Little Pink Starfish

“Is there a place around here without people? If I’m not careful, someone might snap a photo of me.”

“This way.”

When the other person naturally took his hand and led him, Ebi’s heart started thumping again. Sa-eon didn’t go far. He headed toward a shaded pavilion surrounded by trees and began placing talismans on each pillar. He motioned for Ebi to come up, and when Ebi climbed into the pavilion, he felt a strange sensation.

“What kind of talismans are those?”

“Human-repelling talismans.”

“Repelling…?”

Ebi let out an awkward laugh. Maybe because they were “repelling” humans, people who approached the pavilion would suddenly stop and turn away, as if they’d forgotten what they were doing. Some didn’t even seem to realize anyone was in the pavilion—no one even looked in their direction.

While Ebi was admiring how useful the talismans were, Sa-eon pulled something from the bag slung over his shoulder—a large plastic container.

“Gasp…”

Seeing what was inside, Ebi covered his mouth in awe. It was the most red bean rice cakes Sa-eon had ever brought. Ebi had said he wished there were more last time—and it looked like Sa-eon really had brought a bunch.

“How do you make rice cakes this delicious?”

Ebi quickly grabbed one and took a bite, his mood soaring with happiness as he asked.

“I’ve made a lot of bait cakes before.”

“Bait…?”

The kind fishermen use? Do hunters literally use rice cakes as bait? Well, yokai do like rice cakes, generally… Is this some kind of rice cake trap to lure me in? No way… right?

“Let’s eat together. I brought something too.”

With a fluttering wave, Sa-eon obediently sat next to him. Ebi pulled out a bundle of fruit from inside his clothes—carefully selected from delicious fruit trees nurtured by yokai he knew.

Sa-eon didn’t say much, but just sitting there eating good food together made Ebi feel like spring haze had filled his chest. Even if they didn’t date, he wanted to keep spending time with Sa-eon like this.

Maybe it was about time to head back. He’d left Dongjitdal with Sowol… Maybe he could eat dinner with Sa-eon? Dongji and Sowol would probably like the rice cakes too… But these weren’t just store-bought ones—they were made just for him by Sa-eon. A bit of a shame to share them…

Ebi checked the time and picked up another rice cake—when it happened.

While eating nothing and just staring at Ebi, Sa-eon suddenly said, as if commenting on the nice weather,

“Ebi, I like you.”

Pow—powder fell off the rice cake Ebi had been holding. Then the cake itself plopped onto the floor.

Ebi couldn’t believe his ears. He likes me? And such a random confession at that? No romantic atmosphere, no setup—just this, while eating rice cakes?

“Uh…”

He tried to recall how long it had been since they met. Just over a month since that day he was stabbed by Sa-eon. Objectively, they had known each other longer than Romeo and Juliet in that infamously fast-paced love story. Then he tried to assess their relationship. A hunter and a goblin. Regaining his composure, Ebi smiled sweetly and asked gently,

“Um, so… you like me because I’m a rare monster, right?”

“I’m saying I like you because you called me by my name.”

That unexpected line made Ebi blink. He likes me because I said his name? Not because I’m good-looking or charming—or a rare monster—but just because I called his name?

Ebi didn’t quite understand, but strangely, part of him accepted it. Liking someone can be an instinctive pull, something even the person feeling it doesn’t understand. The black eyes staring at him weren’t lying or teasing.

As Ebi mulled over the confession, the sound of leaves rustling in the wind and the distant voice of a director calling out orders echoed faintly and surreal in his ears.

“They say holding hands and kissing are signs of liking someone. So this feeling must mean I like you.”

Ebi recalled the night they spent in the bamboo forest—when he’d said that exact thing to Sa-eon. Sa-eon now looked at him with unwavering focus and confessed again.

“I like you, Ebi.”

Then, just like in the bamboo forest, he kissed him—warmly. Ebi’s heart dropped with a thump. Warmth from the human before him had transferred over. Heat spread from his solar plexus to his neck, from his neck to his cheeks, blooming like fire.

Maybe we both fell in love at first sight.

Ebi recalled the thought he once had. Like a sudden wave, it swept away everything in him. Maybe goblins are just creatures who fall in love with humans without reason. And maybe Ebi, as a daylight goblin, was fated to love this human named Yu Sa-eon from the start.

“I, I also…”

Rarely stammering, Ebi opened his dry lips. His skin was flushed red, his eyes damp. Though he was happy, a strange ache rose and stung the tip of his nose.

“I just… liked you from the moment I saw you.”

At those words, Sa-eon’s face broke into a bright smile for the first time. His mouth curved softly, and the cold edges of his handsome eyes turned gently up. Unable to believe that smile, Ebi stared without blinking—then smiled back, bashfully.

He was so happy, he couldn’t even speak. A long silence passed, but that too felt wonderful. Sitting on the edge of the pavilion, Ebi swung his feet with excitement. It felt like a dream that he’d once thought, Even just being close friends with Sa-eon would be enough. He had believed he’d need to give his all to seduce and cling to Sa-eon to get close.

Does this mean we’re dating now? As he quietly beamed, he suddenly froze.

…Wait. Did I actually enchant him?!

All the warmth drained from his fingers. Ebi whipped his head around and scrutinized Sa-eon’s expression—looking for that dazed look enchanted people often had.

Come on… Sa-eon always has that spaced-out face.

Still, his eyes looked sharp and focused—so maybe not enchanted. Or… is that sharpness just Ebi’s rose-colored glasses? Should he call Sowol over to smack Sa-eon on the back of the head? But would Sa-eon really let an angel just hit him like that?

As Ebi panicked, Sa-eon pulled something else from his bag. Ebi clutched his chest and gasped.

“No way, that’s steamed rice cake!”

The beautiful sight of the red bean-coated sirutteok struck Ebi right in the heart. Watching Ebi puff his cheeks and eat the rice cake with delight, Sa-eon looked pleased. The freshly steamed rice cake was just as delicious as the red bean ones. Sa-eon’s hand moved.

The happiest goblin in the world was totally entranced by rice cakes—until he finally remembered his filming schedule. Realizing he’d be late, Ebi turned to grab his phone.

Then—shff! Something grazed his cheek.

Ebi froze, eyes wide. A red talisman had slapped against one of the pavilion’s pillars. He spun his head around, eyes flaring, and saw Sa-eon clicking his tongue.

“It’s not easy to make one of these, you know.”

Ebi stared at Sa-eon in disbelief. Not even a minute has passed since he said he liked me! With a deep sense of betrayal, he jumped and shouted,

“You said you liked me!”

It hurt so much to think he was being hunted just because he was a rare monster. Just imagining that the confession was part of the hunt made it hard to breathe. A strange blue light flickered in his eyes from the pain he’d never felt before. Sa-eon pulled out a rolled-up talisman from his pocket and said,

“Yeah. And you said you liked me too.”

The rolled talisman frrpt and spread itself out, as if alive. It fluttered in Sa-eon’s hands like it was breathing.

“So come live with me at my place.”

Sa-eon said this with a faint smile. In the other hand, he now held a red rope snare. Ebi, who had been about to snap back, froze. A chill ran down his spine. His words sound like an invitation… but this looks like a kidnapping. All his emotional turmoil vanished. Did I come to a thriller movie set today?

“Let’s see, how do humans say it… I’ll treat you well until our hair turns gray.”

With a flick of his wrist, Sa-eon spun the snare effortlessly. Ebi had seen how skilled he was with weapons like that during the face-stealing tree hunt—so he instinctively stepped back.

“Just to clarify, that’s what humans say when they get married…”

“You want to get married?”

“No! That’s not what I meant!”

A talisman flew at him out of nowhere. Ebi barely dodged it. He didn’t know what this red talisman did, but something told him—do not let that thing touch you.

“I’ll make your favorite rice cakes every day.”

Sa-eon stepped forward. That part was very tempting… But in the distance, the loudspeaker announced filming would begin soon. Still, Ebi couldn’t turn his back on the terrifying hunter before him. If he wasn’t careful, he’d miss filming altogether.

“If you want, we can raise a few young goblins. It’d be hard for us to have children, after all.”

What the heck?! First Dongjitdal, now Sa-eon—why are they both getting so far ahead?! Ebi’s eyes trembled. Just moments ago, he was so happy that they liked each other… and now?