Chapter Text
HUNTR/X’s debut year could not be described as anything other than a complete success. Record sales. Sold out venues. Debut Artist Awards. Even the International Idol Awards crown. And all without any major scandals to weigh them down, despite Mira trying her best.
HUNTR/X Girls to the World wasn’t just a goal any more. It was a reality.
But they refused to let up. Complacency in their second year had been the end for Idols long before they came around. From even before they debuted Celine had hammered into them the importance of their second year. “This industry is riddled with flame outs and one year wonders. That will not be you.”
So even as their debut year came to a close Rumi, Mira, and Zoey remained focused. Ready to take on the challenges of their second year. A new album Zoey swore would be better than their first. New routines Mira guaranteed would leave fans sobbing. And the perfection Rumi knew the Honmoon needed.
However, none of them realized a new year meant a new manager as well.
“What do you mean you’re taking a step back from HUNTR/X?” Rumi asked Celine warily.
They were gathered in a meeting room in the Sunlight Entertainment tower. At one end of the long overly extravagant meeting room Celine sat with her laptop in front of her, seemingly more interested in what was on the screen than the bomb she had dropped on the girls that she had raised anywhere from the last 3 all the way to 19 years.
“You’re leaving us?” Zoey asked sadly, as Mira crossed her arms over her chest in a way that said anger but really meant hurt.
Celine let out a sigh and looked up at her 3 protégées, settling on Rumi at the end, “I’m not leaving you. I am still the CEO of Sunlight Entertainment, your record label, in case you forgot. You can’t get away from me that easily.”
“But apparently you can get away from us.” Mira shot back snidely.
“I just don’t understand,” Rumi cuts across quickly to prevent any more barbs from Mira. “You always talked about how important our second year is. Why are you leaving us now?”
Celine hadn’t been looking forward to this conversation. She was very much aware that their relationship was far more than that of record label and talent, and even more than just manager and client. She had raised these young women to be the hunters and idols they are now, but she had to admit she was a little surprised to see this much push back.
“Girls, as you know the HUNTR/X project has been Sunlight Entertainment’s primary focus for 6 years now. Our investors gave me more than ample time to find, train, and manage you all on the premise that you were worth the investment, and that you would be stars.”
She paused to make sure each of the girls was listening closely, “And you have far exceeded any of their expectations. And have far exceeded even my own.”
She held each of their gaze to make sure they all understood how much she meant her words. HUNTR/X had surpassed even her own highest expectations for their first year. She was so proud of these girls.
“But unfortunately, this is still a business and now that you have established yourselves I need to focus on future projects as well.”
“So, we did a fantastic job, and now you’re already looking for our replacements?” Mira shot out, temper clearly still high.
“The Idol industry is always looking for your replacements. Whether or not HUNTR/X is replaceable will depend on you three.” Celine answered casually, knowing that a challenge would soothe Mira more than any placating words would.
For the other two she simply had to reassure them “And I’m not leaving you. I will always be there for you, no matter what you need. I’m simply handing off managerial duties to someone better at it than myself.”
“Who could be better at it than you?” asked Zoey. She had yet to completely grow out of the awe she held for the Sunlight Sisters. Sometimes Celine believed Zoey thought too much of her.
“Would you like to meet him? Follow me.”
At Celine’s order the 3 hunters rose in sync like they always did and followed her into the hall. She led them to the elevator and quickly scanned a key card and selected one of the upper floors.
“Why are we going up to the upper floors? Aren’t those under construction?” came from an excited Zoey. They never went up that high in the building. Cranes and construction sounds indicated it wasn’t open and the one time they asked Celine waved it off as some boring office project.
“Construction is almost complete. Your new manager is overseeing the final touches.”
“What, he’s a construction foreman and a band manager?” Mira asked sarcastically.
Celine simply hummed in response and let her gaze drift over to Rumi who kept her eyes trained downward. She’d been quiet for a while now, clearly lost in her own thoughts.
Soon enough the elevator reached its destination and the doors slid open. Immediately sounds of people moving and shouting met the four women as Celine led them down a short hallway and into…
Into what looked like the early shaping of a vast living room. A kitchen was clearly being worked on off to the right. Out on a grand balcony cranes could be seen lifting furniture and fixtures that would never have fit through the elevator, in through massive open windows.
Over all of the noise there was one voice clearly rising above the rest, “That tub is for bathroom 3. It matches the vanity so make sure it gets installed in the right one. No, left side, left side.” A short man with their back to them in a hardhat was enthusiastically directing traffic.
“Ah, Bobby over here. Come meet the girls.” Celin called over the noise.
The man turned around finally giving the girls a chance to see him. Dark facial hair that looked more than a little patchy, a noticeable stomach pouch, and a strange suit jacket and pants and tee shirt combo, that frankly painted an unimpressive picture if you asked Mira.
“Bobby, this is Rumi, Mira, and Zoey.” Celine introduced, indicating to each girl in kind. “And girls this is your new manager, Bobby.”
Bobby straightened his back and stuck out a hand and started “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you girls, and it is such an honor to be working with you.”
Unfortunately for Bobby only one of his three new charges seemed all that interested in him. Rumi had reached out her hand with a soft smile and clasped his own, but Mira and Zoey were far more interested in what was going on around them.
“Yeah, yeah, sure.” Mira said distractedly. “Celine, what is all this?”
Celine couldn’t help but smirk a little at their reactions. “I told you that that small apartment wouldn’t be permanent.”
“This is for us!?” Zoey exclaimed, practically vibrating.
It was Bobby who answered, trying to steal back his thunder after the botched introduction “We had the top designers in all of Seoul put this place together. Spared no expense. And we’re down to the final details, which you all will have final say on.”
Zoey squealed “Seriously!? Oh my god, oh my god. We’re gonna live in a penthouse!”
“This is so sick,” Mira added.
“You can check the place out if you want. Just need…” Bobby looked around over his shoulder and when he failed to find what he was looking for, snapped his fingers and shouted “HARD HATS!”
As if from nowhere 4 sets of hands appeared from nearby workers holding out hard hats for each of the new arrivals.
Mira took one, giving Bobby a nod of approval and a simple “Nice.”
With a bit of his swagger back Bobby led the group on a quick tour of the top floors.
“Not just living quarters, but an audio room, a dance studio, a fully stocked gym. All top of the line with everything you can ask for. And if you ask for anything else, I’ll make it happen.”
Mira and Zoey were enthralled. The excitement, the possibilities, they were already chewing Bobby’s ear off about the improvements they wanted. Behind the excitement of the lead group Rumi trailed back a few steps simply watching her girls with a small smile on her face.
“You’ve been lost in your thoughts again Rumi.” Celine said quietly stepping up beside Rumi.
“Oh, um, yeah. Just a lot going on I guess.”
“Tell me what you’re thinking Rumi. We don’t need to play guessing games.”
Rumi gave a slight grimace. Sometimes Celine’s bluntness caught her with thoughts she wasn’t ready to voice. But Celine had insisted, so she answered.
“Why are you leaving us?”
“I already explained Rumi.”
“No. That’s not good enough. We’re not just another Idol group to you. I know that, and you know that. So why are you leaving us at such an important time?”
“Rumi, I’m not leaving you. I genuinely am assigning Bobby to be your manager because I believe he is best suited for the job. He will help HUNTR/X grow in ways I can’t. He will help you connect with the fans in new ways, and the greater connection you have with your fans means…” Celine trailed off. Rumi knew what she meant.
“And what about the other side of our job?” Rumi asked more quietly.
“You will be in charge of your duties as Hunters.” Celine said simply.
Rumi paused at this. To this point Celine had still been their leader as Demon Hunters. While she no longer came on every hunt like she did when they were still training, Celine was still their dispatcher and their return point, as well as their main strategist.
“Rumi, I have trained you to take on this roll. You will lead Mira and Zoey in the field, you will make the calls, and you will be in charge of protecting the Honmoon.”
Rumi breathed in sharply. These were words she had always hoped to hear. Even at a young age she had dreamed of leading her team of Hunters into battle, protecting the citizens and each other from demon threats. And after finding Mira and Zoey her desire for this moment had only grown stronger. But now that it was here, it was… daunting.
“How do you know I’m ready?” Rumi asked quietly.
“Because I trained you. And them. You all have each other to lean on. Things are changing but you’ll have them with you to face those changes.”
“And Bobby now too.” Rumi said as a small joke.
“Yes, and Bobby.” Celine agreed with a small laugh. “But give him a chance. I think you’ll be surprised at how good he is at his job.”
Rumi looked curiously at Celine, a little surprised at such an open compliment from someone like her. But she nodded. And sped up her pace to join the conversation up ahead. She needed to make sure Zoey didn’t get her way of no oven, just an extra microwave.
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Bobby turned out to be a surprise indeed. He was hyper efficient at his job. Fan meets went smoother than ever, despite their rapidly increasing fan base. Their concerts were getting more outlandish and over the top and Bobby’s only response was “Let’s go bigger!” And every request the girls made for their new home was accomplished with a haste and accuracy that had the girls asking why they were stuck with Celine for a full year?
“You weren’t a big enough deal for Bobby yet.” Celine explained over tea when Mira posed the question directly to Celine’s face one morning. “He’s our top manager for a reason. He only works with our best talents.”
“As if that wasn’t us from day one.” Mira tried to retaliate.
“It wasn’t.”
But perhaps Bobby’s strongest contribution to the team was his connections. After noticing Bobby spent more time on his phone than all of the girls combined, Zoey couldn’t help but ask him who he was messaging all the time?
To which Bobby replied with a grin “Everyone.”
And he wasn’t kidding. Designers, chefs, pyrotechnicians, talk show hosts, even a botanist for Rumi, and a cartographer for Zoey (“Don’t ask”), Bobby talked to everyone.
Which is why it wasn’t a surprise when the endorsement requests started to roll in.
HUNTR/X had had brand deals before. Just being the new sensation from Sunlight Entertainment got them some attention and notoriety. And add in the hype and build up leading into their debut, and the three girls were on billboards and magazine covers early in their first year.
But with Bobby there was a new dimension to the requests. For the first time the girls started being asked for as individuals.
It started as small things around Seoul when they could fit it into their busy schedules. A sports drink that Zoey liked asked her to voice over a commercial. A magazine shoot for Mira. And a radio commercial for Rumi. Things that took an afternoon to complete that the other two would tag along to. Nothing big, even though Bobby had told them there were bigger fish out there.
And eventually, the bigger fish showed up.