Zoey
I ran down the stairwell in a near sprint. I was running just a smidgen late for the jet, and my phone was practically exploding with calls from Mira. I leaped onto the stairwell leading up mere seconds before it began to close, panting against the wall for a second as Mira quirked a brow at me from her seat.
"You good there, Zo?" She had that always cool voice with that smidgen of affection and concern that calmed my panicky heart right away.
"Course!" I beamed, walking over and quickly plopping down to the left of Rumi, who was twirling a lock of hair and reading over a text. "Ooooo, is the mystery guy gonna be there?" She made a face, looking at me. It took a second for the wires to connect and I gasped. "Is it a girllllll!?"
"I-it's no one, Zoey." She pouted a little, only for Mira's fingers to slip her phone right out and look at it. I slid right up beside her, Mira strong-arming the whining Rumi as we scrolled over a rather interesting Instagram. It was full of the usual fan photos, tributes, messages, etc. However, it also had a lot of GL videos.
"Now who has been sending you stuff on the 'gram'?" Mira muttered as she opened Rumi's messages, who was slumped into Mira. We glanced around the plane for a second before cuddling closer together in that way the public wasn't ready for.
"Come on, Rumi. We gotta meet her someday."
"Yeah. No point in hiding it." Both of us held onto our bandmate's and, privately, girlfriend's hands while Mira opened a few messages. We did our best to hide it anywhere cameras could be present as Korea wasn't exactly kind to any part of this relationship, especially among idols. Luckily, this far up in the air with no staff and just pilots isolated alone, we were pretty safe.
Mira opened messages from someone named 'Taylor'. At first, I really couldn't tell if that was a boy or girl. They were seriously gorgeous.
"So, they are a guy, but like..." She made a slicing motion along her chest.
"Ohhhh." Both of us answered as we scrolled down the page. He was Japanese, but he dyed his hair a bright lavender color with a boy band cut. He was also really short, practically my height. "Woah, he's so pretty!"
"Hehe... Yeah..." Rumi blushed, snuggling the two of us more as we gave our girl a squeeze, each taking a turn to give her a little warm kiss that made her finally relax.
"Soooo, how'd you meet?" I asked as Mira judgmentally flicked through his cosplay choices.
"It was actually during the American tour. He was a new artist trying out and he came to our concert. We bumped into each other backstage, and he asked me to grab coffee." I smiled. "I said yes 'cause, well..."
"Lemme guess, pretty smile?"
"Cute one-liner?"
"He tripped."
"..." "..."
She smiled sheepishly. "He started to try and be all smooth and tripped on a rope backstage. He fell over and I just couldn't stop laughing that I had to say yes. Glad I did." She gave that same giddy smile whenever she was thinking about us!
"Wow, Rumi. Way to literally have a guy fall for you." Mira quipped with a little side glance and smirk. Rumi groaned, swatting at her as I laughed and hopped up. My stomach was bubbling from the sushi earlier, so I made a quick break for the bathroom. A few minutes after I stepped out, smiling as I saw Mira and Rumi all snuggled up and watching videos together now. I started to step forward before my phone pinged.
"Hm??" I flipped it open and saw a text from a new number. I squinted, suspicious as I opened it up, stepping a little back into the hall. I didn't wanna worry them, not when it was a good moment.
???: Hey.
Zoey: Who the heck is THIS???
???: Baby Saja, but just Saja works.
Zoey: HOW the heck did you get my number, you jerk?!
Saja: Demon. Duh.
Zoey: I am so gonna rap you into the dirt, you asshat!
Saja: Hey! Don't insult the hat! It didn't hurt anyone!
Zoey: ... Sorry, Mr. Hat.
Saja:... It's Ms. Hat.
Zoey: ... Mine's called Foozy
Saja: You named that bucket you wear??
Zoey: You named a beanie!
Saja: ...Fair.
Zoey: What do you want, ass?
Saja: Maybe to meet. Talk.
Zoey: Awww, hoping to learn a thing or two from a real rap idol?
Saja: Puh-lease. I just wanna size up my competition. I'm entering a rap comp as a solo act, and maybe I'm expecting you to be there.
Zoey: When and WHERE!?
Saja: Between songs. I'll find you.
Zoey: What?
Zoey: WHAT?!
Zoey: &$$
I grumbled, glancing at the girls and breathing as I tucked my phone away and smiled. I could handle one stupid demon on my own. They were having way too much fun to stress over one last little itsy-bitsy pretty demon. Huh, where'd that come from?
The lights slowly began to rise as the crowd got about as quiet as they were capable of. I grinned excitedly, watching as Mira went out to do her two-part with Rumi. I had started adding more two-part harmonizes to let each of us get a little playful, and the fans ate it right up. I danced giddily, snacking on a Cheeto before a cold chill ran down my spine. "SAHA."
"It's rude to talk with your mouth full." His voice ran up my back, a mix of intrigue and heat. I turned, swinging and missing, unfortunately, as he chuckled and leaned against the wall of the stage hallway. I narrowed my eyes, glad the crew was all busy with the show.
"Bet you've been getting good and fed."
"Tch. As if. I don't eat trash."
"Really telling me you haven't gobbled up anyone?" He stepped forward, eyes narrowed as the hanmoon rippled.
"Ever since I came, you've been giving me a hard time, all I'm trying to do is have my own time. First time in centuries I got my body, I got a 'shotty,' why you always here to kill my vibe, eh?" He gave a smirk, parts of the hanmoon rippling the pinkish purple as we began circling each other. He wanted to rap battle? Heck yeah. Let's!
"Ain't got time for a demon loser, all you are is a remnant of scattered matter, unwanted, unloved, unseen, unheard, why you gotta stick around when you could just go brrrr?" I shoved him, smirking as the hanmoon turned more blue. "Your bars are..." I got quiet for a second, brow furrowing as he turned back at me. His eyes had gained a fearful edge that normally would make me excited. Yet... Now?
Why had he kept following me, anyway?
The hanmoon pulsed back away, hovering in the background as I stared quietly at him. He crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes for a moment of equal confusion. "Lost your edge already?"
"No, asshole. Just hard to not feel like I'm kicking a puppy. A lonely, little, ugly puppy."
"I ain't ugly!" He got up in my face, sudden and quick as he slammed me into the wall with a surprising urgency.
I gasped, at first glaring as I felt the daggers form in my hands. I stared down angrily, but was disarmed slightly by his glare. It wasn't hateful. It wasn't even angry.
It was... desperate.
"Don't. Call. Me. Ugly." He shook slightly, a quiver in his voice.
"Guess demons do have feelings, huh."
"...Only shame." He pushed off, turning away and starting to walk down the hallway. He gripped his head for a moment, breathing shakily.
"Hey!" I ran after him, hesitating before grasping his shoulder. "Wait. Saja. Are... you different? Like Jinu?"
"You thought Jinu was different? No. Every single one of us was human once." He turned to me as I balked slightly, stepping back. Rumi had told me some demons were made from pacts, but wasn't she born? That meant not... all...
"Of course he was different. That's why Rumi..."
"No. Jinu was... good. But he wasn't any different." He quietly looked away, continuing to walk. "Every demon you have ever slain, was once a person, with shame."
He vanished in a burst of purple as I felt all the heroism in my life shattered like glass.