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Chapter Text

Legacy

Part 1

This part of the Underworld had always been deserted. As Jinu stepped forward into the wasteland, he understood why. It looked like a desert covered with the lightest fog. The stench of death lingered heavier as he stepped closer, nearly pushing him to turn around and leave, but he didn't. 

He had come here for one precise reason after all. He wouldn't leave without it. He owed it to him, after all.

His steps brought him closer to a deep pit. When he glanced inside, he couldn't see its depth.

"Derpy," he whispered, willing the Tiger to form by his side. The gracious blue feline appeared through a portal of his own making, his inseparable bird perched on his head. A friendly rub against his thigh later, Jinu was jumping on his back and all three were flying down the pit.

An ordinary demon would have had trouble clawing its way out. A dying demon didn't stand a chance.

He slid off Derpy's back as he landed on the ground. A crevice was now visible from his spot, unseen from the top. A small dusty cloud stormed around his ankles as he stepped forward, signaling to Derpy to stay behind. He didn't want his familiar to follow him too deep in this rotten place. 

Not even Gwi-Ma would venture too far in this land, which was probably why he had chosen to hide here. 

Rough chuckle snarling: “Hide. Die. Same difference.”

The crevice was pitch black and it took Jinu a few seconds to accommodate his night vision to the environment. Even his demonic eyes didn't allow him to perceive that much. Walls, walls...and a deformed body curled in the far end.

His breath got caught in his throat as he felt his pulse accelerate. He had done it. He had found him.

"Cheol," he spoke quietly, but even his whisper sounded like a howl in this silent place.

No reply, not even a twitch. Jinu stepped closer, careful yet. His sight got accustomed to the night and now he could see he hadn't been wrong. 

An ancient armor. A face hidden by a straw hat. A hand tight around the handle of a sword.

He would recognize the patterns of that hand everywhere. 

"Cheol," he repeated and knelt close.

Close enough, but not close enough for the edge of the blade to pierce his skin. The sword jumped from the still hand, tip barely grazing his Adam’ apple. Jinu didn't move and remained still. The body, formerly immobile, was breathing again. 

"How did you find me, Jinu?" 

The voice sounded ancient, tired. And yet, underneath, he still heard the burning fire within. 

"Mystery," he replied honestly. 

The blade didn't move an inch. The demon made a grumbling sound that could pass for a chuckle.

"Demon dog finally got useful, right? Did he wag his tail like a good boy once you congratulated him?" 

Jinu narrowed his eyes. 

"He's mine to command," he reminded the older demon. “I chose him.”

"He will bare his teeth at you the moment Gwi-Ma orders it, and you know it." A heavy pause. "They all will in the end. Just like you did." 

Jinu pressed his lips together, feeling a flicker of anger in his chest.

"I didn't do anything," he growled. "I don’t know who launched those rumors, but I never betrayed you, Cheol." 

He only had a faint idea of what Gwi-Ma’s formidable solider had been up to. His numerous coming and going to the Overworld had nothing to do with their King’s missions, not when they kept increasing and went longer and longer every time. Jinu had fought by his side, stood in his back for over two centuries, before Gwi-Ma had separated them. He knew the older demon and he was far from stupid.

“Why are you here then?”

He looked exhausted, but the blade pointed at his neck still wasn’t shaking. Jinu pressed his lips together. He had been asking himself that very question. Why was he so desperate to find him, even though they hadn’t seen each other much in the past century? The answer was just as ridiculous for a demon that it was easy.

“How can I help you?”

When Jinu had first stepped into the land of demons, Cheol had taken him under his wing and mentored him. It happened sometimes –older demons showing the ropes to the younger ones, to help them keep their sanity. Most of the time, they did it to earn Gwi-Ma’s favor –a thinking demon was more useful than those who became faceless. But mentors and students didn’t create bounds with one another. Cheol had been more than a mentor to Jinu, the closest thing to a friend.

Friend. A dangerous word, in the Underworld.

The blade finally lowered and hit the ground with a loud ‘clang’.

“Miyeong,” he finally spoke. “It was her name. She was carrying my child.”

Jinu felt the tension renewing in his guts. A human lover, he could deal with. A pregnant lover? If Gwi-Ma ever heard the slightest bit of that child’s existence…No wonder why Cheol kept himself away.

“She…” the older demon suddenly had a coughing fit. “Minsu for a boy. Rumi for a girl. We agreed before I left.”

Another coughing fit, more violent this time. The hat tumbled down, uncovering his face. The man had been fighting –opened wounds over nose, cheeks, one eye down. Demons rarely bled, only when they were truly dying. Regeneration took some time, but Cheol was definitively reaching the end. More disturbing yet was the hair. His once long, beautifully thick purple hair had been chopped off.

Whoever had gotten the better of him was good.

“Find them,” he said, his tone grave. “Find them, give them my sword and tell them I’m sorry. That’s how you can help me.”

Jinu nodded. That was something he could do. Sneak through a tear, wander in the Overworld, a quick stop and return, Gwi-Ma none the wiser.

“I will.”

He meant it. He owed him that much. The older demon’s gaze still felt heavy on his shoulders.

“If you betray them, I will know.” Jinu nodded again. “Lean forward.”

Cheol raised a hand. It was a true matter of trust when Jinu complied. He knew better than anyone what that palm against bare skin was capable of. He had seen it disintegrate enemies with a single touch. His mentor’s power was terrifying. But as his hand and forehead came in contact, he only felt warmth. Jinu closed his eyes and-

-dark-haired woman with a long braid, beaming smile, curled on a seat against him, dancing in a wild field, standing in front of a grave, looking at him with mistrustful, hateful eyes, loving, adoring eyes, quiet whispers in the dark, a flash of a blade, and-

Jinu gasped as he was brutally ejected away from Cheol’s memories. It took him a few moments to regain control of his own mind, but once he managed, he couldn’t help but glare at the older demon.

“A Hunter? You went out and bred with a Hunter? Are you out of your mind stupid seonsaeng!”

The slip of the tongue came out too naturally, but old habits, especially developed through centuries, hardly died. There was only a soft, grave chuckle, and then a faint whisper:

“Just give them my sword, idiot apprentice.”

And then his body dissolved into dust, the last of his breath lost in air. Jinu was left staring at an empty space, and a demonic sword lying in the dust.

Opening a pathway to the human world wasn’t complicated for a demon of Jinu’s stature. Opening a secret pathway to sneak past Gwi-Ma’s attention and get to the human world was a completely different matter. Their King was too powerful after consuming so many souls over the years. Even with his dying fire, he was still sharp and alert, watching for any tear he hadn’t created. His best envoys were under much tighter supervision, and Cheol’s betrayal had been kept under wraps to keep others from getting ideas.

Cheol’s sword felt heavy around his waist as Jinu weaved through the Underworld in search of a tear. He needed to act fast, before the boys –or worse, before Gwi-Ma –started wondering where he had gone. Only Mystery knew of his latest quest, because Jinu had needed his help to track down Cheol. Mystery would keep quiet though, he always did. The others…Jinu wasn’t sure they would understand.

So as he walked through the devastated landscape, he listened to any rumors, any signs, that would lead him to come across the Honmoon. Fortunately, patience was something he had learned, and it paid off. Three hours after he left Cheol, he noticed a group of demons gathering for a new soul hunt. Without a single word and taking care of covering his face, Jinu melted in the mass and walked into the human realm.

It didn’t take him long to reevaluate the pertinence of such a plan. First, though he knew Cheol’s lover had been a Hunter, he had no idea where to actually look for her. Second, the most obvious thing he should have thought of…

…he hadn’t been in the Overworld for over a century. With his black hanbok and wide-brimmed hat, he stood out like a sore thumb in the colorful streets. Everything was clear for now –tears in the Honmoon happened frequently nearby crowded places, but empty enough not to gather too much attention from the Hunters. A quick glance around and he spotted the picture of a group of men dressed in what he assumed to be the current trend. A snap of his fingers later, his patterns disappear and his clothes had shifted. He also disillusioned the sword. He wasn’t certain of the rules about weapons these days.

Then he started walking away, putting some distance between the tear and the streets. Some demons might recognize him even under a human form, though he wasn’t as old as some demons, his face was known enough to be associated with Cheol’s. And he waited. Demons were certain to attract Hunters, and with some luck…

His luck didn’t take much longer. Barely five minutes later, a silhouette was pulling two swords out of the Honmoon and began slicing demons with ease. He stood to the side, watching her work, slightly in awe of the techniques. The woman killed with frightening efficiency, slicing without the slightest hesitation, watching them burn down to ashes, a loathing glare on her face. She was a long-haired one, but not the one he was looking for.

Odd, he thought, that the two others wouldn’t show. Had they separated to patrol? Or had the pregnant Hunter stayed aside for the sake of her child?

A few moments later, the tear was closed and the woman walked away. Jinu took a few moments before following her. Hunters worked as trios. This lone one would inevitably join her sisters-in-arms. 

His assumption didn’t quite pay off. He followed her through streets he couldn’t make sense of, till she entered one of the metal boxes that seemed to have replaced horses and trolleys and went off. He teleported over the rooftops, following her trail until she pulled out of the city and into a more isolated house, surrounded by gardens. The Hunter then left the moving box and entered inside.

Jinu considered knocking before banishing the idea. He needed to find Miyeong first. His guts told him only she might agree to talk to him without pulling a Honmoon-made weapon on him. Unfortunately, he didn’t have much idea on where to look.

Instead, he headed towards the gardens, assuming other Hunters would eventually make their way here. As he approached it, he realized there was a small tombstone on the side of the path, a stick of incense still burning. Curious, he stepped closer.

Read the name on the stone.

Miyeong

The other Hunter had been alone. Hunting alone, instead of being accompanied with the two others. A cold feeling twirled his stomach around.

“Shit!” he cursed loudly.

Miyeong was dead. Either by another demon, either by another natural cause –humans were fragile, more susceptible to diseases and accidents than demons were –but if he believed the stone, she was truly dead and buried.

He was too late.

Or was he?

The stone didn’t look recent, although not overly old either. Had Cheol known of his lover’s death?

Frustration started to build in the pit of his stomach as he considered the consequences of his actions. He had gone to the human world to fulfill his old mentor’s last request. A request he would never be able to fulfill, since the recipient of his request was dead. His passing through one world to another might have gone unnoticed, or might have not. The boys were still waiting for his return in the Underworld. They could last some time without him, but if they started to believe he had abandoned them or had been vanquished or anything, really…

Had he gone and risked so much for nothing?

Jinu closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Focus, he thought. Perhaps he couldn’t fulfill his old mentor’s wish, but he could do the closest next thing. With another snap of a finger, he removed his disguise and returned to his demon form. He summoned the sword, slowly knelt in respect in front of the tombstone. Then, with a deep bow, he presented it to the deceased.

“I bring you Yeonghon,” he whispered. “It was Cheol’s trusted sword. He asked me to give it to you and your child after he passed, and asks for your forgiveness. I leave it to you.”

He put the sword down in front of the tombstone gently, removed his hands to set them over his knees.

“May you both find peace in the afterlife,” he whispered. “May you both be happy and free.”

He bowed twice to pay his respect and stood up. There, he had done what needed to be done. Now, he only had to-

“What are you doing here?”

His attention snapped to the side as he half expected to see the Hunter. Instead, he was met with a child. A girl, about five or six, he’d say. Wearing a sleeveless dress and a small sweater in her tiny hands. Dark eyes, round face. Purple hair.

And then he remembered…

…time didn’t feel the same in the Underworld and the Overworld.

Cheol might have left the human realm for far longer than he had expected. Or his agony had been that long. Either way…

“You’re a demon?” the girl asked.

She had a braid, the same kind the other Hunter in Cheol’s memories wore. She sounded curious, not quite afraid. Jinu huffed and turned to face her. She merely craned her neck to look up at him. He stared down, trying to find anything, a trace of Cheol in her. He found none. The only reason he didn’t suspect a deception was the purple hair and the pattern on her arm. A tiny, spreading pattern. The mark of a demon.

“You look like your mother,” he said instead, harsher than he intended. The little girl flinched a little and looked down. Not for long. A few seconds later, she seemed to gather her courage and stared back.

“Who are you? Why are you bowing at mother’s grave?”

A little bit bold. Tiny fists tight. An unwavering stare, quite impressive for a child. Jinu had seen men cowering in front of his words. And if he wasn’t mistaken…perhaps there was something of Cheol in the shape of her cheeks. The crown of her hair. The ears. Or perhaps this was just wistful thinking. His eyes drifted back to her patterns and he wondered if they would be the same if they grew, just as elegant and refined and just as cruel as a reminder.

He had earned these patterns out of shameful actions. She hadn’t done a thing, aside from being born.

What a terrible fate awaits you, little one, he thought with a hint of pity.

Pity was the only thing he could feel towards the child. Half-demons had been born before, he had heard the stories. As long as she grew up under the protection of a Hunter, perhaps she would be spared of Gwi-Ma’s influence.

He put a knee down to stand at her height, meeting her face-to-face.

“Your father was a…friend.” He said, nearly biting on the word. Friend again. But how else could he describe it to a little child? “Yeonghon, the sword, belonged to him.” He watched as she glanced at the weapon. “Now it’s yours.”

The girl’s eyes darted between him and the sword. Jinu stood back up. His deed was done. Cheol would truly rest in peace.

“Stay alive for his sake. For both their sake,” he added quietly. “Cheol wouldn’t give up his life for anyone.”

The little girl’s breath hitched in her throat and her eyes grew wide in surprise.

“Ch-Cheol? That was his name?” Her cheeks flushed when he stared at her in astonishment. “Celine said –she never said his name.”

“Rumi,” he said, and her eyes widened –perhaps at the surprise of a complete stranger knowing her name –and he was relieved to learn Cheol’s wishes had been respected. “Keep it to yourself. It is safer that way.” He put his hat back on, met her eyes one last time. “And don’t mention me to anyone. Celine wouldn’t understand.”

He had a vague feeling that ‘Celine’ was the other Hunter he had seen. Her hate against demons had been palpable, ever from afar. He wondered if she would set that hate aside for the girl…

…well, it was none of his business. He had done to do what was needed.

“What’s your name?”

Curious eyes, determined eyes, a hint of that eagerness bleeding into that small voice…a small child shouldn’t have that voice either. At first, Jinu didn’t want to answer. He didn’t have to. He wasn’t obligated to. But that look…

Yes, there definitively was more of Cheol in her than he thought.

“Jinu,” he replied, pulling his hat down to hide his face. And upon these words, he teleported away.

Not too far, just far enough so he could still see her and she wouldn’t. He watched as the little girl tried to look for him, human eyes too weak to spot him. When she realized he was truly gone, she glanced towards the house before stepping to the stone. She bowed, quickly picked up the sword, held it tightly against her. Even from afar, he could see the awe in her eyes, but at the same time a sort of tenderness for a weapon belonging to an unknown parent.

She then quickly carried it to the garden, out of view. Jinu kept watching as she dropped it in a bush before returning to the house. He could have believed she was disrespecting the weapon, if not for the way she had wrapped it in her sweater before abandoning it. Not dropping it, hiding it.

She clearly didn’t trust Celine not to take it away from her.

Kids were smart, smarter than what people knew, and scarily intuitive. But kids were also kids, and he figured it was only a matter of time before ‘Celine’ found out about the weapon.

He stood up and teleported away in the city, where a new tear –and his pathway home -was more likely to appear. His job was done. It was doubtful that he would ever see her again anyway.

Chapter Text

Legacy

Part 2

When Jinu first found himself dragged down to the Underworld, when he had start hearing the voices reminding him of his crimes, he thought he would drown in the madness. He hadn’t expected a human-like demon with purple hair dressed up with an army uniform from the past century to find him some time later and yell at him like a new recruit.

“Get up!” he ordered for what felt like the fiftieth time.

“No!” Jinu snapped back.

The demon’s strength was phenomenal, as demonstrated when he bent over, grabbed his collar, and lifted him like he weighed no heavier than a feather. It would have been humiliating, should he still be able to feel humiliation.

As the older demon carried him away, he spoke:

“You set yourself for this, so take responsibility for your mistakes. You are no longer a human, but a demon, and you will learn to act like it.”

He dumped him on the dusty ground, pointed at a direction. Jinu reluctantly followed the sight. Not too far, a group of faceless…things…were huddled together. He couldn’t try to describe what they were doing. They looked like ants, he thought. Ants piling up onto a nest of their own making, crawling over each over. It gave him shivers.

“They are the faceless ones,” the older demon growled. “They will eat whatever Gwi-Ma orders them to. They don’t think anymore, they’ve lost the will ages ago. Keep wallowing in self-pity, and I will feed you to them.”

Jinu’s attention snapped back on him, eyes wide.

“You wouldn’t!”

The demon stared down at him, unimpressed.

“You ended up spawning on my turf, so I will educate you,” he growled again. “Turn out useless, I will feed you to them, because I have no time to waste on you.”

Jinu snorted.

“Thought time and suffering were all that was left down here.”

“You were demon-made, and you are still sane right now. Gwi-Ma liked something about you. He will demand something in the future and if you fail to provide it, you will be begging to have your current suffering back.”

The demon appeared hardly older than him –perhaps early thirties at best –but his eyes told Jinu he had been stuck here for a lot longer than his lifetime. His voice sounded grumpy, but he wasn’t lying. And his expression when he looked at the faceless ones…a mixture of pity and repulsion. This was his future, Jinu suddenly realized. If he didn’t stand up to Gwi-Ma’s expectations, this was how he was going to end.

And no matter how low he had fallen, he didn’t want to sink further.

“What should I do then?” he asked faintly.

He was scared. His head hurt. The whispers were still reminding him of his failure, of his shame. He was new here, had no idea of what his torment would be if he were left alone. Jinu only had instincts left, and instincts told him that now was a good time to listen.

He didn’t know yet that he would fear him, hate him, curse him after every sparing, every broken bone, every taunt and cheek and argument following this moment. He didn’t know that fear and hate would take decades to fade and be replaced by an odd sense of respect, camaraderie, loyalty, that would last for centuries. He had been damned to the Underworld, but following his seonsaeng would be his saving. He just didn’t know it yet.

“Get up,” the older demon said coldly. “Heed my every order and you might survive.”

“Jinuuuuu.”

The demon looked up. In front of him, Baby was sprawled on the floor, arms crossed under his head, a pout on his smooth, childlike face. Jinu lowered his bipa down to his knees, concentration now broken.

“What?” he asked.

Baby hadn’t been the last demon to join his herd, but he acted so much like a…well, baby, that no other nickname seemed to suit him. He was an attention-seeker. A whiner if people didn’t pay enough attention to him. Thankfully quiet in Gwi-Ma’s presence, but a brat the moment he decided he was b-

“I’m bored.”

Jinu bit back a heavy sight. It was his fault. He shouldn’t have pitied the beaten up newly-made demon, laying half-dead in the trenches. Baby’s former mentor had declared him unworthy of Gwi-Ma’s interest and left him to die near the faceless ones. Baby held promise at first –silver tongue, intelligent eyes, and a quick mind. Unfortunately, he also had the attention-span of a toddler and an incapacity to stand still more than a full minute that ruined his appeal to most elderly demons. Jinu had stepped in, and Baby, through his near-death state, had latched onto him like a puppy because he knew, he knew that Gwi-Ma’s Songbird would be his last chance at survival.

And Jinu…though Jinu suspected he was the most likely to betray him someday, he couldn’t find himself regretting it. None of the boys were mistakes and if they turned out to be, he figured he would live with it.

He did regret not tapping into Cheol’s military-like training to enforce the fear of him into the boys. Perhaps they would have more respect for him and stop bothering him whenever they felt like it.

“Go pick on someone else,” he replied and gave the strings of his bipa a little pinch. The note vibrated, prelude to a new melody he couldn’t quite pinpoint yet.

“Abby and Romance are doing their thing,” the demon complained. “Mystery is hiding from me. You’re free and available. Distract me.”

Another note vibrated loudly in the otherwise empty room, like a warning. Baby ignored it and pouted. Jinu bit back a sigh.

“Go to town, listen and report anything new.” He paused, added: “I want to know what the Hunters are up to nowadays.”

Baby jumped on his knees, seemingly satisfied with the quest, and departed at once. Jinu bit back a sigh of relief. No regrets, Baby was an efficient agent once he had his goal laid out for him, but damn if he didn’t need work. He briefly wondered if Cheol had felt the same frustration with him. Things hadn’t been easy the early years. In spite of the terror the faceless ones brought him, and the primitive fear Cheol inspired him, Jinu had still fought his mentor every step of the way. It wasn’t until he trained his first newly arrived demon –Romance –that he began to have a new appreciation for the older demon’s patience.

Speaking of Cheol, I wonder how the little one is holding up.

The girl intruded his thoughts occasionally. He wasn’t certain why, but as time went by, he was growing curious. Did she still live with ‘Celine’? Had she grown much? Had she kept her mother’s braid? Did she look more like Cheol now? Had her patterns grown?

He combined a few more notes, letting them resonate in harmony and started humming.

“There once was a mighty demon king,” he spoke, the words flowing easily. “Stop me, if you’ve heard this one before…”

He paused. In the early centuries, he used to sing for Gwi-Ma, until the king grew tired of his voice. He sang for Cheol too sometimes, when the older demon looked lost in his shame, Gwi-Ma’s voice and the memories too vivid to keep him anchored in the present. Jinu’s voice was a gift, Cheol had once told him. He was probably half the reason why he hadn’t thrown his bipa away.

Jinu briefly wondered if the girl sang like her mother, if the Hunter’s voice had been a tipping point for the old demon. His mentor had been a second or third son of a noble family, trained in the battlefield with a fine appreciation for arts.

How long since he had last stepped into the Overworld? How old was she now?

Jinu stood up before he fully realized his decision had been made. Bipa in hand, he left the cabin that served as a house. Abby and Romance were standing side by side, somewhere on the far end. They glanced up as he passed by.

“I will be gone a few days,” he warned. “Don’t follow me.”

“Seeking solitude for inspiration, Jinu?” Abby teased, an eyebrow raised. “Get out before Baby returns.”

Jinu didn’t dispute his assumption and teleported away. He hid the bipa and started walking down the landscape, feeling for a tear. The Honmoon had been more and more unstable lately –nothing big, the former Hunters’ voice still held it strong –but a few cracks would sometimes appear, even without demons around. That would likely change when the new generation would step forward, but the flaw was something Jinu would exploit while he still could.

Just like last time, he was lucky to find a tear quickly and slipped through. Unlike last time, he appeared in the middle of a forest in a high place in the mountains. No town in sight. He bit back a heavy sigh –teleporting away was going to be a pain.

Purrrrrrrr.

Jinu yelped at the unexpected contact against his thigh and jumped back. Blinking up innocently, Derpy looked quite proud of himself. Sussie’s three eyes blinked and he didn’t miss the light smirk of her beak.

“Yeah, yeah, you enjoy scaring me. No respect from anyone these days,” he grumbled. The tiger purred and hinted he wanted a head scratch, which Jinu provided immediately. “What are you doing here? Don’t you have some demon mouse to chase?”

Derpy purred louder and Sussie snapped her beak. Jinu shook his head in disbelief.

“I am way too soft on you guys,” he went on without heat. “Say, Derpy, since you’re here, do you mind giving me a lift? There’s someone I want to meet and I’m not sure where they are.”

The tiger’s pupils grew wider in seeming excitement and bowed his head to let him climb behind him. A few moments later, the trio was flying through the sky, a happy Derpy carrying to their destination.

Rumi waited until the door of her bedroom was secured to sprawl over her bed.

Today had been long and so tiring. Private tutoring was one thing, but Celine’s hunter training was taking its tool. All she did was sleep, study, train, eat, study, train, eat and sleep again. She hardly saw any other girls her age. Celine wanted her to be on top, to be perfect. And Rumi…Rumi wanted Celine to be happy. She wanted to meet her expectations, to become a good -a great hunter, seal the Honmoon, and finally be free of the patterns.

Her father’s patterns. The one trace of her mother’s mistake, one voice, similar to Celine’s, said.

A mistake, really? The other shot back.

She glanced in the back of the room, where her wardrobe was filled with clothes, accessories, training staff and too many things she did not want to think about…Including a sword a stranger had dropped on her lap back when she was five, claiming it had belonged to her father. Her innocent mind had believed him. A part of her still believed it today. The other part would have scolded her younger self for taking something from what clearly was a demon, even if he had not been aggressive.

But it if had belonged to her father…

She had tried to probe Celine, asking about her parents, about her father. Celine had dodged her questions, shutting her up, not even giving her a name. In retrospect, Rumi wondered if she knew his name at all. The only scraps she got from her mentor were that her mother had made a mistake and that demon had killed her. Had she not seen that other demon bow in front of her mother’s grave, had she not spoken to him, she would have believed her.

Jinu. His name was Jinu.

She had forced herself to remember that name. Every night, before she went to bed, she forced herself to replay the memory of that day and repeat the same sentences. My father’s name was Cheol. Jinu was his friend and brought his sword to me.

Sometimes she wondered if it hadn’t all been just a dream, if the demon had been real, if he had spoken the truth at all. If not for her nightly ritual, she would have probably forgotten the details. The careful way he had put the sword down. The respectful bows. He hadn’t even realized he was being watched until she announced herself.

As for the sword…

She left the bed, toddled back to her drawer, pulled it open. She reached past the pile of clothes, the sweaters, the dresses, reached for the long box she had hidden it in, pulled it out, laid it respectfully on the floor and opened it with care. Inside, the sword rested surrounded in velvety fabric, waiting, just as shiny and polished as the first day.

Yeonghon. The soul.

She picked it up with less difficulty than she first had, pulled the blade out of its sheath, gave it one long stare. The blade was dark with beautiful reflections, tiny lights dancing along the tip. Even though she had never used it to practice –she still didn’t trust it to have some kind of side-power, especially since it had belonged to a demon. It also looked really sharp, heavier than the ones she used with Celine in practice. The handle fit her hand comfortably, and sometimes, it gave off a vibe that echoed within her. Almost as if it was…alive.

“Be careful, you’re going to hurt yourself.”

She nearly dropped the sword. Instead, she instinctively hurled it around and pointed at whoever had spoken. The intruder was wearing a dark shirt, plain jeans, and looked like a twenty-something-year-old man with dark hair. And he was sitting on her bed. She wasn’t sure what shocked her most –that she hadn’t heard him come in or that he was sitting on her bed!

“Who are you?” she barked, holding the sword with both hands now. It was still heavy for her. The weapon seemed to warm up in response. The stranger raised both hands in defense.

“Easy, Rumi.” He knew her name on top of that? She instinctively positioned the sword higher. He only looked amused. “You really look like Choel, wielding Yeonghon. He stood more like sleek panther though. You’re more like a hissy kitten.”

For the second time in a minute, she nearly dropped her blade in shock. The stranger knew her name. He knew her father’s name, the sword’s name. There was only one person who would know all four.

“J-Jinu?” she blurted, tentatively speaking his name. “You’re Jinu, right?”

The man –demon –appeared startled.

“So you remember me.” He didn’t move from her bed. “Last I saw you, you were just this tall.” He raised his hand at an approximate height. “How old are you now?”

Don’t answer him, Celine’s voice whispered in her mind. Rumi still hadn’t put down the sword but spoke anyway.

“Ten.” Jinu nodded slowly, very seriously. His eyes were dark, not golden as she recalled. “You’re a demon. Why don’t you look like one?”

He cocked his head to the side, as if wondering if she had seen other demons than him. Answer: yes, she had, during an impromptu visit downtown with Celine.

“Should I turn off the disguise?” he asked, sounding genuinely curious.

She bit her lower lip a few seconds, then slowly nodded. He raised his hand and snapped his fingers. The patterns immediately appeared back on his skin, his iris turned a golden hue. More familiar to her memories. His eyes seemed to flash predatorily, but not hard enough to scare her. She lowered the sword then, put it back in its sheath and back into the box.

“Interesting. Am I less intimidating to you under this form?”

She pressed her lips together, as if pondering over the question.

“I met you as a demon,” she eventually replied once she was done. “I remember you as a demon. Seeing you as anything else is…weird.” She gave him another close look. Her childhood memory was unreliable, but she thought she remembered some details. The sharp jaw. The long neck. The thick hair too. She had found him tall, really tall, for an adult. He probably still was, if he would bother standing off her bed.

“But you are not afraid of me.” Rumi didn’t bother replying. It didn’t sound like a question anyway, because the answer was obvious. Had he truly wanted to hurt her, he would have never been able to enter the room. She and Celine had drawn lines to keep evil at bay, not that demons knew about it. Jinu nodded towards the box holding the sword. “Your guardian allowed you to keep it?”

“Celine can’t see it somehow,” Rumi spoke almost defiantly. And if she knew it existed, she would try to get rid of it. Whether it was a smart move or not, Rumi wasn’t ready to let go of the weapon yet. After all, it was hers.

He nodded, looking unsurprised. Golden eyes kept staring, watching probing in silence. She wondered why he was here.

“I have so many questions,” she blurted. “So, so many questions.”

Did he only know her father or had he known her mother too? Were all demons the same? Did good demons exist? Was her father a good or a bad demon? Had he ever hurt anyone? Did he love her mother? What was she? Was she corrupted? Would she ever become a real hunter if she had demon blood? Did she have the right to become a hunter if she had demon blood?

Jinu shifted on her bed, his head cocked to the side. His golden eyes flashed as he considered her again.

“What do you want to know?”

So, so many questions, but one that came up front.

“Why return now? It’s been years.”

The demon narrowed his eyes, his shoulders tightening subtly.

“I suppose I was curious,” he replied eventually. His words were spoken slowly, softly. “I wanted to see what Cheol’s daughter would become.”

She shivered again at hearing his name spoken out loud. It made her feel uneasy and eager at the same time. A little defiant too. Celine had raised her to make her mother proud, and she didn’t want to make her father proud. He was, in the end, still a demon, something she was training to fight.

“I will become a Hunter like my mother,” she spoke firmly. “So I suppose he would be disappointed.”

Jinu sat a little straighter, his eyebrows shot upwards.

“A Hunter?” he repeated, eyes wide in non-feint surprise. “You can see the Honmoon?”

I can sing to it, she wanted to retort proudly. Her voice made the Honmoon react, a sign that she was made to be a Hunter, Celine would claim.

“A demon that is part hunter,” he went on, whispering in awe. “That is…unexpected.”

She narrowed her eyes. I’m not a demon, I’m a Hunter, she wanted to protest, echoing Celine’s daily mantra. But he was probably the only person in the world who could clearly refute her words with one look. He had known her father, after all.

“Or a hunter that is part demon,” she countered anyway. Eyes snapped back at her and she thought she saw a twinkle in his eye.

“Same difference,” he replied, and looked amused at his own words. He suddenly turned his head away, glancing towards the window. She followed his gaze, saw nothing but a bird flying away. “I must leave now.”

What? Her attention was back on him as her heartbeat raced. No. No, not yet-

“Now? I haven’t even started-“

“I can’t stay, something came up,” he interrupted, his voice sharp but…kind? Their eyes met. Another deep shiver ran down her spine. “I will return,” he added and it sounded like a promise.

She wanted to believe in that voice, in those eyes. Suddenly, the fact he was a demon, that he might be leading her on, didn’t really matter. She wanted to believe that someone –her father’s friend, the demon who bowed in front of her mother’s grave –would hold onto their word. That he wouldn’t just vanish from her world, leaving the small interaction like it was a dream.

Besides, it wasn’t as if she had any means to hold him back.

“Don’t wait another five years,” she mumbled, staring at the floor, defeated.

The training was growing more intense, and soon, she would be following Idol training too. Even if Celine had done her best to make sure she was ahead of everyone in that matter.

“I will find a way to warn you ahead,” he replied, sounding like he already had an idea. He stood up, finally, and yes, Rumi could tell he was still as tall as ever. A snap of his fingers, and he was back to his ‘human’ appearance again. Rumi stared at the shift with envy. If only she could do the same, she would be able to hide the patterns too… “Also, Rumi.”

She glanced back at his face. He looked oddly less expressive with his human mask –brown eyes, unblemished skin. She preferred him with the patterns.

“I can’t speak in his name,” Jinu said. “But Cheol admired strength, and he enjoyed listening to singers. Becoming a Hunter, you will be strong and you will sing. Regardless of the side you stand on, I don’t believe he would have been disappointed.”

And just like that, after dropping the bomb, he disappeared in a puff of red smoke.

Rumi felt her legs give up under her and fell straight on her behind. The only thing proving this hadn’t been a dream or a hallucination was the crease made in the sheets, where he had been seating.

So, so many questions….

She really hoped she wouldn’t have to wait long.

Chapter Text

Legacy

Part 3

Gwi-Ma’s roar of anger echoed throughout the Underworld. Hoards of demons teleported closer upon hearing the King of demons’ call. Thanks to Sussie’s alert, Jinu managed to slip through cracks just in time to join the crowd unnoticed. A few moments later, Mystery showed up by his right side. The rest was close to follow- Baby came second close and stood on his left while Romance and Abby stayed in his back. Demons around him barely spared him a glance –there was too much to be seen up front.

“USELESS!” the fire demon raged. “UTTERLY USELESS!”

At the bottom of his throne, a group of three demons were huddled in fear. Jinu didn’t have to be close to guess what must have happened. Another attempt to breach the Honmoon, or a failed assassination attempt on the remaining Hunters. Baby leaned in and whispered:

“The last standing Hunter took out Soek. It’s the fifth high-grade demon she has hunted in the past three months. Those three were with him and ran away.”

No wonder why Gwi-Ma was so mad.

“Why would he wander at the surface?” he wondered out loud. “The last Hunter is alone but she is tenfold dangerous for it.”

Of course Baby knew the answer, fidgeting impatiently as he waited for him to ask.

“There is a rumor going on about Cheol’s lost sword.” Jinu forced himself to stand still and betray no expression. The news of his old mentor’s death had finally spread around. Unfortunately, that also meant…“They say Yeonghon went missing into the mortal realm. Powerful demons have been trying to find it to keep it to themselves, but they keep meeting their end against the Hunter.”

Baby eyed him with trepidation, waiting for a response. Jinu merely nodded and whispered back:

“Thank you Baby.”

A Hunter’s weapon wouldn’t kill a demon; it would only destroy its corporal form and send it back to the Underworld. However, the regeneration time would be longer. Gwi-Ma would have to wait years before his faithful generals reformed properly, at least until the next generation of Hunters was ready. Jinu was suddenly very glad he hadn’t tried to try his luck with Celine. The woman would have likely sliced him before he opened his mouth, and his quest would have been pushed back a few years. Not to mention his boys left behind…

Useless to think about this now, he chided himself. The sword had been passed to its rightful owner’s hands. Rumi was protected, training under a powerful Hunter. He didn’t need to-

“JINU!”

The whole crowd of demons looked around, whispering amongst themselves. The ones standing around him stepped aside, opening a path for him to walk down the road. Jinu shifted uneasily on his feet but forced himself forward. The boys began to follow.

“Don’t,” he ordered sharply. He felt their stiffness without needing to see it, but knew they would obey. He couldn’t protect them from Gwi-Ma, should they provoke the king by accident –or worse, on purpose.

The more he advanced, the wider the path grew. Demons stared as he passed by, their attention fuelled by curiosity. Jinu ignored them, his eyes straight on the end of the path. Once he stood at the bottom of the throne, he merely looked up, his expression schooled into his trademark disinterested smirk.

“Jinu,” Gwi-Ma growled. “You wouldn’t know where the Yeonghon is?”

“If I knew its location, I would have kept it for myself,” he pointed out with a shrug. Which, technically, wasn’t a lie. He knew Rumi had it, not its exact hiding place.

“A sword belonging to a traitor? You don’t even wield swords,” the King hissed. The crowd of demons flinched behind him.

“I am somewhat sentimental where Cheol is concerned,” Jinu replied with a huff. “After all, we were close.”

He spoke with a hint of disdain. The rumors of him betraying his old mentor hadn’t died down, and he still wasn’t sure what had spurted them. But if they could play in his favor, ensure his safety, he would use them shamelessly.

Gwi-Ma laughed.

It was the kind of laugh that sent shivers of disgust down his spine, but unfortunately –or fortunately, he was used to it and didn’t let it show. Instead, he allowed his smirk to grow like the farce it was. The demon king had the ability to peek into his mind –he knew how much loathing Jinu carried against him…and how powerless he was to do anything about it.

“Well, Jinu…why don’t you show us all what you remember of this closeness…” his voice trailed off. “Kill them.”

The smug smirk vanished before he could control it, and everyone close enough saw it. The demons on the ground whined in terror and curled away from him. It was hard to definitively kill a demon. In the Underworld, death didn’t mean the end, just regeneration. Unless Gwi-Ma or another demon ate them, which was a definite end. A few high demons could take lives away for good, using the right means.

Cheol had taught him how. Gwi-Ma knew it. Now, given the whispers running through the crowd, everyone else did too.

“Don’t you want to eat them instead?” he suggested.

He had taken a dozen demons lives before, only under his mentor’s direct order. Harvesting souls wasn’t his favorite task –leaving him a bitter aftertaste –but he would still pick bringing back a hundred souls to Gwi-Ma back than kill another demon with his bare hands.

“Jinu,” came the one-word warning and he reacted without thinking.

Claws sharp and ready, he stroke. Each arm went right through two demons’ chest, and pulled right back, spreading black blood all over his forearms and hanbok. A gasp ran over the crowd, a few even backed a few steps. The two demons had died on spot. The third one only stared, mouth opened wide. It didn’t have time to react, Jinu went for the throat and ripped it apart.

A raw voice whispering: ‘quick and efficient, don’t give them time to suffer or they will use it to retaliate.’

A quick death is mercy.

The three demons would not reform; he could feel it in his guts. The notion of washing oneself didn't exist in the Underworld, there was no need for it, no water to clean into either, but Jinu thought he might need to scrub himself for hours anyway to get rid of the sensation of coagulated blood on his skin. Gwi-Ma made a sound of pleasure, almost like a happy purr. Jinu didn’t lower his guard. He may have temporarily regained the king’s favor, but his actions had put him on a spotlight.

Demons were hard to kill. A demon known as a demon-killer was a walking target.

This was how it always started. Gwi-Ma would set up a favorite in the light, show a new aspect of their nature that would apeal or cause jealousy amongst other demons...trigger a predictable response. Gwi-Ma wouldn’t leave him out of his sight for the foreseeable future. He wanted entertainment, and Jinu was the new it.

He thought of a girl with purple watching him with expectant eyes, and quietly apologized. Their next meeting would have to wait.

There was a tiger on her bed. A blue, ridiculously large tiger, on her bed. 

Why would demons always pick her bed? was her first thought. Her second was: why is there a huge blue tiger in my room? 

The feline opened wide yellow eyes -eyes that were the size of her head and a mouth as long as her arm, teeth sharper than any knife she had ever wielded. It stretched from its spot, then, slowly, with a regal step only mastered by felines, it stepped down the bed and came closer. 

Rumi might have screamed for Celine, if the tiger hadn't accidentally bumped into her trashcan and sprawled its contents around, freezing into position. 

The huge head was immediately distracted and a clumsy paw tried to right the wrong. After five unsuccessful attempts, Rumi took pity on the creature and set it straight. When the tiger stared at her again, it was with the awe of ordinary people staring at an extraordinary being. There was no hint of aggressiveness in that expression, and that made her slightly better.

"What are you?" she asked instead, curiosity replacing wariness.

The tiger dropped its large tongue, showing a folded paper inside. The paper fell on the floor, covered with saliva. Rumi suddenly had a hunch on who would have sent such an unusual messenger and opened the note.

‘GM is acting out, won't be able to show for a while. Write the most urgent questions, Derpy will carry the messages. Jinu’

"Derpy?" she echoed out loud and stared at the tiger. The feline peeked up at hearing his name, which she found adorable. She tentatively reached out to scratch its head. It purred in approval. "Thank you for bringing this to me." 

It had been five days since his last impromptu visit. She had been resigned to wait much longer. Not that she had been expectantly waiting -after all, he was a demon, a demon she had met only twice, barely a few minutes at that. It didn't explain why that single piece of paper with the few words made her day. 

He took the time to write it. He made sure I received it. He didn’t want to make me wait too long, she thought. 

The tiger plopped on the carpet, sprawling like the big cat it was supposed to be. Rumi kept petting it, a small smile on her face. She would reply, of course. But perhaps Derpy could take a short rest before leaving. She was too happy to be left alone right now. 

Jinu was in the middle of wiping his claws off demon blood when Derpy reappeared.

Six new demons had tried to bait him in the past three days. Six demons had died from his hand. They knew they had no chance against him, were probably tired of following the king's orders and wanted an end to it. There was a reason why demon killers were often attacked -and Jinu wondered what the Hunters would think if they knew demons could actually be suicidal. 

He had sent the boys away on various missions while Gwi-Ma wanted him on standby, most likely to see him struggle with the situation. As if the voices in his head weren't enough already, he felt the heaviness of demons' deaths weight upon him. He could probably eat demon cores as compensation, but it wouldn't do much to help. If anything, his mind would be a little more corrupted. And while he wouldn’t turn away from power, he still wanted to think clearly in the long run.

Derpy's presence was a beacon of light in this otherwise dark environment. 

"Hey," he said softly. "So, how is it going up there?" 

The tiger pulled its tongue, letting a bag drop from his mouth. The texture of the bag was odd, but when he opened it, it contained notebook, a few pens, and a folded paper. Jinu stared at the writing equipment, felt himself snorting. 

"She really wants me to reply, doesn't she?" he muttered. He wasn't used to modern material, but at touch, it felt like good quality. And the bag’s texture had protected it from Derpy's drool. "Cute."

Derpy made a mewling sound, happily greeting Sussie as the bird landed on its rightful place on his head. Jinu placed the notebook and pen safe inside his hanbok. No need to let other demons see it. He returned to the house and made himself comfortable as he read Rumi's letter.

'Thank you for your answer. I have a lot of questions, here are a few. Did you know my mother? How did you know my father? Can you tell me more about them? Can a half demon be a hunter too? How can I stop the patterns from spreading? Will I have demon powers? Awaiting your answer. And Derpy's cute.' 

"Head that Derpy?" he called out softly. The tiger glanced at him. "Rumi thinks you're cute." 

The tiger purred again and settled in a furry ball in a clean corner. Jinu hummed as he considered the letter, how he ought to respond. The boys wouldn't be back until sometime. He could draft an answer now. 

It would lift the heaviness from his mind.

'Cheol was my seonsaeng for two centuries. He trained me to become a demon when I was pulled in the Underworld. I never met your mother, or the past two generations of hunters. As previously mentioned, a demon part hunter is unheard of from my side, though half-breeds are more common than you might believe. If the Honmoon answers your call, I doubt why it might be an issue, though I am hardly an expert in the matter.

Halflings don't always have powers, though since you have patterns, you will likely develop some. I can check next time if you have potential.

The patterns cannot be erased, as they are intimately tied to your soul. They reflect our shame and will grow the deeper it takes root.' 

Rumi lowered the letter, her heartbeat racing. Never met her mother, she had suspected it. Two hundred years? Jinu was at least two hundred years old? Her father even older? 

Half-breed -she was a half-breed, and she wasn't the only one. More common -what did that even mean? How many others? Where did they live? And powers -she might have demon powers, related to her patterns.

Patterns, shame. Both were related. It wasn't something she could help. It wasn't something she could get rid of.

No, she thought, growing cold. Her patterns were leftovers of her father, not some kind of curse. Celine had promised the patterns would vanish with the golden Honmoon. They would be gone, along with the demons, sealed forever and out of reach. But Jinu…Jinu just wrote they were tied to her soul. If he was right and Celine wrong...

"I'll never get rid of them." 

The realization came crushing her down. She suddenly wanted to cry -all these efforts, everything she had done, everything she was working towards -for nothing?

A big purring head rubbed against her shoulder, making her lose balance and fall against a warm flank. Derpy settled on the floor, letting her back rest against his furry ribs, purring softly. The concern the demon-tiger showed broke her. She curled against him, let the tears fall down her cheeks. Jinu might be lying or ignorant - a hunter part demon was unheard of, but Celine also seemed to be doing guesswork more than speaking out of true knowledge. 

She just wanted them gone. She wanted those damn patterns gone. And depending on who she chose to believe, they might never leave.

The patterns grew an inch more that night.

‘You said my father was your seonsaeng for two centuries, how old was he? What did he look like? What kind of person was he? Do you know if he loved my mother? Can demons even feel love?' 

“You’re smiling. Got good news?”

Abby and Romance hovered around him like birds of prey. The former hadn’t been a demon for over fifty years yet, the latter was over two centuries old. Both had found themselves compatible in many ways –including a few Jinu carefully steered clear of. The oldest and latest choices, an odd pair that worked.

“Something like that,” he replied evenly. His bipa was still on his knees, carefully hiding Rumi’s letter. Her second only, arriving two weeks later than he expected. It had cheered him up somewhat, taken his mind off the onslaught of other demons. With Abby and Romance back, he could breathe a little again. Sending them all away hadn’t been a smart move from his part, even if he now lacked the privacy to write his answers.

“Bet it’s a new song,” Abby said, smirking. “Smug look always equals new song.”

Jinu chuckled, laid his back against the wall. He supposed the youngest wasn’t wrong. In spite of his brutish appearance, Abby was sharper than he let it show. A trait Jinu had quickly picked on

“A lament,” he confirmed. “On Gwi-Ma. One I will keep for a special occasion.”

“So we won’t be able to hear it?” Romance asked, looking disappointed. Jinu thought he might be the only one who actually enjoyed listening to him sing. Alive, he had been the son of a concubine of very high-nobility and also well-versed in arts. Cheol had liked him, enjoying elitist conversations Jinu couldn't provide due to his own background.

“Maybe later,” he replied and played a few notes on his bipa. “If you can distract Baby from me.”

Abby laughed but Romance nodded graciously. Once again, Jinu suspected the only reason the demon stuck with him was to enjoy the occasional music and songs. Well that and now Abby.

The two pink-haired men retreated, leaving Jinu alone once more. He pulled the paper out of its hiding place, and began planning the reply.

‘Cheol was a little over six hundred years old when he passed. He did appear in his early thirties, long purple hair he kept tied low, a straight face, sharp eyes. He was as tall as I was, heavier though, built for war. He was born from nobility and as such, had been well-educated. He became a solider later in life.

I would describe him as strict and straightforward, a skilled warrior and a survivor. Quiet, observant, sometimes a little impatient as he did not like to waste time. I am uncertain why he became a demon, he would never speak of his shame, but he was a reliable ally if you stood by his side.

I did not know he had a lover until he drew his last breath, I cannot claim with certainty his feelings towards her. We feel all the time –shame, regret, hate –but ever rarely love because that is one sentiment we easily forget. What I do know with certainty is that he cared for her. He would have never died the way he did if he hadn’t.’

Rumi’s hands trembled as she lowered the letter. No ground-shaking revelations but more questions instead. The basic description of a man she would never meet –his behavior, not his thoughts, not his actions. How bad of a demon had he been? Or had he acted differently? Jinu had mentioned his ‘shame’, had he meat his patterns? And what did it mean, he was born to nobility? He had once been human?

Celine had taught her that demons were formed through Gwi-Ma. She had never mentioned anything about humans being turned into demons. Or perhaps they hadn’t broached that subject yet?

Had Jinu been a human before becoming a demon too? She briefly wondered. He had mentioned being pulled in the Underworld in his last letter, she realized. She hadn’t focused on that part, too busy being upset about her patterns –she still was, might ask for more information when she gathered the courage to write them down -but now that she thought of it…

What kind of humans become demons?

And her mother –Rumi’s greatest fear had been her mother’s consent. Through his words, Jinu seemed to convey her mother hadn’t been forced into anything…

Everything was getting entangled in her mind. She took a deep breath, reread the letter. There was something Jinu hadn’t mentioned and that she suddenly wanted to know.

‘How did my father die, Jinu?’

‘Is Gwi-Ma keeping you from answering, or are you just avoiding the answer?’

‘If you were dead, Derpy and that odd magpie (what is its name?) would let me know right?’

‘It’s been eight months since our last exchange, Jinu. I’ve been counting. Forget the question about my father; can you just give me a sign that you are still alive?’

‘Meet me whenever you read this.’

“And will he let the fire go out? Is this the end of him now? Dying king with a crumbling crown? Will he let the fire go…out?”

Jinu fell silent as the last note of his bipa echoed in the empty valley. He had chosen this spot on purpose, because it wouldn’t be too far from the city, and still isolated enough to serve his purpose. Derpy had gone to fulfill his task, leaving him with nothing but time for the moment. Gwi-Ma had finally been distracted by something else –a new demon showing promise with a particular power, useless against other demons but apparently vicious against humans. He thought he ought to find out more soon, though it wouldn’t be easy. Min-Seong was its mentor, and that blasted demon never got along with Cheol and by extension, him…

Mmmmeow?

Jinu jumped out of his skin as Derpy landed swiftly next to him. His demon reflexes narrowing prevented him from dropping his bipa on the ground.

“Seriously!” he yelped, glaring at the tiger. “You really need to stop doing that!”

“Serves you right!”

Rumi slowly climbed off his back with shaky legs. She looked slightly taller than the last time he had seen her. She was wearing training shorts, showing strong muscled legs and purple basket shoes. Her top seemed to cover more that it ought in the summer evening.

“Aren’t you warm?” he asked instead of greeting her, puzzled by the choice of garment.

Rumi reflexively put her hand over her arms, clearly caught off-guard.

“Nearly a year of silence, and that’s all you have to say?” she blurted, incredulous.

“Are you hiding your patterns?” he insisted. She had mentioned the patterns in the first letter, never again. He thought she just had her answers, but perhaps he had been mistaken.

“Celine said I shouldn’t show them,” Rumi replied reluctantly. “That I should cover them up.”

That was probably the smartest move the woman had made yet, Jinu thought approvingly.

“She’s right,” he said, and something in Rumi’s expression seemed to break a little. He decided to explain: “Half-breeds like you are hunted down for sports in the Underworld. Hiding your patterns from other demons in public will protect you until you’re strong enough to face them.”

“Oh, right.” Her face lightened up. “You mentioned there were others like me.”

“A handful over the centuries,” he replied honestly. “Gwi-Ma doesn’t let them live long once he finds out about them.”

Her shoulders slumped as fast as they had straightened, but only momentarily. Before ten seconds were over, she was already watching him again. Her eyes sliding over his form, as if looking for something. He hadn’t bothered covering up with his human skin this time and wondered if she had taken notice.

“You have a bipa?” He glanced at the instrument that was still in his arms. Rumi definitively looked curious.

“It’s mine,” he confirmed instead.

“So you’re a musician?”

“I sang at the king’s court when I was alive,” he replied, not without humility. “Gwi-Ma let me keep my voice after I fell.”

She pressed her lips together, as if another thought crossed her mind. Slowly, she stared at him straight in the eye and asked softly;

“Did you sing to my father?”

Sitting on a rock, his sword placed down, on his left, eyes closed, expression twisted in pain. Hands finally releasing the pressure as he breathed again. Eyes opened again, meeting his…

“You have a gift, Jinu.”

The memory hit him harder than he expected and he forced himself to breathe normally.

“Sometimes,” he admitted.

When he felt low, when he couldn’t stand the world anymore, when he needed peace. Jinu still remembered the first time he had played for him, the slight surprise in the rise of his eyebrows, the way his eyelids had shut and the melancholy on his face.

"You have a gift-

"You never answered my last letter, how did my father die?" 

The question shattered the moment and he was drawn back to the cave, watching a demon –a man –he had respected dying out. The man’s daughter was staring at him expectantly, almost hopingly. Whatever she was trying to learn, he wasn’t certain.

"Gwi-Ma killed him, and I will leave it at that," he replied. Rumi looked about to protest and he snapped: “Don’t ask.”

He didn’t want to talk about it. He still hadn’t made sense of it either. Baby would boldly claim he still hadn’t grieved, and he would be right. Jinu hadn’t had the time to grieve. Who had the time for anything but misery in the Underworld?

The girl flinched at his tone, hand curling over her arm again. This time, his curiosity got the best of him.

“Can you show me?” he asked. When she looked confused, he added: “Your patterns. Will you show me?”

“You just said I shouldn’t,” she pointed out.

“In public, you shouldn’t walk around advertising it. It’s just you and me here.”

She hesitated before removed the long-sleeved top. Her skin was pale from the lack of sun, her arms clearly muscled from the exercise she must put them through. The purple patterns seemed to curl around her arm like an elegant tattoo. They had definitively grown since last time.

“They’re beautiful,” he whispered. “Curves, hardly any spikes. May I?” he asked, reaching out slowly. She gave her permission with a hesitant nod. He touched her skin, his thumb running over the pattern with a vague reverence. He could feel the faint demonic pulse within then. She definitively had power. Dormant for now, which was a good thing. He would have to tell her later.

"Do they look like my father's?" 

"Somewhat. He had more elaborated thorns. Yours are more...curvy, elegant." he released her hand, met her eyes. "You show a lot of interest in Cheol." 

She pinched her lips, looked down, as if ashamed. Jinu frowned, he hadn’t meant it as a reproach.

"I just want to understand. Celine keeps saying that mom made a mistake, that demons have no feelings, that he deceived her. You told me he cared." She swallowed visibly. “It feels like everything I know about demons and what you tell me doesn’t add up.”

If Jinu could feel pity, he would feel it for the girl. She looked lost, confused, a little torn between her original beliefs and his words. A little uncertain of her place in the world.

She was still so young. 

"Don't think so hard, Rumi," he said gently. "Your parents' actions have nothing to do with you. You are a consequence of their relationship, yeah, sure. But you are still you, regardless of who they were." She looked down. He suddenly had a hunch. "Rumi, do you believe you are a mistake?" 

She flinched a little, reaching for her patterned arm once again. The lack of answer was answer enough. He sighed and sat against the trunk of a large tree. She mirrored his actions and settled on a small grassy patch. Derpy, he noticed in amusement, immediately returned and curled around her back, giving her something to lean on.

 “I don’t know. For a while I thought that maybe he might have-“ her voice cracked a little. “Forced himself on her?”

No wonder why her patterns would grow, he thought, feeling a little disturbed by that knowledge.

"You are not a mistake," he said firmly instead. "There were ways back in the day to abort a pregnancy. I'm sure things are safer nowadays. Your mother carried you to term and Cheol wanted you.” He paused, added quietly. “He told me Minsoo for a boy, Rumi for a girl,” he repeated the dying demon’s words. Rumi looked up, startled. “You were wanted, Rumi. Maybe an accident, but still wanted."

She didn’t quite look convinced, but at least no longer depressed. Perhaps she would have liked a hug, but Jinu was certainly not going to give her one. It wasn’t his style, and he had killed enough demons in the past months that he felt like one touch would taint her. Besides, she looked cozy against Derpy’s belly.

Instead, she surprised him by asking:

“Would you…sing for me?”

“Sing?” he echoed in surprise.

“You sang for kings and you sang for my father, right? Could you sing for me? Please?”

Rumi watched him intensely, her big, teary, dark eyes focused solely on him. A part of him wanted to ask on what grounds she was entitled to listen, while the other just wanted to chase the sadness. She reminded him of Cheol right now, and he could never deny Cheol’s requests. He picked up the bipa and settled it on his laps. Once he was ready, he pinched the cords, let the note resonate, and began.

He chose an old traditional Korean song he had performed many times, one meant to inspire peace and tranquility, one of Cheol’s favorites. His hands moved on their own, used by the exercise. He closed his eyes and let his voice work its magic. He rarely performed nowadays, only in the privacy of the house he occupied with the boys. Gwi-Ma didn’t like it when he sang in front of others.

The Songbird was his to hear, and only his. The only transgression he ever made was for his seonsaeng, occasionally his boys. And now, this little girl.

The song came to an end and the last note died in a calming balm. When he glanced at his listener, Rumi was watching him with eyes wide in awe.

“You’re really good,” she whispered, as if afraid the sound of her voice would disrupt the peace he had installed. “I liked it. Thank you Jinu.”

The same hint of gratefulness, the same attention. Jinu nodded his thanks and put his bipa down, refusing to acknowledge how it troubled him. The disappointed expression on her face was both amusing and flattering.

“I can play another,” he offered, and his ego did get another boost as she peeked up.

“Please?”

Her eagerness was both cute and painful to watch. He set the bipa back on his knees and strung the cords. Who knew when he would have a new audiance again?

Rumi was humming.

It wasn’t an oddity in itself. Celine knew her adopted niece often sang to herself for practice, to fill up the silence or without even realizing it. She would copy her mother’s voice, try to master higher pitches. She sometimes harmonized with things she heard on TV, songs on her playlist, the hunters’ song…

But she had been in an odd mood lately, alternating between subdued and belligerent. Or, to be fair, as belligerent as Rumi could be. Talking back, snapping at her, pouting…she still trained with assiduity, still completed her duties, just made a show of not being happy about it. It was a teenager’s phase, or so Celine assumed.

She hadn’t sung to herself in months, not in her presence at least. And now, she was humming while doing her homework?

‘Moon, rise high up, and beam far away.’ Her young voice echoed, filling the empty house. Just a murmur, not loud enough to bother, just enough to blend into the atmosphere. ‘Eogui ya eogangdyoli, aheu a-eu darong diri…’

Jeongeupsa, her mind automatically identified. It was an old song, a very old song. The kind of song someone Rumi’s age wouldn’t have heard of or found easily. Celine only knew about it because she had studied ancient Korean folklore. Perhaps it was trending on the internet? Then again, this wasn’t the kind of music Rumi usually listened to. And while Celine used to sing her lullabies as a baby, she had stopped a long time ago.

‘Lay all down, I fear, Dark may fall on you. Eogui ya eogangdyoli, aheu a-eu darong diri…’

Where had she heard it? Celine wondered if she should ask. The truce they had was still fragile, and she didn’t have the strength to face a moody preteen yet. Still, she took a few moments to listen to her adopted niece. Rumi had a beautiful, powerful voice. She was already a better vocalist than her mother –she had the techniques nailed down, her voice only needed to mature.

And then the humming stopped. Celine realized she had finally noticed her presence. She took it as an invitation and stepped closer.

“Where did you hear this song?”

It was supposed to be a peace offering, a neutral terrain for conversation. Rumi’s shoulders stiffened slightly but at least she wasn’t glaring daggers anymore.

“Some guy was singing it in the street. I listened. I liked his voice.”

“I see.”

Rumi’s expression clearly meant that no, she didn’t, but Celine let it slide. They were finally talking after months of shifty moods and bouts of anger she didn’t understand, especially since she didn’t know what word would trigger them. Had she had such a complicated relationship with her own parents? She couldn’t remember.

“Hey Celine?”

She gave the girl her attention back. Rumi looked uneasy but determined. Miyeong had the same expression when she had made up her mind on something. Usually something Celine wouldn’t approve of.

“Yes Rumi?” she forced herself to reply and tried not to dread the upcoming request.

“I was thinking..." her voice trailed off and Celine braced herself. "I want to learn to play the guitar."

Chapter Text

Legacy

Part 4

“Jinu?”

He glanced up. Mystery stepped closer and sat across him. The others nicknamed him Dog for his extraordinary sense of smell and tracking skills. He barely spoke, only grunted and growled and barked and spent most of his days hiding away. The fact he had just uttered his name demanded his full attention.

“What is it?” he asked. Mystery stepped closer.

“Half-breed,” he whispered. “Half-breed in the Underworld.”

Jinu was quicker on his feet before the end of his thought could form. It couldn’t be. It couldn’t be Rumi. Rumi was up there, training with Celine, right? He hadn’t heard from her lately, but then he knew her schedule had been busy. It was a coincidence. It had to be.

“Are you sure Mystery?” the demon nodded. “Can you guide me to them?”

The demon shuddered.

“Caught already,” he whispered. “Min-Seong, for Gwi-Ma.”

He shuddered again. Jinu took a deep breath, slowly exhaled. Min-Seong had been gaining Gwi-Ma’s attention steadily the past few years. He hadn’t been on pair with Cheol and was slightly stronger than Jinu. If he were to start a fight, he might not win. And the boys wouldn’t help him, not like that. He couldn’t let them step into that kind of danger without knowing why.

They wouldn’t understand either.

“The half-breed is currently being exhibited?” Mystery nodded. “Alright. Let me see.”

They left the front door, Jinu following Mystery’s trail of teleportation into a grand empty space where a gibbet-like stick was set up in full view. Gwi-Ma liked tying up the occasional rebel to watch them squirm. 

Not Rumi, he mentally begged. Not Rumi please.

He had grown fond of the girl. She still sent the occasional question about her demon legacy, questions about her father, subjects he had no issues answering. She had turned fourteen last week. She was Cheol’s daughter.

He wasn’t sure what he would do if…

They were finally close enough to see and Jinu felt a gush of relief leave his shoulders.

Not Rumi.

The half-breed was male, one eye shining gold, the other dark as night. He had patterns on his skin, hard angles trailing down his chest and thighs. Red dyed hair. His hands were tied in iron cuffs, lifted in the air. He looked terrified, shaking with every fiber of his being. Nearly a hundred demons had already gathered to watch him, breathe his scent, preparing for a hunt.

Next to him, Mystery shuddered violently again. Jinu put a hand over his shoulder, squeezed it sharply.

“I’ve seen enough,” he said, and didn’t miss the sigh of relief from his companion.

Both teleported away and back to the house. Jinu sat on his usual spot and watched as the younger demon curled into the closest corner. Mystery had always been absolutely terrified by anything that could bind him. Ropes and cuffs in any shape or form were banned from the place. Sometimes, Jinu wondered if the younger demon had been a slave during his human life, because the mere sight of collars would send him raving. Abby, Romance and Baby had told him about their past. Mystery’s remained a…mystery.

“Not a bad boy,” Mystery whispered. “Wrong.”

Jinu kept remaining still, keeping a careful eye on him.

“Not a bad boy,” he hissed, shuddering more violently. “I’m not.” Silence. Another shudder.

He’s losing it, Jinu thought and started humming. A simple melody his own mother used to sing. From the corner of the eye, he saw Mystery’s shoulders relax slightly, his breathing evening out. A few moments later, Baby peeked in. Jinu silently shook his head. Baby, in a rare stroke of obedience, nodded and left them alone. He kept humming until Mystery started to shift and move closer. The younger demon laid on his side, gently laid his head on his thigh.

He patted his head like he would a dog, kept humming softly until he fully relaxed. A part of him wanted to apologize for bringing Mystery so close to something he knew he feared; but that was not how the demon system worked. Mystery was his choice, his subordinate, his responsibility, but he had no obligation to explain himself to him.

‘Be clever when you make your pick, Jinu.’ Old, wise eyes staring straight at him, a soft voice speaking in the shadows. ‘You want to make sure you know who will be useful to you, how you will control them. Useless subordinates are only dead weight.’

Cheol would have probably fed Mystery three times over to the faceless ones by now. Jinu couldn’t have done it. He had spent too much time and energy to understand the triggers of Mystery’s mind. Just like Baby, he hadn’t quite asked for that demon. Mystery had just showed up one day, drawn in by his voice, and hadn’t left.

To him, Mystery was a little special, because Cheol hadn’t approved of him.

‘Stray dogs bite the hardest, even the hand that feeds them. Train him if you must, but remember you are not his master.’

Speaking of master…

Jinu heard the rising howl of demons in the afar. The half-breed must have tried to escape then. Or Gwi-Ma would have set him free, leaving him with the sweet hope of survival. Demons loved entertainment, and a half-breed running around the Underworld would keep Gwi-Ma distracted for a while. It was terrible news for the prisoner, but a good thing for Jinu. He would be able to escape to the Overworld for a while unnoticed. What he wanted to do for Rumi required continued presence, not an occasional drop in.

She was old enough to start manipulating the Honmoon now, so her fellow Hunters would soon be selected. Time was running out if he wanted to teach her anything. His personal pride wouldn’t allow Cheol’s daughter to grow out of touch with her demonic legacy.

He couldn’t let Mystery on his own though, not without a proper warning.

“Mystery,” he called softly. The demon’s head twisted slightly, sign that he was listening. “I will be going to the Overworld for a long time. There is something I need to do out there.” Mystery nodded. “I need someone to guard the house. Make sure Abby and Romance get rid of the trespassers. And if Baby annoys you, you’re allowed to bite.”

The corner of the demon’s mouth twitched, the equivalent of a huge beam. Jinu almost felt pity for Baby, then figured that if he did bite, the other demon would have deserved it.

Rumi could hardly stand still. She didn’t think this day could get any better. Her guitar lessons were going smoothly. Celine had complimented her form during their last sparring session. Then she had announced she would be leaving a few months to prepare the Recruitment in Seoul. The search for the two other Hunters would soon begin. And Jinu had sent a letter thought Derpy asking her to meet him.

She hadn’t seen him in another year. Her schedule had been full, training, barely any rest. She had sent him a few notes, random questions that came occasionally about her father, about demons in general. Celine had let her study a few books written by Hunters, but she had access to the original material so…

She rode the tiger to the meeting point, humming cheerfully. A part of her knew she shouldn’t be so happy to see Jinu. He was still a demon after all, no matter how approachable he had made himself to her. He hadn’t hurt her though, hadn’t tried to attack her. That must mean she could trust him, if only a little, right? She wanted to, somehow. She needed to. Demons couldn’t all be bad, else she wouldn’t be born. Her mother wouldn’t have fallen for a cruel demon, right? And if all demons weren’t bad…it meant she wouldn’t be bad either, that she was worthy of the Honmoon.

Right?

He was standing under a large tree, dressed in that same hanbok and black hat, his demon skin visible. He hadn’t showed as a mortal since their second meeting, when she had told him she didn’t like it. Was he keeping it off for her?

“Hey Jinu,” she greeted as she dismounted Derpy. When she spotted the magpie on his shoulder, she added, having learned the bird’s name: “Hello Sussie.” The bird made a sharp sound and returned to sit on the tiger’s head. Both walked a little further, leaving them alone. She reported her attention on him. “So, why did you want to meet?”

He eyed her top to bottom in that distant, slightly distracted way that made her feel scanned. His golden eyes flared as he asked:

“Something is happening in the Underworld, Gwi-Ma is distracted. I have some time to teach you personally.”

Rumi's cautious enthusiasm came to a halt. 

"Teach me what?" she repeated suddenly wary.

"The basics to manage your demonic powers." 

He spoke so very naturally, and for a brief moment, she didn’t know how to react.

"I don't have demonic powers," she chose to answer instead.

Jinu raised a startled eyebrow.

"Oh yes you do. I checked last time. Didn't I tell you?"

"Obviously not!" she protested loudly. "And how did you test me? You didn't do anything."

He stared at her, looking slightly apologetic. Then he extended his arm and gave it to her.

"Here, touch them. My patterns."

"Why would I do that?" she countered immediately.

"So you can understand."

She snapped her mouth shut. The patterns were multiple, marring his skin in full exposure. It felt like a taunt, a bitter reminder of her hidden ones. Rumi reluctantly pressed her fingers on a pattern. His skin was warm, warmer than she would expect for a human, but then he was a demon. There was muscle there too, firm enough for her to notice.

She wondered then, for the first time, how strong he actually was. The few demons she had been unlucky to meet had all been monster-shaped, with deformed bodies and mask-like faces. Jinu was the first she met that had a more human-like appearance. Did it relate to his strength? Or was it because he used to be human?

She realized she must have been staring for a long time when he made an impatient sound.

"Now what?" she asked instead, awaiting further instructions.

"Wait and feel." Feel for what, she wanted to ask, but then she did feel it. A pulse. Slow, deep, regular, like water running underneath his skin. It was an oddly soothing sensation. “Feel it now?” she nodded. “It’s the demonic resonance. I felt it when I touched your patterns. It’s a sign you have powers.”

Rumi released him, oddly detached, and yet her heart beating faster.

“And what if I don’t want to learn? I’m a hunter,” she reminded him. “Doesn’t that make it contradictory with my original training? I’m not giving it up because you think I should learn about my powers.”

He seemed to hesitate, as if the thought hadn’t even crossed his mind. After a while he cocked his head to the side and pointed out:

“You were born with these powers and the Honmoon chose you regardless. Gwi-Ma won’t be distracted forever. It’s easier for newly made demons to learn with the help of an older demon. You won’t find another mentor willing to teach you once you become a full-time Hunter. And no, figuring it out yourself won’t work well,” he added as she opened her mouth to speak.

“How so?” she retorted, annoyed.

Before she could finish her second word, he moved so fast she barely saw a blur. A blink later, his claws were at her collarbone, the tip brushing her skin. She hadn’t even had time to react.

“Speed. Strength. Agility,” he said calmly. “Your demon blood gives you an advantage. You are faster, stronger than a human. Your claws can be used as weapons.” He showed his hand, the long pointy fingers glinting in the sunlight like blades. “Repressed, untrained powers will eventually slip out, especially under stress,” he explained calmly. “The younger you start to control them, the easier it’ll be to manage them as you grow. The easier you will be able to hide them.”

Oh. She hadn’t thought of it that way. To be fair, Rumi wasn’t even certain what kind of ‘power’ she could have. In spite of Jinu’s certainty, she was still a little skeptical she had any at all.

“I will first try to trigger your demonic powers into activity,” he announced. “We’ll work from here.”

Rumi crossed her arms, frowned.

“And how do you intend to do that?”

She regretted asking a split second later.

"You are an asshole, Jinu."

Rumi was laying on the ground, arms spread open like a fallen eagle. Her chest rose and fell as she tried to catch her breath. Her training suit was covered in open injuries, all caused by his claws.

He merely sat across her, smirking a little. 

Perhaps it hadn't been very courteous of him, to stab her without a semblance of a warning. He was very well aware he could have lost the little trust they had built, that she could have ran, or just never return when he called. He wouldn't have blamed her. 

"Welcome to demon training 101," he replied, proudly quoting one of the few expressions he had learned of the modern world. 

She had enough strength to lift her head and glare at him. His vocabulary effort had, apparently, been entirely unnoticed.

"Torture 101, you mean?" she snarled, hissed and laid back on the ground again. 

Her demonic powers were dormant. To trigger them, Jinu had made a gamble. Attacking her unaware, slicing her badly enough that while she was in no mortal danger, her body needed serious care to overcome the injury. 

His gamble had paid off. 

He had opened her thigh with one quick move, tearing her skin apart, deep enough to show the muscles. Rumi had genuinely believed he had been trying to kill her. Again, he couldn't blame her for the assumption. He had kept her pinned to the ground while she bled out, waiting for her to stop struggling to calmly explain that her high metabolism would get her healed faster. 

Rumi had healed eventually. She hadn't forgiven his sneak attack easily though.

"A little warning would have been nice!" she spat, still shaking from the shock. 

"It wouldn't have worked. Besides, you're lucky. Your father ran his arm through my chest the first time around and didn't bother explaining why till after I healed."

"Is it revenge?" she asked next. "My father put you through so much shit during training that you've decided to unload it on me?" 

Her question was half a taunt, half serious. Jinu merely snorted.

"Oh you are no exception. He was brutal but his methods are efficient. I trained all the others the same way." 

"Beating them day and night till they got a hand of their powers?" she snarled before pausing. "Wait, you trained others?" 

"Six or seven," he confirmed. "Most gave up after a decade or so." 

Seeking other masters, or joining the pit of the faceless ones. He hadn't taken those failures personally. Romance, Baby and Abby had stuck through it all. Mystery though…when Mystery had joined them, he already had mastered his own powers. 

Rumi groaned, staring at the sky.

"How old are you already?" 

"Over four hundred years old," he replied cheerfully. "I'm not sure how old exactly -we didn't keep up birthdays when I was alive. Perhaps early twenties?" 

Rumi made an odd face before adding:

"And in those four centuries, none of them told you your teaching methods sucked?" 

He shrugged. Glanced at her body. Most of her injuries were healed already. One week of training all afternoon had done wonders on her skills. She was already moving faster -though he suspected her will to avoid his claws had something to do with it. Her claws would soon make an appearance. Demon hand-to-hand let little other choice. They would also have to move onto teleportation. He might be able to give her the basics for illusions -though she might be fairly too young for that skill yet. 

She was skilled with a sword, which was a good thing for her future weapon wielding with the Honmoon, but he also had three more weeks -and not years or decades -to teach her how to fight like a demon. 

...and maybe supervise her using Yeonghon, at least once. Though not against him. There was a goddamn reason why demons stayed clear of the blade, him included. 

"You're doing just fine," he said in what he hoped would be an encouraging tone. "Not quite there yet." 

Rumi groaned in frustration, grumbling under her breath, eyes closed. In the afar, Derpy was taking a nap in the afternoon sun. It was peaceful, quiet even, in the glade. He was glad to have picked this place.

"An ordinary human would have died ten times over," she pointed out loudly.

"You are hardly ordinary," he retorted, checking his claws. "I suppose I could teach you something else while you recuperate." She glanced at him again. "The basics of teleportation." 

That seemed to catch her interest.

"Really?" 

"You won't succeed on your first try," he warned, feeling some kind of amusement. "But I can lay the groundwork. Once you get the hand of it, we'll be able to apply it in practical combat."

The slight enthusiasm fell down at once. She laid back on the ground with an unhappy grunt. 

Sometimes, Rumi questioned her own sanity. Whatever regime Jinu was putting her through was torture. It wasn’t even the same kind Celine encouraged her to follow, because Celine, though fast, brutal and efficient, was still human. Jinu was not.

The demon had stabbed her out of nowhere, for fuck’s sake. But he had also proved that she had some kind of demonic powers –whichever they were –and she did need to know about them. She did heal quite quickly, within the hour. It had been both painful and fascinating to watch the blood stop running and the muscles fixing themselves back together. It hadn’t even left a scar. Jinu had only appeared satisfied once she had entirely healed and sent her home, asking her to return the next day. So she had agreed to follow his training.

He started with hand-to-hand, of course. Her training sword hadn’t last a split second against his claws. He’d moved fast, too fast for her to try to counteract or even to dodge. The confidence she had built with Celine's compliments had shattered within minutes of their first spare. The first week, she had Derpy carry her home so she wouldn’t pass out from blood loss and nursing an even worse broken ego.

She didn’t give up though, because every time they spared, he looked like he was waiting for something to happen…that she was close to unlocking some new skill.

And on the seventh day, it happened. The claws appeared out of nowhere. Rumi had been dodging Jinu's attack when her fingers tingled and she lashed out in reflex, right hand all out. The sound of clothes tearing had caught her by surprise. She hadn't hit his flesh, but the hanbok was no longer intact. 

Jinu looked pleasantly surprised, and Rumi couldn't help but feel highly praised. The only issue after that...

"How do I retract them?" 

Her fingers had turned long and shiny, hard as steel at touch. Much more efficient than a regular knife, she suspected. However, she would also not return home with them out. 

Jinu looked both puzzled and slightly contrite. He didn't know either since his claws were always out.

"Guess it will dissolve on its own." He glanced at her face. "Your left eye glows yellow, by the way."

Rumi immediately took her phone to check her face -no mirror around, a selfie mode would have to do. And to her horror, the golden iris seemed to glow even more on screen. And she was expecting a call from Celine tonight. 

"I can't go home looking like that!" she snapped. Even without the presence of her mentor, she couldn't walk around the house as a semi-demon!

"Let's spare some more," Jinu replied instead. "I'd like to test a theory right now." 

He didn't give her time to protest and stroke.

Rumi immediately felt a difference.

He was slower. Or rather, she could see him move at the same speed Celine did when she went fully out at her. Dodging him became...easier. She still couldn't hit back, but she could feel the demonic energy running in her body, how it flowed, accelerated her own movements...

She grinned as she ducked more and more, avoiding his claws by growing gaps. And Jinu was smirking too. He blocked her hands by grabbing both wrists far too easily -still stronger than her -holding them in a statlemate.

"Good," he said, eyes not only glowing but sparkling in excitement. "Now, remember the rules of teleportation?"

The same rush ran through her body and beyond a simple blink, Rumi found herself at the other end of the glade. She turned around to preen, but Jinu had already vanished in a pink cloud.

Shit, she thought, and was just fast enough to dodge the other demon's claws as he appeared right behind her.

The grin Jinu sent her was feral.

"Now we can switch to the interesting stuff," he purred, and Rumi knew her troubles were just beginning. 

Baby twiddled his thumb, sulking. Jinu had been gone for over twenty-three days and seven hours, not that he was counting. Mystery was keeping watch, guarding the house like his life depended on it. To be fair, a few brave –or stupid -demons had stepped too close. Mystery couldn’t kill a demon for good, but they wouldn’t be regenerating for a while.

“I’m boooooored!” he said out loud. He glared at Abby and Romance who were sitting side-by-side. “Entertain me!”

“Sorry Baby, we don’t share,” Abby replied with a definite shrug. “Go join the hunt of that half-breed. I heard he got away again.”

“Half-breed hunting is no challenge for someone like me,” he retorted with a little huff. “And Jinu isn’t here! He’s been gone for too long.”

“Go find him then,” Romance retorted, disinterested. “He warned us he’d be gone for a while.”

“Didn’t expect it to be that long,” Baby grumbled. “But fine, I’ll go. Only because I want to.”

He didn’t ask if anyone wanted to tag along, he wasn’t eager for company. Mystery wouldn’t budge from his spot like the good pet he was. Besides, he had bit him twice in the past few days. Listening to Romance and Abby flirting was no fun either. In the end, he was curious as to what their esteemed leader was up to in the Overworld and he would never refuse a self-quest.

The final destination in itself wasn’t a secret. If Jinu had gone on a mission, he would have told them. If he was training another demon, he would have brought them back. If he was in danger somewhere…Mystery would have smelt it and teleported by his side in the blink of an eye. What was he up to would be another matter. Definitively something Gwi-Ma wouldn’t approve of, or he wouldn’t have slipped away so sneakily.

He found himself a tear in the Honmoon, one just big enough for him to slip through. As he passed his head through the tear, he recognized nothing. Just an isolated side street bordering what looked like a park. He made himself scarce by jumping on the roof, out of sight for now, and studied the environment. It had been nearly a century since he was dragged down to the Underworld, and a lot have changed since. The architecture. The colors in the streets. The smell. Clothing.

He rolled his eyes. Slipping amongst a vulnerable crowd wouldn’t be much of a hassle. Now he just needed to know where to look for Jinu.

Unlike Mystery, Baby didn’t have a great sense of smell. His tracking skills were basics at best. Heck, even Romance was a better tracer than him. He did, however, have great eyesight and hearing. If Jinu had passed nearby, had spoken to anyone around him, he would know. And so he began his search.

As a demon, he didn’t need sleep, didn’t need much rest, so he walked around and looked. It took him three days to get him somewhere. He recognized Sussie and her unmistakable tiny hat flying in a direction. He followed it, lost sight of her, but soon reached a large glade hidden behind woods. The spot was empty, though there were markings on the ground of a recent fight. No-one was there, but Baby’s instincts dictated him to hide for a while. He spotted a high tree with decent coverage, levitated there and sat still.

Patience wasn’t his forte under most circumstances, but with the right motivation, he could (almost) beat Derpy in a staring context –the tiger just got bored before him! His leader had been gone for nearly a month, he wanted to find out why. So he waited.

After a while, a human girl walked into the glade. A teenager, he would say. Not too young, not too old. Braided, long purple hair, which was a little odd for a human. Clothes that looked comfortable. A stick in her hand –training sword, he recognized. She planted the sword near a tree, stood in the corner of the glade, and positioned herself.

Baby nearly fell off his perch when the change began. Barely visible from afar –if not for his vision, he wouldn’t have seen it at all. But her right hand had definitively turned into demon claws, and her left eye had definitively turned a familiar gold.

A half-breed.

A fucking half-breed.

She started moving, fighting against an invisible enemy, her right clawed hand swiping in the air. Her stance was good -really good -though her swings were clumsy and imprecise, but that was just a matter of practice. Her stance was also very familiar. He had gone through them before, for years, decades, before mastering them to perfection.

His blood started boiling in outrage. 

He would forever be grateful to Jinu for saving him from the pit of the faceless. The Songbird was known to be a self-serving high-demon, whose survival was entirely due to his selfishness. Jinu had picked him, trained him, kept him as an underling, under his protection and Baby had gratefully served him to the best of his abilities. 

Jinu was a bit of an eccentric, prefering solitude in the company of his bipa and that odd tiger and bird. He went on Gwi-Ma's missions out of duty. He wanted little to do with the Overworld, something to do about his own memories. 

Baby didn't mind. He would never admit it, but Jinu's music always eased his pain and keeping him to himself -to the boys -was acceptable. He tolerated Romance and Abby, even Mystery when the latter was in a sociable mood. He even stood by Jinu's side when his betrayal of his old master was made known. 

But this? This? 

Risking everything to train a half-breed at the surface, even though half-breeds hunt were an ongoing thing in the Underworld? 

He couldn't bear it. If it came to be known, Jinu's reputation would plummet. Gwi-Ma might eat him. And the boys? Him? He wasn't strong enough to stand on his own, and no other demon would willingly take one of Jinu's for service. Not unless they had another plan in mind.

He had to put an end to this. He had to, before word went out and Jinu -all of them -were compromised. 

Jinu had rescued him once. It was his turn to save him, even from himself.

The half-breed needed to disappear.

Chapter Text

Legacy

Part 5

Rumi didn't know why she felt the attack coming. Perhaps a knee-jerk reflex; or the habit of ambushed by Jinu now and again.

The glade that had been their training grounds had been deserted. She had showed up using teleportation to practice her range, rather than wait for Derpy to come and pick her up. Jinu hadn’t arrived yet. She had warmed up with a few exercises he had showed her first, then picked up her training sword and started a routine she had neglected.

Her instincts suddenly roared in warning. She barely had the time to turn around to parry before her sword clashed with a pair of claws and a hateful, hissing face.

The demon was human-shaped, bright turquoise hair, gleaming golden eyes, mouth opened wide, fangs showing. He wore the same kind of hanbok Jinu was usually dressed in, the same hat that flew away from the strength of the clash. She had no idea who he was, why he was attacking her now.

“You!” the demon hissed.

Her training sword snapped in three pieces. His claws tore her left forearm and hip partially. Rumi yelped in pain and forced her legs into motion so she would avoid the second pair of claws aiming at her. She would forever thank Jinu for slicing her open so often during practice. The pain was familiar by now, the combination of moving and hurting didn’t hinder her as much. Celine had taught her to move with bruises. Jinu had forced her to move while bleeding out.

“Disgusting half-breed!”

The word held so much genuine hate she nearly flinched in reaction. At least she knew what motivated him now. Jinu had said half-breeds didn’t live long after Gwi-Ma found out about them. Had the king of demons found out about her? Rumi dodged another swing, feet dancing around his blows. She might not be an experienced fighter, but neither of her mentors had gone soft on her before.

The demon’s eagerness to strike left his flank open. She shifted on her feet, launched herself forward and ripped his side with her only clawed hand. The sensation of her nails tearing skin apart made her crawl in disgust. The demon hissed again, in pain this time, before disappearing in a cloud of pink smoke and reappeared right behind her.

A classic Jinu move, her brain supplied as she jumped back, away from the swinging claws.

He was not as fast as Jinu, which was her true saving grace. Dodging eager claws at that speed was well within her capacity. Reciprocating? Aside from the occasional strike, from a split second distraction –which he would likely not repeat –she doubted it.

He launched forward again. Rumi stepped sideways, her hand reflexively clenching around empty air. Jinu had trained her for nearly a month, her claw technique wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t her primary weapon. She fought better with a sword, because she had trained for it most of her life. And Jinu who still wasn’t there-

-she couldn’t rely on Jinu to save her.

The demon teleported behind her again, she teleported away. He followed suit, ready to strike. She somehow blocked him using her full arm and kicked his middle, sending him back into a puff of red smoke and standby a few feet away. Golden eyes sharp and glowing, snarling mouth, fangs in full view, watching her attentively, seeking for his next move –the kind of thing Jinu would do, she noted again. Nearly the same fighting style and she realized she wouldn’t win. She couldn’t win against that demon with her bare hands.

Bare hands weren’t her strategy. She needed a weapon. She needed a sword and not the ordinary kind. She needed-

-Yeonghon

The name of her father’s blade crossed her mind and she felt an odd pull around her right hand. A split second later, the familiar, heavy weight of a weapon in her hand and-

She knew this. She knew swordfight. She had been training this way for years.

Thank you, father.

And the sword fitted her better than any weapon she had wielded since. Rumi didn’t think –she launched forward, swinging Yeonghon, aiming for the demon-

The demon suddenly teleported at a safe distance away. His eyes had grown wide and were flickering between her and the weapon, mouthing ‘how’ in disbelief. And then, his expression hardened. If the murderous impulse wasn’t obvious before, she definitively felt it now.

He shifted in his pose, his weight equally resting on bent legs, his hands raised at eye-level, his whole body tensed into a predatory posture, ready to spring into action within a second. She posed in the opposite side, ready to defend or to attack. She wasn’t scared –hadn’t really been scared from the start–but with Yeonghon in her hands, she felt strong, powerful. Even the sword seemed to hum pleasantly in response. It was ready to be wielded again.

To strike.

So Rumi made the first move. She shifted the weight of her legs into position, ignoring her stinging, bleeding side and arm, took one step forward and bolted. The demon facing her snarled and ran to meet her.

She didn’t see the blur stepping in between, didn’t realize he wasn’t alone. She only felt a heavy, solid body ram into her side and into the ground. Her hands were pinned by the wrists, her thighs pressed down by strong knees, and she barely had time to catch a flash of dark hair and golden eyes before-

His face turned blank as he choked on air. His body jerked and stiffened, he made a sound she had never heard before –a deep groan, muffled by the way he bit his lower lip. His eyes grew wide and his mouth twitched in a grimace of pain he couldn’t contain.

He kept holding her down nonetheless, hands shaking as his grasp over her wrists tightened as in reflex. And Rumi shouted, completely caught off-guard:

“Jinu!”

His eyes were the worse –pupils thinned into a line, the gold flashing as pain crossed over his features. And still, holding her down, his body preventing her from moving and shielding her at the same time.

“Go,” he somehow growled. Droplets of blood slipped from his mouth. “Go, now!”

She immediately teleported away, not too far though. She refused to leave Jinu alone with that demon, even if she suspected he was more than capable of taking care of himself. Keeping her steps light, she hurried back and discreetly took refuge behind a tree to watch the scene. Jinu was still on the ground on all fours, and the other demon…the other demon has his claws buried in Jinu’s back, digging into his flesh.

Rumi tightened her hold around the handle, waited for an opening.

“Get off me!” Jinu suddenly snarled.

The demon behind him stiffened and she took another moment to observe him. Without the rush of the fight, she noted the round cheeks, the angry pink patterns spread on his skin. He was beautiful, aesthetically speaking, just like Jinu. Even in a distance, he looked horrified. He still removed his claws from Jinu’s back in a sickening fleshy sound. Rumi bit back the urge to retch right there. Even though there was no blood, her stomach didn’t quite agree with what it was witnessing.

Jinu stood back up on his legs. From afar, he looked like he was shaking. Rumi didn’t miss the tension in his body, the way he turned around slowly to face the other demon, staring at him with a furious expression.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice so cold it gave her goosebumps. To her amazement, the new demon immediately put one knee down, his shoulders low, as if he was trying to make himself as scare and inoffensive as possible. His head however remained lifted in defiance.

“What am I doing here?” the turquoise-haired demon echoed, his voice thick and faint at the same time. He looked angry and lost at the same time, but not the same anger that had propelled him to fight her. “What are you doing here? She’s a –she’s a half-breed. Why would you do such a thing?”

Jinu was still standing stiff, and Rumi came down with a cold realization. They knew each other. They knew each other very well.

“You are one of the smartest demons in the Underworld,” Jinu hissed back. “Think. Why would I risk everything for a half-breed?”

Rumi felt her throat tighten. The word already sounded like a curse in the other demon’s mouth. Coming from Jinu…it sounded downright insulting. There was something familiar about that tone too, something lingering in the back of her mind…And then she remembered-

‘You look like your mother’

He was standing in front of her mother’s grave, his tone harsh, his expression…disappointed. He wished there had been more of her father’s in her physique, and it hadn’t been the first time his attitude hinted at it. That she hadn’t inherited so much of her human’s side. In the end, she was just a half-breed, even in his eyes. Something demons apparently loathed. Her shoulders slumped slightly as she realized that she might have mistaken his intentions after all. Or read too much into it. He only came in the memory of her father, not because of her.

“She was wielding Yeonghon,” the demon replied slowly. Rumi glanced at her sword, frowned a little. Did other demons know of its name? “She has purple hair. Jinu-“ his voice was picking up with urgency, like he was starting to understand something. “Did Cheol really went out and breed with a human?”

Silence. Rumi felt her cheeks turn red in embarrassment and anger. What was it with demons and their weird phrasing? They weren’t animals!

“Gwi-Ma can’t know,” Jinu spoke, still coldly. “At least not till she’s strong enough.”

“So you were the one who took the damn sword,” the demon went on. “And you lied to Gwi-Ma about it.” He paused, seemingly more and more confused. “But why? Why would you do such a thing? Why would you put yourself –all of us- in danger? Why would you train her? Out of misplaced guilt? You’re the one who betrayed Cheol in the first place, remember?”

Rumi froze.

What?

No. She heard wrong. The demon didn’t just say –Jinu would correct him, right?

“It’s more complicated than that,” Jinu replied slowly, and Rumi thought she had forgotten how to breathe.

“I’d love to hear why,” the other demon added vehemently. “Because in all the decades I’ve known you, you’ve never done anything that didn’t benefit yourself. So unless you are suffering from a massive case of guilt…I mean, you were his right hand for half your life. Your betrayal didn’t really make you popular down there.”

Betrayal. Jinu had betrayed her father. Jinu had brought her his sword. It didn’t make sense. Why would he bring her back her father’s sword if he had a hand in the man’s demise?

“My reasons are my own, I don’t have to tell you,” he replied instead. “Return to the Underworld before Gwi-Ma realizes we are both missing. And don’t ever try to approach her again. I will kill you if you do.”

Silence fell upon the glade. Rumi didn’t dare to breathe. She clung to her sword, waiting for what would come next.

“The half-breed’s hunt is soon coming to an end,” the demon eventually said. His voice wasn’t raised, but she heard the resentment underlying. “Whatever you intend to teach her next, do it quick. Gwi-Ma won’t be distracted much longer.”

Rumi closed her eyes and decided she had heard enough. Perhaps there was a deeper meaning to their conversation, but she knew she was too upset to properly listen. She vanished in a cloud of pink, far away, back home.

Rumi was late. Jinu checked the position of the sun in the sky. High. She usually arrived before that time. He had sent Derpy and Sussie in case she was in trouble, but they returned empty-handed. The tiger even looked very dejected as he delivered a note saying ‘Did you betray him?’. Jinu scratched his head in attempt of comfort before biting back a sigh.

He suspected she had lingered behind yesterday. That she had overheard his conversation with Baby. It would be annoying if she decided to quit her training now. He hadn’t spoken to her of Yeonghon’s particularities yet, and she definitively needed to know a few things about her father’s sword if she intended to use it. There was a very valid reason he had stepped in between them. He hadn’t only wanted to protect her. He wanted to shield them both. Even though Baby would definitively deserve a beating, he was still his. And Rumi…

Rumi didn’t know everything yet. He had done what he could with the fighting; she had even exceeded his expectations by holding against Baby on her own. But there were still things about demons she ought to know. Things he should tell her in person.

“Derpy,” he said softly. “Guide me to her.”

He turned his human face on, just in case, and levitated beside the tiger. Derpy flew for a while, guiding him back to a familiar place. He realized it was the same garden, near the same house, where he had met Rumi for the first time. Once again, there seemed to be no-one in sight, not even a car. Perhaps she had gone, but Derpy wouldn’t have guided him there otherwise.

The tiger left through a portal of his own creation, his head high with the knowledge of duty done. Jinu decided he might as well show at the grave. Perhaps Rumi…

But Rumi wasn’t there. The grave was deserted, an incent stick burning slowly. Someone had stopped by recently. He crouched in front of the grave, reread the name. He had never met Ryu Miyeong. The small pieces of knowledge he had of her were through Rumi’s equally meager knowledge, and the brief memories Cheol had shoved into his head. She had been smiling in those memories. She had been upset and angry too. She had laughed. And it made Jinu wonder.

What had Cheol had seen in her? Why had she been so special? She would suit his taste as a lover, but going as far as to conceive a child, even knowing of the consequences? For a brief moment, he wished he had met her. He wished his mentor had lived long enough to introduce her, or that he would have reached out earlier. He wished he had known more.

"You're a demon."

The voice caught him off-guard. Jinu hadn’t heard anyone approach, but didn't try to run or attack. He slowly stood up and turned around. A woman stood at a respectable distance. Jinu recognized her easily. He had seen her once, the first time he had followed her home to look for Cheol’s lover. Celine, the last standing Hunter of the past generation.

She was a beautiful woman –long dark hair, a slender body –and frighteningly ferocious eyes. Her arms were slightly parted, fingers twitching, as if ready to summon her weapon. Jinu slowly lifted his hands up and held them apart to show he had no ill intentions. 

"I mean no harm," he said instead. "My name is Jinu, I was a friend of Cheol's." 

Celine barely blinked. The tension was still stiff in her shoulders but she definitively recognized the name. Jinu had met a few Hunters, back in the days. None had such an aura, such posture breathing strength. No wonder why the other demons hadn’t lasted long against her. Still, he thought he had a good chance of escaping if he teleported now…

"Cheol mentioned you before," she said flatly. 

Any calculated escape was halted at once.

"He did?" Jinu blurted, genuinely surprised. Celine's expression hardened.

"Why are you here? What do you want?"

Cold, implacable. The eyes and posture of a hunter, daring him to lie. He didn't want to.

"I mean no harm," he repeated. "I only wanted to check on Cheol's daughter." The fingers twitched harder and he had a feeling she was two seconds away from summoning her swords. "I've known about her for years, I've kept quiet." I spoke to her, I trained her, I protected her. I told her about Cheol when you didn’t.

"She's her mother's daughter, there is nothing of that demon in her," Celine retorted, both defiant and proud. "And you will not see her. We depart for Seoul tomorrow. Leave at once and don't return or I will strike you down." 

Jinu couldn’t believe his luck –the infamous Celine was letting him go? He was about to do just that when a thought crossed his mind. He was briefly brought back to the cave, where his mentor had passed away. He remembered thinking whoever had fatally injured him had been good.

"I watched him die," he suddenly announced. "He was slayed by a sword. Did you kill him?" 

It shouldn't have been possible, but from the rumors echoing from failed hunts, Celine was clearly on another level. Perhaps she had gotten lucky and stricken him at his vital point?

"You have no idea what you are talking about," she snapped before adding: "The only reason why I am letting you go today is because Cheol said you were the closest thing he had to family."

Family? He said...family? First talk about him, then call him family? 

Nope, not now, he thought and closed that particular emotion for the moment. He should not explore it until later, in the safety of his house. But still, the words rattled him. Cheol thought of him as family?

"Did you tell her about him?" he asked, thought he already knew the answer.

"After what he did, he doesn't deserve to be remembered, especially by daughter," Celine replied coldly. 

Cheol had been a demon, through and through. He had gone on harvest missions for Gwi-Ma. Jinu had followed him, he knew how bad, how devastating, it could be. He too had actively participated in some of those missions. 

How would Rumi react, if she knew how tainted his hands were? The thought was unsettling and definitively uncomfortable. Rumi still needed to know some things, but perhaps he ought to send her a message through Derpy instead. If her mentor was back and the search for two new hunters was starting, there was no point in taking senseless risks anymore. It pained him as much as it relieved him. He had done all he could, the rest was up to her.

Celine cleared her throat, bringing his attention back to him. The glint in her eye intensified, and he knew he had outstayed his welcome. He bowed slightly, trusting she wouldn’t behead him right away.

"Thank you for watching over my seonsaeng's daughter. Please care for Rumi in the future."

And vanished in a pink cloud. 

Rumi,

This will be my last note.

The other demon you overheard me talking to is one of my own, and had no idea I was training you. Doing so is considered treason to Gwi-Ma. He will not speak of you, since revealing your existence and my actions will incriminate him as well.

I met Celine. She has no idea we have spoken before and I did not enlighten her. She told me you would be soon leaving for the next step of your journey as a Hunter, and so our training ends here.

There are still a few things you need to know.

Half-breed hunts are still ongoing. Gwi-Ma can track them when they become mature, and their minds are weak enough to succumb quickly to his call. Your Hunter heritage should shield you from his calls, but keep hiding your patterns from strangers until you are strong enough. You will be found out eventually, nothing is kept hidden forever in this world. Your fellow Hunters must know first. You can't keep a secret from both worlds. If demons find out first, it's a weakness they will exploit. That’s what I would do.

Yeonghon is a special sword, it will devour the soul of its victim. If you slay demons with the Honmoon, they will just regenerate in the Underworld. The only way to keep them down for good is to kill them with it. The demon’s energy will be sucked into the blade until it is consumed. The same goes for humans, animals, anything that holds a soul. It is also very old, and contains a passive will of its own. It will try to influence you somehow. Only use it if you must, or you will attract too much unwanted attention. There are other demons, older than I am, stronger than I am, that would love nothing more but to possess it.

There is another way to kill demons, one only possible to our kind. Remember how you felt my demonic energy running in my body? All demons, no exception, have it. That energy starts and ends from what we call a vital point. No demon will survive being stabbed there. The hardest part is to find it, but once you do, it’s over: point the claws like a dagger, feel the vital point, and strike right there.

As to your question, no I did not betray him. I hadn’t seen him in decades when I heard about his condition, and I only found him in time for him to ask me to bring you his sword. Cheol was the closest thing I had to a fath friend. I would have rather been eaten by Gwi-Ma than hurt him. I do, however, encourage the rumor. Whoever spread it did me a service. Cheol was already known to be a traitor. I would have been executed alongside him had I been known to be loyal.

Keep training. Keep fighting. Keep surviving. You have everything you need to become strong. If fate is kind, we will meet again.

Jinu.

Celine stared at Rumi in the training room. She was dancing with her weapon, graceful and elegant, strangely lethal too. Something had changed in her routine, she couldn't quite place it. There was anger in her strikes, her body moving so swiftly it seemed surreal. Her demon blood would have strengthened her, she supposed. Cheol had the same grace, the same beautiful, deadly violence in his movements. Though they had been on opposite sides, she had to recognize he had been one of the best fighters she had ever met, even without his demonic powers.

Did you tell her about him?

‘Jinu’ had brought back memories she would have rather kept buried. Not all of them were bad, per say, but very little were made of genuine happiness. The demon had been nothing like she expected –thinner perhaps, more handsome too. Young in spite of his old eyes, appearing harmless, in spite of his height. It was a good thing she had met him before he could approach Rumi. She didn’t want him anywhere near her protégée. She also didn’t trust that he might approach her later on. Rumi had been curious about her parentage in her younger years. If she could nip that curiosity right now, give her a little information to keep it from growing…

"Rumi," she called before she could change her mind. "Can I have a moment?" 

The girl slowed her steps and joined her at once. The gym was filled with heavy breathing, her skin glowed with sweat. She had been pushing herself harder lately. Was it the anticipation of meeting her future sisters in arms? Or was something else weighting on her mind?

"What is it Celine?" she asked as she approached. 

Her eyes traced Rumi's face, her expression. Very posed, very attentive. She definitively had her mother's face, but this attitude? Perhaps she did take something from the old demon. 

"Walk with me." 

Rumi dropped her weapon and followed obediently outside. The sun was starting to get down, the air freshening up. In spite of her light sweater, Celine felt goosebumps on her skin. A part of her wondered if she was dreading the upcoming conversation too.

"You kept asking me about your parents," she started, saw Rumi stiffen slightly from the corner of the eye. "There are things that I believe you should know, especially about your father." 

The teenager lowered her head, an unreadable expression on her face. It surprised Celine slightly –she would have assumed the girl would ask questions immediately.

“What do I need to know?” she asked eventually.

"He was a high-leveled demon," Celine replied directly. "Your mother met him while doing grocery shopping. He helped her pick a cereal box down and carried her bags back to our apartment. It was love at first sight, for both." 

The teenager made an odd face -disbelief? Celine understood her reaction. The first part of Miyeong and Cheol's courtship had been boringly ordinary. A young woman asked out by a handsome man, slowly falling for a charming smile and quiet eyes. She still remembered Miyeong’s girlish squeals when she narrated every detail of every date she had ever been on, the happy blush on her cheeks…the sadness too as she carried layers of secrecy –as both an idol and a hunter.

Idols didn’t date publicly. She had worried his patience would wear off, that he would leave…especially if he ever learned the truth about her being a hunter. Celine had been the first to notice that Cheol’s backstory was filled with unexplained holes as well, had assumed the love story would end up in heartbreak and life would move on. She would have never imagined he had actually been a demon.

"They didn't know who the other was until about a year later,” she went on quietly. “They found themselves at odds during a fight between Hunters and demons." She paused, reminiscing Miyeong’s devastation under the realization, the equally startled look on his face when he realized who he was about to strike down. "He convinced her to meet him and talk. I was not privy to that conversation, but long story short, they didn’t break up and he ended up moving into the penthouse with us."

She also remembered watching him learn how to cook Miyeong's favorite, his endless battle with the vacuum cleaner. The old-fashioned gestures he left behind to make her smile. And that fateful conversation one night, the one she would never forgive him for.

"I did a lot of things that were morally wrong. I killed people. I harvested their souls, gave them to Gwi-Ma without a second thought. I killed my own demon kin, even though it's not encouraged."

She stared at him. The night was still warm in this mid-September. Her only pleasure after a long day was to watch the city from their balcony, until Cheol came to break the peace. He had let his hair down, clean from a recent shower. His golden eyes seemed to shine in the semi-darkness. She supposed Miyeong was currently occupied. He would have never sought her out otherwise.

"That came out of the blue," she said warily. 

"Miyeong only wants to see the good in me, and I want to be that person." He looked pensive, longing even. Celine thought he would be very aware of the reality of their situation. "Unfortunately, over six centuries of misdeeds won't erase my sins. Gwi-Ma will not let me go easily."

She didn't like him. He was perfectly civil with her and didn't push her boundaries, but she just couldn't help her instincts screaming ‘demon’ at each turn. She reigned in those feelings, always, if only for Miyeong’s sake. He was her choice, he made her happy. That should have been enough.

"Why tell me this?" she asked coldly. 

"Miyeong respects you most. She loves you. And I know you love her like I do." She stiffened, glared at him. Cheol only stared back plainly, as if he hadn’t just naturally blurted out the feelings she kept buried deep inside. Yes, she loved her best friend, and was well aware she wouldn’t be loved back the same way. Did he need to rub it in? "You will protect her against all odds," he added softly. "You will strike when she will hesitate."

He wanted something. It was clear in his voice, in his eyes. She had another gut feeling, one that made her even more uncomfortable.

"What are you expecting from me, Cheol?" 

"One day, Gwi-Ma will remember I exist and he will bring me back. The king cannot see through my eyes, but he has the power to erase my memory. If he succeeds, he will send me to kill Miyeong and I will be powerless to stop him." 

Celine remained silent, the muscles in her arms tensing as realization dawned upon her.

"You want me to...but I thought..." 

Cheol pressed his fingers below his right side, right beneath his ribcage.

"Every demon has a vital point that will ensure their death if it is stricken. Hunters' weapons won't kill me for good, unless you aim true. That's why Gwi-Ma won't take a human shape. As a fire, he has no vital point to strike." 

Celine stared at him a little longer.

"So the vital point..."

"Changes with each demon. A Hunter cannot spot it. Very few demons know about this too." He paused, stared at the sleeping city. "I taught Jinu how to feel them."

Jinu. The name was familiar. Cheol had mentioned him a few times -a poor young man who made a deal to get out of misery, condemning his family to starve while he lived in luxury, the shame slowly eating him alive...his favorite apprentice, the son he wished he could have.

"If he ever comes to meet you, if his curiosity gets the better of him, let him live. Underneath his selfishness, he is a good man just trying to survive. He is clever. He won't approach you twice if you are hostile." 

"Celine?"

She blinked back to the present, Rumi watching her with Miyong's eyes yet his expression. She needs to know the truth, Celine thought with a pang, she had withheld it long enough. 

"He was a demon," she repeated. "He committed atrocities under Gwi-Ma's name and would have kept doing them in the future. His only redeeming trait was that he did love your mother..." she paused. "Or as much as a demon can love, I suppose." 

An unreadable expression came across her face. Rumi looked away, her breath still unsteady, but Celine suspected for a different reason.

"Why are you telling me now?" 

Slight accusation, slight tremor. She contained her emotions but they still threatened to spill. Celine breathed out and said:

"Because now, you are old enough to understand. You deserve to know what happened to him.” She paused briefly, pondering over her words, before declaring plainly: “He asked me to kill him. So I did."

Jinu,

I’m writing this in case I ever come across Derpy or Sussie. I don’t know if you will ever receive it, you didn’t give an option to reply, idiot!

I just wanted to say that I know. I know you didn’t betray him. He made a deal with Celine, and you got to watch the consequences. I’m sorry for not giving you a real chance to explain. Can we meet?

Rumi

The time had come.

The car finally pulled into the small road leading to Celine’s cabin. It was an uneven road, startling the vehicle at every turn. The two girls on the back seat jumped awake. Rumi, seating shotgun, kept her eyes on the landscape passing by. She hadn’t been to the house for over a year now, between the training in Seoul, mingling with others, finding the chosen ones, starting the basic physical and vocal training…

Rumi still wasn’t sure how to act around them; they were still learning to work around each other, but she thought she could get very used to them. Making friends wasn’t a special skill of hers, having grown isolated or only socializing when she accompanied Celine to events in different towns. But with the girls? They clicked somehow. From the very moment she met them, she felt the energy, the Honmoon’s blessing upon them and thought –they’re it.

Zoey and Mira were…unexpected. The former was bubbly and overly energetic, sometimes too much, but nothing Rumi couldn’t handle. The latter was sarcastic, passive-aggressive and a little mean when she spoke. The former could rap against the best. The former could dance like her life depended on it. Zoey was fun and always had a thousand turtle facts at the ready. Mira was kind under her gruff attitude and always ready to listen. They had complicated family background and hadn’t run away screaming when Celine had started talking about demons and hunters.

They had felt the Honmoon calling too. And now, they were back where it all started.

The car came to a halt. Celine stepped out first. Zoey and Mira were still a little sleepy, having not properly rested in the past few days. They went to grab their suitcases while Rumi guided them through the house to their respective bedrooms. She then left them to head to the garden, back to the sacred tree. Celine would want to explain a few house rules anyway, she wasn’t needed then.

She lingered on the path, looking in the afar where her mother had been buried. She had met Jinu there first. Tall and imposing, bowing to the grave. He wouldn’t have returned since, he had no reason to. Rumi swallowed slowly, did she have the time to go to their former training ground? She took a chance, teleported on short distances to get there in a matter of minutes. The glade was empty, of course. No-one had returned there since she had. She checked around for a glimpse of blue or the odd bird cry, found and heard none.

She would be able to return here to train her demonic skills, at least.

Rumi teleported back to the garden just as Celine and the girls stepped out of the house. Their mentor gave her an amused smile.

“They wanted to try summoning their weapons,” she said. “Are you up to it?”

I have a weapon, she nearly said. But Yeonghon didn’t count though, not in the Hunter’s way, and Jinu's warning had calmed her enthusiasm. So she nodded and followed them under the sacred tree.

The atmosphere felt very solemn and tensed at the same time. Zoey was fidgeting with nervous energy. Mira had deep circles under her eyes, but looked determined anyway.

“You need to pull on the Honmoon, and your weapons will answer your call,” Celine announced, speaking clearly. Her voice was even but even Rumi could spot the hint of emotion in her eyes. She wondered if her mentor was feeling a little bit emotional. Decades earlier, she had been the one going through the same process.

Mira and Zoey closed their eyes and focused. Rumi watched as sparkles of blue were brought alive in their hands. It wouldn’t work on the first try, Celine had warned them before, and the girls were excited enough to have drawn anything at all.  

“See that?” Zoey babbled, staring at Rumi with way too much energy. “I almost did it!”

“Try yours Rumi,” Mira added, although already focused on trying again.

Rumi smiled tightly and looked around her. The Honmoon was quietly humming, as if inviting her to act in turn. She didn’t miss the weight of Celine’s gaze as she felt for it.

“Am I allowed to be a Hunter, even though I’m part demon?” she quietly asked and pulled.

The sword materialized as if it had always belonged there. Rumi nearly dropped it in shock.

“Wow, you did it!” Zoey jumped in awe.

“And on your first try,” Mira added, looking envious.

Even Celine looked a little impressed, but Rumi filed it for later. The sword already fit comfortably in her hand, as if she had manipulated it many times before. In a way, she had.

The weapon in her hand, gifted by the Honmoon, was the exact replica of her father’s sword. She felt a shiver run down her spine, a crushing emotion nearly submerging her. She forced herself to stay still, hold back the tears threatening to fall. She had no intention to abandon Yoenghon, had thought of keep wielding occasionally, in secret. Her new weapon wouldn’t make it hard to adapt. 

Am I allowed to be a Hunter, even though I’m part demon?

The Honmoon seemed to think so.

PS: been a while, but I'm adding this: the new Hunters have been chosen. I like them. I like them a lot. We have started interacting with the Honmoon and in a year or two, will be officially fulfilling our dual missions as idols and hunters. Maybe I will even trust them with my parentage once I am strong enough.

Are you still alive?

Do you think about me

Please come back.

I will apologize and listen to everything you have to say.

I miss our training sessions. I miss you talking to you. 

Stay safe Jinu.

Chapter Text

Legacy

Part 6

Zoey and Mira high-fived as another demon dissolved in a cloud of pink. 

"Another one bites the dust!" the dark-haired girl chimed happily. "This is so cathartic!" 

"Yeah it is," Mira agreed, sending her godok back to the Honmoon before glancing at the third member of the group. "Not asking how it went for you." 

"Rumi is soooo strong," Zoey went on, looking seriously envious. 

Rumi smiled at their reaction, even though her inner thoughts weren't aligned with her face. The few demons they had encountered tonight had been easily defeated. The training Celine put them through had paid off -they were good, they were strong...however...

It wasn't enough. In the long term, it wouldn't be enough. She could see it. She could feel it. If a demon of Jinu's caliber were to show up, they would be massacred. 

Because as time went by, she suspected Jinu had been one of those high-demons. The ease with which she had vanquished her first demons had been proof enough. Small fries who couldn't keep up with the speed or her strength. She would have torn them apart with her claws, which was speaking enough.

Trained by a high-demon, she could see the flaws of her fellow hunters.

The girls weren't demons, they had amazing athletic abilities, but so little experience...and they weren't as strong and fast as she would like.

Another training session ahead, she thought grumpily. Had she loved them less, she wouldn't have bothered putting so much effort in raising them. She briefly wondered if this was the sensation Jinu felt when he was training 'his own' demons...if he had felt this way with her. 

"Earth to Rumi!" 

She blinked back to the present, her two fellow Hunters staring at her expectantly. 

"Sorry, I zoomed out. What were you saying?" 

"Did we earn a night off or are you going to kick our asses into training after patrol?" 

She realized they were serious -they knew her far too well. Rumi snorted and shook her head.

"You guys deserve a night off, you've been working hard lately."

Zoey jumped happily. Mira narrowed her eyes:

"So have you. You need to ease up too." 

She had intended to roam in her favorite training ground to practice clawing, but the combined puppy eyes...While Celine and Jinu had taught her to endure and persevere, the girls were teaching her to slow down. And worse -or best- she was enjoying it. Once in a while wouldn’t hurt, right? 

"Fine," she gave in. "Couch?" 

The girls began chanting their favorite mantra and walked away. They were about to leave when Rumi froze. The Honmoon was safe, glowing blue like it always was, but her guts insisted something wasn't quite right. She looked around, straining her ear, made sure to let no spot uncovered. 

"Rumi?" 

She made a shushing gesture and quietly reached the corner of the street. She inched forward, took a quick glance.

A woman was standing in the street, her long dark hair falling around her shoulders. When she turned around, Rumi saw the patterns on her face. A very human-like face, unlike the unremarkable one most demons could summon to cover themselves. She wasn’t certain how she could feel the difference, but her guts told her this particular demon was not some low-rank. Not necessarily high either, but…perhaps just under Jinu’s level?

"Guess we missed one," Mira whispered in her back. Rumi nodded but didn't make a move. The demon’s attitude was strange. She was looking for something. From the corner of the eye, she watched Zoey summon her shinkals and getting ready. 

She raised her hand, halting their movement, and was glad she did a moment later. A second shadow, smaller, joined the female demon. A girl, between seven and ten. Rumi felt her blood turn into ice as the demon held the little girl tightly and the little girl held back.

No, she thought. No, it can't be. 

Half-demons existed. Jinu had said himself they were more than she thought hanging around. She hadn't really expected to meet one.

"What the fuck?" Mira whispered. "Is she kidnapping the kid?" 

"Doesn't look like it," Zoey's voice joined, although Rumi could hear her disbelief. "What should we do?" 

Rumi didn't think. She dissolved her sword and ordered 'Stay put' before stepping into the street with her hands raised up.

The demon woman immediately tensed and turned sideways, protecting the child from her view. Her eyes glowed golden, her fangs showed and the hissing sounded more like a warning than a threat. 

Rumi stopped a few steps away. She let Jinu's training guide her as she sought the demonic energy from a distance. The demon was easy -a waterfall starting and falling down to her left leg. The girl was different -fainter -but still present, left leg too. She briefly wondered if this was a genetic trait.

"Is she yours?” she asked calmly. “Who is her father?" 

Is she a half-demon? Are you raising her within a family? The little girl twisted her head, and in the lampshade, Rumi saw her eyes grow wide.

"Eomma, it's Rumi from Huntr/x!" she whispered excitedly. Her mother did not release her. If anything, her grip grew stronger.

"Her father is human. She's no danger to you," the demon hissed again. 

Protective, caring, and the way the child held her...Rumi met the girl's gaze, innocence filled with awe, like any other fan. She smiled in return before reporting her attention to the demon.

"Give me no reason to go after you, and I won't." She paused and added: "Hunts are still ongoing. Keep her safe." 

The demon looked startled, her hands -claws -clenching more tightly around the child without tearing the fabric of her clothes. Rumi lowered her hands and turned her back to walk away. It went against all she was trained -looking away from the enemy- but in this case, it was a matter of showing trust. 

Stay out of my sight, I will leave you alone.

She heard the familiar sound of teleportation, tensed in slight anticipation, relaxed when nothing happened. She didn’t have to turn around to know the street behind them was now empty.

"What the hell, Rumi?" 

"You let her go?" 

Mira and Zoey stared at her like she had gone mad.

"The demon was just protecting her daughter," she replied. "The father is likely mortal. She's not going to hurt anyone." 

The girls stared at her in shock. 

"The kid was part demon? They exist?" 

"Who would be mad enough to sleep with a demon?" 

My mother, Rumi nearly blurted, shrugged instead.

"What did you mean by the hunt is still ongoing?" 

Mira had the knack to pick up the things Rumi didn't want to explain at the most inconvenient times.

"Don't ask how I know," she started slowly. "But Gwi-Ma hunts them down." 

Jinu hadn't gone into details, but his expression had spoken far more. 

'They are hated down there. They are evidence that some demons strayed from their focus. Gwi-Ma will kill the half-breeds but keep the parent alive, so that he or she can remember the consequences of straying.'

She remembered the turquoise-haired demon's words, the hate on his face, in his voice as he launched at her. Even Jinu...

She didn't want to remember that now. 

"If they can't..." her voice trailed off. "If that little girl can't be protected, she will be called in the Underworld where she will be hunted down. The golden Honmoon...I don’t know if it will make the difference between good and evil. That they won’t find themselves stuck on the wrong side." 

Including herself.

Zoey and Mira remained silent. They looked both horrified and unsure how to react.

"Celine never said anything about that," Zoey whispered.

"Don't get me wrong, I believe in what we do. I believe our mission to maintain the Honmoon is necessary," Rumi hesitated briefly before confessing: "I just don't think all demons are the same." 

Perhaps she was mistaken. Perhaps she was giving too much faith. But she couldn't help hoping...She didn't want Jinu to be stuck in the Underworld. Or rather, she didn't want to be the one to get him stuck there. Once again, she wished she had a means to contact him. Maybe he didn't want anything to do with her anymore, but he had to tell her face-to-face. Until then, she wouldn't stop waiting.

In the meantime, her friends were staring at her with an odd expression, like the thought hadn't occurred to them before. She didn't blame them -their knowledge relied heavily on what Celine told them -which wasn't much aside from demons are bad and must be destroyed. They hadn't had the opportunity to talk to one either without facing killing intent.

"We clearly don't know as much as you do about demons," Mira eventually spoke. "Mind enlightening us?" 

Rumi smiled tightly.

"Not tonight. We should rest, we've earned it."

She would have to find a way to make them not bring that 'knowledge' up to Celine. Her mentor would definitively know she hadn't learned those aspects of the demon world through old Hunters' books.

"The sequel of our old drama is out," Zoey suggested. "Maybe we could try it?" 

"The historical one with the hot lead?" Mira played along. 

"Red hair didn't even exist in that century!" Zoey protested. "But yeah, that one." 

"The plotline sucks but the lead is hot, that's all that matters." 

"True enough," she amended. "Rumi?" 

Rumi knew they wouldn't forget this conversation, but everyone was tired and clearly ready to move on.

"Yeah, sounds good." She paused and added: "Even if the storyline does sucks." 

Zoey squealed indignantly, Mira smirked.

"Yeah, whatever. We both know you're watching it because of the musician." 

"Dark, mysterious, good voice," Zoey teased, allying herself immediately. "Just your type." 

Rumi rolled her eyes good-naturally.

"Not my type," she grumbled. The actor just reminded her of Jinu. "He's annoying. The songs are historically inaccurate too." 

Jinu had taken to sing to her whenever she needed rest from bleeding out during their training sessions, which was often enough. She had memorized far too many songs from forgotten times by now.

"Wha-te-ver," Zoey shot back and they walked home.

“So.”

Jinu glanced aside. Baby was leaning in the room, balancing on his two feet. The other boys were out fighting –a misunderstanding between Mystery and Abby, Romance had gone to supervise. He let them burn the extra energy out. Things had been going slow lately.

He met Baby’s eye, waited for him to continue.

“So I heard the new generation of Hunters is active now.”

Jinu said nothing, only nodded. He had heard the rumors too. Many squads hadn’t returned, making Gwi-Ma terribly mad. The tears that couldn’t be fixed by Celine alone had started to appear less and less. The demon King was turning more and more frustrated by the day, and his hunger only grew. Failing a mission now was the new ticket to being eaten.

He had stayed very carefully away, and made sure his boys followed that example. No need to draw Gwi-Ma’s attention on them for the moment.

“You’re not worried about your pet project?” Jinu gave him a look. It was the first time Baby mentioned Rumi. The turquoise-haired demon slipped into the room and added: “She’s still a demon. Won’t Hunters hunt her too?”

He doesn’t know she’s a hunter, Jinu realized with a hint of relief. How could he have guessed anyway? He shrugged.

“I’m sure my pet project is doing just fine.” Baby hummed again, shifted on his feet. “Why the interest? You tried to kill her once.”

The younger demon shrugged nonchalantly.

“You invested a lot of time with her and you don’t follow up? That’s suspicious.” He paused, narrowed his eyes. “And you’re smart enough to avoid Gwi-Ma’s attention. Checking on her would hardly require more skill than you already have. I mean, he’s been looking closely at you lately, but that doesn’t mean you can’t act on your own.”

Jinu snorted. Another demon might have fallen for the trick, but he wasn’t stupid.

“No, I will not send you to the Overworld, and no you are not allowed to approach her for whatever reason may be."

Baby pouted.

“Not fun.”

The evening had started so well.

Rumi and the girls had been off on patrol, laughing off, slaying demons again, being absolutely hyped after one great show. Their career was launching splendidly and the fans were growing at striking pace. Celine was happy with their progress. It should have been a great evening after a great day. And yet, just as if a switch had turned on, they had found themselves surrounded by demons. Not just the random demons that went through tears.

Big ones, stronger ones. 

The kind of demon she had faced the last day of training with Jinu.

Everything that Rumi feared would happen happened.

Their team was solid, but they had only sparsely encountered small hoards of demons. A bigger group that was clearly trained? They held on well at first -dancing and slaying along the way, making them demons turn into nothing but clouds of red dust. And then-

The unpredictable happened.

The demon that showed up mid-fight was different. He looked more human too, long blue hair, vibrant pink patterns, a cruel smirk.

He started hissing, and just like that, everything was reversed.

A disagreeable sound echoed in the back of her mind, like a quick stab to her brain, deep and efficient. Rumi felt her knees buckle just as her friends stumbled down at once. They looked like they were suffocating, reaching for air, eyes wide and pupils tight. Rumi's bad feeling only grew worse when she spotted blood running down their ears. 

It wasn't normal. A part of her mind rested uneasily, her stomach churning uncomfortably, but she was still standing. Her teammates were so deeply affected while she wasn't. The attack was clearly meant for humans, not demons. Rumi realized with horror that for once, her demonic legacy had protected her.

"It didn't work on her?" One of them whispered in confusion.

'You will be found out eventually,' Jinu's voice whispered in her ear, an echo to his last letter. 

The crowd of demon hesitated. Mira and Zoey were still down, bleeding, and probably needing medical attention. Rumi's head pounded with the options ahead, her pulse running quick. She needed to make a decision, now.

'If you slay demons with the Honmoon, they will just regenerate in the Underworld,' Jinu's lesson-voice echoed again. 'The only way to keep them down for good-'

She didn't want to do it, his last warning still clear in her mind, but every ticking seconds wasn't leaving her a choice. 

She dissolved her sword, sending it back to the Honmoon, and instead of pulling her strength from the mother's side, drew into the darkness within her. 

She heard the surprised gasps of the demons, knowing what they were witnessing: claws on her right hand, a golden eye on the left, and...

Yeonghon.

...the appearance of a dark sword that had once made a demon run on sight. She didn't give them time to think. 

Jinu’s hard worked lessons hadn’t left her. Even as she learned to battle with two people guarding her back, she had religiously returned to the glade to perfect her skills. She could fight as a hunter. She could fight like a demon too.

Her clawed hand pulled Yeonghon's handle out of its sheath, she tapped into her demonic speed, and stoke. The first demon died with a loud desperate cry, its body immediately sucked into Yeonghon's blade. The sword sang in pleasure and pulsed for more. 

The blue-haired demon was next, beheaded before it could make a move to defend or run. Another demon reached out and sliced her upper thigh. She immediately cut his arm off and slashed him sideways. Once that one was down, it became too easy. More tried to escape -she didn't let them. The blade sang the more she sliced. Demon bodies would be sunk into her blade, reinforce it, empower it, and she could feel the excitation, the exhilaration, the urge to hit and take some more. 

The last demon was way ahead, running so fast she might have not been able to catch it. She teleported without a thought, arrived in front of him. The recalibration took a split second too long –he broke her hold on Yeonghon, sent the weapon flying away with a well-placed clawed motion.

‘Point the claws like a dagger, feel the vital point, and strike right there.’

The months, years of exercising paid off. She forced her arm through the demon’s shoulder and crushed the vital point she felt in there. His hands grabbed her arms, eyes wide in fear and filled with hate.

“You…” he breathed. “Purple hair...Yeonghon…” his lips curled into a smirk. “Seems like Jinu was loyal to Cheol after all.”

She removed her hand in one swift movement and he died without a sound.

Her hands were shaking as she picked up Yeonghon. The sword was crying to devour more. There were two more bodies, two more souls to take, it whispered in her ear. It would be easy, it said, it would make her stronger, more powerful than ever. 

Yeonghon wanted Mira and Zoey. 

Rumi gritted her teeth and thought enough! With still shaking hands, she wiped the blade clean, gently sheathed it back. The disappointment and protest echoed within her core, she could feel her patterns, the darkness inside her react to its cry.

"Enough!" she snapped out loud this time. 

Pink ripples crossed the Honmoon. Rumi grimaced and took a deep breath to calm down. The occurrence happened when she was upset, angry or scared. Her voice would impact the Honmoon as a Hunter and since she had demon blood, the two would eventually clash. As long as she stayed true to herself, as long as she dealt with unhealthy emotions, there was no reason for her to worry. She didn’t want to take the risk of being vulnerable to Yeonghon too.

She just needed to be stronger, if she wanted to keep the Honmoon safe and wield her father’s sword without fear.

Stronger, if she wanted to protect her friends.

Speaking of which…

Rumi dismissed Yeonghon back to its usual hiding spot and ran towards them. They were both breathing, but their heartbeat was faint. Too faint. And the blood in their ears...This was the most worrisome. They had gone to an isolated part of town, no-one seemed out, and the last thing Huntr/x needed was bad publicity. There was only one place –one hospital –that was paid handsomely enough to shut up about Idol’s derives.

It wasn’t close by. She couldn’t risk calling a ride, and she was running out of time. Rumi glanced at her hands, bit her lower lip in wonder. Jinu hadn’t explicitly spoken of side-teleportation, nonetheless carrying two people around. She didn't have the luxury of overthinking right now. What choice did she have anyway? Watch her girls die under her eyes?

Never.

She put a hand on each arms, took a deep breath, tapped in the darkness a little further. The trio disappeared in a snap of pink smoke.

Jinu walked down the corridors of the hospital room, eyeing the screen of a phone he had borrowed from a distracted visitor to blend in. He wore a black jacket over a grey hoodie, skinny blue jeans and a red baseball cap. This was his favorite outfit when hanging out in the human realm. Classy, easy forgettable. 

Now if he could just find the damn room...

A familiar silhouette moved in his peripheral vision. He immediately headed to an open waiting room and sat on a chair. Breathed in and out naturally. In the corner of the eye, Celine closed a door, a frustrated expression on her face. A doctor came up to meet her, presenting a board with notes. He strained his ear to eavesdrop -overwork, strained, rest, lucky- before they both walked away. Jinu waited a few moments, long after they had left his sight, to try his luck. He put the phone in his pocket, stood up, casually walked to the door the former Hunter had left. No-one stopped him on the way.

He entered a single bed room, bright with outside light. The one patient there was sitting, head low, staring at her hands. Long-sleeved tunic hid her arms and, he suspected, the patterns underneath. He briefly wondered if they had grown since the last time. She had definitively grown. No longer an awkward teenager, but a young woman. Her purple hair was longer, still tied back in her impossibly tight braid. Her face was more womanly, no longer carrying traces of being a teenager. He didn’t linger on her body –he couldn’t see the curves properly anyway, but she definitively had more chest than last time.

"I don't have anything else to say Celine," she spoke and her voice sounded both broken and strong.

"Good thing I’m not Celine." 

Her eyes immediately snapped up and met his. For a few seconds, nothing was said. And then…

“Jinu?”

Her eyes grew wide, her jaw fell slightly. Her voice was so soft he barely heard it. For a moment, Jinu had genuinely no idea how she would react. He had left her behind without much of a goodbye, hadn’t given her a chance to reply. He had asked Derpy and Sussie to stay clear of her, even though he knew the tiger and the bird missed her. He had let her alone, and he was certain she was well-aware of that.

And yet…

"You’re here."

She breathed, and her face split with the brightest smile, her eyes shining like he was a blessing. Jinu pressed his lips together to smoother the sudden flutter in his chest. That was not the reaction he expected. She wasn’t supposed to be happy to see him. He was bad news. Last time they had parted, Baby had tried to tear her into pieces and she had overheard him say he had betrayed her father. He hadn’t seen her in years.

“You killed Tae-Soo,” he replied instead, even though he knew the name wouldn’t mean a thing to her. “Gwi-Ma had been grooming him personally the past few years." 

The demon King’s rage had been so strong the Honmoon had cracked briefly, just long enough for him to slip through. Out of all the demons sent, only one lowly had survived because he had ran away early on, only to confirm to Gwi-Ma that his blue-haired demon had been a good gamble, that he would reform in a few years, and they would be able to try again. All Jinu had heard was ‘Hunters’ and ‘injured’ and he hadn’t thought twice about crossing the Honmoon.

Rumi smirked and shrugged, an impertinent glint in her eye.

"Oh, what a shame," she replied lightly. "I'll make sure to send a condolence card." 

She looked so happy it didn’t make sense and he just couldn’t understand.

"You used Yeonghon, didn’t you?" he asked next.

The smile fell, her gaze lowered and she nodded. The happy expression slipped away, making him feel uncomfortable. He didn't like it. He really didn't like it. 

"I had to. We were outnumbered. Zoey and Mira were down, I couldn't fight on my own as a Hunter and his power was too dangerous for humans. I needed to take him out for good." 

She sounded small again, cautious, as if her actions called for justification. Jinu bit back a sigh. He knew Tae-Soo had a skill that would harm humans directly, though he wasn’t certain in which capacity.

"You did what you had to do," he merely said and stepped closer. She wouldn’t look up, which made him uncomfortable again. Instinct pushed him to put his hand over hers and gave it a tight squeeze. "You don’t look injured.”

“Just exhaustion,” she replied right away a little stiffly. “I barely had a scratch.”

“Good. I'm glad you're alright."

Rumi's eyes snapped at him once again and she looked torn. Blinking rapidly, tears started forming in the corner of her eyes and he thought she definitively didn’t look like a little girl anymore.

“Celine…” she started, her voice trembling again. “She didn’t ask if I was alright. She demanded answers. Not-“

Jinu had little experience in comforting people, but he could tell she looked exactly like Mystery about to have a meltdown. So he did the same he would do with him. He put his free hand on her hair, still impossibly braided, a gentle pat, like a soothing, grounding touch. Her body stiffened but she didn’t lean away.

"The girls still don't know about me. They didn’t see me use Yeonghon either," she added quietly. Her voice had stabilized. Her shoulders were relaxing. “I teleported us three close to the hospital and I called for help. That's why I passed out, I was exhausted. Celine wasn't convinced with the story I made up to cover up." 

Jinu stopped petting her head but left his second hand over hers. She didn’t look as upset anymore, which he took as a win.

"Gwi-Ma is bound to find out Yeonghon was used again when the lower demons won’t reform in a few years,” he said. “He will send more demons to investigate, higher demons this time, those Celine has killed once in the past decade. Tell your fellow Hunters the truth soon, for your own protection. And keep growing, at least to the point where Yeonghon won’t try to influence your soul.”

Rumi shivered, her eyes moving again onto his hand. She still didn't dare move.

“What if…” she began. “I don’t know how to grow stronger? I feel I’ve been doing everything I can and-the girls got hurt, Jinu.”

Jinu snorted, making her flinch slightly. He frowned at her reaction –she hadn’t been this insecure in her abilities when he had last seen her.

“You are a…” he paused. “How old are you now?”

She barked a half-laugh and replied:

“Twenty.”

Jinu hummed softly.

“Your opponent is a demon who was born over millennia ago. He has an army of demons ready to kill you if you can. You are three Hunters and hardly a flicker in the scale of time.” When her shoulders dropped more, he added: “Everyone has to start somewhere. Even your mentor must have screwed up in her early years.” He leaned in and added with a side smirk: “It took Cheol fifty years to beat the puffing claw technique into my head. You got the hang of it in a matter of weeks.”

The corner of her lips tugged upwards. She looked a little flattered now.

“Is this your idea of a pep-talk?”

Jinu rolled his eyes.

“I have no idea what a pep-talk is.”

Rumi chuckled, definitively smiling now.

“You’re so old,” she teased with genuine fondness. Her smile was gone next. “It’s the longest you’ve been silent. What happened?”

Jinu was about to question her meaning when the door started to swing open. Rumi immediately teleported from her bed to shut it. A startled cry echoed and she barked:

“I’m not properly dressed in here!”

Silence. Footsteps walked away. Jinu couldn’t help but be impressed at the speed she had reacted –and that it had worked. Rumi looked crestfallen though. Someone was bound to return soon, and he couldn’t be found here. Not if she wanted to face unnecessary complications.

“How long since I next see you? There’s so much-” her voice trailed off, defeated. “Can’t Derpy and Sussie stop by sometimes? I’d love to write to you some more.”

Jinu had no answer to that. He only came to check on her while Gwi-Ma was still raging. Soon the King would recover and start planning again. He needed to be back when it started.

"I'll see what I can do,” he replied smoothly. “Take care of yourself Rumi." 

She smiled tightly, recognizing the half-lie for what it was.

“Hey, Jinu?” He tilted his head, listening. “Thank you, for everything you’ve done for me. I am grateful…and I am glad to see you’re alright.”

She sounded sincere, which made him even uneasy. People weren’t happy to see him. People didn’t thank him. He teleported away, leaving those thoughts for later.

Rumi loved their apartment. Their debut had been launched two years ago and they started earning money quickly after that. Sponsors, investors, dedicated fans and products sold using their names…They quickly had enough to invest in a large apartment holding three bedrooms. Soon enough, they might be able to buy something bigger with a private sparring room. But for now, she just enjoyed the privacy of something she could call her own.

“Couch! Couch! Couch!” Mira and Zoey chanted as they stepped through the door. The big white couch had been their first important quality purchase. They had needed a place to fall onto, sprawl onto, oversleep onto, and the white fluffy expensive piece of furniture had been the best investment yet. Rumi watched them act like two overgrown cats enjoying the comfort of its cushions.

She wondered if that would be the only thing they would move with them, or if they would invest in another. Her smile fell when she thought of Jinu’s words, of his suggestions…or her decision to follow through. Celine wouldn’t contact them for a few days, too busy dealing with paperwork and PR consequences. And she needed to make sure the girls backed her story somehow. While they could still somehow believe that she was like a super powered Hunter due to her early training, her mentor would never buy into it. Seven mid-to-high-leveled demons? Even Celine alone wouldn’t come out unscratched and she was a freaking veteran.

"Mira, Zoey?” The two girls glanced at her. "There is something I need to tell you." 

They immediately parted, leaving enough space for her to sit in between. The semi-worship and adoration on Zoey’s face was making her uncomfortable. The younger girl hadn’t looked at her the same since she had woken up. She no longer was a fellow hunter and leader, but her kickass savior, her hero. She didn’t need that. She didn’t want that either. She needed them to know how they had been saved…by whom. It was time now.

"That’s some kind of face, must really be important," Mira said, plopping on one side of the couch. Mira hadn’t developed a hero-worshiping reaction, thankfully. The frown on her face belied the actual worry. Zoey sprawled on the other, eyes wide and expecting. 

"You know how my mother was a Hunter," she started. The girls nodded. "I...never spoke of my father." 

Glances were exchanged. Perhaps they had spoken of him, but out of her earshot. Celine would have probably…

"Celine said it was complicated," Zoey offered. "So we didn't push. But if you need to talk, we're here to listen."

…covered it up, like always. Well no more, Rumi thought thunderously. 

Celine was ashamed of her patters. Jinu wanted them hidden for her own safety but had nothing against the girls knowing. Celine believed both demons and hunters were a threat to her. Jinu thought demons were more dangerous to her than hunters. She knew her girls. She chose believed him.

"He was a demon." 

Chapter Text

Legacy

Part 7

Rumi moved her fingers aimlessly across the strings of her guitar. The notes echoed in her bedroom, lost without a melody. She sighed in defeat, let herself fall back onto her bed with a light huff.

“This is getting nowhere,” she mumbled to no-one. She glanced outside, saw the warm, inviting sun. At first, she had wanted to stick around in case they needed to talk to her, but three hours had gone by since she dropped the d-word and revealed her parentage.

“He was a demon.”

Silence fell in the room. The girls stared at her with wide eyes, as if they weren’t sure if she was joking or not. Rumi took a deep breath to calm her racing heart and repeated:

"He was a demon. And I'm a half-demon. A hunter who is part demon, or a demon who is part hunter.” Same difference, Jinu would say with an amused glint. Not the time, she thought. “It doesn't change who I am, what I believe or what I feel about you guys...I just wanted you to know." She dared to glance at them. Mira looked tensed, disbelieved. Zoey’s mouth hung low in shock. A few minutes ticked by before Rumi lost patience and added: “Say something please?”

That seemed to trigger a response. Mira straightened her back and Zoey sat up from her slouching position. They didn't pull away from her, but they didn't draw closer either. 

“Your father was a demon,” the pink-haired huntress spoke first, slowly, as if she needed a little bit more time to process the information. To be fair, Rumi had just dumped it out of nowhere. “Did Celine…?” she started before shaking her head. “Of course she knew.”

“She did raise me,” Rumi pointed out before adding: “She didn’t want me to tell you.”

“Why not?” Mira asked, eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“Because demons having children wouldn’t stick to the ‘all demons are evil with no feelings and deserve to die’ fuel she’s been spilling, right?” she retorted dryly and added: “My mother knew what she was getting into. What they had was real. Even Celine admitted it.”

“But why tell us now?” Zoey spoke in turn, her voice shaking slightly. “After everything we've been through already-"

"Does it have to do with the other day, when we were knocked out early by that demon?" Mira asked, eyes sharp already. 

Rumi nodded. 

"Some demons have special abilities," she echoed Jinu's words. "I assume the blue-haired one could hit a sound range that is deadly to the human brain. Thus your bleeding ears. I only had a headache.”

"You're kidding," Mira blurted.

She shook her head.

“I told you before, half-breeds are hunted down by Gwi-Ma. The day he finds out I am one, demons might come after us harder.” Come after me harder, she didn’t speak out loud. “You need to know why. As you said, after everything we’ve been through, you deserve it.”

Silence fell again, and an uncomfortable tension began to form. The girls were too silent, very unlike their usually fidgety-selves. Rumi felt her heart sink a little. She hadn’t expected immediate acceptance or comforting words, but these invisible walls building up between them?

"A demon father, wow," Zoey breathed, her voice slightly higher-pitched than usual. 

Rumi swallowed slowly, reminded herself that it would be a shock. They had been taught to fight against demons -against monsters -their whole training. And dumping she was part-demon on them? They probably needed to think. Or just absorb the news. Without her.

She stood up, forced herself to ignore the way they flinched away. It hurt a little, but it was expected. At least, they hadn’t reached for their weapons. Yet.

"I'll be in my room," she announced and stormed away. “Just…come when you feel ready.”

None of the girls called her back. She told herself she was alright with that. 

That was three hours ago, and she couldn’t stand the wait anymore. Not here, at least. She picked up her favorite sweater, shouldered her guitar and left the room. The sound of a conversation echoed in the corridor. Voices fell silent as she stepped forward.

“I’m just out for a walk,” she announced out loud. No reply. “I have my phone.”

She often went for walks, so her behavior wouldn’t be suspicious. The door shut behind her with a loud ‘slam’. She pulled her hood on, down the elevator, exited a back door of an empty street. Once she reached her favorite vanishing spot –a dead angle from the cameras she had localized the moment they had moved into that building –she teleported away.

The glade welcomed her as it usually did. The atmosphere was peaceful and quiet, only broken by the sound of birds and the occasional animal grunt. She sat on her favorite spot under a tree –the one where Jinu used to sit while she bled out –and prepared her guitar.

Her fingers pinched the notes she sought and she let herself relax. The melody came alive under her hands. She closed her eyes and hummed along. When time for the lyrics came, she sang:

‘Arirang, arirang, arariyo...You are going over Arirang hill. My love, if you abandon me, your feet will be sore before you go ten ri. Just as there are many stars in the clear sky, there are also many dreams in our heart. There, over there, that mountain is Baekdu Mountain, where, even in the middle of winter days, flowers bloom.’

She sang again, softly, for what felt hours. A curious deer peeked from behind a trunk, watched the show before skirting away. She sang until she felt the Honmoon pulse around her, wrapping her like a warm blanket, soothed and happy. When she stopped playing, she let the feeling run through her body and ease her.

You should make an album with old traditional songs since you love them so much. Zoey had teased her once. Rumi had seriously considered it before Celine shut down the idea –it wouldn’t stick to their image as modern Kpop idols. After the Honmoon turned Gold, perhaps.

“You mean like, never,” Rumi muttered out loud, feeling a hint of frustration.

She hadn’t lied to the girls, she did know that demons weren’t good, that most of them genuinely deserved to be banished back to the Underworld and stay there. But there were others, like her father, like Jinu, maybe even the mother of the half-breed they had met the other night, that didn’t deserve to suffer for all eternity. Jinu had never spoken of his ‘shame’, had never told her why he had become a demon, but she refused to believe he had done something horrific on purpose. Gwi-Ma tricked humans when they were at their lowest, when they were desperate…Would the golden Honmoon really solve this issue?

“Rumi!”

A familiar voice interrupted her thoughts and she peeked up.

Jinu? she thought as she looked around.

But there was nothing in the glade, only birds and animals and trees and grass. Not a shade of her favorite demon in sight. Her shoulders dropped in disappointment. Their last conversation had occurred only a few days ago, back at the hospital. A few sentences, none of her questions answered and a quick departure before she could truly process what had happened.

But it had made her happy. He had showed up to see her, even though it was dangerous. He had tried to comfort her. He had touched her hand, patted her head. She still remembered the warmth of his palm over her skin, his long, slender fingers. She had scented him, though she believed he hadn’t noticed that part, and he smelt good. Five minutes in his presence, and…

Rumi whimpered and hid her face in her hands. She wasn’t a little girl anymore. She had always been sort-of aware that he was handsome. Back when she was fourteen, she had been too excited learning something new and too focused on her training to care for anything else. She no longer was a teenager though, and she had eyes.

Jinu was hot. And yesterday, she had definitively noticed.

It was stupid. They had barely spent any time together. He was more like the weird acquaintance showing up at the most inconvenient times to turn her world upside down every single time. Their encounters never left her unaffected. His words always stuck with her. And yet, she still counted the days from their last conversations…because he was the only one who had been honest with her, from the start. She never had to hide from him, because he knew what she was and had…accepted it.

Rumi groaned again. So she might have had harboring a little crush on him. Sue her! It wasn’t like reciprocation would be likely anyway. He was a demon, he had known her father, he didn’t seem to care for half-breeds…

Just her maybe?

She shook her head and forced herself up. Nightfall was approaching and she still needed to deal with the consequences of her actions back home. She needed to face her friends, not stay hidden away, especially if she was just going to end on thinking of a demon she might not see again for several years.

“I’m done hiding,” she claimed out loud. “No fears, no lies!”

She took a deep breath and teleported back to the safe spot behind the building. Time to face the music.

Jinu hadn’t managed to return to the Underworld yet. He had elected to run around the cities, trying to understand the evolution of technology, before going through one last trip at the glade.

The glade, where Rumi was singing, alone.

The next thing he knew, his patters were flashing and be was being pulled underground.

The fall was hard. Jinu grunted loudly as he hit the stone of Gwi-Ma’s altar. His head spun as he forced himself to his feet. His limbs were slightly shaking from the hard hit, but he clenched his fists and lifted his head high. The assembly below him wasn’t numerous –barely a few hundred demons.

Gwi-Ma wasn’t looking for a show, which was both a good thing, and a very bad one. At least, he couldn’t spot his boys in the crowd.

“Jinu,” Gwi-Ma’s voice growled in his ear.

Swallowing back any hint of unease, Jinu turned around and faced his king. The flames were unbelievingly hot, especially so close. No ordinary human would have survived the heat. The King seemed in a bad mood, but not overly destructive. He wondered why he had been summoned and more importantly, if he was the cause of his anger.

“You have been sneaking out to the Overworld without my permission.”

Shit, he thought, forcing his expression to remain calm. Not the worse situation he had been in yet, but not the best either.

“I have,” he admitted, because lying would amount to nothing. Besides, he had been up in the glade when Gwi-Ma had called him.

“So why are you returning empty-handed?”

Why haven’t you brought me souls? Why are you letting me starve? Why are you such a bad subject?

“Hunters were around,” he replied. Not a lie. “I didn’t want to draw-“

His words got stuck in his throat. The fire seemed to intensify.

So did the voices and the images in his head.

His sister’s teary face. His mother’s resigned face as she pulled her back. The iron of the soldiers’ spare pointed at them. Her desperate hold on his hands, her crying his name, the understanding and resentment, the tears, the gates shutting with a loud bang, her sister’s voice crying his name, his mother’s sobs, everything growing louder and louder in his mind-

Someone screamed and the voices grew silent. Jinu gathered his mind back for a split second –he was kneeling now, his hands holding his head tightly, his breathing quick and irregular, panting heavily, whimpering in pain –he had been the one screaming –and the voice-

You left them. You left them behind…

And then it hit him. Gwi-Ma wasn’t particularly angry at him. He just wanted to watch someone suffer.

“Your soul is mine Jinu,” Gwi-Ma’s voice echoed around him, licking down his skin. “A little reminder would do you well.”

Jinu was it. So he closed his eyes and braced himself for the pain he knew would come.

The apartment sounded quiet when she returned. The lights were off but girls’ stuff was still there. Rumi checked the clock, realized it was later than she had thought. She dropped the guitar back to her room. The living room was empty, the bedroom doors of her teammates were closed. She assumed they had turned in for the night. No-one ambushed her when she entered her own bedroom and put the guitar down.

At least they trusted her not to attack them in their sleep. Or she hoped. The tension had she had managed to evacuate at the glare returned with a vengeance. Nervousness was making her restless. What if she lost them because she had told them the truth?

No, it was the right choice. Telling them had been the right thing to do. Jinu was right on that point. Hiding that part of her would be dangerous in the long term, not to mention a weakness that could be used against her –against them. If they had learned it from another source, from a demonic source…

“Nothing but the truth now,” she whispered. Paused. Her fingers twitched as she immediately began to look for some paper.

She wasn’t a lyricist like Zoey, though they did occasionally brainstorm together. The words she had just spoken sounded…right. She grabbed a pen and started scribing.

‘Nothing but the truth now, nothing but the truth of what I am. Patterns. Darkness. When darkness meets the light.’

Jinu had helped her reconciling with herself. She didn’t want to lose everything she had gained. She didn’t want to lose that part of darkness that made her who she was. She was a half-breed, an oddity, not a mistake. Her thoughts drifted back to Jinu, of his sad expressions. The patterns he called ‘shame’. How he never tried to shift the blame of his mistakes. How he had comforted her the second time, telling her about her father, reassuring her in a way he would never realize.

She kept writing:

‘Patterns to be ashamed of. Scars belong to me. Broken pieces. I can’t go back. This is a part of me, darkness and harmony.’

And she thought of the way he smiled sometimes –quiet but there, like happiness wasn’t something he allowed himself to feel.

‘I’m seeing the beauty in the broken glass. Show me what’s underneath, without the lies.’

Her hand was shaking when she put the pen down, adrenaline pulsing in her veins. Was this the way Zoey felt when she was writing something new? She closed her eyes, exhaled shakily. She wouldn’t lose her friends. She would fight for them, to make them see, to make them understand. They had been fighting together for years, they were her family. If they needed time, if they needed answers…she would give them everything they needed, as long as she didn’t lose them in the end.

Her stomach suddenly growled, interrupting the moment. Another glance at the clock told her it was close to one am. How long had she been writing exactly?

Rumi bit back a sigh and headed out. The kitchen was dark and empty. She picked up instant ramen and set the boiler on. 

"Couldn't sleep?" 

She didn't jump, just felt a little startled at Zoey's unexpected voice. Rumi turned around, spotted the dark-haired girl. She was wearing her favorite pjs with turtle prints. She and Mira had picked it for her birthday, thinking it would be a fun joke. Zoey had adored it and bought five more spares.

"Got hungry," Rumi replied instead.

Zoey stepped closer, opened the fridge and pulled out some milk. 

“Did you come home so late because you were avoiding us?" 

"I was giving you space," Rumi nuanced immediately before admitting: "Maybe a bit of avoiding?"

Zoey smiled faintly. She put the glass and the milk on the table. She didn’t stand as close as she usually would, but she wasn’t running for the hills either.

“Thank you. For giving us space. For letting us…talk things through."

The water was boiling now. Rumi took it and versed it on the ramen while Zoey poured herself a glass. Three minutes wait.

“And what conclusion did you come up with?” she asked, avoiding her eyes.

Zoey sighed, rocked back and forth, still incapable of standing still.

“Well, it was a shock. I mean, you lied to us for a very long time.” She hesitated. “Would you have told us the truth if not for that attack?”

Rumi nodded immediately.

“I would.” And strength, she silently added. Even without the demons, or Jinu’s encouragement… “The demons just made the timing right. But I would have told you.”

The three minutes were up. Rumi searched for chopsticks in a drawer.

“So your father is a demon,” Zoey spoke. “No wonder why you know so much about them. About half-demons too.”

“He’s been dead for a while actually,” she replied bluntly. “Celine killed him. It was a mutual agreement.”

“Oh.” Zoey said. “I’m…sorry?”

Rumi chuckled at her awkward expression.

“It’s alright. I don’t blame her.” She didn’t always see eye to eye with her guardian on many things, but her father’s death wasn’t one of them. “I blame Gwi-Ma. He’s the one who fucks up everything.”

Zoey remained silent, but she was fidgeting again. She wanted to ask questions. She was burning to ask questions. But something was holding her back. Perhaps their dynamics would be changed for a while, Rumi thought sadly.

“Ask whatever’s on your mind, Zoey,” she said. “I’m still me.”

Her friend didn’t waste a second more.

"What really happened the other night? After we passed out? Did you really fight off all those demons on your own?" Rumi blinked in surprise and thought –did they believe I made a deal or something?

“I did.”

Zoey bit her lower lip uncomfortably.

"But how? It was hard enough for the three of us, and Mira and I were down. I mean, you are strong, stronger than us, but seven demons on your own? Did you have help?" 

Rumi picked up her chopsticks and twirled the ramen around.

"I didn't use the Honmoon," she admitted. "You’re right about that –I couldn't fight like a hunter, not alone. I had to fight like a demon." 

"And how do you fight like a demon?" Zoey sounded curious. 

Rumi kept pushed the noodles, wondering how much she should tell. Then she decided that honesty would be the best. If she wanted her teammates to trust her, she had to take a leap of faith.

"I..." she hesitated briefly, wondering how she should describe the feeling. "When we use the Honmoon, we pull in its power. We draw in the light. I am a half-demon, which means I have inherited a few abilities. When I want to use them, I draw in what I call my darkness." She paused again, watched Zoey's reaction. Her friend seemed both fascinated and perplexed. "I am stronger. I move faster. I can teleport too." 

"That's how you got us to the hospital?" Zoey interrupted, suddenly in awe. "You teleported us?" 

"Yeah. It wasn't easy, by the way. I didn't land us where I thought we'd be." Rumi grinned and added: "You really need to lose weight."

"Hey!" Zoey protested, but there was no heat in her tone. 

"My right hand becomes clawed," she went on quietly. Zoey's eye drifted to her hand -perfectly normal right now. "My left eye turns gold. I’m not a high-demon so I don't have any special ability like that blue-haired demon. Least I don't think so.” She paused, remembering Jinu’s reaction the first time he heard her admitting being a Hunter, so long ago. “A Hunter who is a part-demon is unheard of. So maybe that’s a special ability?”

All her knowledge came from Jinu, but she couldn't say that, not yet. She wanted to keep Jinu for herself a little longer. 

“I had the element of surprise on my side too,” she added quietly. “They didn’t expect a hunter to be part-demon. I managed to slay three of them before they could react. It was…manageable after that.”

“So you can use your sword even when you use your demon abilities?” Zoey asked, looking relieved. Rumi winced. Should she go as far now?

“Not quite.” Zoey opened her mouth to ask, she interrupted. “I think that’s a talk I’d like to have with Mira here too. And I’m kinda hungry?”

Her friend yelped.

“Oh right! Of course, eat, eat. I’m so sorry I just had to ask, we had so many questions and we didn’t know how to start asking them so I just…hey, it’s not funny!”

Rumi hadn’t realized she had been smiling. She merely picked up the noodles and slurped them quickly.

“Never change Zoey,” she said fondly after her first bite. “I really love you.”

Zoey froze, her eyes growing wide, almost teary.

“I love you too. Demon stuff and all. I’m really glad we’re not going to have to hunt you.” She gulped and added: “ImeantheworstIcouldhavedoneissummonmyshinkalsbutIcouldn’thurtyounever!”

Perhaps Rumi ought to have felt offended, but she couldn’t care less right now.

“And I’d let you run your shinkals through me long before attacking you,” she replied, her voice suddently-

Shit, her voice was shaking. And her eyes were tearing up. Why? She was just fine a minute ago. Or was she?

“Don’t be ridiculous, that’s not going to happen!”

The two girls turned around and saw that Mira was standing there in her polar bear sweatshirt, holding a glass of water of her own. Her hair was a mess and the circles under her eyes betrayed her lack of sleep. She pointed an accusing finger at Rumi and went on:

“We are not hunting you. Even if you eat souls, we’d just feed you criminals.” She paused. “You don’t eat souls, right?”

Rumi barked a laugh, sounding slightly hysterical, even to her own ears.

“I don’t and even if I could, I wouldn’t know how!” Tears were definitively pooling down her face now, her cheeks felt wet and her vision was blurring. “You guys are serious?”

Mira closed the distance first and hugged her. Zoey joined the group a split second later. It was uncomfortable. They held her too tight. Mira’s pointy chin was digging in her shoulder and Zoey’s nails were puncturing her sides. Her clothes were dampening because Zoey had begun to sob in earnest and Mira was slowly reaching that point too, but she didn’t move. She didn’t dare move.

“You’re still Rumi,” Mira whispered. “Our Rumi. No patterns or demon father will change that.”

Rumi broke as she realized she hadn’t been alright. And hearing Mira of all people say it –Mira who didn’t trust easily, whose family had failed her once, twice, three times and again and again until she hid behind anger and snippiness and took forever to open up to them –she really believed it.

They hadn’t rejected her. They had accepted her.

She wished Celine could see them now –a crying mess in the kitchen at two in the morning.

She wished Jinu could see it too.

Another group of demons stepped closer to the house. Abby looked up. He had been guarding the front door, sitting on the stairs. The leader was dressed with a slightly finer fabric than the rest. He recognized him at once. Min-Seong, one of Cheol’s old rivals, and not the friendliest towards Jinu. Abby scanned the rest –six demons, different morphologies, some he recognized, others not. Min-Seong had trained a few in his time, so he assumed those were either old apprentices or idiots coming for the show.

“I’m here to talk to Jinu,” he announced. The tone of his voice irritated him already.

“Jinu is unavailable,” Abby retorted, rolling his arms. His hanbok was close enough to his body to show off his muscles. It wouldn’t be enough to scare a high-demon, but the underlings would know they couldn’t beat him. “Scamp.”

Min-Seong smirked, his golden eyes flashing.

“I don’t think so,” he replied, grinning sweetly. “And I’d recommend you didn’t stand in my way…unless you want to die for a little while.”

Abby stood up, growling loudly. Footsteps echoed inside, the door creaked open and Romance and Mystery were suddenly out and by his side. The demons in the background shuffled uncomfortably. Min-Seong kept his smirk afloat.

“Aww, the little protection squad showed up. How sweet.”

“Last warning Min-Seong,” Abby growled. “Leave our territory before-“

“Before what exactly?” the leading demon purred. “Jinu couldn’t hold himself against me half a century ago. He won’t hold himself against me today either, not after his private session with Gwi-Ma.” He put his finger over his lower lip and added: “This being said, I wonder why you keep sticking with such a loser. Why don’t you join me? There won’t be many masters who will accept you in their ranks.”

Mystery snarled. Romance huffed. Abby rolled his muscles. What Min-Seong said wasn’t wrong –Jinu hadn’t been popular in decades, especially since betraying Cheol. Abby knew he wasn’t smart like Baby or skilled like Mystery. He knew he didn’t have Romance’s cultural knowledge either. He just made a deal with Gwi-Ma to overcome a weak body and found himself granted extraordinary strength as a demon. Strength would be valued by the right people.

But the thought of betraying Jinu?

“I’d say go to hell, but we kinda already are there, aren’t we?” he snapped, cracking his knuckles.

Min-Seong chuckled. A wave of the hand later gave the signal, and the rest of his followers launched their attack.

There was a reason very few demons stayed –or even survived –Jinu’s training. Just like Cheol –or according to the whispers anyway –he was hard. He pushed. He injured, made them bleed, made them curse him a thousand times over. But he made them strong. He made them survive. Abby’s efficiency in putting them down showed the difference. He got rid of two in a blink, helped Romance shoved off a third, and turned right in time to see Min-Seong grab Baby –who had seemingly joined the fight –and shove him out of the way.

He ran and tackled the high-demon, sending him sprawling on the ground. Baby wasn’t a fighter by nature. He was brains and strategy and could hold himself against lower to mid-demons, but never high. Min-Seong snarled, shoved him off with incredible strength and reversed their position by slamming his back down. One clawed hand to his neck, the tips pressed to his skin, ready to tear it and plunge into his flesh. Abby’s arms were trembling under the effort of holding him back.

“Jinu!” Min-Seong shouted gleefully. “Come out, unless you want to lose a weakling!”

Silence. No more sound of fighting. Abby safely assumed the real useless demons had been destroyed by the others. Unfortunately, even as a group, they wouldn’t be able to take down one high-demon. Min-Seong had been rumored to be on pair with Cheol, after all.

“I’m counting to three!” the demon sounded far more excited than he ought to be. “One…Two…two and a half…”

The door creaked open. Everyone froze. Min-Seong laughed, released his hold on Abby and stood up. Abby jumped back on his feet but didn’t try to attack. He knew better. A quick glance around confirmed that Romance, Baby and Mystery were still standing while the other demons had been reduced to dust. Then, he redirected his gaze at the house.

Jinu looked positively frail and wrecked. His skin was alarmingly pale, his glassy eyes lacked the usual glow, and standing so unsteadily he could be knocked out by a leaf.

Abby hadn’t been there during the event, but he had heard the details from Baby later. For a full day, Gwi-Ma had made Jinu hear the voices of his shame. His screams had been heard at a distance, drawing Mystery at once. Baby had to hold him back before the demon dog did something stupid, like attempt to fight the King to free their leader. Or worse, take his place. In the end, Gwi-Ma had discarded his body, sending him pluming in the middle of the crowd of watches. It had made a loud ‘thud’ upon impact and Jinu hadn’t moved.

No, Abby hadn’t seen any of that, but he had been there for the aftermath. Mystery had carried him home, laid him on the floor as he remained unresponsive, his eyes lost in a void he couldn’t break out of, mumbling quietly, rigid limbs twitching occasionally. It was the first time Abby had ever seen him in that state, and he was hoping, the last. But Min-Seong? Now? Their leader wasn’t ready. He barely stood on his feet. He couldn’t take that demon on his own, he couldn’t-

“Glad to see you’re doing fine, Jinu,” the high-demon laughed. “A bit pale, but hey, you know what I want, so I’ll leave you rest when you give it to me.”

He spat the word, grinning so widely it disfigured his already disturbing face. Jinu barely blinked.

“I’m talking about Cheol’s sword,” Min-Seong hissed. “I don’t care what you told Gwi-Ma, I know you have it. I know you hid it. You worshiped that old fool, you would have never betrayed him, even less take the risk of having his stuff fall out of your reach.” Abby felt he wasn’t the only one stiffening. From the corner of the eye, he saw Romance looking startled, Baby frowning, and Mystery…well, he couldn’t see his face. “I waited for the right moment, when you would be at your weakest. Gwi-Ma would never allow another demon to have it and you would never confess having taken it, especially not now. Tell me where the sword is and I will let you live.”

The whole group focused on their leader. Jinu remained in the doorway, staring straight at Min-Seong. The corner of his lips twitched upwards.

“You really are delusional, Min-Seong,” he said quietly. His voice was eerie soft, very different from his usual timbre, but surprisingly, not weak. Abby glanced at Romance, wondering if he had picked it. Romance raised an eyebrow in his direction and remained silent.

“Oh no, I know what I’m talking about,” the other demon said as he took another step. Abby tensed, Romance shook his head discreetly. Mystery growled again but didn’t move either. “You hid the sword, you-“

Jinu chuckled again. His eyes began to gleam. Abby heard a brief whistling sound, blinked.

The porch was empty.

The sound of flesh being torn echoed in the area. It took Abby a few seconds to realize what was going on. He had always known Jinu could move fast. He had never seen it before.

And yet, in less than a split-second, Jinu went from the porch to standing behind Min-Seong. His claw was peeking out of his stomach, arm crossing through his body. The high-demon blinked once, twice, as if not quite comprehending what was just happened.

“You are delusional to think I would admit to anything you said,” Jinu whispered. Only Abby was close enough to hear it, as he watched the others lean forward to catch the words.

Min-Seong smirked, his body sharking with imminent death.

“You just gained time. I’ll reform soon.”

Jinu chuckled again and said darkly:

“No you won’t.”

He pulled back his arm, twisting his fist as he did, as if crushing something invisible, and Abby could only stare as cold realization dawned upon the high-demon. He died with his mouth opened on a silent protest and fell face down. His body remained there a few moments before fading into dust.

Jinu lowered his arm, form steady, looking more exhausted than ever.

“If anyone asks, I’m napping,” he muttered, and slowly headed back to the inside.

For a brief moment, the remaining demons just exchanged glances. Then, in a common, silent agreement, they started cleaning up the mess left behind.

Jinu curled on the floor, keeping into the corner he hadn’t moved from since Gwi-Ma’s entertainment. It wasn’t comfortable. His back arched. His head was killing him. The voices in his ears had dimmed but only slightly. Just enough to let him recover. Had Min-Seong not threatened his boys, he would have never left that spot. Had he not demanded Yeonghon, he wouldn’t have killed him.

Jinu knew he had lost a lot of authority lately. His name didn’t inspire fear or respect, only disgust. His presence bothered and annoyed. He didn’t care for it. Reputations were built and destroyed over centuries. His name might return forward should Gwi-Ma decide to call him back as his Songbird. He would rather die than be in that position again.

And he was growing tired.

Centuries of paying for his shame. He didn’t even know if his mother and sister had found a way to survive without him. Even if he died for good, he wouldn’t get to know.

No-one would care if he died either.

He had no-one left to mourn him. The boys would be in a difficult position for a while, but they would survive. Romance would take care of Abby. Baby and Mystery would watch out for each other.

And Rumi…

Bright smile, bright eyes, so happy to see him-

He smiled thinking of her. She would go far. He knew she would. She didn’t need him to move forward. If anything, with him gone, she would forget. Demons to hunt, to kill, and he would turn into a fond or a bitter memory.

The air shifted in the room. He felt footsteps coming closer –multiple people actually. Just like a few moments ago, before Min-Seong showed up. Someone sat near his head. Another was lying in front of him. A third moved towards the window. Romance, Mystery, Baby. Abby was certainly back to his position on the front porch.

Watchdogs, guarding him.

And while Jinu’s dark thoughts didn’t vanish, he felt grateful that they still chose to stick by him.

“So this is where you usually train?”

Zoey and Mira stepped out of the car, curiosity etched on their face. Rumi thought it was an odd sight –the girls standing in the glade, a place she exclusively used to relax and practice her demonic skills.

“It’s nice and quiet here,” she said, omitting that a demon had found it in the first place. She picked up the bags from the back seat, carried them out and dropped them to the side.

“Yeah it is,” Mira said before her eyes landed on a carved stone. Or rather, a rocky surface Rumi had clawed before. She pointed at it and asked. “That your doing?”

Rumi shrugged, feeling a little self-conscious. Zoey twirled around, already fidgeting on her feet.

“It’s like you hitting the punching bag,” she admitted. “Stress relief, since I’m more likely to destroy the punching bag.” Mira smirked, as if saying ‘I’ll believe it when I see it’. She cleared her throat and moved on: “So, we are here today because since you know about my demonic side,” she announced. “There is no need for me to hold back during training.”

Zory froze. Mira’s mild smirk fell. Rumi felt her own smile grow twisted.

“So, girls,” she purred. “Grab your gear, and I’m finally going to show you how you can progress fighting against a demon.”

Chapter Text

Legacy

Part 8

Baby glanced around as he strolled down the streets of Seoul. He still had a little time before meeting up with the others, and Jinu had encouraged them heartily to get a feel of the city as much as they could, before their schedule trapped them. 

Because apparently, now, they had a plan.

They sat in semi-circle, around Jinu, waiting for him to speak. Their leader had summoned them out of the blue, asking them to gather back to the house. Mystery hovered protectively on his right. Abby and Romance sat on his left. Baby elected to sit across him. Jinu still didn’t look good –his skin pale, the patterns a dull purple and though demons didn’t lose weight, he seemed to have lost some body mass. His eyes were still dulled by haunted memories. His usual instrument of comfort, his bipa, hadn’t made an appearance since the day Gwi-Ma had tortured him.

Had Baby not known about Jinu’s strength, Baby might have considered him an easy target too. No wonder why Min-Seong had tried his luck.

“Gwi-Ma has been in a good mood lately.”

They all exchanged glances at that declaration. In their opinion, Gwi-Ma had gone worse. Any attempt on the Hunters that ended in failure had sent him on a rampage of burning anger. It didn’t help that this generation of Hunters seemed more powerful than the others. Most of the time, they hardly needed their songs to beat demons anymore.

“It’s been over ten years now,” Jinu went on. “The high-demons the old Hunter has killed will soon reform.”

Oh. There was that too.

“It’s time to ask for a favor.”

Everyone tensed.

“You have a new plan?” Romance inquired warily, voicing what everyone was wondering.

Asking favors never ended well, but Baby was past this point. If whatever Jinu had concocted drew him back on his feet, Baby would do his damn best to make it happen. The sentiment surprised him; he never thought he would actually feel protective of their leader.

“I figured out a way to weaken the Hunters,” Jinu explained. “We won’t even attack them directly, but we will have to stay in the Overworld the whole time.”

“Gwi-Ma’s not going to like it,” Abby pointed out immediately. The king rarely let demons leave the realm anymore. Even the return of a few high-demons wouldn’t brighten his mood that much. Jinu shrugged.

“I’ll take care of that. You all, however, will need training.”

A boys band. Jinu’s new genius plan had been to create a boys band to steal the fans and weaken the Hunters’ power. It was unorthodox and clever, and more importantly, it gave their leader purpose. He wouldn’t linger in the house anymore, lying on the floor like a faceless-in-the-making. He would actively teach them how to dance, how to sing, how to perform as a group. A full year later, they were finally in sync.

Jinu had somehow convinced Gwi-Ma to act the plan during a private meeting none of them had been invited to. And now...they had an apartment in Seoul. They had fake IDs Jinu got from some obscure contact. They had something called a credit card that would serve them to buy things they didn’t need -though beddings and couches had been a nice addition.

Jinu had next ordered them to leave and explore the city to get a feel about the modern era. They needed to observe the changes between past and present. The innovations, the architecture, the technology, the trends…

Baby snorted. He had lost Romance and Abby a few streets back to a beauty shop. Jinu and Mystery had gone on their own –the demon dog kept cowering at the overwhelming sounds and lights and Jinu had to ease him more gently into the change. The turquoise-haired demon didn’t blame him; everything was just as baffling as a decade ago. And they would have to survive in this environment for the upcoming future?

“Just a few months at most,” Jinu assured them with a satisfied smirk. “So enjoy it while it lasts.”

Weaken the Hunters, destroy the Honmoon, gain back Gwi-Ma’s favor forever…Baby was still skeptical. Jinu was smart and cunning. He wouldn’t have gotten so involved in this scheme if he didn’t have a reward in mind. A reward that their king seemed agreeable to give. Baby wasn’t sure he wanted to know and at the same time, what could Jinu want so badly that he wouldn’t tell them about it?

Too lost in his thoughts, he didn’t pay attention to his steps and ended up bumping into someone.

The woman made an ooof kind of sound before sprawling on the ground. Baby was halfway of a mind to snap at her to watch her step when he spotted a purple strand of hair escaping from her hoodie. Dark eyes met his and his whole body froze in recognition.

It was Cheol’s half-breed.

Cheol’s half-breed was right here, he had bumped into her, and now-

He needed to run before she-

Eyes narrowed as she stared at his face.

"Hey," she started. "I know you.”

He ran.

Even without Jinu’s explicit warning to stay away from her, Baby wouldn’t have been caught lingering by her side. A decade ago, she had been fast enough to dodge him, even though she clearly was still a novice. He would have managed to kill her without Jinu’s intervention, but now? After all this time had passed? He wasn’t keen on testing her skills anymore.

“Hey!”

He glanced over his shoulder, felt his jaw drop when he realized she was catching up to him. He immediately sneaked into a side alley and teleported on a rooftop nearby. Then he teleported three times away, making sure no-one would spot him as he moved. The last thing he needed was for some human to catch him on camera. Jinu would be insufferable if his picture was on the internet before they could make their first move.

Baby took a few deep breaths to regulate his heartbeat and sleekly sneaked into a group of people, melting into the crowd. The half-breed wouldn’t find him there –even if she did manage to track him down through his teleportation, a crowd would make it harder to spot him. He started to relax, the thrill of the chase finally easing down, when…

His eyes stopped over a huge billboard announcing a massive sale on Huntr/x’s merchandising. Three young women grinned to no-one in particular. He knew, of course, the name of the new Hunters. He hadn’t known their faces. And now that he was staring at the same pair of dark eyes and purple hair…

Jinu had a lot of explaining to do. 

Rumi slammed the door as she returned to her apartment. Her loud announcement made the other girls jump from the couch. They were in their bathrobes and slippers, enjoying the second week of their break on couch. Their expression fell at once, and had Rumi not been so worked up, she might have laughed at them.

“That bad?” Mira asked with a hint of compassion.

She shoved her jacket on a hanger, exposing her bare arm -and skin -to view. The major advantage of having revealed her legacy was that Rumi didn’t bother covering them up anymore, at least not in the safety of their apartment, or on the occasional bathhouse outing.

“Her patterns are flashing,” Zoey pointed out. “Of course it’s bad.”

And Zoey had quickly realized that her patterns actually responded to her emotions. Whether it was anger, embarrassment…anything strongly felt would trigger a flashing phenomenon.

“They’re like a mood-ring tattoo!” the youngest exclaimed excitedly. Rumi felt her cheeks burn and –even more embarrassingly, her patterns flashed a pale pinkish hue, which made Zoey laugh even harder.

Right now, they were slowly pulsing in the light, the colors edging towards an angry dark purple.

“I need to blow off some steam,” she announced bluntly. “Anyone up for a spare?”

The two girls exchanged a resigned glance and stood up in tandem. Rumi felt a little sorry for them, but not sorry enough to decline their reluctant cooperation. She headed straight down to her bedroom to change. When she reached the gym, the girls were already changed and waiting there. Mira had her training stick. Zoey had boxer gloves. Both wore helmets and protective gear over their chest. Everyone had learned the hard way that even Hunters’ ribs didn’t last against a Rumi-entranced fist.

They looked ready to beat her up, and Rumi loved them for it.

The session began without a word. Mira attacked first, Rumi dodged and parried. Zoey cornered her and hit. She managed to hit back, aiming in the protection gear. The girls knew her moves, and she knew theirs. Years of training –extensive, intense training, had them working like a well-oiled machine. She could barely have the up on them when they decided to combine their strengths, something the two had become very smug about.

She ducked another fist, teleported in a puff of smoke behind them. Zoey had already turned around and kicked her in the stomach. Rumi wasn't fast enough to block and was scent flying into the wall. Her back hit a mattress strategically placed there. She jumped and teleported again, only to be punched mid apparition by Mira. She stumbled back momentarily before charging ahead again.

The dance lasted a few moments more, until Rumi slammed her fist a little too hard into Zoey’s glove, barley had the time to dodge Mira’s stick and jumped back. Zoey tackled her then, pinning her to the ground and Mira joined by using her full body to hold her torso down. The three girls laid entangled in a mess of limbs, panting heavily from the exercise. Rumi slapped a hand on the training mat to signal her surrender.

Her skin felt sticky with sweat. Her head just dizzy enough.

“Thanks girls,” she said, voice raw. “I needed this.”

Zoey and Mira rolled off her and settled on their back. All three were aligned to stare at the ceiling.

“So,” Mira started. “What did Celine said that got you all bothered?”

And Rumi remembered that earlier that afternoon, she had left to meet with her mentor. The girls had offered to accompany her; she had declined, and had joined Celine at her office downtown.

“I watched the rerun of your latest show. There were strands of golden in the Honmoon.”

Ah, Rumi thought. This is what this meeting is about.

“Yes, we noticed,” she said calmly. Celine narrowed her eyes.

“You don’t look happy about it,” she pointed out. “I thought you would be more eager to get rid of your patterns. Don’t you have a song ready?”

Rumi bit back a sigh and leaned back in her seat. Mira, Zoey and her had agreed that keeping Celine in the dark about some things might make their communication easier. They didn't tell her they knew about her patterns. Rumi didn't confess to having meeting Jinu multiple times already -or owning Yeonghon. She wasn't even certain if Celine knew the real meaning of her patterns, of it she was using it as a tempting excuse to accelerate the creation of a golden Honmoon.

She crossed her arms and declared:

“We’re still on a break. My voice needs to rest. Besides, the girls will kill me if we announce a new single now. The world tour was draining.”

Celine’s frown deepened.

“One week isn’t enough? You might lose all the good energy you’ve built with the Honmoon…”

“The Idol Awards are a month away,” she reminded her sharply. “The Honmoon has never been stronger. We hardly hunt any demons lately.”

“That doesn’t mean you should lower your guard.” Celine shot back tightly. “You girls are so close –don’t you want to put this –all of this behind you? Be free?”

Free? Rumi wanted to scream in her face that she would never really be free. Her patterns would never allow it. The uncertainty of the consequences of a golden Honmoon would never allow it. This, this was the most freedom she would ever get. 

“The usual.” She replied honestly. “She’s pushing for the new single release, to finally complete our mission.” She paused and mimicked her mentor’s voice. “’You’re so close, just a little more…’ You know her speech by now.”

Mira snorted, rolled on her side. Rumi could see her snarl from the corner of the eye.

“Yeah, not happening. Not until we know for sure that it’s safe for you.”

Zoey snuggled closer, her head pressed against her shoulder.

“We can hold up with the current Honmoon a little longer. Demon attacks aren’t the rage right now,” she added a little smugly: “I mean, I could handle the demons on the plane on my own.”

“You lost at rock-paper-scissors,” Mira and Rumi reminded her.

“I still feel a bit bad about that green one though. He looked so pleased when I did his makeup during the free-fall! I wish I didn’t have to slay him.”

“He will reform in a few years, you’ll have another chance then,” Rumi pointed out with a little smile.

The talk of demons reminded her of the real reason she returned home in a mood. Already sour from her meeting with her mentor, a turquoise head had slammed into her and when she had met the rude passerby’s eyes…The memory might have been old, but the sensation hadn’t shifted. Even without the patterns, dark skin, hissing and fangs, the look of disdain had been the same. The recognition and subsequent run had been unexpected, but had only cemented her belief.

One of Jinu’s demons was in town. And Jinu hadn’t contacted her.

The girls knew about him, of course. She had to tell them eventually, especially since she had to explain the source of her own knowledge on demonic traditions. But right now, she didn’t mention the turquoise-haired demon. She didn’t want to admit to herself that Jinu might be back and he hadn’t contacted her. She couldn’t be sure anyway and more importantly, she didn’t want to set herself up for disappointment.

“So…now that’s all said and done, bathhouse?”

Rumi stared at Zoey incredulously.

“We were there three days ago!”

“We’re on a break!” her friend protested. “Besides, you’re the one who said you wanted to go there every day!”

“As a manner of speech!” she protested, though the sentiment had been genuine at the time.

Mira added rationally:

“You just tired us out. We have earned it!”

Rumi rolled her eyes, vanquished.

Romance stared at the result of his purchases. Foundation, mascara, eyeliner...Abby picked a cream and stared at the composition.

"I don't recognize half the ingredients," he mumbled. "I can’t read half the ingredients! You sure it's healthy skincare?" 

Romance hummed contemplatively. In the background, the sound of a reality TV show echoed softly. Jinu and Mystery had returned early and elected to study the second part of the plan to gain quick recognition. Watching multiple shows and deciding which one was worth their appearance. Romance thought it was all grand stupidity and wouldn’t lower himself to sit with them.

"The seller claimed so,” he replied, happily giving his full attention back to Abby. “She had a lovely painted face. She recommended this."

Abby put the pot down, smiled softly.

"I haven't seen you this animated in a while. Maybe we should return there soon."

Romance felt a wave of affection towards the younger demon. Love had always been something out of reach in his living life. He could never feel attracted to women. He had to hide his feelings from family, friends, enemies. He had lived a lonely life before stumbling upon a peasant he fell in lust with. Even then, the illicit affair had made him lonelier, even more isolated, because Huan had quickly realized how much he could benefit from a secret relationship with a nobleman...until Huan was quietly murdered to keep Romance's name clean. 

It hadn’t been love, but Romance still felt the loss keenly and everything had spiraled down from there…

The only good thing in the Underworld was that no-one judged him for his preferences. They all had committed graver sins than the sin of loving another man. Jinu hadn't cared about his penchants, too busy battling his own demons. He hadn't even beaten an eye at his interest in Abby either. And Abby...

The door slammed opened, Baby stormed in.

“Jinu, a word in private.”

Romance peeked up in interest. He didn’t care much for Baby –the demon was a whiner and Romance only tolerated him because he was the best when it came to tracking down information. However, right now, he was angry. Genuinely angry. And while Baby would yap like a toddler, anger was not a feeling he often expressed.

Their leader merely glanced at Baby, expression rather neutral.

“What is it?” Jinu said, giving the demon the opening Romance was hoping for.

Baby’s expression tightened even more, and something in his eye screamed ‘wanna play that game with me?’. Jinu did not seem impressed and held his ground, like a parent with a child on the verge of a tantrum.

“Fine. When were you going to tell us that Cheol’s spawn is a hunter?”

Romance felt his whole body froze. 

There weren’t many ‘Cheol’ worth mentioning in the demon realm. There weren’t many ‘Cheol’ that would also have a strong connection to Jinu, enough to rile Baby up this way.

"What are you talking about?" Romance blurted without thinking

Baby’s glare seemed to intensify.

“There’s something Jinu failed to mention a few years ago,” he explained: “Cheol had a daughter with a human. That half-breed is now a Hunter.” His eyes flared gold, words kept pouring out of his mouth like a secret held back too long. “I caught him training her in the Overworld once,” he added viciously. Jinu, who remained silent, and only watched. “He protected her from me. He gave her Yeonghon! And now, she’s hunting demons!”

The silence became weighty and Romance could feel his world tilting from its axis. Jinu had been the one to welcome and train him in the underworld, but Cheol...

Huan had been his first lust, but Cheol...

He stared at Jinu, waiting for his reaction, wondering if Baby's words were true -hoping they weren't true, because it would mean Jinu had hid something about Cheol from him, that-

Someone touched his hand. Abby stared at him worriedly. He forced himself to focus, to listen to the rest. Cheol’s situation aside, the accusations were grave. If anyone else heard them and reported them to Gwi-Ma, they would be devoured on spot, no questions asked. Their King didn’t deal well with traitors no matter the shape.

And when finally Jinu spoke:

"Cheol asked me to."

Romance's hands trembled slightly. He felt like a dagger had just pierced his chest. He had always thought he and Cheol had a special relationship. The older demon had often sought him for conversation -they were both noblemen, had both a formal education and a great appreciation for art. Jinu was clever, but not cultivated. A talented musician and singer, but a peasant. They could discuss important matters on an equal state of mind, they had spoken of things. Romance had confided in him a few times on matters he would never tell Jinu.

And yet...

Jinu was his trusted one. Cheol turned to him when he needed something, never Romance. Jinu watched his back, Jinu carried out his orders, Jinu -always Jinu...The only reason Romance hadn’t followed the older demon when he and Jinu had been forced apart by Gwi-Ma was the certainty that Cheol would never return his feelings. But surely, Cheol would have known Romance could keep a secret, right?

Why didn't you say anything?

Everyone looked at him, and he realized he had spoken out loud. Jinu's expression flickered very slightly. Romance didn't dare to meet Abby's eyes, afraid of what his own expression might be betraying right now.

"He asked me," Jinu repeated slowly. "Because I went after him. He asked with his dying breath, and I couldn't say no. There was no need to include you any further."

Telling them hadn’t even crossed his mind, Romance realized. Whether he had been trying to protect them from Gwi-Ma, or was just acting selfishly, or –his heart pinched at the thought –or was just obeying his seonsaeng’s order like he usually did…Romance hadn’t crossed his mind.

“Is that why we are not going against the Hunters directly?” Abby asked next. His fists were clenched tightly, his voice lowered to a growl. He wasn’t happy. “That we are dealing their fans instead? To spare her?”

“The Hunters are too strong for you,” Jinu replied with a shrug. “It’s safer to go against them that way. No-one will be hurt.”

“Because you trained that half-breed to be strong!” Baby snapped. “You protected her! You chose her before us!”

Jinu’s eyes flared. His fangs flashed and the low growl echoed in the room. Everyone flinched back, Baby lowered his head with the face of someone realizing he’d crossed the line.

“Don’t get me wrong,” Jinu spoke clearly. “She was raised ignorant of her legacy. I trained her to honor Cheol’s memory. I couldn’t stand her growing without knowing who her father was.” His voice turned softer, almost in spite of himself, and his eyes flashed again. “I didn’t want his daughter to be hunted down like another half-breed, should she ever be caught.” Whatever emotion had crossed his face was gone by the time the sentence ended. He had regained control of himself. “Our songs will reach the fans, not the Hunters. Stay away from them, and do not engage.”

“You forbid me to approach her,” Baby reminded him viciously. “Are you going to have stand like easy prey while she hunts us down?”

“She won’t touch you,” Jinu assured him with far too much confidence. “She will be too obsessed getting in touch with me. I will draw the attention away from you.”

“But what about the souls?” Abby asked, confused. “You must have promised Gwi-Ma souls.”

“Leave the souls to the lower-demons,” Jinu replied immediately. “We are aiming bigger, long-term.” He paused and added softly. “A few months at most in the Overworld. We weaken the Hunters, open a new portal, then you can go back down or stay up here. That’s all I ask. The Hunters –Cheol’s daughter –are mine to deal with.”

Romance stood up and headed towards the door. He’d heard enough and would hear no more.

"Romance."

He froze mid-step. There was something in Jinu’s voice he hadn't heard before, at least never aimed at him. A cold warning. He didn’t dare turn around to face their leader, waited tensely for what was to come next.

“Don’t be late for the dance.”

Romance clenched his teeth and left the room at once. He couldn’t stay there. He couldn’t stand remaining in the same suffocating room as his leader. He slammed the door on his way out. Footsteps followed quickly. He thought someone called his name, before being grabbed by a strong, familiar hand. He turned around out of reflex. Abby's expression was tight, teeth clenched, face both pale and red at the same time. 

"Romance," he started. "You and..."

The younger demon looked on edge for many reasons, and Romance…He couldn't lie to him. Not after everything. No matter his feelings about Cheol, he couldn’t lose Abby.

"He never considered me,” Romance admitted carefully. “Not once. Not for anything." He shuddered, hated the way his voice trembled. "I would have protected the half-breed if he’d told me. Why Jinu?"

Abby said nothing and Romance hated the understanding in his eyes -because he knew he had hurt him too. He swallowed, stiffened his back and forced himself to breathe. Then he said:

"I need to be alone right now. I’ll come back when my head is clear. I’m sorry Abby, I need…"

He didn’t finish his sentence, just got out of his grip and vanished in a purple cloud.

Rumi bid her friends good night and returned to her bedroom. The view of Seoul from her balcony was as amazing as ever. They had moved into the building a few years back, after their songs had truly become international hits. Each girl had their own bedroom and private shower, but the view? Rumi had fought with the girls, literally, for the view.

She changed into comfortable sleepwear, rearranged the covers of her bed. In spite of the late hour, she wasn’t quite tired yet. Too many things were going on in her mind, too many questions mingling together. She was hoping that a good night sleep would bring some peace, but she would have to fall asleep first. She headed to her desk instead, picked up her notebook, opened it to a certain page.

The song she had started to write the night she had told the girls of her father’s true nature, was complete. The lyrics were properly written now. She had worked on a melody that would fit. All she needed to do now was to give it to Mira and Zoey for their review –it wasn’t a solo song, not in the way ‘Golden’ could be. Golden relied mostly on her voice. ‘What it sounds like’ would rely on their harmony.

All she needed to do…

No, not yet.

Rumi put the notebook down with a heavy heart. The song wasn’t ready. Or rather, she wasn’t ready to show it to the girls. She wanted to show it to-

-taptaptap-

The sound of knocking interrupted her thoughts. Rumi looked around, intrigued, but found nothing.

-taptaptap-

The window. She shifted around, faced the window, and sure enough, a silhouette was standing on the outside. A human-like silhouette, with familiar dark hair, wearing a dark sweater over a pair of jeans and-

Her heart skipped a beat.

“Jinu?”