Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“These things better help me with my voice, Sarang…”

“Trust me, I go to this place all the time. It’s going to work, Jinu,” Sarang replies confidently, handing over a small vial of herbal syrup. “Besides, you sound like a dying squirrel. We need your voice for the golden honmoon.”

It wasn’t every day the *Saja Boys* wandered the streets in ridiculous costumes—oversized sunglasses, fake beards, and floppy hats—just to avoid being recognized. But desperate times called for desperate disguises. Jinu’s voice was shot, and with their career-defining performance approaching, he refused to rest. The boys were on a mission to find a remedy.

“Hey, umm, guys?” Aegi suddenly whispers, waving his hand. “Heads up. Group of girls coming around the corner…”

“Crap, I think some fans might be coming!!” Abby yelps, tugging his fake beard back on in a panic.

A group of girls round the corner. They look like they’re heading to a concert, each one with a striking personal style. Glitter under their eyes. Platform boots. The girls came around the corner like they were stepping out of a dream—or maybe a warning. The one in front had long pastel-purple hair that bounced with every step, her oversized sweater slipping off one shoulder and a teasing smile playing on her lips; everything about her screamed playful danger. The next girl was—tall, quiet, ethereal. With waist-length pink hair and a long black coat, she walked slightly behind the first girl like a shadow. Her gaze was distant, but when it landed on the boys, it was like the world paused for a second. Together, they didn’t just look like idol trainees—they looked like trouble dressed in glitter and boots, and the Saja boys couldn’t look away. Next to her was a girl with jet-black hair twisted into high space buns, dressed in layers of fishnets, buckles, and attitude. Her sharp eyes flicked across the street like she already knew exactly who was watching. That one? She made Hyun freeze.

Even with sunglasses obscuring his vision, Hyun could *feel* her. Like she radiated energy that pierced through the noise of the world. If he had to describe his type, it would be someone *exactly* like her.

As the girls passed, the one with the space buns brushed against Hyun’s shoulder—subtly but deliberately. He stiffened. She didn’t even look back. She didn’t need to. He was already gone.

“I can’t believe you guys are drooling over a bunch of girls you hardly know!?” Jinu snapped, voice breaking as he scolded them. “We’re supposed to be working on our song *Golden*, not gawking at some random girls!”

“Don’t act like you didn’t find one of them attractive…” Hyun muttered, eyes still on the direction the girls walked. The words weren’t even for Jinu—they were for himself.

Confusion painted the other boys’ faces. Mystery didn’t *do* crushes. He didn’t flirt. He barely spoke. For *him* to say that?

Before anyone could press, music erupted from the nearby plaza. The group turned. The same girls were now performing. Their voices harmonized with effortless charm, and their dance moves? Sharp. Fluid. Magnetic.

“Looks like they’re a starting K-pop group. Pretty solid debut track…” Aegi commented, nodding along to the beat of ‘Soda Pop.’

“You don’t know good music if it slapped you in the face,” Jinu hissed. “These girls are suspicious. We’re watching this.”

“Isn’t the one with long pink hair so pretty? She’s a better dancer than I thought…” Abby sighed, clutching his chest dramatically.

“Jokes on you. I saw her first.” Sarang shoved him playfully. “Back off, she’s mine.”

“Seriously Sarang!? Not everything you want is yours!”

“If I want it, I *can* make it mine.”

“*That’s it!*” Jinu groaned, pulling them apart. “None of this matters. Aegi, stop dancing!”

“But it’s catchy!”

“Focus. You’re all distracted by the surface. Look *closer*.” Jinu narrowed his eyes. “Demon marks. Demon *eyes*. They’re not idols. They’re demons. Probably trying to steal our fanbase to mess with the honmoon.”

“Of course…” Hyun whispered to himself. “It was too good to be true.”

Before anyone else could object, Jinu was already dragging the boys away. “We need a plan to stop this. Now.”

Later that night…

Hyun lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. His chest felt too tight. He had felt something real today. And now he was expected to just forget her—because she was a demon?

Knock knock knock.

“I’m not in the mood for choreography, Jinu.”

“It’s not Jinu.”

The door creaked open, and Sarang stepped in, closing it gently behind him. He didn’t have his usual smug energy.

“I’m not here to force you to practice. That’s Jinu’s obsession. I just… figured you could use someone to talk to.”

Hyun still didn’t move. “What makes you think I need to talk?”

“You might be ‘Mystery’ to the public, but to me? You’re easy to read, man. You’ve been off since we saw those girls. Quiet—but not your usual quiet. More like…disconnect.”

Hyun rolled to his side, still avoiding eye contact. “You promise you won’t say anything to the others?”

“Cross my heart. Unless you say something like ‘I made a blood pact with Gwi-Ma.’”

Hyun gave a weak laugh. “It’s not that dramatic.”

Sarang sat on the edge of his bed, waiting.

“You remember the demon girls?”

“Yeah. Let me guess—you like one of them. The one with the black hair and space buns, right?”

Hyun blinked. “...How’d you know?”

“You stared at her like she was the last light in a dark world, dude. You might as well have had heart emojis in your eyes.”

Hyun sighed. “I didn’t mean for it to happen. It’s just… I felt something. Like a pull. Something familiar. I don’t even know her name, but I can’t stop thinking about her.”

“Hyun, I know that look. I’ve had it myself,” Sarang admitted, voice dropping softer. “But… you know what we are. What we do. Hunters. We’re raised to see demons as threats, not love interests.”

Hyun nodded slowly. “That’s the problem, right? I know what she is. But I also know what I *felt*. And it wasn’t evil. It wasn’t manipulation. It was… real.”

There was a pause. Then Sarang said, “You’re not wrong for feeling something. I’m not gonna sit here and pretend it’s not complicated, but… we’re not machines, Hyun. We’re not just weapons. You’re allowed to feel something—even if it’s for a demon.”

Hyun turned to him finally. “You mean that?”

“Yeah. I mean, it doesn’t change the facts. If she *is* dangerous, we have a duty. But if she’s not? If she’s different?” Sarang shrugged. “Then maybe this is bigger than what we were taught.”

Silence hung for a moment, then Sarang smirked. “Besides, if you end up dating her, I get to say I supported the weird demon romance from the beginning. That’s gotta be worth something.”

Hyun cracked a smile. “You’re the weird one.”

“Takes one to know one.”

“Thanks, Sarang.”

“Anytime. Now, get some rest. You’ll need your energy if we’re going to figure out who these girls really are—and whether your demon crush is friend or foe.”

Chapter Text

“Huddle in, girls,” Rumi whispered, glancing over her shoulder as she, Mira, and Zoey leaned in together, forming a tight circle with their backs turned to the chaos of setup around them.

Rumi’s voice dropped lower. “This meet and greet could be our moment. If we nail this, Huntr/x becomes the name, not just some rising group.”

“We’ve got the outfits, the fanbase, and the strategy,” Mira added, flicking her hair confidently. “All we need is to destroy the Honmoon. Publicly.”

Zoey nodded firmly, holding up her pen like a sword. “For Gwi-Ma?” she said, eyes gleaming with determination.

“For Gwi-Ma,” the girls echoed, clicking their pens together in a symbolic oath before moving to their designated seats at the long, glitter-adorned signing table.

Security opened the event doors and fans came pouring in like a wave—screaming, holding up phones, posters, and merch, some even already crying. At the very front of the surge, a suspiciously cozy-looking group of five boys waddled in… still zipped into sleeping bags.

Rumi tilted her head, raising an eyebrow. “Uh… okay. And who am I signing this to?” she asked, taking one of the glossy Huntr/x posters from the lead boy without even looking up.

“You can say this is for your biggest fans,” the boy said with a smug grin.

As if on cue, all five of them whipped off their sleeping bags dramatically, revealing perfectly styled hair, flawless outfits, and way-too-practiced poses. Background music blared from somewhere, and every fan in the room started shrieking as if a K-pop deity had descended.

It was the Saja Boys.

Mira whipped around, confusion in her eyes. “Where the hell is that music coming from!?”

Abby sheepishly pulled his phone from his hoodie pocket and silenced it. “My bad. That’s my ringtone. I’ll… call my mom later.”

Before any of the girls could protest, a sharply dressed man in sunglasses and a Saja Boys tour shirt appeared behind them. “Hello, ladies. Don’t think we’ve met properly—I’m Bobby, the Saja Boys’ manager.” He offered a crisp smile. “The boys were wondering if they could do a little signing here today?”

Mira and Zoey turned to Rumi with a silent say no, say no now expression. But Rumi, already plotting, gave them a sweet, disarming smile and sat up straighter.

“Sure,” she said. “Huntr/x loves sharing with others, and what better opportunity to share than with the... Saja Boys?”

The crowd erupted. “Double signing!!” fans screamed as they formed two competing lines.

Bobby nodded. “Perfect, I’ll go get another table for the boys—"

“Actually,” Rumi cut in, voice syrupy. “I was talking about a joint signing.” She stretched her arms wide and smiled like she had no secret motives at all.

The fans cheered louder: “JOINT SIGNING!!”

Mira leaned in with gritted teeth. “What are you doing, Rumi!?”

Zoey hissed, “This wasn’t part of the plan!”

Rumi just grinned, her voice low. “Relax. One of them’s a secret half demon. If we play this right… we break them from the inside.”

Zoey rolled her eyes. “All I know is I’m not sitting next to some stupid Saja—”

“Hey Zoey,” Hyun said, appearing beside her with the most awkward smile ever.

She froze mid-sentence. Her face softened into something… weirdly gentle. “Hey,” she said with a small laugh. “What’s up?”

“I was told that when you look up you can see the sky… but, uh… clearly, you already know that.” He smiled again—if you could call it that. It looked more like someone had stretched his mouth open and told him to act natural.

Zoey blinked. “That was… poetic?”

Meanwhile, Sarang had already taken Mira’s hand and kissed it dramatically. “Funny how fate keeps putting us together,” he purred.

Mira ripped her hand away, wiping it on her jeans. “Look, you’re cute, sure, but you’re gonna have to try way harder than some cliché romance move.”

Abby stepped in, sliding an arm around her shoulders like a possessive boyfriend in a teen drama. “Maybe I know what you like.”

Mira shoved his face away. “Maybe next time, hot shot.”

An annoyed fan with a messy bun and a piece of gum popping between her lips waved a poster. “Hey, can you not flirt for five minutes? I just want someone to sign my poster so I can get brunch.”

On the other end of the table, Rumi leaned on her elbow, watching Jinu sign posters with robotic precision. “So, how’re you half demon? Thought once you got your patterns, that made you full?”

Jinu didn’t even look up. “How I have my patterns is none of your business. Last I checked, you’re still actively trying to destroy the honmoon.”

“Oh, so secretive. I wonder what your fans would think if they knew…” Rumi teased.

Without warning, Jinu kicked her under the table.

“OW—what the hell!? Didn’t your mom teach you not to hit girls!?”

“She taught me to defend myself from manipulative brats,” he growled. “My patterns are my secret. Mess with me again and I will escalate.”

Before the tension could boil over, a fan stepped up, wide-eyed. “Are you guys whispering?” She smiled, lifting her poster to reveal a T-shirt with “RuJinu” printed in glitter, featuring fan art of the two looking like a dark fantasy OTP. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone…”

Nearby, Aegi leaned into Hyun. “Hey, you’re blowing it with Zoey.”

“I’m not trying to blow anything,” Hyun whispered, panicking. “I just… don’t really talk to girls. Or people.”

“Then don’t think—just go with the flow.”

As the hours ticked by and the line finally thinned, the groups started to relax.

Zoey glanced at Hyun, noticing him awkwardly folding and unfolding a napkin. “So… done anything interesting lately?” she asked casually.

He didn’t respond. Aegi sighed and jabbed him in the shoulder.

“Ow—uh, sorry. What?”

“I asked if you’ve done anything interesting. Thought maybe we could do something fun like that… together?”

Hyun’s brain short-circuited. Was she asking him out? Was this what flirting felt like? “I… haven’t done anything cool, really. Just dance practice. But I’d love to hang out sometime.”

Just as Zoey smiled, a fan walked up to her.

Before she could sign anything, Hyun growled—literally barked—at him. The fan screamed and bolted.

Zoey turned to him in disbelief. “Did you just bark?”

Hyun sat up, proud. “I thought I was supposed to assert dominance against rivals—?”

“One: barking doesn’t assert dominance. Two: I don’t need you to do that. Three: please never bark again. In public. Or ever.”

Hyun shrank into himself. “Sorry…”

Zoey sighed, then smirked. “It’s fine. Just—meet me at Naksan Park. So we can hang out. Cool?”

As the crowd started leaving and the Huntr/x girls packed up, Hyun stayed frozen in his seat.

Did… did he just get asked out on a date?

—————

In a room glowing with neon vanity, Zoey sat cross-legged on a vanity counter, one leg bouncing slightly as she dabbed powder across her cheeks. The air smelled faintly of setting spray, hair product, and faintly—ambition.

She glanced toward the doorway and smirked. “You two look like suspicious moms,” she said, spotting Rumi and Mira standing like judgmental statues.

Mira stormed in first, arms crossed, eyes narrowing as she snatched the mascara from Zoey’s hand. “Where are you going dressed like that, Zoey?” Her tone was sharp, suspicious.

Zoey arched a brow and calmly snatched the mascara back. “I planned a hang out with one of the Saja boys.” She returned to her lashes as if she hadn’t just dropped a bomb.

Both Rumi and Mira practically shrieked, “You’re going out with a Saja boy!?”

Rumi groaned loudly, pinching the bridge of her nose and dramatically pacing in tiny circles. “When I said we need to distract the Saja boys, I didn’t mean seduce them. We’re supposed to be Huntr/x, not hopeless romantics in a K-drama.”

“I never said it was a date,” Zoey replied coolly, finishing off her mascara with a confident blink. “It’s a hangout. Casual. Harmless. But if Mystery’s got a thing for me—which, let’s be honest, he totally does—I can use that. Get some inside info. Something we can use against the Saja boys.”

Rumi and Mira stared at her for a beat. The vanity lights glinted in Mira’s wide eyes. Then, without warning, she lunged forward and grabbed Zoey’s shoulders, shaking her with sudden excitement. “You’re a goddamn genius, Zoey!” she said, shaking harder. “It’s so obvious! There’s at least one Saja boy into each of us. If we all pretend to be into them too, we can make them emotionally unstable—”

“—And tear them apart from the inside,” Zoey added, flipping her hair over her shoulder with a wicked grin.

“If we tear them apart…” Rumi stopped pacing and slowly turned toward the other two, her mind clearly spinning with possibility. “We can tear apart the Honmoon alliance. For Gwi-Ma…”

The girls locked eyes, a silent current of unity passing between them.

Rumi stepped forward, stretching her hand out in the center of their triangle. “I think we just found our new plan.”

Without hesitation, Zoey and Mira slammed their hands on top of hers.

“HUNTR/X!!” they shouted in perfect sync, their voices echoing off the mirrors and into the chaos of the dressing room.

————————

Hyun sat quietly on a slightly weathered park bench, his hands tucked between his knees, bouncing ever so slightly with a mix of nerves and impatience. The sky was shifting into a soft lavender hue, and the park lights were beginning to flicker on, casting a warm glow over the walking path. He checked the time again. 7:00 p.m. She told him to be here by 6:40. Maybe he shouldn’t have rushed out the door like some excited puppy. Maybe he could’ve actually styled his hair better. Worn cologne. Something.

Just as he was debating whether to text her or just walk off the disappointment, a familiar voice chimed in softly from behind.

“Have you been waiting for me this whole time?”

Before he could turn, arms slipped around his shoulders from behind, pulling him into a surprise hug. Her perfume — sweet with a dash of something citrusy — filled the air around him.

“Sorry I’m late,” Zoey said, resting her chin on his shoulder. “I thought I told you 7 p.m., but apparently I told you 6:40. My bad.”

Hyun exhaled a small laugh, letting the tension in his shoulders melt just a bit. “It’s fine,” he replied gently, his voice quieter than usual. “I was looking at these flowers, and I thought they matched your personality…”

He reached to the side, plucked a delicate pink Weigela florida flower blooming along the edge of the path, and turned to face her. He carefully tucked it into her hair, just above her ear. “Bright, loud, kind of wild... but still really beautiful.”

Zoey blinked, caught off guard by the compliment. She could feel the heat rising to her cheeks and quickly turned her face away with a laugh, trying to play it cool. “Wow… that was surprisingly smooth for someone who’s usually awkward.”

“I’ve been practicing,” Hyun muttered with a tiny smirk, rubbing the back of his neck, clearly a little flustered now too.

She shook her head, amusement in her eyes. But then her expression shifted — more determined. She wasn’t here just to be flattered, after all. She had a plan, a goal, something she needed to see through.

“You ready to begin this walk in the park?” Zoey asked, stepping forward and holding out her hand, half-challenging, half-inviting.

Hyun didn’t hesitate. He stood up, sliding his fingers through hers. His hand was warm, his grip gentle but sure.

“I think I’d love to go on this walk with you,” he said, his eyes meeting hers — and for once, the smile he gave her wasn’t guarded or rehearsed. It was real. Honest. Something in that moment felt... different.

As they started walking, the breeze played with Zoey’s hair, and the little flower he gave her stayed tucked perfectly in place — like it belonged there all along.

———————

After being gone for over three hours, Hyun crept along the side of the building like a guilty cat burglar, trying not to make a sound. The front door was a death sentence—Jinu had radar for this kind of thing. If he got caught, not only would he be grilled for hours, but Jinu would absolutely slap him with back-to-back vocal training and maybe even dance drills just for fun.

Gripping the windowsill, Hyun hoisted himself up and slid through his bedroom window with the grace of someone who’d clearly done this before. He closed the window behind him quietly and exhaled in relief. Finally—safe.

Click.

The lights flickered on.

"How’d the date go?"

Hyun spun around like he'd just been caught robbing a bank. Standing at his door, arms crossed like two nosy judges from a talent show, were Aegi and Sarang.

Hyun blinked, caught off guard. “What date are you two talking about? And why is Aegi here?”

“Relax,” Aegi said with a shrug. “I already know about you and Zoey—”

“Sarang, did you tell him that I liked Zoey!? I thought you said you’d keep it to yourself!”

“I didn’t tell him anything—”

A sharp PHEEEEEEP suddenly pierced the air, cutting off their argument. Aegi had pulled out a plastic whistle from under his pajama top and blew it like a kindergarten teacher breaking up a fight.

Both Hyun and Sarang winced and covered their ears.

“Dude! What the hell—!?”

“You two stop fighting,” Aegi scolded, hand on his hip like a very tired camp counselor. “I came here to hear about a date, not witness a couple’s therapy session for a marriage that hasn’t even started.”

Sarang dropped his hands from his ears, glaring
“Where did you even get that whistle!?”

“I stole it from Jinu’s dressing room a month ago,” Aegi said with a proud grin. “When he was looking for it, I told him he probably misplaced it. Now, can we please focus on what matters? Spill the tea.”

Hyun groaned and flopped back onto his bed dramatically. He stared at the ceiling, the smile slowly tugging at the corner of his lips. “I guess you could say... the date was great. Magical even. We walked around Naksan Park, saw the city lights, she asked me a ton of questions about the Saja boys. It was basically... I dunno. Magically awkward. In a good way.”

“She asked questions about the Saja boys?” Sarang's tone shifted, his eyes narrowing. He glanced over at Aegi, who instantly caught on.

“What kind of questions?” Aegi asked, his brows knitting.

Hyun sat up, rubbing the back of his neck. “Things like how we met, how close we are, how I feel about the different members, our training schedules... you know, normal curiosity stuff.”

“Normal curiosity?” Sarang repeated slowly, raising an eyebrow. “Hyun. You’re head-over-heels, I get it. But are you forgetting that Zoey is still a demon? A demon who’s working with other demons that are literally stealing our fans and sabotaging our missions?”

“And trying to destroy the honmoon,” Aegi added grimly.

Hyun’s expression tightened, his fists lightly clutching the edge of his comforter. “I know who she is. But I also know how she looked at me tonight. I think she feels the same. Sarang, you said everyone deserves a chance.”

“I did,” Sarang admitted, voice softer now. “And I meant it. But there’s a difference between giving someone a chance and blindly trusting them. You’re not just some guy crushing on a girl—you’re part of the Saja boys, your a hunter. You’ve got a responsibility.”

“We just don’t want to see you get hurt,” Aegi added, his voice losing its usual sarcasm. “She might be different. But what if she’s not?”

Hyun looked between them, then back down at his lap. His heart was thudding hard again, but this time not from excitement.

“I’m not saying I trust her blindly,” he muttered. “I just… I want to believe she’s more than what everyone says. Isn’t that worth something?”

A long pause filled the room before Sarang finally sighed and leaned against the doorframe.

“It is,” he said. “Just don’t let that belief be the reason you fall apart.”

Aegi plopped down next to Hyun and nudged him. “Yeah, and if she breaks your heart, I will blow this whistle in your ear every time you mope about it.”

Hyun rolled his eyes, but a smile broke through. “Thanks, guys… even if you’re the worst support group ever.”

Chapter Text

Six weeks of Operation Seduce the Saja Boys.
Six weeks of secret rendezvous with Mystery.
Six weeks of regret.
Heavy, clinging, soul-splitting regret.

Zoey had done this kind of thing for what felt like thousands of years. In another life, in other forms, the Huntr/x had always been Gwi-Ma’s most faithful — the beautiful, irresistible weapons against the hunter bloodline. They were never supposed to fall in love with their targets. They were supposed to draw them in, destroy them, move on. But somehow, this felt different.

Mystery wasn’t like the others. He was sincere, honest in a way that felt almost naïve. He laughed at her dumb jokes. He always remembered the little things — how she liked her drinks extra sweet, how she got nervous when her hair wasn’t sitting right, how she collected rare Labubu figures and treated them like sacred treasure. One time she casually mentioned wanting a first-gen Labubu, and a week later, he presented it to her in a tiny glass display box, beaming like a kid who just won a prize.

Zoey had told herself, over and over, that she could pull away. That she could stop this before it got worse. Before her heart got too involved. But every time she tried, something stopped her — and not just the voices.

There was the echo of her parents arguing behind closed doors. The sting of kids mocking her for being “too Korean” or “not Korean enough.” The cold glares from elders who looked at her like she was a cultural disappointment, an impure shadow of what she should be. Her whole life, she’d wanted one thing: peace. A family who loved her. A place where she could just be, without having to apologize for it.

The tears crept in slowly. At first, just a shimmer in her eyes. Then a few salty drops trailing down her cheeks. She pulled her pillow close, clutching it to her chest and burying her face in it, hoping it could muffle the quiet sobs that began to escape.

“Hey, Zoey?” Mira’s voice came softly through the door, followed by a light knock. “Can I come in? I thought we could talk a bit before I meet up with Romance and Abby…”

Zoey quickly wiped her face with the sleeve of her oversized hoodie, trying to blink the redness out of her eyes. She sat up a little and nodded as the door cracked open and Mira poked her head in.

“How come Rumi isn’t with you?” Zoey asked, her voice hoarse but steady.

“She already left to meet Jinu,” Mira said, slipping into the room and plopping down on the edge of Zoey’s bed. “You okay?”

Zoey gave a half-hearted shrug. “Define okay.”

“I know you don’t want to do this,” Mira said, her tone gentle. “None of us really do. Honestly? I don’t think I can keep doing it either. I’m pretty sure Rumi feels the same way. But… the voices aren’t going to just let us back out. Gwi-Ma still owns the game board.”

Mira stared at her own hands for a moment, fidgeting with the silver rings on her fingers.

“It was stupid of me,” she continued. “Changing everything about myself, about my family, just to feel like I belonged. I thought if I made myself useful to Gwi-Ma, maybe I wouldn’t be the black sheep anymore. But now? Now I might lose the only people who make me feel like I do belong. You and Rumi… you’re all I have.”

Zoey looked down at her tear-stained pillow and swallowed hard. “Maybe we’re doing this all wrong,” she whispered. “Maybe it’s not about erasing our regrets. Maybe… maybe we’re supposed to accept them. Learn from them. Let them shape us, not control us.”

Mira let out a tired sigh and gave a small, sad smile. “Zoey, we’re demons. You know we can’t do that. Regret is part of the curse — it lingers so it can be used. If we let it in, we lose.”

She reached out and gently wiped one last tear from Zoey’s cheek.

“I should get going. You said you were seeing Mystery tonight, right?” Mira stood up, smoothing out her skirt. “Just… don’t do anything you’ll regret more than you already do, okay?”

Zoey gave a faint nod, watching her friend leave the room. The door closed with a soft click.

She sat there in silence, her mind screaming louder than the voices ever had.

———————

Hyun was at Naksan Park again—same bench, same time. The air was warm and breezy, and the city lights were beginning to shimmer as twilight sank into the hills of Seoul. This was their usual spot. No need for texting or calling—if either of them needed the other, they just knew to come here. Hyun tapped his fingers anxiously on his thigh, his eyes scanning the path.

Then, without a sound, Zoey appeared beside him and sat down. Her sudden arrivals used to startle him, but now they felt like a weird comfort—something familiar in the chaos of their lives.

“Sorry for being late,” she said softly, brushing her messy bangs out of her eyes. “I was having a chat with Mira…” Her voice trailed off, and her fingers fidgeted in her lap, twisting the hem of her sleeve over and over again.

Hyun’s brows furrowed. He gently reached out and took her hand, holding it between both of his palms. “What happened? You seem different today… quieter.”

Zoey hesitated, her throat tightening. For a second, it looked like she was going to say never mind, but instead, she took a deep breath. “I never really told you why I became a demon.” Her voice cracked slightly. “The reason I do all of this…”

Hyun stayed silent, not pushing, just letting her speak.

“I used to live in America. My mom’s Korean-American, and my dad’s from Korea. They hated each other. Like, every day, screaming matches over dinner. I couldn’t escape it. School was worse. I didn’t fit in—too Korean for some, not Korean enough for others. The elders in our community just looked at me like I was cursed. Then… the voices started. Gwi-Ma told me he could fix everything.”

Her eyes were glossy now, distant and pained. “And he did. At first. My parents stopped fighting. My classmates started smiling at me. Even the elders treated me like I was their golden child. But that’s when the marks came… and before I could even understand it, I wasn’t myself anymore. I wasn’t Zoey. I was his.”

A single tear slid down her cheek before she could stop it.

Hyun instinctively reached up and brushed it away with his thumb, his touch careful. “My name isn’t Mystery,” he said softly. “It’s Hyun. ‘Mystery’ is just a stage name I got stuck with.”

Zoey blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift.

“As a kid, I had these stupid bright yellow eyes,” he continued, trying to keep his voice steady. “Everyone bullied me for it. Said I looked like a monster. So, I grew out my hair. Hid behind it. It made me feel less… seen.”

Zoey turned to face him more fully now, frowning in confusion. “Myst—Hyun, what are you doing?”

“I’m confessing everything. About me. So you don’t have to carry everything alone. So you don’t think you’re the only one who feels… wrong.”

He smiled nervously, the tips of his ears going red. “People think I’m this cool, mysterious guy because of my name. But I’m just an awkward introvert who likes ramen too much and messes up his lines in rehearsal. My family forced me into becoming a hunter. I didn’t even want this. And you… you’re the first girl I’ve ever liked.”

Zoey’s breath caught in her throat.

“I always wondered how those guys in k-dramas knew when they’d met the one,” he murmured, eyes lowering shyly. “I think I finally get it.”

Then, with a shaky hand, Hyun reached up and pulled his long bangs back, tucking them behind his ears. His golden eyes glowed faintly in the dim park light, unshielded and vulnerable.

“You’re the only person I’ve shown my full face to,” he said. “Not even the other Saja boys know what I look like under this hair.”

For a few moments, neither of them spoke. The cicadas chirped around them. The lights flickered below the hill. And in that quiet pocket of Seoul, two people—one demon, one hunter—shared a truth that would ruin everything.

——————

For Gwi-Ma, they say. Become a demon for Gwi-Ma. Ruin the only good thing you have in your life for Gwi-Ma.

Zoey sprinted through the quiet streets, her boots slapping the pavement as she neared the apartment she shared with the other Huntr/x girls. Her chest was tight—not from exhaustion, but from the weight of what she had just done. She needed to breathe, needed to escape the suffocating thoughts spiraling in her mind. Her legs didn’t carry her home as much as they carried her away from the chaos.

She was halfway up the block when a voice sliced through the silence like a knife.

"Where do you think you’re going, Zoey? You can’t run away from your problems..."

She froze. Her breath caught. That voice wasn’t Gwi-Ma’s. No, this was different—hauntingly familiar, yet dripping with a warped sweetness. It didn’t sound ancient. It sounded like—

"Are you trying to run away from your parents?"

The air was suddenly too thick. Zoey stumbled back, grabbing at her head, her nails digging into her scalp as if she could claw the voice out of her brain. Her knees hit the ground with a thud. Patterns—faint but glowing—began surfacing on her skin, rippling like reflections on water, betraying the illusion of her human form.

"Get out of my head!!" she screamed.

"That’s not something you should say to your mom. I didn’t raise you like that," the voice replied, saccharine and sharp at once.

Another voice chimed in, layered over the first like an unwanted chorus. "Don’t listen to her, Zoey. Your mom never understood people’s emotions."

"And your dad? He wanted to leave you. And now he’s calling me the problem? Typical. You can only choose one of us, Zoey." The voice mimicking her mother softened, tender and manipulative. "You can be with me. Stay in America. Keep living your normal little life like nothing ever happened."

But then it shifted again—more confident, more alluring. "Zoey, come with me. You’ve always wanted to go to Korea, haven’t you? Start over. Chase your dreams. Be free of her."

The wind blew cold against her damp cheeks as Zoey curled in on herself, hands trembling. She didn’t know what was real anymore, whose voice belonged to whom, or which memories were hers and which were planted by the demon inside her.

Then, a hand—warm, grounding—settled on her shoulder.

"Zoey… what are you doing out here?"

She turned her head slowly. Rumi was standing there, eyes wide with worry. She didn’t ask questions, didn’t demand explanations. She just opened her arms. And Zoey collapsed into them, burying her face into Rumi’s shoulder as the dam broke and the tears finally came.

———————

“I think we all were expecting this chat…” Rumi stepped forward, her arms crossed over her chest, as she blocked the dim overhead light from reaching the other two girls. Her voice was lower than usual—like she was trying to keep it steady, even though it was shaking underneath. “It’s very clear that none of us can continue hurting these boys. We can’t keep pretending we don’t care. But the voices… they’re getting louder. Louder every night.” She looked down at her hands for a second, then back up. “Jinu almost made me think it was possible—that there was a version of us that didn’t belong to Gwi-Ma. But it’s not. No matter what we want, no matter how human we feel sometimes, Gwi-Ma will always win.”

Mira let out a bitter laugh, then turned on her heel and grabbed a throwing dart from the table. Without a word, she flung it across the room. It hit a poster on the wall with a loud thwack, piercing through the center of a glossy, smiling photo of the Saja boys holding an idol award. “Tomorrow is the Idol Awards,” she said coldly. “Perfect stage. We expose Jinu for being half demon. The shock will shatter their little found family fantasy. Saja breaks apart. We’re off the hook.”

Rumi glanced at the dart still quivering in the wall. “It’ll destroy him,” she muttered.

Zoey didn’t speak right away. Her gaze was fixed on the poster, but her mind was elsewhere—on late-night ramen with Hyun, the way he smiled when he thought no one was looking, the soft ache in her chest every time she let him believe she was someone good.

“The faster we do this,” Zoey finally said, stepping forward and reaching for the others, “the faster we lose all memory of it. All of them.” Her voice trembled, but her grip on their hands was strong. “And maybe we can go back to being the demons we were meant to be.”

She looked each of them in the eyes, fighting the sting of tears. “But no matter what happens… we’re not going to lose each other. Promise me that.”

Rumi looked down at their intertwined hands, then nodded slowly. Mira hesitated for a beat longer, then gave a stiff nod as well.

Chapter Text

The night of the Idol Awards.

Today would either be the night the Saja boys turned the honmoon gold… or the night Huntr/x shattered it for good.

Bright lights and red carpet chaos swirled around them, but as the Saja boys and Huntr/x crossed paths in the long backstage hallway, the air turned still. Glitter, camera flashes, and echoes of fans screaming outside couldn’t mask the tension buzzing between them.

The Saja boys offered polite, even hopeful smiles—Hyun gave a little wave to Zoey, Aegi gave a smirk, and Sarang threw a casual wink toward Mira—but the girls didn’t flinch. They walked past with the intensity of warriors on a mission, their combat boots clicking like weapons, faces carved with purpose. No warmth. No glance. Nothing.

Aegi popped his lollipop from his mouth with an audible click. “What’s their problem? It’s like someone put a stick up their ass.”

“Or maybe they’re just allergic to kindness,” Sarang muttered under his breath, shaking his head.

Jinu, slower to move, glanced back. His gaze caught on Rumi, lingering. There was a flicker—almost like he was searching for something behind her hardened expression. But she didn’t look back.

“Let it go,” Jinu finally said, straightening the cuffs on his blazer. “Let’s just focus on the mission—win the award, and make honmoon gold. Nothing else matters.”

Meanwhile, farther down the hall, Huntr/x had slipped into their own silent formation. Zoey leaned in close, her breath brushing against Rumi and Mira’s ears.

“Was ignoring them really necessary?” she whispered. “I thought we were supposed to distract them.”

Mira crossed her arms, expression unreadable. “We talked about this, Zoey. The last plan’s off, we agreed on this. We’ve made our choice.”

Rumi didn’t even blink. “We expose him for what he is,” Rumi continued. “A demon. We destroy the honmoon—and we take every soul we can carry.”

They stopped at their dressing room door just as the backstage announcer’s voice boomed over the system:

“Huntr/x to stage in five. Five minutes to showtime.”

Rumi turned the handle. “Time to start the fire.”

Back in the Saja boys’ dressing room, the door slammed open.

“BOYS!” Bobby’s booming voice rang through the room like a gunshot. “You’re on! Now! Huntr/x is delayed—fighting or whatever divas do—but this is your window! It’s time for my boys to shine! Two minutes, no excuses!”

Crew members rushed behind him, yelling cues and hauling gear. The Saja boys blinked, caught off guard.

Jinu stood first, brushing nonexistent lint from his suit and fixing his tie in the mirror. “You heard Bobby. Let’s knock the socks off our fans, yeah?”

Before anyone could move, Abby jumped up and threw out his arms to block the others.

“Wait, wait, wait!” His eyes were already watery. “Before we do this… I just—I need to say something.”

Sarang groaned. “Oh gods, not again…”

“I just love you guys,” Abby said, voice cracking. “No matter what happens out there, this journey? Being with you guys? It’s meant everything to me.”

Hyun grabbed a napkin and dabbed Abby’s eyes with surprising gentleness. “You’re seriously crying again?” he teased softly before helping him blow his nose.

Aegi clapped him on the back. “There, there, you big baby. Everything is fine—we’re about to kill it out there.”

Sarang crossed his arms and muttered, “Let’s just hope we don’t get killed by your emotions first.”

In the distance, faint yet fervent chanting echoed through the halls of the venue — “Saja boys! Saja boys!” The roars of the crowd were electric as the announcer’s voice boomed over the speakers, “Give it up for the Saja boys performing their newest hit, ‘Golden!’”

Backstage dimmed, then blacked out completely. A golden shimmer swept through the curtain like fireflies scattering. The first soft notes of “Golden” filled the stadium, bathing everything in warmth.

As Jinu stepped forward, the stage bathed in a brilliant golden hue that seemed to respond to him. His voice cut through the air — calm, bright, powerful. The lights flickered in rhythm with his tone, shimmering brighter with each lyric. When it came time for his solo, the rest of the Saja boys drifted into the shadows, giving him center stage — and for a moment, it felt like the honmoon had accepted him.

Offstage, Aegi fluffed his hair while catching his breath. “His voice doesn’t sound strained anymore… maybe the honmoon really is turning gold.”

“This might actually be our best idol award performance ever!” Abby squealed, dragging the rest of the boys into a tight group hug, adrenaline pumping through their veins.

Hyun, still catching his breath, squinted toward the back wall of the arena. “Wait… do you guys hear that?” A distant murmuring, a chant-like noise layered beneath the fan screams. “Is that… Bobby?”

They all turned to see Bobby by one of the back exits — but he wasn’t alone. Flanking him were shadowy figures cloaked in black and red, demon-like. “What the hell is he doing with them?” Hyun whispered.

The honmoon shimmered faintly onstage, edging toward a perfect gold — Jinu was only a few seconds from his moment of purification.

Then everything spiraled.

Suddenly, Bobby turned around — his skin cracked with glowing veins, his eyes pitch black. He let out a low, manic laugh before shifting grotesquely into his demon form. With a sharp gust of wind, he vanished into thin air, leaving a swirl of ash behind.

The boys immediately ran after him, but before they could hit the exit, Sarang skidded in front of them. “WAIT! If that’s not Bobby—then where the hell is he!?”

A heavy silence fell.

And then it hit.

The music.

“TAKEDOWN” — not Golden — began blaring from the main stage speakers. The crowd screamed in confusion and excitement, assuming it was all part of the show.

Jinu stood center stage, frozen. “Wait… Takedown? This wasn’t—this wasn’t part of the setlist!”

The stage lights flickered aggressively. One by one, the other Saja boys emerged back on stage, confidently launching into the choreo for Takedown. Jinu, confused, started dancing — still searching their faces for clues.

Sliding next to Aegi mid-dance, Jinu whispered, “Aegi, what the hell is going on!? This wasn’t the plan—”

Before he could finish, Sarang shoved him hard from behind.

“What the hell, Sarang!?” he shouted, stumbling forward.

Abby was in front of him now, his eyes dark, unreadable. He flicked his forehead with precision — it wasn’t playful. It sent him stumbling back into Hyun’s arms.

Hyun caught him — but his grip was cold. “We always knew something was off about you, Jinu…”

Before Jinu could react, Hyun tore the sleeves off his jacket, revealing ink-black demon marks running up his arms.

“No—don’t—STOP!” Jinu begged, grabbing at his jacket.

Aegi grabbed the collar and ripped it away completely. Gasps rippled from the audience.

The marks weren’t just on his arms.

They were everywhere.

Jinu stood in the spotlight, exposed. Uncloaked.

The other Saja boys circled him like sharks. Their voices unified into a chant: “You were a mistake. We never liked you. We don’t need you. You will always be a DEMON!!”

Jinu’s breath caught in his throat. Something cracked inside him. The golden honmoon flickered, then trembled.

And then it exploded.

All at once, the lights in the entire stadium shattered like glass, raining down in sparks. The honmoon cracked open with a deafening boom, its golden glow turning violet and unstable. The music cut. The entire power grid went dead. Thousands of fans screamed in terrified silence.

Jinu bolted backstage, panting. He found the actual Saja boys huddled near a prop wall, stunned.

“How—how are you already here!? Those were fakes—demons pretending to be you! I should have known!”

He grabbed Aegi’s arm, desperate. “Please, we can still fix this—if we just get back on stage, finish Golden, maybe—maybe the honmoon will go back to—”

Aegi yanked his arm back, pulling out a pair of nunchucks out of the honmoon, with the other boys doing the same.

“Wh-what are you guys doing!?” Jinu backed up. “It’s me—it’s Jinu! I’m your friend!!”

Abby’s face was pale but firm. “Look at yourself.” He pointed to his skin with his twin sai, “You’re one of them. A demon. Did Gwi-Ma send you too?”

Jinu looked down. The demon marks had fully engulfed his body, pulsing like living vines.

“No. No, you weren’t supposed to see this. The honmoon was going to fix me. Rumi—she promised. She said we could win—!”

The ground shook violently. Purple shockwaves rippled from the honmoon, sending cracks through the foundation.

“You were working with Rumi?” Sarang scoffed. “You lied to us. After all your preaching about not trusting Huntr/x…”

“Don’t act like you weren’t meeting with them in secret!!” Jinu snapped. “Hyun, you were basically dating Zoey!!”

Hyun opened his mouth but Aegi’s hand stopped him.

“At least we knew what they were after,” Aegi said coldly. “We stopped it. You’ve been lying to us for six years, Jinu. What else haven’t you told us?”

Jinu's hands balled into fists. “JUST SHUT UP AND LISTEN TO ME!!”

That’s when the honmoon cracked open entirely — rifts appeared in the floor. From each one, demons began clawing their way out, their screeches filling the air like sirens.

One by one, the Saja boys turned and walked toward the battle, sparing Jinu only one last look — a mixture of betrayal, heartbreak, and finality.

Jinu stood alone, trembling, his tears glowing as they hit his demon-scarred skin.

He turned and ran.

————————

Each of the remaining Saja Boys had split up across the battlefield, their mission clear—stop the swarm of demons pouring out from the shattered Honmoon before they overwhelmed the city. Hyun darted through the chaos, blades flying from his hands with pinpoint precision. Every step was a blur of blood and ash, his breath ragged as he ducked, dodged, and struck again.

He had already lost count of how many demons he'd taken down—dozens at least—but the numbers never seemed to shrink. As soon as he killed one, four more rose from the smoke like nightmares given flesh. Sweat poured down his temple, soaking the collar of his ripped uniform. He could feel exhaustion crawling up his limbs like a slow poison.

Where the hell is Aegi? He should’ve asked for backup. There were hundreds now, maybe more. And he was alone.

Until suddenly, the growling and shrieking stopped. The demons began retreating—slowly at first, then in a frantic scurry like rats avoiding fire.

“You demons scram. He’s off limits…”

That voice. Hyun froze, his heart thudding louder than the battlefield itself.

From the smoke emerged Zoey.

Of course it was her. She really had the guts to show up here—after betraying him, after using him.

Without hesitation, Hyun hurled all six of his knives at her with deadly precision. In a blink, Zoey spun, dodging effortlessly, snatching one of the blades mid-air just before it nicked her cheek.

She smirked as if she hadn’t just been a hair’s breadth from death. “This isn’t a nice way to thank me after saving your pretty face from a demon buffet.”

“Thank you? Thank you? You want me to thank you after everything that just happened?” Hyun’s voice cracked from the strain. His fists trembled. “How could you do this, Zoey?”

Zoey calmly tossed his knives back toward him—he caught them without breaking eye contact. “I’m a demon, Hyun. What did you expect? Sunshine and soulmates?”

“I expected something different.” He tightened his grip on the blades. His voice dropped low. “I thought you were different. I actually trusted you, Zozo…”

At the sound of her nickname, Zoey’s cold mask flickered. It was subtle, just a twitch in her jaw and a flash of regret in her eyes—but Hyun saw it.

He took a step forward, voice rising with every word. “We went on dates. We opened up to each other. We talked about our fears—our pasts—I showed you my face. Do you know how big that is for me? I wanted to give you everything!”

In one swift move, Hyun closed the distance and pinned her to the wall, his knife pressed tightly against her neck. Zoey didn’t flinch, but her breathing hitched.

His voice was hoarse now. “So go ahead. Tell me one good reason I shouldn’t kill you right here. One reason… besides the fact that I might’ve actually loved you.”

Zoey didn’t answer right away. Her expression was unreadable—frozen between anger and guilt, demon and human, enemy and something else.

But her eyes... her eyes screamed everything.

Chapter Text

Hyun pushes the knife closer to her neck, his grip trembling with rage. “Stop looking at me like a lost puppy and answer my question!” he growls, his voice cracking under the weight of betrayal.

Zoey presses herself harder against the wall, the cold concrete biting into her back. Her breath hitches as she feels the sharp edge graze her skin. She tilts her head back to avoid the blade, but refuses to break eye contact. Her voice is shaky but low. “Hyun, look… I’m—”

CRACK.

Hyun’s fist slams into the wall just inches from her face, dust crumbling from the impact. Zoey flinches, a tear slipping out despite her trying to hold it in.

“Don’t. You don’t get to say my name anymore. You should be fighting back. You’re a demon. That’s all you care about, right? Yourself. Your mission. Gwi-Ma.”

His eyes are wild now, swimming with pain and betrayal. He pulls out another knife with his free hand, lifting it in a swift motion toward her stomach.

But just as the blade inches closer, a piercing scream echoes in the distance—a familiar voice. Male. Desperate. In pain.

Hyun freezes.

For a second, it’s like time pauses. The knife lingers between them, suspended by indecision.

“You got lucky this time…” he mutters bitterly, then steps back and lets go of her shirt. His body is tense, muscles shaking as he spins on his heel and takes off toward the scream.

Zoey slides down the wall, gasping for breath. Her hands tremble as she clutches her neck, feeling the sting where the knife grazed her. Her legs feel like jelly. Tears begin to fall freely now, hot and silent, as she sits frozen in place. Her chest heaves, guilt and heartbreak pouring in through every inhale.

Hyun barrels down alleyways and across parking lots, chasing the sound. His boots splash through puddles of demon blood and ash. He finally stops when he sees Aegi standing in the middle of a cracked stadium corridor, surrounded by the crumbling remains of defeated demons. Smoke drifts in the air, and in the distance, he sees a crowd of people marching out of the stadium, chanting: “Huntr/x! Huntr/x!”

Hyun rushes over. “Aegi! Aegi, are you okay? What happened? Where are the others? What’s going on!?”

He grabs Aegi’s shoulder, but Aegi jerks away violently, smacking his hand off. His eyes are glassy, distant, and hollow, like he’s not fully there.

“Don’t act like you care,” Aegi mutters. His voice is low, bitter. “You guys never really saw me. I’m not your little brother. I’m tired of being treated like some helpless kid.”

Before Hyun can respond, Aegi turns and begins marching with the crowd, swallowed up by the chants and flashing signs.

Hyun stands in place, stunned. His chest tightens. What the hell was happening?

He stumbles back a few steps, clutching his head as a sharp, sudden pain pierces his skull. He groans, falling to his knees. The headache wasn’t normal—it felt like something was burrowing into his mind.

Then the voices came.

“No one will ever truly like you. You’ll always be the ugly duckling.”
“You’re not a real leader. You’re just a shadow behind the others.”
“You think Zoey ever wanted you? That was pity. Maybe we can find someone more pathetic for you to chase next.”

He grits his teeth, trying to block them out. It wasn’t real. It couldn’t be real.

He slams his fists into the ground. “Shut up. Shut up. Shut up!”

But the whispers only grow louder, more convincing.

And then something inside him… snaps.

Hyun stands up slowly, his eyes vacant. His arms fall to his sides like a puppet whose strings have been cut. The voices aren't pushing him anymore—they’re leading him. Comforting him. Giving him a place to belong.

Without another word, Hyun turns and begins walking—no, marching—with the rest of the crowd, the chants of “Huntr/x! Huntr/x!” echoing in his ears like a twisted lullaby.

——————

Mira hovered near the stadium entrance, scanning the flood of people taking their seats under the blinding lights and echoing anticipation. The murmurs of fans, the humming buzz of excitement—it was almost overwhelming. “The stadium’s almost full,” she muttered, nerves tightening her voice. “We should get ready for our final performance.”

From the stage, Rumi called out without turning, her voice edged with tension. “Jinu’s nowhere to be seen. The last time I saw him… he ran off. He should be far from Seoul by now.”

Zoey adjusted her mic, her eyes flicking to the side where the others waited in silence. “The Saja boys are already here. Mira told me Abby and Romance were the first to hear the voices. We had to trap Baby into it, hoping his connection would make it easier for him to break free. And Hyun… or should I say Mystery... he was the last. Too distracted to notice.”

Rumi stepped forward and motioned for the girls to gather into a tight circle. They leaned in, heads bowed like they were in a quiet prayer. “After this song,” Rumi whispered, “Gwi-Ma will erase our memories. This nightmare will be over.”

“We can stay together,” Mira added softly, “like we’ve always been. No more pain. No more guilt.”

Zoey hesitated, shifting her weight as her voice came out barely above a whisper. “I know you guys are tired of me asking this but… are we really sure this is a good idea? That there’s no other way for us to stay together? Be free without—this?”

Before anyone could respond, a chilling sound echoed from the shadows behind them. A laugh—deep, slow, and full of pride—started as a soft chuckle and escalated into a full-blown, bone-rattling cackle. “Oh my sweet girls,” the voice cooed, “you’ve almost done it.”

Each member of Huntr/x immediately dropped to their knees. The air seemed to grow heavier as the towering figure of Gwi-Ma emerged, cloaked in shadows and arrogance.

“No need to kneel for me anymore,” Gwi-Ma said, walking toward them with a grin that stretched too wide. “After all the work you three have done, I should be kneeling for you.” His smile turned menacing. “But if you try anything clever, there will be consequences, Zoey. Now—start the performance.”

“Yes, Lord Gwi-Ma,” the three girls replied in eerie unison, though Zoey’s voice stood out—louder, defiant. They walked into formation, the lights dimming around them as Gwi-Ma himself triggered the music for their final song: Your Idol.

The stage lit up in golds and purples as the beat dropped. From the crowd, roars of demons echoed as they encouraged the mortals, feeding off their joy and hope before harvesting their souls. The girls sang, moving like clockwork, hypnotic and mechanical.

As the song reached its climax, a haunting crescendo, people began to rise from their seats, some marching trance-like onto the stage toward Gwi-Ma. Then—everything stopped.

The music cut. Lights flickered.

A tall silhouette entered through the back entrance, singing in a deep, unwavering voice:
“We are hunters, voices strong.
Slaying demons with our song.
Fix the world and make it right,
When darkness finally meets the light.”

Gwi-Ma’s eyes narrowed. He stepped forward, laughter bubbling up again. “What do you think you’re doing here? After everything you ran from, you really believe you can stop this?”

Jinu’s voice cut through the silence. “No.”

“Then why are you here!?”

A pause. Then Jinu sang again, each word weighted with regret and truth:
“Nothing but the truth now. Nothing but the proof of what I am.
The worst of what I came from, patterns I’m ashamed of.”

“Stop that! STOP!” Gwi-Ma bellowed, voice crackling like fire.

From the left wing of the stage, Aegi’s voice joined in:
“Things that even I don’t understand.
I tried to fix it. I tried to fight it.”

“Girls! Stop them! Now! Or I swear I will—”

Before he could finish, the rest of the Saja boys emerged, singing in harmony:
“My head was twisted, my heart divided.
My lies all collided.
I don’t know why I didn’t trust you
To be on my side.”

Gwi-Ma turned to the girls, expecting obedience—but they didn’t move. They stood frozen, as if the spell had cracked.

“You’re all useless!” he screamed, fury exploding from his body like a wave. “I hate to do this—but you leave me no choice!”

Without warning, Gwi-Ma opened his jaws and spewed a torrent of fire straight at Jinu. The blaze was blistering, unstoppable. Jinu barely had time to raise his sword. The flames clashed against the blade, forcing him backward, his feet skidding against the stage floor. The other boys rushed to help—but demons intercepted them mid-run, claws slashing and teeth bared.

“You don’t feel very strong now, do you!?” Gwi-Ma roared.

Jinu’s arms shook. He gritted his teeth. His grip loosened. His legs buckled. He was losing.

He squeezed his eyes shut, ready to give everything for one last stand—when the pressure on his sword vanished.

He opened his eyes—and saw her.

Rumi stood before him, hands raised, her body already beginning to crack apart and glow from the inside. Her soul was burning, unraveling in real time as she shielded him from the flames.

“Rumi?! What are you doing!? You’ll die!”

She smiled through the pain, tears running down her cheeks. “I’m sorry, Jinu. I should’ve done this a long time ago.” She turned her head slightly toward Zoey, who was now crying uncontrollably. “Some people made me realize… there’s another way to be happy. That demons can have souls, too.”

With those final words, Rumi’s body shattered into light, her soul fusing into Jinu’s sword, making it glow with celestial fire.

The crowd, both mortal and Saja alike, began to sing This Is What It Sounds Like, the melody breaking through the tension like dawn after a storm. Jinu, burning with renewed strength, charged at Gwi-Ma with the glowing blade.

Mira stood in the middle of the stage, staring in disbelief at where Rumi had once stood. Her legs gave out beneath her as she dropped to her knees, mouth open in a silent cry that turned into a scream. Hot tears streamed down her face.

Across the stage, Zoey’s vision blurred with her own tears. She looked over just in time to see a pack of demons storming toward Mira.

“MIRA, WATCH OUT!”

Zoey sprinted across the stage, shoving Mira out of the way and standing protectively in front of her. She braced herself for the impact—eyes shut, arms wide.

But nothing came.

She opened her eyes and turned around to see Hyun, blades gleaming, cutting through the demons without hesitation. His expression was unreadable but fierce.

“You should go, Zoey,” Hyun grunted between slashes. “Take Mira and get out of here—before I change my mind. Me and the others… we’ll end this.”

Zoey didn’t say anything—afraid her voice would ruin the moment. She simply nodded and pulled a trembling Mira to her feet. Together, they ran offstage, leaving behind fire, steel, and the Saja boys in the final battle to defeat Gwi-Ma.

Chapter Text

A lot had changed in the past year.

The Saja Boys hadn’t defeated Gwi-Ma—not completely. But they’d done enough. They forced him back into the underworld, sealed the rift for now.

The honmoon, once shattered and dark, had taken months to rebuild. And even now, it remained dull silver. Not gold. Never gold. Not yet.

After the battle, Jinu cut off all communication with Celine. The Saja Boys rebranded publicly: new image, new sound, new motto. But privately… they were still haunted.

And something was missing.

Huntr/x had vanished from the world. No official statement. No goodbye. Just gone.

But the boys still felt them. In memories. In music. In dreams. Even Aegi, who swore up and down they were better off, admitted once—half-drunk and staring out the dorm window—“I miss those girls to be honest... it was never boring with them around.”

Occasionally, they’d see Mira or Zoey in the city, walking alone or ducking into a bookstore. No words were exchanged. No nods of recognition. Just heavy silence.

Since Rumi’s death, things had been… off.

Jinu hadn’t told the others, but sometimes—usually late at night—his sword whispered to him. A soft, familiar voice. Rumi’s voice. He told himself it was a dream, or guilt, or grief. But it didn’t feel like any of those things.

It felt real.

Knock knock.

Hyun stirred from his bed, the room around him pitch black except for the pale light of the moon cutting through the blinds. He didn’t turn on the light. “Who is it?”

“It’s me,” Jinu’s voice came from the hall.

Hyun cracked the door open. “Jinu? You good?”

Jinu hesitated before stepping in. The room smelled faintly of incense and old posters. It was darker than he expected, and colder too. He looked at Hyun properly for the first time in weeks.

Hyun’s hair was longer, almost unkempt. His bangs shadowed his face completely, and the back was pulled into a rough ponytail. He was holding a photo in one hand and what looked like a piece of torn cloth in the other. His walls were covered in pinned-up photos and lyrics—some torn down hastily as Jinu entered.

“Sorry if I’m interrupting.”

“You’re not.” Hyun shoved the rest of the photos in a drawer and waved him in. “My name’s Mystery for a reason, right? I’m good at secrets. What’s on your mind?”

Jinu sat slowly on the edge of the bed, glancing at the photo that had just been tucked away. A blurry image of Zoey, half-smiling, and Hyun beside her. It explained a lot.

“I need to tell you something... and I need you to not think I’m insane.”

Hyun raised an eyebrow but stayed silent.

“I’ve been hearing voices,” Jinu said quietly, eyes flicking to the blade strapped across his back. “From my sword.”

Hyun stiffened. His hand instinctively moved to his own blade inside the honmoon.

Jinu quickly held up his hands. “Wait—just listen—”

Without warning, Hyun had drawn his blade and pointed it at Jinu’s chest.

“Just being sure,” Hyun said calmly. Then, just as quickly, he lowered it and slid it back into its sheath. “Go on.”

Jinu exhaled. “The night Rumi died… when she sacrificed herself to save me, she said her soul would live on through the sword. I didn’t understand at the time. But lately… I think I’m hearing her. Like… really hearing her. In my head. In my chest. It's not like Gwi-Ma’s voice. It’s not evil. It's her. I swear.”

Hyun studied him for a moment, arms crossed. “You’re saying Rumi’s spirit is inside your sword? Talking to you?”

“Exactly.”

There was a pause.

Hyun scoffed, trying to suppress a smirk. “You sound like you’ve been watching too many fantasy k-dramas, bro.”

Jinu shot up, frustrated. “I know how it sounds, but I’m not making this up! It’s her voice. It’s her words. She’s guiding me. And she keeps saying we need to fix things—with Zoey, with Mira. That we can fix everything.”

At Zoey’s name, Hyun’s face fell. The smirk vanished.

Jinu lowered his voice. “I know what she meant to you. And I know what she did... but Rumi believed in her. Believed in all of them. Said they were being used just like she was.”

Hyun sat back against the bed frame, silent for a long moment, eyes tracing a dusty old group photo on the wall—Saja Boys, the day of their debut showcase, when they were still wide-eyed and whole.

“I never stopped caring about her,” Hyun admitted quietly. “Zoey. I hate what she did. Hate that she lied. But I still want to protect her annd give her the world. Even if I’ll never trust her again.”

He looked back at Jinu. “So. If Rumi really is in that sword of yours… how do we get her out?”

————————

“Are you out of your mind, Jinu!? Who the hell made you think it was a good idea to release the soul of your ex-situationship and meet with demons!?” Sarang barked, his voice echoing off the alley walls as he followed Jinu at a furious pace.

Jinu didn’t stop. He clutched the sheathed sword tighter in his grip, jaw locked.

Abby reached out and grabbed Sarang’s hoodie, pulling him back. “Okay, yelling at him isn’t going to help,” he said with a sigh. “But Jinu—seriously—how do you even know this ritual will work?”

“Because Rumi gave up everything for me,” Jinu replied. “And I refuse to let her stay chained to Gwi-Ma’s world. We saw the truth—they weren’t evil. They were enslaved. If I had listened to fear instead of her back then… she’d be gone forever.”

Aegi walked a little behind them, spinning a lollipop between his fingers. “So just to clarify: you’re gonna yank Rumi’s soul out of your demon blade using a ritual that you somehow got Zoey and Mira to agree to, and we’re still getting ramen after, right? Because that’s the only part I understand.”

“Rumi told him about it,” Hyun said, his voice low but firm. “Jinu told me the ritual details after she first started speaking to him. Jinu trusts me. Probably because I didn’t sell anyone out or run away.”

The group glanced awkwardly at each other.

Jinu finally stopped in front of a wide vacant lot behind an old cathedral. Cracked pavement, graffiti, and the smell of rust and incense lingered in the air.

“We’re here. Let me take the lead,” he said, his tone leaving no room for debate. “If we make one wrong move, this doesn’t just go bad—it goes worse.”

From the far end of the lot, Mira and Zoey stepped into view.

Both were dressed in black, faces shadowed and solemn. Mira kept her arms crossed, expression hard. Zoey looked down at the ground, hands twitching by her sides.

Jinu stepped forward. “Thank you for coming,” he said softly. “I know things are… strained. But this isn’t about us. It’s about Rumi.”

“Let’s just get it done,” Mira muttered, eyes flicking to Sarang and Abby.

Sarang glared right back, arms folded. Abby didn’t say anything—but he gave Mira a slow, cold nod. Maybe that was his version of a “thanks.” Or a warning.

Jinu knelt and placed the sword in the center of a salt-and-ash circle Mira had drawn earlier. The blade shimmered faintly under the candlelight.

Zoey lit the final candles, one for each of them. Seven total.

The wind stilled.

Jinu, Mira, and Zoey knelt and placed their hands on the sword, linking their other hands with one another.

They began to chant in unison, voices clear and strong:

“재와 뼈로, 피와 불꽃으로,
이름 없는 자를 부르노라.
깊은 그림자와 공허한 밤에서,
나아오라, 복종하라, 너의 힘을 보여라.
맹세로 묶이고, 표식으로 새겨진 자여,
장막을 넘어 이제 내 것이 되라.
연기와 불로 봉인을 깨뜨리라—
고대의 악마여, 들으라, 느끼라!
루미여, 내가 너를 소환하노라.
풀린 사슬에서 나와, 지금 나에게 말하라.
의지로, 영혼으로, 저주받은 숨결로,
심연에서 일어나 죽음을 거부하라!”

A blinding light surged from the sword. The ground cracked beneath the salt ring. A ghostly scream filled the air—followed by silence.

And then… a form began to rise.

Rumi, glowing and whole, hovered above the blade. Her body was translucent at first—then solidified, color returning to her skin, her hair flowing like smoke around her.

She dropped to the ground, coughing. Jinu caught her instantly, pulling her into a tight embrace “You’re okay… Rumi, you’re okay,” he whispered, voice cracking as he held her like his life depended on it.

Rumi’s eyes opened slowly. “You really brought me back…”

The Saja boys stepped back, overwhelmed. Zoey turned her face away, blinking fast. Mira rushed forward first, kneeling beside Rumi. “I thought we lost you for good, Rumi,” she muttered, tears shining in her eyes.

Rumi looked up at him and laughed softly, her voice shaky but sincere. “You really cried for me, Mira?”

Mira rolled her eyes, trying to hide the tear stains still drying on her cheeks. “Shut up,” she muttered, grinning through it. “Don’t make me regret this.”

Before anyone else could respond, Sarang stepped forward. The moment his boots hit the ground with purpose, silence fell. But he froze when Mira moved toward him, her expression unreadable. They stood toe to toe, breaths almost mingling, the tension between them coiling like a drawn bowstring.

“You think this changes what you did?” Sarang asked, his voice low and ice-cold.

“I didn’t come for forgiveness,” Mira replied, unwavering. “Only to save Rumi.”

Sarang’s jaw clenched. His fists trembled at his sides, not from fear, but from the war raging inside him. But before it could boil over, Rumi, still weak but steady, reached up and grabbed both their hands, pulling them together with surprising strength.

“That’s enough,” she said, her voice soft but commanding, the kind of voice that stopped storms. “We’re all tired of fighting. And I’m tired of bleeding for nothing.”

Zoey stepped between them, calm yet resolute, her eyes flicking between Mira and Sarang. “We’ve done enough damage. To each other. To ourselves. Let’s stop before we burn what’s left.”

The weight of her words settled like ash after a fire.

Aegi let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding and looked over at Mira, his signature smirk tempered by something more genuine. “You’ve got guts for showing up,” he said. “I’ll give you that.”

One by one.

Each of the girls started kneeling down in front of the Saja boys as a sign of forgiveness. A unspoken chorus of regret.

Hyun’s jaw tightened as he watched them. His eyes narrowed—but he didn’t speak. Abby stood still at first, arms crossed and expression unreadable. Then, slowly, he gave a curt nod. Not approval. But a start.

Jinu knelt beside Rumi, helping her up with care. He looked out over the group—both sides now united by exhaustion and shared grief—and said softly, “I forgive you.”

The words landed like a balm, soothing wounds that had festered for too long.

Rumi smiled weakly. “And I’m starving.”

Everyone turned to her, blinking. Then Aegi lit up like the sky on festival night.

“FINALLY someone’s speaking my language! Ramen. Now.”

A beat of stunned silence—and then laughter. Genuine, full-bodied, healing laughter. Even Sarang, stubborn and storm-eyed, cracked a reluctant smile.

Later that night, the group—Saja boys and Huntr/x alike—crammed shoulder to shoulder into a cozy ramen shop near the Han River. Lanterns glowed overhead, casting soft gold light on the mismatched tables and scuffed wooden floors.

Steam curled up from bowls, the scent of miso and garlic and sesame oil mingling in the air. For once, the only clashing was from chopsticks fighting over tempura.

Jinu sat beside Rumi, who leaned on his shoulder, her fingers lazily tracing the edge of her bowl. Across from them, Zoey and Hyun shared long, silent glances—no words, just understanding passing between them like smoke.

Sarang and Mira kept their distance, sitting at opposite ends of the table. But Abby, always the chaos agent, kept telling bad jokes and poking at Mira’s food with his chopsticks, clearly trying to wear down the walls between them. Aegi, across from him, was nearly in tears laughing at the ridiculous impressions.

Someone tried to play music from a half-broken speaker in the corner. It crackled and popped, but no one minded.

For the first time in what felt like forever, they weren’t fighters, enemies, or remnants of an endless war.

They were just people.

Bonus

(Few months later)

“I hope this hangout goes well,” Rumi said, dropping down beside Jinu on the couch with a soft thud. She tucked her legs under herself and leaned into him, her head resting comfortably on his shoulder. “This is the first time we’re all spending time together in someone’s actual home.”

Jinu instinctively wrapped an arm around her, barely looking up as he continued to scroll through movie options on the screen. “We’re just watching a movie. What’s the worst that could happen?”

Rumi gave him a skeptical side-eye. “Have you met our friends? What if Mira and Sarang start arguing again? Actually—where is everyone?”

“Zoey went to make popcorn, and Hyun followed because, well... she’d probably set the kitchen on fire if someone didn’t remind her to take it out of the microwave. Mira, Abby, and Sarang are off having some kind of private talk—”

“Is right here…” a dry voice chimed in from the far end of the couch.

Rumi and Jinu turned in surprise.

Aegi, legs crossed and arms folded, was sitting with an unreadable expression. “I’ve been here the whole time, but apparently you two were too busy cuddling like parents who finally got the babysitter to stay past 9 p.m.”

Before either of them could respond, Zoey bounced into the room holding a large bowl.

“Guess who brought popcorn!” she sang cheerfully.

The moment she stepped into the light, the burnt smell hit everyone at once. “Okay, slightly burnt,” she admitted with a sheepish grin. Her other hand quickly went to her neck, covering a reddish mark just above her collarbone.

The room went quiet for half a beat before everyone gave each other sideways glances.

Zoey pretended not to notice. “Anyway, where’s Hyun? He was just behind me—”

She turned toward the archway leading into the living room. There, half-hidden in the shadows, stood Hyun, his hands tucked into the sleeves of his hoodie, shoulders tense.

“I don’t think this is a good idea, Zoey,” he muttered. “What if they make fun of my face?”

Jinu finally looked away from the screen. “Wait—make fun of his face? What are you talking about?”

Zoey sighed and set the popcorn bowl down on the coffee table. “I thought it might be good for Hyun to, you know... start showing his face more. Not just around me.”

She walked toward the doorway and gently grabbed Hyun’s wrist, trying to coax him out into the light. He resisted, digging in his heels, clearly uncomfortable.

It took five minutes—and several muttered bribes and threats—before Zoey finally managed to convince him to step forward.

The moment Hyun’s hood came down and the light hit his face, the entire room went silent.

He was... stunning. Sharp, piercing golden eyes. High cheekbones. A strong jawline. His nose was slightly crooked—clearly broken a few times—but it only added to his rugged charm. His skin was flawless, glowing with the kind of effortless perfection that made everyone else in the room feel like they needed better skincare routines.

“Okay... why is everyone staring?” Hyun asked, a bit too defensively. “Do I have something on my face? Is it that bad?”

Aegi, mid-sip of his milkshake, choked and almost sprayed it across the room. “Bad? Hyun, your face is literally illegal. You look like a Calvin Klein model.”

Hyun’s brows furrowed. “Is that... a good thing?”

Before anyone could answer, a voice echoed from down the hallway.

“What’s all the noise out here?” Mira appeared, stepping out of one of the rooms, followed closely by Abby and Sarang—holding hands.

Every head in the room turned.

Sarang cleared his throat and smirked slightly. “Okay, are we just going to ignore the random K-drama lead in our living room?”

“I’m literally your friend,” Hyun said, half-annoyed, half-embarrassed.

Abby strode over and grabbed Hyun by the shoulders, shaking him slightly. “How have you been hiding this face from us all this time? We were out here thinking you were some faceless ghost in a hoodie!”

“Abby—careful!” Rumi called out, pulling him back. “You’re about to give Hyun a heart attack. Let him breathe.”

She turned her attention to the trio that had just walked in. “Wait—what were you guys even talking about in there?”

The three of them exchanged a glance. Mira gave a small smile, Abby shrugged, and Sarang answered.

“You could say we finally cleared the air,” he said. “We’re on... good terms now.”

Before Rumi could press for details, Jinu’s voice cut through the room.

“Okay, I think I found a movie,” he announced, clicking on the screen. The title card flashed in bright colors: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

He looked around. “Everyone down for this one?”

“Obviously,” Rumi replied, already settling deeper into the couch.

Aegi rolled his eyes. “Just warning you now, if anyone talks during the movie, I’m throwing the popcorn.”

“Burnt popcorn,” Zoey muttered under her breath with a grin.