Little Pink Starfish

[The Constellation ‘Love Born with Bubbles’ is withdrawing their authority.]

Bubbles shimmered in the night sky.

Their colors were varied, yet each one was so luminously bright that it felt problematic beneath the darkness.

Han Iro reached out and popped one in his hand.

It left behind only the faintest trace of moisture—its light had vanished entirely.

It was late at night.

After watering the vegetables in his garden one by one, Han Iro sat in a plastic chair set in a corner of the yard.

The distant view was unnaturally bright for nighttime.

Thanks to the light bulbs.

A non-burning flame, but still a flame nonetheless—spreading a quiet glow.

Han Iro thought the city lights were unpleasant.

When light bulbs were first installed in Gyeongbokgung Palace during the late Joseon era, people had feared them.

…Fire.

Han Iro touched the burn-scarred side of his face.

It wasn’t hot.

He couldn’t feel anything at all.

[The Constellation ‘Love Born with Bubbles’ wonders about your thoughts.]

“…Hmm.”

Han Iro smiled faintly.

Love Born with Bubbles was a peculiar Constellation.

Even with their authority restricted by The Savior Who Is One and All, they could easily see through their contractor’s thoughts if they wanted to.

Especially with divinity as high as Love Born with Bubbles.

But instead of peering through him, she simply asked.

What are you thinking?

How are you feeling today?

What kind of styling do you want?

Han Iro had never heard of a Constellation like that.

Constellations were meant to simply offer whatever help they deemed necessary…

Then again, she was the goddess of love.

Love is a relationship that begins with asking and is sealed with consent…

So maybe these questions were the most goddess-of-love-like thing she could do.

I was thinking about expressions.

Han Iro responded silently as he gazed into the distance.

And recalled the interview Ryu Eunyul gave:

“Q. What was your intention with the final ‘collapse performance’?”
[A. Ryu Eunyul: Ah… it wasn’t a collapse—I wanted to portray death. (awkward chuckle) Was that too much? I did worry about that. But to talk about what happened in Jeju, I couldn’t leave it out. I felt it shouldn’t be ignored. Our lives are built upon someone else’s death, so… I thought the performance had to include that.”]

He’s lying, obviously…

It was probably a made-up explanation to cover for fainting from overexertion.

And yet—Han Iro couldn’t help but feel Eunyul’s words were more sincere than the truth itself.

Why is that?

He tilted his head.

Rowen had once told him that Ryu Eunyul had, without hesitation, leapt to save a child from an oncoming car just before the CYB contest started.

…Such a kind person.

That had been his honest reaction at the time.

But now—

What kind of expression did Eunyul have back then?

That question came to him unprompted.

Because during the Jeju performance—when he collapsed—Eunyul had looked…

…happy.

Nobody else seemed to notice, but Han Iro did.

Expression monitoring was basic training for actors.

Han Iro had studied countless facial expressions and practiced every variation.

So he saw it—Ryu Eunyul had been startled, but for a brief moment, he smiled.

It was the brightest, most serene smile.

…Strange.

That’s why he’d become curious.

It wasn’t a calculated expression.

Ryu Eunyul was someone who had never trained his facial muscles.

His day-to-day expressions changed so often based on his feelings, it was almost comical.

Back then too…

Han Iro remembered the rooftop in Jeju.

“I can’t tell you.”

Eunyul had looked genuinely apologetic when saying he couldn’t reveal more about himself.

“I really wanted to beat you.”

When declaring his resolve to win, his face had looked as friendly as ever.

Who says stuff like that with a smile like that?

Han Iro chuckled and stood from the plastic chair.

[The Constellation ‘Love Born with Bubbles’ wonders about your thoughts.]

I got curious after seeing Eunyul.

Han Iro replied silently.

What was my expression like, goddess… when I walked into the flames?

He looked past the hill, watering can still in hand.

Everywhere he looked, it was bright.

A nightscape that looked almost ablaze.

Back during the third prelim, his teammate Jeong Jinseon had said this:

“Han Iro, what kind of expression is that?”

Han Iro had long since stopped being able to predict his own facial expressions.

Ever since he stopped looking in mirrors.

“Don’t make that face. It’s annoying.”

…Was it?

What kind of expression had it been?

When I ran into the fire to save Lee Jeongyi…

Han Iro decided to ask the goddess.

What kind of expression did I have?

[The Constellation ‘Love Born with Bubbles’ replies without hesitation.]
<Surely, it was lovely.>

Ah…

To a goddess…

To someone not human…

Even that must have looked lovely.

---

“Whew. This month’s revenue’s pretty sweet.”

With a satisfied grin, Choi Sooyeon leaned back in her chair.

Her YouTube revenue had surged—thanks entirely to CYB.

She ran the channel “Entertainment Cashback.”

Most K-entertainment YouTubers didn’t actually go out and report.

They were mostly “cyber wreckers,” scraping sensational articles from tabloids and repackaging them into videos.

But Choi Sooyeon was different.

She did fieldwork.

That made her stand out—and gave her credibility. As a former fansite master, she also had a keen eye for visuals and footage.

Of course, fieldwork took labor.

As her channel grew, she had to hire staff for on-site coverage and outsource video editing.

What started as a joke of a channel name had become something like a small startup.

Her life had definitely gotten busier.

Still can’t shake the habit of following idols around…

For the CYB male idol division, she insisted on going herself.

I even flew to Jeju. Guess I’m still too passionate…

She stretched.

The third round had taken place in Jeju, and just hours ago, Neobus aired the behind-the-scenes broadcast.

Looking at the schedule, the finals would start in about three weeks, and PR videos would be released before then.

Probably a group song too…

So much to do.

Choi Sooyeon rested her chin in her hand and moved her mouse.

It was time to scan SNS and community reactions.

There were three teams that stood out in her memory from the Jeju prelim.

First, obviously…

Han Iro’s team.

He was the most famous contestant in the male idol division this season.

Naturally, all eyes were on him.

But something smells fishy…

She skimmed through community posts.

― Han Iro basically carried that whole stage
― Thought he was just a pretty face but that voice drop though…
― That Adam’s apple grew up nicely too
― Did y’all see those bubbles he made? Even the Constellation was a perfect match, our Iro ㅠㅠ
ㄴ Fill my bathtub with those bubbles and I’ll never get old again

The reactions were solid.

Definitely good for clicks and views.

…Still.

One comment caught her eye.

― Doesn’t it feel like Han Iro’s trying to hog the spotlight? The team name is literally just his name spelled out.

…I knew it.

It was a team battle, but advancement was judged individually.

Yet the team name was “H.I.R”—Han Iro’s initials—and he was team leader and center.

There’s no way the other members were okay with that…

But at the same time—

Did Han Iro even have a reason to act so aggressively?

He’d only starred in one movie recently, but even so, that single project had left enough of an impression for his child-actor legacy to linger.

He was young, but a veteran of CYB.

He knows better than to grab for the spotlight like that.

So maybe it wasn’t his doing.

Maybe it was set up that way.

If he was inevitably going to stand out, then presenting the team in a way that stirred backlash would help balance public perception.

― Doesn’t it feel like Han Iro’s trying to take everything for himself?
ㄴ Right? If he’s the only one from his team who makes it, it’ll look bad…

…So that kind of response becomes possible.

Choi Sooyeon had been a fan for a long time.

She knew how fandoms worked.

The more seasoned the fan, the more they anticipated the risks their own fave could pose.

She had once quit a fandom after her “fave” caused a scandal.

So she couldn’t help but suspect deliberate manipulation.

It’s all just another world where people live, after all…

At any rate, Han Iro would almost certainly advance.

The second team that caught her eye—

― Anyone gonna talk about Team EXTRA?

EXTRA team.

They’d flown under the radar, but their performance had made an impression.

Especially…

― I was gonna say! They basically rewrote the whole song!
― Heard the team leader did it all without a mentor? But the kid’s so quiet, I forgot his name…
ㄴ Min Heejae
ㄴ YES!! Thank you ㅠㅠ

Min Heejae.

The performance was mid-high tier, but the arrangement stood out.

He’d basically self-produced.

Pro-level. Maybe even better than some pros.

He could’ve joined CYB earlier, but—

Small agency. He’s 21.

He was a strong candidate to make finals.

And the last team that stood out—

― I legit cried watching Team Gravity’s performance

Yeah, they were amazing.

Choi Sooyeon nodded.

If someone asked her which Jeju team was most balanced, she’d pretend to think for a second, then name Gravity.

That song was a landmine, and they still pulled it off…

Their research showed, and Ryu Eunyul’s rewritten lyrics had worked surprisingly well.

Vocals were excellent too.

He had this subtle sadness, even in his expressions—and apparently in his voice as well.

And Madojin rapped?!

She hadn’t expected that.

The main dancer also handled Holly’s notoriously tough choreography impressively.

Han Iro may have drawn too much spotlight, but Gravity was in the perfect spot—beloved without baggage.

― Did you see Eunyul’s violin performance? Gave me chills…
ㄴ Confirmed his Constellation is Vivaldi

― That collapse performance? Damn
― I literally passed out watching Eunyul pass out and just woke up
― Why is Madojin so good though?
ㄴ He sounded soft in the 1st round but rapped like a beast
― No weak links. Hope they all blow up ㅠㅠ
― Y’all remember Eunyul’s fly?
― omg lmaoooooo how’s the fly doing
― I miss Nipple Handsome…
ㄴ He could show up in my dreams again and I’d sleep like Sleeping Beauty forever

Exactly as expected.

Choi Sooyeon laughed.

The collapse bit might’ve been a bit much…

People who disliked it would really dislike it.

She glanced at the paused video of Ryu Eunyul singing.

Should I help him out a bit?

The thought struck her.

I still feel bad about the whole fly picture thing…

…Not saying she’s becoming a fan or anything.

Choi Sooyeon clicked her mouse.

Time to dig into the darker corners of the internet.

---

“…It worked.”

That was my conclusion.

I checked the reactions on SNS and community boards. Not bad.

I towel-dried my damp hair and tossed the laundry into the basket.

Then I collapsed onto my bed with a sigh of relief.

Our team probably ranked high in the third round.

<Didn’t I tell you to relax? Your heart’s like a bald man’s hairline—fragile and sparse.>

The Star Hated by All plopped down onto my pillow.

“…No…”

I sat up.

Plugged in my phone and took a deep breath.

“This is all surface-level reaction.”

If I dug deeper, I was sure to find the real stuff.

Even Rowen had haters, after all.

I grabbed my phone.

<What are you planning, creature?>

To the buzzing voice of my Constellation, I gave my answer.

It’s time… to log back into “that account.”