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The hike up to the graveyard is quiet. After the hustle and bustle of Seoul, and dropping Mira and Zoey at Zoey’s mom in Busan, Rumi enjoys the quiet. He knows this path like the back of his hand, and being able to take in the nature surrounding him is nice.
He’d stopped at Celine’s on the way up, dropping off his things since he was staying there for the holiday. When she’d offered to go up with him, he’d said this time, he needed to go by himself. Celine had seemed upset, but nodded and told him she’d have his favorite ready by the time he got back.
As he crests the hill, he can see the graves dotting the valley below. Each generation of Hunters is informed of where the graveyard is at some point - but Rumi knows the path all too well. He’s walked it a few times a year every year since he can remember. The only reason he missed Chuseok last year was recovering from saving the world. No big deal.
The graves range from simple boulders with no names to intricate works of art carved from granite. One or two wooden markers have managed to stay upright over time, and Rumi makes a note to mention to Celine that they should replace them. Hunters are buried here (even if there isn’t anything to bury), and they are the caretakers of this sacred place.
Tucked a little further back from the main path is one that leads to the left. He turns, carefully picking his way across the stone steps. This section of the graveyard is older and not used as often - but it has the best view of the valley below and the path to the Compound in the distance, with the Seonangdan and its ribbons faint glimmers in sunlight.
Celine had picked this spot for the three of them, when it came time to be laid to rest. She’d said that once, when she and her own hunters had come to pay respects to their mentor, Kimmy had mentioned that she liked the view from the hill. Miyeong had agreed.
Two grave markers sit at the top of the slope. There is a third, but its face remains uncarved, waiting for the time when graceful characters will flow across its surface.
Rumi sets the bag he brought with him down, as well as the shovel, rake and broom. He walks over and bows to the first marker - for Kimmy, the other Sunlight Sister he’d never known. All Celine ever said was that she’d gone mad after his mother had died, and one night she was just gone. He then turns to the grave of his mother and does the same.
Grabbing the tools he brought, he sets to work: digging up any stray weeds, raking the leaves, and finally sweeping the dirt away. Satisfied with his work, he pulls out the hangwa and the incense from his bag. He places two on Kimmy’s grave, lights incense for her, bows a second time, and then turns his attention to his mother.
This time, Rumi sits down. He places the cakes on one side, and then adds the oranges he always brings, regardless of the season. He traces his fingers over the carved stone.
Rumi lights the incense and places it in the holder. He watches the smoke as it rises, and then clears his throat. “Hey Eomma.”
He grabs his own serving of the hangwa and begins to eat, chewing thoughtfully as he watches the incense smoke dissipate into the trees above. “I know it’s been a while.” He says after he finishes eating. “I’m sorry I couldn’t come last year, but, well. There was a lot going on.”
After another long moment, he sighs. “You know, when I was a kid I was always so angry with you for dying. Angry for you having me, and then leaving me. Celine... Celine tried Eomma. Hell, she’s trying now. I’m pretty sure she wasn’t expecting to raise a little girl who was half-demon who then became a man.” The absurdity of that sentence makes him laugh. “I didn’t think I’d make it here either.”
Rumi sighs, He traces circles idly in the dirt by his foot. “I’m in love, Eomma. And it’s with two of the most beautiful perfect people in the entire world. I mean, I fought a demon king for them - if that’s not love I don’t know what is.” He pulls his knees to his chest and sets his chin on them. “I wish you were here, sometimes. Not as much as I did when I was a kid, but it would be nice to have you around.”
The trees nearby rustle in the breeze, and he smiles. When he was young, he used to imagine that it was his Eomma saying hello. Knowing what he knows now, maybe it’s not that far off from the truth. “I think you’d like Mira and Zoey. Mira likes to pretend she’s tough, but inside she’s a really big softie. You should see her stuffed animal collection. And then Zoey... Eomma, Zoey is like if sunshine were made human. She has her bad days - we all do, but she has this ridiculous habit of making jokes to break the tension.”
Rumi reaches into his pocket, fidgeting with its contents. “I have these for them. I don’t... I don’t know what that means, exactly. What I do know is I want to spend the rest of my life with them. They make me complete, you know?”
He checks his watch and realizes if he wants to get back in time to have dinner with Celine, he should go. He gets up and brushes the dirt from his pants. “I’ll try to come back sooner. Maybe I’ll bring Mira and Zoey with me so you can meet them.” He kisses the tips of his fingers and touches the grave stone. “I love you Eomma.”
Rumi gathers his things and slings his bag over his shoulder, the tools under his arm. “See you next time.”
---
The walk back doesn’t take long at all, and by the time Rumi gets back to the house, he can smell the sundubu jigae, and his mouth waters. He sets the tools by the door and then goes inside, calling out to Celine. “I’m back!”
The older woman’s head peeks around the doorway into the kitchen. “How was the hike?”
“Beautiful as always. It smells great.” This easy banter between them has grown in the past six months. It took a lot of therapy, both individual and partner sessions, but the progress is... nice. “Need any help?”
“You can check on the rice?”
About twenty minutes later, they sat down to dinner. There’s no conversation while they eat, but unlike the dinners from his childhood, Rumi doesn’t feel like he has to fill the silence.
They finish eating, and Celine stands up to start clearing the table.
“Uhm, Celine? There’s something I wanna show you.” he takes the objects from his pocket and sets them on the table. They glimmer in the light, and Rumi watches Celine’s expression change from shock, to curiosity, to pride and love.
“where did you find those?” Celine says softly. She wears a matching one on her left hand.
He smiles. “In your dresser when I was six.” he chuckles at the momentary annoyed look on her face. “I know, I’m sorry. But at the time it was a way I could carry Eomma with me, and it seemed weird to just have the one.”
Celine sits down. “but you’re way past 100 days, aren’t you?”
Rumi nods, blushing. “Yeah.”
Celine’s eyes widen, and then they suddenly fill with tears. Ok, he’s definitely still getting used to Celine showing any sort of emotion, but that’s not the point. She reaches across the table and takes Rumi’s hands in hers. “Your mother and Kimmy would be thrilled you have those. In that case, so you match them, here.” Celine takes hers off and hands it to Rumi, the tears now falling down her cheeks.
“Are you sure?” he breathes out, shocked.
“Yes.” Celine nods. “I want you to have it.”
Rumi’s own eyes fill with tears and he stands up, going to where she sits and hugs her, her head on his chest. They both hold each other and cry, not sad tears but tears of joy and memories.
“When are you going to ask?” Celine asks him, wiping her eyes with a napkin.
“After my surgery,” he says, sitting back down. “They’re both too worried about that, and with Zoey’s solo album coming out I don’t want to give either of them anything more to freak out about, even in a good way.”
“You know it can’t be legal, right?” Celine says quietly.
“I know.” He replies, looking down at his hands. “But Bobby is going to help me draft a contract of some kind that we can all sign saying we’re each other's executors and can make medical decisions.”
Celine nods, putting her chin in her hand. Her brow wrinkles in thought, and then she straightens up. “There’s another thing you could do. It's an old Hunter tradition, I think. I’ll have to look it up, but we’ll wait until you actually ask.”
Rumi smiles. “Okay.” He puts them back in his pocket. “I’m really hoping they say yes.”
Celine’s smile is huge as she reaches over and cups Rumi’s cheeks in her hands, thumbs brushing over his cheeks. “Aegi, I have no doubt that they will.”
---
Mira clambers into the passenger seat while they both wait for Zoey to say her goodbyes to her mom. “Hey there handsome, you look like you’ve had a shortage of kisses.”
Rumi guffaws, and then he leans over and kisses Mira softly. “That sounds more like something Zoey would say.”
Mira shrugged. “Maybe she’s rubbing off on me. Her and her mom are eerily similar in that way - so I’ve been suffering for two days.”
“Suffering, right.” He laughs, squeezing her hand that's resting on his thigh.
“Who’s doing what now?” Zoey is in the backseat, buckling her seatbelt and waving at her mom as Rumi starts the car and pulls out onto the road.
“Me,” Mira says dramatically, “putting up with you and your mother’s antics.”
Zoey scowls and sticks out her tongue, causing Mira and Rumi to break into giggles. “Subject change - how was your weekend tiger?”
Rumi thinks for a moment, and his mind wanders to the three rings tucked safely in his pocket. He grins. “It was good.”