“So does that mean I’m a fox kemoman?” I asked, still trying to process everything.
“Yes, most likely” replied my father “Kemonomimi animal species are genetic. Same goes for kemoman, who usually take after their kemonomimi parent, although recessive genes can always throw up a different one if there was a different species ancestor at some point.” He took a look at my head and said “Looks like the hair on your new ears is turning to white fur so I’d say that’s a good indication you will be a fox.”
Something nagged at me and then I realised something “So if you got married after I was born, how come your last anniversary was your nineteenth? I’m eighteen and Zoe turn seventeen next month, so shouldn’t it have been your eighteenth?”
“We’ve err, been lying to you and your siblings on that front,” replied my mother “We wanted to avoid awkward questions with you until you were old enough, and as you got older we thought maybe it’d be easier on you if we didn’t tell you. I’m sorry sweetie.”
I blew air slowly and sighed “That’s okay mom, you meant well.” I stared at the ceiling and said “Does Zoe or Mikey know I’m only their half brother?”
“No,” replied my father, then looked at my mother “God That’s going to be another awkward conversation now too.”
“Not necessarily,” I replied. They both looked at me and I explained “From what Ri-err-Hadashi-Sensei told me, kemoman can crop up due to recessive genes, and most people think they’re kemonomimi who are late bloomers anyway. So could we just tell Zoe and Mikey that we have a distant ancestor that was a kemonomimi and I just fluked out?”
“Hmm,” said my father “For a recessive gene to work you need to inherit it from both parents, not just one.”
“So we say you both have distant or even undocumented kemonomimi ancestors.”
“Hmm.”
“Richard?”
“That might just work, and it should be solid enough as a cover story to tell others. Good thinking kid.”
“Thanks dad,” I grinned “I’m not just a pretty face.”
My parents both smiled at that, the little bit of humour bring them some relief from their worry. That levity was cut short when Rin-kin stormed back into the infirmary with a scowl on his face.
