Chirp chirp

  The soft trill of birdsong filtered through the window, pulling me from a restless sleep. “Ugh, is it morning already?” I mumbled, my voice groggy as I blinked against the pale light streaming into my room. The familiar sight of my bedroom greeted me—posters of retro anime tacked to the walls, a cluttered desk with half-read manga, and the faint scent of undry that never quite made it to the hamper. This was my sanctuary, the same small space in our modest apartment where I’d spent all twenty years of my life.

  I’m Kuromori Shiro, just an average guy living with my parents in a cramped but cozy apartment on the edge of the city. My dad’s a quiet saryman at some no-name company, always buried in spreadsheets, while my mom works part-time at a quirky little shop selling handmade trinkets. It’s a simple life, nothing special, but it’s mine.

  As I swung my legs over the side of the bed, a strange heaviness settled over me. My body felt… off, like I was wading through mosses. I ran a hand through my hair, expecting the usual short, messy strands, but my fingers caught on something longer, silkier. “Weird,” I muttered, frowning. Had my hair grown overnight? I shook my head, trying to dismiss the thought. Probably just my imagination.

  The memory of yesterday crept in, uninvited. It had started with a sudden chill, like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over me. By evening, my body was burning, my temperature spiking so fast I could barely think straight. My parents called it a fever, but it felt like more than that—like my bones were grinding against each other, my muscles tearing themselves apart. The pain was so intense I thought I was losing my mind. By nightfall, I’d bcked out, the world fading into a haze of agony.

  Now, though, I felt… better. Not great, but better. A faint feverish warmth lingered, but the unbearable pain was gone. I shuffled to my feet, stretching, and made my way downstairs to the kitchen. The familiar ctter of dishes and the scent of miso soup greeted me. My dad sat at the small wooden table, his face half-hidden behind a newspaper, his gsses perched low on his nose. My mom hummed a cheerful tune as she stirred a pot on the stove, her apron dotted with little cartoon cats.

  “Morning, Mo—” I started, but the words caught in my throat. Something was wrong. My voice sounded… different. Softer, higher. My hand flew to my throat, and that’s when I noticed it—my fingers were slimmer, my skin smoother. Panic surged in my chest as I bolted to the small mirror hanging in the hallway.

  “What the heck?!” I gasped, staring at the reflection. The person staring back wasn’t me. She was… breathtaking. Long, flowing white hair cascaded over her shoulders, shimmering like moonlight. Her eyes were a deep, mesmerizing sapphire, framed by thick shes that seemed almost unreal. Her face was delicate, with high cheekbones and full lips that curved into a perfect, almost ethereal smile. Her body was fwless—curved in all the right pces, with a grace that screamed femininity. She was, without a doubt, the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen.

  I swallowed hard, my heart pounding. Slowly, I raised a hand to my chest, and the woman in the mirror mimicked me. Squish. The sensation was soft, unfamiliar, and very real. My eyes widened. “No way…” I whispered, my voice trembling. I touched my chest again, confirming the impossible. This wasn’t just a woman’s body—it was my body.

  “What the heck is going on?!” I screamed, my voice echoing through the apartment. My mind spiraled. I was Kuromori Shiro, a twenty-year-old guy! But this… this was something else. I gnced down, my breath hitching as I realized something even more bizarre. I was still… me, down there. But there was something new, too. Something that made my head spin.

  “Futanari?” I muttered, the word feeling absurd on my tongue. I’d read about it in those weird fantasy web novels, the kind I’d binge te at night when I couldn’t sleep. But to become one? No way. This had to be a dream. A crazy, vivid dream. I pinched my arm, wincing at the sharp pain. Okay, not a dream.

  “I’m afraid this isn’t a dream, Shiro,” a familiar voice said, ced with a teasing warmth. I turned to see my mom standing behind me, her white hair tied back in a loose bun, her crimson eyes sparkling with amusement. She was as stunning as ever, her figure defying her age, but now I couldn’t help but wonder if there was more to her than I’d ever realized.

  “W-what do you mean?” I stammered, my new voice still throwing me off. I backed away from the mirror, my heart racing.

  My mom’s smile softened, but there was a glint of something deeper in her eyes—pride, maybe? “Shiro, sweetheart, you’re not human.”

  _____________________

  I sat at the kitchen table, my hands clenched into fists as I gred at my parents. The miso soup had gone cold in its bowl, and the morning sunlight streaming through the window did nothing to ease the tension in the room. My dad was still in his chair, his newspaper now folded neatly beside him, his expression as unreadable as ever. My mom leaned against the counter, her arms crossed, a pyful smirk tugging at her lips.

  “So, let me get this straight,” I said, my voice shaking with barely contained fury. “You’re telling me I’m not just a guy, but some kind of half-dragon, half-succubus hybrid? Born from a dragon dad and a succubus mom? Are you kidding me?” I smmed my hands on the table, the wood creaking under the force.

  “Setsuna-chan, calm down,” my mom said, her tone light and teasing, as if she were scolding a toddler. She twirled a strand of her white hair around her finger, completely unfazed by my outburst.

  My dad, as usual, said nothing, his dark eyes fixed on me with that quiet intensity that always made me feel like he could see right through me.

  I was beyond frustrated. According to my mom, supernatural beings were real. Not only that, but my parents were among them.

  My dad, apparently, was a dragon—a member of a once-revered race that had ruled the skies and inspired legends, now living in disguise among humans. My mom, on the other hand, was a succubus, a creature of charm and allure straight out of fantasy novels. I couldn’t deny that my mom was gorgeous—her fwless skin, curvaceous figure, and pyful demeanor made her look more like a model than a middle-aged shop clerk. But this? This was too much.

  “You expect me to believe this nonsense?” I snapped, leaning forward. “This is the modern world! We have science, technology, skyscrapers! Why would I buy into this supernatural garbage? Did you slip something into my food? Some kind of weird drug?”

  “Setsuna-chan, it’s the truth,” my mom said, her pyful tone giving way to a rare moment of seriousness. Her crimson eyes softened, and for the first time, I noticed a flicker of concern in her gaze.

  “And stop calling me Setsuna!” I shot back. “My name is Shiro. Kuromori Shiro. That’s who I’ve always been!”

  My mom sighed, exchanging a gnce with my dad. “Your real name is Setsuna,” she said gently.

  “Shiro was just a temporary name, an alias we gave you to keep things simple until your lineage awakened. And, well…” She grinned, her pyful side resurfacing.

  “I told your dad you’d turn out to be a futanari. He was so sure you’d just be a girl. Looks like I won the bet!”

  “It seems you did, Lilith,” my dad said, his deep voice cutting through the room like a bde. It was the first time he’d spoken since this whole mess started, and his calm, measured tone sent a shiver down my spine. “You’ll have to cim your reward ter.”

  “Oh, I’m looking forward to it,” my mom purred, winking at him.

  “Can you two stop flirting for five seconds and expin this to me?!” I shouted, my face burning. “I deserve the truth. The real truth.”

  My dad sighed, folding his hands on the table. His presence was commanding, even in his pin button-up shirt and gsses. There was always something about him—something that made people listen when he spoke, something that demanded respect. “What your mother said is true,” he began, his voice steady. “You are half-dragon, half-succubus. Your unique heritage means you’ve inherited traits from both of us, including… both genders.”

  I stared at him, my mouth dry. Hearing it from my dad, of all people, made it feel real. He wasn’t the type to joke or lie. He was the most honorable person I knew, respected by everyone in our neighborhood, from the old dy at the corner store to the kids who pyed in the park.

  “Supernatural beings have existed alongside humans since the beginning of time,” he continued, his dark eyes never leaving mine. “We’ve adapted, taking on human forms to blend in. But we are not like humans. Our kind rarely have children, and when we do, they are born with human traits—until they reach adulthood and undergo an awakening.”

  My mom picked up where he left off, her voice softer now. “That fever you had? That was your awakening, Setsuna-chan. It’s a painful process, one that reshapes your body and unlocks your true nature. Most kids go through it earlier, but you… well, you were a bit of a te bloomer.” She smiled, but there was a hint of relief in her expression, like she’d been waiting for this moment for years.

  I leaned back in my chair, my mind racing. It was starting to make sense, as much as I hated to admit it. My parents hadn’t panicked when I’d colpsed with that fever. If anything, they’d seemed… excited. At the time, I’d thought it was weird, but now? Now it felt like a piece of a puzzle I hadn’t even known existed.

  I looked down at my hands—slender, delicate, nothing like the calloused ones I’d had yesterday. My white hair spilled over my shoulders, catching the light in a way that made it shimmer. This body, this face… it was mine, but it wasn’t. Not entirely. I was still Shiro, but I was also… Setsuna. A half-dragon, half-succubus being who’d just stumbled into a world I didn’t understand.

  “Okay,” I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper. “Let’s say I believe you. What happens now?”

  My mom’s smile widened, and she cpped her hands together. “Now, Setsuna-chan, we teach you how to be the most fabulous dragon-succubus the world has ever seen!”

  My dad just sighed again, but I could’ve sworn I saw the faintest hint of a smile on his face.

  Setsuna