Chapter Text
Rumi had always found the sound of hooves relaxing.
The low thumping was like a heartbeat, bold and beautiful and full of life.
She gripped her reins tight. The leather pressed against her fingers, branding her skin like a wax seal on a letter.
“Sorry for making you come all the way out here,” She said, glancing at her riding partner, Jinu, who was perched on the saddle of his stallion, Derpy.
He let out a soft laugh. “Are you kidding? I’d do anything to get away from Celine’s creepy-ass glares.”
Rumi snorted. “Tell me about it.”
The golden sunlight illuminated the milky mane of her mare, making it almost glow, save for the purple braid just behind her ear. Rumi took her reins in one hand, using her free one to lightly pat the horse’s neck, rubbing it gently. “The fresh air’s nice, right, Superstar?”
Superstar huffed softly, making Rumi laugh.
Through the corner of her eye, she saw Jinu looking up at the sky. “The sun’s gonna set soon,” he pointed out. “Wanna catch it before we head back?”
Rumi groaned, slumping down into her saddle. “Celine’s gonna be pissed.”
Jinu raised an eyebrow, a small smirk tugging at his lips. “Since when has that ever stopped you?”
Dried leaves crunched below Superstar and Derpy’s hooves. Rumi looked up, watching the warm yellow of the sky shift into a bold orange, lighting up the green around them like a wildfire. Oh, there was no way Rumi was gonna miss a sunset this beautiful.
“Never!” She huffed, gently squeezing Superstar’s belly with her heels a couple times, pushing the mare into a quick trot. Jinu followed suit, and the sound of hoofbeats filled her ears. They were quick, like a heart pounding in excitement and exhilaration.
The cool wind blew past Rumi as she posted, the air tickling the hairs on her neck. Her fingers tightened around her reins, and she clutched the saddle’s horn to not lose balance.
They reached an open clearing where the sunset was visible. Rumi tugged her reins, leaning back in the saddle to tell Superstar to stop. “Good girl,” she muttered softly.
Jinu stopped beside her, Derpy’s hoofbeats slowing to a halt.
Rumi looked up. Sure, you’re not supposed to look directly at the sun, but god, it was gorgeous. An array of fiery colours danced across the sky, making Superstar’s hair appear golden in the light, like a well-polished trophy.
“Congrats on your win, by the way.”
Speaking of trophies…
Rumi glanced at Jinu, raising an eyebrow and snorting. “Dude, you were there. You already congratulated me.”
“I know,” he shrugged, keeping his gaze on the sky above them. “Just thought I’d do it again, since no one else did.”
Rumi pursed her lips. Celine’s cold stare flashed through her mind, familiar.
She clutched her upper right arm, her voice small. “Thanks.” She sighed deeply, taking in the scent of the fallen leaves. “Nice to know at least one person cares.”
“Hey!” Jinu smiled. “Don’t forget Derpy and Superstar! They’re cheering you on, too, in their own way.”
“Oh yeah,” Rumi chuckled softly, stroking her mare’s neck. “Sorry, Star.” She pouted guiltily, making Jinu laugh.
They sat in comfortable silence, the only sound being the howling of the wind blowing through the trees.
The sun dipped below the treeline, the sky turning from a fiery orange to a deep navy blue. Stars were now becoming visible, fading into view and sparkling.
This certainly wasn’t a new sight. In fact, Rumi would always escape out here to watch the sunset after a bad day. No matter how many times she witnessed this, it never got old, and it never would.
Part of Rumi wanted this sight to last forever, to stay here for eternity and never have to be
bound by the shackles of disappointment again. But she knew such wishes were too good for someone like her.
“We should head back.” Jinu’s voice pulled Rumi out of her thoughts. “Don’t want Celine scolding you again.”
Rumi sighed. “Or giving me another disappointed look. Honestly, I’m hoping for the latter.”
Jinu breathed out softly, laughing. “See? Think positive!”
Rumi snorted, gently using her foot to turn Superstar around.
They started to ride back, making their way through the moonlit forest, hoofs thumping in sync with the chirping crickets.
“You’re probably gonna stay up admiring your new gold medal again, huh?” Jinu pointed out.
Rumi huffed softly, “You know me too well.”
“Superstar’s gonna get jealous if you keep that up.”
“Oh please,” Rumi patted her mare’s neck. “She knows she’ll always be my number one.”
The trees ahead of the two cleared, and the ranch finally came into view. The main building was quite big, seeing as it was used for stabling about a dozen horses, which were owned by either Celine or other people who worked or lived there. The barn was clean—well, about as clean as a building that housed horses could be—and covered with the nicest polished wood one could imagine. Just above the entrance was a large, dimly lit sign reading ‘Sunlight Ranch,’ in a golden cursive font, illuminating the courtyard below as the night got darker.
Rumi and Jinu both pulled their reins, stopping their horses in the courtyard.
“Celine’s probably inside.” Rumi gestured towards her house, sitting just to the right of the barn, before swinging her leg over her saddle to dismount.
Jinu hummed in response as he did the same, his feet thudding as he landed on the soft gravel.
As they led their horses into the barn, the musty scent filled Rumi’s nose. Some would argue that it was a bad smell, but to Rumi, it was the smell of home. Sure, maybe it was a little strong, but it just took some getting used to. Rumi was used to it, though. She had been her entire life.
“I can untack Superstar for you,” Jinu said, picking up Derpy’s halter from the rack. “You’re tired; I can see it in your eyes.”
Rumi huffed. “I’m not so tired that I can’t untack a horse.”
“Rumi, please,” Jinu undid Derpy’s bridle, pulling it over the stallion’s ears. “I know how much you wanna stare at your new medal like it’s your newborn child.”
“Wha—excuse me?!” Rumi yelped, wide-eyed.
Jinu snickered. “Anyway, just leave her in her stall, and I’ll do it once I’m finished with Derpy.”
“Jinu—”
“Rumi, this is kinda, like, my job.”
“Fine,” Rumi sighed. “But expect me to return the favour. C’mon, girl.” She clicked her tongue and led Superstar to her stall.
As she closed the stall door behind her horse, the sound of hard stomping echoed from a few stalls down.
Rumi made her way over to where the noise was coming from. The stallion inside’s ears pulled back, and he flared his nostrils as he kept stomping.
“I’m sorry,” Rumi whispered, hesitantly stepping closer. “I know you hate being here. I’m so sorry.”
The horse reached over, attempting to bite. Luckily, Rumi jerked out of the way just in time.
She held her hands up in a nonthreatening manner. “Sorry, sorry! I won’t come any closer!”
“Leave him,” Jinu called from a few meters away. “He just needs time to adjust. He’s probably tired right now too, just like you.”
“Yeah, yeah, I get it.” Rumi huffed, waving her hand dismissively. She walked past Jinu and to the barn door. “Night, Jinu. And goodnight, Superstar!”
“Night!” Jinu waved back.
Rumi took one last look at the angry stallion before stepping out of the barn, walking into the dimly lit darkness.
———
Mira had always found the sound of hooves relaxing.
The low thumping was like a clock tick, precise and perfect, never missing a beat.
Unfortunately, she wasn’t on her horse right now.
She was, however, watching a recording of her dressage practice from earlier. It was something she started doing recently, after seeing how Rumi would record her jumping to rewatch and critique herself.
Speaking of Rumi, the door creaked open, and Mira looked up to see her stepping inside, hair dishevelled with heavy bags under her eyes.
The sound of Hunter’s hooves thumping on gravel was still playing from the video, and Mira quickly turned her phone off. There was no way she was gonna let Rumi know that she’d picked up one of her habits.
Celine, who was sitting at the dining table, glanced up, setting her pen down on the paperwork she had been filling out.
“Good evening, Rumi,” she said coolly, her voice devoid of emotion.
“Evening,” Rumi responded distantly, padding over to her bedroom door without looking at the two of them.
Just as Rumi had turned the doorknob, Celine spoke up. “You were out riding again, weren’t you?”
Rumi sighed deeply. “Yes, I just needed to clear my head.”
Mira snickered—to which Rumi shot her a glare—and adjusted her position on the couch to get more comfortable. This was gonna be fun to watch.
“Even after that show earlier?” Celine’s tone grew sharper. “Think about Superstar. You’re going to exhaust the poor horse.”
Rumi fully turned around, facing Celine with a sharp, yet exhausted, look of her own. “She rested before I took her out again. She’s fine.”
Celine sighed. “Rumi, she—”
But before Celine could finish, Rumi had already retreated into her bedroom, harshly slamming the door shut.
Celine pinched the bridge of her nose. “That girl’s the reason my hair’s turning grey,” she muttered.
Guilt and pity dug their way into Mira and settled heavy in her stomach, ugly and disgusting, like a parasite making its home within her body. She forced it down, barking out a small laugh instead.
“Do you mind making dinner today, Mira?” Celine picked her pen back up, sighing heavily.
Mira softened, standing up. “Of course not.”
As she made her way to the kitchen, Mira glanced over at the older woman, taking in her worn appearance as her pen gracefully danced across the paper.
“What are you doing?” Mira asked, nodding her head towards the papers in front of Celine as she grabbed a bowl from the cupboard.
Celine shrugged, huffing. “Some girl registered for private lessons. Gotta make sure everything’s ready.”
“‘Some girl,’ huh?” Mira hummed in thought. Maybe she could greet her when she arrived. Of course, it was only right to make a good first impression, even if the girl would only be coming for lessons.
She hoped and prayed that Rumi wouldn’t mess it up for her. She had a habit of always doing that somehow, and it pissed Mira off.
Mira didn’t want Rumi to ruin the girl’s perception of the ranch. Not after…
She shook her head. Whatever. Not like it really even mattered anyway. Who cared if Rumi introduced herself before Mira did?
She took out the bag of rice from the counter and began to pour it into the bowl.
———
Rumi groaned as she threw herself onto her bed, exhaustion eating at her and making her whole body feel heavy.
She lay there for God knows how long, head buried into her sheets and arms spread out like a starfish.
When she looked up, Rumi realized it was too dark to see. Reluctantly, she dragged herself up to her pillows and reached her arm out to the lamp on her side table, hand flailing like a dying, dehydrated fish as she tried to turn it on.
Once she managed to get the light on, it almost blinded her. She squinted, rolling over onto her back and staring up at the ceiling.
She lay there, taking in the quiet around her… until she realized how sore her ass was from sitting in the saddle for hours.
Ow…
Rumi rolled onto her side, trying to look for something to distract herself from the literal pain in her ass.
Her eyes scanned over the rows of medals, trophies, and pictures lining her wall, and she focused her gaze on the photos of her and Superstar, smiling.
They were a mix of perfect, practiced shots taken by professional photographers, candid photos taken by Jinu, and silly selfies Rumi had taken of herself and her mare.
Superstar was the light of her life. Fuck whatever Celine said, Rumi knew what was best for her horse.
Her gaze drifted, her attention catching on a framed photo that she hadn’t set eyes on in a while, despite it sitting right near her bed. Had she been avoiding it? No. She just hadn’t felt like getting emotional lately, that was all.
But now? Her eyes were locked onto it like a magnet, a pull she just couldn’t resist.
The picture was dusty, and the paper within the frame was worn like it had been through war, yet the image was still perfectly clear.
It was her mother, grinning brightly and hugging a five-year-old Rumi, who was laughing. Her mother’s mare, Comet, stood behind them, calmly watching the two.
Rumi’s gaze lingered on Miyeong’s face.
What would she think if she saw her now?
A heavy feeling settled in Rumi’s throat. She quickly pushed it down.
The image was dusty. She should clean it.
She reached out, picking up the frame and bringing it close to her face, before gently blowing the dust away. She used her finger to brush the remainder off, the glass feeling cold under her skin.
There we go, she thought. Perfect.
Rumi placed the picture frame back down, her gaze lingering on it for a moment, before rolling back onto her back.
Ow, fuck!
…Anddd she forgot how sore her ass was.
———
Zoey had always found the sound of hooves relaxing.
The low thumping was like a racing heart, excited at starting something new.
It wasn’t like this was new, however. She had ridden before when she was younger. A bit. But a summer camp when she was twelve still counted!
“You’re all set,” Celine said, her voice low and calm. “Bobby will be your instructor, he should be in the barn. Helmets are in the cabinet to the left of my office.”
“Alright, thanks so much!” Zoey beamed.
Celine let out a small chuckle. “You’re welcome. Remember to be safe.”
Zoey nodded and padded out the office, squinting as she stepped into the sunlit courtyard.
Okay, the helmet cabinet was to the… left…?
She looked to her left.
Nope, that was the barn entrance.
Then it hit her.
Of fucking course.
She mentally slapped herself. The cabinet was to Celine’s left, which meant it was to Zoey’s right.
God, she probably looked like an idiot, standing out here all confused. Luckily no one was watching her.
———
Rumi watched as the new girl stood out in the courtyard, looking around all clueless, and softly laughed.
“Newbie, huh?” Jinu slumped against the wooden fence Rumi was leaning on.
“Hm,” she hummed back softly. “Doesn’t happen often.”
Jinu sighed. “Tell me about it. It’s a niche sport, and it doesn’t help that Celine makes it expensive as fuck.”
Rumi’s gaze was fixed on the girl. She seemed to be fumbling with her helmet, trying, yet failing, to put it on.
Rumi pushed herself off the fence. “I’m gonna go help her out.”
“Of course you’re gonna help out the pretty new girl.” Jinu huffed once Rumi was a few steps away.
What…?
She turned around as she walked, eyebrows raised. “I’m not gay?”
Jinu just snorted, and Rumi huffed in exasperation, making her way over to the helmet cabinet.
———
Zoey tried desperately to put on the helmet.
This was getting increasingly annoying. Why weren't there any mirrors here?
Her fingers fumbled with the latch beneath her chin, and she swore she heard it click before it came undone again.
She literally tried every helmet size they had! Was she just doing it wrong?
“Um, hi.”
Zoey yelped, spinning around.
Of course someone just had to see her at the most aura-losing moment of her life! Why was her luck like this—
Oh.
Oh, this was the most drop-dead gorgeous woman Zoey had ever seen in her life.
She couldn’t help but stare, taking in the girl’s every feature, from the shape of her face to the purple strands of hair sticking out from her long braid to the awkward smile on her lips.
It was then that Zoey realized that the gorgeous young woman she’d been swooning over was waiting for a response.
She cleared her throat awkwardly. “Hi! Sorry, I, uh—sorry!”
The woman held her smile, though it started to seem a little more shy. “No worries. Do you, um, need help with… that?” She tilted her head and pointed to the helmet that Zoey had literally gone to war with.
Zoey responded quickly, trying to act as if the most beautiful person alive hadn’t just seen her physically fighting with a riding helmet. "Yes. Please. Thank you! I swear this thing has personal beef with me.” She chuckled nervously and handed the girl the helmet.
She took it, placing it on Zoey’s head, and grabbed the latch to fasten it. “Trust me, that happens a lot,” she snorted softly. “I’m Rumi, by the way. What about you?”
Rumi? Oh, that was beautiful. What a pretty name for such a pretty person. Zoey kind of wanted to say it out loud, to see how it would feel on her tongue.
“Ru… mi.”
Rumi’s eyebrows furrowed, and her lips parted in a confused manner.
Shitshitshit.
Zoey, luckily, was able to save herself. “I mean, that’s—that’s your name! It’s very pretty, um… I’m Zoey!”
The latch of the helmet clicked under Zoey’s chin, and Rumi pulled her hands back (they were so soft and warm, Zoey wanted to touch them forever), lips twitching upwards in amusement. “Um, thanks! And that’s a nice name.”
Zoey just nodded, too awestruck to get any words out.
Then the realization hit her like a lightning strike.
Fuck.
Was this a crush?
Did she have a crush on this gorgeously hot girl with a hot voice and face and pretty hands and a beautiful name?
Oh.
Oh, yeah.
Definitely a crush.
That was… that was okay.
Zoey’s had crushes before. This was fine. This was cool.
Except those were all, like, hallway crushes—passing things that lasted a couple weeks before Zoey realized how stupid she was for obsessing over such generic-looking girls.
Rumi, though? Rumi was different. There was a pull, a tug on Zoey’s very soul that was pulling her towards this girl.
“Um.” Rumi’s soft, shy voice pulled Zoey out of her thoughts.
She looked like she was waiting for Zoey to speak. Shit, did she say something and Zoey didn’t hear?
Thankfully, she repeated herself. “Um, are you… here for lessons?”
“Yeah, uh… sorry!”
Rumi laughed, an adorable, pretty little laugh. “Don’t worry about it! I’ll let you go, then.”
No, no, no, no.
Zoey didn’t want to leave!
She wanted to stay here, with the prettiest girl on Earth for the rest of her life.
But she couldn’t.
“Catch—uh, see yo–ya later!” She stuttered out, though to her, it was a promise.
The rational part of her knew she’d be coming here often. Of course she would see Rumi again!
But the part of her that desired nothing more than to gaze at Rumi forever? That part felt like her soul was being split in two.
Relax, Zoey.
It was just a crush.
It wasn’t that deep.
Stop being so fucking dramatic.
“You too,” Rumi responded.
And that was it.
Rumi walked away, and Zoey was left standing there alone.
She sighed a deep, shaky sigh and made her way into the barn.
———
Mira really should’ve expected this.
She’d tried everything. She woke up early, got ready quickly, and literally rushed outside the house.
But now here she was, standing near the door, watching Rumi laughing with the new girl in the distance.
The girl, as Mira observed, was small, with freckles spanning her face and two huge buns in her hair.
She seemed so precious, and Mira wanted nothing more than to protect her from everything bad in this world.
…And from Rumi.
Their conversation seemed to end, with Rumi heading toward the house and Zoey to the barn.
Mira straightened her posture as Rumi came up the porch steps, clearing her throat to get her attention.
“What?” Rumi stopped in front of her, raising an eyebrow and her expression growing tense.
“What were you doing?” Mira asked.
Rumi’s expression twitched just slightly. “Helping the new girl—uh, Zoey—out with her helmet?”
“Why?” Mira hardened her tone.
Rumi scoffed. “Because it’s nice to greet and help new people? Okay, what the hell is your problem?”
Mira sighed, calming her voice but keeping it firm. “Rumi, if she’s going to be coming here often, I don’t want her to get a negative first impression of our ranch.”
Rumi huffed under her breath. “God, you sound like Celine. You think I’m a ‘negative first impression?’”
“I’m talking like Celine because she’s right!” Mira snapped, her frustration boiling over. She noticed Rumi clutching her upper right arm. “What would people think if they knew what you did to Celine? To your mom!? You have no right to act like you own the place after you stained Miyeong’s name!”
She breathed hard, anger burning inside her, feeling like a fire ignited within her chest.
Rumi went quiet, though Mira could see the fire burning within her, too.
With an exasperated huff, Rumi turned and entered the house, closing the door and leaving Mira alone on the porch.
She sighed, leaning against the wall.
She turned her gaze towards the barn entrance, where that girl went.
Where Zoey went.
Mira felt a pull in her heart, a tug in her very soul that she couldn’t quite describe.
She didn’t know how or why, but she knew that everything was going to change.