The Better "Boyfriend"

Rumi is desperate to be the perfect loving partner as her and Mira and Zoey's first anniversaries approach. Unfortunately, fans and the record label have other ideas.

Notes:

Did one for Mira and one for Zoey, of course I couldn't leave Rumi out.
As for the reasoning each chapter ends up longer than the last... -shrug-

Chapter Text

r/Polytrixtruthersunited

u/[DownBaddyTrixCaddy] • 10 days ago

Poly PI Huddle!

Alright everyone, form up for check in.

This forum has been around nearly 6 months and I’ve yet to see some credible proof for rumira to add to the pile. We’ve got the casual outing zoemira incident, and the streaming slip up for zoerumi.

Anyone from the r/rumiratruthersunited community notice anything recently?

ZRuRuey • 5 days ago
The thread’s been weirdly cold the past few months. Fancams have been prevalent but it’s older footage.

dyketator • 5 days ago
Yeah, mostly fan stuff, no new sightings.

MirrorTurtleLife • 5 days ago
Don’t despair! We’ll all keep an eye out!

Show_This_Miss • 5 days ago
Sorry, no shade but I’m just curious how this setup is supposed to work? With all three of them?

DivinFyre • 4 days ago
There’s a thread for this elsewhere.

PussySlayer • 4 days ago
Remember the miromabby thing? It’s like that.

FitCheck4MyPolyEra • 4 days ago
But better!

ZRuRuey • 4 days ago
Did you guys see the exchange from the last concert?! Between Mira and Rumi? That has to count, right?

Zoerumiisreal47 • 4 days ago
Eeeeeh, that was on stage though.

FitCheck4MyPolyEra • 4 days ago
It was on stage, can’t really guarantee it wasn’t just a heat of the performance thing.

HunterSupreme548261 • 4 days ago
Pft, or staged entirely. They for sure know about the shipping by now. Any of it. Could just be milking it for the engagement.

ZoomRoom46 • 4 days ago
No way! I was at the Acantha Rio stream Zoey first collabed on, she shut down the shipping right away when the chat started. Both of them did.

Sirsexxedup • 4 days ago
Yeah, for sure no engagement faking. They respect their fans and they’re already big enough not to need it.

DivinFyre • 3 days ago
Plus Mira likes to push the choreo depending on the songs.

TurtleStripeTruther • 3 days ago
True! It needs to be something off stage, in the wild.

Rumi#1Knight • 1 hr. ago
You guys make up whatever headcanon you want to explain why Rumi even bothers with those two.

TurtleStripeTruther • 45 min. ago
Why are you even here?!

DownBaddyTrixCaddy • 45 min. ago
Blocked. I’m getting sick of this.

Show_This_Miss • 45 min. ago
Ugh I know. That faction of Rumi fans is getting so annoying.

Sirsexxedup • 30 min. ago
Can we get back on topic?

dyketator • 30 min. ago
I wish Rumi would do something about them. It’s been harder for Zoey and Mira fans.

Show_This_Miss • 30 min. ago
It’s starting to piss me off!

TurtleStripeTruther • 30 min. ago
Probably for PR reasons, she’d look bad if she reprimanded her fans.

MirrorTurtleLife • 30 min. ago
No excuse! Think of Mira and Zoey!

DownBaddyTrixCaddy • 20 min. ago
Guys, move it somewhere else.

ZRuRuey • 15 min. ago
Have there been ANY sightings of Rumi and Mira alone together? Casually?

Show_This_Miss • 15 min. ago
Maybe Rumi’s too good to be seen amongst mortals

DownBaddyTrixCaddy • 10 min. ago
That’s it!

[Thread closed]

Rumi enjoyed her morning workout, it helped her warm up to start her day. Having a routine she so rarely broke gave her a feeling of personal accomplishment she had control over. Having a home gym connected to their dance studio did make it convenient as well… and one or two partners to join her was that extra bit of incentive.

“Nice work,” Mira handed her a protein shake as they finished up for the day. “Any particular reason you've been working your arms so hard lately~?”

Rumi rolled her eyes as they gathered up their bags and headed for the elevator. Zoey had been invited to another late stream the night prior so they didn't wake her this time.

“The new sword is heavier,” she claimed, completely innocent. “I want to keep in form.”

She also had two beautiful girlfriends she wanted to be able to lift. Mira probably knew that was also her intention because she hummed a laugh as they stepped aboard and waited for the doors to close.

“Of course. The sword,” she sipped her own shake without another word about it.

The gentle lurch of the elevator began the smooth ride up towards the penthouse. Rumi swirled her Huntr/x branded tumbler before clearing her throat.

“... Our anniversary is coming up.”

Mira's eyes scrunched with a smile as she nodded.

“Mhm… crazy it's already almost been a year.”

Rumi nodded, “How do you want to… go about that?”

“Go about it? Oh, like what we should do? I'm sure the three of us can put our heads together. Maybe over breakfast when our little gamer wakes up. We've got a few months though.”

Rumi swallowed her nerve and looked up from her shake to meet Mira's eyes.

“Well… we have two, technically,” she explained slowly. “Two dates to consider. I was just, y'know, thinking about it… Because, like, there's the day we confessed to Zoey, when we all started dating of course, but there's also the day the two of us started--and I would never suggest we leave Zoey out of course. But I felt weird thinking about not acknowledging it at all. Does that make sense? It's fine if it--”

“Rumi,” Mira stepped across the elevator to rub her shoulder. “It's okay. It does make sense… You're right, we should celebrate both.”

Rumi wanted to celebrate everything she could. Confessing to Mira. Confessing to Zoey. Their first dates. The first time they used pet names. Every aspect of loving them felt worthy of celebration. But rather than say that she nodded.

“We could… go for dinner on that day,” she offered quietly. “Or maybe make something special at the penthouse…”

Mira's hand traced down her arm to lift her hand so she could kiss her fingers.

“Whichever feels better,” she murmured. “I can make reservations, or we can cook together…”

“... We'll invite Zoey too, just… I don't want to ignore it.”

It was important to her. Certainly Zoey completed their hearts, but they'd taken the first steps to building them. Both dates felt important… or they wouldn't be them right now.

“Of course not,” Mira nodded. “It's important. So we won't skip it.”

Rumi smiled, “Right… Right, it's um… it's like a two parter: Us getting together led to all three of us getting together.”

Mira smiled, “Exactly. Who knows if I would've pulled the trigger if we hadn't, hm? Knowing how you felt, and how we both felt about Zoey… it made acting easier.”

The doors opened and Mira tugged her gently out into the living room. Casually twirling her before hooking her arm around her waist to hold her close without either of them dropping their drinks or bags.

“It's all worth celebrating.”

Rumi laughed as they came to a stop and pushed back to stand on her own. Nudging Mira playfully on their way to the stairs.

“Right. So, dinner then?”

“Dinner,” Mira agreed. “No gifts, we'll save any of that for… act 2?”

“Yeah,” Rumi's shoulders rose with the excitement of having it acknowledged. Two parts. One each for the halves of her heart she'd shared. “Soju?”

“Uh, naturally~”

“I'll pick some up this afternoon. We'll have to decide on where to eat soon though. It's less than a week away.”

“I'll talk to Bobby and make sure we've got that day free,” Mira squinted as they came around the kitchen to the stairs.

Rumi pulled a spare pair of her glasses from the front pocket of her gym bag and handed them over. She always kept a set, just in case.

“And I'll check on Zoey,” she smiled. “We'll brainstorm over breakfast… And thanks, Mira.”

They hit the bottom of the stairs and she stood tall enough to kiss her cheek. Not accounting for Mira's reflexes as she turned and scooped Rumi's waist to dip her into something more passionate. Coming back up to smooch just above her eyebrow.

“Of course, jagiya~”

The honey in her tone stuck to the whole surface of Rumi's brain. Saccharine and stubborn. She gave a crooked smile and stood to kiss the corner of Mira's lips before hustling off as planned. Determined to pour all of their highly trained tactical minds into the best anniversaries possible.

“First the 17th. A little short notice but we can be more prepared next year,” she reasoned, just feeling elated at the thought of a ‘next year.’ “Then we'll go all in for part two in two months.”

Nothing would get in their way.

r/HuntrixGeneral

u/[MissGolden_Hunter] • 5 days ago

Issues in the community?

Anybody else notice how toxic the community has been lately? It feels like there’s way more infighting than ever. Any idea what might’ve set that off? It’s making interacting (online at least) nearly unbearable.

Zwolf87 • 5 days ago
Uh yeah, kind of hard not to notice lol

Sirsexxedup • 5 days ago
Pretty sure that weird collective of Rumi simps started the whole mess

MiraFan#1_65464 • 5 days ago
Feels like they came out full force after the whole thing with the Idol Awards last year

Huntr/xStan8657 • 5 days ago
And Rumi has yet to do anything about them

TurtleStripeTruther • 5 days ago
She literally can’t. You really think the label would let her lash out at them?

Huntr/xStan8657 • 5 days ago
Spoken like a true simp

TurtleStripeTruther • 5 days ago
Excuse me?! Don’t lump me in with them! I’m just saying

Show_This_Miss • 5 days ago
She really can’t even stick up for Mira and Zoey though? These jerks keep shitting on them and her not saying anything about it is gonna start making people think she agrees with them

TurtleStripeTruther • 5 days ago
Her not saying anything either way (again, likely because the label won’t let her) means she agrees with them?!

ProCaffeinater • 4 days ago
Guys, it’s literally online drama, go outside

MirrorTurtleLife • 4 days ago
Don’t downplay it, seriously this sort of thing can wreck a fandom

MissGolden_Hunter • 4 days ago
Plus idols live and breath on their fandoms and hype, it could be a real problem. Especially if it spreads offline

eishi_m__n • 3 days ago
Can we try to be a little more positive then? We know Huntr/x is a great group and all the girls make it that way

MissGolden_Hunter • 3 days ago
Absolutely!

TurtleStripeTruther • 3 days ago
For sure. Everyone might have their bias, but the group overall is amazing

Zwolf87 • 3 days ago
Is everyone excited about the special event?

Zo-easyPeasy • 3 days ago
The concert and signing?! Absolutely, hype as hell!

MissGolden_Hunter • 3 days ago
Totally! I cannot WAIT for the 17th!!

The 17th… One year prior.

Okay… okay you've got this. Zoey's out of the house, Mira has no plans, it's the best chance you'll get...

“Hey, Mir? Can we talk real quick?”

“Oh, uh… yeah sure. What's up?”

“...”

“... Rumi?”

“Sorry, I'm not trying to corner you, I just… I didn't want to leave it. So, I just wanted to tell you that I get it.”

“Get… what?”

“I know this is a big change. I know it might take a while… that, that it might never fully adjust. But if you tell me how, I can make it easier…”

“Rumi, what are you talking about?”

“I've noticed--I don't--I'm not mad, okay? I'm not… I've just noticed hoooow you kind of… avoid me now…”

“Rumi that's--”

“And I promise, I'm not blaming you for anything. I didn't want to brush it off--I really don't want to make that mistake again… Is it seeing them? I can cover up a little more…”

“... what?”

“Not the ones on my face, but I can wear long sleeves again. I can be discreet. I can change my style more gradually until you're comfortable around them. Really, I don't mind--”

“You don't mind? You think I--that it's your patterns?”

“...”

“... why else would you avoid looking at me?”

“...”

“Or, or excuse yourself to go get something when I sit on the couch, then come back and sit farther away?”

“Rumi…”

“Then there was the time at the swimwear promo shoot--”

“Rumi, please tell me your first thought wasn't that I hated looking at you!”

“... what else would I think?”

“Oooookay, welp this is way worse than my own death by embarrassment so we're doing this.”

“Death by huh? Doing what?”

“Rumi. The reason I've been putting distance between us is not because I hate you, or your patterns. Pretty much… y'know, the opposite…”

“Uuuuh--”

“You're so fucking beautiful and I was trying not to let you notice how fucking flustered I am whenever I see you.”

“UUUUH--?”

“Yeah! Yeah, uh-huh! Welcome to my world! Your biceps alone are enough to drive me nuts. Imagine the sheer discipline I need to not panic when you put your arm over the back of the couch behind me!”

“Mir--”

“The first time seeing you in a swimsuit? Almost killed me on the spot--”

“Okay! Okay I got it!”

“...”

“Right, so… I don't hate you. I don't hate your patterns. I never could… I actually, um…”

“...”

“I… love you.”

“... I--”

“You don't… you don't have to do anything with that. But please don't ever think I hate you. I could never hate you.”

“You love me? Really?”

“... yeah.”

“Even my patterns?”

“They're you, so… yeah. And, I mean, you make them look good--”

“Can I kiss you?”

“... abso-fucking-lutely.”

The 17th… Present.

“It'll be alright, sweetheart,” Mira smoothed her voice in the back of the car.

It was meant to help, but part of Rumi's heart clenched just hearing the effort. For her. Because she was being so spoiled about this.

“I know,” she tried to smile. She was practiced at hiding... It just hurt to be doing it now. “It's fine, really. We can… we can do something another day.”

Zoey scooted closer on her other side and scooped up her hand. Effortlessly supportive, not an ounce of hesitation. She didn't deserve either of them. It wasn't their fault the event had run over and caused them to miss their reservations. Left them no time to make other arrangements as the day was basically over. Now they were finally on their way back to the penthouse, worn out and ready to wind down. Finally allowed some privacy to themselves in the tinted back of the car as their driver Thomas got them through the late night traffic.

“We definitely can,” Zoey murmured. “Or maybe, maybe we could watch something together tonight. Cook dinner--”

They didn't need to feel bad about her being spoiled.

“It's been a long day. We can make other arrangements but tonight we definitely need to rest,” she grinned a little better.

Making sure they were taken care of outweighed her spoiledness. No more overworking, she refused to put them through anything even close ever again. She could ignore the grinding bite of her own petulant heart if she had them to put her focus on.

“If you're sure…” Mira said slowly. “We'll relax then.”

“Sounds perfect.”

It was. It was perfect. So what if they didn't get to their reservations? So what if she couldn't take them out and spoil them with a nice dinner and special dessert? Their couch was the hottest ticket in town anyway. They could wind down after a packed day and decompress in the comfort of familiarity…

While she shuffled out of the shower in her room and collapsed onto her bed like a sad sack to lament her failure.

I'll just… be sad for a bit, then go right back to being fine, she reasoned as she pulled one of her plush pillows to her chest to curl her whole body around it. Pressing her face into it to the point she would almost have to worry about smothering herself. Because feelings always operated on reason.

At least she had a better sense of humor now.

Someone knocked at her door. And judging by the rhythm and the throat clearing that followed it was Mira.

“Rumi?” On the money. “Can I come in?”

Always.

“Yes,” Rumi cleared her own throat to even her tone.

She was still all curled up and deflated but at the very least she could sound fine. The door opened and Mira slipped in without hesitation. Pushing the door to behind her and folding her arms as she stepped lightly across Rumi's floor to stand beside her bed.

“... do you need a better cuddle partner?” She grinned.

It was nearly a smirk, but she was too soft now to let it bite that much. Rumi cast away the pillow and held her arms out. The moment Mira sat on the side of her bed intending to oblige her--to spoil her--she wrapped her arms around her hips and pulled herself in before she could. Half in her lap and face buried in her nightshirt.

“Rumi…” Mira cooed, settling into this new position while scratching her nails against her back. “I--”

“What if we can't do both?” Rumi breathed.

“What d'you mean?”

“... our first anniversary and already our duty and the fans got in the way--” Rumi quickly moved her hands to the mattress on either side of Mira's lap to push herself up. “And I love the fans! Of course! Of course it's not their fault--and protecting the Honmoon is so important! B-but… but I love you so much. Both of you… What if we can't do both?”

What if she couldn't love them like they deserved?

“Hey,” Mira leaned closer to her face. “What did we talk about?”

“Hm?”

“What did we say about catastrophizing?”

“N-not to, but--!”

“We've got a lot going on, yeah,” Mira didn't let her keep going. Speaking firmly but softly. So her. “We're only just starting to work on a better balance of things, and outside forces are going to make that harder sometimes. But we'll get things together… As long as that's something you want to work at?”

It wasn't even a question. Rumi would work herself to the bone for them. Just the suggestion she wouldn't was enough to make her grimace.

“Of cour--!”

Mira scoffed before kissing her, a knowing smile on her lips.

“There. You've never been intimidated by hard work, and we're too stubborn to be outdone. So it's fine… Well, I mean, not fine. I'm frustrated too, but we can all be frustrated and work on it together. Y'know?”

Finally Rumi could feel her chest relaxing the squeeze that had been suffocating her heart and lungs for hours.

“True… if we can get through hunter training in one piece, this much is nothing.”

Mira nodded solemnly.

“Celine prepared us more than she could have ever known~”

That got them both giggling. Imagining how much earlier Celine would have gone gray had she known where their time together would ultimately lead. Rumi balanced on one arm so she could hold Mira into a better kiss. One filled with gratitude and fondness.

Easily supplied for her, always.

“Thank you… I'm sorry the day didn't go like we planned--”

The chime of the elevator came through her door before Zoey's shouting voice followed.

“Will my favorite happy couple please report to the kitchen! Gaja gaja gaja!”

They glanced at each other to share a brief look of confusion before climbing out of bed and taking the stairs up. Mira casually rested her arm around Rumi's waist to match her pace. And to keep showing her support. Like she always did. It kept the smile on Rumi's face and almost made her forget the ruined night…

Finding Zoey proudly unpacking and presenting a big bag of takeout from their favorite restaurant helped her forget that last little bit.

“Tah dah!” Zoey laughed. “I know it's not the reservations but--”

“Zoey they closed like an hour ago,” Rumi's jaw dropped as she rushed up to slam her hands on the kitchen island. Slowly filling with their usual orders and extra delicious sides and dessert.

“I called in a favor,” she shrugged like it was nothing. “Eun-ji-ssi was super nice when I gave her the rundown--oh not the full story though! I told her you guys had a rough day with our schedule getting messed up and needed a pick me up.”

Zoey could appeal to anyone's kindest and most generous side. They would have to stop by to thank them next chance they got.

“Thank you, jagiya,” Rumi started by giving Zoey her gratitude. “You guys are literally the best.”

“Duh,” Mira stepped up to drape over Rumi's shoulders. “We're the triple threat lethal combo~”

“Yep!”

Zoey bounced over and gave each of them a big theatrical kiss on her way to the fridge for drinks. Complete with loud ‘mwa!’ noise. Rumi broke into uncontrollable giggling and wiggled herself loose enough to turn in Mira's arms so she could give her the same.

“Happy anniversary… part one~” she smiled.

Mira spread her hand over her back and kissed her softer.

“Happy anniversary: part one,” she nodded.

They devoured the food while lounging on the couch. Discussing the show and what they had coming up next on their schedule as a group or solo before quickly moving on to Zoey rambling excitedly about the games she'd been playing in her free time or the books Mira had been reading in hers.

Rumi had been trying to find a hobby she could do in their new stints of downtime, but hadn't really settled on anything yet. Playing games with Zoey usually ended up with her getting decimated by other players or from her own inability to properly control her character. Reading time with Mira so often resulted in her napping with her head resting in Mira's lap, book forgotten. Each was fun in its own way, anything that let her spend more time with them was, but she knew it would behoove her to find something for herself.

“Hey,” Mira tucked her hair behind her ear so she could put her chin on her shoulder and murmur to her. “Think you've got enough energy left for one more special surprise?”

Rumi smiled as she gently bunted their heads together.

“Of course, always for you, sweetheart.”

“Go on ahead!” Zoey waved them off while gathering up their garbage. “I'll clean up.”

The way she so quickly volunteered made Rumi think she already knew what the surprise was. But before she could dwell Mira was already pulling her up from the couch and guiding her around to the stairs by her shoulders.

“We said no gifts this time,” she warned on their way down.

They were both being so thoughtful and she hadn't been able to do anything.

“It's less a gift and more an activity~” Mira hummed.

They hit the bottom of the stairs and turned to Mira's room. Rumi was already turning pink as her brain conjured up what sort of ‘activity’ Mira had planned. Nothing they hadn't done before probably. And a chance to spoil them back! Perfect!

Mira reached past her to open the door and ushered her inside. Her room was the same as it usually was. Cozy and understated. Most of the furniture was modern and elegant, but the bed was the biggest, plushest she could find. It smelled like her too. Rumi loved being in either of their rooms for the same reason.

It felt like wrapping herself up in them.

Before she could ask any questions about this mysterious ‘activity’ though, Mira turned her toward the en-suite bathroom.

“Stand right here,” Mira positioned her before the double doors and kissed her cheek before stepping up to throw them open. “Et voila~”

Rumi's jaw dropped as the motion disturbed the rose petals scattered along the tile floor beyond. Eyes darting to Mira standing just inside before hesitantly stepping in after her.

The lights were dimmed, vanilla and amber scented candles flickered on just about every surface, and a couple bottles of peach soju waited by the already filled bathtub.

“I grabbed the candles while I was at that shoot in Paris,” Mira said proudly. “I knew they'd come in handy eventually. And don't think I forgot we agreed on soju~”

“Oh, Mira,” Rumi put both hands together in front of her mouth, smiling big and crooked. “This is so lovely… and just the right amount of corny.”

“Corny?!”

Rumi snickered as she rushed to hug her.

“Mostly sweet and lovely, I promise,” she pressed her ear to Mira's chest and sighed softly. “Very romantic. And the candles smell amazing.”

“... mhm.”

Mira's arms came around to hold her, scratching her back lightly through her shirt. It put comfortable tension up her spine as she stretched up against Mira's chest until her shoulders came up to cradle her neck.

“I love when you do that,” Mira whispered with her lips pressed to Rumi's temple. “Very cat like, very cute~”

Her hands came away from Rumi only long enough to reach over to pull the doors shut behind her. Leaving the gentle echo of the tiled bathroom around them and the warmth of the steam from the bath itself. Before her hands could come back Rumi was already rucking up her sweater for her. Knowing grins spread over their faces the moment their eyes met, and Mira knew to lift her arms so Rumi could help the article of clothing fully over her head. Taking specific care not to let the collar hit her pretty face wrong.

She immediately kissed her when her arms bent back to try and shake out of the sleeves to drop it behind her.

“Ah, cheating~” Mira teased lightly.

“How?”

“You're skipping steps.”

“Kissing can go between steps.”

Mira's slender fingers came to the bottom of Rumi's shirt and started slowly gathering it up to lift over her head. She shook her mussed hair out of her face after casting it aside, but didn't see Mira when she focused ahead again. Instead feeling her kissing up her stomach from her new position kneeling on the tile in front of her.

“Oh, now who's cheating?”

The bow tied on her sleep shorts slipped loose and Mira smirked up at her before pressing another kiss to her hip. Lighting the patterns there a soft pink.

“I'm still being productive down here don't worry~”

“U-uh-huh,” Rumi's heart stuttered but she'd been getting used to Mira (and Zoey) flirting over the past year. If anything the nerves had transitioned to excitement months and months ago. Or fond exasperation at worst. “Lemme get your hair then.”

She kept her hands steady as Mira pulled her pants down, reaching over for a towel to start wrapping all her long pink hair up to keep it out of the water. Her own hair would be the more challenging of the two of them, but Mira's was still so long. Having her tracing up her abs to her waist was not making things any more productive.

“Okay, okay c'mon,” Rumi flinched under the light touch, trying not to laugh. “Get back up here.”

“Do I have to?”

“If you want to join me in being naked in the tub, yeah.”

“Tch, fine, good point I guess.”

“You guess?”

Mira jumped back up to standing and started gathering her braid up into a towel.

“I'm just kidding, tiger. This is meant to be relaxing.”

“Hmm.”

It was impossible to stay mad at her. Especially with the gentle care she put into handling all of Rumi's long hair. It almost distracted her from her own job of getting her the last bit undressed… almost.

Once her pants hit the floor they both moved to the tub. Mira held her hand to help her step in and sit, then followed suit with Rumi's help. Neither of them really needed it with their reflexes, but it felt better to do it. After they both settled back with the water to their shoulders they let out sighs in perfect harmony.

“This feels amazing,” Rumi groaned.

All the tension left over from the day started melting off. Showers just didn't cut it the same way a bath did. Mira hummed her agreement as she rested her head back on the rim of the tub.

“So good~”

“You're a genius.”

“Oh, I know~”

“I love you~”

That finally got her to pick her head back up, grinning and reaching over to pull Rumi closer. Enough to have her rest back against her chest.

“How much~?”

“Oh, so much,” Rumi settled right in.

“More than kimbap?”

“Pft, yeah.”

“More thaaaan seolleongtang?”

“Yes, Mira. You're not going to name a food that I love more than you,” she started laughing softly.

“... more than hotteok?”

Rumi let her laughter fade as she played at giving it more thought, just to tease.

“Rumi!” Mira balked.

“I'm teasing! Of course I love you more than hotteok!” Rumi broke into laughter. “I can't believe you'd think there was anything I love more than you and Zoey.”

“... even performing?”

That one sounded less like a joke. Rumi put her hand on the side of the tub to turn and look Mira in the eye. The lightness was still there, but there was a hint of worry hidden at the back of it all.

“... sorry, silly question,” Mira breathed in and turned to reach for a bottle of soju.

“It is a silly question,” Rumi stayed right where she was, eyes locked on Mira's face even in profile. “It's no contest… I'd choose you two every time.”

Of course asking such a dumb question earlier would make her worry. Why had Rumi ever put that thought in her head? Mira's nonchalance faded as she turned back to her.

If they couldn't do both, she'd rather have them.

It was terrifying considering their duty, everything they'd worked for, all the progress and what was at stake. But she couldn't see herself choosing differently if push really came to shove.

“Oh…”

The way Mira's eyes softened made it that much easier a choice. The soju bottle slipped through her fingers and Rumi darted her hand out of the water to grab it. Sitting up straighter to crack the cap open.

“Yeah, oh…” she murmured, offering the bottle to Mira. “If you asked me to, I'd--”

“We wouldn't,” Mira snatched the bottle and sat up into Rumi's space. Hand at her waist to keep from ruining her balance in the tub. “You know we wouldn't make you choose. I meant what I said before, I promise… We're in this together.”

But I would, Rumi thought. I would choose you.

“Together,” she grinned, reaching around Mira's shoulders to grab and open the other soju bottle. “Always.”

She held the bottle forward to invite Mira to toast, and a soft clink later they linked arms and took a drink. Rumi started to wonder if it was stronger than usual right after, because she could swear she was hearing music suddenly. But Mira's look of equal confusion meant it wasn't just in her head… It sounded like it was coming from just the other side of the door.

“Zoey,” they both said at once.

Breaking into giggles and taking another sip of their drinks before setting them aside to relax. It was the perfect way to end such a stressful day, and the most thoughtful way Mira could have chosen to salvage the evening.

I really am too lucky.

Rumi was already humming lightly the longer they let the heat soak in, bobbing her head as she played with new harmonies in her brain. When she adjusted herself up against the tub wall she noticed Mira trying to massage over her shoulder.

“Sore?” She dropped the tune to ask.

“Mm, yeah, just around here,” Mira sighed. “I think I was carrying too much tension at the end of the signing.”

“Here, lemme help.”

Rumi moved over and had her turn along the side of the tub so she could sit behind her. Tracing her hands along Mira's back under the water until she came up to her shoulders. There was still tension lingering in the space between her collar and shoulder blades.

“You don't have to…”

“Sure, but I'd like to,” Rumi smiled. “Relax.”

“... mkay.”

It quickly became relaxing for both of them. Rumi hummed again as she sought out every knot between Mira's muscles and bones. Working her thumbs or the heel of her palm against every bit of stress like it was a demon that owed her lunch money. And Mira slowly loosened up until she was leaning intuitively back into every move. Putty in Rumi's hands.

Very beautiful, very soft putty.

Once most of the work was done Rumi slowed, brushing her fingers along Mira's back and around her waist to pull herself closer.

“Hey now…” Mira warned, voice softer and lower from relaxing too hard.

“Hey what?” Rumi murmured.

She hooked her arm up the center of Mira's chest to pull her in. Kissing slowly against the back of her neck and the shoulders she'd just loosened up.

“If you keep that up we won't be relaxing much longer.”

“Promise~?”

“Rumi,” Mira turned back to her with a smirk. “How in the hell are you not exhausted?”

Was that not where their night had been going?

“... determination?” Rumi shrugged, sitting up taller so she could lean over Mira's shoulder and kiss the corner of her mouth. “You being so beautiful helps add some extra incentive.”

“Me?” Mira scoffed, but there was no real bite to it. She pried one of Rumi's hands off as she turned to face her, pointedly staring her down while kissing her way along her whole arm. “I'm not the one who literally glows pink.”

On queue Rumi's patterns came to life at every point Mira touched. She couldn't exactly help it… not when she was so elated by the way they loved her. But it didn't make them any less beautiful either.

“I said what I said,” she nodded. Closing the distance between their faces while softening her voice. “It's not a contest… but if it were you would win.”

“C'mon no--mM… mmm~”

That was enough protesting. Enough teasing and flirting and flattery. For now at least. Rumi braced her free hand to the edge of the tub and lunged over the last bit of space separating her from Mira's lips. Happy to have Mira melt into her immediately upon contact. Easily climbing up to settle over her lap to rest fully against her, arms folded behind her neck as she lazily kissed her over and over. The warmth of the room left them both dizzy that much faster when their own warmth added to it.

“If we don't relocate--” Rumi whispered between breaths. “--things might get dicey.”

She could see the tabloid headlines now: two thirds of Huntr/x found dead by drowning after presumably overheating in the bath… Maybe Zoey would at least position them flatteringly before having to call the police.

Better they just get out.

“Mm~” Mira agreed.

She put a hand on the edge of the tub while holding the other around Rumi's waist, pushing up to help them both to their feet without having to part as she dipped to kiss Rumi's neck. Leaving Rumi giggling as she steadied them and turned to step out of the tub onto the mat. The awkward dance at least didn't end with one or both of them slipping. Not with her hands firmly at Mira's hips so she could dip over and brush her lips along her collarbone.

If the soft hiss was any indication Rumi was on the right track. She kept the contact while watching over Mira's shoulder as her hand fumbled around trying to find them one of the towels she left on the sink. Pushed closer at Rumi's helpful direction, she just managed to grab it as Rumi smirked and latched onto the crook of her neck. Basking in the sudden yelp as she pinned her back to the counter while applying just the right pressure to leave a mark.

“Rumi!” Mira barked.

Her free hand flew up to yank the towel down from Rumi's head, letting her braid tumble down her back so she could grab it. And pull. But she wasn't getting Rumi off.

On the contrary! Rumi very much planned for the opposite.

A gentle test of her teeth to skin and she finally let up, grinning smug as she wrapped the towel around Mira from behind to hold her in as she scooped her up off her feet and barged out of the bathroom.

“Rumi! Rumi what's the rush?” Mira laughed.

She hugged Rumi's shoulders and lifted her legs to wrap around her waist as she was absconded with and brought straight to the bed.

“We've got all night~” she said softer, like she was trying to soothe some anxiety from Rumi's heart.

“Mhmm,” Rumi took Mira's hair down as she got a knee up on the mattress. “All night~”

Sounded like heaven.

Just as she tackled her back, leading with her lips and closing her eyes, she heard a crumpling noise. Both of them paused, and turned their heads to find a lovingly made up gift bag tipped over against the bed.

“Zoey~” they cooed in tandem.

“We said no gifts yet,” Rumi added.

She sat back and used the extra towel to dry off a little more as Mira sat up to unwrap it. Letting the air-con chase a little of the dizziness away meant she would be more lucid to continue. When Mira pulled out the last of the decorative paper to look inside she threw her head back and laughed.

“What?” Rumi was already laughing.

Doubling over when Mira held the bag over for her to look.

“Leave it to Zoey,” she caught her breath with a sigh.

“... we could~” Mira wiggled her eyebrows.

“... call her. I'm taking a turn though.”

Mira stretched across the bed to grab her phone, having to deal with Rumi stretching over her and kissing her chest while she dialed Zoey in the other room and put it on speaker. Her fingers settled through Rumi's hair as they waited for an answer.

“Hey!” Zoey answered happily. “You guys alright? Need anything? Snacks? Water?”

“Are you streaming right now?” Rumi asked.

She folded her arms over Mira's chest to get comfortable.

“No no, just playin and chillin.”

“Are you on mic?” Mira asked.

Her head was tipped back. It left her beautiful neck exposed. Too tempting for Rumi to resist kissing.

“... nooo? It's just me.”

“See, we really like our gift,” Rumi hummed innocently. “Even though we said we wouldn't--”

“But it just seems so complicated,” Mira put a hand over Rumi's mouth to stop her.

She opened her mouth wider to gently bite the side of her hand.

“Pft what?!” Zoey snorted. “It's just a--”

“Mhm mhm,” Rumi pulled Mira's hand away to hurry her words. “We're really at a loss here. But you know we learn it better with a hands-on education~”

“Riiiiight, like that song you showed us,” Mira chuckled. “I think we need a private session, if you get what I am sayin~”

The sing-song quality to both their voices had to have carried through the phone. They waited quietly, staring at each other while Zoey stayed dead silent.

“Zo--”

The line came to life with fumbling and a pronounced clatter. Both of them sat up just in time to hear a soft curse and then a door slamming open. Thundering footsteps from down the hall before Mira's door flew in. Zoey sprinted across the room and vaulted up to land perfectly with her knees on either side of Rumi's lap to grab and kiss her.

“You sure?” She asked, twisting around to pull Mira into a kiss next. “It's your night, I wouldn't want to--”

Rumi was already slipping her hands under her shirt to start lifting it off. Grinning when it got Zoey's attention.

“Yeah, it's our night, so you're required to spoil us.”

Mira nodded, “You're not gonna make us work on our special night, are you?”

Zoey looked between them, clumsily lifting her arms as Rumi finished pulling her shirt off. She shook her hair out with a snicker and deftly pulled it back with a tie on her wrist.

“Okay then,” a gleam passed her eye as she leaned over Rumi's shoulder to grab the gift bag. “Challenge accepted: one celebration for the happy couple, coming right up~”

r/Zoemiratruthersunited

u/[Zospresso] • 12 days ago

These Rumi simps seem to just keep coming.

Okay, it's totally bots, right? No matter how many of these weirdos I block they just won't give up. I'm only posting here and not in a general thread because I really want some real fans' opinions. Any idea how we can ban or block them out?

Trix4Fans • 10 days ago
I get the annoyance, but this isn't ship related

Zospresso • 10 days ago
It is though! They're muscling in on every forum!! Soon people won't want to discuss anymore!

MirrorTurtleLife • 10 days ago
I miss being able to speculate in peace

dyketator • 10 days ago
Same

Rumi#1Knight22 • 9 days ago
Don't blame Rumi fans, you guys are just delusional

dyketator • 9 days ago
Shit, here we go

Sirsexxedup • 9 days ago
Quick, just ban them! Before they get started

Rumi#1Knight22 • 9 days ago
[removed]

Rumi#1Knight42 • 8 days ago
Ban all you want, doesn't make you any less delusional. Thinking a goddess beyond mortal reach like Ryu Rumi would stoop to dating anyone. The last attempt to sell that bs was ridiculous

MirrorTurtleLife • 8 days ago
Wait, what? What ‘last attempt’, she's never been public about a relationship

Sirsexxedup • 8 days ago
Don't encourage them. Just block and move on

Rumi#1Knight42 • 8 days ago
I'm referring to the whole Saja Boy debacle. They weren't fooling anyone, I'll bet that was the label's bright idea

MirrorTurtleLife • 8 days ago
Pft, whatever. That was all fancams and conjecture. None of the girls confirmed or even acknowledged them as anything but their hoobaes!

Rumi#1Knight42 • 8 days ago
So you agree they've faked this sort of thing before. Interesting

MirrorTurtleLife • 8 days ago
I guess you read what you want. I clearly said the girls were not involved with pushing that narrative. It was all outside sources

JinuxRumiForever<3 • 7 days ago
No way! Rujinu was real! They had real chemistry, I was at the joint signing and they were whispering the whole time

Zospresso • 7 days ago
Okay that's literally nothing. Also did you just wander in here to troll or what? You're almost worse than the Rumi simps

JinuxRumiForever<3 • 7 days ago
Whatever. I wouldn't be surprised if they went public one day and we find out they were just being hush about it to respect Jinu's wishes to step back from the public eye

Rumi#1Knight42 • 7 days ago
Some two-bit nobody hired by the label to play a rival is less than dirt compared to Rumi!! There's no contest! They had to manufacture the whole lost voice storyline and build the rival ‘band’ from scratch to even come close!!

dyketator • 7 days ago
Oh-ho! Someone struck a nerve lol~

Rumi#1Knight42 • 7 days ago
[removed]

Zospresso • 6 days ago
Yeah. I'm closing this thread

[Thread closed]

“Bitch, get it together! Do it again! C'mon, you can do this bitch!”

They were back in the studio.

“I still can't get over the direction she just… gives herself?” Mira tilted her head and put her fist up to her mouth to bite back the snickering that was fighting to leave her chest.

“Mhm.”

Rumi was sitting at the control panel beside her, tapping at a stack of lyrics in her lap with a pen while chewing on the cap. They were working through Zoey's verse for the official full recording of What It Sounds Like…

“We should break soon, what do you feel like for lunch?”

“Mhm.”

Her teeth kept working at the plastic, crushing it slowly out of shape as she quickened the movement of the pen between her fingers and squinted with more focus at the lines.

“... y’know I'm really craving Greek for lunch,” Mira said slowly. “Think Bobby could get the jet prepped so we could fly over? It's only, what? Twenty hours tops?”

“Yeah, sure.”

Rumi reached over without looking to adjust the levels on Zoey's vocals, making them a little louder in her headphones to even out with the backing track.

“Also I think we should add a verse about how much we all love kimchi.”

“Mhm.”

“Would you still love me if I was a worm?”

“Yes… wait, what?”

Finally Rumi flinched to stop all her anxious fidgeting and looked up to find Mira leaned with her elbow propped on the control panel. One brow raised and an amused grin on her lips.

“You're gonna destroy that poor pen, baby,” she cooed. “What's wrong?”

Rumi glanced at the levels again, not wanting to ruin Zoey's take. Everything was balanced and correct. She sighed and took the mangled cap out of her mouth to toss in the little bin beneath the counter.

“Nothing…” she tried. Caving immediately when she saw Mira didn't believe her. “Okay, like one little thing--”

“You lurked the forums again didn't you?” Mira guessed.

It wasn't fair how good at guessing she was. Rumi grumbled and tried to bury her nose back in the lyric sheets.

“Maybe.”

Mira's fingers brushed over her temple to card through her hair.

“Jagiya, if it upsets you so much--” she murmured.

“Just because they keep saying they'll handle it and then not doing anything!” Rumi whined, slapping the papers onto the counter to pout.

Mira rolled her chair closer and leaned over the armrests to put their cheeks together. Rumi felt her grin when her patterns softly flickered, it made continuing to pout more difficult.

“We've heard worse before… Bobby said the label was looking into it and deciding how to address things. And they don't want us to get involved.”

“Easy for them to say,” Rumi muttered.

“Considering all the big changes we've dropped on them in the last year and a half I'm surprised they haven't had collective heart attacks,” Mira chuckled, turning to kiss her cheek. “And considering it bumps up against any sort of relationship rumors they're probably extra cautious about how to approach it.”

Rumi tipped her head back to groan at the ceiling.

“Yeah, I'm not happy with them about that either!”

Bobby had tentatively mentioned how the higher ups at the label had reacted to the three of them starting to date when it came up. The immediate all hands meeting with legal and marketing and HR and all the top brass about how to proceed, complete with extensive NDAs signed by all involved to really make sure their bases were covered. He said it looked like a war room at the time. There was discussion of reworking their contracts that legal had to swat down with prejudice.

In the end everything hit a stalemate and it was agreed to keep it hush-hush while they worked out how, if at all, to go about announcing such a thing.

And Rumi was starting to suspect that these same higher ups, with access to their schedules and knowing what they were up to at all times, might possibly have had something to do with a major event suddenly being planned on their first anniversary.

“Baby,” Mira pulled her closer to keep gently kissing over her face. “We're doing fine. If we can handle keeping the demon hunting under wraps while nailing all our performances we can handle waiting to work this out.”

“... you guys aren't a secret to be kept.”

Mira cupped her cheeks and turned her head so they were facing each other.

“You aren't either, Rumi. The moment we can brag about dating you it's so over. I will be insufferable--”

Rumi started giggling and trying to pry her hands off.

“--every interview I'm starting out the gate,” Mira sat back and smirked with an affect in her voice. “‘Oh, me? Yes Hong Mira, girlfriend of Ryu Rumi and Kwon Zoey. Yes, these two beautiful women right here’”

“Mira, stop!” Rumi laughed.

“‘Yeah, that's right! Off the market! These two are mine all mine, baby!’” Mira raised her voice and fought against Rumi's efforts to get free. Leaning over to press obnoxiously loud kisses to her face. “‘All for me! And nobody else gets any!’”

“Are you really quoting that cat in boots movie?! The villain of that movie?!”

“I'd be a villain for you~”

“Heeeeeey,” Zoey's voice whined through their headsets before she barged out the studio door. “Quit flirting without me!”

She looked so cute pouting while stomping over in her casual overalls with the one side unclipped. Mira grabbed the front pocket to pull her over when she got close enough.

“Mwa! You too then, come here~”

Soon enough the pout flipped to manic giggling.

“Okay okay! I yield!” She claimed, even as she also peppered them with kisses directly after doing so. “What got you both so goofy to start with? Were my verses that bad?”

“No, baby!” Rumi sat up at attention to hug her tight. “I was paying attention, you sounded wonderful.”

Zoey swiveled her head proudly and draped over Rumi's shoulder.

“What then?”

“Rumi was checking forums again,” Mira tattled.

“Oh, gomdori,” Zoey quickly cooed to her. Swapping roles to be the comforting presence on a dime. “You know how polarizing forums can be. Don't you even worry about them.”

“I know, I know…” Rumi buried her face into Zoey's shoulder. “I’m just frustrated about the whole thing.”

“I mean, fair. But for now we focus on work--and each other--and we can figure out the rest when it comes time to.”

“Exactly,” Mira nodded.

It still didn't feel right. She couldn't help agreeing with the fans who complained about her not saying anything, unswayed by others rightly theorizing it was because she wasn't allowed to. No matter how true it was, or how ‘safe’ the label thought it was, it still frustrated her to no end.

“How about lunch then?” Mira offered again. “Should we cook or order in?”

“Cook!” Zoey said decisively. “Bibimbap!”

“Well, that settles that. Sound okay, Rumi?”

“Mhm, right after I run a couple more.”

“Rums,” Mira warned.

“Only a couple more takes,” Rumi held up her hand to solemnly promise as she got up from her chair. “You can drag me out if I don't stop at five--”

“A couple means two,” Zoey pointed out.

“A few then,” Rumi grinned as she pried herself from them to head for the booth.

Mira grabbed her wrist to hold her up.

“Three, then we drag you off for lunch,” she said.

“Deal,” Rumi gave in, she wasn't going to haggle a better deal. And she was outnumbered anyway. “Oh, Zoey, I broke out the extra notebooks for you.”

“You did?”

She paused halfway through the door to point her towards the stack on the couch.

“Yeah, I heard you mumbling ideas so I figured you'd need them.”

“Yes! Thank you!” Zoey dove for them and slapped one open on the panel to start scribbling lyrics. Legs folded up in the chair Rumi had been using.

“Of course, baby~” she smiled. “Now! From the top!”

With the click of the booth door she dove right into her first of three allotted takes on her main verses for the song. It went about as well as the others, which was to say not quite what she was looking for. She was right back to fidgeting as she queued Mira to restart the backing track they'd cut already.

We'll have a backing choir for the second half, she tried to multitask her thoughts as she worked through how best to approach the first half that would fully focus the three of them. Even with the softer lead up to let their vocals shine she still couldn't quite feel her portion click. She ended up disliking her second try entirely.

Third time was the charm, right?

“Can you advance the backing track?” She sighed. “I wanna try the chorus this time.”

“Sure thing,” Mira hit the com switch to respond. “We can circle back to your earlier verse after lunch.”

“Mm.”

There was no pressure, no rush or scramble this time. They could take it at their own pace. Rumi listened to the beat as it dropped in for the chorus, taking a deep breath to lean into it.

We broke into a million pieces, and we can't go back
But now we're seeing all the beauty in the broken glass
The scars are part of me, darkness and harmony
My voice without the lies, this is what it sounds like

Mira and Zoey both were giving her thumbs up from the other side of the glass, Zoey bobbing to the beat and pointing to different adjustments she thought Mira could make. It was so… freeing to make music with them.

Why did we cover up the colors stuck inside our heads?
Get up and let the jagged edges meet the light instead
Show me what's underneath, I'll find your harmony
Fearless and undefined, this is what it sounds like

Rumi closed her eyes as a lift swelled up in her chest just thinking back to that night. The terror of what they were up against, but the joy of being seen--really seen--for the first time. Accepting herself and giving it to them.

And she started belting a familiar refrain without stopping to think about it.

So take my hand, it's opee~een
We can't erase what's brokee~ee~EEN
But the pain and the shame
Was what kept us in chains
Let the weight fall away
Maybe we can finally be
Free~eee

“Whoa, where'd that come from?” Zoey gushed through the intercom.

Rumi's voice clipped to a stop as the flash of purple flames slammed up against the back of her eyes. Leaving her arms shaking like she was fighting to hold them back all over again, instead lifting them to cover her mouth and noticing her patterns strobing a more sharp red.

“Rumi? Hey!” Mira ran from the control panel to barge into the booth. “Hey hey hey. Rumi… Rumi?”

Approaching her slowly with Zoey close behind. Both of them reached out as her eyes darted between them.

“I'm--” she tried, trying to take a deeper breath than her lungs would allow.

All of her muscles seized then released at once, leaving her knees weaker as she backed up to the wall. Feeling the sound proof panels rough against her back. Catching at her wide collared tshirt. The headphones clattered from her head to hit the ground in the shuffle while Mira's hand came under her elbow to help her sit slowly. Then hovered beside her as Zoey moved to crouch in front of her.

“It's alright, Ruru,” she soothed with patient care while folding her hands in her lap. “You're alright… take your time. Want me to help count with you?”

Just being reminded helped her brain settle on a rhythm to follow. Four count in, four count out. She watched Zoey default to offering a visual demonstration regardless and let her hands drop away from her mouth and reach over to grab the sleeve of Mira's sweater. Fretting the soft fabric between her fingers. She could still hear the backing track loop faintly through the headphones.

Finally breathing evenly as she tipped over to rest her head on Mira's shoulder. Her patterns settled back to their usual iridescence to more closely match her skin.

“Tha-thank you. I'm alright now…”

Zoey turned to sit on her other side and brushed her hair behind her ear. They both waited with her. Watching and not pushing for an explanation.

“I'm… I'm not sure wha…” she swallowed, putting the last few minutes into context for herself and nodding. “The song, I… I sang it with Jinu. The night before the Idol Awards… I-it just, it came to mind and--and I felt the fire again.”

She felt the both of them look over her head and tense before leaning closer. Zoey hugged her arm to her chest and Mira reached around her shoulders while leaving her other arm near enough for her to keep fretting with.

“S-sorry, I…” Rumi sighed. “It just caught me off guard, is all…”

“Well yeah,” Zoey murmured, pressing her cheek to her shoulder. “That attack had both of us scared too.”

“We thought we were going to lose you,” Mira added. “I'm willing to give the pretty boy one single thing… he kept that from happening.”

Rumi forewent her sleeve to just scoop up her hand to squeeze. Fretting her lip between her teeth instead, face drawn down in a grimace as she bit back defenses she wasn't sure she could fully mean for Jinu.

It was complicated.

They noticed. Of course they would. Holding her closer, so wonderfully supportive.

“Did you love him?” Mira asked slowly.

“Do you still love him?” Zoey rephrased.

There was no insecurity in their tone she could notice. She wasn't sure what to make of it. Still supportive? Curious? Evaluating?

Not… bad. Nothing bad. It wasn't a question to doubt… just to understand. She hadn't talked all that much about what happened between her and Jinu leading up to the Idol Awards.

“... I might have,” she felt the questions out with careful consideration. “At one point. It was just--it was complicated. He knew, he understood. Or said he did… and, at the time, that meant a lot.”

She swallowed and rushed the words to keep going, her shoulders drawing up tight to her neck in the process.

“We never said anything about it, never put a label on it… and what he did hurt so so badly. But I still wanted to help him…” she remembered the last glimpse of his eyes before he faded away. Remorseful and thankful at the same time. So painfully human. “If I did love him, I don't anymore… I love you two. And, thinking about it, it feels like I always have.”

They reacted slowly once she'd finished. Waiting for her to get through the feelings as they occurred to her. Both easing her shoulders out of their anxious tension before softly kissing her cheek on either side.

“It sounds like a beautiful song, Rumi,” Zoey grinned.

“What you do with it can be up to you,” Mira nuzzled into the crook of her neck.

All of the anxiousness vacated her body. She settled in between them and felt a grateful sob choke up at the back of her throat.

“... thank you.”

They'd gotten so good at knowing how to love her. And she supposed being more open with herself would make that more possible… She wished she could do the same for them.

r/Polytrixtruthersunited

u/[FitCheck4MyPolyEra] • 27 days ago

Possible new sighting…

[Thread deleted]

Rumi#1Knight58 • 27 days ago
[removed]

r/Rumiratruthersunited

u/[Queens_of_Hearts] • 18 days ago

So quiet lately…

[Thread deleted]

Rumi#1Knight71 • 18 days ago
[removed]

r/HuntrixGeneral

u/[TrixKix] • 12 days ago

How much longer can the community last like this?

[Thread deleted]

Rumi#1Knight95 • 12 days ago
[removed]

r/SunlightSistersGeneral

u/[DivinFyre] • 4 days ago

Last Call…

Okay, this is basically our last chance at somewhere quiet. I’m not expecting it to last if every other board is any indication. Remember to be discrete so we don’t draw them in with search terms.

Do we have ANY indication the big L is doing anything about the you-know-what’s? Like literally anything? Any inkling from ANY of the girls? They can’t possibly keep ignoring this mess.

Show_This_Miss • 4 days ago
Pft, they can and they will. You heard about the thing next month right?

ZoomRoom46 • 4 days ago
Yeah, I heard

KickinGeeFree • 4 days ago
Man, I was so hoping it was a mistake

CrimeofFashion • 4 days ago
Nope. Big L dropped the official announcement a couple days ago. Solo R talk show appearance and signing… No Z or M

DivinFyre • 3 days ago
Because Z is slated to present for an award show, plus she’s a nominee; and M has a runway gig the same night

CrimeofFashion • 3 days ago
Still… they’re splitting them up now?

FitCheck4MyPolyEra • 3 days ago
Not too crazy honestly. M has done solo shoots and shows before, and Z does streaming without them as well as some songwriting for other groups when her songs wouldn’t fit the group vibes. Puts her up for more songwriting awards during the season

CrimeofFashion • 3 days ago
But even then, the other two usually attend to support. Z and R are always spotted at M’s shows and same with R and M for Z’s awards

KickinGeeFree • 3 days ago
This is just kinda… sad

DivinFyre • 3 days ago
They’re allowed to be their own people y’know

KickinGeeFree • 3 days ago
I know I know just… it hits a little different with the current environment

LightForeverBright • 3 days ago
Not to be an ass, but can you guys go mope in a different thread?

UnnieSunlight • 3 days ago
Chill, their usual threads are a mess rn. Celine would want us to support them

LightForeverBright • 3 days ago
Good point, sorry. Goddess Celine forgive me

UnnieSunlight • 3 days ago
I hope things get worked out for you all soon

DivinFyre • 3 days ago
Thank you for your kindness and understanding

Rumi#1Knight682 • 3 days ago
It’s a new low when you need to run and hide in the thread for a completely different group lol

KickinGeeFree • 3 days ago
Shit

Rumi#1Knight682 • 3 days ago
[removed]

LightForeverBright • 3 days ago
Wow, rumors were true. These guys really are relentless

Show_This_Miss • 3 days ago
Yeah you have no idea

Rumi#1Knight751 • 3 days ago
[removed]

Rumi#1Knight906 • 2 days ago
Face it, we’re just right. And Rumi is doing solo appearances because she knows it

Rumi#1Knight906 • 1 day ago
[removed]

DivinFyre • 27 min. ago
Thank you for everything Sunlight fans

Show_This_Miss • 26 min. ago
I’m starting to hate Rumi just by association

[Thread closed]

“I'm so sorry again, Rumi,” Bobby sighed.

He was pacing her greenroom while she meticulously did her makeup at the counter and mirror. Practicing schooling her expression at the same time.

“It's not your fault, Bobby,” she mumbled as she carefully did her eyeliner.

It was the label's fault.

It was the label doing nothing about her ‘fans’ terrorizing the online communities. It was the label deciding the best way to apparently deal with them was to divide and concur? Or maybe that was to keep the relationship rumors down… maybe all of it came back to that.

If we're too busy on our anniversary, we can't do anything public. There's no risk of us being spotted, there's no trail to build over the years of us being spotted doing something on the same date again and again. Speculation stops before it can start… she felt a rush of fury draw tension through her shoulders and up behind her eyes and dropped the liner back into her makeup bag with a huff. I hate this.

“I'm talking with the signing organizers about keeping everything tight,” Bobby said, using his most firm manager persona. He grumbled at his phone and put a frustrated hand through his hair. “They saved Mira walking for last… of course, she's a huge draw. Same with Zoey, she's presenting earlier in the night but her category is late… But I can arrange for a late dinner to be delivered to the penthouse for you all. Whatever you want, I'll make it happen!”

Rumi took a deep breath. Trying not to think about how she hadn't even gotten to see them in their outfits because the label had her arriving at the tv studio far sooner than she would ever need to… for ‘sound checks’.

“Thank you, Bobby,” she turned to grin at him. “I'll think about it and let you know before the signing starts.”

Her phone buzzed and she swiped it up to check. Two photos hit their group chat.

First, Mira in her runway outfit, posed like a pro backstage. Probably taken by one of the other models. The dress looked like an altered soft brown trench coat, collar flared open to accentuate Mira's neckline, cinched at the waist by a black banded belt with four double breasted buttons into a smartly tailored skirt. Tied together by open-toed black leather heels. Her bright pink hair was already put up with her usual short fringe down to either side of her face.

Gorgeous, as always.

Then Zoey, wearing a skin tight dress for the award show. Asymmetrical off one shoulder, scooped out on the opposite hip with the skirt layered and chic. All shades of black. Holding her hand in a half heart to her cheek with a big smile.

Equally gorgeous. As always.

It wasn't in person, but it was enough. It was all Rumi needed to smile and bear her way through her evening before she could be holding them.

“Hey, Bobby,” she waved. “Can you--?”

“Picture? Say no more!”

She swiped her camera up and flipped her braid over the front of her shoulder to give her best pose for them. Her outfit wasn't as formal: short shorts, crop top, thick boots, all her favorite jewelry… and one of Zoey's oversized jackets. Just her usual style for this appearance, but she was sure to give them plenty of attitude for the picture. Bobby snapped ten in seconds and handed her phone back so she could pick her favorite to send.

They instantly hit her with reactions and emojis that said they more than approved.

Rumi
You both look amazing. Try not to knock ‘em too dead.

Zoey
You too, Ruru! No promises >83c

Mira
None at all. Can't wait to see you when we get home.

“Five minutes, Rumi-nim.”

The stage assistant's voice came through the dressing room door after a couple soft knocks. Rumi huffed the last of her frustration out to let herself be ‘on’ and ready to show out for the fans.

For the fans.

It had to be worth the trouble of their anniversary being postponed. Again.

“Alright,” Bobby had the same air of determination. “The audience has been pre-screened for a brief Q and A portion after the interview. There's also a delay in the broadcast so if anything slips through they're ready to cut it.”

“Right, I know,” Rumi nodded. “Don't engage. They made that painfully clear…”

“Exactly. Shouldn't happen, but just keep polite and profess as usual… and let security handle it if it gets out of hand.”

Her fingers twitched just at the thought of how out of hand it would have to be for security to have to step in, but by the time they were leaving the dressing room she'd flexed her fingers and shaken it away. Mira and Zoey were playing the game, she could too.

For the fans. And for them.

She could do both.

“We cannot thank you enough for joining us tonight, Rumi-ssi,” the host--Seong-won--was as upbeat and personable as one could expect from someone in his profession.

It worked wonders for keeping guests like Rumi at ease. She sat posture perfect in the chair beside him, cheated to make facing both him and the audience pleasant while clearly visible. All of her training put to use to keep her just as personable and inoffensive.

“Happy to be here! Thank you for having me,” she smiled with a slight tilt of her head.

“Huntr/x has been ramping up lately, but it's been noted you three have been taking your time a bit more,” Seong-won tapped his cards on the arm of his seat. “Do you feel the new pace has added to the quality of your work?”

“Oh, I'd like to think so,” Rumi nodded. “We always want to give our hunters 120%, no matter our timing. Even with a little more downtime we're putting that much more into every show or recording.”

“It shows! The cams from your last concert looked like a smash, I imagine even better live.”

The audience went wild cheering in agreement, and Rumi turned to blow them a grateful kiss. Capped with a wink and finger hearts.

She did notice a couple fans muttering to each other and rolling their eyes at the ones giving more energy, but pretended not to.

“Thank you.”

“Before we start taking audience questions, we'd like to confirm,” he led in just as Rumi had been briefed he would. Building hype with a hint of secrecy to his demeanor. “You're wrapping soon on the official studio recording of the mysterious single you all shadow dropped during the Namsan Tower event last year~”

The audience gasped.

“That’s right,” Rumi cringed internally, not having Mira and Zoey here to announce it with her. She clenched her fingers where nobody would see. “What It Sounds Like should be dropping next week.”

Grin and bear it. Grin and bear it.

Seong-won turned to the camera and held his hands out.

“Keep an eye out on all the official Huntr/x socials for the release! And with that we'll begin the Q and A.”

Okay. Q and A, signing, then I'm on my way home, Rumi stood and brushed her clothes down as mics were set up at the front of the steps dividing the audience into three sections of seating. She folded her hands in front of herself to wait as members of the audience rushed to form a queue on either side of the middle section.

Maybe we should go with something simple and warm for dinner. Tteokbokki and soondae… mm, but Zoey loves shrimp so maybe jjamppong instead?

“First question, please go ahead.”

Rumi's attention snapped to the first fan, a younger girl brimming with excitement.

“Rumi-nim, I'm going to be at the signing after, but I was wondering,” she did her best to steady her voice. “The new song, where did the inspiration for it come from?”

A faint scoff sounded off from the other line, drawing a quick glance from Rumi before she ignored it and gestured excitedly.

“Great question,” she gushed. “It's very much a song inspired by all three of us. A lot like Golden really… but focusing on the opposite side of the coin. Vulnerability to balance the confidence. Everyone has something they struggle with in their life, and we wanted to highlight embracing those imperfections rather than trying to hide them away or ignore them… It stands to make the world and everyone in it more interesting.”

“Thank you, Rumi-nim!” The girl waved and bowed before stepping aside.

“Thank you for the topical question,” Seong-won clapped. “I'm sure we were all curious about the origins of such a song--”

Again Rumi heard another dismissive noise, with some shushing to follow this time, but couldn't pinpoint the source before the conversation was moving on.

“Next question please.”

“Rumi-nim, was the choice to change your schedule made before or during your last hiatus?” An older woman asked from the other line. “It seemed the change happened just after, did the break energize you?”

Rumi finally locked on to the source of the attitude this time. It was the young man at the very end of this woman's line… completely decked out in her merch. Which could have meant nothing. Plenty of people in the audience were wearing all of their merch, and general Huntr/x merch too.

“I'd say around that time, maybe just before,” Rumi took a subtle deep breath and remembered what Bobby said the label wanted. “We all agreed to try the new schedule, test how it would affect our performances and creative process.”

The guy was muttering to himself… Something about Mira and Zoey needing the crutch to meet Rumi's expectations. Not close enough for the mic to pick up, but she could just barely hear him. She bit the inside of her cheek and waved as the woman stepped away after having her question answered.

Focus. Think of something else. Anything else, Rumi could see security in the wings, ready to leap into action. It would be handled. She focused on her job as they worked through both lines, continuing the pattern of kind fans asking her questions and getting silently heckled as she gladly answered each and every one with sincerity.

Hotteok! We should definitely have hotteok for dessert. I wonder if I still remember how to make it or if we should--

“Eeeee Rumi!” The next fan back on the other side of the aisle bounced on the toes of her sneakers as she approached the mic. She was the last in that line. “I just wanted to tell you how beautiful the new song was! I'm sure the official version will blow everyone away! It was so amazing to get to hear you in a lower register while Zoey and Mira got to shine in a higher--”

“Pft, please…”

The girl flinched out of her excitement as all eyes went to the ‘fan’ standing with pompous confidence at the other mic. He pushed up his glasses and folded his arms.

“Shine is a bit of a stretch. There's a good reason Rumi usually dominates the higher register on every track. Clearly.”

“Now now, we'll ask everyone to wait their turn,” Seong-won spoke quickly to try and defuse the situation.

But the rest of the audience was already starting to talk amongst themselves. Rumi kept the smile, only raising a confused eyebrow as she watched security closing in.

A subtle pulse of pink rippled through the Honmoon. And Rumi tensed as she realized she couldn't leave to deal with it right now.

“The harmonies were beautiful at the live performance,” the young girl had found her voice again to keep making a case for herself. Rumi was proud of her for it. “You can't deny they rose to the occasion--”

“Oh can't I?” The bespectacled fanboy waved her off. “Rumi carried those harmonies like she always does. I'll bet they needed help from the sound mixers just to hit some of those notes.”

“Okay, that's enough of that,” Seong-won chuckled nervously.

He was giving the signal for the mic to be cut as two security guards came up on the fanboy from either side.

“Hold on…”

Until two words from Rumi stopped everyone. She turned to the young girl at the mic first.

“Thank you so much for all your compliments, I agree Mira and Zoey deserved every opportunity to shine on that song,” she tipped her head to the side with an innocent smile. “I'll keep an eye out for you at the signing after this, okay?”

“Y-yes! I'll be there,” the girl grinned and bowed.

That left Rumi to put her full attention on the young man still at the other mic. Still smug and ready to take his turn…

The buzzing beneath her skin kept expertly hidden as she took a step forward from her mark and swung her hands to fold behind her back. It tipped her posture forward a bit in a way her media training instructor would scold her for, but the average person probably wouldn't notice. Too subliminally aggressive, she remembered them explaining.

Too bad.

“Huntr/x tries to hear all of our fans… I feel like I've been hearing similar sentiments going around lately,” she smiled.

It was tight in a way only two people would've caught… unfortunately for everyone else involved, those two people had been sent to opposite ends of the city tonight.

Another pulse of pink through the Honmoon and Rumi flexed the muscles in her arms as she kept her composure. Facing down one problem first before she could be allowed to handle another. Security gave her odd looks as she nodded them off and settled her shoulders.

“Thank you, Rumi-nim~”

The vindication in the young man's tone needled her, and her ability to hide that alone should've warranted a daytime Emmy.

“It's just plain as day your raw talent and hard work set you a cut above the rest. It pains your true fans to hear people compare you to anyone when you're the real diamond in the group,” he went off. Churning up angry chatter from the audience but paying them no mind. “Nobody is good enough to stand beside you, we just want to make it known so you receive the respect you rightfully deserve!”

Rumi kept smiling and nodding along.

“Is that so?”

“Yes, of course! It's obvious! That's why you're the leader. You're the only one in the group who could handle the position.”

Another pulse in the Honmoon. Had Rumi not been put through PR and media training since she was basically six years old someone might have noticed the stress building through her.

“Right. Obviously,” she chuckled. “You're such a dedicated fan, I bet you've seen all my interviews, hm?”

“Yes, of course!”

“Of course. You probably know all of my favorite things, memorized all my Q and As so you know them by heart…” she hummed with what could be mistaken for fondness.

The Honmoon pulsed. The audience kept muttering.

The fanboy nodded excitedly to be ‘recognized’.

“I bet you know every bit of trivia there is to know about me.”

“Yes--”

“Including my vocal range, awards, other accolades--”

“Uh, Rumi-ssi,” Seong-won chuckled uncomfortably with a hand up to his earpiece. “I'm being told we need to--”

Rumi kept right on talking.

“I bet if I asked you about any past interview you could probably quote my answers too~”

“Absolutely, Rumi-nim!” The fanboy gushed.

Rumi noticed Bobby trying to wave to her from the wings. She apologized in the back of her mind as she ignored him to focus on this first.

On the steady pulse in the Honmoon. On her own composure. On this conversation and what she was building it to.

“And given all that, you think I'm the most talented of us?”

He scoffed, “There's no question.”

The audience rabble was getting steadily louder.

“I dance the best?”

“Yes, mhm~”

“I get the best verses on our songs?”

“100%”

“Neither of my bandmates could possibly measure up to me?” She tilted her head and added an affect to her tone like she was being humble and confused.

The rest of the audience was clearly getting pissed. But the fanboy just agreed.

“Not even close.”

“Rumi-ssi, I think we should--”

“Would you like to take a guess who taught me those dance moves?”

The switch had flipped, even with her innocent smile still plastered in place. It caught the fanboy off guard and left him blinking as the audience quieted. Rumi had to fight not to let her smile slip to a smirk.

“Hm? Who it was who ran through countless rehearsals with me to make sure I could hit every mark?” She asked further. “Or maybe guess who wrote the majority of those verses I sing?”

The label can choke on it.

They had their chance. They had months of chances. Now she was being subjected to their uncleaned mess on her anniversary? As Zoey would say: absolutely the fuck not.

“I… uh,” was all the rebuttal she got.

“You know me so well,” she didn't let up. “You must know then, who the two most important people in the world to me are?”

“I-I just--”

The crowd was dead silent, enough so she could hear the frantic voice in Seong-won's earpiece demanding he end the show now.

“Well, that's--” he tried.

Rumi continued to not allow it, “Surely you must know. Anyone claiming to be a fan of mine would, right? And how am I supposed to feel about such fans knowingly speaking so harshly about those two people, do you think?”

“B-but I--we as your fans simply want what's best for you--”

“You don't trust me to know what's best for myself?” Rumi didn't give him a second to catch up.

Didn't drop the act.

“We really should be cutting things off, the signing will be--” Seong-won cleared his throat.

“Uh w-we--”

“Personally, I think my fellow group members’ capabilities speak for themselves, but let me just make my thoughts on this subject as clear as possible.”

The mask slipped just enough for her to land a glance so sharp the fanboy staggered back and tripped over the step behind his heel.

“Without Mira and Zoey, there is no Huntr/x. Without Huntr/x, I would not be performing… Consider that carefully next time any fans feel the need to try and advocate for what's ‘best’ for me,” immediately flipping back to personable with a grin and a shift in posture. “But that's just my thoughts. I'm sorry for taking up so much time, Seong-won-ssi.”

“Oh uh, not at all,” Seong-won jumped at the chance to wrap things up. “L-let's hear it for our esteemed guest, th-the signing will begin shortly. Thank you for joining us.”

Rumi bowed low to the camera and waited to hear the all clear before waving to the audience with both hands and turning smartly to speed walk backstage.

“Rumi--”

Bobby met up with her and followed in step as she started rushing.

“I know, I know. I'll deal with the label later,” she fiddled with her mic to remove it and hand it off to him. “There's an emergency. I'll try to hurry, please stall for me.”

He got the message and snapped a salute.

“You got it… Be safe.”

She'd taken too long.

The discordance thumping through the Honmoon hammered at her bones as she sprinted through the dark city streets towards the weak spot. It was the perfect atmosphere for weakness to let the demons through. Whether it be the chaos within the fandom or her own messy feelings, it all meant even a fraction of what they'd dealt with during the Saja Boy incident.

And she should have known what that would do. She should have insisted on doing something sooner.

Whatever comes of this is on you.

“But god that was worth it,” she huffed as she came to the edge of a railed off walking path and vaulted over.

Below the retaining wall she could see the tear in the Honmoon and the demons already skulking off to cause trouble. They wouldn't be getting far. Her saingeom spun itself from the threads of Honmoon energy as she descended on them from above.

Her landing took out one of the big ones before her first swing rendered two more to glittering disintegration. It got the attention of all the others on the scene as she stood back to full height and readied her sword to continue.

“You came at a bad time,” she growled. “The worst time, really.”

Considering the number of demons they must have gotten bold, seeing just her without Mira and Zoey. Even with the confidence and determination radiating off of her, toothy grins were spreading across their faces as they hunched their shoulders and readied their claws. Three lunged for her at once and the dance began.

Effortlessly she tilted her weight to roll her shoulders over those of the first one to close the gap, landing on their other side and ducking another. Swing up, over and down. Two poofs of dust. The third stuttered to adjust and had her sword through their chest.

“Hmm mmm, how it's done done done~” she hummed casually as her feet shifted to familiar choreo.

Light and ever in motion, basically floating around the concrete path as the demons kept coming. Swipe swipe swipe. No matter how many she cut, more kept coming.

The tear must be deep this time.

Next time she would handle things so it wouldn't get so bad. It wasn't fully the label's fault when they didn't know the full stakes, but clearly what they tried hadn't worked.

“Mm mm we run the town, whole world playin our sound~”

She leaned back and narrowly missed a clawed strike across the face. Grabbing the demon's arm in a smooth motion to throw them over her shoulder to the ground. Stepping back to find herself slammed in the hip and carried across the path into a tree.

“Agh!”

She threw her arms back to grab the trunk and kick out with her legs to throw the demon off, dropping back to her feet and launching her saingeom in an overhand throw right through it. More were closing in, she didn't have the luxury of a break. Breathing in past the tight ache in her waist and calling her sword back to her hand.

“Turnin up means throwin down~” she grit the lyrics past her teeth. “Huntr/x show this--”

“How it's done done done~!”

Greeted by the other two thirds of the usual harmonies. And a rain of shin-kal to clear a few of the demons out before Mira dropped down into a wide spin with her gok-do to get her more breathing room.

When she finished the swirl and came back up to her full height she kicked the heel of her foot back to send the gok-do into a lever spin around her hand then up to bring the blade through the next demon that pounced at her. All stern focus with her hair still up and her runway makeup intact. Though she was back in casual clothes rather than the dress she'd sent pictures of.

“Alright, Rumi?” Zoey asked.

She put an arm around the back of Rumi's waist, gentle of the blow she'd just taken while tossing out shin-kal with her head on a swivel. Fully still in her award show outfit having apparently not had the time to change.

“Yeah, I'm good,” Rumi brought her sword back around with a steadying huff. “Let's kill these guys.”

As she leapt back into the fray to begin striking out with her sword in tandem with Mira, Rumi was quick to notice both of them were off. It stood to reason they both rushed over like she had. Showing up after her meant they also had to get through professional obligations beforehand.

Zoey was hanging back to cover them from outside combat, limited in her movement because of her outfit. Rumi wondered if she'd even been able to get through her part of the award show before making her way to them, never mind changing into something battle appropriate.

Mira had more freedom of movement, so they could easily cover each other's blind spots… but a sudden curse hissed through her teeth as her form suddenly and drastically changed.

“Mira?” She whipped her head around to check on her.

“I'm fine,” she grunted.

A quick spin with her gok-do and she still took out another cluster of demons. Even if she had to squint.

No glasses, something wrong with her contacts?

She pushed ahead to cut through as much of the still coming wave as possible trying to reach her. Only for a sudden yelp to draw her back to the treeline to find Zoey doing her best to avoid the new influx of demons now closing in.

“Zo--”

Rumi turned fully to change course and heard a solid thwack before Mira slammed up against her back. Would have dropped to the ground if she hadn't thrown back her arm to grab her by the waist. Her eyes darted across the scene for a new plan. Keeping her sword moving to cover them but beginning to panic seeing Zoey getting overwhelmed. Her shoulder rolled as she pulled back and sent her sword spinning through a swathe of the demons closing in on her.

“Hold on, hold on,” she rushed to pat down her jacket pockets. “Ah! Here here here!”

She got Mira standing on her own and pulled one of her hands around to slap a glasses case into it. Holding firmly with both hands as she spun a roundhouse kick into the demon trying to leap at them.

“Thanks, Ru--”

Rumi was already moving again. Covering Mira with more hand to hand before sprinting towards the treeline. She ran her fingers through the Honmoon to pull her sword back out mid-swing to take out another demon at the neck.

You won't…

Her eyes were locked open, in constant motion to not miss a thing. Spinning to a stop standing over Zoey and lashing out at the demons before they could adjust.

They got so brave when they had numbers, but the moment it was more than one hunter they were dealing with they tried to slink off. Rumi felt the tension climbing the back of her neck as she grit her teeth and hounded them down before they could get away. Acutely aware of the whistle of Zoey's shin-kal flying in from behind her to assist.

To make sure not one would get away.

She would hunt them down first.

The bands of her muscles tightened up her back as she bounded into a vault over the demons to cut through them. Twirling into a full flip to skid over the concrete in a three point landing. Then rocking into another sprint low over the ground toward the next target. Hum at her throat and mouth set in a firm line as her movements got snappier, sharper. Her attention shifted, her sneakers kicking her trajectory towards Mira.

“Heads up!”

To plant a hand on her shoulder and flip over her. Bringing a solid axe kick down into the face of the bulky demon coming up behind her. The force was harder than she'd intended with a crunch that echoed off the trees. But she didn't stop to find out why. Launching off it and hanging briefly in the air before swinging her sword out to kick her momentum into a living buzzsaw as she came back down.

“... uh, Rumi?” Mira hesitantly asked.

There wasn't time for questions. There were still more demons. Why were there so many tonight?

“How's the tear?” She panted, reeling back to punch another scrawny demon in the jaw.

Another crunch as pointy teeth scattered to the wind. Her blade scraped the ground as she kicked it up to bisect them before launching it directly at another huge demon about to bear down on Zoey.

“It's--” Zoey worked her way closer to the offending break in the Honmoon. “Getting smaller!”

Rumi steadied her breathing and set her shoulders as she squared up to start lashing out at the demons beginning to turn their focus on her. Frustrated this was taking so long. Frustrated by the timing.

Frustrated it might be even partially her fault.

Her next kick definitely broke something in the chest of the demon it hit. It gagged a moment before fading into the usual burst of fizzling light. The tightness in her shoulders snapped down her arms, leaving her hunched and her jaw clenched.

You won't get your way…

Something about her jaw felt off, but she was too busy shifting her feet and lashing out at the demons to pay it any mind. Punches and palm strikes to stun them so Mira could cut right through. But each time she caught her eye there was an oddness to her expression.

“Rumi--”

What had her so distracted? It wasn't like her. Good thing Rumi was watching her back.

It let her move quick enough to sink her claws into the shoulder of the demon that got too close behind her…

Ah…

Rumi's face fell as she realized that must be the distraction. She must be. Before she could do anything to change it though she saw Zoey get taken to the ground.

Back in motion.

“Don't--!”

Slamming the demon she held into the ground she lunged forward, vanishing in a twist of smoke to reappear right beside the demon pinning Zoey down. Her leg was already thrown back so she could swing it into a kick so hard it lifted her other foot off the ground when it made contact with the demon's mid-section. Launching it into the nearest tree.

“Touch! Them!”

Her voice boomed through the Honmoon. It scared her a moment, but didn't give off the same red pulse as before. Instead the multicolored strands surged up from around her, bucking the demons up off the ground while swirling around Mira and Zoey with the comfort and excitement of old friends reuniting. Energizing all three of them like it had the night of the Idol Awards.

Zoey had a battalion of shin-kal floating in the air as she kipped back to her feet and launched them with a commanding wave of both her hands. Taking out easily half of the demons before they could even come back down.

Rumi harmonized with them both into the final notes of What it Sounds Like and watched the tear finally mend itself. Everything capped off with finality as Mira threw the weight of her gok-do into a spin that pulled her six feet into the air before bringing the blunt end firmly to the ground. Sending a shockwave of energy rippling over the area to blast the last of their foes to dust.

And leaving them finally with some space and quiet.

“Are you both alright?” Rumi asked, first and foremost. She shrugged her jacket--Zoey's actually--off her shoulders and pulled it around Zoey. “That was a messy one. I'm sorry I let it get that far.”

“Rumi--”

Zoey was quick to grasp around her hands but she just kept talking.

“Next year, I promise, the label won't get in the way. I'll pay better attention and make sure things don't get this bad. We can--”

She tried to walk off, to keep moving back to her next obligation. Back to the signing, then home. Finish the signing, then she could be with them…

But Zoey still had her, and wasn't letting her go.

“Rumi,” she said again, grip on her wrists gentle but firm. “Look at me.”

Wait, wasn't she? She'd been watching them the whole fight. They hadn't not had her attention since they arrived. And they'd been at the front of her thoughts all night. But as she tried to blink her eyes into focus, to settle on Zoey's beautiful--worried, but trying to hide it--face, she found her vision stuttering. Her eyebrows knit together and her knee gave out to make her stagger as she tried to reposition herself. Thankfully strong arms came wrapping around her waist from behind as Zoey caught under her elbow.

Mira.

“Slow down, jagiya,” she murmured as she braced Rumi back against her chest. “Just for a second okay?”

She nuzzled into Rumi's shoulder. Zoey cupped either side of her face and took a deep breath for her to copy. The buzzing that had been building and vibrating her brain since things started breaking bad at the interview finally started to fade.

They were used to being frenetic. To having their days packed with events and appointments and performances… but they were doing things differently now. They'd all agreed, and she'd so wanted that change for them after causing so much trouble with the Golden release…

She'd just forgotten she was included in that change.

But they were good at reminding her.

“... you guys look amazing,” she sighed, crooked smile spreading over her face. “Seriously a sight for sore eyes…”

She dropped her head into Zoey's hands and pulled her in so she could hug her. Dig and grasp at the back of her jacket to cling to her while leaning them back into Mira. Night made. She had everything she wanted, and ahead of schedule.

“Happy anniversary… What do you want for dinner?” she chuckled. “Bobby said he'd--”

Zoey kissed her lips, and Mira kissed her neck. And Rumi melted. A bit counterintuitive to getting her steady on her feet again, but she wouldn't complain.

“Mwa!” Zoey broke away laughing, nuzzling into Rumi's cheek. “Jjamppong for dinner! And Mandu!”

“What?! No way, gotta be tteokbokki and soondae!” Mira argued.

“C'mon you always get to pick,” Zoey whined. “Rumi, you have to be the tie-breaker.”

“Hm?” She was barely paying attention.

“Yea, Ru,” Mira hummed into her ear. “Help us decide~”

“Stop that! No no no! No fair enticing the vote!” Zoey stood up on her tip toes to get into Mira's face.

“You think I'm enticing~?” Mira snickered.

“Duh! That's why it's cheating! Rumi you have to stay impartial,” the big puppy eyes deployed weren't very fair about impartiality either. “What do you want for dinner?”

Rumi would've had a harder time if she wasn't laughing so hard at both of them. Head back with her hand over her eyes just losing all hope of composure before finally taking a deep breath to answer.

“Hotteok!”

That got both of them laughing too.

“Rumi, that's not dinner,” Zoey gasped.

“Food food. What actual food do you want?” Mira stood up more, loosening her grip around Rumi's waist but not releasing her completely.

“Bulgogi… or ramyeon…” Rumi sighed, still chuckling as she wiped tears from her eyes. “Anything is fine, as long as it's with you.”

Both of them whined and groaned before scooping her back into a hug.

“Miiira, Rumi's being mushy and not answering the question.”

“I knoooow, probably just can't decide between us~”

“Good thing she doesn't have to… Let's just go all out and order everything!”

“Everything we want,” Mira nodded. “And hotteok for dessert.”

“You're geniuses,” Rumi hummed. “Now I just have to smooth things over at the signing.”

She was already twenty minutes late. Bobby could only stall for so long.

“I think we can work that out,” Mira smirked. “If we sweeten the deal~”

r/HuntrixGeneral

u/[GoldenPolyGirl] • 30 mins ago

Rumi is the undisputed QUEEN!!!

She had me going for a minute there, but shit that was so satisfying! I'm still freaking out about it. Please tell me this means we don't have to hear from those weird simps anymore. Please please please.

dyketator • 30 mins ago
Word is a lot of the usual accounts have deactivated lol

TrixKix • 30 mins ago
Bye bye bots~

KickinGeeFree • 30 mins ago
How many do we think were bots? Like what's the bot to live ratio we're thinking?

Zospresso • 30 mins ago
You think it was all the one guy?

TrixKix • 30 mins ago
No! You think? That'd be insane!

GoldenPolyGirl • 30 mins ago
You heard how he talked, I'd believe someone like that could be that dedicated honestly

dyketator • 30 mins ago
I think the word you're looking for is delusional, actually. I'm never been so satisfied in my life… seeing her turn his crap back on him

ZoomRoom46 • 25 mins ago
Okay forget that weirdo can we talk about the signing after?!

ZRuRuey • 25 mins ago
OMG yeeeeeesssss!!!

TrixKix • 25 mins ago
Yeah I figured this would come up lol

HunterSupreme548261 • 25 mins ago
I'm in such a good mood I don't even mind the shippers tonight

KickinGeeFree • 23 mins ago
Being honest, after all that I'm starting to come around on the concept

GoldenPolyGirl • 23 mins ago
Ha! We got another one!!

ZoomRoom46 • 23 mins ago
Okay but shall we REVIEW? Like hello?!
-Rumi utterly demolishes the weirdo simp, singing Mira and Zoey's praises clear as day
-Shows up to the signing with BOTH OF THEM, all looking super happy about it (like more than usual)
-They were also more touchy than usual
-Word from a few of the last in the line was they spotted Mira and Zoey KISSING RUMI ON THEIR WAY OUT?!

ZRuRuey • 22 mins ago
To clarify that last point: on the cheek. But STILL

ZoomRoom46 • 22 mins ago
BUT STILL!! AAAAAAA

UnnieSunlight • 22 mins ago
You guys are so cute

LightForeverBright • 22 mins ago
Baby's first poly ship, welcome to the club. I came by to congratulate you on getting your forum back but this is fun

GoldenPolyGirl • 22 mins ago
Hey! Thanks! Welcome welcome

ZRuRuey • 22 mins ago
Also did you catch Zoey was wearing Rumi's jacket when they came to the signing

ZoomRoom46 • 21 mins ago
I'm gonna pass out

HunterSupreme548261 • 21 mins ago
I'm so excited for the official What it Sounds Like drop this coming week. More than ever!

KickinGeeFree • 21 mins ago
I know, right? The way Rumi talked about it in the interview definitely has me hype!

dyketator • 21 mins ago
Can you imagine how sweet the first live performance of the extended edition is gonna be?

TrixKix • 20 mins ago
I'm watching for that announcement like a hawk!

The signing finished without issue.

Better than it possibly could have, if Rumi were asked. Bobby even told them the label were circling the wagons and bracing for fallout right up until the boom of traction on socials and fan forums had them calm down a touch. So rather than bring Rumi in for scolding they were going to do what they did best and settle back to observe for a little while first.

Which in all likelihood meant they were in the clear.

He rolled his eyes about the whole thing while ordering them their dinner to be delivered to the penthouse ahead of their arrival home. It was likely to arrive around the time Mira's large bouquet of flowers would be from her show, or Zoey's award she'd left at the engraving counter in her rush to disappear suddenly as soon as the show closed.

“Is this a record for us?” Rumi sighed as they crossed the building lobby to the private elevator that would take them up to the penthouse. “I can't remember getting so much done in one day before.”

“If we don't count the night at Namsan Tower--” Zoey started humming, giving the lobby clerk a friendly wave.

She brushed down the change of clothes they stopped by to buy on their way to make the signing. Just the first thing she found and liked at the first store they passed by. Her award show dress was packed away nicely in a bag.

“That one was a special occasion,” Mira yawned. “But we also had that one packed day in the states.”

She hit the call button and folded her arms with a smile.

“Oh right!” Rumi stretched her arms over her head as they stepped inside. Getting a satisfying pop from her shoulders. “How many interviews was that? More than I thought there were stations in one city for sure.”

The doors shut and their ascent began.

And she had Zoey pressed up against her before she could put her arms back down. Hands to her waist to guide her back to the elevator wall, warm against the skin her crop top wasn't covering. Zoey didn't stop until she was sandwiching Rumi to the wall with her face pressed to her chest.

“... Zoey,” she smiled.

Such a long day, she must've been tired. As she moved to put her arms around her though she had Mira catching her by the wrists and lifting them up from behind Zoey to pin lightly to the wall. Looking up to meet her eyes and find something way off from tiredness. The smooth, teasing motion of Zoey's hands up either side of her waist clued her in that they weren't actually tired in the slightest.

“Ah,” she grinned. “Happy anniversary to me then?”

Zoey moved her hands back down to her hips and pulled them off the wall to be against her instead. Lifting her head to catch Rumi's lips crooked for a first slow kiss of many she saw in her future this evening.

“We saw you,” she whispered, before tilting her head to match their lips up properly.

Saw me? Rumi closed her eyes and flexed her wrists against Mira's grasp, but no give. Tragic really.

“Hmm?” Was the best she could do.

Zoey nipped at her bottom lip before ducking to pull her shirt down and start worshiping the cut of her collarbone instead. Not that it meant a break for her when Mira leaned over Zoey to take up the task left waiting. Releasing one of her arms to hold the back of her head so the force wouldn't push her into the metal siding of the little moving box they were in.

“Your interview…” she clarified in the fleeting moment when they broke apart to breathe. “We were both watching.”

“Ah… well--”

The elevator dinged and they dragged her out the moment the doors opened. Zoey ducked from in front of her to loop around behind, keeping an insistent hold of her hips to help guide as Mira closed the gap and overwhelmed her with drawn out kisses. One hand still clenched in her hair as she hooked two fingers of the other in Rumi's beltloop to pull her onward. Through the entryway. Past the kitchen island adorned with everything that'd been delivered.

The flowers, the award, the food…

Everything less important than this.

Rumi felt Zoey test her teeth against her shoulder and reached back to grab her by the hair to make sure she wouldn't stop.

“You know why we put the focus on you, right?” She grinned as she rucked up Rumi's shirt to pull it off.

One of her hands pressed against the small of Rumi's back before tracing up slowly. Hooking her fingers into the strap of her bra but not doing anything with it just yet.

“Why I center you for the choreo,” Mira's voice was so low now. “Or why Zoey gives you so many verses and solos~?”

Rumi was already getting dizzy. She flexed her fingers in Zoey's hair and snaked her other arm around Mira's shoulders to make sure neither of them could go far from her. They were hers, they weren't allowed to go anywhere.

“... same reason you're doing what you're doing right now?” she guessed.

A soft pulse of pink lit up every pattern even close to them. And considering she was comfortably pressed in the middle that was every pattern. Every jagged little line she'd hated once… but it was getting harder and harder to hate something that reacted to them like this. Just like she did.

Openly, with joy.

“Smart girl~” Mira smiled.

She kept leading them across their huge living room. Expertly stepping down the stepped section of the room and stopping as the back of her legs hit the back of the couch. At which point she gave Rumi a quicker kiss before twirling her back to Zoey. But certainly didn't seem bothered to have Rumi pushed back into her when Zoey grabbed either side of her face to start kissing over it. Giving Rumi time to adjust her hand through Zoey's hair and find one of Mira's with the other. Threading between her fingers as she insistently held it over the front of her thigh.

And found Mira not as patient about waiting to get her bra undone.

“We really can't help it, when you're just naturally amazing,” Zoey sighed before quitting with the teasing and just kissing her.

Frenetic as anything, full of excitement. Contagious.

“And beautiful~” Mira added.

Taking her turn for teasing to trace her free hand over Rumi's stomach and up the center of her chest. Her bra now an afterthought if not a nuisance. Rumi laughed in the midst of them, not daring to stop entirely.

“... I know… I do now,” she gasped. “I just want to love you right too.”

Her tone whined more than she probably would've let it if this weren't the situation she was in. It didn't seem like a big deal until she heard Mira scoff sharply behind her.

“What?!” She dropped her head against Rumi's shoulder and kissed her neck. “Rumi, you love us like that all the time…”

It took Rumi a second of tilting her head and blinking at Mira when she leaned over to make eye contact to respond. From confusion as well as from the sudden shift in tone.

“... h-huh?”

Zoey giggled as she pulled her attention from Mira to nuzzle up against her jaw.

“You make us feel loved every single day, Rumi,” she cooed. “You're, like, the most romantic partner we could ask for.”

Rumi blinked in utter incredulity, eyes darting between them as she subconsciously rested her arms around Zoey's waist. Mira slid out from behind her and kissed her forehead.

“How many times have you had a pair of my glasses ready when I forgot?” She asked. “Or reminded me to eat when i get caught up in rehearsals?”

Not that often--

“And you always know right when I need a new notebook,” Zoey leaned to the side and counted off on her fingers. “You drop in on my streams with that burner account--yes I know it's you. And you're always so soft when you wake me up after I oversleep.”

“Yeah but… that's all… easy?” She said with a grin tugging at her lips.

None of that was a big deal. In fact, those were just things she was privileged to be able to do for them. It was nice, especially now… she felt lucky to be able to love them like that.

Seeing them both light up after saying so only made it better.

They hugged her so tight her feet lifted off the ground. It would've crushed a lesser human, but she would've welcomed it anyway. Tucking her cheek into the space between them and brushing her hands through their hair. They were already the best anniversary gift she could possibly think of.

The gift of getting to love them another year. And another. And another. As many as possible. All of them.

“... I'm realizing things are a bit… unbalanced,” she said slowly, narrowing her eyes. “That wouldn't happen to be why this hug is lasting so long would it?”

The fact her bra was now on the floor and she was completely topless made for as good a reason as any to keep their faces pressed to her chest.

“What? No,” Zoey replied, voice thick with sarcasm. “I can't believe you would think that of us--”

“Oh, totally,” Mira said simply as she nuzzled closer.

“Mira!”

“What? She's all ours, we don't need to be coy about it.”

All there's.

“True,” Rumi lamented, still nudging her cheek to each of theirs. “But I'm so deprived this way…”

Her feet tapped back down on the tile as they stepped back enough to very quickly fling their shirts off and wherever the hell into the room beyond. Rumi nodded and grabbed the waist of their pants to pull them back to her.

“Much better~”

They slowed into soft swaying movements and lighter laughter as they all let themselves tumble over the back of the couch. Mira assuring their safe landing, Zoey first to get herself straddled over Rumi's lap so she could get right back to kissing, Rumi comfortably sandwiched between them as they settled in to the hottest ticket in town. True now more than it had ever been.

“Mm! Also, we agree 100%,” Zoey broke from Rumi's lips again to speak with conviction. “It's Huntr/x or bust, baby!”

“As if we'd ever perform with anyone else,” Mira chuffed from her post behind Rumi with her arm over the back of the couch while her other traced fingers lightly over every pattern. “Especially not without you.”

Warmth swelled in Rumi's chest as she kept conforming herself to fit every movement of either of them.

“I'm still sorry things got ruined again… Next year nothing and nobody is keeping us from celebrating.”

“I dunno,” Mira kissed the back of her shoulder. “Beating up demons, crazy gigs, good food, some alone time… sounds like a pretty us way to celebrate.”

“Pft, okay, decent point,” Zoey draped herself over Rumi to reach Mira for a kiss. “If sappy--”

“You know I'm right~”

“At the very least--” Rumi smiled into the front of Zoey's neck. “We could all be at the same event to start with. Not split to all ends of the city… Any issues they'll have to take up with me.”

She looped her arm around Mira's and tilted her head back to smirk up at both of them.

“Now. I'm hungry,” she felt her fingers sink into the softness of their skin. “Then we can heat up dinner~”

“... wait--”

“Wha--?”

The rest of their questions cut off as they all three vanished in a puff of purple and magenta smoke.

Notes:

Done is better than perfect I tell myself again and again.
This all started because someone on twitter said Mira was boyfriend coded or something and the only thought that kept circling my brain was "Mira's a better boyfriend" until I was possessed enough to write this.
Promised Zoey a break after the last fic and this totally counts right? Yeah. Totally.

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