Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It had been a day after the Idol Awards.

After everything seemed to have gone wrong.

And now everything was better than ever.

She didn't expect to say it, but Celine's hunters actually did a good job. She saw it that day, just a few minutes after she was cursing at Celine and her horrid judgement and was considering reaching out to her again. She felt how the Honmoon pulsed and swelled as it was recreated, just a few hours after coming apart.

And right now she could see it.

The Honmoon. Shimmering in the rising sun with a soft, golden glow.

It almost made her think she could renounce her weapon, the mantle of the hunter...

Almost.

But at the same time, she was curious.

What exactly happened that night?

How could the Honmoon come apart and then come back stronger than ever in such a sort amount of time?

What did those hunters do?

The last thing she heard about them was that they broke up their band. And during the Idol wards too. This was way too unprofessional, but given Celine's options, she considered it a miracle it took them so long to implode.

She wasn't even paying much attention to them as a band. She didn't want to know much if anything about them (and one of them in particular), she had made that clear a long time ago.

Perhaps it was time to learn something...

She turned on the TV, and...

In other news, after their public break-up in the Idol Awards, turns out that Huntrix is back together. With their manager reporting that the reason behind said break-up was the fact that they had been going through a hard time and facing a lot of pressure, which resulted in a spur of the moment decision that was quickly taken back.

"Yeah, uh, Huntrix is really back together, but they're taking a three month hiatus, so they can unwind and work through everything that's happened. We thank you for your patience and we're so excited to show you what's next! See you in three months!"

...!

...!

Her eyes went wide as the image changed from their foolish, babbling manager to a promotion picture of their comeback.

A picture with all three of them in loose black clothing.

The American one. The bratty rich-girl. And right between them...

Miyeong's bastard...! Her body covered in patterns!

That didn't make sense! It couldn't make sense!

It couldn't be real!

Celine insisted she was human!

She saw the child herself years ago! She had no patterns then!

How did she have them now?!

...

...Did Celine know about this?

And trained her to be a hunter?

And all those years kept it a secret?

...!

...!

...!

"We are hunters, voices strong..."

...

...

"Slaying demons with our song..."

...

She felt her breathing slow down and turned back to the screen. Staring at it with a vitriolic gaze.

Golden Honmoon or not, there was still a demon left walking around a world it had no place in. A demon of the worst kind...

And she was still a hunter. She had to take care of it.

She would take care of it.

Releasing her clenched fist, she summoned her sword...

And stabbed it right into the middle of TV screen. Into the image of the demon...

It was late afternoon when Rumi, Mira and Zoey made it back to the Huntrix Tower. And they were all finally ready for that long awaited...

"Couch! Couch! Couch! Couch! Couch!" They chanted together, practically buzzing with anticipation as the elevator carried them to the penthouse. And the moment the doors opened...

"All right...!" Mira's excited voice floated in the room, stretching her arms as she and the others made a straight line for the couch.

And then they all proceeded to drop down with a heavy, relieved: "Couch...!"

"Oh yeah..."

"Wow... Today was absolutely perfect..." Rumi sighed, sinking further down. The memories of the whole day, still fresh in her mind.

The wonderful full breakfast. Her first trip to the the bath-house with Mira and Zoey. The interactions with the fans in the square.

"Yeah... Couldn't be better than this." Mira agreed from her spot.

"Mhm..." And so did Zoey... "Oh wait!" But then popped up with a stressed-out-of-her-mind expression.

"WHAT?!" The other two cried in unison, popping up as well. Rumi even summoned her sword.

"We forgot it! I can't believe we forgot!"

"WHAT?!" They repeated urgently.

"We..."

"Yes...?!"

"We forgot to pick up a movie for tonight!" Zoey finally said, her expression and her tone unchanged.

Mira and Rumi on the other hand, changed theirs. First to ones of surprise, then to playful eyerolls (accompanied with a soft groan from Mira) and finally to relief and a smile.

Though Rumi's face was clouded for a second as her eyes fell on her sword. Noticing how different it looked. And remembering why...

"I think it's your turn to pick. You still owe us your turtle vid collection." Mira said, quickly returning her in the present.

"Oh you're right! I'll get it ready!" And with that, Zoey ran towards the TV in a flash.

While Mira settled back down the couch.

And Rumi was left just standing there. Her expression heavy, as if her mind was elsewhere. Lost in distant thoughts and even more distant... whispers?

...

"...-mi..."

...

"...-umi..."

"Rumi?"

...!

She shook her head, as though she was awoken from a trance. As Mira's voice once again brought her back, her hand remaining on her arm, after slightly shaking her. Soft and anchoring. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I think..." She answered, dismissing... her weapon... She had almost forgotten she was still holding it. "I guess I just really need the rest."

"After everything that's happened, can't say you're wrong." As Mira was speaking, her thumb gently brushed against her arm. Against her patterns...

And she was looking at her... with such softness, such gentleness...

Rumi felt something inside her swell. A smile forming on her lips and her eyes almost welling up, seeing how Mira was still there. Not flinching away from her, not avoiding to look at her, not pointing a weapon at her or running away...

It almost felt like a dream, like it was too good to be true... And yet it was. It really was...!

"Guys, is something wrong with the TV? I can't connect my phone with it." Zoey said, making them both turn their attention to her.

They walked over to her, to see her struggling with the settings of her phone and the TV. And even though they thought it would be simple...

"You sure your bluetooth is on?" Mira asked, sitting next to Zoey.

"I've turned it on and off and on again at least ten times now!" She answered, glaring angrily between her phone and the TV screen.

"And the TV's is on too." Rumi added.

"Maybe it's connected to something else?"

"Like what? I hardly turn on my bluetooth."

"Same here."

"Is the TV busted?"

"Did it have to be busted now? The turtles!"

...!

Before she could respond to Zoey's desperation, Rumi abruptly stood up and turned to the back.

"Guys?" She whisper-shouted to get their attention, her eyes fixed towards the kitchen island behind them.

They turned towards it too, slowly standing beside her.

"You heard something?" Zoey whispered, summoning her shin-kal blades.

Rumi nodded and slowly they started making their way towards it, their steps not making a sound. She signaled the others to take different sides, so Zoey went to the left, while Mira went just a bit farther, ready to jump on top the island.

Rumi went to the right, her sword returning in her hands.

...

...

...

She rushed forward, Mira and Zoey doing the same on their sides...!

But nothing was there.

Just some... smoke?

They exchanged glances of confusion when-

...!

They turned their heads back to the couch at the sudden sound of... silly music (and another bit of smoke...)?

"Oh. The TV's working now." Zoey stated the obvious, her voice still carrying confusion, just like all their faces.

"What was that now?" Mira asked in the same tone.

"I don't know..." Rumi said, her voice drifting, hearing those whispers again... But they seemed to fade away the moment she dismissed her sword again. Good. She didn't need this now. She didn't need to think about this now... "I must've imagined it. After everything that's happened the last few days..."

Mira and Zoey exchanged a worried glance, before going beside her.

"Rumi..."

"We're here for you. You know that, right? Is there anything you want to talk about?" Zoey asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Both her and Mira looking at her with a warm concern.

And Rumi felt it again.

That swelling in her chest, those tears her eyes were preparing... "Maybe..." And then that shaky, at first, smile. "But not right now. I just want to sit with you guys and watch some silly videos while we munch on snacks."

Though it took a second, the others shared her smile and nodded at her, before they excitedly made their way to the kitchen and later to the couch. Each of them with as much snacks as they could carry.

And there they were...

Spending their night huddled together.

Watching cute videos with turtles.

Zoey's eyes sparkling at their shenanigans, and as she was explaining their behaviors to the other two.

Mira asking silly questions with a mouth full of potato chips, and looking surprised when the others actually understood what she said and answered her.

And Rumi just taking it all in... every single second, every single fun fact and silly joke, even every feeling of taste of their snacks.

After everything that happened, they were all still there. Together.

And she didn't need to hide anymore.

And the Honmoon was sealed.

It was all over.

She sighed as she leaned further into the couch, her arms across the girls' backs. Who the next second leaned theirs heads on her shoulders.

Everything was perfect...

Celine sat on her kitchen table with a sigh, her hands holding a warm cup of coffee and her eyes almost instantly falling on the empty chair facing her.

...

She quickly directed her attention past it, at the view from the giant window.

A vast valley of green and farther ahead, the buildings and skyscrapers of the city, looking like nothing but tiny pebbles on that distance. And above them all, she could see it. The Honmoon. Cloaking everything with its soft glow, shining through the dark of the night.

So, they made it...

They turned it gold...

Gwi-Ma and his demons were gone...

That was all she wanted, all that should've happened...

And yet...

The most notable thing she felt was... empty. Empty and worn out.

She spent all night awake, her mind racing, reeling after... what happened with Rumi, trying to figure out what to do.

Go after Gwi-Ma herself? Even if she surrendered her status as an active hunter?

Go after Rumi?

Try to talk to her if she found her? Or stop her? She didn't even know what she'd be doing...

Just that... she disappeared into thin air... like a-

...

Turned out she didn't have to do anything.

Thankfully too, because if it really turned out that she did, the world would've been done for...

What happened though...? she had no idea. And she highly doubted there was any way for her to actually find out.

She dreaded the idea of what would happen were she to pick up her phone. Or head for the Huntrix Tower.

Rumi would definitely not want to see her. And even if she did...

Celine had no idea what to do, how to react, what to expect...

She got up with a groan, frustrated, angry, confused, despaired (guilty), a mess of emotions and thoughts she couldn't get in line and she headed for the living room.

She settled on the couch, right next to a blue teddy bear that was sitting between a purple and a yellow pillow.

...

"Celine, can you buy me this teddy bear? Please?"

"Another one, Rumi? You already have a dozen of them back home."

"Yeah, but they're mine. This one is for someone else. Someone very very special! Pleeeeease? I'll be the goodest girl and kill all the demons in the world! Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease?"

"All right, all right..."

...

...

"So who's that special someone, you're killing all the demons for? ...What?"

"It's you. I wanted to get the teddy bear for you, but... I don't have any money yet, so... Happy Birthday, Celine!"

"I... Rumi, thank you so much...! I don't know what to say..."

"Do you like it?"

"...I love you!"

"What about the teddy?"

"...I love him too."

"And I love you!"

She came to this place a lot.

When she needed to think or calm herself.

When she was training Rumi and the others.

When she wanted to visit Miyeong.

Now though...?

She had no idea what she was doing there. What she hoped to happen.

Because what ended up happening as she walked up that tree was remember that moment.

The sight of Rumi completely covered in patterns.

The sound of her voice as she was begging her to kill her. And later to...

"Look at me!"

...

"Why can't you look at me?!"

...

"Why couldn't you love me?!"

"I do!"

"ALL OF ME!"

She covered her ears as if that would silence her thoughts. But what she really wanted was to tear her head out. Tear these thoughts out with it!

Turn back time and-!

...

What would she do if she could?

Would she really have done anything different?

Both then and long before?

Could she really... accept that sight fully?

And if she did-

...!

...

Steps...

And they were close.

She felt her hand slightly twitch, as she was expecting the perfect moment to-

"I'm not trying to sneak up on you, Celine."

...!

That... that voice...!

She hadn't heard that voice in about twenty two years.

"I would be a fool to think I could." There it was again...

She turned around shocked and saw that she was indeed there.

Staring at her with her arms crossed. Dressed in a pair of grey pants and a long black coat. Her hair no longer in two puffy pig-tails, now in a tight top knot. She was smiling at her, but that smile was anything but genuine. Her eyes filled with resentment, taking in Celine's reaction and clearly enjoying every second of it.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" She said, her smile widening, looking almost unnatural.

Chapter Text

"Ari?" Celine all but whispered, still staring at her in disbelief. "What are you doing here?"

She gave a soft humorless laugh in response. "You don't seem too happy to see me. I know we didn't part under the best conditions, but... come on. We were supposed to be sisters. Remember?"

Celine could feel the venom dripping from her last words. And it was stinging... About as much as that fake smile and those intense eyes staring at her. And all those memories that came back with her. "Ari-"

"But to answer your question," Ari cut her off and started walking around, circling her. "I came to congratulate you. Your hunters did a very good job. After four hundred years, the Honmoon finally turned gold. And all the demons are gone."

She turned around at this. She knew better than to keep her back turned on her. And saw her make her way to the tree.

"Or... that's what I thought."

"...What are you talking about?" She dared to venture, dread already slowly filling her face, her entire body.

Ari looked at her over her shoulder. Her eye sharp and icy. "I saw a picture of their comeback."

...!

The pretenses were gone.

This time there was no smile. Just cold, bitter poison in every word.

And it hit Celine hard. Her eyes widening in shock, the earth beneath her feet vanishing.

She saw...!

She knew...!

"I-I... I can explain-"

"Can you?" Ari cut her off again and turned around to face her fully. Showing all her bitterness, all her rage. "Do you really not understand what you've done?! You knew about this! You knew Miyeong gave birth to a demon and you not only kept it from me, but you let it live and actually brought it into our ranks!"

"What did you expect me to do?" Celine called out, her voice a mix of anger and despair. "You would've killed her, right then and there if you knew."

"As I should've! As you should've-!"

"She was only an infant! She's Miyeong's daughter-"

"It's a demon's spawn!"

"Ari, we made a promise-"

"Promise? Promise?!" Ari gave an almost manic laugh at this. "Are you seriously going to bring the promise up with me?! ME?! Apparently I'm the only one who kept that promise! Miyeong broke it, the moment she chose that demon over us! Just like she broke her oath as a hunter! And you..." She suddenly seemed to... crack, the more she went on. Her eyes slowly turning glassy, filled with unshed tears.

Celine made a step to her direction, carefully reaching out her arm.

"You lied to me. All those years... You cared more about protecting what this traitor left behind than our duty. Than us!" Even her voice sounded lower. Her arms instead of being firmly crossed, now looked more they were hugging herself.

"That's not how it was." Celine said softly, coming closer to her and placing her hands on her shoulders. "Miyeong kept a lot from us. From both of us. And she did things... she shouldn't have done. But I told you then, and I'm telling you now again: Just because she made mistakes, doesn't mean she was any less our sister. And Rumi was the only one in this whole situation that was not to blame."

Ari remained silent for a moment. Her gaze hardened, turned away from Celine.

"I couldn't help her mother, but I thought I could at least help her. I thought it would make up for... everything. And I thought that after the Honmoon would get sealed, her patterns would be erased. Whatever part of her that was... influenced by that demon would be gone and no one else would need to know. But... I was wrong... I couldn't do anything... And I only made things worse..."

Ari finally looked at her again. Surprised and almost sympathetic. She slowly placed her hands on Celine's, removing them from her shoulders, but still holding them. "Then help me."

"What?" Celine just looked at her in surprise.

"Join me, Celine, take me to it! You couldn't finish this back then, but you can make up for it now! We can finish this at last! Together."

Celine felt her heart break with her every word. With how hopeful, almost desperate she sounded. How she was smiling, like she used to...

It was like she was really seeing again that girl she knew...

With the puffy pigtails and hairclips... begging her and Miyeong to let her do their hair and order take-out and dance to their own songs until the sun came back up...

But now she was begging her to do something awful. Something she couldn't do years ago when she found that infant in that crumbling house, with patterns glowing in her little arm as she was crying for her parents... or just a day ago when she was on her knees begging her herself to do it, the patterns covering her completely, warping even her voice...

...

She looked between her sister's hopeful smile and her hands still holding her own.

...

She breathed a sigh, as she tightened her hold. And closed her eyes to hold back tears.

"We are hunters, voices strong..."

She slowly withdrew her hands and brought out her sickles, before taking a few steps back without turning her back on her.

She opened her eyes with a hard, cold expression, blinking away whatever regret, before uttering just two words:

"I can't."

And that was it.

Ari's smile was gone. And so was that girl she saw in her eyes.

She didn't say anything for a moment. She was just standing there, staring at her with a hurt, betrayed expression. Her hands remaining extended for a bit, as if they were waiting for Celine's to hold them again, for her to change her mind.

But soon they were withdrawn and betrayal gave way to realization. And anger.

"...So this is it? Are you really choosing that demon over everything we stand for? Are you really breaking our oath as hunters?" An anger that was getting stronger and clearer the more she went on.

"I made a promise to my sister. I'm choosing to keep it." Celine answered, getting into a battle position. "I'm sorry. But I won't let you hurt her daughter."

Ari nodded at her, blinking away tears, before her own expression hardened. "I'm sorry too."

And she got into a battle position herself, a short sword with a large blade appearing in her hand. An executioner's sword. A weapon of the Honmoon...

...

...

They lunged at each other.

Ari went straight for Celine's neck.

Only for her to catch her blade with her sickles, and proceeding to push her back before rushing closer to attack with multiple hits. Quick and vicious.

But her opponent was avoiding them all, even if it was barely. At the same time, she was trying to attack as well, but her hits kept meeting either nothing or the sickles that were viciously, if not desperately, seeking her flesh.

Until she felt one of them wrapping around her lower leg and found herself on the ground.

But before either of Celine's sickles could strike her, she rolled out of the way, remaining low.

She kicked her ankle, getting her off-balance as well, and brought her sword on her, ready to cut her in half.

Celine brought her sickles forward, trapping the blade inside them, struggling to push back against it, as Ari was pushing her further down, waiting for her hold to break, smiling the whole time.

But then Celine abruptly pushed her arms upward, making Ari fall forward, exactly where she needed her to be, to kick her in the stomach, getting her off. Not wasting a minute, she stood up and turned towards her.

But this time, Ari didn't stay to try and attack. Instead she took off, heading upwards.

Celine followed, trying to attack every step of the way.

Some of her attacks almost landed, others were dodged or barely blocked.

Until Ari was gone.

After avoiding one of her hits, she vanished into the trees surrounding the staircase.

Staircase?

...

They were on the way to Miyoeng's grave.

Celine raced up the stairs, hoping she would make it there befo-

...

She stopped dead on her tracks as she heard something.

A sound- no... a series of sounds, echoeing like thunder all over the valley.

The slashing of a blade. Meeting stone... And then stone breaking...! Falling into pieces on the ground...!

She wanted to start running again, but her legs could hardly keep her standing. Not even she herself knew how she carried herself up the last steps.

And then she saw it.

Miyeong's grave... destroyed...

Broken down in pieces...

Just like Celine herself.

She dropped to her knees. Her hands, having dropped her sickles, were reaching out to the debris, trembling as they were picking them up.

She looked between them in sheer disbelief, refusing to believe what was right in front of her. What was in her hands...

...

...!

...!

She clenched her fists, her strength enough to break the stone she was holding close to her chest as she finally realized something important.

Ari was nowhere to be seen.

"Show yourself!" She screamed, her sickles back in her hands.

...

She heard her giggle.

She heard her footsteps.

...

She turned around, her sickles catching Ari's sword, holding it back.

She quickly removed one of them and used it to slash her shin, ducking beneath her blade and removing the other one too.

And as she turned around she brought them both on her, slashing her left shoulder, before she could move away.

Ari kept trying to counter the rest of Celine's hits, which kept getting more and more vicious.

And yet she was smiling. Despite the fact that she was losing this fight, that she had two open wounds. She didn't seem to care, still carrying her weapon with ease, laughing as she was avoiding and countering Celine and her blows.

"What's the matter? You upset? It was a rather poor work. She'd probably thank me if she could!" She laughed at her battle cries, as she countered another hit.

But this time she didn't just counter. She managed to scratch her too. On both her arms.

Celine didn't stop though. She winced but she didn't stop.

And Ari was still smiling. Her smile widening when she hit again. Exactly on the same part she left those scratches.

Celine stopped this time.

And a second later she was on the ground. Her arms hurting, bleeding.

She reached for her sickles, but they were kicked aside. Ari's blade emerging into view the exact next second, coming for her head.

She rolled out of the way, but before she could pull herself back up, she was kicked in the stomach and fell back down.

"Still fighting, huh?" Her opponent sneered at her.

Celine didn't answer, she just glared back at her, taking in one shallow breath after the next. Her eyes swifting between Ari and her movements and the ground, searching for her weapons.

And widening when spotting them.

She rolled towards them, barely avoiding Ari's blow once again.

And just as she grabbed them, the two once again crossed their weapons and their gazes.

Both of them intense. Full of rage and pain and determination.

"How could you do this?!" Celine cried, her voice raw.

"Me or you?!" Ari spat. "After everything she did, she didn't deserve a grave!"

"Do you hear yourself?! We were supposed to be sisters!"

"I'm not the one who needs the reminder!"

She kicked Celine on the shin, and pushed her to the ground, pinning her down. Her left hand holding up both her wrists, her right one holding her executioner's sword an inch away from her throat.

"Wow, you really lost your touch..." She said with a sadistic smile in-between breaths, pressing the side of her blade under Celine's chin. "I know I shouldn't expect much, since you trained it... but I hope Miyeong's little bastard will be more of a challenge."

...!

Celine's eyes flared at this, as she managed to move one of her sickles forward, its tip sinking deep into Ari's forearm.

With a scream, she let go of her wrists and the next second pulled away from her, before the sickles could pierce her throat too.

She looked at her wounds in disbelief, as if she just now realized they were there, before turning back to Celine with an enraged look.

But compared to the one with which Celine was looking back at her, it was nothing.

Her eyes seemed almost hollow, lost in wrath, almost animalistic and fixed on her, as if she was the only thing that existed.

She rushed towards her, jumping up for an attack. Breaking through her opponent's guard, wrapping her sickles around her wrists and breaking her hold on her sword.

Before she could react, she was tackled on the ground, Celine ready to deliver her the final blow.

...!

...

...

Ari opened her eyes.

The tip of the sickle literely an inch from her face, shaking right in front of her.

Just like Celine's hand. Like Celine herself. Her breathing quick, uneven. Her face conflicted, switching between rage, despair and frustration with every breath.

Ari stared at her in shock, clearly not expecting this.

And both of them knew it.

She couldn't do it.

...!

Her stomach...!

Her sickle had pierced it...

Ari-

She had grabbed her arm. She twisted it backwards.

She stabbed her with her own weapon.

And she was laughing at her...!

Her eyes manic, intense, glassy, enjoying every second...!

Until she shoved her off of her, threw her down the stairs.

...

...

She stood up a minute later, dusting herself off. Casting one last resentful gaze at the destroyed grave before she headed down the stairs.

And found Celine at the bottom.

Not moving.

...

Not breathing.

"You really couldn't do it... could you?" She sneered, laughing while fiddling with the bloodied sickle in her hand. Of course, she received no answer, but still she couldn't help but wait. Wait for a remark, for a growl, for a groan of pain or any kind of movement. But there was nothing... "You had your chance, you wasted it. But then again, that's what you always do. Me on the other hand?" She kneeled down, her face right next to Celine's, close enough to check once again her breathing. And whisper in her ear. "I prefer to finish the job. Don't worry. Your little demon will be joining you soon. Tell Miyeong I said hi."

...!

...!

She stood up, this time fully certain.

Celine was gone.

She mindlessly threw the sickle away and turned around to leave. But not before wiping her eyes for a moment.

...

...

...

She was gone.

Celine's eyes went wide as she finally allowed herself to breathe.

Her whole body ached, not allowing her to make a single move without a sharp, excrurciating pain, shooting through her body. The stab wound in her stomach especially...

She instantly took off her robe, and wrapped it around it, hoping it would delay the bleeding, at least long enough for her to get somewhere to get help.

Help...

She wasn't the one who needed help!

She frantically searched her pockets, bringing out her phone, and searched her contacts.

"Come on, come on, come on...!" She muttered to herself desperately, her fingers shaking, a single thought in her mind... "Rumi..."

Chapter Text

...

...

...

...

Mira's eyes went open as she sat up on her bed, looking around her (seemingly) empty room.

She felt a familiar chill in her spine, one she hadn't felt since she was a kid. When her parents would sit at her doorway, watching her through a half-closed door with those cold, critical eyes... Before finally opening it fully and either glare at her some more, or outwardly express their disapproval, their complaints...

She turned on the lamp on her nightstand, before she could think on it too hard. And just as she thought (much to her relief), it was just her in the-

...

She summoned her gok-do, slowly removing her blanket and getting out of bed. And with careful, silent steps, made her way towards her closet, holding even her own breath, waiting for a movement, a sound...

She held the sliding door... she shoved it open-!

...And only saw her own clothes. Among which was a long purple jumpsuit that had fallen off its hanger.

That must've made that noise...

She sighed in relief and hung up the jumpsuit again, before closing her closet.

Although, her relief didn't seem to last long.

That feeling she had, the reason she woke up in the first place... It was probably the only thing from her parents she was... kinda grateful for, since it proved very useful in demon-hunting. And she never had it without a reason.

Someone was watching her, she was sure...

...Maybe it was Zoey or Rumi?

Or both?

Maybe they were playing a joke? Or they just wanted company?

It would make sense... She could check.

She went for Zoey's room first, it was the one across hers. But she found Zoey fast asleep and all sprawled out on her bed. Her blanket a tangled mess, half of it on the floor and the other half wrapped around her legs.

She quietly closed the door, smiling to herself. Even asleep Zoey couldn't sit still...

But just as she turned to go to Rumi's room-

"AHHHH!"

"DIE, DEMON!" Zoey's voice echoed from her room. Followed by what was most certainly a set of shin-kal knives hitting a wall. "What happened?!" And later her slamming open her bedroom door.

Rumi opened her eyes.

And they instantly went wide at the beauty around her.

A world of nothing but light and colors. Light blue, pink, white and gold, mostly gold.

And all around her she could hear voices. Lots of different voices, singing lots of different songs. It probably should've felt annoying or dissonant, but somehow they all blended together beautifully, in a perfect harmony. Amongst them, she could even make out her own voice, Mira's and Zoey's too. Louder and clearer than all the others.

"The scars are part of me

Darkness and harmony

My voice without the lies

This is what it sounds like"

"-...mi."

...!

She turned around abruptly, hearing yet another voice.

One that wasn't singing, but calling. And though she couldn't hear it in full, she was certain it was calling for her.

She looked all around her, but couldn't see anyone other than herself.

And it was then when she actually realized that... she was floating.

"Ru-...mi...!"

...The voice called again, and it actually sounded a bit clearer.

Exactly like the one she heard when she held her sword.

Like...

...!

"AHHHH!"

Rumi shot up from her bed. Her eyes wide open, frantic like her breathing. Wandering around her room.

Her room...

Right...

She was in her room. Lying on her bed. Not floating in a world of lights and colors, not falling-

...That's what happened.

She tried to take a step while she was floating and she suddenly ended up falling.

...How did that make sense? She had no idea.

She had tried to find... that voice...

That voice she didn't think she would ever hear again.

That same voice she was still hearing whenever she summoned her sword...

"Rumi?!"

...!

Before she could think any further, her door was swung open by a very worried Zoey and an equally (if not more) worried Mira, who seemed to calm down, just a bit, when they saw her sitting on her bed.

"Are you okay? We heard you screaming." Zoey asked, dismissing the knives from her hands and rushed next to her.

While Mira slowly came behind her, scanning the room (making sure they were alone), before joining Zoey at her side.

"Yeah, yeah. I think... I just... had a weird dream." Rumi answered, her voice still a little shaken, her gaze a little lost.

And Mira's worry started to get stronger the more she looked at her. "Do you... want us to stay, or..."

At this, she turned to face them, nodding at them with a small, grateful smile. A smile that faded, after they settled down beside her.

"Okay. Tell us." Zoey said softly, inching a bit closer.

"Look..." Rumi started, with a deep sigh. Even though she didn't really know where to start... Maybe from the beginning. "Back in Namsan Tower... When Gwi-Ma attacked me. You saw that... Jinu..." She clenched her fists, her eyes already preparing tears as that memory played before them again.

The sight of Jinu smiling with misty eyes, as he was standing between her and Gwi-Ma's flames. Shielding her from them, as little by little they were swallowing him whole...! His soul (his blood) in her hands...

And she couldn't say it... She hated that she couldn't say it...!

"Yeah, we saw." Mira's voice was heard. Without an edge, without a growl, but with understanding. An understanding she mustered with everything she had.

Back at the Idol Awards, Rumi told her and Zoey that she was using Jinu to... "fix" herself. But what she saw and heard from both of them in the Tower made it clear it wasn't true. At least not entirely. For better or worse, those two cared for each other in... some way... It would make sense for Rumi to grieve. And she didn't want to make it any harder for her. Especially not when she was being fully honest at last.

She placed her hand over Rumi's, hoping that it would help. That it would let her know she could go on.

Rumi held it back, giving her a quick grateful glance, before carrying on. "I... It wasn't fair...! I really thought I could set him free, I could save him. And yet he had to save me and I wasn't-"

"Rumi, stop!" Mira cut her off bluntly (maybe more than she'd like), and for a second held her hand tighter. "What happened to Jinu is not your fault. Gwi-Ma did this to him, not you. And you made sure that overgrown campfire paid for it and everything else he's done all those years right then and there. We all did. You hear me? It wasn't your fault."

She nodded at her, a few tears escaping her. And before she could say anything, Mira and Zoey had pulled her in a tight hug.

And that made the dam break.

Rumi cried and sobbed and held onto them, as if she was afraid they would vanish any second too. A part of her actually being afraid they would... But they didn't.

They held her back. Unwilling to let her go, to let her bear this on her own. They both stayed.

Zoey running her hand through her hair.

Mira leaning her head against hers.

Both letting her cry on their shoulders, lay out all her grief. And most of all letting her know that no matter what they would be there and help her carry it.

"I'm... sorry" She whispered, through a sob, unable to help herself.

"Shhh... You've run out of s-word uses for all week." Zoey replied, making Rumi let out a soft laugh through her tears.

"What?"

"She's right. You've apologized at least twenty times the last two days." Mira agreed.

"Twenty four to be exact, counting this one." Zoey piped up and this time they all laughed together this time, while she and Mira smiled a bit longer. First at Rumi and then at each other.

Silently complimenting and comforting each other too. They could do this. They could get through this.

The kettle started whistling, letting Zoey know the tea was ready. Not wasting a second, she poured it into three cups and made to head back to Rumi's room.

She and Mira had been with her for almost an hour and she still didn't seem ready to go back to sleep yet.

So, she figured some nice, warm tea would help.

...!

Didn't she close that cabinet?

She probably forgot. Wouldn't be the first time.

She went back to close it and went back on her way.

It was no magic tonic, but it always helped her feel better after a good crying session or a bad dream.

Right... there was that too.

Rumi mentioned she had a weird dream. That was why she screamed and they found themselves consoling her on her bed in the middle of the night. But she still didn't tell them anything about it. Maybe...

"Heyyyy!" She greeted, as she pushed the door open with her foot. Finding Mira sitting on the bed, runnning her fingers through Rumi's hair (and looking a bit too surprised, or rather startled, when she saw her enter), while the latter was lying with her head resting on Mira's lap. Her expression was calm, if a bit blank, but seemed to brighten up when she saw Zoey. "Brought the tea!"

"Nice!" Mira said, turning to pick up a cup from the tray.

Rumi sitting up a second later to do the same. "Thanks, Zoey."

"Don't mention it." She winked at her, before settling down on the bed with them. Waiting for them to drink a few sips, for Rumi to be a bit more calm. Before... "Rumi? Was that what you dreamed about before? What happened at the Tower?" She asked, her voice careful, hoping she wouldn't make her worse.

Hearing her question, Rumi lifted her eyes in surprise, remembering that she still had some stuff to tell them. About the dream, about the voice... her sword... "No..." She answered, placing her cup back at the tray. "I... I dreamed I was floating somewhere. A place of light and songs and... I think I heard him. I heard Jinu call my name. And-"

She suddenly stopped, hearing her phone ringing.

"What's that now? Who's calling you in the middle of the night?" Mira wondered aloud, part of her annoyed at the interruption.

Rumi shrugged, before reaching out to grab it. Her expression making it clear that despite her confusion, she shared her annoyance.

However, the moment she got her phone in her hands, she froze. Her eyes going wide and a quiet gasp escaping her.

"Rumi, what's wrong? Who is it?"

"It's... It's Celine." She slowly turned to face the other two, who looked back at her with that same shocked, nervous expression.

They knew about how she told her to hide her patterns. How she... made her feel about having them, what she told her about them and her parents... And they also knew about what happened after the Idol Awards, what she asked of her... and... everything else that followed...

And they were as much at a loss of what to do as she was.

"Don't answer it!" Mira said immediately, almost instinctively.

"But what if she wants to apologize? Or something happened?" Zoey suggested, looking between the other two.

"Like what?"

"I don't know, but you don't call someone at this hour without a good reason."

"Even after everything that's happened?"

"I don't know. Maybe she couldn't sleep from the guilt?"

"Rumi?"

"Huh?!" Rumi almost dropped her phone, hearing her name, not expecting the girls to ask her. Not actually listening for a second, as she was left looking at that screen with Celine's name and picture. Smiling at her as if there was nothing wrong. As if that night, whose memory was now keeping her paralyzed and terrified and heartbroken at the idea of seeing the woman that raised her again, had never happened... "What?"

"What do you want to do?" Mira asked, the calmness in her voice clashing with the worry in her eyes, no matter how much she was trying to hide it.

While Zoey was looking between her and the still ringing phone, clearly waiting to see what she would do. And being pretty worried herself regardless.

And Rumi just didn't know...

On the one hand, she wanted to do as Mira suggested in the first place and just not answer. She didn't know if she was ready to talk to Celine again after that night. When she was standing right before her with her patterns fully shown... and she could hardly touch her, couldn't even look at her...

But on the other, she had refused to raise a blade against her. Even when Rumi herself was on her knees, begging her to do it...

What if Zoey was right?

What if she really felt guilty?

What if she wanted to talk? To apologize?

...What if she could love her?

...

...

...

Rumi closed her eyes as if she was bracing herself... and finally answered the call, putting it on speaker. "Celine?"

"...Rumi?" Her voice was heard from the other side of the phone a couple seconds later. Weak and ragged, accompanied by heavy breathing.

The girls looked at each other, their worry increasing. "...A-Are you okay-"

"Rumi, there's no time! You need to run!" She cut her off, her words filled with urgency and terror, stronger than her struggle to breathe.

"Run? What are you talking about?"

"There's no time to expla-... -ust take Mira and Zoey a-... out of the Tower! Out of the city if-..."

"Celine, what's going on?! Are you okay?! Where are you?!" Rumi called out, hearing her voice fade. She couldn't tell if she was losing Celine because of poor reception or because of... something else (...!), but the more she heard her voice, the more dread she felt.

"Home. I'll be oka-... Do what I said and leave...! She's coming for you!"

"Who's coming?! Celine?... Celine?!"

...!

A soft thud was heard.

And after that there was silence.

...!

Rumi looked at Mira and Zoey, absolutely terrified. And they didn't seem to be any better.

...!

...!

Not wasting a second they stood up and ran out the room.

"I'm calling an ambulance!" Mira called out, emerging from her room, having justworn a pair of pants, already dialing the number.

"I'm calling Bobby!" Zoey added, meeting them just before the elevator doors.

But Rumi could hardly hear them.

She hardly thought she was existing, feeling like it wasn't her taking those steps, carrying her body from her bedroom to the elevator.

The whole way down, Mira and Zoey's voices felt less like theirs and more like distant buzzes.

Even the breaths she was taking to try and calm herself didn't feel like her own.

...!

...!

Ding!

...!

...!

"Okay. The ambulance is on its way." Mira's voice was suddenly heard, just after the closing of a car's door.

"Bobby's coming too. I told him to go straight to the hospital and wait for us." And Zoey's came soon after, along with the sounds of seatbelts being placed.

...!

Right...

They got to one of their cars.

Mira was on the driver's seat.

Zoey was sitting shotgun.

And Rumi was on the back-seat. Shaking, clenching her shaking hands into fists. Looking at the other two like she couldn't recognize them for a second, like she hadn't even realized when they got there.

"It's gonna be okay, Rumi." Zoey said, holding her hand, her voice impossibly gentle. Her lips pulled up in a comforting smile, she herself was hoping to believe was real.

...Mira looked back at her and gave her a similar smile, while Rumi just nodded at them. Hoping with all her being that it would indeed be okay. That this wouldn't be the last time she heard Celine's voice...

"Hang on tight. We're off." Mira warned them, as she started the engine and the car took off, as fast as possible.

While at the same time, two pairs of golden eyes followed it.