Little Pink Starfish

The Golden Armored CEO

Jung Moonsik.

CEO of YN Entertainment.

Once a legendary hunter, considered one of Korea’s finest during the Gate era.

Back then, he led Korea’s largest hunter guild, and using the profits and experience gained from that, he founded YN Entertainment.

So it wasn’t an exaggeration to say the company was built on monster corpses.

Today, Jung Moonsik is more famous as a major player in the entertainment industry than as a former hunter.

Among fans of YN artists, some called him “Bright Moonsik.” Others called him… well, “D*** Moonsik.”

“Bright Moonsik” came out when he generously supported his idols or reminisced about heroic hunter days. “D*** Moonsik” surfaced when he pushed weird concepts onto beloved idols for their comebacks.

This same man, who once bashed monster skulls with his bare fists, was now an old man nearing his seventies.

He rarely appeared in the media anymore—only occasionally on cultural programs reminiscing about the Gate era, or on entertainment specials as the face of YN.

And yet, there he was, standing before me… in a golden suit of armor?

No way.

I stared, dumbfounded, while Manager Pilyeon straightened up and bowed.

Clank!

The helmet came off.

A long scar ran down the side of his mouth.

His sharp eyes glinted beneath wrinkled lids.

He looked less like a CEO and more like the boss of a gang.

No doubt about it.

It was really Jung Moonsik.

Before I could fully process this, my fellow trainees and I instinctively bowed.

“Hello, sir!!”

“Haha! No need to be so stiff. Relax.”

He waved a hand casually.

“You’re here for your face-to-face interviews, right? You’re probably nervous enough already without running into me, huh?”

“No, sir! It’s an honor to meet you!”

“Thank you for helping me take a step toward my dreams!”

“You’re the best, CEO!”

“Please take me as your own!”

Everyone was quick to flatter him, myself included.

‘This is the first time I’ve seen the company president in person… even after meeting tons of celebs as a trainee.’

I couldn’t help the thought.

Then suddenly, Jung Moonsik’s eyes locked with mine.

Flinch.

Why is he glaring at me?

“You there.”

“Yes! Trainee Ryu Eunyul, sir!”

I bowed awkwardly.

“I heard about you. Nearly didn’t get picked by a Constellation, right?”

“Yes. It was… a bit of a fluke.”

“Right, right. I heard it all. You ended up contracting with one of the anonymous Constellations, huh? Lucky, but a shame. Those types can be tough to work with…”

Clank, clank.

Jung Moonsik stepped toward me, his armor clanking.

He looked like a retired warrior returning from slaying monsters.

He placed a hand on my shoulder and gave me a firm pat on the back.

“Do your best.”

I was about to give a spirited response when he leaned in and whispered.

“I heard from the Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell… I’m looking forward to what you’ll do.”

…What?

Before I could react, he turned and walked off toward the far end of the parking garage.

“Good luck, everyone!”

I immediately muttered under my breath.

“‘Jung Moonsik’s status window.’”

Ding!

Static—

What the…?

Nothing appeared.

His status window was scrambled with interference.

In my mind, I heard the voice of the Fallen Morning Star.

“Well, no surprise. I figured someone would be monitoring us.”

“He said he heard about us from the Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell…?”

I asked him mentally.

Unlike the old Gate era, Constellations were now restricted in how they could communicate with their contractors.

Normally, a contractor can’t see or hear their Constellation, and vice versa.

But mine was different.

The fact that I could see and hear the Fallen Morning Star—sometimes even get smacked by him—meant our relationship was a rare exception.

And if we were one exception, it stood to reason that there could be others.

“Interesting. That archangel… I thought he had no interest in humans.”

“You can’t tell how he’s connected to Jung Moonsik?”

“Not in this form. This body is just a fragment—an avatar. My true self is still in Hell. If I were here in full, I could find out easily.”

“So you’re here weakened?”

“There was no choice. I am the Fallen Morning Star… The human world can’t handle my true form. My mere presence would collapse the dimension.”

“…Got it.”

After a long pause, he added,

“In any case, that old man didn’t seem malicious. But be cautious. Sometimes it’s the ones who seem harmless that are the most dangerous…”

“Should’ve stayed an angel instead of becoming the King of Hell…”

I sighed.

No room to let my guard down.

My connection with the Fallen Morning Star is unprecedented.

I’m literally contracted to a devil—there’s no way that’s normal.

The only reassurance is that The Savior Who Is One and All granted us permission to compete in CYB.

And that Jung Moonsik didn’t seem hostile.

But that could change.

Even with permission from the Creator himself, there’s a high chance I’ll run into Constellations who hate my partner’s guts.

He’s racked up quite a list of sins, after all.

And who knows what’s really going on in Jung Moonsik’s mind.

Stay sharp, Ryu Eunyul!

While I gathered myself, my fellow trainees and Manager Pilyeon sighed with relief.

“Jeez! That gave me a heart attack. I didn’t expect to see Moonsik here.”

“Seriously. Why’s he even wearing full armor, Pilyeon-hyung?”

“He’s been missing the hunter days, so he cosplays all the time…”

“Still, full plate? Really?”

“Don’t get me started. He’s pushing 70 and still deadlifts 500kg.”

“…Insane.”

Thump—

Hamin tapped my shoulder.

“What’s with you? Falling for him after that hug or something?”

“I was just thinking.”

I brushed past Hamin and stepped into the elevator.

Time to focus on the interviews.

YN trainees hardly ever meet with the executives.

Maybe once, for the contract signing.

Otherwise, we spend all our time training.

The upper floors were different.

While the other floors tried to feel familiar and welcoming, this place was cold, gray, and strictly business.

The meeting ended quickly.

With Manager Pilyeon beside us, we each took turns reporting our contracted Constellations.

“Trainee Lee Hamin, contracted with ‘The Man With Two Faces.’”

That sounded like a Jekyll-and-Hyde type.

Not bad. Pretty famous Constellation.

“‘Lee Hamin’s status window.’”

A transparent screen popped up.

[Lee Hamin]
– Level: 11
– Title: “Double-Sided Coin”
– Constellation: “The Man With Two Faces”
– Constellation Rank: A

Base Stats:
Strength: 14
Agility: 17
Stamina: 15
Mana: 9
Charm: 19 (+4)

Special Skills:
[Dual Personality LV.4]

His level wasn’t higher than mine.

But he might have a harder time with that kind of Constellation.

The other trainees shared their Constellations too.

One of them had even contracted with a famous bodybuilder Constellation—probably because he trained like a maniac.

When it was my turn, I simply said I didn’t know my Constellation’s name.

“Not even a guess?” one of the executives asked.

“I have an idea, but my Constellation prefers I not say. For the sake of our relationship, I’d like to keep it private.”

“Hm. Fair enough.”

Next came the standard background check.

Had we ever been involved in any scandals?

Criminal records were usually filtered out during the Constellation selection.

But issues like family or dating? That was still our responsibility to manage.

They wouldn’t ask outright—but this was pressure to handle our business.

We couldn’t see their thoughts, but they looked disappointed that no one had a high-ranking Constellation.

Of course, they couldn’t check rankings like I could.

They had to rely on the names and reputations of the Constellations alone.

From what I saw, none of my fellow trainees had anything above S-rank.

Rowen-level contracts were once-in-a-decade miracles.

After the meeting, we began heading back.

Soon, we’d be competitors—no longer just trainees from the same agency.

We’d still be friends, sure, but no one wanted to lose.

Maybe that’s why someone suggested grabbing food or karaoke on the way back.

I agreed.

Sometimes you need a break.

But then—buzz!

Was it fear of disappointing Rowen that made my body tingle?

I sighed.

…I’d better sneak out and practice later tonight.

As we rode the elevator down to the basement garage—

Ding!

The elevator stopped around the 3rd floor.

The doors opened, and—

“Hi everyone! I’m taking the elevator up to the 4th-floor dance studio now—”

It was Amil, chatting into a selfie stick.

Her gaze naturally landed on me.

“…Eunyul?”

“…Sunbae?”

We both blurted it out.

Pilyeon and the other trainees immediately stared at me.

Amil quickly composed her expression and stepped into the elevator.

Then, with a flustered look, she waved her phone around.

“Uh—looks like the signal’s bad in the elevator! I’ll continue this N-Live stream later—!”

She ended the broadcast and lowered her phone.

Silence.

Hamin’s eyes burned into the side of my head.

‘Is this why you’ve been sneaking off all the time?’

That’s what his gaze said.

I sighed.

…Seriously?

I calmly explained.

I had saved a kid from getting hit by a car… and that kid turned out to be Amil’s younger brother.

“That’s right. I’m still really grateful,” Amil said, bowing.

Then she glanced at everyone.

“Trainees and manager, right? You’re all working so hard.”

Everyone thanked her awkwardly.

Unlike back in the hospital, Amil now seemed calm and poised.

She walked with us toward the garage.

The others walked ahead, leaving me and Amil in the back.

“Are you ready for the competition?” she asked.

“Sort of.”

There was no way to know if I was truly ready until CYB started.

“I competed five years ago already. Every time I stepped on stage, my heart would race…”

“You? Really? I watched it live. You didn’t look nervous at all.”

“Not showing it is basic professionalism.”

She smiled, twirling her ash-gray dyed hair.

“I was greedy back then. That’s why I was nervous.”

“What kind of greed?”

“That’s a secret.”

She looked up at me.

“If, by some miracle, you became the final winner of CYB—what kind of blessing would you want from the Savior?”

Hmm…

I hadn’t really thought about it.

Or maybe I always had?

I shrugged lightly and replied like it was a joke.

“I don’t know exactly…”

Then I smiled.

“…but maybe… a blessing that could bring someone back from the dead.”