“Whoo…….”
I drew in a deep breath and steadied myself.
No matter how I looked at it, stepping outside in this state wasn’t going to be easy.
From the outside, I was just a crazy bitch with wings.
The burden of going out in a body that wasn’t mine was considerable.
It was so humiliating I didn’t know what to do with myself, but…….
‘…Well, it’s not like I can stay inside forever.’
Of course I’d draw attention, but I probably wouldn’t get that many negative looks.
Hadn’t they even said there were other mutants like me?
Besides, my appearance wasn’t exactly bad.
As the person concerned, it was fucking awful, but I did look like a single blossoming flower.
Of course, that could lead to secondary problems.
My build was on the petite side, but I was still an adult. Someone might ask for my number…….
‘…Enough. Stop there. I can’t spend my whole life agonizing in front of the door.’
That was enough complaining.
…I should get going.
*
Maybe it was because I’d been pouring alcohol down my throat the day before, but by the time I woke up, it was already late afternoon.
In other words, it was the hour when people who had gone out for lunch were still moving around.
A bunch of emergency alerts had come in, but the atmosphere wasn’t all that chaotic.
Then again, there was even a saying that people would still go to school and work even if the world ended tomorrow.
‘…Ugh.’
Thanks to that, I could feel eyes on me anytime, anywhere.
No matter where I looked, I would end up meeting someone’s gaze at least once.
‘I did expect to get a lot of stares, obviously, but…….’
I had huge snow-white wings, and above my head floated a halo scattering a faint radiance.
On top of that, my face was pretty, so there was no way people wouldn’t look.
But I hadn’t known being stared at would feel like this.
The murmuring of people, the sideways glances from those pretending not to look…….
‘Yeah, yeah. Of course. A crazy bitch with wings is strutting around in a long padded coat.’
If a woman like this existed in the world, I probably wouldn’t have been able to look away either.
But now that I was the person in question, it didn’t exactly feel good.
Especially since I was dressed in a no-pants look.
‘…Ugh!’
The wind brushed past my ass. Since I was wearing loose boxer shorts, the sensation of it sweeping over my bare skin sent goosebumps prickling all over me.
If there was any consolation… it was that I was wearing a long padded coat.
At the very least, unless I suddenly went insane and got possessed by a flasher, there was no chance anyone would see the state of my outfit.
Even knowing that, the fact that I could be exposed at any moment still made my heart pound…….
“…Fuck.”
For some reason, I felt like shit and muttered a curse under my breath.
‘I didn’t ask for such a precarious situation.’
If I’d known this would happen, maybe I should have ordered proper clothes first before coming out.
‘…Still, nothing’s going to happen. I’m just going to the community service center in front of my house.’
Had I made it about halfway to the community service center?
In the end, trouble broke out.
“Um… hello?”
Someone spoke to me.
Considering most people had been unable to approach me easily and were only watching from the sidelines, he must have had truly remarkable courage.
“Would it be possible for us to follow each other on Instagram? You’re just so…….”
“No. …Hup.”
A perfect instant reply. Even I was surprised after saying it.
At that, the man smiled awkwardly and scratched the back of his head.
‘But, fuck. Isn’t that the natural reaction?’
First of all, the guy looked really fucking annoying.
Not that he was ugly—he was annoyingly handsome.
Most women would probably fall in love at first sight the moment they saw his face.
‘But I’m a fucking man.’
Physically, I might have become a perfect woman, but not even a day had passed yet.
In other words, there was no way a woman’s heart could have sprouted in me. Of course, even if time passed, there wouldn’t be any room in my heart for femininity to grow.
“I’m not usually the type to say things like this, but I thought I’d regret it for the rest of my life if I let someone like you slip away.”
His line was terrible.
This bastard must have been going around picking people up like this, relying only on his face.
This damn, unfair world.
In the end, I couldn’t hold back and spat out.
“Fuck. Off.”
“Pardon? What do you mean…….”
“I said fuck off.”
At those words, the man blinked wide-eyed.
Since he didn’t seem to grasp the situation, I was kind enough to raise my middle finger too.
This is holy shit, you pathetic species.
“Uh, uh…….”
I walked past the flustered man just like that.
‘…Was that too much?’
Of course, even I wondered if I’d overreacted.
But fuck. It wasn’t like I could help being on edge.
I woke up to find I’d become an angel whose sex had changed, and now I’d even been hit with a confession attack…….
“Haa……. Is this really right…….”
I let out a long sigh.
White steam rose toward the sky as if about to form a cloud, then scattered.
I didn’t know. I didn’t know what was going to happen or how.
Bzzzz—.
While I was wrestling with pointless worries, a loud vibration suddenly rang out from here and there.
Looks like an emergency alert had come in.
Like everyone else, I checked the message too.
{[Disaster Safety] Gangnam-gu, Yongsan-gu, Gangdong-gu Area
Due to the current localized blackout incident, entry to the relevant districts is restricted.
Residents are advised to refrain from going outside, and non-residents are prohibited from approaching.}
‘…What the hell happened? They’re even banning entry.’
It was the kind of message people had commonly seen during the COVID days, even if it wasn’t exactly the same.
Normally, it would have ended by saying further guidance would be announced later, but this time there was more.
{In addition, residents of the relevant areas must not open their doors even if they hear a baby crying or screams begging for help.}
…Was some kind of creepypasta happening?
In a world that was already chaotic enough with mutants alone, it seemed strange things were occurring too.
…Still, well, it probably wasn’t anything that serious.
It would be nothing more than a wave that would pass soon.
More importantly, my current situation was the bigger problem.
“…Whoo.”
I sighed and looked around.
It was about the time lunch break was ending.
People were gathering in twos and threes, each preparing to return to their company.
Even if an emergency alert came in, work was work. They had to go back to the office.
“…….”
But was this really something that would end like that?
Feeling an indescribable unease, I needlessly fluttered my wings.
Even in broad daylight, the halo gave off a soft light bright enough to be noticeable.
*
It didn’t take long to reach the community service center. Nothing else happened either.
Instead, the problem occurred inside.
No, should I even call that a problem?
“…Grrr.”
The low, rumbling voice of a beast scraped through the still air of the civil service office.
A massive, hairy figure occupied an entire narrow row of plastic waiting seats. Crouched over muscles that looked ready to burst at any moment, it kept baring sharp fangs at the people passing nearby.
‘…A werewolf mutant?’
People kept looking at it warily, but I could empathize with it somewhat.
If I were in that state, I wouldn’t have been able to hold back my rage at the world either. The fact that it was only growling without causing a scene meant it was a person with enough character.
‘…Of course, that doesn’t mean I can sit close to it.’
When I sat down somewhere far away, the gazes shifted to me this time.
I suppose I was quite a pretty sight.
Still, everyone here was older, so their stares were less blatant than the ones outside, which made it bearable.
“Oh my, goodness! Hallelujah! Lord, You truly sent an angel!”
…I take back what I said about it being bearable.
“Angel! Oh my, angel! Did you come all the way here to help this unworthy soul? Goodness gracious!”
A middle-aged woman approached me while wiping away tears. Seeing the cross hanging around her neck, she seemed like someone who was extremely devoted to her church.
She shouted with such intensity that she looked ready to grab my hands.
“Look at that hideous demon of Satan! As expected, the Lord has answered my prayers. He must have sent an angel to drive that thing away, goodness gracious……!”
It was too obvious who the demon of Satan she was talking about was. I wasn’t a racist, but a werewolf was a little much.
“Grrr…….”
Perhaps it had heard the woman’s words, because the werewolf growled even louder.
…But she wanted me to drive that away?
That thing?
“N-no, what are you talking about…….”
Just as I said that and tried to somehow smooth things over—
Leap!
All of a sudden, the werewolf stood up and glared at me as if it wanted to kill me.
And then…….
“A-choo!”
It sneezed loudly.
“I’m sorry! I, achoo! I’m allergic to dog fur… achoo!”
The werewolf’s voice was a pleasant, beautiful tone.
An unmistakably female voice. Even her voice was utterly harmless.
“…….”
Thanks to that, the briefly noisy room settled down.
No one could have expected this situation.
‘…Was she growling earlier because she was trying to hold back her sneezes?’
Once I learned the truth, I felt strangely sorry for her.
So she was a victim of mutation, just like me.
I felt bad for having been afraid of her for no reason.
I wondered for a moment what I could do, then sat down beside the werewolf.
‘If I’m sitting next to her, people will feel reassured instead.’
When I sat beside her with that thought in mind, the werewolf woman spoke to me in a flustered voice.
“U-um… could you sit a little farther away? I-I feel bad saying this, but…….”
“…Pardon?”
“Um, how should I put it, an instinctive fear? I don’t know why, but you’re incredibly scary right now…….”
She didn’t have to say any more for me to understand.
The werewolf’s massive body was trembling like an aspen leaf.
I stood there blankly for a moment, then eventually sat in a seat a little farther from the werewolf.
“…….”
A giant twice my size was afraid of me.
Just as I was feeling something strangely inexplicable—
Thud!
The sound of someone collapsing.
I reflexively looked in that direction.
An elderly woman had fallen, clutching her heart.