Ignite the Soul Chapter 02 (Early Preview) (Patreon)

Chapter 02: Meet Cute

The call connected with a soft chime, and Zoey’s hair was up in a loose ponytail, hoodie collar slightly stretched from wear. 

On the other end, Danny sat cross-legged on his bed, laptop balanced on a pillow

“I still can’t believe you’re actually coming,” Zoey said, grinning wide. “Feels weird. Like I’ve dreamed this conversation before.”

Danny chuckled. “Well, believe it. Plane tickets are booked, Jazz’s itinerary is color-coded, and I’m counting down the days.”

Zoey leaned back in her chair, still smiling. “So what’s the plan once you land?”

“We’ll be getting in around noon,” Danny said, scrolling through a document on his phone. “Jazz has a whole checklist. Oh, speaking of, do you know if there’s a reliable cab service from Incheon to the hotel? I was looking online, but…”

Zoey waved a hand, cutting him off. “Nope. Cancel that. We’ll come get you.”

Danny blinked. “Wait, seriously?”

“Of course. I finally get to see you again after all these years, and you think I’m just gonna let you hop in a cab like some tourist?”

Danny hesitated. “Are you sure? I mean, you’re kind of… famous now. Isn’t that risky?”

Zoey rolled her eyes. “I’ve slipped out of larger crowds. Besides, I’m off tour, and we know how to avoid being followed. It’s fine. I’ll wear a hoodie and sunglasses. It’s not a big deal.”

Danny raised an eyebrow. “You positive?”

“We’ve got a car. Relax.”

Danny laughed, nodding. “Alright, alright, you win. I’ll tell Jazz the cab plans are off.”

“Good,” Zoey said. “Even if some fans do recognize us, I won’t care. I finally get to see you after all these years."

Danny’s smile softened. "It’s been a while."

"Way too long. And hey, you’ll finally meet Mira and Rumi too. This’ll be your first chance.”

"Right. Gotta make a good first impression."

 "Please. They already know your parents are ghost hunters, and you know that Mira thinks it’s kinda cool.”

Danny groaned. “I will never forget you telling them that about me…”

“At least I told them that you were working to become an astronaut."

“Yeah. I know. I worked my ass off to get my Masters, and I still have ways to go.”

“You’ll do fine. In any case, what did you have planned for the rest of the visit?”

 "So Jazz wants to check out some of the museums while we’re there. I was thinking maybe a hike too, but I’ll need to see how jet-lagged we are first."

 "You two are going to love it. Just don’t go hiking your first day unless you want to sleep through our group dinner."

“Be ready for a hug. I’ve been saving it.”

Danny grinned. “Will do.”

Arrival Day

Travelers streamed out from customs. Over by baggage claim, three girls stood near a large column, mostly unnoticed in the crowd thanks to sunglasses, oversized hoodies, and face masks.

Zoey clutched a handmade sign that read FENTONS in big bubble letters, outlined in blue and green marker. She kept glancing at the monitor, which displayed flight arrivals. The connecting plane from LAX had landed fifteen minutes ago. Any minute now.

“You’ve checked the board four times in the last ten minutes,” Mira said, nudging her with a hip, amused.

“I’m just making sure I didn’t miss them,” Zoey muttered, pulling the brim of her cap down. “They might come out through a different door.”

“They’ll spot that sign from orbit,” Rumi added, arms crossed. “And the way you’re practically vibrating, they’ll definitely know it’s you.”

Zoey didn’t deny it. She stood straighter, eyes locked on the hallway that led from customs.

“You’re really excited to see them,” Mira said. “I mean, I knew you were close, but…”

Zoey lowered the sign a little, her voice softer. “We weren’t exactly the popular ones back in high school. Especially Danny.”

Rumi tilted her head. “Well, if classmates heard me saying my mom was a demon hunter, I would be getting weird looks too.”

Zoey nodded. “Yeah. You should have seen their van with sirens and a logo on the side. They were… eccentric, but they were always nice when I came over. People didn’t get it. And because of that, people didn’t get Danny either.”

Rumi said. “Kind of hard to be taken seriously.”

Zoey shrugged. “Yeah, he said it’s been hard over the years. Still, I wouldn’t be here if we didn’t meet.”

Mira nudged her again. “Well, I’m looking forward to seeing the guy who left this big an impression.”

“Same,” Rumi said. “If nothing else, he deserves props for sticking by you.”

Zoey smiled, her eyes flicking back to the hallway. “He’s one of the few who always did.”

Just then, the double doors from customs opened and out stepped a young orange-haired woman in teal business casual. Orange hair pulled back with a familiar headband, aqua eyes scanning the crowd. She wore a sleek black blouse tucked into white and teal pants, heels clicking softly against the tile as she walked, a purse slung over her shoulder.

Zoey lit up. “There’s Jazz!” she whispered, lifting the FENTONS sign over her head, waving it with both hands to grab her attention.

Jazz’s eyes locked on hers. A bright smile lit her face, and she waved as she started weaving through the crowd.

“Jazz!” Zoey called, stepping forward.

They met just past the barrier and immediately hugged, tight and genuine.

“Zoey, long time, no see! You look beautiful,” Jazz said, pulling back with a warm grin.

“You, too,” Zoey replied, cheeks slightly pink.

Behind her, Mira and Rumi stepped forward, giving polite nods.

“You must be Danny’s sister. It’s good to meet you.,” Mira said.

“Zoey told us about you and your brother,” Rumi added.

Jazz gave them both a quick hug. “Any friend of Zoey’s is a friend of mine. It’s great to finally meet your group in person.”

Zoey glanced around. “Where’s Danny?”

Jazz glanced over her shoulder. “We got separated at customs. He should be out soon.”

Her phone buzzed a second later. She fished it out of her purse, checked the message, and smiled. “Yup, he’s on his way..”

#

Jazz and Zoey leaned against the railing as the crowd thinned a bit. Jazz sipped from a small water bottle she’d pulled from her purse, glancing sideways at Zoey.

“So,” she said, “how’s everything been? I mean, beyond the music and the headlines”

Zoey laughed, rubbing the back of her neck. “Busy. Wild. Sometimes exhausting. But... it’s been worth it. I’ve learned a lot since the training program.”

Jazz nodded. “I figured. You guys won the International Idol Awards four years now. Congrats!”

Zoey glanced down, smiling. “Thanks, Jazz.”

"So the conference officially starts in two days. My presentation is on the second day, but I wanted a little time to adjust to the jet lag."

"Good call," Zoey said, nodding. "The first twenty-four hours can be brutal. We can show you a great spot for juk (죽) later, it’s perfect for settling your stomach after a long flight."

Jazz looked past the last few stragglers coming through the gate and suddenly smiled. “Oh, there’s Danny.”

At her words, Huntrix turned in unison. A tall young man had just walked through the automatic doors, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.

For both Zoey and Mira, it felt as if the bustling airport faded into slow-motion.

The airport lights somehow seemed softer as he stepped forward, cutting through the bustling crowd like the background had dropped out entirely. The lanky, slightly awkward teen Zoey knew from high school was gone. In his place stood someone who had clearly inherited every inch of his father’s height, with dark hair that he’d grown out just a bit. He moved with confidence that was almost nonexistent from the boy who used to hunch his shoulders in the school hallways. There was a slight ease in Zoey that Danny seemed… brighter, somehow.

Sunlight shining down into my heart like a flower blooming softly when you smile.

A single backpack strap was slung casually over his shoulder. He wore simple black dress shoes and gray pants neatly cuffed at the ankles. He had a blue, long-sleeved shirt left unbuttoned over a fitted black undershirt with the sleeves rolled up to his biceps, revealing toned arms that hadn’t been there the last time. 

It was the black undershirt that drew their attention. Both girls’ eyes traced the defined lines of his abs, clearly visible through the slim-fitting shirt.

Unknown to Huntrix, years of relentless, high-stakes ghost fighting, combined with a self-care regimen Jazz had insisted upon, had improved his physique and wellness, unrecognizable from the lanky teen she remembered.

Jazz caught the expressions on both Zoey’s and Mira’s faces and let out a soft, amused giggle.

I finally found you, I assure you that my love can't be undone now.

Rumi raised a single, appreciative eyebrow. She silently admitted that Danny was far more handsome than Zoey had ever described. “You really undersold him, Zoey.” Rumi was quietly amused by the other two at the moment. 

“Nice…” Mira whispered. Her sunglasses slipping down her nose just enough to give her a clear view. Her eyes widened, unable to pull away from the clearly defined lines beneath Danny’s fitted black undershirt.

Zoey’s face bloomed with a sudden, red-hot blush. Her eyes trailed the slope of his shoulders, the easy way his hair fell slightly over his brow. She felt like a teenager all over again, caught staring. “D-Danny?!” she stammered out, her voice a pitch higher.

Hearing her voice, Danny’s eyes immediately found her. His face broke into a wide, genuine smile. “Zoe!” He walked straight toward them and dropped his bag at his feet before pulling her into a big warm hug, seemingly unbothered by her celebrity status. “You look great! Then again, I shouldn’t be surprised.”

So until the days run out of time, my love is you.

Zoey’s heartbeat thudded in her ears. His chest and arms far more muscular than she ever could have imagined. Her face burned a bit brighter. Instinctively, her arms tightened around him, drawing herself closer, savoring the moment with her hands pressing against the toned muscle. “You feel grea- I mean, you look amazing. I almost didn’t recognize you.”

Danny rubbed the back of his neck. "As you can see, I finally went my growth spurt after you left.”

“No kidding.”

“I’m so happy to see you after all this time,” Danny murmured pleasantly near her ear. He released her from the hug, and Zoey’s arms fell reluctantly. A part of Zoey’s mind, already missed the secure embrace. Danny stepped back. “We really appreciate you guys coming all the way out here for us.”

Danny extended a hand toward Mira first, his easy grin still in place. “Love your music. It’s great to finally meet you guys in person. Outside of the brief words over the phone, I’ve heard a lot of good things about you all.”

Mira blinked, caught slightly off-guard by sincerity and smile. She quickly shook herself out of it and took his hand. “Yeah… It’s nice to meet you, too. How’s being an astronaut in the making coming along?”She would deny the flicker of jealousy she felt seeing Zoey wrapped up in that hug a moment ago.

“I’m almost halfway there.“

Rumi stepped up and offered her hand without hesitation. “Danny, Welcome to Seoul. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. Zoey has… many stories. It’s good to finally put a face to her mysterious friend from back home.”

Danny chuckled. “Guilty as charged, I guess.

Rumi turned to Jazz. “Do you have the address for your hotel?”

Jazz already had her phone in hand, tapping into her itinerary. “Yup. Got it right here.”

“Good,” Rumi said, motioning toward the carousel. “Let’s grab your luggage and head to the car.”

As Rumi and Jazz began walking toward the baggage carousel, Danny followed just behind. That’s when Mira caught Zoey by the wrist and tugged her off to the side, just out of earshot.

“Zoey,” she whispered sharply, glancing after him, “you didn’t say he was hot.”

Zoey’s face flushed. “I didn’t know either! He’s way different from back then.”

Mira glanced over at Danny, still chatting with Jazz as they moved through the crowd. “Talk about a glow-up…”

Zoey folded her arms, biting her lip for a second before saying, “Do you think Danny and Jazz would say yes if we offered to let them stay at our penthouse?”

Mira gave her a look. Then a slow, amused grin spread across her face. “What, you planning to have breakfast with him or something?”

“I sometimes came over to his place before we walked to school.“ Zoey blushed. “What? Too much?”

Mira laughed, throwing an arm over her shoulder. “Don’t get carried away. Come on, let’s go.”