“…Kkomuri?”
I asked, as if to confirm—and the boy gave me a bright smile.
<That’s right, my master. This is our first proper conversation, isn’t it? I’ve always been waiting for this moment.>
I looked around.
We were underwater.
Surrounding us were black fish resembling Kkomuri from his earlier form.
It felt like the whole world had become ocean.
Where the sky should have been, there was a city skyline.
Where the ground should have been, only the darkness of the deep sea remained.
It felt like we were either floating endlessly upward, or endlessly sinking down.
Me and the boy, suspended there, facing each other.
Or submerged in the depths.
<You don’t have to worry,> the boy said.
<Here, no matter how high you fall from, you’ll never hit the ground. You’ll just keep sinking.>
“…What is all this?”
Despite being underwater, I could breathe without suffocating.
We could hear each other perfectly too.
It reminded me of the time I dove into the abyss with the Star at the Coastal Wharf in Incheon to hunt down Abyssal Sea King Muddorok’s core.<This is the Primordial Sea.>
Look there, the boy whispered.
Black fish like Kkomuri in his early state approached me.
They pressed their mouths against my skin.
‘…Are they trying to eat me?’
For a moment, I thought so—but no.
It tickled.
They were… nuzzling me?
“You…”
I turned back to the boy.
“…Have you grown up now?”
<Not quite. But I’m not far off from adulthood. That’s why I can finally meet you. I’ve gotten much stronger.>
His words made me uneasy.
Kkomuri was a lifeform from the Primordial Sea.
In other words, the same race as Muddorok.
The Star created Muddorok out of hatred for The Savior Who Is One and All.
As a result, creatures of the Primordial Sea were stripped of the very concept of death.
They simply could not die—unless the Star intervened.
Before me, the boy—who only resembled me—was nothing like the monstrous Muddorok.
…Was that a relief?
<I forgot to mention this,> he said.
<The Primordial Sea is made of my power. That’s why I can read all your thoughts. You really do hate Muddorok, huh?>
“…Every human does.”
<Is that so?>
He laughed softly.
<I carry Muddorok’s memories. Our species shares memories with one another.>
“…You have Muddorok’s memories?”
<Yeah. We dissolve our power into the water and share our memories. The little ones around you? They’re my kin—and they all share my memories.>
So that’s why they nuzzle up to me like that?
Wait—no. That’s not the point.
“Then what’s the difference between you and Muddorok?”
If they share memories and power… aren’t they basically the same, aside from appearance?
<Well, first off, I don’t look like him. Muddorok was creepy as hell.>
“…Fair enough.”
I let out a short laugh.
<Also, Muddorok thought of you as a fly buzzing around The Star Hated by All.>
So while I treated Muddorok like a pest, he did the same to me?
<But I don’t see it that way. You’re my master. So…>
“I only care about you,” the boy murmured.
<There’s something I want to ask.>
“What is it?”
<How…>
He reached a hand toward my face.
<…How do you want to live?>
His cool fingers brushed my cheek.
I gazed at him.
His expression was full of curiosity, but there was something sad about it too.
Or maybe—something happy?
“Healthily, peacefully, with people I care about…”
That’s how I wanted to live.
A textbook answer, maybe—but it was all I could think of.<I see.>
The boy’s eyes widened briefly in surprise, then he smiled.<I always want to die.>
“…What?”
<Our kind doesn’t know death. Wanting what you can’t have is a natural instinct. To us, death feels like a beautiful ending.>
Come to think of it, Muddorok seemed tempted when the Star offered him that final peace.
<That’s why I had to ask you some things.>
My master, he murmured, pressing a hand to my chest.
Light began to emit from his palm.
<My master, Kkomuri has gotten curious.>
His voice turned playful.
<Why don’t you want to die?>
His tone was light, but the weight of the question was immense.
I could tell this exchange was important.
Every answer I gave shaped Kkomuri’s growth.
And if he was nearly complete… there wouldn’t be many questions left.
“…Because pain sucks.”
So I answered truthfully.
<But isn’t life itself pain?>
“Still, you can’t relieve pain unless you’re alive.”
<Has staying alive helped you ease the pain?>
“…Yeah.”
I thought of Mom.
Of Han Iro, Jeong Noeul, Min Heejae.
Even Madogin, despite the complications.
And of Rowen, who I’d admired even while living through hell.
Weirdly, I even thought of former Hunter Kim Bongcheol.
“People around me took away bits of my pain.”
I smiled as I said it.
Then placed my palm gently on the boy’s chest.
“Can I ask you a question now?”
He looked surprised.
<…I’m not really smart enough to answer things for you.>
“That doesn’t matter. You’re the only one who can answer this.”
I smiled.
And asked:
“Why are you crying?”
Even in the depths of the ocean, I could see it clearly.
Tears rising from the boy’s eyes.
<Why aren’t you crying?>
Answering a question with a question? Pretty cheap.
Now that I thought about it—I hadn’t cried in a long time.
Not when Dad died.
Not when I was bullied at school.
Not even when Mom held me and told me it would all be okay.
Not through any of this recent chaos.
Why?
I wasn’t sure.
<They say all humans are born crying,> the boy said, reading my thoughts.
<…Maybe I’m crying because I’m almost complete.>
The light from his palm lit the ocean around us.
Too bright—I couldn’t see him anymore.
<My master,>
his voice drifted.
<You’re incredible. In a way no one ever expected…>
The light vanished.
Only darkness remained.
<…you’ve succeeded in raising a creature from the Primordial Sea.>
That was the last I heard of him.
I opened my eyes.
Sunlight streamed through the window.
I sat up, rubbing my aching forehead.
<You’re awake,> said the Star, fluttering near me.
“…I had a weird dream.”
I muttered, dazed.
The Star chuckled.
<It wasn’t a dream. Look straight ahead.>
“…Ahead?”
I looked where he pointed.
Through the light, I saw something.
Kkomuri’s fish tank.
It was sitting on the shelf.
I climbed out of bed and approached it.
Kkomuri was no longer inside.
Only a dark red necklace sat at the bottom.
“This is…”
I reached in and picked it up.
Ding!
A notification appeared before me.
[Necklace Forged from the Primordial Sea]
— Artifact: Relic Grade
Description:
If you realize what I’ve become, you’ll be sad.
You, who always wanted to live—I wanted to be a creature that gave you that chance.
Humans are fragile. Even if they don’t want to die, death finds them—
through accidents, by others’ hands, or even by their own.
My master,
I am a being who wishes for death.
But I never want your death.
Please keep me close.
I will save you from it.
— Using this necklace will trigger “Regression.”
— Regression allows you to start over in any world, in any form you choose.
— Use it if you ever wish to begin again.
Durability: One use only
Duration: Unknown
“…This is Kkomuri?”
I muttered, staring at the necklace in my palm.
<Yes,> the Star confirmed, landing on my shoulder.
<As expected of you, pitiful creation. I never imagined you’d complete a member of Muddorok’s race in this way.>
“He’s not Muddorok.”
<…Fine. Not Muddorok’s kin—just Kkomuri.>
“…Yeah.”
Clutching the necklace, I curled into myself.
My body felt drained.
<Hey, pitiful one…> the Star said hesitantly.
<Are you sulking just because I kept calling him Muddorok’s kin?! You’re not seriously upset about that, are you?!>
“No… that’s not it.”
<Then explain!>
He paused, then asked softly:
<Why are you crying?>
…I didn’t know.
Tears streamed down my face, soaking the hand holding the necklace.
I clenched my teeth and sobbed.
A being that was never meant to die…
…had finally been completed as a tool.
Was this really the best ending?
“…Is this really what you wanted?”
I asked the silent object in my hand.
“Was this really what you hoped for?”
No answer.
I wasn’t expecting one.
<You know, pitiful one…>
the Star murmured.<Your mother probably wanted to ask you that same question.>
Back when she read my letter.
When she realized I was Boy A.
She probably wanted to ask—
Was that really the only way?
Was that the best you could do?
I wiped my tears.
Waited for the sobbing to subside.
Then hung the “Necklace Forged from the Primordial Sea” around my neck.
“…It’s okay now. Really, it’s all okay.”
Just like Mom once told me, I said the words aloud.
Are you okay?
Are you really okay?
I remembered the voice from the fish tank asking me that.
The following week, I climbed back up to third place.
Little Pink Starfish 
Leave a comment