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Rumi developed a habit when Derpy and Sussie began visiting her room.
The idol began to leave her door unlocked.
Since the woman has been young, it has been drilled into her head of how terrible of an idea this is. Celine told her that demons could be anywhere at any time, so it is always best to look behind your back and be prepared for everything. This eventually led to the habit of locking everything in sight, making sure no harm comes her way and then always triple checking to make sure it is, before she leaves her apartment, car or the studio.
The habit began to slowly die out the first time she met Derpy and Sussie.
It terrified her beyond words how easily the two were able to find her, pointing out all the vulnerable areas of her apartment. She also couldn’t help but cringe every time she saw Derpy repeatedly hit his head against the glass door whenever he tried to deliver the messages from Jinu, heart clenching in pain watching his sad attempts to come in. So, in order to keep her eye on the two creatures and to prevent the tiger from getting brain damage, she left her door unlocked and slightly ajar, giving Depry enough space for him to walk in.
It turned from her doing it once, to twice, till suddenly both the creatures were in her room all the time. Derpy always laid in front of her bed, the message resting on his tongue as he waited for her response to Jinu. Sussie sat diligently on the steel railing, observing (and most likely judging) the people below her. Their presence became a staple in her life and changed the rule she always followed, smile wide as soon as she got home and her eyes landed blue fur and six yellow eyes.
It was a sight she always welcomed with open arms, laughing lightly with joy as the blue tiger slammed into her, knowing how much the creature missed her all day. She always let out a little chuckle whenever she heard Sussie sigh in annoyance, rolling her eyes but never denying the half demon from scratching the area underneath her beak.
With them coming here, it also brought another sight that Rumi welcomed more than anything, even though she would never admit it out loud or else the demon would never let her live it down.
The half demon senses him more than sees him as she sees his hand start to scratch the top of the tiger’s head. He crouches himself down, until they are at eye level with each other, a slight smirk on his face as he leans closer to her, aura entirely smug.
“I’m glad you are finally accepting my invitations, Rumi,” Jinu says smugly, smiling dangerously knowing her next words would only fuel his ego. Rumi rolls her eyes as she pushes his face away, letting out a chuckle from her childish actions. Her heart flutters from the sound, hoping he is able to do that more when he is free from Gwi-ma.
Even with it, Rumi can’t let him win this little game between them.
“I thought I told you everything between us is a business meeting us, Jinu,” Rumi tries to say evenly, stopping herself multiple times from laughing. A smirk now forms on her face as she waits for him to fall for the bait, satisfaction growing inside her when she sees him cock his head curiously to the side, brow raised high with amusement.
“So everything between us is a business meeting, Rumi?”
Rumi does her best to keep the facade up, as she crosses her arms and gives him a bored expression, one that was seconds away from breaking and splitting into a series of giggles.
“Yes, Jinu,” Rumi says smoothly, polished and professional, when everything between them is not. “Everything has always been a business meeting for us.”
No matter how much the idol tries, the demon seems to never fall for her bait, his smirk widened from her sentence alone. His eyes flash for the briefest moment with gold, an idea forming inside his head. Before she is able to get another word out, he pulls her flush against his chest, letting out a surprised yelp, always finding it infuriating (as affectionately as she means it), how he is the only one to continuously catch her off guard. When brown meet each other again, his smile is wide and smug, one of fangs poking out.
“So, was that kiss also a part of our business meetings?”
Caught her off guard, again.
(And yes it’s true. Everything stopped being a business meeting the day after they went to the aquarium, their shared kiss revealing all the feelings they had with each other. Under the glow of the dim jellyfish tank lights, they both knew they found their most cherished person, free to be themselves.
Rumi found herself, for once, happy her patterns led her to find someone like Jinu.)
It’s evident he won from the growing blush on her cheeks, but so does her facade breaking . A low chuckle leaves her lips, as she brings a hand to his cheek, cradling it gently. Even with the comforting moment between the two of them, the determination in her eyes doesn’t go out, wanting to stand her ground in this conversation.
“Yes, that kiss was part of our business meetings.”
Jinu hums at that, cocking his head to the side again, delineating leaning into the palm of her hand. His eyes soften a fraction, the smile of his becoming as warm as the sun.
“Then,” he responds evenly, eyes never leaving hers. “Shouldn’t I always get a kiss for these so called ‘business meetings?”
Always fighting for another kiss, isn’t he?
Rumi can’t help but let out another chuckle at his actions, seeing the way the happiness radiates off of him just knowing he has another chance to get a kiss from her. It’s his infuriating charm and wit she can’t seem to resist, wondering how she feels for a demon for all things, understanding how her mother came to love a demon now. She brings her other hand to his cheek, cradling that side just as gently as before. Their smiles are both full of love.
“Silly demon.”
“Your silly demon,” Jinu correctly notes, with a hint of affection and amusement, happy to be hers.
With a final laugh leaving her mouth, she plants her lips softly against Jinu’s. It’s not rushed or filled with passion, it’s soft and tender, showing how much she missed him and the love she feels for him. Once they break apart, the idol wraps her arms around his neck, giving him a winning smile.
“Is that a good way to start off our business meeting?”
For a brief moment (as annoying as it was), the demon seems to ponder her words, before letting out a happy hum. It didn’t stop the teasing smirk spreading across his face.
“I’m not sure, I think I need another kiss to see if it is.”
“Jinu!” Rumi exclaims, while hitting his chest lightly. A real laugh tumbles free from his mouth, a sound she tries to commit to memory and one she hopes to hear more after the idol awards. Without a second thought, he plants a quick peck to her cheek, before he lets her go, both of them sitting on top of the concrete railing of her balcony. He stares at her curiously before reaching into his pocket for the blue invitation he sends her, playing with it in his hands.
“Everything alright, Rumi?” Jinu asks, moving himself closer to her. He brings the invitation up to his face, eyes never leaving hers. “You usually never respond to my invitations so fast.”
Well, he caught onto her, quick.
Rumi usually doesn’t respond so quickly because she wants to make sure everyone is asleep (something she will profusely apologize to Zoey and Mira about when everything is over), before she writes back to Jinu, either to tell him she is coming to their meetings or to come to her apartment. This time she didn’t even wait for either of the girls to bed, writing to him the moment Derpy gave him the silly bird card, letting him to come over in as soon as he can because she couldn't deal with the stress or the doubts and guilt filling up her mind, just needed to talk to anyone about it.
Anyone that could understand.
And now that Jinu is here, she can finally talk about everything she has been meaning to, letting go of all the doubts and worries that have been building inside her.
Rumi shifts herself closer to him, their shoulders touching as she plays with the hem of her sweatshirt. It grounds her for giving her the courage to talk about an evening she has been wanting to say for weeks. The half demon takes a deep breath before she lets the words flow right out of her mouth.
“Everything’s been…a lot. With the idol awards, the song and the girls and finding out how to explain all this,” Rumi explains, revealing the purple patterns poking out of the sleeves of her hoodie. “It has been weighing heavily on my mind these past couple of weeks, especially with the idol awards coming up so soon. I…just want more than anything for both Mira and Zoey to accept me and see me for who I am and to know you will help with us with winning the awards and for everything to just go right and that even with all of this, I just hope more than anything everything will be okay and nothing goes wrong.”
Jinu is patient as he listens to her, letting her express everything she is feeling, making Rumi grateful to have him by her side, just as she does with Zoey and Mira. Once she was done. The demon pulls her back into his side, grabbing onto her hand as he gives her a comforting squeeze.
“Everything will be fine, Rumi. I know you and the girls will be able to win the idol awards with any song you come up with and with the way the girls are, I know they will accept your for anything, human or demon,” Jinu reassures her, thumb rubbing along where the purple meets on her fingers, quietly letting her know if he loves those parts of her, so will Mira and Zoey. He gives a tender smile, drawing her into a hug, something she instantly reciprocates. “And once you all win, we’ll be free.”
Did he just say that?
Rumi stares at him with widened eyes, heart pounding painfully against her chest, almost in disbelief at Jinu’s words. It takes her a moment to find her words, hope crawling up inside her that Jinu finally, after waiting so long for his response, agreed to help her with winning the idol awards.
“You’ll do it?” She says shakily, barely hiding her excitement and disbelief. Rumi wants more than anything to hear Jinu say yes to her questions. “You’ll help us win the idol awards and be free form Gwi-ma with me?”
Jinu’s face and smile becomes the softest she has ever seen it, eyes full of love and affection. The demon plants a long kiss on her forehead, cradling her cheek tenderly once done.
“I’ve decided when I saw you tonight, Rumi,” the demon responded breathlessly, voice shaking a little. His grip on her tightens. “I think, for once, I want to make the right choice.”
Jinu is and she knows he is, heart overfilled with joy knowing he wants to help her and stay by her side. Rumi gives him a quick kiss on the cheek, now being the one to comfort him knowing the choice he is making is the right one and how proud she is for defying Gwi-ma.
“You are, Jinu. I know you are.”
The demon doesn’t say anything for a moment, letting a comfortable silence fall between the two of them, only getting a gentle squeeze on her hand as his response. He lets out a deep breath before putting his head in her neck, burying deep into her skin, as she closes her arms around him, giving him the comfort he thinks he doesn’t deserve. When he speaks again, she feels the way it rumbles against her patterns.
“Thank you,” Jinu quietly says, voice barely above a whisper, knowing how much he means with those words, the way she showed him how his life can go down a different path, one where he is free from Gwi-ma and his past, knowing he has paid enough for it already.
Rumi hums as she turns herself towards him, carding her fingers through his hair, an action he loves deeply. She stares at him fondly and with pride, proud for his want of change.
“Of course, Jinu,” Rumi tells him just as softly. “You deserve a chance to chance and to be free.”
Jinu chuckles, sinking himself deeper into her shoulder.
“Maybe you were right about the Honmoon saving a guy like me.”
“It will, and I know I am right about that, Jinu.”
They both laugh, giddy for the future in store for them. Her chest swells with joy when she sees his devilish smirk return on his face, the gold flashing in his eyes again.
“Does this mean I will be rewarded for a kiss with my decision?”
Rumi rolls her eyes at his silly question, but she’s already leaning herself down to his level.
“Maybe,” the idol teases for the briefest moment before her lips are on his again, soft and tender just as it was before. They last like that for a minute before breaking apart, stars in Jinu's eyes. A night sky watches as they take in each other’s company, delighted to be by each other’s side.
It doesn’t take long for the question the demon waits for every night he comes to her balcony, another reason as to why her door is always unlocked.
“Stay?” Rumi asks, already knowing the answer to the question.
The demon’s smile is full of love, already lifting each other up off of her concrete railing as he prepares them for their next destination.
“Always.”
As Rumi links their hands together, patterns flowing from the contact, and his animal companions following right behind him, she can’t help to think how wonderful it was to keep the door unlocked, letting everyone she loves to be a part of her life.