Little Pink Starfish

[Biwon-ssi, what are you doing?]

A message came to Ebi’s phone—it was from Eunjun. Recently, Ebi and Eunjun had been exchanging texts frequently, growing closer. They discussed interpretations of their drama roles and even talked about personal matters. It was sad that the former scholar-nim didn’t remember him, but Ebi was simply happy to have met him again, even like this.

[Just looking at my phone.]

[If you’re not busy, want to come out? I’m having a drink with PD Jung.]

[We can chat about the project, too.]

[I’ll be there soon!]

With his face brightening instantly, Ebi jumped to his feet. He changed clothes with a cheerful magical disguise. Igok, who had been lazily puffing his smoke pipe, turned his gaze away.

“Ebi, where are you going?”

“Oh, Eunjun-ssi invited me. Said to come drink with PD Jung.”

Seeing a scholar, drinking, and hanging out with humans—all of that made Ebi smile automatically. Dongjitdal, clearly annoyed by the idea of Ebi mingling with humans, scoffed and looked away. Then, curiously, he suddenly turned back and showed a rare moment of human-name recognition.

“Eunjun…? That human you said was the reincarnated scholar?”

“Uh, yeah…”

Flustered, Ebi instinctively looked toward Igok. The king sent him a cold glance—then vanished in a massive blue flame. Ebi scratched his cheek awkwardly. He had been intentionally avoiding talk of the scholar…

Ebi, who just liked spending time with the human scholar, always felt down when Igok showed such blatant distaste for humans. With his spirits slightly dampened, he left the agency.

The place Eunjun mentioned was a high-end club lounge in Seonmun-dong. It was membership-only, meaning no press or fans—celebrities could relax there. When Ebi arrived, PD Jung’s face was already flushed red from drinking.

“Oh! Biwon-ssi, come on in, come on! Have a seat right here.”

Acting as an actor had shown Ebi that a dokkaebi’s jibok wasn’t limited to money. Every project he touched turned to gold, and directors like PD Jung adored him.

“Hello, PD Jung, and Kim Eunjun sunbaenim.”

Ebi intentionally sat close to Eunjun. PD Jung smiled, looking pleased with the pair who were sure to make the historical drama Yusu a hit. He waved, and a waiter quickly appeared.

“Ready to take your order.”

This club, “Le Blanc,” often hired aspiring actors as waiters, so the server was as cute and handsome as expected. He beamed at the trio, trying to impress, and blushed when Ebi smiled back.

They ordered drinks and snacks, and naturally the conversation turned to their work. But before long, other topics emerged. Looking around the lounge for attractive people, PD Jung said:

“I heard from the owner that Jeong Siwoo used to work here as a part-timer.”

“Guess he was really struggling back then.”

“Not just struggling—I think that was right after his contract with Girin got terminated… Well, it all worked out. Escape’s a decent agency.”

“Ah, well, Dobi Entertainment is a great agency too. Better than Escape!”

Catching Ebi’s glance, PD Jung added that last part to butter him up.

“But hey, how come we never see the CEO of Dobi? What kind of person are they?”

“Ha ha, the CEO is just… really busy, that’s all.”

“Busy or not, it kinda feels like they don’t care what their actors are up to.”

“Ah…! Your glass is empty—here, let me pour you another.”

Ebi quickly cut in and poured PD Jung a drink. The drinking continued merrily until the PD eventually passed out.

“Hehe… Yusu’s gonna be a massive hit…”

Eunjun looked at the unconscious PD in mild embarrassment and turned to Ebi with an apologetic smile.

“Sorry about this. PD-nim got a little too excited. I shouldn’t have dragged you out…”

“No, I’m really happy you invited me!”

Ebi smiled brightly, touched that Eunjun had thought of him. The two worked together to move the PD. Fortunately, Le Blanc knew PD Jung’s address. They arranged for a chauffeur to take him home, and Ebi stayed to wait for Eunjun’s manager.

“You’re playing a scholar this time, right?”

“Yes. It’s my first time playing this kind of role, so I’ve got a lot to learn. It’s also my first historical drama—so many things are different, especially the speech.”

“You’ll definitely do great, Scholar-nim.”

“Scholar-nim? Did you misspeak?”

Eunjun chuckled, his face flushed with alcohol. Ebi had let the word slip without thinking and scrambled to cover it.

“Oh, uh… You just suit the scholar title really well.”

“Biwon-ssi also fits that honorific quite nicely.”

He nodded with a soft smile. In Yusu, Biwon and Eunjun’s characters were childhood friends. Worried he might accidentally enchant Eunjun again, Ebi deliberately looked away and smiled sweetly. Just then, Eunjun’s manager called, and while Eunjun explained their location, Ebi opened and closed his hand.

Scholar-nim…

Even though he was right there in front of him, the longing surged again. Because even knowing he was the same man, it was still a completely different life. After the call, Eunjun looked at Ebi—his expression unreadable. Ebi quickly smiled, trying to hide his thoughts. Eunjun frowned, as if trying to recall something.

“…Have we met before? A long time ago?”

Ebi’s heart thudded at the question.

At that moment—drag… scrape…—a sound echoed nearby, like something heavy being dragged. Eunjun’s manager? Ebi glanced around… and froze. In the shadows, a dark figure was pulling something. With his brown eyes now tinged blue, his night vision sharpened.

It was Saeon.

Ebi wasn’t surprised Saeon had followed him this far—the golden bell on his ankle was enchanted, after all. Saeon was very good at tracking.

What was surprising was how Saeon, a human, was staring at Ebi from so far away—so clearly.

His black eyes gleamed in the dark. He was watching Ebi—and then shifted his gaze sideways.

As Saeon stared at Eunjun, his gaze narrowed. Like a predator stalking its prey. Ebi found himself blankly watching Saeon, momentarily forgetting Eunjun’s presence. For some reason, Saeon felt very far away.

There was unmistakable killing intent in his eyes.

Ebi jolted upright and stepped between Saeon and Eunjun. Maybe Saeon mistook Eunjun for another stalker. But as soon as Ebi did, Saeon’s gaze turned even colder.

“Biwon-ssi?”

Eunjun tilted his head, confused by Ebi suddenly standing so close. Ebi quickly pointed.

“Oh, isn’t that your manager’s car?”

Right on cue, Eunjun’s ride arrived. Eunjun politely said goodbye.

“Shooting starts soon. I’ll see you on set.”

“Yes, get home safe.”

Ebi waved at the car with a big smile. Once it pulled away, he turned—and gasped.

Saeon was standing right behind him.

“H-how…?”

How had he crossed that distance so fast? Ebi clutched his chest in shock. Saeon calmly asked:

“Who was that human?”

“He’s an actor I’m working with. We’re filming a historical drama together.”

“I know. Yusu, right?”

Ebi looked at Saeon with joy. Sometimes he forgot that this dangerous man was, in fact, his fan. Saeon’s face had returned to its usual blank calm. Just to be safe, Ebi led him somewhere quieter.

“What’s that?”

Every time Saeon took a step, there was a dragging thud—he was pulling a heavy suitcase. Ebi remembered what he said last time and got a bit excited.

“A gift. Open it.”

Is it millet tteok? A whole suitcase full? Ebi’s eyes sparkled. Maybe enough to share with Igok and the others.

Ebi unzipped the case with anticipation.

And met eyes with a corpse.