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The first time Jinu gets behind the wheel of a car, he freezes up. Suddenly the weight of the vehicle is more obvious than it’s ever been and Jinu realizes how easy it would be to fuck this up and kill multiple people in the process and almost immediately teleports out of the driver’s seat.
Bobby, who he asked to help teach him, is a saint and remains endlessly patient with him. It takes an embarrassingly long time and one of Bobby’s pep talks to get him back in the driver’s seat again. Bobby tells him to take it slow— they can drive around the mostly empty parking lot a bit. No stress, no need to worry, just Jinu getting used to the way the car works and getting comfortable with driving.
He remains stiff for the entirety of the exercise but he does do it, which is more than enough to warrant praise in Bobby’s eyes.
It’s a miracle he manages to make it past a week of lessons, much less a few months’ worth. But little by little, Bobby runs him through the different driving laws and general etiquette, all without breathing a word to the girls. Jinu wants to keep this a secret, at least until he has anything to show for it, and Bobby is surprisingly good at keeping secrets.
Somehow, Jinu eventually works his way into a license and Bobby insists on getting him demon-grade champagne in celebration. They pop it and drink and end up passing out on the couch. The girls joke about him ‘Partying with their manager’ and Jinu smiles, but still doesn’t tell them.
Not yet. He wants to keep the surprise just a little bit longer.
—
The opportunity arises on a road trip. Rumi and Jinu, heading across the country to check out a new demon town that’s popped up there. They expect it to be a pretty relaxing trip— the demons who contacted them about it said they wanted to meet up with a Hunter so they could have peace of mind about the terms of alliance. Rumi offered to go and Jinu offered to come with her.
It’s too far to teleport so they drive. And seeing as how it's a trip for demon matters, Rumi chooses to drive herself rather than recruit her usual one. Jinu takes the passenger seat to point out directions when Rumi has questions and manages the music, which more or less means skipping any songs Rumi’s not in the mood for.
It’s a quiet trip, mostly accompanied by singing on the radio together and idle chatting. Traffic could be better but it could be worse too, though when they break for lunch, Rumi is a little tired of it.
“I don’t usually drive.” She confesses to Jinu in between bites. They've managed to find a quiet little spot to eat, the staff clearly recognizing them but leaving them be. “I haven’t really needed to in a while. Privileges of being an idol, I guess.”
“There are a lot of those.” Jinu chuckles. Something stirs in his gut, anticipating his next words. If there was ever a time to bring this up, it’s now. “Though if you want, I could take over for the rest of it?”
Rumi snorts. “No offense, Jinu, but I don’t want us to crash and trying to explain all the laws of the road is a little much for me right now.”
It’s not an unfair assumption, but it’s wrong all the same. Jinu sucks in a breath and pulls out his wallet. Rumi tilts her head as she watches him search and locate the card in question. He slips out and promptly offers it to her.
Rumi’s eyes widen and she snatches it from his hands. “This… It looks real.”
“It is.”
“You… How long have you had this?”
“About a month or so?”
Rumi looks up at him, somehow disbelieving and contemplative at the same time. “You went out and got your license? On your own?” A nod. She looks curious now. “Why?”
That’s a good question. “To be prepared for something like this? Because I wanted to prove that I could? Because it’s…” Jinu glances towards their car parked outside, trying to put it into words. “Freeing, I guess. Even if I can teleport, I want to have the option. There’s a lot of things you can do if you can drive. And everything in the modern world is so much more accessible now that I guess I just… Wanted to learn.”
In truth, that’s all there really was to it. Jinu wanted to, and he could, so he did. A simpler process than he expected, even if he did have to train and pass a test. The fact that he could at all was… A bit cathartic.
“Besides,” Jinu shoots her a smile, “I can’t really take people with me when I teleport. This way, if any of you need a ride, you don’t always have to call a driver.”
The look on Rumi’s face softens. She leans forward and presses a kiss to his cheek, brief but treasured all the same.
“Let's see how you drive, then.” She tells him. Jinu nods and they quickly finish up their meal, heading back to the car.
Jinu takes the driver’s seat this time. Rumi doesn’t show any doubt, only interest as she buckles up and adjusts the GPS on her phone. He takes a deep breath, feeling as though he’s being tested all over again, except Rumi isn’t judging him. The test is only in his head, ensuring he can get them both to safety. He’s his own critic and Rumi is being nothing but encouraging.
“I’d hold your hand,” Rumi smirks at him, “But you’re really meant to keep both hands on the wheel.”
“I appreciate the thought.” Jinu sets the car into reverse and takes them out of the parking lot and back on the road.
—
Rumi ends up napping on the way, head resting against the window. Jinu knows he should keep his eyes on the road but she looks so peaceful, all tension gone from her face. It’s hard not to look at her, but Jinu only glances over occasionally.
More than anything, he just wants her to be safe. To have successfully gotten her somewhere without any complications, to be able to do something for her, because Rumi has done everything for him. The fact that Jinu had the opportunity to learn to drive like he has at all is because Rumi has given him his autonomy back. He doesn’t know how he’s ever supposed to repay her for that.
But he can try, little by little, in every way that he can.
They arrive at their destination safely. The smile that Rumi gives him when he gently shakes her awake is sleepy and warm and sends waves of affection through his entire being.