#rumidemonhuntrix

Right now Zoey was focused on Mira's dark eyes - pinning her with a look, before she gripped the straps from Zoey's top loosely hanging off her shoulders. Suddenly she was jerked sideways and Zoey let out an indignant gasp, at being shoved out of Mira's lap. Laid down onto her back and Mira grinned slowly, unclipping her own seatbelt. Leaning to hover just above Zoey on hand beside her head - while the other went to work.

A featherlight touch that was doing more than any scratch or firm hold could have, tickling that sent shivers through Zoey's body causing her to squirm and Mira's mouth quirked up, grinning devilishly. It was the anticipation alone, sending her nerves on end now, as Mira slowly leaned closer and met Zoey's lips again. In a closed mouth kiss that was soft and subtle, as if she had all the time in the world. Just when Zoey leant into it, sighing a little at the tender touch a hand gripped her thigh, nails digging in. Pain radiated so perfectly, throbbing so good. The kind of overwhelming pleasure that had Zoey crying out involuntarily.

“I’m sorry, I was late,” Celine said carefully, without pretense. Rumi looked up to her with a frown, clearly not picking up what she was talking about. “To pick you up from school,” she added, making sure to look Rumi in the eye. “I was in an important meeting and had to finish that off this afternoon.”

“Figured,” Rumi mumbled after a moment, picking away at the dumplings floating in her bowl.

“It’s been busy lately. I’ve been working on a new project.” Celine paused, hoping for a reaction but Rumi's eyes remained distant as she played with her food. “I think you'll like it.”

“Sure,” Rumi replied curtly.

“What about you? You didn’t tell me how your lesson with the vocal coach went.” Celine's mouth twitched as she probed, wanting to gauge Rumi’s mental state.

“Fine, I guess. My vocal range is getting better. Miss Kim said it was the best she’d heard.” Rumi’s lips formed the ghost of a smile, finally looking up at Celine with the barest semblance of pride.

Celine softened her eyes, and painted a loving smile across her lips. “Your mother would be so proud.”

Unnatural silence hung over the table as Rumi stilled, laying her chopsticks across the top of the bowl.

“Right,” Rumi muttered, pushing her plate away.

Something was wrong—Celine just wasn’t sure what. There are no secrets at the dinner table, so she pressed. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, Cece. Just… not hungry.”

Celine knew deep down she needed to say that she was proud of who Rumi was becoming, of her talents. But she had no right, because Rumi wasn’t hers. She was just the stand-in, Miyeong was the one supposed to watch her grow. She would know what to do and what to say. She’d be able to comfort Rumi. Celine was too cold, detached. She had to be—it made her a great hunter, a good performer… but not a good friend, lover, or mother.

Rumi's braid didn't have a single hair out of place as she backed out of the lift and into an enormous room. The couch alone was at least four metres long, wrapping around the living space. 

"Mira. Zoey, would you like to come in?" Rumi said only a little teasing as they had failed to exit the lift.

Distracted by the sparkling city lights seen through the floor to ceiling windows, Zoey felt Mira nudge her forward just a little.

"You can see the whole city from here," Zoey said, rushing out now. 

Mira didn't say a word but Zoey could tell she was impressed by the small smile at the corner of her lips as she scanned the room intuitively. 

"I'll give you two a minute... Take in the sights, bathroom is through there," Rumi pointed to a door on the left, "My rooms at the end of the hall," 

"We won't be long," Mira said with a nod. 

Rumi started to walk away and glanced back at them, "Good. Better not keep me waiting," 

It was a threat, a promise for punishment and Zoey almost wanted to find out exactly what that entailed, but she also wanted to rush after Rumi. As soon as she vanished into the shadows Zoey started to follow but Mira took her hand. "Patience," she said firmly.

Zoey shuddered at her touch before Mira tugged her along to the door Rumi had pointed to and was suddenly overwhelmed as they entered the bathroom. How did this happen? She was going to a concert with her girlfriend. One minute they’re just any other fan amongst the crowd, Zoey had already lost it when they got invited backstage. Hadn’t even dreamt about attending an afterparty. An exclusive event, they quickly left with Rumi and now they were in her home. 

The cool tile was all she could feel under her feet as she dragged them over the floor unable to lift her legs. Lost in a haze as Zoey’s mind raced back over what just happened, not able to believe her own reality. 

“Zoey you ok? Don’t lose it on me now,” Mira said teasingly but her eyes couldn’t hide her genuine concern. 

“Mira we are in Rumi’s house, and she kissed you! Rumi kissed me and the elevator was so-,” Zoey said before losing her ability to speak. 

“It was amazing, but don’t get too caught up in her. This isn’t a big deal, just a bit of fun,” Mira said more to herself than to Zoey. 

Zoey was about to say something but her mind lost the thought when she caught sight of the framed photos along the wall. While Mira had moved to the basin washing her hands and splashing water on her face. 

The back wall was covered with framed photos from public events and concerts, going back to when Rumi was a teenager. These weren't the ones taken by paparazzi with poised smiles, they were all candid shots. As Zoey’s eyes flicked over the images she caught something she recognised immediately and gasped. 

“Oh fuck. I knew it, they filmed at the aquarium!” Zoey said, noting a framed photo on the wall. 

“What?” Mira asked. 

“Look at this photo, it's from behind the scenes of the Patterns music video and everyone thought it was just a rumor. But there Rumi is in her wetsuit,” Zoey said, a whole new desire seared over her skin seeing Rumi in the half unzipped skin tight suit. Wet hair that was loose and tangled the smile on Rumi’s face unrestrained. 

“Beautiful,” Mira simply stated. 

“Then what are we waiting for,” Zoey said, cheerfully before rushing towards the door. 

“Have I taught you nothing… Don’t give it to her, so easily,” Mira said, her hand gripping onto Zoey's wrist. 

“Come on, it’s already been too long,” Zoey groaned. 

“This is what Rumi wants, why do you think she told us to ‘freshen up’. I bet Rumi thought we’d rush in after her,” Mira sighed pulling Zoey closer, “That she’s waiting for us, stripped down to her underwear laying on the bed, practically dripping onto the sheets,” she whispered with her lips so close Zoey could feel her warm breath against her skin. 

Zoey leant in to kiss Mira without thinking, unable to restrain the desire pulsing through every nerve in her body. Mira held her back and smirked; she knew Zoey couldn’t help herself when Mira talked like this. Handling Zoey with a stern confidence while halting her from getting what she wanted. "Are you going to be a good girl?" Mira asked with an intense gaze.

"I don’t know,” Zoey answered with a cheeky grin that said ‘make me’, “Are you afraid I'll make you look bad?" 

Mira didn't respond with words, just gestured at the sink with a slight head tilt. A clear instruction for Zoey to follow and really she wanted to feel the cool water on her hands and face. Knew it would be refreshing and a chance to re centre herself. 

But another desire burned brighter. Zoey wanted to be defiant and leant in again to meet Mira’s lips. But instead her jaw was gripped by a firm Mira’s hand, nails digging into skin and holding her in place. "Don't be a brat," Mira warned.

"Don't you think Rumi deserves to be spoiled?"

"If she begs," Mira replied. 

It was a statement, a clear instruction Mira wanted to take the lead, that Zoey will have to play by her rules if she wanted to be rewarded. The thing was Zoey relished in pushing Mira's buttons, especially when they invited a third and usually it was all for show. But right now Zoey felt like a dog on a leash, desperate to let off. 

--

Hands at her sides Rumi suddenly feels an overwhelm of anxiety wondering if they changed their mind. Laying naked had sent a shiver of fear through her body and Rumi bit her lip letting out an impatient huff, as the heat in her core only increased. Their absence only made her more ravenous and it was then she realized what they were doing, keeping her waiting. That Rumi played right into their hands. 

To distract herself Rumi thought over how she laid out the towels and toys on the dresser, ready for them. Wondering if this was too obnoxious, or presumptuous to have gotten out the harness and more than one size option. As much as she missed the girl she used to know, Rumi was amazed by the woman Mira had become. Clearly a lot more experienced than they were as teenagers. Quietly and awkwardly fingering each other under the bedsheets, was sweet and loving, but Rumi wanted to show Mira exactly what she could do now. How she could make her and Zoey feel. 

Rumi smiled to herself, picturing them unable to hold back their moans as her hand skimmed across their warm skin. Letting out a breath Rumi closed her eyes and then heard slight shuffling off feet and her eyes shot open. Mira and Zoey were standing at the end of her bed. Much more imposing with Rumi laying down, she scrambled to find her composure, "Finally, I thought you might have gotten lost,"

“You seemed to have distracted yourself just fine. What were you thinking about?” Zoey asked eagerly, as if she already knew exactly what Rumi was envisioning. 

Those bright wide eyes paired with Mira’s deadpan stare and Rumi was so gone already. Taking a second to respond Rumi shrugged as if she was bored. 

“Drifted off a little actually. I don’t like to be kept waiting,” Rumi said back, surprising herself with how self assured she sounded. 

"You’ve become a brat," Mira said. 

Rumi shrugs but all her usual confidence is wavering under their gaze "People like to please me,"

"I bet they do," Zoey chuckled deviously. 

"If… You're good," Mira adds and that alone has any notion of holding out and pretending to be unaffected was crumbling away. 

Rumi shivered and held back the ‘yes I’ll be good’ instead trying for a snipe "I can be,"  while quirking her eyebrow, daring Mira to make her submit. 

"No. You will be," Mira said, tilting her head as if examining Rumi. 

"So hot," Zoey gasped out almost to herself.

"Zoey?" Mira said, letting out an amused huff. 

"Mhmm can’t help it, this is just to good to be true my girlfriend is about to fuck the brains out of Kpop idol Ryu Rumi…. I could cum just watching you two,"

"You heard her," Rumi grinned as her eyes darkened, "She wants a show, can you handle that Mira?"

"You really have been spoilt, I'll have teach you how to be patient, show us how much you want it,"

"I think I've entertained enough for one night,"

Mira’s expression altered slightly more serious before she spoke again, “Safety first, we use spotlight system, does that work for you,”

“Green to go,“ Rumi said, smiling fondly.

Zoey let out an excited gasp, her hand reaching out to Rumi’s leg when Mira grabbed her wrist pulling it back gently. “What about marks, pain?” She asked still in a serious tone.

Rumi smiled and nodded but that wasn't enough for them as they still hadn’t touched her and the anticipation was bordering on torture. 

"Yes marks, pain, restraints-"

Rumi almost choked on her words with the way Zoey's eyes lit up like fire as she tried to move forward again, but Mira's hand was like a vice around her waist. "Patience, she's cocky enough as it is,"

"Or you're stalling," Rumi said, tilting her head slightly. 

"I'll take my time with you," Mira said like a threat, one Rumi really wanted her to follow through with. 

"Promise?" Rumi shot back trying to be a tease but it came out with more emotion than intended. Showed just how much Rumi wanted this night to last, with no confirmation they would see each other again after tonight. 

There was a beat, a pause where they all shared the same longing eyes.

“I can edge you until dawn if you're not careful,” Mira said confidently. 

Rumi's heart started to race, “Bit of an empty threat when you couldn’t even control yourselves for one little dance,” she finished with a smirk. 

Mira's jaw tightened subtly and she let out a small huff suddenly taking on the essence of a bull waiting for the right moment to charge. 

"Oh, you're making her mad," Zoey giggled, her enthusiasm was unapologetic and Rumi envied how proudly she expressed her desire.  

Mira chuckled meanly before lifting her hand to Zoey’s cheek and delicately threaded her fingers through her hair. In an abrupt halt Mira gripped her onto her bun pulling it out and tossing her hair a little. 

The sight of it was so loving, while there was fire to the tenderness now and Rumi couldn’t take her eyes off them. Her mouth was gaped open and dry, desperately anticipating what would happen next. 

“You ok there Rumi?” Mira asked condescendingly.

“Fine, take your time,” Rumi said trying to project composure but her shaky voice gave her away. 

Mira just smirked letting out a pleased hum before her hand slid under Zoey's jaw cupping it delicately and jerking her forward. Kissing Zoey like it’s like a warning, all fire and control Rumi can see the way Mira nips at her lip a little. Presses in just hard enough, to push Zoey back as if the kiss is a scolding. While reminding Rumi exactly how Mira can please her. If she’s a good girl. But still Rumi wants to know what bad gets her. 

Then Mira slows down as they both crawl onto the bed while not breaking the kiss, their knees dragging along the bed until they’re right above Rumi. All she can do is squirm uncontrollably so desperate to join in but something stops her, as if waiting for permission. For her turn. 

Eventually Mira pulls back and Zoey chases her lips but ends up leaving a trail of kisses down Mira’s neck, as she sets her eyes on Rumi “You got some toys out for us I see? Strap?” Mira asks. 

“Yes, if you want to,” Rumi said, too eager she realises as her cheeks burn red. 

Mira smiles wicked “Zoey you heard her,” 

Zoey giggles as she gets up from the bed and walks over to the dresser and picks up the harness and points at the selection, a question. Which one and Rumi’s brain short circuits for a moment before she blurts out. “Purple. The purple one,” 

“Perfect,” Zoey purrs, grabbing it and the lube off the dresser. 

Mira leans down then, not shy and  sudden enough to surprise Rumi when her mouth sucks Rumi’s nipple. It takes everything for her to contain the whimper from escaping her lips. But Rumi just manages. Mira isn’t pleased with that though and she clamps her jaw around the bottom of her breast. Rumi jerked, not able to contain a yelp desperate for more but Mira only moves slower now, softer. Leaving tender pecks along Rumi’s abs all closed mouthed. 

“Fuck,” Zoey muttered and it was then Rumi noticed she had taken of her clothes standing over them harness in hand. Sweat glistening off her collarbone, a dazed look in her eyes and Rumi couldn’t help herself from admiring every curve and beauty mark. 

Mira didn’t seem like that Rumi’s attention was elsewhere and she heard the slap before she felt the burn of skin on skin, “Eyes on me,” Mira warned and she wasn’t done nails digging in she dragged them along Rumi’s thigh. 

Pain that throbbed so good that Rumi had to bite her lip hard to stop herself from asking for more, already picturing the marks they would leave on her. It had the intended effect Rumi’s eyes locked onto Mira’s intently and she smiled satisfied. 

Rumi bucked up, couldn't help herself even but Mira only tutted disapprovingly so Rumi did it again before turning to Zoey with a cheeky smile. As if this was their little inside joke, teasing Mira, riling her up and it worked. Mira’s hand cracked against Rumi’s skin even harder this time and sensation that had Rumi let out a guttural moan.  

“Not really punishment, when you like it so much,” Mira chastised. 

Still Rumi disobeyed Mira’s instruction, her eyes couldn’t leave Zoey as she moved to kneel at the edge of the bed, watching them with dark eyes. 

“You really want to go down this road Rumi?” Mira asked leaning over her and she kissed the side of her neck softly, tenderly. 

The absence of pain of punishment made her all the more riled up knowing that it was still coming. “You think I can’t take it,” Rumi croaked out. 

Mira hummed amused in a way that sent a shiver up Rumi’s spine before she bit down again and sucked, her skin pinched between Mira’s teeth. Holding it there while Mira licked and moaned before letting go with a pop.

“Zoey? The harness?” Mira asked and Rumi, lost in a pleasant fog, didn't realise Zoey had moved closer until she was looking up at her wide eyes. 

“You two look so good like that, I got distracted,” Zoey admitted freely, almost salivating over Rumi. 

Zoey lets out a shaky breath and Rumi knows that the costume glitter from tonight's show is still present on her skin, giving off a shimmer effect. That when light catches her skin it creates the illusion that it’s glowing. Grinning at Zoey, another dare an invitation to be bad like Rumi and Zoey smiles knowingly. With a hint of something else in her eyes, as if she knows something Rumi doesn’t. A shot of adrenaline rushes through Rumi at that, and she gulps. 

Mira lets out a huff as her mouth wraps around Rumi’s right nipple sucking hard and despite it building in her chest Rumi shoves down her whine. Mira sits back up, lips now pressed in a thin line. “Zoey, straddle her,“ Mira said like she was setting her loyal dog onto Rumi.

Zoey lifts her leg over Rumi’s abdomen, her hand laid flat at the side of Rumi’s head while her other hand softly holds her jaw. For a brief moment Rumi just smiles with excitement rushing through her nerves. Until she realizes she can no longer see what Mira is doing, suddenly not sure whose side Zoey is on. 

Rumi opens her mouth to make a smart arse comment, along the lines of it takes two of you to dominate me. But there’s no time because Zoey chooses that moment to start kissing Rumi, prying her mouth open with her hand and she slips her tongue in with force. Rumi moans pleased, her eyes closed and a pleasant fog builds up in her head. With every swipe of Zoey's tongue or half whined gasp Rumi melted into her kisses more. 

"Zoey?" Mira voice is clipped, "Can't you see your just giving her what she wants,"

Then Zoey pulls back slightly, giving Rumi a chance to take a breath and smirks against her mouth. 

"Hm, what we all want," Zoey murmurs before lurching forward again, a hungry kiss she quickly moves down to Rumi's neck. 

"I'm not complaining," Rumi sighs, satisfied.

Mira lets out a huff and Rumi doesn’t see it but suddenly Zoey’s warmth is gone and her eyes flash open. Giggling Zoey is held back by her hair in Mira’s grip "I knew you'd like that," Zoey tries to say while giggling, only making Mira’s eyes narrow further. 

“I love it, come on Mira, let her,” Rumi said, whimpering a little at the loss. 

Rumi feels heat pooling in her stomach desperate for more of Zoey’s and Mira’s kisses, even a bite or slap. To Rumi’s surprise Mira’s smirk only gets bigger and she lets go of Zoey who immediately starts where she left off, kissing Rumi’s neck.  

"Have it your way then,” Mira said, a little too composed for Rumi’s liking. 

"You really think you can make me beg?" Rumi scoffed but her body was tingling wondering what they had planned. 

This comment is seemingly ignored as Zoey keeps kissing her and Mira repositions herself, lower down. "Her hands Zoey," Mira instructs and Rumi can’t see what Mira is doing, but feels the bed moving and then hears the harness clip in. 

Zoey softly slides her hands along Rumi's forearms stopping at her wrists, with a satisfied smile on her face upon catching Rumi’s curious eyes on her. Staring Rumi down, Zoey sighs satisfied and starts grinding on her abs. With each slight thrust moving Rumi’s arms up and gently placing them against the pillow above Rumi’s head.  

“That feel ok?” Zoey asks sweetly and Rumi nods to which Zoey’s smile brightens.

Leaning forward Zoey captures Rumi’s mouth in another kiss more intense than Rumi expected, her voice so kind while her mouth was rough and wild. Then Rumi feels Mira’s hands firm on her thighs; she skims her nails and Rumi automatically opens her legs wider. 

Expecting to feel the tip of the strap but there's nothing, not even Mira’s nails remained against her skin. Rumi just feels Mira’s leg between hers, keeping her open. 

Wanting to thrust into it to make a comment about teasing but she could barely squirm right now, only able to let out a whimpered moan. Rumi finally realized her mistake too late. With Zoey kissing her she couldn’t bite back. Just take it, whatever they gave her and was sure that would only be just enough, to leave her wanting-begging for more. Rumi let out a breathless huff, her body tensing but it did nothing for her throbbing core. 

“Something wrong?” Mira asks, her tone laced with faux innocence. 

Rumi can only respond by thrusting her hips desperate for more stimulation, while Zoey holds her mouth captive. This loss of control sent heat straight through to her thighs. Two devastatingly beautiful women had her pinned and open playing with her like a toy, until she begged to cum. 

“You can tap once if you need us to slow down, twice to stop,” Mira explains and Zoey pulls back then locks eyes with Rumi, a question. 

Rumi only gasps in response at sudden loss and Zoey smiles “So pretty,” She mumbles before she loosens her grip slightly. “Color?”

“Green, green,” Rumi croaks out and for a moment she thinks she is going to beg right there but Zoey doesn’t give her the chance, capturing her mouth in another searing kiss. 

“You’re so easy,” Mira chuckles before skimming her nails along the sides of Rumi’s hip. 

Soon tears prickle in Rumi’s eyes and drool escapes her mouth while Mira nips at her thighs and lower abdomen intermittently. Not overly rough, just enough for the sensations to drive Rumi higher and she is so wrecked already, but does she want it to stop? Want it to end? 

A thought that leaves her mind when Mira’s thumb dips down over her clit as her fingers slid down into her wetness. Rumi helplessly whimpers into Zoey's mouth but it’s then Mira removes her touch. 

Rumi can hear a faint sucking and realises that Mira is licking Rumi’s slick off her fingers and finds her fire again craning her neck to deepen the kiss. Zoey seems to be completely lost in pleasure, her hands tighten around Rumi’s wrists, nails digging in. Not to control Rumi, it felt like Zoey needed to grip harder to restrain her own release. 

Stop herself before she comes and Rumi lets out another moan at that realization, bucking her hips again. Feeling how soaked Zoey is, while her hips roll against Rumi’s abs a little erratic in moments, rutting into her. The thought of her coming just from grinding on her like this, sends spark through Rumi. Moaning Rumi pressed in harder against Zoey’s mouth as the pleasure mounted enough for her to stop caring about the noises she was making. 

“So pretty, when you let go,” Zoey murmurs against her lips. 

“F-fuck Zoey,” Rumi stutters out and doesn’t have a chance to say anything else before the kiss is deepened again.  

“Practiclly begging and I haven’t even filled you yet,” Mira said all to satisfied and it made Rumi want to push back. 

Surging up just a little and Zoey pulled back, for a moment a flicker of concern in her eyes until Rumi smiled. “I suppose you forget you already came Mira, couldn’t even make it through my show,” 

Mira didn’t answer that with words but Rumi felt nails digging in before her hips were lifted up slightly and maneuvered her into position. Slowly thrusting forward Mira fills Rumi with the strap and the tears she held back trickle out of the corner of her eyes. Once Mira’s hips are flush with Rumi’s she starts thrusting, and Rumi all but yelps. 

It hurt so fucking good, Zoey’s relentless kisses of any part of Rumi she could reach with her mouth. The strap slowly dragged in and out, while Mira held her hips firmly, not letting Rumi thrust at all. 

Rumi would have to take only what she was given. Nothing more. Couldn’t hold back from letting out a small sob. 

“She’s crying,” Zoey notes, her lips capturing a tear running down Rumi’s cheek. 

“You want to come for us Rumi?” Mira asks as she continues to move punishingly slowly.   

Rumi whimpered out pathetically after a moment hearing Mira sighed satisfied in response and Rumi could see her grin, even with her eyes closed. “I didn’t hear a yes, definitely not a please,” Mira said, keeping up the same slow but hard pace. 

Zoey smiled against her mouth cruelly and that alone was driving Rumi higher as teeth skimmed her lip as she sucked and hummed pleased sighs. All the while Mira drove her hips with precision as if she was keeping count with a beat in her mind. Rumi sobbed again, it hurt so good and she heard Mira’s victorious chuckle at the sounds Rumi was making. 

The ‘please’ was fighting to get out and Rumi could easily shove Zoey off but she didn’t want to, not really. Either way Zoey sat up after a few more thrusts and waited for Rumi to open her eyes.

“You have something to say, gorgeous?’ Zoey asked expectantly. 

Rumi blinked, taking a moment and Mira hadn't stopped able to draw back enough to almost pull out completely before driving her hips forward again. Unable to speak, Rumi's breath came out staggered and broken and she felt a little pathetic. “Take your time,” Zoey added and it was so sweet, almost rounding around to being mean while she brushed back loose hair from Rumi’s face. 

Then Rumi realized Zoey was no longer holding her wrists, hadn’t even noticed so lost in the haze that had started to fade now. “More,” Rumi grunted almost petulant, as her gaze lowered to between Zoey’s thighs and she giggled with delight at that. 

“More, huh,” Mira chuckled. 

Expecting Zoey to crawl forward so Rumi could fuck her with her mouth, she just smiled and slid her own finger through her folds. Moaning with pleasure Zoey tipped her head back and closed her eyes. A sight that had Rumi’s whole body shuddering and she let out a desperate moan, that sounded like begging. 

“I’m sorry, you can have a taste,” Zoey said happily. 

Rumi felt herself reaching the edge, her body trembled and Mira stopped still inside her unmoving hands firmly on Rumi’s hips. Before she could protest, these two fingers slid into her mouth. Automatically she sucked and the sensation of taste and her mouth suddenly full Rumi gasped, clenching down around the strap even harder.  

“Zoey?.. I want to see,” Mira hummed amused and leant forward pushing the strap deeper, her chin resting on Zoey’s shoulder. 

“Good Girls,” Mira praised, eyes wide and loving and she started moving again, the strap rubbing against a sensitive spot. 

Rumi cried out and Zoey slid her fingers out of her mouth slowly. Letting the spit and slick drip onto Rumi’s breast before she surged forward, taking her wrists again. 

“You hear that Rumi?” Zoey said, leaning in for another searing kiss as Mira’s thrusts brought her back up to the edge. It was subtle but Mira was moving faster now as if keeping time with Zoey’s tongue and the pleasure built up again. Unable to bite back the noise building in her chest Rumi whined and sighed with every flick of Zoey’s tongue or thrust of Mira’s hips. 

Trembling again within a minute and Zoey seemed to be aware, smiling against her mouth and she drew back slowly, savouring the moment. This time she didn’t ask, just raised her brows slightly and stopped even the roll of her hips and the stillness was too much. 

“Please-please Mira, Zoey please,” Rumi said, the words tumbling out pathetically. 

“I knew you would be good for me,” Mira cooed as she slowed down again. 

“Mira,” Rumi gasped, frustrated. 

“Hold on,” Mira chuckled a little too satisfied and Rumi couldn't wait to turn the tables on her, but right now all those thoughts left her mind.

Zoey was kissing her lips in a way that felt like a reward while Mira moved at a faster pace and her finger was on Rumi’s clit, rubbing circles with her thumb and applying pressure. That was all it took and Rumi came hard, choking on a sob as the wave of euphoria crashed through her. Mira didn’t stop either prolonging the orgasm with every drive of her hips as Zoey hands let go of her wrists. Placing them at the sides of Rumi’s face as she kissed her through it, swallowing every moan. 

“Zoey,” Rumi cried out as she came back down. 

“Told you I could get her to call out your name,” Mira said proudly. 

Rumi huffed out a laugh at that and she opened her eyes as Zoey swung her leg up and lay down beside Rumi letting out a staggered breath. Mira’s hands became soft, rubbing soothing circles on Rumi’s hips as she pulled out gently and Rumi whimpered at the loss. 

“You want more?” Mira asked, cocking one eyebrow. 

“No, it’s your turn,” Rumi said sitting up on her elbows, her need to prove herself sending a surge of adrenaline through her. Picturing all the ways she could make Mira beg. 

–

Mira smiled, sipping on a bottle of water Rumi had handed her, after she finished drinking her own. This was usually the awkward part after the heat died down but there was no calm, no cooling off. In fact Mira felt the warmth only building inside her.

An electricity in the air remained as they shared flirtatious looks and despite a tiredness in her muscles, Mira didn’t want to give into the urge to lay down.

To submit, while Zoey had already laid back and had Rumi hold her bottle of water as she drank from it. Mira could see the determination in Rumi’s eyes, a desire to prove herself, not that she needed to prove anything of course. Mira was happy to just rest now, even as her core ached as wetness continued to build up under the harness. 

“Why don’t we get this off,” Rumi mussed, unclipping the harness and pulling it off, her hands like silk along Mira’s skin. 

A shiver ran through her one that Rumi noticed and she smirked as she tossed the strap to the side and slid her hand back up to Mira’s thigh. “Hmm you really liked that huh, filling me up, making me beg” Rumi paused leaning closer her lips against Mira’s ear “Letting Zoey of her leash,” 

“You know I did,” Mira shot back unashamed. 

“I bet you could come now from the slightest touch,” Rumi teased as her fingers just brushed along Mira’s oversensitive skin. 

Barely able to contain her moan, Mira kept her jaw shut glaring up at Rumi who must have known she was playing with fire. That Mira had half a mind to slap her hand away but she didn’t, instead Mira stiled.    

“I definitely will?” Zoey said, sitting up beside Mira. 

Rumi’s hand was on her shoulder and she pushed Zoey back down onto the mattress, playful but firm she held her there. “You two ever cum at the same time," she asked, cocking her eyebrow. 

“Of course!” Zoey responded excitedly “Oh, this one time at my father’s house, he lives in California, so we went over for Christmas and didn’t realise how loud we had gotten, because Mira had got this new strap and were so jetla-

“Zoey not the time,” Mira said, eyes wide horrified. 

“A story for later then,” Rumi said with a chuckle. “Colour?”

“So green,” Zoey said, kicking her legs and swatting her arms on the bed a little. 

Rumi smiled, her arm still shimmering with glitter caught the light as she slid her hand up along Zoey’s leg to her upper thigh. Then Rumi’s other hand found its way to the same spot on Mira’s upper leg, like a mirror image.

“Green,” Mira said breathlessly, as her heart felt a soft pulse through it that sent a wave through her whole body.  

Rumi’s touch and presence as she kneeled over them made Mira feel protected and grounded; all her insecurities drifted away for the moment. A barrier around the three of them that Rumi had seemingly created and Mira laid back on the mattress. Rumi smiled at that as her fingers drew soft circles on Mira’s skin. “That’s it, just relax,” Rumi cooed.  

“This feels nice,” Zoey murmured and Mira looked to the side to see Zoey’s eyes close, as Rumi applied the same gentle touch to her inner thigh. 

Sighing pleased, Rumi's hand slid down Mira’s leg and Zoey’s and abruptly gripped around their knees and jerked them closer to her. Repositioning them so Mira and Zoey’s lips could meet. 

"Kiss," Rumi ordered. 

"You think you can tell me what to do," Mira snapped back. 

"Or not," Rumi chuckled just as Zoey captured Mira’s mouth in a hungry kiss lost in a haze of bliss. 

Zoey was a puppet in Rumi's hands and as much as she hated to admit it, so was Mira. Who automatically craned her neck, in order to lean into the kiss. Zoey met her lips in dazed hunger that Mira couldn’t possibly pull away from. A heat stirred inside Mira that wanted to defy Rumi’s request, but how could she ever deny Zoey, when she kissed her like this. 

A kiss that was tender and she could taste Zoey’s arousal in her mouth. Likely there from licking it off Rumi’s lips earlier. Getting lost in the pleasant fog Mira gasped breathlessly but neither of them stopped, only deepening the kiss. 

"Good girls," Rumi cooed and the praise hit harder than Mira thought it ever would, she never imagined herself to be affected by it. Always preferring to have control or to be bad, even a little mean. But for Rumi she just wanted to be good, to get approval and be rewarded. 

Eyes closed Mira whined when Rumi’s thumb started circling her clit applying a gentle pressure and she hummed pleased.

“Mhm so go-good. Faster,” Zoey said and Mira could feel her squirming, probably thrusting right into Rumi’s hand. 

“Zoey,” Mira said, taking in a breath “She’s got a big enough ego as it is,” she murmurs against Zoey’s lips. 

“Can’t help it baby,” Zoey almost sang out. 

Mira’s hand found Zoey’s cheek and she pulled her even closer, and Mira let out another moan before mumbling ‘I love you’ into Zoey’s mouth. 

Rumi pushed her finger into her and Mira’s free hand gripped tight to the bedsheets as Zoey whined into her mouth. Mira knew Rumi had penetrated them both at the same time building them higher and higher with shallow thrusts, almost experimental. As if she was testing making sure she didn’t push too far. 

“Think we can’t take more,” Mira teased, pausing the kiss as her eyes darted up to Rumi. 

It was an automatic response. Mira wasn’t even sure why she said it, just because. It was clear they were both completely gone, Zoey had even stopped talking. Just letting out breathless moans as her kisses became frantic and wet. Rumi didn’t say anything either, just entered another finger and thrusted in harder and deeper. 

“Better,” Mira praised before she met Zoey’s lips again. 

Mira felt a jolt of pain as teeth dug into her breast and she opened her eyes to see Rumi had bit into her. Scrapping her teeth a little as she pulled back and smirked at the indignant look on Mira’s face. Then she leant over Zoey’s breast and softly kissed her nipple and sucked causing her to squirm and let out another moan. 

“You’re no brat,” Rumi said fondly and she kissed Zoey's stomach with her eyes on Mira. 

“She’s just being polite, to her Idol,” Mira snapped back. 

“Zoey knows. For my fans, I’ll do anything,” Rumi chuckled pleased. 

“F-fuck, how is this even real life,” Zoey stuttered out her eyes open and dazed. 

A lightness shuddered through Mira’s nerves, a knot loosened from deep within her heart as the three of them broke into fits of laughter. Rumi didn’t stop thrusting throughout, keeping up a steady pace and the laughter stopped, only when Mira’s stomach muscles ached in protest.  

“Come here you,” Mira said fondly as she pulled Zoey’s face closer, meeting her lips with passionate fire, a kiss that Zoey melted into. 

Slowly Rumi increased the intensity and speed of her fingers. Coaxing a moan from Zoey that Mira swallowed, sure that Rumi was driving her higher with the same precise movement. The same pressure when she dragged her fingers along the increasingly sensitive area. Mira got completely lost in the tension coiling inside her, pleasure mounting Mira forgot to restrain herself. A gasp that was pleading for release escaped her lips. 

Rumi hummed pleased "Mira? Zoey?" 

Mira realised her eyes were closed only when she opened them again and found Rumi's searing eyes, pinning her with a look. "Beg." Rumi commanded. 

Zoey moaned beside her squirming as Rumi bent down leaving sweet kisses along Zoey's stomach like a reward. "Please-please Rumi, I need it," Zoey cried out and Rumi sighed satisfied.

Then her eyes narrowed as Mira remained silent and she set her sharp gaze on her.  

"Only if Mira asks for it too," Rumi responded smugly. 

Mira scoffs and her whole body tightens, clenching down harder around Rumi’s fingers realising Rumi knew exactly what buttons to push. 

"Mira please, I need it," Zoey sighs. 

"That's just mean," Mira eyes flash angry at Rumi. 

"I never like to disappoint a fan, it’s up to you?” Rumi said with a smirk.

“Please, Mira, I know you need it too,” Zoey said breathlessly. 

Rumi chuckled, leaning down again and wrapped her lips around her nipple tenderly and Zoey arched her back a little in response to the sensation. Mira almost came at the sight of it and Rumi must have known how it would affect Mira. Her lips didn’t leave Zoey’s skin. Forming a trail of saliva along her stomach until she reached Zoey’s clit and sucked. 

“Fuck, Rumi, please please, I need it,” Zoey choked out her lips a breath away from Mira’s.  

It was cruel really, especially when Rumi had stopped moving inside Mira, her fingers remained still. Sucking, licking even softly nibbling along Zoey’s clit. Her Zoey who was completely lost in a haze of pleasure, trembling and letting out breathless gasps. While Mira could only watch. Could not give her the release she begged for. 

The lack of movement and Zoey’s kisses had Mira throbbing and desperate for more. She clenched harder and saw Rumi’s smirk. But she still didn’t give Mira what she wanted. Just kept on kissing and nipping along Zoey’s stomach who let out unrestrained moans, it was all getting too much and Mira cracked.  

"Shit! Rumi. I'm-m almost. More,” Mira said bucking up a little “I need more,"

"Say please," Rumi replied smugly. 

Mira huffed disgruntled, “Please,” 

“I don’t know, doesn't seem genuine," Rumi replied condescendingly.  

“Rumi, I need it, please,” Mira said could feel herself unraveling completely open for mocking but Rumi smiled sweetly. 

"See I knew you were still my good girl," Rumi said as she increased the pace, her thumb pressing in on her clit and circling at the same time. 

Zoey made a sound that Mira knew well and met her eyes as they both orgasmed in the same moment. Waves of pleasure wracking through her. Without making a sound Mira’s eyes went to Rumi kneeling over them she kept smiling as the orgasm hit. 

While Zoey was moaning and mumbling fuck, soo good as Rumi kept up the growling pace through it. The nerves prickled with deep rotted pleasure that Mira couldn't get enough of, bucking into ever thrust. 

Blissed out for a minute the world faded away to white and Mira hummed pleased letting herself drift into the fog in her mind. When her eyes fluttered open again Zoey was laying beside her, still coming down from her orgasm.

Rumi got up then and Mira went to follow but she waved her hand warding her off. “Stay, I'll take care of you,” Rumi said. 

Mira turned her head, reaching out her hand to Zoey who seemed even more ravished then she was. Rolling onto her hip Mira wrapped her arm around Zoey pulling her into a warm embrace and kissing her forehead. 

“You good?” Mira asked.

“Yeah, just tired,” Zoey mumbled as her arm wrapped around Mira. 

Laying still they just held each other and Mira could hear Rumi running water and scuttering about a little frantically. Lifting her head to check on her after a few minutes, only to find Rumi standing at the edge of the bed. At her side was a cart that was packed with snacks, refreshments and two pairs of neatly folded pajamas.

“Rumi, what’s all this?” Mira asked, amused. 

“I uh, thought you might be hungry please take what you need,” Rumi said, already dressed. 

“Not hungry, sleepy,” Zoey said through a small yawn. 

Rumi nodded playing with her hands “Did you want to stay here, or there is a spare room if you'd prefer to-”

“You want us to go?” Zoey asked, sitting up suddenly. 

“No! I just.” Rumi pauses, letting out a deep breath.

“Tell us what you need, we can take care of you too,” Mira said. 

“I’d like it if you stayed, if we could cuddle,” Rumi said looking away. 

“Sounds perfect,” Mira said sitting up. She moved to sit on the edge of the bed and picked up a cloth that was damp and warm. “Heated wash cloths and you got the good electrolyte drinks,” She notes, not exactly surprised but amused. 

“Are they warm enough? Do you need any painkillers or-”

“Rumi, get over her,” Zoey chuckled. Sitting up she took her hand and pulled her back onto the bed. 

They sat up wiping themselves over and drinking water or gulping down in Zoey’s case, before getting changed. Rumi had even run back to her closet when she remembered that Mira preferred a night shirt to sleep in. 

"I don’t know how you have the energy after you did a full show,” Mira noted as Rumi watched them closely, checking they didn't need anything else before pushing the cart away. 

“I always feel such a rush after a performance, actually hard to get to sleep,” Rumi noted, watching as Mira and Zoey quickly made themselves comfortable under the sheets. 

“You’ll sleep tonight, I’ll make sure of it,” Mira said, gesturing with her head for Rumi to join them. 

“Right, I guess. I’ll just-” Rumi trailed off sliding into the bed. 

Zoey’s eyes were already half lidded as she lay over Mira like she did most nights. She let out a relaxed sigh and Zoey tugged Rumi closer to them. It wasn’t strange, it just felt automatic and now Zoey’s arm rested over both of them. 

Rumi smiled fondly then as she nestled into Mira’s side more there legs getting tangled up with each other. Mira let out a gasp suddenly her heart felt so full with Zoey on her left and Rumi on her right. 

Mira had to stifle another whine and remind herself, this was just tonight. Rumi didn’t intend for her cuddles to have such a deep effect on Mira. They were just having fun and would likely part ways tomorrow morning. Potentially not seeing each other for another few years. Mira’s heart started to race and as if feeling her anxiety Zoey let out a sigh and nestled her face into Mira’s neck. 

The thought of not seeing Rumi for a while, not keeping in contact, sent a shot of dread through Mira. They had only asked her for tonight and Rumi had a busy Idol life, nothing had changed since their break up. 

“I think you two would love it on stage,” Rumi mumbles half asleep. 

“What?” Mira questions and realizes Rumi’s eyes are closed, “Rumi, are you dreaming?” Mira asks as her heart immediately eases. 

“You don't know the thrill of the crowd cheering, singing your songs, your voice lifting them up, you two would be so good,” Rumi continued dazed.

“Why don’t we talk about it tomorrow," Mira said and kissed Rumi’s forehead, “You get some sleep,”  

"Best night ever," Zoey said quietly. 

Mira had the same thought then and a small part of her heart ached a little as Zoey settled in over the top of her and Rumi snuggled into her side. Mira’s only thought was this isn’t real, or lasting. 

You leave her again in the morning, like a grown up. 

Call it on their relationship, like you had years ago. 

Despite the adoring fans and the industry doting on her, Celine had become, at best, a celebrity shut-in, hopelessly lonely without Miyeong and Dayoung. Interviews dried up, she didn’t spend nearly as much time in the office, and spent at least half the year at a villa in Gangwon-do, north of Inje. It was isolating for both of them, but necessary. Celine had made herself the only person Rumi could truly rely on, and it was intentional. There were no other options. Everything she did was to protect Rumi. 

But now it all seemed to be for nothing—that after all Celine had sacrificed, she never prepared Rumi for what was to come. Worried that the Honmoon would reject her outright, for being half demon. She never showed signs of it burning, of it hurting her, but still, Celine never wanted to risk it.

And now… 

Celine anxiously tapped the steering wheel as she watched the sun slowly rising in her rear view mirror. She pushed the pedal to the floor, the high performance coupe roaring as she sped toward the location Ha-yoon sent her. She was desperate to get there before the sun rose too high—as if she could outrun time itself.  

Every passing minute meant Rumi was in danger. Every second the chances of Celine finding her dropped, and the odds of finding her alive? The mere thought of it caught in her throat, choking, just as her destination came into view; a laundromat, on the left side of the two way street. 

Screeching to a halt directly in front of a humming, fluorescent ‘24/7’ lamp, the only other sign of life was a lone garbage truck further up the road, driving away from her. Sundays at the break of dawn aren’t typically busy along here, despite this particular street’s popularity. 

Which begged the question: why would the demons bring their victims here? Laundromats are the stereotypical criminal front—if the demons were looking to be subtle, well… this wasn’t it.  Stalking out of her car, Celine shoulder checked the door, busting open the lock and barging right in, despite fully suspecting a trap. It didn’t matter if it was—even the slimmest chance of catching them with Rumi was enough for her to tear apart the entire block.

Inside the laundromat she only found rows of machines lining the white walls and settling in a doubled row across the center of the sticky, blue rubber floor; the only sound was the repetitive thrumming of a dryer cycling around over on the far wall. 

All appearances told her the story of a longstanding laundromat with literally nothing special about it—but one thing was clear. The Honmoon spoke of demonic presence there, barely a whisper, a graze of threads across her skin. And those threads felt weak. Warped, strained, barely holding reality in check. The absence filled the room, the temperature icy, despite all the heat from the dryers. Celine couldn't see any demons, or hear any cries for help, but that wasn’t a guarantee of anything. Quickly, she went through the customer area, looking for anything that would point her in the right direction. 

“Where are you?” Celine whispered, her throat hoarse from overuse and lack of sleep.  

If Rumi were still here, wouldn’t Celine feel it? Wouldn’t she have the intuition to know if her charge was near? She threaded her fingers into the bare remains of the Honmoon, feeling, seeking, but there was nothing here. The warehouse had a breach outside, the lingering presence of demons surrounding it, but this was just a laundromat. Why did Ha-yoon send her this address? If there was nothing here, why not give her more information? 

Curling her fingers inward, she called on the Honmoon, her twin swords nestled comfortably into her palms. Celine was more than willing to bring ruin to this whole block if it meant finding Rumi. 

It was barely a flutter of air. 

But it was enough.

Celine’s whole body pulsed with adrenaline, and she instantly dashed out the back door, tethering herself to whatever the Honmoon would give her. A demon was nearby, and by all the Hunters who came before her, she was not letting this one get away.  

The alleyway out back was a slim path—only large enough for two people to walk past each other comfortably—and reeked of old fish from the neighboring fishmunger. Her mind quickly put the pieces together; it was a great place to hide within a larger population. The stench of rotting fish would definitely overpower the sulfur of a tear, so they could go undetected by almost anyone. 

But not a hunter—especially not a hunter seething at the thought of them going unnoticed in the shadows as they consumed souls. As they threatened Miyeong’s daughter.

An athletic, slim man stepped out of the fishmunger, slinging a bag of garbage into a wastebin on the other side of the alleyway. He glanced over at her before turning back to go inside again. But she caught what he looked at—he’d seen her blades, and he knew what they were.  

Celine began to hum one of their songs—a simple tune that she was all too familiar with, something she learned when she was the only one Ha-yoon’s attentions were on. The demon glanced at her again, but didn’t seem panicked. He was well concealed; his clothes and appearance were distinctly normal, and there weren’t patterns anywhere on his exposed skin. But she knew. The flash of recognition, the deliberately casual swagger he carried himself with.

She huffed, anger boiling in her gut as she used her own energy to draw the Honmoon to this place—and it replied with a thrum of tension, filling the alley with power. Celine craned her neck, completing the short melody in a forgotten tongue, and the Honmoon pulsed lightly, his patterns clear as day from the silvery glow around them both.   

Celine had to strike, before he could raise the alarm lifting her arm she launched one of her blades, threw the air. It went clear through the Jeoseung Saja head and the demon was vaporized instantly. Racing over her feet barely touching the ground she pulled the blade from the brick it had indented in.

She slipped forward silently, heading for the stairwell, only to be met with two more demons, walking casually up them. When they spotted her, both seemed surprised, for the mere moments they were still corporeal as Celine’s blades unceremoniously ended their current trip on this side. 

The two behind them had no such hesitation, sounding the alarm as they charged up the stairs. Neither of them could hold a candle to Celine, who sliced through them with the same mechanical efficiency as the first. 

A cacophony of unearthly screams and roars erupted throughout the basement as Celine swiftly cut through the two guards at the foot of the stairs. Several–no, dozens of dokkaebi emerged from the doors lining the hall, hungry black eyes turning their attention to her alone. Exhaustion was quickly catching up with her, a byproduct of excessive demonic power, and having no sleep last night. But she snarled back—she wanted them to feel the same pain that burned in her chest since the moment she heard Rumi’s scream. 

She’s only ever seen a swarm like this once before, and that time she had three hunters backing her up. But it didn’t matter. She had to fight them all. Celine swung her blades in tight, controlled motions, keeping them tight against her body as they sliced through the minor dokkaebi with ease. Celine kicks a charging brute into the wall, flinging both her blades into its chest, annihilating it from the hallway. 

Charging forward, Celine heaves on the chains wrapped around her arms, her blades eagerly returning to her grasp, just before another brute collides into her back, its thorny arms tearing through her jacket. Instantly, she arches her chest forward, twisting herself around into a tumble while launching one of the blades into the demon’s face, the scent of sulfur pungently dispersing as the dust fell from where it stood. 

Narrowly ducking under another wrenching, clawed talon, Celine spins upward, her blades a whirlwind of crackling energy—four demons rushing her instantly vanquished by her swirling blades that embedded in the wall at the end of the hallway. And yet, there were more. Always more the only constant in her life. Always the unending tide of filth, unbidden invaders with one, sole purpose. 

Celine couldn’t feel the clarity that always came with fighting the demon menace. She always could clear her head. No need to think, no need to worry about what was outside. Her heart had always steadied, her mind always filled with that simple melody, her lips only singing the song passed down from the beginning of time itself. 

But her song faltered—she couldn’t stop thinking about Miyeong. About Ha-yoon. About Rumi. But she persisted. She breathed deeper, sang louder. Just the melody, the driving force behind the power of the Honmoon.

She didn’t want to be Celine in that moment—she wanted to be the finely honed weapon she was made into. Precise, intentional, directed. 

Instead, she felt every link on her arm, every ripple in the Honmoon as it helped her move, helped her see, helped her breathe. She felt every strike in her bones despite the ease with which the blade cut through her assailants. She was a lethal weapon forged slowly over a lifetime of horrors and triumphs. 

It was supposed to all be so simple, so easy. The blades whisking through the dokkaebi without so much as resistance, dust falling everywhere. It should push her mind back to the rigorous training, the torturous repetitions of Ha-yoon’s instruction, enveloping her in the familiar aches and sprains. Her voice shouldn’t falter, shouldn’t struggle to find itself. It should have been empowering. 

But all she felt was dread.

She scowled as her blade left her hand, driving through multiple demons before thudding into the wall beyond. She was the guardian of the Honmoon, the secret protector of humanity, sealing away these insatiable demons with her voice. She had fought alone for over a decade, driving home the need for strength, the necessity of power. Celine wouldn’t—no, couldn’t be stopped by a mere swarm. Too much depended on her success. She hadn’t lost a fight in twenty years; and that wasn’t going to change today. 

She managed to throw all thoughts out of her mind, gaining her rhythm, her song weaving the Honmoon into place, burning and sealing the dokkaebi all around her, its strength mimicking her own. Amidst the roars and screams of battle, she mistook the sound as another demon being banished from this side. But the second time— 

“Rumi?”

Celine barely froze, but it was enough for another gnarled spike to graze her cheek. Snarling, she cut through the dokkaebi four times before it vanished from existence, reaching through the Honmoon for anything to tell her more. 

It wasn’t Rumi. The Honmoon lacked her thrum, her distinct thread. But there’s a child there. 

Celine felt her anxiety rise with every passing second she had to fight. The demons were unrelenting, refusing to leave her a moment to breathe. She needed to find that child. If they had people held here, then someone might know where they hold others.  Weaving her way through the various rooms lining the hallway, she couldn’t help but dread they’d taken the child’s soul already. Demons were nothing if not effective at their task—and every second wasted was another second that child could be lost. 

“I’m here!” Celine shouted, hoping that the sound would draw out whatever demons remained, and give hope to whoever was held by them.  

The unending tide abates suddenly. An eerie silence fills the now empty hallway, marked and scuffed from the evidence of battle, small droplets of blood congealing amidst the sulfurous dust now coating the floor. Celine’s world felt muffled, quieted, broken by the distinct growl of a demon, charging her from behind. 

She reacted instantly, spinning around and launching her blade toward the creature, the tip inerrantly finding home in the center of its chest. She breathes deep, the blade snapping back to her palm as she turns around, where another figure stood. And they didn’t have patterns  

A young boy, no more than ten, stood before her terrified. Immediately, Celine whisks away her blade, horrified that the child may find her as much a threat as these demons. Kneeling down, she holds out a hand to him. “Are you all right?” she asks, heart still hammering from her fight.  

There’s probably a dozen teenagers, maybe twice that, in the room. Most of them don’t wait for her to speak; instead they rushed past her and out of the hallway, into the alley she came from. It was a chaotic mess, but she caught a glimpse of a familiar hoodie—one that Josie had been wearing last night.  

Celine rushed through the crowd, catching up to the shorter figure almost instantly. She spins the girl around, and to her relief, it was Josie. Her parents won’t have to suffer in secrecy. Thank goodness. The girl is frightened well and good, and whatever comfort Celine might have been able to muster the previous day has left her body. It probably didn’t help that she looked like she’d been in a fight. She could feel multiple cuts on her body still bleeding, not to mention they panic in her eyes, the glowing blades she had been flinging.  

“Rumi. Where is she?”

Josie blinked, flinching away from Celine as she stared at her. “I don’t know! They took her somewhere else, please,” the girl sobbed, trying to look away. 

Celine groaned, shaking her head. “Hang on,” she muttered, pulling her over to a room with a phone. “You know your parent’s number?” Josie didn’t say anything, just nodded and went over to the phone.

Celine waited for her to finish the call before getting her outside and on the street. If nothing else, she knew Rumi would want her to make sure someone got Josie. 

“Did you fight all of those… things?”  

Her body ached, the pain in her back overwhelming, but Celine persisted, putting on a stoic face. “I don’t know if it was all of them,” she admitted, but she knew the demonic presence was diminished enough to no longer be a threat. None of them were making moves, pulling themselves through the Honmoon to ambush any of the escaping adolescents.

Silently, Celine escorted the child up to the street. “Do you need me to wait for your parents?” she asked, even if she wanted to rush to her car and follow whatever thread of the Honmoon she could.

Josie nodded, and that was it. She knew Rumi would tell her to stay. So stay she would. She tried to ignore the dread welling in her throat, in her gut, telling her she’d failed already. That Rumi was gone already. She knew it couldn’t be true, the Honmoon would have told her already. But it didn’t stop her small spiral. Didn’t stop the bile at the back of her tongue.  

Almost fifteen minutes passed before a car screeched to a halt just a few meters from them, a panicked woman practically leaping from the driver’s seat. “Josie!” she screamed, not relieved but frustrated, sprinting to the two of them and embracing the girl. From the girl’s reaction, it was probably her mother.

“She’ll be okay,” Celine assured her, ignoring her bleeding back. 

She expected some kind of sage nod, or nervous thanks, but instead, the woman rushed over to Celine as well, and wrapped her in a hug too. Celine winced, and patted the mother before trying to get her off, hoping that she didn’t get too much blood on her.

“Oh, oh god,” the woman murmured, looking at her hands as she backed away. “Are you all right? The people, the ones that took–”

“I’m fine. Had worse.” Celine bit back the urge to tell the woman off.

The woman blinks, before staring a bit closer. “Celine? Celine Kang?”

“I get that a lot,” Celine said, pursing her lips. “No. Just look like her.”

Josie looked between the women and blinked again. “Are you Rumi’s eomma?”

Mira’s mother must have noticed the pain in Celine’s expression, from the way she started guiding her daughter away. “That’s Rumi’s eomma, and she’ll find her, ok? Lets get you home.”

Celine nodded before heading back inside, her anger burning her up. Why did she get to take her daughter home? She hadn’t even known she was missing until Celine showed up at their house. 

Something in the back of her mind clicked into place—why wasn't Rumi here? Why had Ha-yoon sent her here without any other information? Storming back into the empty halls, Celine began going through everything, thoroughly. No papers untouched, no clothes unchecked. It was easy enough to put together everything in context—the number of clients being how many souls had been taken, how many missing people suddenly accounted for, never being able to return home. Celine bit her cheek, fighting down her fury to keep herself in the moment. 

There had to be something she missed—something that would hint to where they took Rumi. Yes, she should be glad the others were saved, that they’d see their families again, that those demons were at least banished from here, but… still, no Rumi. Celine didn’t know if her baby was hurting, was crying out to be saved. Didn’t know if she was already too late.  

“I wondered when you’d come back in,” a voice says from behind her. Far enough away to not be in her blade’s reach, but close enough to not need to shout.

Celine’s blades found her fingers instantly, and she whirled around ready to fight. Instead, she saw a man–a demon–standing down the hallway, leaned up against the wall, arms crossed. His voice unmistakable, he was definitely the one from the phone call—the one that seemed so long ago now.

“What have you done?!” Celine demanded, stalking toward him cautiously. He was too casual, too at ease—too confident. 

The demon shrugged. “Personally, I didn’t do anything. I just man the front. You cleared out the real players.” He didn’t move, didn’t react to her approach. “And I’m the prettiest of them, so I get to do all the talking.” He flashed a grin, one she could practically hear from the phone speaker so many hours ago.

Silence fell, the single phrase cutting through all the other noises—“Good luck, Celine”—played over in her mind. It had to be the same demon she’d threatened over the phone earlier. Weapons in hand she turns back charging towards it as the last of the surviving teenagers exit. If it was in any way frightened by her, it doesn't show. Just a sadistic grin on its face even as she stalked toward it, blades in hand. 

“I told you I’d find you,” Celine growled. 

“Hunter, you must be exhausted," it chuckled, moving from the wall. “All alone… well, you’ve been fighting alone for years, haven’t you?”

Celine’s heart seized up; she could see the mocking recognition in its expression as a sadistic smile grazed its face. It sauntered over closer to her, not a flicker of fear in its face—it thought she was weak, tired; that she would let her emotions get the best of her. Her eyes narrowed, her grip tightened. That was never happening again. 

“Heard from some ‘friends’ that you pretty much fail to protect anyone you care about. Bandmates, lovers, and now a child?” He snorted, unfazed by the dimly glowing blade held aloft in line with his eyes. “What a pathetic excuse for a hunter.” 

Celine was tired. She was tired of her thoughts, tired of his words, tired from fighting demons, tired from closing a massive rift. But most of all, she was tired of everyone telling her lies.

Without so much as a sigh, her blades vanished, and Celine struck out with a left hook, her clenched fist slamming into the demon's jaw. The dokkaebi recoiled into the wall slumping down in front of her, letting her easily yank him up by the hair, then crack his head against her knee. 

She didn’t have to see his face to know that the smug smile on its face had been wiped away. Satisfying as that was to know, she kept at it, kicking it in the gut until it curled into a fetal position. Crouching above the creature, Celine looked it dead in the eyes. She couldn’t even muster a smile. 

“You seem to like talking. I have a few questions for you” 

-

When she thought about it over the years, something didn’t add up. Demons were supposed to be unfeeling, unable to experience pain, fear, anguish—that’s what she’d been taught. And yet they cried out when smote by hunter’s weapons, they struggled and whimpered when contorted or struck with a boot. 

Celine had only seen a demon be successfully tortured once before, from a distance. She knew she wasn’t supposed to be watching, but a twelve year old’s curiosity can’t be sated once it’s latched onto something. Ha-yoon had strung up one of these supposedly ‘unfeeling’ creatures and spoke to it. Celine never found out why she did that; Soo-yin found her before Ha-yoon had completed her task.  But if demons weren’t able to feel, then what practice of torture would even work? 

Snarling and snapping its fangs at her, the stone cold, brooding eyes had vanished. Its skin now purple, patterns of vibrant silver pulsing with every tug at its restraints. The glamour hiding the claws, the fangs, gone; this was the real beast behind the human mask. Celine stepped forward, her body trembling, with disdain and disgust for the creature. One that had taken her baby, it took everything in her to not end its miserable existence already, but she needed information, vengeance would have to wait. 

Celine could feel the Honmoon groan, holding the creature in place. Disgust still filled her gut, her instincts screaming at her to destroy it, banish it from this side. But morbid curiosity overrode her training. If they didn’t feel, why did they wince? Breathe? Sweat? 

What if they were wrong? 

She paused, considering the situation. Whatever they did, whatever they were—they were still the enemy, and Rumi was still out there. Celine didn’t really care why, they still chose to take souls. 

And this one in particular had mouthed off long enough.

“Want to know how we keep you out?” Celine asks, pulling up a folding chair and sitting just outside the dokkaebi’s reach. It snarled, snapping at her, but retreated as the Honmoon’s strands burned into its neck. She noted the pained grunt, adding it to a slowly growing list of things she didn’t understand yet.

“Our voices ignite the souls of common people. Hunters bring people together, bind their strength to the Honmoon and to themselves.” She took a moment, staring at the demon, looking for some kind of reaction.  “Demons turned their backs on those connections, begged for power or prosperity instead of standing with the people around you. Too weak to face your own mistakes, too frightened to accept consequences.” Celine crossed her legs, watching as the demon struggled against the silvery restraints, the Honmoon unbending to its struggles. 

“I hear you all forget what you’ve done, become the mindless slaves of Gwi-Ma. That you don’t feel, you don’t experience joy or fear, guilt or pain.” Celine tugs on a strand of the Honmoon, tightening it around the dokkaebi’s neck. “But you seem to be in pain right now. You wouldn’t do something like that for my pleasure, so… I have a theory.” Celine paused, finally putting the pieces together in her mind.

Miyeong wasn’t tricked, wasn’t seduced somehow. She touched a demon with the Honmoon, and they remembered who they were. Remembered they were human once. And she grew close with him, treated him as an equal. She probably even tried removing his demon side.

How could Celine have been so blind? She was always the social butterfly of their group, of course they’d try and use her. Headlines called her a Maknae with a heart of gold. How desperately short of the truth they were. It was never gold—it was brighter than the heavens, worth more than the sun itself.

Damn these demons. 

 “When you come in contact with the Honmoon, you feel everything.” 

The demon squirms in his restraints, his face scrunched in pain, his discomfort becoming more apparent with every passing second. Celine paused, analyzing him, curious. Is he…?

She thinks of Rumi. How it felt to hear her scream for her eomma. How Celine’s helplessness overwhelmed her. How the Honmoon cried as her world came crashing down, again.

The dokkaebi writhed, pained grunts and snarls accompanying tears. Pain. 

“You… you can feel my pain?” 

Something twisted rose in her gut, a sick pleasure she never knew she could feel. Demons could feel everything she did, as long as they were restrained by the Honmoon. A delighted fury boiled over as she slowly stood up, taking two steps over to the demon, just outside the range of its teeth.  

“Good,” she declared, and a surge of strange pleasure washed over her. She couldn’t help it. 

Celine smiled. 

“Suffer.”

Curling her finger in, she let out a deep breath, and re-ran every moment she remembered of Miyeong, of Da-young. She remembered first meeting them. Remembered training next to them for years, remembered learning the music from Ha-yoon, the techniques from Rae-na, how to deal with the media from Soo-yin. She recalled their first hunt, how it nearly killed all three of them, how it bonded them in the aftermath. 

The demon quirked its head to the side.“What are you doing?” it asked, breathing easier, the pleasant memories washing over it, through the threads of Honmoon.  

Celine smirked, looking directly into its eyes as she recalled every second of Da-young’s final moments. Re-lived Mi-yeong’s final hours in that cold hospital. Replayed every burning piece of inadequacy, of rage, of frustration she’d felt raising Rumi all these years. Reminding herself of how much love she’d lost, and how much she could still lose.

It wasn’t an immediate reaction. The demon started breathing harder, staring back at her, but as her own tears fell, anguish rolled through the Honmoon from him. She felt his pain, how he felt everything she felt tenfold, the absolute desperation she still had. Celine tugged on the threads, pulling it back to the wall, almost laughing as she wept. 

“Feel that? That’s one person’s life. Remember how you chose to forget everything now? Remember how you chose an easy path out, to let others suffer instead of yourself?”. Celine’s voice warbled through her tears, through her own pain, but she held the dokkaebi steady. “You tear people out of this world, and this is what everyone who loved them feels. This is the reality of the world we choose to live in. And you, you cowards, you just add to that pain!”

Celine yanked the cords tight, choking the demon, the sizzling flesh leaving an acrid, sufuric smell behind. Every bit of emotion she poured into the Honmoon, it amplified the strands. The demon screamed out in agony, long enough for Celine to stop crying and the tears on her cheeks to have dried. She loosened her grip, noticing she’d let time get away from her—and she was still on the clock. The demon’s breath staggered, trying to steady itself, the Honmoon leaving visible burns all over its body. Good.

Celine took a deep breath, before holding up her phone with a picture of Rumi on it. “Now. Where is she?” she said, quietly, but firmly. Her jaw tightened, her gaze fixed on the dokkaebi as it tried to collect itself. 

The fervor, the strength, the willpower seemed to have left the demon, but all it did was growl, fangs bared at her question. As if it was a challenge, to get her to just kill it. It didn’t want to answer questions, it just wanted her to be done.

Wrong choice.

Celine picked up a piece of a broken hangar frame, the tube of steel sheared off at a savage angle. She didn’t have time for defiance. She had to find Rumi.. Every minute that went by without Rumi in her arms was a minute she was closer to never finding her. 

And her blades were the only way to vanquish these creatures.

So she stabbed it. Right in the gut.

Holding tight on the threads of the Honmoon, she pulled the strands taught again as she slammed the metal into the creature again and again, making sure to think of Miyeong, of Rumi, with every strike. The dokkaebi howled in pain, straining for any kind of relief. And none came. Celine made sure of that. 

She felt herself fading. Her emotions were quieting, her body slowing. The Honmoon was weak here to begin with, and every passing moment was another that she had to focus on keeping the Honmoon in place. She pulled the demon to the ground, glaring as she tossed the useless piece of metal away, and started just hitting the creature’s face. 

As if the Honmoon could hear her pain, it started soothing her. Playing the soft, uncertain strums of someone learning chords on their guitar. The same sounds she heard when Miyeong was learning. The same music Rumi makes as she learns. A gentle, carefree giggle as she sings a song Celine taught her, a sound only a child can make. A sound that her child should make.  

Her child.

Rumi’s smile flashed to the forefront of her mind, racing around the house, jumping on the bed. Proudly showing Celine new moves she’d been practicing, trying to impress her with the things she’d learned from dance class. The Honmoon rumbled, giving her strength, focus. The energy crackled from the strands, surging from Celine’s heart into the threads. Celine could see all pain and guilt tearing the creature apart. All the love it had turned its back on, and forgotten it, now remembered it all—and was no longer numb to it. 

The horror in its eyes visceral, face contorted in agony as it was haunted by its own faults, its own fears. 

“Tell me where she is!” Celine shouted, hauling the demon to its feet by the threads around its neck. 

“Stop, stop!” it begged, squeezing its eyes shut.

Celine realises her grip slightly, loosely holding on, and letting the demon eyes still holding on tight ready to strike

“There’s a second spot. Where they take difficult ones.”

Celine could help but feeling a tinge of pride that Rumi had given them enough trouble they had taken her somewhere else. This did nothing to quash her wrath as the creature heaved out gasping breaths, offering no further information. 

“Where?!” Celine demanded, her tone forceful, unwavering. 

“Another laundromat, in the town north of the city! Same name as the one next door!” he grunted out through strained breaths. 

Celine stood up straight. If only she’d been paying closer attention, she could have put the pieces together sooner. Avoided all of this. Saved so many people. She was too preoccupied with her line of defence around their home while juggling a full time job,and Rumi hadn’t ever been trained to use the Honmoon to feel where it was weak, where it was unsafe.  She was supposed to be training Rumi to be the next generation of Hunters—how could she have let this happen? 

“That’s all I know, I swear.”

Celine stepped away, her hands slowly letting go of the Honmoon.  

“That's all I know, that's all I know,” the demon muttered manically. 

Celine lets her shoulders drop and uncurls her fingers while maintaining eye contact. There is relief on the demon's face as the Honmoon recedes. 

“I believe you.”

She considers for a moment, before letting the strands of the Honmon go, the demon now free of its restraints. But it doesn’t move. Doesn’t lash out. All of her pain, all of her mourning clearly having the desired effect on it. 

Celine sighs, exhaustion rolling over her, as she summoned her blade and thrust it unceremoniously into the creature’s chest, the demon disappearing into a pile of dust. 

Another drive, another place. The effort was getting to her, her body aching, eyes burning. As she walked back out into the sunlit surface, she couldn’t feel the Honmoon’s comfort again. Couldn’t hear the light strums, the laughter, the calm.