Sharp Fangs and the Principal's Concern
Unfortunately, the sushi that was supposed to become that guy's dinner ended up in the fridge instead. It got postponed to serve as Hyeonseo's breakfast the next morning.
"Hyunwoo, you have to wear this."
I was about to slip into my room when Mom pointed at the tail cover hanging on the shoe rack. In the rush of relief from finally being home, I'd completely forgotten about it. The moment I saw where her finger was pointing, my face stiffened.
"Ugh... I don't wanna."
"You still have to."
I made every possible show of reluctance, but it was useless. An unpleasant, alien sensation swallowed my tail whole.
The second I got home I dove straight onto the bed. A little while later, Hyeonseo—who had finished her ramen—stormed into the room with an irritated scowl and started grilling me.
Of course my explanation had been lacking, but I had my own excuses ready.
"Why the hell would I bother asking when I went out to hang with friends?"
"Ughhh..."
Our sibling chat room was something we basically never used unless we had actual business with each other. When I asked why she thought I'd have messaged, she mulled it over for a second, made an annoyed little noise like she knew I had a point, and that was that.
The brief friction with Hyeonseo passed like a short-lived hiccup.
Before I knew it, the third day since I'd turned into a fox beast-person had arrived. My family had completely adapted to the new me.
"Hyunwoo, eat some kimchi or seasoned greens too."
"Don't want any..."
At the breakfast table I was just poking at my egg rice when Mom's inevitable nagging came down like clockwork. Sitting across from Hyeonseo, who was chewing on the rock-hard sushi from the fridge, I openly displayed my displeasure. Egg rice was plenty—why did I need vegetables? I moved my spoon faster to escape any further scolding.
"Hyunwoo, say 'ah~' for me."
"Huh? Why? Aaaah..."
Mom suddenly told me to open wide. I had no idea why, but I stretched my mouth open anyway. She hooked her index finger on the corner of my lips, pulled it back, and peered inside carefully before speaking.
"Goodness, look at how sharp this child's canines are..."
"Canines—?"
Mom's casual remark caught me off guard too. Without thinking, I slipped my right index finger into my mouth. After tapping around my teeth, I found the pointed parts. Sure enough, I had grown sharp, beast-like fangs.
"Doesn't it bother you when you brush your teeth?"
"Uh, not really...?"
Mom followed up with a worried tone, asking if brushing was uncomfortable. I answered that I hadn't noticed anything, all while quietly marveling at her observation skills. She'd spotted something I hadn't even realized about myself.
More importantly, had this happened suddenly today? I was pretty sure they hadn't been like this yesterday. Since I hadn't been paying much attention to the inside of my mouth, I had no idea when the change actually occurred.
While I was busy tapping my new fangs out of fascination, the chair scraped back. Hyeonseo stood up.
"Hyeonseo, there's still sushi left. It won't keep until dinner."
"Just give it to Oppa."
When Mom glanced at the remaining pieces, Hyeonseo—who was apparently full—told her to give them to me before heading to the bathroom. Was I the family leftover disposal unit now? Not that I couldn't eat more, of course.
Seeing that my sister clearly had no interest in finishing them, I finally picked up my chopsticks and reached across the table. Only two pieces of salmon sushi remained. I grabbed one and popped it into my mouth.
The moment I started chewing, rich, oily fish flavor wrapped around my tongue. The deep umami that clung to every taste bud made my eyes fly open. Had salmon always been this delicious?
I quickly polished off the rest of my egg rice along with both pieces of salmon sushi. It was a weird combination for breakfast, but my stomach felt satisfyingly full. I waited for Hyeonseo to finish up in the bathroom.
Once my little sister was done washing, it was my turn. Before brushing my teeth, I wanted to see the fangs for myself. I hooked my index finger on the corner of my mouth and pulled it wide.
There they were—pointed canines jutting out just like they'd felt. They didn't look like they'd only draw a little blood if I bit down. These were teeth meant for tearing flesh.
I clacked my teeth together a few times in mock bites, then brushed, washed my face, and started getting ready for school.
It was 7:27 a.m. when I stepped out the front door. I always left earlier than everyone else. I was wearing regular casual clothes with nothing to do with the school uniform. I could've left much later without issue, but this was the best time if I wanted to avoid running into as many people as possible.
Right before I left, Mom came to the door.
"You know today is your university hospital appointment, right?"
"Yeah."
I answered indifferently and nodded. Today was the day I had to go to the university hospital. I wasn't holding out even the slightest hope of being cured. If there had been any cases of people recovering, there would've been news articles about it. But from what I'd looked up, those cases were exactly zero.
Besides, I couldn't picture this body returning to normal just from taking some pills. Disappearing chest, ears on my head going back to normal, fangs retracting? That wasn't medicine anymore—that was surgery or straight-up magic.
I absently ran my hand over the spot where my original ears used to be, then called back to Mom right before stepping outside.
"I'm heading out."
"Call me the second you're done. I need to prepare too."
She emphasized the call again after my goodbye.
"I got it..."
"You always say that."
When I answered half-heartedly to her serious expression, she jabbed at my long record of forgetting. This time, I really didn't want to forget. With that thought in mind, I left the house.
It was 7:33 a.m. when I reached the first crosswalk. As expected, there were far fewer students from my school around. The moment the traffic light turned red, I started my usual school speedrun.
The scenery flew by like I was riding in a car. A sharp whistle of wind accompanied my full sprint through the school gates. I took the stairs three at a time and dropped into my seat in just a few minutes. I let out a refreshed breath and fanned my face with my hand.
When I checked my phone clock, it read 7:39. I wasn't sure of the exact difference from yesterday, but it looked like I'd shaved off five or six minutes. Maybe I should find time to officially time myself?
The brief spark of curiosity faded quickly. I hung my backpack on the desk and flopped down onto it. I pulled out my first-period textbook, pressed my cheek against the cool surface, and closed my eyes.
In the darkness, I heard doors opening and closing. It must have been my classmates arriving one by one.
How long had I been like that?
"Hyunwoo. Hey, Hyunwoo."
In my drifting consciousness, someone tapped my shoulder.
"...What? What do you want?"
I rubbed my sleepy eyes and whined as I looked up. The owner of the voice was none other than the class president.
"The teacher said to go to the principal's office."
"...?? The principal's office? Not the staff room?"
"Yeah, the principal's office."
With only one eye barely cracked open, I asked again. The class president confirmed I hadn't misheard.
This wasn't a mistake? Not the staff room, but suddenly the principal's office? It felt like someone had thrown a rock into my foggy brain. Completely caught off guard, I shoved my phone into my pocket and hurried down to the first floor where the principal's office was.
The door looked like it belonged to a room with luxurious sofa seating. The principal's office even had soft, small spotlights. I stood in front of a place I'd thought I'd never visit in my entire life, reached out to the solid-looking panel, and knocked twice.
"Yes, come in."
The principal's voice came from behind the door. The low, dignified tone of a middle-aged man made me tense up for a second.
Aside from the opening ceremony and a few events, I'd barely seen him. We had zero connection in my life. When I opened the door, there he was.
A coated wooden desk that looked expensive. Healthy potted plants, various office supplies, and stacks of documents. It was the kind of space that gave students a strange sense of pressure.
"You're Hyunwoo, correct? Sit anywhere you're comfortable."
"Ah, yes..."
Even though I was just a student, his greeting was polite. His gentle voice didn't ease my tension at all.
Why had he suddenly called me here? While that question swirled in my mind, something seemed to catch his eye. He extended his palm upward toward me and asked.
"What is that?"
At the principal's short question, I glanced behind me. What he saw was the cloth wrapped around my tail.
Crap. I forgot to leave it at home. Why hadn't anyone reminded me!
"It's a tail cover... so my fur doesn't get everywhere."
"Aha. That's actually quite clever."
I was embarrassed, but after I explained, the principal chuckled warmly and said it was a good idea.
"The reason I called you here today isn't anything complicated. There's something I'd like to discuss with you."
He brought over a few nicely packaged snacks from the shelf and began.
A consultation important enough for the principal to handle personally? A transfer? Was this about transferring schools?!
A transfer now, of all times...
A chill ran down my spine and my fur felt like it was standing on end. In that tense moment, the principal spoke.
"As you know, our school is an all-boys school. There may be many aspects that don't suit the current you."
"Ah, yes..."
He emphasized that it was a boys' school and began by saying the current me might not fit in. I answered vaguely while watching his expression carefully. No matter how I looked at it, this was heading toward a transfer.
"I heard this started three days ago. I wanted to ask whether you've experienced any difficulties or if you're considering transferring."
"No, I'm not!"
My mouth reacted instantly to the word "transfer." The answer came without a shred of hesitation. The principal looked momentarily taken aback, eyes widening as he blinked.
"...Ah, is that so? If any inconveniences come up, feel free to come to the principal's office anytime. Oh, and take some of these snacks with you."
"Yes, sir."
After telling me to come see him anytime if I had problems, he handed me a few snacks. I answered promptly and escaped the suffocating principal's office as quickly as I could.
Luckily, it seemed the principal had only been curious about my sudden transformation into a girl.
"Whew."
I let out a sigh of relief and returned to the classroom. I sat down at my desk like nothing had happened.
"Hey, wanna try this?"
"Huh?"
My deskmate suddenly held something out. It was a wide comb I'd seen somewhere before. Oh, right. The kind used for brushing cat fur.
"Why'd you bring this to school..."
"Our cat Cheese hates it."
So he'd brought it thinking he was being helpful. I accepted it anyway, but my head tilted in confusion. Somehow, it felt like I was moving further away from being human—in a bad way....