Chapter Text
| Top news: Huntr/x Rumi forms group with former Sunlight sisters Celine and Tae-hee and releases new song called ‘Focus,’ that is #1 on the Charts|
@seoulscope
#1 on the charts already??? As it should be. Focus is THAT song.
@huntrx_daily
The way Rumi rebuilt instead of disappearing… real leader behavior
Celine and Tae-hee fitting the concept?? HELLO??
RUMI’S HAIR CUT?!
Someone call the fire department cause they are on fire!!! 🔥
@rumistars
Gosh, she looks beautiful in silver
I’ve never seen her in a skirt!
@knetz_watch
RED ALERT! RED ALERT! KIM CELINE FOUND WEARING A SKIRT, AND WE’RE ALL FROTHING AT THE MOUTH
@softforrumi
The way she kept going while carrying everything alone… respect.
This era feels so focused and intentional. No chaos. No fear
@insomniac_idol
Watching Rumi stand on stage again with a new group, smiling like this… it means everything. She stayed when it would’ve been easier to disappear. She never blamed, never lashed out. Focus doesn’t sound angry—it sounds free. And that’s why it’s #1.
sunlightsister01:
Please tag media! I NEED A LIVE PERFORMANCE!
sunlightsister_heart @ sunlightsister01:
I WOULD KILL FOR THAT PERFORMANCE!!!
rumiloyal_sister:
@SunlightEnt @inkigayo
PLEASE SCHEDULE THEM!
“ok so you guys are trending, and it hasn’t been a week. #1 on the charts and fans are requesting you do a live performance,” Bobby said as he follows the three. They were in the city, getting boba because Rumi wanted it.
“I mean, I’m down,” Tae-hee said, looking at the menu.
Rumi was watching them pour the boba into the cups with hunger as Celine paid for their drinks.
“I’m down.”
“And they want Celine to wear the skirt—”
“Never mind, fuck the live performance.”
Bobby snorted.
Rumi looked.
“You’re the leader. Your call,” she said with a shrug.
Celine groaned.
“Don’t do that.”
“What?”
“Stop using those eyes against me.”
“I’m not doing anything,” Rumi said, taking her drink from the man.
Celine stared at her, Rumi staring back.
“Ok, fine. I’ll wear the fucking skirt.”
They sat there, Rumi swaying side to side, her patterns glowing softly. Her happy mode.
They heard squealing and turned.
“Rumi!”
“Oh my gosh, you guys are so beautiful!”
“Can we get a picture, please?”
Fans flocked towards them, holding out posters and albums. One fan even had a custom-made t-shirt with their headshots from the teaser photos.
“Holy shit—”
“Celine!”
They signed shirts, albums, took photos, and even shook hands and hugged people.
The boba shop was crowded with fans who even ordered the drinks they had.
Bobby gave Celine a smug look.
“Don’t look so smug, Bobby.”
“I will look smug all I want as your manager, my dear Cece.”
Suddenly, the honmoon turned a violent pink. Rumi’s patterns changed.
“Near Gangnam. Let’s go,” she said, Celine and Tae-hee following as they ran through the night.
“Wait, what about the—Oh, never mind,” Bobby said as he shrugged and ordered takeout and a first aid kit.
The first strike of a weapon hitting a demon filled the air. Rumi sent her sword flying before using her claws to cut through another.
Celine threw her twin blades to get the faceless demons going after Rumi as Tae-hee swung her axe above her head.
“Wow, nice family bonding!” Tae-hee said with a grunt.
“Our first 3 days being young and we’re killing demons.”
“What would you want to do?”
“I don’t know, maybe get drunk at the penthouse and not worry about my damn knees if I decide to run?”
“Oh, I am so down to do that,” Tae-hee said, kicking the last demon down as they sealed the honmoon.
Rumi wiped her forehead before she froze.
Rumi
“No. You don’t get to call me,” she said, shaking her head as she dropped her weapon.
Rumi…honey, answer me please.
”You don’t get to call me that!” she yelled, the honmoon turning pink as she yelled.
“Hey. Hey, it’s ok. Look at me,” tae-hee said, grabbing Rumi’s face.
“they’re trying to—she’s trying to call me but…but—”
“Ok. It’s ok. Let’s go home. Come on,” she said.
“She’s not even here. She’s not here, and she still thinks she can reach me like this.”
The Honmoon pulsed again. Pink bled into red.
Rumi’s knees buckled.
“Shit, here it comes,” Celine said, tossing her sword up and launching it at a demon coming through the honmoon.
“Come on, baby. You’re stronger than this.”
“Why are they hurting me?” Rumi cried, the honmoon turning a dark blue as she cried.
“You are not at fault for their choice. You stayed instead of running away, Rumi,” Celine yelled as she continued her fight.
“She’s right. You’re trying to fix the honmoon while they're away. I may not know why they left…but as your mother, what they did to you is unforgivable.”
“Mom—"
You deserve peace, even if it isn’t with them.”
Rumi cried as Tae-hee held her, her soul glowing as Rumi held her tightly. The glowing order in Celine’s chest glowed as well, both heading towards the honmoon to seal it.
“We don’t need our music to seal it. We just need to love you through our bond. That’s more than enough,” she said as the rip closed.
Seoul was quiet…and for the first time in 2 months…so was Rumi’s heart.
By the time they got back home, Bobby had laid out the takeout and first aid kit.
“Next time you guys run off,” he said dryly, snapping on a pair of blue gloves, “at least tell me where you are so I can send a car or paramedics.”
“Sorry, Bobby,” Rumi said, falling on the couch with her hair falling out of its bun.
Celine shrugged as she fell back into the couch, throwing her head back.
“You got a bottle of Soju?”
Bobby gasped, clutching his chest. “How dare you?”
He scoffed.
“How low and cheap do you think I am? I got a case of soju in different flavors —lychee, peach, green grape, and original. So hurry up and change so we can get fucked up before the live performance tomorrow.”
Celine’s eyes lit up as she made her way into the kitchen. “I knew I hired you for a reason.”
Tae-hee gently guided Rumi to sit upright. “Arms up.”
Rumi obeyed, wincing as Tae-hee peeled back the torn fabric of her sleeve. “I’m okay,” she said automatically.
Tae-hee shot her a look. “You’re allowed to not be okay tonight.”
Rumi opened her mouth before nodding her head.
“I’m calling dibs on green grape!”
“Touch that, and I’ll curse you, Celine!”
“Fight me, Bobby!”
________________
It was only supposed to be 2 weeks.
2 weeks and that was it….but somehow it turned into a month…and then two. Mira continued to say she had more to explore, needed more time to heal.
But how can you heal when you aren’t communicating with the person behind the hurt?
Isn’t that what healing was about? Or was her child therapist wrong?
It was nice the first couple of weeks…but everything made Mira snap…anything that reminded them of Rumi.
‘We don’t know who she is anymore, Zoey. She hid the fact that she was a demon, and we trusted her. She went behind our backs.”
The longer she stayed with Mira…the less it made sense.
“Rumi would like that,” Zoey said as she slowed in front of a store. It was a purple fuzzy sweater with bear ears. It looked warm. Soft. Rumi.
“We don’t know—Zoey!” Mira snapped as Zoey left her to go into the store. Mira groaned as the chime of the bell rang in her ears.
She ran a hand down her face as she lingered outside, arms crossed.
Zoey ran her hand over the material and picked up the last size large there was.
“Hi! Did you find everything you were looking for?”
“I did,” she said as she paid for the sweater.
“This is a nice gift. Your girl is very lucky,” the cashier said. Zoey froze.
Her girl.
“Yeah. Yea. Thanks.”
Her girl….Rumi…she didn’t know what Rumi was to her…friend? Crush? Demon?
Are you done?”
“Yes.”
“You have to stop this, Zoey.”
“Stop what?”
Mira flailed her arms.
“You have been nonstop thinking of Rumi and getting her things. You’re supposed to be thinking about yourself.”
Zoey huffed.
“It’s hard to think of yourself when everyone is making choices for you,” she said, turning around.
Mira stopped short.
“What does that mean?”
Zoey clutched the shopping bag a little tighter. “It means I didn’t get to decide how we left. Or how we disappeared. Or why I wasn’t allowed to say goodbye.”
“You agreed,” she said finally.
“I went along,” Zoey corrected. “Those aren’t the same thing, and I knew it was wrong.”
“She hurt us, Zoey. She lied to us for years, lied to me. She was meeting up with a demon the entire time—”
“If I didn’t know you, Mira, I would say you sound jealous,” Zoey bit back.
“I don’t get jealous. I get angry.”
Zoey shook her head
“It's just wrong…she hasn’t—she isn’t answering our calls.”
“Oh well. Rumi made her bed. Our souls are still connected. She won’t cut us out,” Mira said, picking up her walking.
“Now come on. We’re going to be late for lunch.”
Zoey bit her lip and shook her head, holding the bag close to her as they walked to the restaurant. If anything, Pizza sounded like a good pick-me-up.
It was all red booths, oil, and seasonings with the sweet scent of milkshakes and chocolate.
She sat across from Mira as they looked at the menu, not really seeing what was on it.
“a pepperoni pizza and two Cokes?”
“Sure.”
A couple at the next table leaned in toward each other, voices carrying easily over the noise.
“Adriana is obsessed with this new song.”
“Oh my gosh, yes!… Oh gosh, I can’t remember the singer’s name, but she has purple hair that’s in a braid?”
Zey and Mira froze.
“You mean Rumi?”
“Yes. Her. My gosh, she is so beautiful. Her music totally highlights her features.”
“Such a shame that her old group disbanded,” a teen commented.
Mira ripped the menu. Her knuckles went white.
“We didn’t disband!” she growled, getting up and grabbing Zoey to leave. Fuck the pizza.
“Mira, wait!”
Zoey tried to keep up as Mira sped-walked back to their place.
“Who do they think they are? Assuming our group is over. It isn’t over until I say,” Mira said.
Zoey’s mind raced.
Since when was it only about Mira?
They passed by a restaurant that had its TV on, and it made Zoey stop…
“Why are you…stopping?” Mira said, freezing to watch the screen. Her eyes widened.
I know you're hoping that I'll react
I know you're hoping I'm looking back
But if my real ain't real enough
Then I don't know what is
The first thing she noticed was the hair…no longer that very rare long braid she loved…it was a respectable length in a half ponytail…
But it was still Rumi.
Her beautiful smile. The dimples in her cheeks. The shine in her doe eyes.
Mira’s chest tightened as her heart raced. She has had dreams—too many dreams—of lying beside that body, caressing her face as she slept close…only for her to wake up in a reality where Rumi wasn’t here.
Where she and Zoey couldn’t reach her, couldn’t hold her, couldn’t even call her “theirs.”
Mira swallowed hard, jaw tense. She wanted to turn away, to drag Zoey along, to shove the image of Rumi from her mind—but she couldn’t. Not entirely.
“Who—Who is that? Why is she performing with them?!” Mira growled out. These two women were smiling and laughing with her, touching her like she was theirs.
Rumi was their leader. She shouldn’t be taking orders from some chick with good hair.
“Maybe—it’s a side project. Just to—keep the honmoon going—”
“If it were a side project, she should have gone solo, not made a new group!”
Zoey looked closer, and her eyes widened.
“Wait a minute—it can’t be.”
Mira groaned.
“What?”
Zoey did a double-take.
“CELINE?!”
________________
“OH MY GOSH, THAT WAS LIBERATING!” Tae-hee said as she jumped and shook Celine.
The older woman was sweating.
“It was.”
“That felt so good!” Rumi yelled as they cheered. She was smiling so brightly. They hadn’t seen her smile that bright in months.
She blinked.
“What? Is my makeup running?”
Celine turned around, trying to hide her teary eyes.
“It’s—nothing, baby. Nothing at all.”
“Then why are you crying?” she asked, hitting Celine’s heart more.
“Cece? Why crying?”
“It’s—you’re just getting so big, baby. I fear one day you won’t need me anymore,” Celine said, bringing the girl into her arms.
Rumi shook her little head and wrapped her chubby arms around Celine’s neck.
“No big. Need Cece. Foeverrrrrr.”
Chubby hands wiped at her cheeks.
“No cry. Rumi here with Cece. Wit Mama forever.”
Rumi was in Celine’s arms in an instant, holding the older and taller woman close as Celine cried into her hair.
“It’s ok.”
“I’m sorry…I—you just look so happy, and you got so big—”
Rumi pulled back and smiled.
“Don’t cry. Rumi’s here with mama. Forever,” she repeated, making Celine let out a watery laugh as the three hugged it out.
“Sweet moment, ladies…but we have an after party to get to!”
“Way to ruin the moment, Bobby.”
Rumi sat between her mothers, leaning into Celine, who kept her close. Tae-hee smushed her in between them, making the purple-haired woman giggle.
“Mooommm.”
“I’m sorry, I want to be close to my baby and wife,” she said, just squeezing her tighter. When the door opened, they got out of the car, and Rumi settled in between them as she took Tae-hee’s hand in hers.
They heard the sound of cheers coming from the crowd as Rumi danced her way into the middle of it.
“I’m worried,” tae-hee said, Bobby, coming back with drinks.
“I am too. I’m worried about how the Honmoon will break her if they decide to sever the bonds,” Celine said.
“But can they?”
“They can because they made this new one…But I fear this one is in rebellion against its hunters,” Celine said, gliding her fingers on the strands.
“Can you hear them?”
“We can…but it seems Rumi is blocking them out effectively. It’s a dull ringing now unless it becomes desperate.”
“What’s the feeling like? Losing your soulmate?” Bobby asked. Celine swirled her drink.
“It’s like someone took your heart out of your chest. You can’t—breathe from how much it hurts,” Celine answered, Tae-hee pressing into her side to remind her that she is still here, her bond humming.
Rumi’s bond hummed as well, making both of her mothers look at her. She smiled from the middle of the dance floor before beginning her dancing again.
“She looks so much like Miyeong,” Tae-hee said as she leaned into her wife.
“She does.”
“But she also looks like you two as well,” Bobby pointed out when Rumi came back.
“Come on! I want to dance!”
“You were jus—Rumi!” Celine yelped as Rumi pulled both of her mothers with her to the dance floor. Music pulsed through the room, the walls vibrating faintly through the floorboards as the blue lights spun around the crowd.
Celine laughed out loud when Rumi spun her around, Tae-hee going along with the flow.
Rumi stepped back as Celine and Tae-hee gravitated toward each other, a permanent smile on her face. She yelped when she stumbled back, knowing she was about to hit the ground.
She braced for impact…but it never came. A warm arm around her waist did.
“You ok, Rumi?” a smooth, low voice said. Mira?
She looked up and into slanted caramel eyes covered by caramel bangs. She blinked.
Not Mira.
“Yeah… yeah, I’m ok,” She said, getting helped up. She dusted herself off.
“Sorry about that.”
“Oh my gosh. I’m sorry for tripping you with my foot,” another voice said. She had dark hair, the front of her hair dyed blonde.
Both women were tall, taller than Rumi (not something you should think about Rumi!), and gorgeous. Wait…she knows the shorter.
“All is good, Chaerin. I should have paid attention to where I’m going,” she said, brushing her hair back, unaware of the pair of eyes following her movement.
She cleared her throat even though she was blushing.
“Thank you for catching me—”
“Yuna. Jeong Yuna,” the taller woman said, taking Rumi’s hand and pressing a kiss to the back of it. Her blush was reinforced.
“Oh, don’t mind her, Rumi. My girlfriend is obviously a flirt—unless you like us flirting with you?” Chaerin asked with a wide-eyed grin. It made Rumi squeak.
From afar, Celine narrowed her eyes.
“Uh-oh. What’s wrong, mama bear?” Bobby asked as he approached her and tae-hee.
“Is that Jeong Yuna and Han Chaerin?” she said, pointing out the two standing next to her baby girl, who was a blushing mess.
“the actresses from that series “along my heart and soul?” Tae-hee said, looking firmly as Yuna and Chaerin stretched a hand out to Rumi, who took them.
“Wait, the couple?” Bobby said, watching as the taller woman spun Rumi around, making her laugh. He winced.
“uh-oh”
“What uh-oh? What does uh-oh mean in this situation?” Tae-hee asked. Celine sighed and rubbed her temple.
“Mira hates Yuna. Don’t know if it’s like a ‘who’s the better Jeong?’ or what, but it’s always competition between them,” Bobby said.
“They both auditioned for the position in huntr/x, and it was awful. Always trying to sabotage each other, someone is coming out with a bloody nose. When Yuna didn’t get picked, she went into acting.”
“Which should be good, right?”
“Yeah…if she and Chaerin didn’t have a big ass crush on Rumi.”
Tae-hee whirled around with Celine.
“What?”
“Yeah…remember that drama Rumi did like 3 years back? Where she played the ghost girl who couldn’t leave the school library?”
Tae-hee blinked.
“The one where she cried in every episode?”
“That was the point,” Bobby defended.
Celine groaned. “Focus.”
Bobby cleared his throat.
“Right. Well, guess who the main actress was and guess who watched from the sidelines?” he said, pointing to Chaerin, who was hanging on Rumi’s arm as they laughed. Yuna’s arm was still around her waist.
“But this should be a good thing, right? This was the point of Rumi moving on?”
Bobby lit up.
“of course—”
“No. I don’t like it.”
“Celine, this isn’t up to you.”
“I’m her mother, and I’m saying no,” she said, moving to walk toward her daughter when she was pulled back.
“Tae—”
“Cel, look at her. Look at how happy she is,” she said, pointing to Rumi. Celine looked and felt her posture falter.
Rumi was glowing. Her smile seemed permanent, frozen in this space. There was no crying, no tears, no yelling. Just music, laughter, and Rumi…
“What if they give her a new chance? They won’t be idols, but they can still be a part of her,” Bobby said.
“I—I just—”
“Celine. Honey, I know Huntr/x is still here,” Tae-hee said, tapping Celine’s heart before she pursed her lips.
“But if Mira and Zoey don’t come back…you know that bond is going to break. And it’s going to hurt her.”
“But she loves them, Tae,” Celine whispered.
“I know…but love doesn’t always mean people stay.”
________________
“Turn that crap off,” Mira said as she drank from her cup of orange juice, glaring at the screen of the TV.
Zoey rolled her eyes but played it anyway. It was her favorite show.
“You say that every time you see Yuna on the screen,” Zoey said, curling into the couch as the episode played.
“She’s overrated.”
Zoey rolled her eyes again as she grabbed her phone. She was scrolling through the news in Korea as the background music played on.
Mira tried very hard not to look at the screen.
Very hard.
Until she appeared.
“Ugh. Why does she always look so smug? I just want to punch it right off of her.”
“Can’t you just admire her work instead of trash-talking her?”
“No.”
Zoey shook her head, her thumb moving as she continued. Mira began ranting on and on, Zoey trying to drown her out…until her thumb stopped.
Her heart dropped.
“No,” she said quietly, standing up quickly in panic as she scrolled through the photos and headlines.
Photos filled with familiar purple hair. Her stomach twisted. She wanted to throw up.
“Mira…” she said quietly.
But Mira wasn’t listening, already reaching for the remote.
“Just turn it—”
Zoey enlarged the photo without thinking first before she dropped her phone, hands covering her mouth.
There she was. Rumi.
“Zoey? What?”
“Wait, no!”
She tried to stop Mira from reaching the phone…she was too late.
Mira’s slanted eyes widened before they narrowed dangerously at the headline.
|Actresses Jeong Yuna and Han Chaerin spotted with former Huntr/x member Rumi at Debut party.’|
That smile was theirs. The way she scrunched up her nose in delight was theirs. Her laugh was theirs!
Mira stared at the screen with Zoey, as if looking long enough, they’d find something wrong. Something forced. But there wasn’t.
Rumi wasn’t faking her smile. Or the way she tossed back her hair. or that beautiful blush on her cheeks.
Rumi looked…free. Like the last 3 months hadn’t happened.
Zoey bit her lip.
“I—I need a moment,” she said, running toward her room. Mira sat blankly on the couch.
Top Comments:
@kdramaqueen92:
YUNA AND CHAERIN WITH RUMI??? This crossover is insane 😭
@hx_fanclub:
Hold on. Why is Yuna’s arm around Rumi’s waist like that 🤨
@purpleheart_rumi:
She looks happy… I missed her smile so much 💜
@yuna_stans:
Yuna pulling idols now??? Queen behavior.
@chaerinlover:
Chaerin hanging on Rumi’s arm is killing me 😭 they’re so cute??
@kpopinsider:
Fun fact: Chaerin and Rumi actually worked together on a drama a few years ago 👀
@jeongnation:
Yuna is flirting again, I see.
@rumifansite:
The way Rumi is laughing… she hasn’t looked like this in months.
@mirastans:
If Mira sees this, it’s over for everyone 💀 Remember how she was attached to Rumi after that drama?
@rumi_defender:
She’s allowed to have friends, y’all relax.
@dramaaddict:
Okay, but Yuna and Chaerin are both looking at Rumi like that??? HELLO???
@stagewhispers:
Someone check on Mira right now.
@Huntr/x4life:
Does this mean Huntr/x is over?
“Oh, we’re far from over,” Mira growled before she opened her camera and pressed record. Her eyes narrowed, remembering that article.
“I keep seeing these stupid articles acting like we’re done,” she said sharply.
Her grip tightened, knuckles turning white as she leaned toward her camera.
“Let me make this clear,” she said lowly, menacingly.
“Huntr/x is still a group. Just because we’re not on stage together right now doesn’t mean people get to act as someone else can step in.”
Her jaw clenched, looking at the photo on Zoey’s phone. The picture of Yuna’s arm wrapped around Rumi’s waist. Rumi’s smile.
“No one replaces us,” she said before looking dead into her phone.
“And before anyone gets the wrong idea,” Mira added, her voice dropping lower. Possessive. Dangerous.
“Rumi is still ours. She will ALWAYS be ours. One night doesn’t erase 10 years. Don’t rewrite what we built. Stop looking at her like that. I mean it.”
her fingers moved faster than ever and within minutes…
Her video was uploaded.