Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The concert started with late. The fan cams were spinning in the void on an overexcited crowd that was screaming the names of their idols. The conclusion of a spectacular tour.

But here it is; no one to animate it. No doubt that a last-second cancellation would be a fatal blow for the group. It is impossible for it to end like this.

Above the stadium, the long-awaited plane was heading far from its destination. Zoey and Mira nibbled a bite as they imagined what they would do once the Honmoon was sealed. Already to start: having their favorite dishes making burst their belts, and no doubt long evenings on the sofa. It was impossible for them for the moment, the fault of the third person present. Indeed, Celine, their mentor and label director, held the band with an iron fist and did not allow any deviations. No high-calorie meals, no unnecessary respites. Despite the secret efforts of their manager, Bobby, to pass sweets to the girls, the desire to treat themselves was sometimes unbearable.

It was Bobby who called Celine at that moment.

"Is there a problem, Bobby?" Celine asked, quickly joined by the girls shouting their hello to the man.

"Where are you?! The concert is about to begin!”

Zoey looked out the window and confirmed that the jet had indeed gone well past the stadium. The three women turned in unison to the crew. Mira turned the phone towards her.

"Do your breathing exercises, Bobby. We'll show up in five minutes.”

She hung up and a fight began. The plane was torn to pieces and its owners arrived on stage in a way that seemed to be planned. "How it's done" began. The crowd couldn't sit still. The fan cam had a hard time focusing on the stage but it managed to capture the essence of the concert. It ended after a few covers of the Starlight Sisters songs.

Hanging on to her screen in the middle of her small apartment, Rumi had been moving gently in rhythm with the music since the beginning of the concert, humming these tunes that she knew by heart. She went to her kitchen, once the event was over, to continue preparing her meal for the next day.  In a few clicks, she launched a karaoke version of "How it's done" and started singing. She was careful to try to spare her neighbors about her ability to hold the highest notes of the song. When she was moving in she had installed anti-noise foams on the walls but she was still afraid of disturbing. She liked to perform in amateur concerts, but once outside, she became rather shy about being heard. However, the crescendo of the end was approaching and the restraint was gradually evaporating. Rumi closed her eyes and began to project herself on stage. Caught up in the euphoria she immediately forgot any resolution to hold back, the foam would do its job.

Here our voice unwavering

Til our son defeats the night

Making fear afraid to breathe

Til the dark meets the light !

The last note resonated in the room, and a sort of vibration was felt. Opening one eye and smiling, Rumi noticed that the usual phenomenon that appeared every time she was singing was radiating brighter. She never spoke of it for fear of being taken for a madwoman, but at the moment when she launched into a rhythm, a sort of colored line was drawn around her. A blue glow danced like a wave on these curves in accordance with his voice.

Run, run, we run the town !

Whole world playing our sound

Turnin’ up, is going down !

We hunt you down

Down, down, down…

Rumi's smile dimmed a little when she saw, with amazement, a slightly golden wave take precedence over the rest.

We got you now, now, now, now !

We show you how, how, how

Huntrix don’t miss !

How it’s done, done, done !

Rumi automatically took a relaxed pose, hand at the back of her head, pelvis at the side. The golden wave spread through the habitat, giving the impression that everything was painted in gold. With a brief glance at the outside, she saw that it had not overflowed outside the walls. The glow gradually subsided until it was almost indistinguishable. Caressing her counter with her fingertips, Rumi revived the strings of lights that followed her hand. A slight warmth emanated from the phenomenon, and the vibrations purred softly like a cat being petted on its favorite spot.

"You seem to have enjoyed this session. It's the first time I've seen you turning golden.”

For as long as she could remember, Rumi had always perceived this anomalous thing. She had learned by chance and an unpleasantly way that his name was Honmoon, and that he was a kind of anti-demon protective barrier.

"Is it because they came to disturb the party that they were late, am I wrong?"

The strings pulsed in response. Rumi had been following the delay from the fan cam and she had seen the appearance of the disruptors that the audience seemed to have mistaken for special effects.

“Obviously...”

It was during an unexpected encounter several months ago with the so called demons that she learned of their existence and that she was able to give meaning to what she hated the most about herself: her patterns. Apart from the aesthetic aspect that had long frightened her as a child and that she had always hidden in fear that they would be seen by others, she learned that it symbolized the demons of a spirit world parallel to the human world. These are the same creatures that the Huntrix hunted.

How did she know that? Because she had already caught them at work. The particularity of Honmoon was to glow red in case of a breach in its barrier. One evening he began to do so, and the waves allowed Rumi to find the place. After learning of the demons' horrific plan during an attack on civilians, she vowed to do her best to sabotage their missions, still completely unaware of the existence of a group of huntresses dedicated to it. She acted in the dark, sometimes armed with home-made gadgets to rout them. But one evening, she witnessed the intervention of the Huntrix. Ruthless, fast, precise. They had slain the demons with their weapons, and those without being seen by those present.

This had given rise to an admiration for the group, but also a deep fear of knowing that she was candidate on their list to be eliminated because of her patterns. Her disgust with her body and her self-hatred grew with it. Especially since she didn't know where her patterns come from. Orphaned since she was a baby, she hadn’t found anyone able to see them and therefore help her. She suspected that they were the cause of her abandonment and resented them every day for having prevented her from growing up surrounded by her family. As Rumi got older, she had seen them spread over her body. Currently they were on her chest and arms, and shone more or less depending on the period.

Once the huntresses were gone, she had approached the newly closed rift of the Honmoon and noticed demons stuck behind it, growling with their sharp teeth. She walked away from the place, out of fear that the Huntrix would come back or come out to attack her.

Despite this, she found their cause just. Demons devoured human souls, destroying families without remorse. It was seeing them try to attack a teenage girl who was waiting for her bus that Rumi decided to prevent that too. She was just careful not to be spotted by both sides. She hid her marks under long sleeves and tried to lead a decent life despite a few reminders to her condition at times.

She finished putting her meal in the fridge and then turned her attention to a pile of passes under which Honmoon was shining.

"No, not tonight,” she said, “I'm starting early tomorrow. I'm the one who opens the store.”

Rumi had never had a stable family, for fear of being discovered and hurt for it. The orphanage where she began to grow up was modest and remote in the mountains. Very few families came, adoptions were rare. She had been able to study there normally despite a discipline and a requirement that forged her ability to never rest, to live for work. It also gave her a purpose, a reason to exist, to be useful, to remind her that she was there. Rumi hadn't really made any friends. There were few boarders and seeing them leave, coupled with her self-loathing, were reason enough to keep away. She then took refuge in the arts, more precisely in music. Escaping to the air, formulating her fears, her repressed emotions, and her dreams, brought her the peace she was looking for.

She did small jobs to the orphanage and the village to pay for her first singing lessons. Her talent was quickly spotted and a scholarship was offered to her after she won a regional competition. This allowed her to enter a small faculty where she specialized in performing arts and stage engineering. At the same time, she continued singing and added applied arts in order to work on design and visual (for merch and costumes mainly). A lot more, of course to compensate for everything she wanted to run away from.

Once she graduated, she moved closer to the city. Her meagre savings allowed her to rent a studio before her first paychecks allowed her an apartment. "Poorly placed" according to the inhabitants because far from the city center, especially without a means of personal transport, she had been able to benefit from a large space for more than adequate rent, all while being housed near the temple. It reminded her of her childhood, which was an added asset for her.

Since then, she has been working in a store specializing in events and high-end equipment, and which was also renowned for assembling stage decorations. One of her proudest accomplishments was to have been able to participate in the assembly of an imposing light construction used for the Huntrix concert at the closing of the Met Gala. Having only been behind the scenes, she unfortunately missed the event. Her consolation was to see that the photos of the structure had been appreciated on the social medias by Bobby, the manager of the Huntrix. Rumi had seen this jovial, but also easily anxious little man from afar when his team was working on the stage. Some colleagues near Rumi had even teased her by suggesting to sing so that she could be heard "purely by chance" by the manager who would probably want her in the group. She had made it clear to them that she would never do that. She wouldn't even dare to open her mouth in the presence of the other Huntrix girls.

She performed at the most well-known clubs in Seoul and regularly had invitations to certain events. But she avoided going there when she was the first to open the store the next day. The alarm clock often stung, and she hated spending the day feeling like she had her head in the fog. She would go and sing later in the week.

The young woman finished getting ready for the night and went to bed. She scrolled on social medias, still on fire from the concert. Honmoon covered the sheets and walls of the room, leaving a very faint light in the room. Rumi fell asleep afterwards.

---

On the other side of the town, at the top of their building tower, Mira and Zoey were debriefing about the concert. Even without the appearance of the Golden Honmoon, they were still satisfied that they had been able to give it an extra boost.

"We probably would have had it if there had been three of us," Zoey assumed, “because the fans were still on top!”

"Yes, but it gives the impression of not carrying out our mission thoroughly," the redhead retorted with a sulky look, “Is there no way to speed things up?

"Well, I was planning to hold auditions like we had already done," admitted Celine, “ but you know the rule: the person must be able to interact with the Honmoon. Seeing and using it included. And so far we still haven’t found anyone.”

"Isn't there anyone in the family of former huntresses who could do the trick? It's just the time of a song.”

"No, Mira. None of them could pass this on to their descendants.”

Mira grunted even more, defeatist in the face of this fatality.

“Oh no... At this rate, it will not be for us the privilege of nailing this monster and his army in its hole forever.”

The brunette next to her looked at her with a sad little pout. She knew that her friend couldn't stand imagining this story behind them anymore. The eldest stood up.

“I am in charge of setting up the hearing. In the meantime, I advise you to start the band's next single. Hitting with something new will only be in our favor once the band is assembled.”

"Wait, what?" Zoey jumped, “aren't you doing the next album with us?!

"It's to bring me down tonight, apparently," Mira grumbled.

"No," replied Celine, “I will announce my withdrawal at the same time as the search for the next Huntrix. You won't be able to accomplish your mission with me, so I might as well go as soon as possible to help you behind the scenes.”

The eldest preferred not to say anything. She had enjoyed the evening and was simply disgusted that she couldn't do better. Apart from that, she agreed with the rest. They needed another leader. Someone like her and her friend, a person who would really complement them. Celine was someone they appreciated, who had always been there for them, but they felt that this was not the kind of bond they needed to share. This woman was a mentor, a superior, as they sought a sense of family. The same family that the two had left, or even fled, because the feeling of understanding or belonging was not compatible.

Because of their experiences, the two singers each had their strengths and weaknesses that made them compensate for each other, but there was always the void of a certain unfound balance. An incomplete heart. Someone to temper when both were flexing at the same time without the possibility of climbing back up on their own. The idea of the audition was well-intentioned, but deep down, they knew that it would explode in their faces like love at first sight. The candidates could have the voice and presence they have, it's a certain feeling that would take precedence. That was the real rule that mattered to Mira and Zoey. The Honmoon would be better off complying with it. Well that was the unfounded threat that the Korean liked to make, but nothing very feasible on a magical entity. The third member should absolutely complete them.

The two each headed for their room. Mira was exhausted, she clearly wouldn't have the strength to look at her social networks which she knew was jubilant. Only this question of hearing was running in a loop in his head.

Zoey was also lost about it. She felt more affected than her elder. So she went to her room, all sheepish.

“Mira? Can I sleep with you...?”

The other chuckled from her pillow.

"You know very well that you don't need to ask. Come on, come here.”

The brunette seized the opportunity and joined her friend. She snuggled between her long arms, which she knew were open instinctively. It was their habit to go to the bed of one when the other was bad.

"Is it this story of the third Huntrix that scares you so much?"

"No, it's just that... it reminds me of that horrible feeling when I left the USA for Korea... This fear of not finding my place and being torn between two cultures. I'm stupid to think that, to be anxious at the idea of experiencing this same feeling of torn between the need to save the world and the one of our own balance. I want us to combine the two and for the new one to be the solution... The band has given me so much that I would like to heal from my past with it.

Mira looked at her with a sweet smile, the one that was reserved only for Zoey when she confided about her life. When they were introduced, Mira's usual casual, dry, cold attitude of judging people was gone. She had immediately taken Zoey under her wing, ready to do anything to protect her from what would like to fall on her. Her story had touched her and she loved the person she had become despite everything, with or without insecurities.

"Don't worry about it, everything will be fine, I promise you," the choreographer whispered, kissing her forehead, “everything is going to be fine. Now rest and we will see tomorrow what to do about this.”

Chapter Text

Rumi's morning passed quietly. She took advantage of her break to watch social medias about the last concert. People were posting trends about the Huntrix, talking about how the songs had changed their lives, sometimes criticizing what could have "been better". They are free to try their hand at stage and backstage jobs.

"People are never satisfied," she muttered.

She was about to close her app when she saw a post from a fairly large fan club of the band. Her eyes widened as she read it.

HUNTRIX NEWS : THE LEAD SINGER QUITS THE GROUP

AUDITIONS IN PREPARATION TO FIND HER SUCCESSOR

"Celine is leaving...? No, it's not possible, the info is probably fake.”

Rumi did some research and quickly understood that no, the information was indeed authentic. An article in a Kpop newspaper seemed to explain that Celine had confided that she felt too old to continue, and that her girls were quite capable of taking care of the group while waiting for a replacement. Auditions would begin in the following days, the goal being for the group to be complete for the Idols Awards. The date and place were still unknown.

-Oh my god...

With a quick glance at the comments section, she noticed that she was not the only one shocked by the announcement. Obviously the article had only just been published, and the joy of the concert became an emotional torrent. Some people were even afraid of the end of the group.

A thud was heard at the exit of the break room and the door flew almost suddenly under the weight of a person. She was a colleague of Rumi's.

-RUMI! HAVE YOU SEEN THE NEWS?!!!! She screamed, mocking that people were looking at her.

"I just have, yes."

"TELL ME YOU'RE GOING TO PARTICIPATE TO THE AUDITION!"

-No thank you! She replied, “I don't have anything special to offer them, I don't want to become an idol, and seriously? Me, in the middle of the Huntrix? I'm going to faint on stage the second I go to see them.”

With that she stood up and left the room, her colleague, Lucy, still on her heels.

"You are desperate! You perform in clubs, you're not afraid of the stage. This is bullshit.”

Rumi stopped immediately, which led his colleague to run into her.

"Don't talk about that here," she growled, “people know that I sing but they don't need that details.”

"I know, you don't want it to be known. That's why I waited until we were alone. But more seriously, you're Sain-geom! One of the best singers of the Syndrome and The A! You're, like, clearly above most of the ninnies who are going to participate.”

"Don't exaggerate please.”

“You're kidding?! You play to a full house, you have a fanbase, you score well on music platforms. I'm even sure you've already been contacted by groups, and you'll even get an invitation for the audition!”

Rumi rolled her eyes. Since she had asked Lucy to bring her to a concert once because she couldn't go on her own, she had earned the right to know her double life known to someone from her job. Lucy was just supposed to bring her and she hadn't planned for the young woman to stay put and attend her performance. In order to ensure her anonymity, Rumi systematically asked for lighting that concealed her, but her colleague had immediately spotted the huge braid whose the tip almost swept the ground.

When she left the concert, Rumi was greeted by her colleague, who couldn't stand still. This moment of meeting with a "fan" had pleased Rumi and she had been reassured that she agreed to keep the secret. But since then she had gained a colleague who never let go of her at the slightest gesture of the Huntrix, of whom she was also a big fan, and who also came to each of her performances. After spending her entire life running from friendship, she enjoyed the relationship she had built outside of work with Lucy. She invited her to take her out of her house, sent her comic reals. For this she was grateful to her and secretly wished it to never end.

Rumi sighed in spite, already preparing to regret what she was about to say.

“I have invitations for the next evening at The A. Do you want us to go together?”

She turned around and looked up at the blonde. She had big, bright eyes and didn't know what to say. It was the first time Rumi had invited her.

"Are you serious?" Are you proposing to me to go with you to a big event?

The other nodded. It would give her a little company and she knew it would make her colleague happy.

“If you want. You're not closing tonight or opening tomorrow, right?” Rumi asked, “because the invitation is valid until tonight.”

"No, I can come! I'll pick you up at home.”

“Perfect! We meet around 9 p.m.”

The two girls went back to work.

At the other end of town, Mira and Zoey took the time to watch the medias with their manager who was passing by their rooftop to talk about the audition. Each post gave them balm in their hearts. They also had the unpleasant transition after Celine's announcement to the Kpop newspaper. People were sad and worried about the future of the group.

"We'll have to bring the good news of a new trick quickly," Bobby said, “otherwise, we may have trouble getting back on our feet.”

"We know," the brunette sadly said, "even for us it's still a difficult stage.”

"Frankly, you can thank Celine on our behalf. A quick goodbye and she leaves us stranded like that.”

"I know," Bobby sighed, “I too was a little disappointed by her attitude. But she has to take care of the rest.”

“When do the auditions start?” Mira asked.

"In two days," the man smiles, “I have started to go through the applications and I am convinced that we will find the person!

“Yes! And we're going to release a new song in the process!”

“And the Huntrix will be a hit as if nothing had happened! I love your optimism, Zoey! I really hope that it will go that way.”

The redhead watched the other two make movies with enthusiasm. She smiled a little as she projected herself on this possibility. But there remained the hunting criterion of their work. And without that, even the best singer wouldn't pass the test.

"We both calm down. The auditions have not even started yet.”

"I know," exclaimed the Maknae, "but I can't wait to be there!”

"I'll leave you girls, I have to go and make sure everything is in place. See you tomorrow!

"Bye Bobby," cried the two in hearts.

The little dark-haired man left with a smile. Fortunately, he was there to boost the morale of the troops.

"Do you want to clear our heads a little to think about something else?" Zoey asked.

"Yes if you want. Is there anything you'd like to do?

“Well, I was thinking that usually it's us who come to see on stage. We could do the opposite for once and go to a club! It would put us in the swing of things for the audition.”

"That's a good idea," Mira agreed.

Deep down, the older one was not thrilled with this evening plan but she was not the type to propose either. She let herself be carried away by her friend and she accepted to please her. Once off the scene, Mira enjoyed staying in the comfort and calm of their apartment for several days. Besides that, Zoey only needed one day off before she wanted to get off the rooftop.

“There's a big show announced at The A. If it happens, we'll have candidates in preview!”

"You're way too optimistic," the other scoffed, “we're just going to have a good time, we're disconnecting.”

The Maknae chuckled at her friend's attitude and they left to prepare for their exit. Zoey wore a little dress and had her hair styled into a single bun while Mira wore a linen tank top with black pants. She had let her hair down and had chosen to wear her glasses. On stage and in interviews, she wore contact lenses, but in her spare time she preferred her glasses. Without correction, it was impossible for her to see less than a meter in front of her without a significant blur bothering her. The colors mixed with each other so well that she sometimes did not see an element far away in the background because the rest covered it. When the two of them went to the beach, Mira was forced to take a point of reference because the first few times she had not been able to find their umbrellas.

They took Mira's car and drove to the city center. Once they were parked, they crossed the few streets that led to the club. There were already people at the entrance and probably just as many inside. Knowing the owner of the place, they were able to enter through a back door and confirm the already significant effervescence of the room.

A band was going wild on stage so that it was impossible to hear each other even by word of mouth. The two singers sat down at a table a little back and ordered a drink.

In the meantime, a duo showed up with turntables and released techno remixes of songs from the 90s. The drinks arrived after the start of their performance. Zoey had taken a non-alcoholic multifruit cocktail, and Mira a cocktail of berries and gin. They toasted to the success of their concert the day before.

In parallel with their moment, Rumi was in full preparation in the dressing rooms. Lucy was next to her, amazed to see a real dressing room, and according to her to be assisting "a future star". Rumi smiled at this. She was far from it, according to her.

"What are you going to sing?"

“Hmmm I was maybe thinking about ‘How it's done’. I know that this song is everywhere and that it must probably gets on people nerves, but it's close to my heart.”

"Then go ahead. We don't care about the others. The important thing is what you need to express. If covering this song is what will motivate you to have fun on stage, then let it be!”

Rumi looked at her, dazed. It was one of the first times that Lucy wasn't just a bubbly bombshell who could lose her thread when she couldn't sit still.

"You're right," the singer smiles.

"Sain-geom, it's your turn in 1 minute."

“All right! I have to go. Wish me luck.”

"I'm sure you're going to tear it all up!"

Rumi went to the stage and waited for the band before to finish their performance. The announcer asked for a thunderous applause for them and sent the rest.

-And now a very special guest! She captivates you every time! You know her, you adore her! Make some noise for Sain-geom!

The crowd started screaming at the top of their lungs, surprising Zoey and Mira who had the impression that the decibels of such enthusiasm were rising higher than most people who had performed on stage.

They turned their gaze to the stage and saw... Nothing at all. They simply discerned a figure while the light was content to avoid it. A music they knew too well was launched. What surprised them the most was that the chosen version had their parts already singing and that the person on stage was only singing Celine's.

Here our voice unwavering

Til our song defeats the night

Making fear afraid to breathe

Til the dark meets the light !

Zoey got up from her chair while Mira had her mouth wide open. What was happening on stage was surreal. The souls of the crowd began to shine brightly and the Honmoon was coming to life.

Run, run, we run the town !

Whole world playing our sound

Turnin’ up, is going down !

The strings of the Honmoon began to waltz around Rumi as the hype of the crowd increased with the arrival of the end of the song. Mira got up too, much more brutally from her chair to the point of sending it flying. She leaned with all her strength against the railing, hoping that it was her poor eyesight that was playing tricks on her with the lights in the room.

Gold.

There was gold on the Honmoon's lines.

This girl in front of them was literally summoning a Golden Honmoon.

All by herself.

We hunt you down

Down, down, down

We got you now, now, now, now !

We show you how, how, how

Huntrix don’t miss !

How it’s done, done, done !

From her feet came a wave of gold that did not remain, but that the other two followed with their eyes before staring at each other in amazement. They wanted to shout out their feelings to each other but the volume of the crowd was close to that of a hurricane. People were crying, asking for more, screaming with the few voices they had left that they loved her. A hype similar to their concert’s one.

Rumi bowed to thank the crowd and at that moment the two saw something interesting. What seemed to be in the dark like a huge endless braid came to pass by the Honmoon still boiling. And they finally got a clue about this mysterious singer. Lavender hair. Now it's up to them to be smarter than this girl who seemed not to want to be recognized to find her.

Without consulting each other, they rushed to the wings. They peeked into every corner, looking at every band and artist. And suddenly they saw a vague lavender color pass around the corner. They set off after her.

"Sain-geom! Hold on!”

Rumi had the reflex to turn her head towards the person who was calling out to her, and everything seemed to stop around her. Like a slow motion that would take too long, her eyes widened as she realized what was happening. The Honmoon pulsed with joy around the two arrivals, as if delighted that they were finally here while they were also shocked.

“You are–“

Rumi put her hands in front of her mouth and took a step back, quickly looking around to see if there was a possible escape. She must have been dreaming. She couldn't have the two singers of Huntrix in front of her.

-Mira and Zoey...

-Wow you recognized us despite the fact that we changed our appearance a little!” Zoey exclaimed, “you see Mira, I told you that your Clark Kent technique was bull.”

"It usually works," muttered the other, “anyway, that's not what we're here for. We wanted to talk about your cover.”

“I'm sorry if this song disappointed you-“

"It was incredible, you mean!” The little brunette continued to exclaim, “you have a great voice and the audience was completely caught up in the game. You animated your performance as we do on stage. And we felt that you were giving your whole heart in each words.”

Rumi's cheeks had turned slightly red. To take such a compliment in the face from the person who literally wrote the lyrics she had just sung was disconcerting. She didn't know what to say or where to stand. She hesitated between running away, fainting, catching fire on the spot if possible, or disappearing. The redhead next to her noticed her and smiled a little.

"Hey Zoey, calm down a little. You're right, but I think your enthusiasm is a little too aggressive.”

"Oh yes, you're right! I think the energy of the room rubbed off on me. But I think it was a great job and we absolutely had to see you.

"About what?" Rumi managed to say.

"To congratulate you," Mira replied, "but also because we wanted to offer you to participate in the auditions to be the next member of the group. Not just recommending it to you, a real invitation from us.”

Rumi put her hand in front of her mouth to avoid answering no matter what his brain was ready to declare with the panic and leaned against the wall, slightly trembling. Everything was unleashed in her mind, her joy at having been noticed by her idols, her fear of disappointing, her visceral fear of putting herself in danger in their presence, and the shock of telling herself that she must be dreaming.

"Hey, hey," the choreographer worried as she moved closer, “don't faint, take a deep breathe. I know it seems unrealistic to you as a situation but we were convinced that it's someone like you that we need. We're not going to drag on here and make you even worse but really, think about our proposal. Honestly, you would have a very good chance of being chosen.”

Rumi let out a long sigh to give herself courage and nodded. She knew she was signing her death warrant but she took the risk. And Mira's reassurance gave her confidence.

“All right. I'll come... but... I'm ashamed to say it, but your band and Celine's are mainly the only ones I dare to sing.”

"It perfect for us," smiled the brunette who was scribbling on a page of a notebook she tore up right after, “we know it's going to be a great time.”

With that, Zoey stepped forward and shook her hand. She left smiling while Mira nodded to her with a "see you soon" as she left. Rumi turned her attention back to her hand, which had a paper in it. A phone number, Zoey's in view of the "call me" on it, and an address: the place of the audition

Unlike earlier, Rumi took a deep breath and brought her hand close to her heart. Tears welled up as she joined Lucy. She tried to understand what had put her in such a state but she capitulated and preferred to bring her back without asking any more questions. She thanked her for the invitation and encouraged her not to linger too long. Rumi also thanked her for her kindness and went home.

Once in her apartment she slid against the door and exploded in tears, her hands gripping the arms she knew were marked.

“What... What happened... Why did this meeting shake me so much... Why did I believe for a second that they were going to accept me among them?”

Around her, the Honmoon covered the walls and released a reassuring light. He covered the piece of paper she was still holding near her.

"I'm pathetic... Obviously it's not going to work... But I'll try even if it's the last thing I do.”

On the other side of town, the girls' laid-back, self-confident attitude eased as soon as they set foot in the apartment. Mira leaned with one hand against the bar in the entrance while Zoey took a seat on one of the high tables.

“What was that?” Zoey asked. “Damn, Mira doesn't tell me that I was the only one of us to think about that.”

“If by ‘that’ you mean that you wanted to take her in your arms to reassure her and leave with her on your shoulder, then no you weren't the only one. This girl... Shit, we didn't even ask her name, she reminded me so much of you when we met. She sings like us because she lived like us. You could see it in her eyes...”

"But if she doesn't see the Honmoon."

"Frankly, we don't care. He reacts anyway, she seems to have a great talent, and then...”

Mira sighed and the two let go at the same time.

"She's adorable."

---

In his dark, cold hell that not even his flames could warm, Gwi-ma growled. Above him had passed a wave of golden Honmoon, which caused his brazier to swell with anger despite its low strength due to the lack of souls. The other demons trembled with fear, knowing exactly that the fateful day had just arrived.

"Then she shows herself at last...Almost twenty-five years in the human world and not a single one of you has been able to put the grapple on it. BANDS OF INCOMPETENTS!! Because of the ineptitude of all of you, this hybrid is finally ready to end our world! She is able to summon a Golden Honmoon! If she manages to make it shine in its entirety, it will be over for us!”

A small laugh echoed among the panic of the demons. A man dressed in black, followed by a blue tiger with flaming eyes, came to the altar of the Demon King, joined by four other people.

"Don't worry... My friends and I have the solution".