[OP: "In the Name of Love"--Martin Garriz, Bebe Rexha]

"I...I do," Celine said finally. "But you mean...all of her?"

"No one can love a demon," Raven said. "But she is not one. And if it's the same with the boys, then loving them, if the girls have learned to do it, is not an abomination. It never was. You can love humans...not demons. There is nothing in demons to love. That the boys can inspire the feeling at all, it already proves they weren't really demons. It was never inspired by the other ones..."

"We felt that too," Morph said. "There's nothing in the other ones but greed and hatred... It takes a human to make you feel more than that."

Celine was silent. Then she said, "You're right."

"What?" Morph hadn't thought she'd say it.

"I did look away from Rumi's past because I wasn't sure if I made the right choice." Celine said that with the feeling like she was letting go of a heavy weight...one she'd never bothered to admit to before.

She felt shaky almost.

"I mean...I couldn't get what Kyung said out of my head...but Rumi never seemed like one of them to me," Celine went on slowly. "She acted like a person...and she reminded me of her mother, sometimes... But something, she didn't. Perhaps she had that from her father, I don't know...and I'd wondered if she was going to fall. But maybe if the hunter part was stronger, it would overcome the rest of it. Perhaps, even...if that worked, and Kyung knew it, and she'd still been alive...she'd have seen she was wrong. But then that didn't work out...and I still needed to believe that the Golden Honmoon was possible and it would prove that it wasn't a mistake. I couldn't bear to give up on it because I promised her mother that I wouldn't."

She wiped a tear away now. "Perhaps you're right... That it's a lot to put on a child. I suppose I never saw it that way... There was nothing else to do, I thought. How else could I explain to her why she had patterns? She was clearly a hunter... It made no sense ot me. Perhaps you are right--it's true they are not demons, themselves, but it does affect them. It seems strange to me, anyway. So whatever you've done to help them...it had better be permanent."

"Fine," Morph said. "But if it is, what will you do?"

"I don't know," Celine said. "If I was wrong, I don't think any of them would forgive me for everything I said and did to stop the girls from helping them. I suppose, even, that if that Si-woo was sincere...he would not forgive us for not giving him a chance either."

"I think he wouldn't have blamed you for that," Raven pointed out.

"I might have done the same as Kyung did if I had the chance." Celine looked down. "Even she might have second guessed it later... None of us really knew. So...I hope you two are right."

"You do?" Morph said. "I thought you were afraid of it."

"I am afraid of it." Celine frowned. "Because I was wrong then. Not only I, but every hunter before me missed something crucial. Still, if that's how it is, then there isn't anything to do about it but move on. I'm not really part of that though; I'm not a real hunter anymore. If me saying it is what you want, I don't know when I can give you that."

"I don't care about that," Raven said. "It's Rumi who needs to hear that from you. You're the closest thing to a mother she had... She needs to know that you didn't blame her for what happened--you just didn't know whether to blame yourself. Can you tell her her patterns were never something that she needed to cure by being perfect?"

"Do you think she would really forgive that?" Celine looked up now, bitterly. "If you're right, then I drove her almost to the breaking point. Then it is my fault we nearly lost everything."

"Nah, it's not your fault," Morph said. "You were wrong, but Jinu did what he did on his own, and so did Rumi. She could have not listened to you. She's a grown woman, and she thought about it. We encouraged her not to, so she wanted to hide it too. I think her problem is that she wonders if you will ever see her past that dilemma."

"Did you ever?" Raven had wanted to know this ever since she'd seen their confrontation a month ago.

Celine closed her eyes. "There were days I forgot about it. I think it was there, like a shadow. I didn't want Mira and Zoey to know it either, like Kyung did. I thought it was selfish on my part. I didn't think I could stand it again. I thought it was better for Rumi if they had no doubt about her."

"To be fair, we also weren't sure if they'd handle it well," Morph said. "And they didn't...at first. But that's the thing, Celine...you have to let people mess up and then try again. It's what being human is... I'm not lecturing you at all. I'm no different than you are. None of us are. I just...isn't it time to stop avoiding this?"

Celine was silent yet again.

"If you want me to let you do this," she said, "I can't stop you anyway. Fine...do it. I suppose there is nothing left to lose that we might not lose already. Your remarks about my personal relationship with Rumi are over the line...but, I suppose I have said similar things about you and those boys. I don't know what you expect me to do about this. I doubt an apology will fix it."

"I don't know," Raven said. "It's never been my expertise to patch up relationships with anyone... Still, I think my son would say that it's a choice to forgive...and to wish for the best for someone else, even if they don't wish it for you. Love is a choice, my mentor would say. You still feel doubts...but you could choose at least to support this. As you say...we are going to lose it all if it doesn't work, so..."

"Even if I should help you do it, I don't think I could," Celine said.

"You already did." Morph rubbed his chin. "Vladimir certainly seemed to take what you said seriously. I think I see why... He could put down what the girls did to being distracted by their hormones...and they often are like that, I hate to say...but you're not. You're cynical about this more than we are. And you don't like the sajas. So if even you admit that there is something in all this that is working, or at least that is not the way you thought it was, that's something to take seriously. Delray might also be worried that if you change your mind, he'll lose his credibility. No other saja will ever follow him if he does."

"You did try," Raven agreed. "A part of you already is starting to believe in this...but, without kindness, I don't know if that will work on such mistrusting people."

"Whatever you say, I can't be kind to them," Celine said.

"You could start by not being as harsh," Morph said. "It's just a compromise, that's all we're asking. And that you try to talk to Rumi. You owe her that much, don't you?"

Playing off Celine's duty was the best way to manipulate her. She sighed. "I'll think about it."

"Then let's go, before the other demons decide to come back and check for us." Raven snapped her fingers and walked away.

"She can shake that stuff off more than I can," Morph shivered. "I was pretty scared for a minute there. This isn't a game, all right."

Celine could agree with that part at least.

* * *

While the 5 of them were gone, the others had not had much to do with themselves. So they thought they would enact their plan.

Eileen, surprisingly, had some ideas.

"But why are you so invested in this?" Romance asked. "I mean...you barely know us."

Eileen shrugged. "I'm bored. And I...need to stay distracted."

Romance had totally forgotten that Gwi-Ma's voice was always present to the demoniacs... Even if they had other things going on, it was there in the back of their minds, often getting louder if they ever paused just to think.

It had only been a few weeks since he'd lost that voice, and it already seemed so far away... It made you think.

Mira wanting to help out Zoey in this way surprised Abby more.

"I just thought you thought Mystery was hopeless," he said. "I mean...after before."

"I don't know. He had the guts to step in and save her." Mira shrugged. "Maybe he just needs to get out of his own head. I guess he's not totally useless. He's just...cripplingly anxious."

"Wow...high praise."

"Didn't you want them to get back together?"

"I do. I'm just starting to wonder if he'll ever work up the nerve." Abby was getting tired of Mystery being depressed. He wasn't the type to put up with people moping forever. It got on his nerves.

"I can't believe both Mystery and Jinu did what they did, though." Mira had heard the whole account from Rumi as well. "Who knew they had it in them?"

"Yeah...I'm almost jealous." Abby was a little put out.

"Why?" Mira didn't get it.

"They both got to be so cool, and I didn't get to do anything. I just sat at that office the whole time."

"Didn't you carry me for like a mile?"

"Well, yeah, but that's not that cool. I don't think I've even fought demons more than once or twice since we got free. I think I did more before that, which is weird."

Mira bit her lip. "I'd rather put that off as long as possible."

"Why? You don't think I can do it?"

"No...you always take stupid risks in fights... It freaks me out."

"And you don't?"

"I don't know. I guess I'm used to watching my back, but..."

"I don't know why you worry so much. I think I mostly handle myself pretty well." Abby was half using bravado on that, as he often was not at all sure of this in the demon fights.

"Yeah, do you remember that you almost died in the X-men world?" Mira was still not over that.

"Am I ever gonna live that down? Besides, I'm not even sorry. If that had not happened, who knows how long you would have kept denying your obvious crush on me?"

Mira glared at him. "So it's funny?"

"No...sorry. But,I mean, what do you expect me to say? That I wish I hadn't done that? I still would've done it. What kinda person would just let someone get attacked by a mutant?"

"But you don't always have to take a hit like that. There are other ways to stop something."

"I'll work on that, but I'm still not sorry... But I've been meaning to ask you about that... h=How did you do what you did?"

"What...uh, what do you mean?" Mira had wondered if he'd ever bring up what happened in the medical room... She'd been dreading it.

"Didn't you do something to heal that? I remember...singing...and something after that. Didn't Shine teach you something?"

"I have no idea what that was." Mira turned red. "She just thought we should try it... I guess it worked. Zoey was still having her headaches at the time. That's why it was just me."

"But Shine gave you that water, right? It's supposed to heal, but you haven't used it yet. You got that centipede bite."

"That didn't seem like the right time to use it. It wasn't lethal." 

"I guess it's better to wait, but...did you ever use your voice to heal before?"

"Fixing the world is part of our mantra, so I guess the idea is there, but no, never physically. But...Rumi's scars healed when she sang too. Maybe it is an ability we have. Shine said something about it, but it makes no sense that I would have that ability. I'm the least likely person."

"She said you did?"

"She said she thought so." Mira had not told anyone this yet... It felt too weird. "But that's stupid, right?"

Pause.

"Shine is usually right." Abby didn't think it was stupid. "Did you ask her about it?"

"No, I haven't. I'm...I'm afraid of what she'll say. Besides, if she's way off, I don't want her to feel disappointed...and I have no idea how I would do that anyway."

"Just tried it and it worked... Couldn't you do that again?"

"With her help, but on my own I never had that happen." Mira rubbed her face.

"Well...but are any of your songs actually about that? All of them are about killing demons, and sometimes they're about hope, but...you don't do any softer subjects."

"Zoey did think we should do that more...but that's not my style." Mira made a fist. "I'm hardcore, always was. That's what I like about being in Huntrix. My aggressive side fits."

"And that's great, and it does...but you have a softer side too."

"I...do?"

"Sure. I mean, look at how you are with Zoey and Rumi. And even us guys sometimes, when you think no one's paying attention to it. I think it's fine to have both sides. I mean, isn't there a time and place for different approaches?"

"Well...maybe..." Mira thought it made sense, but she didn't think of herself as being "soft" with either of her friends. Wasn't it just being a good friend?

Or was that the same thing?

"It looks like you don't buy it." Abby had a feeling she wasn't really accepting his explanation.

But he thought this was important... It was a power the Hunters didn't know how to use...but if Shine had said it, it meant it could matter. She had a habit of predicting things.

Mira didn't believe in herself enough, though, clearly, to think she could have another function outside of being the crazy strong one.

"I mean, it doesn't make any sense," she said aloud. "I'm not like that. I mean, I try to help, but I get intimidating and push people more than I do anything to fix it. That's Rumi's thing. Or Zoey's."

"So, out of all the Hunters, you're the only one who doesn't try to fix things?"

"I... Not a lot."

"That's total BS. You all have the chronic problem of having to fix everything."

"I fight. That's not the same thing."

"Isn't that a kind of fixing it though? I mean, if it works..."

"But I've realized that it doesn't always." Mira had reflected on how things had changed since the Idol Awards. "Pushing people and picking a fight doesn't help a lotta the time. Maybe if I'd learned that sooner, things would have gone down differently."

"You say that, but I think it worked out for all of us guys much better that it didn't change before this, so, for personal reasons, I'm glad you're all such a mess."

"Wow." Mira shook her head in disbelief. "This is your way of encouraging me."

"I tried that, and you said it was wrong."

"And you're agreeing with me? Not putting up a fight?"

"Didn't you just say that fighting doesn't always help?"

He had her on that.

Mira looked annoyed but vaguely amused. "You are the only person who I always seem to lose an argument to. I find that irritating. You're not supposed to be that smart."

"Maybe you just suck at arguing."

"Oh, wow...really?"

"I think it's cute."

"You say that about everything." Mira rolled her eyes. "Seriously, that's some honeymoon phase bull crap. Everything someone does can't be cute."

"If you're gonna be negative about it, I guess not."

"There has to be some stuff I do that you don't like."

"I think everyone does some stuff that other people don't like, but isn't that just part of being weird humans? I don't see why we need to talk about it."

"You know, it's hard to pick a fight with you also." Mira sounded almost put out.

"Why would you want to pick a fight?"

"I don't, I guess, but it's not natural..."

"You're changing the subject anyways. What about the healing thing? You don't even want to try it."

"Do I have to?" Mira said, now more irritably. She didn't like to be told what to do.

"No...I mean it's up to you." Abby could tell. "But I just think, if you're not doing it just because you think you can't, that's probably not right. I think you could do it. I mean, you did, so...you could do it again."

"But how?" 

"I have absolutely no idea. I'm not the expert here."

"Great pep talk." Mira raised her eyebrow again.

"I do my best." Abby actually was a bit annoyed that she'd brushed it off that fast.

Mira noticed. "I...sorry... No, I know...what you're trying to say. I just...I don't know. The whole thing weirds me out so much. My whole life, no one's ever expected me to be anything but the tough girl. Which I'm comfortable with... Now it's like I gotta handle this new expectation, and I don't know if it fits me."

"I think I get it, but there's more to us than one thing. That's what I meant. That's just the act. Behind it, you can have a lot of different skills."

"Speaking of which, do you remember anything more about your likes and dislikes?" Mira recalled the conversation they'd had back in Hawaii.

"Oh, yeah, yeah." Abby brightened a little. "There's a few things. I think I used to play the piano."

"What?" Mira wouldn't have picked that instrument if she'd been in a line up.

"I mean, we all played something--except Baby, I think. He just rapped...but yeah. Weird, right? I think Romance did guitar. And also I remember that I used to be really into medical drama."

"But that's..." Mira was thinking about their fear of blood but didn't want to say that out loud.

But Abby was thinking the same thing. "Yeah, it changed after the accident."

Silence.

"Maybe I shouldn't have asked..." Mira didn't know what to say.

"No, it's fine... Honestly, it's better to talk about it because it finally seems more real..." Abby had been feeling like he had two separate lives, one before being demonized and one afterward. And like they would never fit together.

But the girls could understand that; being a hunter had to feel the same way.

"I guess it'll just take a while to get used to it," Mira said, awkwardly.

"Okay, you tell me something now."

"I think you know way more about me than most people."

"You have, like, 2 friends, Mira, so that doesn't mean much."

"Wow," Mira said yet again, but only pretending to be offended. "Sensitive."

"I'm just saying, I want to know more than Rumi and Zoey."

"I don't think we talk about the same things as I do with them. Unless you wanna talk about clothes, makeup, and k-dramas."

"I'm still on the part where when you watch k-dramas."

"And you don't?"

"I mean, when Romance put them on, I guess, but I didn't really like it," Abby hedged.

"That's what everyone says who secretly likes it. But hey, the actors are pretty hot."

"Should I be worried about this?"

"Should I be worried? You said that you watched them too."

"It's all fake anyway," Abby defended himself.

"Well, ditto. This being jealous thing isn't really a good look for you."

"Says the one who gets jealous way more easily than I do."

"I don't."

"So you weren't mad at Eileen for what she said."

That was not the wisest thing to bring up.

Mira glared at him. "Were you flattered?"

"Nope. I thought it was weird." Abby thankfully had the right answer.

Mira relaxed. "Well, maybe she was just saying it to get on our nerves... Still...I don't like her very much so far."

"Really? I think it's great that Baby finally has met someone who can annoy him as much as he annoys us all. Best thing that's happened to the team's overall mental health in ages."

Mira smirked. "Okay...that part is funny... Speaking of which, we should get started. Remember what you have to do?"

"My role was very limited. I don't think anyone trusts me to be subtle."

"Yeah, I don't trust you to be subtle at all." Mira was merciless.

"I guess that's how I am." Abby pretended to sound disappointed. "But I know you love it."

"I'm going to get Zoey now." Mira ignored the remark.

* * *

Zoey wasn't too upbeat that day.

Both over Mystery and that they hadn't had much success against the sajas so far, though Eileen was a win.

Mira checked on her around dinner time.

"The others still aren't back yet," she announced. "But they messaged saying that they were okay...so..."

"That's good," Zoey sighed. "Maybe I should turn in early. I'm really tired."

"Is your arm okay?" 

"Yeah, it's all healed up now. It wasn't hurt that badly, just sore."

"Still can't believe that guy tased you." Mira frowned. "Jerk. I'm gonna punch him the next time I see him."

"Punch him for poisoning you with giant, disgusting bugs," Zoey gagged.

"At least I didn't almost get eaten."

"Yeah, well, I bet it was nice getting all that attention from Abby..."

"Really? You got attention from Mystery." Mira tilted her head. "Don't you think he probably still has a thing for you after that?"

"Mira, I don't wanna talk about this anymore." Zoey spoke much sharper than she usually did.

Mira was caught off guard. "Oh...sorry."

"I... Sorry, I didn't mean to say it like that." Zoey flinched. "I just...I know you mean well, but it's not making it any better, so I don't wanna talk about it."

"Okay..." Mira was convinced. "Well...uh...on a different note, have you seen Derpy?"

"Isn't he out there?" Zoey tilted her head. 

"No. Maybe he went after Jinu?"

"I don't think he would... Did you check the roof?"

"Eh, I'd have to go through Rumi's room to get out there," Mira said.

"There's the living room entrance."

"Well, I didn't see him on that side," Mira offered quickly. "But maybe on your side? I mean, he could fly anywhere."

"I'll look." Zoey was too eager to please to think this was kind of dumb, since Derpy wouldn't be in any danger even if he went lolloping around the city alone.

But she needed a distraction anyway.

She went outside on the balcony and trotted up the steps to the flatter part of it.

"Nope, not here." She shrugged and went back down.

Only to find that her door had been shut and locked and the shutter closed that would block the light.

"Mira?" Zoey didn't think Mira would do this to prank her, so she wondered if Baby had somehow come in and locked the door. Would he do that?

Or would Eileen? She seemed like the type to do mischief.

"Hey, don't lock me out!" Zoey jiggled the door. "Eileen, is that you in there? Baby? This isn't funny. I'm not in the mood for this right now."

No answer.

"Mira, are you there?" Zoey hoped Mira was still in the hallway. "Dang it, my phone--" She realized she'd left it inside on the charger.

She sighed. "Fine, I'll just jump to the other side of the roof."

* * *

Mira walked into the living area and nodded at the guys.

Eileen was also there. She was using the living room to sleep in, of course, though her bedding was all rolled up in a not-very-tidy pile on one end of the couch.

"Mystery, you should just talk to her," Romance said, taking his cue. "Seriously."

"I don't know what to say," Mystery said sadly.

"If you want my opinion--" Eileen was sitting on the back of the couch--which would have made Celine and Rumi quite angry to see. "--I think you should just go for it. Girls don't really care as much about the perfect words as you might think. Right, Mira?"

"Sure." Mira didn't know if she liked this after what Eileen had said to Abby, even if it was a joke... probably.

"I bet Abby isn't that smooth, right?" Eileen didn't read the room very well.

"Hey," Abby objected. "I can be smooth. Right, Mira?"

"I guess the way ice is smooth if you step on it." Mira shrugged. 

"What are you implying with that Mira?" Romance gave her a weird look.

"I... Not what you were thinking." Mira realized her mistake.

"I didn't know you were like that," Eileen snorted. "Is that a Korean thing?"

"That's racist," Baby said. He was on the floor, playing video games.

"And you never say anything about Americans," Eileen shot back. 

"Can you not fight right now?" Romance asked. "I think she has a good point, Mystery. Enough of this. Just spit it out already, man."

"I really don't think you can tell me what to do at this point." Mystery began to get irritated. "If I want to do it, I will do it."

But this at least sounded more promising.

"Well, do it then." Eileen tilted her head. "Don't let us stop you."

"I wasn't letting you stop me." Mystery sounded frustrated. "I was just saying it's up to me."

"Well, that's funny, since Celine did change your mind real fast," Eileen said.

"You told her about that?" Mystery accused Baby.

"Why do you think I did it?" Baby said.

"But you did do it," Eileen said. "Oh, was that a secret? Am I, like, special now?"

"That wasn't any of your business!" Mystery said hotly.

"She was asking if you were single--I had to tell her something," Baby said.

"Why does it matter if she asked that anyway?" Romance sounded surprised. "I mean, Mystery is technically single right now."

"And that's what I told her, but that it was a weird situation," Baby said.

"Basically that you're so obsessed with Zoey that no one else has a chance," Eileen said. "Which is too bad, honestly."

"Are you serious?" Mystery gave her a weird look.

"Hey, I'm a demoniac--I'm not dead." Eileen shrugged. "I mean, you still clearly liked people even when you were like this."

"I thought they didn't feel that till they were human?" Mira said.

"Oh, I thought you were hot before then," Abby said. "But in a wondering-if-she'll-kill-me kind of way."

"And that probably made her hotter to you," Romance said. "You're so sick."

"I like a woman who has standards," Abby shot back. "But I guess you and Baby didn't experience it."

"I thought they were pretty, but personality-wise it didn't line up for me," Romance said. "Baby doesn't see that about people in general, clearly."

"Some guys are like that," Eileen said. "Honestly, that sounds kinda nice though, not being distracted so easily. I wish I wasn't." She winked at Romance and Abby.

"Well, uh, no offense, Eileen," Mystery said, "but I'm not interested."

"Geez, I don't see what's so great about Zoey that you're so closed off to something else." Eileen made a face at him. "What makes her so special anyway? She's kind of lame."

"She is not!" Mystery got very heated. "Zoey is amazing."

"I don't see how." Eileen was a born rage-baiter; they almost couldn't tell she wasn't serious.

Baby almost thought it was impressive--and then realized what he was thinking and mentally kicked himself.

It worked, too.

"How?" Mystery got up, now angry. "She's sweet and kind and smart and caring. And she's funny too. And really creative. She tries to make the world a better place."

"Oh, just make her your new muse, dude," Eileen said.

"Muse? What a fancy word for you." Baby had to insult Eileen any time he started to think she was at all more bearable, just to remind himself why he hated her.

"Get bent." Eileen didn't have time for a clever retort, but she still stuck out her tongue at him. "It doesn't even sound like you really see her as a woman, No Eyes. I think you just kinda think she's inspiring. I've heard about things like that."

"And it does sound plausible," Romance said. "Perhaps that's your problem. You put her on a pedestal, and now you feel inferior to her, but she's really just a person like anybody else. I've spent more time with her, and she's just as weird as any other girl."

"Oh?" Mystery said in a different tone. "So you know her so much better now, Romance? And you think I'm just misunderstanding things again? All of you think I don't know my own mind."

"To be fair, dude," Abby said, "you really don't act like you do most of the time."

"It could be you didn't really like her before." Mira shrugged. "You didn't even want to hold her hand or kiss or anything."

"Well, not everyone is a very physical person," Romance said.

"Yeah, but Zoey tells me everything, and she said it didn't happen even in private." Mira shrugged again.

"Mira, really, you?" Romance said.

"Can you stop telling her that?" Abby said. "Why do you care?"

"Because, Abby, I have a hard time believing that the cold, deadly woman is the one who's more openly affectionate," Romance said.

"It's actually Rumi who's the most reserved one," Mira said.

"Oh, that's not what Jinu told me," Abby snorted. "She's less reserved than he is. He's got those 16th century ideas of not pushing people too far."

"Hm, so he's a prude?" Eileen said. "Well, the hot ones always are."

"No, they aren't," Baby said.

"How'd you know anyway?" Eileen saw her chance to get back at him.

Baby glared at her.

"To be fair," Romance said, "he was ranked the hottest by the fans...for reasons I can't begin to understand. Well, next to Jinu, anyway...but he was in his own category."

"I can't believe Baby won out over Abby." Mira felt like that was bizarre. The talking like a baby had been a turn off for her.

"You're kidding?" Eileen forgot the gag for a second. "That guy won out over literal Adonis over here? And Mystery man? I mean, Romance makes a little more sense, but I'd think even he would win out."

"Excuse me?" Baby sat up more. "I think you just said I was ugly."

"You look like you're like a 12-year old. Isn't it pretty creepy for fans to pick you?" Eileen said.

"Most fans of our group were in that age range," Abby said.

"Oh, that makes more sense... Actually, that's just more embarrassing." Eileen started laughing. "Wow, the idol for teenaged girls everywhere, huh? That's just Justin Bieber."

"Justin Bieber hasn't been that idol for a long time now," Mira said.

"Forgot that it's been 15 years since what I liked was in," Eileen reflected. "But he had a song called 'Baby', so that's perfect."

"It's not." Baby hated Justin Bieber's music.

Mystery was still thinking about the Zoey thing.

"You all thought that?" he said.

They looked at him blankly.

"Oh, right..." Romance had almost forgotten what they were supposed to be talking about. "Well, I'm sure it was at your own pace, right?"

"Was it?" Abby pressed. "Did you really like her?"

Mystery looked down. "It wasn't that... I did feel that way. I still didn't want to offend her if I did anything wrong, so she always took the initiative about things. Maybe that was a little unfair..."

"Offend her?" Mira scoffed. "I doubt that would ever happen."

"Gosh, is this how guys around here are?" Eileen said. "I never met any guys who were afraid to 'offend me' like that."

"Your life makes me sad," Romance said. "I assure you, there are gentlemen here."

"Personally, I think as long as you're not freaking someone out, it's not such a big deal," Eileen shrugged. "I mean, she could just say no, right? Is that really what bothered you? Maybe you're all a little too new, huh?"

"Like you have any experience," Baby said.

"I have plenty of experience, actually," Eileen said. "Do you?"

Baby had no retort for that, since...he didn't.

"Baby was never interested in any girls," Romance said. "I was thinking he didn't even like girls, honestly, but now I think it's that he's terrified of women."

"Does that mean I can scare him?" Eileen asked.

"I don't see you as a woman," Baby said.

"I wish I could say the same about you," Eileen shot back.

Baby was speechless.

Abby smothered another laugh.

"All of you are confusing," Mystery said, ignoring it. "You think I did everything wrong, so why do you think I should even try again?"

"Hey now, that's not what we're saying." Abby thought they'd gone too far. "Just to make yourself more clear next time."

"Zoey didn't care about that part," Mira insisted. "She just wanted to know you cared, that was all."

"I feel like you didn't care though," Eileen spoke again. "He wouldn't have dumped her because her mentor didn't like him. That's the lamest excuse I've ever heard. Like, just say you're not into me already."

"Well, he's not into you," Baby spoke yet again.

"You're incapable of understanding sarcasm now?" Eileen raised her eyebrow at him. "I didn't know your brain was that tiny, but then, everything about you is tiny."

"His heart certainly is," Romance muttered.

Mystery frowned at Eileen. "You don't understand anything, Eileen."

Then he went to the balcony door and walked out.

"Wow, that was easier than I thought," Romance said. "I thought we would have to get him out there."

"Great," Abby said. "Quick, lock the door."

"I'm not sure we should shut him out," Romance said, though he did it. "What if demons show up on the roof?"

"That's why we're watching it, to make sure there's no demons." Mira moved into the kitchen. You could see the balcony from the kitchen, though it was mostly blocked by plants.

"I did good, right?" Eileen said. "I mean, it worked."

"You barely did anything." Baby was still salty.

"You're just jealous that I got to him more than you did." Eileen waved her hand.