Little Pink Starfish

He blew on the well-roasted, piping hot potato and took a bite—it was quite tasty. There was a slightly off part, but since he gave both ramen and potato, maybe deep down, he’s a good and decent person? Though honestly, it’s hard to believe that someone who makes a living by killing could be a good person.

After filling his stomach with three or four potatoes, Ebi rummaged through his coat and pulled out the rice cakes he’d stashed. He skewered them on a stick, grilled them nicely, and handed them to Saeon. Watching Saeon silently and easily eat them, Ebi blinked rapidly a couple of times.

Sleepiness was creeping in. Out of habit, he turned on his phone, but the battery was completely dead—the screen was black. He yawned and stepped into the abandoned house. As he lay down in the same spot he had slept in the night before, Saeon followed him in and stood there, blankly staring. Ebi tossed and turned for a bit, but the stare was too intense, so he asked,

“Why are you just standing there like that?”

Saeon tilted his head, then sat down. That’s not what Ebi meant. He tossed again, but couldn’t take it anymore and asked,

“Why are you staring at me like that?”

“It’s my first time seeing a day goblin. It’s fascinating.”

“Oh… I see. Still, you shouldn’t stare at someone while they’re trying to sleep.”

“Why not?”

Ebi’s mouth opened a little. Why? Did he just ask why? He thought Saeon might be picking a fight, but looking at his blank face, it didn’t seem that way. He was genuinely curious.

Why is he curious about something like this? Like someone who’s never done social interaction in their life.

“Because it makes the other person uncomfortable?”

“Why is that?”

Ebi lost his words again. No matter how he looked at it, Saeon didn’t seem to be teasing him. He seemed to be seriously thinking, If it makes them uncomfortable, so what?

“When someone feels uncomfortable… they usually start to dislike the person who made them feel that way.”

This got a reaction from Saeon. He blinked a couple of times and leaned in closer to Ebi. In those faded black pupils, Ebi saw his own dumbstruck face reflected. His heart began to pound again. As he barely regained his composure, Saeon asked in a low voice, tickling Ebi’s ear.

“Then do you dislike me right now?”

“No, not yet… not enough to say I dislike you.”

“Got it. I won’t look.”

Saeon turned his body to the side and lowered his eyes. His lashes cast a faint shadow beneath his eyes. That was all, and yet Ebi felt his chest swell. Spending time with humans had always been pleasant, but never this pleasant. It wasn’t quite the same as just feeling happy. It felt like his chest was full of soft cotton.

He had never felt this awkward being with a human! Growing restless for no reason, Ebi quietly said,

“Sometimes… I mean, it’s okay to look now and then.”

“Okay.”

“…Alright, then I’ll just—”

“Do you like me?”

With that innocent look again, Saeon asked, and Ebi sat up abruptly, giving up on sleep. He scolded Saeon gently.

“What are you talking about? You like me. You’re my fan, remember?”

“…Really?”

“Really! …Of course, I’m not saying I don’t like you.”

Ebi hastily added. Saeon sat cross-legged and fell into thought. As his head tilted to the side, the piercings on his ears glimmered faintly in the dark.

“So if I like you, I’m a fan?”

“That’s… not wrong, but also not really right…”

For nearly 500 years, Ebi had been in charge of educating young goblins since he was about 300. This was because Igok found it a hassle, and young goblins were scared of the Goblin King. Ebi had a knack for guiding young goblins to awaken their intellect, following the way the scholar once taught him.

And now, while facing fully-grown adult Saeon, he couldn’t help but feel like he was dealing with a young goblin.

“More precisely, you became a fan because you liked me. But there are different types of liking.”

“Different types?”

Saeon stared straight at Ebi and asked. How old is this human that I have to explain this to him? Ebi was troubled but answered step by step.

“There’s the kind of love for family, love for friends, love for coworkers, and then…”

“And then?”

“The kind of love for a lover.”

As soon as he said it, Ebi felt strangely embarrassed and cleared his throat. He hoped Saeon would understand at that point, but Saeon tilted his head again.

“What exactly is different about loving a lover?”

“It’s… very different. If you love a lover, you want to hold hands, kiss… and, um…”

Honestly, this wasn’t something he ever explained to young goblins. The goblin race rarely had sexual desire or romantic love. They were a very platonic species.

Feeling shy, Ebi avoided eye contact and awkwardly continued, but when he glanced at Saeon, he saw him smiling brightly. That smile finally snapped Ebi back to his senses.

“You’re not asking because you don’t know!”

Come on! Acting all innocent like that—he was teasing me! Ebi gave Saeon a dirty look, feeling indignant. Saeon wore a faint smirk on his lips.

“Goblins are so naive.”

“Ugh…”

Ebi clenched his fist, unable to deny it. No wonder there are legends of goblins being tricked and robbed of gold by humans. If not for the Goblin King, goblins might’ve been wiped out long ago, penniless.

“Teasing someone is kind of fun.”

Saeon said, like he had never done it before. Ebi, still suspicious, tried not to fall for it easily.

“You don’t have any friends?”

“No such thing.”

Parents? Siblings? A teacher or someone you look up to? A lover? Every question was answered with, “No.” At this point, Ebi became deeply curious about how Saeon had lived his life.

“Did your parents pass away early…?”

“I never had parents to begin with.”

Saeon answered indifferently, without sadness. Ebi didn’t pry further, worried he might touch a sore spot. A silence fell between them. Listening to the insects chirping outside, sleep crept in again. Ebi tried to keep his eyes open and look at Saeon, but eventually, they closed.

Soon, gentle breathing was heard, and Saeon turned his head. He stared at Ebi without blinking.

Once he was sure Ebi was asleep, his eyes clearly showed interest. Without a care for dust, Saeon lay down next to Ebi and propped his head on one arm. He tilted his head, then reached out.

He had faced countless monsters in his life and death battles—some more common than goblins, and others so rare they couldn’t even compare. But in this moment, his current companion felt more rare than anything.

Day goblin. He mumbled to himself, then stretched out his hand. Like a spider crawling, his fingers tapped the spot he’d poked before and crept upward playfully. It was like a mischievous child’s action. Is this really a goblin?

“…Ebi.”

He called the name, but there was no response—Ebi was in a deep sleep. Saeon touched his chin, then the tip of his nose. A sweet scent wafted from him. Saeon lightly brushed Ebi’s lips and swallowed the saliva in his mouth, whispering again.

“Ebi…”

For a hunter who only sleeps lightly during the day, that night felt especially long and sweet.

🍬

When Ebi woke up in the morning, Saeon was gone. Thinking he’d love a hot soup with rice, Ebi sat on the porch, soaking in the sun. Suddenly, he noticed the red thread tied around his ankle. He narrowed his eyes and stared at it. The design was simple—red thread tied in a plum blossom knot at four sides.

“What the heck is this thing for?”

A hunter’s item was bound to be suspicious. Ebi tried transforming right there. No problem. He next tried transforming into a fox—when something red caught his eye. A plum blossom knot of red thread was tied around his slender leg.

Startled, Ebi jumped around in place and transformed into a fox. A reddish shimmer flickered near the base of his tail, though it was hard to see. Then he transformed into a little field mouse. Again, the red plum blossom knot was tied around his tail.

Why is it still there even after transforming!?

Just as Ebi was spinning in circles chasing his tail, Saeon returned to the abandoned house. Ebi was so focused he didn’t notice at first, only snapping out of it under the weight of Saeon’s stare. Embarrassed about being caught chasing his own tail, Ebi shrank down, and Saeon came closer and asked,

“Are you pretending to be an acorn?”

“…What?”

Ebi perked up his head, not sure he heard right. Saeon came even closer, squatted in front of the porch, and with a thunderous voice asked right by Ebi’s ear:

“Are you pretending to be an acorn, Ebi?”

“You don’t have to yell in my ear—I heard you!”

The little field mouse with a tiny acorn-shaped bag jumped in surprise and shouted. Sure, he’d gone with the instincts of a small animal for a bit, but did he deserve this?

“I’m not pretending to be an acorn! The bag just looks like one!”

Besides, when Ebi transformed into a field mouse, the acorn-shaped bag was his personal transformation preference. He had never found it embarrassing—yet for some reason, his ears were burning.

“I just thought you were small and cute, like an acorn…”

Saeon trailed off while softly tapping Ebi’s pink ear with his fingertip. Ebi cleared his throat, trying to calm down while stroking the tip of his tail. He had to admit, his mouse form was pretty cute. Field mice were nothing like city rats—they were tiny and adorable. After a moment of daze, Saeon mumbled,

“If I squashed you, I bet you’d go crunch…”

Ebi froze mid-stroke. “Your acorn bag,” Saeon added. But seriously—Ebi really didn’t want to become a squashed, though cute, acorn in front of Saeon. So he quickly dropped the transformation. Saeon looked just a bit disappointed.