Little Pink Starfish

I rubbed my eyes and looked again—at Han Iro’s face.

And I was sure now. I wasn’t seeing things.

That was Han Iro’s true self.

One side of his face was horribly burned, blistered and oozing.

It was a gruesome sight, so severe that even thinking it looked gruesome felt like an insult.

<What are you looking at?>

The voice of The Starlet Hated by All echoed from inside the Bluetooth earbud case.

…What was that?

Could it be… Han Iro’s complex?

That thought brought a terrible suspicion to mind. I asked The Starlet Hated by All a question in return.

“Can this artifact… reveal other Constellations’ powers?”

<It can,> it replied clearly.<But there are limits.>

“Like what?”

<Constellation powers are born from faith. In other words, they are fueled by the belief of their contractors. The ‘Flaming Demon’s Eye’ is only a rare-grade artifact at best. It can only perceive weaker or less solidified powers, the kind with wavering belief.>

“…I see.”

I had a rough idea of what was happening now.

After his breakout role in that movie at age ten, Han Iro had disappeared for years.

He dodged every question during the interview, but after seeing what I saw—his hidden face—I was sure.

That guy…

He used his Constellation’s power to cover up those scars.

And I saw through it.

Only weak or uncertain powers could be seen with this artifact, so…

That’s a pretty cruel limitation.

It made me feel guilty.

I didn’t need to see this.

And now that I’d seen it, I couldn’t unsee it.

Which meant I’d have to carry the secret of Han Iro’s truth from now on.

You could say I held a joker card now.

But I didn’t want to get it by stripping someone bare.

“Hmm?”

Suddenly, Han Iro and I locked eyes.

Then my gaze fell to his lips.

Without making a sound, he mouthed the words:

“Can. You. See?”

Or at least, that’s how it felt.

But it was only for an instant—Han Iro quickly returned to chatting with the host, face calm.

Did I imagine that?

I shook my head.

…No way.

I remembered what Rowen once told me:

“Eunyul, there’s a kid I’d like you to help. …He’s like a bubble.”

Han Iro’s Constellation: Love Born with the Bubbles.

Rowen definitely knew something.

I sighed.

That day, I’d been too shocked to even check Han Iro’s status window.

---

The “Stairway to Heaven” event ended with great success.

As soon as it wrapped up, reviews flooded online communities.

I lay sprawled out in the dorm, reading them.

Most people were saying stuff like:

— Han Iro speaks so damn well…

ㄴ He dodged the gap year questions so smoothly, I didn’t even know how to respond.

ㄴ But how much of that was true?

— If he really lived deep in Gangwon, even DemonPatch would’ve had a hard time tracking him.

— Guys, Han Iro really grew up well 😭 I thought he got no screentime in the first prelims, but turns out he just beamed past it at the speed of light…

As expected, Han Iro dominated the boards.

Of course he did. A famous child actor reappearing after vanishing at age ten, now wanting to be an idol?

It was frustrating, but I couldn’t argue.

At the same time, a little side commentary kept popping up at the end of audience posts:

— What was up with Madojin? So cold lol.

— Kinda rude, right?

— Everyone else did a talent bit, but he just introduced himself and sat down…

ㄴ Yeah seriously. “I’m Madojin” and then plop.

— Felt like that one antisocial kid doing their intro at college orientation.

He’d definitely stirred the pot.

Madojin’s strategy was working.

While Han Iro hogged the spotlight, Madojin nailed the niche.

As for me?

It was around dinner time yesterday.

A video shot up the trending tab on NutView.

It was from a channel called “Cashback of the Stars.”

A masked woman had filmed and narrated her experience as an audience member during the second prelims.

The video’s title?

“As We Spoke of Idols, a Fly Landed on His Shoulder.”

…Yup.

“You little bastard, how the hell did you crawl out of there?!”

<Don’t you dare treat me like some ordinary fly. My power knows no bounds!>

The Starlet Hated by All snarled.

<I simply went for a stroll to escape the stifling air! You make such a fuss over fresh air, pitiful creature!>

“Oh, did you breathe in fresh air until you were stuffed? Do you see this?!”

I held up the screenshot from the video to him.

In the photo, I was having a perfectly normal conversation with the host.

Except…

It was zoomed in like crazy—and sitting on my shoulder was a fly. That fly.

“Bzzzz—Bzzzz—”

The Starlet began buzzing around my head in protest.

<I told you not to trap me in that airless hell! Even flies deserve freedom! Flies are people too, you know!>

“You’re an insect, you lunatic!”

I grabbed him midair and shook him violently.

Whoosh—Whoosh—

God, this was exhausting.

<Hmph! Don’t treat me like some average fly! I’m not dizzy at all!>

Sigh…

It took a while, but I calmed down.

Surprisingly, the response wasn’t bad.

— LOL a fly?! In this weather??

— Dude looks like a Pokémon trainer with that fly on his shoulder 😂

— But seriously, his visuals are pretty good though?

— Eunyul… My mom told me not to hang out with weird friends like this.

— Hello, I’m the fly. Thanks for letting me snack on your shoulder. Slurp.

Of course, not all comments were positive.

Probably the first time in CYB history a contestant appeared with a fly perched on him.

Still, thanks to The Starlet Hated by All, I got some attention in the post-event buzz.

— Guys, so like… the night before the event I had this dream where this hot guy came and cheered for Ryu Eunyul.

ㄴ OMG me too?? What even was that? Dream marketing??

ㄴ Wait… is Ryu Eunyul the Constellation??

ㄴ If so, I’m his fan now. Never seen a guy that looked that delicious.

ㄴ Me too. Saw him in my dream. He had… dreamboat nipples.

ㄴ LMAO “dreamboat nipples” I’m done 😂😂

…Yeah. Looks like he had more screen time than I did.

But hey, if anything, the Starlet’s dream infiltration strategy worked like a charm.

“You’re getting off easy this time…”

I said with a sigh as I let him go.

<…This humiliation… I will never forget it.>

So what? A fly’s revenge just amounts to some leg rubbing.

I ignored him and checked more reactions online.

And I felt it—intuition.

…With this much buzz, I’ll pass the second round for sure.

The first round was judged purely by a few pros. No way to predict that.

But the second round?

Judged by audience reactions. Instant feedback.

Which made the outcome way easier to predict.

Even if I somehow didn’t pass, it was better for my sanity to assume I did.

One week until the results come in.

What should I do until then?

[★My Role Model★: How about visiting home?]

[★My Role Model★: Wasn’t the last time you saw your mom during that accident?]

[★My Role Model★: You’ll be moving into dorms for the third round, might not get another chance.]

[Me: But like… 😢 I might still fail… and going home just ‘cause I passed the second round feels a little weird…]

[★My Role Model★: Oh dear…]

[★My Role Model★: I don’t remember teaching you to have the mindset of a maggot writhing in sugar water. Running low on voltage, huh? ^^]

What’s with that pastor emoji at the end of every sentence?

CYB’s third round is called the “Entrance Exam.”

A name borrowed from school-themed survival audition shows.

It’s the final round before the main event. If you pass, you’re in.

But you can’t really prep much before the second round results come in.

Once you pass, they move you into a special dorm and give you all the info there.

Based on previous seasons, the third round’s bound to be a team match again…

…Anyway. Hometown, huh.

I don’t really like mine.

I’m from Incheon.

The place where an S-rank gate once opened.

Countless Hunters had tried to close it, but in the end, a lieutenant of the demon king himself—the Abyssal Sea King, Muddorok—manifested.

Even though it’s been ages since the gate closed, the scars remain.

I wasn’t even born when it happened, so I don’t remember, but older folks still tremble when they talk about it.

And from their reactions, I could guess how terrifying it had been.

Incheon used to be a big city.

Not anymore.

The coastline’s polluted, and a quarter of the area is still in ruins.

Reconstruction’s still ongoing, with no clear end in sight.

[★My Role Model★: Want to go together?]

Rowen suddenly offered.

[Me: WHAT?! Really??]

Even if it was his break period, him making time for a rookie like me… I was genuinely touched.

[★My Role Model★: The accident was my fault, and I never even got to greet your mom… It’d be better than you taking public transit, right?]

[Me: 😭 Thank you so much senpai ㅠ (crying potato emoji)]

If Rowen’s going that far, I might as well go.

I made up my mind and put my phone down.<Little creature.>

The Starlet landed on my shoulder.

<You said your hometown was Incheon?>

“Yeah, why?”

<I heard the Abyssal Sea King manifested there. Is that true?>

I nodded.

<…He’s not dead.>

“…What?!”

I shot up from bed.

THUD!

Well, I tried to shoot up—but ended up tumbling off the side.

I glared at the Starlet, who was now calmly perched on my pillow.

“…What do you mean?”

<High-ranking demons don’t die easily. Especially the Abyssal Sea King…>

“What about him?”

<The Abyssal Sea King… was something I made just after I was cast into hell. I was bored. Think of him as… one of my sons. I was committing heresy and all…>

“…And?”

<I didn’t give him the function of death.>

Hold on.

I rubbed my forehead, lost in thought.

So the Sea King was created by this guy—Lucifer himself—because he was bored and wanted to stick it to his dad?

“You really need to die someday…”

Hearing me, the Starlet let out a creepy laugh.

<Don’t worry. He’s probably barely surviving with only his core intact. Pathetically clinging to groundwater and gathering energy. If he wants to fully resurrect, it’ll take at least 6,000 years.>

Six thousand years…?

That’s a crazy timescale.

“So… six thousand years from now, the world’s doomed again?”

I couldn’t really grasp what that amount of time felt like, but I had a bad feeling.

<If he does resurrect, yes. But don’t fret. I’m here.>

“You got a plan?”

I asked, and the Starlet began rubbing his front legs together excitedly.

<Isn’t it obvious? The Abyssal Sea King is my creation. He’s a part of my power.>

“…Which means?”

<I’m the only one who can undo that power. He can’t even kill himself. We’re going to Incheon. I’ll eat his core myself.>

“…So we’re really going, huh.”

I sighed.

Looks like I have one more reason to visit home.