Chapter Text
Bobby was never meant to be this new group's manager. He had been on the waiting list and spent the past two weeks agonising in thrilling anticipation— both dreading and praying for this moment : meeting Sunlight Entertainment's newest gig.
Management never hinted as to why the two candidates ahead of him were unashamedly discarded, and he was not so foolish as to ask. However, he sensed that the girls must have had an unpleasant memory of them, if only by the furious glare the tallest member gave him when he entered the conference room.
Suppressing his fear, Bobby bowed deeply. 'It is an honour to meet you, HUNTRIX. I am Kim Bobby.' He greeted professionally, noting that on the other side of the room, the trio was seated stiffly on a couch. His eyes roamed from left to right, taking in their expressions, their posture—they looked so different from the soon-to-be idols he has come to know on stage— so human.
'Girls, introduce yourselves' Celine, standing next to him, ordered with a tired face. Bobby was still a little unsettled as to why she was even here. Surely Sunlight Entertainment's CEO did not need to attend uneventful meetings like these ?
'Hi Bobb— I mean, Mr Kim, I'm Zoey !' the girl in the middle chirped, waving excitedly at him. It eased Bobby enough to wave back, his own smile beaming. 'I'm the maknae and rapper of HUNTRIX—oh, and I write too !'
The American accent was unmistakable.
'She wrote Guilty' Celine informed.
His eyes popped out. 'Guilty' was one of the company's most successful solo song of the past two years. 'Really ? You wrote that masterpiece ? I love that song !' He exclaimed sincerely. At his words, Zoey shone like the sun.
'Jang Mira' provided the voice on the left, eyeing him with overt disdain. Bobby frowned, unsure how to respond to her very curt introduction. 'Don't expect me to be nice or anything'
'Mira' Celine scolded gently but firmly.
The pink head rolled her eyes but straightened nonetheless. 'I'm the main dancer and visual.' She paused. 'Mr Kim'
He nodded, giving her a small smile before moving to the last person on the right. A glance at her was enough to understand why Celine was present in the first place. Before the purple head could open her mouth, Celine spoke. 'This is Ryu Rumi, she is my ward' she stated with a hint of pride that no one in the room could ignore.
Rumi gave him an easy smile, the ones trainees were taught in their second month at the agency— professional, pleasant but jarringly empty. 'I am the lead singer and the leader, it is a pleasure to work with you, Bobby.' She bowed slightly.
He had been told their age beforehand — Zoey was the youngest at 18, Mira the eldest at 20, and Rumi stood in the middle in all aspects that mattered, carrying the weight of leadership at the age of 19. This was his first time meeting her, however he did know who she was. Celine had never made it a secret that she raised Ryu Mi-Yeong's only daughter. The remaining member of Sunlight Sisters had introduced her ward to the world during the Idol Awards 15 years ago, when Rumi was but 6 years old. Bobby had been a trainee then, still daydreaming in the delusion that perhaps stardom was for him (it was not).
Rumi's life was basically an open book— or as open as Celine's recluse self would allow. She attended a very prestigious school before switching to homeschooling at 14; she earned the Golden Child title at the age of ten when she voiced the kid version of a Disney Princess— officially thrusting her in the industry. It was no secret that, even though she never actually enrolled in the training system of Sunlight Entertainment, she has been groomed to follow her mother and guardian's footsteps. The best instructors in all forms of art were hired for her betterment. Bobby could not wait to see the fruiction of that.
Now here she was— posture straight, pleasant smile, pristine hair, and a grace that only women twice her age should dream to achieve.
'The pleasure is all mine' He heard himself say dumbly.
'So, Mr Kim' Mira started lazily, her calculating eyes dissecting his face, his clothes, the very way he breathed. Bobby now realised what it felt like to be an insect under a microscope. He gulped. 'What makes you think you can be our manager ?'
'Yes, we're very demanding' Zoey joined, jovial but with a hint of seriousness that did not escape him.
If this was a test, he was miserably failing. The trio was staring right at his soul, as though they could discover all mistakes, his faults, his fears. He did not know how to answer this, he was never one to express why he was worth to be anything.
'What they mean, Mr Kim' Rumi thankfully intervened, leaning forward and eerily resembling her guardian. 'Is that we are ambitious. We hope to reach Asian markets, of course, but also go beyond that — the US...' She motioned at Zoey. 'And even Europe. That requires skills in logistics, time and staff management, and the emotional as well as mental strength to endure all of that— our own personal excentricities notwithstanding'
Bobby nodded easily, he had expected as much from the group that was claimed in the media to be Korea's future leading star. 'I understand, Miss Ryu. Please trust me with your management, I promise I will not disappoint.' And to show how serious he was, he bowed again.
When he lifted his head, the girls' eyes were no longer on him, but on Celine. Mira's stance was still visibly guarded, Zoey was giddily fidgeting with her hands, and Rumi stared blankly—then she nodded.
'Alright Mr Kim' Celine said, clapping her hands. 'We will keep in contact with you, please regularly check your mails'
'Yes, Ma'am'
He was hired three weeks later, and told to come directly to the girls' dorm for a debrief. Bobby was quite literally bewildered when he parked his car in one of the quietest areas of Gangnam, and walked the rest of the way to the Tower. It was a a huge 25 stores building in Seoul's most affluent area, and he felt very small when he realised that the dorm was the freaking penthouse. The receptionist eyed him up and down in disdain, but upon realising that he was a guest of HUNTRIX, she rolled her eyes and sent him up.
By the time the elevator opened and he stepped in, Bobby was a ball of nervous, inferiority complex-driven energy.
'Bobby, you're here !' Zoey greeted him first with her usual enthusiasm. She was half lying on the ridiculously large beige couch, a green turtle themed blanket on her legs. The maknae seemed busy with her switch when he came in. Bobby hovered uncomfortably by the entrance, beginning to doubt that he misread the date. Surely the future idol would wear something else than her pyjamas to an official meeting. 'Rumi, Mira ! Bobby is here !' the American shouted towards the hall, where the bedrooms probably were. 'Oh, where are my manners ? Please have a seat, Bobby ! Don't just stand there' She stood up, leaving the turtle blanket on the floor and heading towards the room on the kitchen. 'I'll bring the snack while you make yourself comfortable !'
'Ah, yes Zoey—thank you' he called hesitantly, sitting on the far end of the couch. A minute later, Mira emerged from the hall, wearing glasses, blue jeans and a white top. Even though she was not wearing makeup, at least she looked presentable enough for the purpose of his visit. Bobby felt less overdressed now, in his perfectly ironed trousers, dress shirt and black vest.
Mira nodded towards him but said no words. She picked up Zoey's abandoned blanket with a sigh. 'She still hasn't learnt' she mumbled with no bite, folding the piece of fabric gently and placing it on the couch. Bobby wished it took more than five seconds to fold it—he counted—for, now that she was free of her task, Mira's attention was entirely on him. He felt a sense of déjà vu when her sharp brown eyes seemed to analyse him from head to toe, expression terrifyingly blank.
She nodded again, this time in appreciation—or so he hoped. Either way, Bobby could only blink. 'I like your vest' she said en guise of greeting, sitting on the opposite lawson, legs spread leisurely, back pressed as though she had all the time in the world (Bobby knew she did not, they had dance practice at four sharp).
A door cracking was heard from the hall, and Rumi walked in a second later, dressed in something that Bobby could see Celine herself wear. It was simple yet elegant, it made a statement of authority without abusing it. It was a simple white dress shirt with designer black trousers. She smiled at him and sat next to Mira. 'Good afternoon, Bobby; I hope we did not make you wait too long'
'It's fine' he dismissed easily, he had nothing else on his schedule for the next three days anyway.
'Let's wait for Zoey, she has the snacks' came Mira's deep voice. Something unseen of happened then, the pink head's expression brightened when their third member finally joined them, hands carrying two trays of Korean and American snacks. 'There you are'
Zoey placed everything on the table, before sitting next to Bobby. 'So, I don't really know what you like and what you don't—oh damn maybe you're allergic to cucumber or something ! I'm sorry, I should have asked first' she rambled sheepishly.
'I eat everything !' He exclaimed, fearful to make her know that he appreciated her gesture. The maknae seemed to wait for his approval, which was sweet, but also a little unsettling. 'Thank you, Zoey. I'm sure this is all delicious.' And to show his good faith, he picked one of the kimbaps—and frankly got a taste of heaven. 'Wow, did you make this ?'
Zoey's face fell. 'Don't—Don't you like it ? I can always make new ones—'
'No, Zoey, this is—this is Michelin level !' He cried, bringing two more in his mouth. From the corner of his eye, he caught Rumi and Mira's nod of relief and approval, while on his side Zoey could cry out of happiness.
'Well, I—I'm glad you like it !' she said as if he reached for the stars and gave her one.
They allowed him to eat a little, from time to time indulging themselves too, before they went down to business. Rumi cleared her throat. 'Alright, Bobby.' He straightened. 'First of all, thank you again for agreeing to be our manager. I will be transparent with you and tell you that we had other candidates, but none of them were, huh, qualified enough' she stated carefully.
'The rules are simple' Mira added, half glaring at him. 'Just do what you're told, don't question our decisions, especially the ones made last minute, and don't ever challenge us or make anyone challenge us on our creative choices'
He raised his eyebrow at that. 'I'm sorry, were you expecting me to do that ? I'm a manager, not a producer'
Zoey gave a small laugh. 'Celine told us it's not unheard of; you know idols usually don't have much freedom when it comes to their music' she explained with a hint of resentment.
He understood that, this was one of the reasons why he himself never made it on top of the training system, all those years ago. He nodded solemnly. 'I understand your requests, and I promise I will respect them. Do you perchance know who your producer will be ?' Even though they could switch from one producing team to the other, groups usually stuck to one, in order to maintain their musical identity.
'We won't need one' Rumi revealed proudly, glancing at Zoey. 'Zoey is a musical genius, she gracefully agreed to be in charge of our lyrics and production'
The maknae crimsoned at the praise, ducking her head shyly. 'You guys are great too !'
It was Mira's turn to smirk. 'I suck at lyricism, and we all know it.' Her gaze shifted to him once more. 'But when it comes to bringing those lyrics to life through choreography ? Count me in. We don't need a choreographer either, or at least not a permanent one. I am open to collaborating with some of them from time to time'
Bobby was almost impressed, this was the first time she spoke this long to him without any trace of hostility.
'And I'm just here to sing' Rumi finished, not to garner her own praise, but in the simple sincerity he was growing to associate with her.
Zoey shook her head vehemently. 'Just to sing is insulting' she countered, speaking to him. 'You should hear her sing—it made me fall to my knees'
'That's because you did not tie your shoelaces and your face met the floor quite harshly' Rumi snickered.
'Hey ! I thought we said that was a secret between us !'
'Well, Bobby is one of us now'
Bobby's heart swelled. He would have expected their leader to say that, to include him so naturally. But no, it was Mira—and from that point, he knew in his heart he would stick by them.
...
A year within HUNTRIX's management, and he finally understood what Zoey meant when she warned that they were demanding. While insanely talented, these girls were also overwhelming to handle.
Thankfully, their work ethic was strict to the point that they were never on time for practice, they were early (perks of having all the practice rooms on the 10th floor of the building). He would sometimes find Mira alone facing the mirror, rehearsing the same dance moves for hours until she deemed it bearable for the public to watch. Zoey would also stay in the studio for the whole evening, and by the time she left, the bin was filled with crossed verses. As for Rumi, she would always be at his side for the more tedious parts of his job—attending meetings at the agency, preparing the logistics for their live performances and eventual world tour, coordinating the designs and photoshoots of their comebacks. For, if Mira was the choreographer, if Zoey was the lyricist, then Rumi was in charge of the very concept of HUNTRIX. She chose the artistic direction.
He admired their hard work, their ambitious drive to succeed and make a name for themselves in an industry that was known for its cruelty. However, there were times where they would drive him to insanity.
For instance, Mira had the concerning habit of skipping lunch. When he gathered his wits to ask her, he was coldly dismissed. He eventually managed to drag her butt to a therapist known amongst idols, but that had taken months. On the other hand, Zoey could sleep like the dead even with her alarm blazing through her room. It was alright when they had group schedules. But when the maknae had her solo performances or variety shows ? It gave him new grey hairs to get her on time at the studio and in good shape. She had gotten quite a few controversies because of it.
Zoey from HUNTRIX disrespectful and conceited—she is always late on variety shows !
The poor girl had cried for hours upon finding the article, and it took the trio watching 885 turtle videos for her to calm down and to consent to seeing a specialist regarding her uncontrolled tardiness.
As for Rumi ? Good gracious, Bobby could write a whole essay on it. The leader was a perfectionist. She knew it, her bandmates knew it, the janitor of the Tower probably knew it too. She never left the house without a proper outfit, no strand of hair out of place, nails perfectly symmetrical, all emergency tools in her bag. Before every performance, she would personally check in with the sound team, the visual team—literally anyone who could negatively impact their show. After the performance, she would monitor the reactions on social media, all with a straight face that never once indicated whether the sometimes harsh comments were getting to her head or not.
After all, while Mira quickly received allegations of being rude and Zoey was called a dozen maknae, Rumi probably received the worst of the backlash, namely because she was Rumi.
Ryu Mi-Yeong's daughter did not live up to her name. Ryu Rumi caught slipping on stage.
Ryu Rumi at the mercy of a hate train because of nepotism allegations.
Ryu Rumi caught at a restaurant with CEO Park Celine—is Sunlight Entertainment overtly showcasing their favouritism ?
Ryu Rumi gets the most lines in How it's Done—a study of the worst case of favouritism in the past decade.
From criticising her voice, to downright speculating on the identity of her anonymous father, the internet was not gentle to her—and it staggered Bobby to see her so unbothered. She was always smiling, always giving direction, always leading as if half the world did not hate her.
He said half because the other half ? Goodness, they were obsessed. The girls easily garnered a horde of loyal fans, ranging from elementary kids to even the elderly. Mira and Zoey had their fair share of supporters, but Rumi undoubtedly attracted the most. She was labeled everyone's type, and to be fair, most people already knew the Golden Child before HUNTRIX was even conceptually in the works.
And just when he thought she was invisible after all, he caught her once after a concert, alone in one of the halls backstage. She was staring at her phone intantly, the shadow of a frown twisting her sweaty face. Bobby approached her slowly. 'Hey, Rumi'
She flinched, surprised that someone found her. 'Oh, hi Bobby' she greeted with an unsettling lack of her usual enthusiasm.
'What are you doing here, sweetie ?' He asked gently, unashamedly flickering between her and her phone. She hid it in her chest on instinct. He sighed. 'Are you checking people's reaction of the concert ? You did great'
'No' she stated coldly, convinced of her own words. It chilled him. 'I missed on a beat during the opening —the opening, Bobby. That's trainee level, not overseas performance level. The fans are disappointed, then—' she faltered and closed her eyes. For the first time in forever, he saw how exhausted she appeared. 'I missed my high note at the end of the last act—you heard it too, right ? And I had the gall to cringe on stage ! I can't even face the girls'
'They won't hold that against you, Rumi.' He explained softly, as if he was talking to a cornered animal. 'You're human, you're allowed to make mistakes'
'Our faults and fears must never be seen' she muttered to herself, and he was not sure he was meant to hear it. 'I made a mistake, and now I'm paying for it. Did you see the charts ? We dropped to number 2. Even worse, Bobby—did you see Sunlight Entertainment's drop in stock prices ? Celine is going to skin me alive'
Bobby frowned in concern now. 'I would hope she does not' he said carefully.
Rumi blinked, seemingly realising what she said and what it implied. 'Oh, don't read too much into what I say. I tend to—to exaggerate when I'm anxious, and I'll admit that I am beyond anxious right now.' As if to challenge her claims, her phone buzzed, and Bobby saw Celine's name plastered. He half expected Rumi not to pick up, but the dutiful daughter clicked on the call button. 'Celine ?'
He was close enough to hear what the other woman had to say on the other line. 'Rumi ? What happened on stage ? You missed a note' The voice was not mean, but it was not kind either. It was unnervingly neutral.
That did not stop Rumi’s shoulders from dropping in shame. 'I know, I'm sorry'
There was a sigh. 'Have you been eating well ? What caused this ? Is your throat okay ? This is not you asking for a break, is it ?'
'Of course not !' the leader jerked. 'I would never, Celine. I know what's at stake'
'Exactly, Rumi. The sooner we get it done, the better. But don't read what's online, understood ?'
'Huh...'
'Rumi ?'
'I may have—'
'Then stop. I don't want you disturbed by nameless people with harsh opinions on the internet. It was so much better in my days, we could avoid that more easily. Tell Bobby to delete all negative comments...and darling, rest for tonight, alright ?'
Rumi visibly softened at the tone. 'Yes, Celine'
'Okay, I love you. Take care and keep me up to date on the state of the Honmoon'
Bobby did not understand a word of the last sentence, and before he could enquire further, Rumi turned to him with renewed energy—or a better camouflage of her turmoils. 'Thank you for being here, Bobby.'
'Always, Rumi'
'I know it's late, but I need you to monitor the comments online; I know it's not very fair to filter them because they are justified—I did mess up—but it would not be good for the group and—'
'I understand, Rumi' He smiled, patting her shoulder. 'Why don't you join the girls and head to your hotel ? I'll take care of things here'
She gave him a relieved smile, then headed off. He watched her retreat, a knot of anxiety forming in his stomach.
...
That was the first time he was truly confronted to the reality that, for all the good it could produce, Rumi was a dangerous workaholic. She did not take breaks unless her body demanded it—as in she would collapse in the middle of practice (it happened twice already).
Her tendencies were concerning to the point that Zoey and Mira once had to stage an intervention with him—which turned out to simply hide the girl's devices. Her phone, her computer, her iPad—even her numerous game consoles—were confiscated.
Rumi had thrown a tantrum when she woke up to no screen and no ability to check her schedule. She had been so upset that she did not speak to either of them for five days, and two additional days even once the devices were dutifully returned. That instance was what presented Bobby with something he had read online, but had never actually believed — Rumi was a freaking spoiled child.
He should have not been surprised, really. Rumi was the only child of a pop star, raised by a single aunt with enough money to sustain ten generations. Bobby gathered that she must have grown up with all the toys she wished, and all her requests met. It wouldn't have mattered, hadn't her tendencies carried well after she became an adult.
Rumi's words were final, they were decreed as law in HUNTRIX's team, and sometimes in Sunlight Entertainment itself. She did not ask for a lot, but when she did, it was generally agreed that everything should be done for her requests to be met. She was once suddenly unsatisfied with the designs of a comeback, and asked for a whole new set a week before they were set to shoot— sending at least three departments in Sunlight Entertainment to work overnight. Mira had grunted in discomfort, Zoey had whistled in amazement, Celine had enabled it — and Bobby's sleep debt had increased by 120 percent.
They tried flying in a public plane for their first concert in Japan, but even though they were in first class, Rumi could not find it in herself to relax.
'Don't you think the seats are awfully uncomfortable ?' She asked him.
The manager, too happy to fly first class to care, simply shrugged. 'I don't think so'
'Oh'
Rumi's first phonecall once they landed was to request a private jet to Celine who, with an exasperated sigh, complied. HUNTRIX has flown private ever since.
...
Bobby had noticed the brown teddy bear's existence ever since his first meeting with HUNTRIX at the penthouse. It had rested on the couch, a decoration that was not worth his attention. He saw it again in Rumi's dressing room for their debut performance, and he raised an eyebrow. He remembered Mira's strict instructions though — don't question our decisions — so he kept his mouth shut, ignoring the adoring gaze of HUNTRIX's leader when she laid her eyes on the stuffed animal.
He thought it was a token of good luck, that perhaps Rumi was one of those strangely superstitious idols, he did not think losing that bear would lead to his first time seeing her composure crack.
They were in Busan for a fan sign, and the teddy bear was in the green room, resting on one of the chairs, waiting for its owner. As expected, fans gifted many goods to the girls—from luxury watches to cute plushies. Unfortunately, one of the newer staff was not yet familiar with its existence. Mistaking the bear for one of the gifts from the fans that Rumi had not yet given to the staff for future donations, she took it upon herself to throw it in the trash.
When the girls made their way backstage, laughing and talking about their next concert, Rumi immediately noticed the absence of her dear friend.
'Oh, where is Popo ?' she asked out loud. The chaos around her stilled, as everyone's focus shifted to the empty chair. Bobby looked up from his iPad.
'Did you bring him here ?' Mira asked.
'Maybe you left him at the hotel' Zoey provided, hopeful.
But the leader could not be swayed. 'No, I clearly remember bringing him here. Where is Popo ?!' she demanded, stomping her foot like a child.
Stunned by the reaction and a little apprehensive now, Bobby stepped in. 'Who is Popo ?'
Rumi blanched at the question and glanced around, shrinking under the personnel's curious stares. 'I—'
'It's her teddy bear' Mira answered, as though it was natural for a 20 year old to carry a toy everywhere.
'Mira !' Rumi hissed.
The pink head rolled her eyes. 'There's nothing to be ashamed of, Ru. What matters is where Popo is'
'Is it the stuffed bear I've seen around ?' Bobby asked carefully.
Rumi nodded tearfully, her shoulders hunched in a vain attempt to make herself appear smaller. 'I—I left him here...where is he now ?'
His expression grew solemn — it may have been idle for anyone else, but he trusted that Rumi would never allow herself to be seen this discomposed unless it truly mattered to her. 'I will find him, Rumi'
Twenty minutes later, he found the culprit. The girl did not even have the decency to look guilty, she was smug. 'I didn't know that ugly thing was hers' she defended with a shrug. 'That serves her well, anyway. Bobby, I see how tired you are from working for them; especially for that nepo baby. Juhyun told me she has the most outrageous demands out of all the active idols ! Let's just say this is her punishment. Also, she's not a child, she won't cry for a teddy bear'
After berating the employee, he came back to the green room and found that in fact, Rumi was crying. When she spotted him, she stood up abruptly and practically ran towards him. 'Did you find him ?' she asked in a small voice.
He shook his head sadly. She fell back into the chair without any grace, wailing uglily on Zoey's shoulder. The staff around stared at them with overt judgment, appalled that a stuffed animal was all it took for HUNTRIX's indestructible leader to fall apart. Bobby glared at the personnel. 'Don't you have anything better to do ?! Jiwon, get the van ready for the girls ! Jungsun, get that one Chinese restaurant on dial right now ! Move, all of you !'
When they got back to the hotel, Rumi wordlessly went to her solo suite, disregarding Mira's appeal for couch time. Bobby watched, defeated, as the other two girls traded glances.
'Is Popo that important ?' He asked quietly.
Mira flopped on the couch while Zoey brought out three drinks from the mini fridge. 'Popo belonged to her mother, Rumi loves him to death' she explained with a sigh. 'She carries him everywhere — her bedroom, the studio, the practice room, even the bathroom when she's sick and needs emotional support'
'Is she going to be okay ?' He glanced at the closed door. 'She won't—she wouldn't unravel because of that, would she ?' He knew how insensitive he sounded when Zoey returned with the drinks and a glare.
'It matters to her, Bobby' she said in defiance.
'We don't know how she would react with the idea of losing him' Mira closed her eyes in exhaustion. 'We should call Celine, she would know'
And so he did. The moment he reached his own room, he dialled the older woman's number. Thankfully, Celine was as much as a workaholic as Rumi was, thus she was still awake at nearly midnight.
'Bobby ? What brings this phone call ?' Her voice was annoyed at thus being summoned, clearly displeased by the lack of professionalism.
Bobby could not care less, especially when one of his girls was probably crying herself to sleep in her room. 'Has Rumi ever lost Popo before ?' he asked bluntly.
There was a tense silence on the other line, before Celine released a breath. 'What is going on ?'
'One of the staff threw away the teddy bear during the fansign'
'Who ?' Celine asked, the menacing tone hardly concealed underneath a mask of calm.
'It's not—'
'I need a name, Bobby'
'It was Park Yujin'
'Schedule a meeting with me and her the moment you are back in Seoul. I want her in my office at 8 sharp' she instructed coldly, before seemingly remembering the question. 'And yes, Rumi has lost Popo once — it was terrible'
'What happened ?'
'That bear was Mi-Yeong's gift for her before she-she passed away. Rumi is obsessed with it and would throw the loudest tantrums whenever she was separated from her — and I quote — bestest friend. She would wail for hours whenever I had to wash Popo or we had to attend a gala or an award show. When she was twelve, she forgot it in the limousine on our way back from the Golden Disc Awards — you do not want to know how devastated she was'
He gulped. 'I do need to know though, to be able to solve this'
'She kept to her room for a week, Bobby' Celine's voice cracked. 'I tried to get her out, to bribe her with her favourite games and books — I even bought a new teddy bear from that one museum she loves, but to no avail. She stopped eating and would forgot training altogether. I paid a lot to track the limousine and find Popo. Thankfully, she went back to her normal self. But don't worry, she has outgrown it. She would not throw a fit like that again, she's an adult'
Bobby was willing to believe her, but she was manifestly wrong when, a week later, Rumi's presence seemed to be effaced. She barely smiled, barely ate, and barely even left her room. It sent Zoey spiralling in worry, while Mira was searching all over internet the exact brand and year the toy was produced, to buy a new one.
When they presented her with the newly bought teddy bear, the purple head gave a small, resigned smile, but she could not humour even Zoey with any form of enthusiasm. 'Thank you guys' she whispered, voice hoarse from lack of speaking. If Zoey and Mira were not so concerned, they would have revelled at the fact that they de facto got two weeks of vacations.
Bobby felt helpless, and he loathed that feeling more than he loathed pineapple on pizza. Thus, as HUNTRIX's manager, he did what had to be done. He called for an emergency meeting.
It was a little funny to think that the object of their concerns was isolating herself down the hall, but he knew Rumi would not come out of her room, thus it was pretty safe to assume that she will not intrude on this meeting. He remained standing while Mira, Zoey and Celine each sat down, their usual warm greetings forgone in favour of a quick kiss on the cheek.
'Rumi hasn't eaten in days' He said en guise of introduction.
Celine's hand twitched around her cup of tea, her frown betraying her agitation. 'Park Yujin was fired immediately, I don't know what else I can do on my end'
'Did she throw Popo in the trash ? Maybe we could ask the municipality of Busan for a special access to the recycling centre ?' Zoey suggested.
Mira and Celine both made a face. 'That's gross, but worth a try' the pink head conceded.
Thanks to Celine's influence, the mayor of Busan easily agreed to their request, but it proved futile. No teddy bear was in the centre, and apparently none even made it there on that day.
'That means it's somewhere in Korea' Bobby concluded on their second meeting, three days later. 'We have to hunt him down'
'And how exactly are we doing this ?' Celine inquired, signs of lack of sleep visible on her face. She was evidently not taking well to her ward isolating herself.
Zoey perked up. 'Social media'
The campaign was deemed ridiculous by some, adorable by others. Many saw this as proof that Rumi was but a spoiled brat who could not live without her teddy bear, while others cooed at this hint of childishness in the mature leader.
The post was not difficult, it was a research warrant with the bear's picture posted on every HUNTRIX platform, and even on Sunlight Entertainment's. With the power of the fans, the teddy bear was miraculously found - it had been found by a young dad, and given to his only daughter. The kid was reluctant to let go of it at first, but with the promise of attending the next HUNTRIX concert for free, plus a set of goodies, she gave it to Bobby, who came all the way to Daegu to pick it up.
Rumi, still in her cocoon of misery, was unaware of all the chaos organised in her favour. When she was called to the living room, eyes bloodshot and hoodie suspiciously too large for her, she expected pitiful looks and pleas for her to eat. Huge was her shock when she was faced with Popo in the arms of Zoey, who held it towards her with teary eyes.
'Is it—is it really ?' she stuttered, not daring to hope. When the maknae nodded greedily, she took a tentative step forward and grabbed the teddy bear with careful, almost reverent hands. Then she brought him to her chest, and properly sobbed. 'Popo means so much to me…I—I don't know what to say—'
'You don't have to say anything' Bobby said, smiling at her like a proud father. 'You just have to be here, with us, celebrating Popo's return'
Her eyes shone with the words she could not express — gratitude, confusion, and so much love for her teddy bear, for her girls, and — dare he hope — for him as well.
...
Something changed, but Bobby could not quite figure out what and how.
Well, the scars were a big change, alright. Following the Idol Awards, Rumi revealed her marks to the world — birth marks she had been too scared to put on display before, she explained on an official interview. Bobby owned that he has never seen birth marks of that shape and form, but who was he to argue when his girl finally found the self confidence to show this part of herself ?
Ever since the Idol Awards, all three girls became freer, almost as though they lived through a transformative and spiritual experience. On his end, he could not remember anything except for their breakup on stage, which they explained times and times again was an unfortunate misunderstanding that has been solved. He would have doubted it, weren't their relationship so much stronger now.
Zoey was still blabbering about her turtles, but she was ten times more confident about doing so outside of of their inner circle, now.
'Why should I cover up the colours stuck inside my head ?' she quoted cheekily when she noticed him staring at her, once.
Mira loved her girls, he knew it — but now, she was openly and affectionately shouting it to the world. Not a day passed without a word of encouragement, a pat on the back — and Bobby's favourite, a mention that they were her precious family. And yes, that included him ! (He cried about it in the bathroom).
The most notable transformation was, once more, in Rumi. Her birth marks notwithstanding, she appeared more relaxed, liberated from a burden that only she could carry, and that only she could even see and understand. Of course, she was still the frustratingly work addict everyone adored, but even in that regard she let loose considerably. One proof was the fact that, for the first time in their 5 years of career, HUNTRIX got more than a month's hiatus.
Her smiles, habitually reserved and somewhat longing of an horizon that she never seemed to reach, now broadened into hopeful, beaming happiness. Of course, there were times where she was still silent, a little in retreat and deep in her thoughts, hands fidgeting in anxiety — but Bobby would never take that from her. With all the responsibility on her shoulders, she was allowed to falter, and all he had to do was make sure she knew he was in her corner — always.
And one day, fifteen minutes before their comeback stage, she came to him, wearing one of her awkwardly sincere smiles. 'Hi, Bobby'
Bobby turned away from the staff he was speaking to, taking one second to breathe in the relief of seeing her with a short sleeved top. Even though he never gathered the courage to confront her, he had gotten worried about her concerning habit of wearing long sleeves, even during summer. It turned out to be a matter related to her birth marks, and he was glad it was only that, and nothing else.
'Hi, Rumi, everything alright ?'
His breath was caught in his throat as a pair of arms tightly wrapped around him. Bobby naturally hugged her back, his eyes suspiciously damp. This was the first time Rumi ever took him in her embrace, and while he did not expect it, he was beyond relieved to finally be at the receiving end of what he learnt to be the most comforting hug in the world.
Her head rested on his shoulder, and she remained there for a moment. He did not know what triggered this display of affection, but he was never one to let go first. When she eventually retreated, he was alarmed to see the redness of her eyes. 'Hey, are you okay ?'
She laughed, wiping away at her tears, unheeding of the makeup. 'Yes, I just— I needed that'
It warmed his heart that she came to him. 'Anytime, Rumi. You know I'm always here for you, right ?'
Her gaze softened. 'I know, Bobby. You can't even begin to imagine how— how grateful I am that you are in our lives, in mine. I—' she ducked her head, suddenly shy. 'You're like the dad I never had' she confessed timidly, watching his reaction with apprehensive eyes.
Bobby froze, before his heart exploded in his chest. He had always considered them three to be his little girls, daughters he had been destined to protect and cherish. But to be acknowledged like this ? And by Rumi, the emotionally constipated (excluding Mira) of the group ? This was an early Christmas gift.
His tears rolled down freely, which jerked Rumi into concern. 'Oh, Bobby don't cry— I'm sorry, I didn't— that was such—'
'I love you, Rumi' He said gently. 'You're like a daughter to me, all of you. I will always be by your side. Always, you hear that ?'
She sobbed and raised her hands hesitantly. 'Can I—can I hug you again ? I really need a hug right now'
'You never have to ask'
And she crushed into him, making both of them stumble back. But he held on, he always will for her.
'Thank you, Dad'
So this was what it meant to be loved.