Chapter Text
A month had passed since HUNTR/X performed at that private event. They hadn't heard from Mira's family since then, which was perfect for her. She only texted occasionally with her brother, who hadn't yet had the chance to go to Seoul. And although their relationship was still strained, it was slowly improving.
The girls' lives returned to their usual routine of rehearsals, presentations, interviews, shows, and events. The demon attacks had decreased considerably. Although they had reestablished the Honmoon, they hadn't been able to seal it, which was their main mission as a Hunter, so neglecting their training, which they did right after the initial warm-up and before their rehearsals, wasn't an option. Everything was calm and perfect, until Bobby arrived with another brilliant piece of news.
The girls were sitting at the table, waiting to eat the delicious pancakes Zoey had prepared. Although they all knew how to cook, Zoey was the only one of the three who knew how to cook non-Korean food without burning or leaving it partially raw.
Just as they were about to start breakfast, they heard the elevator bell ring and the door open. Seconds later, Bobby appeared at the entrance.
"Good morning, girls, that smells delicious," Bobby greeted as he approached them.
"Good morning, Bobby," they all greeted. Zoey had stood up from where she was sitting to get an extra plate and glass.
"They not only smell delicious, taste delicious too," Rumi said, as she ate another piece of breakfast.
"Would you like some, Bobby?" "There's enough for everyone." Zoey didn't wait for a reply and served him some pancakes and some apple juice and placed them on an empty seat so he could join them.
"Thanks, Zoey," Bobby thanked him as he sat down with the girls. He cut a piece of pancake and ate it, his eyes brightening. "This is delicious."
"Thank you so much." Zoey sat back down to finish her breakfast.
After devouring the breakfast Zoey had prepared, Bobby was about to tell them about his schedule for the day. Since it was Friday, the girls were hoping to have at least Sunday off to rest a little and do some grocery shopping, such as food, shampoo, toothpaste, soap, etc. When Rumi asked him about the next few days, Bobby told them it wasn't possible.
“Sorry girls, it's not going to be possible” When they heard Bobby's words, the girls were a little discouraged, but they were already used to it. “At least not here in Korea” That made them look at each other and then look at Bobby with questions.
“Next Thursday, you three will be the special guests of the week on The Voice, so we must fly to Los Angeles, California this weekend, and the best thing is that the new plane is already ready” Bobby told them with a huge smile while showing them photos of the new HUNTR/X plane.
“A few days ago, you told me you wanted to go to the salon for a manicure and pedicure. I reserved them for tomorrow. We're leaving Sunday night. Pack your bags because we'll be there all week” Bobby kept looking at his cell phone where he had the girls' schedule.
“You must prepare outfits for 2 performances. You can choose which song to sing in the second performance. The first will be confirmed tomorrow, although it will most likely be Takedown. I'll have all the details on Sunday. You'll have 3 days. Free on Monday, Saturday and Sunday, start thinking about what you want to do on those days, very well, let's continue with today's agenda” Bobby continued giving the girls details about what they would have to do today.
By the time Bobby finished telling them what they had to do that day, which was a photo shoot along with a short interview, they had taken the things they would need to be out all day and followed Bobby to the entrance of his penthouse, thus starting their day.
🎶💫✨️🌙✨️💫🎶
That same night…
When they arrived at their penthouse, it was already 11 p.m. They were very tired from the day they'd had. They said their goodbyes, and each went to their rooms.
While Zoey was removing her makeup, she charged her phone, which had died a few hours earlier. When she finished removing her makeup, she checked her phone and saw she had a message.
Group Chat (Chloe, Zoey, and Claire)
[Chloe] (11:05 p.m.) Asleep?
[Zoey] (11:25 p.m.) Nope, my battery died while I was out. Are you guys leaving for school already?
[Claire] (11:25 p.m.) Yeah, the good thing is it's Friday.
[Chloe] (11:26 p.m.) Speak for yourself. I have double algebra. Algebra! What good is that going to do me in my daily routine?
[Claire] (11:26 PM) Don't exaggerate, Chloe.
[Chloe] (11:26 PM) I'm not exaggerating, Claire. You're my twin, you should know that.
[Zoey] (11:26 PM) Don't argue over text. How about I give you some good news to help you get through this day, Chloe.
[Chloe] (11:27 PM) What news?
[Claire] (11:27 PM) What news?
[Zoey] (11:27 PM) Are you free on Monday after school?
[Chloe] (11:27 PM) Yes.
[Claire] (11:27 PM) Yes.
[Zoey] (11:28 PM) How about spending that day with your older sister?
[Claire] (11:30 PM) You mean it…
[Chloe] (11:30 PM) You're coming to Burbank!!!
[Zoey] (11:31 PM) Not exactly Burbank, but I'm going to LA, and I have the day off Monday, and I'd like to spend it with you guys
[Chloe] (11:31 PM) Of course
[Claire] (11:31 PM) Yes, I want to spend time with you
[Zoey] (11:31 PM) Perfect! What time are you leaving that day? So, I can wait for you at the entrance, or would you prefer to meet somewhere else?
[Chloe] (11:32 PM) I'm leaving at 12:30 PM
[Claire] (11:32 PM) Me too, I'd like you to pick us up like when we were little…
[Chloe] (11:32 PM) I want you to pick us up too!
[Zoey] (11:32 PM) Okay! You can't back out now
[Chloe] (11:33 PM) Even though I'd like to spend the whole day with you, sis, wouldn't you rather spend your day off with Rumi and Mira?
[Zoey] (11:33 PM) I can spend time with them other times. I see them every day and live with them. With you, it's different.
[Zoey] (11:33 PM) I only get to see you guys a few times a year since we live in different countries, and sometimes when you guys come to Korea my schedule doesn't allow it. I know I haven't been the littlest big sis to you guys.
[Zoey] (11:33 PM) But I really want to spend time with you guys; like when you were little, without Mira and Rumi, without schedules, just the three of us.
[Claire] (11:34 PM) Yes, just the three of us.
[Chloe] (11:34 PM) Just us.
[Claire] (11:34 PM) We'll let you rest, sis. If I'm not mistaken, it's almost midnight in Korea. Sweet dreams, unnie. I love you.
[Chloe] (11:34 PM) Right. See you on Monday. We'll be looking for you. Rest easy, unnie. I love your tons.
[Zoey] (11:35 PM) See you on Monday. Have a nice day. I love you!
Zoey left her cell phone on the nightstand. She was excited; it wasn't long until she'd seen her sisters. However, she also felt like something was going to happen. Whatever it was, she hoped it wasn't demons, that it was anything but demons.
With that in mind, she fell asleep, dreaming of spending a carefree day with her little sisters.
🎶💫✨️🌙✨️💫🎶
Sunday night…
"You have your bags ready, we're leaving for the airport in 5 minutes…" Bobby said, entering the girls' shared penthouse.
Bobby froze at the entrance to the penthouse. He didn't even finish what he was going to say. What greeted him upon entering wasn't the girls, as they usually did; it was a small mountain of suitcases that greeted him.
"What's this?! Girls, I know I said we're going to be in Los Angeles all week, but is so much luggage necessary?" Bobby asked, still surprised.
When he didn't receive a response, he looked for them and what he saw made him burst out laughing. That image should never leave this penthouse.
The girls in question found themselves in a situation that could be described as simply and totally comical. Zoey was on top of a suitcase almost half her size, weighing it down. Mira was trying to close the suitcase from the left side, but the clothes sticking out were preventing her. Rumi was doing exactly the same thing as Mira, only on the left side. The three of them let out a scream as if they were going to war and, with even more force, Mira and Rumi managed to close what, if she wasn't mistaken, was the girls' eighth suitcase.
"Why so many suitcases?" Bobby finally said when the girls relaxed on the couch as if they had faced a daunting task.
"Hey Bobby," Rumi greeted when she saw him. "There aren't that many suitcases. Since we don't know what might happen, we decided to bring several changes of clothes for the presentations. These two larger ones carry the outfits, those three medium ones carry our clothes for the whole week, and those other three carry personal items such as accessories, makeup, cream, deodorant, perfume, etc.” Rumi explained why they had so many suitcases, and at her explanation, Bobby could only cry; his girls were so cautious.
"Okay, girls, let's go." They all grabbed their suitcases while Bobby grabbed the two larger ones.
When they arrived at the lobby, a van was already waiting for them. They loaded their luggage and headed to the airport. Since it was nighttime, no one noticed that HUNTR/X was leaving Seoul. When they arrived, they headed to the VIP wing where they waited for the plane to be ready for boarding.
Once on board, everyone settled into the new plane, which was much more comfortable than the old one the demons had destroyed. Bobby confirmed that, indeed, the first performance they would do would be "Takedown." They confirmed that in the second performance, they would sing "How It's Done." Everything was almost ready, all that was left was to tell Bobby her plans for her days off.
"You're free Monday, Saturday, and Sunday, which is the day we return at night. Is there anything you want to do that requires transportation or a reservation?" Bobby asked the girls.
"None so far," Mira shook her head.
"We'll probably go shopping on Saturday. We're not sure yet." Rumi shrugged. She would arrange with the others to go out.
"On Monday, I'd like you to take me to LILA School in Burbank." Three pairs of eyes turned toward Zoey that was writing in his notebook
"Are you sure, Zoey?" - Mira asked as she looked at her.
"Yes, I would like to spend that day with my sisters if you don't mind, girls." Rumi and Mira breathed a sigh of relief. "I told them I was free that day and they wanted me to wait for them when they got out of their classes that day."
"We can go out another day together," Rumi agreed, smiling at Zoey.
"If you need us, don't hesitate to call." Mira nodded in agreement with Zoey as well.
When Mira and Rumi agreed, she breathed a sigh of relief. They knew about her sisters and that they were practically the only ones in her family she still had contact with.
"No problem, Zoey. What time do you want us to drop you off?" Bobby was writing something down on his phone as he asked.
"12:25, they leave at 12:30," Zoey replied, remembering her sisters' messages.
"Perfect! Should we pick you up at a specific time or meet somewhere?"
"Can you reserve a spot for us at the Granville restaurant? They say their food is delicious?" Seeing Bobby's nod, Zoey continued, "Can you make sure the reservation includes space for my sisters?" I'd like for you to finally meet them." Another nod from Bobby.
"Okay, girls, get some rest. It's going to be a long flight." Bobby retired to his seat, which was a little farther away from them.
"Do you want to meet your sisters?" Mira and Rumi asked, looking at the youngest of them, while she gave them a huge smile.
"Yes! Nothing would make me happier for them to meet you! But if you don't want to, that's fine. You don't have to accept. It could be another time..." Zoey was interrupted in the middle of her conversation when she felt Mira's hand on her shoulder.
"We would love to," Rumi whispered as she approached to hug her.
"Yes, let's meet them," Mira whispered as she joined in the hug.
Zoey finally relaxed. The people she considered family would finally meet the only people she still had contact with from her life before Huntr/x. At that moment, while she was still embracing Rumi and Mira, she felt very happy and fortunate to find people who loved and supported her just the way she was.
🎶💫✨️🌙✨️💫🎶
The flight was very long, just as Bobby had said. It was almost 5 p.m. when they landed in Los Angeles. The girls miraculously went unnoticed at the airport, got into the waiting van, and headed to their hotel.
When they settled into the hotel, the first thing they did was unpack their outfits and put them in the closets in their room. Once they settled in, they took a quick shower and put on their pajamas. They took out the snacks they had packed and settled into the armchair in the small living room.
Group Chat (Chloe, Zoey, and Claire)
[Zoey] (6:35 p.m.) Tomorrow, wear sneakers or flats. Don't wear anything with heels unless you can run in them or walk a lot.
[Claire] (6:36 p.m.) Okay.
[Chloe] (6:37 p.m.) Are we going for a run somewhere?
[Zoey] (6:37 PM) I don't think so, but I can't rule that out.
[Chloe] (6:37 PM) Okay.
[Zoey] (6:37 PM) See you tomorrow!
[Chloe] (6:38 PM) See you tomorrow, sister.
[Claire] (6:38 PM) See you tomorrow, sister.
Zoey put down her phone and focused on the movie she was watching with Rumi and Mira. Even though they were tired, she knew Rumi would most likely ask them to patrol to see if the Honmoon was stable in this part of the world.
They had fallen asleep watching the movie when a tickling sensation woke them up. They saw their surroundings turn slightly red, alerting them to a demon attack. They quickly changed their clothes and went to do their job.
When they returned, they ordered room service, ate dinner, and went to sleep. The attack had left the girls very tired. Rumi and Mira fell asleep quickly. Zoey, on the other hand, was organizing the gifts she had brought for her sisters, which she was going to give them tomorrow. After organizing everything, she went to her suitcase where her accessories were. She took out one of her pale blue bucket hats, which she would wear tomorrow.
Verifying that Rumi and Mira were indeed asleep, he took out a small jewelry box. Upon opening it, he looked at its contents with pain, sadness, and longing...; inside were a pair of earrings that looked like beaks, but were fangs, and a necklace with a pendant that looked very similar to the norigae that her knifes carry. As he looked at them, he remembered how he had obtained them.
Flashback
Zoey felt sad; her family, her safe place where she could be herself, was starting to break. She saw the cracks that had formed, but she thought she could fix them, but they couldn't.
She knew Rumi was hiding something from her and Mira, and that was what was tearing them apart. They waited, gave her space, and knew Rumi would tell them when she was ready, but it seemed like that would never happen.
The night they argued, they talked, and it seemed like things had been resolved. Now she was here, at the Idol Awards, completely lost. She didn't know when she had separated from Rumi and Mira, but she couldn't find the way to her dressing room, and the worst part was that there was no one around to tell her where it was or how to get there.
As she walked, she bumped into something. When she looked up, no one was there. She looked around, confirming that she was indeed alone. When she looked back, Mystery was standing where no one had been a few seconds ago. Zoey let out a small squeal of surprise at his sudden appearance. She was about to summon her knives when he handed her a small black box. She looked at Mystery, then at the box he was handing her. She hesitated for a moment but finally accepted it.
Mystery stood in front of her. She suspected he wanted her to open it. Her suspicions were confirmed when he didn't move until she began to open the small box, and its contents surprised her.
Inside were earrings identical to the ones he was currently wearing and a necklace with a pendant that reminded her of the design on her yellow norigae. When she looked up to ask Mystery why he was giving it to her, he interrupted her.
"They'll protect you," Mystery said before disappearing into the red smoke.
"Wait, Mystery!" Zoey tried to stop him, but he was already gone.
She stayed for a few more seconds, closing the box and hiding it in her skirt pocket when she saw Bobby approaching her. He led her back to her dressing room, allowing her to hide the small box in her backpack. She had no idea what she would discover and what would happen that night.
End of Flashback
After the Idol Awards and reestablishing the Honmoon, Zoey couldn't stop crying and had locked herself in her room for days. She still remembered the last words Mystery said to her before she cut him with her blades. " We'll meet again, do it." Those were his last words, giving her a soft smile.
Mira was responsible for checking on her and Rumi. Zoey's only advantage was that the moments she had with Mystery were scarce, and they were rarely alone together, which prevented them from getting as close as she would have liked, compared to her friend, who did manage to deepen her relationship with Jinu. If she felt bad, she couldn't even imagine how Rumi felt.
Little by little they overcame it. It was still difficult because of the nightmares that woke them up at night, and the memories of that night always came back, especially if someone mentioned Jinu and Mystery's names. But if the three of them were together, everything would be okay. That's why Zoey didn't hide the gift Mystery had given her from them. After all, there were no more secrets between them.
They were the ones who helped her figure out what Mystery meant by saying they would keep her safe. Under the necklace and earrings was a note, saying that the earrings would help keep people from recognizing her while she was wearing them. There was no note about the necklace, or so Rumi and Mira thought, thinking it was some kind of protective amulet against demons, which was ironic considering the person who gave them to her was a demon.
On the lid was the note about the necklace. It didn't say what its purpose was, just a short prayer: "As long as you wear it, you will never be alone."
Zoey closed the small jewelry box and left it next to her hat. It wasn't something she wore often, but she would use them tomorrow. Leaving her clothes ready for tomorrow (Cargo-style jeans and a long-sleeved white top) she returned to her bed and felt sleep enveloped to her, slowly falling asleep.
🎶💫✨️🌙✨️💫🎶
The next morning, everyone woke up to the sound of Rumi's alarm. They got up, got ready in their workout clothes, and headed to the hotel's gym, which Bobby had booked in advance so they could train and do their morning warm-ups.
They returned to their room at 10:30 a.m. to continue their vocal warm-ups, which ended at 11 a.m. They showered and got ready for the day. Zoey was the first to shower since she was the only one with her clothes ready. When she came out, she started putting on makeup, just something light. She decided not to wear her typical buns and only left her braids in for fear that someone would recognize her with them. Seeing that neither Rumi nor Mira was around, she grabbed her jewelry box and opened it. She contemplated it for a second before taking out her earrings and putting them on along with her other piercings. Then she grabbed her necklace and put it on, hiding it from the view.
Zoey looked at Mira; she had opted to braid her hair, wearing gold glasses and a mask that partially covered her face, she was sitting on her bed looking at her cell phone. Rumi had put on a brown wig and left it loose, which managed to hide the long hair of the purple-haired girl who was putting on makeup when she asked them, "What are you planning to do today?"
Mira and Rumi exchanged glances. While Zoey was taking a shower, they had decided to stay close to wherever she was. In short, they were going to follow her. Not because they didn't trust her, they just wanted her to have a good day with her sisters and didn't want a demon attack to ruin it.
"We'll go for a walk around the studio," Mira says as she locks her phone.
"Yeah, we'll find something to do. Just focus on enjoying this day with your sisters," Rumi says, looking at her through the mirror she was using.
"Can we make plans for Saturday when I get back? I have an idea of what I want to show you," Zoey says, looking at them excitedly.
"Just one," Mira asks, raising an amused eyebrow.
"Actually, there are 22, but we can watch them at night and decide what to do and what not to do," Zoey answers, holding her phone.
Rumi and Mira laugh. It didn't matter that their maknae will never have just one plan; she'll always have several backup plans.
Rumi gets up, reading the message she's just received. "Bobby says the car is ready, he's waiting for us in the lobby."
The girls checked their outfits once more in the mirror, making sure they looked good and concealed their identities. Zoey put on her fanny pack and grabbed the bags containing the gifts she'd brought for her sisters. She headed to the door where Mira and Rumi were waiting for her.
As Rumi had said, Bobby was waiting for them in the lobby. They got into the van and started driving to the school where Zoey's sisters were. When they arrived, Zoey realized there were only 3 minutes left until her sisters were due to leave. She grabbed the gifts she was carrying and got out of the van.
"If you need anything, just call us," Rumi said as she adjusted Zoey's hat.
"Here," Mira handed her a pair of glasses like hers, only silver with blue details. "You're wearing them, though." Mira pointed at the earrings. "It never hurts; they don't have any magnification."
Zoey took the glasses. "Thanks, Mira." She put them on and looked at them. "Do they look good on me?" She asked nervously because of the intense stares she was receiving from her friends. Zoey was unsure; maybe she should have used a movie like Rumi or a mask like Mira.
Mira and Rumi stared at Zoey without looking away; their maknae looked super cute. Rumi couldn't resist and took a picture of Zoey, which puzzled her, while Mira shook her head.
"You have to give me that picture, Rumi," Mira said to Rumi with a frown.
"I'll take that as a yes... I think..."
Zoey watched as Mira and Rumi argued over the picture her braided friend had taken a few seconds ago when they heard the school bell ring, signaling the end of classes.
"We'll leave you, Zoey. We'll be leaving soon." Mira settled into her seat as she said goodbye.
Rumi picked up her cell phone. "Don't forget to share your location with Bobby and us." When Zoey picked up her phone, showing that she had shared her location, she smiled at her. "Call if you need us."
"We'll be there in a moment."
“The restaurant reservation is at 6:30 pm, we'll see you there at that time”
With that, the truck started moving when she was out of sight. Zoey walked toward the school entrance and leaned against a nearby tree where she could see her sisters leaving. Several students had already left, and she didn't want to attract too much attention.
Zoey didn't have to wait long when her sisters came out. She saw them looking for her. Taking a deep breath, she stepped away from where she was and decided to get their attention, relying on her outfit and the power of the earrings Mystery had given her.
"CHLOE! CLAIRE!" Both girls turned in the direction where they'd heard their names and there, they saw her.
Less than three meters away was their older sister, the sister they hadn't seen in a little over a year, the one who had taken care of them when they were children, the one who helped them with their homework, the one who always brightened their day when they were sad or angry, the one who, regardless of the risks, came to pick them up, the one who made time to spend an entire day with them. The sister who was now a famous singer was there, their older sister, Zoey.
"SISTER!" Chloe and Claire shouted. They ran to where Zoey was and hugged her, not wanting to let go.
All day they hadn't been able to concentrate on their classes; all they wanted was for time to pass and to be able to meet up with their sister. They'd been afraid that Zoey would cancel at the last minute or that she wouldn't pick them up because of some other commitment and they'd have to reschedule. But when they heard her yelling their names and saw her in the doorway, those fears vanished.
"We miss you so much," Chloe and Claire sobbed, still hugging Zoey, both with their heads buried in her neck. They felt their sister hug them back.
"I missed you so much too," Zoey whispered, hugging her little sister’s back.
They stayed like this for a few minutes; when they broke away, they realized they'd drawn a lot of attention. Zoey tried to cover her face more while she tried to drag her sisters to a place where there weren't so many people, unfortunately, a group of girls stopped her.
"Chloe! It's great that you haven't left yet. When can we start the project?...”
“Can we start tomorrow? I have a commitment today," Chloe quickly responded to her friend.
"Sure, no problem, just remember that I won't be able to either on Wednesday." Chloe's friend agreed with her.
Chloe saw her friend looking curiously at Zoey, so she introduced them. "Alison, this is my older sister; Zo, sis, this is Alison, a friend."
“Oooh this is your famous older sister, nice to meet you Zo” Alison looked at her, she had heard mention of her before at the twins, but she had never seen her, and she wasn't sure how to ask because she hadn't seen her before at the twins' house.
"Our sister doesn't live in Burbank, so you haven't seen her before, but she's visiting now, and we agreed to spend the day together." Claire answered the question that Alison didn't know how to ask.
"Hi, nice to meet you," Zoey replied with a smile. She was very glad that her sisters had friends in high school, compared to her at her age.
"What's that?" Chloe asked, pointing at the lilac and pink bags Zoey was holding.
"They're gifts for you. Since I couldn't give them to you on your birthday and I hadn't been able to send them either, I thought it would be a good idea to give them to you today." Zoey saw her sisters' eyes light up when she gave them their gifts, the pink one for Claire and the lilac one for Chloe.
"Why not? Let's go eat, open your presents, and then we'll go shopping. Todays on me." Chloe and Claire nodded several times as they held their gifts. "I was thinking about going to Burbank Town Center. Does that sound okay?" -Another nod from the twins
-Sorry to interrupt you, but I wanted to know if you have a way to get to the town center- Alison said watching as the twins shook their heads and turned to look at Zoey who also shook her head
“I was thinking of taking a taxi actually” Zoey said looking at her sisters who agreed
“I can take you, after all I'm going to the same place” Alison pointed to a black car where a driver was waiting for her
“We don't want to bother you Ali” Said Claire
“It's not a bother”
“Thanks Ali/Alison” Chloe hugged her while Claire thanked her from her place next to Zoey who also thanked her
They all approached the black vehicle while the driver opened the door for them, once inside Alison told him where they were going and they set off.
While they were in the car, Zoey watched Chloe and Claire look at their gifts while talking to Alison. She looked at her phone and noticed two unread messages in the Huntr/x group chat. The first was from Rumi, who told her to have fun, and the second was from Mira, who said that if anyone bothered her, she should tell her so she could kill them.
She giggled lightly as she read her pink-haired friend's message, replying with a nod and an emoji of her making a peace sign. Mira was always very protective of them, admitting that her friend was the scariest person she knew; not even Gwi-Ma could scare her as much as Mira could when she was truly furious.
"Sister," Zoey looked away from her phone and turned to Claire, who had spoken to her.
She noticed that the three of them were looking at her curiously, as if they wanted to ask her what had made her laugh, but none of them dared to ask.
"Can we open our presents?" Chloe asked, slightly lifting her gift.
"Sure, they're yours. I hope you like them," Zoey nodded at her sister's question.
Chloe and Claire wasted no time, and each began to open their gifts under the gaze of Alison and Zoey.
Chloe pulled out a pale pink dress from a Korean brand she didn't recognize, a white Woody mini bag from her eponymous brand, and a Chanel perfume she'd wanted for months.
Claire wore the same dress as Chloe, only in baby blue, the same bag, only in beige, and a Valentino perfume. She remembered her telling Zoey she really liked the smell of it a while back.
"They like them." Zoey nervously bit her lip as she looked at her sisters. She'd written down each of their favorite things on her notes and used them as a guide for their gifts. She just hoped she hadn't overdone it or bought something they didn't like.
The twins rushed to hug Zoey, thanking her for the gifts. Zoey relaxed when her sisters hugged her, knowing that they had liked them and that she hadn't overdone it.
Alison saw the gifts the twins' older sister had given them and couldn't help but feel a little envious. She didn't recognize the brand of the dress, but she did recognize the brand of the purse and the perfume. She studied Zo. He seemed to be close to her older brother's age, so she didn't understand how he could afford those gifts.
Her brother had been saving up for months to buy the perfume and some designer shirts he wanted, and although it was an expensive brand, it wasn't nearly as expensive as the twins' gifts.
Alison was about to say something when she heard the song "Golden" by Huntr/x playing on the radio.
"Sebastian, could you turn up the radio please?" Alison said to her driver.
"Sure, miss," he replied as he turned up the volume.
"Do you like Huntr/x?" Zoey asked Alison when she heard the song playing.
"Yes! I love them. I went to their concert when they did their world tour. I even made my brother become a fan. My favorite is Zoey, she's the rapper of the group and the lyricist in charge of making each creation a success, and the best thing is that she grew up here in Burbank”
“Wow, you never told me you liked Huntr/x, we would have gone to the concert together” Chloe mentioned while Claire nodded
“We can go to another concert together, I went to that one with my brother and I assure you that I don't take my eyes off Zoey the entire time the concert lasted, I'm absolutely sure he's in love with her” All laughed at what Alison had said “What is your song and favorite of theirs? My favorite song is Golden” Alison asked the twins and Zoey
"My favorite song is 'How It's Done' and my favorite is 'Zoey'," Chloe said, answering Alison's question while looking at Zoey with a knowing smile.
"Mine is 'What It Sounds Like' and my favorite is 'Zoey' too," Claire replied, giving her sister the same knowing smile.
Alison looked at Zoey waiting for her answer. "Honestly, I don't have a favorite. I like them all. Why don't we listen to 'Golden' instead?"
The four of them listened to 'Golden' with Alison and Chloe singing the song at the top of their lungs. Claire sang at a more moderate level while Zoey just watched them sing and hummed the song.
They spent the entire ride singing Huntr/x songs until they reached their destination. They thanked the driver when they got out of the car and entered the mall.
They said goodbye to Alison, and the three sisters went to the food court, ordered food, and sat down to enjoy their meal. When they finished, they went to look at the stores in the mall. The twins had been there several times, but now, along with Zoey, it was like their first time. They didn't want the day to end.
🎶💫✨️🌙✨️💫🎶
Zoey was sitting in a rest area with her sisters, both of whom had several bags of varying sizes around them, courtesy of Zoey. They were all enjoying ice cream after hours of shopping.
The necklace she had been hiding under her clothes was now visible after trying on clothes with her sisters. Zoey checked the time on her phone; it was 5:45 p.m. She still had time before heading to the restaurant where she would meet up with the girls. She shared her location again with Bobby and her friends since the previous one had run out.
Zoey looked at her sisters, who had already finished their ice cream just like her, and asked, "We still have time before dinner. What else do you want to do?"
"Can we stay here until we have to leave?" Claire asked, leaning on Zoey's shoulder. She had never had so much fun and tired shopping.
"I'm tired too," Chloe leaned on Zoey's other shoulder.
"Sure, why not tell me how you've been?" Zoey stroked her sister’s heads like Mira always did with her.
She listened intently to her sisters as they talked, frowning slightly when they told her that their mother was coming home very late from work and that they basically did most of the housework. She laughed when they told her what had happened in the school cafeteria.
They were so engrossed in their conversation that Zoey hadn't noticed the people approaching them until she heard a voice she hadn't heard in a long time, and if it were up to her, she wouldn't want to hear it again.
-Look who we have here, it's little Zonny- The three sisters turned towards the voice, they saw a good-looking boy, but with an arrogant look, approaching them.
-Henry- Zoey whispered, Chloe and Claire looked at their sister who was always happy and with a smile, tense up at the presence of the boy and his friends who were with him and little by little losing the smile she had before.
-The last we heard from you was that you went to Korea or was that a lie to get you away from us- Henry said looking Zoey in the eyes
-…-
"We miss you so much, you know. High school wasn't the same without you." Henry leaned closer to Zoey, his gaze never leaving hers. "We didn't have anyone to have fun with anymore after you left."
"What do you want?" she finally asked Henry. His presence was affecting her, but she was trying to stay strong because her sisters were with her.
"We didn't do anything. We were just shopping when we saw you and decided to say hi." Henry pointed to the people who came with him.
"William, Sean, Ashly, and Tara, if I'm not mistaken." Zoey watched as the latter nodded as she looked away.
Tara had been friends with Zoey until Henry started bullying her in middle school. She finally walked away and joined Henry's side. She never did anything to him, but she also didn't intervene when someone else did.
Tara bonded with Henry because of the crush she'd had on him in middle school. When she realized she'd never had a chance with Henry, she wanted to rekindle her friendship with Zoey, but the girl in question had already left for Korea.
Zoey had been the first to recognize her and wanted to approach her to apologize for the past and see if they could start over. What she didn't realize was that Henry had seen her too. "It was a pleasure seeing you again, but if you'll excuse us, we have a commitment," Zoey said politely with a forced smile as she stood up with her sisters, who had already collected their bags and began to leave.
Or at least she tried to. Henry had grabbed her wrist and turned her towards him.
"I didn't tell you could leave, Korean," Henry said to Zoey with a furious look.
"Let me go," Zoey exclaimed as she tried to slip out of the boy's grasp.
"Let her go!" Chloe and Claire yelled from behind Zoey, where the girl was holding them.
As Zoey tried to slip out of Henry's grasp, the boy's eyes fell on the necklace the girl was wearing. Seeing Henry's gaze, Zoey tried to hide it in her clothes, but he was faster and held it.
"That's a pretty necklace you're wearing, isn't it, guys?" Ashly and Tara agreed. It really was a very pretty necklace.
Zoey's eyes widened in fear. She didn't know what Henry was thinking but judging by the smile that formed on his face, it wasn't good at all.
"Don't touch him," Zoey whispered as she stood frozen in place, no longer making an effort to free her arm.
-Oh, it seems this necklace means a lot to you, it would be a shame if something happened to it, right? - Henry saw the fear in Zoey's eyes, that necklace did mean a lot to the girl and that made him very angry.
"Let it go," Zoey whispered again without taking her gaze off Henry.
"Because did your boyfriend give it to you?" Henry asked sarcastically, making William, Sean and Ashley laugh while Tara, Chloe, Claire and Henry waited for his answer.
"Don't touch it," Zoey repeated in a low voice, still frozen in place without answering the question that had been asked her.
Tara let out a gasp of surprise, as did Chloe and Claire. Zoey didn't answer the question, but she didn't deny it either, or that was clear to the four people who were attentive to her answer.
Henry had a crush on Zoey in middle school, and the only thing he could think of to get her attention was to tease her about her heritage, driving her further away and making her afraid of him until he finally made her drop out of school and leave the country.
He thought he'd never see her again until one day; while out walking with his friends, he spotted her. She was sitting with two girls younger than her, and they seemed to be having fun.
When he approached her, he started teasing her. Seeing the necklace, she was wearing and the scared look in her eyes, he realized it was very valuable to her. When the girl didn't answer him, he didn't deny his question either. He just wanted to get rid of the necklace, doing something he'd later regret. Zoey watched with horror written all over her face as Henry ripped off the necklace, threw it to the ground, and stepped on it.
“NOOOO!!” Zoey screamed with tears running down her face, she saw how the necklace that Mystery had given her was stepped on by the boy who made high school a hell for her. She wanted to get closer to pick up the necklace, but William and Sean prevented her by grabbing her arms. She couldn't free herself from their grip, at that moment her training as a hunter wasn't much use, she couldn't hurt them, nor summon her blades or risk being discovered...
She was so focused on the necklace that she didn't notice that the Honmoon had reacted to her scream by causing a wave of blue-green color to spread throughout the barrier.
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Rumi and Mira, who had been following Zoey after going out to eat, were in the same mall. They were sitting on the food court enjoying a drink when they saw the wave that swept through the Honmoon.
"What was that?" Mira asked as she looked around for demons.
"I don't know, when there's a demon attack it turns red." Rumi was thoughtful; she had never seen the Honmoon turn that color.
"You know that color reminds me of Zoey," Mira commented as she went back to drinking her coffee.
They were silent for a few seconds while Mira's words settled in each of their minds.
"ZOEY!" They both shouted, drawing the attention of the people near them.
Rumi took out her cell phone and quickly called Zoey. On the fifth ring, she finally answered and put it on the speakerphone.
"Hello?" A voice different from Zoey's sound.
"Who are you?" Mira asked as she stood up to stand next to Rumi.
"You're not Zoey, where is she?- Rumi asked after Mira who was starting to get very worried.
"My name is Tara. She can't talk right now," Tara said, answering the questions she'd been asked.
"Where's Zoey?" Mira demanded Tara in such a threatening tone that Rumi could swear she heard her tremble.
"We're on the second floor in the Burbank Town Center rest area," Tara replied with a trembling voice.
"We'll be there in 3 minutes." Rumi hung up the call and, together with Mira, headed to where her friend was.
Fortunately, they weren't far from Zoey's location. They arrived in less than the three minutes Rumi had said, and what they saw made them completely furious.
A tearful, hatless Zoey was being held by two boys as she tried unsuccessfully to break away from them, her eyes fixed on the floor where another boy was crushing something they couldn't tell what it was. Behind her, two girls were stopping what they thought were Zoey's sisters, as one of them was holding onto her hat and preventing them from getting close to her sister.
"WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?!" Mira yelled when she arrived, causing everyone to stop.
Zoey took advantage of the fact that everyone had been distracted by Mira's scream. She broke free from William and Sean's grasp and bent down to pick up the necklace. While examining it, she realized that the only thing broken was the chain; otherwise, the necklace was fine.
Rumi walked past the boys and approached Zoey as she knelt on the floor with her. She could finally see the object she couldn't see a moment ago: Mystery's necklace. Seeing Rumi by her side, Zoey threw herself at her, hugging her while crying into her chest. At that moment, she didn't care how they had gotten to her so quickly; she was just happy they were there with her.
(Speaking in Korean)
"Calm down, Zoey, everything's going to be okay. We're here with you," Rumi told her in Korean as she stroked her back.
"Rumi... the necklace... Mystery..." Zoey sobbed into Rumi's chest as Rumi continued to hug her and say reassuring things.
"Everything's going to be okay. I'm sure Bobby can find someone to fix it and make it look new." Zoey shook her head at Rumi's words, pulling the necklace closer to her, not wanting to let go of it.
"Can you stand up?" Rumi asked Zoey, who nodded.
Slowly, Rumi helped Zoey up. Once standing, she continued to hug her as she turned to look for Mira. She found her a few steps away from them, along with Zoey's sisters. She had managed to gather the boys who had bullied Zoey. They were terrified of her and were kneeling in front of Mira.
Rumi could see two of them clutching their left and right arms as if they'd been twisted or hit. She knew Mira was making a superhuman effort not to summon her halberd and kill those boys. Honestly, she didn't blame her; she was in the same situation. Considering what they'd done, Rumi thought Mira had been very soft on them, but considering they were in public, she let it go.
"Are you okay, Zo?" Mira asked, looking at her maknae, who nodded slightly. Mira approached them and hugged Zoey while stroking her head.
"Thanks for being here," Zoey said softly as she looked at Mira and Rumi.
"We'll always be here when you need us, Zo," Mira said, still hugging her.
"We're family. We'll always be with you," Rumi said, managing to get a small smile from her Maknae, making Mira and Rumi smile.
The twins watched the exchange, not quite understanding what the girls were saying to their sister. The only thing they fully understood was family. A feeling began to settle in the twins' chests that they couldn't quite identify, and a feeling of helplessness at not being able to help their sister.
"Now, who can tell me what happened here?" Rumi's question was more of a demand to the five boys who were still kneeling on the floor, watching the entire exchange without understanding a word of what had been said because they had spoken in Korean.
"I can tell you everything that happened," Tara said from the floor, catching Rumi and Mira's attention.
"Talk," Mira demanded, her tone so sharp that it made the five boys and Zoey's sisters’ gulp.
Tara told Rumi and Mira everything, omitting no detail. She also said that she had heard Zoey's phone ring and that she was the one who had answered it. Tara looked at the girls who had arrived while she told them everything. Her cold expression didn't change at all as she spoke, nothing like the warm and concerned look they had had when they looked at Zoey.
When she finished speaking, neither of them said a word until the brown-haired girl turned to look at the two people who had been with Zoey.
"She's telling the truth,” Was the only thing Rumi said without taking her eyes off them.
"Yes, that's what happened," Chloe said, her gaze shifting to her sister, who was still being hugged by Mira.
Rumi glanced at Mira, who gave a slight nod and let go of Zoey. Chloe and Claire, seeing their sister being let go by the girl with the pink braid, went over to her and hugged her. As they hugged her, they saw Zoey tense up a little, while she hugged them back. "I'm sorry I got you into this, especially on our day together," Zoey whispered to her sisters, but everyone could hear it.
"It's not your fault," Chloe said, still hugging her sister.
"We can have a sister’s day in Korea later," Claire said as she separated from Zoey.
At Claire's words, the five kids let out a surprised sigh. None of them knew Zoey had sisters. They thought she was an only child and that the girls with her were her friends.
Slowly, they began to stand up, causing Rumi and Mira to stand guard without leaving Zoey and her sisters. Henry saw Zoey without a hat and glasses, who reminded him of someone, but he couldn't say who. As she clutched the necklace he had broken, he felt terrible. He had never meant to make her cry, but he had.
Henry watched as one of his sisters handed Zoey the hat, only for the pink-haired girl to take it and put it on her, while the girl with her hair down handed her the glasses, giving her a small smile of thanks.
"Okay, now what should we do with them?" Mira said to Rumi and Zoey as she glared at the five boys.
"You know their full names, Zoey?" Rumi asked Zoey, who nodded. "Perfect, we can put a restraining order on them. I'll talk to Bobby and ask him to start the process. They'll also be banned from any concerts, autograph signings, or events that Huntr/x might have in the US." Mira agreed with Rumi on that; she didn't want to see those jerks again, no matter if they were fans of them.
"Are you going to put an order and ban them from Huntr/x events and concerts?" Chloe whispered, only being able to understand a few words in Korean. Compared to Zoey, she and Claire didn't speak or understand Korean, only the most basic.
"Yes," Rumi's tone was harsh and determined.
"What?!" The five exclaimed at Chloe's words. All five were fans of Huntr/x. "You can't do that."
"Try us," Mira said, wanting desperately to cut them in half or beat them to a pulp. The only thing that prevented her was that they were in a place with many witnesses and unfortunately, they weren't demons. That last bit was in doubt considering they had made Zoey cry, who was the prettiest, kindest, most positive, and cheerful person on the entire planet.
As they were about to reply, a scream interrupted them.
"BROTHER!" They all turned toward the voice that had shouted only to find Alison with some bags in her hands.
"Brother, I'm looking for you. You left me alone in that store..." Alison stopped talking when she saw the scene in front of her until her eyes fell on Zoey, who had stopped crying, but the tear marks on her face could still be seen.
"Chloe, Claire, what happened to your sister? Is she okay?" Alison gave a few looks to her friends, who moved away from her.
"Brother?" "Who's your brother?" Chloe asked as she separated from her sister and faced Alison.
"Him," Alison pointed at Henry, who was surprised that his younger sister not only knew Zoey but was friends with her younger sisters.
"Your brother is the bully who made my sister's life miserable in middle school and high school, and the one responsible for her moving in with our father in Korea!" Chloe let out a bitter laugh, making Alison freeze.
"Whoever..." Alison looked at her friend in surprise and then at her brother, who avoided her gaze.
"If it weren't for your brother, maybe we could have had our sister with us all these years," Claire whispered to Alison with a furious glare.
Zoey approached her sisters. She still wasn't well, but Mira and Rumi's presence there with her gave her strength. Besides, she had to calm her sisters down, who had gotten themselves into this mess because of her.
"That's enough," she said to her sisters in a soft but firm tone. "Alison isn't to blame for what her brother did; she's innocent."
"How about we go out to dinner? We have a reservation and it's almost time," Rumi said to Mira and Zoey.
"Yes, the food sounds fantastic," Mira pointed out.
"Grab your bags, it's time to go," Zoey said to her sisters as she approached Alison. "I'm sorry about what Chloe and Claire said. They're upset about what happened. I'll talk to them." Zoey spoke to Alison, who was still frozen in place but looking at her with teary eyes.
"What you said is true," Alison whispered to Zoey.
"Yes, but I'm glad things turned out the way they did." Alison looked at her with surprised eyes, just like the others. "If it weren't for your brother, I wouldn't have gone to Korea and I wouldn't have met them." Zoey looked at Rumi and Mira, who gave her a smile, which she "I wouldn't have met him either, even though he's no longer here." Zoey squeezed the necklace in her hand and then looked at it with a sad smile, making Alison let out a pitiful sound, as Tamara probably did.
With that, the five girls walked away from the place toward the exit, leaving behind six people surprised by Zoey's words before leaving.
When they disappeared, the sound of a slap was heard throughout the place. Alison had raised her right hand, and Henry had a handprint on his left cheek.
"How could you do something so horrible to Zo? What did she do to you to make you hate her so much?" - Alison asked, but didn't get a response from her brother.
"If Chloe and Claire hate me because of you! I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!" Alison yelled at her brother, tears streaming down her face. "Those two are the only friends I have..."
With that, Alison ran away from her brother as quickly as possible. She didn't want to see him at that moment. She had hurt someone who was very important to her friends.
Meanwhile, with Huntr/x...
By the time they arrived at the restaurant, there were no more tears on Zoey's face, though her eyes were still shining with unshed tears. She introduced her sisters to their friends. They all ate and enjoyed the moment, almost forgetting the bitter experience that had occurred a few hours earlier.
Bobby picked them up around nine at night and took Zoey's sisters to his house, where they said goodbye to their older sister with a hug and a promise to go out together when they went to Korea, before returning to the hotel.
When the twins turned to say goodbye to their sister and her friends, they saw a scene they wouldn't be able to forget for days. Rumi and Mira had taken the seats where they had previously sat. Chloe and Claire watched as Rumi held Zoey's hand and Mira put her arm around her shoulders, reaching for Rumi as well, while Zoey leaned on Mira's shoulder. They knew Zoey loved them both very much and that they were practically the only family she had contact with. Her parents always asked them about Zoey. But seeing the way the three of them behaved, they couldn't help but feel uneasy and afraid.
Uneasy because Zoey had never been this close to them before; it seemed like there was a wall they couldn't break through, and afraid of losing her completely. They watched the truck disappear into the darkness. They went into their house and got ready to sleep, although neither of them could really sleep that night with the image haunting them.
That night when they went to sleep, Zoey slept between Rumi and Mira, still holding the necklace, which Mira was able to fix the chain to. The girls were thinking of ways to make those boys regret what they had done to Zoey. They had made their maknae cry, the person they considered their younger sister, they had made a member of their family cry and they would not get away with it.
🎶💫✨️🌙✨️💫🎶
Tuesday passed without a hitch. They practiced and rehearsed the presentation they were supposed to give the next day, practically secluding themselves in the rehearsal room Bobby had kindly reserved for them.
Rumi had told Bobby about the incident. He had practically summoned the entire legal team to ban those boys from ever seeing a single Huntr/x video, but Mira and Rumi stopped him, telling him that Zoey didn't mean anything to hurt them; all she wanted was to forget that ugly moment and focus on her work.
Zoey had flatly refused to tell them the names of the people who had bothered her; not even a giant turtle plushie, ramen, and a day off were enough incentive to change her mind.
Although Rumi and Mira loved their maknae's huge heart, she was driving them crazy now. Apparently, the only times Zoey was scared were when she was rapping, hunting demons, or someone was messing with them.
🎶💫✨️🌙✨️💫🎶
Wednesday arrived, and the girls were preparing for their first performance, where they would have to sing Takedown.
At that moment, they were in a dressing room provided for them to get ready, placing small diamonds on their faces when Bobby walked in with several notes in his hand.
"According to these notes, there will be two days of recording. Today they will sing Takedown and tomorrow How It's Done. Don't worry, girls, just be yourselves and everything will be fine. That’s a nice necklace, Zoey," Bobby said, fully confident that they would do amazing.
"Thanks, Bobby," the three responded, already ready.
Zoey had always worn the necklace since the incident, refusing to let it go.
The girls waited for about half an hour more before they were called. Microphones were placed on them, and they were told to stand behind a curtain and to start when they heard the music playing.
"Ah, it's time to introduce this week's special guests. They will judge the contestants, but their votes won't be revealed until the end," said the host. Mira, Zoey, and Rumi positioned themselves to start the song. "Give a big round of applause to our guest judges! HUNTR/X!"
Shouts of surprise, excitement, applause, and whistles were what the three heard and saw when the curtain rose above them, the music began to play, initiating the first presentation.
Takedown (ALL, RUMI, MIRA and ZOEY)
(Takedown, takedown)
(Takedown, down, down, down)
HUNTRIX girls to the world (Takedown, takedown)
It's a takedown (Takedown, down, down, down)
So sweet, so easy on the eyes, but hideous on the inside
Whole life spreading lies, but you can't hide, baby, nice try
I'm 'bout to switch up these vibes, I finally opened my eyes
It's time to kick you straight back into the night
'Cause I see your real face and it's ugly as sin
Time to put you in your place 'cause you're rotten within
When your patterns start to show
It makes the hatred wanna grow outta my veins
I don't think you're ready for the takedown
Break you into pieces in a world of pain 'cause you're all the same
Yeah, it's a takedown
A demon with no feelings, don't deserve to live, it's so obvious
I'ma gear up and take you down (Oh)
Da-da-da, down
It's a takedown (Oh)
Da-da-da, down
I'ma take it down (Oh)
Da-da-da, down
It's a takedown (Oh)
Da-da-da, down (Take it down)
It's a takedown, I'ma take you out, you break down like, "What?"
It's a takedown, I'ma take you out and I ain't gonna stop
Jeongsineul noko neoljip balgo gareul sigyeonwa
You'll be beggin' and cryin', all of you dyin', never miss my shot
When your patterns start to show
It makes the hatred wanna grow out of my veins
I don't think you're ready for the takedown
Dangdanghage eodum epe dagaseo da muneotteuryeo
Yeah, it's a takedown
A demon with no feelings, don't deserve to live, it's so obvious
I'ma gear up and take you down (Oh)
Da-da-da, down
It's a takedown (Oh)
Da-da-da, down
I'ma take it down (Oh, watch me do it, yeah)
Da-da-da, down (Ooh)
It's a takedown (Oh)
Da-da-da, down (Ooh)
Oh, you're the master of illusion
Nareul sogiryeo hajima
Look at all the masses that you're foolin'
But they'll turn on you soon, so how?
How can you sleep or live with yourself?
A broken soul trapped in a nastiest shell
Yonghon eomneun ne moksumeul geuneoreo and watch you die
You can try but you can't hide
It's a takedown, I'ma take you out, you break down like, "What?"
It's a takedown, I'ma take you out and I ain't gonna stop
I'ma cut you open, lose control, then rip out your heart
You'll be beggin' and cryin', all of you dyin'
I'ma gear up and take you down (Oh)
Da-da-da, down (Ah)
It's a takedown (Oh)
Da-da-da, down (Yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah, yeah)
I'ma take it down (Oh)
Da-da-da, down (Ooh)
It's a takedown (Oh)
Da-da-da, down (Watch me do it, yeah)
Take it down
When they finished singing, the entire audience gave a standing ovation while shouting "Huntr/x."
"It's an honor to have you here with us," the host told the girls, knowing they had to come all the way from Korea to be able to join us.
"Thank you for inviting us," Rumi said respectfully with a small, already rehearsed smile.
"It was no problem," Mira denied, downplaying the fact that they had literally flown from the other side of the world to be there.
"It's always a pleasure to meet rising future talents," Zoey exclaimed, smiling with her characteristic good humor.
After exchanging a few more words with the host, they took their places and began rating the young people who were performing. The girls had to admit that there were many talented performers and others who could really use some singing lessons.
When the performance was halfway through, a contestant caught the girls' attention; it was none other than Alison. The girls admitted that she wasn't doing badly at all, although she still lacked a lot, especially when singing high and low notes which she couldn't hit. When she finished her performance, everyone applauded. When they asked her what motivated her to sing, she said that they were Huntr/x, that made Mira, Rumi, and Zoey's hearts happy, they had nothing against the girl, it wasn't her fault that her brother was an idiot.
Zoey saw Alison staring at her a lot, but it wasn't until she smiled at her and placed a finger on her lips that she finally recognized her. She literally saw the heat drain from her face and she froze. The girl's mentor had to help her off the stage.
A few more auditions passed until they were given some free time, and Zoey took advantage of that to go to the bathroom. When she returned to where Rumi and Mira were waiting for her, she ran into someone she hadn't expected and didn't want to see again, especially after what had happened on Monday: Henry.
"You're Zoey from Huntr/x," Henry exclaimed excitedly when they were face to face.
Zoey opened her eyes; Henry hadn't recognized her yet. Taking that as an advantage, she decided to leave it at that. If he didn't recognize her, so much the better for her. "That's me," she said with her rehearsed tone and her smile for her fans.
"My sister must be fainting from excitement somewhere in this place. She loves Huntr/x, and you in particular are her favorite," Henry blurted out, barely breathing, still looking at her.
"Tell your sister thank you very much," Zoey said with a smile that was a little more genuine than the one she had.
"I think you already did. My sister is a contestant..." Henry interrupted himself mid-sentence when he saw the necklace Zoey was wearing around her neck.
He remembered that necklace very well. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about it in the last few days. Every time he thought about what he did, guilt washed over him. Especially when he remembered Zoey's look and tears. But now that necklace was back in front of him, but the one wearing it was someone he never thought he'd meet in his life. "...Zoey..." Henry whispered, recognizing the girl. He didn't understand how he could have been so stupid. They had the same damn name, and he had made her cry. He had made her favorite singer cry. Zoey's sister's words came back to him. He hoped he wouldn’t violate any restraining orders against her.
"It took you too long, Henry," Zoey said in a serious voice, leaving behind her happy tone. "But I have to go back. They're waiting for me."
Zoey walked past the boy, who was still shaken by the surprise. She had taken a few steps when she heard him speak.
"Will you ever be able to forgive me?" Henry asked in a whisper as he turned around to see the girl's back.
"No," were the only words Zoey said before continuing to walk to where her friends were waiting for her. She didn't look back; she only needed to look forward.
When I returned to Rumi and Mira, they were laughing about something. When they saw her, they signaled for her to come closer, probably to tell her what they were talking about.
"Is everything okay, Zo?" Mira asked as she watched her. Mira's ability to read people was terrifying at times.
"Yes, Everything's fine," Zoey agreed, giving them a genuine smile that made her friends smile.
If she had them by her side, no matter what obstacles or problems lay ahead, they could face them together. Like the true family they were. The only thing left was to decide what they were going to do on Saturday, their day off.