Little Pink Starfish

It hadn’t been long since they’d started living in the dorms.

While walking down the hallway, Jeong Noeul overheard a conversation.

“Hey, did you hear about the recording room on the seventh floor?”

“What about it?”

“Someone said they saw a ghost in there.”

“…A ghost?”

“Yeah…”

“Like, ectoplasm or something? I thought all that disappeared when the Gates closed?”

“Either way, let’s not go near it.”

“Well, there are plenty of other recording rooms, so…”

The contestants walked off, chatting like that.

Jeong Noeul believed every word.

Jeju Island was filled with lingering souls.

Even after working tirelessly every night to help those spirits find peace—with barely enough sleep to keep going—it never seemed to end.

Thanks to all that effort, and the help of a certain shaman, most of the wandering souls had been laid to rest.

But in all that rushing around, he’d put off investigating the rumor.

Jeong Noeul sprinted forward, catching his breath.

He dashed up the stairs to the seventh-floor recording room, dodging cameras along the way.

Because of me… Eunyul-hyung…

A voice rang in his mind—The Traveler from Asteroid B-612.

<Wait, Noeul.>

“Why? I’m busy!”

His voice came out sharp without thinking.

Swish—

He heard the soft fluttering of a muffler.

Before him appeared the Traveler from Asteroid B-612.

A beautiful boy with a red scarf draped around him.

A small, pale face curled in a gentle smile.<Calm down.>

He gave a little chuckle and hugged Jeong Noeul.

<I didn’t tell you about your past life so you’d end up like this.>

Normally, a Constellation couldn’t show their form to their contractor.

More precisely, they were forbidden from doing so by the rules set by the Savior Who Is One and All.

Of course, many had broken that rule.

Though a heavy penalty followed, some moments called for it.

But the Traveler from Asteroid B-612 could appear before Jeong Noeul whenever he wished.

Because their relationship wasn’t really one of contract.

On the surface, it looked like one.

But in truth, Jeong Noeul was more like someone being monitored by the Traveler.

After all, it was decided that the reincarnation of Abrilah must be watched—and that’s how the Traveler became his Constellation.

It was the only way.

Had he not made that argument, Jeong Noeul would never have been allowed to form a bond with any Constellation.

“You’re heavy.”

Jeong Noeul said, patting the Traveler’s head.

<That’s a lie. I’m a spirit-class being, so I have no weight in the human world.>

“I meant emotionally.”<I know.>

The Traveler looked into his face.

Jeong Noeul’s expression was heavy.

“When I touched the fragment of the star in the sanctuary… it made sense.”

Why the stars, the Constellations, looked at him with such hatred.

Why he could see spirits from a young age.

Why they always hovered near him, all looking so full of pain.

“Because I committed a sin so great… that I can never look away from them.”

<Noeul.>

The Traveler widened his eyes.

<Was your birth a mistake?>

Jeong Noeul flinched.

<I don’t think so. I’m the one who made it possible for you to be born. I’m a kind of god, too—not on the level of the Savior Who Is One and All, but enough to say this: you are a child loved by the gods.>

Before his death, the Prince of the Otherworld, Abrilah, had said this:

<If I’m ever granted another life… I’d like to try living as a human.>

Considering the weight of his crimes, it was a wish that should never have been granted.

If the Traveler and his contractor at the time had not permitted it, Abrilah could never have been reincarnated.

Maybe that’s why.

Because of how grave the sins were.

The soul of Abrilah was so vast, so saturated with magical power, that even his reincarnation had inherited a portion of it.

It had been an unforeseen result.

His soul was so powerful that even if the Traveler hadn’t told him, Jeong Noeul would have remembered his past life eventually.

With salvation comes responsibility.

Watching the life Jeong Noeul had lived up to the sanctuary, the Traveler thought:

<It seems… I must take responsibility for that child.>

That’s why he stayed at Jeong Noeul’s side.

<Feeling better now?>

He released the embrace and asked.

Jeong Noeul nodded.

<Let’s go. I’ll always be with you.>

Not for the sake of monitoring.

Not because of a contract.

Solely, and wholly, out of responsibility.

“…Okay.”

Jeong Noeul straightened up, gripping the Traveler’s hand.

Maybe Abrilah wasn’t meant to exist in this world.

But that doesn’t mean I’m a mistake.

With that conviction, he followed the trail of the will-o’-the-wisp.

At last, he stood before the seventh-floor recording room.

Just as he thought—the spirit said to reside here was real.

A clear trace of the will-o’-the-wisp remained at the door.

He ran a finger across it.

So much magic.

That meant a powerful soul was inside.

Jeong Noeul steadied his breathing.

Knock knock.

“Is someone there?”

<Hey! Do you think they’re gonna answer?>

The Traveler shouted in disbelief.

“Oh… right.”

Jeong Noeul laughed awkwardly.

Then he reached for the door.

Creeeak—

As if welcoming him, the door opened on its own.

“They answered.”

He shrugged.

<…Huh?>

“Shall we go in?”

Jeong Noeul stepped boldly into the room.

It was dark.

Though some light leaked through the windows, the darkness inside seemed to swallow it whole.

“…Something feels off.”

As he murmured—<So it was you.>

A voice echoed.

<You are… my next life, aren’t you?>

What?

Jeong Noeul’s eyes widened.

<Wh-whoa… you, you’re—!>

The Traveler cried out in a shaken voice.

The source of the voice stepped from the shadows.

A face that looked like Jeong Noeul.

Older, with a deeper voice—but unmistakably similar.

He wore the same crown.

“…Abrilah?”

Jeong Noeul murmured in disbelief.

He’d never seen him, but he knew.

This was his past life.

<Abrilah… so you were still alive?>

The Traveler muttered blankly.

<It’s been a while, beautiful Traveler.>

Abrilah responded calmly.

<But no—unfortunately, I am dead. My body turned to dust. My soul…>

He stepped toward Jeong Noeul.

<…has become human.>

Thump.

Jeong Noeul’s heart pounded.

His hair stood on end.

His chest was filled with an unnamed rush of emotion.

Yet the Traveler, unfazed, chuckled.

<Still making that same dull face?>

<Is that so?>

Abrilah lifted both index fingers and pushed up the corners of his lips.

<I tried smiling more, just like you advised.>

<I told you to seek happiness, not to smile more.>

<Aren’t they the same?>

“Wait, hang on…”

Jeong Noeul spoke up.

“What is going on right now?”

<Ah, Noeul. I think that’s probably a residual echo of Abrilah…>

The Traveler started to explain—<I came to see you. My next life.>

Abrilah said with a soft smile.

“You came to see me…?”

<Do not worry. I have no power to revive myself. My soul resides fully in you. I only manifested for a moment, through the memory of a lingering soul.>

<I thought so…>

The Traveler nodded.

<You and I both… once you touch the domain of absolutes, you can never truly vanish.>

<Indeed, beautiful Traveler. This is a cursed existence…>

Abrilah let out a bitter laugh and turned to Jeong Noeul.<My next life. I am glad I could see you.>

“…Glad?”

<I’ve been hoping for you. I wanted to see you. I wanted to etch your existence into what little remains of my life.>

“Why…?”

<Because I didn’t believe. I didn’t believe someone like you could exist. My sins were too heavy. Wanting reincarnation… was nothing but arrogance.>

Abrilah smiled bitterly.

Then he looked at the Traveler.

<Beautiful Traveler… I really did become human, didn’t I?>

<It was a pain convincing the Savior Who Is One and All, but…>

The Traveler scratched his head.

<I figured it would be your greatest punishment… and your perfect salvation.>

<Agreed.>

Abrilah crouched to meet Jeong Noeul’s gaze.

He stared into his face.

<My next life. You bring me such joy… and such pain.>

“I… I…”

Jeong Noeul averted his eyes.

“I may look like you, but I’m not you. I came this far to comfort the souls you murdered.”

<So you carry my sins in my stead. In that case…>

Abrilah gently touched Jeong Noeul’s cheek.

It was so cold he flinched.<Then you are the very beauty of humanity I once discovered. I only realized it at the very end.>

He had slaughtered countless people.

Corrupted vast lands.

<That beauty of humanity… was guilt.>

“Guilt…?”<The heart that endlessly blames itself. A beautiful emotion that only humans can feel.>

Abrilah smiled.

<So you no longer need to be bound by me. Your life is yours. I’m glad I could tell you that.>

Shhhh—

His form began to dissolve into light.

<You’ve already done what I could not. Even with all the power I once held, I could not save a single soul. And so, you are not me.>

Jeong Noeul reached out to the fading figure.

To strike him?

To hold onto him?

He didn’t know.

But he couldn’t reach him.

<Farewell. I will remain forever evil within the memory of the dead.>

In the darkness, only his voice lingered.

<…So, my reincarnation. Go and save the spirits bound to my wickedness. Only then may we truly become separate beings.>

With that, his voice vanished.

…

…

Jeong Noeul stood frozen.

The Traveler simply watched him.

Neither spoke.

Until—

Slap! Slap!

Jeong Noeul smacked his own cheeks with both hands.

“Alright! No more gloomy thoughts!”

The Traveler tilted his head, surprised.

“There’s not much time left in Jeju. I have to help the spirits pass on! No time for sulking!”

<…Well, that’s true.>

Faster recovery than expected?

The Traveler was about to say when—

Hic— Hiccup—

A child’s crying echoed.

At some point, a small child had appeared where Abrilah once stood.

The child’s body was covered in wounds.

It didn’t take long for either of them to understand.

This was the spirit Abrilah had used as a medium.

Jeong Noeul bent down.

“Hi there.”

The crying child looked up at him.

<W-who are you…?>

Who indeed?

Jeong Noeul suddenly remembered—he looked like Abrilah.

“Hmm… I guess I look kinda scary, huh? I might remind you of the Prince of the Otherworld…”

But the child, still sniffling, tilted their head.

<Not really… you look… different. Where’s Mom and Dad…?>

Jeong Noeul couldn’t answer that.

Instead, he smiled.

And held out his hand.

“You don’t have to be scared. Want me to sing for you?”

—

― When I close my eyes, I’m home
Here, I cried the most
Here, I learned to walk
If I don’t close my eyes, I can’t see it
My home…

Jeong Noeul sang beside the child until their soul rose into the sky.

The Traveler from Asteroid B-612 watched silently.

<…I wasn’t wrong.>

Letting Abrilah have his last words.

Deciding to stay beside his reincarnated soul.

It reminded him of an old conversation with a friend, long ago.

“Do you know what the hardest thing in the world is?”

A friend he once met in the desert.

A wise fox had once asked him that.<Of course I know.>

The Traveler murmured.

A line from a fairytale written by a pilot, long ago—

<The hardest thing in the world… is winning a person’s heart.>