Chapter Text
“Come on, Rumi!” Zoey tried the doorknob once more. The handle jiggled slightly, but the door stayed firmly shut, locking her out. “You’re seriously not coming?”
“Can’t!” Rumi called. She was hiding under the covers of her bed, blanket thrown over herself like it was the opening of a cave. “I think I ate something bad. You guys go on without me!”
“You sure?” That was Mira this time.
“Yeah,” Zoey again. “Bobby said this dance club was supposed to be fun!”
“There will be cute boys there,” Mira goaded. “We can harass them.” She tempted. “Scare the living pants off of them if they find out who we really are.”
“When,” Zoey reminded them. “When they find out. We’re celebrities. We’re FAMOUS.”
As tempting as that was, Rumi knew she couldn’t. It would be the coolest thing to crash a club, maybe even meet a few new fans along the way, fight some demons who got too close. But she couldn’t. There were already other plans she wouldn’t miss.
“Next time,” she promised. It was like there was a thick wall surrounding her, not just the cotton of the comforter draped around her shoulders. “I’m buying next time too, so don’t have too much fun out there. Save some for me.”
“If you’re so sure.”
Rumi heard her friends take a step back, hopefully leaving without anymore of a fuss. She created a few minutes, fully adamant on even a few hours if that’s what it took. Eventually, the hallway separating their three rooms was silent, the front door opening and closing. Rumi breathed a sigh of relief she didn’t know she was holding. She desperately loved her friends, but she needed to do this alone.
There was no need to change when she was already dressed for the cool night air. Rumi snuck out the same way she always did, over the balcony into the street, to then take the rooftops to get there faster. There was no sign of the tiger yet, but she felt eyes on her at every turn. The eyes of someone calling her, or something trying to get her attention.
She ignored it all in favor of pressing forward, leaping over the exit of an alleyway someone had closed off. She was nearing where they had agreed to meet, judging by the poignant aroma of the street vendors. It was far off from their apartment that in case Mira and Zoey took the longer route to the club, she wouldn’t be seen. When she reached a western styled cart, Rumi took a second to look around.
The crowd wasn’t nearly as thick as she thought it would be. Granted, most regulars still had their human jobs to attend to, their families to eat with and talk to about their day. The dynamic of a simple family: kids, wife, husband, sometimes extended grandparents, should be a sacred thing. It should be protected no matter the cost.
That’s why hunting demons was so important. Rumi wouldn’t lose sight of that when the world needed her the most. Even if they weren’t fans of Huntrix, the normal population couldn’t defend themselves. She would always be there, no matter the cost. No matter if she had to sacrifice herself in the process for the sake of those she loved.
Rumi waved to a child holding her mother’s hands as they swung her around, and tried not to think of the pang of longing somewhere deep in her chest.
A glint of metal reflecting off of another surface caught her eye. Rumi glared when she saw the unmistakable smirk Jinu threw her way. Even behind those ridiculously huge sunglasses and gaudy pink hoodie he was recognizable.
Ugh. Enough moping when there was definitely better things to do. Like wiping that salacious smirk off of Jinu’s face. Bleh, he made her want to vomit.
Rumi drew her own hoodie up over her braid to join him across the street, trying to make herself seem as small and unassuming as possible. If anyone recognized her, they didn’t approach.
“You showed again. That’s two for two.” Jinu leaned against the wall of a cozy looking cafe. The pretty flowers outside gave the sweetest smell, wrapping the demon in its scent of lilies and roses. The bees seemed attracted to it too, their tiny black and yellow bodies buzzing around Jinu’s head like they were making him a bumble crown.
Rumi’s nose wrinkled in disgust. “Yeah, well. I gotta make sure you stay out of trouble. I’m watching you, Jinu.”
She pointed to her eyes and then to him. Jinu put his hands up like he had a blade pointed to his face, even as his dark, soulless pupils danced with mirth. Rumi told herself that they were like shark eyes. No matter how attractive they seemed on camera, she would never fall for his ‘pretty boy’ act.
“Flattered to know your eyes are always on me,” Jinu said. “Try not to trip up next time you’re performing.”
“As if,” Rumi said, crossing her arms. She wouldn’t rise to the bait. He’d have to try harder. “So, what’s this about? Finally surrendering?”
Jinu’s bark of sudden laughter startled the bees to go away.
“Keep dreaming, hunter.” He let himself gracefully slide to stand straight. Rumi caught herself slouching, so she too rose to her full height. “I thought we could share a meal together. A treaty of sorts.”
“If it’s really a treaty, you would leave us alone. You would stop terrorizing good people and leave out of my life!”
Each word she emphasized brought them closer until Jinu’s face was mere inches from her own. Rumi’s anger clung to her like a second skin, he blood boiling in fury at the words she was speaking. How dare Jinu and his gang of wannabe K-pop idols think they could win? How DARE Jinu even THINK he could continue to kill innocents in his crusade of some dark master that was probably using him too? It was ridiculous the Hon-Moon wasn’t stable. How dare Jinu try to make fools out of Huntrix to steal their fans?
Rumi looked up when he nose bumped into Jinu’s chin. They were too close, way too close she could see the individual strands of his jean jacket, watch the colors of the overhead lamplight dance across Jinu’s sharp cheek bones. Since when was he that tall? Since when was she this interested in looking at him?
Rumi stepped back, clearing her throat. Eyes like a shark. Chin so sharp it was a razor-blade. Hands that were inviting to hold having talons the size of a tiger’s.
“I hate your face,” she told Jinu.
Jinu’s smile turned predatory. “Yet all you’ve done is stare at me.”
Rumi growled low in her throat. “Bite me.”
“We don’t do that.” Jinu leaned closer into her space, bending slightly so his black hair moved like it was in a shampoo commercial. He considered her for a moment, gaze never leaving the plains of Rumi’s face.
“I’ll tell you what, hunter,” Jinu said after a moment. “I’ll let you win this time. Walk away with no battle scars back to your other Huntrix members. If you agree to let me pay for you. Let’s go somewhere together.”
“Ha,” Rumi scoffed. She rolled her eyes. “As if I need your charity. Or wanted to do anything with you.”
The smug bastard smile was back in full force. “I wasn’t offering.”
Rumi grabbed Jinu’s shoulders to push him away. The hard muscles that tensed under her made her pause. “Why?”
“Why what?”
The body under her hands wasn’t cold like stone. The jacket was actually warm. It made her stomach twist.
“Why are you doing this?”
“Is it hard to believe I find you charming when you’re not trying to kill me? After all, we’re cut from the same cloth.”
How dare he! They weren’t. She’d never be anything like him.
Rumi shoved with all of her might so Jinu’s back hit the brick wall. She made sure to plant herself firm amongst the flower pots. Rumi willed her eyes to be hard, her frown to be dark. She now had the upper hand, and he had to slightly look up to her.
“I’m nothing like you,” she rebuked, teeth drawn to make herself more threatening. “My demon form will be cured as soon as we destroy Gwi-ma. Mark my words.”
“Is that what you think? That we’re all bad.”
“Yes.”
“So let me show you.” There was something else in Jinu’s expression. He didn’t seem to breathe, body flat with rigid edges, yet his eyes shifted slightly, their color morphing into a cloudy grey that wasn’t natural. “Let me show you we’re not all bad.”
Pressed against the wall in this state, Jinu should have been seen as vulnerable, weak. Predator turned into prey with nowhere to run as they stood in front of a hunter to decide their fate. Like all demons, Jinu’s remains should’ve been laid to rest in the demonic spirit realm. Somewhere far away not to harm anyone ever again. A hunter preparing to slaughter to keep a force of nature from wrecking havoc.
Rumi considered this all. Her head was strong, telling her the truth was right in front of her, no matter how the words tried to shift her point of view. And yet her heart—
And yet.
“I’m only going to say yes so you leave me alone,” Rumi said before she could think twice.
The slight flush that painted Jinu’s adorably punchable face had to be from the sun setting. “Fine by me.”
Rumi pressed herself closer, firmer. He body was a weapon ready to take down Jinu if he so much as breathed wrong, so help her. “It’s not a date.”
“Seems like a date to me.”
“As if I’d ever date a demon,” Rumi spit. It was a little gross, but whatever. Anything to assert her dominance. “Especially one like you.”
Those words did something to Jinu that made him raise himself. Rumi fought the voice in her brain to turn and flee, even as the demon squared his shoulders. What was happening? Why was she frozen when her hand should be reaching out to call upon her ancestors and brandish her weapon? Was this like the minute before when she had agreed to this whole things? Why had she agreed to this whole thing?
Jinu got up close and personal at that, his lips inches from Rumi’s own. Were they about to touch? Was their skin about to brush against each other in a mock sort of comfort? Demons weren’t allowed to do that. She swallowed loudly and tried to control her breathing so everyone on the street couldn’t hear her racing heart.
Eyes up and down. The dangerous waters of a predator lurking beneath quenched. The shock of something passing through them, not quite electric, but shocking enough Rumi stood frozen even though she could move her mouth.
Like a spell being broken, Jinu separated himself. Rumi took in much needed air from her nose, the sound heavy. Jinu studied her, his watchful eyes looking at her up and down. He too seemed to be going through his own inner monologue.
“We’ll see,” Jinu said. Considered.
Another beat passed. No one paid them mind to their bubble of tension.
“Fine.” Because there was nothing more to say. Rumi’s shoulders raised on their own to shield herself. “I’ll go eat with you. But only for an hour!”
Jinu shrugged as if it was nothing. As if they weren’t taking up most of the sidewalk with their bickering. As if the world wasn’t on the line. “Fine by me.”
“Good!”
“Good.”
“Ugh!” Rumi tore at her braid in frustration. How mad would the authorities get if they found her strangling a man on the side of the road? Would the fans care if she hid Jinu’s body in a back alley and never got caught?
Rumi’s anger carried itself with her as they walked. She trusted Jinu to lead her, even if she was still super wary of their surroundings. For being a demon straight from the underworld, Jinu’s dark aura was really muffled and he had not attracted any more of his bretheren. It was interesting to see how he carried himself. How, even as the crowd parted around to him, Jinu still offered the occasional smile, though he didn’t have to. He also allowed room for Rumi to trail behind, matching her silent steps when she slowed.
Why was she considering this? What was the sudden bow of curiosity? She had her phone on her. One quick call and Mira and Zoey would surely show up for the takedown. It could be quick. No one would know.
She cast a glance at Jinu, perfectly made Jinu, who did not seem to have a blemish on his outward appearance. Jinu who allowed an older woman to cut in front of him when the light was turning red. Who bent down to pick up a wallet that had fallen out of someone’s bag when they were hurrying.
It had to be a lie. A trick. A ruse to get her on his side.
No matter. This would be a one time thing. Rumi would hear him out just to see if she could have more information. The Saja boys would not have a long lasting shelf life. Their time was coming to an end.
Rumi’s ‘date’ began when Jinu ushered her in to a quaint restaurant no more than eight minutes later. For being so close to their meetup, Rumi had no idea where they were. Thought, she had definitely walked past here more than several times in the past few months alone.
The fading light of the day did little to highlight how small the establishment was. There were a few tables to the back, all sequestered with a large, glass display that had all sorts of numbers and names stuck to its glossy surface. It was also cool enough Rumi clutched her shoulders when she shivered.
“Where are we?” She asked him. It was cold enough her anger had slightly retreated away. “What are we eating?”
“I have always always known you woman like sweet things,” Jinu explained. He stepped up to the glass display and tilted his head forward to peer side.
Rumi joined him, not at all disguising her side-eye. What a condescending thing to say! Didn’t everyone like sweets? The nerve.
“Guess you demons can’t have nice things,” she said under her breath. The shop workers were around the corner after all. “‘S what you get for selling your soul to Gwi-ma.”
“Yes,” Jinu said, and for some reason it came out a bit sad.
Rumi stared into the fogging glass of the display to be met with the most prettiest of colors. The shaved ice was stored in tall vats that reached her thighs if she did the exact measurements, the flavors ranging from plain vanilla to run-over-reindeer, whatever that meant. Jinu had already selected his melted concoction, two scoops of something dark red with cut waffle cones stuck to the side. Rumi hurried to choose hers tool. A swirling thing of purple with gold flecks immediately caught her eye.
She was given her single scoop in a simple cup. Rumi hurried over to the checkout counter to push her selection into the shop worker’s waiting hands to ring her up.
“Ice cream?” She asked Jinu. “You brought me to have an ice cream with you. Really?”
“Ice cream is such an American term.” Jinu grabbed two spoons. Before Rumi could take one, he jammed them both into his ‘not ice cream’.
She narrowed her eyes. “Really?”
Jinu shrugged and stuck both spoons into his mouth at the same time. “Too slow.”
Rumi hoped he choked.
Sunset was quickly approaching when they stepped back outside. Jinu found a table outside, secluded in a corner just so that they were away from prying eyes, but close enough to still people watch. Rumi didn’t take her eyes off of Jinu for a second, just in case he would try something. Apparently he noticed.
“Staring again.” Jinu did a certain movement with his tongue, curling it around one of his spoons, dark eyes darting to take in Rumi’s expression. Rumi herself shivered in disgust.
“Not.” She shoved half of her —let’s call it what it is— ICE CREAM into her mouth, brain freeze be damned. “Mmm. This is sooo good.”
Jinu matched her hum of contentment. “I have good taste.”
Rumi rolled her eyes. “When you’re not sucking souls, sure.”
They ate their frozen concoctions together, Rumi conscious enough to lean away in case Jinu decided to be an ass and drench her with whatever flavor he had decided to get. She grew curious after a while, as more and more of their ice cream was scooped to settle into their bellies. She was almost done with hers when Jinu threw away both of his spoons and started to slurp up the remaining melted cream like one would drink a soup.
“Having fun there?” Rumi tried not to laugh when some ice cream dripped down the sides to spill across Jinu’s chin. “You got a little.”
She motioned with her finger. Jinu froze in place.
“What?”
“Ugh. Just.” Rumi was quick to swipe at the ice cream before it could travel any lower to stain Jinu’s jacket. She had forgotten to get napkins so she did the next best thing and stuck her finger in her mouth, which, in hindsight, was kind of gross.
“Is this…” She fought to have another taste. She wasn’t supposed to be having fun dammit! “Is that chocolate?”
“Red velvet,” Jinu corrected. For some reason he had abandoned his ice cream soup in favor of staring at Rumi’s mouth. “Same concept. Better execution.”
“I see.”
Jinu continued to watch Rumi’s face, her lips, so much so she used the back of her grey pullover. She cleared her throat.
“Anyways. Thanks for the ice cream.” As Rumi stood up the metal seat she had been occupying made an ugly noise as it scraped across the floor. She used the sound to hide her cough. “I’ll be going now. Take care.”
“Yes. Sure.” It was said quick. Jinu stood up too and collected their trash. “I’ll walk you out.”
“That won’t be necessary.” Rumi tossed her braid back over one shoulder to have something to do. For some reason her hands were starting to get clammy. She couldn’t quite meet Jinu’s eyes any longer. “You gotta go back. I gotta go. We’re going in opposite directions.”
Jinu didn’t keep her any longer, even though he stepped forward as if to say something else. Rumi caught his mouth in a frown, just for a second, before they both diverted their gazes elsewhere.
“I’ll give you a call for next time,” Jinu said.
“You shouldn’t,” Rumi replied. “You’re my enemy.”
“I don’t have to be. Thought I proved that just now.”
It would be so easy. Too easy. This was all definitely a trap Rumi wouldn’t fall into.
She crossed her arms, keeping her voice hard. “Actions speak louder than words.”
“We’ll see,” was all Jinu said.
It wouldn’t be genuine to say they left together, not with Jinu teleporting in a flash of red energy. Rumi took the scenic route and jogged back, careful to have her hood up to not get recognized. If she somehow felt the sharp prickle of a non-threating demon at her back, she didn’t comment. She’d save that for another time.