Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Zoey rubbed roughly at her eyes, dashing the tears away before they could fall, getting her hands back on the steering wheel right after. The events of the night kept replaying in her head as she sped away from the only home she’d ever had, filling her with anger, sadness, and just renewing her tears.

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“When are you going to grow up?! Find an actual career, stop with all this music and art bullshit!”

She didn’t answer her mother, didn’t even look at her, just took her boxes out to her car. Everything important to her packed up in three boxes that she was going to take with her… wherever she ended up.

It had been rough lately, especially after her mom lost her job, and she was stressed about how she was going to take care of the household. Zoey had her job down at the boba place, but over the last several months, her mother had been hounding her to apply somewhere better, go back to college, really be able to support the family. And she wanted to help, genuinely, but not like that. 

It had been a dream since she was in school to be a singer, and she’d be damned if she gave it up like everything else she’d picked up and dropped over the years. She just needed a chance, some support, anyone that would believe in her for just a minute.

She couldn’t be too mad at her mother, who followed her out to the car as she carried her last box. She was a lot to be around, to love, to understand, but she was set on this. It felt like abandoning them, but she could at least acknowledge in the back of her mind that it wasn’t healthy for her to stay here. It was stifling in its safety - always expected to be the perfect child to not be too much for her struggling mother, but never allowed to actually be who she really was; loud, messy, way too much energy for one body, and a singer at heart.

“That’s it then? You’re just going to leave us to, what, busk on the streets? Listen to me Zoey-”

“I’m going to find the opportunity I need to be successful. I know I can make it, but I just can’t here .” She cut her mother off quietly, closing the trunk of the car with the last of her things.

“I know you want the best for me, and I don’t want to leave you all, but I have to. I love you, mom, and I’m sorry I have to go.”

Her mother blinked at her, fists tightening at her sides. Zoey knew the anger was coming, it was the same as when her father had left, the arguing about their divorce still fresh in her mind despite the years that had dulled the ache about it.

“When you’re starving on the streets, when your lyrics still can’t feed you, know that you can come back. And when you come back, we’ll find you a real job.”

Before Zoey could answer, her mother went back inside, closing and locking the door, leaving no room for anything else to be said.

She stared at the door for a moment, then nodded solemnly before getting into her car. 

The tears didn’t come yet. Not when the door on her old life was shut, not as she replayed her mother’s words in her head, not even as she got a text from her little siblings asking her to please come back, mom was sorry. It wasn’t until she saw the sign saying ‘Now Leaving Burbank’ that it really clicked into place that she was leaving, that the breath caught in her throat, and her vision started swimming. She gripped the steering wheel tighter, trying to ground herself, but she felt the heavy drops hit her lap, and that just made it worse. She sobbed, trying to swipe the tears away quickly, sniffling, nose dripping. Had she been able to see herself, she probably would have laughed at the mess she was, but alone in the car, it just felt so hollow and final. She was leaving, and couldn’t, wouldn’t, go back.

When the silence in the car, broken only by a sniffle or a hiccup got too deafening, she put on some random beat she had in her list for rapping to when she got some inspiration. She drummed her fingers against the steering wheel, finding her rhythm, and mumbled to herself.

“Goin’ out on my own, find a new home // No family on my side, no one but me, just gotta…. Make it for… Free? Ugh….” She groaned at how bad it sounded, but this didn’t need to be anything to beat herself up about. Just something silly while she drove to the motel she had picked out. She had planned to go to New York, try to start something there, just get away from California and have a start fresh. It was a long way, but she was determined.

“Find a new family, who love me for me… No rules, no expectations // No more hiding, no desperations. Gotta make it, have to make it, gonna make it.”

She sighed, reaching over to hold the plush turtle she’d put into the front seat for moral support. It helped, its soft fuzz a different enough stimulus than the steering wheel to stop the lingering cries for now.

“You’re my family now, Jelly-Belly. Just you, me and the road. Until the motel, anyway. And whoever I meet on the way. Think I’ll get to be in a band? I’d love to be the rapper while they sing. Be a mixed group with our sound. I hope we’ll all be friends too. Hang out, watch movies, talk about life together.”

And now she was talking to the toy turtle. Great. 

The streetlights flashed by in a blur, helping keep Zoey awake. The decision to leave had made her so anxious she’d barely slept lately, and the argument with her mother and the crying had worn her out further, not to mention the late hour she’d left. She stole a glance at her phone, both to see if there were more messages from her siblings, and to see how close she was to the motel. Ten minutes out, not bad at all. She also caught a glance at the time, 3:19am. Woof. 

Hopefully she would be able to sleep well enough to be back on the road by noon. She doubted it, but it wasn’t like she had anywhere to be, really. Her New York plan was mostly just intention rather than an actual, concrete thing but she wanted to distance herself from here as quickly as possible. Didn’t matter that she would have to start from the ground up, it was better than silently suffering under rules and expectations until she was so beaten down, her dreams wouldn’t matter anymore.

She pulled up to the motel, taking just her phone, car keys and plushie with her to the receptionist.. Was it still a receptionist if it was just a motel? She shook the thought from her head quickly before it could take root and distract her from the task at hand. 

The person didn’t bat an eye at her, just handing her some slightly grubby keys attached to a tag that read ‘room 7’. She thanked them softly, and headed over, thankful that it was in view of her car, so she could periodically peer out the curtains just to check on it. Not that she had much to steal. Mostly clothes, plushies, and too many notebooks and sketchpads full of her ramblings. Still, it was important to her.

She flopped onto the bed, which was surprisingly clean, and pulled out her phone for the bedtime scroll. She knew it was ‘bad for her brain’ and ‘promoted a lesser quality of sleep’ but it helped her, so doctors and scientists be damned.

As she scrolled, she stumbled across a tiktok of that old k-pop band she’d liked as a kid. Sunlight Sisters? Yeah, that was it. The familiar music played, bringing a nostalgic smile to Zoey’s face. She sang along, surprising herself that she even remembered the words after so long. She knew she was a good singer, great even, but hearing how smoothly her mouth sang the words, how easily it came to her, a thought flashed across her mind.

What if I was in a k-pop band?

She snorted at the thought, resting her phone down next to her as the song kept playing.

“Yeah, right. Aren’t those like… crazy hard to get into anyway?” she asked Jelly-Belly, who unsurprisingly, had no answers for her.

“Yeah, nah… Wouldn’t be a k-pop band. Maybe… pop punk? Something where I can rap, and sing, and it blends well with the sound.”

She picked back up her phone, deciding to follow the rabbit hole down Sunlight Sisters and k-pop tiktoks. She knew she’d get lost in this quickly, and would forget to sleep, so she told herself a couple more scrolls, and she would pack it up for the night… morning… and get some sleep.

On her last scroll, she saw a shorter video, just some purple haired girl singing with a pink haired one, and…

“Holy shit, is that Celine???”

She sat up straighter, taking in the video. That was THE Celine, from the Sunlight Sisters. And.. as she read comments, it was Rumi, her daughter, and Mira, just some… girl from Korea, singing with her. The video was titled ‘Sunlight Sisters Reborn” and their voices sounded lovely together, but also like something was missing. Going further in the comments, someone had said that they should get a third younger person, make a new group, and the official account had replied, saying, ‘Just need to find the right person, and it could happen 😉”

Something tugged in her chest, and she instantly got the crazy thought that maybe she was that third singer. But that was crazy.

“That’s CRAZY, right, Jelly-Belly? That I could ever be in a k-pop band with THE Celine’s daughter? Madness, right? I’m totally losing it from lack of sleep. That’s gotta be it.”

But that tug in her chest kept up, almost like it was pulling her somewhere east. 

What was that saying? You miss one hundred percent of the shots you never take? 

After pawing around the profile, and finding an email, she took a deep breath, wrote up, attached a file, and sent an email to Celine herself, or at least some PR person, with a recording she’d done a couple months ago, some silly thing she’d written about anxieties and learning to be at peace with oneself. Just something light.

There was no way anything would come of it, but it couldn’t hurt, right? Maybe she’d even get a pity email saying that they appreciated fans, but it was not up to par with the sound that Celine was expecting of anyone she’d take under her wing.

She set the phone aside, and pulled her plushie in close, settling in to sleep. Maybe she’d dream she got a call from Celine, telling her to come to Korea and be in a girl group. She snorted at that, sleepily chuckling. Yeah, right .

The chime of the phone startled her out of her sleep, blinking against the sudden light. She blindly reached over, grabbing it, all the while grumbling about who would even message her at… She checked the time, 5:30 in the morning.

She saw a little email notification, the awe growing despite her want to not get her hopes up. She opened it immediately, mumbling to herself as she read, voice growing higher and more frantic as she read more. Formalities, thanking her for her interest, but most importantly? Celine herself had listened to her song, and was interested in having a call with her at 6am to discuss a further career in music.

She kept rereading it, giggling, squishing her plushie, kicking her feet excitedly. It had been a total shot in the dark, but CELINE was interested in her work! She sent a quick email back, thanking them for the opportunity, and putting her phone number in case they wanted to call her there, or that she could be called through teams or something. One of those apps she’d had to sign up for when she did online classes. Multiple ways to reach her, just to show she was willing to work with whoever in any way she could. No hesitation. Just reply, send and wait.

“Wait, 6am?” She suddenly snapped out of her hysterics, and checked the time again. 5:43am. She needed to be awake - well, she certainly was now - and maybe rehearse her answers? It was basically an interview, and she was terrible at those. Always getting off track, thoughts going far faster and more scattered than she could speak them, which tended to put people off. At least, she thought they did. Regardless, she needed to get her thoughts together quickly, and be perfectly put together for Celine.

She grabbed a piece of paper and a pen after scouring the room for anything she could use to jot thoughts down before they left her, and scribbled quickly.

Be polite, say good morning. It’s not morning in Korea though. Say good night? No, say good evening. Thank her for the opportunity. Tell her about your other music. Tell her about your notebooks other ideas. Say you would love to be in any kind of group. Or even solo. You could do solo. Don’t be desperate though. Mention you can dance. You’re a skater? Maybe that will help. Tell her you get along great with others. Don’t mention your parents. Mention New York? Tell her you loved Sunlight Sisters. 

She tapped her pen against the page, thinking if there was anything else she’d need to keep track of. It seemed sufficient though.

Her phone buzzed again, and she pounced on it, not wanting to have Celine wait any longer than necessary, in case that affected her decision. It was an invite to an online call. The breath caught in her throat. This was it. Her opportunity for greater things. Don’t mess up, remember your notes , she thought as she joined in.

“Good morning, Ms. Jeong.”

Holy shit. That was Celine, no doubts about it. Zoey could pick that voice out from anywhere. And oh shit, she was speaking Korean. Was she supposed to answer in Korean too? This wasn’t in her notes. Complication to the plan.

“A- Um… Good… morning, evening! Ms. Celine”

She stumbled over her words in messy Korean, both nerves and lack of recent use making it sound like talking to a child. The hand not holding her phone gripped the bedsheets below her, trying to calm herself and give her hand something to do. She was goofing this up already, and she would never live it down if she wasted this chance.

“Please, don’t feel pressured to answer in Korean. I speak English as well.”

Celine’s light reply came, soft chuckle to her words that were, mercifully for Zoey, in English.

“Oh, thank you then. I do know Korean, my dad is Korean, I’m just. Very Nervous. Sorry.”

The words came a bit easier in English, but she was still tense, fingers curling and uncurling in the sheets as she continued trying to ground herself.

“No need to be sorry. But to the point - I saw your email, and heard your song, and I must say, you have a lot of potential for someone who is not formally trained in either singing or songwriting.”

That… felt slightly like a dig, but potential was good! Zoey thought as she listened to Celine.

“I receive likely hundreds of emails from fans, all trying to send their music for a chance at stardom, and while I can say some people have been wonderful… Your song, your sound, stood out to me. The passion with which you write, how you weave your sentences, I think you would do nicely as the rapper and lyricist of a group.”

Yes. YES.

“But - “

No….

“I think I would need to hear you with others to see how well you truly meld, if you’re able to complement and work with other voices, and not get lost in them, or outdo them.”

Zoey looked down at her cheat-sheet. She had written she could work with others, which was technically true, but it was a matter if others wanted to work with her. Her thoughts always came rapidly, and disappeared just the same, her interest and passions fiery and intense, boundless energy at all times. It tended to be a lot for other people, and when she tried to be what they expected or wanted, it was still somehow never enough. She wasn’t enough. But was also too much. She gripped her phone, thinking. Maybe whoever she got to work with would be able to match her energy. Appreciate her thoughts, her notebooks, her . When she opened her mouth to speak again, the words came more quietly, a bit subdued.

“I wouldn’t mind to sing with whoever you chose. I’d be honoured.”

She’d make sure they liked her. However she had to act, portray herself, keep her thoughts in order, she’d make sure she got along with whoever Celine picked.

“Fantastic. How soon can I expect you to work with my girls?”

“As soon as possible, whenever you can get them on a call-”

“No, Ms. Jeong,” Celine interrupted, bringing Zoey’s brewing thoughts about masking to a halt.

“I want you in Korea, a proper studio, live singing to hear the best of what you can offer me.”

Zoey almost dropped her phone, a small gasp leaving her. Go to Korea? Now? In this economy?

“I - I - I don’t exactly um… Have the money for that? I promise, I can get the best wifi-”

“Nonsense. Your trip will be paid for, it is no trouble as long as I can hear you at your best. If this isn’t for you, your trip back home will also be paid for as a thank you for at least trying. I truly think you could do something great here, but you are under no obligation to drop your life there in America. There is additionally no pressure to answer immediately, I understand this would be a huge decision to make.”

Before Zoey could let fears and anxieties start brewing, she promptly answered,

“Yes! Please I would love to do this, I’ll do my best, and I can be in Korea as soon as you want me, I have so much time.”

She stopped herself from rambling any further, afraid that she would scare Celine off after it had gone so amazingly.

“... Alright then, I am glad you are so enthusiastic. We will be in contact further through emails, but very likely, there will be a private plane to bring you to Seoul by 5am tomorrow. I do hope this goes well, Ms. Jeong. Until we meet.”

And with that, Celine hung up, leaving Zoey gaping at her phone, thoughts racing in her head, stunned into silence.

“...FUCK YEAH! HOLY SHIT, I’M GOING TO KOREA!” She screamed ecstatically before slapping a hand over her mouth. It was still early in the morning, and she had no clue if the rooms nearest to hers were occupied. Instead, she grabbed her plush and rolled around on the bed, giggling uncontrollably as the nerves melted into pure joy. 

This was it. The opportunity of a lifetime. 

She was going to be a singer.

After Celine hung up, she nodded simply, looking out of the window to the penthouse she had gotten for Rumi and Mira, and soon to be Zoey. She looked over the honmoon, which glowed steadily, strong. It was safe for now, but she knew the time was drawing near for the next generation of hunters to form and keep the barrier between worlds safe. She glanced at Rumi and Mira, who were chatting quietly nearby, excited at the prospect of meeting the new hunter and a new singer. They felt it too; that tug, like the third hunter had finally awakened to what she was meant to be. A pull that drew them towards each other, soulbonded in their duty. Celine felt it too, to a degree, but moreso that the time to pass the torch was drawing nearer, her ability to summon her weapon about to be lost forever. She didn’t mind it, but she was worried.

Zoey was talented, most definitely, and Celine had felt the pull, Mira and Rumi confirming that they felt drawn to the girl just hearing her talk to Celine. (They also thought she was cute and that they’d be friends even if she weren’t the third hunter, but that was irrelevant.) But Celine was worried about the cycle of hunters, all the same. Miyeong had done something unprecedented, and as much as she cared for Rumi, what if this somehow broke everything? Destroyed the honmoon? There had never been a half demon hunter before and she had no clue how this would affect their ability to keep it sealed. 

She cast a sidelong glance at Rumi’s sleeved right arm. No, as long as these three were the hunters, and they were able to keep the demons at bay, the honmoon would be safe, and the patterns would go with it, the world safe once more.

“Rumi? Mira? Are you prepared to meet the third hunter and take over your duties?”

They both stood, looking at Celine nervously, excitement temporarily paused in favour of anxious respect.

“Yes, Celine.”

She nodded at them both, hands reaching out to touch their shoulders, Rumi’s left and Mira’s right.

“You will be responsible for keeping this world safe, inspiring hope and faith from your fans. You must ensure that they have no reasons to doubt you; no flaws, no faults, no fears. You must be sure of yourself in all you do. Never give anyone a reason to suspect you are anything other than what you show them. Remember what I've taught you.”

Silent nods, this lesson already etched into their heads from the moment Mira had met Rumi and they felt that connection for the first time.

“We are hunters, voices strong. Our faults and fears must never be seen.”

Celine nodded as they spoke in unison. The next generation was in good hands.

Zoey stared at the jet in front of her. Sleek black, smaller than the commercial planes she had taken sometimes when she went to Florida with her family for vacations as a kid. Her boxes were already neatly packed for her, the only left left for her to hold being a small bag with her notebook, a pack of coloured pens, and a tiny 3D printed turtle fidget toy she’d picked up a couple months ago at an ocean life charity event. 

She took a deep breath, nerves pulled tighter than they’d been in years, and boarded, sitting in the window seat furthest to the back so she could be as unobtrusive as possible. And write in peace. She didn’t want anyone seeing her notebooks, not yet, and she already had new ideas about fossil fuels, finding new homes and family, and maybe something about the clouds. 

After last checks, the plane smoothly took off, sending Zoey’s already anxious stomach into full overdrive. Maybe a song about puking up butterflies , she thought as she gripped her notebook to her chest. But as she stared out the window, clouds passing, the skyline of the cities fading, she settled into something more tranquil. Her thoughts stopped for the time being, just allowing her to take the sights in. New place, new people, new opportunity. This was her time. 

She settled back in the seat, and eventually drifted off, that slight tug in her heart growing stronger as she drew nearer and nearer to her destination.

Distantly, Rumi and Mira felt it grow too.

Chapter Text

There was a gentle shake to Zoey’s shoulder, and she started, head flying up from the window where it had been resting. There was a soft blanket over her that fell to her lap as she shifted, looking at the person who woke her. 

“ ‘m I in Korea yet?” she mumbled sleepily, rubbing her eyes as she looked around. It was bright outside the window, completely opposite to the dark morning it was when she’d left California. It also just felt different, the air, the smells, the energy in general. That strange pull in her chest was steadier too, not uncomfortable, but very present. She wrote it off as nerves.

“Yes. You have been asleep for eleven hours. Are you in need of anything?”

The man speaking to her was polite, speaking slowly while Zoey fully woke, in no rush as he watched her stretch and work the stiffness from her neck.

“Just some water, please. And.. when am I meeting with Celine?" She paused, rushing on quickly as she realised that was likely rude of her. "Not to rush her or anything! I'm, anxious, is all.”

An open bottle with a straw was handed to her, and she sipped while she was filled in on the itinerary that had been planned.

“Today, you are to meet with Rumi and Mira to get acquainted. Tomorrow and the following day, there is singing practice and time to rehearse some choreography. On Monday, it is to be performed for Celine so she can assess your talents.”

She nodded, trying to not choke on her water. Everything was happening so quickly, and she was still sort of coming down from the anxiety of the fight with her mother, and then it had only really just set in that she was in a whole different country, just based on reaching out and seeing what would happen. She thought she’d meet Celine, perform something privately, and then maybe be sent back home with a fun tale for whoever she’d meet in New York. All of this was so much more than she had expected, and it was all crashing onto her, dragging her out to see when she’d thought she was in the kiddie pool.

She took a breath, steadying herself, then stood, following the man out of the plane and into a was ushered into a car, taking her through the busy city. She had been to Korea before as a kid, but seeing it now with older eyes and new anxieties, it was all so amazing and so daunting. Maybe she’d get to explore before she got kicked back into America, try some foods and shop around a little. Ooh, maybe she’d get to go to a bathhouse? The notion was intriguing, and the last time she’d been to the country, she was too young to go, but she had thought of it more as a pool party area back then, so maybe that skewed it. Regardless, maybe it could be relaxing. She sure felt nervous enough now to need it.

The drive wasn’t too long, but had given her enough time to start making notes, the ideas coming quickly, starting to settle slightly into the energy of the new area. She could so make this work. No need to start planning about what she would do if she had to go back to America. She was going to sing, dance, and maybe consider sending money back home to her family when she made it work here. Possibly. She still wanted to help them for sure, but her mother’s constant belittling of her passions and talents made her pettily want to deny any aid. Although, it would be her money to do whatever she liked with. On the other hand, she lived to make people happy with her choices. It had taken so much more strength than she thought she had to even begin that conversation with her mother, and she felt little pangs of guilt if she lingered too often on the memory. 

She ultimately decided to make a note to maybe start sending cuts of her pay to her family as she pulled up to the penthouse. As she looked up, she mouthed a silent ‘wow’, thinking the people who lived here must have been so rich. The opulence of it all. Maybe that could be a song too, shiny things and the materials we strive for. She was about to ask why they had stopped here, when she was politely told that they had arrived, promptly causing her to drop her pen.

This was where she’d be staying? She had never even dreamed of staying somewhere so fancy before. Sure, she’d been to nice hotels sometimes on vacations, but this… This was a whole new level. She’d have to make sure to be so careful not to break anything. Just the energy outside told her that she’d never afford to replace anything within. 

She stepped out, taking it in more fully, plush and notebook in her arms. Her other things had already been carried in for her, and she’d be damned if Jelly-Belly wasn’t at her side the rest of the way. It would at least be a nice ice breaker when she met these others. They’d know she loves plushies, turtles, and that she was terrified to be here.

After the elevator ride up - no way was she taking the stairs to the top floor of a building this tall - she was let into what could only be described as the most luxury apartment in existence. An open floor plan to a kitchen and dining area, a living room with a huge, soft couch facing a giant tv, all surrounded by great sweeping windows to survey the city. Even a grand piano near a hallway that she assumed led to a lavish bathroom and bedrooms. It was amazingly clean, but it also had the tiny touches of being lived in; a couple mugs that were personalised instead of being one matching set, a slightly worn plushie on the couch of a bear, the throw pillows on the couch not lined up quite right, and a hasty dish stacking job that must have been done just before Zoey arrived, plates shoved precariously in the drying rack. It had the markings of a home, not just a place to live. Maybe she’d even have the chance to add some of her touches in too.

She took her shoes off next to the elevator, thinking it best not to track anything in when she didn’t know the shoe policy for this space yet, and waited politely near the couch, not quite willing to sit without being told to first. 

She didn’t have to wait long though, as soon she spotted two figures coming down the hall, and then realised it must have been Rumi and… Mira, that was her name, coming to meet her. 

She took them both in as they approached, clutching her plushie tightly to her chest, feeling a blush creeping up her neck. She had seen them both in the video, but seeing them in person? She suddenly understood a lot of the thirsty comments under their videos.

Rumi was tall, slender yet muscular, her biceps perfectly framed and held by the black turtleneck she was wearing. Her purple hair swayed easily behind her, pristine braid amazingly long and well-kept, not a hair out of place. She looked sweet, if a bit guarded, polite smile as she met Zoey’s eyes.

Mira was even taller, more sleek and all sharp angles, her jaw chiseled and set in a way that Zoey was unable to read anything from. She walked with an air of regality about her; not haughty, but like she knew she was amazing; jewellery sparkling against her skin, complimented by her white, sleeveless blouse, perfectly showing off her toned shoulders.

Zoey let out a tiny squeak, taking them in, trying to come up with anything to say in greeting that wouldn’t be terribly embarrassing as a first impression. Don’t fuck it up.

Rumi and Mira got to her, standing in front of her politely, giving her a second to speak first if she chose to.

“H-hi! Very pretty.” She extended her hand, awkward smile and blush painting her freckled face.

She was fucking it up.

Rumi stared at her hand a little confused, polite smile faltering, becoming half a grimace, as Mira brought her hand up to her face to try to, unsuccessfully, hide her snicker.

Zoey kicked herself mentally. She said the internal part out loud, and thought, ‘I’m Zoey, you must be Rumi and Mira’. And of course they didn’t really shake hands. They bowed. Oh, she was going to have a field day with this memory in the quiet parts of the night when she was trying to sleep.

She swiftly took her hand back, and bowed, trying to fix it as quickly as she could.

But Rumi had also decided to switch to a handshake at the same moment, figuring out she was just being polite.

Instead, now Rumi had smacked Zoey on the side of her head, really cementing the moment as a horrendous first impression. Probably world record worst, truly.

There was a beat of silence, all three processing what just happened, Rumi’s hand still against Zoey’s temple.

It hadn’t hurt, it was only enough just to make a tiny smacking noise, but Zoey blinked at it. Did they already hate her? Did they want to kill her for crimes she wasn’t even sure of?

The silence broke when Mira snorted, more giggles bubbling up from between her fingers as she tried to muffle her laughter, tears forming at her eyes and slipping down her cheeks in a rush.

Rumi, petrified, quickly took her hand back like it burned to touch Zoey, and stammered out an apology, face red in her embarrassment.

“Oh, no no no, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry! I didn’t know you were going to switch to a bow, I was going to shake your hand like you wanted!”

Zoey straightened up, taking a breath, face somehow redder than Rumi’s. At least it wasn’t just her blundering around, and her misspoken words were mercifully ignored. But this loosened a lot of the anxiety forming in her chest, seeing how their cool personas were more just for appearances, getting a good look at what they were too - awkward, silly people just like her.

“Why don’t we start over? We can all bow to each other.”, she volunteered softly, Rumi nodding vigorously, too flustered to get words out, and Mira giving a thumbs up, the last of her giggles fizzling out.

Zoey took a step back - she didn’t want to accidentally bump heads and start the cycle over again - and bowed, Rumi and Mira returning the gesture. When she faced them again, she spoke softly, shyly, already warming to the taller women in front of her.

“I’m Zoey, you must be Rumi and Mira.”

They invited her to sit at the dining table, cups of tea steaming in front of them. Zoey was grateful for something to drink, mouth parched in her nervousness, but even more so for the ability to fidget politely. She could hold the cup to ground herself, idly trace over the lip with her fingers like she was thinking, and gently shift it, like she was stirring the dark contents. The perfect escape in plain sight.

Rumi looked at her with that same polite smile, warmth and humility coming off her in waves, but Mira was vastly different. Not rude, just more guarded. She held her face perfectly neutrally, eyes squinted slightly like she was analysing every gesture Zoey made, ready to neatly catalog everything she said. It was a little intimidating.

“So.. Zoey. Celine had asked me to pass along a message for you - That she was sorry she would be too busy to properly introduce you to us today, but that she was looking forward to seeing what the three of us would sound like together. How we mesh. She also said you had a great sound, as a lyricist and a rapper. She didn’t elaborate much beyond that, but we did hear what you had sent, and it sounded amazing.”

Mira nodded along as Rumi spoke, still unreadable, but a small smile played at her lips. Zoey would have to make a note to be very careful about what she let slip in front of her; she seemed the type to remember everything about someone, maybe not bully them about it, but she couldn’t be too careful. She’d had enough of that growing up before she learned to snap back fast enough to shut it down. She focused back in on Rumi quickly, not wanting to accidentally ignore her.

“Beyond your musical talent though, what are you interested in?”

Interesting. Rumi was asking about her, not just what she could bring to a group. It made her feel a little more welcome that it wasn't all formalities and that they seemed to want bond with her. But it was a loaded question. How much did Rumi want to know? What should she even start with? How much should she keep to herself? This was the perfect opportunity to paint herself in whatever light she wanted, but would she be able to keep up any lies in the long run?

She rubbed absently at her chest, that odd tug still there, the strongest it had been since it had started. It was insistent, whatever it was. Likely just anxiety. New place, new people, new everything, really. 

Before the silence could stretch too long, she started softly in Korean, making two more notes - Practice her language skills through these two, and to work in half truths to make it easier to upkeep appearances.

“Well. I’m a skater. When I had the time, I would go to the beach boardwalk and practice my tricks and speed for hours, the rush of air against my skin exhilarating. It was freeing. Going fast with no real destination. And…”

She held up her turtle plush shyly. She had walked in with it, no need to try to hide that aspect of herself.

“I like sea life and ocean conservation a lot. Most especially turtles. I spent the rest of my free time volunteering on beach clean-ups and aquarium events, doing whatever I could to help get the word out about them. I got pretty good at editing too, just from making promotional videos and songs for them.”

Rumi nodded along, seemingly approvingly, no faces made about Zoey’s rocky grasp on the language. 

Mira chuckled softly, whispering ‘cute’ under her breath, loud enough for Zoey to catch it, setting her cheeks ablaze again.

“Can we hear one of your turtle songs?”, she asked suddenly with a smirk.

Zoey’s breath left her. Crap. Shouldn’t have mentioned the turtle songs. Mira didn’t seem malicious in her question, but it ignited a deep-seated fear in Zoey all the same. Sharing her silly songs left her open to ridicule, and that just made her want to curl in on herself in embarrassment, memories of childhood teasing coming back to her instantly.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to. Ignore her, she’s being mean-”

Rumi added softly, encouragingly, elbowing Mira to get her to stop trying to push Zoey’s buttons.

“No..I mentioned it, so it’s okay.”

She took a breath, steeling herself. The turtle songs were meant for children, to get them excited about learning. Embarrassing as it was to sing it for the two people she was maybe meant to be in a band with, it was still something she made, and it would let them see who she was as a person. Maybe it would sway their opinions.

“We-

keep the ocean clean for our friends! 

They eat jellyfish and kelp, not plastic bags!

If you want to see them thrive,

And make sure they stay alive, 

We need to keep the water clean ‘till the end!”

She kept her eyes shut tight, singing it to the tune of ‘If you’re happy and you know it’, unwilling to look across the table lest she accidentally lock eyes with either of them. She could feel her face heating up even more as the words left her lips, mercifully able to stop soon after it started. She chose the shortest one to save whatever little dignity she could salvage within herself.

When she opened her eyes, she was stunned, brows knitted together as she took in the faces before her. This was… an interesting reaction.

Rumi was, well, shocked was the best way to put it. Confused, wide smile plastered across her face, like she’d just heard the best thing in the world, and was trying to figure out why she loved it so much.

Mira had her hand covering her mouth, other down on the table in a tight first, knuckles turning white from the pressure. Her face was contorted in what looked like pain or anger, eyes scrunched tightly shut. Even more unreadable than before.

Zoey blinked at this, letting the silence stretch before she asked with a humourless chuckle.

“Was it that bad?”

Rumi immediately took her hand in hers, the sudden touch surprising her enough to gasp softly.

“No, it was just so-”

Mira mumbled something in Korean that Zoey didn’t quite understand, tilting her head subtly in confusion. It sounded almost like… Baby talk?

“Sorry, what was that?”

Mira looked at her then, hand never moving from her mouth, only slightly muffling her words.

“It was adorable. I wanted to squish your cheeks.”

Zoey was taken aback, thoughts sent whirring in all different directions. If she were able to just say ‘?????????’ out loud, she would have. 

“It was so cute, we loved it. Are there any more turtle songs?”

Mira nodded along, fist smacking lightly against the table as if to punctuate the want, even need, for more.

Oh. 

This was going a lot better than Zoey had thought initially.

But there was no way she was singing another turtle song, she would rather have flung herself straight out the window to the city below.

She waved her hand dismissively, laughing softly.

“I’m glad you liked it, loved it even, but please no more. I’m already so embarrassed.”

Rumi pouted slightly, almost imperceptibly, bottom lip just barely jutting out, but nodded, Mira giving a heavy dramatic sigh before she nodded as well.

“Fine. But maybe someday?”

It was soft, hopeful, and full of some subtle tenderness that made Zoey’s cheeks flush even more, warmth blooming in her chest. 

Zoey nodded slightly, smile lighting up her eyes. 

“Maybe.”

They talked for a while more, falling into an easy rhythm, almost like they were already old friends, Zoey sharing a bit more about what America was like, Rumi talking about Celine and how it was growing up in the spotlight like she had, and Mira a little about her family. Zoey noted it was guarded though, vague in how much she said about any individual person, mostly just about events she went to and how she met Rumi at a youth singing competition and that they’d become bonded since.

She liked them already. They had a chemistry that Zoey could feel herself already becoming jealous of; how they knew what the other was saying without words, just knowing glances, how they passed each other snacks, how glasses were refilled before they even finished. She definitely wanted to be a part of it.

More than that, that tug in her chest had softened the more she warmed up to them, something new growing there that she couldn’t put a name to yet. Still not painful, but present, beating, growing.

Eventually, they led her down the hallway, showing her the doors to the main bathroom, Mira’s room, Rumi’s room, and a final door to a sparsely furnished room.

“Celine had a bed put in for you yesterday, but it’s been a spare room for a while before that. Sorry there’s not much in here.”

Zoey stepped into the room Rumi had just opened for her, taking it in. It was mostly bare, sure, just a bed, desk and chair along with her few boxes, but it was hers. At least for now. And it was HUGE. It had a walk-in closet the size of her room back home just as a start, with sweeping windows all the way to the ceiling. She stared out at the city, the cars just tiny flashing lights below her, people indistinguishable as they moved in crowds and then left her vision again. It was incredible, and more than she could have thought to ask for.

“It’s wonderful.”

Rumi just smiled at that, watching Zoey who was starry-eyed, already thinking about all she could do with this space. The walls were practically begging for posters.

“I’ll give you some quiet to settle in, unpack. You must be tired after such a long trip. When Mira and I are going to have dinner, would you like to join us?”

Zoey nodded, sitting on the bed, her bed, letting everything rush in and resettle in her again.

“Great. See you later, Zoey.”

With that, she closed the door quietly, and rejoined Mira in the living room.

“It’s her, right, Rumi? It has to be, you felt that-”

“Yeah, the pull in your chest. I felt it, and it got so strong when we first saw her. The honmoon even glowed when she introduced herself. You saw that too, right?”

They spoke in excited, hushed whispers, knowing well Zoey couldn’t hear them, but staying cautious regardless.

“Of course I saw it. It went all green for a second. I’ve never seen it do that. The only time I’ve seen it change colours-”

“It was when I met you. It turned light pink.”

Rumi stared up at Mira, searching her eyes for any signs of doubts. She was sure Zoey was the third hunter, she could feel it all the way from that steady thrum in her chest down to her bones, the answer etched so deep into her soul as to have been there from the beginning of time. But she wanted Mira’s opinion all the same. They were a team, soon to expand, and they needed to be on the same page.

“Exactly. And Celine said she felt it too, back when she got the email. When we both started feeling that gnawing, the pull. It’s gotta be!”

Rumi chewed on her lip thoughtfully. She was sure it was Zoey. It had to be. She wanted it to be. But if she were wrong…

“Rumi, it has to be. There’s no way it isn’t her. We’ve gotta tell Celine we’re sure.”

Rumi nodded absently, brows furrowing. It was a big step. This would mean the new hunter cycle would begin, and they’d be the official protectors of the world, taking over from Celine full time. Were they ready? Was she ready?

“Okay. We’ll tell Celine Zoey is the third hunter.”

Chapter Text

Celine was sure Zoey was the third hunter. 

---

She sat on the ground in front of Miyeong’s grave, feeling that tug in her chest, much like Mira and Rumi had talked about. But while theirs seemed to draw them to each other, hers felt sinking. A pull away, like the honmoon was preparing her to let something go. 

It was ancient, wise in its omnipresent, but not sentient way, guiding with pulls and pushes toward what needed to be done. She could feel it now, pulsing lightly, fading a bit more from her vision as the day drew closer to passing the power over. It was calling its gift back, soon to be passed to Zoey.

She summoned her weapon, studying it in the light. It was getting harder to summon her jedok geom as of late, even more now as Zoey got closer to knowing her destiny. The honmoon’s way of telling her that her demon hunting days were drawing to a close. She didn’t mind it so much, the idea of retiring this part of her life. But she also worried about the fate of the world. Mira and Rumi were excellent fighters, and she knew their power would only strengthen as their team formed. But Rumi’s patterns… It concerned her. There had never been a half demon hunter, and she wasn’t sure how it would affect the strength of the team, how it would affect Rumi herself. She supposed once the honmoon was sealed, Gwi Ma locked away again, the patterns would go, Rumi immune to his influence. But what if she could be swayed? Turned to the side of darkness, destroy the other hunters-
No. Best not to think about that. Miyeong could never have been the one to set off the end; create the catalyst for the destruction of all. 

She let the weapon fade away again, and then reached out, running her fingers over the cool stone of the grave. Ryu Miyeong. It was a simple grave; just her name and the incense Celine burned for her every time she visited. It was a good place to think, to feel connected to her friend and the honmoon itself. It was one of the only places she could clearly see the soft blues and whites of the barrier by herself any more, the rest of the time she needed to be near either Rumi or Mira. It was the last place to really connect to her old life, old friends. 

The honmoon pulsed lightly again, and faded a bit more just as Celine’s phone chimed with a text from Rumi.

‘We believe Zoey is the third hunter. Should we bring her to the training grounds tomorrow?’

Celine took a deep breath, one of the last she’d take as a hunter. Life was about to change, and she had to be ready for everything it brought.

She thumbed a quick reply, ‘Yes, bring her here at 10am’, and then set her phone down, reaching for the grave again.

“The new hunters are about to take over, Miyeong. I hope I have the strength to guide them correctly.”

Zoey had gotten herself comfortable in her room, putting her plushies on the bed, setting some blank notebooks in easy to access places with pens in case she had an idea to write and had to get it down before she lost it, and even put her clothes in the walk-in. It felt a little sad how little space her clothes took up, but she supposed that was fine. There was always time to get a new wardrobe. If she were staying here, anyway. She hoped she was. She had already grown rather attached to the idea of Rumi and Mira being her bandmates, and genuinely wanted to get close to them. It was strange though, how they had only just met and yet she felt…

“Soul-bonded.” She said out loud to no one.

Something about them felt almost magnetic, like she had been meant to know them, be around them. She’d think more about that later, but it was probably just because they were the closest people to her age she’d met here, and she needed community in this huge life change.

There was a song to be written there- Community and company and feeling drawn to people. She jotted down a couple quick notes before there was a knock at her door.

She slammed her notebook shut, and flung it under her bed before she answered.

“Come in!”

Mira came in, cup of tea in her hand. She had changed, now in pyjamas, a completely different person than before. She was still the image of poise and unreadable, but was softer around the edges now, less intimidating.

“Thought you might want some tea. Not uh, not any real reason, just made some and wanted to offer.”

Zoey smiled a little at that. It was sweet Mira was checking on her, even if she didn’t say it directly. Downright adorable.

“Thanks. If you could just set it on the desk-”

She set it down gently, careful not to disturb anything Zoey had set out.

Then a beat of silence passed. And more.

Mira stood there awkwardly, not entirely sure if she were allowed to stay, or if she should go.

“You can… sit, if you want to. I don’t mind the company.”

“Well sure, no problem, since you asked-”

She sat at the desk, turning the chair to face Zoey, walls coming down slightly.

“Oh, by the way, we’re meeting Celine tomorrow. Just so it’s not a surprise.”

Zoey’s breath caught, nerves instantly set off. So soon? Wasn’t she supposed to practice with them first, and then meet Celine? Had she already somehow failed the test to see if she would be a good fit? But she just got unpacked!

Mira could see the panic rising in Zoey, her fingers curling in her shirt. Before she could start spiralling, Mira started again, waving her hands dismissively, smiling to try to settle the freckled girl in front of her.

“It’s nothing serious! I promise, she just wants to meet and discuss things. It’s not to assess your skills or anything.”

Okay. Just to meet. That was fine, nothing to panic about. Zoey let out a long sigh, letting go of her shirt that she hadn’t realised she’d been clutching so tightly.

“A meeting is fine. When I was told the itinerary, it was that we were supposed to be able to practice our sound first, even a little choreography, then show Celine.”

She laughed nervously, fidgeting with one of her plushies.

“Got a little worried we wouldn’t have time to practice a song first.”

“Me and Rumi could always learn your turtle song to show Celine-”

Zoey gasped, face reddening and scowl forming immediately as the words left Mira’s mouth. She threw her plushie at Mira, earning a loud cackle from the pink haired woman as it hit her in the chest.

“You are so evil and mean to me! I never should have sang that for you!”

But she wasn’t really mad. How could she be when Mira’s head was thrown back, laughing uncontrollably, eyes crinkled with the smile plastered on her face? This was the softest she’d seen her so far, walls down, no neutral mask plastered to her face. She was even teasing her. That had to be a good sign. They were so going to be friends.

“Okay, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. The song was cute, but we won’t perform it for Celine. Do you have other ideas for songs we can show her though?”

Zoey hummed thoughtfully. She did, but that would mean showing one of her notebooks, and she wasn’t sure they were there yet, easy as she felt in Mira’s presence. 

“Not exactly. But I’m sure the three of us could come up with some ideas all together. It’d be better that way, right?”

Mira hummed at that. She had seen the corner of a book under Zoey’s bed as she sat, and noticed the ink smudged on Zoey’s hands, figuring Zoey was writing a lot in that very book. She was curious to know what was going on in her head, but didn’t want to pry for fear of pushing her away. She knew she came on strong or aggressive sometimes, so she just let it be; Zoey would open up when she was ready.

“Yeah, I’m sure Rumi’s got some ideas too.”

She picked up the plush that had become a projectile earlier, turning it over in her hands. It was a small turtle, much like the large one Zoey had met them earlier with, this one a soft pink with hearts on its shell, tiny embroidered eyes the same shape. It felt like it had tiny beads in it. 

“Do you name your plushies?”, she asked softly, studying the toy. Zoey seemed the type to have names for each of her plushies, with interwoven stories for all of them.

Zoey opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again, apprehensive. She studied Mira’s face - she was looking at the plush, holding it so gently, squishing the beads in the flippers before reshaping it again. This aspect of herself seemed safe to share.

“Do you want to meet them all?”

Mira looked up at her, soft smile lighting up her face, and nodded simply, tossing the plush back to Zoey, wanting her to start with that one.

Zoey, warmth blooming in her chest, waved Mira over to sit with her on the bed, picking up each plush and telling Mira about its name, backstory, and who its friends were, even where she got them and where they ranked in the Best to Cuddle tier list.

Mira listened intently the entire time, happy to just let Zoey talk on, the words to be forgotten in time, but the memory of the moment’s warmth to stick with her forever.

They were going to be great friends.

Chapter Text

A gentle silence fell over the room after Zoey finished introducing all her stuffed toys, Mira’s closeness and genuine interest in the topic crashing back into her all at once. 

This was a stranger, and yet she felt compelled to let her in, show her all the weird aspects of herself without filtering, and come to know her as a person too. She wasn’t unused to making friends, but it never usually came so easily, so lightly. It wasn’t bad really, but it just made her stomach twist in an anxiously happy way, butterflies fragile, but there.

And she wasn’t blushing about it, either. Gone was the embarrassment of being seen as childlike or odd, all openness and dismantled walls. She would still be careful though, never knew when someone was going to switch up on her.

“Thanks for uh.. indulging me. I know it’s a little silly.”

Mira looked up at her, a little surprised, crooked smile curling her lips.

“I asked. Thank you for telling me.”

She paused, looking like she wanted to say something more, but decided against it, just quietly adding, 

“You’re easy to listen to.”

Zoey giggled a bit at that, playfully shoving Mira’s shoulder, tiny blush creeping up on her.

“You’re easy to talk to.”

Mira blushed in turn, looking almost surprised at herself, before she suddenly reached out and pinched Zoey’s cheek.

“Hey, ow!”

Mira nodded, taking her hand back just as quickly, almost like she had just confirmed something for herself.

“Sorry, cuteness aggression again. Had to do something about it.”

Zoey rubbed at her cheek, shaking her head at Mira. It hadn’t really hurt, and deep down, she was happy to have the contact. It had sparked something within her, electrifying at her skin and igniting the same strange pull in her chest, now morphed to something a little rounder at the edges. Almost satiated, its purpose very nearly completed.

She was about to ask if Mira felt any type of odd pain in her chest sometimes, when there was a small knock at the door, Rumi following right after. 

“Hey, dinner’s here. Let’s eat together while it’s still hot, yeah?”

Mira nodded at her, getting up immediately, walking almost a little too quickly out of the room. A little odd, but maybe she was just hungry after all.

Zoey followed, decidedly leaving all her plushies there, no longer needing to bring a safety blanket with her.

These two were safe.

Zoey was not unfamiliar with Korean cuisine, but it had been some time since last she had things that weren’t so violently American - she couldn’t even recall the last time she’d had beef that wasn’t in burger or meatloaf form. Now, she was presented with bulgogi, pickled vegetables, and a couple gimbap options. It was both heavenly, and a little intimidating.

She reached out, grabbing a small triangle, and bit in, letting out a soft noise as the flavours overwhelmed her; fresh vegetables, lightly salted rice, crisp seaweed.

There was a slight chuckle across the table, and she looked up to see Mira watching her, having not yet started eating. 

Rumi was smirking at her behind her hand - like it might spare Zoey's feelings - , her plate still empty as well.

It was about to set off her anxiety response, whatever they were playing at.

She frowned, putting the food back down.

“What do you both know that I don’t? And you have to tell me, or I’ll cry.”

Rumi shook her head, reaching to serve herself now, smile lightening to be less teasing while she spoke.

“You ate first, is all. It’s customary for the oldest to eat first, youngest last. It was just… cute, I suppose. It's refreshing having someone so eager, who doesn't know all the customs yet.”

Ah. Right, customs and manners. 

She bowed her head slightly, brows furrowed, embarrassed grimace now replacing her frown.

“Sorry, I just got so excited to eat. I’m not really used to customs like that.”

Mira reached across and lightly poked at her forehead, getting her to lift her head again.

“It’s okay. It was just a little funny. We got used to that from eating with Celine. You should have seen how rigid Rumi was when I first met her. Can you believe this is her relaxed?”

Rumi huffed at that, not bothering to dignify Mira with a response, but Mira continued anyway.

“Ms. Manners over here, all formalities all the time. But I guess I was also kinda blunt and wayward. We rubbed off on each other.”

She nudged Rumi with her elbow gently, earning a mock-irritated huff, but Zoey could see the smile struggling to break through from her forced scowl, the affection in her eyes.

Her chest tugged a little, seeing their ease with each other. She really wanted to be a part of it. A part of this soft little group, perhaps even a new family to her, strange as it sounded when she just met them. But it felt right.

The pull in her chest unfurled just a bit more.

After dinner, Zoey was able to shower and slip into her own pyjamas, ready for an early night to prepare for the big day tomorrow.

She wished Rumi and Mira a good night, going back to her room to sleep as they went to theirs.

She lay in bed, and waited for sleep to take her, wrapped in her new sheets, excited for the big day tomorrow.

She waited.

And waited.

She tossed, getting comfortable again.

Waited some more.

Stared at the ceiling.

Waiting.

She turned to her nightstand, grabbing her phone. She had laid down at 10pm on the dot, and it was now 11:28pm. They had to be up by 7am, she needed to get to bed now. 

She rolled over again, determined to sleep.

And then rolled back over, frustrated, little numbers on her phone now reading 11:46pm. 

She couldn’t sleep. Everything was too new, too unfamiliar, too exciting. Her brain was alight with ideas, but she knew that if she started writing now, she wouldn’t be able to stop for hours, little ideas rapidly firing out the machine gun of her mind, too much ammunition to deal with now.

Further than that, she was used to more people being around. Growing up with her siblings and cousins, there was always at least three other people in the room - her younger siblings sneaking into her bed to cuddle and hide when their parents’ arguing got frightening, her older brother coming to check in on her when their mother’s harsh words would fall on him too, seeking comfort under the guise of checking on Zoey, even her cousins coming in just to bother her and exist in her space a comfort she had grown used to. Had come to expect. And now she had a vast room all to herself. Peace and space all her own. Way too calm, way too quiet.

It felt silly.

It felt childish.

It was needy. 

But there was no harm in trying.

She grabbed a pillow, a blanket, and Jelly-Belly, and made her way to Mira’s door, knocking softly while she anxiously danced back and forth on her feet.

There was a bit of silence, Zoey considering going to Rumi’s door instead, before Mira answered, allowing Zoey in.

She entered as quietly as possible, like if she disturbed the peace as little as possible, she could go mostly unnoticed despite being the intruder in the room.

Mira was in bed, glasses perched on her nose, book open in her lap. The neutral mask was back up, Zoey suddenly unsure if she should or could ask this of her. A beat of silence passed while she deliberated, before Mira softened just slightly, eyes crinkling at the corners like she figured out what the younger girl wanted.

“You okay?”

“Uh yeah. I’m good. Just.”

She felt so stupid having to ask, face reddening the longer she stood there, anxiously bouncing on her feet.

“It’s gonna sound silly, but I wanted to ask if it was okay if I slept in here. I’m used to other people being around, and my room was too quiet by myself, and it’s totally okay if you say no.”

The words tumbled out her mouth rapidly, the heat on her cheeks just growing with every syllable. She wanted to stop, but once she started explaining, she couldn’t stop.

“But I would really like to be able to sleep in here just for the presence of another person, and I wanna be able to be properly rested for the meeting tomorrow. No pressure to say yes though-”

Mira cut her off with a wave of her hand. More than a wave. She was beckoning Zoey over as she spoke.

“I get it. You can sleep in here if it helps.”

Zoey let out a noise halfway between a sigh of relief and a nervous chuckle, coming over to gingerly sit on Mira’s bed, taking up as little space as possible. She set her pillow down, keeping her plush in her lap as she observed Mira for a second. Hair completely loose, framing her face, one errant strand falling against her cheek as she leaned over her book, seemingly lost in whatever story she was reading. Glasses perched carefully on her nose, blue frames contrasting her pink hair. Pyjamas soft and decent, but clearly well worn, collar lightly stretched and falling slightly off her shoulder, revealing smooth skin over a toned shoulder. 

Zoey’s chest tightened a little, not from the familiar pull, but she would think about that later.

She settled down now, facing away from Mira, clutching her plushie under her blanket, curling up comfortably. Mira’s bed smelled nice, clean laundry and something a little like strawberries, presumably her shampoo. Zoey also took a moment to look at the room, able to observe now that she wasn’t nervously pleading to stay. 

Band posters plastered the walls, most unfamiliar, but from the font, Zoey could tell it was something death metal-esque. She also had a couple pictures on the wall, mostly of herself and Rumi looking a bit younger, all taken selfie style with a polaroid camera, stuck in random places with no discernable pattern. Her desk was neat, books neatly arranged in one corner, laptop in the other, her phone charging next to it. There were a couple small bookshelves in the corner, packed with all sorts of reading material, several small figurines between and on top, a beanbag on a small carpet right in the middle of the shelves. 

Mira also had her own walk-in closet, but most noticeably, in the last corner was a big Hello Kitty stuffed toy, surrounded by the other Sanrio character plushes, each lovingly placed and stacked to ensure all could be seen.

Zoey smiled to herself, pulling her plush closer, feeling herself calming enough to drift off. No wonder Mira had asked about her stuffed animals. She’d make sure to ask in return the next chance she could.

Soon, Mira turned off the lamp on her bedside table, settling down to sleep as well, offering a quiet good night to an already asleep Zoey, Mira’s quiet presence calming enough to allow her to easily drift off.

Chapter Text

Zoey woke with a start, scared out of her dream that was already disappearing from her mind by a blaring song coming from across the room. Blinking herself out of the disorientation, she briefly wondered where she was. Where was her mirror with all her stickers? The drawings in crayon on the wall from when she was a kid? And she had grown so used to her younger brothers hogging half the bed, but it was weirdly spacious, her toes not brushing up against the edge of the bed like normal.

Then an arm lightly wrapped around her, soft breaths at her ear as the person behind her started to wake up, shifting as the music worked its way into their brain.

Right.

She wasn’t in her house in Burbank anymore, she had flown out to Korea to maybe be in a band with Celine’s proteges, one of whom was currently cuddling her in her half conscious state. 

Of course, nothing too unusual.

She laid there, unmoving, letting Mira curl herself around her back, the sensation oddly comfortable, but wildly embarrassing, the blood rushing to her cheeks and ears instantly. She didn’t want to scare Mira awake; she was stunned on how Mira could sleep through her alarm though, which was still blaring something about bleeding hands and standing to fight. Maybe it was just being used to waking up like that.

Zoey could tell when Mira woke fully, her breath hitching, her arm suddenly retracting as she shot out of bed. She felt a little sad about the loss of her warmth, but she’d never admit it.

Mira crossed the room, avoiding Zoey’s eyes, turning off her alarm and checking the time. Seemingly fiddling with her phone some more, keeping her back to Zoey, though she could see the slight pink at the tips of her ears through her hair. Was she just going to avoid the topic? Save herself the embarrassment? Zoey supposed so, and decided she’d let it be as well. 

She gathered up her items, clearing her throat politely.

“Thanks.. For letting me sleep in here.”

Mira turned, just barely, mostly hidden by her hair, still not meeting Zoey’s eyes.

“No problem.”

Zoey nodded, leaving the room to head to the bathroom to get ready, but just as she was leaving, she heard Mira say under her breath, mostly to herself, likely not meaning for the other to hear it.

“I liked the company.”

Zoey got herself showered, but when it came to getting dressed, she was a bit lost. How formal should she be? This was a meeting after all. Maybe she should wear her dress shirt and slacks? Or was it supposed to be more casual, since she was maybe going to be dancing? Or was that more of an activity for tomorrow? She huffed, just throwing on a big shirt and sweatpants for now, going to ask what she should be wearing since Rumi and Mira would know better.

She made her way to the living room, finding Rumi on the couch finishing braiding her hair, Mira next to her, scrolling on her phone. They both looked up at her as she walked in, faces unreadable. Mira looked away again quickly, absorbed in her phone, her mouth set in a tight line. Zoey could swear she saw the beginnings of a blush before she looked away, but didn’t press.

They were both wearing casual clothes, Zoey noticed right after; Rumi in a simple purple hoodie and leggings, Mira in a big sweater and sweatpants. She felt like she had accidentally matched them, in a way. She would have chuckled about it, if she didn’t feel the anxiety eating away at her now that the meeting with Celine was drawing closer.

“I’m almost ready, I just need to finish my braid, and then we’ll be on the way.”

Zoey no longer felt the need to ask about what she should wear. Neither of them had commented, and Rumi was just informing her that they would be leaving soon, so it seemed fine. Soon, she would be meeting with Celine to see what the next steps of her journey would be.

The car ride was quiet. 

She had no idea where they were going, the familiarity of the city - new as it was to her - now replaced by rolling fields, broken up only by the occasional copse of trees, fully in the countryside. 

It was setting off alarm bells in her head; why wouldn’t they meet in a studio, or a cafe even? Was there a secret building out here among the temples? An ultra private place just for them to meet to ensure nothing got leaked to the public?

The car ride was far too long, too much time to spiral into her own thoughts, fidgeting in her seat and fingers idly tracing along her leg, unable to escape into the comfort of her notebooks. She could always type on her phone, but it didn’t hold the same power, the release of energy necessary to calm her racing mind. Physical writing took more effort, the shapes of the letters, the need to make it legible enough to read later, the way her hand would cramp to remind her to take breaks. A phone would never hold the same power as putting pen to paper.

She stared out the window, trying to visualise among the blue of the sky the words she wanted to get out, but couldn’t say to the others for fear of coming off as strange or overly anxious. 

Just as she was about to ask if they could stop so she could roll around, try to release some of her nervous energy, the car came to a stop in front of a narrow dirt path. It was well worn, weaving over and around small hills. It was strangely peaceful. It calmed a tiny bit of the rising anxiety, but her heart was still hammering, thoughts buzzing in her brain.

Rumi nudged her gently, snapping her out of her thoughts.

“Just follow us, Celine will be waiting for us at the end of the path.”

She got out after Mira, Zoey opening her own door after a beat, blinking into the sunlight.

Rumi and Mira were already walking, so she just followed along, trusting that this wasn’t some sort of weird prank, or highly elaborate kidnapping scheme. She had no real way to escape if this were to take a malevolent turn, so she just focused on her breathing as they walked, trying to exhale the nerves that threatened to send her running back in the general direction of the penthouse.

As told, Celine was waiting at the end of the path, short sleeved vest and yoga pants really selling the energy of today’s meeting being extremely informal. She stood under a large tree, branches casting long shadows over her, protective charms waving gently in the breeze in its limbs. Extremely odd place to meet, but she had long given up trying to figure out the logic in this.

For just a second, the tug in her chest tightened as Celine met her eyes, her breath catching at the sudden shift, Rumi and Mira seemingly feeling the same thing as Mira’s hand came to her chest, and Rumi let out a sharp exhale. Then it was gone again, and they were standing before Celine.

The three of them bowed, Celine returning the gesture with a deep nod of her head, before she spoke.

“Zoey, it is good to meet you. I hope you have been settling in well with Rumi and Mira, though I know this is all still very new.”

“Um. Y-yes. It’s lovely to meet you as well, M-ms. Celine. I, I’m enjoying being here, a-a-and I’ve liked starting to get to know them.”

She stammered out a reply, nerves getting the best of her. More pressing though, there was an odd humming in her ears, like her head was pressed close to a refrigerator, energy buzzing in her brain and making her see light flashes in the corners of her eyes. Her chest felt tight, the insistent tugging there, urging her towards something unknown. Her hands felt strange too, electricity prickling at her fingertips, nothing but the ghost of something longing to be in her hands.

Everything felt far too strange, yet also comforting below the surface, like this was the precursor to something. That there was a big shift about to happen, and her body knew before her mind did.

Celine smiled at her, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. She looked like she was trying to accept something. Like she was about to give something away she wasn’t yet ready to let go of. She looked like she was grieving.

“Now, I know you’ve been told this is a meeting, which it is, but I do apologise for the white lies. Lack of further information, rather. This is not simply to discuss your future as a musician, but to speak on your future as a hunter.”

Celine spoke slowly, politely, delivering her words with a gentleness usually reserved for saying something extremely world-changing. 

But Zoey was lost. A hunter? She didn’t care much for harming animals, though she supposed she wasn’t a vegetarian anyway, so how just were her morals when she ate meat? The meat industry was far crueler than most knew-

Celine continued, snapping Zoey’s attention back from her internal Ted-Talk about the ethics of veganism versus eating meat.

“Ages ago, before the honmoon was created, the world was threatened by demons, led by their king Gwi-Ma, stealing souls, feeding off the lives of the defenceless. But heroes would rise up, able to defend the innocent from the forces of evil, bringing hope and safety. They would fight bravely, sending their foes back to their realm, and inspire hope with their voices, creating a barrier between the worlds - the honmoon -, able to keep Gwi-Ma and his legions at bay for a time. They would be the hunters, defenders of the innocent, a light in the dark. As time would go on, new hunters would rise, taking over from their predecessors, continuing the cycle, keeping the honmoon intact.”

Zoey looked back to Mira and Rumi, but they just nodded along, a story they had long since learned and become familiar with.

“I am a hunter. The Sunlight Sisters are… were hunters, able to inspire admiration and hope from the stage, quietly defeating the demonic forces from the shadows, letting the public be blissful in its ignorance.”

She summoned her jedok geom in a small burst of light, the same ones Zoey had been catching out of the corners of her eyes. Light pinks and blues and white light. All Zoey could do was blink at it, far too much information rushing for space in her mind, the weight of it crushing as she tried to rationalise what she was seeing and hearing.

Celine stepped forward, brandishing the short sword, Zoey stepping back instinctively. The alarm bells were rising again, though she still felt weirdly in tune below the panic, like this was actually meant for her to see, for her to understand.

Celine stepped forward again, coming to stand in front of Zoey now who stayed in place, hilt and blade of the weapon in her palms, arms out for Zoey. She was offering it.

“Zoey, you were brought to Korea not just for your musical talent, but because you are the next hunter - yourself, Rumi and Mira to be the next heroes of this world.”

She let out a dry, humourless laugh, nerves taking over as she trembled. This was so much to take in, but it also felt right, the hum in her head changing as she hesitantly reached toward the weapon. It became almost musical, formless notes dancing around her ears, just waiting to be shaped.

“How… how are you so sure it’s me? I’m just some skater from California. I’m only here because I sent a sample of one of my dumb songs.”

“You have felt that tug in your chest the moment you saw the video of Rumi and Mira singing together, right?”

Zoey looked up at Celine, searching her face for something concrete. There were far too many thoughts rushing in her head, the faint music distracting as it wove its way between her thoughts, in time with the pulsing of light she was starting to see more of.

“I-”

“Zoey, Rumi and I have been feeling that same tug since you got here. And we felt it when we first met each other. It’s you.” Mira cut in quietly, stepping forward to place her hand gently on Zoey’s shoulder, reassuring her. Grounding her.

Zoey took a deep breath, settling the racing of her heart, trying to calm the noise in her skull. She would reach out, touch the weird ghost weapon, and see what happened. Surely if this were all some strange hazing to initiate her into the band, that would be the climax.

She reached her trembling hands out, the electricity on her skin intensifying as her fingers drew nearer, the lights flashing brighter, the music crescendoing, wisps of the ghostly lyrics slipping through like smoke. The tug in her chest pulsed, growing, changing.

With a small burst of pink, green, and purple light, the weapon disappeared from her hands, the pull towards Rumi and Mira disappearing with it.

Zoey blinked after the light, her fingers closing around not a sword - not the jedok geom from moments before - but small knife-like weapons. Shin-kal . A thought in the back of her mind, though she didn’t know where it came from. It wasn’t a word she knew.

She had one in each hand, a triple bladed weapon strung together, spreading them out with her thumb against her palm as she studied them. They were light, pointed and sharp at one end, a small tassel at the end of the handle of it, and she could feel a small pulse against her skin where it touched. But it didn’t cut. It glowed softly, white light when stationary, small lines of colour as she moved it, the now-familiar purple-pink-blue combination again.

She turned to look at Rumi and Mira, both showing them her weapons, and to try to find something solid for her mind to focus on before it shattered. Just because it felt natural to some part of her mind, didn’t mean the rest of her had fully accepted it.
For just a second, she saw a couple lines of colour leading from herself to both of the others, tethering them, before it was gone again.

Zoey opened her mouth to speak, but what would she even say? She was at a loss for words, her head for the first time in her life devoid of thoughts, leaving her with only her reality to take in and grasp.

Rumi and Mira studied her briefly, before they stepped apart slightly, summoning their weapons in the same lights. Rumi held a sword, held easily at her side, sleek and comfortable. Mira held a spear in both her hands, the blade gleaming. Gokdo . Another word she didn’t know, but somehow found its way into her mind before fading away.

They watched each other silently, no longer a pull towards each other, the insistent need to bring them together gone, its mission now complete. It was replaced by something lighter, wrapping around each of them, tying them together. Not chaining in its constriction, but like they were bonded in some way, forever linked by invisible forces of fate.

Silence passed between them, the air shifting as change settled over them, and then Celine was speaking again, Zoey turning to face her.

“You are the new hunters. It is now your duty to defend this world from Gwi-Ma and all demons, and keep the honmoon safe. Are you ready to accept your destiny?”

Zoey shook slightly, reeling from all the new information, but Mira and Rumi stepped up next to her, quiet reassurance as they let their weapons fade, offering their hands to Zoey. 

She let out a breath, and watched the shin-kals fade just as the others’ weapons had, taking their hands to steady herself. They nodded at her, and they turned to face Celine together, answering her question in unison.

“Yes.”

Behind Celine, Zoey watched a ripple spread, following its course over the horizon, covering everything in a soft blue light as it went.

The honmoon, she realised.

—

Celine looked at the three girls before her, watching Zoey’s eyes follow something behind her.

She could not see any ripple behind them.

Chapter Text

Celine was talking again, but the words were muffled, hidden almost fully under the growing hum of that wordless melody playing in Zoey’s head. She would catch a word every now and then, something something training, become stronger, never let your guard down. She knew it was things she should have been paying attention to, grasping onto tightly like a lifeline, but the song's volume only seemed to rise, the lights brighter in her eyes.

Something was changing in her.

Then she was being gently pulled - Rumi's hand still holding hers - guided back to the car. The meeting was over. That was all for today, there would be more to come tomorrow, and every day after.

This was life now.

Her mind was reeling, far too many thoughts swirling, mingling with all the new feelings, and yet they all meant nothing, slipping away before she had any time to analyse them.

She was there on the path, then in the car, and back in the penthouse - physically - but her mind was somewhere far too away to name.

She sat on her bed, one hand idly summoning her shin-kal, feeling its weight, then letting it fade again, the ghost of its weight on her fingertips. Her other hand was lightly plucking at the honmoon, picking up its strings, feeling it snap back into place when she let it go, a tiny ripple of blue when it moved. 

She had tried to write at first, but there were too many thoughts all moving too fast, too many ideas, yet they were nothing, just blank noise cluttering her head along with the music.

The music was soft, wordless, and felt like it was older than time itself - a melody etched deep into her soul from the moment it was created - but kept repeating in her head, no discernible start nor end, endlessly playing, soft enough to let things through, but loud enough to make everything indecipherable.

She also felt herself changing - new energy hummed in her veins, making her feel stronger, faster, her instincts sharper, cognitive abilities heightened for the sake of fighting, and writing songs. 

This was not ideal for someone whose brain already ran at too fast a speed to keep up with most of the time. 

She wanted to write, to run, to scream, to destroy everything in her room; the energy within her far too great to handle, yet unusable while she was processing everything and nothing all at once.

She grabbed a fistful of the honmoon, the barrier resisting being pulled too far, and let it go again, a larger pulse leaving and travelling over the walls before dissipating as it settled.

She needed to do something. Anything that was brainless enough that she could lose herself in, but stimulating enough that she wouldn’t drop it immediately.

She paced, trying to figure out what to do since writing was out of the question. Maybe cleaning? The penthouse was in good shape as far as she saw, but maybe there was a small task she could do, and maybe it would also show her usefulness since she also lived here now - was there a chore chart? Was she expected to clean on a schedule, or cook maybe? 

She paused, caught on this one thought that had managed to slip through the cacophony of noise and sounds in her brain. She didn’t know all the rules of this space yet, so now she wasn’t sure if it was an obligation to clean and upkeep the place, or if it was someone else’s job. Might be worth it to go ask, and maybe one of the others would have something for her to do. 

She made her way out to the living room, only to be greeted by the smell of frying onions and garlic, Mira in the kitchen chopping vegetables and humming softly to herself.

Shit, maybe there was a chore chart. She could clean and do laundry well enough, but cooking was never her strong suit. Hopefully, she could dodge it for a little while more and learn to make a couple things before they realised they were better off eating the raw ingredients than letting her cook them.

She walked closer, coming to the kitchen island, when Mira noticed her, and smiled slightly in greeting.

“Hey.”

“Hi.. Is it.. Your turn to cook? Does someone else have to do laundry or dishes?”

She started shyly, hoping this wasn't obvious information and Mira wouldn’t make fun of her.

Mira watched her from the corner of her eye, quirking an eyebrow, assessing.

“No, laundry and cooking and cleaning gets taken care of for us, if we want.”

A short pause, Mira seemingly deciding whether or not to continue.

“I just.. like cooking. I picked it up when I was a kid. It’s relaxing to me.”

Zoey nodded, watching Mira. She could tell Mira was experienced with the way she held her knife, her consistent slices, and the ease with which she moved everything around in the kitchen. It also felt like being let in a little, Mira becoming less unreadable, and a little more vulnerable with her.

“...Do you want to cook with me?”

If Zoey hadn’t been actively listening, she would have missed the question, so soft and shyly asked. She stared at Mira for a moment, wondering if she should take her up. It was something to do, and it would have a good end goal.

Mira watched her, pausing her task for a moment, a flicker of concern passing over her face before it went back to its usual neutral.

“You’ve just… been kinda… different. Since we got back from the meeting, I mean.”

Zoey blinked at her, caught off guard. She was, and it was obvious, but she hadn’t expected Mira to say it out loud.

A beat of silence passed, Mira picking her words carefully before she pressed on.

“I know I barely know you, but you were so bouncy and vibrant yesterday, and now you’re, I don’t know, spacey and restless. Like you’re in your head and not sure what to do with yourself. You’ve been picking at the honmoon too-”

Zoey’s hand paused, fingers stopped in midair where she’d been doing exactly that. When had she started doing that again?

Mira smirked at Zoey’s pause, before pressing on.

“I know it was definitely a lot to take in about the whole demon fighting thing and destiny. You probably feel a little ungrounded. Cooking is what I use to ground myself, so maybe it could help you too?”

Zoey let out a quiet hum, warmth blooming in her chest. It was a quiet offer behind the suggestion of being able to ground herself, invited to be in Mira’s space with her.

She nodded, coming to stand next to the taller hunter in the kitchen, watching over what she was doing, everything she had on the counter.

“What are we making?”

Mira shrugged in response, handing Zoey her own knife to cut cabbage.

“We’ll just see where the vibes take us.”

The two fell into a comfortable quiet, just existing together, the sounds of chopping and frying vegetables filling the air between them.

“Tell me about your high school.”

The sudden question made Zoey jump, taking her out of her laser focus on thinly slicing carrots now. She turned to look at Mira, who just watched her intently, waiting for Zoey to start speaking. 

She tapped her knife on the cutting board, chewing on the inside of her check. How much did Mira want to know? She didn’t want to put the other off by speaking too much, but she didn’t want to be rude either by being too curt. She would just give the vagues, that seemed safe.

“Well, I started high school when I was thirteen, and my first year was really cool, it was so good to finally be out of middle school feeling like a baby. Finally able to pick my classes for what I was actually interested in, and not just having to sit through classes that were too long and barely held my attention-”

Before she realised, she launched in, giving every detail she could remember, down to what day it was she had first started launching digs back at her bullies, tired of being the timid kid they could hurl slurs and insults at with no repercussions.

“I’d sit at the bottom of the stairs between classes, headphones on, writing insults and lyrics for later in my notebooks, and…”

She trailed off, suddenly hyperaware she had been speaking for far too long and about far too much, even mentioning her notebooks, that she had kept carefully hidden in her room. She gripped the knife in her hand harder, knuckles going pale with the effort, clenching her jaw shut.

Mira nudged her with her elbow, getting her attention.

“Why’d you stop? Tell me about your notebooks.”

She was smirking. Teasing. At least Zoey thought she was, as the angry blush rose on her cheeks. She’d said enough. 

“Just some dumb notebooks I used to write in when I was a kid. That’s about everything.”

The pot on the stove bubbled faintly in the background, muffled under the growing ringing in Zoey’s ears. Why did she let herself get clumsy like that? It always led to ridicule. Look at how Mira was smirking. She never should have started speaking. Should have let the question hang unanswered in the air.

Mira hummed, watching her. She had been genuinely curious about the notebooks. Why had Zoey stopped so suddenly? Was it her tone? Damn, maybe she should have phrased it differently . Zoey was clearly already back in her head, and pushing would only make it worse, so Mira left it there, nodding faintly.

“Thanks for indulging me.”

Zoey nodded, not really internalising the words, just going back to slicing carrots, having forgotten it while she was speaking. Just focus on the task.

The silence then was heavier, words hanging in the air unspoken, neither willing to voice them.

Zoey hit the floor, the wind knocked out of her, blue, white and streaks of red light flashing in her eyes.

She wheezed, curling onto her side to try to recover. Her ribs ached from the strain of constant movement, and the impact had done her no favours.

“You need to watch your feet, Zoey. Can’t leave any openings in your defense, a demon will always take advantage of it.”

Celine. She never thought she would be annoyed hearing Celine’s voice, but it was starting to become nails on a chalkboard in her head, weaving between the song that still hadn’t stopped, and the fleeting thoughts she tried to keep aligned about self defense.

She had taken taekwon do classes as a kid, not like it aided her much - she had never been very good at it, the years dulling her barely-there skills even further. Mira and Rumi however, seemed like they had been breathing martial arts since they were born, constantly knocking her down, landing blows, and dodging everything she threw like it was nothing.

She sat up, dragging air back into her lungs, and squinted at Rumi, who was moving lightly on her feet, not even panting, just waiting for Zoey to stand again. This sucked.

With a grunt, she stood, taking her stance, trying to run through her formation in her mind so she could be done with it. It had been this for what felt like hours now, this same series of moves played out until she could get it right. Celine wouldn’t let her stop until she could get it without being hit or put on her ass. Another little reason for Celine’s voice grating on her fraying nerves. 

All this new energy just under her skin, and it wasn’t even helping her not get her ass kicked. All it did was make her anxieties worse, and give her insomnia. Thank you, honmoon. 

Rumi tapped her knuckles lightly, bringing her focus back to the sparring match. She didn’t need to, but Zoey appreciated it under the mild resentment for all the times Rumi had hit her this week. God, it had been a week of this already, and she ached. This was her life now? With opponents who wouldn’t hold back like the others did? She was fucked.

“Begin.”

Rumi moved quickly, hand shooting out to hit Zoey’s side, but she dodged clumsily, stepping to the side before she tried going in for a kick. Rumi easily stepped back, effortlessly dodging, and smacked Zoey’s leg down, throwing her off balance as the downward momentum carried her forward. She saw Rumi’s arm about to clothesline her, so she kneeled quickly, trying to get back up behind Rumi to maybe get a hit in. Too slow. Rumi saw her telegraphed movements and kicked her shoulder, sending her toppling over herself.

“Zoey, don’t telegraph your movements. You need to move more smoothly, swiftly. Never let your opponent know what you’re about to do.”

She lay on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. The penthouse had a spacious gym below where they lived normally, an entire room dedicated to just sparring, all open space. Bare walls and hard floors. She was getting very familiar with the floors.

“Again.”

Zoey blinked back the angry tears that had started welling in her eyes. She felt hurt, sure, but more than that, she felt out of place. She was the least experienced in fighting, and it showed badly. She didn’t want to be a weak link in the team, but how was she supposed to catch up? Rumi had seemingly been born for this, and Mira wasn’t far behind, the two training with each other for years before Zoey got here, their rhythm and energy synced in a way that was awe-inspiring and blindingly infuriating. 

She couldn’t voice any of that either. For fear of being seen as little and petty, and because she had made it a point not to slip up again after that day with Mira in the kitchen. She couldn’t let herself be open like that again; couldn’t let them see what she was really like.

She grit her teeth and stood again, fighting the dull throb that was starting in her back - sure to bruise - and the start of a headache beginning behind her eyes from being hit so much. There was another ache somewhere in her head, the want to be known and seen, but she ignored that too.

Zoey winced as the ice pack was pressed to her back, flinching at the cold and the dull ache that started fresh again.

“Sorry, I’ll be gentler.”

The pressure eased, and Zoey relaxed slightly, rubbing her thumb over her knuckles absentmindedly. She had gotten a single hit in just before the end of the day’s training, catching Mira on the side of her jaw when she moved just a little too slowly in her dodging Zoey’s feinted kick. It hurt her hand more than it had hurt Mira, but subtly it felt good to finally get back at them for all the bruises they left on her. Celine had just nodded, ending the session, letting them go clean up. 

She was on the couch, freshly showered, letting Rumi ice her back by way of apology and because she insisted it was necessary team bonding time. 

She didn’t feel much like a team, more like a punching bag, but she kept that to herself, unwilling to speak more than just to respond when she was asked questions.

“It’s okay, you’ve only been training a week. Mira and I have been sparring for years, and I’ve been training for.. forever, so you’ll get there with time.”

There was an odd pause, like Rumi had almost let something slip, but no one said anything, especially not Zoey. Who was she to call out not letting people in?

“I guess…”

She mumbled, not looking up or offering anything more.

She could feel eyes on her, but still didn’t look up, just letting the silence stretch between them.

Rumi hummed, not pushing. She just turned a movie on, something with a long title Zoey didn’t bother reading, and kept the ice pack to the new hunter’s back.

It played on, half paid attention to, all three of them sitting in the uncomfortable silence only broken by the sounds from the movie.

Tomorrow would be more training.

No one was looking forward to it.

The next day was much the same, Zoey getting beaten by her much stronger opponents, Celine pushing her to get it right, and just steeling herself against the nerves that were slowly starting to get to her.

At least Celine had promised that as she got better, they could focus more on the other aspects of what this new life entailed - singing, song writing, choreography, and getting themselves known. Maybe she could throw herself into that, feel accomplished there instead of bumbling and getting bruised here. 

Tomorrow is another day, and she just had to keep pushing. She wouldn’t, and couldn’t, go back to her old life.

Weeks started slipping by, the gentle warmth of the summer Zoey had flown into dropping into the crisp of fall. Their days filled with hunter training, song writing, and dance rehearsals.

Zoey was at least getting better at fighting, not left so aching and tired anymore. She actually started seeing the signs of muscle growth, proudly flexing in her mirror, and sending pictures to her siblings, who she had decided she couldn’t leave completely alone. Her mother still wouldn’t speak to her, just talking in the groupchat to the others, which did sting, but she let that push her, doing everything in her power out of spite. 

It was all getting better, and she started falling into comfortable patterns with the others, but still remained carefully guarded, designating a prop notebook she could show the others with just song ideas, transferring only what she deemed viewable into it from her other books. All her other thoughts, her ideas, her ramblings were kept separate, labeled to ensure she never grabbed the wrong one. 

Mira had tried cooking with her again, but when she realised Zoey was only humouring her, just doing the motions of cooking without offering any of the gentle chatter between, she stopped asking. Even Rumi, guarded herself, had tried reaching out - asking if Zoey could teach her some more English slang - but was met with just shrugs, being told that she wouldn’t know what to teach her, and that tapered off quickly.

Beneath the surface, Zoey longed to be close, to let them in and be let in herself, the slight guilt of knowing she was disappointing them by not opening up eating at her, but the fear of being too much was greater, keeping herself safe in her silence.

That old ache in her chest returned, no longer from being winded as her stamina improved, but seemingly the honmoon rebuking her for not being a good teammate. These were the people she was supposed to rely on, have their backs and them hers, and she wasn’t even trying to bond. 

She rubbed at her chest, trying to ignore it as she wrote, hoping it would just let her be if it realised she wasn’t going to budge. Unlikely, but she could hope.

She was not going to slip any further.

Chapter Text

It was a crisp morning, Celine deciding it was best to get some training in early before they got back to song writing. They were almost ready for a debut, their first single about new friends and the start of something great almost done - just a few more touch-ups, and it would be perfect. Celine had even done some promotion for them, posting about something big coming, the new gen to take over from the Sunlight Sisters.

Three months had passed since Celine had passed over the hunter title, and she was finally letting them spar with weapons, deciding Zoey had improved enough in hand to hand to begin the next phase. Of course, it was just with wooden and foam weapons so far, but it was something.

Zoey was able to dodge more easily, taking advantage of her improved speed and short reach, getting ‘stabs’ in on the others’ sides, ducking and weaving between their bulkier sticks.

She was actually having fun with it, feeling like she shined here now that she found her niche as the only one without a long range blade. Mira and Rumi may have had the ability to swing from further, but it was difficult to maneuver their weapons when Zoey was already right up next to them, striking quickly before she slipped away again.

Celine seemed to approve, her guidance now aimed more often at the others, reminding them that they had to keep on their guard, never let a demon get close enough that they had to start retreating, they would bite and tear given the first chance.

Just as Mira was about to swing at Zoey, trying to knock the end of her staff into Zoey’s shoulder, they felt it.

A pulse, the honmoon rippling as the shock worked through it. But this was not the gentle wave of one of them plucking it, or even the shifts it made when someone was inspired by the idea of whatever Celine had promised was coming. It raised goosebumps on the hunters’ skin, making them stop in their tracks and look in the direction it had started in.

A new light came pulsing over the barrier, angry red like fresh blood, before disappearing over the horizon. 

The honmoon felt hurt, a quiet ache starting in their chests, the same place where they had felt the bonds form.

Celine watched them pause, concern washing over her usually calm features.

“What did you see?”

“The honmoon… It was red, like something cut it.”

Celine took a breath, internalising Rumi’s words. She didn’t think the demons would return so soon after she had sealed the barrier last, but there was nothing to be done about that.

“There is a tear in the honmoon. Demons are starting to break through to our world again. Find it. Take them down.”

Zoey stared between her teammates and Celine. Demons now? They had barely started weapons training, and they had to go on their first mission now?

Something silent passed between Rumi and Celine, before she looked back at Mira and Zoey, taking a breath before she spoke.

“We got this. The demons don’t need to get back up like we do, so don’t hold anything back.”

Mira nodded, tossing her staff to the side, expression unreadable as always.

Rumi looked to Zoey, something like worry in her eyes, but she just waited for the youngest hunter’s acknowledgement. Not like she could say no, but still patient with her.

Zoey let out a breath and nodded, dropping her foam knives, shaking out her hands, trying to hide the trembling of her fingers.

They took off, following the direction the light had come from.

Her heart was pounding in her ears, matching the slap of their sneakers on the rooftops. Nerves and flagging energy. She had her shin-kals ready in her hands, fingers flexing to keep her focus sharp, ready to strike as soon as she saw the first demon.

Celine had shown them drawings, given them signs on how to tell who the demon was, if it was disguised, but she told them the honmoon would guide them, the pulls and pushes far more reliable than their eyes would be.

They had to be quick and efficient too, no civilians lost nor even aware of what was going on. Be stealthy, get it done, get out. Simple. 

She let out a shaky laugh, the sound lost quickly to the rushing wind as she kept running. This was crazy. A couple months ago, she was making boba and telling her coworkers that if she got one more question about if the caramel milk tea had milk in it, she’d fight someone. Now she was headed to a fight. Fighting was her job. Her life, her destiny. All because she happened to see a tiktok and emailed someone one of her songs. Wild.

She paused at the edge of a rooftop, Rumi and Mira right next to her, all three panting softly. There, down in the alley, five demons milling around, the red rip in the honmoon an open wound in the middle of them.

This was it.

She took a jagged breath, and then leapt down.

They landed in the middle of the group, backs pressed together, figuring out their strategy. All dokkaebi, red skin and yellow eyes distinct. Three of them had clubs, the others empty handed, claws at the ready. They mumbled among themselves, Zoey catching a couple whispers of ‘hunters’ and ‘new warriors’ as the demons circled, sizing them up.

She felt Mira’s shoulder flexing against hers, hands shifting on her gok-do, Rumi completely still as she kept her sword to her side. 

The demons swooped in quickly, Zoey ducking with a soft yelp before Mira caught the club with her weapon, pushing back. Rumi was moving fast, slashing at one of the smaller demons, its claws trying to tear at her stomach as she advanced on it.

Zoey was moving now too, throwing her weapons as she moved backwards, drawing one of the other clubbed demons away from the others, splitting them up. 

It was chuckling at her, none of her throws landing, just gearing up to swing its club.

She huffed, anger and embarrassment rising. Now the demon was laughing at her? Great first mission, really working for her self confidence. She switched her stance, advancing on it quickly, catching it off guard and making it swing its club clumsily. It hit the ground with a hard thud, and she took the moment to get in close, aiming to slash at its throat. 

A sharp pain bloomed at her side, met with sudden warmth, and she gasped, a sharp hiss leaving her mouth. She got clumsy. The other clawed demon had sneaked in behind her while she was focused on the big one, slashing a shallow cut across her left side. She turned slightly, trying to slash at it instead now, only to catch the elbow of the big demon to the side of her head, still off balance from its club missing her just before.

Her vision went dark briefly, the impact knocking her thoughts loose, sending her backward against one of the alley walls. She vaguely heard her name being called, by whom she wasn’t sure, the sound muffled under the growing ringing in her ears. 

The clubbed demon was on her again, but she rolled herself sideways along the wall, its weapon cracking the bricks where her head had been. Her vision was swimming, and her head felt too full, but there was no way she was letting herself pass out now. She sucked in a harsh breath and kicked off the wall, her forearm pushing the demon back before it could retrieve the club, knives fanned out in her other hand as she slashed at its head. 

It felt different than she’d thought it would. There was no resistance, no drag of blade on bone, just a clean cut, and then it disappeared in a small flash of green light, defeated.

She let out a short, proud puff of air, falling to her knees briefly as the momentum carried her forward. She was about to press her hand to her side, assess the damage when she caught movement out of the corner of her eye, clawed demon temporarily forgotten now charging at her. She didn’t think, just threw one of the small weapons, managing to stab it dead in the centre of its chest, this one too disappearing in a shower of green.

She looked to Mira and Rumi, both standing just ahead of her, weapons at the ready. Why were they still-?

Her neck tingled, hairs standing on end. Move now. She curled herself up into a ball, and rolled to her right quickly, barely dodging the club that had been coming down on top of her. Right, the fifth one.

She was on her back, about to throw her shin-kal again when she saw the gok-do fly over her, right into the stomach of the demon, disappearing in a shower of pink light along with the weapon. 

The honmoon pulsed gently, its blue glow repaired, the pained ache that had come from its breach now repaired. It was over.

Zoey let out a deep sigh, letting her weapons fade from her hands, flopping out on the ground.

“Yay us.”

It came out raspy, weak, the words slightly malformed as they left her mouth. Her head throbbed, and her side felt cold now, her shirt sticking to her skin. Her vision was dark at the edges, Mira and Rumi blurry as they stood over her.

“Zoey, are you okay?”

Zoey squinted up at Mira, her face out of focus like someone had painted it, and then smudged it over with their thumb. Distantly, she knew she was probably not fine, but she just weakly nodded, setting off a fresh wave of pain.

“I-”

She started, the words she was about to say suddenly lost, as her brain went fuzzy. Was she fine?

She felt herself being pulled up, gentle hands under her arms, trying not to move her too suddenly. Rumi then, she could still sort of see Mira, though she seemed to be fading in and out of her vision, one moment standing in front of her, the next even closer, pink hair suddenly eclipsing Zoey’s vision.

She felt herself move again, seemingly taller, her arms guided around the pink hair. There were hands under her thighs too, now sitting, though on what she wasn’t sure. Her cheek rested against something soft yet firm, the scent of strawberry and something more metallic filling her nose. She was moving too, or maybe her vision was just swimming, the motion nauseating. She closed her eyes. She’d just rest her eyes a moment, and then her head would feel better.

When she opened her eyes again, she was staring at the ceiling of the living room. The lights were dimmed, keeping the dull ache in her head from getting any worse. There was a pillow under her head, and something cold resting on her forehead, but her arms felt too heavy to move to check what. There was a sting at her side as well, burning if she took too deep a breath, but it felt dry, covered in something cloth-like. Bandaged probably. She could feel various other little scratches and bruises as she took stock of her body, each pulsing lightly with her heartbeat as she focused in on the sensation. 

“...awake?”

“What?”

She turned her head slightly, trying not to cause another flare of pain, meeting Mira’s eyes as she sat on the floor, having been watching Zoey.

“I asked if you were awake. Which, clearly, you are. How do you feel?”

Rumi was just behind her, watching intently, concern written all over her face. There was also a bandage on her cheek, a couple scratches and darkening bruises along her jaw as well, now that Zoey focused.

Mira also had a bandage over her nose, her lip split, the small signs of a black eye forming. 

Zoey let out a sigh, half relief and half just fatigue, drained after the long day, but slightly relieved she wasn’t the only one hurt. There was a mild pang of guilt as she thought it, but why not indulge a little on her more cruel thoughts? She should be able to sometimes. She wasn't perfect, and clearly neither were they.

Mira poked her cheek, snapping her attention back to her.

“Hey, so keep talking to us. I know you sorta just woke up, but we’re not sure if you have a concussion, so you have to stay awake.”

Concussion? How hard did she get hit? She could only recall the demon’s elbow hitting her, but was there more? Was it worse than her body was letting her feel?

She huffed, indignant. She didn’t want to talk, anyway. If she started, she would go too far, and that was just asking for more issues than she had the energy to deal with. She could be awake, sure, but she had no intentions of slipping up again.

She heard shuffling, and Rumi was now closer, sitting next to Mira.

“Look-”, she started softly, surprising Zoey with how patient she still was.

“I know it’s hard letting people in. We’re still new to you. From what Mira told me about your high school experience, you have fair reasons to be distrustful.”

She shot Mira a look, somewhere between hurt and anger, having trusted that she would keep everything Zoey told her to herself. Sure, she had let too much slip, but that was still what she told Mira , not Rumi.

Mira sighed, fidgeting, her hands tugging at a string on her pants.

“I know what it’s like. I don’t let anyone in either. It’s vulnerable, it makes me feel like it could be used against me. But we’re a team. Supposed to be, anyway. How can we rely on each other if we’re still strangers?”

All thoughts Zoey had already had, but it was cathartic to hear it from someone else. Almost a relief that Mira was saying it out loud so Zoey didn’t have to.

“Plus, would the honmoon have really brought us together if we were gonna turn on each other like that?”

Zoey thought about it. The honmoon felt wise, it had never really led her astray so far. Sure, it wasn’t an absolute guide and let her fumble her way through training and everything else, but it had led her here, it had given her new strength and power, it even kept her alive in the hunt earlier, her instincts heightened, able to dodge that club that surely would have shattered her skull on impact.

Even further, Mira and Rumi never made fun of her beyond the light teasing of people who were becoming friends. Nothing at all like the bullying from her youth. They even let her in subtly, Mira letting her cook, Rumi with her quiet offers of being a listening ear that Zoey had ignored.

She deliberated briefly, but subtly she already knew the answer, honmoon tugging her almost imperceptibly. Maybe just this time. If it blew up in her face, she would have to take a vow of silence or something, maybe just go deaf and mute, but she could drop her walls this time.

“If you make fun of me, I’m going to make and release the nastiest diss track about you two, I hope you know.”

“Promise?”, Mira asked sarcastically, smile turning up at the corners of her mouth. Teasing, not cruel.

Rumi nudged her, urging her to be nice, looking expectantly back at Zoey to start speaking.

So she did.

She told them about everything she could think of, from her siblings’ and cousins’ silly habits and quirks, to her parents’ divorce, to her own feelings of fear about letting people know all her ramblings; how her peers would look at her oddly when she got too focused on a subject, and would pull away, making her feel like she was overwhelming to everyone around. It wasn’t everything rattling around in her head, but it was enough to lighten the load somewhat, easing the weight of everything resting on her shoulders.

They listened to her the entire time, never once asking her to stop, the only words uttered when she paused, worried she had been rambling too long, asking her to continue.

Only when she felt genuinely done, not pausing out of self consciousness, did they speak again, thanking her for sharing.

And then Mira started shyly, talking about her parents and brother, surprising even Rumi who had never heard most of the details before. It wasn’t as long as Zoey’s, but it was a lot more than either had heard her speak - opening up about feeling ostracised and never enough for her parents’ expectations, instead rebelling when they latched on tighter to her older brother, him the perfect child and her the unwanted problem. When she was done, she stared down at the floor, embarrassed, not meeting either’s eyes.

Rumi placed her hand on Mira’s shoulder, giving a gentle squeeze as if to say she was proud of her for letting them in. Mira just shrugged it off with a dry chuckle.

“You guys are what I have now, so it’s whatever.”

That last mumbled sentence tugged at Zoey’s chest, warmth blooming where the bond sat, pulsing strongly with her heart. It had long grown dark, their bonding session taking them hours past when the sun had set, the dim lighting of the room making it impossible to see the blush growing on Zoey’s face. She reached out, gently pinching Mira’s cheek, getting her to look up.

“Just cuteness aggression, that’s all.”

Chapter Text

Things changed between them after that night.

The gentle ease they started settling into was light and familiar - Zoey now starting to bring a notebook to the living room, writing while existing in the same space as the others; Rumi not being so rigid all the time, carrying herself more loosely, acting more playful with the others, cracking more jokes, less the leader of the group, and more a companion; Mira inviting the others to cook with her more often, not just when she could see them becoming more untethered, but just to bond, listening to them talk.

Zoey would go to Mira’s room some nights, talking with and even at her, Mira listening intently, or using her like background noise, comfortable relationship between Talker and Listener forming. She would crawl into Mira’s bed, and start infodumping about turtles or recycling, Mira nodding along as if this were just routine.

Training between them started improving, Zoey able to hold her own, even picking up some new styles as she got more comfortable with her fighting being strange and less traditional, taking inspiration from movies that she would get the others to watch with her. Her favourite move became the breakdance/Spiderman inspired ‘Koala Takedown’ she called it, wrapping herself around the back of her opponent, and twisting around their arms and neck as she used her weight to pin them when they fell. ((Author’s note: This is that fuckass move she does during How It’s Done, when she does the whole Black Widow bullshit that makes me INSANE, cuz HOW ARE YOU DOING THAT))

Celine was put off at first, but slowly accepted it, seeing how much improvement they all showed in fighting and their teamwork, able to read each other’s moves in ways she had only seen when she and her cycle of hunters were at their peak. These new hunters were young and messy, but promising.

As more months passed, the crisp of fall turning into the cold of winter, their single was ready - it just needed a name to be released under. Celine had said it was no rush, they were still perfecting their sound, but they were itching to get themselves out there, the buzz raised about something big coming only mounting after Celine had announced it. The energy buzzed under their skin, just waiting to be released.

Zoey breathed out, watching the air fog in front of her, shoving her hands into her pockets to keep her fingers from twitching in the cold. Celine had asked them back out to the tree, seemingly fond of this area for no other reason than the serenity it offered. Rumi seemed like she knew more, but she didn’t push. They had learned a lot about each other in the passing time, and knew even better that if someone wanted to share, they would; there was no need to push.

Mira stood at her side, shoulder lightly bumping hers, bringing a fond smile to her face. She and Mira had gotten close since that night of sharing when she had just barely dodged a concussion.
She and Rumi were close too, sure, but not like they were. Rumi was still cagey about things, always flinching slightly when Zoey wrapped her in a hug, small enough for someone who wasn’t paying attention to miss, but it made Zoey’s heart sink every time. She wished she knew why Rumi would be on guard like that every time she grabbed her arm, but she let it be. When Rumi was ready to share, she would.

Instead, she threw herself into her bond with Mira, many quiet nights spent in her room, watching videos together, wrapped up in the same blanket when Zoey had stopped bringing her own into the room, falling asleep and waking up tangled in each other. It wasn’t anything odd or embarrassing anymore, just familiar and warm, Zoey growing accustomed to the smell of strawberries and the dips of Mira’s mattress.

Sometimes she’d catch a glimpse of Mira just watching her, something soft and unreadable in her eyes, before Mira would notice and stick her tongue out at her, focusing on her book or whatever they had been watching together again. It tugged at something in Zoey’s chest, though she had no real words to describe it. She smiled just thinking back to the memory.

Celine cleared her throat, bringing Zoey back to the present moment, making sure the hunters were paying attention to their elder.

“Girls, your training will never end as you keep your skills sharp, ready for everything Gwi-Ma throws at you, but I have taught you all I can in this aspect. I have seen your growth as individuals and as teammates over the past months, and I am proud. Always remember what I have taught you.”

“We are hunters, voices strong. Our faults and fears must never be seen.”

They spoke in unison, the words cemented into their heads, the lesson in it still sharp, but more relaxed as they grew closer. Their faults were seen and accepted by the others, and that was strengthening.

Celine let out a breath, shifting gears.

“I have hired a manager for you in regards to your singing careers. He is not aware of your duty as hunters, and he is never to know either. You are responsible for that aspect of your lives. I am here as a guide, but I leave you to your own whims.”

Celine seemed to be letting something go again, Zoey picking up on the grief in her eyes, but didn’t say anything about it.

“The fate of this world is up to you, hunters.”

They nodded, determined. A new era was starting for them again, bright and promising.

It called for a celebration.

“Couch! Couch! Couch! Couch!”

Zoey chanted as she and Mira reentered the penthouse, grateful for its warmth after the biting cold of outside. She didn’t know why Celine had to be so dramatic and drag them out there, but she chalked it up to nostalgia.

Rumi had stayed behind with her at Celine’s insistence, saying she needed to speak with her about some more private matters, again just chalked up to Celine being Rumi’s mom. Did Rumi think of Celine as a mom? Or like an aunt? She would ask later.

“Couch! Cou-”

The chants died on her lips, realising Mira wasn’t joining in like normal, just shyly smiling at her, opening and closing her mouth like she wanted to ask something, and then thinking better of it.

“Mira?”

She took a deep breath, summoning the courage for whatever she’d been wanting to ask.

“Do you want to go to the bathhouse with me? You’ve never been, right? And Rumi never wants to go with me, so it might be a nice chance to go now.”

Zoey blanked for a moment, thoughts stalling. She knew bathhouses were nothing out of the ordinary, but the way she was so shy about asking, the little hope in her tone that made Zoey think she really wanted her to agree - it felt more intimate than just a day out together. 

Her chest tugged a bit, that same odd feeling she couldn’t put words to rising with the blush on her cheeks. Maybe tonight, when she inevitably ended up in Mira’s room to sleep, they could talk, and figure something out together; Mira was better at putting words to her feelings than she was, despite the pages and pages in her notebooks of ramblings suggesting otherwise.

“Yeah, I’d love to. Is there anything I need to know before we go?”

Mira shook her head, just waving Zoey over so they could head out right away.

Zoey stood in her towel, warmth wrapping around her, made only worse by the blush threatening to take over every inch of her skin from her shoulders up. Nudity was nothing new to her - she had little siblings and cousins - but this was different . Especially because they weren’t related. She and Mira weren’t strangers, they were friends, but there was something more teeming between them, fragile and unnamed. 

And now she was shy to be naked in front of her friend, but-maybe-more-than-a-friend. 

Hmm. 

She thought on that for a second. ‘Maybe more than a friend’. Where had that thought come from? Was it true? Did she want it to be true? Did Mira think the same? Did she want Mira to feel the same?

She shook the thoughts from her head before she got too focused on them, quickly leaving the changing room, dropping her towel at the wall of the bath, and quickly submerged herself to her chin, sitting as far from Mira as she could. Which wasn’t far, it was a small circular tub, and now she was just facing Mira, avoiding her eyes by looking everywhere but at her.

Beyond the embarrassment and odd feeling blooming in her chest, it was actually pleasant. The warmth of the bath cocooned her soothingly, easing every ache she had come to ignore, all her bruises and scratches temporarily erased in the bliss of the water.

She closed her eyes, relaxing into it, loaded but easy enough silence settling between the two hunters.

After a few minutes, she opened her eyes again, catching Mira watching her, chewing on her lip like she wanted to say something. Mira looked away again quickly, trying to act as casual as was her normal, but failing badly.

Zoey’s chest tugged, and she decided to indulge. Whether it was the honmoon guiding her, or something else, she didn’t know, but she had been open about a lot of other things, and it was safe, so why not continue?

“Mira? Got something on your mind?”

Mira’s breath caught, sinking lower into the water like it could hide her, before letting out a deep sigh, facing Zoey again.

“I’m... I don’t like being vulnerable. My own family taught me that showing cracks is a liability, and Celine’s lessons on faults and fears staying hidden only heightened that.”

She paused, slowly drifting closer to Zoey, keeping herself submerged. When they were sitting next to each other, pinkies barely brushing, Mira continued, facing forward, not turning to meet Zoey’s gaze.

“I keep myself unknowable, my walls up. Defensive. It’s safest. I project an air of poise, of sharp words, of aggression. It keeps people from wanting to get too close. But.. you stayed. Wanted to get closer.”

She stopped, letting the silence hang for a minute. Zoey patiently waited for her to continue, her hand moving to interlock her and Mira’s pinkies together, the most subtle bit of grounding contact, but loose enough that Mira could pull away if she wanted.

She didn’t.

“I felt safe letting you get closer. You don’t mind my bluntness, my sarcasm, my silences. It.. You make me feel like you enjoy them.”

Mira turned to face her, expression fragile as the words softly spilled from her, like it took a lot from her to say them. Zoey nodded gently, trying to be encouraging, but not wanting to accidentally push too hard, and make Mira stop.

“I really appreciate you, y’know? I like your presence, and the way you talk to me without expecting me to respond, and that you come fill the empty spaces that I’m too proud to say I want filled.”

Mira moved closer, holding hands beneath the water, sliding her fingers around and between Zoey’s, fully interlocked.

“I like the way you drool in your sleep too, weird as that sounds.”

She laughed a little at that, bumping shoulders with Zoey, who gave a slight huff of indignation, trying to fight the smile that was threatening to overtake the scowl as she argued.

“I don’t drool. It’s just that your pillow is so comfy it makes me open my mouth to kiss it in my sleep as a thank you, and then it gets a little wet from the kisses.”

Mira smirked, shaking her head fondly at Zoey.

“I like the silly little things you say, too.”

Zoey rose from the water slightly, tugging Mira’s arm gently so that they fully faced each other. That tug in her chest had only grown since Mira started speaking, guiding her closer to the other hunter. For the first time in a couple months, her thoughts quieted enough to just let one single idea through; that the tug in her chest wasn’t the honmoon, but her, finally able to put a vague notion to it - she had a crush on Mira.

“I think maybe.. I just like you.”

Just a whisper from Mira, punctuating the subtle want that Zoey had longed for Mira to feel the same way as she did. She searched Mira’s face for any signs of her usual teasing, finding only softness and open sincerity. She was letting Zoey in, genuinely. And she felt the same way.

She leaned in, closing the distance between them slowly, giving Mira the opportunity to back away, but instead she brought her hand up to cup Zoey’s cheek, thumb brushing along her freckles as she moved in as well.

The kiss was soft, fragile and unrushed, just the shyest press of lips, each worried the other would back away in regret. But neither did for a minute, only pulling away when the tug in both their chests morphed from a need to be closer, to a need to breathe. They stayed close, foreheads pressed together, breaths mingling.

“I like you too.”

Mira smirked at Zoey, lightly pinching her cheek with her free hand, other hand still tangled together, holding each other like they never wanted to let go.

“I like how cute you are too.”

When they got back to the penthouse, they went right to cooking, easy silence as they settled into rhythm, no words needing to be spoken.

When Rumi returned a bit later, she could sense a shift between them, but didn’t press, just happy they were all finally at peace with each other. Almost no secrets. She rubbed at her arm absentmindedly before joining them, sparking up a conversation about how the bathhouse was.

“It was great. You should come with us some time, Rumi.”

She smiled, the light of it not reaching her eyes, and just responded simply,

“Maybe someday.”

Chapter Text

“Okay, so check this out-”

Zoey held her notebook open, showing the others a couple of the ideas she had come up with for naming their band. Celine had said no pressure again and again, but they were all way too eager, putting their heads together almost immediately after they had finished cooking the night before. They had been up most of the night, ideas thrown around and tossed away just as quickly, none sticking just right. They felt close though, the name just on the tip of their tongues.

Rumi scrunched her face up at Zoey’s fresh round of suggestions, Mira shaking her head and pushing the notebook back toward Zoey.

“We are not calling ourselves anything with ‘bitches’ in the title, as dope as it would be. Celine would actually kill us for the PR storm that would cause.”

“And I don’t want my name involved - We’re a team, not me as the face and you as my sidekicks.”

Zoey huffed, exasperated, tossing her notebook over her shoulder dramatically as she flopped over.

“You two are such haters, why can’t we be called Kill Squad either?”

“It needs to at least be somewhat family-friendly, Zoey.”

She crossed her arms, thinking. She felt like the name was right there, just waiting to be revealed in a flash, but remained just barely out of her grasp.

“Maybe we could call ourselves something in homage to the Sunlight Sisters?”

Mira and Zoey looked at each other after Rumi suggested it, the same thought flashing through their minds, almost like they were communicating telepathically. Nothing involving sisters. Not with our relationship.

“Definitely not-”

“No way-”

“Not a fan of that one-”

“Nope. Would rather go with K-poppin' my-”

They spoke over each other, Rumi bringing her hands up in defense, when they were interrupted, all three feeling the ripple that came with the breach in the honmoon.

They nodded at each other briefly, then moved together, hopping out the window and landing with practiced ease on each roof below, making their way down closer to street level, looking for the demons.

Zoey spotted them first, coming out of the stairs near a park, throwing her shin-kal right into the top of its head, stopping it from coming through the barrier. There were eight more, now alerted to their presence, but they wouldn’t be there for long.

The girls descended on them, easily dispatching three more as they landed, moving easily and swiftly, cutting demons down before they even had a chance to attack.

Mira planted her gok-do in the ground, stabbing right through the demon that had been there just a second ago, easily spinning around the pole of it and kicking another toward Rumi, who sliced it clean in half.

Zoey was feeling wild today, going for the more hands on route, climbing up the back of one of the taller demons, legs around its neck as she worked to topple it and send it back towards Mira.

“Hunters! Your tricks won’t-”

The tip of Rumi sword sliced through the torso, just as Zoey toppled the one she’d been working on, throwing a quick knife just as Mira cleaved through it, the demon exploding into a mix of pink and green light.

Just like that, the breach was fixed, honmoon pulsing happily again, its blue unsullied.

But something about what that demon had started saying…

“Rumi, that demon said something about Hunters, and our tricks, right?”

Rumi watched her, tilting her head curiously, wiping her hands off on her hoodie.

“I think it was gonna say something about how our tricks won’t fool them.”

Zoey nodded. She brought her hand up to her chin, feeling out her thoughts. Her chest was pulsing lightly, honmoon guiding her once again.

“Hunter… Tricks. What if we used that?”

Mira snorted, coming over to rest her arm on Zoey’s shoulder easily, bumping her with her hip.

“A little long, no?”

“Shorten it. Hunt-tricks. I’ll write it out later, I have a vision for how it’s spelled.”

Mira and Rumi watched each other, the name already growing on them, but trusting Zoey’s further refinement she was planning.

“It’s perfect, actually.”

“I’m gonna call Celine and tell her we’re ready to launch-”

Zoey smirked, proudly holding up her paper where she had written, and even designed a logo for them, with the name she came up with.

Huntr/x. She had even put a slash in, signifying that they cut demons down, just as a little inside joke for them.

The new hunters had officially taken over.

Chapter Text

Time slipped easily by, seasons changing, days blurring into weeks into months, every waking moment consumed by one job or the other. Huntrix’s debut was explosive, people flocking to their sound like moths to a flame, each new person bringing a gentle surge of pride to girls, and another buffer to the honmoon. It glowed softly, pulsing its steady blue, growing stronger as each new person streamed or subscribed or bought.

Everything was falling into place exactly as it needed to. But something tugged at Zoey, deep in her chest, unnamed and unknowable, but ever present.

She woke, blinking sleep from her eyes in the dark, dream already fading from her memory. As she rolled over, untangling herself from her sheets, she grabbed her phone, staring at the time. 3am. She huffed, tossing it back onto her nightstand, intending to go back to sleep, but something was nagging at her. Something that insisted on being remembered, and would leave her no peace unless she figured it out.

She picked back up the phone, staring at the numbers, hoping to find some sense of help in them. When she glanced at the date, she realised what it was; it was the anniversary of when she had left America. She had truly lost track of time, because where had a whole year gone? Just last week was the fight with her mom, when she drove out of town and started a crazy new part of her life.

She let the phone fall against her chest, staring up at the ceiling, trying to recall everything that the last three hundred some days had brought her - a successful career in the field she had always dreamed of, a new lavish home, friends who meant everything to her already, countless bruises and cuts, and the crazy power to summon knives out of thin air. It was all a lot for one year, actually. A year that she had started with nothing but her hopes and the little belongings she had. That had started with her fight. That had marked the last time she spoke to her mother.

As her fingers drummed on her chest, she realised it was time. She didn’t hold any resentment nor sadness any more, only a bittersweet kind of fondness. She felt ready to try to talk to her again.

She clambered out of bed, shifting to sit on the floor in front of her window, watching the lights of the city twinkle below. She had grown accustomed to it here - it was home - but she still missed the sleepier, smaller atmosphere of her old house, her oldest home. She missed that familiarity. She missed her siblings. She missed her mom.

Her thumb hovered over the green phone icon next to her mother’s contact, nerves spiking at the idea of hearing her voice. What if she was still furious? What if she never wanted to talk again? What if she did?

She pressed it before her mind could spiral into a million what ifs, listening to it ring as she stared out over the city under its steady barrier again. Once. Twice. A third. Then-

“Jeong residence.”

Zoey’s heart warmed at the sound of her mother’s voice, still forever fond that she had kept the last name despite the separation. It had dulled the hurt of her family splitting apart when Zoey was younger, later realising  it was likely just out of ease for her mother not to change it back. It was still comfortable in its familiarity.

“Hello?” Her mother’s voice had the edge of irritation, Zoey realising she had accidentally let the silence stretch a bit too long.

“Hi, mom.” she started shyly, voice soft and small, reduced to the mannerisms of a child caught doing something wrong.

A beat of silence passed, Zoey worrying the line was about to cut, when her mom spoke again. “Oh my god. Zoey! Oh, my little star, you’re okay!”

Warmth bloomed in Zoey’s chest hearing her mother’s childhood nickname for her, earned after she insisted on performing weekly songs at family dinners, showcasing her growing talent.

“Yeah, mom. I’m okay, I-”

“Oh, sweetie, I’m so glad to hear from you. Where have you been staying? Are you fed? Can you get home? When are you coming back? You know your room is still here for you, right?” The questions came rapidly, affection and concern lining each one.

Zoey felt the smallest pang of hurt that her mother seemed to be assuming she needed or wanted to come back, but she let it go, taking a breath before she spoke.

“Mom. I’m not coming home. Or, I mean, I don’t need to come back? I have a home here, and I’m.. actually doing really well? Look-”

She took a panoramic picture, capturing the lights below, and her room, expansive and a lot more lived in than it had looked this time the previous year.

“I live in a penthouse with my bandmates. We dropped our first couple songs recently, and people really like us.”

“You..have bandmates? Your music…?” her mom started, speaking slowly, coming to terms with everything she was hearing, watching the picture with growing awe.

“Yeah, we’re called Huntrix. With a slash instead of an ‘i’. I guess we’re not super big outside of Korea yet, but we’re doing pretty well here.”

Her mom hummed, looking the band up, reading a couple little articles outlining Korea’s hottest new group on the rise.

“Are you happy there?” she asked quietly, surprising Zoey with the tenderness in her voice.

“I am. Rumi and Mira, my bandmates, they’re wonderful. I love them. And I love making music with them.”

“I’m.. glad you found the right place then. I’m proud you made it, Zoey.”

Zoey blinked, the words she’d longed to hear from her mom for so long tumbling so easily from her now made her chest twist, warmth and pride and deep sorrow swirling all together. Her eyes felt glassy suddenly, twinkling city lights blurring together in a messy kaleidoscope, honmoon bordering it. She sniffed, rubbing the heel of her hand into her eye before she spoke again.

“Thanks, mom.” She paused, swallowing around the lump in her throat, dragging the next words out. “I’m sorry I left like I did.”

“...I’m sorry I made you need to leave like that.” Her voice sounded gravelly, the barest hint of a sniffle muffled by holding the phone away following her words.

Zoey laughed, watery and weak sounding, trying not to sob on the phone. She had longed for an apology, her mom to believe in her, have just the slightest bit of hope, and hearing it now made her feel wrung out, too many emotions surging in her chest.

“Okay. We’re both sorry. For a lot. But before we sit here apologising all night.. Um. Day for you? Let’s.. Just talk. Tell me about what’s been going on. Any and everything.”

Her mom sniffed, the sound of a tissue being grabbed closely following. “Well, you would not believe which of your cousins fell off the roof this time-”

Zoey already had a feeling who it was, but listened intently, settling back against the frame of her bed, letting her mother’s voice wash over her, comfortable banter coming back like second nature. Just like how it used to be.

By the time they ended the call, Zoey’s eyes were falling shut again, heart eased and lulled back to the comfort of sleep.

Before her head hit the pillow, knocking back out immediately, she scrawled a quick note, a reminder for later;

‘Set up weekly recurring transfers to mom’