Chapter Text
“Working under Bobby is sooo much better than the shit Gwi-ma had us doing.” Abby sighed contently, settling onto the empty spot on the corner of the girl’s couch with his large tray of sweets.
“Yeah, no kidding.” Mira snarked, plucking the cheese cube that was halfway to Abby’s mouth out of his fingers and sinking her teeth into it with a cheeky grin. “Bobby is literally an angel.”
“Cheers to that.” Said Baby from the kitchen, raising his polished wine glass in a salute to Bobby and taking a long sip of it with a flourish, finishing the glass with a small ‘ ah ’.
“You know, you should wear your hair like this more often.” Zoey giggled, fastening the final rubber band onto the complex braid in Mys’s hair that she had been working on for the past few minutes.
“And ruin my one intriguing feature for the fans?” Mys said, sending Zoey a small wink over his shoulder from his spot between her legs as he looked at her with contempt and loveshining in his large, expressive eyes.
“You’re nothing but intriguing features!” Zoey laughed. She gave him a small peck on the cheek, and then patted the space between her and Rom, who was leaning against Mira’s other shoulder. Mys settled beside her, his cheeks flushed pink as she lazily stroked little patterns into his resting forearm.
“I'm never getting off this couch.” Rom sighed euphorically, seeming to sink a couple more inches into the soft cushions.
“We literally start touring tonight!” Mira groaned, rolling her eyes at him as she popped a few whoppers into her mouth.
“Can we take the couch with us?” Rom asked her pleadingly, Abby leaning into her eyesight with a similar inquiring look on his face.
“You figure it out.” Mira sighed defeatedly. “I’m not the one who can teleport, I don’t know how it works.”
While the two pink haired boys cheered, Mira let just a sliver of a smile peek from her thin lips before they could notice, not wanting to give them the satisfaction that she humored their antics.
“Where are Rumi and Jinu?” Mys suddenly asked, tearing his eyes away from Zoey for only a moment to scan the room again for any sign of the pair, realizing they had said they would be there over ten minutes ago.
“Do you really want to know?” Baby groaned, placing his empty wine glass in the sink and flopping down in the corner between the two halves of the couch, picking up the remote with little interest as he squinted down at the little buttons. “Why do you think I just drank half a bottle of wine at four in the afternoon?”
“Oh god, did you walk in on them again?” Mira guessed, rolling her eyes.
“Does walking in count if they just seem to pick the most open corridors possible in this damn building?” Baby argued as he flipped through the nature channel. “I can handle a small peck every now and then, but god, he acts like he’ll starve if he’s not kissing the living daylights out of her every goddamn second.”
“Cut him a break, he literally almost died last month!” Abby called to the two of them between bites of his ramen noodles. “And it’s not like that man has seen much action the last four hundred years, or any action for that matter-”
“Why do I just know you three are talking about me?” Jinu suddenly teased, the penthouse elevator doors whooshing open to reveal him and Rumi hand in hand as they both took the last remaining spots on the opposite arm of the couch from Abby, Mira and Rom.
“I dunno. Stop mouth-fucking your girlfriend in my wing of the tower.” Baby called out, finally having landed on an oceanography program and harshly tossing the remote onto the pillow beside him.
Jinu spluttered, throwing his hands up in a surrender. “God, fine! Sorry that I love Rumi or whatever!”
“Ignore him.” Rumi drawled, hooking her ankle around his and bringing their legs up to rest against the coffee table, settling her face into Jinu’s chest like it was her favorite warm pillow. “They’re just jealous.”
“Jinu!” Rom whined loudly, his eyes landing on their legs, tangled together and resting on the coffee table. “What are those?”
“What are what?” Jinu grinned slyly, fully aware of what Rom was talking about.
“Those pants, man!” Rom complained. “What are those pants?”
“What, not a big fan of bears and trains?” Jinu asked, lifting a long leg to proudly display the patterns on the fabric.
“Yeah, but did you really go out and find the most stupid looking sweatpants I’ve ever seen just so you could match with Rumi?” Rom asked, gesturing to Rumi’s identical pajamas. “You’re so cheesy, dude!”
“Do you have to be so mean?” Mys whined, his head now tucked beneath Zoey’s chin as she listened intently to the program. “No one else here is really any better.”
“Speak for yourself.” Rom and Abby said simultaneously, both of them staring straight at Mira with sultry eyes.
“...What’s going on with them-“ Zoey began to ask with her eyebrow raised, but both Rumi and Jinu had sprung out of their seats, lunging across the couch to slap both of their hands over Zoey’s mouth.
“Don’t ask.” Rumi hissed with wide eyes, gesturing to the three, who had begun to bicker like they normally did when left to their own devices for too long.
“Bu-“
“Seriously.” Jinu cut in. “Don’t ask.”
“It’s complicated.” Rumi whispered warningly.
“Okay then…” Zoey said, hands up in the air as she settled back into Mys’s side. “Not asking.”
She turned back to Jinu, both of them settling back down like they had been before. “Hey, hopeless boy.” She teased, ruffling her fingers through his hair.
“Hey, Rumi.” He grinned lazily up at her, absorbing her praise like the warmest bath.
The last month might as well have been a century in how much had changed for them. After Gwi-ma’s defeat, Jinu really hadn’t been sure what was in store for them, just thankful that everyone had made it out alive and well.
He had initially rejected Rumi’s offer for the boys to stay in Huntr/x tower, not wanting to be a bother to them, but what will all of the insane press surrounding their little stunt concerning Gwi-ma and Bobby’s insistent personality, they had eventually all taken up permanent quarters in the many floors of the complex, slowly coming to grips with their new lives as Korea’s new most popular band.
Huntr/x and the Saja Boys
It had been a bit of a simple conception, neither group really wanting to part with their namesake, but it got the point across. The eight of them had started production on a new album almost at once, the Saja Boys admitting cheekily that the K-pop life had grown considerably on them since their debut.
Most afternoons on their month long hiatus had been spent on the couch, whether teaching the Saja boys how to play Mario Kart or introducing them to yet another in a long string of Disney movies that they had yet to see, Jinu was sure that they had all surely left dents in the soft fabric in the shape of their usual spots.
Jinu opened his mouth, probably to say something stupid and cheesy to Rumi, when a large weight suddenly shifted on top of him, blocking his view of the TV in a large mountain of blue fur.
“Holy shit-” Jinu was able to choke out from the crushing weight on his chest. “Derpy, you’re getting to be a bit big for this, bud.”
“I dunno, you seem fine.” Rumi laughed at him as his face started to turn red from the pressure. “Come on, Derpy, come sit by me, yeah?”
The large tiger just blinked slowly at her, purring at her request and slowly stepping off of Jinu and over Rumi to settle in beside Rumi and Zoey.
“Aww, how’s my little yeobo?” Zoey cooed at him, careful to avoid the Magpie as she scratched him across the top of his head.
“Jinu, we talked about this!” Mira called to him exasperatedly. “He sheds all over the couch!”
“All eight of us can wield magic!” Jinu cried out at large, reaching over to swipe a large collection of blue hairs off the couch with a swirling wave of the honmoon to prove his point. “Is it really that big of a deal?”
“The couch is white.”
“That literally doesn’t even matter.” Jinu countered. “Still, magic!”
“Guys shush! The turtles are on!” Zoey squeaked, scooting forwards to the edge of her seat as the shelled creatures entered the frame of the camera.
“Loggerhead, leatherback, green, hawksbill.” Jinu pointed out to Rumi with accuracy as the clips shifted back and forth between different clips of turtles swimming through the water.
He looked at her proudly, like a student acing a test they had studied very hard for.
“Look at you, Mr. Herpetologist!” Rumi praised him, watching as his face swelled with pride.
The two of them may or may not have returned to the aquarium many times over in the past few weekends to follow through on some unfinished business regarding a certain open ocean exhibit. Rumi had also finally taught Jinu how to properly hold a swell shark in their last visit.
“I try.” He said humbly.
“Speaking of trying…” A familiar voice said as the elevator doors slid open yet again. “Who’s ready to try their best tonight at their first concert togetherrrr?”
“Hi Bobby!” The eight of them chirped unanimously, parting in the middle to make way for their manager on the couch.
“Aww, you guys!” Bobby laughed, nestling into the new spot. Derpy had perked up at the movement, turning his head to nuzzle into Bobby’s shoulder. “I still can’t believe you guys thought you could try hiding an entire demon tiger from me when you moved in.” Bobby commented. “You know I didn’t even have a pet rule to begin with!”
“Maybe it was the demon half that we were still trying to figure out how to break to you?” Rumi said sarcastically, remembering full well that fateful night when they had all sat Bobby down and told him the truth about their secret lives, about what they had been accomplishing behind his back for years while touring.
“Well, I would like to think that I took it in stride.” Bobby said. “And we save millions on stunt equipment now, so really it’s a win-win for both of us.”
“No kidding.” Said Mys, summoning himself a glass of water from the kitchen and taking a long sip of it. “I like being able do to that without you freaking out.”
“What’s the set list look like again?” Abby asked through half-closed eyelids, threatening to doze off on Mira’s shoulder as he sank further into the couch like a boneless sea slug.
“We’re opening with your new single,” Bobby said, referencing the first song that the eight of them had released last week. (Jinu and Zoey were a pair of absolute wizards when working on a song together). “Then it’s ‘How it’s done ’, ‘ Soda Pop ’, ‘ Golden ’, ‘ My Idol ' , Baby and Zoey’s freestyle rap battle, a dance-off between Mira and Rom, and then that duet Rumi and Jinu are doing together.
Jinu grinned over at Rumi with cheeky raised eyebrows, remembering the sleepless nights they had spent together forming their dual parted song. It was something that they both felt represented the unification of Huntr/x and the Saja Boys, a song that reminded them of stolen hours on city rooftops and Bingsu under the stars.
‘Free’, they had decided to call it.
“I can’t wait to see the stupid fanart they’ll start drawing when you two go floating off the stage together.” Mira smirked, referencing their planned choreography.
“Still not as bad as the shipping wars you three are starting right now.” Jinu quipped back.
“Baby is literally Zoey and Mys’s baby, how is anything worse than that?” Rom said.
“I’m content with it.” Baby said with a smile. “At least people won’t draw pictures of me like they do for Abby. I saw one just last week of him using his T-shirt as a-”
“Stop! I actually want to keep my food down, thank you very much.” Abby groaned, sending his empty food tray into the kitchen with a swish of his hand and a puff of magenta smoke.
“That’s the spirit!” Bobby said, checking his watch as standing back up. “I have to go check on transportation now, but please eat up before the show! It’s a lot of choreo to get through on an empty stomach.”
“Thanks Bobby!” They all called again as Bobby left.
“See what I mean? Angel.” Mira said as if it were the most well known fact in the entire world.
The band sadly parted ways with their beloved couch a few hours later, all of them retreating to their rooms to change into their respective show outfits.
Once Jinu had pulled on his baggy ripped jeans, throwing his dark purple jacket on -bedazzled in patches and charms- he set out on a familiar trek across the hallway, knocking softly on Rumi’s door with a curled knuckle.
“Come in!” Rumi called to him, recognising his presence at once as he slowly turned the door handle.
He had spent an embarrassing amount of time during their rivalry wondering what the inside of her room had looked like. Jinu had pictured something of a western beach house, starry twinkling lights glittering above bookshelves overflowing with Rumi’s famed marine biology collection, the one Derpy had reported back to him before their aquarium date.
He hadn’t been far off, save for the beachy theme being a little more toned down than he had imagined. Blankets and pillows were strewn across her bed and bean bag, casting more of a pillow fort than a complex and sophisticated modern house, but Jinu wouldn’t trade it for the world.
He loved every blanket, every throw pillow, even the occasional Saja Boy Soda can left out on her desk (Rumi had a particular fancy for the Jinu themed flavor).
“Where are you?” Jinu asked, stepping further into the L-shaped room and rounding the corner to Rumi’s open bathroom door.
“I’m putting on my earrings!” Rumi said, making eye contact with him in the mirror and giving him a chipper smile, her similar jacket shining yellow in the fluorescent bathroom ring light.
Jinu came right up behind her, wrapping his arms around her middle and nuzzling his chin into the top of her head, sighing contentedly as she laughed at his antics, noticing with a fuzzy feeling that he was still wearing her bracelet, it still knotted proudly against his pale skin.
“Jinu! You’re gonna make me drop my earring!” She laughed as she fiddled with the small silver hoop she was currently fitting into her cartilage.
“You already have like, ten on!”
“Says you, with your new double lobes!” Rumi countered, reminding him that he indeed had let her pierce his ears for him a few weeks ago, as to Mys’s encouragement.
“Mys was right though, they do look good on me.” He said, admiring the small diamond studs just above his usual silver loops.
“Anything looks good on you.” Rumi snorted, picking up some edge gel and patting down at her bangs.
“You’re living proof of that.” He murmured seductively.
“I look good whether I’m on or off you.” Rumi smirked, turning around to run the remaining edge gel through his black locks as she styled his hair for him, resisting the urge to fasten his hair into a large spiky mohawk.
“Do I get a choice as to which one?”
“Always.”
“Good.”
Their lips met easily, slotting together like the most perfect of puzzle boxes. Rumi sighed contentantly, running her fingers over the patch on the front of Jinu’s coat bearing his name in fancy looping letters.
“This is nice.” Rumi breathed as Jinu lifted her gently off her feet, setting her down on the bathroom counter and stepping between her legs with ease as his hands found her long braid, toying with the end of the long tendrils.
“I couldn’t imagine a better life.” He told her, leaning in to swipe another kiss from her as both of their patterns flashed happily across their skin in a dance of acceptance and love, both of them lost in each others presence as Jinu pressed himself further into Rumi’s chest.
“Guys, we have to go!” Baby’s muffled voice suddenly called, breaking them apart as they both turned towards Rumi’s door. “Please don’t make me go in there, I’ve had enough today!”
“We’re coming, we're coming!” Rumi told him, grabbing a tube of mascara and a lipstick bottle and shoving them into her pocket as they both met Baby at the door. “How’d you know Jinu was with me?”
“I didn’t even need to check.” Baby said simply. “He’s always in there.”
“Fair enough.”
Even though six out of the eight of them could teleport, they still took the limo to the venue, not wanting Zoey and Mira to have to make the trek all by themselves.
“I’m still amazed by these little things.” Abby commented on the stretched cars’s minifridge, pulling out a Saja Boy soda can at random. “Hey, I got Mys!”
“Taste the Mystery.” Rom said in a low, commercialized voice, raising his hands like he was presenting some sort of slogan.
“I hate it so much when you say it like that.” Mys groaned.
“Come on man, there are worse things to taste like than oranges and clementine.”
“You’re just making it worse.”
Abby cracked the can open, the tab making an almost identical *hiss-pop* that marked the intro to the catch of their debut song.
“You’re all I can think of, every drop I drink up..” They all found themselves singing absently under their breaths to the chorus of the pop song on. They all paused, looking around at each other, and then burst out laughing, Abby spluttering slightly on his drink.
“I hate all of you.”
The limo pulled up to the stadium right on cue, Bobby waiting with a dorky grin for them as he led them straight to the platform that would raise them above the stage to begin their first song.
“Do any of you need anything?” Bobby asked them fervently as they all fervently began their pre-show rituals, involving many unflattering vocal warm ups and a series of static stretches to loosen their muscles.
“All good, Bobby!” Rumi called between her fast paced C-scale she was humming under her breath. “Thank you!”
“Five minutes until the platform rises!” A crew member called out to them as the lights began to dim outside, sending the crowd into a screaming mass as their pre-recorded intro video started playing across the large screens above the stage.
“Are you guys ready for this?” Rumi asked as they all moved into their final positions, all spread out across the platform on their little marked dots as the clocked ticked closer to showtime.
“Let’s do this.” Baby answered her, finishing up his shoulder stretches with a small shake and adjusting his neon green jacket one last time.
“I’m ready.” Mira grinned, tossing her powder puff to her stylist and giving her a small thumbs up.
Abby, Mys, Zoey, and Rom all nodded as well, all of them set with their game faces as the video outside neared the end of its runtime.
“Jinu?” Rumi called, looking up at him with large doe eyes as she offered him her hand, him taking it at once with a determined grin.
“Right here, always.”
“Then let’s give the fans what they’re asking for.” Rumi said as the platform began to raise into the light above, Rumi turning to grasp Zoey’s hand, who in turn grabbed Mys who passed the sentiment down to Abby, until all eight of them stood proudly on the rising platform, hand in hand as they crested the top of the stage and looked out over the sea of cheering fans, the honmoon sparkling a blinding gold above their heads.
“Together.”