Walking down the streets of the city, my mind begins to wander. A variety of plans lay themselves out as to how I can find my pets, thus ultimately find Rumi. However, before I can go into better detail into these plans, I was quickly brought back into reality when a sudden yell echoes from down the street. My eyes dart upwards to the source of the sound only to realize it did not come from a single individual. Before me is a very, very, huge oversight. The fans.
"Is that Jinu?" The fans ask, yelling as they get closer. Why did they seem scarier at this moment? It wasn't an issue when I was previously alive. I need to run away first. If the fans start creating some crazy rumors, that would cause an unbelievable amount of obstacles, not only for me, but problems that Huntrix would also have to face, and I do not want that to happen for them. Not now, not ever.
The fans are getting dangerously close, I need to act now. My eyes dart everywhere, thinking of a way to escape. I cannot take the alleyway, I might risking a dead end and with my current recovery, I may not be as dexterous and athletic as before. A gamble I cannot risk at this moment. I also cannot disappear into the crowd, the crowd itself is a dangerous risk. There is only one way out.
I dash towards the street, carefully watching any car, bike, or truck that zips by before I make my move; dodging any sort of danger that comes along the way. One of the cars comes to a screeching halt before me as I hear the profanities that the driver yells from behind the cover of the windshield before he stops, seemingly realizing who I was and also turning into another fan. I bow slightly to apologize but I cannot stay for long. Dashing again throughout the easier half of the street before taking off into a corner and into an alleyway.
I stop myself as I lean against the wall of a nearby building. My breath slipping away with every gasp of air. Have I always been this weak? Or is this another drawback from the reincarnation? Either way, I needed to recover my stamina and gather my thoughts. I slip downwards, sitting on the cleaner parts of this alleyway to officially rest.
As I catch my breath, I fall back into my thoughts. The fans. How could I have forgotten the fans? Without my powers, I cannot evade them as easily as before and without the advantages of being idols, I also cannot sway the people to assist me. There is also the problem of actually showing myself. The fans might get the wrong idea if I was to make a return, and without the other Saja Boys and our respective powers, I'd gamble that our choreography and popularity won't be as high as before.
I press my palms on to my face, taking a sharp breath in as I groan in frustration. So many problems in such a short time...
I am thinking too much about this. No- I'm taking this too fast. I need to slow down and approach this one problem at a time. Plan carefully. First, I need a way to hide myself and a place to rest. If I remember correctly, the Saja Boys never really needed the money but we did store it into an account, as well as invest into a suite. I wonder if it's still there. Next is the issue of getting there. I need something to hide my face as I travel from place to place. Perhaps I could steal from- No. That would only bring more attention to myself.
That really is the issue in relying on demonic powers too much, never really needed a phone or wallet. Looking back on it, that is a pretty dumb approach, but at the same time, Demons never really needed to indulge in material possessions. We only needed to do what we were told...
I stare into my hand as my thoughts drift. I could still hear the voice of temptation lingering somewhere in the back of my mind, but it's no longer as loud as before. In fact, instead of it encompassing my whole mind, it is now only a mere whisper, or perhaps better described as a whistle among the wind.
I grow a smile and clench my fist. Rumi has given me this freedom. Unbound by the shackles that imprisoned me for hundreds of years. She gave me the chance to truly have free will. Without the manipulation of a higher entity. Let it be an Emperor or a Demon King.
I stand up and brush myself off. Taking one more deep breath as my resolve has once again been strengthened. I lean over the corner and check to see if the fans have dispersed. It seems like they have. At least if I could take the quieter ambience as evidence for such...
I turn back to regain my composure before I could see a simple black cap hanging by a run-down air-conditioning unit. I guess that is enough to hide among the crowd for a bit. I take the cap and rest it on my head. It smells a bit musky but sacrifices have to be made I guess. As for my shirt, I can simply take it off and wrap it around my waist. I still have the normal shirt underneath so I am still presentable.
First thing's first, I need to get to that suite. We took the one closest to the tower Huntrix is rumored to be staying in as a joke. Baby's suggestion.
I started making my way there, although slower than my usual. I need to get used to this feeling. Teleportation is useful but unfortunately, that also caused me to rely on it too much...again. With the recoil of rebirth as well, both my strength and stamina seems to wane. It has been so long since I've been a normal human, I seem to have forgotten how to live like one. Funny.
As far as I'm concerned, the disguise seems to be working. Eyes are no longer planted on me. The smell, as bad as it was, actually helps in getting some attention off, albeit not in the way I wished it to be.
As I made my way down the streets and busy roads of the bustling city, the shadow of the hotel starts to loom over and as I stand by the entrance with bated breath, I step forward into the building and into the lobby. It was a lot bigger than I had previously remembered...or perhaps that was simply the nerves talking.
I approach the reception. The person sitting behind the counter seemed to be a young woman, who seems to present herself in higher regard. Reminds me of Rumi in some way, with how uptight she is at this moment. I take a breath and before I could even speak, the woman raises a hand and looks up at me.
"No need. Right this way Sir Jinu."