“It’s that dream again…”
Looking down at his tiny body, Min Heejae thought.
Yes. He was dreaming.
He was facing an old memory through a dream.
In the dream, Min Heejae had the unmistakable body of an elementary schooler.
Back then, he hated being small.
He hated his short height, his small hands, his quiet voice.
He thought they got in the way of making music.
That’s why he always wanted to grow up quickly.
“Ha ha…”
A laugh slipped out.
He was dreaming, but he knew it was a dream.
And even though he knew it was a dream, he couldn’t change anything.
Meh— mee-ehh—
The sound of cicadas came in through the window.
As he stared blankly at the old scenery, Min Heejae turned his gaze.
There was a piano.
An old piano.
Despite its worn appearance, it was immaculately maintained inside.
“The piano I used to play endlessly…”
Min Heejae gently ran his fingers across the keys.
He had once loved those densely arranged black and white keys. He clearly remembered that feeling as a child.
Then maybe I’ll play it with a child’s heart.
Breathing in, Min Heejae placed his hands on the keys.
Just as he was about to press down with his fingertips—
“Hey.”
A voice called out.
It was a girl’s voice.
And at that moment, his vision went dark.
It was a warm darkness.
Because it was made by someone’s hands.
“You always used to cover my eyes with your hands like this…”
Thinking that, Min Heejae smiled.
“…Just like always, you.”
“Hey. You know….”
The girl whispered into Min Heejae’s ear.
“…You smell really sad.”
No way.
Min Heejae denied it.
Dreams had no color, no scent—and yet this scentless dream kept trying to sniff him.
“…I don’t smell like anything.”
Min Heejae said that.
And then, his vision brightened.
Ding! Di-ring—!
An alarm went off.
Min Heejae sat up.
“I’m so sick of this….”
Pressing a hand to his throbbing forehead, Min Heejae thought.
He got out of bed, washed up, and stood blankly in the center of the dorm.
“Get it together.”
Running a hand through his hair, he looked around.
Sunlight streamed through the window, casting light on the upright piano they’d placed in the dorm.
Min Heejae sat before the piano.
“Let’s warm up a bit.”
He placed his hands on the keys, inhaled, and began playing without pause.
Franz Liszt’s “Transcendental Étude No. 9: Ricordanza.”
Liszt’s Transcendental Études, infamous for demanding extreme skill and expressiveness, were no easy feat.
But Min Heejae had never once struggled with them.
The piano was the most familiar toy he had.
While kids his age cuddled robots and dolls, Min Heejae had always been at the piano.
He was better at playing with the piano than with robots or dolls.
“But I can’t do that anymore.”
As he gently played the endless cadenzas, Min Heejae lifted his hands from the keys.
“It’s embarrassing.”
He spoke to the air.
“That I have to let you hear this clumsy performance….”
Then, a hollow voice echoed in his head.
<Status effect ‘May I Stay in Your Memories?’ has been activated.><Your stats have drastically decreased.>
Cafeteria of the Central Headquarters of the Sorrow Guild.
Thunk.
“Good morning, Eunyul-hyung!”
Said Jeong Noeul, placing down a plate of salad.
“Mm, sleep well?”
I asked while shoveling Greek yogurt into my mouth.
Jeong Noeul grinned as he sat down.
Then, in a hushed voice, he whispered to me.
“Hyung, guess what? Last night, I saw Heejae-hyung in front of your room.”
“Ugh….”
I frowned.
Why was he snooping around my room again?
Last night, I’d been with Madojin past midnight.
He’d asked me to teach him how to sing with emotion, and I’d worked hard to help him.
Well, maybe not teach, but we struggled through it together.
The result wasn’t too satisfying.
Still, it seemed like Madojin ended up singing with something that felt like emotion….
“Well, there’s nothing more I can do.”
After all, I was just a trainee, and more importantly, Madojin and I were competitors.
But anyway—
“Why was Min Heejae in front of my room?”
That was the issue.
“I don’t know.”
Jeong Noeul replied seriously.
“…Yeah. I figured. But why were you in front of my room?”
“Ah, that’s…”
Jeong Noeul hesitated, then explained.
He suspected Min Heejae might be a murderer. That maybe the ghost he saw near him was proof. So he followed him.
“No way.”
I sighed.
“Didn’t your Constellation tell you? People who’ve committed crimes can’t even make contracts with Constellations.”
…Because I was nearly denied one for that same reason.
“…Really?”
Jeong Noeul looked to the sky, seemingly consulting his Constellation, “Traveler from Asteroid B-612.”
“Ah—sorry! I’m sorry for ignoring you!”
Jeong Noeul suddenly clutched his head.
Apparently, he was being scolded for not listening.
<Didn’t I tell you already?! But you ignored me and wandered around anyway!>
So that’s a divine flick to the forehead incoming.
“Anyway, I was suspicious, so I followed Heejae-hyung….”
Jeong Noeul said.
“…and I found out a few things.”
“Like what?”
He explained what he’d learned about Min Heejae.
First, Min Heejae couldn’t see the ghost attached to him.
Second, he knew there was a ghost attached to him.
Third, he cherished that ghost.
“…Cherished it?”
I asked, and Jeong Noeul nodded.
“He asked me what the ghost looked like. I told him—a grown woman, with a happy expression, not something you usually see in ghosts. He looked relieved. But he said it with a really sad expression….”
“Wait, wait—hold up!”
I grabbed Jeong Noeul by the shoulders and whispered.
“You told Heejae you can see ghosts?”
He nodded.
“And he believed you?”
He nodded again.
“…You want me to smack you?”
“Why?! Why?!”
I sighed.
We didn’t know if Min Heejae was good or bad.
Hopefully good, but…
If he were good, he wouldn’t have snuck into my room and left that weird letter.
He was someone to be wary of.
And yet Jeong Noeul just told him he could see ghosts?
I couldn’t understand it.
Jeong Noeul desperately defended himself.
“I-I was gonna subdue him if he was bad! I was going to use Abrilah’s Crown! So I wasn’t wrong and I really don’t want a smack….”
And then, his face froze.
He said something ominous.
“…Uh. Good morning, Heejae-hyung?”
Damn it. No way….
I gritted my teeth and turned around.
“Good morning, Noeul. Thanks for last night.”
As expected, Min Heejae was standing there.
“And good morning to you too, Eunyul.”
“Ah, morning….”
“You two look like you’re having fun. Am I interrupting?”
“No, not at all. We weren’t exactly having a joyful conversation.”
I stood up.
“Well, I’ll be going—”
“Wait.”
As I tried to slip away, Min Heejae stopped me.
“Let’s have a chat, Eunyul.”
“I have nothing to say to you.”
“That can’t be. We’re on the same team, right? Don’t we need to brainstorm some ideas?”
He asked with a sly smile.
“T-then I’ll join—”
Jeong Noeul raised a hand.
“No need. I only need Eunyul right now.”
That’s… genuinely terrifying.
I squeezed my eyes shut.
Min Heejae and I headed for Studio B on the 12th floor.
Since this was the dorm facility for the competition, the Sorrow Guild’s Central HQ had all kinds of spaces for CYB contestants.
Production studios were, of course, among them.
“You get 3 hours per reservation. I booked this yesterday so we could work together.”
Min Heejae said with a smile.
“So thorough of you, Mr. Min Heejae….”
I walked beside him, desperate to run away.
“Starlight… help me….”
I sent a silent prayer to my Constellation.
<Hm. Now would be the perfect time to dismantle him without a trace.>
Don’t you dare.
<It was a clever joke. Fine, creation. I’ll help. I was about to talk to you anyway.>
“…Really?”
<Don’t get happy. Your emotions show too easily. Keep a poker face. And walk while listening.>
I composed my expression.
Kept pace with Min Heejae, step by step.
<While you were off doing that silly singing lesson, I did some digging on that ghost-ridden creature.>
“How…?”
<Does it matter? I am The Star Hated by All. Nothing is impossible. I merely broke into the ghosted one’s room.>
“…Using your fly powers?”
<I used the power of teleportation…>
“Anyway. Did you find anything?”
<Of course. I’ve uncovered something crucial about the ghost-ridden creature.>
While Starlight clamored excitedly inside his metal case, Min Heejae and I reached the studio.
“No need to be nervous, Eunyul.”
Min Heejae said with a sharp smile.
“I’m only here to win. I don’t care about anything else. I don’t get upset just because you and Noeul badmouthed me during breakfast.”
“It wasn’t badmouthing….”
“I said I’m not upset.”
“No, I mean, it wasn’t badmouthing—”
“Hmph. Not upset.”
He really sounds upset though….
Beep—
Unlocking the door.
Clack!
We entered the studio.
“Oho. A fine synthesizer.”
Min Heejae admired the analog synth keys.
I was watching him from behind when—
<Creation. You likely already know what that one really is…>
Starlight’s voice rang in my head.
“You think I know what Heejae really is…?”
<Well, not for sure. I’m not exactly up-to-date with modern trends…>
With rare uncertainty in his voice, Starlight asked:
<Creation, do you know Ludwig Shock Beethoven?>
“Ludwig Shock Beethoven…?”
What kind of electrocuted name is that?
“…Wait.”
I had heard that name before.
But never did I expect it from Starlight’s mouth.
Because Ludwig Shock Beethoven was—
“…a famous YouTube artist?”
Little Pink Starfish 
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