Little Pink Starfish

Should I apologize to you?

As they walked the long corridor leading to the stage, The Star Hated by All pondered.

They had once peeked into Ryu Eunyul’s dreams.

Laying a hand on his sleeping forehead, they had glimpsed the dream their contractor was having.

That night, you were groaning like you were dreaming about the end of the human world…

But in truth, dream-Eunyul looked very happy.

In the dream, he appeared as a child.

Holding a balloon in one hand, his little body dashed forward with excitement.

Behind him, dazzling amusement rides spun and twinkled.

It felt strange.

Dreams unfold from the first-person perspective.

So Eunyul’s dream should have been seen through Eunyul’s own eyes.

Which meant that The Star Hated by All, as the dream’s viewer, should have seen the world through Eunyul’s eyes.

So then… whose perspective was this?

Because the gaze in the dream was watching young Eunyul from afar.

“…Then this must be…”

The child turned around and said:

“Daddy.”

Young Eunyul spoke, looking straight toward The Star Hated by All.

No—not toward them, but toward dream-Eunyul.

No—not even that.

Dream-Eunyul was watching himself through the eyes of his father.

“Daddy, are you happy?”

The child asked.

His voice was barely a whisper.

The mechanical sounds of rides filled the air.

Joyful songs.

Laughter from every direction.

“Are you happy just watching me like this?”

He asked again.

“Of course.”

Replied Eunyul’s father.

No, replied dream-Eunyul.

No—replied The Star Hated by All.

“Just watching you enjoy yourself like this… makes me incredibly happy.”

“I see.”

Young Eunyul beamed.

“Then I’ll make sure to be happy! No matter what!”

Hearing this declaration, The Star Hated by All couldn’t help but laugh.

Endless happiness doesn’t exist in a creature’s life.

Thinking this, they exited Eunyul’s dream.

The little boy vanished without a trace.

Only their contractor remained, curled in pain.

…But I swear.

Looking down at Eunyul sleeping, The Star Hated by All muttered silently:

You will suffer no more.

---

I won’t apologize, my creature.

Feeling the warmth of Eunyul’s body, The Star Hated by All thought.

I looked into your dream… because it was also my dream.

Maybe they had been incarnated in this world for too long. Maybe that’s why they felt such human-like emotions.

Everything of yours is mine…

From this deep emotion, The Star Hated by All smiled.

…I swear. Nothing I do will ever hurt you.

At that moment—

<Alright, it’s starting. You ready?>

Eunyul’s voice echoed in their mind.

There’s no need to prepare. Just don’t fall behind.

The Star Hated by All sat in the sleeve of Eunyul’s outfit in the form of a fly.

To show themselves on a stage meant for the amusement of mortals—how laughable.

“Up next is the contestant with the most dramatic ranking shift in the CYB male idol category!”

“That’s right. From top ranks to mid-lower, and back up to the top!”

The MCs’ voices rang out.

“Please welcome—!”

“Ryu Eunyul’s performance!”

Waaaaahhh!!

The audience roared.

Pop!

Lights flared across the stage.

Eunyul reached toward them.

The Star Hated by All, inside his sleeve, waited for the performance to begin.

— Shall we shine a little?

As Eunyul softly whispered, the music began.

And—

Flash!

Hovering midair, arm outstretched toward Eunyul, The Star Hated by All revealed their true form.

<Let’s go.>

Eunyul’s voice echoed in their mind.

Good.

The Star Hated by All tightly grasped Eunyul’s hand.

They landed, standing with their back to Eunyul.

The original Big Beat instrumental was rearranged into a groovy R&B style.

The aggressive, psychedelic original now flowed with rhythm, thanks to Min Heejae’s production.

Given the symbolism of the original, a weak arrangement would’ve done more harm than good.

— Our fall today
Was just a failed flight
If I can touch that shining sky
I’m willing to shatter again and again

Eunyul had chosen Rowen’s “Goodbye Good Lighting.”

The song that had established Rowen as a solo artist, both in Korea and internationally.

There’s something I want to ask.

Watching Eunyul, The Star Hated by All wondered.

You seem to treasure this song deeply. Why?

<Because…>

Still singing flawlessly, Eunyul replied inwardly.

<…It’s a song I listened to often back in middle school.>

Eunyul and The Star Hated by All laced their fingers together.

“Waaaah!!”

The audience roared.

— Your footprints hold a blue sorrow
The faint smell of rain
With every step, the sky pours down
It blinds me
So I can’t see a thing
Now it’s goodbye, good lighting

They moved with the groove, syncing their choreography.

Eunyul wore a black base with gold accents; The Star Hated by All, in contrast, wore a white dress shirt with a silver necklace.

…I don’t get it.

Scanning the audience, The Star Hated by All thought.

Why are they all so happy?

— I don’t care anymore
Even if I become a thousand shards of glass
Missing link, if I can hold a single light
Right now
Bury it, if it can shine on you
Now it’s goodbye, good lighting

<That’s where you’re wrong.>

Eunyul replied while gazing at the crowd.

<They’re not happy because they’re watching us. They’re watching us to be happy.>

Isn’t that just semantics?

As the first verse ended, they changed positions on stage.

You know this world is far from peaceful. It can’t become peaceful. There will never be an age of dancing and singing. I just see them as foolish.

<You’re right. The world isn’t peaceful. The Gates may have closed, but that doesn’t mean peace has come. Maybe peace was never possible to begin with…>

Eunyul took The Star Hated by All’s hand.

<Which is exactly why we sing and dance. So that this moment, at least, can be peaceful.>

“Shall we…”

Eunyul smiled.

“…shine for a little while?”

Whoosh—!

Eunyul wrapped his arm around The Star Hated by All.

What?!

Their face twisted.

During the interlude leading into the second verse, they had planned to perform a waltz.

Traditionally, the waltz had set male-female roles.

This wasn’t the plan!

They were supposed to lead.

But Eunyul was now taking the lead, guiding their body.

<So what?>

Eunyul grinned playfully.

<It’s not that big a deal, is it?>

Who says I’m flustered?!

Bickering in their minds, they danced across the stage.

The bouncy beat echoed as they swept every inch with dazzling steps.

— Your footprints now hold dark clouds
The faint smell of rain
With each step, the sky sinks
Everything goes black
So I can’t see a thing

As Eunyul sang the second verse’s bridge, The Star Hated by All readied their stance.

Back turned to him, they prepared for the next move.

— Now it’s goodbye, good lighting

Eunyul reached toward the air—

“『Summon Violin of Tainted Blood』.”

Whoosh!

From The Star Hated by All’s back, scorched wings unfurled.

From the audience’s perspective, it looked like Eunyul himself had grown wings.

A thunderous roar erupted.

So noisy…

The Star Hated by All clicked their tongue, grabbed the summoned Violin of Tainted Blood from midair—

Skrrrk—

And began to play.

The R&B arrangement fused with their melody, echoing beautifully.

The crowd was entranced.

— If today’s flight
Becomes a successful fall
Even if I never reach that shining sky
It’s okay, because
I can rise again, and again

Eunyul met the violin with soaring vocals.

Even the original had punishing high notes—but with the key raised, he had to hit notes above 3 octaves.

…I think I understand now why you love this song.

The Star Hated by All thought.

<When I listen to it…>

Eunyul answered silently.

<…it makes me feel like I can fly.>

Hearing his voice, The Star Hated by All smiled.

Even if he had wings, his acrophobia would never let him fly.

He was a fragile creature, born to gaze up at the sky while bound to the ground.

That’s what Eunyul was to them.

So delicate, he might shatter at a touch…

And yet…

The Star Hated by All wondered.

…Why did you try to leave this earth?

That question wasn’t for Eunyul.

It was for themselves.

The life of a creature… I can’t understand it.

They could never grasp it—The Star Hated by All was too powerful to comprehend such a thing.

My contractor… I…

The performance was ending.

They stopped playing.

— Close your eyes
With eyes closed

Back to back with Eunyul, they stood still.

And slowly closed their eyes.

— Until we meet again

From the dark—

— Now it’s goodbye, good lighting

…I don’t understand the hearts of mortals.

But the contractor whose back touched theirs—he understood.

I don’t know what will bring you happiness.

But that contractor… they hoped he’d find it.

Yes. In the name of this fading self…

Watching Eunyul smile brightly and bow to the audience, The Star Hated by All smiled too.

…I hope you’ll never suffer again.

And with all their heart, they prayed.