Chapter Text
Rumi would like it noted that she had no idea what she was doing. There was not a scrap of rational thought left in her brain after the grueling week she and the girls had had since the Saja Boy’s first performance. There must not have been, because why else was she actually meeting, speaking with, not immediately killing, the very demon that had been taunting her and destroying their honmoon? If she weren’t insane, she’d be back at the penthouse, curled on the couch listening to Zoey infodump about turtles and letting Mira brush the latest facemask she found across her face. If she were thinking rationally, she would be sleeping, preparing for the Idol awards, hosting a live with the girls to win some fans back, anything!
Anything but this!
But here she was, meeting with that insufferably hot demon who made her stomach twist in knots that could have been hatred, could have been more. Or it could have been those grape pouch “tonics.” Either way, she wasn’t having it.
The mannequin was a poor ice breaker. Or a really good neck breaker. Either way, it only made Rumi’s stomach twist harder, her face flushing with anger as she swiped at Jinu’s infuriatingly cool smile.
“I just… want… to… talk!” he huffed, dodging every swipe.
“Talk?” Rumi scoffs.
“About your patterns?” Jinu glances down. “But first, I want to talk about those pants. Teddy bears and choo-choo trains?” Rumi’s face flushed at the damned demon’s mocking choo-choo. Not because she was embarrassed. Zoey gave her these pants. No, she was furious because how dare this utter fool, this ridiculous demon scum, mock Zoey’s present to her? It was jerks like him that made her so afraid to be herself! It didn’t matter if Zoey wasn’t here; Rumi was enraged on her behalf anyway.
“You were supposed to be dead by now!” She cried, swinging her sword once more, slicing pink dust instead of an insufferable demon.
“Hey! I could have told your friends what you are. But I didn’t, did I? They don’t know about your patterns, do they?” Jinu taunted, hands in his pocket, as unflustered as ever, while Rumi’s world was spiraling out of control.
“I guessed right, didn’t I?” he laughed a little. “A demon girl... and a hunter. Walking around free in the human world. How does that work?”
“Just hunter. I am not like you.” Rumi growled.
“Then how did you get those patterns? You made a deal with Gwi-ma. I wonder… what does his voice whisper to you? What could the perfect little popstar want so desperately she’d sell her hunter soul, hm?” Jinu sneered, leaning back slightly, expecting her to swing again.
Rumi’s sword dipped in her confusion. Whispers? Selling her soul? What was this asshole talking about?
“I don’t hear any whispers. I didn’t make any deal. I am nothing like you.” Rumi repeated her words in her mind like a mantra, wrapping them like a threadbare blanket around her insecurities. I’m not like him. I’m not a demon. I am a hunter; my voice is strong.
“Denial. I get it, I was there too once. It’s easy to pretend, until they start to spread. Until they start to take over every scrap of good you managed to hoard in your life. Until Gwi-ma’s voice becomes all you can hear, and he drags you down to the depths to writhe in your shame and dance to his tune. I’ll be here when you are done pretending. Until then…” Jinu shrugged. “Hold on to what you love. From the looks of it, you won’t have it for much longer.”
“What does that mean?” Ice shot through Rumi’s veins at the pitying look Jinu gave her. Was he threatening Mira and Zoey? The Honmoon? Her voice? What was he talking about?
“Oh, you still don’t know? I guess Gwi-ma still isn’t forthcoming with his deals. Sort of defeats the purpose, and all,” Jinu hummed, looking her up and down like – like…. Like something that made her feel utterly small and worthless and…. And scared.
“Once your patterns spread all over, you’ll succumb to Gwi-ma’s control. He’ll drag you down, beneath your precious Honmoon. And between you and I, huntress? You won’t last a minute in hell.” Jinu smirks, cruel and cold. His patterns ripple across his too-perfect face, taunting her.
And then he’s gone, leaving her shaking on the rooftop.