The Foxy Reborn

Chapter 1 – Fox?!
‎16 years ago…
‎A rich couple found a baby on their doorstep.
‎But that baby… wasn’t normal.
‎It had purple ears.
‎And a tail.
‎They took me in.
‎But I never became their “child.”
‎They only ever said:
‎“We’re showing mercy.”
‎Their eyes… said something else.
‎Disgust.
‎Revulsion.
‎I grew up under those stares.
‎Now I’m 16.
‎And I hate this life.
‎That morning I woke up to the same sound again.
‎BAM!
‎The cellar door slammed hard.
‎“Hey! Lame fox! Get up! Mom wants you!”
‎Footsteps faded.
‎Silence returned.
‎I stared at the ceiling.
‎Cold. Dark. Empty.
‎A voice whispered inside me:
‎“I wish I’d never woken up.”
‎I took a deep breath and slowly sat up.
‎My tail… was covered in dust.
‎I shook it off with my hand.
‎But no matter how much I cleaned it…
‎it never truly felt clean.
‎Just like me.
‎I opened the door.
‎Milli was standing there.
‎The only person in this house who treated me like a human being.
‎“Good morning, sweetheart…” she said softly.
‎“Did you sleep well?”
‎I hesitated.
‎Lying was easy.
‎“…Yes. Thank you.”
‎Milli smiled, but her eyes were sad.
‎As if she already knew the truth.
‎I went upstairs.
‎Every step felt heavier.
‎When I entered the living room… she was there.
‎My stepmother.
‎Merijy.
‎The moment she saw me, her face twisted.
‎“Hmph… so the little rodent is here?”
‎Something stirred inside me.
‎I pushed it down.
‎“You called… Mother.”
‎“I’m throwing a big party tonight.”
‎Her voice was ice-cold.
‎“Of course, you’re not invited.”
‎A short pause.
‎“I don’t want the guests to see a monster like you.”
‎Monster.
‎The word no longer hurt.
‎But it still left a hollow space inside.
‎“If you step out of that cellar…”
‎She fixed her eyes on me.
‎“I’ll kill you. Understood?”
‎I nodded silently.
‎“…Understood.”
‎She waved her hand dismissively.
‎“Get lost.”
‎I turned around.
‎But just as I reached the stairs—
‎A voice.
‎“Aaaah, look! It’s Mr. Freak!”
‎My stepbrother.
‎And his friends.
‎They were laughing.
‎“So you’re not coming to the party, huh?”
‎“Poor little fox!”
‎Laughter echoed.
‎It used to hurt.
‎Now I just felt… empty.
‎I said nothing and kept walking.
‎But a thought flashed through my mind:
‎“One day… I won’t stay silent.”
‎“Foxy…”
‎Milli’s voice.
‎I stopped.
‎She was holding a small package.
‎“Come here, sweetheart.”
‎We went downstairs together and sat in the small empty space.
‎This was the only place in the house where I could breathe.
‎“Today is your birthday…” she said with a smile.
‎“I got you something.”
‎She opened the package.
‎Simple but beautiful clothes came out.
‎Clean. Soft.
‎They felt like they were actually mine.
‎“…How do they look?” she asked.
‎I couldn’t speak for a moment.
‎Something warm spread inside me.
‎Something I wasn’t used to.
‎Being valued.
‎I smiled faintly.
‎Then… I couldn’t hold back.
‎I hugged her tightly.
‎As if letting go would make her disappear.
‎Milli was surprised for a second…
‎then she hugged me back.
‎She placed her hand on my head and gently stroked it.
‎“You’re happy, aren’t you…”
‎I closed my eyes.
‎Her scent… felt safe.
‎A voice whispered inside me:
‎“I wish it could stay like this forever…”
‎But it didn’t.
‎That day…
‎That hug…
‎was the only beautiful thing I had experienced.
‎Yet deep inside… there was a strange feeling.
‎Something I couldn’t understand.
‎Something new.
‎It was as if…
‎something was coming.
‎And for the first time…
‎I wasn’t afraid.