Chapter Text
Mira stretched, popping her back with a satisfying snap! that had her best friend’s head peaking around the corner. Zoey had been sorting out boxes into their bedrooms last Mira checked, but that had been at least an hour ago.
“Did something break?” Zoey leaned in from the hallway, looking around the living room in concern.
“Just my back,” Mira grumbled, “why didn’t we hire movers again?”
“I wanted to,” Zoey chidded, walking fully into the room, “you were the one who insisted that we were in better shape than any mover and that you didn’t want strange men going through your stuff.”
“Remind me to just let them and supervise next time. This is worse than that stupid collab where I had to catch that guy from the raised platform. They definitely lied about his weight, no way he only weighed sixty kilos.” Mira collapsed on the couch with a deep drawn out breath, “At least we have all the furniture in place.”
“Better than the one where they kept trying to tell me that I was pronouncing ‘salmon’ wrong, like I didn’t grow up speaking English!” Zoey flopped next to Mira, “I can’t wait until we find the third hunter, this ‘build connections while you wait’ is getting really old!”
They both stared blankly at the TV, just now realizing that none of the cords had even been plugged in yet. The room as a whole was still a bit of a mess, cardboard boxes full of plates and dishes could be seen both in the kitchen and on the connecting island thanks to the open concept. Yet more could be found throughout the apartment, full of everything from toiletries for the bathroom to books and boardgames waiting for a home.
Mira looked at the analog clock learning against the wall, “I don’t think we’re cooking tonight Zo, we’re going to have to go out.”
A distant groan met her ears as Mira started getting ready to leave, double checking she had her keys and phone. Thankfully Zoey, clearly hungry, met her at the door with her own keys and phone in hand, and they left the apartment heading towards the elevator.
Walking out through the ground floor exit the two took a moment to look around, before Zoey sniffed the air and started walking. Mira followed behind, too used to her friend’s seemingly miraculous food finding abilities to doubt her now.
Less than 10 minutes later found the pair next in line at a promising looking stall, behind an older couple that were talking with the stall owner about a local oracle they went to, apparently she was an expert at matchmaking. Fresh Itaewon style corn dogs were waiting just out of reach when a multi-colored pulse went through the Honmoon and turned Zoey’s look of glee into despair.
“Mira, please!”
“No, Zo. We need to check that out.”
“Maybe it was a one time thing?” Zoey tried right as a second wave spread around them, the Honmoon itself almost seeming to twist and deform. Mira remained unimpressed.
“We’re going.” Mira said as she grabbed Zoey’s elbow and tugged her towards where it seemed the strange effect was coming from. Zoey’s eyes fixed on the vendor with a quiet whine as the couple walked off with their purchase, the vendor turning to greet a group of young men that had walked up as Mira dragged her off.
It had been more than thirty minutes, and Mira was getting frustrated. Trying to figure out the source of the distortions was proving to be much more difficult than she was hoping and Zoey getting distracted by every food stall wasn’t making her job any easier. Maybe it was time to make the call, it was embarrassing to give in and need help so soon but this was like nothing she’d ever heard of. Grumbling to herself as she realized the effect was getting weaker in the direction she was heading, Mira turned around and pulled her phone out. Still, she hesitated before hitting the contact with a sigh.
“Mira! I’m surprised you’re calling- hang on one sec.” Celine’s voice got distant for a moment as there was a splash followed by some muttering in the background. “Sorry about that, it’s bathtime and you know how Taeyang gets sometimes. Thankfully at five he’s old enough now to mostly wash himself, but I’m sure that’s not why you’re calling.”
“Not this time.” Mira smiled. Celine’s son was a handful, but a good kid. Though everyone had learned not to leave Zoey alone with him, the stains on the ceiling took ages to get out. “The Honmoon is doing something I’ve never seen before. It looks like that sound and water thing that Zoey showed us, dancing geometric shapes, but slow motion. We’re trying to track it down now, have you heard of anything like that?” Out of the corner of her eye Mira could see Zoey perk up from where she had been staring at a hotteok cart with a smile, clearly delighted that Mira had remembered something Zoey had only shown her once.
“Really? No, I’ve never heard of anything even remotely like that. Stay alert, once I get Taeyang to bed I’ll take another look in the archives. One sec,” Celine's voice grew distant but was still audible, “no sweetie I’m sorry, she doesn’t have time to talk right now.” There was a pause. “I know, I’ll ask her.” Celine’s voice came back strong, clear, and somewhat amused “Are you two still planning on coming by for Zoey’s birthday? Tae insisted that I ask right away.”
“Wouldn’t miss it, she’d cry for hours.” Mira replied with a smile, “Okay I’ll call when we’re safe and know more. Tell Little T goodnight for me. Us.” Mira rapidly corrected herself at Zoey’s glare.
“Will do, stay safe. And give Zoey my love.” Celine replied with a smile in her voice before the call disconnected.
“Anything?” Zoey asked while looking through the window of a passing corner market with desire.
“Nothing, she’s going to look into things after Tae goes to bed. And before you ask,” Mira continued “he’s doing just fine, wanted to make sure we were still coming for your birthday.” Mira hid a grin as Zoey’s heart visibly melted with a soft coo. “I know, such a little heartbreaker. Still, if she doesn’t know anything that means this is something truly weird and we need to figure it out ASAP.”
“And then we get dinner?” Zoey turned big hopeful eyes towards Mira, who sighed indulgently.
“Yeah, Zo. And then we’ll get dinner.”
After another grueling twenty minutes, during which they mutually decided that the Honmoon was fucking with them on purpose. The bandmates finally found what they were desperately hoping was the source of the music. There was a live performance happening the next street over and the Honmoon looked like it was actually dancing, twisting and bending in time with the beat.
Zoey darted ahead, grabbing Mira’s hand and yanking her along. “We’re almost there, come on, hurry!”
“I didn’t think you’d be in such a rush, weren’t you the one who said ‘whatever this is, the Honmoon looks happy’?” Mira jibed.
“And I still think that,” Zoey retorted, not even looking back, “but I’m also really hungry and you promised we’d eat after we solved the mystery so I’m currently highly motivated to figure this out!”
‘Fair enough’, Mira thought. Zoey had already been hungry when they left the apartment and now, an hour later Zoey looked ready to gnaw Mira’s arm off, and Mira herself was pretty hungry too. It was a good thing Bobby never tried to manage their food intake, not that he’d have survived as their manager if he had, both of them burned a lot of calories even when they didn’t spend the day moving furniture.
As they reached the street where the effect was definitely coming from they encountered a large crowd, but still Mira quietly celebrated. This was definitely it, she could see that on the other side of the crowd that the distortions were moving away from them. Finally, they’d find the source of the disturbance, deal with it however they had to, and then maybe Mira could reward them both with a trip to the barbeque place they had passed on the corner. Zoey had made eyes at it for a second as they walked by, before yanking them away to focus on their goal. As soon as they got past the crowd they could-
“No,” came the pained and desperate whisper of her best friend, ‘no no nonononononono!” Zoey cried as the music stopped and the ripples started to calm down.
Mira’s jaw likewise dropped. There was no way their luck was that bad! No, Mira decided, this was not how her night would end. She wanted to call Celine while stuffing her face and tell her that everything was sorted out and she didn’t need to worry. She wanted to surprise Zoey with a large dinner to reward her for being so patient and not complaining once while Mira dragged her past every temptation available. Mira started pushing her way through the dispersing crowd, she refused to let this end in failure.
Finally making her way through the last of the crowds Mira was only able to find the one behind that orchestrated her failure. The person whose ignorance of what was a stake had driven off her quarry. The singular person responsible for ruining over an hour of hard, hungry, work. The young police officer smiled at her as he helped one of the musicians pack up his drum kit into the back of a car.
“I know, I know, I was enjoying the music too but someone must’ve made a complaint.” The officer calmly shrugged while talking to the musician, a man who appeared to be in his thirties, “I thought you all were great! Especially that girl with the guitar, she was something else…”
Mira dragged her hands down her face, stretching her cheeks, foiled by the efficiency of paper pushers, how humiliating.
“...can we eat now, at least?” Zoey’s voice came from just behind her.
This was something she could do, Mira thought, at least she could still suggest that barbeque and end Zoey’s day on a high note. Maybe they didn’t solve the mystery. Maybe something strange was going on with the Honmoon. Maybe she had dragged Zoey miles through the city on a ghost chase in the vain hope, she could at least admit to herself, that this was the Honmoon pointing them towards their missing third hunter. That was something she could do right.
Mira's phone rang to the tune of The Imperial March.
Mira glared at the device, desperately hoping that it was something she could ignore. Still, some part of her knew better, Zoey wouldn’t have set that ringtone for just anyone. So when she turned it over and saw Min-ha’s image staring straight into her soul, she bit back a whimper and held the phone to her ear.
“Mira! About time you answered, I thought you were about to let me go straight to voicemail! And that’s after Zoey’s was completely dead! Do you know how worried Celine has been for the two of you?” Min-ha’s well trained voice sounded in her ear. She may have been a normal human, but Mira knew when she was outclassed. No one messed with Min-ha. Not twice anyway.
“Sorry Auntie Min, we’re safe, I think Zoey’s phone just died is all. I was just about to call.” Mira watched as Zoey’s eyes blew wide and she checked her phone to see it was totally blank. Mira groaned, knowing what was next.
“Tell her to bring her backup battery next time! Cece was worried that you died! I know you called earlier and whatever happened must be important. As soon as Taeyoung’s bath was done she almost shoved him into my arms to put him to bed and locked herself in the archives. And you know as well as I do that she’s not going to come out until you get here. So hop to it!”
“Yes, Auntie Min,” Mira replied, an apology in her gaze as she met Zoey’s disbelieving eyes. Mira continued as Zoey quietly pleaded, shaking her no. Mira instead nodded, “we’ll be there as soon as we can.”
As Mira hung up she offered an apologetic grimace. “I’m sorry, you know what she’s like. Probably already tracking my phone.” Zoey nodded quietly face blank. “We can grab something on the way?” Mira suggested hopefully. As they began the ninety minute trip to Celine’s building from here.
“Min-ha would kill us.” Zoey listlessly replied, “At least they’ll have leftovers.” she continued as her stomach growled once more.