Little Pink Starfish

This area’s finally done…
The boy looked around, deep in thought.

His time on Jeju Island was nearing its end.

Until then, he was determined to help every last wandering spirit pass on.

And with every spirit he helped, he caught glimpses of their memories.
Memories of lives cut short—
Nearly all of them tied to the Prince from the Otherworld, Abrilah.

Facing the sins of his past self, the boy often wondered:
Why… why would someone like Abrilah reincarnate as a human?

He couldn’t understand.

<You don’t have to understand, if you can’t.>

A voice echoed gently in his mind.

<The important thing is… you’re here now.>

“Is that so?”

He smiled faintly.

“Doesn’t really help, though. I’m kind of in a depressing mood.”

<Yeah? Hmm… maybe not. I can only watch over you from here. Sorry. But take comfort in this: as long as you live, I’ll always be with you.>

The boy let out a breath.

Now wasn’t the time for casual conversation.

There were still many spirits in Jeju in need of peace.

I’ll make sure they all pass on… every last one.

He clenched his teeth.

“Hey, kid.”

A man’s voice called from behind him.

“Spare some change for a poor, homeless soul?”

But the man didn’t look homeless at all.

Hair like molten gold.
Eyes glowing like moons.
Glossy lips, rosy cheeks, sculpted jaw, and a solid build.

His shirt was so wide open his chest was practically out.

He looks… kinda like that kid from a few days ago…

Tilting his head, the boy responded cautiously:

“Uh… you don’t look homeless. Are you, like… a serial killer or something?”

It was honestly the first thing that came to mind.
He recalled a documentary he’d seen once—about a clown-dressed murderer.

Well… not like I’m any less suspicious, walking around at this hour too.

He swallowed nervously.

“Ahahaha! What a sharp tongue, young man!”

The man clapped him on the back, laughing heartily.

He looks twenty-something but talks like someone’s uncle…

“I’m actually a nobleman… out for an evening stroll!”

The man declared, puffing out his chest.

“…Huh?”

Seeing the boy’s blank expression, he coughed and amended:

“Of course that was a lie! I’m a college student who got drunk, took a cab, and ended up in the middle of nowhere!”

“…Excuse me?”

Still no reaction.

The man gritted his teeth.

“A-ahem! That is to say…”

He smiled again, calmer now.

“Forgive the joke. I’m a shaman working to cleanse this area’s spirits.”

“A… shaman…?”

The boy’s eyes widened.

“Heh. Thanks for believing me!”
The man looked genuinely pleased.

“Do you know why I approached you?”

The boy tensed.

He knows. He’s seen what I’ve been doing here.

“Don’t make that face. I saw you helping the spirits.
I even saw you praying, hands clasped, every time one moved on.”

So he really did see…

“Just one question.”
The man’s voice dropped into something colder.

“Why are you doing this?”

Why?

Like this man would understand.

A cold wind rustled the leaves between them.

Since Abrilah’s appearance, Jeju’s once-humid air had turned brisk.
Strange trees not native to this world had sprouted.
Unnatural beasts occasionally roamed the land.

Families torn apart.
Elderly left to die in disease and pain.

The boy thought of them all and muttered—

“You wouldn’t understand even if I told you.”

“Is that so?”
The man chuckled.

“Then don’t. I can see you’re not even ready to ask for understanding.”

But inwardly,
The Star Hated by All was thrilled.

Foolish traveler from another world… Facing your sins this way—how delightfully ironic.

---

Gravity’s team meeting room.
…a.k.a. Hamin’s room.

“Ughhh… I wanted to check out the haunted recording studio on the 7th floor… but it’s all dancing, all day….”

Noeul groaned, clutching an energy drink.
His dark circles had grown so deep he looked half-raccoon already.

Hhh… Ssshh… Haaaa…

Jungho was taking deep breaths, fiddling with his acoustic guitar.
The arrangement was nearly done.

He’d replaced the acapella intro with a soft guitar backing.
The overly dramatic string sections were reworked with a more subtle synth.

What they had now was a retro-sounding, medium-tempo ballad.
There was even a dance break for Noeul, and most of the lyrics had been rewritten.

But one big problem remained—

Their Constellations.

They had no way to spice up the performance like Rowen’s team could.
Han Iro would surely use his bubbles.
Other groups probably had flashy tricks tied to their Constellations, too.

But not Gravity.

Jungho’s Constellation was the “Somewhat Successful Guitarist.”
…As the name suggested, a minor deity.

“All he can do is give me perfect pitch for like, an hour a day…”
Jungho explained.

Not exactly stage material.

What about Noeul?

“My Constellation lets me summon sheep!”

…How very useful.

Well, the “Traveler from Asteroid B-612” did grant him some useful personal skills, so there’s that.

Hamin’s?

“Mine makes me better at stuff I suck at and worse at stuff I’m good at… for a few hours.”
His was called “The Man with Two Faces.”
Also not stage-friendly.

And Madojin?

“I have no abilities.”

Yeah, right.

Only two people had ever made my system glitch.
One was CEO Jung Moonsik of YN Entertainment,
whose info showed up with static, likely due to his ties to “The Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell.”
Even The Star Hated by All said he couldn’t see through that one.

The other… was Madojin.

Every stat was locked at 10.
His Constellation name practically screamed “I’m just a normal guy.”

Still, it didn’t matter what powers he had—
The real issue was that Madojin had no intention of using them.

Which meant…
Gravity had no flashy tricks for the stage.

That’s where my secret weapon came in.

“Eunyul-hyung.”
Noeul pouted.

“What is that violin? It looks like it was made by a really angry person…”

That’s right.

I was planning to end our performance by playing the Violin of Tainted Blood.

My Burning Devil’s Eye only had two charges left and wouldn’t help much in this show.
And with The Star Hated by All off on his mission,
I was putting all my hopes in this instrument.

I’d been practicing for days.
But it wasn’t easy.

The pain during play was intense.

At most, I could manage 10 seconds of playing.
Barely enough for one phrase.
And that was after pushing through the pain in training.

Going beyond that might mean losing my life.
I didn’t know for sure.

Still, performing with the Violin of Tainted Blood as our finale…
That was the plan.

“This was given to me by my Constellation.”
I said, gazing at the violin.
“…It’s going to be our hidden card.”

Everyone stared at it.

“I’ll play it at the very end.”

“Is it really that amazing?”
Noeul reached for it.

“Don’t touch it!”
I shouted, stopping him just in time.

“Why not? You’re acting like some candy-hoarding brat…”

I sighed.

“This is a tool blessed by a Constellation.
Anyone but me will have their life force drained.”

(Not that I’m immune either, but no need to mention that now.)

“What is your Constellation, Hephaestus or something?
Getting gear from a god—that’s top-tier stuff.”
Hamin commented.

I just smiled.

Well… he’s not wrong.

“It looks so… elegant.”
Jungho murmured, almost hypnotized by the violin.

“It’s infused with Constellation power.”

I picked it up.

Zzzzt!

A sting ran through my fingertips.

Every time I touched it, tiny cuts opened on my hands.
My fingers were covered in bandages.

But the pain had become familiar.

I aimed the bow at the strings.

“Let me play a bit.”

Screeeeech—

A grating, blade-like note filled the room.
Overwhelming.

The others flinched.
Even Madojin.

Perfect.

But pain stabbed through me, like knives in my bones.
Still, I forced out two phrases.

Breathless, I finished.
Everyone was staring at me, stunned.

“…Wow.”
Noeul was first to speak.

Clap clap clap!!
Applause followed.

“You’re insane, Ryu Eunyul!!”
That was Hamin.

“We… we can do this!!”
Jungho’s voice trembled.

“Hyung, you’re like a wizard!
Casting spells with an instrument!!”
Noeul added.

I tried my best to hide the pain twisting my face.

“Let’s all give it our best!!”
Noeul shouted, energy renewed.

Everyone—except Madojin—perked up.

“Let’s do a team chant?”
Noeul grinned.

“Uhh… yeah, sure.”
Jungho agreed.

“Isn’t that a little lame?”
Hamin muttered.

“Who cares?”

I turned to Madojin, arms crossed.

“You too, Dojin.”

He stared at me for a beat—then nodded.

We all placed our hands together.

“Fighting—!!”

Three days left until the performance.

We’re gonna pass. No matter what.

---

On the way back to our rooms—

“Eunyul.”

Madojin stopped me.

“…Yeah?”
I turned to face him.

He stared quietly—then suddenly—

Grab!

He seized my wrist.

What the—?! Is this it? Is he finally showing his true colors?!

Is he a villain here to sabotage the whole show?

…Wait, that sounds a lot like me.

Also—holy crap, this guy’s strong!

While I was freaking out,
he gently took my hand and examined my fingers.

Like a kid curiously playing with their parent’s hands.

“You’re bleeding.”

The cuts from playing the violin.

“Ah, well…”

I hesitated.
He looked at me.

“Does it hurt?”

“No. It’s fine, so let go.”

I mumbled, avoiding his gaze.
He let go slowly.

“I just scratched myself while playing earlier. Doesn’t even hurt.”

I rubbed my wrist.

“That’s good.”

“…What is?”

“That it doesn’t hurt.
Because pain leads to death.
And if you’re not in pain, it means you won’t die.
Right?”

He smiled.
Wait, he can smile like that?

“Eunyul, I…”

His voice softened, bathed in moonlight.

“I hope… you don’t die.”