya, who felt his heart might burst from excitement.

Chapter 3: The Feel and Scent of Black Hair

"Here you go," Takimoto said as she handed the boxwood comb to Tetsuya.

"Yes..."

"My hair is very long, and it will be difficult for you to comb it if I sit down, so please stand," Takimoto instructed, turning her back to Tetsuya once more.

"Comb it slowly."

"Yes..." Tetsuya responded, standing directly behind Takimoto, his heart racing. Given the height difference of about 15 centimeters between them, he could clearly see Takimoto’s hairline. Her thick black hair, parted in the middle, covered her head completely, exuding a fruity scent that almost made Tetsuya dizzy. With a trembling hand, he gathered a rich handful of her hair at the middle of her back.

"This is..." Tetsuya murmured, amazed at the abundance of hair overflowing from his grasp, moist and weighty to the touch—a surprising yet wonderful sensation.

"It's so rich that it overflows from my hands, and feels moist," he remarked.

"That's right. It's thick. And later, I’ll explain why it feels moist. Now, please continue combing," Takimoto instructed.

Tetsuya gently placed the boxwood comb at the roots of Takimoto’s black hair and combed through smoothly. The comb flowed effortlessly through the locks, never snagging, as if the hair itself guided it along.

"The comb doesn’t get caught at all... The hair flows through the comb!" Tetsuya exclaimed, to which Takimoto replied, "I wanted to show you my beautiful hair today, so I've been taking care of it since morning. Now, keep combing."

"Yes!" Tetsuya continued to comb, his admiration growing with each stroke that made her hair glossier. After finishing the roots, he knelt down to comb the middle portion, overwhelmed by the cascading wall of black hair. The reality of touching and combing the hair he had admired since his first day at the factory felt like a dream he hoped to never awaken from.

Finally, he reached the lower half of her hair, which, surprisingly, showed no signs of split ends—a testament to its exceptional care.

"Thank you, that's enough," Takimoto said, snapping Tetsuya back to reality.

"Ah, yes..." he replied as Takimoto sat back down at the table, carefully combing her now even glossier hair. Tetsuya joined her, the room filled with the sweet scent of her hair.

"How was it? Combing my hair?" Takimoto asked.

"It was really nice. Thank you for letting me touch and comb such long, beautiful hair."

"I’m the one to say thank you. I'm so happy that you appreciate my hair," Takimoto smiled warmly. "Can I ask you something?"

"Ask me anything."

"How many years have you been letting your hair grow?"

"Well, I started when I was about 22 or 23 years old, so it's been about 10 years," Takimoto explained, combing her hair as it fell over her chest. "My grandmother had long hair too. She passed when I was about the same age, and while sorting her belongings, I found a black and white photo of her. In the photo, her hair was as long as her body, and she looked beautiful."

Tetsuya listened intently as Takimoto continued, "My grandmother was from Izu Oshima where women cherished their long black hair, almost as long as their bodies. There was even something like a black hair contest there. Inspired by her, I decided to grow my hair long."

"Sounds like a romantic story."

"There’s the dressing table," she pointed. "It was my grandmother’s. To maintain beautiful black hair like hers, I use a boxwood comb and camellia oil."

"Boxwood comb and camellia oil?" Tetsuya inquired.

They moved to the dressing table, sitting side by side. Takimoto picked up a boxwood comb and a bottle of camellia oil. "This comb doesn’t damage the hair like plastic ones do; it doesn’t generate static electricity. I buy these combs from a store in Kyoto called Juso."

"Do you travel to Kyoto to buy them?"

"I really like these combs. And this camellia oil," she continued, "when applied after washing or before combing, gives the hair a deep shine and firmness."

"The camellia oil I use is high-quality sugar camellia oil from Izu. This bottle costs about 3,000 yen, and with such long hair, it lasts only about a week."

"If you want beautiful hair like this, it takes some effort," Takimoto added with a smile. "But it’s like a hobby to me, so I don’t mind."

"Isn’t it difficult to wash your hair?"

"Yes, washing is still manageable, but drying takes about three hours. I never use a dryer; I prefer to towel dry and let it air dry naturally. In summer, I wash it every day; in winter, once every two days, and I never skip the camellia oil."

"That sounds challenging," Tetsuya remarked, admiring Takimoto's dedication to maintaining her stunning black hair as her story unfolded...

Final chapter: Always Love my Black Hair

"Also, I'm very particular about the shampoo and conditioner I use," Takimoto mentioned, combing her cascading black hair. The way she handled her hair was distinctly feminine.

"It's a brand called Earth Farm Tsubaki Hair Shampoo and Treatment. It's a bit pricey but includes camellia oil, which is gentle on the hair and enhances its shine."

"When you say expensive..." Tetsuya inquired.

"The shampoo costs about 1,800 yen and the conditioner about 2,000 yen. Speaking of which, the Jusoya boxwood comb you're using now costs 18,000 yen."

"Wow! Not only have I invested a lot of time and effort into my hair, but also a significant amount of money..." Takimoto reflected.

"Yes, that’s right. For me, playing with my hair and collecting hair care products and accessories is a hobby," she added. Tetsuya noticed that Takimoto's dressing table had more hair-related tools than cosmetics.

"Of course, I wear makeup like most people, but for me, the most important aspect of fashion is my hair."

"By the way, did you also buy this antique dressing table?"

"No, this was a keepsake from my grandmother. When I decided I wanted hair like hers, I thought I'd use her dressing table."

"I see... I can’t say I’ve achieved her exact look, but I managed to get beautiful black hair. I may lack confidence in my face and body, but I believe my hair is second to none as a woman," Takimoto said, running her hands through her hair.

"You really have beautiful black hair. It's hard to believe it belongs to someone who is 33... Ah, I'm sorry!"

"Leave it alone," Takimoto responded with a forgiving smile.

"Can I ask you one more thing?"

"What is it?" she replied, her hand brushing through the hair at the nape of her neck.

Tetsuya, trying to contain his excitement, asked, "How long do you want your hair to grow?"

"My current goal is to have it touch the floor when I'm standing up. That's about floor length. My hair grows quickly, so I think it will reach the floor in less than a year."

"And after that?"

"Well, for now, I'm thinking of maintaining that length. I’m worried about it getting caught if it drags on the floor. I might just keep it growing."

"Hmm, then having not only the world’s longest hair but the longest in Japan isn't just a dream."

"That’s what I'm aiming for. But dragging it on the floor might be a bit much even for me."

"I see."

"Hey, if you want to touch my hair more, feel free to do so. How do you like it?"

"Y-yes...!" Tetsuya stammered as Takimoto stood and moved towards the dressing table, her long, shiny black hair swaying.

She sat straight in front of the dressing table, her hair spread out on the floor. Tetsuya, careful not to step on the sprawling black hair, asked, "Could you lend me your boxwood comb?"

"Yes, this time use a finer-toothed comb. It's been combed once already."

Tetsuya held the finer comb in his left hand and the boxwood comb in his right. "She has so much black hair, it's practically overflowing from my hands!"

"That's right," Takimoto affirmed as Tetsuya slowly inserted the comb and began combing. "This texture, the way you comb it, this scent... you really have nice black hair..."

"Thank you, I’m so happy... Hey, Kitagawa-kun..."

"What is it?"

"One thing, please. I have a request..."

"Please...?"

"Would you continue to come and take care of my black hair? Once a week, no, once a month is fine."

"Eh? ..."

Takimoto seemed resolute. "To tell you the truth, I'm starting to like you more and more."

Tetsuya's hand paused mid-comb.

Takimoto blushed slightly and continued, "When I was working with you, I noticed you staring at my hair."

"I was happy to see that. Because this is the first time I've met someone who was attracted to my hair..."

"Then, you looked at my loose hair today and said it was beautiful... It’s just you. Why do you talk like that..."

"I'm sorry. I know I'm being selfish. Of course, I understand. I’m 33 and you’re a college student. We're 10 years apart in age. So I can't ask you to date me. A younger girl would be better for you. So, even if it's just once in a while, I want you to come and take care of this black hair that you’ve grown to love. I also get frustrated trying to maintain it by myself. It’s encouraging to know there is someone out there who loves my hair..."

"Takimoto-san... sometimes, I wish you wouldn't just give me your hair to care for."

"Eh...?"

"For me, there isn’t a better woman than you right now. Not only do you have long, beautiful hair, but I also love the way you care for it and cherish it. The age difference doesn't matter. I may be younger and less experienced, but would you let me continue to grow your hair long for me?"

"Tetsuya-kun...!" Takimoto turned to Tetsuya and embraced him, her long black hair enveloping them.

"Takimoto-san...!"

"Call me Kumiko..."

"Kumiko-san..."

Tetsuya returned to the embrace, surrounded by the rich black hair.

"Being able to have Kumiko-san's black hair all to myself... it's like a dream...!"

"It's not a dream. From now on, this black hair belongs only to you and me. I won't just let you comb it; I'll let you wash it, tie it up... I'll let you fully enjoy my proud black hair. Always love it..."

- Author (Anonymous)

**************************************** END *************************************