Zoey heard the low purr of the Rolls-Royce Phantom fade down the driveway. Only when the sound disappeared into the distance did she let out a long sigh and sink into her chair.
"That was so scary," she muttered, hugging a cushion to her chest. "Zerida is nothing like I thought she'd be. So mean."
"She wasn't always like that."
Celine's quiet voice drew everyone's attention. Rumi's eyes locked on her, searching for an explanation.
"A Demon Hunters Corps?" Rumi finally said, her voice sharp, carrying accusation. "And you just… failed to mention that?"
"I was trying to protect you," Celine said, almost pleading. Her hands tightened in her lap. "You were all I had left of your mother. I couldn't risk anything happening to you."
The silence hung heavy until Zoey, fidgeting, suddenly blurted, "Are we gonna end up like the Sunlight Sisters?"
The question froze the room. Even Zoey seemed to realize how it sounded, her shoulders shrinking as she added quickly, "I mean, people change, right? It's been over thirty years. And honestly? I can totally see Mira like that." She forced a giggle.
Mira turned on her with narrowed eyes and a mock-scowl. "Wanna say that to my face, pipsqueak? How does a pillow across the room sound?"
Zoey squeaked and ducked behind the cushion, but Celine's voice cut through before the banter could spread.
"No," she said firmly. "You won't end up like us. I'll do everything in my power to make sure that doesn't happen."
Mira snapped back at her, her patience already worn thin. "And why do you suddenly care? You hid the truth from us. You told Rumi to hide who she was. It's been a whole year since we fought the Saja Boys at the Idol Awards, a whole year, and we've only seen you once since then."
"Mira." Rumi's voice was soft as she reached out, placing a calming hand on her friend's shoulder. "It's okay."
"But it's not." Mira's voice cracked, her usual flat façade splintering under the weight of emotion. "They hurt you, Rumi. And she keeps hurting you. And I'm sick of it."
Rumi didn't hesitate. She pulled Mira into her arms, pressing the taller girl's head against her shoulder. "I'm so glad I have friends like you," she whispered. "Nothing they do matters when I have you two beside me."
Zoey, unable to resist, practically launched herself into the embrace. "Yeah," she grinned through the tension, wrapping her arms around them both. "We're the best friends."
The warmth of the moment broke when Celine's voice cut in from across the room. "What do you think I've been doing this whole year?"
The three turned to look at her, and Rumi's brows knitted as Celine went on, her voice tinged with exasperation and something heavier.
"I've been trying to protect Rumi," she said firmly. "And not just Rumi, both of you as well."
Mira growled low in her throat, her frustration simmering. "Here you go again…" But she faltered when Rumi touched her cheek, grounding her with a gentle, steady look.
"It's okay," Rumi repeated softly, and Mira, though clearly unconvinced, exhaled and retreated, flopping into the nearest couch with a defeated sigh.
Rumi turned back to Celine, her gaze sharp. "What do you mean by trying to protect me? What have you really been doing this past year?"
Celine's composure cracked. "Trying to keep Zerida from finding out about you," she admitted, her voice snapping under the strain. "This whole year, I've been stalling her, keeping her from coming here, from sending her people to spy on you. I couldn't risk her discovering the truth, not when Gwi-Ma's manifestation was still so fresh in everyone's mind."
Rumi blinked at her, stunned into silence for a moment, but her frown only deepened. "I didn't ask you to do any of that. I didn't want to hide anymore."
"But you had to!" Celine's voice rose, sharp with conviction.
Rumi's temper finally flared. "You can't keep making these choices for me!" she shouted, her chest rising with every breath. "This is my life. My decisions. And I'm done hiding."
Her patterns pulsed faintly across her skin, the glow so subtle it was easy to mistake for a trick of the light, but Zoey, wide-eyed, swore they looked just a shade brighter than before.
Celine stared at Rumi, who met her gaze without flinching. After a long, tense silence, Celine's shoulders slumped. She let out a weary sigh and turned toward the bar at the side of the room.
"People died when Gwi-Ma manifested last year," she said quietly, reaching for a bottle.
Rumi's breath caught, her anger softening just enough for her chest to rise and fall in a steadying rhythm. "Yeah," she admitted, her voice lower now. "We know. A lot of people died at the concert… and that's something we'll have to live with."
Celine gave a short, humorless chuckle, though there was no strength in it. Her posture seemed to fold in on itself as she poured a drink. "Not just the concert. Not even in Korea, Rumi." She shook her head, her voice cracking slightly. "The Honmoon fell."
Zoey gasped, her hands flying to her mouth as she pieced it together almost instantly. Mira's eyes widened a moment later, the realization hitting her just as hard.
Rumi blinked in confusion, glancing between her friends, then back to Celine. "What are you talking about?"
Glass in hand, Celine downed the first pour before refilling. Her voice was heavier now, thick with the weight of what she was confessing. "Demons appeared all over the world, Rumi. In those brief minutes that Gwi-Ma was free… hundreds of thousands died." She paused, her eyes dull as she stared into the liquid in her glass. "Some of them were people Zerida loved. People she cared about. Families. Friends. Entire teams of her hunters."
The silence that followed pressed down on the room like a storm cloud, suffocating and immovable. No one dared speak.
"All she needed was a reason," Celine finally said, tipping back her glass and downing another pour. Her voice was low, heavy with the burn of liquor and memory. "Someone to blame. If she had realized what you really are, a demon… half-demon..." she let the words hang, her gaze narrowing. "You saw how distrustful she was of you just moments ago. Imagine her in grief. She wouldn't have hesitated. She would have turned that pain into fury, and done everything in her power to destroy you."
She poured another serving into the glass, raising it halfway to her lips, only for a hand to press gently over the rim, guiding it back to the bar counter.
Her breath hitched. She looked up to see Rumi standing beside her. Tears welled in her eyes at the sight, and she quickly averted her gaze, ashamed to meet it.
"I'm so sorry, Rumi." Her voice trembled. She lifted her free hand to cover her eyes, as if she could dam the flood threatening to spill over. "I'm so sorry I failed you."
Her shoulders quivered. "You were… a daughter to me. My daughter." The words broke apart in a whimper. "And I failed you. I hurt you in ways a parent never should."
Rumi's hand remained firm against the glass, steadying it on the bar. For a long moment, she said nothing. Her eyes lingered on Celine, softened but unreadable, her expression carrying a weight that was neither anger nor forgiveness, just quiet understanding.
"You didn't fail me," Rumi said at last, her voice calm, though the edges of it trembled. "You were scared. You thought hiding me was the only way to keep me safe. But… I'm not that little girl anymore. You don't have to carry all of this alone."
Celine's hand shook, the glass rattling faintly against the counter. She turned her face away, ashamed, but the tears she had tried to suppress slipped past her fingers anyway.
Zoey fidgeted from where she sat, clutching her knees to her chest, as if afraid to breathe too loudly. Mira, however, didn't look away. Her sharp eyes stayed on Celine, no less fierce for the sympathy that flickered behind them.
"You did hurt her," Mira said, her voice low, but pointed. "You don't get to take that back with a few words. But… if you really care about Rumi, then prove it now. Be here. Stop hiding behind secrets, behind excuses. Just… no more lies."
Celine drew in a shuddering breath, lowering her hand from her face. Her gaze drifted back to Rumi, who was still at her side, unwavering. For a moment, her lips parted as if to speak, but no words came. Only a small nod.
Rumi gave her a faint smile, a tired, and fragile smile, and finally stepped back, easing the pressure on the glass.
The silence stretched until Zoey finally broke it, her voice small but determined. "We can't fight each other like this. Not when the demons are still out there."
Her words landed in the air like a ripple, spreading through the heavy quiet.
Mira leaned back against the couch, folding her arms with a frustrated huff. "She's right. As much as I hate to admit it, Zerida wasn't lying about one thing, people are dying. And if what you're saying about the Honmoon is true…" Her eyes flicked to Rumi. "Then hiding isn't even an option anymore."
Rumi's patterns pulsed faintly again, as if answering Mira's words. She straightened, determination hardening her features. "Then we do what we do best. Together. Like we always have." She turned back to Celine. "All of us."
Celine let out a shaky exhale, closing her eyes briefly before nodding again. When she opened them, there was something steadier behind them, a hint of the resolve she had once carried as a hunter.
"Then I'll tell you everything," she said, setting the glass aside. "No more secrets. You deserve that much."
Zoey leaned forward, her eyes wide and eager, though her hands twisted nervously in her lap. Mira tilted her head, scrutinizing every flicker of Celine's expression, but didn't interrupt.
Rumi only gave a quiet nod. "Good. Then let's start now."
---
When Zoey stepped into the bookshop, the last thing she expected was to actually find the person she'd been looking for.
Her eyes swept the aisles as she moved past a boy who was clearly up to no good. He lingered near a shelf of the forbidden, his head swiveling in every direction before he snatched a magazine featuring girls in bikinis. A wide, lecherous grin spread across his face as if he'd just uncovered a priceless treasure.
Zoey stifled a laugh, shaking her head at his ridiculousness, though her frown betrayed her disapproval of his taste. Boys.
Leaving him to his mischief, she ventured deeper into the shop. It didn't take long to spot her target.
Ruby sat at a desk tucked away in a quiet corner, hunched over a notebook, her pen moving in quick, purposeful strokes. She looked absorbed, the kind of focus that made the rest of the world fall away. But the moment Zoey's gaze lingered too long, Ruby glanced up, her eyes locking with hers almost immediately.
"Oh, it's paper girl." Ruby's lips curled into a teasing smile.
Zoey flushed, a nervous laugh slipping out. "Yeah… not my best moment. I didn't expect to actually find you here." She slid into the chair opposite her.
"But you came anyway." Ruby closed her notebook with a deliberate motion, setting it neatly on top of a small stack of books. Her eyes twinkled with amusement as she added, "Is it really so hard to believe that after you told me you'd come visit me, without giving me a single date or time I decided to show up here every day at the same hour just so I wouldn't miss you?"
Zoey's hand went sheepishly to the back of her head. "I… yeah, I probably should've thought about that. My bad."
Ruby lifted a shoulder in a careless shrug. "Either that…" Her smirk widened. "Or I just work here part time."
Zoey blinked, stunned for a beat. Then she shot forward with a playful glare. "You! Why you little…" She leaned across the desk and gave Ruby a light punch on the arm. "Not cool. I thought I made you go through a whole lot of trouble for me."
Ruby's laugh rang warm and easy. "Worth it," she said, eyes dancing. "If only to see that look on your face."
Zoey crossed her arms, lips jutting in a playful pout, though the faint pink on her cheeks betrayed her. "You're such a troll."
Ruby leaned back in her chair, folding her hands behind her head with the ease of someone far too smug for her own good. "Where is this troll and how do I slay it?"
That earned her a giggle, one Zoey couldn't hold back even as she tried. "Okay, okay," she said between laughs, pressing a hand to her chest until she calmed, well, at least a little. "But seriously… paper girl?"
Ruby's laugh was low and amused. "Trust me, it could be worse. I had a friend once who got stuck with the name Vomit Boy on the very first day of school." She winced slightly at the memory before smirking again. "That one really stuck."
Zoey raised a brow, curious. "What'd he do to deserve that? Did he puke on someone's shoes?"
Ruby snorted. "Actually, yeah. Now that I think about it." She frowned faintly, almost murmuring to herself, "Weird… where'd that even come from?"
Zoey tilted her head, but brushed it off. Ruby didn't seem like she wanted to linger on it.
Instead, Ruby recovered quickly, leaning forward on the desk with a sly grin. "What? Did you expect me to yell Zoey and draw all your adoring fans?"
Zoey blinked, caught off guard. "Wait, you know?"
Ruby chuckled at her expression, clearly enjoying herself. "You should see your face right now. You look so disappointed." She lifted a finger and pointed behind Zoey, to the far wall of the shop.
Zoey turned and sighed at the sight of the Huntrix poster plastered there, the same spot where the two of them had bumped into each other barely a week ago. "Oh. Right. There was that, wasn't there? Should have gotten rid of that when I had the chance."
Ruby grinned knowingly. "I found out almost immediately after you left that day. You're… incredibly popular."
Zoey sighed, leaning back in her chair. "Yeah, a little too popular. Don't get me wrong, I adore our fans. When I see those little girls looking up to us, watching their faces light up as they sing and dance, it's one of the greatest feelings in the world. Just knowing I can give back even a little to the world fills me with this… indescribable bliss."
Ruby arched an eyebrow. "Buuut?" she drawled.
Zoey groaned and let her forehead thunk against the table. "I just want one day. Just one day where I can go outside without being mobbed for autographs, photos, or endless handshakes. Rumi even got asked to name someone's baby once. Do you know how terrifying that is? Equal parts horrifying and flattering."
Ruby chuckled, swirling the straw in her drink. "If it makes you feel better, I'm not really into K-pop all that much. Or… wait. Since I'm in Korea, is it just pop?"
Zoey's head shot up, her eyes wide and wounded like a kicked puppy. "You're not?"
Ruby nearly choked on her drink, thrown off by the look. "What the hell? Don't look at me like that! Now you're sad?"
"You have to come to one of our concerts then. You'll change your tune soon enough," Zoey declared with a grin.
"In your dreams, nerd," Ruby scoffed, pushing herself up from her seat. She walked over to the drink dispenser at the corner, grabbing two plastic cups and filling them up. When she returned, she held them out casually. "There are only two flavors, so pick one."
Zoey eyed the options, then shrugged before pointing at the green drink. Ruby kept the pink one for herself and sat back down.
"Have you actually listened to one of our songs?" Zoey asked, sipping through her straw with a curious look.
Ruby leaned back in her chair, the cup in hand. "I probably have," she admitted, "but I wouldn't know which ones were yours."
"We've won the Idol Awards six years in a row," Zoey declared proudly, tilting her chin up just a little.
Ruby only smiled, unfazed. "Ehn, it's no Battle of the Bands. I like my rock just the way it is."
Zoey paused, her eyes slowly trailing over Ruby's outfit, the all-black ensemble, the subtle red highlights, and the black choker snug around her neck. Her lips curled into a mischievous grin. "Ohhh, I see now."
Ruby blinked, suddenly on guard. "See what? What do you see? What do you see?"
"Not telling," Zoey sing-songed, her grin widening as if she'd uncovered a delicious secret.
Ruby let out an exaggerated sigh and tossed her hands up. "Geez, fine I'll stop teasing you."
"Thank you," Zoey said with a bright smile before leaning forward across the desk. "So, what kind of songs do you like? I guarantee you, they're not as good as ours."
Ruby smirked, unfazed by the challenge. "Well, since you asked… as a fellow nerd, you should check out this band." She launched into an enthusiastic explanation, naming one of the classic rock icons and describing their sound with a kind of reverence.
Zoey listened, nodding politely at first, but the moment Ruby paused to take a breath she leaned back with a smug grin. "Mm, nope. Still not as good as Huntrix. Ours are songs for the hearts and the minds."
Ruby groaned, clutching her drink like she might need it for strength.
And so it went. Each time Ruby mentioned another band or favorite track, Zoey shot it down with mock-serious conviction, defending her group's music like a knight with a shield. Their back-and-forth rolled easily, laughter filling the quiet corners of the shop until the steady tick of the clock finally pulled them back to reality.
"Ah, it's getting late." Zoey glanced down at her phone and frowned at the time. "Are you the one locking up?"
Ruby blinked, then shrugged lazily. "Locking up? My shift ended hours ago. I just… didn't feel like leaving. Was having fun talking to you."
"Oh." Zoey froze for a beat, her cheeks warming. "That's… good. I have to leave now though, so…"
"Next time?" Ruby finished for her, a teasing lilt in her voice.
Zoey hesitated, frown tugging at her lips. "Actually, you probably won't see me for a week. Maybe longer. I've got something I need to take care of."
"Oh." Ruby leaned back, before offering a small smile. "No problem then. I've got plenty of projects myself. Probably won't be hanging around here as much either."
Zoey lingered a moment, almost reluctant to stand. Her fingers tapped lightly against her phone as though they were searching for an excuse to stay.
Ruby noticed, of course. She tilted her head, studying her with that knowing look that always seemed to cut straight through. "What? Gonna miss me already?"
Zoey sputtered, sitting up straighter. "W-what? No! I just…" She trailed off, catching Ruby's smirk, and huffed.
For a few seconds, they simply sat there in the quiet hum of the shop, the air filled only with the faint buzz of the old ceiling fan and the rustle of someone turning pages a few aisles over. It was… comfortable. More comfortable than Zoey had expected.
Finally, she pushed herself to her feet, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "Alright. I should really go."
Ruby leaned back in her chair, arms crossed loosely. "Try not to get mobbed on your way out, papergirl."
Zoey rolled her eyes, but there was no hiding the grin tugging at her lips. "Yeah, yeah. Don't stay up too late writing your… whatever it is you were writing."
Ruby tapped her notebook with one finger. "You'll find out… maybe. If you're lucky."
Zoey laughed, shaking her head as she finally slipped out the door, the little bell above it chiming in her wake.
Ruby watched her leave, her smirk softening into something quieter, something almost thoughtful. Then, with a sigh, she flipped her notebook open again and put pen to paper.
Except this time, with each word written, faint wisps of transcendent light drifted from the tip of the pen, curling upward like smoke.
Her silver eyes flashed as the air around her shifted, suddenly, glowing lines flared to life, tracing across the walls, floor, and ceiling. They weren't just lines, a demon hunter would realize, but threads, woven together as part of a whole.
The Honmoon.
"So that's how they do it…"