Chapter 13: Facing the Music

The afternoon sun blazed down, shimmering off the surface of the pool as Yuqi floated lazily on her back, trying to relax. The water was cool and inviting, a stark contrast to the heat of the day. Kelly swam laps nearby, occasionally splashing Yuqi for no reason other than to be annoying. The day had been quiet, the kind of peace Yuqi knew wouldn’t last forever.

Their mom had left earlier to visit her own mother, leaving the two sisters to their own devices. It was nice to have a break from the tension of the past few weeks—until everything came crashing down.

The sound of shuffling footsteps caught Kelly’s attention first, followed quickly by faint voices coming from around the side of the house.

“Yo, David! You home, man?” Elliot’s voice rang out, clear and familiar.

Yuqi didn’t react at first; her eyes closed against the sun as she floated aimlessly. Kelly, however, immediately perked up.

“Uh-oh,” she muttered, swimming to the edge of the pool just as three familiar figures rounded the corner into the backyard—Elliot, Stan, and Ian, Yuqi's long-time friends.

When the three boys laid eyes on Kelly and the unfamiliar girl on the float, their footsteps faltered, and their jaws dropped. Yuqi, completely oblivious, remained on the float, her face turned upward to the sky.

“Who… who’s that?” Ian blurted, his voice louder than intended.

Kelly turned, her face twisting into a mischievous grin as she watched their stunned expressions. “Guys, it’s not cool to stare at your best friend’s chest,” she said, the amusement in her voice evident.

Yuqi’s eyes snapped open at the sound of Kelly’s voice, and her head whipped toward the source of the commotion. The float shifted precariously under her weight, and she scrambled to sit up, only for the sudden motion to tip the float over completely.

“Ah—!” Yuqi yelped as she toppled sideways into the water with a loud splash.

Kelly erupted into laughter, doubling over at the pool’s edge while the three boys stared in complete confusion.

The moment Yuqi resurfaced, sputtering and dripping wet, Kelly burst out laughing so hard she nearly fell into the pool herself.

“You should’ve seen your face!” Kelly cackled, clutching her stomach as tears of laughter streamed down her cheeks. “That was priceless!”

Yuqi whipped her wet hair back and glared daggers at her. “I hate you right now.”

The three boys still stood by the poolside, staring in stunned silence, unsure whether to laugh or keep their mouths shut. Elliot coughed awkwardly, nudging Ian. “Uh, is this for real? She’s David? Like… no way. That doesn’t make sense.”

Stan, still wide-eyed, leaned closer to Ian and whispered, “Do you think this is some kind of prank?”

Yuqi heard them and rolled her eyes. “Oh, for crying out loud.” She pushed herself toward the pool edge and hauled herself out, water cascading off her. Standing there, soaked and irritated, the sunlight caught her purple bikini—a shimmering scale pattern that seemed almost alive, as though it had been plucked straight from the dragon form in her recurring dreams.

Yuqi groaned, running a hand down her face as water dripped down to the deck. “It’s me,” she muttered, her voice soft but clear.

Ian frowned. “What?”

Yuqi let out a deep breath, her nerves making her chest tight. “It’s me. I’m David,” she said, meeting their stunned expressions with all the confidence she could muster. “I… go by Yuqi now.”

The words hung in the air like a heavyweight. Elliot, Stan, and Ian froze, their expressions shifting between confusion, disbelief, and shock as they tried to process what they’d just heard. The intensity of the situation was overwhelming, making it hard for them to react.

Elliot finally blurted out, “How is this even possible? This doesn’t make sense! Where’s David?!”

Kelly, still wiping tears from her eyes, smirked. “Told you already—Yuqi is David. Keep up.”

“This… this has to be a joke.” Yuqi shook her head, dropping her arms with a sigh. "It's not a joke, El. It's me." Stan opened and closed his mouth, at a complete loss for words. Ian simply stared as though his brain had short-circuited, his eyes wide with disbelief.

Yuqi shook her head, dropping her arms with a sigh. “It’s not a joke, El. It’s me.”

Stan opened and closed his mouth, at a complete loss for words. Ian simply stared as though his brain had short-circuited.

Kelly, finally done laughing, smirked from the edge of the pool. “You guys look like you’ve seen a ghost,” she teased. “Or maybe a mermaid.” Their confusion was palpable.

“Listen, I know it’s a lot to take in, but it’s still me. I… I’m still your friend. Acceptance is all I ask for,” Yuqi pleaded, her voice carrying the weight of her words. Her plea was filled with emotion, making it hard for her friends to ignore.

Elliot scratched the back of his head, his brow furrowed. “But… how? I mean, how is this even possible?”

Yuqi bit her lip, a part of her wishing she had some sort of easy explanation. “It’s complicated,” she said softly, choosing her words carefully. “Really complicated,” she emphasized, to convey the depth of her struggle.

Kelly grinned from the sidelines, clapping her hands together. “Great! Now that we’ve got that out of the way, are you guys just going to stand there, or are you hopping in the pool?”

Yuqi watched Elliot, Stan, and Ian stare at her, their faces frozen with disbelief. The silence dragged on before Stan finally blurted, “No. There’s no way. You can’t be David.”

Elliot nodded quickly, crossing his arms. “Yeah, you’re going to have to prove it. This is too insane to just take your word for it.”

Yuqi’s brow twitched, and a sly grin crossed her face. “Oh, really? You want proof?” She stepped toward them, arms crossed, dripping water onto the patio.

Kelly smirked from her seat on the pool’s edge. “Oh, this will be good.”

“Fine. Elliot—remember when you ate an entire jar of mayonnaise at my eighth birthday party because you thought it was pudding?” Yuqi announced

Elliot’s face turned red. “W-What? No, I didn’t!”

“Yes, you did,” Yuqi said smugly. “And you made me swear not to tell anyone… oops.”

Elliot paled. “Wait—how do you—”

Stan let out a loud snort, trying to hold back his laughter as Elliot glared at him. “Fine, whatever! That doesn’t mean anything. Lucky guess.”

“And Stan,” Yuqi smirked, turning to the last of the trio, “how about when you fell face-first into a mud puddle trying to impress that girl from math class? You spent the rest of the day with dirt up your nose.”

Stan’s jaw dropped, his face turning beet red. “You swore you’d never bring that up!”

“I didn’t,” Yuqi shot back, “until now.”

Kelly practically howled with laughter as Ian raised his hands. “Alright, fine. But what about me? What do you know about me that only David would know?”

Yuqi tilted her head and grinned wickedly. “Ian, you still sleep with that stuffed panda your grandma gave you when you were five.”

Ian gasped, his eyes wide with horror. “I—no! That’s—”

Yuqi raised an eyebrow. “You named it Mr. Wiggles.”

The three boys froze, their mouths hanging open as they stared at her. At this point, Kelly was doubled over, laughing so hard she nearly fell into the pool.

Elliot pointed at Yuqi, his expression a mix of shock and realization. “Okay… okay. You’re David. There’s no way anyone else would know that stuff.”

Stan groaned, covering his face. “This is so weird.”

Ian sighed dramatically. “Mr. Wiggles deserves better than this betrayal.”

Yuqi couldn’t help but laugh. “Told you it’s me.”

Elliot opened his mouth, closed it again, then turned to Ian. “This is insane, right? I’m not losing my mind?”

Ian shrugged helplessly. “I mean… it’s David, but not. I don’t even know how to process this.”

Kelly chimed in cheerfully, “Welcome to my life for the last two weeks.”

Yuqi groaned and hugged her arms over her chest as the boys, despite their best attempts, kept darting their gazes toward her. “Can you guys stop staring?!”

Elliot raised his hands defensively. “We’re not! We’re just—this is a lot to take in!”

“I swear I’m going to punch you if you don’t stop,” Yuqi muttered, cheeks flushing crimson. Finally, with an exasperated sigh, she turned on her heels and stormed toward the house. “I’m going to go change. Maybe then you’ll stop acting like weirdos.”

As the sliding door closed behind Yuqi, Elliot let out a deep breath. “What just happened? Did we actually—like—did we just see that?”

Ian shook his head, sitting heavily on a deck chair. “Yeah. That’s David. Or Yuqi. I don’t even know what to think.”

Stan rubbed his face, groaning. “She’s still him, but this is going to take some getting used to.”

Kelly, leaning back on her elbows, smirked. “You three are the biggest idiots I’ve ever seen. I mean, you barged in here, stared at her like creeps, and now you’re acting like you saw Bigfoot.”

Elliot shot her a look. “Kelly, you’re not helping!”

Kelly shrugged. “What can I say? It’s been a long two weeks, and you guys are entertaining.”

Ian sighed, staring at the pool. “Man, I thought coming here was going to be normal. We just wanted to check on him—her—whatever!”

“Yeah, well,” Elliot muttered, slumping onto the patio. “Welcome to our new reality.”

Kelly grinned. “Oh, trust me. You’ll get used to it.”

Kelly finally regained her composure and grinned. “You’ll be fine, boys. Just don’t stare at her chest again, or I’m throwing you all in the pool.”

The boys stood awkwardly by the pool, exchanging glances.

Elliot muttered, “This is the strangest day of my life.”

Ian nodded. “Agreed.”

Stan just sighed. “We are never going to live this down.”

Kelly laughed. “Nope. Not a chance.”

Yuqi stormed through the sliding glass door, slamming it shut behind her with a muffled thud. The sound of Kelly’s laughter and the boys’ hushed, confused murmurs followed her into the house, only serving to make her face burn hotter.

“Idiots,” she muttered under her breath, wringing water from her damp ponytail as she stomped her way toward her room. “All of them are absolute idiots.”

Inside her room, Yuqi yanked open her dresser with a huff, rummaging through her clothes. She grabbed a pair of loose gym shorts, a black sports bra, and an oversized white tank top. Anything was better than standing around in that bikini while those three gawked at her like she was some kind of alien.

She peeled off the wet, shimmering dragon-scale bikini and flung it into the corner of the room, where it landed with a damp thud. The scales glimmered faintly, like embers fading into ash, reminding her of the vivid dragon dreams that had haunted her every night since her transformation.

Yuqi paused for just a moment, staring at the shimmering fabric before muttering to herself. “Why does everything about me have to scream weird?”

Shaking the thought away, she slipped on the sports bra, the snug fit offering a sense of security that the bikini definitely hadn’t. She tugged on the gym shorts next, then pulled the tank top over her head. The loose fit fell comfortably around her shoulders, the hem brushing her hips as she caught her reflection in the mirror.

Her face still held a faint flush, her hair dripping and messy from the pool, but at least now she felt a little more like herself—or whatever herself was supposed to mean these days.

Taking a deep breath, she wrapped her hair in a towel and headed back outside to face the chaos.

When Yuqi stepped back onto the patio, now dressed in her tank top, gym shorts, and sports bra, the three boys turned immediately at the sound of the sliding door. They blinked at her like they were still trying to piece together a puzzle they couldn’t quite solve.

“Better?” Yuqi asked, raising an eyebrow as she crossed her arms.

Elliot coughed and looked away, suddenly fascinated with the pool tiles. “Yeah. Uh. Better.”

Ian nodded quickly, his face still a little red. “Yeah. That works.”

Kelly, sitting smugly by the edge of the pool, grinned as Yuqi walked past her. “Nice outfit. You look almost ready to wrestle one of these guys into the water.”

“Don’t tempt me,” Yuqi muttered darkly, shooting Kelly a pointed glare as she sat down in a deck chair and toweled off her hair.

The boys, clearly still nervous, glanced at one another before Elliot finally cleared his throat. “So… uh… what happened? I mean, like, how did this happen to you?”

Yuqi sighed, leaning back in the chair as the frustration drained out of her. “I told you—it’s complicated. I don’t know exactly what caused it. I passed out after my birthday, woke up in the hospital ten days later, and… everything started changing. By the time I got home, this”—she gestured vaguely at herself—“was me.”

Ian frowned. “That’s… insane. Did the doctors say anything?”

“No,” Yuqi replied flatly. “Nothing useful. They didn’t know what to do with me.”

Stan, finally speaking up, mumbled, “Are you… okay, though? I mean, you’re not sick or anything, right?”

Yuqi looked at him, surprised by the question. For the first time all day, Stan wasn’t gawking or stammering; he looked genuinely concerned.

“I’m fine,” she said quietly. “Weird as this all is… I feel fine. Better than fine, actually.”

Still visibly trying to wrap his head around it, Elliot muttered, “It’s just… it’s going to take some getting used to, that’s all.”

Kelly, still grinning, leaned back on her hands. “Yeah? Well, get used to it fast. She’s still the same person. Just in a better outfit now.”

Yuqi groaned and tossed the towel at Kelly, who ducked it with a laugh. “You are the absolute worst.”

Kelly smirked. “You love me for it.”

Elliot sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well, for what it’s worth… I’m glad you’re okay. This is… weird, but you’re still you, I guess.”

Yuqi looked at him, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “Yeah. I am.”

The awkward tension started to lift for the first time since the boys arrived. They still had questions—Yuqi knew that much—but at least they weren’t looking at her like she was a complete stranger anymore.

The awkward silence that had settled over the patio finally broke when Yuqi spoke up. “Alright, you guys. What do you even want to do? You’ve already barged in, stared at me like I’m from another planet, and made this the weirdest afternoon of my life.”

Elliot scratched the back of his neck, grinning sheepishly. “Honestly? Can we just, like… chill? Watch some anime and talk or something?”

Ian nodded quickly. “Yeah. It’s been a while since we hung out. You’ve been through a lot, and I think we’re all trying to wrap our heads around… you know, everything.”

Yuqi raised an eyebrow, but she couldn’t help the small smile tugging at her lips. “Fine. I guess that’s fair.” She stood up, tossing her damp towel over a chair. “Come on, we’ll go inside. But no weird questions, got it?”

Elliot held up his hands defensively. “Scout’s honor.”

As they followed her into the house, Kelly trailed behind with a smug grin, whispering to the boys, “You guys are a riot. Best entertainment ever.”

Yuqi flopped down onto the couch with a sigh, flipping through streaming options while Elliot, Ian, and Stan made themselves comfortable. Elliot and Ian took the armchairs, and Stan sat on the floor, leaning against the coffee table. Kelly sprawled out next to Yuqi on the couch, still grinning smugly at how uncomfortable the boys looked.

It didn’t take long before Stan, ever the curious one, frowned and broke the silence. “Wait, why aren’t we going up to your room to watch? That’s what we always did before.”

Yuqi froze mid-scroll, then turned her head slowly to give Stan the most deadpan, unamused look imaginable. “Stan. Think. Do you honestly think my mom would be okay with me, in this body, being alone in my room with three boys?”

Stan blinked as realization dawned. “Oh… right. That makes sense.”

Elliot snickered from his seat. “Nice going, genius.”

Ian muttered, “You walked right into that one, man.”

Yuqi shook her head with an exasperated sigh. “Besides,” she added, her tone more subdued, “there’s… a lot going on up there I’m not ready to share yet.”

That made Elliot pause, curiosity flickering in his eyes. “Like what?”

Kelly immediately perked up, mischief dancing across her face. “Oh, you’d love her room now, Elliot. It’s like some ancient Chinese treasure chest exploded up there.”

Yuqi shot Kelly a warning glare. “Kelly, don’t start.”

But Kelly was already on a roll. “Seriously. She’s got these big fancy chests—one’s full of scrolls about magic or whatever, another has these old, super regal robes. Like, legit emperor-level robes. Oh! And the best part…”

“Kelly.” Yuqi’s voice carried a sharper edge this time, but Kelly only smirked.

“…is the huge silk portrait of her mom hanging on the wall. It’s like this ancient painting straight out of a museum.”

The room went quiet.

Elliot, Ian, and Stan exchanged glances, their curiosity now thoroughly piqued. Ian spoke first. “Wait. Portrait? Like… your real mom? I thought you never knew her?”

Yuqi frowned, her gaze drifting toward the floor. “I didn’t. Not really.”

Elliot leaned forward. “So where did all this stuff come from?”

Yuqi hesitated. The image of her mother’s portrait flashed through her mind: an elegant woman in flowing imperial robes, her features hauntingly familiar. She’d found it—and everything else—only a week ago, buried in the attic. The discovery had left her shaken, but the pieces of her past, of who she was becoming, were slowly starting to come together.

“That’s… complicated,” Yuqi said finally, her voice quieter than before. “It’s not something I’m ready to explain yet.”

For once, Elliot didn’t push. He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, though he couldn’t hide the curiosity still burning in his expression. “Fair enough. But I’m just saying… that sounds pretty cool. Like some kind of epic story in the making.”

Yuqi rolled her eyes. “Yeah, well, it doesn’t feel that cool when you’re living it.”

Stan nodded, looking thoughtful. “Still… sounds important.”

Kelly nudged Yuqi with her elbow, her tone softer this time. “You’ll figure it out when you’re ready. Until then, let’s focus on anime, alright?”

Yuqi shot her a grateful glance. “Thanks, Kel.”

Elliot, clearly trying to lighten the mood, grinned and elbowed Ian. “She probably has a shrine to us up there. Posters of our faces on the walls.”

Ian rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I’m sure. Dream on, dude.”

Yuqi ignored them, turning the TV on instead. The familiar opening theme of one of their favorite anime started playing, filling the room with upbeat music and easing the lingering awkwardness.

Now that the conversation shifted, Yuqi started up the anime, and the familiar opening theme filled the room. Elliot finally relaxed, muttering, “Man, I missed this.”

Ian nodded. “Feels like old times. Sort of.”

Yuqi leaned back onto the couch, her shoulders finally loosening as the sounds of the show washed over her. It wasn’t perfect—nothing in her life was anymore—but sitting here with her friends for now felt like just a bit of normalcy had returned.

The living room had settled into a familiar, comfortable quiet, broken only by the sounds of swords clashing, epic orchestral music, and dramatic character monologues as the anime played on. Yuqi leaned back into the couch, legs stretched across the cushions, a bag of chips perched precariously on her lap.

The show—a fantastical fantasy anime that had been their group’s favorite for years—was as entertaining as ever. Knights and mages fought alongside dragons in grand, sweeping battles, and each episode blended breathtaking visuals with ridiculous plot twists.

Elliot, as usual, was completely absorbed. “This is what I’m talking about! Episode 12 is peak storytelling!”

Ian nodded enthusiastically. “The animation budget went crazy here. Look at that fire breath!”

Stan sat on the floor, a pillow clutched tightly to his chest. “The dragon scenes are always the best. They make everything feel epic.”

Yuqi sat quietly through it all, her expression calm as she watched the dragons soar across the screen. She couldn’t help but notice the way their scales shimmered like the pattern on her bikini—or the strange sense of familiarity she felt every time a dragon roared.

Kelly, however, was another story entirely. Every time a dragon appeared, she burst into giggles. At first, it was small—just a muffled snicker—but she couldn't hold it in by the third or fourth dragon scene anymore.

“Pfft!” Kelly clapped a hand over her mouth, shoulders shaking as another dragon unleashed a roar of fire.

Yuqi turned to her, scowling. “What is your problem?”

Kelly grinned wickedly. “Nothing. Nothing at all.” She paused as a massive dragon spread its wings dramatically, its scales glimmering in the moonlight. “It’s just… dragons, you know? Very relatable.”

Elliot raised an eyebrow, looking confused. “What’s so funny about dragons?”

Ian chimed in, equally oblivious. “Yeah, they’re awesome. What’s there to laugh about?”

Yuqi glared at Kelly, cheeks flushing faintly. “She’s being an idiot, as usual.”

Kelly smirked, leaning back against the arm of the couch. “I’m just saying, the resemblance is uncanny. You and dragons? Practically family.”

Yuqi groaned, yanking a pillow from behind her and throwing it at Kelly’s head. “Stop. Talking.”

Kelly caught the pillow mid-air, laughing harder. “Oh, come on. It’s funny! Don’t pretend you don’t see it.”

Stan turned around, frowning. “Wait… what resemblance? Am I missing something?”

“No!” Yuqi said quickly, shooting Kelly a warning glare. “You’re not missing anything. Kelly’s just being annoying.”

Kelly gave her a wink but let it drop, still giggling quietly to herself as another dragon swooped across the screen.

The credits for the final episode rolled, accompanied by the soft, melancholy theme music of the anime’s closing song. The group sat sprawled around the living room in a satisfied silence. Elliot stretched his arms with a loud yawn, Ian rubbed his eyes, and Stan leaned his head against the table as if the emotional ending had drained him completely.

“That ending always hits so hard,” Ian muttered.

Elliot nodded. “Masterpiece. I’ll never get tired of it.”

Yuqi sat up, tossing the empty chip bag onto the coffee table. “Yeah. They don’t make shows like this anymore.”

“Agreed,” Kelly added, though her attention had already shifted to her phone as she scrolled through messages.

The peaceful quiet was shattered when the sound of the front door unlocking echoed through the house. Yuqi’s head snapped up, and she froze mid-stretch.

“Oh no,” she muttered.

The door opened, and their mom’s voice rang out cheerfully. “We’re home!”

Yuqi stiffened as their mom entered the living room, carrying a couple of grocery bags. Their dad followed behind her, car keys jingling in his hand. The moment their mom’s gaze landed on the living room scene—her daughter sitting on the couch with three boys scattered around the room—her cheerful expression faltered.

Her eyes narrowed slightly. “Yuqi?”

The questioning tone and sharp look sent an immediate wave of awkwardness through the room. Yuqi sat up straighter, waving a little too quickly. “Hey, Mom. Uh… we were just watching anime. That’s it.”

Her mom’s gaze swept the room slowly, landing on each of the boys in turn. Elliot, Ian, and Stan all suddenly looked way too interested in their shoes or the floor. Kelly, of course, didn’t even bother to hide her grin.

“You three,” their mom said, her voice as calm as it was pointed. “Shouldn’t you be heading home?”

“Uh, yeah! Absolutely!” Elliot blurted, jumping to his feet so fast he nearly tripped over the coffee table. “We were just leaving. Great to see you, Mrs. Allen!”

Ian and Stan followed quickly, both mumbling hurried goodbyes as they scrambled for the door. Ian shot Yuqi an apologetic look on his way out. “See you later, Yuqi.”

“Yeah,” Yuqi replied, offering a small wave. “See you guys.”

The front door closed behind them with a quiet thud, leaving the room in awkward silence. Yuqi’s mom turned back to her, eyebrow raised, clearly waiting for an explanation.

Kelly, ever the instigator, snorted with laughter. “That was smooth.”

Yuqi shot her a glare before looking back at her mom. “I’ll explain later. I promise.”

Her mom folded her arms but didn’t press further, though her skeptical expression didn’t waver. “You’d better. And you can help set the table. I’m starting dinner.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Yuqi muttered, standing up and brushing crumbs off her shorts.

As their mom headed into the kitchen, Kelly smirked, still lounging on the couch. “Well, that went better than expected.”

Yuqi rolled her eyes. “For you, maybe.”

Kelly just grinned. “You’re welcome.”

Dinner was a quiet affair at first, save for the occasional clink of utensils against plates. Yuqi sat at the table, pushing rice around her plate while her mom and dad exchanged glances every now and then. Kelly, as always, was utterly unbothered, chewing away and pretending not to notice the tension simmering in the air.

Finally, their mom broke the silence. “Alright, Yuqi. Start talking. What exactly happened today?”

Yuqi let out a long sigh, setting her chopsticks down. “The boys—Elliot, Ian, and Stan—came over out of nowhere. I guess they wanted to talk to David.”

Her dad frowned slightly, glancing at her mom. “I’m guessing you didn’t tell them David was ‘out,’ did you?”

Yuqi shook her head. “We were in the pool, and I didn’t know what else to say. They were looking for me—David, I mean—so… I came clean. I told them the truth.”

Her mom’s expression was unreadable, her gaze sharp as she studied Yuqi. “What exactly did you tell them?”

“Just that I used to be David, and now I’m Yuqi,” Yuqi said quickly. “That’s it. I swear I didn’t say anything about magic or… or dragons. Though Kelly was having a hard time keeping her mouth shut about it.”

Her dad gave Kelly an unamused eye, setting his fork down. “And they believed you?”

Yuqi shrugged. “Eventually. They didn’t at first. I had to… remind them about a few embarrassing stories only I would know.”

Kelly snorted into her drink, nearly choking. “Had to? You enjoyed it. Don’t lie.”

Yuqi shot her a glare. “I didn’t enjoy it.”

Her mom leaned back in her chair, arms crossed. “And how did they take it? Were they okay with… everything?”

Yuqi hesitated, her gaze dropping to her plate. “I don’t think they know what to think yet. Obviously, They were surprised, but they didn’t freak out. It was more… awkward than anything else.”

Her dad nodded slowly. “Well, I suppose that’s better than the alternative.”

Her mom’s expression softened slightly, though she still looked thoughtful. “You’re sure you didn’t mention anything else? No magic, no dreams?”

Yuqi shook her head again. “Nothing. I told them as little as possible. They’re confused enough as it is.”

Kelly, never one to miss an opportunity, grinned mischievously. “I bet they’re also confused about why they can’t stop staring at your chest.”

“Kelly!” Yuqi’s face turned bright red, and she threw a piece of broccoli at her sister, which Kelly dodged with a laugh.

Their mom shot Kelly a sharp look. “Enough, Kelly.” Then she turned back to Yuqi, her voice softer. “I’m glad you kept the rest to yourself, Yuqi. This… whatever it is that’s happening to you, it’s not something everyone needs to know yet.”

“I know,” Yuqi said quietly. “I just… I didn’t want to lie to them. They’re my friends. I don’t want to lose that.”

Her dad gave her a small, reassuring smile. “It sounds like you handled it well. And you’re right—they’re your friends. They’ll come around.”

Yuqi nodded, though a small part of her still felt unsure. Today had gone better than she’d expected, but it had also reminded her how much her life had changed. She wasn’t David anymore—at least, not the David her friends had known—and she wasn’t entirely sure who she was now.

Her mom reached over and squeezed her hand gently. “You did good today. Just take things one step at a time, okay?”

Yuqi looked up at her and managed a small smile. “Okay.”

Kelly, grinning across the table, leaned back in her chair. “And next time they come over, can you invite me? Watching those three try to figure you out was the highlight of my week.”

Yuqi groaned, covering her face with her hands. “You’re the worst.”

Their dad chuckled quietly. “Well, at least someone’s entertained.”

The tension in the room finally began to fade, replaced by the usual chatter and laughter of family dinner. Yuqi sat back in her chair, listening to her parents’ conversation and Kelly’s teasing, and felt, for just a moment, like things were almost normal again.