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Chapter Text

There was something in the way Rumi acts when she's around kids. 

Especially those who reminded her so much of herself. 

Zoey and Mira would be deep into conversation when they'd realize that their girlfriend was not in step with them anymore. Then they would find Rumi from behind, crouched down on the level of a child, eyes soft and voice gentle. 

It was in the way she held herself that had them mesmerized. The softer tone she'd use when she's speaking, soothing touches that makes the honmoon hum happily, the way she'd let them talk her ears off as if she has all the time in the world for them. The glint in her eyes that made them almost cry.

It was in the way she'd willingly let them trace the patterns on her skin, once glowing magenta, now dulled into white strips like healed battle scars to the wandering eye.  

Rumi had only let Zoey and Mira touch them. While she was comfortable wearing clothes that exposed the patterns ever since they defeated Gwi-Ma and restored the honmoon, there were times when they'd find her covered in hoodies, fingers pulling down the sleeves incessantly as if it would make the patterns disappear. 

And so to see her willingly let the children touch her with gentle and admirable fingers, it made Zoey and Mira's heart ache painfully in their chest to see her freely interact with children as opposed to others who can easily judge her. 

Not that Rumi was ever rude to older fans who would ask why she got them done, or how Rumi would flinch then hide it with a polite smile when they'd reach out to touch. Children, they realized, was always the exception: besides them, of course. 

They were aware now of how Celine knew about Rumi being half-demon and proceeding to do the things she did to Rumi. While they understand why she had to do it, they were upset that Celine treated Rumi the way she did. And they understood that Rumi interacting with children who reminded them so much of herself heals some part of herself, albeit not all but enough to remind herself why she was still here; half-demon or not. 

So when they saw the pinch between her eyebrows and the frown forming on her lips, they quickly walked back towards her. 

“Everything alright?” Zoey asked, eyeing the purple haired woman and the small child in front of them. 

“She doesn't have anyone.” 

Mira and Zoey looked at Rumi who was already standing at full height, her large hand wrapped on a tiny hand as she looked back at them. 

“She doesn't have anywhere to go.” She added and they immediately understood what she was trying to say. 

We can't leave her. Not like this. 

With a quick look at Mira, Zoey crouched down, smiling slightly when the tot hid behind Rumi's legs. Rumi's hand immediately brushes against the child's hair in silent comfort. 

“Hey there,” she greeted softly, waving so as not to scare the child. “I'm Zoey, and this is Mira. What's your name?” 

Peeking from Rumi's legs, Zoey gawked at the child. She looked to be two to three years old with big brown eyes and dark long hair tied in pigtails. Her clothes were torn in some places, scrapes on her knees, and shivering from the cold. 

Zoey's heart gave a painful tug. 

“Jiwoo.” The tot answered. Mira crouched down beside Zoey and tot instinctively reached out to touch long pink hair. “I like your hair. They pink. I like pink!” 

Mira smiled, heart tugging in her chest as she let Jiwoo card small fingers through pink strands. “Yea? Why don't we get you warmed up, hm?” 

They watched as Mira shrugged her jacket off, draping it over small shoulders that made Jiwoo all the more adorable. Zoey resisted the urge to pinch her cheeks. 

“I think it's best if we report this now and see how it goes.” Mira said quietly as she and Zoey stood. Jiwoo still clung to Rumi's hand like a lifeline. 

Turns out, Jiwoo was an orphan. A runaway that the orphanage didn't bother to report a missing case on. It angered the three women as Rumi held a sleeping Jiwoo in her arms, one hand covering Jiwoo's ear with her head tucked against Rumi's neck as Zoey tried to calm Mira from threatening the police. 

It was apparent that when the police just let them sign some papers that granted them temporary custody of Jiwoo, that they wouldn't let the tot go. 

By the time they arrived home, Zoey was already pulling her phone out to order a bunch of clothes online. Mira went straight to their bedroom to grab some clothes that might fit Jiwoo for the time being while Rumi rubbed a hand down on Jiwoo's back. The tot clinging to her neck tightly when she tried to put her down on the couch.

“No, no leave!” The tot whimpered, and Rumi's heart seized in her chest. The night of when Zoey and Mira found her by the stairwell flashes back to her, the same words echoing with a voice she barely registered as her own. Her arms tightened around Jiwoo as she took a deep breath. 

They were all safe. They still accepted her, half-demon and all. They still loved her. They're still here. 

As if sensing where Rumi's mind had gotten to, Zoey plopped down beside her, Mira not far behind her. 

“Jiwoo, baby.” Rumi cooed softly, still running a hand over the child's back. “Let's get you cleaned up, hm?” 

Together, they woke the child as softly as they could. Their chest tightening when the tot whimpered in their arms, sleepy eyes opening before nuzzling back into the warmth of Rumi's chest. 

“She reminds me a lot of Zoey.” Mira mused, chuckling when the youngest member gasped dramatically, poking a finger on Mira's chest. 

“I don't do that.” Zoey huffed, helping Rumi take the dirty clothes that tot was wearing instead as Mira laughed. Going quiet when they noticed blue and purple marks staining the child's body. 

“Fuck.” Rumi cursed, fingers shaking as she took the last clothing. Her hands hovering over Jiwoo's body. 

Mira felt her skin burn in renowned anger. “I'm going to kill everyone who laid a hand on Jiwoo.” 

“Mama, hurt, hurt!” Jiwoo cried when Rumi dabbed betadine on one of the wounds on her thigh. 

“I'm sorry—I'm sorry. It's gonna be okay, Jiwoo. Just a little more.” 

Carefully, they patched the tot with the first aid kit Mira brought with her. Cleaning the wounds with gentle care as Rumi sang softly to soothe the tot to sleep. Brushing dark hair away as they changed her clothes, one of Zoey's shirts fell just a touch on Jiwoo's toes with one of Mira's boy shorts that they had to tie with a hair tie so it wouldn't fall off. Jiwoo curled in Zoey's arms by the time they finished. 

It was silent for a while. The sound of their breathing syncing in with Jiwoo who still whimpered now and then in her sleep, burying further in Zoey's embrace when one of them brushes a soothing hand over the tots head, cheek, and chest. 

They took turns watching over Jiwoo while the other washed up for bed. By the time they all went to bed, they were knackered. 

“She called you mama.” Zoey said softly, curled up with Jiwoo in between her and Rumi, Mira spooning Rumi from behind. Her hand reached across to pat Jiwoo's chest softly. 

Rumi smiled sadly, brushing a stray strand away from Zoey's face. “She did.” 

Rumi's chest tightened when Jiwoo cried out to her like that. It reminded her so much of when she was crying out to Celine when she was a few years older than Jiwoo, she had a nightmare and she went to Celine for comfort. She remembered the grimace on Celine's face when she called her mama. The conversation they had the following morning. It was the first and last time Rumi ever called her that. 

“How'd that made you feel?” Mira whispered from behind her, fingers now tracing the patterns on Rumi's skin. Rumi relaxed further into Miras arms. 

“Frightened.” She answered easily. “But not in a way that makes my chest hurt. More of like—frightened in a good way. Like it makes me all goey on the inside but scared to fuck up. Does that make any sense?” 

“Absolutely.” Mira replied as Zoey nodded. They've had multiple conversations about their past, their childhood, the good and the bad, and the inbetween. 

“I know we just met her but I don't want to let her go.” Zoey said, sliding a finger down on the smooth skin of Jiwoo's cheek. The tot leaning unconsciously into the touch. 

“Me too.” 

“Me three.” 

They giggled as silence fell between the soft snores coming out of the tot. They admired the tiny creature between them. Their hearts grow, making room for one more that appeared unexpectedly in their life. 

“So that's a yes then?” Zoey asked, eyes wide with hope and when the other two nodded, eyes soft and smiles big. Zoey resisted the urge to squeal, taking Rumi and Mira's intertwined hands in hers instead, and pressing the softest kiss on Jiwoo's temple. “I love our family.”

“I love you too.” Rumi mumbled, kissing their knuckles as Zoey giggled. 

Mira nuzzled against Rumi's neck as she mumbled against the patterned skin, “I love our family too.” 

They didn't realize it, but their lives just changed for the better. 

Chapter Text

Adopting Jiwoo was easy. 

The next day they contacted Bobby as soon as they woke up, letting the man know what happened and what they wanted to do. It helped that they had temporary custody over Jiwoo already, making it easier to apply for a full adoption after checking everything that might hinder the process. The orphanage readily handed every file they had on Jiwoo, including possible relatives that are still alive. But none of Jiwoo's biological family wanted to do anything with the tot. Which is frustrating yet all the more reason for Mira to plot their demise while simultaneously wanting to thank them that Jiwoo would be theirs soon. After a couple of months of court trials and house inspection, Jiwoo was officially theirs. Naming them three as the tots' adoptive mothers. 

Jiwoo hasn't called any of them the M word yet though, other than that one time she cried out to Rumi the night they took her in. 

They were currently sifting through the mountain of gifts Bobby bought for his pseudo-grandchild. Clothes in various styles, toys that range from princess dresses where Jiwoo would clap and babble when her mother's matched hers, a mini kitchen that saw Zoey more than the tot, toy blocks that were discarded on one side of Jiwoo’s room, to mini cars and toy guns that Mira and Rumi would mostly use to shoot an unsuspecting Zoey, legos that they stepped on far too many times and has Mira wanting to throw it out if not for the tots weird attachment to it, books that Zoey may or may not have read for her own entertainment, and some things they needed for the tots room. 

A mini jukebox that played Huntrix’s songs, a toddler bed that was low enough for Jiwoo to climb in and out of and big enough to fit three other kids (meaning her mothers when they wanted to sleepover the tots room), a pink potty trainer now nestled in the bathroom and a tiny toothbrush alongside theirs, quilts and bed sheets that has turtle prints on it (Zoey likes to pretend that she didn't know anything about it when they asked). 

So far, everything was good.

Jiwoo still slept beside them every night. Making it harder for the trio to spend some time on their own. Though, they wouldn't change it for the world when those tiny arms were wrapped around them with drool staining their sleep shirts. Rumi, oftentimes, finds herself to be the victim when she would wake to find Jiwoo sleeping on her chest, the tots and Zoey's drool dripping on her shirt with Mira's arms wrapping around them protectively. 

They claimed that Rumi was just that warm when she brought it up, holding her wet shirt like evidence to a crime scene. 

Zoey's squeals of happiness snaps Rumi out of her thoughts as she watches the younger woman lift a tiny shirt. Their faces printed on it, and Zoey immediately snatched the tot from Mira's lap, changing Jiwoo's shirt as quickly as she could with a wriggling child. 

“YOU. ARE. SO. ADO—RA—BLE.” Every word punctuated with a wet smack on Jiwoo's cheeks. The tot squealed happily as Zoey rained kisses on Jiwoo, blowing raspberries on the tots tummy for good measure. 

It was times like these that deciding to adopt Jiwoo was worth it. The smile on the tots lips brings more joy than anything Rumi has ever felt. Not even winning awards could ever beat the smile on Rumi's face when faced with their daughter. 

Rumi's heart ached painfully. Her heart grew ten times bigger as Mira dropped a bucket hat on Jiwoo's head. 

“I'm telling you, she looks like Zoey's mini me.” Mira said, snapping pictures of Zoey and Jiwoo in their merch and Zoey's bucket hat that fell on Jiwoo's eyes. Rumi reached out to fix it. 

“She does.” Rumi agreed, smiling at the sight of them so comfortable and gentle, and so full of love for their newest addition. 

She wonders what their life would have been like had they not stumbled upon Jiwoo on that fateful night. 

Rumi decides that she wouldn't even let herself think of a life without Jiwoo when this is the kind of sight she wanted to wake up to everyday. Three of the most important people in her life, all in the same space, comfortable, happy, and safe. 

It was when the bucket hat had tilted on a small head, tiny sticky hands framing Zoey's face, and a smile so wide they couldn't help but smile back that their world stopped for the briefest of moments. 

Well, Zoey's world to be exact. 

Because as big brown eyes stared back at her, she felt her breath get knocked out of her lungs as the words fell from Jiwoo's mouth. 

“Eomma.” 

The air stilled, Mira's camera flashing once as their jaw dropped. Not knowing what was happening around her, Jiwoo patted Zoey's cheek in a way only toddlers would do. Unsuspecting, affectionate, even when they were smacking a little harder to call it a pat. 

“Eomma, eomma.” Jiwoo babbled once more, shrieking when Zoey suddenly stood, twirling around with Jiwoo secured in her arms as she jumped up and down. 

“DID YOU HEAR THAT, DID YOU HEAR THAT, DID YOU HEAR THAT? JIWOO CALLED ME EOMMA!” Zoey squealed, pressing another sloppy kiss on the tots face. 

“Hey unfair! I was the one who changed your diaper and all Zoey did was kiss you, and you call her eomma?” Mira sulked, but the twitch of her lips betrayed what she was feeling. 

The sight alone made her want to cry.

“Maybe you should kiss her too so Jiwoo could finally call you mama.” Rumi teased and Mira scowled playfully, launching at Rumi to kiss her instead. The former almost toppled over at the sudden weight as she laughed at Mira's antics, hands steadying Mira by the hips. “I MEANT JIWOO, NOT ME!”

“What's wrong with kissing my girlfriend?” Mira asked innocently, pressing sloppy kisses on Rumi's face. “Maybe if I kiss you hard enough, you'd call me mommy too.” 

Rumi's face went red instantly, her patterns flashing at the words as Mira laughed. Her girlfriends would be the death of her if they aren't careful enough. Thankfully, Zoey interjected before she could utter a word. 

“WE WANT KISSES TOO!” 

“You have Jiwoo to kiss. Let me have Rumi.” Mira pouted, pushing Zoey away. The sounds of their bickering and Jiwoo's giggles filled the air. 

“EVERYBODY GETS KISSES!”

And as her girlfriends and daughter settled their weight on her, even if she could hardly breathe, Rumi decided that she would want to stay in this moment forever.

Chapter Text

Mira was having a bad day. 

They were practicing for the new choreo for what felt like a millennium. Her bones were aching, muscles screaming for reprieve, and brain fried from coming up with new steps. The dance practice wasn't going as planned.

Suffice to say, Mira wasn't having a splendid time. 

“Maybe we should take a break and get back to it tomorrow.” Rumi offered gently, handing her a bottle of water. 

“We don't have time for a break, Rumi.” Mira snapped, feeling bad instantly as she reached out for Rumi's hand. The latter simply squeezed back in assurance. “I'm sorry.”

“I will accept your apology as long as you agree to take the rest of the day off.”

“But—”

“Ah, ah, no buts. It's either you rest or you sleep on the couch. Alone.” Rumi looked serious and Mira definitely didn't want to sleep on the couch without her girls.

Sleeping with Rumi and Zoey by her side has made the nightmares go away. Adding Jiwoo into the equation has Mira wanting to cuddle all the time. 

So for Rumi to say that, it made her want to obey and defy her girlfriend at the same time in favor of repeating their choreo. However, Rumi's intense glare made her pause as Zoey bounces back in the room with arms full of snacks. 

“SNACK TIME!”

“Rest or couch, Mira. Your choice.” Rumi muttered, eyes sharp before walking over to Zoey and kissing the youngest member softly on the lips. “Let me help you with that, love.” 

Mira's decision was already made. 

“Hey, save some for me!” 

By the time they arrived home, bellies full and bone tired, little patters of feet made its way to the entrance hall. 

And before Mira could react, Jiwoo catapulted into her arms with a loud, “PAPA!” 

Everybody stood still. Not one of the trio breathed as they froze by the door. Scared to shatter the moment as Mira held Jiwoo at arms length, Zoey's eyes widening comically, and Rumi smiling like she expected it. 

It was the look on Rumi's face that had Mira stuttering. 

“Pa—papa?” 

“She was practicing.” Rumi shrugged with a gentle pat on Mira's shoulder and a soft kiss landing on the tots' temple as she passed them by. 

“OH MY GOD MIRA IS SO DADDY CODED!” Zoey shouted excitedly, briefly shaking Mira by the shoulders, blowing a raspberry on Jiwoo's neck that had the toddler giggling and following Rumi inside as they left mother and daughter in the hall. 

Mira tried to call out to them but no words left her mouth. 

Instead, big brown eyes stared back at her. Mira still held Jiwoo at arms length, her own eyes widened in disbelief, heart beating out of her chest, as the tot stayed still. As if knowing that her mother is still trying to process what just happened. 

Papa. The title slipping out of Jiwoo's mouth almost had Mira in tears. She didn't care that she was papa. She didn't care if her daughter thought calling Mira papa was another synonym to mother. She didn't care for titles anyway. Titles and honorifics are made to satisfy society's need for acceptance. 

She wouldn't admit it to anyone but Mira was jealous of the tot calling her girlfriends mama and eomma respectively. 

Mira was just happy that Jiwoo finally called her something other than just staring at her with those big boba eyes. 

“Papa?” Jiwoo asked, voice small, eyes starting to water and Mira's own eyes widened comically as tiny lips quivered. A telltale sign of an impending breakdown and Mira quickly hugged the tot to her chest. 

“Yes, baby, I'm papa—please don't cry, your mothers will not be happy with me when you start crying and I want to keep sleeping in the same bed as them.” Mira cooed frantically. Bouncing the tot in her arms like it was the only thing that would soothe her daughter when an idea popped in her head. “Let's go watch some turtles.”

Just like clockwork, Jiwoo brightened at the mention of the animal, reminding Mira awfully of one of her girlfriends, the tot now bouncing happily in Mira's arms as she clapped and pointed at the living room. 

Definitely Zoey's mini me. 

“Papa, twetle, twelte?” Jiwoo asked as Mira set up the TV. One of Zoey's turtle documentaries was already on display waiting to be played as they settled on the couch. The tot bouncing on Mira's lap. 

“Yes, kid. Turtles.” Mira relaxed against the couch, Jiwoo's back on her chest as the documentary started. 

It was quiet save for the TV and Jiwoo cooing and babbling every now and then. Wide eyes darted from the TV to her pink haired mother who listened with rapt attention, even though Mira couldn't understand most of the words bubbling out of the tots mouth. 

Not that she minded, of course. She still responded accordingly just to see the twinkle in Jiwoo's eyes shine brighter. 

It was in this space alone with their daughter and her girlfriends hiding somewhere that Mira felt like she finally had a family. 

A family who loved her no matter what. Girlfriends who stayed and cared for her. A daughter who made her chest ache in the most wonderful way possible. 

Mira decided that she wouldn't trade any of this for the world if it meant having her girls in her life for as long as they possibly want. 

And with that thought, she settled comfortably on the couch, one hand brushing along dark hair while the other held the tot firmly to her chest. 

When Rumi and Zoey emerged from their bedroom hours later, they found Jiwoo pressed against Mira's chest, drool slipping from tiny mouth and small fists clenched onto Mira's shirt. Their girlfriend was asleep, arms wrapped protectively over the tot as if afraid that Jiwoo might be gone when she woke up.

Zoey snapped a picture, cooing silently as she and Rumi tried to fight back tears and high fived instead.  

Mission accomplished.

Chapter Text

The concert was a success as expected. 

Fanbase growing, sales skyrocketing, their number one spot on billboard hasn't been replaced, the honmoon was happy, they were happy.

Everything was perfect. 

The moment they went backstage, they were speeding towards the tot bouncing on Bobby's shoulders, cat ear defenders covering her ears as the sounds of happy squeals and loud banter filled the air. 

“I'm gonna beat you girls!” Zoey yells, shorter legs catching up to Rumi and Mira's longer strides. “Jiwoo is gonna pick me, just you wait and see.”

“Let's see about that.” Mira mused, pulling Rumi's collar back with a yank, almost choking her girlfriend in the process. “Oops, sorry babe.” Mira smirked, not completely sorry as she walked faster. The tot was just within reach when—

“MAMA!” 

Mira dropped on her knees helplessly on the ground, Zoey laughing loudly from behind as Rumi scooped the tot in her arms, blowing raspberries on Jiwoo's tummy before nuzzling the tots face with hers. 

“We're your mothers too, you know that right?” Mira huffed, pressing a kiss to Jiwoo's temple. Not being able to resist the adorable face of their daughter. 

“She clearly has a favorite.” Zoey said, mirroring Mira as she brushed fallen strands from Jiwoo's face. 

“She's an angel.” Bobby smiled, watching his girls shower love towards the tiny child in Rumi's arms. 

“Thank you for watching her for us, Bobby.” Rumi smiled back, reaching to squeeze Bobby's hand in hopes that he'd feel how grateful she was of him.

Out of the three women, Rumi was the least expressive through physical touch. More so than Mira, apparently the pink haired woman would hide her emotions through sarcastic remarks and nonchalant mumbles than openly show her emotions. 

But if you're Rumi, Zoey and Jiwoo? Best believe that Mira would rather melt under the overwhelming love than hide anything from them. 

“Yea, Bobby. Thank you.”

“Thank you, Bobby!” Zoey grinned, waving one of Jiwoo's hand at their manager. “Can you say thank you to Bobby, little love?”

Following her mother's prompt, Jiwoo turned to Bobby and gave him a toothy smile, pigtails bouncing as she bowed in Rumi arms. “Fenk you, ankwi Bobby!” 

All hearts within the vicinity bursted with adoration as the girls and Bobby cooed at the tot, loving the attention they were giving her. 

Not far from where they stood lurked a figure, contemplating whether or not to approach them as she stared at the sight in front of her. 

Celine. 

She came to congratulate the group for their success and for keeping the honmoon strong, and to maybe talk to Rumi. But there was something in the way Rumi stood that made her second guess her decision. 

The purple haired woman wore a sleeveless jumpsuit, her patterns on full view for people to see. The patterns that Celine had told Rumi to cover up time and time again because no one would accept her for being half-demon. 

She clearly underestimated Zoey and Mira. 

Mira had an arm wrapped around Rumi's waist as she spoke while Zoey made faces at the child Rumi was carrying, laughing when the toddler squealed between them. A patterned hand brushing against a tiny head. Celine could distinctly make out the smile on Rumi's face. 

Of course, Celine knew of Jiwoo's existence, thanks to Bobby keeping her in the loop especially when they decided to adopt the child. While Celine had questioned the girls and talked about responsibilities to raising a child, Celine promptly ignored the way Mira, Zoey, and Bobby would hover and surround Rumi every time they were all in the same room. Or the way their eyes would narrow for a brief moment, an emotion flashing over their features before disappearing as quickly as it came. 

But Celine, for all the time she had spoken to them, had never seen the child in person or in pictures. Until now.

While the media had a field day with the news of Huntrix adopting a child. It was made clear to everyone that whoever leaks or exposes the child's face and identity will be sued for millions of dollars. A precaution that the girls made when they drafted the statement to keep Jiwoo safe. 

And thankfully, the media and the fans respected their wishes. 

As Celine stared hard at the child, she couldn't help but see the resemblance the tot has with her adoptive mothers. 

The ear defenders were still propped on the tots head. From where Celine could see, Jiwoo has Zoey's black hair that was styled identically like Rumi's, black strands falling down in waves, and has Mira's jawline and nose. But it was the eyes that had Celine taking a second to breathe. 

They looked exactly like Rumi's.

But instead of the longing Celine would often see in Rumi's eyes whenever she would look at her. Celine could only see the joy and happiness radiating off of the toddler. Babbling and shrieking happily in the presence of her mothers. 

And somehow the sight alone made Celine's chest ache. 

The toddler reminded her so much of Rumi. When she wasn't eaten by shame, by the words Celine uttered that circled her mind. When Celine wasn't trying to flinch every time she'd see Rumi's marks spreading against her skin. When Celine cared more for Rumi than the thought of the child being half-demon.

But her duty as a hunter always comes first.

And yet the same duty is where she lost her best friends, one died of childbirth while the other severed contacts. 

Losing Rumi felt like she had lost Miyeong all over again. And Celine knew she was at fault. The reason why they were no longer a constant presence in her life. 

And as she stared at Rumi, her smile so wide from the distance, body leaning against Mira's comfortably, and one hand holding Zoey's. It was then she decided to let Rumi go, and by default, she's letting Miyeong go too. 

And maybe it was better this way. Who knows, maybe someday, they'd be able to sit and talk without the past weighing them down. 

Maybe someday, Celine could properly meet Jiwoo and Rumi could forgive her. 

Maybe someday, she'd be able to go to Miyeong’s grave and live life like she should've had. 

But for now, they let the past go and let time heal all wounds. 

Unbeknownst to Celine as she turned to leave, taking a second to picture the sight of them all happy in her head, familiar brown eyes watched her go. 

And for the first time in a long time, both hearts felt lighter than it ever did before.  

Chapter Text

There was a shuffle, the screen was black for a brief moment, a giggle, and then a familiar face came into view. 

“Hey guys!” Rumi greets, waving at her phone as she watches the views go up by the second, comments flooding her screen. “How's everyone doing?” 

More comments flooded the screen as she laughed. 

“Sorry guys, it's just me today. Mira and Zoey are out buying snacks and I'm on baby duty.” She grins, looking up to find Jiwoo quietly playing on the corner with her beloved legos. “So it's just me and our little one for now.” 

‘Aww bonding time!’

‘I hope you and the little one will have lots of fun!’

‘You're such a good mom, Rumi! <3’

The last comment made her heart thud. While raising a child is no easy feat, having two people you love help raise said child makes things easier and for tasks to be delegated faster. 

There were no assigned tasks when it came to caring for Jiwoo. Oftentimes, they'd be trying to get the tot to spend time with them individually. Mira and Zoey bickering while the tot watched in Rumi's lap. Eyes wide and tiny fingers making grabby hands. Most times, she would find a slumbering Jiwoo strapped on Mira's chest, or the tot couch rotting with Zoey watching turtle documentaries. 

When one of them were too busy to spend time with the rest for the day, they'd make sure that the other would make up for lost time the next day.

Which is why Rumi is here alone with Jiwoo. 

She had been busy shooting for a solo activity that by the time she got home, she was practically fast asleep on the couch. 

Jiwoo had missed her mama. 

Rumi knows she's a good mom. Zoey and Mira would tell her all the time. The happy smile on Jiwoo's face and the way the tot would cling to her confirms their words. But sometimes, when everything is too overwhelming to process, she forgets that she's important and loved too. 

Rumi smiles at the comment. 

“Thanks guys. It means a lot.” She chuckles. “While we wait for Zoey and Mira to come back, I decided that I want to cover a song for you guys. If that's alright with you?” 

She laughs openly at the comments as she grabs the microphone beside her. The screen is already displaying the song waiting to be sung, and Rumi hits play before she can second guess herself. 

The soft sounds of the piano playing fills the room, Rumi spots Jiwoo perking from her seat on the floor. 

As the piano melody rings out softly, 

I close my eyes and lean against the music

I start the story like this

Memories of the past comes to mind, mhm

Why did it hurt so much? Yea

Flashes of Rumi when she was younger, Celine hot and cold with a firm grip on her shoulder, Rumi wondering whether it was to keep her away or to pull her close. 

The closer my dream gets

The need to strengthen the honmoon so her patterns could finally disappear. 

Fear overcomes me, no no

The desperation clawing out of her chest when the patterns start to spread. 

You came to me like that when I was lost

I prayed that you would take me away

The relief she felt when she saw Mira and Zoey standing there, and how it wasn't them on that stage. 

Oh, then there's you, who makes me find the secrets

Oh, it's you, the precious word that I have hidden deep in my heart

The chill on her spine when they held their weapons at her, patterns flashing angrily as she begged them not to go. 

Since when, in the endless trials

Your eyes whisper to me that it's okay, yeah

The way they apologized and made her believe that she was still loved, worthy, safe. The assurances that never wavered when the nightmares would come and the tears made way for guilt and shame. The way Jiwoo would look at her like she was still hanging the stars and the moon for her. The way each girl would shower her with affection and compliments, the fingers tracing her patterns softly, murmured words pressing against her skin. 

I love you

As the song came to an end, it was quiet. It took a minute for Rumi to feel her surroundings, her voice echoing against the room, breathing a little heavy from the sudden emotions rushing through her. Pain, nostalgia, shame, exhaustion, happiness, longing, safety, love. 

And then, just like all the time Rumi felt overwhelmed, a sweet voice comes through the fog.

“Mama?” 

Rumi didn't realize that her eyes were closed until she looked at the tot, small hands patting on her wet cheeks. She didn't even know she was crying as she quickly wiped her tears. 

“Mama hurt?” The tot asked again, lips starting to quiver at her silence and Rumi finally snapped from her thoughts. 

“No, no.” She quickly assured, making sure the tots face wasn't visible as she pulled Jiwoo into a hug. “Mama's okay, baby.”

“She better be or I'll light the microphone on fire for making you sing like that.” 

Both heads turned to Mira, tears glistening in her eyes as she set a bag of snacks down. Rumi didn't even realize that her girlfriends were already back as Jiwoo perks in Rumi's arms at the sight of her mothers. Zoey was already rushing over, the bags she was carrying were now discarded on the floor as she bolted towards Rumi and Jiwoo, arms wrapping around them in a tight hug. 

“You okay?” Zoey asked, burying her face on the crook of Rumi's neck. The purple haired woman smiled, feeling her heart stutter as she ran a hand over Zoey's neck and nodded. 

“Hmm, Jiwoo kept me company.” 

“You sure?”

“Hundred percent, Zo.” 

“EOMMA, eomma, miss you!” 

Zoey and Rumi laughed, the former taking the tot from Rumi's arms before planting a soft kiss on her girlfriend's cheek, giggling when the tot started leaving sloppy kisses on Zoey's face. 

“I miss you too, my sweet baby!" 

The tot giggled, patting Zoey's cheek as they brushed their noses against each other. Her face lit up when she finally saw Mira walking towards them, cap still on her head. “UP, PAPA, UP!” 

Mira took the tot from Zoey, throwing her lightly in the air and catching her with steady hands. Shrieks of laughter filling the space as Mira cooed softly at their daughter, peppering kisses on the giggling child. Zoey and Rumi watched the duo tenderly, the former dropping a kiss on Rumi's shoulder. 

And then Zoey noticed that Rumi was still live streaming.

“OH, hi everyone!” She waved, angling the camera towards her and Rumi though Mira's lower body and Jiwoo's legs could still be seen in the background. “Didn't see you guys there.” She chuckles, eyes scanning the comments.

‘OMG THEIR KID CALLS THEM MAMA EOMMA AND PAPA??? WHEN IS IT GONNA BE MY TURN?!’

‘Such an adorable family’ 

‘Guys, I don't think they remembered that Rumi was still live streaming xD’

‘Who hurt my baby Rumi >:(‘ 

‘I wanna call Huntrix my parents too’

‘Adopt me next!’ 

Mira quickly ducks down the screen, her cap now sitting atop the tots head, face hidden as a small hand pats one of Zoey's space bun. “Hey guys, I gotta kidnap my family now. I love you, bye!”

“MIRA!” 

Mira only shrugged, Jiwoo babbling on her hip, as she sauntered over the snacks. “What? Either you end the live or we're gonna finish this all without you.” 

Rumi and Zoey quickly said their goodbyes and ended the live without a second thought, both toppling over one another to reach their girlfriend and daughter. 

The live went viral for too many reasons to count, making Huntrix the talk of the world once again. 

Chapter Text

The first time Jiwoo met Derpy and Sussy was rather…interesting to say the least. 

All three moms were still asleep. Jiwoo was finally able to sleep on her own for a couple of hours the past week and has learned to climb in and out of her bed in ungodly hours to slip in one of her mother's arms. Only for them to find the tot tangled in their arms the next morning. 

This time however, as the clock ticked 3:00 am, the toddler was just about to slide off the bed when she heard a shuffle by her wardrobe, and then a muffled thud followed by more shuffling. 

And just like most toddlers do, they would hide in fear of a monster in their closet under their blanket or run towards their parents room crying because there's a monster in their room. 

But Jiwoo isn't like most children. 

Jiwoo simply stared at the closet, her nightlight drawing patterns on the closed door, illuminating the room enough to see. 

When another thud sounded inside, the tot walked curiously to her closet, small hands sliding the door open to reveal what was making the sound. 

At first, all Jiwoo could see were her clothes neatly hung and organized. Nothing amiss for the toddler to notice. 

Until another thud can be heard from behind her. 

And when Jiwoo turned, she gasped. 

There by her hamper, clothes now scattered on the floor, was a big blue cat the size of one of her largest plushies was trying to upright the hamper but failing miserably with each attempt. 

The tot simply stared.

The cat looks funny, Jiwoo thinks. Yellow glowing eyes with fangs protruding on either side of its mouth, a big paw sliding off the hamper with each touch. It looked like one of the big kitties her eomma would watch, and instead of cowering away, Jiwoo took a step and then another, and another. Until she was touching soft fur under her fingertips. 

“Pwetty.” She mumbles, eyes wide in awe as the cat paused from its action, head slowly turning to look at her with those yellow eyes, mouth open to reveal sharp teeth. Jiwoo gasped when the cat bumped its head on her hand, purring loudly. “Pwetty kitty, pwetty kitty.” 

The tot plopped on the floor, fingers carding on the creature's fur, humming happily under her breath. Just when she thought her day could get any better, a small shadowy form lands on the cat's head. Jiwoo paused her petting when three vertical eyes looked back at her, a tiny cap adoring the bird's head. 

A squeal falls from the tots mouth as she lounges forward. Vertical eyes going wide when small hands suddenly snatched the bird in a tight grip. 

“Birdy!” Jiwoo gasps, pressing her cheek on the bird's face. “Pwetty birdy, pwetty kitty, pwetty birdy, pwetty kitty.” Jiwoo chanted, still hugging Sussy to her chest as Derpy now focused back on the hamper, paws trying to set it up. 

Jiwoo turns at the sound and finds the cat's head tilted, still pawing at the hamper. 

“I help kitty!” The tot pushes herself from the floor, and sets the hamper upright, her fallen clothes going back where it once was, Sussy still in Jiwoo's grip. “Kitty I helped!” The tot cheered, Derpy bumps its head on Jiwoo's affectionately in response. “Good kitty.” 

The next morning, they realized that Jiwoo had slept through the night without coming into their room for the first time since they tried to make the tot sleep alone. 

But when they entered the tots room, expecting to see Jiwoo sleeping soundly on the bed, they found the tot sleeping soundly against Derpy instead. Sussy still in the tots grip, eyes wide as if asking for help. 

“I guess that's one way to make her sleep in her own bed.” Zoey said, chuckling at the drool dripping down Derpy's fur as she leaned against Rumi's embrace. 

“She looks so comfortable.” Rumi whispered, heart fluttering in her chest at the content look on Jiwoo's face. 

“Does this mean she wouldn't be climbing in our bed late at night anymore?” Mira asked, eyes wide. 

The trio shared a glance then stifled their laughter so as not to wake Jiwoo. Mira took a picture to add to their never ending photo album, Rumi placing a blanket over the slumbering tot, and Zoey prying small hands from the tight grip she held on Sussy. The bird nipped Zoey's hand affectionately as it flew and rested back on top of Derpy’s head. Sussy letting out a relieved breath. 

Rumi wondered how long Jiwoo was holding onto Sussy and sleeping against Derpy before they found them like that. 

Rumi's thought was answered when the tot woke up hours later and recounted how she met kitty and birdy. Sussy was back in Jiwoo's tight embrace for the remainder of the day with Derpy following around the tot like a shadow. 

Perhaps, it would be okay if they added two more into the family right?

Chapter Text

A quiet moan escapes soft lips, hands wandering around a patterned skin, fingertips dipping low into a waistband, teeth nipping on every exposed skin. 

Mira straddling Rumi on the couch. 

Maybe you're wondering how they ended up like this. It's pretty simple actually. 

Mira was tidying up the toys Jiwoo was playing in the living room while Zoey took the tot to the park. Rumi was somewhere in the penthouse doing whatever it is she was doing. 

Mira was fluffing the pillows when she suddenly felt hands sliding around her waist, warmth enveloping her on her back. 

Naively, Mira thought Rumi just wanted to hug her as she leaned back in Rumi's arms, swaying slightly, shuddering at the warm breath fanning across her neck. And then, not a second later, she felt lips trailing on her skin, leaving hot wet desire in its wake. 

One of the things that changed drastically in their lives when Jiwoo came into their lives was the sex, or lack thereof. Not that they haven't tried to have sex when the toddler was asleep and one of the girls pulled the other two in their room. Sometimes they'd be too tired to do anything but rot in bed after a full day of working and caring for a hyperactive toddler on top of that. 

While quickies were fine so long as the tot was distracted enough to not find them. 

They did miss taking their time exploring and sucking and licking every inch of exposed skin their lips landed on, alternating between making one of them gasp and moan loudly, and whispered words that made them arch into gentle and eager hands—filling the quiet space, nails leaving scars and fingers bruising skin that they wore proudly the next day. 

They love Jiwoo. They absolutely do. They would practically do anything for that kid. But they also missed each other. 

Which is how Mira found herself in Rumi's lap with the latter's mouth mapping her skin and her fingers gripping her hips. Pressing Mira against her like a starved woman. 

When Rumi moves like that, Mira is putty in her hands. 

“Zoey's gonna get mad that we started without her.” Mira moans, fingers scraping against Rumi's scalp as Rumi sucks and bites where Mira's head meets her neck. 

“We'll make it up to her.” Rumi mumbled, one hand raising to grip the back of Mira's neck, tilting her head back as she continued to mark Mira. “She'll understand.”

“What if she doesn't?” 

“Then we'll do everything to make her understand.” Rumi replied, groaning when her fingers dipped past the waistband of Mira's shorts and felt just how wet she was. “Fuck, baby, I miss you.” 

“I miss you too.” Mira whimpers against Rumi's mouth, grinding down on her fingers desperately. It had been too long since either woman had touched her and she wanted the feeling to last as long as possible. 

Just as when Rumi's fingers were sliding inside Mira, slow and torturous. The entrance door suddenly slammed open and the familiar whirlwind of the tots' thundering steps came through. 

“MAMA, PAPA, WE BACK!” 

Mira groaned, leaning her forehead against Rumi's as the latter laughed. Whimpering quietly when Rumi pumps her fingers once, twice, and then pulls out slowly, dragging it out, eyes never leaving hers as Rumi sucked her fingers clean, moaning at the taste of her on her tongue. 

Mira clenched over nothing. 

When Mira tried to move before Zoey could see them, Rumi firmly held her hips to stay, a warning glance as the tot neared. Mira looked panicked for a split second as Jiwoo finally came into view. 

“WOOK MAMA WOOK!” 

Obediently, Rumi looked down at where Jiwoo was pointing at. Lips pulled into a worried frown when she noticed a gauze wrapped on the tots knee. 

“What happened, bubba?” 

The tot babbled on. Pointing at her eomma, who just walked in, and then at her knee. Rumi wiped the tears falling down the tots' cheeks as Jiwoo told her what happened, small hands balancing on her shoulder for support with Mira's hand hovering on the tots' back. 

“We went skateboarding.” Zoey answered when Jiwoo finally calmed down, kissing her mama and papa on the cheek, embracing her eomma’s leg, thanking her loudly with that sweet voice of hers and went to her room to play—arms crossed against her chest as her eyes darted between her girlfriends, narrowing at the disheveled look and swollen lips, and Mira sitting on Rumi's lap. She swallowed the lump forming in her throat. “Shed a few tears. Ice cream worked wonders.” 

Mira tensed. There was something in the tone of Zoey's voice that made her want to kneel and begged for forgiveness. Zoey's face was uncharacteristically stoic as Mira tried to move again but Rumi still held firm as the latter looked at Zoey with a smile. 

“Well I'm glad she's alright.” 

Zoey hummed, eyes catching on the marks blooming on Mira's neck. “Hmm, I'll let you get back to your fun.” 

“Rumi…” Mira whispered, eyeing the youngest worriedly. 

“Shh, this is the fun part.” Rumi whispered, eyes glinting with something molten and dangerous that Mira feared of what she might do. “You don't want to join us?”

Zoey paused, brows furrowed and lips pulled into a thin line. “Aren't you having fun on your own?” 

“But I need you here—now.” 

Zoey and Mira shivered at the low timber of Rumi's voice, she doesn't use it often but when she does, she wields it like a sword waiting to strike. Firm and demanding but with a gentle edge that made room for refusal. Even at times like this, Rumi still made sure that her girlfriends could say no. 

“You're being unfair.” Zoey whined and Rumi perked up from her spot on the couch, face lighting up like Christmas had come early. 

“Did it work?” 

Rolling her eyes, Zoey sauntered over in lieu of an answer. Kissing Mira first, lips pressing slow and tender, nipping lightly at Mira's bottom lip when she pulled away. Chuckling at the dazed look on Mira's face. Then she turned to a smirking Rumi, eyes ablaze with one hand cupping her cheek as Zoey leaned down, devouring Rumi's lips hungrily, teeth clashing and tongues fighting for dominance. Zoey has never felt this starved before. 

A shattered moan causes them to pull away. 

“Bedroom?” Zoey asked. Mira nodding frantically as she stumbles up from Rumi's lap, the latter's hands helping her stand. 

“Why don't you call Bobby and tell him that Jiwoo wants to sleepover, and then we'll take you up with that offer, hm?” Rumi suggested, planting kisses on her girlfriends faces as she went to Jiwoo's room to tell the tot about spending the night at her ankwi Bobby's place. 

Jiwoo's happy cheers could be heard as Zoey messaged Bobby. Receiving a text not long after that saying he was ten minutes away. 

Mira helped the tot pick her toys while Rumi packed her bag and Zoey changed the tots clothes, listening to her babble away. 

Heat coiled in their veins as the seconds ticked by. Zoey and Mira were beginning to be restless when Bobby messaged that he'd be late for a couple of minutes. 

By the time Bobby arrived and left with the tot, arms full of Jiwoo and her bag, everything was chaos. 

Hands started tearing away pieces of clothing, lips pressing on exposed skin, moans and gasps filling the room. 

Their clothes trailing to the bedroom as Rumi made did as she promised. 

When dawn starts to break, and they were panting and sticky with sweat and release, Rumi turned to a half asleep Mira, lips curling lopsidedly with Zoey fast asleep in her arms. 

“Told you we'd make her understand.” 

Mira snorted as she pulled her girlfriends in her arms. Soaking up the seconds before their little tot comes back.

Chapter Text

Everything was fine. Perfect even. They were happy. The honmoon was restored. There were little to no demons slipping through the barrier. They have a daughter who makes life bearable. 

Until Jiwoo started to give Mira and Zoey the cold shoulder. 

The trio had left Jiwoo in Bobby's care for a couple of hours as they were practicing for a new song when the tot suddenly started snubbing her eomma and papa as she clung to Rumi tightly by the time they were finished. 

They didn't know what they did to upset the tot. Zoey was frantically retracing her steps from the moment they had Jiwoo to Mira trying desperately to make amends for something she didn't know she did. Bobby was of no help as he was just as clueless as the girls. 

Jiwoo only wanted her mama. 

Rumi felt bad. Awful, even. For seeing their daughter reject her girlfriends advances. Zoey almost in tears while Mira's jaw clenched at being pushed away. 

And so when Mira and Zoey went out to buy some snacks and to take a breather, Rumi took the chance to speak to the tot.

While Jiwoo could barely string sentences together, the tot was able to put together words about what she wanted and what she's feeling. She could understand them anyway. They made sure of it, with Mira and Rumi teaching Jiwoo korean while Zoey spoke English with the tot. So when the toddler started to speak up more, words barely made any sense. It was up to her mothers to read between the lines. 

“Jiwoo-ah,” Rumi started, watching the tot look up at her with a smile. Rumi couldn't help but smile back as she tucked Jiwoo's stray hairs behind her ear, and then she asked gently. “Why are you mad at eomma and papa?” 

At the mention of her other mothers, Jiwoo's smile turned to a frown. She looked like she didn't understand why her mama was asking her that. “I don wike eomma and papa.” She stated it like a fact. Head tilted confusedly. 

Rumi stared, shocked and a little disturbed by the words falling from their daughters mouth. And so Rumi tried to thread on the topic gently. She didn't want Jiwoo to act this way further with her girlfriends if she said the wrong thing. “Did eomma and papa do something to you?” 

The tot shook her head, black strands whipping around. “No.”

“Then why don't you like them?” 

“Because they hurt mama.” 

Rumi blinked. Her brain ran miles per hour as she tried to think of a moment where Mira and Zoey hurt her. She could only remember the number of times the trio had fought or had a misunderstanding, and that was mostly before Jiwoo came around. They hardly fought now when the toddler was within the vicinity. They merely bickered like what most couples do but they never ever fought anymore. Much less in front of their daughter. 

“They pulled and pulled mama.” Jiwoo continued, not noticing the look on her mama's face. “They hurt mama. I sawed them hurt mama. I don wike eomma and papa hurt mama. Please no mad, mama.” 

Rumi was getting worried as the tot was beginning to get more upset with each word but she also needed to know what's making Jiwoo so upset that she started ignoring her mothers. 

“Jiwoo, baby, can you look at mama?” When the tot finally looked at her, tears formed in her eyes. Rumi took the tot's hands in hers and kissed them. “Mama’s not mad, sweetheart. I just want to know why you think eomma and papa hurt me.” 

Rumi watched the tot stand and run away. Leaving her mama thinking she said the wrong thing when the tot came back seconds later with her tablet. Pushing the device on Rumi's hands for her to open it. 

“Open, mama, open.” The tot said, almost impatient when Rumi took a second too long to put the password in, and once she did, Jiwoo snatched it from her hands as she began to swipe. 

It didn't take long before whatever Jiwoo was looking for started to play. 

Rumi froze. 

It was their performance in the Idol Awards. The familiar tune of Takedown rings loudly in Rumi's ears as the tot raises the gadget close to her mama's face. 

“See mama! Eomma and Papa hurt mama! I don wike mama hurt.” The tot pouted, tears finally spilling down her cheeks as she watches her mothers pull and push Rumi until the video cuts abruptly when she screams. 

This was definitely the first time Rumi had seen the performance from the audience perspective. A memory she didn't want to remember. Celine had told Bobby who told them that the video had been deleted on all social media platforms. They had scrubbed the system for any clips of the performance. Promising that when people would search for it, it wouldn't come up.

And yet—

What are the odds that their daughter had found the very same clip they said that had been deleted from her limited screen time? 

Rumi felt like she was gonna be sick. 

Taking the tot in her arms and throwing the gadget on the couch like it offended her—it most certainly did. She cupped Jiwoo's cheek to look at her, thumb brushing away the tears. 

“Those are eomma and papa's clones.” Rumi said, swallowing the bitter lump forming in her throat as phantom hands ghosts over patterned skin, tearing and tearing and stabbing her deepest fears further until it started to bleed. Rumi tried to push the memory away as she focused on their daughter. “It wasn't them, sweetheart. Eomma and papa will never do that.” 

Jiwoo looked even more confused. If the situation was any other, Rumi would have been laughing. “Why they hurt mama?” 

“It wasn't them, baby. Eomma and papa will never hurt me. They will never hurt you. They love us, okay? I want you to know that your eomma and papa will never hurt you because they love you so so much. These people are not eomma and papa, arasseo?” 

Rumi watched as her words started to sink in. There was still a little crease in between Jiwoo's forehead that Rumi soothed out with her thumb, pressing a soft kiss on top of the tots head as tears began to fall once more. 

Rumi held Jiwoo until their tears subsided. 

The moment the entrance door opened, Jiwoo was already dashing out of Rumi's arms to her mothers defeated figures, crying as she raised her arms for them to carry her. The crying tot startled Mira and Zoey as they quickly dropped the bags and kneeled with the tot's arms wrapping around their necks.

“I SOWWY EOMMA, PAPA I SOWWY!” The tot cried as Mira and Zoey shared a worried glance. Hearts beating out of their chest as Jiwoo continued to sob. “I HURT EOMMA AND PAPA, I SOWWY!”

“Shh, eomma and papa are not mad, Woobear.” Zoey gently said, pushing the tot slightly so she could look Jiwoo in the eyes. “We're just glad that you're not upset with us anymore.” 

“You know that we love you right?” Jiwoo nodded, lips still quivering but at least she stopped crying as Mira wiped the snot and tears from the tot's face. And then hesitantly, Mira asked, “you're not mad at eomma and papa anymore?” 

Jiwoo shook her head. “No mad awimore, papa. I sowwy.” 

“We know you are.” The heavy weight pressing on Mira's chest lightened as she pulled the tot in a tight embrace. Holding her for a second longer before she feels the tot wriggled out and then jumping into Zoey's awaiting arms. “Next time when you get upset with us, you tell us right away okay?” 

The tot nods as she sniffles. “I pwomise, papa. I wub you, papa. I wub you, eomma.”

“We love you too kiddo.” Mira smiled, ruffling Jiwoo's hair. 

“We love you most, Woobear.” 

It was when Jiwoo ran back to the living room after another cuddle session that they realized that they hadn't seen Rumi since they left. 

The couple shares a look as they dumped the bags in the kitchen, checking on Jiwoo to find the tot playing with Derpy and Sussy.

“Woobear, do you know where your mama went?” 

Without sparing them a glance from her coloring book, Jiwoo answered, “bedwoom, eomma.”

“Thank you, Woobear.”

“Wub you.”

“Love you more.” 

As they made sure that Jiwoo was safe enough to leave alone for a couple of minutes, they ventured out to find their girlfriend by the balcony. 

Mira immediately knew something was wrong when she noticed Rumi wearing one of her hoodies, hands pressing against her shoulders as she shrinks into herself. 

“Rumi?” Mira knocked as the door slid open. “We're back.”

“Hey, what's wrong?” Zoey asked, hovering beside her girlfriend with a worried look. They knew when not to touch Rumi when she was overwhelmed. The sight reminded them so much of when Rumi would lock herself in her room after defeating Gwi-Ma.

“Jiwoo saw the video.” Rumi murmured, eyes locked below. Refusing to look at either of them in the eyes. “Idol Awards.”

Mira and Zoey tensed beside her. Rumi knew they understood what she meant. They had multiple conversations surrounding that topic. It was the most draining yet weight lifting conversation they had. But the memory of what happened, the feelings that came with it, still lingers deeply when they least expect it. 

“What?”

“I thought the video was taken down?” 

Rumi sighed, tiredly. Hands dragging down her face. “I thought so too. Apparently, Jiwoo found the video and got upset.”

“Is that why she was mad at us?” Zoey asked, anxiety creeping in her voice as Mira pressed a comforting hand on her shoulder. 

“She thought you were hurting me.” Rumi whispered. “But you wouldn't. You didn't. It wasn't you. The ones on stage weren't you. I told Jiwoo that you wouldn't hurt me. That you wouldn't hurt her.”

“But we did hurt you.” Mira stated. 

“Because you didn't know! If I had told you sooner. If I hadn't listened to Celine and let the shame and fear of being half-demon consume me or if she had just done what she was supposed to do from the start then none of this wouldn't happen. Jiwoo wouldn't see the video and the honmoon would have been fine.” 

“Rumi—”

“It was all my fault!” 

“It's not.” Zoey snapped, chest heaving as she looked at her girlfriend, her patterns flashing violet. “We almost lost you, Rumi.”

“I thought I was doing the right thing.”

“Asking to be killed was never the right thing.” Mira softly said, her own guilt and shame drumming heavily in her veins as Rumi winced and looked at them with those haunted eyes. The same eyes that looked at them when Rumi was begging for them not to leave. “But we're here now. We're safe. The honmoon is restored, and we wouldn't have Jiwoo if it weren't for you. We wouldn't have a little kid playing in the living room with spiritual animals for pets if it weren't for you, Rumi. You are the one holding this family together.”

That earned Mira a small smile, it was better than anything as she inched forward. “It wouldn't be the same if it wasn't you. We love you, Rumi. Half-demon and all.”

“Yea.” Zoey sniffled, already wrapping her arms around Rumi. “We don't want to lose you, ever ever.”

“Ever ever?” Rumi asked, amused, smiling slightly at their youngest. 

“Ever ever.” Zoey repeated, and then just like that. The dam broke and they were all sobbing in each other's arms. 

Sometimes they just needed to remind themselves that the past is past. That they had overcome obstacles together because they were willing to go through it, even if there were times when they thought none of this would have been their future. They held strong, steadfast by the love and support they had for one another. It was their bond, their unwavering love that brought them together. The honmoon solidifying their connection. 

The past is their hell—the secrets, the cover-ups, the pain of having divorced parents, the pain of being the problem child with a family who acted like she didn't exist, the pain of being a child born differently from the others. 

It was through their past that brought them here. That this here—happy, in love, together, and with a child who loves and adores them—is their present. 

They couldn't care less for what happens in the future so long as they were all together in the end.

And as the family of four reunited. Mira made a mental note to give the management some piece of her mind. 

Lets just say that when she finally did make that call, everyone couldn't help but turn the other way whenever Mira was in the building.

Chapter Text

Zoey almost slips when she skidded to a stop in front of her girlfriends, a clipboard in one hand while the other held a pen. 

“Alright troops, let's go through this one more time.” At their nod, Zoey recited the list. 

“Bag?” 

“Check!”

“Disguises?”

“Check!”

“Nappies?”

“Check!”

“Toys?”

“Check!”

“Formula?”

“Check!”

“Stroller?”

“Check!”

“Snacks?”

“For us or for Jiwoo?”

“Both.”

“Check!”

“Whalebert?”

“Che—uh I don't think it's wise if we bring Whalebert with us.” Rumi said carefully. 

“Wouldn't our princess want Whalebert on her special day?” Zoey asked, raising a brow at her girlfriends. 

“I think it's best if we bring Wally instead. I'm pretty sure we'll be buying everything Jiwoo points at anyway.” Mira offered, already grabbing the smaller whale plushie from the piles of animal stuffed toys Jiwoo currently has—Zoey has a separate pile of her own. 

Zoey nods, writing down on her clipboard, knowing full well that if Jiwoo as so much showed an inkling of interest to something that catches her eye, money would be spent and the tot would be swimming in things she didn't need. 

The tot was most definitely spoiled by her mothers. 

“Alright then, so Wally?” 

“Check!” 

“Perfect.” Zoey claps her hands as she throws the clipboard, landing somewhere with a thud. “All we have to do is dress our princess and then we're off!”

Rumi and Mira follow Zoey to their daughters room—the tot was curled sleepily against Derpy. 

And then they started—

“Saengil chukha hamnida, saengil chukha hamnida, saranghaneun uri Jiwoo, saengil chukha hamnida!” 

The mothers cheered as Jiwoo finally woke up, sleepy eyes lighting up at the whale cake Mira was holding out for the tot to blow the candles. 

“Make a wish, sweetheart.” Rumi softly said as the tot clasps her hands like what her eomma was currently doing and closes her eyes. 

“I wisp for a baby bwower or siswer.” Jiwoo loudly said. Not noticing the shared looks her mothers were doing. 

“Well then,” Mira cleared her throat loudly, she could see the excitement and hope shining in Zoey's eyes, and the gentle look in Rumi's. Her heart beating out of her chest as she smiled at their daughter. “Blow the candles, squirt.” 

They cheered again as the tot blew the candles out, showering the tot with kisses as she squealed and squirmed in her mothers arms. 

“Alright, Woobear, let's get you dressed for the day.” Zoey said, pressing another kiss on Jiwoo's cheek. 

“I eat cake for bweakpast, mama?” 

“Sure, baby. But let eomma dress you first, okay?”

“Owkay!” 

They leave Zoey alone with Jiwoo as they go to the kitchen to cut up the cake. 

“A baby brother or sister?” Mira squeaked out, almost slamming the cake on the counter as Rumi grabbed their plates. “Are we really ready for another kid?” 

“Why not?” Rumi shrugged and Mira's eyes widened. 

“How are you so calm about this?” 

“I don't know. I've always wanted to have siblings when I was younger. Practically begged Celine for one until she told me that one is enough. I didn't understand why, of course. Figured when I was older that she feared raising another half-demon.” Mira stared at her girlfriend at the mention of their mentor, watching for anything that would tell her that Rumi might be upset. But there was none. Her girlfriend still held that gentle smile and soft eyes ever since they woke this morning. 

Mira grumbled under her breath. 

“I didn't have any happy memories with my brother, or my parents for the matter.” She sighed. Remembering the times when her parents favored their precious son. How she was discarded and belittled. How she started rebelling against them until she joined Huntr/x. How there were still times where she missed them even after all the shit they put her through. “I just don't want Jiwoo to feel like she has to compete with her siblings for her parents' affection and attention, just to be noticed by them because she did something wrong or whatever.” 

Rumi abandoned the sliced cake in favor of cupping Mira's cheek in her hands, thumb brushing along beneath her eye. “Hey, hey, none of that is going to happen because you know better. We know better. Jiwoo is the most loving, caring, precious baby we raised and love. We'll cross that bridge when we somehow decide to add another kid into our family,” Rumi presses a kiss on Mira's lips. Slow and assuring that Mira relaxed under her hold. “You're a great mother, Mira. I have no doubt that we'll raise our future children any differently. What I do believe is that we're gonna work hard to love, care, and raise our children the way we were supposed to. We're gonna be the best parents out there, yea?”

Mira chuckled, capturing Rumi's lips once more, and moaning at the taste of vanilla on her lips. The crazy feeling in her chest fading by the second. “When we have another kid? Really?” 

Rumi laughed. “Well I don't want to say that we'll stop at Jiwoo.”

“So you want another kid?”

Rumi's eyes softened. “Only if you and Zoey want to. If not, then that's okay too. You guys are enough for me.” 

Mira hummed as Rumi went back to plating their cakes, and Zoey and Jiwoo finally emerged from the tots room. 

“Uh am I seeing double or did you dress Jiwoo just like you?” Mira asked, eyeing her girlfriend and daughter as they posed in front of them.

Rumi turned to find eomma and daughter duo dressed in a matching romper above a white patterned shirt—Zoey had turtles in it while Jiwoo had whales. Zoey's iconic space buns adorned Jiwoo's head with a bucket hat on top. 

It was uncanny how they both look so much alike in this get up. 

“I took the liberty to lay out your clothes too.” Zoey grinned as she put Jiwoo on her high chair, ignoring Mira's wide eyes. “They're on the bed if you're done staring.” 

“Is that why you were taking so long getting Jiwoo ready?” Rumi asked fondly as Zoey nodded. 

“Yea! I was thinking of wearing the shark print but I decided to let Mira have it. Turtles are so much better.” 

“Why does mine have shark prints?” 

“Because you're cute and dangerous and like to threaten people when we know you're such a big softie on the inside.”

“Am not!”

“Are too!”

“Am not!

“Are too!”

“Am not!

“Are t—”

“So what's mine?” Rumi interrupted, knowing that if she didn't stop them from bickering, they'd miss their appointment and their plan would have been for nothing. 

Zoey's eyes lit up. “Yours is the pufferfish because you're cute and when you puff up, you're even cuter!”

Rumi blinked and simply nodded. Mira snickered beside her then almost choked when Rumi elbows her ribs without a second glance. 

“Let's change clothes, sharkie!” Rumi teases, smirking when she sees the glare in Mira's face. “We're gonna be late if you don't start moving.” 

Mira huffed as she followed her girlfriend. Zoey and Jiwoo giggling at their antics. 

The aquarium was closed off from the public for them. They didn't want to risk anyone taking pictures and accidentally capturing Jiwoo in the background nor would they want to be swarmed by people while they were celebrating Jiwoo's birthday. They wanted the tot to have fun and enjoy her time in the aquarium. Renting it for the day was the only option they could do. 

And if the look on Jiwoo's was anything to get by, it was worth every penny spent. 

Rumi followed her family from behind, pushing the stroller as they greeted the staff and signed autographs. Knowing that Bobby had already handled the NDA’s so nothing would be leaked to the public. 

Jiwoo was already pulling Mira and Zoey by the hand, the latter just as excited as their daughter. The tot gasped and clapped at the animals she was seeing. 

“Eomma wook cwonpish!” Jiwoo pointed and Zoey was already crouching beside the tot as they pressed their faces on the glass. 

Mira took pictures of them. 

“That's right, Woobear! That's a clownfish. You're so smart!” The tot giggled as Zoey pressed kisses on Jiwoo's face. 

“Probably got it from me.” Mira casually said, her camera already poised to capture more photos as Zoey gave her a sour look. 

The family roamed around the aquarium with a staff guiding them, spouting off facts and answering questions Zoey asks, with a few comments from Mira and the babbling toddler they'd have to translate so the staff could understand. 

All the while, Rumi filmed her family with her own camera. Capturing moments like when Mira and Zoey were crouched down either side of Jiwoo as they pointed at the stingrays, and when Mira carried the tot on her shoulders as they went by the tunnel, Jiwoo gasping loudly as the fishes swam past them.

The highlight of Jiwoo's day was when they finally arrived at the whales section. A beluga whale stopped by to look at them when Jiwoo squealed, wriggling out of Rumi's arms with Wally on the tots' grip. The mothers simply watched the moment as Jiwoo bonded with the whale. 

“Come on, let's take a picture with that weird looking whale.” Mira said, pulling Rumi and Zoey excitedly closer to their daughter as she handed her camera to the staff. 

“That weird looking whale is called a beluga whale.” Zoey corrected, huffing out a laugh as Mira carried the tot. 

They posed with the tot hanging off Mira's back, Jiwoo was looking at the whale rather than the camera in most pictures while the mothers smiled widely. A candid photo of them with Rumi smiling fondly at her girlfriend and daughter while Zoey rests her cheek on Rumi's shoulder, arms wrapped around the latter’s waist. Mira was smiling so big as Jiwoo bounced on her back happily. 

After a full hour at the whales section, Zoey made it a mission to drag them where the turtles are. Pushing the stroller where the tot now resided as they followed the staff. 

Mira matched Rumi's pace from behind. 

“Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if we decided to have another baby.” 

Rumi almost tripped at the casual way Mira said the words. Zoey whipped around at the statement, eyes wide and a grin splitting on her face. The staff was trying not to eavesdrop on the conversation. 

“Did I hear that right?” The youngest of them bounced on her heels. “Are we finally agreeing to adding another member of the family?” 

“Pinch me.” Rumi said dramatically as Zoey did just that, yelping at the sting on her arm. “I'm not dreaming.” She turned to Zoey, smiling widely her cheeks were starting to hurt. “Baby we're not dreaming!”

Mira watched as her girlfriends hugged, cheered, and cried dramatically, the sight making her smile but she pulled her face back to indifference when they turned to her as she took hold of the stroller. Jiwoo peered through the gap to look curiously at her papa. 

“Your mothers are being a weirdo again, squirt.” She muttered to the tot, brushing Jiwoo's cheek affectionately and ignoring the collective, “HEY!” behind her. “Good thing we love them right?” 

For the first time in what felt like forever, Zoey couldn't care less about turtles, and Jiwoo was finally getting her wish. 

Well at least they already talked about it, right?

Chapter Text

The Hunters were wondering why the Huntr/x members couldn't stop looking at the side of the stage. Their faces lighting up and smiles so wide that the fans wanted to know who was taking the attention from them. 

Huntr/x was doing a fan sign event for their new album. For the past few months, they had been busy writing new songs, making choreography, recording potential cuts, choosing which style suits them best for the comeback, interviews that stretched into the late night, rehearsing and performing at music shows. And on top of that, taking care of each other and a toddler who also needed their love and attention 24/7.

Bobby, bless his heart, had already booked them a vacation when the promotions were done. 

When Rumi looked back at the side once more, almost signing the table instead of the poster and album handed to her. A fan finally called her out.

“Unnie, what's got you so distracted?” 

Rumi felt herself flush in embarrassment at being caught but she couldn't stop the smile spreading across her face. 

“Our daughter is here.” Rumi said smiling. She didn't have to look to know that Zoey and Mira were smiling just as wide beside her. “We haven't seen our baby much these days and Bobby was babysitting for us.”

Right on cue, one of Bobby’s arms could be seen by the side of the stage, waving at the fans who cheered and hollered. His head popped out a second later to smile at the girls before waving once more at the loud audience. 

“Sorry guys, uncle duties.” Bobby grins, not at all sorry that he has the tot in his other arm obscured by the wall, too busy playing with Jiwoo to care for anything but the toddler trying to look at her mothers as a small hand waves at them. Bobby laughs. “Baby wants kisses!”

Excusing themselves immediately, the mothers rushed as they pulled and pushed each other playfully towards Bobby. The fans laughed at their antics as Rumi, as always, was the first to carry the tot. 

“MAMA!” Jiwoo exclaims, pressing sloppy kisses on her mama’s face as Zoey and Mira shield them from view. 

It wasn't that they did not trust their fans or anyone not to post photos of Jiwoo online. They just didn't want to expose their child–and future children–to the spotlight until they were old enough to make that decision themselves. They knew how the internet could be these days, they knew that there are people who would take advantage of their kindness, people who they knew would spout off lies about their kids without proof. People who start ridiculous rumors for shits and giggles just to see their downfall. It didn't help that having three mothers who were very protective and would definitely kill someone if they so much as looked at their children differently. 

It was also why they didn't know how to add another child into the mix of everything that's happening. That was still a discussion they were trying to have without spiralling out of control. One kid was enough for now. Jiwoo just turned four a couple of months ago. It wouldn't be wise to adopt a child right now when they were still in the middle of promoting their new album.

Yet as Jiwoo was swarmed by her mothers, the tot looked at them with those big brown eyes and said in her sweet voice, “I have baby brower and siswer now?”

Rumi laughed nervously as Zoey simply pinched the tots' cheek. It was Mira who sighed and smiled gently at their daughter. “Not yet, squirt. Soon, I promise.”

How soon, they still didn't know. 

They didn't want to rush and dive headfirst into something they were still unsure of. The company would still back them up if they adopted another child or wanted to take a couple years break to extend their family. It really was just a matter of timing. 

“Go and finish the event, Jiwoo and I will be here when you're done.” Bobby muttered, taking the tot back in his arms as the trio kissed Jiwoo one last time and reluctantly went back. 

“Sorry for the wait, guys. We just really miss our baby.” Zoey said, heart aching as they went back to their seats. Jiwoo’s babbling could still be heard with Bobby’s enthusiastics replies. Zoey wished she was in Bobby’s place right now.

“I can relate.” The fan in line chuckled as the members looked at her. “I feel the same way when I leave my kids for long.”

“Parenthood, huh?” Mira chuckles, finally noticing the little hand clutched in the mothers hand. “Hey there, little one. What's your name?”

The child looks at her, eyes wide in awe, dressed in one of their merch as she peered through the table. Mira leaned forward to properly see the kid. 

“Chaeyoungie.” The kid cutely says and Zoey squeals from her spot. 

“SO. CUTE!” She gushed. “You have such a beautiful daughter.”

The mother blushed, raking her fingers on Chaeyoung’s hair. “Thank you.”

“She reminds me so much of when we first met our daughter.” Rumi shares, waving at the child who waved back shyly. The room falls silent, trying to hear Rumi better. While the group had posted pictures and videos of Jiwoo, her face obscured at all times, on their social media, and had talked about their daughter in vague detail during interviews who were clearly trying to find a loophole to exploit them. This was still a rare moment for the mothers, especially Rumi, to open up first about Jiwoo without prompting. “She is just like Chaeyoung.” 

“Crazy isn't it?” Rumi tilted her head at their fan curiously. “How becoming a parent unlocks so much love we didn't know we were capable of having.”

“I second that.” Mira chuckles. 

“True, true!” Zoey bounces on her seat, handing a fan his poster as he moves in front of Rumi. “It’s like when you finally have them, everything just starts to make sense.”

“I just want to say that I do think you guys are wonderful mothers.” The mother blushed slightly. “I've always admired the way you raise your daughter despite being in the spotlight. You've inspired me to be a better parent to my kids, so thank you.”

They stared at the mother in shock, sharing glances between them as a smile bloomed on their faces. Mira was the first one to reach out to hug their fan to express her gratitude for the simple comment, albeit stiffly but Chaeyoung’s mother hugged her back, face going flushing. It was already known to the public that Mira never initiated any physical contact, unless you are Rumi and Zoey. So it must have come as a shock to see Mira do something she normally wouldn't do to a complete stranger.

Zoey quickly pulled her into a fierce hug when Mira let go with a slight cough, her own cheeks flushing. “You're so sweet!”

“You have no idea how much we needed to hear that.” Rumi smiled, hugging the mother last and she crouched down on Chaeyoung’s level. “Be good to your mum, okay?”

The kid nods, wrapping her arms around Rumi’s neck, catching her off guard but Rumi quickly hugged the kid back. Chaeyoung pulls back with a wide grin. “I will, unnie!”

They watched the mother and daughter waved goodbye, and the event continued on without a hitch. The group tried to do everything faster yet still polite enough to not come off as rude as they wanted to go back to Jiwoo as soon as they could. 

When they finally went home with Jiwoo sleeping soundly in Zoey’s arms as she went straight to the tots room to change her clothes, Mira and Rumi followed their girlfriend silently. 

“I think today went well.” Mira muttered as she handed Zoey Jiwoo’s lion patterned pajamas. Such an animal enthusiast like her eomma , Mira thought fondly.

“I really like Chaeyoung’s mom.” Rumi said, brushing Jiwoo’s bangs and pressing a kiss on her forehead then as if she just realized what she said, she quickly backtracked when she noticed the sharp looks her girlfriends shot at her. “I mean–not like that, of course! I'm madly in love with you two–I just meant that I like–you know what? I'm gonna shut up now.” Rumi stood to leave, embarrassed, but Mira was already blocking the door with her arms crossed, one brow raised in question as the corner of her lips curled amusedly. Barely but the sight alone has Rumi’s heart thundering in her chest.

“You like her because of what?” Zoey prompted, her own brows were raised as she successfully changed the sleeping tot without waking Jiwoo up. 

“I–well I–I mean, I just–”

“What, Rumi? You just what?”

Rumi flushes, Derpy and Sussy were already curled beside Jiwoo, looking at her with something akin to judgement as she tried to find a way to move past Mira, and then just as Zoey was about to close in on her, she vanished into thin air. 

Mira and Zoey blinked. 

“Did she just–” Zoey started.

“Teleported her way out of this?” Mira finished, still stunned that Rumi had even thought of this. 

Suffice to say when Rumi came back hours later, Mira and Zoey were waiting for her and pounced before she could get away again.

Chapter Text

Zoey stared at her daughter and girlfriend who was speaking in a language she couldn't understand. 

They couldn't see her from their spot on the bench. Mira and Jiwoo were talking amongst themselves, with the former correcting Jiwoo with her pronunciation gently, clapping when Jiwoo finally got it right after a few tries. She could only gape when their daughter would respond back to Mira in the same language. 

Being in a global girl group, they were trained to speak a couple of languages other than their mother tongue–mainly Korean, English and Japanese. Other languages that they taught themselves were considered a bonus. It was standard to learn these languages, something Celine had drilled into them during their trainee days.

And yet, in all the years Zoey has known Mira, she didn't know that her girlfriend could speak another language that wasn't their usual mode of communication. 

“Hey, is everything alright?” 

Zoey turns to Rumi who just got back from the convenient store across the street, her hood was on, one hand holding onto a plastic bag full of snacks as she stopped just a few inches from Zoey with a confused look on her face.

Still baffled and dumbfounded, Zoey points at their other girlfriend and daughter with her thumb. “Did you know that Mira is teaching Jiwoo French?” And then she adds without waiting for a reply, “did you know that Mira could speak French?”

Rumi didn't know how to respond, eyes darting away from Zoey's big eyes as Mira and Jiwoo finally spotted them standing a few feet behind them and they waved, Rumi exhaled a sigh of relief. 

It was, however, short lived. 

“WAIT—you knew?!” Zoey hissed, gripping Rumi's forearm tightly as she winced but didn't remove Zoey's hand. “Why didn't any of you tell me?” 

“I—”

“Tell you what?” Mira asked with Jiwoo riding on her shoulders. 

“THAT YOU SPEAK FRENCH!” 

Mira flinched at her tone and Rumi sighed. Their daughter looks a little unsure of what to do as she peers down at Mira and whispers—Jiwoo still doesn't know how to apply said word—as she cups her hand over her papa's ear.

In clear French with a slight tilt to her tone, Jiwoo asks, “Pourquoi eomma est fâchée?”

(Why is eomma mad?)

One of Zoey's eyes twitched scarily, lips curling into that fake smile that made Mira and Rumi visibly recoil at the sight. 

There were only a number of times where they'd seen that look, and each time it appeared it always made them feel like they'd been punched in the gut, no matter how small or big the situation is. 

“Baby—”

“I thought, no more secrets!” Zoey wailed, tears spilling on her cheeks that caught her girlfriends off guard. “We promised! You promised!”

“Zoey—”

“I swear to God if this happens again, I will never give you—

“My love—”

“—anymore children! Do you hear me Mira?!”

“Sweetheart—

“No more children for y—”

“MON AMOUR!”

Zoey blinked, her tears stopped flowing instantly as she stared dumbfounded at Mira, and then Mira yelped. 

It was a good thing no one was around to witness Zoey tackling an unsuspecting Mira. Rumi was wise enough to think ahead as she plucked Jiwoo from Mira's shoulders. Knowing full well that the moment Mira spoke a bit of French, Zoey would have done something bodily to their girlfriend—Jiwoo in their arms or not. 

“What did you say?” Zoey leans close to Mira's face, noses bumping as Mira's eyes widened as Zoey's legs wrapped around her waist and her arms around her nape. Mira's hands gripping tightly on Zoey's thighs, lest the latter falls with her.

Mira flushes at the proximity, eyes shifting helplessly at Rumi who casually held their daughter in her arms a few feet away from them, matching sunglasses perched on their noses, and Mira could see the smirk Rumi was trying to hide behind Jiwoo's head. 

Traitor.

“Mira!”

“What?” Her eyes snapped back at Zoey's, face getting redder by the second at the expectant look on her girlfriends face. She gulps as she winces,“Uh mon amour?” 

“Oh. My. GOD!” Zoey exclaims. Moving frantically in Mira's arms as Mira's grip on her thighs tightened. She could hear Rumi snickering in the background. “YOU SOUND SO GOOD. Why didn't you tell me that you speak French all this time?”

“You never asked.” Mira answered, kissing the pout on Zoey's lips to placate her. It worked of course. “Besides I only ever spoke French with my governess, and I thought—well since now we have a kid, that maybe I'd teach Jiwoo the language. You know something to pass the time and all that.” Mira shrugged, suddenly looking unsure of herself as she bit her lip. “I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I should have consulted you both about this.”

Zoey's face went near hers again, a sharp look glinting in her eyes. “Never ever apologize for something that could benefit our kids in the future. This is good. Learning new things is good. It makes the mind broader and sharper, and besides—” Zoey's voice lowers an octave as her lips brush against Mira's ear, chuckling at the way Mira shivered. “—its fucking sexy when you speak a language that isn't English.” 

The blush on Mira's face darkens and Zoey pulls away with a smirk. 

“You're not upset?”

“Nah. Like I said, if it benefits our kids then it's fine by me.” 

“Speaking of languages.” Mira said, glancing at their girlfriend who still held Jiwoo in her arms as she looked at them curiously. “Did you know that Rumi could speak more than five languages?”

The gasp Zoey lets out was scandalous as she whips around in Mira's arms to look at their wide eyed girlfriend. 

“YOU WHAT—”

“MIRA!”

“—and don't you dare teleport your way out of this Ryu Rumi!”

“I—I'm not!” Rumi squeaks out, and then shuffles awkwardly as Zoey jumps out of Mira's arms. 

Mira, for all the nonchalance she exudes, couldn't help but guffaw at Rumi's panicked face as she used their giggling daughter as shield from Zoey's faux wrath. 

Karma truly is a bitch. 

Chapter Text

“Jiwoo?” Mira poked her head in Jiwoo's room, finding the bed made and their daughter nowhere to be seen. Mira frowned as she called out, “hey babe?”

“Yea?” Zoey answered from their room. Mira could hear a shuffle and a muffled thud before the door opened to reveal her girlfriend still dressed in her pyjamas. “What's wrong?”

“Jiwoo's not in her room.” 

Zoey's eyes widened as she limped towards her. Mira's brows shot in concern. 

“What happened to you?”

“Nothing important.” Zoey grunts as she waved her off, pushing Jiwoo's door open as she looked left and right, everything was spotless, and no sign of their daughter nor Derpy and Sussy who usually followed Jiwoo around. 

“Where do you think she went?”

“Didn't Rumi say that she was going to take Jiwoo somewhere?” Zoey questioned, the gears in her head turning as she looked at Mira. “She didn't say where though.” 

“Well if Rumi has her then we shouldn't worry too much.” Mira said sheepishly, scratching the back of her neck as Zoey narrowed her eyes at her. 

“Are you hiding something from me again, Mira?” Mira tensed. 

“What—no! I wouldn't hide anything from you anymore.” At Zoey's pointed look, she quickly adds. “Unless it's for something that I want to surprise you guys with.” 

The comment made Zoey less suspicious as she nodded. But there was still a hint of worry in her stance as she tapped her foot rhythmically on the floor. 

“Maybe we should look for her,” Zoey stated, rocking back and forth on her heels. “You know, just to check how they were.” 

Mira nodded, brain wracking of places where Rumi could potentially take Jiwoo. There weren't many but they could always start somewhere easy. 

“Why don't you look over there and I'll look over here? Call me when you find them.” Zoey nods as she bounces to the opposite direction. 

Mira looked for any sign of their girlfriend and daughter in the kitchen, living room, Jiwoo's locked balcony (just in case), their bedroom (cause you'll never know). It wasn't until she spotted Derpy and Sussy near their home-based gym did she finally see them. 

The sight alone made her stop.

Rumi was dressed in her training clothes: a black sports bra that shows off her patterns and abs, and boy shorts. Jiwoo was looking up at her mama seriously, dressed in a purple shirt and shorts. 

Mira could blame the patterns adorning Rumi's skin and the abs on full display for staring too hard but it was the way her girlfriend moved around wielding a bō that made her gape. The long staff sliding and twirling smoothly into her hands like a well oiled machine. 

It wasn't a secret that before they acquired their designated weapons, Rumi had already trained for almost everything at their disposal. Celine had drilled and made Rumi practice for hours and hours and hours with each weapon until she found the one that speaks to her the most. Rumi was also the one who taught Mira and Zoey to wield their own weapons whenever Celine was out of town for business. It was Rumi who taught them to defend and protect themselves that she almost always ended up with a fresh wound on her body after training. Celine wasn't pleased whenever she found out and Rumi would simply tell her they were practicing. 

And here she was, doing the very same thing to their daughter. 

Mira isn't opposed to it if she was honest with herself. It was self defense, and how there are too many creeps preying around minors that when Rumi had casually opened up about teaching Jiwoo some self defense, Mira had encouraged it. 

She just didn't think that Rumi would follow through the next day. 

“Mira, did you find the—”

“Shh!” Mira quickly covers Zoey's mouth, a stern look has her girlfriend shrinking a little. “You're gonna distract them.” 

Zoey turns her head at the glass door where she sees Rumi teaching Jiwoo the correct stance and form in holding a bō. They watched as their daughter struggled for a bit with Rumi patiently waiting and correcting her. So unlike how Celine used to train her, no more cold tone, no more harsh guidance, no more stern grip with a sharp look. Only soft eyes, warm smile, and a gentle hand guiding Jiwoo. And then as if Jiwoo had been doing this her whole life, she followed her mama like it was a routine they've done a thousand times. 

It still baffles them how much Jiwoo inherited so much of their traits and personality in such a short time. Jiwoo got her papa's voice of reason, her eomma's bundled energy, and her mama's never ending patience. 

Bobby was right. Jiwoo was truly meant to be their daughter. 

They watched for hours as Rumi introduced weapons to their daughter, Jiwoo practically bouncing on her heels as Rumi hands her a smaller version to hold. She would crouched down and explain how it would work, then they would hear Jiwoo questioning what it's for and the gentle reply Rumi would give. 

They watched as Rumi handed the bow in Jiwoo's hands. 

“She's practically buzzing.” Mira startles as Zoey whispered in her ear, almost toppling over if not for the large cat supporting their weight. “Look, Mira, it's like she found the love of her life.”

And when Mira looked back, Jiwoo was already breathing out, eyes focused and shooting the arrow straight to the target.

Jiwoo's eyes lit up, cheering loudly as Rumi carried her in arms and twirled them around. Their giggles fill the room. 

“I'm so proud of you, bubba!” They hear Rumi say, pressing kisses on their giggling daughters face. “You did so well today. Why don't we practice again tomorrow hm? We've been here for hours and I'm sure your mothers will worry if we don't get back soon.”

Jiwoo pouted. “But I wanna pwactice more, mama.” 

“I know you do, bub.” Rumi chuckled. “But tomorrow we can practice more now that you found what you like.” 

“I like the bow, mama!” Jiwoo said, almost knocking out Rumi when she shoved the bow in her face. “Les arcs sont jolis.” (The bows are pretty.)

“Tout comme toi, très cher.” Rumi brushed her nose against Jiwoo's, chuckling as she kissed her forehead. “Rentrons à la maison, bubba.” 

(Just like you, dearest. Let's go home, bubba.)

“Why is it that when you guys speak a foreign language, it sounds so hot and I sound like a babbling baby?”

“Because you're a baby.” 

They whipped around to find Mira and Zoey marching inside. The latter pouted with her arms crossed. 

“PAPA, EOMMA!” Jiwoo wiggled free from Rumi's arms as she set her down on her feet. Their daughter ran up to her other mothers with her bow still in hand as she thrusted the weapon in the air. “Mama taught me how to bow!”

“She did huh?” Zoey mused, taking Jiwoo in her arms. “Were you good?”

“I was perfect.” Jiwoo grinned smugly, taking the bow's string and snapping it like she shot an arrow. Her mothers laughed at the sight, all sporting proud smiles and chest aching with pride. 

“You are perfect.” Mira agreed, brushing a finger down Jiwoo's cheek affectionately. “Come on, your eomma's tummy has been growling for the past hour.”

“No it isn't.” Zoey protested but as soon as the words left her mouth, her stomach grumbled and Mira gave her girlfriend a knowing look. Zoey smiled sheepishly, “okay, maybe a little?” 

“Let me wash up first.” Rumi said, wiping the sweat from her face and neck, biceps flexing as Zoey and Mira tried hard not to stare with their daughter in their arms. But how could you not when Rumi looks so good? 

“I think I know what our dessert will be, don't you think?” Zoey whispered and Mira nodded. Rumi tried to laugh off the comment but the blush spreading down her chest and her patterns flashing told them otherwise. 

“Alright, bubba! Let's go wash up before your mothers decide to do something else.” She quickly snatched Jiwoo from Zoey's arms, speed walking out of their gym as her girlfriends followed suit. 

Let's just say that Mira and Zoey enjoyed their protesting dessert after tucking Jiwoo to bed. 

Chapter Text

Celebrating Halloween in South Korea isn't as festive as it is back in California. Though Zoe couldn't fault the country as it is a new thing for them. 

And so Zoey wanted to make up for lost time. Promising her girlfriends that it'll be a great day to spend time with Jiwoo dressed as somebody else. Jiwoo had chosen their costumes and Zoey was too far gone to agree with their daughter that Rumi and Mira couldn't help but go along with it. 

Their excitement was contagious. 

And while the family of four—plus Bobby who will join them for trick or treating—prepared for the night, Zoey was already dressed in her costume. 

“I don't think this is gonna fit.” 

Zoey looked up from preparing their baskets, mouth falling open the second her eyes landed on Rumi. 

“Holy sh—”

“Little ears!” Rumi hissed, eyes darting around the room in case Jiwoo was around. 

“—itake mushroom.” Zoey said instead, mouth watering while Rumi still fuzzed over her costume. 

“Do you think this is appropriate for kids to see me in this?” Rumi asked and when she didn't hear a reply, she looked up and momentarily forgot to breathe. 

Zoey wore a form fitting black leather bodysuit that hugged her figure delicately and had a zipper on the front, zipped low enough to show the top of her breasts and appropriate for wandering eyes. A black mask with an attached cat ears adorned her face and head, black strands flowing sleek and voluminous down her back. Rumi’s eyes wandered down, teeth biting her lower lip—Zoey had a wide belt accentuating her waist, black gloves that reached her elbows and thigh high stiletto boots that gave her a few inches. 

Rumi wanted to drag her girlfriend to bed. 

Zoey was no better. She was already digging her gloved fingers on the palm of her hands to stop from reaching out lest they wouldn't leave and disappoint their daughter. 

As requested by Jiwoo—and honestly by Zoey herself—Rumi wore a form fitting black and red tactical bodysuit, red ankle boots adorning her feet and fake katanas crossed against her back in its holsters. Deadpool's mask dangling in Rumi's hand. 

Rumi looked incredibly hot in it. 

“Can we skip this festivity and tell Jiwoo to go ahead with Bobby while I have my wicked way with you?” Zoey blinked as Rumi stalked towards her, hands ghosting against her waist and fingers hooking on her belt to pull her closer as she was pushed to the nearest wall. “You look delectable in your catsuit, jagiya.” 

Zoey gulped. Seeing the swirl of desire and something dangerous in Rumi's eyes. “Yeah?”

Rumi hums, nosing against the underside of her jaw, lips brushing on skin as Zoey tries to hide the shiver that runs through her body at the warm breath on her neck. 

Zoey was just about to pull Rumi into a kiss, mind already thinking of ways to apologize to their daughter about why her mothers would stay for a while, when Mira suddenly walks in. 

“Holy shit.” 

“Mira!” Rumi pulls away quickly from a still stunned Zoey as if burned as she glared at her pink haired girlfriend, jaw clenching when her eyes roamed down the curve of her body. 

Mira had a blue full on bodysuit with a darker red cape draped on her back and the familiar red S printed on her chest, a gold belt just above her hips that glinted under the light, red knee-high boots, with her pink hair down in waves on her back. 

Rumi scowled when she saw the smirk on Mira's lips. “Little ears, please!”

Mira rolled her eyes and made a motion of zipping her mouth and throwing the key. Brows rising as if to say, ‘satisfied?’ 

“Where's Jiwoo?” She said as her eyes darted everywhere than her girlfriends. Mira simply chuckled as Jiwoo finally emerged from her room. 

“Here mama.” Their daughter answered, smiling up at her mothers as she glanced at her papa for a split second. “You have to put a dollar in the swear jar, papa.” 

Mira blinked, dumbfounded, as Zoey and Rumi snickered. It was Zoey's idea to put a swear jar when Jiwoo repeated Mira's colorful words with delight. They had sat their daughter down to never curse even if it was an accident, Jiwoo had nodded and apologized, almost close to tears until Zoey made Mira drop the very first dollar in the jar. Begrudgingly, Zoey is also one of the people who filled the jar close to full, being a close second next to Mira. 

“But I don't have a dollar on me, squirt.” Mira mused, watching their daughter huff as she went to one of their bags scattered around in the living room, her white dress swaying as she moved. 

Jiwoo had a white thin strap dress that fell just below her knees, white elbow gloves, white doll shoes, with her dark hair up in a high bun, sprayed and styled to perfection with a tiara sitting atop her head. Her ears adorned old school headphones, and her sunglasses resting on the bridge of her nose.

And then Jiwoo finally gasps, pulling something from her mama's bag as she quickly hands it to her papa. Mira looked down at the crumpled dollar. 

“Now you have a dollar, papa.” 

Zoey couldn't help but guffaw, loud laughter echoing in the space with Rumi trying to stifle hers. Mira smiled thinly as she dropped the dollar in the jar, letting out a breath of relief when the doorbell finally rang. 

“HEY GIRLS!”

“HI BOBBY!” 

“UNCLE BOBBY!” Jiwoo yelled, running towards their manager who quickly caught Jiwoo in his arms. Bobby was dressed as Batman. “You're here, you're here!”

“Just as I promised.” He smiled, fixing the glasses on Jiwoo's face. “Now come on, princess! We have a ton of chocolates to eat!”

“YES, CHOCOLATES!” Jiwoo cheered. “Chocolates, chocolates, chocolates, chocolates, chocolates!” They chanted, already walking out of the house without so much as a glance at the trio who were still standing around. 

“Come on, let's go before Jiwoo starts pulling Bobby around.” Rumi chuckled, grabbing their coats and baskets as she pulled her girlfriends out the door.

“Am I the only one without some sort of a mask?” Mira asked, eyes wide as she let herself be pulled. 

So far as they walked around the neighborhood, children and adults alike dressed in costumes walked the streets, no one had recognized them yet as the trio and Bobby followed Jiwoo around. 

“Slow down with the chocolate, Woobear.” Zoey chided gently, watching as their daughter tried and failed to open another pack of chocolate from her basket. “You're gonna have a tummy ache.” 

“But I like Tootsie rolls, eomma.” Jiwoo pouted and whined as Mira took and opened the snack for her. The former ignored the pointed look in Zoey's face as Jiwoo's face lit up. “MERCI, PAPA!” 

“Come on, before your eomma kills me.” Mira held Jiwoo's hand as they walked away faster than usual. Rumi, who was watching them from behind, chuckled. Bobby smiled as Zoey huffed and crossed her arms against her chest. 

“Riduculous.” Zoey muttered as Rumi fell into step beside her. “We are not gonna have more children with Mira if she keeps up with this.” 

“Relax, babe.” Rumi laughed, circling an arm around Zoey's waist as she leaned closer to her ear, breath ghosting over her neck. “You can punish Mira later when we get home. Bobby will have Jiwoo for the night.”

Zoey's face lit up under her mask, lips curling into a wicked grin as she nodded and kissed Rumi on the cheek. Her Deadpool mask covering her beautiful face. 

“You look so hot as Deadpool, its not fucking funny. Will you fuck me in it later?” 

Rumi laughed harder this time, garnering looks from passersby as she brushed a hand over Zoey's nape. Rumi just couldn't resist touching Zoey and Mira any way she could, smirking behind her mask when she saw the jealous looks people shot their way. “Sure, baby. Whatever you want.” 

Satisfied and satiated for the time being. They continued to walk around until Jiwoo was starting to fall asleep on Mira's shoulder. Their daughter became a shield from sharp eyed fans who recognized Mira as Supergirl, and guessed that the women dressed as Deadpool and Catwoman flanking beside her were Rumi and Zoey, and the little girl in Mira's arms dressed as Princess Mia was their daughter. Thankfully, they didn't bother them as the members waved instead. 

By the time they got home, feet sore and arms aching from the amount of chocolates on their baskets, Jiwoo was transferred to Bobby's arms with a promise that he will take care of his niece. Their daughter waved sleepily at her mothers as they left. 

Zoey has to post a couple of pictures taken of herself, with Rumi and Mira separately and together, and a few with Jiwoo, her face still hidden. Likes and comments blowing up her notifications, she spotted a few comments saying that they saw the family wandering down the same street. Zoey smiled as she liked their comments and turned her phone off. 

She did have a punishment to make and a promise to take as she stalked where Rumi and Mira had disappeared off to. 

Halloween really is her favorite holiday. 

Chapter Text

It had been a while since Rumi had visited her mother's grave. 

Not that she couldn't teleport her way there whenever she wanted or have Bobby arrange a car to take her there. She could, obviously. She just didn't know what to say or do when she got there. She also fears that she might bump into Celine who frequented the place like a moth to a flame. She hadn't seen her adoptive mother since that time when Rumi saw her hovering by the hallway after their concert months ago. Bobby has always been the one to give them updates whenever he went to meetings with Celine. Neither of her girlfriends had seen their mentor for over a year, and that was with great reason. 

Zoey wouldn't have stopped Mira from hurting Celine had they been in the same room as her. They would communicate via Bobby, and while that was stressful for Celine, she understood why it had to happen. 

And it was clear, as Rumi stared at the stone in front of her, that Celine had been here judging by the area that was void of any fallen leaves and the fresh lilies on the pot. 

Rumi knelt down. 

Her mother's gravestone still stood strong despite some edges being chipped away by time and seasons as the years passed by. The grass beneath her was soft, dirt clinging by the edges of her fingertips when she wipes away her thumb over her mother's grave. She could feel the honmoon humming between them, like it was welcoming her home after a long day at work. 

I miss you, she wanted to say, how are you? she wanted to ask. She had so many words to say, things she wanted to tell her. Rumi wanted to gush over her girlfriends, her daughter, the life they have created while managing to keep the honmoon stable but the words wouldn't leave her mouth as she swallowed the lump in her throat.

How can you even miss someone you never met?

She always wondered what it would be like to have her mother by her side to navigate this life as a half-demon. To raise her with her father. To be loved by someone who would accept her wholly. To feel the gentle caress of her mother and a guiding hand by her father. 

Celine had rarely talked about her mother, and when she did there was always an edge to her voice whenever Miyeong was brought up. Even more so when Rumi had once asked about her father. 

She had pictures of her mother from her time in Sunlight Sisters. Watched videos of their performances and interviews that still circulate the internet. Zoey had once played one of their songs and Rumi almost had a breakdown when she heard her mother's voice harmonizing with two other voices. Her girlfriend had apologized, close to tears as she tried to calm her down, hands hovering like she wanted to touch her but afraid to cross the line in case Rumi didn't want to be touched. It took them a while to calm down until Rumi had to pull Zoey into her arms, mumbling apologies into her hair. 

Zoey had to keep her stash of merch and albums of Sunlight Sisters away so she wouldn't trigger Rumi anymore. 

The only thing that has a reminder of Miyeong at their place was the cut up picture Rumi had of her mother that was stuck behind her headboard. Mira and Zoey didn't comment whenever they saw Rumi looking at the picture, a finger tracing the outline of her mother while she mumbled, hoping that somehow, her mother could hear her. 

Mira and Zoey simply did their best to take care of Rumi whenever she was missing her mother. 

Today was a little harder than she'd expected.

She had woken up feeling shitty, almost snapped at her daughter and girlfriends, and stomped around the house like a moody teenager who didn't know what was going on with herself. 

It was until she told Mira and Zoey that she needed to take a breather, kissed her girlfriends softly on the lips with a murmured apology, and assured Jiwoo that she would be back before dinner. Her girlfriends knew better than to question her further as they told her they'd be waiting, eyes worried and fingers lingering a second too long on her cheek and hands before Rumi teleported away as soon as she was out of sight. 

The first thing that came into her mind was her mother. 

So it didn't really shock her when her feet landed just a few feet away from her mother's grave. Just like she remembered all those years ago. Visions of Celine cleaning the big lump of dirt, sweat dripping off her forehead while Rumi tried to get her to play with her. Celine had been soft then. It didn't last long. 

And it also shouldn't surprise her to hear familiar footsteps drawing near her, the rustle of clothes against skin, and a figure crouching beside her. Rumi couldn't help but tense at the sudden proximity.

“I knew I'd find you here one day.” A soft voice said. Familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. 

Rumi didn't have to look to see who it was. 

“I was wondering if you'd come here at all.” 

“I'm surprised to find myself here as well.” Rumi answered, pained and polite, playing with the grass beneath her fingers, something to keep her tethered on solid ground. “I see you still keep the place well maintained.”

“Its the least I can do.” 

Rumi looked at her then. Her chest aching and breaking at the same time, like someone was trying to tear her bones out yet trying to salvage what was left of her. 

The time she hadn't seen Celine made the older woman seem lighter. More lively. Happier. There was a smile on Celine's face that Rumi didn't have the privilege to receive—at least for a period of time, a gentle caress on the stone in front of them that still made Rumi's skin ripple at the memory of a stern hand and a hard yank, a softness in her eyes that Rumi had always wished, prayed, for Celine to look at her the same way she was looking at the gravestone. 

The way Celine acted and looked was the same way Rumi would act and look at Zoey and Mira. Her eyes widen ever so slightly, breath hitching in her throat. She didn't know how she didn't see it. The love in Celine's eyes that reflected only when she was speaking of her mother, or when she was looking at the grave, grief in her voice yet those eyes, the very same eyes Rumi would look up to, only ever showed love to a stone than the child that took her heart away. 

In the most twisted, heartbreakingly, and soulcrashing realization, Rumi finally connected the dots. 

Celine loves her mother. 

There was a sad smile on Celine's face when she looked over as if she knew where Rumi's thoughts had led her. 

“Your mother—Miyeong,” Celine started, clearing her throat from the emotion bubbling inside her. “Was the one who kept our group together. The pillar we would turn to. The one who took responsibility after responsibility when it wasn't even her fault to begin with. The one who took burdens but never burdened anyone.” Her smile turned to a frown, eyes narrowing, with the kind that had accepted it but still couldn't believe it happened. “And then your father came around and everything changed.” 

“You killed her.” 

It wasn't a question. It was merely an observation. It was something that had swirled in Rumi's mind for as long as she can remember. The way Celine would sometimes look at her with guilt, the heaviness weighing her down on some days when they'd visit her mother, fingers gripping the headstone like a lifeline. The way Rumi could hear the muffled sobs and the “I'm sorry’s” spilling out from Celine's mouth when she thought Rumi had been asleep. 

Rumi knew. Celine may have been an expert at schooling her features and hiding her emotions but Rumi knew. She just didn't want to face the reality that the woman who raised her was the very reason why her mother wasn't in the picture anymore. 

“It was an accident.” Celine said, looking at Rumi properly for the first time in years. Eyes pleading as if it would make Rumi understand. As if one glance could make every bad memory, every bad thought disappear. “I was aiming for your father when Miyeong suddenly appeared. I tried to pull back but it was too late.” 

The silence was heavy, thick in the air like smoke. Rumi couldn't breathe. Her lungs just stopped working. Her mother had sacrificed herself for her father. The same way Jinu had sacrificed himself for her. But her parents both died in the hands of the woman who swore to love her mother. The same woman who promised to care and raise her. Her heart lurched violently in her chest, drumming against her ribcage as if it wanted to jump out. Rumi didn't know whether to run or to stay. 

“Then why didn't you kill me?” Rumi said, eyes wide as she breathed out, “why didn't you kill me when you had the chance? If you hated demons so much that you wanted to kill my father, why didn't you kill me? The half-demon child you couldn't even accept.” 

Celine's hands hovered for a brief second before touching her patterned skin, grip tight like she didn't want Rumi to disappear. Not again. Not when things were starting to fall into place. Not when the truth was supposed to mend and not break the pieces they were slowly picking up. Not when Celine had finally touched her like she meant it. 

But Rumi could feel the scorching way her skin burned under her patterns, under her touch, fighting her own body from pulling away from the one person she desperately wanted to accept her. 

And so she stayed still, just like the many times Celine would scold her, hands on clothed skin, Rumi forced her eyes to look at Celine's, jaw clenching as her fingers dug into the dirt deeply. 

“I made a promise, Rumi. I never meant to hurt Miyeong. I never meant to kill her.” 

“But you did kill her.” Celine flinched at the flat tone, she could see the patterns on Rumi's skin flashing. The same way it flashed that night. The same way her demon father looked when her weapon sliced through Miyeong to him. It was the same way Rumi looked at her and Celine forced herself to look back at her adoptive daughter. 

“I'm sorry.”

Rumi shook her head, shrugging off Celine's hands from her shoulders, watching as Celine's face morphed into the usual stoicness Rumi was used to seeing but the pain she tried to hide still lingered into the depths in her eyes and Rumi felt like she stabbed in her chest. 

But this isn't about pleasing Celine anymore. This is about Rumi and her mother and father. This is about how she had to endure everything Celine had to say so she wouldn't be different. This is about Mira and Zoey making up for the pieces Celine didn't bother to hold. This is about Jiwoo holding their family together. 

“No amount of apologies could fix everything, Celine.” Rumi said, smiling sadly at her mentor as she stood from her spot, turning to brush a hand over her mother's grave gently. The honmoon rippling at her touch. “Im sorry it's just—I can't—” She huffs out, looking away from the hopeful expression on Celine's face. “Maybe someday. Just not now.” 

Celine nodded slowly. She knew it wouldn't be easy to undo the damage she had done. Looking back at everything she did to Rumi, she couldn't blame her if she needed the time to think things through. Celine still couldn't forgive herself. Not when the outcome was staring right in front of her. She didn't expect Rumi to understand and forgive her the same time she confessed about her parents' deaths. 

It would take them time. Lots and lots of time and copious amounts of sitting down to talk things through without one of them fleeing at any given chance. 

And just like that night, Celine watched as Rumi disappeared in a flash of red smoke. Rumi gives her one last glance and a stroke to the grave in front of them. Leaving her once again with her own demons to battle with. 

Chapter Text

Ever since the day Jiwoo learned to pick her bow and arrow, and learned self defense from her mama, the little girl had been extra protective over her mothers. 

Jiwoo wasn't a stranger to a stray person asking for an autograph whenever her mothers was out with her, or the curious looks people would give her whenever she was in one of her mother's arms or clutching their hands. She most definitely wasn't a stranger to people who would make her mothers uncomfortable and she'd cry and cry until they were out of reach from that person, then she would only calm when she deemed them safe. 

She had learned pretty quickly that they were well known wherever they went, and while they tried to protect her from the spotlight and tabloid news, Jiwoo was aware of the dangers that came with having famous mothers. 

She knew her mothers could protect themselves, she had watched them spar from time to time whenever her mothers wanted to let off some steam. The patterns on her mama's skin would flicker in shades of pink, blue, and gold. Always gentle and firm but never in the line of danger. 

“When someone's in danger,” Her papa had started when they were resting after an hour of training, sipping on a cold drink as her eomma and mama sparred a few feet away from them. “You do whatever you can to help in any way possible, and if all odds are not in your favor, you call for us anytime okay?” 

And so when Jiwoo had strayed from her papa after hearing a sharp cry from somewhere, her instincts to protect kicked in as her papa's words circled in her mind, and she ran off to the direction where she heard the sound. 

It didn't take long before she arrived at her destination, just further away from where her mama had set up as she watched three boys pick on someone who was smaller than them, smaller than her, and Jiwoo was reminded of the time she had been in the same position before her mothers came into her life.

“HEY!” 

One of the boys with a cap turned to her, sneers in place. They were definitely older and larger but her papa had taught her to fight people twice her size. 

Jiwoo didn't cower away from their gazes. 

“Ah shibal, you just have to cry so loudly huh?” Said the boy with the glasses as he pushed the tiny figure harshly. Jiwoo took a step forward but was blocked by the taller one. 

“Let. Her. Go.” She gritted out, fists clenched on her sides as they looked at one another and laughed. 

“Or what?” 

Jiwoo looked them straight in the eyes, lips curled into a snarl as she said, “or you'll wish you've never been born.” And then without another word, she struck. 

Mira heard her daughter more than she saw her. 

Rumi was already running the opposite direction with Zoey going back to the convenience store, thinking that maybe their daughter had followed her eomma when Mira had heard the familiar grunt of pain she now familiarized as Jiwoo's. Her head snapping at the direction just in time to see her daughter kick one of the boys in the guts. 

“JIWOO!” 

The three boys ran off at the sight of her, one was limping while the other two went ahead. Mira didn't bother to check on him as she knelt down beside her daughter, lip split and a bruise forming on her cheek. 

“What happened? Were they bullying you? Where else does it hurt? Do you know them?” Mira fussed over her daughter, checking for any other bruises that weren't visible as Zoey and Rumi finally skidded to a stop next to them. The latter quickly falls on her knees, asking Jiwoo the same questions while Zoey stares back, eyes wide and hands trembling. 

Zoey could still feel it. Even after all these years. She could still feel it, hear it. Like ghosts who never really stopped haunting her. Like the past had finally caught up and dragged her to the ground. Like it wasn't enough that it happened to her, and how it now happened to her daughter. Her daughter. Her perfect little beautiful daughter who can do no harm. 

She didn't know that she was already kneeling beside them. Shaky hands hovering at her daughter's lying position, afraid to touch. As if touching Jiwoo would break her even more. As if touching her daughter would mark more bruises than what was already blossoming on her skin. 

She couldn't even bear to look Jiwoo in the eyes. Afraid to see the mirror image of the past she desperately tried to move past to. 

Ever the perceptive child that she is, Jiwoo reached out to one of her eomma's trembling hands. Pressing the hand on her cheek as she looked at her eomma with a gentle smile. Ignoring the way her eomma tensed beneath her fingers, and how it broke her tiny heart to feel it. 

“Eomma, I'm okay.” Jiwoo mumbled against her skin, trying to break through the fog that was still clouding her eomma's eyes. “Papa chased them away.” 

“Zoey?” Zoey snaps out of her thoughts when she feels Rumi place a hand on her shoulder. Eyes worried and Zoey looks down at their daughter. 

“Oh. Oh my Jiwoo, what have they done?” Her fingers brush against the bruise on Jiwoo's cheek, tears spilling down her own cheeks as she cradles her daughter's face. Oh so gently that Jiwoo briefly wondered if she was being held by her eomma if it weren't for the tremble she still felt. 

“I'm okay, eomma. Just a bruise.” Jiwoo assured softly. 

“And a split lip.” Mira huffed, brushing the bangs from Jiwoo's forehead, eyes filled with unshed tears as she leaned back in relief. “You're lucky it's not anything serious.”

“What happened, sweetheart?” Rumi asked, helping their daughter up in a sitting position, worried and angry at the state Jiwoo is in. 

Jiwoo looked at her eomma, then her papa, then her mama, and back to her papa. She breathed in a shaky breath, feeling a little uncertain as she looked down at her bruised knuckles but the encouraging hand on her back made her answer. 

“Papa once told me that when someone is in danger, you help any way you can.” Jiwoo said as she looked up at her mama who slowly nodded, face unreadable. Jiwoo's heart seized in her chest at the sight, grappling for words that would make the look on her mama's face disappear. “I—I heard someone crying so I went to check and then these three boys were picking on her.” 

“Who?” It was her eomma who spoke up. The trembling had ceased but the look on her face remained. “Who were they picking on, Woobear?” 

The three mothers turned to where Jiwoo had pointed. A little girl with dark hair that fell just a touch her jaw, brown eyes wide and teary, cheeks tainted with tears looked back at them. She was small. Smaller than when they had Jiwoo. It was unfair how they'd stumble on kids in this state. How unfair that Zoey had seen two kids in the same position as she had once been. 

It was Mira who acknowledged the child first. 

“Hey there. I'm Mira, this is Rumi and Zoey.” She introduced them softly, afraid to frighten the child more than she's ever been as she pointed at her bruised up daughter. “This little nutcracker is our Jiwoo.” 

“Ji-Jiwoo unnie?” The child muttered and Jiwoo's face lit up as she bounced towards the kid. 

“Yea! What's your name?” 

“Areumie.” 

“Hi Areumie, will you be my sister?” 

“Jiwoo!” Rumi gasps, she doesn't have to look back at the amused look on Mira's face as Zoey chuckled as their daughter looked back sheepishly and Rumi stays still, Areum flinches away when she tries to take a step toward her. “Areumah, where's your mom and dad?” 

The poor child simply looked at her, tears forming in her eyes, lips quivering and then she let out a loud cry. Rumi flinched as she stared, eyes wide and hands in the air as if she wanted to take the child in her arms to soothe her but afraid to scare her more. 

And then—

Zoey knelt down beside Areum, close enough to share warmth but not close enough to touch. The child quieted at the proximity and to their surprise, Areum reached out a tentative hand towards Zoey who took it gently in hers, closing around the small hand with a soft smile, and then Areum was rushing into Zoey's arms for comfort.

Mira held Jiwoo by the shoulder, knowing full well that their daughter would run over to share hugs, but it seemed like Areum needed someone she could trust. And that someone happened to be Zoey. 

Areum looked so small in Zoey's arms, almost dwarfed by her own clothes. Disheveled and dirty from the way those boys pushed and pulled onto her. Mira felt her heart thud heavily in her chest at the tear streaked cheeks on Areum’s face as Zoey stood with Areum secured in her arms, the child's face buried on Zoey's neck as she rub patterns on Areum’s back. 

“Why don't we go somewhere warm, hm?” Zoey mutters and Areum nods. Rumi was quick to grab their picnic blanket and basket as they followed Zoey. 

It didn't take them long to figure out where their girlfriend was headed. 

A case worker had spoken to them instead of the usual police who couldn't do their work properly, taking a crying Areum from Zoey’s arms who reluctantly gave the child to the officer in charge as the woman who was Areum’s case worker assured them that this was standard protocol. It didn’t help their case when Areum screamed for them, wailing for them to take her back. It took Zoey every ounce of self control not to slice them with her sinkal when they gripped Areum a little too hard. Rumi had to hold her back. 

It was a good thing that Jiwoo was with Bobby. 

“Areum is a product of the system. All her life she has been passed around foster family after foster family.” Kim Yunjin, Areum’s case worker, said as they were ushered into an interrogation room for privacy. “Now I want you to understand that Areum is not the only one here.”

They blinked. A little confused and slightly concerned. 

“What do you mean?” Rumi asked. Yunjin seemed to hesitate as she looked at each of them briefly before opening Areum's file and pushing it towards them as she pointed at the picture below. 

“Areum has a twin brother. His name is Minho.”

Their world seems to stop spinning as Yunjin provides them a picture of Areum and her brother. Telling them how their mother had died from a drug overdose not long after they were born and that the father has never really been in the picture. No relatives wanted to take them in. 

But they were too busy staring at the photo to respond. 

Areum and Minho were smiling from ear to ear, arms around one another as they posed for the picture. They looked to be standing in front of the court. Clothed similarly in a worn down shirt and shorts. The blinding smiles made their hearts ache. 

“Where is he?” Mira asked this time, tracing the tiny faces with her eyes and watching as Yunjin grimaced. 

“At his foster family.”

“Why separate them if they are twins?”

“The family who's fostering Minho only wanted boys. We had to find a replacement for Areum.”

“Why didn't you find a home that wanted twins?” 

Yunjin sighed. “Ms. Kang, there are things in foster care that may not seem right to you, and I may not agree to most of it but it is standard protocol. We are just following rules made by the government to provide and protect these children.” She leans back against her seat, eyes flicking to the purple headed woman before looking back down at the file. “Now I understand that you have adopted before.” 

They looked at her in surprise. Eyes wide and mouths agape. It shouldn't be a surprise. Not really. They did speak about adopting Jiwoo once and how they had anonymously donated a hefty sum to multiple orphanages that the general public had assumed was them. While it was public knowledge that they adopted, it still caught them off guard whenever someone brought it up. 

Rumi, ever observant, already had an inkling where this was going judging by the glint in Yunjin’s eyes. 

“I'm not saying that you have to adopt her, but we still haven't got a replacement for Areum. You can say no but if it's alright with you, I can issue a temporary placement in your care just until we find a new foster family for her.” 

Zoey's breath hitched, fingers curling into her lap as she tried to breathe. Yunjin seemed to notice as she excused herself briefly. 

“I'll let you think about it. Press that button when you're ready.” 

And then the door closed shut.

“So I guess Jiwoo's wish is finally happening huh?” Mira tried to joke but her wide eyes and rigid posture betrayed what she was feeling. Rumi’s eyes never left Zoey. 

“Hey, are you okay?” 

Zoey tries to nod, head dipping before she turns to Rumi shakily. Rumi was quick to inch her chair beside Zoey's until their knees were touching and her hands were covering over trembling ones. 

“We don't have to decide anything.” She said softly, rubbing her thumb on Zoey's knuckles. “We can still say no if this is too much.” 

“No—no, I just—” Zoey sighed, letting her eyes fall on her girlfriends. Mira was already kneeling between them as she grabbed her hand in between hers and Rumi's. Chest aching and breath hitching in her throat. “I know this may sound stupid—”

“Nothing you say is stupid.” Mira interrupts firmly and Rumi nods as Zoey lets out a weak laugh. Too tired to protest as she squeezed their hands in acknowledgement. 

“—but I know what it feels like to go back and forth to a house that doesn't feel like home. I know how it feels to be passed around when they get tired of you until they're forced to take you again.” She feels a hand on her cheek, fingers brushing away the tears falling earnestly as she stared at their clasped hands. Not daring to look her girlfriends in the eye. “I know it's different for A—Areum and Minho. Being separated like that. Forced to live separately and not knowing when they'll see each other again. And I know we said that we wanted to extend our family sometime but I just feel—I just—”

“You feel a connection with them too.” Mira finished and she nodded. 

“I know we haven't really talked in length about how many kids we want but—”

“This feels right, isn't it?” Rumi said, smiling gently as Zoey looked at her with teary eyes. “Taking not just Areum but Minho as well.” When they nodded, she simply grinned. “Let's talk to Jiwoo first before we make a final decision.”

“Holy shit.” Mira laughed, disbelief coloring her face as she brushed a hand over her hair. “Jiwoo’s gonna be so happy.” 

“I reckon she will be.” Rumi chuckled, remembering all the times their daughter had pushed the topic of being a big sister and how much she would take care of them and play with them. How Bobby had tried and failed to be subtle about when they will be adding a new family member with Jiwoo perched on his hip with a wide grin. 

“Are we sure about this?” Zoey asked, knowing the answer before any of them could verbalize it. She could feel it in the way it hummed in the room, the honmoon seemed to sing under their fingertips like it was just as ecstatic to welcome new additions into the family. Rumi and Mira were smiling so wide her chest started to ache in a good way. 

“What's two more in the family, hm?” Mira grinned, and with their hands still clasped. They pushed the button together with a final nod.

Chapter Text

As expected, Jiwoo was happy. 

Their daughter had bounced around her room when they spoke about potentially adopting Areum and Minho. Explaining that Areum had a twin brother and that if Jiwoo ever changed her mind about wanting siblings, they would speak to Yunjin once again. 

But their daughter had heard the word “adopting” and then she was bouncing around her room screaming for Derpy happily with Sussy in her hands. 

Suffice to say, Jiwoo's wish had been granted in more ways than one. 

It took them a couple of days to get everything sorted. The paperwork was signed and granted with the same conditions they held with Jiwoo. No press was in the courtroom. No one but Bobby and the ones involved in court knew they were adopting two more children. 

They still wanted their children to have the freedom and a childhood the Huntr/x didn't have growing up without worrying too much about being perfect or not being enough or literally about anything and everything. 

Areum had flung herself into Zoey's arms the second the door opened. Yunjin, Mira, and Rumi had stood back with Jiwoo fidgeting between her mama and papa as she held still like she promised. Letting her eomma carry and twirl her new sister in her arms until it was her turn to do so. 

It was only a matter of time before Minho walked in.

The little boy was slightly taller than his sister, still small for their age. Subdued in a way he held himself taller, chest puffed, and hands curled into tiny clenched fists on his sides. But the minute he saw Areum still wrapped in Zoey's arms, he bolted. 

“Areumie!” 

“Minnie!” 

The twins hugged tightly. Like two pieces finally becoming one once more. They watched as Minho leaned over to kiss Areum's tears away and it tore a choked sob that was disguised in a cough by Mira. Rumi placed a hand on her girlfriend's back for comfort. 

Rumi knew from Mira and Zoey's past that adopting Areum and Minho would open closed wounds that never truly healed properly. She had felt the same way when she held Jiwoo for the first time. Felt that spark and connection the moment she laid eyes on their daughter. It was the very same feeling when her eyes looked at Areum and Minho. The twins now looked up at them, one with a smile while the other stood rigid. 

Jiwoo took the chance to break free from her papa’s grip as she carefully walked towards her new siblings, a soft smile on her face. Something she had seen her mothers do often to her. She wanted her siblings to feel that she could give them the same warmth and safety she felt in her mothers presence.

“Hello.” She waved, starting to feel a little shy as she inched closer. “I’m your big sister, Jiwoo. Let’s play a lot when we get home.”

Areum’s face lit up as grabbed Jiwoo with her free hand. “We hab toys?”

“Of course.” Jiwoo grinned, sagging slightly in relief at Areum’s bright smile. “I helped pick, right eomma?”

Zoey nodded as she returned the smile. Eyeing the little boy in interest when he still stood in his spot, arm extended where Areum had still yet to let go of his hand. There was a tiny frown on his lips, head tilted slightly as Zoey smiled gently when he looked at her. He gave her a tentative smile as his gaze went to Rumi. 

They were informed early on that Minho had been in more foster homes than Areum ever did. Each time he came back in their care, the little boy had withdrawn in on himself. Only speaking when spoken to, never fussing about doctors appointments, and mostly playing by himself, and whenever he and Areum were together. His last foster home before he and Areum got separated had been abusive. The people next door had contacted CPS when they noticed that Minho bared bruises each time the boy would come out clutching Areum behind him. 

It had enraged Mira so much that she had demanded Minho be taken out of his temporary foster home until the papers were done and signed. She didn't care if they weren't abusive. All she cared about was the boy was safe from people who wouldn't dare lay a finger on him.

So the boy smiling at Zoey, no matter how hesitant and unsure he was, was better than anything. 

His gaze, however, turned to Mira after giving Rumi a shy smile. Jiwoo and Areum were speaking softly beside him, he was still a little wary of his new older sister so he let his sister do the talking. The pink haired woman stared back, unyielding and unguarded. There was something about her that made Minho want to trust her. Something he hadn't done since Areum. 

And so he trusted his gut, surely but slowly as he let go of Areum’s hand. His twin turns to him with a confused frown and as most twins do, she suddenly smiles as she lets him go. Giving her new papa a bright smile that Mira gave back hesitantly. 

Minho was walking towards her, still with that untrusting look on his face. Rumi and Zoey watched silently as their girlfriend simply stared at their son and then when Mira was convinced that he’d only let a few inches between them, Minho reached out and clutched her pant leg. Visibly exhaling as he snuggled up Mira’s leg. The latter hesitantly brushed her hand over Minho’s hair, the boy leaning on her touch. 

Yunjin witnessed it all as she smiled. Heart easing that the twins had finally found a family that she knew would love them fiercely. 

“Congratulations.” Yunjin smiled at the mothers, waving at Minho who waved back and accepted the hug Areum gave her. “I’m glad you two are in safe hands now. Be good, okay?”

“Ne~” 

With one last wave, Yunjin took a mental photo of Jiwoo in Rumi’s arms, Areum in Zoey’s, both babbling on their mothers ears, and Minho still clutching Mira’s pant leg. It was with a final smile did she turn and leave. The last thing she heard were the quiet murmurs of the mothers and their kids, and then the door closed shut.

Chapter Text

Minho hadn't left Mira's side ever since they adopted the twins. 

The little boy would follow Mira around quietly, always a few steps back so he wouldn't be in the way. Sometimes, when Mira would be gone for a schedule, Minho would be shadowing Areum and Jiwoo instead. Taking anything they handed to him, whether it be a toy car, a plushie, a pillow, makeup from one of their mothers, and so many others. 

Mira isn't complaining per se. It's somewhat flattering to have one of her kids shadow her, that isn't any of girlfriends wanting to annoy her. Even when Areum and Jiwoo would be in her arms, Minho was always just there, a few inches away. 

Rumi and Zoey had joked about Minho being Mira's tiny shadow, and had told her that maybe Minho feels more of a connection to Mira than either of them. Mira didn't agree of course. She knew deep down Minho wanted to bond with them but just didn't know what to do or say. It was reminiscent of how Mira once was when she joined the group. Guarded and always putting people at arms length. 

While Areum had adjusted pretty quickly, already calling them their respective titles. It was harder for Minho to let his guard down. For a three year old who experienced what no child should have, it was understandable to let him take his time until he was ready to come out of his shell. 

And it was why Mira simply waited for him to open up and be himself for however long it would take, because she knew how it felt to be a punching bag for people who never truly saw her as a kid. Just a mistake. A nobody in a family who didn't want her but was forced to take her in because she still has their blood rushing in her veins. Their DNA imprinted on every imperfections and flaws that made her want to scratch it off. 

Rumi and Zoey felt the same. They didn't want to corner Minho into spending time with them. They simply let him take the reins to whatever he was comfortable in doing something with them. 

Mira had to blink, one, twice, and another one as Minho looked up at her, head tilted in the way that made him adorable yet so grown up that Mira felt the telltale signs of anger coursing through her that her little boy was forced to grow up too soon. 

“What?” 

“Noona and Areumie call you papa. Why?” 

Mira paused. Her anger was replaced by something calmer, her heart settling in her chest with a gentle beat as opposed to the thundering rhythm a second ago. It was the most Minho had spoken. Excluding the times when he would only speak to his sisters. Having already opened up to Jiwoo who took care of them as best as a newly big sister could. He had relaxed slightly but not enough to fully let his guard down. 

Mira smiled. Remembering the exact moment when her first born had called her papa. “When we finally had Jiwoo, your noona, she was instantly drawn to your mama. The first night we got her, she called your mama, mama. And then your eomma, eomma. I always wondered what she would have called me, maybe mommy or another form of mother. But then when your mothers and I got home from practice one day, your noona ran up to me and just yelled ‘papa!’ I didn't have the heart to correct her and I truly didn't care if she thought that papa was another word for mama and eomma, and well ever since then the title stuck.” 

Minho nodded slowly, processing the words as his eyes softened ever so slightly like he was remembering a moment in his head, and then he looked at her with bright eyes. Mira marveled at the way his eyes glinted under the lights, unguarded for once as his lips curved into a genuine smile. 

And then her heart stopped and Mira thought she had died when the words slipped from Minho's mouth. 

“I’m glad you're my papa, papa.” 

She almost cried. Key word: almost. She didn't want to freak Minho out with her ugly crying. Didn't want to make him uncomfortable in case he took back his words. But the boy simply grinned, leaning his head on Mira's side as she hugged him tightly, pressing a soft kiss on top of his head as she swallowed the sob threatening to spill from her lips.

“Thank you for accepting me to be your papa, Minho-ah.” 

Minho hugged her back in response. 

It was remarkable how each of their children had made her inexplicably happy. In moments like these, Mira is always reminded that she has a family who loves her. Who sees her for who she truly is. For never judging her despite her sharp tongue and no-nonsense attitude. 

And as she went to bed with her awaiting lovers after tucking the kids to bed, she had never felt lighter than she ever had in her life. 

Zoey had been holed up in the music room for who knows how long. 

Notebooks sprawled on the table, energy drinks scattered by her feet, crumbled pieces of papers falling just short next to the trashbin, and her headphones blasting a familiar melody in her ears. 

She was spiralling and she knew it. But she didn't know how to stop the words circling round her head until they were jotted down on the paper, all for her to frown and rewrite it again and again. 

Nothing still seemed right no matter what she did.

She leaned back against her chair and sighed. Muscles aching from being bowed down for too long, her fingers were almost numb, and she could feel her stomach grumble from hunger. 

But she wasn't particularly in the mood to eat. 

She looked over her notebook, flipping through the pages with a frown and groaning when she couldn't find any lyrics that fit with what she wanted to.convey. Then her eyes shifted just across the table, catching the glint of a picture frame. 

It was a recent photo they had taken when they went to an amusement park. The twins were in Mira's arms, both squished on their papa's cheeks, a wide smile on Mira's face. Jiwoo was held by Rumi, Zoey leaned over to kiss their oldest on her cheek. All sporting wide smiles, mid laugh when the picture was taken. It was one of the happiest days Zoey had ever felt. 

Minho was finally starting to come out of his shell, bit by bit. He still lingered behind Mira most of the time. But they would find him sometimes snuggled up beside Zoey while she tried hard not to breathe too wrong or move too much. Mira had given her a knowing smile and a press of her lips on her temple when Minho had leaned over, lulled to sleep by the documentary they were watching. 

She had let her girlfriend carry their son to bed, in case he woke up and recoiled in her arms. It was better to be safe than to see him retreat back in himself. 

Zoey was too deep in her thoughts when the door opened and a small figure slipped in. It was when a small click of the tray was placed on the table she was working on and a quiet but clear, “eomma.” did Zoey snap out of her thoughts to thank one of her children. 

When she saw Minho smiling at her, bright brown eyes wide with his hands behind his back, the word finally caught up in her head, and she jolted in her seat. Almost falling out in her haste as she gaped at their son. 

“Papa said that you need food to boost your energy.” The boy grinned, almost shy as he gestured at the tray in front of her. Zoey briefly registered the cup of milk that was poured halfway and a poorly decorated eggs and bacon in the shape of a smiling face. One yolk ran down the side and Zoey was close to mirroring her meal. 

It was clear that Minho had a hand in making her meal, and Zoey felt like crying. 

“I—uhm, thank you, sweetheart.” She stuttered. 

Minho ran over to give her a hug, head nuzzling briefly on her chest before pulling away. Zoey didn't have the time to hug him back when he giggled and pulled her face down to give her a kiss on the cheek. “You're welcome, eomma!” 

And then he was out the door and Zoey's heart had stopped beating. 

When she finally emerged from their music room at dawn as she padded to their room. She had written a bazillion songs and cried in her girlfriend's arms. Rumi held her tightly while Mira rubbed her back, whispering softly into her ears until she fell asleep. 

It had taken Minho a while to get close with Rumi. 

Most of the time, his other mother had been in and out of schedule for the past weeks. Leaving at the crack of dawn and coming back late into the night. Sometimes she'd come back just in time to tuck them to bed, most times they'd see her the next morning already dressed and getting ready to leave. 

So it was quite understandable that Minho still hadn't called her mama. 

Not that Rumi was expecting it. She knew the boy had to take his time and she had been incredibly busy with her own schedule that she felt sorry for her girlfriends and kids that she hadn't spent as much time with them as she wanted. 

Everyday, she'd come back with a souvenir for their children as a peace offering. She'd be the one reading them to sleep, no matter how many books they would ask her to read out loud and do the voices. Each morning, she had breakfast already prepared, dropping a kiss on their kids foreheads before kissing her girlfriends goodbye on the lips. She knew without them saying anything that they missed her so she tried to finish her schedule as early as possible. 

So when she finally had a day off after so long, she had woken up extra early to cook them breakfast. Played with her children and watched movies with her girlfriends. She even let Zoey and Mira pull her into their bedroom when the kids had taken their nap to make up for lost time, Zoey had said before pulling her in a deep kiss. 

So far it was going well. 

She noticed her kids were getting along well. The twins slotted perfectly into their dynamic. Areum would play dress up with Jiwoo, Minho following along with whatever games his sisters would play. It was fulfilling to see them interact and have fun. It was most rewarding when the twins, especially Minho, were finally loosening up and the house would be filled with loud laughter and banter from her family. 

It was the kind of home Rumi wanted to come home to everyday. 

And when Rumi finally had the chance to spend some alone time with their son, she was quiet. Observing just like how Minho observed her. The girls were somewhere in the kitchen causing a mess with their mothers, their giggles filtering through the living room as Rumi moved her chess piece, grinning when Minho frowned. 

“Checkmate.”

“No fair.” The boy pouted, crossing his arms against his chest as Rumi laughed. Leaning back on her hands with her legs spread out in front of her, careful not to hit the chess board. 

“I win.” Rumi gloated. “Again.”

“You cheated!”

“No I didn't.” Rumi laughed as Minho groaned. “You just need more practice.”

“Mamaaaaa.” Minho whined, and for a brief second they both froze. Even the laughter in the kitchen ceased as mother and son both stared at one another. 

Rumi knew Minho had called her girlfriends their respective titles, and had held them both during those times. It shouldn't surprise her how the feeling of being called mama by her kids would still make her heart skip a beat. Her patterns glowing and the honmoon humming beneath her fingertips. 

And then without missing another beat, like it was a normal occurrence for them both, a familiar routine they had fallen into, Rumi gestured at the board with a gentle smile. 

“One more game before your mothers start threatening to ban chess?” 

Minho smiled brightly as he nodded, resting his foot against hers as they rearranged the pieces, and another battle of who wins and loses filled up the living room once again. 

Rumi didn't question how Minho's foot stayed touching hers throughout the whole game, and this time, she let him win. 

The pure joy in his face made it all worth it.

Chapter Text

Jiwoo was starting to feel neglected by her two mothers.

It started with something simple. She had missed her eomma and wanted to watch an animal documentary with her when she saw her eomma already in the living room, lying on the couch with Areum on her chest. Both of them were snuggled together, eyes fixated on the screen and Jiwoo felt the pout jutting from her lips. She wanted to spend some time with her eomma but she also didn't want to disturb them. 

So she went to find her papa instead. 

But her papa was too busy playing video games by the time Jiwoo found her. Headphones on as she sat in front of her gaming setup, Minho was already beside her in his. Both too engrossed to notice her as they cheered and yelled at their monitors. 

She didn't cry, not yet. So Jiwoo locked herself in her bedroom after that. 

The next moments were the same. Her eomma and papa were with either of the twins doing most of the things they used to do with her. Playing instruments in the music room, cooking meals for the day, watching countless movies, being taught how to shoot with her bow and arrow, and telling her she was their only baby. 

Jiwoo finally had enough after the fifth day. 

She peaked in the living room where her eomma and Minho were playing with one of their board games, and with a restraint that would make her mama proud and horrified, Jiwoo sauntered over close to her eomma, ignoring the greeting her brother gave her. 

“Eomma,” Zoey hummed, eyes never leaving the board as Jiwoo huffed. Already frustrated that her eomma didn't even look at her. “Play with me.”

“Just after this game, Woobear.” Zoey distractedly said, and Jiwoo waited as patiently as she could. But when the game continued on for almost half an hour, Jiwoo huffed. Feeling her chest start to ache in the way she tried to suppress it. 

So she left eomma and Minho alone. 

Her brothers’ stare followed her until she disappeared in one of the rooms. 

When Mira came home that afternoon, tired and sweaty from her work out. Jiwoo rushed to give her papa a hug, wanting to tell her how much she missed her papa and telling on her eomma for ignoring her when she blatantly asked—demanded—for her to play with her. 

But just as she was about to cross the threshold, a flash of pigtails ran past her, giggling loudly that Jiwoo flinched, and then jumping into her papa’s arms.

Jiwoo watched as Areum was thrown in the air, being caught by steady hands, twin laughter filling the space, and Jiwoo could feel the stab of betrayal and rejection as she tried to swallow the tears. 

She turned and ran out.

Neither Zoey nor Mira noticed their daughter.. 

Rumi felt her daughter more than she heard her. 

She had been in their home gym, wiping off her sweat when she felt it. It was the way the honmoon buzzed. Creating a ripple of colors around her before the door slid open, and with just one look at her mama, Jiwoo had finally burst into tears. 

“Oh my baby, what happened?”

Jiwoo had clung to her tight as if Rumi might disappear any moment, tears sliding down her mama’s neck, silent sobs wracking through her small body. It reminded Rumi of herself when she tried to suppress her own tears, wanting someone to hold her until the pain went away. She didn't know what was hurting her daughter but she held Jiwoo just as tight. 

Rumi rubbed patterns on her back, swaying them with a quiet hum in Jiwoo’s ear, feeling her daughter relax in her arms but the tight grip remained. It was clear something upset her, Rumi waited patiently until her daughter could breathe properly as she pulled Jiwoo slightly away to look her in the eyes. But Jiwoo whimpered and Rumi got more worried.

“Baby, mama needs to know what happened. Will you please tell me what happened?”

Jiwoo finally pulled away, only slightly that Rumi could still feel her breath on her skin and Jiwoo’s brown eyes piercing right through her. It was when wobbled lips quivered violently did Rumi’s grip tightened even more. Her patterns glowing and the honmoon felt like it was crying. 

“What happened, bubba?”

Jiwoo knew that her mama would always have her back. Her mama who never turned her away. Her mama, who despite being busy, always made time for her. Her mama who made sure that each kid gets equal attention and that no one feels left out. Her mama who would never ever hurt her. 

And so Jiwoo wrung her hands in front of her nervously, tracing the lit up patterns with a finger, and Rumi felt her body freeze. 

“Eomma and papa are ignoring me.” 

Rumi stared, pained and broken at the expression on her daughter's face. Jiwoo continued without meeting her mama’s eyes. 

“What if eomma and papa don't like me anymore, mama?” 

“Jiwoo–”

“What if I get sent back there and I won't be able to see you anymore?” 

“Baby–”

Jiwoo’s breath starts to go deeper, shorter, quicker. Rumi realized that her daughter was starting to panic as Jiwoo started to grip Rumi’s tank top in tight fists, eyes wide. “What if you start to hate me too, mama? Like papa and eomma hate me?”

“Breathe for me, darling.” Rumi quickly stationed Jiwoo properly in her arms, sitting down with her on her lap. Breathing deep, in and out, for Jiwoo to follow. They did it several times until the grip on her tank top loosened enough for Rumi to kiss her fingers, eliciting a weak giggle from her daughter. 

“Your eomma and papa don't hate you, love.” Rumi said gently, pressing tiny hands on her cheek to ground Jiwoo, and herself. “They would never hate you. They're just busy with so many things at the moment. They'll make it up to you, okay?” 

But Jiwoo was already shaking her head midway through, lips jutting out in a pout as tears filled her eyes. The hold on Rumi's tank top came back. Desperate and frustrated for her mama to understand her. “No! They hate me. They hate me! You're always busy too, mama but you never forget me.” 

“Sweetheart—”

“I wish I never had siblings.” 

It was clear that the second the words left Jiwoo's mouth, she had regretted it. Rumi could see it in the way Jiwoo avoided eye contact, tensing in her arms like she was going to bolt any second. It was the overpowering feeling that had made Jiwoo say what she said. 

Rumi knew how that felt. Had done the same thing to one of her girlfriends, Mira's stoic look shattering for a split moment. Rumi had tried to apologize but was cut off by a hoard of demons. She had apologized then, after everything that had happened but the memory lingered like smoke whenever something similar happened. 

This—this was something else. 

And as if Rumi still didn't understand, Jiwoo continued, desperate, eyes wet, lips trembling in an effort to stop shaking. 

“You're always busy but you make time for me, mama. For me! Eomma and papa don't make time for me anymore! It's always Areumie this and Minnie that! They don't like me anymore, mama!” 

Rumi felt her heart break, clutching her daughter in her chest as Jiwoo sobbed, clinging desperately into her mama's arms. 

Mira had noticed it first. 

The way Jiwoo would ignore her. A brief glance here and there, a frown on her lips, and something hardened in her eyes. The kind of look that made Mira's chest ache painfully like someone was dragging a knife oh so slowly on her wound. Their daughter would cling to Rumi every chance she'd get, face buried on Rumi's body. Refusing to be touched by her papa. Claiming that she wanted to be with her mama for now. 

It hurt but Mira gave her space. 

But it continued, the days bled into weeks and Jiwoo was still ignoring her papa. No more running to her whenever she got home, no more bed time stories, no more cuddling, no more whispered laughter in the dark, and Mira was starting to go crazy if not for one of the twins stealing her attention. 

Zoey was being ignored too. 

She noticed that the second Jiwoo was ignoring Mira. She wasn't always oblivious. They hadn't tried to talk to Rumi. Jiwoo was always pulling her somewhere that their girlfriend had been sleeping in Jiwoo's bed everyday for the past few weeks. It was like they were both ignoring them. But Rumi had sent assurances, telling them they'd talk but never saying when. 

It drove Zoey crazy to find Jiwoo dodging her hugs, declining her offers to watch their favorite shows, shoving food into her mouth so she wouldn't speak to them, often clinging onto Rumi like a lifeline. 

It hurt. It hurt so fucking bad that Zoey was starting to go restless. 

So when they finally had the chance to pull Rumi into their bedroom, desperate and upset. Rumi sighed at the look on their faces. 

“What's going on?” Mira asked, back straight and hands on her lap primly. Trying to look composed but the way her fingers twitched every now and then betrayed her nerves. “What is Jiwoo hiding from me?” 

“Mira—”

“Why is Jiwoo ignoring us?”

“Mira, stop—”

“You're the only one Jiwoo wants to be around with.”

“Mira, don't—”

“Are you keeping something from us?” 

“You’ve been ignoring her!” Rumi roared, not in her demon voice no, but close. Something primal, a protectiveness that waved off of her, like a mother protecting its cub. Her patterns glowing red and Mira looked like she'd been slapped by the way she reeled back from her girlfriend. Rumi tried to compose herself, but the anger and disappointment reared its ugly head as she breathed out her nose and looked both girlfriends in the eye. “Jiwoo feels ignored by both of you.” 

This one was a shot in the heart. So deafening and calloused that Mira wondered if she was still breathing. Zoey looked like she was gonna pass out if Rumi said another word. Their eyes wide and breath lodged in their throat. 

Their leader rose from the bed, distancing herself from them for a second. She knew it wasn't their fault. They've been ignored. They've been trying to reconcile with their daughter who didn't want to do anything with them at the moment. 

Rumi had been the one holding Jiwoo every night while her daughter tried and failed to keep her thoughts to herself, whispering questions in the dark while Rumi tried to assure her as best she could. But the actions of her mothers had stuck, planting a bitter seed in her heart that Rumi tried to uproot. Even Derpy and Sussy didn't know how to help their guardian. 

“Jiwoo feels like you two don't like her anymore.” Rumi clenched out and Mira and Zoey watched her pace back and forth. They could see her patterns glowing brightly, her talons digging into her palm and Rumi flexed her demon hand out, huffing at the tight coil in her chest. “She feels that now Areum and Minho are here, you two have replaced her, and that she thinks we'd put her back in the system because of it.” 

“We'd never do that.” Mira protested, a deep crease forming in between her eyebrows. 

“Of course, we won't.” Rumi said firmly, golden slits narrowing that reminded her girlfriends of the night they saw her in demon form. But instead of the wrecked, pleading woman, Rumi stood before them with her patterns proudly exposed. Canines just slipped through slightly on her bottom lip, talons retracting as the reddish glow on Rumi's skin throbbed with each breath. 

Rumi is hot. If they weren't on the verge of being cast out by their own daughter, they would have let Rumi do them right this very second. 

But then Rumi was moving again, quick and calculated as her patterns finally calmed into that iridescent glow, talons long gone, and her eyes were back to its normal color. 

It looked like a fever dream if it weren't for the fact that they had witnessed demon Rumi twice. 

A tiny knock breaks the spell. 

All three heads turned to the door as it opened to reveal their son poking his head hesitantly, an unsure look in his eyes.

“Mama?” 

Rumi quickly crouches down at his level, coaxing him closer as Minho holds her hand, playing with her fingers instantly. 

“Yes love?”

“Noona wants you.” 

Just as she was about to stand, already starting to worry about their daughter, Areum came barreling through the door like a tornado, wailing loudly as Rumi stretched her free arm to catch their youngest. 

“Mama, unnie doesn't want to pway with me awimore!” Areum wailed, and when she spotted two of her other mothers on the bed, she broke free from Rumi's arm and ran straight to Zoey. “Eomma, unnie is being mean!” 

Zoey quickly took their youngest in her arms, a worried look now settling on her face. “Hush now love, Jiwoo unnie is just tired.”

Areum shook her head, braids bobbing as she cried out, “she told me she hates me, eomma!” 

“Okay that's it.” Mira stood up from the bed, a deep frown on her lips as she beelined for the door. Rumi’s eyes widened, knowing full well what her girlfriend was gonna do. 

“Mira—”

“You two stay here with Areum and Minho. I'll deal with Jiwoo.” She said, briskly getting out of their room towards Jiwoo’s room. The korean characters spelling out her daughters name with animal stickers on the door was opened ajar. Mira could see Jiwoo sitting on the bed with her knees pulled up to her chest and her arms around her legs, chin resting on her kneecaps as she stared at nothing. 

Mira froze. 

Has she grown so much already without me noticing? Mira thought, chest aching as she stared at her daughter. Guilt filling her chest as she wracked her knuckles on the door. 

Jiwoo looked up at her, stared for a second longer before going back to her position. Mira gulped as she walked in and sat beside her daughter. 

They were quiet for a while. Maybe a couple minutes in. Or a couple of hours. Mira didn't know. All she was focused on was the way Jiwoo sat still, so small wrapped around herself like that. Mira couldn't help but glance at her in the corner of her eye every now and then. Seeing her daughter like that made Mira want to tear her own skin off until she’s nothing but a shaking mess on the ground. She had voiced out her fears to Rumi, how scared she was about Jiwoo competing with her siblings just to get their attention. Mira had basically done what her parents had done to her. 

The realization felt like she was stabbed multiple times with no signs of stopping.

“I want mama.” 

Mira wouldn't have heard Jiwoo if she wasn't trying to breathe too low in order for her to be focused on Jiwoo. It was said so quietly Mira almost thought the wind was staring to fuck wth her head. 

“Jiwoo–”

“I want mama. At least she makes time for me.” 

Mira flinched, biting her tongue to stop the words itching to spill from her mouth as she let out a breath instead. Fingers flexing on her sides from pulling Jiwoo into her arms and begging to be forgiven. 

“Jiwoo, look at me.” When Jiwoo finally did, Mira reached out to wipe the tearstains on her cheeks, breathing a little easier when Jiwoo didn't pull away. “I’m so sorry, baby. I admit I had been too busy with your siblings that I forgot that you still need me. I was so focused on them that I didn't realize that my first baby still needs me, and I am so so sorry, my love, for making you feel like you're not my priority anymore. You still are, always will, okay? That's my fault. I'm to blame here. Not you. You'll always be important. You'll always be a part of this family. I'm sorry I've done a shitty job at reminding you how much you belong in this family.”  

“Swear jar.” The tears on her daughter's face still run swiftly on her cheeks, dripping down her chin and to her knees. 

Mira laughed wetly, blinking back tears that were threatening to spill. “Do you have a dollar on you?”

“I think eomma has some in her bag.”

Mira noticed the slight frown at the mention of Zoey and she sighed. “I’m really sorry, darling.”

Jiwoo nodded, letting her papa pull her into a tight embrace, burying her face on the crook of Mira’s neck. “Sometimes, I think I don't deserve a family.”

Mira froze. 

She might as well have just died right then and there. 

“What—”

Jiwoo shrugged, pulling slightly away from Mira to look her in the eyes. “It's just a silly thought.” 

Mira could feel her chest start to tighten as she cupped Jiwoo's face in her hands. “No, no, it's not silly. I—” she paused, throat bobbing as she tried to find the right words to say. “I used to feel the same way.” At Jiwoo's confused look, Mira gulped down the memories flicking through her mind. “Before I met your mothers, I always thought that I didn't deserve a family. I didn't really have the best experience growing up.” Mira laughed, feeling her eyes start to burn with unshed tears. “When I joined the group with your mothers, I always thought that we would simply all be co-workers with the same goal: protect the honmoon as hunters, and sing and dance to songs we've written and choreographed. It was always that. But soon I started to realize as years passed by beside them that maybe, just maybe, I could have a family. I was accepted for who I am, loved for who I am, never belittled, never judged. Your mothers made it worth it. Of course, there are a few things that happened to get where we are today but in the end it's all worth it.” Mira smiled, heart lightening: warm, soft, and happy all at the same time. She turns to Jiwoo with a gentle look. “You know what made it all the more worth it?” 

Jiwoo shook her head. 

“You.”

“Me?” 

Mira watched the realization stir in Jiwoo's eyes, and when her daughter looked at her with teary eyes once more, Mira cupped her cheek. 

“Yes, baby. You. You were the one who made me think that all that has happened between me and your mothers brought us here. With you. To have a life worth living. To have a family, and that's all because of you.” 

“But—but what about Areum and Minho?” 

“Well—” Mira pondered for a moment. “We wouldn't have Areum and Minho if it weren't for you, right? You were the one who found Areum in the park that day. You were the one who protected her when those bullies were being bullies. You were the one who made Minho settle comfortably with us after knowing what he went through. You, my little precious darling, are the one that holds this family together, and if you somehow got tired and angry at us, we'll be here to remind you everyday that bringing you home that night was the best decision your mothers and I ever made.” 

And then just like that, the dam broke. Jiwoo clung to her papa like she was finally breaking away from the surface. Sobbing into her papa's arms just like she always does when she's overwhelmed and unsure. 

And Mira held her through it. She'd do anything to keep holding her daughter even if it meant baring her soul every single time. This is worth it. All because of their precious daughter. 

When Jiwoo and Mira had finally reconciled, Jiwoo had called on her siblings to apologize and play. Minho was more concerned than mad as he hugged her in forgiveness while Areum had wailed but nodded as Jiwoo pulled her into a hug and planted a kiss on her forehead in apology. 

It was a cute sight that Zoey couldn't help but film them secretly. Rumi had disappeared into their bedroom mumbling about finding something while Mira had sat with their children playing games. Jiwoo was finally all smiles and giggles. 

Zoey felt like crying.

Jiwoo knew she still had one more mother to talk to and Mira noticed. She had seen the way Jiwoo had cast glances to the kitchen where Zoey was making dinner, fidgeting on her spot on the floor while Minho and Areum would try to get her attention to keep her playing. They had missed their sister terribly. 

Mira nudged her head to the kitchen when Jiwoo looked at her. 

“Why don't you two find another game, hm?” Her papa suggested casually to the twins. “Jiwunnie will ask eomma when dinner will be done right, sweetheart?”

Jiwoo grinned, understanding what she was trying to do and wrapping her arms around Mira's neck briefly as she nodded. “I'll be right back.”

“Will you come back, noona?” Jiwoo turned to Minho and smiled, patting his cheek gently. 

“Always, Minnie.” 

Minho smiles back and pulls Areum to their shelves of board games as Jiwoo runs to the kitchen, heart pounding in her ears as she halts at the sight of her eomma staring into space, the ingredients were still on the counter untouched with the water running on the sink but her eomma was still spaced out. 

“Eomma?”

Blinking slowly, Zoey turned to her. A beat passes and then another as she gasps, frantically shutting the tap off with a panicked smile. 

“Woobear! You scared me.” 

Jiwoo smiles shyly at the nickname, heart fluttering as her eomma continues to look at her with fond eyes, hovering awkwardly by the counter like she didn't know what to do next. Jiwoo could feel her lips start to tremble as she avoided eye contact. 

“I'm sorry, eomma.”

The smile on Zoey's face quickly faded as she dropped on her knees in front of Jiwoo, meeting her daughter's eyes as she cupped Jiwoo's cheek. 

“No, no. None of that. I should be the one apologizing, Woobear. None of this is your fault.” 

Zoey wipes the tear that fell on Jiwoo's cheek. “I'm sorry for thinking that I wasn't enough.”

Zoey's heart stopped, her own voice echoing in her mind as the tears on Jiwoo's cheeks fell down in waves. “I'm sorry, eomma.”

“Oh. Oh my baby. You are more than enough. Always. You're enough. You understand me? You are enough, my love. Nothing could ever replace you. You will always be enough. Much much more than I deserve.” Zoey gasps out, her own tears falling as she tries to breathe in lest she passes out. Have I truly made my own daughter feel what I felt all those years ago? “I'm so so sorry I made you feel like you weren't enough, Woobear.” 

Jiwoo nodded, launching herself in her mother's arms as they both cried. Heart breaking and sewing back together at the same time. Zoey held on tight to her daughter, afraid that once she let go, Jiwoo would disappear. That everything would be a dream and she had never truly woken up from her trance. That Rumi hadn't saved them and they all would have been taken by Gwi-ma. 

But Jiwoo was warm in her arms. Breath hitching as her sobs slowed to sniffles. Jiwoo was holding her just as tightly and Zoey's whispered assurances filled her ears. You're enough. Always. My baby Woobear. Eomma loves you so so much. Worth it. Enough. Always.

Rumi watched her family with a fond smile. They were finally eating dinner, some fried chicken that tasted a little burnt, mashed potatoes, and mac and cheese. A typical American dinner, Zoey had said when she set the food down on the table. 

Jiwoo was sitting beside her, her eomma on her left with her papa sitting across from her. Areum was situated beside Zoey and Minho who sat next to their papa. 

The children were loud and happy, squeals of laughter surrounding the area. Jiwoo was bantering with a cool-tempered Minho who was smirking at his red-faced sister. Areum was just happy to be fed and included with food in her mouth. 

Everything was back into place, and Jiwoo finally understood what it meant to be loved, to feel belong, to be enough.

For the first time ever, Jiwoo finally had a family she could call her own. 

Chapter Text

One thing about having mothers who know how to fight was that all of their children are obligated to know at least basic self defense. 

When the three mothers would do their daily routine at the gym, they would also include sparring to keep themselves from being too lazy as there are less demons lurking around to kill. That, and they just wanted to blow off some steam and what better way to spar with someone skilled in combat. 

Naturally all three kids have watched their mothers fight with and without weapons. 

The mothers thought it was necessary to teach their kids at least some basic self-defense. Something they wanted to incorporate into their children, not just for their safety in case of scenarios that caused them to need to fight. But because it was important for Zoey that their children knew how to fight back. Whether they were being bullied or having to save someone from that fate.  

Rumi mostly taught them stealth, to be light on their feet when they moved. She was gentle about it but firm that she sometimes forgot that she's teaching children and not full grown adults. 

Zoey taught them the precision of aiming their weapons on the target. While she tried to make it fun for the kids, she was surprised by how their aims were almost always at the target.

Mira taught them how to use their body in ways to outperform their opponent. It didn't matter if they were stronger or bigger. They were taught to always fight off their opponent in ways that are advantageous for them always. 

When Jiwoo brought out her bow and arrow for their afternoon training, the three mothers were helping Minho and Areum choose their weapons. 

“How will I know it's the right one?” Minho asked as he and Areum looked up at the massive variety of weapons that lined one long wall. 

Jiwoo was casually leaning back on her palms on the floor as she wiggled her legs. Just as excited to see what her siblings' weapons will be. 

“You'll feel it.” Jiwoo said. “You'll feel some sort of connection to it that you never felt with any weapons so far.” 

“That's right.” Mira nodded, arms crossed against her chest as she watched Minho pick up the bō and then set it down with a shake of his head. Areum was already prancing towards the daggers with a skip to her step. “Be careful, baby.”

“I will, papa.” Areum grinned, bouncing on her heels as Zoey went over to help her. 

“Will the honmoon help me know?” Minho asked once more and Mira smiled. 

Ever since the children told them casually that they could see the wavy iridescent barrier that had the same color as their mama's patterns, they almost lost their minds. Jiwoo had said that she started to notice it when she would watch the shimmer of colors in her mama's patterns. It shouldn't also be a surprise to them since Jiwoo had seen Derpy and Sussy. It never really crossed their minds that Jiwoo could also see the honmoon. 

Minho had known that there was something different with their mothers the moment he met them. He saw the ripple of the barrier hum delightedly when he clutched on his papa's pants. The shiver he felt when a warm and accepting aura embraced him. As if finally welcoming him home. 

Areum had simply stated that she saw the colorful patterns following Jiwoo around when she beat up those bullies, and how it shielded her in a bubble until it was all over. 

It took their mothers a full minute to get their bearings, and when they did they were firing questions that had the kids looking at them amusedly. 

So when Jiwoo said that she wanted to practice with her weapon, Minho and Areum wanted to tag along. 

“It can.” Rumi finally spoke for the first time, simply letting her girlfriends and children do most of the talking. She was still a little in awe and scared that their children could see the honmoon and her patterns swirling to life against her skin. The children hadn't asked why she had patterns nor did she and her girlfriends ever tell them about demons. 

That was a story for another day. 

“But you also have to feel the power within your chosen weapon. Not just because it's cool to look at and hold but because it's a part of you.” Rumi took a deep breath, the tips of her fingers dipping into the barrier and then her sword materialised in that same iridescent glow in her hand. 

Their children stared in awe. 

“As hunters, we were trained in every combat skill as humanly possible. Then we were trained to use weapons of any variety until we had chosen what worked well for us. This—” Rumi twirls her sword expertly in her fingers. “—is my chosen weapon. The honmoon recognized it as a part of me. Just as it will recognize your chosen weapon as a part of you.” 

“Why do we need weapons?” Areum asked, head slightly tilted. 

Zoey and Mira noticed the way Rumi stiffened ever so slightly and then without a second thought, they were conjuring their own weapons as they took their places beside Rumi. 

“To kill the bad spirits.” Zoey softly said, a hand grazing lightly against Rumi's back in comfort. Mira let her hand rest on Rumi's shoulder, squeezing in silent support. 

“How do we know if there's a bad spirit?”

Rumi stiffened further under their hands. 

“When they don't hesitate to attack you.” Mira said and Zoey nodded. “They tend to be more…aggressive.”

“The honmoon will ripple in a way that'll let you know when there's a bad spirit to kill. It will help guide you and you don't ignore your instincts.” Rumi grit out. Feeling her skin start to prickle in that cruel way that she wanted to scratch the patterns off. But she gripped her sword harder into her hand instead. 

“Will we be able to summon our weapons just like yours?” 

“Not yet.” Zoey smiled, letting her sinkal vanish into thin air. “But you will need lots and lots of practice for it to happen.”

“For now, let's just focus on finding your weapons.” Mira added, doing the same as she let her hand slide down Rumi's hand, raising their hands to press a kiss Rumi's fingers. “You good?” 

Rumi hums, letting herself relax into Mira's hold as Zoey pressed herself into her side. Hands circling around her waist. 

“You'll let us know if you're not feeling okay?” 

“Of course.” Rumi smiled and leaned over to kiss Mira on the lips, pulling away to cup Zoey's cheek to kiss her too. 

“EEEWWW!”

The collective giggles made them pull apart. Mira rolled her eyes at their children, Zoey blushed, and Rumi smiled fondly. Heart settled warmly in her chest as she chuckled. 

“Alright kids, go crazy on the weapons.”

Areum was the first to pick up weapon after weapon while Minho just analyzed the ones in front of him. The weapons aren't exactly dangerous, it was designed for kids. Wooden instead of steel. It was lighter for them to carry. Bobby had made sure of it when the girls had called him about it, confused but still made sure his girl's request was heeded. Once the children have chosen their designated weapons and had grown used to it as they grow older then it will be changed to something more metal-like. 

When Minho finally chose his weapon, Jiwoo was shooting another arrow at the target. 

“Show off.” Minho mumbled and Jiwoo grinned. 

“Only for you, baby brother.” 

Scowling, Minho grabbed the katana from its place and felt a jolt in his hand that almost startled him out of his skin. 

Jiwoo noticed the wide eyed look on his face. 

“You okay?” When he didn't answer, her eyes shifted down at the long wooden sword in his hand. Jiwoo noticed the honmoon swirling lightly around him, and she gasped. “You felt it didn't you?” 

Watching the interaction from their spot on the bench, Rumi walked closer and bent down in front of Minho. 

“Wanna give it a swing?” 

Nodding, he let his mama guide him to one of the smaller mannequins made for practice. The katana was light in his hand, as it should be considering it wasn't a real one yet. The edges were blunt, not enough to cut actual skin but just enough to cut the mannequin. 

Rumi started to teach him the basic stance. Minho listened and followed her instructions. His mama guided him with a gentle hand. Pointing at key parts where the attack would hurt the most.

“The most important thing when wielding a katana is to let your body flow with it. Remember, your weapon is a part of you. You move as one. Here.” Rumi shifted his legs apart slightly, letting his dominant hand hold the lower guard while his other hand gripped the lower handle. “Think of it like you're holding Sussy, gentle but firm. We don't want to crush Sussy with our hands now do we?”

“No, mama.” Minho answered and did as he was told. The tip of the sword pointed slightly upward. 

“Relax your shoulders a bit, that's it. Good job.” 

Minho felt his chest puffed in pride at the praise and Rumi smiled, patting his back gently. 

“Now, I want you to swing down on this mannequin. It doesn't have to be perfect. We can practice more on that. We just need to know what we can work with. Can you do that for me, love?” 

“Yes, mama.” 

With a deep breath, Minho gripped his sword firmly and shifted. His arms raised and the sword fell in one smooth swing. His sword was halfway on the mannequin, jutting out of its chest as cheers filled the room. His cheeks burned when his mothers fell on their knees to rain kisses on his face. 

“You did so good, my love!”

“That was the best swing I have ever seen!” 

“Truly made to be a hunter that one, yea. I'm a proud eomma.” 

“Bravo, baby brother.” Minho rolled his eyes at his noona but accepted her hug. Areum almost made him fall on his butt when she wrapped her arms around him. 

“You are so so good, Minnie! Do it again!” 

This time when Minho swung down, he decapitated the head smoothly. He stared at the rolling head for a second before he felt a warm hand caressing the back of his head. 

“That's our boy.” His mama smiled, pressing a kiss on his forehead. “You did well, Min.” 

“Thank you, mama.” 

“Mama, mama look!”

All heads turned to the youngest, holding a six edged flat disc-like blade. It took the mothers a while to realize that Areum was holding onto three pairs of hira-shuriken, bouncing on the heels of her feet as she raised the blades in the air. 

And then without warning, it flew into the air with a precision that had Rumi instinctively dodging, the blade almost grazing her neck as she stared wide eyed at their youngest.

“Holy shit.” Mira gaped, ignoring the collective “SWEAR JAR!” from their children. “Where did you learn that from, fireball?”

Areum grinned and pointed at her eomma. Zoey immediately laughed nervously. Waving her hands frantically when her girlfriends raised a brow at her in question.

“I—I did no such thing! You know maybe she's just really really go—okay, I might have taught her a thing or two.” Zoey quickly said, wincing as the words flew from her mouth. “She's really good though! Look at her throwing that like it's nothing!” 

“Is that why you were tossing her things at random?” Mira chuckled, shaking her head when Zoey laughed sheepishly. 

“She's got a great aim.” Rumi nodded, hugging their youngest tightly as the little girl giggled, squirming in her arms when Rumi blew raspberries on her neck. 

“Mamaaaaa.” Areum whined, breaking free from her mama's arms as she ran to her papa. “Did you see me, papa? Did you see that?!” 

“I did, fireball.” Mira grinned, carrying Areum as she kissed her cheek. “You are a natural.” 

“Better than I've ever been.” Zoey said, tears forming in her eyes and when Areum frowned at the sight of tears, little hands patted her cheeks worriedly. “Happy tears, baby.” 

“Does this mean that we'll be practicing more often now?” Minho asked, leaning against his noona who has her arm around his shoulder while Rumi stood behind them. 

“Sure, darling.”

For the rest of the afternoon, Rumi, Mira, and Zoey taught their children more about their weapons. Educating them on their stances and why it was held that way. The better way to attack in close and long ranges. They tried to make learning fun as the children listened in rapt attention, asking questions and learning just as quickly. 

Somehow having to bond with their children this way made them closer. Something they didn't think was still possible. 

Chapter Text

There was something about wearing disguises to a concert that wasn't their own that sent a thrill down the Huntr/x spine. 

They had been invited by their sunbaes to attend the first day of their tour. Mira and Rumi didn't have the heart to decline when Zoey whipped out seven tickets from the envelope she just received from her friend.

They didn't have to wonder who it was the moment they saw the tickets. 

The discussion about them as a group to attend the concert was quick. They wanted to support their sunbaes and it had been quite a while since they attended a concert. The last one was from when Zoey dragged them to watch Taylor Swift for three hours at one of her London shows. The experience both awed and fascinated Rumi by her sheer discipline to keep going despite everything. Mira couldn't help but get post concert depression with Zoey. They had gone to three more shows after that before they got busy with their own career. 

Now though. Now it isn't just them attending the concert. 

The mothers had sat down with their children and asked if they wanted to attend a concert of their eomma's friend. They were quiet for a while. Looking at one another with a silent conversation passing between them that made Mira smile. 

And then as if coming to a shared conclusion, Jiwoo nodded. 

“We'd like to come with you if you're okay with it.”

They were aware of the precautions that needed to be done whenever they were out in public. Most times people didn't bother the children, only ever waving at the kids who waved back before hiding their faces on any body part they could reach from their mothers. Rumi had been the one to tell them about public scrutiny, their decision to step into the spotlight, or to keep their life as private as they can. While it is clear that all three mothers would prefer to keep the children out of the fame industry world, they knew the kids still had the choice to decide for themselves. 

So with a gentleness that made their chest ache, Rumi asked one more time. 

“Are you guys sure? People would be everywhere. They could be taking pictures of us, videos of us. Will you be alright with that?” 

Jiwoo nodded, having experienced it first hand how chaotic it is to be in the center of attention whenever she was with her mothers. As the eldest, she had learned early on to keep her face out of the public view unless she wanted to be seen. There were a few pictures circling around with her face blurred that didn't involve her wearing a mask or her back facing the camera. 

People still heeded the girls' wishes to never post any photos or information of their children online unless they're willing to be sued for millions of dollars to the point of bankruptcy. 

The twins however had little experience with the public. While the girls had each posted videos and photos of their kids in their socials, they had yet to experience half of what Jiwoo had seen, and selfishly, the mothers preferred it that way. 

So when the kids all nodded once more. The mothers started to plan out for their next adventure. 

It was easy to plan with Bobby who was just as protective of their children as they are. He had hired a bunch of bodyguards for extra security. While he was finally made aware of the nature of their other job as hunters, he didn't want to risk any of them to be trampled on by the public. 

Zoey was already buried in her phone as she texted her friend on their way to the venue. Her bucket hat was already in place, a black mask on her face as she wore a loose white shirt and baggy jeans. Rumi opted for a form fitting hoodie that hugged her curves and high waisted jeans, her mask was hanging on a finger. Mira wore a black crop top and wide legged jeans, her glasses hanging off the bridge of her nose and her cap sitting on top of her head. 

The kids wore matching merch shirts. Jiwoo and Areum wore skirts with their shirts tucked into it and a bucket hat on their heads while Minho had his hood pulled up beneath his own merch shirt, his shorts just barely grazing under his knee. All three kids were wearing black masks. 

It was the perfect disguise for people who didn't want to be noticed. But with the amount of them in one row, it was impossible for anyone not to notice who they were until one fan had stared a little too long in their direction. 

It didn't take the fans to put two and two together when they finally realized who was sitting on the upper box. 

They refused, as politely as they could, to take any pictures with the fans. Telling them that they are here to support and not take any attention away from the real stars performing on stage. Unfortunately, they couldn't stop the ones pointing their phones in their direction for any reaction. 

Mira was near the stairs with Minho next to her. Areum was in between her brother and her eomma while Zoey and Rumi sandwiched Jiwoo with Bobby on Rumi's other side. A couple of their bodyguards were sitting behind and in front of them for added security. 

They just wanted their children to have as much fun as they could at their first concert that wasn't their mothers.

And as the concert went on, the mothers each took care of their kids. Made sure they had water and snacks, made sure that they could see the stage, made sure that their faces were still hidden for any accidental photos that they knew were already circling around the internet by now. 

But the kids were having fun. Their lightsticks waved enthusiastically in the air as they screamed along with the crowd. At one point the kids had switched seats, singing and dancing with their mothers. Clapping as loudly as they can. Bobby was busy capturing moments that he knew his girls would appreciate at the end of the night. 

And as the concert winded down to a close, Zoey was already asking them if they wanted to meet the group backstage. 

“We're given backstage passes so it wouldn't be too much of a hassle to get there. But if you're too tired I can tell them that we could meet up again next time.”

Rumi and Mira exchanged glances. Areum was already half asleep in Mira's arm while Minho had his face buried on the crook of Mira's neck but still awake. Jiwoo was still staring at the stage in awe, starry eyes shining bright under the stage lights as she waved shyly at some of the fans who waved at them but didn't dare go up to them. The bodyguards made sure that no one could reach them. 

“Well I think Jiwoo still wanted to meet them.”

At the mention of her name, Jiwoo snapped her head at her mothers, eyes wide and lips curling into an excited smile. “Can we, can we, can we, can we, pleassseeee? I'll be good, I promise.”

Mira chuckled, adjusting the twins in her arms, careful not to jostle them too much in case Areum woke up. 

“We know you will, princess. Come on then. Lets go follow eomma.” 

And as they were guided backstage, Jiwoo was already running ahead with Bobby hot on her heels. Their security stepped back just as they reached the dressing room, and the door finally opened with a cheerful greeting. 

“ZOEY-CHAN!”

“SANA UNNIE!” 

The following greeting soon woke Areum up. Mira put Minho down who quickly clutched her pant leg and breathed a sigh of relief when Areum didn't cry. Just startled and a little confused. 

All nine members were present. Bowing as they greeted each other, all still dressed in their encore stage outfits, sweat clinging onto their skin but the smile on their faces remained big. 

“You brought the kiddos too.” Jihyo smiled as she waved at the kids who waved back shyly. “Girls, girls, let's introduce ourselves properly.” 

Quickly following their leader, the girls lined up in their designated spots as they did their introduction and bowed deeply.

“Hana, dul, set—One in a million! Annyeonghaseyo, TWICE imnida!” 

They all clapped and cheered as Rumi motioned for her girls to do the same. 

“Hana, dul, set—We are Hunters with Golden hearts! Annyeonghaseyo, HUNTR/X imnida!” 

Everyone cheered and whooped as Sana took the liberty to introduce each member to the three kids. 

She had been one of the few people who had met the kids personally so it was easier for them to be comfortable around the other girls. 

“Thank you for the endless supply of carbs.” Jihyo chuckled once Sana was done, already taking Minho into her arms as the little boy flushed red and giggled. “You guys didn't have to do that.”

“Oh hush.” Rumi waved her off. “We've known each other for a long time now, unnie. It was the least we could do.” 

“Aigoo, when did our Rumi grow up already?” Jihyo laughed loudly when Rumi pushed her lightly, her arms wrapping around Rumi's waist as she rubbed her head against Rumi's face. “So cuteeee!”

“I'm jealous.” Sana suddenly pouted, Areum was already wide awake from her short nap as she stood between Mina and Nayeon. The three of them are taking pictures on Nayeon's phone. “I want to have kids too.”

“We can arrange playdates with you guys if you're available.” Mira smiled when Sana’s face lit up. 

“Really?” 

“Only if the other members are with you.” Mira smirked, already stepping out of Sana's reach. “Preferably with Jihyo unnie.” 

The reaction was instant. 

“Yah, Kang Mira! You're so mean!” 

“That's future Mrs. Ryu to you!” Mira stuck her tongue out as she dodged the pillow Sana threw at her, and then froze as the words registered in her head. 

Everyone seemed to freeze with her. They all knew that the Huntrix members were in a relationship with one another. Jihyo and Momo were the first to find out when they stumbled on the three of them pressed against the wall at one of the music shows backstage, lipstick smeared and hair tangled in their hands. Naturally, the trio panicked. But Momo and Jihyo teased them relentlessly first before promising to keep it a secret. 

Sana was, predictably, upset that Zoey was already taken. She even tried to propose as their fourth but was shut down as gently as they could so as not to hurt her. She, instead, bargained to have dinner dates every now and then with Zoey, no questions asked. 

Zoey would sometimes come home flushed beyond belief from her date with Sana but otherwise fine. Then Rumi and Mira would make her forget whatever Sana had said. To remind her of who she belonged to, they'd said. 

Zoey who was conversing with Chaeyoung and Dahyun turned at the words, eyes wide and mouth agape. Jiwoo was cradled between Jeongyeon and Tzuyu who both looked up from the couch, hidden candies spilling from Jeongyeon’s hands. Areum was now in Nayeon's arms, Mina just hovering behind them as Areum played with Mina's fingers that were on Nayeon's shoulder. Minho was now settled in Sana's lap, tilting his head up as Momo and Jihyo both bursted into loud squeals that sounded like broken dolphins. 

Rumi looked unfazed. 

“YOU'RE ENGAGED?”

“ZOEY'S GETTING MARRIED?”

“WHEN'S THE WEDDING?”

“ARE WE INVITED?”

“NO MORE DATE NIGHTS WITH MY ZOEY?”

“CAN WE SING FOR YOUR WEDDING?”

“CAN I BE THE FLOWER GIRL?” 

“OH, OH I WANNA BE THE RING BEARER!”

“Guys, guys, calm down.” Rumi interrupted the chaos with an eerie calm exterior. “We're not engaged.” A pause that seemed like an hour too slow as a smirk creeps her face. “Yet.” 

Rumi braced herself for the smack Jihyo landed on her arm, laughing as Momo clung to her other side. Whining in her ear about how unfair she was. Rumi spots her girlfriends across the room, Mira was being shaken by Tzuyu and Dahyun, smacking her a little too hard in their excitement. Zoey still stared wide eyed, locked in Nayeon's embrace with Jeongyeon poking her cheek teasingly. The rest of the girls crowding them, Sana in tears while Mina and Chaeyoung tried to console her. 

“You got the ring, didn't you?” Jihyo whispered, eyes glassy with a wide smile on her face. 

Rumi didn't have to answer as Jihyo wrapped her arms around her in a tight hug. 

The rings in question were tucked safely where none of them would find it. 

Before she could stare any longer at her girlfriends, Momo was already pulling her to film a dance challenge. 

Chapter Text

One thing about having kids is that no parent was ever prepared to see them off on their first day of school.

When Rumi suggested enrolling Jiwoo into kindergarten, Mira felt like she had a stroke. Zoey had jumped up at the opportunity as she and Rumi browsed through schools that they thought would be good enough for their children. 

Mira hadn't considered putting any of their kids into a proper school. 

They had opted to homeschool the first two years with Jiwoo and the one year with the twins. Taught them everything they knew, from alphabets to writing both english and korean characters, sometimes Mira would squeeze in a bit of French and Japanese too. 

In those blissful years, Mira had always thought they'd be homeschooling the kids forever. Zoey had made them charts on what they were going to study for the week. Rumi had made sure to put breaks in between lest they'd get carried away. The children still do training with them every afternoon so it was a given to at least give them half an hour breaks. 

School, Mira thought disgustingingly, is an abomination that never should have been implemented if it will not be used for work related situations or in life in general. 

She shuddered violently at the thought of boys and girls alike flirting with her children. Felt her anger sparking into her veins at the thought of anyone daring to touch a single hair on their heads with malice. 

Mira just wanted to shield her children from the outside world for as long as she could. 

But her girlfriends were already asking her what school they would send them in, and Mira couldn't find it in herself to participate. So when she excused herself, Rumi and Zoey shared a glance.

The topic didn't surface until a week after that when Jiwoo suddenly brought it up during lunch. 

“I want to go to school.” She said casually, shoving a mouthful of greens that Rumi forced them to eat as it was good for growing bodies. The adults in attendance weren't spared from it either despite Zoey's protest and the disgusted look on Mira's face. “I want to meet new friends.”

“What's wrong with being homeschooled?” Mira asked defensively. Already feeling her shoulders tense so hard it was starting to ache. Heart pounding in her chest wildly at the thought she tried to suppress for as long as she could. “You don't like us teaching you?” 

Sensing the weight of her papa's words and the slight panic underneath it, Jiwoo looked up from her bowl, a frown marring her lips and a crease on her forehead showed her concern. 

“I just thought it'd be fun to meet new friends.” Their eldest said, voice turning small as her shoulders slumped at the stoic look on her papa's face. “Je suis désolé, papa.” 

Mira seemed to snap out of her own feelings, rushing to assure her daughter as guilt made way into her chest. “No, no. None of that, ma chérie. I just—” She took a deep breath, feeling her resolve start to wane as her gaze softened. “You’re just growing up too fast.” 

Out of the three mothers, Mira was more sensitive albeit more aware of her feelings than her girlfriends who still struggled to come to terms with the truth. Not saying that they are insensitive, no. Mira knew that her girlfriends felt the same. Had probably skirted around the idea in their heads for as long as possible. None of them just wanted to voice out the obvious. Mira has always been the most forward and blunt with her words. It was only natural in their dynamic for her to say what she wanted to say. 

Jiwoo smiled, briefly abandoning her bowl to hug her papa. The others simply watched with a fond smile. 

“I wanna go to school too.”

“Me too!”

Mira groaned as her girlfriends gave her a sympathetic smile. 

It was easier to rip the bandage at one painful tug, is what Bobby had said cheerfully as he dropped boxes of school supplies at their front door. Mira felt like her heart had been taken out of her chest, crushed multiple times, and then put back in its place like nothing happened in all its gory glory. 

So when the kids were finally enrolled. Jiwoo for kinder, and Areum and Minho for pre-kinder at the same school. Mira was close to passing out. 

“It's gonna be alright.” Zoey said reassuringly. Mira knew the frenzied look in her eyes that she wasn't the only one feeling like she was gonna combust at any moment. “School's fun.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Of course.” They watched Zoey's eyes twitch as her lips curved into a forceful big smile. Quivering at the effort at appearing to be unfazed. “School's loads of fun. There's the cafeteria with no table to sit on because you're too weird for their social status, the bathroom where you can hide but can still be found and you can be friends with the toilet—lovely conversationalist might I add, the teachers who would nod along but never listen—”

The panic in Zoey only intensified, eyes going wide as she turned to Rumi and gripped her shoulders with such strength that Rumi almost stumbled over but she remained neutral, ever so calm like the perfect dutiful child she was raised to be. 

“We have to take them out of school right now. That's no place for our children.” 

Mira nodded fiercely. “I agree.” 

But Rumi had simply smiled. Pulling her girlfriends on each side as she pressed a soothing kiss on the corner of Zoey's mouth and light nibble on Mira's neck. 

“Here's a deal. When they say they don't want to go to school anymore. We'll pull them out and homeschool them for the rest of their learning years. Deal?”

Mira grumbled while Zoey gulped, still anxious as her hand subconsciously gripped the soft cloth of Rumi's shirt. 

“The second they say no—”

Rumi softened, brushing her thumb along Zoey's exposed hip. “We'll pull them out, I promise." 

With their worries soothed temporarily, Rumi had ushered the kids to prepare for their first day. 

The school they had chosen was a private institution that housed at least a hundred or so kids. Rumi had been the one to speak with the principal and homeroom teachers that will be caring for their children respectively. Areum and Minho were separated in class. As much as they wanted the twins to be with each other at all times, it was best to hone their skills separately without the fuss of being compared to their own progress. The mothers knew that not everyone has the same progress academically and in general. Not that they are underestimating their kids. They just didn't want unnecessary comparison to cloud their minds for being not good enough like their siblings. Something Mira had been firm about. 

So the three of them spoke with three different homeroom teachers. 

Ms. Bae is Jiwoo's homeroom teacher. A woman with shoulder length hair and a kind smile. She spoke with a gentle tone as Jiwoo peered into the classroom, still holding onto Rumi's hand tightly. The latter wondered if their daughter was starting to have second thoughts. 

“Are you alright, bubba?” 

Jiwoo looked up at her mama. Black strands tied in a french braid, her uniform was crisp and void of any creases as she clutched on the strap of her whale designed bag. 

“Hey, we can still back out if you like?” Mira softly said, crouching down on her daughter's level and brushing the braid from her shoulder. “Just say the word and I'll bring you home.” 

“It's okay to be nervous on your first day, Woobear.” Zoey added helpfully, leaning over to brush Jiwoo's cheek affectionately. “It's okay to be scared to try new things.” 

“We can still back out if you're not ready yet, sweetheart.” Rumi squeezed the little hand in hers. “We can always try again tomorrow.” 

Jiwoo looked at her mothers with teary eyes, heart settling comfortably in her chest as she hugged her papa, motioning for her eomma and mama to do the same as she made grabby hands towards her siblings. 

In a big group hug that almost took most of the hallway, Jiwoo felt whole again, and when she was released from the embrace. She was smiling broadly now. 

“Good luck on your first day, Areumie, baby brother.” Minho didn't have the heart to glare at his noona as he rushed to hug her. Mumbling onto her shoulder in mock anger.  

“Shut up.”

Jiwoo giggled and waved at her family, taking Ms. Bae’s hand in hers as they disappeared into the room. 

Areum couldn't get inside to her own classroom fast enough if not for the hand holding onto her shoulder as she buzzed with excitement. Her own raven hair was tied in pigtails, her dinosaur patterned bag bouncing along the tiny body. 

Rumi pulled her into a tight hug, smiling when Areum melted into her embrace. 

“You'll tell us if something happens, okay?” 

Areum nodded with a wide grin. “Don't worry mama. I'll just punch them in the face.” 

Mira choked out a laugh as Zoey tried not to smile. Ms. Kwon, Areum's homeroom teacher, looked concerned at the comment. 

“Be a good girl for us, fireball.” 

“I will, papa! Bye, mama, bye eomma! Bye Minnie!” 

And with a final hug, Areum was barreling inside like a whirlwind. 

The trek to Minho's room was quiet. The little boy was just as anxious as Jiwoo had been. Being the last of the bunch to be sent off made him rethink that perhaps being the first one to go was the best idea, at least he had his sister's by his side. He could feel the anxiety creeping onto his chest at the squeals of laughter echoing in the room. Ms. Im was already standing by the door, waiting for him. 

He felt a hand caress the top of his head. Instantly feeling the pressure leave his body and then he was eye to eye with his eomma. He instantly reached out a hand that she pressed against her lips and rested it on her cheek. 

“Call for us at any time okay? We'll come and get you.” 

Minho nodded, looking at his mama who kissed his forehead and then at his papa who tilted her head in encouragement. His mothers may be a woman of words, constantly assuring. Constantly caring. Constantly loving. Even without the presence of his sisters by his side, he knew they worried about him too. Could feel it in the way he feels the same about them. 

It was when his papa gave him an assuring smile that he finally grabbed Ms. Im’s hand and walked inside bravely. 

And all three children were finally out of their sight for a few hours. Mira still feels like passing out at the notion that their children are all in school now. Zoey still peered at the tiny window on the door when they passed by their kids' classrooms, and Rumi held her phone tightly in her hand. Waiting patiently for a call that they knew wouldn't come. 

Until then, they all cried for an hour and waited in the car until class ended and all three children came out happy, and were chattering at once about their first day in school. 

The mothers all listened and reacted accordingly. Glad to see the smiles on their faces as they recounted their day with a rapper's speed that made Zoey cry. 

Happy tears, of course. Always. 

Chapter Text

Ever since the children started pre-k and kindergarten, their routine had changed. 

Not drastic at first. 

It started small. 

Three small bags and identical uniforms now hung in each room, their desks were scattered with notebooks and homeworks instead of the usual stray toy or the coloring books they had bought. Three additional outdoor shoes now lined up with their own by the hall closet. Lunch boxes in cupboards and the chart Zoey had created when they were still homeschooling now bore the schedule of each kid's class schedule with their additional training in the afternoon. Instead of them teaching their kids like they used to for the past two years, they would help out on their homework instead. 

One of the things that also changed the routine of the children was the added activities they wanted to partake in outside of school. 

Jiwoo was always fascinated by the way her mothers would play instruments whenever she was in the music room with them. Most times when she asked politely, they'd teach her a thing or two with whatever instrument she wanted to hold. So when she found out that one of her classmates was taking a music class, she had begged her mothers to enroll her into one. 

Naturally, the twins had followed in their sisters footsteps. 

Areum had taken taekwondo. A request she didn't take no for an answer, and was completely buzzing when she was finally enrolled. The little girl was pacing through the belts like changing clothes. 

Minho was more shy about what activity he wanted to partake in. He wasn't embarrassed. He just didn't know how his mothers would take it. Mira had to coax it out of him before he blurted with quick and sure words that he wanted to do ballet. Before he could even overthink his decision, his mothers were running around finding a ballet class they could enroll him in.

It was easier to work around the house without the children most of the day. Most times they'd find themselves missing the chaos the children would bring but soon adapted to the change just as quickly. 

Just like how Zoey would find herself beneath one of her girlfriends with her back pressed against the cool sheets of their bed by the time they got home from sending the kids to school. 

Her nails dig into patterned skin, back arching as a gasp escapes her lips. At the corner of her eye, she could see and feel Mira beside her. Just as breathless on her knees, pink hair covering her flushed face, a pillow below her stomach, with a patterned hand buried in between shaking legs. 

“So pretty.” Rumi slurred, nosing against Zoey's neck and biting lightly at the exposed skin with her teeth. Groaning at the sudden clench around her cock, burying deep into her girlfriend in response as her thumb flicked Mira's clit. Earning a shattered moan as her fingers curled and brushed at the soft spot that made Mira see stars. “So tight. Is that all for me?” 

It was maddening, Zoey thinks. Chasing the pleasure Rumi was willing to give. Hips thrusting back, lips parting at the silent scream as her body locked up once more, trembling and gasping as her orgasm washed over her for the umpteenth time. She lost count at six, maybe five? Might even be seven. Too lost in the thrum of energy throbbing in the air, at the relentless pounding that's only purpose was to take and take and take. 

At the choked gasp beside her, Zoey knew Mira came as well. She whimpered as Rumi shifted out of her, a gentle caress that Zoey didn't know if it was for comfort or a promise of another breathless passion. 

It wasn't long before she heard a broken moan followed by a sharp gasp. 

Rumi had climbed behind Mira, hips already rolling deep and slow. Zoey reached out a hand to Mira who gripped hers tightly, face buried on the mattress to stifle her sobs but Rumi didn't like it when either of them would try to muffle the moans and gasps and cries spilling from their mouth. Filthy and wet and desperate. So Rumi wrapped long pink strands on her hand in a tight grip, pulling hard enough that Mira's mouth wasn't biting on the sheets anymore. Lips swollen, cheeks wet from tears and sweat. Zoey couldn't help but lean over to lick the trail of sweat from Mira's cheek down to her jaw. 

“Fuck—thats it. Take it. So good for me. So pretty like this.” Rumi breathes out, patterns flickering in hues of pink and blue and violet. Casting soft glows of lights in the room and catching the blossoming bruises on every crevice of skin Rumi could touch and mark. 

They'd probably hear it from their makeup artists tomorrow but for now, they didn't care. Not when Mira was so close, clenching hard on the cock inside her that seemed intent to leave an indent as a reminder by the time Rumi was done.

Mira would definitely complain at the ache in her bones but Rumi was so deep and slow. A desperate whine escaped her lips before she could stop it. 

“Whats that, pretty girl?”

Mira groaned, angling her hips back, coaxing Rumi to move faster with another whine and Zoey could see the wicked grin on Rumi's face. 

“Say that again louder, baby. Let me hear you.”

“P-please.” Mira chokes out, sobbing when Rumi pulls on her hair again as lips brush against her neck. “Fa—faster, harder, unnie.” 

“Fuck.”

Mira didn't know what happened next. If she had passed out at the pure pleasure locking up inside her, the cock still moving fast and hard and deep that she was starting to drool out of her mouth. Zoey lapping up at the slick on her skin added to the stimulation she was already feeling. 

Blissed out. Utterly fucked. And so so in love. 

“Rest.” She heard, whimpering at the sudden loss between her legs, muscles spasming, breath hitching as the bed bounced at the motion before feeling lips pressing against her forehead. 

Her consciousness flickered between awake and slumber. Zoey was already asleep beside her. She could spot Rumi with a wet cloth in hand, naked and sweaty but otherwise relax. Shushing them when one cried out at the cool rag touching hot and sore skin. 

“Let me take care of you.” 

And they let her. 

Ever since Rumi became comfortable in her patterns adoring fair skin, and the touches she would receive and give towards her girlfriends. It was like something cracked inside her by the time she and Zoey were trying to get Rumi to at least touch them without hesitation. 

And once she accepted her demon heritage—the patterns, the claws and horns coming out in a fit of rage or overwhelming emotions, the fangs that would sometimes appear when soft lips nipped on unmarked skin, the added appendage that Zoey and Mira had no complaints whatsoever. 

Fucked out and aching, Mira thought that was the best decision they ever made. 

When Zoey finally awoke, sore and aching in places she didn't know existed, it was nearing supper. The house was quiet and she and Mira were no longer sticky and naked. They were both dressed in Rumi's baggy shirts and their own shorts—Mira in her boy shorts and Zoey in her boxers, and the sheets were already changed beneath them.

Mira stirred when she felt Zoey move beside her. 

“Zo?”

“Hm?”

“You alright?”

Zoey grinned. “Just tired.” 

Mira groaned, dropping her head flat on her pillow, an arm reaching out to pull Zoey closer. “Rumi’s gonna be the death of me.”

“You like it.” Zoey teased and Mira huffed as she rolled her eyes.

“Of course I do.”

“I can't feel my body anymore.” 

Mira laughed, burying her face on the crook of Zoey's face. 

“We have rehearsals tomorrow.” 

They both groaned. Lately, Rumi has been insatiable. Pulling them in empty rooms and closets and having her way with them. Always bruising in her pace yet gentle at the same time always made them melt in her arms. They never complained. It was breathtaking to see Rumi lose control sometimes. They felt desired, cared for, and loved. Never once had Rumi made them feel anything else other than that. 

Belatedly, they didn't hear the front door open and shoes dropping in the hall closet. They only noticed the quiet air that surrounded them a second ago was now replaced by pounding feet as the bedroom door swung open. 

“WE'RE HOME!”

Areum was the first to climb into bed. Changed out of her school uniform and dobok into a floral thin strap dress. Pigtails bouncing as she finally reached them first in a tight hug. 

“Hello, sweetheart.” Zoey greeted, nuzzling her cheek on top of Areum's head. The little girl has her face buried on her eomma's neck. 

“Hello there, fireball.” Mira smiled, running a finger over chubby cheek. “Had fun at practice?” 

Areum's face lit up as she nodded. Already speaking a mile a minute as Jiwoo, still dressed in her uniform, came into view. Nuzzling close on Mira's other side. Minho was close behind in his black scoop neckline leotard, white socks peeking on his feet as he face planted in between his papa and twin. 

As the children recounted their day, they didn't notice Rumi leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed on her chest. Watching them in that all too familiar fond smile that only ever appeared in the presence of her family. 

Jiwoo was the first to notice her. 

“Mama!”

“I thought I told you not to bother your mothers when we got home?”

All three children gave her a sheepish smile and Zoey was quick to defend them. 

“We were already awake before you arrived.”

“Hmm, is that so?” Zoey squirmed at the heated stare as she let out a nervous laugh. 

“Uhuh.”

Rumi hummed, visibly amused as she straightened by the door. “Alright then. Come now, children. Let's get you out of these clothes.” 

The kids each gave their eomma and papa a quick kiss before stumbling down the bed. Running to their own room to change to do as they’re told. Rumi walked towards them, sitting on the edge of their bed beside Zoey. 

“You guys alright?”

“Better than alright.” Zoey giggled. 

“I don't think I want to get out of bed.” Mira huffed then laughed as she plopped back down on the mattress. 

“The kids already ate dinner so I'll just tuck them in. Brought home some of that sushi and ramen you both liked.” Rumi softly said, leaning across Zoey to hold Mira's hand while the other rested on Zoey's stomach, thumb tracing the exposed skin. 

“You didn't have to.”

Rumi rolled her eyes. “I practically took your ability to walk. It's the least I can do. Besides, I want to take care of you.” 

“We know.” Mira said, pressing a kiss on Rumi's knuckles. “We want to take care of you too.” 

Rumi smiled. “I'll bring the food to you in about half an hour.”

“Rumi—”

“Just let me. Please?” Zoey quickly shut her mouth as she nodded. Scowling when Mira snickered beside her. Then melted when Rumi pecked her and Mira on the lips. “I'll be right back, you won't even notice.” 

True to her word, not even half an hour later. The kids walked back in to say their good night's, already dressed in their pjs with damp hair. Zoey and Mira kissed each child before they were ushered back into their room. Rumi had settled the tray of food she had promised telling them to eat while she tucked the kids into bed. 

Five minutes later, Rumi was changed out of her clothes and her long long hair draped against her back, damp from the shower. 

Zoey and Mira had placed the tray on the floor and quickly grabbed Rumi before she could pick it up. 

“Nuh uh. You're going to bed, mon amour.” 

“But—”

“No buts!” Zoey said, forcefully pushing Rumi on her back between them. Legs tangling and arms wrapping around her so she wouldn't escape. “Sleep.” 

Huffing, Rumi settled comfortably, letting her body relax in their hold.

“I love you.” 

“We love you too.”

“Now sleep.” 

It wasn't long until she was passed out between them and Mira and Zoey pressed a kiss on her head. Cuddling into Rumi's warmth and following soon after. 

Chapter Text

“Let's go out.” 

Mira looked up from her phone to glance at her girlfriend whose head was hanging off the edge of their bed. 

“It's raining.” She deadpanned. 

“So?”

“You'll get sick.”

“Sooo?”

“I'm not gonna take care of you.”

“That's fine.” Zoey flicked a dismissive hand. “Rumi will.”

Said woman walked in, a snack in hand as she nibbled on her pepero. Stopping in her tracks when she heard her name. 

“I will what?” 

“Take care of me when I get sick.”

“Of course I will.” Rumi readily said. Brows furrowed in confusion as Mira gave Zoey an exasperated look while the latter gave her a smug smile. 

“So?”

“So what?”

“Are we going out?”

“It's pouring outside, Zoey.” 

“Nah, it's just light rain.”

A flash of lightning. 

An innocent smile that borderlined wicked. 

Then a rumble of thunder. 

“See? Light rain.”

Mira's eye twitched. 

“You call that light rain?” 

“It'll be fun!”

“You won't be saying that by the time your fever spikes and you're covered in your snot and whining in bed begging for me to take care of you.” 

Zoey smiled wider and clapped her hands once, like she just won the conversation and Mira was too slow to catch up with it. 

“Perfect, I'll go get our raincoats!”

“Zoey—”

“KIDS, PUDDLE TIME!”

Before Mira or Rumi could stop her, Zoey was already dashing out of the comfort of their bed, almost slipping on her fuzzy socks as she ran out the hall. 

“Are we seriously going to do this?” Mira asked even though she knew the answer. Rumi laughed and cupped her cheek, pressing a kiss to her lips briefly before pulling away. 

“Best to keep up with her, hm?”

Mira groaned and let herself be pulled by the hand anyway. 

Zoey and the kids were practically rushing towards the elevator. It was nearing bedtime when Zoey had the lovely idea to drag them into the pouring rain. The kids had been washed and dressed in their pjs, and so were the mothers. 

They were supposed to be sleeping by now in their soft warm bed with her girlfriends wrapped around her like a cocoon. 

But Zoey's persistent babbling won them out. Even when Mira complained, she was still shrugging on her pink raincoat as she helped Jiwoo in her red one. Areum was already buzzing around in her yellow coat while Minho stood in his blue one. Rumi had already adorned her purple coat and Zoey in green. Matching rainboots on their feet. 

Now—now they were in the middle of a storm jumping on puddles with the wind whipping harshly on Mira's face. 

“THIS. IS. SO. FUN!” Zoey exclaimed, jumping on each word as the water splashes on their feet. Their children follow their eomma's antics. Even Rumi was kicking her feet with Areum by her side. 

Noticing their pink haired girlfriend who refused to move from her spot on the shed, Zoey called out to her with such enthusiasm that Mira couldn't help but smile. 

“MIRA, COME ON!”

“I DON'T WANT TO GET WET!”

“THAT'S THE POINT OF WEARING RAINCOATS!” 

“NO!”

But as the words fell from her mouth, they all knew that Mira would still heed their wishes. It didn't take long before she huffed out a breath and tentatively stepped down the puddled ground. 

A tiny hand outstretched towards her, and Mira looks over to see Jiwoo smiling brightly, face wet and eyes twinkling happily. 

“Maman.” 

Ever since Jiwoo had learned French, she had made it a point to call Mira maman in certain situations. Jiwoo still calls her papa most of the time. But when she was trying to make a point or want to grab her papa's attention, she'd call her maman, and each time it worked. 

Mira hated—she secretly loves it—how her daughter had her wrapped around her little finger. 

“You're playing that card now, ma chérie?” Mira asked as she raised a brow. Accepting the proffered hand even when her heart soared to her throat. 

“Ani. We just don't want our papa to feel left out.” Jiwoo grinned teasingly. Shrieking when Mira suddenly took her in her arms and started tickling her. 

“Who says I'm left out? I'm not left out. I'm just taking my moment.” 

“Are you?” Rumi snickered, a teasing smirk on her lips. “I thought it's ‘cause you didn't want to get wet.” 

Mira narrowed her eyes at her girlfriend. Jiwoo took the distraction to run away from Mira's grip to hide behind her eomma. 

“Who says I don't want to get wet? That's why we have raincoats on.”

“Suuure.” Zoey adds, hands behind her back as she rocks on her heels, a mischievous grin lining her lips. “Raincoats huh? Who needs raincoats anyway, right?” 

And before Mira could say another word, Zoey had jumped on the puddle near Mira, soaking her girlfriend from head to toe. 

“ZOEY!”

“Oops.” Zoey giggles. “My bad.” 

“Okay that's it.” Mira grumbles, stretching her limbs briefly, giving them time to move away, before she was cutting across the distance between her and her family. Their shrieks of laughter fills the empty road, rain pattering down on them in waves. But they didn't care. The kids would dodge long arms as they ran around their mothers with their boots filling up with water. 

At one point, Rumi had gone back to the shed and set up her camera to capture the moment. Multicolored raincoats dashing in and out the screen, their children's bickering and Zoey's loud squeals with Mira playfully threatening to tickle them can be heard. Rumi briefly showed herself with a quick wave before joining her family. Water splashing under their feet. Uploading the video on her Instagram hours later with a caption saying, “Puddle time with the family 🌧️❤️”

And when they finally exhausted themselves, dripping wet on the floor as they shed their raincoats. The kids went in for another quick shower, had some hot coco, kissed their mothers goodnight and thanked them for a wonderful experience before they went to bed. 

“Told you it'll be fun.” Zoey said smugly, drying her hair with a towel. 

Mira rolled her eyes but let a smile cross her face, letting Rumi snuggle her from behind. 

And in the silence of their bedroom with the rain still going strong outside. A loud sound interrupts their peace.

“ACHOO!” 

Silence. Complete utter silence. 

And then Zoey was laughing so hard she almost rolled off the bed. 

“Oh how the tables have turned.” 

Mira grumbled, sneezing into the tissue Rumi had handed to her as she glared at their girlfriend. Tempted to just push her off the bed for her smart remark. 

“Don't worry, mon amour.” Rumi mumbled behind her, a teasing lilt in her voice as she rubbed Mira's arm. “I'll still take care of you.” 

“Shut up.” Mira groaned, burying her face on the pillow with her cheeks burning pink. 

“Oh don't be embarrassed, baby. Rumi and I will make sure to take good care of y—OOF!”

Zoey face planted on the ground. Hard. 

It was Mira's turn to laugh. 

“ACHOO!” 

Chapter Text

Having kids who enjoy completely different hobbies is a joy to watch. 

Ever since the children had started to become more comfortable with hanging out with kids their age and getting invited to sleepovers, it was easier for the mothers to breathe. 

Everyday, after school, just like clockwork, they would pick up the kids and let them rattle on what they did for the day. Then they would ask how their classmates would treat them. Jiwoo would tell them that some kids didn't like speaking to her so she never bothered to speak with them, Areum never really cared for others unless she knew they wouldn't hurt her or anybody, Minho opted to observe first before talking to any of them. 

The mothers were made aware of this, of course. The kids' homeroom teachers would inform them sometimes during after class pick ups, nothing too concerning but something to bring up in a conversation. 

It was also their way to assure themselves that their kids are happy and safe in an environment they put them in. 

Which is why it was also important for them to have hobbies outside of their school activities they were already doing. While Jiwoo has her music class, Areum with her taekwondo class, and Minho with ballet. All three kids were also taking part in learning an instrument and expanding their language proficiency with other languages such as English, Japanese, French, Spanish, and Sign Language. 

It was fun to watch them sit in with each individual activity. Sometimes, the mothers would find their kids teaching what they had learned. All piled up in someone's room for the day. 

Notably, there was a large mat in Areum's room whenever she would teach her siblings techniques she had learned. 

One thing about having a whole building as a home is that they can renovate a whole floor to their liking. Which is how they found themselves in a newly renovated floor that has a complete set of instruments, a dance studio for Minho, and an upgraded recording booth, with the rest of the rooms made for individual practice. 

“This is so cool!” Minho gasped, letting his fingers glide on the barre as his sisters ran around the studio with their mothers watching proudly. 

Polished floors and a long mirror lined the wall. Plush sofas, a couple of tables, and a snack area was stationed opposite it. There was a large stereo by the mirror that Jiwoo had already pressed play in, and the familiar tune of Sherlock by Shinee started playing. 

The kids cheered and danced around, limbs waving this way and that as their bodies swayed with the beat. Mira quickly took a video of them on her phone. 

Oh I'm curious yeah

Sajin sok niga sungan miso jieo wae

Oh I’m so curious yeah (Yeah yeah)

I'm so curious yeah

Mira panned the camera to her girlfriends, Zoey was bouncing happily, doing the choreo with a serious face while Rumi gave her an awkward wave before taking the camera to film Mira who quickly snapped into main dancer aura, and then turning the camera back to the kids who were now making silly faces. Her girlfriend's laughter could be heard before Rumi gave the phone back to Mira who stopped recording as the song finally ended. 

“Alright, alright. We didn't get this whole floor renovated for nothing.” Mira said, ushering the kids to the next room. 

“This is your very own music room.” Zoey spread her arms out as wide as she could, visibly excited at the awed look on their children's faces. “This is your sanctuary. You have every instrument at your disposal. If you want to learn other instruments that aren't here, just tell us so we could buy it for you.”

“You cannot bring your own instrument to your room.” Rumi added, watching each kid grab their musical instrument and pouted at her words. Rumi smiled patiently. “That's why we have separate booths here for you to practice alone.”

“Treat your sanctuary like you treat your home. Clean up after you use it, put everything back where it was, and—”

“Be responsible!”

“Eat snacks!”

They laugh as Areum shyly giggles, cheeks going pink as Rumi brushes an affectionate hand over soft hair. “That's right, fireball. But we also have to take care of our things so it'll last longer, okay?”

The little girl nodded enthusiastically. “Yes mama.”

“Good girl.” Rumi smiled. “Now go crazy on your instrument.” 

Jiwoo quickly settled herself on the sleek black piano, an instrument she had been practicing on ever since she started music class, Zoey sitting beside her as they flipped through the music sheet. Areum bounded by the drums, drumsticks already hitting with a beat that made Mira's eyes lit up.

Rumi walked over where Minho was hovering between the guitar and violin. 

“You know whatever you choose will sound great.” 

“Because you, eomma, and papa will teach me?” Minho asked with hopeful eyes. Rumi chuckled and nodded. 

“Only if you want us to, sweetheart.” 

“Yes please.”

“Alright then.” Rumi said, looking back at the impressive collection before looking back down at their son. “Something you want to try?”

“I want to try violin but I also want to play guitar.”

“Hey, you don't have to choose just one instrument to learn, you know.” Minho looked at her as if he didn't think of that. Rumi smiled. “You can learn as many instruments or whatever else you want to try as you like, and we'll be here to support you every time.” 

“Really?”

“Always, love.” 

With a decision in mind and chest light at the assurance, Minho reached out to the violin and guitar. 

Rumi grinned. “Excellent choice. What do you want to learn first?”

“Violin?” 

“Perfect.” 

Growing up in Celine's care, Rumi had also been privileged enough to learn as many things as she wanted. Being banned from interacting with kids her age due to her patterns, Celine granted her access to things she could learn greatly from. These included most of the instruments that lined the wall. 

“Shall we start?” 

Minho nodded and the lessons started. 

It was hard and his fingers started to burn as the hours passed by but Minho didn't stop. He kept going even when his mama told him to take a break. Jiwoo and Areum had gone back to the penthouse with papa and eomma hours ago. Yet Minho was still here struggling to keep his fingers in the right position, his shoulders and arms were beginning to ache but he didn't want to stop. 

“Ugh!” Minho groaned when his finger slipped into the wrong key again. Rumi brought down her own violin and took Minho's from his hands before he could try once more. “Mama!”

“We're stopping right now.”

His chest tightened as he watched helplessly at his mama who put his violin back in its case. 

“But—”

“No buts, mister. You've been trying to beat yourself into doing something perfect when you're just starting to learn something new, and I'm not going to sit here and watch you self-destruct because of it.” 

“It's unfair.” He pouted, rubbing his eyes with his knuckles as the sting of tears and the quiver of his lips were noticed by his mama. “Noona and Areum are doing better than me and I—”

“Nothing.” Rumi said firmly, taking him by the shoulders as she crouched down on his level. “You will not compare your progress to anyone. Not even your sisters.”

“But mama—”

“Small progress is still progress, sweetheart.” Her tone softened. “You might not notice it but I do. I noticed how you got better with your posture and how good you sound. But I am telling you now to never compare your progress to them or to anyone at all.” She wipes the tear that slid down his cheek. He was frustrated and embarrassed and slightly panicked that he couldn't be better the moment he played the violin. He felt useless, like he couldn't make his mama proud and he hated it when he couldn't make his mothers proud of him. 

Rumi smiled softly as if knowing what was going through his head. 

“Your noona has been playing the piano ever since she started taking music class. She's still learning just as you are. Areum has been pounding whatever surface she could find that playing the drums came naturally to her.” She brushed the hair falling from his eyes as they chuckled. It was true. Zoey and Mira had tried to record the beat whenever Areum would get in the zone. It had kickstarted numerous songs that had ended up in their upcoming album. 

“You just started learning something new and it's okay to feel frustrated when you don't get it right the first time. It's okay to keep trying until you get the hang of it. You don't have to be perfect or try to be perfect because you already are perfect to us, my love. We are proud. I am proud of how far you've come. You don't have to be perfect in order for us to keep loving you. Because we already love you. Despite and in spite of everything.” 

Rumi held her son as he sobbed into her arms. Fighting back tears. She knew how much it meant to him to hear those words. To be loved regardless of what you do and who you are, every flaw, every imperfection. It was the kind of words she longed to hear that saying it to Minho had mended a scar she didn't know was still bleeding. 

“Take your violin to your room.”

Minho looked at her with knitted brows. “But I thought we're not allowed to bring our instruments?”

“I'll handle your mothers, sweetheart.” Rumi grinned, ruffling his hair. He really needs a haircut, Rumi thought briefly. “Don't worry about them.”

“But what about noona and Areum?”

“What makes you think you're not the only one who sneaked in their instruments in their room, hm?” Minho's eyes widened as Rumi laughed, grabbing both of the violin cases into one hand and outstretched the other for him to take. 

Minho didn't hesitate to grab her hand. 

“I love you, mama.”

“I love you too, sweetheart. So much.” 

Hand in hand, mother and son left the music room with a skip to their step, two souls mending slowly but surely, and their bond was stronger than ever. 

Chapter Text

Zoey and Mira sat by the lobby waiting for their kids to emerge from their classrooms, and for Rumi to follow them as she parked their car. Dipping their heads low so as not to attract any attention. 

There were moments when some people had noticed them. Whispering amongst themselves and subtly pointing at the idols like they weren't within earshot. Zoey would sometimes find herself speaking with other parents, Rumi would always be the one to try and end the conversation before it even started, and Mira was the one who no one tried to speak to when she cast an intimidating yet stoic look in their direction. 

They tried to ignore the whispers and stares and the pointing as much as they could. Not wanting to cause a scene at a place where their kids can see. 

That would have been a very difficult conversation to have when the kids are starting to understand more and more each day. 

The bell finally rang and the doors opened. Breaking Mira and Zoey from their thoughts as they stood from their seats with a relieved sigh, and it wasn't long before they spotted Areum dashing towards them with a bright smile. 

“EOMMA, PAPA!” 

Zoey quickly caught the little girl, carrying her in her arms with a slight grunt. 

“Hello, fireball. We miss you. Did you have fun in class?”

“Uhuh, I got stickers!” She showed her arms full of stickers proudly as Mira pressed a kiss on their daughter's temple. 

“Good job, fireball. We're very proud of you.”

The little girl beamed with pride, nuzzling her head under her eomma's cheek, and Minho soon appeared with wandering eyes, lighting up as soon as he finally spotted his mothers and twin. 

“Hey, how's our little guy?”

“Bored.” Minho deadpanned, a slight grimace on his face and Mira laughed loudly, ruffling his hair as she did so. Ignoring the stares she garnered. 

“Is it really that bad?”

Minho shrugged, grinning at his mothers then frowned when he noticed one of them missing. “Where's mama?”

Mira swirled from her spot, momentarily forgetting that Rumi wasn't with them yet, but before she could even look for their girlfriend properly amongst the crowd of bustling children and parents, Jiwoo was already bounding towards them. 

“Papa, eomma, can my friend sleepover at our house tonight please?” 

“What happened to ‘hello eomma and papa, I had a splendid day at school today’?” Mira teased, watching their eldest blush as Minho snickered beside her while Areum grinned. Mira brushed a soothing touch at the back of her head. “Sure, squirt. So long as your eomma and mama agree.”

“Oh I don't know.” Zoey said with a slight pout. “I still haven't gotten my kiss yet.”

“I'll kiss you, eomma!” Areum happily said, already smashing her lips on Zoey's cheek sloppily. The smiles on their faces were blinding as they giggled. 

“Thank you, sweetheart.” 

Bending down for Jiwoo and Minho to kiss their eomma's other cheek, Zoey straightened with a satisfied hum. 

“Perfect. Just need to get your mama's permission then, Woobear.”

Jiwoo's face lit up as she nodded, hugging her eomma in greeting. 

“Oh I see her! She's with mama!” They followed Jiwoo as their daughter ran towards the familiar figure of their girlfriend, spotting Rumi speaking to someone who's back was facing them. “Chaeyoungie!”

Chaeyoungie ? Mira thought with a frown as she shared a look with Zoey, scraping her mind for a memory that seemed rather familiar with her but too vague to pinpoint. 

The child in question turned, smiling widely as she called back with a wave, “Jiwoo!”

At the sound of their daughter's name, Rumi perked up. Grinning widely when she spotted her family walking towards them and the woman she was speaking with turned in their direction. 

“Hello, my loves!” Rumi greeted the second they were within reach. Pressing herself in between her girlfriends as she bent down to give their children a proper greeting. 

Then she straightened, still with that wide smile and sparkly eyes, gesturing a hand towards the woman and Chaeyoung with a sort of excitement that made Mira and Zoey look at her suspiciously. 

What the hell is she smiling about?

“Remember when we met Chaeyoung and Yuri at the fan event?”

Mira and Zoey froze. 

Yuri?

“I don't think I properly introduced myself.” The woman smiled as she interrupted, giving them a bow. “Im Yuri, I'm Chaeyoung’s mom.”

Mira smiled stiffly, feeling Zoey tense beside her as they both bowed in return and extended their hands. “Yuri.” Mira drawled, eyes narrowing slightly as her lips stretched into a forced smile. “It's a pleasure to finally know your name.” 

“We've been wondering when we'll ever cross paths again.” Zoey laughed but her smile didn't reach her eyes and Mira knew she was feeling the same way as she did. 

But would they admit outright what it was? No. Will they let it bother them until the woman was out of their face? Abso-fucking-lutely. 

“Yuri and I were just talking when Chaeyoungie asked if she could sleepover at our place tonight.” Rumi said, oblivious as ever to what her partners were feeling. 

Mira didn't know whether to strangle her and Zoey wanted to poach her own eyes out. 

“Is that so?”

Rumi nodded, suddenly placing herself beside Yuri, smiling down at the woman in a way that was only ever meant to be directed at them . 

Mira tried hard not to let it show. But the tick on her jaw and the tension in her body gave her away. To an untrained eye, it would look like she was just protective of her family. But to the ones close to her? Mira was baffled that one of them was too caught up in the woman's presence to give her any notice. 

Zoey, on the other hand, wasn't subtle. She was never subtle. Always wearing her heart on her sleeve. Her emotions on her face and body. With Areum still in her arms, she looped her fingers between Rumi's and tugged the unsuspecting woman on their side. Her cheeks ached at the forced smile on her face. 

If Yuri noticed the change in the atmosphere, she didn't show. 

Instead, the woman simply smiled and let her hand settle on Chaeyoung's shoulder. Just at the sight of the kid reminded them why they were here in the first place. 

“So a sleepover huh?” Zoey laughs out, tightening her grip on Rumi's who turned to her with a raised brow but thankfully, didn't say anything as she nodded. 

“I was going to tell you but it seems like someone beat me to it.” 

They all looked down at their eldest and her friend, both buzzing in excitement and oblivious at the tension that was happening around them. 

“If it's not any trouble, of course.” Yuri smiled. “Chaeyoung has always wanted to sleepover at a friend's.” 

It was unfair. Mira thinks as she looks away. How she wielded the words like she knew how much it would affect them. 

Jiwoo may not have stated the same desires outright but they could see it. Feel it. That their daughter wanted to have a friend around the house she could connect with. Most of the time, Areum was locked in the music room, drumming away her energy. Minho practiced in between the dance studio and one of the booths whenever he and Areum were in the same place. Jiwoo had found herself lonely without her siblings' constant energy around her.

So for Yuri to clock that with her own child and Mira thinking about how Jiwoo must have felt the same was a brutal realization. 

Swallowing the bitter pill down her throat, she gave Yuri a somewhat semi-genuine smile. 

“Of course not.” She heard herself say, Zoey whipped her head towards her with wide eyes but Mira ignored the scathing look her girlfriend gave her. “We'd be delighted to have Chaeyoung in our home.” 

“Perfect.” The woman smiled sweetly as she turned to Rumi. Mira was reminded harshly why she was starting to dislike the woman. “I'll drop her off at your place in five?”

And their perfect, beautiful, gorgeous, lovely, mouthwatering oblivious caring and loving Rumi smiled back just as wide.

“Of course, we'll be there to fetch you guys up.” 

The minutes that followed their parting were tense to say the least. Rumi would cast glances at her partners as she sat on the driver's side with Minho riding shotgun. A change that didn't go unnoticed by Rumi whose spot next to her was always occupied by either of her partners. 

Neither spoke to her directly, opting to talk with their children instead. Rumi felt herself deflate when her attempts at speaking to her partners failed. Minho must have felt her emotions when she felt their son put a hand over hers at the gearshift. Rumi smiled gratefully at him as they dropped each kid to their own activities. 

The tension in the car was more palpable when they were finally left alone. 

Rumi gripped the wheel so tight her knuckles turned white. But she didn't dare say a word. Not when it was clear that either of her partners were unwilling to cut the tension. So she stayed quiet and drove them home. 

Rumi watched her partners walk in, shrugging off their coats and boots. Not one look from them. Not even a brief glance. Nothing. 

This was worse than when they held their weapons at her. Worse than when she asked Celine to end it all. 

“Did I do something wrong?” 

She didn't notice them freezing in their places. Too busy looking at the flickering patterns on her skin. The urge to cover it up. To scratch. To rip her skin off. Too busy being stuck in her head to notice either one of them reaching out. Flashes of the same hands tearing and tearing and tearing.

Instinctively, Rumi flinches away, taking a couple steps back. Eyes going wide like she just realized what she did. Lips parting to say something, to apologize maybe for reacting that way but no words came out. She didn't know what to do. Didn't know what to say.

What do you say to the people you love when you have no idea what you did to make them upset? 

“I'm sorry.” She winces, still unable to look them in the eyes. “For whatever I did to upset you. I don't know why I'm apologizing but I just can't stand the silence and—”

One second she was babbling, then the next she was being surrounded by her partners, hands resting gently, softly , against her flashing skin. Her eyes go wide when Mira grabs her by the neck, lips pressing insistently. Teeth nipping, nails digging against exposed skin that made Rumi gasp. She didn't get the chance to breathe when Zoey was pulling her by the chin to kiss her. Hungry and wet and desperate . As if Rumi would disappear suddenly in their grasp. 

But Rumi couldn't. Wouldn't even think about leaving her partners. Not then. Not now. And most definitely ever. Doing so would be suicide. It's like killing a part of herself to prove something she didn't know the purpose of. 

She didn't know she was crying until she felt lips kissing the tears away from her cheeks. Someone—Zoey, maybe—was shushing her, whispering words she couldn't understand under the rush of blood in her ears. The beat of her heart pounding painfully in her chest. She was clutching someone, distinctly she could feel her claws appearing, digging into soft skin and she tried to pull away. So as not to hurt them but they wouldn’t let her. 

“I'm sorry, I'm sorry.” She mumbled, pressing her face against Mira’s chest, fingers fisting against clothes. Something to hold onto. To tether her into this world. Somewhere in her mind she knew she was spiralling. But the thought of them leaving her or her leaving them just didn't sit right. Not when they've gone through so much already. “Please, please , I'm sorry—I can fix it. I promise I can fix it. Just please dont—dont—”

“Shh, we got you. We're not leaving you, baby. Never."

“We’re sorry.” Zoey mumbles against damp skin, rubbing patterns soothingly. “It's okay, baby, we got you.”

“We love you, Rumi. So so much. We’d never leave you. Would never leave you. Do you understand? You're stuck with us forever.”

“Yea! You won't be able to get rid of us because we’re staying. Here. With you. We'd grow old together. Probably adopt and have more children. Raise those rascals until we're old and smelly—”

“Gross.” Mira wrinkled her nose as if she could smell it already but Rumi was laughing, weak and it felt like she might collapse on them but still. “But I agree. I draw the line on the smelly part.”

“Thank you.” Rumi wheezed out, wincing when she felt her claws retract. “I love you both.”

“I love you too.”

“I love you more.”

“I love you most.”

“I love you mo—”

“This is not a competition guys.” Rumi laughs, leaning heavily in Mira’s arms, smiling when she feels her kiss her head. “God, I love you guys so so much.”

“I thought it wasn't a competition?” Mira teased.

“I make the exceptions.”

“No fair.” Zoey pouted and leaned over when Rumi reached out to her, letting herself be pulled into a tender kiss. “Okay fine, you're exempted.”

“Whipped.”

“Hey, I'm not the one who was glaring daggers at Yuri.”

“And I'm not the one being obvious about it.”

Rumi froze in their hold.

“Wait—what are you talking about?”

Her bantering girlfriends seemed to freeze with her as Zoey laughed nervously with Mira looking everywhere other than her. 

“Uh nothing.” 

Rumi felt herself be set upright, hands dusting over her clothes as Zoey and Mira went to the kitchen, words spilling from their lips that Rumi could barely understand. It reminded her heavily of when their children were just starting to string coherent words together. 

She blinked at the sudden change as they took out foods, plates, utensils, and whatever their hands could grab. 

Rumi let herself stand for a moment. Thinking back on what happened between them and Yuri. She had bumped into Yuri on her way inside, visibly surprised and delighted to see the woman they had spoken to in the fan meet almost a year ago. She knew Mira and Zoey were acting weird. But she was only polite, Jiwoo had told her that she had gotten close to a classmate named Chaeyoung. She didn't know that Chaeyoung was the Chaeyoung she and her partners had met months ago with Yuri. 

What a small world , she mused. Then her mind whirled back at their faces when they met Yuri again. And then like a light bulb finally sprouting on top of her head. Rumi’s eyes widened.

Zoey was still babbling about something, laughing as she chopped some onions. She didn't even know what she and Mira were trying to make. All they knew was they needed to do something that would distract their girlfriend. Though Zoey knew they were doing a pretty shitty job at it when Rumi had still stood there where they left her for a solid five minutes now. 

She was too busy letting her hands and mouth do the talking, brain miles away when she felt arms wrapping around her waist. Patterned skin coiling around her like a snake, and Zoey’s breath hitches when she felt something poking against her ass. 

Only one person she loves so dearly has those patterns and a cock pressing insistently against her. 

“Rumi—” 

“Were you jealous that my attention was on Yuri, hm?” Rumi said, voice low and sultry and Zoey shivered. “Was my pretty baby jealous?”

Zoey instinctively laughs, wheezing out a breath as she turns in Rumi’s arms. Eyes widening when amber eyes stared back at her. The words caught in her throat as Rumi smirked down at her.

“Cat got your tongue, princess?”

Somewhere in the background, Mira had tried to slip away. But Rumi had heard her before she could even take a step.

“ Mira .” 

Mira felt like a soldier. Standing tall and ready for whatever Rumi would have her do the moment Rumi would call out to her in that voice. Low, commanding, confident. It does something to Mira and Rumi knows how to use it when the situation calls for it. 

“Where are you going?”

“Nowhere.”

Still pining Zoey between her body and the counter, Rumi lets out a hum. Looking over her shoulder to glance at her girlfriend with hooded eyes. Mira felt the air knock out of her lungs at the sly grin on Rumi’s lips. 

“I thought we wouldn't lie anymore, mon amour .”

A choked moan causes Rumi to look away, Zoey has her hands on her mouth, eyes wide and cheeks burning pink. 

Rumi tilted her head with a low chuckle. “Oh, you like that don’t you, baby?” Then she turned back to Mira and outstretched her hand and commanded, “come.”

By the time Bobby had dropped the kids off from their individual activities, Jiwoo was immediately informed that she’ll be sleeping over at Chaeyoung’s instead; their daughter didn’t ask questions but had been happy that the sleepover had not been cancelled. 

Yuri had come by, confused, but still accepted Jiwoo’s bag. Face going red at the marks Zoey and Mira didn't bother to hide as they smiled and wished their daughter a lovely night. Rumi waved from her spot at the door, similar marks on her person and Yuri was quickly ushering the kids to the car. 

Bobby watched slightly confused beside Rumi.

“Need me to send protection just in case?”

Rumi thought about it for a moment then shook her head. “If anything, I'm more worried about them handling Jiwoo. You know how she gets”

Bobby laughed. “They have no idea what they just got themselves into.” Hugging the girls good night and the trio walked back inside. 

“Up for another round?” Rumi asked as they entered the elevator, chuckling when Mira and Zoey whipped their heads at her.

“As much as I love you, Minho and Areum are with us.”

“So? Never stopped us from—”

“Rumi.”

Rumi laughed then turned to their youngest member. “Zoey?”

“Sure.”

MIra’s eyes widened. “ZOEY?” 

Zoey shrugged, leaning against Rumi’s embrace. “I’m not tired.”

“You were literally just complaining about it minutes ago?”

“That was minutes ago, darling .” Zoey said placatingly. “Besides, I feel like I can do another round.”

“You won't be saying that by the time I'm done with you.” Rumi nipped her earlobe in warning. 

“All bark and no bite.”

“Careful, pet.” 

As Rumi and Zoey disappeared into the penthouse. Mira couldn't help but feel left out. 

“Wait—I’m not tired either!”

This time Rumi let out a loud belly laugh, dragging her partners into their room after checking in on the twins who slept soundly. Mira was whisked into the bed before she could utter a word with Zoey giggling above her.

“Whipped.”

Chapter Text

“They're not here yet?” 

Jiwoo turned to find her brother walking towards her. A frown on his face when he saw that she was alone. 

She shook her head. “Ms. Bae said that they'll be late. Didn't Ms. Im tell you anything?”

Minho shrugged. “She might've but I wasn't paying attention.”

“So rebellious of you, baby brother.” He rolled his eyes at her teasing remark as he looked around. 

The lobby had been almost deserted besides them and a couple of students lingering around. An odd looking janitor who was sweeping the floor with the broom handle stood by the empty hall. Minho stared for a few seconds before grabbing a seat beside Jiwoo. 

“Wait—” Jiwoo looked at him curiously as he searched around, a slight panic caused his heart to pick up a bit. There was something wrong. “Where's Areum?” 

Jiwoo stood up in alarm. Come to think of it, it had been minutes since Areum's class had filled out their room. The bright bouncy sister of theirs had not been in the group of bubbly students who walked out the room. Nor had they seen after they were dropped off earlier. 

“Go find an adult.” Jiwoo quickly said, dropping her bag on the bench as she went to find Areum. 

“I'm not leaving you alone, noona.” Minho grabbed her wrist before she could get any further. They glared at one another for a few seconds, both of their hearts picking up at the thought that was starting to take root into their chest. 

“Fine. We better be fast before our mothers arrive.” 

Minho nodded and dropped his bag beside hers. Both of them took a run towards Areum's classroom. Wishing that their sister had just fallen asleep or forgotten something. Minho noted that the odd janitor had disappeared as they finally stopped in front of Areum's classroom. Panting heavily as Jiwoo slid the door open. 

What they saw felt like a horror movie. 

Areum's back was facing them, her backpack nowhere to be seen, standing in front of the janitor whose body was starting to distort. Clothes ripping and bones cracking as the figure shifted into something taller, bigger. Horns sprouting from its head, long fangs gleaming against the light filtering through the open windows, amber eyes looking down at their sister like a deranged animal. 

But it was the patterns on its skin that made Jiwoo stop in her tracks. 

Purple marks slithered around slimy skin. So similar to the marks their mama has but in deep purple instead of the iridescent patterns flickering through every now and then. Long thin fingers touching her sister's chin, a wicked smile on its ugly face and Jiwoo watched for a beat as a blue orb started emanating from her sister's chest. 

Before Jiwoo could even think twice, she was dashing through inside and pushing Areum out of the way before whatever the creature was doing to her could be taken. 

“AREUM!”

The ugly creature reeled back as Areum slumped on the floor, barely conscious as it looked surprised and angry for a split second. Minho was beside his twin in an instant. But then it smiled, teeth bared, as it finally registered what had happened, standing at its full height that its horns were touching the ceiling. Jiwoo pushed her siblings behind her, arms spread out as she used herself as a shield to protect them. 

One long finger reached out, almost touching her but barely and then the ugly creature opened its mouth. Jiwoo closed her eyes tightly, heart pounding in her chest as she pushed themselves further back. 

She didn't register the frantic steps running in the hallway. 

Jiwoo waited for the impact. Something. Anything. She barely registered the honmoon trying to pull them back, quivering as the finger inched closer and closer and then—

“JIWOO!” 

Her papa’s voice roared in panic and was covering them with her body by the time Jiwoo opened her eyes. Her face got pushed on the crook of her papa's neck in an attempt to shield her but only managed to cover her nose and mouth. Jiwoo could still see what was happening in front of her. 

Her mama, her beautiful beautiful mama, sliced through the creature in one smooth swing. The same patterns she had seen on the creature flickered on her mama's skin, purple then a deep magenta then a flash of red. It bursted around the room for a few more beats before it dulled back into its iridescent glow. Her mama's sword disappeared with a flick. 

“Are you okay?” Her eomma asked, frantic hands patting down at them. Checking for injuries, a blemish, something, anything that would tell them they were okay. Areum started crying in her brother's arms. Her papa tightened her grip around them. 

But Jiwoo was still looking at her mama. 

Rumi panted as the purple smoke cleared. The honmoon shivering beneath her fingertips, frantic and restless. Thrumming with the same beat of her heart as the situation finally settles in her chest. 

A demon had tried to take her kids. Their kids. If they had been a second too late—if they hadn't arrived in time—their kids would have been—fuck, they would have been—

Rumi swallowed the lump in her throat as she staggered back, breathless and aching and hurting. 

“Jiwoo, are you okay? Talk to me.” Mira's voice pierced through the fog that clouded Rumi's mind. Turning to find her partners knelt down, hands frantically checking each child. Rumi's eyes instantly locked on their eldest who flinched away when Rumi took a step towards them. 

It felt like she had been pierced by her own saingeom and left it there for her to die. 

Jiwoo was looking at her like she hadn't seen her before. Like the mama she had known and loved wasn't the same person standing in front of her. 

And it fucking hurt to have her kids look at her like that. God it fucking hurt. Because how in the world could they explain that their mama was half the creature who almost killed them? 

“Rumi.” 

She looked at her partner. Zoey's eyes flickered between her and Jiwoo, and she knew without words what was going through their minds. Areum now lay in Mira's arms while Minho regarded her with suspicion, moving himself to block his noona’s view from hers. 

“Rumi, it's okay.” It was Mira this time. Areum clung to her like a lifeline, Jiwoo held Minho back by the shoulder, still refusing to look her in the eyes. But Mira was talking again and Rumi wanted to leave. “It's okay, they're okay.”

Okay? They don't look okay. Physically, sure. But Rumi knew that the image of the demon and her patterns had burned something inside them. They didn't look at her like she hung the stars and the moon anymore. They looked at her like the demon she truly was. 

To be feared. Something that shouldn't be alive. A pest that should be eliminated. 

Her partners could see her spiralling, Mira gave Zoey a look. Do something. Zoey looked back wide eyed, just as confused, just as desperate. She gripped both of their eldest as she outstretched a hand towards Rumi. 

“Rumi—”

She snapped her gaze back at them, patterns flaring against her skin. So reminiscent of the night they found her backstage. Curling in on herself like she wanted to hide, to cover up. We could still fix this. 

“Rumi, it's okay.” Zoey said as soothingly as she could. “It's okay.”

“I—”

“It's okay, my love.” More desperate now. They were the ones begging her to stay. Not the other way around. Rumi took a step back. Mira and Zoey could feel the panic rising in their chest as Rumi shakes her head. 

“I—I'll see you back home.” Rumi said hastily. Eyes flickering to the children, and for the briefest of moments, a tender loving look passes over her face. But it was gone as soon as it appeared. 

“Rumi wait—”

“I'll be there. I promise.” 

“Rumi—”

And in a flash she was gone. 

The room held its breath for a second. Stilling in the wake of their partner and mother. Like a bow string held taut and waiting to be released. But then Mira was shuffling on her feet, pulling the kids and Zoey out of the room in her haste. Almost stumbling when she grabbed Areum's bag in the locker. 

“Come on, we have to go. We can't lose her again.” Zoey nodded, preparing to leave as she grabbed their eldests’ hands. 

“Where are we going, papa?” Areum whimpered, burying her face on Mira's neck. 

“We have to go home to your mama, fireball.” 

“No.”

They all froze as they turned to Jiwoo. 

“What do you mean no?” 

“I don't want to go home.” Their eldest said firmly, crossing her arms against her chest. Mira felt her frustration bubbling inside her. 

“Your mother is waiting for us.” 

“BUT SHE'S A MONSTER!”

Mira and Zoey turned frigid. Eyes narrowing into slits, and Jiwoo realized too late what she had said. 

“RYU ELIZABETH JIWOO!” 

Mira's voice thundered in the room that made the twins and Zoey wince. A sharp look glaring down at their eldest who shrunk a little under her gaze but stood her ground with her chin tilted up in challenge. “You take that back right now.” 

“But—”

“She’s your mother.” Mira gritted out. Taking a deep breath in and exhaling through her nose. She was worried and scared for their children, of course she was, who wouldn't? They almost got hurt but she was more desperate and terrified for Rumi. It was the look in her eyes that almost made her want to rip her heart out. “You don't get to speak about her like that. Do you understand?” 

“Mira—”

“No!” She bellowed, breathing heavily as Areum whimpered at the volume of her voice. She relaxes slightly only to press a hand at the back of Areum's head apologetically as she turns to Zoey with a desperation in her voice that makes her chest ache. “We can't lose her again, Zo. The more we stay here, the more we lose her.”

“She promised to be there when we return.” Zoey said softly, cupping Mira's cheek and smiling when the taller woman relaxes at her touch. “I'm scared too, Mir but we just have to trust her.” 

Zoey looked down at Minho and Jiwoo. The latter still held herself taller, but there were tears staining her cheeks. 

“I understand that you're scared and confused. But I agree with your papa. We don't get to speak to your mama like that.”

“But she has patterns like that monster.” Minho said, not unkindly. Just confused. Zoey couldn't help but wince at the word. “Why does she have patterns?” 

“We’ll explain everything once we get home.”

“And you—” Mira turned sharply at Jiwoo whose faux bravado had faded, then darted her eyes down at Minho and at Areum. “—will listen. All of you will listen to what your mama has to say. Do you understand?”

“Yes, papa.”

The drive home was slow even when Mira pressed the gas harder and probably breaking the speed limit by how fast she was going. But even as the car zoomed past the road, it still felt like a millennium by the time the car screeched to a stop and they were ushering the kids to the elevator. 

None of them said a single word until the door opened and Mira was dashing inside to look for Rumi.

Just as promised, Rumi was there waiting by the large window overlooking the city. She had changed out of her clothes. Now donned in a turtleneck, a hoodie with the hood up that covered most of her face, and sweatpants. The same getup she used to wear when she was hiding her patterns from them. 

Mira felt her skin prickle at the sight. It felt like a slap in the face, as all of her and Zoey's efforts to bring Rumi out of her shell, to be confident in her own skin, to feel loved for her patterns and her as a whole, had been washed down the drain. 

Zoey dashed forward, cupping patterned cheeks and wiping the tears below Rumi's eyes. 

“Are you okay?” 

Rumi didn't answer, she just looked behind Zoey's shoulder, worried, and asked instead, “are the kids okay?”

Zoey wanted to rip her hair out. Probably bite Rumi's head off for being so stubborn and selfless. But it wasn't the time for that, Zoey knew. This was a conversation that they all needed to have. 

Areum now stood between her siblings with Jiwoo and Minho flanking beside her. Their youngest daughter looked weary but otherwise fine. Not a single scratch, no blemish, nothing. She just looked at her mama with hurt and hopeful eyes. 

“Mama?” 

Rumi made to move but froze when the image of Jiwoo flinching at the sight of her surfaced through her mind. She doesn't think she can handle another one of their children flinching at the sight of her. So she stayed in her spot with Zoey holding tightly onto her while Mira stood behind their children. 

“Mama please.” 

Rumi took a small step, fingers twitching on her sides as she opened her mouth to call back. To assure her, to assure them. That she's still their mama. That nothing had changed. But no words left her mouth. 

Areum must have felt her hesitation as she moved to run towards her but was stopped by a firm grip on her arm. 

“Let me go!” The youngest cried, wriggling free from Jiwoo's grip. “Unnie, let me go!”

“Jiwoo.”

She looked up at her eomma, refusing to acknowledge her papa, then at Minho when she only got a sad look from her eomma, pleading with her eyes but her brother had simply stared back, stoic as ever. Jiwoo ignored the betrayal coursing through her veins. 

Then she felt a hand on her shoulder, firm but gentle. So unlike the words that cut through her skin earlier. 

“Let her go.”

“But papa—”

“Let her go.” 

They watched as Areum broke free from Jiwoo's grasp. Latching herself onto Rumi's pant leg the moment she was within reach. 

“Mama, up!” 

Tentatively, Rumi looked at Mira who nodded at her with a sad smile, Zoey was close to tears as Areum tugged at her pants as she tried to climb onto her. 

“Areumie.” 

“Mama, mama, mama!” 

It was when tears started to fall on Areum's cheeks that Rumi finally took her in her arms. Squeezing their youngest into her chest, as if she would disappear if she didn't hold tight enough. 

“Mama please don't leave.” Areum whimpered, fisting her hoodie with a strength Rumi didn't know she possessed as she rocked them back and forth, pressing her own face against Areum's neck. 

“Shh, it's okay, fireball. Mama's here. Mama's not gonna leave. I love you so so much, sweetheart.” 

They stayed like that for what felt like hours. Neither Rumi nor Areum let their grip loosen. 

But of course, the temporary spell had to be broken. 

“Why do you have the same patterns as that—” Minho stopped himself before he could hurt his mama further, biting back his tongue as he refused to say the word. 

Rumi froze. Areum dug her head deeper into Rumi's neck. 

No one said a word as the question hung in the air. Rumi made to move but Areum cried out, grip tightening even more and she rubbed circles on Areum's back. 

“It's okay, fireball. Mama just needs to sit down.”

They all maneuvered from their spots slowly, Rumi sat by the ottoman with Zoey hovering behind them. Minho sat at a distance from them, close enough to see the lines etching on his mama's face but far enough to give space. 

Jiwoo remained standing on her spot. 

“I was an orphan.” She started as she played with the strap on Areum's uniform to keep her hands busy. “And a demon.”

“Half demon.” Zoey corrected firmly, squeezing Rumi's shoulder. “The half matters.”

“Yes.” Rumi smiled at the feeble attempt to lift the tension slightly as she leaned into Zoey's touch. “I was born a hunter and a demon.” She took a deep breath as she held onto Areum tightly. “Your grandmother was a hunter. She was in a group with two others. Just like your mothers and I. My father was a demon. As hunters, we were taught early on to hate demons. To kill them so as to protect the honmoon and the people. It was a duty that no hunter should disregard.” 

“But against all odds, my mother had fallen in love with my father, and well—they had me.” She added meekly. Rumi didn't know much about how it all started but she had a guess that it must have been the same way how she and Jinu came about. The only difference was; her parents had fallen in love, she and Jinu had merely helped each other out in all the wrong ways for the right selfish reasons. “Your grandparents are no longer here because of me.”

“Rumi—”

“I was entrusted into the care of a close friend when they passed.” Rumi continued, ignoring the grip on her shoulder and the worried glance Mira shot her way. “A former hunter and an ally. Where I was taught to hide. To cover up. Our faults and fears must never be seen. But as I grew older, the patterns started to spread. As the patterns started to spread, the sooner I was forced to face my fears. The sooner I—” She shook her head as the words caught in her throat. But refused to let it stop her. “These—the patterns—are a part of me. I am a hunter and a demon. I am the very product of my mothers sacrifice and my fathers heritage.”  

She looked at Minho first, his brows were furrowed in thought. Areum's hold on her had loosened as the little girl looked at her mama with teary eyes. Rumi refused to look at their eldest yet. 

“I know it is a lot to take in. But I will explain everything in my power to make you understand. Just please don't—” 

No, she stops herself. They don't owe her anything. If the children choose not to see her anymore after this, then she'd leave. It was the only logical decision even if the thought breaks her heart. She didn't want to lose any of them, never wanted to lose any of them. 

“I'm sorry. For not telling you sooner why I have patterns. I thought I still had time. Time to think about how I'm going to tell you about all this. I always thought I'd tell you when you at least got a bit older. But then—” her breath hitches, eyes going wide as she clutched Areum tighter to her chest. “—oh I'm so sorry. Please, I'm so sorry you had to see that. I didn't—I should've been there sooner and then none of this would happen and I—”

“Rumi,” Zoey's soothing voice cuts through the rant. Thumb brushing against her nape through the hood. “Its okay. We're okay.”

“But we're not!” 

“But you saved us.” 

For the first time since the incident, Jiwoo had spoken to her. They all turned to her with a mixture of relief and shock. Jiwoo stood tall under their gazes. 

“You saved us just like you promised.” 

Rumi wanted to reach out, to hold her but she was too weighted by the relief that their daughter had finally acknowledged her. 

“Of course, we'd save you. Your mother's and I will always be there to save you no matter what.” 

“If the bad spirits have the same patterns as you, how do we know that you're not a bad spirit?”

Neither of the mothers had the chance to respond when Minho suddenly jerked in his seat and faced his noona with a thunderous glare that rivalled Mira's. 

“Don't you get it, noona? No bad spirit will ever protect us from danger. No bad spirit will ever look at us with love and make us feel safe. No bad spirit will ever make the effort to get to know us. No bad spirit will ever take us away from that shithole!”

“Minho!” Zoey gasped as she reached out to grab him but Minho moved away before she could even touch him. 

“We always knew there was something different. From day one, we always knew. The honmoon, the pretty lines on mama's skin. Derpy and Sussy. We always knew, noona. We always knew.”

“Areum almost died!” Jiwoo snarled, frustrated that none of them were on her side. 

“But they saved us!”

“She has patterns like that monster!”

“She is our mother!” Minho shouted back, breathing heavily. He wanted to shake his noona so badly because why couldn't she see how much their mothers had sacrificed so much for them? “If you just listened to her like what papa told us to do then you'd understand.” 

Jiwoo looked away, embarrassed and ashamed but Minho wasn't done. 

“We don't get to choose our family.” He spat out, fists clenched. “We don't get to choose the people we were born from. The family we came from. But we chose them. Just as much as they chose us, noona.”

“Do you not love mama anymore because she was born like that?” Areum asked suddenly from her spot on Rumi's lap. Jiwoo's gaze softened at their youngest. “Because she had the same patterns like the bad spirits? Didn't we say that mama's patterns are so pretty that we wished we had the same ones on our skin?”

Jiwoo opened her mouth to speak but Areum had continued on before she could utter a word. 

“Mama has scars that we can see. We have scars inside that nobody sees but they love us more because of it. Why can't we do the same to mama?” 

“Areum—”

“Mama loves us even when we're mad and make mistakes and sad and happy. Mama, eomma, and papa love and accept us so much that our hurt in our hearts are healed. Why can't we do the same to mama?” Areum tilted her head at her sister, knowing full well that she hit a spot inside when Jiwoo had looked away once more. “Don’t let your anger speak for what's deep inside, unnie.” 

“Took the words right off my mouth.” Minho chuckled and Areum grinned. His eyes softened, you good? At Areum's nod, Minho let himself breathe. 

“I was scared.” Jiwoo finally said, deflating under the emotions she was feeling all at once. “I was scared that it would take Areum away. I was scared that I wouldn't be able to protect Areum and Minho. I was scared that we'd be too late to save Areum. I was scared to lose you.” She then raised her eyes at her mama who stared back, shrinking under her daughter's gaze. Jiwoo felt herself crack. “I was scared that it might take mama away too.” 

“Oh Jiwoo.” Rumi reached out a hand and Jiwoo ran towards her. Almost knocking Areum's head in the process. “Oh my baby, nothing will take me away. Nothing will take us away.”

“I'm sorry, mama.” Jiwoo sobbed in her arms, pulling her mama tight into her arms, scared that she might disappear again. “I'm sorry I didn't listen. I should have listened. I should not have let my emotions get to me. I'm sorry.” 

“Hush now, I forgive you, sweetheart. Mama has forgiven you way before you even asked. I'm sorry too, baby. I'm so sorry.” 

Jiwoo shook her head. “I love you mama.”

“I love you more, bubba.” 

Rumi suddenly found herself in the cocoon of her family. Wrapped tight in their arms. Zoey had settled behind her, arms around her waist with her head resting against her back. Areum and Jiwoo on each side of her lap. Minho had wiggled himself in the middle, her chin tucked under his head. Mira kneeled behind their children, her long arms wrapping around them, one hand cupping Zoey's wet cheek with Mira's forehead pressed against her own. 

It was in their embrace that she truly let herself break. 

Because for the first time in what felt like forever, the weight she had been carrying had finally lifted, and Rumi let herself be tethered to the ground by her family's love and acceptance. 

Chapter Text

Jiwoo could still feel the guilt weighing her down even after the conversation they had as a family. 

It had been days since the demon incident and learning of their mama's demon heritage. It was emotionally taxing for them all but if it hadn't been for Areum and Minho, she'd probably still be seething about being kept out of the loop. 

It was frightening. To see the same patterns she had traced and admired for so long be on the skin that marked something that almost killed them. 

To learn that their mama was born with it. Raised to cover up half of who she is gave Jiwoo a new layer about her mama. When their papa and eomma had opened up about their own experience of seeing the same patterns they would kill on sight adorn on their mama's skin, they had reacted just as badly, if not more. 

This just made Jiwoo realise that she didn't truly want her mama to go. 

She had known—the siblings had always known—that the family they were in was different. Not because they were adopted by literal superstars but because from the very moment they saw them, they had felt a connection so strong that being away from them would cause great panic. 

She had felt it, when Areum had not shown up and Minho was trying to mask his panic. She had felt the dread in his heart and the numbness in Areum's. She couldn't feel her that day, and that was frightening. 

Her eomma had explained that maybe the honmoon had something to do with the connection. Chosen by the very being that separates the human and demon world. Perhaps it had known that they needed each other more than anything. They just didn't know it yet at the time. 

Going back to school was a struggle. 

It had taken days for Areum to come back. Refusing to step foot in the very place that almost killed them and where they almost lost their mama. It was when she noticed the way Areum would cling to any of them—mostly their mama—that they decided to be homeschooled. 

Their mothers had expected it. Granting them the peace they deserved with no questions asked. 

It was somewhat easier to fall back into routine without the hassle of getting ready for school. They still attended their afterschool activities. Areum was more inclined to go back to it if either of their mothers were there. It was a win-win situation for everyone involved. 

But even then, Jiwoo still felt the guilt coursing through her veins. 

She had been forgiven—way before she apologized, and she had forgiven. 

Yet even through all that, she still felt the distance between her and her mama, and it's breaking her heart to watch her mama tiptoe around her. Furious at herself for even thinking that their mama was a monster because of the patterns she now knows she was born with. 

And so with her siblings distracted in their own rooms, Jiwoo ventured out on her own to find her mama. 

It wasn't long until Jiwoo found her in the music room, back against the door as she sat by the piano, long fingers playing lightly on the keys.

It was quiet at first. A gentle brush of her fingertips dipping on the keys, as if she was afraid to make any noise. And then as the seconds ticked by, her fingers began dragging down the keys. The sound of the piano gradually fills the room. 

It was mesmerizing. Jiwoo thinks. To watch her mama's finger move effortlessly against the keys. Eyes closed and her patterns glowing brighter than it ever did before. 

She didn't know how long she stood there, watching her mama get lost in the throes of music she was creating. The way her marks blended with the patterns of the honmoon rippling around them, responding to her mama's emotions. 

And as the piano finally fades, Jiwoo moves closer. 

If her mama knew she was there all along, she didn't show. Simply smiled at her daughter with those soft soft eyes and gentle smile she always bestowed on them. The same look Jiwoo had been graced with the first time she stumbled upon them on that fateful night. 

And then her fingers tapped on the high keys, hopeful. Her mama quirked her lips, catching up on what Jiwoo was about to do. 

Jiwoo let herself be guided by muscle memory. A piano piece she had begged her mama to play with her when they watched the movie the first time. The joy she had felt when they perfected the piece a few hours later. The laughter and bubbling happiness as she hugged her mama tight. A memory Jiwoo would definitely not forget. 

Their fingers stopped at the keys as the last notes filled the room. The honmoon buzzing around them in that iridescent glow that her mama now adorned. 

Jiwoo lets herself look. Like really looking at her mama properly after the incident.

She's beautiful. Ethereal in a way that Jiwoo sometimes thinks she's in the presence of something greater. An enigma that would stop at nothing to protect her family, even at the cost of herself. Her patterns swirled around fair skin, so pretty that Jiwoo didn't realize she was reaching out to her mama. The moment Rumi took her hand in hers, Jiwoo's eyes filled with tears.

“I'm sorry I called you a monster.” The words flew from her mouth before she could stop them. The guilt came back tenfold and then her mama was pulling her into her lap. 

Rumi knew something else had happened between her partners and children when she left them that day. Stumbling in their shared closet to find her hoodies, turtlenecks—everything she had worn before her patterns started to spread. Before she was forced to cover herself up. She had even draped a blanket haphazardly on the mirror, disgusted by the sight of her patterns exposed and naked. 

It was when she saw the looks on Mira and Zoey's faces when they walked in that she had an inkling that coming home had not been easy. That something had been said, whatever it was, Rumi knew it was too much judging by the tick in Mira's jaw and the hardened look on Zoey's face. 

She knew. She just didn't know that Jiwoo had called her that; a monster. 

God, how that word circled around her mind everyday since she was little. How it tore her heart when Mira had called herself that once and how Rumi had been upset by it. Assuring Mira that she was anything but a monster. The very same night, she stripped down in front of the mirror, she let the word engulf her until the patterns started to spread across her arms down to her chest. How Zoey had woken her up once because there was a monster in her closet or under her bed. How Rumi had readily searched under the bed and the closet for any signs of monsters but coming up with nothing. Letting Zoey snuggle beside her after, as Rumi held her tight on her chest. How she realized that she was a monster too and wondered how they would react that Rumi was the very physical manifestation of their fears. 

She hugged her daughter tighter. Her own tears falling on black strands. Guilt and shame. Rumi knew how it felt to drown in it. To feel like there wasn't anything or anyone to bring her back to the surface. It took her a while to understand that while she was drowning, there were people who tried to keep her afloat. It was the startling realization that made her want to stay alive. To keep fighting for breath. To keep living. 

Even with the circumstances of how her life turned out the way it did, she was grateful to have people who loved her so. People she could call her family. 

It was in the embrace of her mama that Jiwoo finally understood that people will always have silent battles that leave scars that people can and cannot see. It was here, in her mama's arms, that Jiwoo understood that she had scars she didn't know existed. Scars that her mothers and siblings would constantly heal, even if it ended up messy and ugly. 

“I thought you would leave me.” Jiwoo mumbled against her neck after her breath even out. Fingers clutching at her mama's shirt. “You promised you wouldn't leave and then you left, and I was so so angry at you for leaving that I didn't care if eomma and papa would leave me.” 

“Jiwoo—”

“And then you came home covering your patterns like Areum and I hadn't tried to draw on our bodies with markers so we'd look like you!” She gripped her mama tightly, her tears soaking through her mama's shirt. “You promised not to leave and yet you left me!”

Rumi looked down on her daughter's tearstained face. Heart breaking into a million pieces at the broken look on Jiwoo's eyes. 

“Why did you leave me, mama?” 

“I'm so sorry, my love.”

“You promised not to leave.”

“I know.”

“Im so mad at you.”

“Im mad at me too.”

Jiwoo cupped her mama's cheeks, pressing her forehead against hers, watching the swirls of gold and brown in her mama's eyes. 

“I love you, mama.” 

Rumi lets out a wet chuckle, brushing her nose against Jiwoo's as her daughter laughs. 

“I love you too, my baby. So much.” Rumi kisses her forehead then her cheek, blowing a raspberry on Jiwoo's neck that has her daughter giggling. The sound had Rumi's heart thudding against her chest. “What can mama do to make it up to you, hm?”

Jiwoo made a thinking face, finger tapping on her chin in mock thought. “Hmm, cuddles. Lots and lots of cuddles.”

“Done.”

“And snacks too.” She added cheekily and Rumi laughed, pressing her daughter tighter in her arms. 

“Consider it double done.”

As mother and daughter rebuilt their bond, four figures leaned against a large blue cat with a magpie sitting on a small shoulder, peering through the gap on the door. 

“Took them long enough.” Minho huffed and Zoey couldn't help but snort. Wiping at her cheeks to get rid of the tears that had been falling since they stumbled upon the pair playing. “I was beginning to think that we'd have to lock them in somewhere.” 

“You really are your eomma’s son.” Mira mused, failing to dodge the smack Zoey landed on her arm. “Ow! What was that for?”

“One more word and I'm banning you from our bed.” 

“Hey, no fair! I was only making an observation.” Mira pouted, scowling playfully at the laughter bubbling from the twins. 

Zoey lifted a finger and Mira quickly shut up. 

It was there in the music room—with a bond that only seemed to grow stronger—and a crowded hallway that was filled with banter and laughter as the honmoon buzzed affectionately, encompassing the family in its light and warmth. 

A constant reminder that life may not have turned out the way you expected it to. But it is through living life in its endless turbulences that made it more worth it to keep living. 

Chapter Text

Areum didn't know how she got here. 

Okay, scratch that. She's perfectly aware of how she got here. 

She had just been dropped off by her mothers for her taekwondo class. Her dinosaur bag slung on her shoulder as she was greeted by their coach and waved goodbye to her mothers as she sauntered towards the locker area. 

It was clear to her mothers that she was happy and excited. 

She is—was. 

Until people started making fun of her. 

It started with a name. Nothing too degrading for kids her age. Just a few quips here and there. And then the push and shove followed. Getting harder and harder with each day. That she'd sometimes stumble from the force of it. It was beginning to irritate Areum. Most of the time, Areum ignored it. Bullies weren't worth her time anymore. She wasn't the gullible little girl anymore. 

But she is still a little girl. 

She was smaller for her age, and kids who got nothing better to do picked on her for that. At age four, Areum had been dealing with bullies way before she got adopted. Minho had always been the one fighting her battles, and now she was here dealing with the consequences of her actions. 

The office door slammed open and Areum looked up to find all three of her mothers sporting worried and stoic faces. Her heart leaped in her chest when they immediately stood behind her in the cramped room her coach called his office. A hand on her shoulder, a brush of fingers on the side of her face, and a kiss on her crown. Areum relaxed in their hold. 

It wasn't long before the door opened again. A frazzled woman with long brown hair and too bright clothes that Areum couldn't help but flinched at the sight entered the room, almost falling over herself as she ran her hands frantically over at the boy sitting beside Areum on the other chair. 

Coach Kim let out a long sigh. 

“I want to apologize for the short notice but as you can see, there has been an accident.” 

“She punched me!” The boy suddenly shrilled, pointing an accusing finger towards Areum with one hand holding the pack of ice on his bruising face. 

Areum didn't speak. Simply stared at the boy with emotionless eyes. 

Coach Kim sighed again as he looked at the mothers of each child. 

“Oh my precious baby,” The mother of the boy said, pressing his already bruised face on her bosom. Then glaring at Areum with all her might. “How dare you lay a hand on my precious boy?”

“He deserves it.”

The woman spluttered like a fool, eyes wide and mouth falling open. The hand on Areum's shoulder squeezed tightly. She didn't know if it was a warning or an assurance, so she kept quiet instead. 

“Mrs. Lee, would it be alright if I speak to them first?” Silently, the woman gathered the boy in her arms, huffing and puffing with her red face. Areum thought she looked like a lobster with those beady eyes glaring a hole at her as the door closed behind her. 

Her mothers were on her in an instant. 

Hands were checking on bruises on her, head tilting up by a finger on her chin to look directly at her papa's face. Her brows were furrowed in worry, lips pursed in a thin line as she checked Areum's face for any bruises. 

All that ever throbbed was the fist she used to punch that boy in his annoying face. 

“Are you okay, fireball?” Her papa asked softly, brushing a finger against her cheek. “What did he do?”

“She punched him.” Coach Kim supplied helpfully, flinching at the heated glare Mira gave him as she snapped. 

“I know that. But Areum wouldn't do that if he didn't do anything to her. So what did that boy do to our daughter?” 

“He was being himself.” Areum answered, refusing to look any of them in the eyes. “He was picking on me like usual and he pushed me too hard so I punched him.”

There was a pregnant pause at the wake of her confession. Areum looked up at her mothers and found them in various states of disbelief and anger. 

Her mama glared at the door, like she could see past it at the unsuspecting mother and son waiting outside. Areum wondered briefly if her mama could really do that. She then shifted her gaze at her papa, anger written as plain as day on her face with her hands clenched to fists on her sides. Her eomma looked paler than usual, eyes wide and the hold she had on Areum's thigh tightened. 

Somehow, their reactions had her breathing a little easier. 

“He was bullying me.” She added with a shrug. Her eomma's sharp inhale pierces through the tension in the room. “All of them were. I just got tired of it.”

“Fireball,” Her eomma called softly, reaching out to grip her hands in an attempt to comfort her. “How long has this been going on, sweetheart?”

At her silence, Mira scowled. 

“Are you telling me that you didn't see anything?” Coach Kim cowered at the tone but Mira was already crossing the small distance between them and the desk before any of her mothers could stop her. “We thrusted her under your care and you let this happen to our daughter?”

“Maman.” Mira froze before she could slam her fist on the table. “Its not his fault.”

“Areum—”

“I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I thought I could handle it on my own.” Areum clenched her teeth so tight she thought it might crack. “I didn't mean to disappoint any of you.”

Mira was already kneeling beside Zoey by the time she was halfway through. Large hands cupping over a small face, her eomma's hands in hers gripped tightly. 

“No, no, fireball.” Her papa rushed out, forcing her to look in warm soft browns that matched her own. “Not your fault. Never your fault. Do you understand me? You were defending yourself and I'm so so proud of you for doing that.”

“She could get taken off the team.”

They all tensed at the interruption. Momentarily forgetting that they had a witness. Mira turned slowly to look back at him but he didn't cower away this time. Meeting her gaze with a firm look. 

“What?”

“If Areum didn't apologize to Yoon, she'd be taken off the team.” 

“He was the one bullying her—”

“That's okay.” Areum interrupted, and for the first time since she was pulled into the office, a genuine smile bloomed on her face. “I wanted to quit anyway.”

“Areum—”

“Is that what you want?” Areum looked up at her mama who had been quiet since they arrived, face soft and voice gentle. Areum nodded once as her mama stared a second longer, eyes searching for something she was trying to find but all Rumi could see was the tired acceptance and determination in her daughter's face, then she nodded back. Her hand brushed against her nape as Areum leaned into her touch. “Very well then.”

“We'd like to officially withdraw Ryu Areum from your class effective immediately.” 

There was no room for objections. Zoey was already scooping Areum into her arms with Mira hovering behind her partner and daughter as Coach Kim couldn't help but grimace and nod. He had just lost a vital part of his team and they knew it. No parent would tolerate the shit kids do to their own kids, and if Areum wanted out then they'd do anything to grant her wish. 

“If the media takes wind of this,” Rumi said as the mother and son walked in—her eyes flicking briefly on the bruise forming on the kids face with pride settling on her chest—as her partners and daughter walked out ahead of her. “Know that we will take every legal action against you until you're rotting on the ground and begging for scraps. Nobody hurts my family without facing any consequences.” Then with a smile too sickly sweet, Rumi grinned and waved at them. “It was a pleasure making business with you, Coach Kim.” 

Her body hummed with satisfaction at the shocked look on their faces as the door closed shut. Mira and Zoey were looking at her with something akin to awe, Rumi grinned at their expressions. Planting a kiss on their cheeks before taking Areum into her arms. Nuzzling their daughter's cheek with her nose affectionately. 

“Lets go pick up your brother and sister and then we'll go out for ice cream, hm?” 

Areum lit up. “Can we get mint ice cream with lots and lots of rainbow sprinkles?” 

Rumi smiled. “Sure baby.”

“You promise?”

She laughed as she linked her pinky around Areum's smaller one. “I promise. With a cherry on top.”

When Jiwoo and Minho were finally told about Areum's decision to quit taekwondo, with their spoons full of chocolate mousse and cookies and cream respectively, they almost spat out their ice cream in shock. 

“YOU WHAT?!”

Dipping her spoon on her mint ice cream that has her papa watching with horrified eyes at her choice of flavor, Areum shrugged nonchalantly. 

“Typical bullies. Nothing new.”

“Were you hurt?” 

“Did you hit him good?” 

“Noona!” Minho gaped at his sister as she shrugged, a smirk on her face as she turned back at their youngest. 

“So?”

Areum lifted her bandaged hand with a toothy smile and Jiwoo whooped while Minho sat back with a mixture of pride and disbelief swirling on his face. His papa patted his shoulder as if to say I understand how you feel. 

Then with a renewed energy that could be blamed for the sweet settling in her belly, Areum turned to her mama who was watching them with those soft eyes and gentle smile. The look on her face had her heart tugging on her chest. 

“I want to do martial arts.” 

And like the physical manifestation of a genie, Rumi nodded with a wide grin. 

“Anything you want, fireball.” 

Chapter Text

Rumi didn't know what compelled her to say it. 

Maybe it was the way the low light of the vanity catches the soft glint in Mira's eyes or how her hair fell in waves down her exposed back. Her thin strap golden dress that fell to the ground with a slit to her thigh. Feet bare of heels that were waiting to be worn just by the door. Or how Zoey would giggle, leaned over beside a sitting Mira to apply another layer of gloss to her lips, the slender slope of her neck were exposed, back arching slightly with the crisscross of thin straps digging lightly on her back. Her black dress was the same length as Mira's, tight around her chest and waist, fitting her like a glove, the fabric flaring just below her hips, shimmering under the lights. Her dark hair was down for once, clipped lightly with a golden butterfly that matched the color of Mira's dress. 

It was breathtaking. To be surrounded by beauty, to soak in the warmth of their gazes. To melt under their touch. To drown in their essence until she was nothing but drenched in their love.

Maybe it was the way Rumi had always known, for so long, that it will always be them. Mira and Zoey. Zoey and Mira. Her soulmates. Her lovers. Her home . 

Way before the honmoon. Way before they were trained as a group. Way before anything else. Rumi knew. And when she first saw the tight edges of rebellion in Mira's eyes and the way Zoey could barely contain her excitement, Rumi knew that she had found her home. 

And so with years of yearning for her lovers, the years she had lost and was now making it up for, the times she had been itching to utter the words and suppressing it. Rumi let it fly from her mouth without restraint. 

“Marry me.” 

Mira and Zoey froze. Their light banter dissolved into thin air as they slowly turned to face Rumi. 

“What?” Zoey squeaked out, eyes wide. As if she heard it wrong the first time. That perhaps Rumi had just said something that was eerily similar to the words she had dreamt of hearing for quite some time now.  

But Rumi was standing there in all her glory, dressed impeccably in a black vest tucked into matching black dress pants. Ankle boots adorning her feet that gave her a few inches. Her matching blazer hangs low on her arm, golden lapels matching her partners’ outfits. Her hair was in a messy braid, purple strands framing her delicate face. 

But it wasn't the outfit that had their breaths taken away—okay, partially it was. But it was the way Rumi looked at them. Open. Raw. Like she was seeing them for the first time. Like she couldn't believe that she was graced by their mere presence. A heavenly presence that Rumi dared not to taint with her demon heritage. But it was impossible not to be pulled into a void of where her lovers existed. Loving her. Caring for her. Supporting her. It was always them—and God if Rumi would let another second go by without making her intentions clear, she'd probably dissolved into nothingness. 

“Marry me.” She repeated loudly, the words bouncing off the walls and in the crevices of her lovers’ mind. Taking root gently and deeper until the thought that had always been there started to bloom. 

“Yo—you’re joking.” Mira nervously laughed, eyes impossibly wide but Rumi simply took a step towards them, face still raw with emotions that made her chest ache at the openness of it all. 

“Marry me.” Rumi said, taking each of her partners hands in hers. Pressing her lips in their entwined hands as she looked at them through hooded eyes. “I know this isn't the kind of proposal you would hope to receive—hell, this isn't how I planned it but I just can't contain it anymore.” She took a deep breath, their warmth grounding her as she smiled softly. “But what I do know is that from the moment I saw you both, I knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. Even through the painstaking ways of hiding myself from you, lying to you. I always knew from then on that I wanted to live my life with the both of you. No matter how you’ll have me. A leader, a companion, a friend, maybe a lover someday once I had the courage to tell you everything. But life didn't go the way we planned it to huh?” Mira and Zoey chuckled, tears brimming their eyes but they refused to let it fall, not yet. They squeezed her hand in response instead. Rumi took their encouragement to continue on, “then everything happened and now we are mothers to three beautiful children.”

Rumi let go of their hands, kneeling in front of them as she pulled out a small box from her pocket— it was there the whole time ? Zoey briefly thought. Her attention now rests on the bands resting beautifully in its box. 

“Holy shit.” Zoey choked out as Mira gasped.

There on the box were two beautifully crafted diamond rings with golden bands—one slightly thicker than the other—a 2 carat emerald cut with tiny diamonds encasing the large stone in the middle. Twinkling under the lights as Rumi looked shyly at her partners, cheeks tainting pink. 

“So I kneel before you with my soul bared, my heart in your hands, the love that I have for you both that consumes me whole. Mira, Zoey, will you allow me to love you, to take care of you, support you, and fall madly and deeper in love with you for the rest of our lives?”

Zoey was already rushing forward, tears spilling on flushed cheeks—it was a good thing their makeup was waterproof. MIra still sat in her chair, lips wobbling as Rumi held Zoey in her arms, almost dropping the rings if not for her tight grip on it. 

“ Pabo !”

Rumi blinked, dumbfounded as Zoey pulled away. “Why the fuck did you think that we wouldn’t accept your proposal? Of course, we’d marry you, silly! A hundred, bazillion times.”

“She’s right. We’ll marry you in every lifetime if it means we’d be together forever in every universe.” Mira said, moving now to kneel beside them, her hand resting on Rumi’s hip. Her hand was still holding out the box in front of her. Mira would have laughed if Rumi didn't look so adorable. “Well?”

Rumi cocked her head, brows furrowed. “Well what?”

“Aren’t you going to put the rings on our fingers?”

“Oh right!” Zoey giggled as Mira watched amused. Rumi took a while to grab the rings with shaky fingers. She turned to Zoey first, sliding the ring on her left ring finger. The latter pulled her in for a kiss before Rumi could turn to Mira. Once Zoey pulled away, Rumi turned to Mira with a wide grin. Sliding the ring with the thicker band on her finger as Mira kissed her as well. 

They were a giggling mess as they looked down at their rings. Still in disbelief that this just happened. That they weren't just girlfriends anymore. They were finally fiancés to Ryu Rumi. God, how did that happen ? Mira thought with a silly grin on her face. 

Just then a knock interrupts their bubble as a familiar mop of dark curls pops by the door, followed by two other heads peering below. 

“Uncle Bobby’s here.” Minho happily said, letting his sisters enter first as he followed behind them. Cocking his head in confusion when he saw all three of their mothers on the floor in their expensive attires for the night. Then his eyes darted down on their intertwined fingers, rings that he remembered his mama showing them glinted and his eyes went wide. “No way!”

“What?” Jiwoo asked, turning to him with a tilt of her head as Areum did the same.

“Mama finally popped the question!”

“WHAT?!”

“Finally?” Mira asked, amused. “Just how long have you had the rings?”

Rumi blushed as Areum bounded towards them. “Mama said that she had the rings before you guys debuted.”

Mira and Zoey blinked, surprised. “Wait—you had the rings made before we debuted without knowing if we’ll even end up together?”

“I told you, I've known that I wanted to spend my life with you since I first met you.” 

“Ryu Rumi, you lover girl.” Mira teased, swallowing the lump that had been threatening to clog her throat ever since Rumi uttered those words, feeling her chest ache in the best possible way as she cupped her fiancé's— holy shit, they're engaged —face to plant a kiss on her lips. “How the hell are we going to top this proposal, Zo?”

There was a smirk on Zoey’s face that they both knew wasn't appropriate to say with kids in the room so Zoey simply shrugged. “We’ll think of something.”

“We’re getting married!” Jiwoo finally yelled, wrapping her arms around their mothers, Minho and Areum following suit, careful not to step on their gowns. 

“I think congratulations are in order.” Yuna, their designated babysitter and fellow hunter, smiled the moment they finally emerged from the room. The kids were bouncing around, wide smiles on their faces as Zoey and Mira showed off their rings. “Oh wow, they’re gorgeous, unnie.”

“Apprantely, lover girl over here has been planning for this moment since we first met.” Zoey teased and Rumi groaned, wrapping her arms around Zoey’s waist as she buried her face in the crook of her neck. “Right, yeobo?”

“Don’t tease her too much or else we won't be having a wife to marry.” Mira scolded lightly but there was a smile on her face, kissing Rumi’s cheek who simply grunted in response. 

As they bantered with Bobby crying over how Rumi had finally popped the question and to cancel the plans Rumi had requested for this very special moment. They were finally on their way to the venue. 

It was apparent to everyone who has eyes that something had shifted between the members of HUNTR/X. They were more expressive with their affection than usual. Rumi could be seen throughout the event touching her members, a brush on their backs, a hand on their thighs, lips close to their skin, an arm around their waist while they conversed with fellow idols. Zoey and Mira reciprocating, a kiss on the cheek, a brush of fingertips on soft cheeks, a teasing smirk on their lips. The giant rocks on Mira and Zoey’s left ring finger and the lack of a similar promise on Rumi’s that quickly sparked rumors. It didn't take them long to have ZoeMira engaged and the discourse of whether or not Rumi was the one who proposed trending on X.

Chapter Text

Mira jolted with a start. 

Confused and disoriented at the sudden bout of wakefulness, she lifts her head from Rumi's arm. Her fiancé was still sound asleep with Zoey tucked on her other arm, drool pooling and creating a mess on Rumi's shirt. Mira squinted in the dark, blurry from not wearing any contacts or her glasses as the quiet hum of the air-conditioning and soft snores coming from her partners filled the room. She let a moment pass before shifting closer to Rumi's side, nose brushing along her fiancé's jaw as she closed her eyes once more. 

When Mira felt another movement on her back, she quickly summoned her gokdo and moved with an ease of a trained assassin, careful not to wake her partners as she turned from her cozy spot. The glow of her sword illuminated the perpetrator who didn't even flinch at the sight. Too sleepy to notice the glowing weapon on her face. 

Mira let out a relieved sigh when she realized who was standing beside her. 

“Fireball.” She whispered, letting her weapon vanish with a flick of her hand as she moved closer to look at their youngest.

Areum was still in her pajamas, hair sticking out in all directions as she rubbed one eye with her fist. The sleepy face of their daughter made Mira smile as her heart settled in an even beat. 

“What's going on? Are you okay? Did you have a nightmare?” 

Areum shook her head, moving to climb on the bed with Mira's help then wrapping her arms lazily around her papa's neck. “‘m hunggie.”

Mira chuckled, rubbing a hand over her daughter's back as she stood and padded over the kitchen, already shifting through the mental catalogue of what they currently have in the kitchen. “What does my princess wanna eat?” 

Areum perked up. “Muffins?”

“Is that a question for me or a question for you?” 

“Uh…both!” 

Mira laughed, setting Areum down on the stool as she opened cupboards and cabinets to grab the ingredients she needed. “And what flavor do you want?”

“Chocolate chip muffins!” Areum whispered-yelled, feet swinging as she watched her papa roll up the sleeves of her mama's oversized kitty patterned hoodies as Mira smiled back toothily. 

“Chocolate chip muffins it is.” 

Mother and daughter prepared for Areum’s snack as soft music played in the stereo that Zoey insisted they have for dance marathons while cooking. Which always ended up with them with burnt food and ordering takeout after a showdown. 

This time however, instead of the energetic flow of Zoey’s playlist, one of Rumi’s playlist that consisted of soothing instrumentals played softly in the background as Mira and Areum mixed the batter and chocolate together. 

“Do you want to put icing on your muffin fireball or nah?”

Areum made a thinking face, expression scrunched in mock thought as her lips pulled into a wide grin. “No icing, maman.” 

Mira nodded as they finally put the tray in the preheated oven. They both leaned down to gaze on it as if staring at it would make the muffin bake faster. 

It didn't take long before another figure appeared in the kitchen. 

“I smell someone baking.” Minho yawned, hugging his papa's legs before plopping down beside Areum as he kissed her cheek in passing. “Why are we awake at—” he squinted at the clock. “—2am?” 

“Your sister was craving muffins so we're making muffins.” Mira answered, chuckling when Minho gave his twin an exasperated and fond look. 

“Did you at least make me one?” 

Areum's eyes brightened. “We all have muffins! Papa made sure we make more for everyone.” 

“Is it because you're going to finish it all?”

“Uhuh.” 

Minho laughed as he too stared at the oven intensely.

“Why are you all huddled up in the kitchen?” 

They all turned to find Jiwoo, surprisingly wide awake—for someone who always looks like she rose from the dead every morning—at this hour as she shuffled on her feet. 

“We're making muffins!” Areum whispered-yelled, throwing her hands in the air excitedly. Jiwoo nods, blinking slowly as she grabs a glass and fills it with water. 

“Do I get to have one?” Areum nodded, messy hair bobbing as she grinned widely at her sister. Jiwoo smiles back fondly as she downs the glass, washes it, wipes it dry, then puts it back on the cupboard. “Make sure to save mine then.”

“You're not waiting with us?” Minho asked, cocking his head with a raised brow. His eyes narrowed at the tiredness that wrapped Jiwoo's eyes and the slouch of exhaustion on her shoulders. “Did you even sleep yet?” 

Jiwoo scoffed, and answered a little too quickly that Minho zeroed in on her. “Of course, I slept. And no, I'm not waiting with you guys. I have stuff to do tomorrow.”

“It's a Saturday tomorrow.” Minho deadpanned.

“So?”

“Sooooo we get to sleep in after a nice treat.” Areum grinned as she backed up their brother. 

Jiwoo sighed, weighing her options mentally. On one hand, she'd be spending time with her siblings and papa. On the other hand, she was itching to get back to her room to do her homework. But there was still so much to do that she was at a crossroads. Her papa must have sensed where her thoughts went when she smiled softly at her. 

“You're weeks ahead in your studies, Woobear. From what your mama has told your eomma and I that you almost finished solving all the math problems for this year if she didn't snatch it from you.”

Jiwoo pouted. “I was getting to the good part.”

“You literally threw a tantrum because mama wouldn't give it back to you.” Minho teased and Jiwoo scowled. 

“I just like to be prepared. Who knows if mama has more math problems for me to solve in time.” 

“Trust me she does. But it's literally for next year.” 

“You're one to talk. You literally begged eomma to do scientific experiments even when it wasn't in the curriculum.” Areum shot back, smirking when Minho glared. 

“And I'm not the one running laps around the gym because you wanted to do all physical activities as humanly possible.” 

“If I'm going to be a hunter, I need all the practice I can get. In order to do that, I need to keep up with my energy.” 

Mira watched as her children began to bicker back and forth. Her heart calms seeing the ease and love they have for each other despite roasting one another for giggles. She could spot the fond look in Jiwoo's eyes, the relaxed stance on Minho as he sat beside his twin, Areum smirking with her arms crossed. 

Mira wondered what it would be like if they had another kid running around? 

Before she could question herself for the thought, she sees Zoey pad out of their room. Hair a mess and eyes barely open.

“Y'all are loud.” She chuckled, slumping in Mira's lap, head buried in her neck with her arms around Mira's nape. “Its a good thing that your mama is a heavy sleeper.” 

“Mama's not a heavy sleeper.” Jiwoo scrunched her nose adorably. Sitting down on Areum's other side as she and Minho cuddled with their youngest. Her decision to stay was already set in stone the moment her papa called her out. “She barely sleeps.”

“I know someone who's like that.” Minho smirked, then yelped when Jiwoo reached a hand to smack the back of his head. Areum giggled between them. ”Ow! What was that for?”

“Thats for being a thorn on my side.” It was Jiwoo’s turn to look smug. Mira rolled her eyes at their children’s antics as Zoey snuggled deeper in her arms. 

“Play nice.” Zoey said sleepily, that has their children sitting up straight immediately. “How long will the muffins be in the oven anyway?”

“Just a couple more minutes then we have to let it cool for another couple more minutes.” Mira mumbled against her hair, laughing softly at the whine Zoey let out. “Just a few more minutes, baby.”

“But I wanna eat it noooow.” 

The kids watched amused as their papa tried to distract their eomma who whined and snuggled deeper into their papa’s embrace. It wasn't a rare occurrence to see any of their mothers be affectionate or act more like a child than them. It was endearing as much as it was fulfilling to see them like that. 

They had been witnesses to moments of tranquility and fun and joy when it came to their mothers. They had seen their mama wordlessly care for her partners, always a guiding hand on their backs, a soft kiss on any skin where her lips would land, a teasing remark soothed by assuring patterned hands and gentle words. Their papa who would listen to them ramble, a soft smile on her lips, a protective stance whenever someone got too close in public. Their eomma who would light up the room with her constant rambling and infectious energy that balances out the quiet and supportive aura of their mama and papa. 

Jiwoo, Areum, and Minho had never thought they'd be able to witness and experience such love and security and care in a family that loved and nurtured them into the people they are today. They are lucky to have mothers who would do just about anything for them as much as they would in return. 

“Now I see why my fiancé's left me.” 

All heads turned to Rumi who leaned against the kitchen doorframe with her arms crossed against her chest. Her teal shirt that she stole from Zoey that has a large print of a turtle mid-strut on a red carpet in the center with a caption that said, “Shell-ebritty!” and striped boxers that she definitely stole from Mira's. 

“All for a muffin?” Rumi added, raising a brow at her fiancé's who were still cuddled up in front of the oven then sighed. “Well I guess I have to join the pile now.”

The kids squealed as Rumi wrapped her arms around them, lifting them with such ease as they scrambled to hold onto anything their hands could grab. Jiwoo immediately wrapped an arm around Areum and one on her mama's neck, Areum giggled and clapped between her siblings while Minho mirrored Jiwoo. 

Mira and Zoey watched their fiancé fondly as she plopped down beside them with their kids in her arms and settled them comfortably on her lap. 

“There better be icing by the time these muffins are done.”

Rumi sat up straighter at the prolonged silence when Mira suddenly winced, face hiding on the crown of Zoey's head, and Areum shrunk on her lap. Her eyes bugged out comically as her jaw dropped like she was told that the Saja Boys had resurrected from the depths of hell. 

“Miraaaaaa~”

“I'm sorry! Areum and I made various flavors as a consolation for no icing.”

Rumi pouted, chin resting on top of Areum's head as her hands caressed Jiwoo and Minho's arms. Feeling her kids snuggle deeper into her embrace. “Promise?”

Mira let out a sigh of relief. They all knew that when it comes to icing, Rumi can be a force to be reckoned with. “Promise.”

And with that, they waited until muffins were pulled out of the oven to cool over. The kids bantering resumed as Mira moved a half asleep Zoey to the couch while Rumi busied herself with the muffin and making sure the kids didn't touch anything hot. 

They could be found the next day cuddled up on the couch with crumbs on the corner of their mouths. Dead asleep to the world and for the first time ever, Jiwoo had slept in. 

Chapter Text

Rumi was tired. 

She could feel the ache in her bones, the tightness in her muscles, and the heavy droop of her eyes. But she couldn't sleep. Not when she had too many things to do. 

She had been in and out of the office. Leaving at the crack of dawn and returning back to her family late at night. She still split her time between running errands, taking the kids to and fro their individual activities. Took her fiancés to dinners and places with just the three of them. Took care of her family as best she could. 

Rumi was stretching herself thin and Zoey and Mira could see the strain of trying to balance everything out as much as possible drain their fiancé. 

They know that Rumi did more than just her solo activities and group activities. They know that she owned a quarter share of Sunlight Entertainment. They know that she was called for more meetings than she ever had in entire life. They know that Rumi was only doing this for them. For her family. And while that was a sweet thought, seeing her drag herself to work and coming back looking like she wanted the ground to swallow her up was the last straw. 

So when Rumi came home looking like she might pass out any second, her fiancés had already grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into their room. 

“You're taking a break.” Mira said, hands on her hips as Rumi fell face down on their bed, peering at her with tired eyes. “You can't keep working like this.”

“I have to.” She mumbled. “For our family.” 

Mira softened as she walked over to her fiancé, hands smoothing down the loose curls from Rumi's face. “I know, baby. We're all pulling our weight here but you're simply doing more than just working by this point.”

Rumi sighed, rolling onto her back as she let Zoey and Mira curl up on each side. Rumi wasn't the only one working long hours lately. Despite their group activities—which is far more before they had kids—Mira and Zoey had their own set of individual activities as well. Mira being ambassadors to multiple brands and getting casted for modelling gigs, Zoey producing music for other artists and preparing extensively for her own radio program that is waiting to launch in the next few months. All the while, they were taking turns at taking care of their family and making sure everyone still gets their undivided attention. 

“You and Zoey are busy too. I just want to make sure that you guys are well taken care of.” 

Her fiancés’ shared a look as Zoey leaned down to nuzzle her nose against Rumi's cheek. “We appreciate it. We really really do. But it doesn't mean that you can't take a rest every now and then.” 

“Which is why we booked a week-long vacation in Sicily.” Mira grinned widely as Rumi sat up on their bed. 

“What?”

“Celine approved of it. Bobby and Yuna are coming with us just in case something happens.” Zoey said assuringly, watching the patterns on her fiancé's skin flicker. “We want to take care of you too.”

“But—”

“No buts. We already booked everything—well Bobby booked everything. We leave tonight.”

Rumi’s eyes almost bugged out of its sockets. “TONIGHT?!”

Mira waved her off. “Don't worry, princess. We already packed everything. We just need to get to the airport so that we can finally enjoy our vacation.”

It wasn't long until the children and them were dressed in comfy clothing, hats and masks covering their faces. It was better to be safe than have a mob of people trying to get pictures of them in all angles for clicks. Bobby had made sure that the bodyguards were on standby just in case. 

“We're gonna have so much fun!” Zoey started, the familiar glint of excitement filling her eyes as she adjusted Minho's cap and mask. “We'll paddle board and jetski. Maybe if the weather's good, we can surf. Oh, OH! And then we can—”

“You alright?” Mira asked, looping an arm around Rumi's waist as Rumi leaned her head against her shoulder. 

“Hmm, they look so excited.”

“They do.” Mira agreed fondly. 

Zoey and the kids were talking animatedly, listing off things they wanted to do and buy. All sporting smiles as they jumped on their heels, visibly excited. This would have been the first time in a long while since they've travelled as family for vacation. 

The flight to Italy took them approximately 16 hours from Korea. They were fortunate enough to have their own private jet where the kids could do whatever they want without disturbing anyone else. Another precaution just in case someone would film the kids and post it online. 

The kids were a pro at travelling by plane at this point. Their mothers would frequently travel for business mostly, leisure was always done after the business was handled. Mira had once taken the kids to Paris fashion week and had been introduced to fashion designers and their mother's peers for the majority of it. Rumi had not been able to watch her fiancé walk the catwalk due to the demands of certain directors that wanted her attendance in board meetings but was able to to fly out for their family day after the event. Zoey had been there to support Mira, watching with the kids backstage instead of sitting out front. Then there were times when they'd take a couple days off to travel with the kids for short trips just to take a breather from their packed schedules. 

To simply put, the kids enjoyed flying out just as much as their mothers. 

Jiwoo had taken her favorite spot by the window, headphones on and reading a book with Rumi across from her with her laptop on and replying to emails as much as she could before her fiancés’ would take it away from her. Minho was sitting on the ground playing checkers with Zoey. Areum and Mira had retired to the bedroom to nap the hours away. 

Rumi looked up when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Jiwoo was holding out a cup of coffee towards her, a bright smile on her face. 

“Thank you, baby.” Rumi leaned to press a kiss on Jiwoo's cheek, taking a much needed sip on the steaming cup as Jiwoo situated herself beside her instead. Leaning her head against her mama's shoulder. “Tired?” 

Jiwoo pouted and nodded, face scrunching tiredly as she fought the yawn threatening to leave her lips. Rumi laughed as she wrapped her arm around her daughter. 

“Why don't we join your papa and sister, hm?”

“What about eomma and Minnie?” 

“We'll follow once I defeat your brother.” Her eomma said seriously, face pinched in measured concentration as her eyes darted on the board. Minho smirked at his eomma, amused. 

“You can't even beat me in chess!” 

“Watch it young man. You don't know what you're getting yourself into.” 

“If I were you, I'd believe her.” Rumi said to Minho whose smirk faltered. “Your mother can be a force to be reckoned with when she wants to.” 

They should know, Rumi and Mira had seen that side of hers more times than they could count that when Zoey would give them a look, they'd instantly fold. 

“Yeah, yeah. What your mama says.” Zoey nodded, making grabby hands at her fiancé who finally peeled herself away from her work as she carried Jiwoo in her arms. Pulling Rumi down to peck her lips and kiss Jiwoo on her forehead. “Make room for us, please.”

“No promises.” 

The moment they entered the room, Rumi and Jiwoo laughed quietly at the sight. 

Mother and daughter were both sprawled on the bed, both sleeping on their stomachs with their arms outstretched above their heads, mouths agape with drool pooling on the sheets. Rumi could already feel her neck getting sore at the sight. 

“They look like that one Michelangelo painting.” Jiwoo whispered and Rumi tried hard not to laugh. She quickly took a picture to commemorate the sight before setting Jiwoo down to move her fiancé and daughter. 

“Baby,” Rumi pressed kisses on Mira's cheek, eyebrow, temple, and jaw as she tried to rouse her fiancé without waking up the beast inside her. “I'm gonna move you and Areum a bit okay?” 

“M’kay, love you.”

Rumi chuckles, brushing away pink strays from her face. “Love you too, mon amour.” 

Rumi and Jiwoo made quick work at moving Mira and Areum from the bed, making enough space to fit four more people without feeling like a sardine in a can. 

Just as they settled on the bed, Zoey and Minho entered the room, the former grinning widely while the latter pouted. Both plopping down on the free space on Rumi's side. 

“I take it your eomma won against you.” At Minho's answering groan, Rumi caressed his hair affectionately with a quiet laugh. “Told you so.”

“Eomma cheated.”

Zoey lets out a scandalous gasp. “No, I did not!” 

“Yes, you did.”

“Nuh uh.”

“Did too.”

“Nuh uh.”

“Did too.”

“Nuh uh!”

“Did too!”

“Nuh u—”

“As much as I love you two, can you please tone it down a notch? Areumie and I are trying to sleep here.” Mira grumbled as she lifted her head just enough to give her fiancé and son a sleepy glare. 

“Me too.” Jiwoo chimed in, still wide awake with a shit eating grin, beside a still sleeping Areum. 

“And Jiwunnie too.” Mira added softly, her hand resting on Jiwoo's stomach. Fingertips brushing against Rumi's bare skin. 

“Sorry papa.” Minho smiled shyly, crawling towards his papa—smirking lightly when Jiwoo let out a pained oomph as he kneed his sister on the stomach—as he settled himself between her and Areum. He looked up at her with those big brown eyes and Mira instantly folded. “Cuddles?”

“You're lucky you're cute.” Mira mumbled, pulling him tighter into her chest as she kissed the top of his head. “Now go to sleep. We have lots to do by the time we land.” 

And through all the noises and dipping limbs on the bed, Areum continued to sleep soundly. 

Chapter Text

They finally arrived at the private resort Bobby booked at one a.m. All exhausted from the flight as Bobby and Yuna bid their good nights, luggages rolling in behind them as they entered their rooms. The kids had chosen to sleep on the bunk beds just across the room where their mothers will be residing all throughout their stay. 

Areum almost stumbled if not for Jiwoo supporting her sister's weight who decided to latch onto her unnie the moment they arrived. Eyes closed and clearly still sleepy despite sleeping the whole plane ride.

“Careful, Areumie.” Jiwoo said, adjusting her grip on her sister as Mira followed her children in their room. “Do you want to sleep on the top or bottom bunk?”

Areum lulled her head, sleepy eyes blinking confusedly at her and Jiwoo chuckled, pressing a soft kiss on her sister's forehead. “We chose the bunk beds, remember?”

“Oh.” Areum breathed out and Jiwoo briefly thought her sister had fallen asleep again when Areum shifted in her grip. “Top please.”

“Let's change first, fireball.” Mira carefully took Areum in her arms as Minho handed her Areum's pajamas. Her son was already dressed in his, while Jiwoo disappeared in the bathroom, presumably to change her clothes as well. Minho went out of the room to give them some privacy as Mira made quick work into changing Areum. Having already experienced the ease of changing her childrens—and fiancés—clothes when they were too tired to do it themselves. “Okay, fireball. Up we go.” 

Their youngest child was already asleep before Mira could fully set her down on the bed. Laughing quietly at the soft snores emanating from her daughter as she kissed Areum's forehead.

“She asleep?” 

Mira hummed, pulling her eldest daughter into her arms and hugging her tightly into her chest. Jiwoo instantly melted in her embrace, face burying on the crook of her papa's neck. 

“Love you, Woobear.”

“Love you too, papa.”

Minho walked back in, letting his papa press kisses on his face and hugging him just as tightly. Both kids felt loved at the attention they were getting. It was moments like this that reminded them how loved and cared for they are by their mothers. 

Rumi and Zoey poked their heads in the room, both were changed to their sleep wear, hair loose from its usual tie as they sauntered over to tuck the kids in. 

“Good night, my darlings.” Rumi whispered, pressing kisses against their foreheads as Zoey did the same. Fixing the blanket on their youngest. “Get as much rest as you can. We have a full day for the rest of the week.” 

“Yes mama.” 

That same afternoon saw the family donned in their bathing suits. Bobby and Yuna were already in the water trying to paddle board as the kids ran up on the connecting beach. Thankful that Bobby found a resort that they could enjoy without any onlookers. 

“BEAAAACH!” Minho zoomed past his mothers before any of them could grab him, bare feet scattering around the sun as he ran. “HERE I COME!”

“RYU THEODORE MINHO, COME BACK HERE!” Zoey yelled, holding a firm grip on a squirming Areum as she put sunscreen on her daughter. “DON'T LET ME CATCH YOU!”

Instantly, Minho halted, a sheepish grin on his face as he sauntered back to where his mothers were already sitting on the beach chair, shaded by the umbrella beside it. Jiwoo was nestled in between their mama's legs, an amused glint in her eyes as Rumi rubbed  her up with sunscreen. Mira resisted the urge to laugh as Minho pouted and plopped down in front of her, staring longingly at the calm waves. 

“Let's just lather you up with sunscreen and then you can spend as much time in the water as you want, deal?” Minho lightened up as he sat taller. This time Mira didn't hide the laugh bubbling in her chest. “Just make sure that we can see you at all times okay?” 

While there is a lone lifeguard that watches over them, the mothers would prefer to still see their children within sight as much as possible. Especially when two out of three of their children are itching to get in the water. 

“ALL DONE!” Areum screamed, kissing their eomma sloppily on the cheek before running towards the waves. Yuna was quick to her side. Bobby was still somewhere talking on the phone. Honestly that man needs the vacation just as much. 

“WAIT FOR ME!” Minho called out, running like he couldn't get there fast enough. Jiwoo watched her siblings with a soft smile as she snuggled in her mama’s chest. 

“You don't want to swim, Woobear?” Her eomma asked, the surfboard tucked under her arm as she stood. Rumi’s eyes wandered down her fiancé's body appreciatively, Mira whistled beside her causing their youngest member to scowl but the blush on her cheeks spreading down her chest betrayed her. Jiwoo laughed and shook her head, reaching for her eomma so Zoey could kiss her cheek. “I’ll be in the waves if you need me.”

“Be careful, Zo.” Mira said as Zoey grinned.

“Who am I if not careful?” She cheekily said as her fiancés watched her run towards the water, letting the board float before mounting on top of it, grabbing Minho as she did so. Laughing when their son screamed bloody murder in her ear, unfazed by him as she went further from the shore. Minho flailed as he gripped on his eomma’s neck.

“OH MY GO—PAPA, MAMA HELP!”

The poor boy only gripped tighter as Zoey paddled who was eyeing the incoming wave with sheer delight. Minho realized too late that he was the chosen sacrifice as his eomma turned them around, getting ready to ride the wave out while she gripped him on her chest. 

“Ready, sweetheart?”

Minho didn't get the chance to reply as his eomma mounted the board with an experienced ease of a pro surfer as she steadied them on two feet. One arm extended to balance their weight while the other tightened around him. Minho watched as they glided smoothly on the wave, head tucked under his eomma’s chin as he watched her move with the wave. It was fascinating if not for the sheer terror still coursing through him as they finally crashed in the water, still clinging onto his eomma like a lifeline, their heads popping out of the surface a moment later. And then—

“THAT. WAS. AMAZING!” He cheered, eyes wide and heart pounding in his chest as his eomma laughed, pressing kisses on his face as he grinned so wide his cheeks were starting to hurt. “AGAIN, AGAIN!”

“For a moment there I thought he’d be rushing back here but look at them go.” Mira chuckled as they watched Zoey and Minho go through wave after wave. Their fiancé switched between Areum and Minho while Jiwoo watched, still perched on Rumi’s lap like a contented cat. “I’m glad they're having fun.”

“Me too.” Rumi mumbled, tracing patterns against Jiwoo’s back as Mira finally stood to wade through the water. “You sure you don't want to join your eomma and siblings in the water?”

Jiwoo snuggled deeper into her embrace, forehead rubbing against her jaw. If Jiwoo was a cat, she’d probably be purring by now. “Yup. Just wanna stay here in your arms forever mama.”

Rumi grinned, chest aching as she kissed Jiwoo’s forehead. “Yeah?”

“Uhuh, forever and ever.”

“Ever ever?”

“Ever ever.”

They both looked up at the sudden shriek only to find Mira holding Areum and Minho’s ankle on each hand in the air, both kids giggling hysterically while Zoey continued to surf on her own. All sporting wide smiles and hearts thrumming contentedly in their chest. 

Throughout the afternoon, Bobby and Yuna continued to capture every moment as much as they could while simultaneously enjoying themselves, knowing that the girls would love to share some moments with the public and keep most for themselves.

Chapter Text

For the next few days, the family explored Sicily like normal tourists. No one seemed to recognize them despite not wearing disguises. Though they didn't push it much as a couple of bodyguards trailed behind, blending in with the crowd. The kids had created a game on who could spot their protectors in the mass of people bustling around them. 

So far Minho was in the lead with Jiwoo a couple of points behind while Areum was too busy waving and smiling at said protectors to care for the silly game her siblings created. 

So far everyone was having fun. 

They had taken the kids around the neighborhood, buying souvenirs and taking them to tourist spots, taking pictures and videos of each other and the kids. Bobby and Yuna had wandered off on their own most of the day, leaving the family to bond without feeling like they were intruding on a family moment. Though the girls had assured them as much as they could, Yuna and Bobby would only ever join them when they insisted and when the kids needed to be looked after while the trio went on dates. 

Bobby and Rumi’s work phones were confiscated the second day when Mira had caught them ‘relaxing’. Mira had rolled her eyes as she took their phones while Zoey lectured them about what a vacation actually means as she presented with a PowerPoint. Having the two workaholics sit through it while Yuna and the kids watched and snickered at their misfortune.

By day three, they were mostly spending time around the neighborhood. Taking leisure walks, buying groceries, letting the kids pull them into shops and babbling about places they wanted to visit. Day four saw the family by the connecting beach. Tan lines appear on glistening skin as Jiwoo finally dips her feet in the water. Her siblings argued over who built the sandcastle the best as Yuna and Bobby were forced to judge. Both structures were unique but Jiwoo knew that if she so much as touched it, the castle would crumble in an instant. While the kids continued to fight, Rumi and Zoey were busy piling sand over Mira who was now chest deep into it. Bobby—who was desperately trying to placate the kids—took the moment to slip away and join the girls, leaving Yuna to choose and comfort the other. Areum had won but in Jiwoo's opinion, neither of her siblings won. But she still cooed and congratulated Areum while she patted a sulking Minho on the back. 

By noon of day five, the kids were left in Yuna and Bobby's care. Taking the kids someplace while the mothers were left in the resort. It was the first time since coming here that they were finally alone. 

“This feels nice.” Zoey hummed, cheek pressing against her arm as Rumi rubbed the tight muscles on her bare back, strong thighs bracketing her hips. “We should do this often.” 

“I, for one, would love to feel Rumi's hand on mine but the view is too immaculate to disrupt.” Mira said, voice dripping in amusement and awe as she sat beside them, back against the headboard. Watching the muscles flex and strain as strong reliable hands kneaded over tensed muscles. Mira couldn't help but to lean over and cup Rumi's jaw to pull her in a kiss, moaning at the sweet taste of her on her tongue. Ignoring Zoey's whine beneath them. “You'll get your turn, greedy girl.” She laughs, brushing away soft bangs and bending down to press a kiss on Zoey's cheek. “Better?”

“It'll be better if you kissed me on the mouth.” 

Mira rolled her eyes as a puff of laughter escaped Rumi's. The needy tone of Zoey's voice melted into a hiss when Rumi pressed down on a stubborn knot just below her shoulder blade. Mira's thumb parting wet lips as Zoey instinctively sucked down on the digit. Rumi groaned at the sight. 

“You look so pretty like this.” She mumbled, fingers spreading at the expanse of her back, fingertips brushing against Zoey's side boob teasingly. “So needy. Is that for us?”

“Only for you.” Zoey gasps out, back arching at the words but Rumi's hands push her down firmly. Thighs tightening against her hips in warning. 

“Good girl.”

It didn't take long for the trio to shed their clothes and follow through with their desires. Rumi catalogue every gasp, every whine, every touch that lit a fire inside her, every scratch on her skin, every whisper of love and names falling from swollen lips like a mantra. She took her time, worshipping every exposed skin with her hands, lips and teeth marking a trail down a slender neck to the swell of a breast. And when Rumi would catch the glint of their ring on their fingers, she'd go harder. Feral at the thought of them belonging to her. 

“Mine.” She panted, nosing against Mira's jaw as she licked down her neck. Her other hand squeezes Zoey's throat, making her gasp as the sound travels low in the pit of Rumi's stomach. “Mine, mine, mine.” 

And as bodies finally went limp against the mattress, chests rising up and down in uneven breaths, bruised skin and swollen lips. Rumi took a mental image of them in her mind. She was theirs just as much as they were hers. 

The sun was still high in the sky when Rumi emerged from the balcony in their room. Robe tightened against her body as she leaned against the wooden rail. 

She let herself breathe. Taking in the deep sea salt in her lungs, the sound of crashing waves and the distant noise of the neighborhood wafting through the air. 

Rumi didn't know she needed this. 

Well she did know she needed this if it weren't for her fiancés' insistence, and Bobby cancelling her schedules for another week. 

It had been far too long since she felt this relaxed. No work. No board meetings. No scheduled taping. Nothing. 

It was just her and her family in a private resort in a country that treated them like ordinary tourists vacationing, and not some popstars hiding in disguises while simultaneously looking behind their shoulder in fear of anyone photographing their kids. 

While the children are getting better at ignoring people who would stop and stare. The mothers still did their best to shield them from the chaos that came with being children of a famous Korean idol group. It didn't help that some people had already tried to snap and sell the kids pictures and false stories to the media. One had almost succeeded, if not for Bobby's connections confirming with him first. They knew that the lawsuit would leave them with nothing but scraps by the time they defied the girl's wishes. 

It was freeing. To be out and about with her family and seeing the joy and utter happiness radiating off of them made her decision to come all the more worth it. 

Rumi's chest ached at the memory of Jiwoo finally dipping her toes in the cold ocean water only for her to topple down on the sand screaming when she was pushed over by her brother who quickly shrieked and ran away before his sister could catch him. How Areum had surfed on her own and managed to not fall off at the first tiny wave, and how she continued to succeed within the next waves with Zoey watching with pride in her eyes. How they circled around the fire pit, Bobby plucking on the guitar as they sung and ate smores, all bundled up in blankets as each kid took their places on their mothers laps. 

It was living life in the best possible way. 

Rumi didn't know how long she sat by the balcony, a book on her lap that she didn't truly read as she gazed down on the waves instead before her when she felt a presence by the door. 

“Hey.” She softly said, setting the book aside as she opened her arms, fingers wiggling in the air in silent invitation. “How'd you sleep?” 

“Like the dead.” Mira mumbled as she perched herself on Rumi's lap, arms around her nape and face buried on the crook of her neck. “Zoey's still snoring inside.”

“I don't snore.” 

They turn to their maknae, hair loose around her shoulders as she plopped herself on top of Mira. Rumi was glad that she chose the couch instead of the armchair as she caressed Zoey's hair while the other arm held Mira firmly against her chest. 

“Uh yeah you do.” Mira teased, voice rough from sleep as she peaked at Zoey. 

“No I don't.” Zoey pinched Mira's hip that caused her to squirm and swatting on Zoey's arm in silent retaliation, snuggling deeper into Rumi's embrace for comfort. “What time is it anyway?” 

“Uh…” Rumi squinted at her phone. “Almost seven. Why?”

Both girls suddenly jolted from their spot. Mira's head almost colliding on Rumi's chin as they both scramble around while Rumi looked dumbfounded. 

“Uhm…did I miss something?”

They both froze, eyes going wide and when Rumi's eyes darted from her fiancés’ with a questioning look, Zoey was quick to laugh. A tad bit awkward as her cheeks tinged pink. 

“I wanted to try out this restaurant by that local bar we passed by the other day. I heard their spaghetti is to die for.” Zoey sang out the last words in excitement. Bouncing as she pulled Rumi to her feet. “Go get dressed, unnie. We have some pasta to devour!” 

Rumi raises a brow at the sudden rush as she feels Zoey’s hands push her back inside. Mira was already in the shower so she went to follow her fiancé. 

“Room for one more?” Mira squeaked when she felt Rumi on her back, bare breasts pressing against her as patterned hands gripped her hips. She whirled in Rumi's arms with a glare as her fiancé smirked. 

“You better not do anything Ryu Rumi.”

Rumi grinned, stealing a kiss that had Mira flushing red at the attention as she reached behind her to turn the tap on. “No promises, babe.”

Mira rolled her eyes. “You’re impossible.”

“You love me.”

“Unfortunately.”

It took them five minutes before Zoey joined them. The words falling from her mouth when she found her two halves speaking softly with each other, eyes softened by the steam and love radiating off of them. When Mira smears bubbles on the tip of Rumi’s nose, Zoey finds herself slipping in with them, wrapping their purple-haired fiancé in her arms as Rumi looks over her with a smile so wide Zoey’s heart thudded heavily against her chest as she pressed a kiss over patterned shoulder. 

By the time Rumi stepped out of the bathroom dressed in a thin strap white maxi dress that fell down just by her ankles, sandals in hand. She decided to wait for her fiancés outside, sand curling softly under her feet as she walked by the shore. Waves kissing her skin as the breeze picks up. Her hair down with a straw hat on her head. 

The sun was starting to set, casting off hues of orange, red, and pink around her. Coincidentally enough, it was the same shade of her patterns swirling on her skin. The thought made her smile, hands rubbing against her skin as the wind engulfs her in an embrace. 

“Penny for your thoughts?”

Rumi turns to find her fiancés standing behind her. Zoey was dressed in a blue singlet tucked into white shorts with one of Rumi’s long sleeved shirts falling just mid-thigh, hair tied in low pigtails. Mira had a white collared shirt, the top three buttons were undone, showing just a bit of cleavage tucked into khaki pants that was rolled up to her knees, pink hair up in a high ponytail. Both of them were barefooted like Rumi as they smiled at her. 

Rumi’s breath hitched as the sunset caught the softness of their features, colors dancing off of them and oh how Rumi wanted to capture the moment and frame it just so she could look at it everyday. 

And then suddenly without waiting for a reply, both women kneeled on one knee, Mira was pulling out something from her pocket and Rumi felt the air leave her lungs.

“What—”

“Did you honestly think we wouldn't propose to you?” Mira said, lips curling into that teasing smirk as she opened the box and there sat the most beautiful ring Rumi has ever seen. 

The gold band was crusted with tiny diamonds, almost the same shade of the iridescent patterns adorning her skin, a 2 carat swirl of red and blue sapphire gemstone rested on top of the band. Shimmering under the sunset as Zoey plucked the ring from the box, looking up at Rumi with such a hopeful expression as if her finger did not adorn Rumi’s promise to them both for eternity. 

“Rumi—”

“Yes.”

Mira chuckled, all three pairs of eyes teared up as Rumi practically buzzed in front of them.

“Let us say our prepared speech first, love.”

Rumi lets out a wet chuckle, wiping at her cheeks. “Well hurry up then.”

“We really don't have a speech prepared but we did plan for this to happen.” Zoey grinned as Mira rolled her eyes fondly at their lover. “But Mira and I knew for a very long time that we too wanted to spend the rest of our lives with you.”

“Even through everything that happened between us, we still choose you, Rumi.” Mira added, head tilting up as tears spilled her cheeks. Swallowing the lump in her throat as she took Rumi’s hand in hers. “I didn't think we’d ever get to this point. For the longest time I was convinced that I don't deserve a family. But with you and Zoey, and with our children, I now know how it truly feels to have a family and I couldn't thank you both enough for giving me the one thing I thought I wouldn't be able to have.”

“Back then I always thought we’d just have pieces of you. Close enough to know you're there but still so far away that we wondered—that I wondered if you were truly real. And then the Idol Awards happened and I truly thought we lost you forever.” Zoey blinked back the tears as she felt Rumi cup her cheek, her other hand still in a tight grip in Mira’s, as she wiped the tears with the pad of her thumb. “But I’m so glad that you're here. That you chose us to be with you. To live the rest of your life with us.”

“Questionable life choices really.”

They all chuckle as Zoey bumps Mira with her shoulder. 

“Stop it. I'm trying to be romantic here.” 

“This really wouldn't have happened if neither of you chose me too, you know?” Rumi interrupted as she smiled down at her lovers. 

“Which is why Mira and I would like to ask you if you would give us the chance to continue to love you forever?” Zoey grinned, still holding the ring up like an offering. 

It was breathtaking. To see both women who already adorned her promise to them still look at her with hope and love in their eyes. The waves pressed softly on their feet and knees. 

They blinked, breath hitching in their throats as the once sturdy ring held by Zoey's fingers were suddenly gone. 

“What the fuck?”

“ZOEY!” Mira yelled, eyes falling down on the dampened sand. The ring was no longer in sight as both women dug their hands deep into it. Heat rushing up to their cheeks and to the tips of their ears. The moment was gone. This was surely the worst thing that could happen during a proposal on a beach. Why didn't they just wait until after dinner? 

Rumi watched them as they frantically patted and dug on the sand, sand clinging on their exposed skin, and all Rumi could see were Mira and Zoey. Her silly lovers who she knew just wanted the proposal to be as memorable as possible. And as they both cursed under their breaths, a giggle slips out of Rumi's lips. 

And then another. 

And another.

Until Rumi's giggles turned into full on laughter making her fiancés stop in their tracks as they looked up at the openness in Rumi's features. 

Mira and Zoey prided themselves into being the only few people who saw Rumi this open. Raw and honest and real. Lips stretched into a wide smile, eyes twinkling under the setting sun as her hand held her straw hat on her head, trying to keep it from flying. 

And as another wave kisses their skin, a triumph yell fills the air. 

“FOUND IT!”

Mira held the ring in her fingers, sand clinging onto it as she took a still laughing Rumi by the hand and slid the ring on her finger before it disappeared again. The latter pulled her fiancés on their feet, puffs of laughter spilling from her lips as Zoey and Mira couldn't help but chuckle. Both finally find the humor despite their initial panic. 

“God I love you both so much.” 

“We love you too.”

“Does this mean you want to marry us?” Zoey grins shyly, letting Rumi pull her in a kiss. Teeth clashing as they couldn't help the smile spreading across their face. 

“Yes, Zo. That's definitely a yes.”

“Thank God. My efforts to find the ring would have been in vain had you said no.” Mira said, pulling both women into her arms as Rumi kissed her too. Melting into her touch instantly. Yelping seconds later when she felt a pinch on her side. 

“Rude.” Zoey said in mock anger, eyes narrowing for more added effect but Mira rolled her eyes fondly at her. 

“At least I didn't drop the ring.”

As Zoey and Mira continued to banter, Rumi watched her lovers with such soft love filled eyes that there's no questioning her feelings towards her fiancés. She was just happy to be in their orbit. Even with sand on their feet and the wind caressing exposed skin, all Rumi wanted to do was to soak in their presence and drown in it. 

Behind them, somewhere hidden by some rocks were Bobby, Yuna, and the kids. A professional camera pointed towards the newly engaged trio in front of Yuna while the kids and Bobby took pictures of the moment. 

“I can't believe eomma dropped the ring.” Minho breathed out as their papa slid the ring on their mama's finger. “I thought I was gonna have a heart attack.”

“I still think the proposal went well.” Areum said, bouncing on her heels. Visibly trying her best not to run towards their mothers lest she ruins the moment. 

“It did.” Jiwoo agreed. “Look at how happy they are.” 

They watched their mama throw her head back laughing, squeezed in their papa and eomma's embrace with her arms wrapped around their necks. Their papa leaned down to whisper something in their mama's ear that caused her to slap their papa's arm. The ring on her finger glinted as the sun finally set and the night sky was beginning to appear. Jiwoo captured another photo of her mothers under the stars, all wrapped up in each other with their papa and eomma's nose buried on the crook of their mama's neck.

Chapter Text

Going back home was supposed to be as stress free as going to Italy a week ago. No one would have known that they were flying back or had been on vacation someplace but for some reason someone had tipped off the media and now the airport was swarming with cameras and fans. 

Rumi paced the short distance of the aisle, expression contorted into one of frustration and deep thought. Zoey sat on the seat with Areum on her lap and Minho beside her, frowning and holding their youngest in her chest tight. Mira stood restlessly on the front, watching her fiancé and Bobby try to come up with strategies on how they could exit the airport without being bombarded by fans and the media. If it were just them three, it would be of no issue. They would willingly go through the throng of people. 

But they weren't alone. 

They have kids to protect. Children who are yet to get used to the flashing lights directed at them. Children whose private lives shouldn't be the center of attraction just because of who their mothers were. They could get a million bodyguards to try and shield them but one click of a camera and the kids' faces would be all over the internet faster than they could blink. 

“Mama?” 

Rumi tensed as she turned to their eldest. Jiwoo was looking at her with fear in her eyes, not the same kind of when she first found out about her demon heritage, but fear for what's to happen and for her family. Rumi quickly crouched down on her daughter's eye level and let Jiwoo wrap her arms around her. 

“Whats going on?” 

Nobody spoke as Jiwoo buried her face on her mama's neck, breathing in the familiar floral scent that only seemed to waft off from her mama. Relaxing instantly in her hold as Rumi stood with her in her arms. 

“There's nothing more I could do.” Bobby said through gritted teeth, phone still clutched in his hand as he ran his fingers through his already mussed hair. They had been at it for close to an hour now. The crowd only multiplied the longer they stayed in the plane. “We have no choice but to go through the airport to the car.” 

“Okay.” Rumi nodded, taking in a deep breath to calm her erratic heart as she hugged Jiwoo tighter in her arms. “This is what we're gonna do. Bobby, you will lead us out of the airport. Followed by Mira and Minho, then Zoey and Areum will be in the middle while Yuna and Jiwoo stay at the back. I'll be behind you guys so I can get a clear view of everyone.”

“No!” Jiwoo wailed, clutching tighter on Rumi's neck. “I wanna stay with you!”

“Jiwoo—”

“No, mama no!” 

Rumi sighed, pulling her daughter slightly away to look her properly in the eyes. Crocodile tears falling on flush cheeks and Rumi resisted the urge to coo. She brushes Jiwoo's hair behind her ear instead as she wiped the tears with her thumb. 

“Its gonna be okay, sweetheart. I'll be right behind you the whole time.”

“But I want you to carry me.” She cried out, burying her head deeper on Rumi's neck. 

“Yuna unnie will keep you safe. I'll be able to keep you, Minho, Areum and your mothers safe from behind.”

“Rumi—” Mira started but was cut off by the look in her fiancé's eyes. 

“I need to keep you safe. Please.” 

Knowing that there was no point in arguing, Mira simply sighed and moved forward to take Jiwoo in her arms. It was futile to argue with Rumi when she was being this protective. It had caused some of their fights when she'd taken hits for them whenever they were fighting demons. The protectiveness seemed to intensify each day. Zoey and Mira sometimes blamed it on her demon heritage but they knew Rumi just wanted to keep her family safe from harm even if she was the one who'll get hurt in the end. She was stupid like that but they love her for it despite the knowledge that Mira and Zoey could defend themselves anytime. 

“Papa no!”

“Come on, Woobear. We have to trust mama to keep us safe.”

“But you can keep us safe too!” 

“I know.” Mira runs her hand over chubby cheeks, pressing a kiss on Jiwoo's temple. “But like your mama said, you'll be able to see her from behind while Yuna unnie will carry you. Your eomma, Minnie, Areumie and I will be just in front.”

“But—”

“Do you trust mama?” 

Jiwoo quietened instantly, hiccups falling from her lips as she looked at her mama with a broken expression. She really really wanted her mama to hold her. But she also understood the need for protection. While Yuna unnie is a hunter like their mothers, her mama was quicker and faster in terms of skills and speed. Having been trained since she was young, Rumi was the best option to be protecting them from behind. 

“Yes.” Jiwoo finally answered, making grabby hands at her mama to hold her for a second longer while Rumi kissed her forehead and pecked Mira on the lips as a silent thank you. 

“Let's get this over with.” Zoey finally said, carrying Areum in her arms as Mira transferred Jiwoo to Yuna and took Minho in hers. 

And then they were moving. 

Bobby led the group out, eyes scanning the crowd as he often looked behind him to see if they were still following. The bodyguards they had during the trip flanked on both sides, arms spread out to keep the crowd from touching or reaching any of them. 

Even with masks and hats on, the crowd still recognized them. Rumi could spot several media outlets amongst the throng of people, fans pushing and pulling to catch a glimpse of them. But Rumi didn't pay them mind, simply looking forward as she adjusted Jiwoo's hat, her face buried on Yuna’s neck. From her position, she could see Mira with her head down, barely acknowledging the screaming fans who shouted her name as Minho was clutched in her arms. Zoey would wave every now and then but would focus on murmuring on Areum's ear. Their youngest would sometimes lift her head to look at her eomma but otherwise her face was covered with a mask and bucket hat.  

And Rumi? 

Well Rumi watched every single person whose hand slipped past the barrier the bodyguards created with their bodies, eyes scanning each feature as they moved forward. She knew Bobby was doing the same in front. He probably has their lawyers on standby at this point if something ever happens. 

So far, everything was going according to plan. 

They were about halfway through, just a few more feet away from the exit when Rumi felt it. 

The honmoon shivered against her fingertips, buzzing around them as the iridescent wave rippled on her right. She didn't notice the way her fiancés and children tensed as the honmoon turned red for a split second and then—

Rumi was moving before anyone could take another step. 

Everything went slow, her fiancés and children's heads snapped towards her, eyes going wide as Rumi surged forward without a second thought. Patterns flickering wildly under her hoodie as a growl thunders out of her chest, teeth bared and eyes turning into golden slits as she gripped on the wrist that was still raised midair. The cool metal met her palm and she knocked the object from the hand, falling on the ground like a bomb. She didn't think twice as she took another step, anger and the urge to protect thrummed heavily in her veins but before she could make another move, a steadying hand gripped her shoulder as the bodyguards finally snapped out of their shock and tackled the man on the ground. 

There was a hush of silence. No one dared to move and Rumi couldn't calm down even if she wanted to. The longer she stared at the man who looked up at her with a snarl on his lips but fear in his eyes, the stronger the ache to tear him apart coiled in her blood. It was only when another hand cupped her jaw, thumb brushing against her cheek as her head turned to find the worried and concerned looks on her fiancés faces that her body seemed to remember where she was and the magnitude of what just happened dropped on the pit of her stomach. 

“Hey, hey, it's okay.” Zoey mumbled, forcing her to look back into her eyes as Mira moved to block him from her view. “You're okay. We're okay. You protected us. You did as you promised. Breathe baby—”

Rumi tried to follow Zoey's instructions as Mira's thumb rubbed circles on her neck. Grounding her. Reminding her that they are here. That they wouldn't leave. That she did good. That Rumi had prevented something that could have been fatal. 

She could distinctly hear Bobby talking to security as they escorted the man out. The object she had knocked out of his hand glinted in the plastic bag, mocking her for what could have happened had she been a second too late. 

Her heart spiked as she suddenly turned in her fiancés hold, eyes darting over faces and cameras still poised in the air. She didn't care that the people who surrounded them looked equal parts concerned and shocked. Flashing lights shattered wildly as murmurs filled the room. More security came to shield them from view, trying to coax the family to move but Rumi twisted in her spot, her fiancés hands grounding her as her eyes finally latched on her children. Huddled in Yuna's arms with wide eyes and lips trembling. 

She quickly crossed the distance between them, distinctly feeling Zoey and Mira following her as she kneeled, arms outstretched as the kids each took a run and slammed into her, tears falling on their cheeks as they sobbed in relief. Hats discarded as their masks were pulled down to their chin. Rumi held them tight, she could feel her fiancés kneeling beside her, hands running across backs and lips whispering words that melted into their skin. 

It wasn't long until Bobby was there, coaxing them to move. Rumi nodded, bringing her kids in her arms as she stood. Zoey and Mira pulled back their hats and masks as they flanked on either side. Yuna follows from behind in a protective stance while Bobby walks in front. 

The chatter finally dulled the second they entered the car, Rumi in the middle with the kids still in her arms with Mira on her right and Zoey on her left. The anger still thrummed in her veins, patterns flickering in a violent shade of violet and red, her eyes still glowed in that golden ring. 

He was close. He was so close to hurting any of them. She could still picture his face, eyes gleaming with something close to psychotic. Lips pulled into that smile that said he knew something they didn't. Moving his way through the crowd like there was an itch he needed to scratch. Saw the way his hand moved upward, that blasted metal thing glinting under the flashing lights. 

When Rumi's eyes had drifted upon him and stayed, she knew something was bound to happen. She just didn't expect that. She had felt it before the honmoon had buzzed around them like a warning. Her body had moved faster than she could blink, desperation clawing in her chest. Like if she didn't move fast enough, it'll be too late. 

The cruel thought stayed like a leech, draining her energy. She didn't realize that she was gripping her children hard against her chest until she felt hands patting her cheeks. 

“Mama?”

The fog in her brain started to clear, giving way to see the worried faces of her children, masks gone with their hats skewed on top of their heads. Minho patted her cheek once more as her gaze flickered over to him.

“Are you hurt mama?” he asked, voice small and the sound broke something inside of Rumi. She quickly shook her head, bringing a hand up to cup his cheek as he leaned into her touch. 

“Mama's okay, sweetheart. I'm okay.” 

“We were so scared that something happened to you.” Jiwoo sniffed, rubbing her wet cheeks with the back of her hand. “We saw the honmoon turn red and—”

“We thought you died!” Areum cried, fisting on Rumi's hoodie with a hard tug. “We were so scared, mama! We thought we wouldn't see you anymore.” 

“Shh, shh, mama's here. Mama's alive.” The words flew from her mouth before she could register their words. Her heart sank at the realization that she had put herself in danger again. Even if it meant keeping her family safe. 

“Do what you should've done a long time ago.” Her own voice echoed in her ears, the phantom feel of her saingeom in her hands glinted on her face. “Before I destroy what I swore to protect.”

She blinked. The thought crossed unexpectedly that her patterns flashed red for a split second, and then she was pulling her children close to her chest, letting their weight and warmth spread through her like a weighted blanket. A reminder that they were all alive and that she had prevented a tragic event. 

Rumi shifted slightly on her spot, feeling Mira's head resting on top of hers and Zoey snuggled on her shoulder, chin resting on Areum's arm that was wrapped around her mama's nape. 

They were quiet for a long while. Bobby was on the phone, speaking quietly to someone on the other end. His voice drifted over the small space of the car like white noise, and when he quietened minutes later. Rumi spoke. 

“Bobby?”

The man in question quickly hummed, turning to face her from the passenger side. 

“Take us to Celine please.” Her words were steady and firm. Ignoring the way he, Zoey and Mira tensed at the request. His eyes flickering towards the other two before his eyes turned back to her. There was a momentary silence as he looked at her, assessing and worried, like she was playing a game he hadn't figured out yet, and when he didn't find whatever he was looking for, he nodded reluctantly.

“Of course.” 

And then the car was turning into the direction of their company. Knowing full well that Celine was still in her office probably doing damage control. 

She needed to talk to her mentor. As much as what happened drained Rumi, this couldn't wait. She needed to see Celine. 

Rumi didn't notice the worried look her fiancés shot one another nor the way their grip on her tightened. They simply let the silence fall once more as the car jerked towards their parking spot. 

Celine had felt them more than she heard them. 

Decades of being in tune with the honmoon could do that to someone. Having the barrier swirl around her for so long, Celine knew if the girls were near or not. 

She had memorized it already. When the girls were still in training, Mira and Zoey were still getting used to the feel and idea of the honmoon and being demon hunters. Celine could tell who was who. The honmoon would buzz violently when Mira would come see her, a tremble under her fingertips as the usually stoic girl would knock on her door. The barrier would ripple into hues of blue and gold when Zoey would bound near her, expression open into one of excitement and awe as she talked a mile a minute. 

But when it came to Rumi, the honmoon was nothing but still around her. Like a calm before the storm. Forging the girl into its barrier that Celine had to look too close to feel Rumi. The honmoons only warning was a slight buzz that could barely be felt before her adopted daughter would grace her with her presence. 

And now—now all Celine could feel was the constant buzzing as footsteps drew closer. The barrier shivering and rippling under her gaze like water disturbed from its serenity. Celine didn't have to wait long before a knock could be heard and the door opened to reveal her hunters. 

Mira was first to come in. Face contorted into that careful expression she usually wears, body tensed as she stepped inside. Zoey came next, a small smile gracing her lips as she sent Celine a tiny wave. 

And then Rumi was pushing in behind them with a controlled fury simmering under her skin. 

The look on her daughter's face made her shiver. But it was clear that the fury wasn't meant for her. 

Celine hadn't seen Rumi since their talk about Miyeong. Sure, she had caught glimpses of her in board meetings whenever Rumi's presence was needed. But she hadn't looked at Rumi properly until now.

Rumi stood tall behind the girls. An air of confidence radiating off of her. Rumi held herself like a protector ready to strike at any moment. Like one more wrong move would unleash the beast inside her. 

Of course, Celine had seen the videos. The internet worked faster than they could blink. Images of the girls and the kids being engulfed by the sea of people. Rumi suddenly lunged at the man with less grace of a hunter and more of a lioness protecting its cub. She had seen the way Rumi moved forward, like a predator to its prey before she was held back by her partners. 

The honmoon finally dulled into a low hum as she met each of their gazes. Lingering a second longer at the golden slits barely visible by the light cascading by the open window of her office and the patterns flashing against skin like live wires that don't know rest. 

“I’m guessing you saw what happened already.” Mira spoke first, voice tight as they hovered by the sofa that faced Celine's desk but neither of them made a move to sit. 

Celine sighed. “It's all the internet has been talking about.”

“Is it bad?” Zoey asked. 

“No.” Celine said. “All they saw was a mother protecting her family from harm. Those who think otherwise are fools and don't know what they're talking about.” 

There was a varying state of shock at the tone of her voice. Celine wasn't new to the hate comments she often saw when it came to Huntrix. It was part of being idols who debuted at such a young age and now chose motherhood while simultaneously doing their parts as hunters and global kpop girl group sensation. It was the exact same thing with what people used to say when she was raising Rumi and left the industry as an idol. She knows that the hate the girls get is far more brutal than her generation. Huntrix are still in the peak of their careers and while Celine knows that it's part of the job, she couldn't help the slow build of frustration and anger that nothing had changed. 

“I'm guessing you want to know what will happen to him.” 

It wasn't so much as a question but a statement. It was the reason why they came here anyways. 

“The gun wasn't real.” Celine started, gaze flickering briefly at the sudden burst of colors before dulling back into its iridescent pallette. She waited a beat before continuing, “the suspect claimed that he was just messing around and didn't think anyone would notice him.”

Rumi growled, claws digging into her palms as she paced around the room. Patterns lighting against her hoodie, jaw clenched as she tried to keep her breathing even. 

Celine turned back to the screen. 

“We can sue him for attempted assault.” 

“And then what?” Rumi spat, eyes blazing. “He'd be given a few months in jail and then he'd be walking free to do that again.”

“It'll keep him locked up for a while.”

“That's not enough.” Rumi slammed her fist on Celine's desk, rattling the pen holder in its wake as she towered over her mentor. Celine didn't even flinch when she met her gaze. “I want him rotting in jail until he's nothing but a corpse.”

“Rumi…”

“He could have hurt them!” She breathed, chest heaving at the emotions swirling inside her. “He could have pulled the trigger—toy gun or not—and they'd be hurt regardless and I'd be too late to stop it—”

Celine stood, meeting her daughter's gaze evenly. “That's not true—”

“Yes it is!”

The honmoon rippled slightly, but neither one of them moved knowing that no tear would come from it. The barrier was simply reacting to its hunter's emotions. But it didn't mean that none of them flinched. 

“You wouldn't understand.”

“Rumi—”

Rumi wretched free from Mira's hold as she glared at Celine with such intensity that the former almost winced. 

“If you had been in our position—my position—you would do anything to keep your family safe.” 

“I would. I did.” Celine said through gritted teeth, fingers twitching on her desk but she kept her eyes locked on Rumi's. “I still do.”

For the first time since they walked in, Celine saw the mask of protection falter as Rumi stepped back. She rounded her desk to stand in front of Rumi, cupping her patterned cheek and feeling the way she leaned instantly in her touch. Celine's chest ached painfully as she smiled at her. 

“I know we still have a lot to talk about. Things we may or may not heal from. But I will do better. Be better. If you'd let me.” 

The look Rumi gave her was one of repressed adoration, longing etched into her face and Celine couldn't help but pull her in for a tight hug. It didn't matter if Mira and Zoey were watching. All that mattered was her daughter in her arms, alive and breathing, and hugging back just as tight. 

“Oh my baby, I'm so sorry.”

“Eomma…”

Celine hugged Rumi impossibly tighter into her. Almost as if she wanted to crawl inside and hold Rumi's heart in her hands to protect it. Her fingers carded through the loose purple hair from its braid, kissing Rumi's forehead over and over again like she couldn't stop now that she started. Years of repressed affection, of hiding and making her daughter hide parts of herself, the guilt that ate away at Celine the more Rumi's patterns started to grow and spread, the pride and joy she felt when she saw her daughter happy and in love with her partners and children. All the things Celine wanted to say spilled out in the hug. 

“Shh, eommaga wasseoyo.” (Mommy's here.)

Rumi’s grip on her shirt tightened, creasing the usually crisp white polo shirt Celine wears. Tears imprinting on her collarbone. But Celine simply held Rumi through the storm. “Eomma…”

“Ara ara…” 

They didn't know how long they stood there wrapped in each other's embrace. Like letting go would mean going right back to where they started, cold and firm and unloved. But there was another knock on the door and a head slipped through the gap, eyes apologetic as they all turned at the woman. 

“I’m so sorry to interrupt but the kids are getting antsy.” 

“You can bring them in.” Celine said quietly, clearing her throat to rid of the emotions clinging to her lungs and wiping the tears on Rumi's cheeks with her thumb as the door opened wider. Three tiny figures walked in towards Mira and Zoey, and Celine tilted her head at the sight, curious. This would have been the first time Celine ever saw the kids up close.

Rumi sniffed, reaching to wipe the lone tear that escaped Celine's eye with a small smile before turning to her children. 

“I thought we said that you have to wait until your mothers and I are done.” Rumi playfully said, crouching down to look them in the eyes as the kids gave her a bashful smile. 

“You said ten minutes and it's already been more than ten minutes.” Their eldest said, pouting. 

Jiwoo had grown the last time Celine saw her. Already reaching Mira's knees as she made puppy eyes at her mother. Celine had only seen Jiwoo once when she had been a toddler. The pictures and videos the girls would post in their socials always have her face covered or obscured from the camera. But it was clear that Jiwoo still held traits of each mother. 

“We were getting worried.” The boy added, moving to clutch Rumi's hoodie like a lifeline. “We wanted to make sure you were fine.” 

“Yuna unnie said to wait a bit but I couldn't keep still anymore.” The second tiny girl said, eyes glistening with tears as she rubbed her cheeks with the back of her hand. “You promised ten minutes.”

“I'm sorry, my loves. We didn't notice the time.” Rumi softly said, and it was the gentle way she held her children's hands in hers that made Celine realize how big a difference Rumi was as a mother compared to her. “Do you remember Celine?” 

All eyes turned to her, and Celine fought the urge to stiffen under their gazes as she looked down at the children. Rumi stood and pushed the children slightly towards Celine, slotting herself between her partners. 

“Children, I would like to officially introduce you to your grandma Mimi’s best friend and the woman who raised me, Celine.” Her heart thudded at the mention of Miyeong, belatedly realizing that they are now grandmothers to Rumi's children. “Celine, may I introduce you to Jiwoo, Minho, and Areum.” 

Ah, the twins. Celine thought. Now remembering the time she and Bobby drafted the same statement released for the press about the girls adopting once more, using the same legal actions they did for Jiwoo years ago. She, however, has not seen either of the twins since their adoption. Only ever knew them by name when Bobby mentioned it, and now the same children who she thought were lucky to have such wonderful mothers bowed politely, hands clasped in front as they greeted her. 

When Celine bowed back, the smile on Rumi’s face lightened the knot in her chest. She hadn't even thought she’d be meeting any of the kids or was even allowed to be near them in such close proximity. But here they are, being introduced officially and Celine couldn't help the awe oozing out of her as she stared openly at Rumi. 

“Are you our mama’s second mama?” Minho asked, head tilted as he squinted at her. Reminding her awfully of how Mira used to be when she first started getting comfortable enough in Celine’s presence to ask questions. 

Celine nodded when Rumi gave her an assuring look. “Yes. Something like that.”

“What do you mean?”

“Like your mothers, I adopted her when your grandma Miyeong passed away. Making Rumi my daughter.” She answered patiently. She didn't know what Rumi had told them about her but it seemed like they knew who Miyeong was. She wondered if Rumi had brought them to visit Miyeong back home. 

“You’re the one who made our mama cover her patterns.” Jiwoo suddenly said and Celine flinched at the blatant way the little girl dropped the words. 

“Jiwoo!” Rumi hissed, gripping her daughter's shoulder  in warning as Jiwoo pouted. 

“That's what papa and eomma said when we asked.” 

Rumi turned sharply at her fiancés who quickly shrunk under her glare. Lips already forming apologies when Celine cut them off. 

“No, it's the truth.” She said. “I did tell you to cover up for so long.”

“Then why did you tell our mama is only a hunter and not half-demon?” 

Celine's eyes snapped towards Rumi who avoided her gaze. It was Zoey who answered the silent question hanging in the air. 

“The kids can see the honmoon and they know about demons and Rumi’s demon heritage.”

“I'm still sorry, mama.” Jiwoo suddenly mumbled, looking at her mama whose gaze softened as she ran a hand over soft strands. 

“I know you are, bubba. Mama’s already forgiven you, remember?”

“I still regret calling you a monster.”

They all wince visibly at the word but Rumi kept brushing the hair away from Jiwoo’s face. 

“They’ve encountered a demon already?”

“Yes and all we can say that that was the longest day any of us ever had.” Mira answered. “It wasn't something we were particularly happy about.” Jiwoo looked away at the tone of her papa’s voice as Rumi gave Mira a warning look.

“All’s forgiven and we all learned a lesson from it, didn't we?”

“Yes mama.”

“How much do they know about demons and the honmoon?” 

“Enough.” Rumi said and Celine nodded. 

“Did you regret what you did to our mama?” Areum asked this time, expression open. 

“Yes.” Celine answered without a second thought. “All of it.”

Areum nodded, face turning serious. “The committee will have a meeting now.”

They blinked and watched the three kids huddle in one corner, occasionally looking up at the adults as they spoke amongst themselves. Celine's lips twitched in amusement as they finally walked back minutes later. It was Areum who spoke for them.

“The committee has decided to believe Cece and we would like to see you more if our mothers approve.”

Celine's chest ached at the nickname. Only one person had ever called her that, and for some reason she didn't mind the kids using it.

“See her in what way, fireball?” Mira asked.

“Well she is our grandma too right?”

“Yes.”

“Then we would like to see our grandma Cece if you'll allow us.”

The three mothers all shared a silent conversation. Celine knew better than to speak when it was clear that Mira and Zoey were still hostile towards her, and with good reason. 

“Sure, kiddos. But we have to remember that Celine is a very busy person.” Rumi said, brushing her fingers against chubby cheeks. 

“I’ll make time.” Celine said as casually as she could, ears turning pink and deliberately ignoring the amused stare from Mira as she kept her eyes at Rumi. “If—if that's okay, of course.”

The smile on Rumi’s face was blinding as she nodded. “Of course, eomma.”

Celine nodded back, heart beating evenly against her chest as she breathed out a sigh of relief. “Okay.” She nodded again. “Okay.”

If she noticed the amused looks Mira and Zoey were throwing her way, she didn't show. Instead focusing on the tiny humans looking back at her with something akin to awe. It reminded her of how Rumi used to look at her the same way. When Celine wasn't terrified of the patterns spreading against her baby's skin. When she'd readily kiss Rumi’s scars and bruises she'd get for playing. When she would braid Rumi’s hair in front of Miyeong’s grave as she recalled memories of her best friend while Rumi listened intently, hanging onto every word about a woman she barely knew. 

“I think it's best if we head back home now.” Zoey broke the silence as she scooped Minho in her arms, the little boy trying and failing to hide the yawn behind his hands. “This little one is about to pass out.”

“Am not.” Minho argued.

“Are too.”

“Eommaaa…” He whined, burying his face on the crook of Zoey’s neck. “‘M not tired.”

“Sure buddy whatever my little prince says.” 

Rumi carried Areum while Mira already had Jiwoo in her arms. Both girls were already asleep on their mothers shoulders as they quietly bid their goodbyes. 

“Oh, Rumi?”

Turning to face her eomma, Rumi tilted her head in question. “Yeah?”

“I’ll make sure he never gets out.”

The relief was apparent on all three mothers as Zoey and Mira walked out first. Rumi smiles at her, the kind of smile that Miyeong once bestowed upon her. “Thank you.”

And her daughter walked out, Celine leaned back on her desk as the door clicked shut, looking down at the picture of her beloved in their trainee days. Head thrown back in laughter, lips curled in a wide smile and eyes crinkling. Celine lets her finger trace her face for a brief moment. 

“Oh Miyeong, you’d be so proud of our Rumi.”

Chapter Text

The time spent after the days following the accident and the man finally being put behind bars was hard but the family of six along with Celine and Bobby who helped as much as they could with the legal papers and doing their best to make their routine as normal as possible. For the sake of the children. 

Rumi was in and out of board meetings with Celine even when she wasn't even supposed to be there. The board members told her with an air of nonchalance that if she wanted to take her role as Celine’s replacement soon then she has to know how the company operates. Rumi tried to contain the growl rumbling in her chest when she felt Celine press a hand on her back, fingers twitching against her shirt as she too tried to keep the venom from her voice. 

Which left Mira and Zoey alone with the kids most of the time. Rumi still did her best to be there in every drop off and pick up on the kids activities. She still trained with them when she had the time. It wasn't that Mira and Zoey weren't equally busy as their fiancé, they are. With Zoey launching her radio show and producing music for HUNTR/X and other artists and Mira was off to photoshoots and choreographing for their next comeback—they just didn't have the added weight of being the one to carry on another legacy on their shoulders. 

And that left the kids alone with their own devices to fill in the silence where their mothers should be in.

“Mama likes this one.” Areum’s bubbly voice echoes in the living room as she, Minho and Jiwoo crowd around the pile in front of them.

“Eomma will definitely like this one too.” Minho chimes in, shifting through the pile while Jiwoo tries to organise the items on the coffee table. A pinch in between her eyebrows as she bit her lip in concentration. 

The living room was transformed into a fortress of white sheets and pillows piled on their couch, the coffee table housed various cups of ramen, kimchi jjigae, gimbap, samgyetang, and yangnyeom tongdak. All courtesy of their grandma Cece and uncle Bobby who cooked and bought the meal upon their request when the idea came forth. Celine had smiled and patted their heads as she tied her apron while Bobby swirled around in his usual enthusiasm as he and the kids helped Celine prepare for their surprise. 

Rumi was off to film a drama she was a main lead on—a role she took because it didn't involve a love story; she had been adamant about only accepting a romantic role if Mira and Zoey were the leads. So Rumi often took roles that she was either a supporting lead or a plot that involved female empowerment with the kind of violence that Korean viewers aren't used to seeing when the main character was a woman beating people’s asses. It flattered her fiancés, of course. Despite the fact that Mira and Zoey knew that if Rumi chooses to take a romantic role, they’d understand that she was only doing it for the role and the expected success of the drama. But Rumi had simply smiled and shifted through the proffered scripts with a wave of her hand and a kiss to their lips. Mira was stuck in the dance studio, polishing the choreography before she presented it to her partners and their team. While Zoey was out filming her daily blog around the city.

“Alright kids, is there anything else that you need help with?” Bobby asked as he watched the kids fondly with a soft smile. When they shook their heads, Bobby let his smile widen. “Alrighty then. I’ll go fetch your mama and eomma from work. Your papa still has a couple of hours in the studio before she comes up. Let me know if you need anything else, okay?”

The kids nodded, each one taking off to hug him by the waist and legs, and Bobby felt his heart soar into the sky with no intention of coming down at any moment. “Thank you uncle Bobby!”

“Anything for my family.” He ruffled their hair before grabbing his jacket and phone by the table. “I’ll see you later kids!”

As Bobby left with a final wave, Celine emerged from the bathroom, sleeves rolled up to her elbows and dark and grey hair tumbling down her back from its hair tie. It took her a moment to realize that she was alone with the kids for the first time. 

“Halmeoni.” 

Celine’s sharp eyes darted down at the tiny figure of her granddaughter who looked at her with big brown eyes that sparkled under the low light to match the ambience the kids wanted to do. 

“Areum.”

The little girl simply grinned at her, bashful with her cheeks tinged pink as she raised her arms up at her. Celine stared down at her with a raised brow, lips thinning to hide the smile threatening to appear. 

“Yes?”

Areum raised her arms up as high as her little arms could go, jumping slightly in her place with a whine. Minho and Jiwoo watched them with interest on the floor, Jiwoo smirks when her sister pouted, clearly getting a little frustrated that their grandma Cece has yet to fold under her gaze. 

“I can't hear you, Areum.” Celine blinked innocently at her granddaughter, lips curling into a small smirk of her own as Areum huffed but kept her arms up stubbornly. 

“Up, Cece, up.”

She laughed and finally took the little girl in her arms, light as a feather as most kids are as Areum buried her face on the crook of Celine’s neck, sighing contentedly as her body relaxed. 

Holding a tiny body in her arms wasn't new to her, she had carried Rumi until she was old enough to walk and stand on her own. Celine didn't think that she'd be carrying another child in her arms after years of watching Rumi grow into the woman that she is today. So small and fragile in her embrace. She had forgotten what it feels like to have a tiny body clinging onto her, to feel those fingers gripping on her shirt and warm breath fanning across her collarbone. It had been far too long and Rumi was the only child she ever held until now. Unbeknownst to her, her grip on Areum tightened as she leaned her head slightly against hers, one hand rubbing circles on her back. 

“Clingy are we?” Celine mused, walking towards the other two kids as she plopped down on the floor, careful not to ruin the effort the kids had put into the fort as she stretched her legs out in front of her. “What do you want to do while we wait for your moms hm?”

Minho and Jiwoo quickly cuddled on each side while Areum snuggled deeper into Celine’s embrace. Minho rubbed his cheek on Celine’s arm as he looked up at her. “Can you tell us what mama was like?”

“Your mama?” Celine paused, taking a moment to herself before a soft smile graced her lips. “Your mama…is one of the strongest people I know. She is the perfect definition of strength, integrity, forgiving and selfless. Rumi is the kind of person I hoped to be when I was her age.” She glanced down at Minho as she wrapped her free arm on him, a glint of nostalgia shining in her eyes. “When your mama was your age, she used to climb on everything that she could get on.”

Jiwoo giggled at the mental image of their mother climbing on things. “Really?”

Celine hummed, letting the memory flash in her mind. “Your mama would climb on the shelves, kitchen counters, the dining table, you name it. The babyproof I installed on every surface of the house didn't work seeing as your mama was hell bent on grabbing onto things that could hurt her.”

“Did mama get in trouble a lot when she was younger?” 

Celine snorted. “More than you can imagine. Your mama was a menace.” She tickled Areum who squirmed and giggled in her arms. “In fact you three remind me so much of your mothers.”

Jiwoo looked up in surprise. “We do?”

Celine nodded. “Hmm, every time I look at you, I always thought that you three couldn't be more similar to your mothers and then you go ahead and prove me wrong.” 

They all giggled. Perched on the floor as Celine dug up stories of Rumi, and Zoey and Mira when they finally joined the group. She talked about the times the girls thought Celine wouldn't know about them sneaking out or the amount of times their laughter seeps into the crevices of the house at night when they thought Celine was too tired to hear them. How the three of them reminded her so much of herself with Miyeong and Kimmy. She shared tiny trivias about their mama, how Rumi used to gnaw on her toys and break it as soon as she bit it. How their eomma would bounce around the house with her endless energy and infectious smile. How their papa was so alike Celine when she first met her that it felt like staring into a mirror every time she looked at Mira. 

In turn, the kids shared their own moments with their mothers. Overlapping with the stories and giggling through their words as Celine sat back with her grandkids in her arms. Not caring how chaotic they could be when one would dig a hand on her body to make a point across or when a foot narrowly misses her stomach to counter back. She simply basked in their warmth and the familiar chatter of children surrounding her. 

It was in this position that the girls found her hours later with Bobby trailing behind them, phone in hand as he made sure their schedules were cleared for tomorrow. 

Celine was asleep with her head leaning against Areum's as the little girl snuggled in her chest and fisting Celine's shirt in her sleep. She had an arm wrapped around Jiwoo whose head was resting on Areum's shoulder, and a hand curling around Minho who slumbered on Celine's lap. The meals Celine had made were still on the coffee table covered so it would still be fresh by the time they got home. The fort the kids made was drooping slightly, looking more like a nest than a fort at this point. It was an image that none of them had ever seen before, and Mira and Zoey took the opportunity to snap pictures of their mentor with their children, cooing softly at the sight. 

Rumi smiled, heart doubling in size as a pleased rumble echoed in her chest. She was surrounded by her family and Rumi didn't know she'd feel this content until now. 

“You guys were supposed to be surprised.” Bobby murmured as the other two turned to him. 

“Oh this is definitely a surprise.” Mira chuckled, still looking at the pictures on her phone. 

“A pleasant one at that.” Zoey agreed, cheeks burning pink at the wide smile on her face. 

Rumi hummed and looked back at her mother and children. Capturing a photo of her own and posting it on her Instagram with a heart emoji. Heart settled in her chest as she moved to wake her mother.

Chapter Text

The second year they celebrated the twins birthday was a culmination of planning ahead of time and making sure everything went according to plan. 

Each mother spent time with Areum and Minho separately prior to their birthday. A pre-birthday celebration that they started when Jiwoo had turned five. A tradition that they all looked forward to. 

Zoey brought Areum to a skate park, having taught their youngest how to skateboard when she started to express her desire to learn after watching her eomma win a tournament months ago. Zoey had presented Areum a custom made skateboard made for her with tiny dolphins, drums, and hira-shuriken etched on the deck. They had spent most of the day at the park until Areum was satisfied enough to leave and made sure she was friends with everyone on sight. Zoey then took Minho the next day to Seoul's Children Museum. Knowing how much of a science geek Minho was, Zoey thought it was only fair to bring him to a place where she knew he'd be most happy with. Especially when she was the one who opened Minho's eyes to the wonderful ways and reasons why science existed.

Mira had taken Minho to watch The Winter's Tale with her. His eyes went wide with excitement when she showed him the two tickets she had acquired from a close friend at the VIP section where no one would dare disrupt their time together. They had dressed fancy with Mira in an emerald green silk gown while Minho donned a tuxedo with a tie that matched the color of Mira's dress and his hair slicked back for added charm. They were quite the pair while Zoey and Rumi took photos of them and Areum and Jiwoo instructed poses before they were let off to enjoy their evening. Areum's pre-birthday celebration was spent with them going through art shops and music stores where they bought vinyls of their preferred albums, and ate ice cream on the way home while Areum talked up a storm with her hand on Mira's.

Rumi took Areum to a pottery class where they made tiny plates and decorated hers like an ocean that knows no end with a tiny ship in the distance and the sun stretching wide across the surface. Areum's was a family portrait of them all with stick figures of them, Bobby, Celine, and Yuna, with Derpy and Sussy below. Streaks of clay on their cheeks and matching overalls. Minho's was a quiet affair, taking him to a secluded bookstore with a wide variation of books to his choosing. The store Rumi picked out had a cafe installed inside so bookworms could read in peace while munching on their desired sweets and sipping on hot beverages. They had brought home a ton of books that Rumi had already ordered for another shelf in Minho's room. 

Jiwoo had helped make two separate birthday cakes with Mira; Areum's was shaped like a drum with two drumsticks on top while Minho's was a ballet shoe with the ties unknotted. She was in charge of mixing and putting the tiny heart on each cake to show her siblings her love for them. All gifts they had for the twins were already wrapped and tucked in a storeroom that neither of the children knew existed. Jiwoo had gone gift shopping with Bobby during the time where her mothers were taking the twins out to their individual outing.

“Alright Woobear, I need you to make sure that Depry won't eat the cake we worked hard for or else we'll be cakeless on a very important day.” Mira gently set Jiwoo down on her chair, brushing her long locks to a simple ponytail. They were all still in their matching pajamas, courtesy of Celine. A tradition she and Rumi would wear the night before their birthday, and now they were passing the tradition down to their own children. “Mama will join you in a sec, okay?”

Jiwoo nodded, squirming in excitement as the glow of the candles reflected back in her eyes. Mira lingered for another second, pressing a kiss on Jiwoo's crown as she murmured, “you did well on the cake, Woobear. I'm proud of you.”

The beaming smile of their eldest melted Mira's heart and she couldn't help but hug Jiwoo tight in her chest. “Thank you, maman.” 

When Rumi finally emerged from their bedroom looking awake as Jiwoo felt, Mira and Zoey bounded off to the twins room. 

“You ready, bubba?” Rumi asked, smiling down at their eldest who nodded with a wide grin of her own. 

And then they all started singing as Mira and Zoey walked out with each twin in their arms. 

“Saengil chukha hamnida, saengil chukha hamnida, saranghaneun ssangdung-i-ui, saengil chukha hamnidaaa!”

Areum perked in Zoey's embrace while Minho sleepily grinned at their mama and sister who filmed the moment with her phone. 

“Happiest birthday my loves.” Rumi mumbled when the twins blew out their candles and she kissed each of their cheeks. Jiwoo quickly made grabby hands at her siblings as their eomma and papa set the twins down, rushing towards their sister with a fierce hug. 

“Did you like the heart I drew on your cake?” Jiwoo grinned, giving them a kiss of their own on their temples. 

“I love it!” Areum exclaimed. “Thank you, unnie!”

“Hm ‘twas the best heart I've ever seen, noona.” Minho nodded, burying his face sleepily against his sister's neck. 

The rest of the morning was spent with the family eating cake and the usual banter that filled the morning air. The children gravitated towards the living room where Mira had set out the wrapped presents neatly into two piles while her fiancés and children were too busy bantering and eating cake to notice her slip away. 

Gifts from friends from school, ballet class, and martial arts were already in their respective pile. They had already celebrated the twins' birthdays with their friend group at an earlier date at their insistence. Areum and Minho wanted to spend their day with the family only and the mothers complied with their wishes happily. Areum tore through the wrappings, gasping excitedly when she was given new shirts, toys and books. Minho was more gentle with the wrappings, carefully plucking each side until the present was visible enough. He gave a satisfied hum at the various books, leotards, and toys. 

Once they were done perusing their gifts, Jiwoo shoved two rectangular boxes into their hands. Wiggling in front of them like she couldn't wait for her siblings to open her gift. 

The twins carefully opened the box and gasped at the sight of it. There lay an iridescent chain locket with an opal shaped pendant. Custom designed by Jiwoo herself when she pitched the idea to her mothers who were ecstatic to accompany her to a jeweler. 

“I know we used to say that we wanted to have mama’s patterns but this is the closest thing I could think of with us having mama’s patterns.” Jiwoo smiled, glancing briefly at their mama who sat shellshocked between Mira and Zoey as Jiwoo pulled out a similar locket from her shirt and opened it to reveal miniature pictures of their mothers on one side and the twins on the other. “I didn't put anything inside yours yet. That's for you two to decide.”

“I want mine like yours too unnie!” Areum exclaimed, lips stretched in a wide grin as she toddled towards Jiwoo. “Gomawo, unnie.” 

Jiwoo smiled, hugging Areum back. “Sure, squirt.”

“I didn't know you're that sentimental, noona.” Minho smirked but there was something softer in his eyes that made Jiwoo swallow the lump in her throat as she yanked Minho in her arms. “Come here you big softie.”

“‘M not.” Minho mumbled but he was already melting in her arms with his cheek squished on her shoulder. 

Jiwoo laughed and hummed. “Sure, baby brother.”

Mira adjusted the vest on Minho’s chest, tugging it tight enough so it wouldn't fall off from moving too much. She could spot Rumi and Zoey doing the same to their daughters, hairs tied in a tight ponytail. Jiwoo’s was styled in Zoey’s famous space buns while Areum’s styled in twin braids. 

“Not too tight?” Mira asked as she tugged on Minho’s vest one more time as Minho shook his head. “Better?”

“Yes, maman.” Minho kisses his papa’s cheek, smiling a little too wide as Mira rolled her eyes at his cheek. “Can we start now?”

Mira laughed and stood, ruffling his hair as she adjusted her own vest. “Not yet.”

Minho pouted. “Why not?”

“Because your mothers are still getting ready.” She said pointedly, walking over to help Rumi and Zoey. A soft smile lining her lips as she tugged them both in a chaste kiss. “Hello, my loves.”

“Hi.” Zoey says back, smiling wide at the soft look on her fiancé’s face. 

“Hello to you too, gorgeous.” Rumi breathes out. “Is Minho okay?”

“Excited. Right, bud?”

Minho nodded absentmindedly as he too turned towards his sisters to adjust their vest. “Uhuh.” 

Mira gave Rumi a smug grin that had her fiancé rolling her eyes. 

Just then a man dressed in dark clothing and a vest steps in, a polite smile gracing his face as he looks at them.

“Everyone ready to go?” At their nod, he clapped his hands in delight. He then proceeded to tell them about the rules and regulations. No covering the sensory vest. No shooting at the head. If there's an emergency or injury, press the button on the lower end of the vest and the staff will be with them as soon as possible. 

They will be separated into three teams. Rumi with Minho, Mira with Areum, and Zoey with Jiwoo. The last team to survive wins, and with three competitive mothers with three equally competitive children. It's about to turn into a warzone. 

“We're gonna beat you.” Minho grins, leaning on one foot as he points his handgun at his sisters.

“Dream big, baby brother. Eomma and I will crash you.” Jiwoo narrowed her eyes at him and instead of flinching away, Minho looked like he wanted to taunt his noona further. 

“Pfft, you wish.” 

“Just you wait and see, baby brother. Just you wait and see.” 

As the countdown turned to zero, the air shifted dramatically as the lights dimmed. Rumi led the way, her own rifle in hand as Minho covered from behind. Weapons poised to shoot at any movement that wasn't their own. It didn't help that they were all trained to move quietly and strategically. Rumi looked both sides, deeming the spaces safe as she turned to Minho and gestured at the thick walls of the maze-like arena. Her son watched as Rumi hoisted herself at the platform and crouched low as she reached for Minho and hoisted him up as well. Resting him quietly on his feet and waited for another beat to check if any of his mothers and sisters were nearby. When none were close, mother and son waddled through the steps, guns aimed below as one of his mama’s hands rested below his back while the other gripped her rifle. 

Holding a toy gun wasn't new to their kids. Zoey had been adamant about buying them each a nerf gun with as much bullets as they could stash in their pajama pockets that the penthouse became a battle field. 

And so it isn't surprising that when they crossed the threshold, Jiwoo was the first to be eliminated. 

“What—”

“Bye bye, noona.” Minho grinned and waved happily, obscured by the dark and his mama’s figure covering him so Jiwoo wouldn't be able to see them even from above. They watched as Jiwoo was led out of the arena to the safe zone. 

“One down. Three to go.” 

Areum was next to be eliminated. They found her sitting on the ground, a handgun poised in one direction while Mira was guarding the other side. Zoey was nowhere to be seen.

But just as Minho was about to shoot, Mira suddenly whirled and aimed her rifle at him. A slow smile curls her lips and just as she shot Minho right on the chest, Rumi was doing the same thing to Areum. 

“Player five and six, please proceed to the safe zone.” 

The twins groaned as Rumi helped Minho down. The battle is now between the three hunters and the children are eager to watch their mothers battle against each other. 

“Hiding in plain sight. Smart.” Mira mused as Rumi slinked between the shadows, blending seamlessly as Mira narrowed her eyes. Feeling the excitement start to rush through her veins. It had been quite a while since they all sparred against each other and Mira thought there was no better time to kick her fiancés asses than here. 

“I’m surprised you didn't think of it.” Rumi's voice echoes to her right and Mira swivels in that direction. Not seeing her fiancé anywhere. “Losing your touch, babe?”

Mira scowled. Knowing full well that Rumi was simply goading her. Reminding her so much of the times when they were still trainees with a picture perfect calmness wafting off Rumi while Mira forged through with all the anger in the world she could muster in each blow. 

“Never.”

“You two talk too much.” 

Mira narrowly avoided the laser as Zoey suddenly barged in with all the grace of a wild boar. Barreling towards her with her rifle with a manic grin and Mira quickly aimed her gun at her, fumbling through the trigger. 

“And you two are slow.”

Both heads snapped towards a blur of movement. Zoey faltered in her step as her vest dinged red and Mira’s followed a second later.

“And thats—” Rumi landed lightly on her feet, blowing at the nuzzle like there was smoke coming out of it. A shit eating grin plastered on her face that has her fiancés staring hotly at her. “—how you play the game.”

“WOOH GO MAMA!” 

“THAT WAS SO COOL!”

“WE WON, YESSSS!”

Rumi laughed as she was tackled by their children, Areum clinging on her leg, Jiwoo jumping on her back, and MInho was swinging her hands around as they danced to the beat in their minds. 

“You, Ryu Rumi, owe us dinner and ice cream.” Mira said, planting a kiss on Rumi’s lips with faux annoyance. But the softness of her touch gave her away. 

“And lots and lots of cuddles.” Zoey added, smacking their lips loudly that caused their children to groan and giggle at the affectionate display. 

“US TOO, US TOO!”

“CUDDLES, CUDDLES, CUDDLES!

“FOOOOOOD!”

Throughout the chaos, the mothers smiled and laughed. Joining in on the dance their children had retreated to with their limbs and hips swaying to the invisible music. 

“BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!”