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The first thing Rumi felt when she cracked open her eyes at the unholy hour of 5:00 AM was fur underneath her hand. She slowly peered over, seeing neon hair poking out of the spaces between her fingers.
She groaned, throwing her pillow over her head. A few more minutes passed by, and then—
Rumi screeched.
The tiger tilted its head, sticking out its tongue. A gold embossed card sat in the center and Rumi dragged her hand down her face.
“Does that boy ever sleep?” Rumi complained, sitting up and leaning against her pillows. “It’s too early for his shit.”
She reached over to take the card before Derpy could drool all over her sheets.
8 AM. Meet me?
Rumi rolled her eyes. “No manners. He doesn’t even know how to treat a girl.” She stepped out of bed, making her way towards the shower, Derpy padding along behind her. Rumi smiled, crouching down to meet his eyes.
“That’s a yes,” she whispered, scratching behind his ear.
Derpy’s eyes immediately lit up and he sank into the floor. Rumi blew a kiss towards Sussie as they both disappeared. She shook her head fondly as she closed the bathroom door behind her.
Thankfully, both Mira and Zoey were still asleep by the time Rumi came out to eat a quick breakfast. She wasn’t sure how she might’ve explained everything to them.
Rumi dropped a slice of bread in the toaster, collapsing on the couch as she waited for the tell-tale ding of the machine.
“Wonder what Jinu wants today…” Rumi muttered to herself, picking at the sleeve of her top. She ran her fingers over her arm where her patterns would be. She still hated them. She still hated demons. But Jinu was…different. He wasn’t really a demon, he was still a good person inside. Just like her. And soon, her patterns would be gone, so it didn’t matter.
Her bread popped out of the toaster with a ring. Taking a bite of her grape jam toast, she quickly scribbled a letter to her girls.
“I’m going out today just to clear my head. It’s one of those days. Call me if you need me,” she wrote, her handwriting the worst it’d been since her childhood.
Love you.
XOXO, Rumi.
Rumi stepped out into the sunlight, drying her hands on her pants. “Now, where do I even go? Typical Jinu,” she grumbled, sliding her sunglasses onto her face. “No other instructions. Just a ‘oh, come see me’ as if he’s the busy one.” She wrapped her tell-tale braid into a bun, tucking underneath her cap before starting the walk to the stairs they had met last.
Rumi was just stepping onto the platform where they had met last when Derpy materialized in front of her. She barely stifled her scream, clapping one hand to her mouth and the other over her heart.
“Stop scaring me!” she gasped, crouching down to give the tiger a hug. She tapped the bird on its little hat, flashing it a smile.
“Are you gonna take me to see him?” she asked, cuddling up to Derpy.
He nodded, rubbing his face against Rumi's arm. She giggled, swinging her leg over the tiger demon and settling onto his back.
Derpy bounded forward, taking a laughing Rumi along with him.
The tiger demon halted all at once about 10 minutes down the street, almost throwing Rumi off. She yelped, tightening her fists into his fur so she didn't go crashing onto the ground.
“Derpy! Be careful!” she exclaimed, quickly jumping off onto solid, comfortable concrete.
I'm never riding him again.
He just gave a Cheshire cat grin and slowly sank into his portal. Rumi sighed, shaking her head before turning to look for Jinu.
She saw him sitting on the concrete, staring out into the street in his hoodie and sunglasses.
Rumi felt an evil grin cross her face. She slowly tiptoed to him, getting as close as she could without alerting Jinu to her presence.
In a split second, she took hold of Jinu’s hood (gosh, it was so soft ) and yanked it back. Jinu yelped, his hand flying to his throat before he twisted around, trying to flip his attacker.
Rumi laughed brightly and vaulted away, landing primly in the center of the sidewalk.
She curled her fingers and checked her nails, looking all the way like a girl who hadn’t done anything wrong.
Jinu stomped up to her, his hair mussed and his hoodie askew. He glared down at Rumi.
“I’m going to get you back for that.”
“I’m sure you will,” Rumi said, still checking her nails.
Jinu sighed, rolling his eyes. He took Rumi’s wrist.
“Come on, let’s go.”
“Where are we going?” she asked, falling into step beside him. “You’re not about to sacrifice me to Gwi-Ma, are you?”
She squeezed Jinu’s hand, reassuring him that it was just a joke.
“Rumi, I don’t think Gwi-Ma would be able to keep you for more than half an hour.”
“In that case, it’s a surprise he can put up with you.”
“Ha. Ha.”
Rumi laughed in response.
Jinu looked ahead, squinting against the sunlight.
“It’s a surprise,” Jinu finally answered, circling his hand around Rumi to cover her eyes. “You’ll see when we get there.”
Rumi sighed, putting her arms out in front of her to feel her way through the city.
“I don’t trust you to not slam me into anything, even by accident.”
“Oh, you’ll be fine.”
“I’ll be the judge of that.”
Rumi heard a huff of breath, like an exasperated, but fond, sigh.
How could Jinu even think about sacrificing this girl to Gwi-Ma? She was so pure. Not like him. She lived for her family, wouldn’t even think about betraying them the way he had.
And her patterns. She was like Jinu, at least in a small way. Rumi loved him for his soul. Not for his patterns or his looks or his voice. For him. She looked past the demon side and at the human part of him.
Jinu’s ears began to burn as he recalled the half-truth he had told Rumi. He should tell her the whole story. But what if she hated him after it? He didn’t think he could bear the pain if she shoved him away, even if she was right.
He would throw himself in front of flame for this girl. Rumi, who was clutching onto his sleeve and pressing herself into her side (probably accidently, because all the gods hated him), trusting him wholeheartedly. He’d do anything to keep her safe.
Jinu was snapped out of his thoughts when Rumi called out, “Are we there yet? Not being able to see anything is freaking me out.”
“Almost,” Jinu said, shaking his head. “You act like royalty, always so impatient.”
Rumi scoffed. “Royalty?”
Jinu smiled, taking in the adorable way her face scrunched up when she was annoyed by something.
“Yes. You act like royalty, princes—”
Jinu’s carefully planned out reveal of a pet name was promptly thwarted by him slamming face-first into a pole.
He yelped, falling backwards onto the pavement, accidentally taking Rumi along with him. She did her own weird-ass flexible moves, ducking out of Jinu’s grip and letting him fall alone.
“Ow,” Jinu groaned. “I think Lord Hwanin hates me.”
“Don’t—jinx—it—” Jinu heard through gasping laughs. He looked over at Rumi, collapsed on the concrete and clutching her abdomen as tears rolled down her cheeks.
Jinu crossed his arms, pouting. “That’s not nice, Rumi.”
“I’m sorry—I just—” Rumi stretched out her hand, allowing him to take it so she could pull him up, but broke down into laughter once again. Jinu dropped back down to the ground.
“I’ve just never seen you so—” Rumi managed through gasping breaths, and Jinu, noticing that their hands were still connected, yanked her down too.
She yelped, splaying out her hands to brace her fall. Turns out she didn’t need to worry, because she crashed directly into Jinu, her head slamming into his chest.
Rumi stopped laughing, her face slowly turning the color of Romance’s hair.
Jinu was sure his face was doing the same.
Rumi scrambled off of Jinu, quickly yanking him up with all her strength. He stumbled forward from the force of the pull, grabbing onto Rumi’s shoulders to steady himself.
He felt his face getting hotter and dropped his hands, fidgeting with his own sleeves. He saw Rumi doing the same thing.
Ohh, my God —
Can she do that agai—no, shut up.
“Come on—” Jinu said, his voice cracking embarrassingly. “Come on. We still have to get to the place.”
“Mhm, mhm, yeah, definitely,” Rumi said, nodding quickly as she shielded her steadily redding skin. “Let’s, uh. Let’s go!”
“Oh, uh, yes! Onwards!”
Jinu felt that hanging himself was starting to look like a wonderful option.
“We're here!” Jinu sing-songed, finally taking his hands away from Rumi’s eyes.
“The…aquarium?”
“Yes, yes, yes!” Jinu smiled wide, looking like an excited little kid. “There's a new exhibit!”
Rumi grinned despite herself. “You’re adorable,” she said, resisting the urge to reach up and pinch Jinu’s cheek.
“I am not. I am a scary demon.”
“Yeah. Definitely.”
Rumi suddenly noticed a flash of purple underneath Jinu's sleeve.
"Is that? The bracelet I gave you?"
"NO," Jinu choked, hurriedly shoving it underneath his sleeve. His face flushes red. "NO, OF COURSE NOT."
Rumi grinned wide.
“Oh my god, it is. You simp. You like me.”
"Shut.
"You looooooove me."
"I."
Rumi waved her hand and skipped through the entrance to the aquarium, her bun coming undone and allowing her braid to bounce in the air. She took another step forward but stopped as she felt a tug on her hair.
“Ow,” she said, turning around to look behind her.
“What’s wrong?”
“My braid, I think it got caught somewhere…” Rumi looked around, finally seeing the end of her hair wrapped around the leg of a chair.
“Let me help.” Jinu crouched down, unwinding the braid from the metal rod. “There! All done—whoops.”
“What happened?” Rumi asked anxiously, walking back to see what Jinu had done (men.)
“Nothing, just—” Jinu held up Rumi’s hairtie. “This came out.”
“Oh,” Rumi waved a dismissive hand. “It’ll be fine. I’ll just take the braid out now, it’s not a big deal.”
Weirdly, Jinu didn’t respond. [1]Rumi pulled her fingers through her hair, slowly undoing her braid.
After what felt like an eternity, Rumi finally got her braid untangled and a waterfall of lilac spilled over her shoulders and nearly touched the ground.
“Gosh, my arms hurt .”
Jinu was still silent and Rumi looked up. “What are you—oh.” Rumi giggled despite herself. She raised her finger and tapped him on the nose, shocking him out of his reverie.
Rumi spun around, enjoying the dumbstruck look on Jinu’s face as her hair swirled around her. “You like?”
Jinu stammered. “Uh—gods—uh—”
She stopped, looking up at Jinu through her eyelashes, batting them furiously.
Jinu turned bright red and Rumi broke out in cackles.
“You should see your face!” she said through her laughs, once again on the floor and clutching her stomach. “You’re so easy to fluster.”
“You’re so beautiful with your hair down.”
Rumi’s face flushed. “...whatever. You coming?”
“You don’t even know where we’re going!”
“I’m about to figure it out on my own if you don’t hurry up!”
“I don’t know how your friends put up with you!”
“Back to you, Jinu!”
Rumi heard Jinu’s scoff before he sprinted after Rumi and grabbed her wrist. She ground to a halt, staring down at Jinu’s fingers wrapped around her arm.
When she finally looked up again, Jinu’s face was bright red and he seemed frozen in that position.
“Uh. Forgive me,” he said, deliberately releasing his hand. “My, uh, my apologies.”
Rumi desperately tried to think of ways to diffuse the situation and only came up with: “‘My apologies?’ You’re so old.”
Jinu tilted his head. “I was…born 400 years ago. I don’t know what else you want from me.”
Rumi really wanted to facepalm right then.
“Just—just show me the exhibit, pretty boy. Don’t think too much about it.”
Jinu gasped. “You think I’m pretty?”
Rumi kicked his ankle.
“You didn’t deny it!” Jinu cackled, running off into a darker part of the aquarium.
Rumi growled underneath her breath and took off after the boy, jumping onto Jinu in an attempt to tackle him.
It didn’t work.
She was left dangling off Jinu's neck, her arms wrapped around his shoulders, her feet kicking in the air.
“Ugh. Must you be so tall,” she grumbled, trying to swing herself onto his back. “This is too much work.”
Jinu stumbled a bit underneath her sudden weight but didn’t try to shake Rumi off. His hands automatically raised to keep her steady. “You’re the one who leapt on me like a raccoon.”
“You love it.”
“Debatable, princess.”
Rumi scowled, twisting around. She tried to jab a finger in Jinu’s cheek, missed, and nearly slipped off his back instead.
Jinu panicked, grabbing her tighter. “You win, you win! Just don’t snap your neck in here, your friends might murder me.”
“You act as if they’re not plotting your murder right now. Realistically, they’d just torture you more.”
Rumi felt Jinu shudder under her and she giggled. They both turned a corner, the room around them plunging into darkness. Rumi tightened her grip on Jinu’s shoulders.
Suddenly, a blinking shimmer caught her eye and she swiveled around to look for it.
A jellyfish tank. It seemed to be lined with gentle, shifting LED lights, shining through the jellyfish and illuminating in colors of the galaxy.
Rumi unconsciously tightened her hold on Jinu, squeezing closer to him as she leaned towards the glowing jellyfish.
She felt herself moving closer (Jinu’s moving towards the tank, the back of her mind supplied) and she reached out a hand to press against the glass.
Purple jellyfish drifted peacefully through the deep blue water, glowing as if someone had fitted them with delicate fairy lights.
Rumi let out a soft gasp as the color gently lightened to blue, casting the pale glow on her arms—on her patterns. They looked…beautiful.
Her patterns began to reflect a golden glow, and she looked up to see a pulsing yellow jellyfish hovering at her face. Her eyes widened.
She felt herself being carefully let down and led closer.
“It looks like the Honmoon,” Jinu said quietly. “It’s beautiful. Like…you.”
“What?” she breathed, twisting around to look at him. “I’m not—look at me. Look at my marks. I—”
“I have them too. And, as far as I’m concerned,” Jinu said, tucking a lilac-colored strand of hair behind Rumi’s ear, “you're just as beautiful with the cracks showing.”
The first thing Rumi noticed was the perfect way she slotted into his arms. Jinu gently pulled her closer, his arms wrapped around her waist, his eyes half-lidded as he seemed to ask for permission.
Rumi didn’t even bother nodding. She rose on her tiptoes, and kissed him.
It wasn’t anything revolutionary. His lips were chapped, slightly soft, but so, so perfect against her own. Her eyes slid shut.
Rumi wrapped her arms around his neck, gently pushing him towards the glass wall before trapping his lips with her own once again.
Jinu seemed to melt with bliss.
So did Rumi.
Rumi blinked open her eyes, looking up at Jinu. He looked back down at her, his eyes still lidded, his lips a deep red.
“I think I love you,” Rumi whispered, raising her hands to cup his face. Jinu leaned into the touch.
“I think I love you too.”
Rumi leaned away from him, taking in his whole face. “Gods, you’re pretty.”
Jinu didn’t respond, his eyes glazed over as he tried to chase Rumi’s lips with his own.
Rumi giggled, placing her index finger over his mouth and gently pushing him away.
“Not quite yet.”
Jinu pouted. “Can I at least have a hug?” he asked, opening his arms. Rumi smiled fondly, easily falling into his embrace.
She leaned into his chest, sighing as she got comfortable. She felt Jinu’s arms tighten around her waist. Rumi felt…safe.
She felt Jinu lean down and press a sweet kiss to her hair. She smiled.
“Thank you, for everything,” she whispered quietly into his chest.
“Thank you. ”
Rumi was content to stay there until she had to go home, but alas, all the gods truly did hate her.
The Honmoon strummed red, colors like a siren flashing across the once glittering blue strings. She groaned, and she heard the tell-tale ringtone of her girls calling.
“They need help,” Jinu said, opening his arms. “Go help them. I’ll do what I can to hold them off, and I’ll be here when you return, princess.”
Rumi grabbed the collar of his hoodie, dragging him down for one more chaste kiss.
“Be careful,” she breathed. Rumi wrapped her hair up in a ponytail, summoned her sword and took off down the street, ready to tear apart some demons. She got her boy, and she was allowed to commit some murder.
What a great day this was shaping out to be.
Jinu beamed, brushing a hand across his lips.
She likes me! Rumi likes me! This is great!
He started walking towards the exit, twisting his wrist to reveal his own shining blade (a throwing knife he stole from Zoey), gearing up to dispatch some demons for his…girlfriend? Oh, gods, Rumi’s his girlfriend . He kissed her.
He’s so lucky.
Jinu winced as a slight searing sensation began to make its way up his arms. He looked down, watching his patterns go from an iridescent blue to flaming red.
“Oh, no, no, no, no—”
The burning flared into an indescribable pain and he slammed onto the ground of the demon realm, laying helplessly on his side in front of the demon king.
“I—I can explain, I swear, I’m only—I’m just using her—”
“Quiet.” The king’s voice was scarily soft.
Jinu snapped his mouth shut and he got on his knees, bowing his head. A soft glow caught his eye and he looked down at the knife still in his hand. Jinu’s blood ran cold. He twisted his arm behind him, trying to conceal the damning weapon.
“You say you’re using the Hunter. It appears she’s using you, instead.”
“No! No—no of course not! I—”
“You hold the weapon of the Hunters in your palm.”
“I just—it’s to—please, Gwi-Ma, I swear my loyalty to you—”
“I don’t believe you, Jinu.”
“You—My voice and body and thoughts are all yours—I would never—”
Jinu wrapped his arms around himself, hoping, praying, that Gwi-Ma wouldn’t go after Rumi. He’d take anything if it meant—
“I think you need to be reminded of your place, boy.”
Jinu clenched his teeth, determined not to give Gwi-Ma the satisfaction.
The flames rose to his throat.
Jinu screamed.
Rumi collapsed on her bed, wrapped in her fluffy purple robe and hair all tied up.
It was a quick battle and thankfully, Mira and Zoey didn't press her as to where Rumi had been.
She spread out her arms, stretching. She sighed comfortably, snuggling under her blankets.
Everything was fine and fixed and ready. She'd kissed Jinu (he was her boyfriend!!), he would throw the Idol Awards for her, she and her girls would turn the Honmoon gold, the Saja Boys would stay on the right side of the barrier, and Rumi’s patterns would be gone forever.
Everything was going to be perfect.