Rumi x Jinu, Mira x Romance x Abby, Zoey x Mystery, Zoey & Baby
masterpost + ao3
As HUNTR/Xās public reputation is in shambles, the girls decide the best way to maintain the restored Honmoon is to show off their truer colors.
By joining variety shows.
But how can they stick to the script when the Saja Boys of all groups is gearing up to make a post-hiatus comeback from theirā¦enlistment?
There had never been a moment in their careers when Bobby hadĀ notĀ cared about numbers completely.
It was his job to pay attention to the target market, the cost per lead, and, of course, the streams. All the hard number grunt work rested on his back so that his girls could focus on what mattered to themā their dreams, their music, and of course, their fans. HUNTR/X was not just a three-member group. Its success mattered on the countless hours their staff and backstage management had put into their stages and production.Ā
Which was why he took their phones.
āThis isĀ soooĀ unfair! Bobby, we arenāt trainees anymoreāā Zoey could have damaged his eardrums with how much she shrieked against the gadget ban.
Their jobs were to sing, not scroll through social media to see what everyone had to say about the shitshow that was the Idol Awards. That was his job. And Legalās, because he had aĀ lotĀ of lawsuits to process.
Bobby constantly reassured his girls that he would handle it. He calmed them down, telling them that they had already done the legwork with their impromptu performance of their brand-new single āWhat It Sounds Likeā. Though he does not know exactly what happened on stage when they performed āTAKEDOWNā, he fully reassured them that the new single showcases that their bond is stronger than any disagreement. Their fanbase is strong. They did not need to care about what the general public thought.
He did, though.
He absolutely had to care about what the GP thought.
Which was how he found himself alone on top of the agency rooftop, screaming out at the Seoul skyline for a miracle.
Bobby couldnāt stand to imagine how difficult it would be for Rumi to shoulder, as the groupās leader. This was his burden to carry. He wasĀ theĀ cleverest, fiercest, and sexiest manager in the industry. He was an SNU alum for godās sake, and there was no PR crisis he could NOT solve. After all, he managed to turn around all the potential hate that joint fansign could have attracted into positive salacious buzz.
He was the best of the best, and even the best of the best needed a moment alone beside a skyscraperās ledge smoking through half a pack of cigarettes to manage the stress. He was starting to think it was a mistake to get slims instead of something stronger, but Mira liked her ESSE menthols, and she was a decent smoking buddy when they were hiding from Rumi and Zoeyā and the press.
He reached in his pocket for his lighter, but with his hands numbed from the evening air he struggled to get a good grasp of the plastic. Cigarette hanging off his lips, he pressed his thumb against the toothed wheel and clicked a few times but the flame wasnāt staying due to the wind.
Breathe. Not the time to overreact and scream about how the universe was actively plotting against him by magnifying every inconvenience he had ever encountered.
There were a couple of footsteps behind him, which werenāt uncommon. The rooftop was a popular smoking corner for the building workers, evidenced by the sleek metal ashtray pole he stood by and the steady stack of burnt filters inside. It was actually rare for him to have the corner all to himself. Bobby didnāt turn around to check who it was, too focused on figuring out how to keep the lighter lit.
A small, childlike hand slid into his periphery, holding a metal lighter with a steady flame. A deep voice spoke beside him āNeed a light?ā
āThanks man,ā Bobby sighed with gratitude as he leaned forward.
Life would be okay. What matters still matters.
He has a job he loves.
His cigarette was lit.
HUNTR/X stayed together.
Baby Saja was smoking with him.
Their new song was going viral.
Baby Saja was smoking with him?
When the news broke out, the first thing Rumi did was to check whether the Honmoon was secured.
The second thing was to confirm she was not going insane with her girls.
āThis is not happening.ā Mira was wearing a hole in the penthouse floor from her pacing. āWhen I handle my business, I handle it. I felt the weight of their flesh give out beneath myĀ woldo.Ā Thereās no way they arenāt demon dust.ā
āI canāt take this!ā Zoey was so close to ripping the seams of the couch cushions. āI. Need. My. Phone.ā
Rumi was rooted in place as she stared at the large television screen in front of them as the news broadcast continued.
SAJA BOYS TO MAKE A COMEBACK AFTER THEIR MILITARY ENLISTMENT.
āEnlistment?ā Mira scoffed. āItās only been two weeks since we restored the Honmoon.ā
Rumi squeezed her eyes shut as her brain racked for an explanation. āCeline did say that the Honmoon has some special qualities in altering how civilians perceive reality.ā
āSo it somehow convincedĀ everyoneĀ that a month-old rookie boy groupās two-week hiatus is due to them being away for a two-year military enlistment?ā Mira shouted at no one in particular. This was ridiculous. As of yesterday, the Saja Boys were considered disbanded. Now, they were being labeled patriots by the media for having enlisted all together as a group even when they had anā
āExemption?!ā Foam burst from the cushion that Zoey dug her nails into. The news story became more ridiculous by the minute. āSince when did the president give out exemptions to K-Pop idols?ā
āSince before he got impeached,ā Mira huffed. āDoesnāt matter anyway. They didnāt take it.ā
Zoey stood up indignantly. āWell, I say we finish the job. Tonight! And catch them alive so we can torture them into telling us where the hole in the Honmoon is.ā
Rumi, eyes still clenched tight, finally spoke up before Mira and Zoey could start practicing their good-cop bad-cop routine. āI donāt think thereās any hole.ā
Mira. āHow else could they get in?ā
Rumi. āMaybe they never were on the other side of the veil. Maybe they got sealed up here.ā
Zoey. āNope, I donāt think thatās it. I agree with what Mira said. WeĀ feltĀ them die.ā
Rumi. āĀ I know.Ā I saw him. Right in front of me.ā
She sank to her knees, head in her hands.
Mira and Zoey shared a concerned look, unsure of what to say. They were not familiar with just how deep the connection between Rumi and Jinu was. After the final battle, Rumi soaked with them in the bathhouse as she recounted the clandestine meetings she shared with him, how she was so determined to believe that the redemption of demons was possible, all because of him.
How Jinu taught her how to stop dealing with herself in parts, and to accept herself in whole.
Two pairs of arms encircled Rumi in an embrace as they all sat together on the floor. She brought her hands up and squeezed them closer.
āI donāt know exactly what to feelā¦ā She confessed to them. āAm I relieved? Or, worried?ā
āFreaked out?ā Zoey supplied.
āThat too.ā
Mira pecked the side of Rumiās head comfortingly, a show of physical affection she reserved only for her girls. āFeel whatever you want. It just sucks that this had to happen while weāre on hiatus. I donāt want you to be hung up on this when youāre supposed to be relaxing.ā
Carefully, Rumi was guided onto the couch, and the news channel switched to some mindless romantic drama. The girls didnāt pay the TV any mind, choosing to focus their full attention on each other as they snuggled together.
This was how Bobby found them. They gave him tired, but pointed, stares when they spotted that he was carrying their phones. āHey girls.ā
āHi Bobby,ā They chorused.
āSo when were you planning on telling us we got new labelmates?ā Mira got straight to the point.
Zoey glared at Bobby for good measure. āYouāre lucky itās couch time. Iām sooo pissed that we had to find out from the news!ā
āI only found out last night,ā Bobby defended himself as he handed back the girls their phones. Like addicts, they immediately took them and powered them on. āYou know Iām not the CEO. I donāt know what goes on in the label outside of you three.ā
āSo why are you breaking the phone ban so early?ā Rumi asked, panic rising slightly.
āRumi, donāt question it or else heāll take them back.ā
āBut Zoey, Bobby wouldnāt be doing this if he didnāt think there was a PR emergency.ā
Rumiās panic transferred to the two others, who instantly began opening every social media account they had.
But nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
āOh, this seems, fine?ā Zoey remarked as she scrolled through her feed. āOur fans are keeping the community alive while weāre in hiatus!ā
Bobbyās frown deepened. āItās not really about the fans, but whatās happeningā¦outside.ā
Mira raised an eyebrow before switching her feed from her Following to her For You.
Oh. There it was.
It was a little silly that they deluded themselves into believing that everything would come back to the way it was before the Idol Awards. While their fans remained steadfastly faithful, they completely forgot that they were still parties under the Court of Public Opinion.
Rumors about catfights.
How they only got along for the cameras.
Speculations of unprofessionalism.
Calls for their disbandment.
āIām sorry that I kept this from you for so long.ā Bobby bowed his head. āI tried my best to contain this so that you can fully enjoy your break, but since the Saja Boys got signed by the agencyāā
āAnd Celine allowed this?ā Rumi found it to be impossible. HUNTR/Xās management was all built by Celine. They have never handled any other artists. Rumi wondered what was going on in her head.
Bobby sighed. āThatās why I thought she ran it by you first. Have you reached out to her?ā
Rumi did not answer. They havenāt spoken since the night of the Idol Awards.
āSo whatās the point of showing us that the entire country hates us?ā Mira ground her teeth. Her grip tightened on her phone.
Bobby massaged his temples. āAs confusing as this is, I think there is a purpose to bringing the Saja Boys in after their enlistment.ā
Zoey blistered. āThey never were enlisted!ā
āWell, yes, technically Mystery did do community service work so that he wouldnāt shave his headā"
She groaned in frustration.Ā What kind of mist did the Honmoon emit to mask the sinister nature of the Saja Boysā disappearance?
āGirls! Listen to me.ā Bobby clapped his hands to bring their attention back to him and away from the blistering comments on social media. āBefore we work on your comeback, we need to work on your reputation.ā
āThatās going to be impossible. Weāre female idols. Everything we do causes a scandal. We canāt be perfect,ā Mira almost ranted.
OMG, Mira didnāt bow to her senior group at the Idol Awards.
No respect at all.
Iāve been waiting for all of you to catch on that she has bad vibes.
Erm is it just me or was it crazy rude how she spoke to her staff like that?
Her parents probably paid for her to get in the group.
Zoey agreed. āOnce the public has an idea of us, itās almost impossible for them to let it go. We donāt have it easy like boy groups. Look at the Saja Boysā they sucked the souls out of half their fans but the public still loooves them!ā
It feels like Zoey just makes her whole personality being Korean-American lololol
In this live, you can see that Mira and Rumi are so tired of her
Can she stop being so fake for once. Itās giving pick-me
IāVE BEEN SAYING! Look at how she eats a strawberry!
Sheās so corny in her grown age.
āSucking the souls out of their fans sounds a bit harsh,ā Bobby winced, oblivious to any further meaning.
Rumi circled her arms around her bandmatesā shoulders, drawing them close to calm them down a bit. āBobby, youāre our numbers guy.ā
āIām your numbers guy,ā he nodded.
āWhat do you think we should do?ā
āWith how things worked the last time you collaboratedā¦ā He slowly tried to ease them into his idea. āI donāt think it would hurt to collaborate with them again.ā
Zoey immediately shot it down. āI donāt think I can write any songs at the momentĀ .Ā ā
āNot songs, but think about it girls. You're absolutely right, boy groups have it easier. So why don't we exploit it with...ā
He picked up the TVās remote control and began surfing the channels. They recognize their contemporaries immediately.
Idols playing the mafia game. Idols taking care of babies. Idols living alone. Idols cooking together or managing cafes. Idols roaming the streets of Seoul to have dinner with random families. Idols dancing to twice the speed of the song.
The girls were reminded of the very reason why theyāre called idols and not merely artists or singers.
They trained to entertain. Beyond cutthroat choreographies and non-skip discographies, they were built to wield influence and catch attention.
Most importantly, Rumi thought,Ā they had to appear authentic.
In the haze of the kaleidoscopic lights and shimmering āspecial effectsā comes a new era for HUNTR/X. Moving forward, they promised themselves that they would show their truer colors to the world. Unapologetically themselves.
What better way than through the humiliation trials of variety shows?
notes:
using all my kpop knowledge as a third gen stan to make this. liberties have been taken to how the variety shows are portrayed.
rated M for language and mature content like smoking and drinking. I also want to slightly delve into how misogynistic kpop stans are lmao.
dont expect fully nuanced personalities for the saja boys either (commentary on how girls have to be multidimensional but boys can just be hot? who knows) but theyll still be fleshed out ish.
if the dialogue is corny blame it on the fact that this is a kids movie and ure reading fanfiction based on said kids movie. i actually think it's not canonically corny enough!
anyway kpop stans! lmk if u would like to see something referenced hehe esp since im not actively updated w kpop anymore erm.
This is how I imagine the Saja Boys showing up to Celine, broke + fresh from crawling out of whatever hell they were in, and pitching that she should sign them (woa why did she agree to sign them??? next chapter! please let me cook youll understand):
Rumi x Jinu, Mira x Romance x Abby, Zoey x Mystery, Zoey & Baby
As HUNTR/Xās public reputation is in shambles, the girls decide the best way to maintain the restored Honmoon is to show off their truer colors.
By joining variety shows.
But how can they stick to the script when the Saja Boys of all groups is gearing up to make a post-hiatus comeback from theirā¦enlistment?
MUSIC CORE: Miraās a ābully and a snobā according to the videos analyzing her every breath, and turning a few blinks into eyerolls. Sheās determined to show off that she can get along with everyone, even other idols, as the new MC for the weekly music showā¦but she doesnāt get along THAT well with her co-MCsā¦ Catch MiRomAbby live every Saturday!
LAW OF THE JUNGLE: Zoeyās persona is too āfake and annoyingā according to the robotic reels. Her passion and energy is going to be put to the test in the dense rain forests of Palawanā if she can learn to tame the feral Mystery Saja and bratty Baby Saja.
WE GOT MARRIED: Rumiā¦ deserves to go solo based on the #1 Twitter Trend. She rejects this image of the golden girl, and decides to showcase her own vulnerabilities. And this should be easy with Jinuā they were the perfect team.
So why canāt he remember her?
I was taking a bit long so I actually split this chapter. Again HAJAJA u know how chapter 7 was supposed to be longer uea turns out we are having a three parter
so 9-10 would still be flash back and 11
We return to main plot. I rlly wanna return to the main plot na bc I want to reveal the reason why I tagged the fic āidentity pornā !!
If youāre into superhero stuff u would be familiar w what that tag brings
areudirty
vaporwave
snowghoul
andulkaphoto
annaxmalina
stormborns
