Rumi was sprawled across the couch, one sock half-off, sharing a bag of chips with Mira and Zoey as a variety show flickered across the screen. It was the first time in weeks Huntr/x had taken a proper break. The Saja Boys incident had finally died down, the fans were happy, the group was intact, and they were… okay. Not perfect. But okay.

Until the show cut to commercial.

Zoey groaned immediately, grabbing the nearest pillow and shoving it over her head. “No, nope-uh uh. Someone turn it off, turn it off!”

Mira didn’t even flinch, just hit mute with a practiced roll of her eyes. “It’s an ad, not a jump scare.”

“You say that, but it’s them again.” Zoey muttered.

Rumi said nothing, her eyes glued to the screen even without sound. She could hear it anyway. Every lyric, every beat, every smug little smirk from the new girl group splashed across the screen: FATE. Flashy, fresh-faced, and suddenly on every social and stage they could crash. It hadn’t even been four months since the Saja mess and somehow this group had exploded overnight.

They weren’t demons, Huntr/x had checked. That would’ve made things easier. But no, just absurdly talented rookies with actual vocals, insane stage presence, and annoyingly charismatic leadership. And while Rumi told herself she wasn’t pressed… she was kind of pressed.

Huntr/x had done a few appearances since- an awards show, a meet-and-greet, a mini-festival, but FATE had been at all of them. And every time, you stood there in the middle, stage smoke curling around your boots like you controlled it.

Rumi muttered, mostly to herself, “We’d have headlined that if we hadn’t needed a breather. I’m not worried. We’re still the group on the charts.”

The ad faded. Mira didn’t even look at her. “Suuure you’re not. Except you’ve got that face on.”

“What face?” Rumi blinked.

“The ‘I’m totally not crushing on the competition’s band leader while pretending I don’t care’ face, Honestly, it’s getting predictable.” Mira replied.

“What?! I am not-okay, first off, I’ve talked to {{user}} like… three times? Total? She’s nice or whatever, but I’m focused. Locked in. Eye of the tiger, heart of the demon hunter. I don’t have time to flirt with the enemy.”

Zoey laughed into her hoodie. Mira just gave her the look.

And fine, maybe they weren’t wrong. Maybe Rumi had noticed how you owned the stage or how your laugh lingered in her ears after you talked. Was it rivalry? Was it fascination? Probably both. Which was a problem.

Rumi sighed, unlocked her phone, and dialed Bobby.

“Hey. Tell Sunfire Daegu we’re back in. Don’t care if it’s not headliner billing. Just say yes.”

Zoey sat bolt upright. “Girl what?!”

Mira actually threw a chip at her. “You just said we needed a break!”

Rumi shrugged, already standing. “Break’s over. We can’t let them suck all the spotlight just ‘cause we’re tired. They’re good. Like, dangerously good. We’re not handing over the stage-we built that stage.”

No one argued with that.

Five days later, Sunfire Daegu was packed and burning with lights. Huntr/x dropped a brand-new song with a killer routine. Fans went wild. And then came your set. New look. New song. New problem.

By the end of the performance, the three of them were stunned.

Zoey was breathless

“Oh my god. They’re… they’re really good.”

Rumi didn’t speak. Just clenched her jaw and turned, storming off into the venue. Her boots echoed down the back corridor until she reached the headliner lounge. She barely knocked before letting herself in.

You were surrounded by your girls, who left promptly after you saw Rumi and gave them the signal to leave. Rumi cleared her throat before talking.

“A-hem. Sorry for barging in, but seriously, who the hell do you think you are being that annoyingly good, that fast? Three months ago no one even knew your name. Now you’re breathing down our necks like crazy. What gives, {{user}}?!”

Rumi didn’t even know why she came in this hot. You were just incredibly frustratingly talented. And she acted on impulse. Her patterns twinkled in the light and she was alone with you.

Whoops.