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It’s a month into their hiatus, and Rumi thinks it’s going well despite a few setbacks. Everyone’s wounds are still fresh, and these are injuries the Honmoon can’t help them with. Sometimes conversations need to get cut short because they become too heated.
This is to be expected. They’re working through dozens of topics, ranging from emotional to logistical and everything in between. Thankfully, most conversations end with some combination of food (usually ice cream), crying, yelling, a snuggle pile, or a documentary.
Some days are hard, like when she covers every visible inch of skin with layers of clothes and makeup. Occasionally she tries on shorter sleeves or a lower neckline, and she’s even able to leave the room without changing.
Today is one of the good days. Rumi decides to wear one of her mid-length sleeves today, and she doesn’t bother putting on makeup or doing her hair.
Long sleeves are still a staple of her wardrobe, but when she starts to get too hot she’ll roll her sleeves up. Not far enough that her entire forearm is exposed, but just enough to cool off. Whenever Mira or Zoey catches her with her patterns out they always stop and stare. It was uncomfortable for the first few days, as she awaited to be yelled at for letting them show. She even took the initiative to cover them up before they had a chance to say anything.
Not once did they ever tell her to cover up. If anything, they encourage her to wear shorter sleeves by asking if she’s too hot. Somehow, it helps her feel more comfortable in her own skin.
“Hey guys…” Zoey’s quiet voice breaks the silence as she gets up and takes a seat on the ottoman. That’s enough to cause Rumi to sit up a little straighter. The only time someone takes the ottoman is when the conversation is important.
“What’s up, Zoey?”
“I had a talk with my mom last week…” Zoey trails off as she fiddles with her turtle pants.
The fact that this is a conversation about Zoey’s family sends alarm bells off in Rumi’s head. Family discussions are always a touchy topic. Rumi knows Zoey has a stronger relationship with her mother than her father, but even that is strained at times.
“Was it a bad talk?” Rumi asks, offering her hand to Zoey.
Zoey shakes her head. “She wanted to let me know she was going back to the States for a week.”
“That doesn’t seem bad.” Mira says.
Zoey stops fiddling with her pants and shifts around nervously. “Normally it’s not. But the reason she’s going back is...” She shuts her eyes and takes a deep breath in. The room falls into a tense quiet as everyone waits with baited breath. Zoey slowly opens her eyes, her hands curling into fists. “She’s going to get her back tattooed.”
Of all the directions this conversation could have taken, this is not one Rumi would have guessed. “Makes sense. Getting a legal tattoo in South Korea is still very difficult,” Rumi mumbles as she brings her hand to her chin. “It’s possible if you find an underground artist. But to find the right one in Seoul is difficult and still comes with a serious risk.”
The silence draws Rumi out of her thoughts. “Did I say something wrong?” She slightly tilts her head in confusion.
Zoey and Mira exchange a look before Mira speaks up. “No Rumi, I’m surprised you know all of this. Didn’t think you knew anything besides music, plants, and fighting,” she explains with a playful smirk.
Panic starts to fill Rumi’s chest as she mentally scolds herself for saying anything. She needs a way to cover up her mistake without drawing any more attention on the subject.
“I did some research when I was younger,” she quickly explains, praying that Mira and Zoey will buy this. “There was an incident in the K-pop scene before I met you two, and I overheard Celine mumbling about it. I didn’t understand why it was so controversial until I did some digging on the topic.”
Mira stares at Rumi for a few moments before nodding her head. “Oh, I think I remember Celine using it as an example to show just how quickly the fans can turn on an idol. Was it the reason why Celine made us run things by her first?”
Rumi lets out a quiet sigh of relief that Mira seems to buy her story. “Probably. Because public perception is everything. All it takes is one wrong move, and you can go from being the top of the charts to being abandoned by the industry.” There’s a part of Rumi that hates how fickle the music industry is; sadly there’s nothing she can do about it. Maybe after they retire and the next generation of Hunters take over, she can try and work on improving things.
Mira lets out a displeased “tsk”, shaking her head. “It sucks how fickle the industry is, but there’s nothing we can do about it. At least things are getting a little better compared to a couple years ago.”
Zoey gives Mira a slight nod as she traces the outline of one of the turtles on her pajamas. “And it’s not like my mom is an idol. No one will care if she gets a tattoo. Since it’s on her back, no one at her work would know that she even has them.” She anxiously taps her foot against the ottoman.
Rumi silently thanks the Honmoon that the conversation is shifting. “So what brings this up Zoey?”
Zoey stops fiddling with her clothes. “It’s well… uh…” She fumbles for the words, her gaze drops to her hands. A few moments tick by and she digs her nails into the fabric, snapping her head up. The burning conviction in Zoey’s eyes is clear to see. Whatever she is going to say next, it’s clear that she spent hours, if not days, mulling over every possibility.
“I want to get a tattoo just like her.”
Of everything that Zoey could have said, this is the last thing Rumi would predict. If they were having this conversation a few years ago, Rumi would shut the request down immediately. With how weak the Honmoon was at the time, they couldn’t afford to do anything that might jeopardize it. HUNTR/X didn’t have enough of a loyal fanbase to survive a scandal if Dispatch got word of this.
Now?
They have the fanbase, and the Honmoon is strong enough to allow them to take a couple of risks. Besides, how can Rumi say no to such an idea when it would make her a—.
“What kind? Do you have sketches?” Mira blurts out, excitement in her voice.
Zoey sits there stunned for a moment. “I uh… yeah?” She fumbles for her phone and pulls it out. “I’ve been thinking about this for years. I always admired how my mom would get tattoos on her back to honor those closest to her. She has one for her dad, and she got one for me. She’s going back to get those two touched up and then a new one for her mom.” Once the photo is found, she hands the phone to Mira.
Unable to resist her curiosity, Rumi scoots closer to Mira so she could see the image better. On the screen is a sketch of a detailed trinity knot with multicolored lines surrounding it. It’s a pretty design, and the lines make Rumi immediately think of the Honmoon.
“What does it mean?” Mira interrupts Rumi’s train of thought as she hands the phone back.
Zoey rubs the back of her neck with a nervous smile. “I wanted to get something to symbolize the three of us. I have since we debuted. I’ve spent years trying to figure out what I wanted to do. Everything I tried until recently felt wrong, or too much. Then it came to me and I sketched it down and I finally found an idea I was happy with.” She pauses, looking down at the sketch with a deep fondness. “This is going to sound cheesy, but I found out about the symbol from a TV show I watched with my family growing up. It represents the Power of Three. But it also represents an unbroken bond and protection. After everything we’ve gone through, we are still here… it just seems right, ya know?”
“Where are you planning on getting it?” Rumi asks. The warm feeling growing in Rumi’s chest is quickly being overtaken by shame. Zoey is sitting right here, telling them of a plan that would cause a media storm if anyone found out. Despite that, it’s crystal clear that Zoey is prepared to deal with any consequences that may come her way. She’s being brave, much braver than Rumi could ever be.
Zoey turns around and points to where her bra strap rests. “Right in this general area. All my costumes cover this area up, and I rarely wear backless clothes. So it wouldn’t be a major inconvenience to hide the tattoo with makeup on the rare occasion I have to.” She turns back around and places her hands into her lap. “Only people who would see it are the tailors, makeup artists, and you guys. The staff are already under a billion NDAs, so the chance of anyone finding out is slim.”
Rumi nods her head in agreement. Zoey is right about the logistics and the placement.
“I thought you would be more against the idea, Rumi.” Mira raises an eyebrow, her voice a mixture of confusion and surprise. “You rarely seem interested whenever a fan shows us their tattoo.”
The fabric on Rumi’s back starts to itch, just another reminder of the lies she’s keeping. “Zoey has a personal reason.” She keeps her tone even, masking her discomfort under years of practice. “Tattoos solely for aesthetic purposes are unappealing.” Her gaze falls to her hands where her patterns have dimmed, slowly rubbing her thumb over a couple of the marks. “But using it as a way to show your triumph over something horrific or a way to honor important people in your life gives it more meaning. Obviously people can do whatever they want with their bodies, this is just how I see it.”
There’s more to it.
She should really tell them.
They’ll find out eventually.
Just like her patterns.
Though… could she ruin this? Ruin them? How much progress would she set them back by telling them her last secret? At the same time, is it wrong she’s making this decision for them? Mira and Zoey are the strongest people she knows. Maybe everything would work out fine?
It can’t be any worse than when they found out about her patterns… right?
“...we’ve been talking about this for about a year now. He’s sent me some of his other works as examples, and that’s how I knew that I wanted him to do the design. He’s also used to working with high profile clients, so the chances of a media leak are low.”
Wait, what? Rumi blinks a few times, realizing that she stopped paying attention to the conversation. She leans forward to see Zoey swiping through pictures of different tattoos.
Mira is nodding along. “I see why you like his art style. The detail in some of these tattoos are insane. I wonder how long it takes him. How big are you planning on getting it?”
Zoey places her phone on her leg, bringing a hand to her chin in thought. “Hmm… I don’t want it to take up my entire back. I still want to wear our How It’s Done costume without makeup. So something a little smaller than that maybe?” She makes a box with her hands that is roughly the size of her crop top. “That way he’ll have space to work his magic.”
“I think it’s going to look sick. Is this the final design or are you still working on it with him?”
Zoey shrugs. “I need to tell him the final size and then see what he thinks. I would like to see if there’s a way I can include Celine into the design. Since I wouldn’t have met you two without her.” She lets out a quiet groan. “I just don’t know what to do.”
Coming up with something that represents Celine is definitely a hard challenge. Whenever Rumi thinks of her, she immediately thinks of demons and music. Unfortunately, that’s something they all share, so it won’t work well for what Zoey is trying to do. Then, an idea comes to Rumi’s mind. “Why not ask Celine for a picture of the engravings on her blade and show him that? See if he can incorporate that into the design?”
The way Zoey’s eyes sparkle with excitement soothes some of the lingering anxiety within Rumi’s chest. “Ru! That’s perfect!” The speed at which Zoey is already messaging Celine is impressive. “Since nothing is finalized, I’m sure he could fit in another update. He’s getting a massive tip for this.”
It seems like Zoey has everything planned out, except for one thing. “What’s your aftercare plan?” Rumi inquires; having a post-tattoo plan is by far the most important part. Otherwise, things can get very awkward. Even with Zoey’s flexibility, she might have issues properly tending to a fresh tattoo that far up her back. Having an extra set of hands that can properly help with the tattoo would make everything far easier.
The question surprises Zoey as she gives Rumi a sheepish smile. “I, uh, didn’t really think that far ahead. I figured he would tell me what I needed to do closer to the appointment.”
“Zo-ey.” Rumi lets out a soft groan. “Even with a Hunter’s improved healing, it’s still going to take a few weeks to heal right.” She shakes her head. “We’ll need to order ointment and schedule it well before any public appearances. No bras for the first few days, so we’ll need to plan accordingly.” She continues on, pulling her phone out and already navigating to the ointment company’s website.
“-mi.”
As long as Zoey times the appointment at least a month before they are scheduled to start working on the Comeback Tour, there shouldn’t be any issues. There is a chance that Zoey’s body might reject the ink, and that would make the healing process take longer. But as far as Rumi knew, it wasn't a common issue.
“-mi.”
Though they would need to block out their schedules for a couple of days. Doing the twelve hour flight home right after getting a back tattoo sounds incredibly uncomfortable. Maybe she could prepare a list of documentaries and shows they fell behind on thanks to the How It’s Done tour. A few days in a luxurious hotel room with movies playing sounds like it would be a fun time.
“RUMI!”
Her head snaps up at the sound of her name, and she looks around for the source. Mira and Zoey are sitting there, looking at her like she just grew a second head. “What?” Her thumb hovers over the order button.
Mira places a hand on Rumi’s knee. “You are going too fast. What’s this about a couple of weeks and something about ointment? Can you slow down and explain what you are talking about? Or even how you know about any of this?”
Her back itches again.
She really should tell them.
“I…” Rumi trails off, her stomach churning and a sense of dread filling her chest. This is nothing compared to her patterns being revealed. Realistically speaking, she knows she shouldn’t be freaking out about this. She fiddles with her long sleeves, searching for the words that don’t want to come.
Zoey places her hand on Rumi’s other knee. “If there’s something that’s bothering you, we can change the topic. There’s no rush on this. I just wanted your guys' blessing before I commit.”
“Or if you want to share, then we are here to listen.”
Rumi glances between Mira and Zoey; concern is plastered all over their faces. She could tell them that she isn’t ready for the conversation, and that would be the end of this. She grips the fabric of her shirt tighter. There’s no reason to push this off any longer. “No. It’s not that. It’s just… I’ve been hiding one more thing from you two.”
Rumi can’t ignore how still Mira and Zoey get once the words leave her mouth. Her patterns shift to a light purple in shame. “I didn’t tell you sooner because it’s tied to my patterns and well… There’s a reason why I know so much about tattoos.”
There goes her last chance to escape this conversation. She gently moves Mira and Zoey’s hand off her knees so she can turn around and show her back to them. Her fingers grasp the bottom of her shirt, and she can feel their eyes focus on her.
Takedown starts to play in the back of her mind.
Here she is, about to reveal another truth embedded into her skin. Only this time, it’s on her terms. Her guilt is still there, but her determination to stop running overshadows the shame. Her patterns shift to a vermillion red to reflect her resolve.
“My patterns were spreading faster during the North American Tour. At the time I didn’t know why. All I knew was that I hated how they were creeping down my back. So after our last concert before that two month break, I made an impulse decision,” Rumi explains, taking a last deep breath in before taking her shirt off.
“I didn’t know how far my patterns would spread in the time it would take us to turn the Honmoon gold. I wanted to do something before my patterns claimed every inch of my skin. So I got this.” She moves her hair out of the way so they can see a simplified version of Mira’s Gok-do drawn in pink along her spine, with three of Zoey’s Shin-kal pointing outwards on either side of Mira’s weapon in teal. Her patterns surround the two weapons, but never cross over them. “I thought that even if my patterns spread over the ink, I would know that I had you two closer to me than my cursed blood.”
Rumi pauses for a moment to gather her thoughts. “I want you to know that I’ve never regretted getting it done, even after everything that’s happened. I didn’t want you to have another constant reminder of that day. Not when you are still healing.” Rumi’s final truth is out in the open.
“It’s beautifully done, the detailing on the weapons is so accurate. It must have taken hours of work.” Zoey says with awe.
“What? It should only be outlined. I was going to go back the next time we were in the United States for the details.”
Mira gets up from the couch and takes a seat next to Zoey. “I don’t think you need to worry about a follow-up appointment,” she mumbles.
“Could you send me a picture?” The words barely leave Rumi’s mouth before she hears the sound of Zoey’s phone taking a picture and the subsequent ping of a new text. Rumi pulls up her messaging app and her mouth drops open. “Oh.”
The weapon outlines are still the same as she remembers them. But the engravings were perfectly drawn in with the same red as her patterns. In the free space between the weapons are more lines and swirls. The design feels familiar, like she’s seen it somewhere before. Then it clicks. The intricate lines form the swirling patterns that adorned their costumes when they fought Gwi-ma. For the first time in a long time, being reminded of that day doesn’t hurt. It feels like proof of her connection with Zoey and Mira. It feels like a triumph.
There was a part of her that always dreaded the day that her patterns would cover up their weapons.
Right now?
The way that they compliment Zoey’s and Mira’s weapons brings indescribable joy.
“Can I touch it?” Zoey asks quietly.
The question takes Rumi by surprise. They’ve never asked to touch her bare skin before, and she can’t blame them. Celine never touched any area that was tainted by her patterns. “Only if you want to.”
Zoey pauses for a moment. “I do.” Zoey’s fingers brush against Rumi’s back, and Rumi instinctively flinches away from the touch. “Rumi! Are you sure you are okay with this?”
Rumi shuts her eyes and leans back into the tips of Zoey’s fingers. “I am.” The sensation is odd, but not unpleasant. “It’s new.”
“Oh, Rumi…” Zoey trails off as she starts to gently drag her fingers across Rumi’s back. “Your patterns are beautiful.” Based on the location, Rumi thinks Zoey is tracing the outline of the Shin-kal’s, but it’s a little hard to tell. “If you don’t like this, tell me to stop.”
“Promise.” Though secretly, she hopes that Zoey doesn’t stop anytime soon. After the initial surprise wore off, the sensation of warm fingers dragging across her back is something Rumi is enjoying.
The next few minutes tick by with Zoey tracing the weapons and Rumi relaxing under the touch. Then Zoey’s fingers start to wander away from the ink. A soft “oh” comes from her as she stops tracing Rumi’s back.
A pang of sadness shoots through Rumi’s chest at the loss of contact. “Is something wrong?” Rumi glances over her shoulder to try and get a better look at them.
Mira shakes her head. “I think Zoey just found a new color. Could you turn back around and give me your arm?”
Rumi raises an eyebrow at the strange request but complies without a word. She presents her arm to Mira, who gently cradles it. Mira carefully places a hand in between the patterns before tenderly tracing a rather large one.
Rumi watches with wonder; the places where Mira’s fingers effortlessly glide across shift from red to a majestic gold. It seems like Zoey doesn’t want to let Mira have all the fun as she takes Rumi’s free arm and also starts tracing over the patterns. Each stroke is made with love and tenderness, and Rumi’s arms add a faint golden hue to the room.
For years, she despised the sight of her patterns and did everything in her power to make sure they never saw the light of day. Every time a purple line peeked out from underneath her clothes, anger, shame, and fear swirled in her chest. Each emotion battled for dominance. Fear almost always came out on top, for the thought of losing Mira or Zoey was unbearable.
Rumi spent countless days dreaming of finally achieving the Golden Honmoon. To be free of her patterns and free of the lies, so she could finally walk amongst her sun and her star without fear. In hindsight, she was naive. There was no guarantee that the Honmoon would purge her of her demonic heritage. Her soul doesn’t reside in her chest like every other human, but rather manifests through her patterns. If anything, she’s fairly certain now that any attempts to strip her of her demonic side would do more harm than help, something the new Honmoon would never allow.
The Honmoon shimmers to life underneath them, as if agreeing with Rumi’s thoughts. A smile creeps onto her face at the sight. This new Honmoon is not only stronger, but more flexible. Built from accepting each other despite their countless faults or fears, rather than demanding unwavering perfection. They agreed to no more life altering or world ending secrets kept between them. While her tattoo wasn’t one of those major secrets, telling them still feels like a heavy burden was lifted from her shoulders. Maybe one day she’ll be able to believe what Mira and Zoey tell her about her patterns. But for now, she’s content to let them trace her patterns for as long as they like.