Little Pink Starfish

After the meal, I returned to the dorm.

I never imagined I’d end up meeting Jeong Noeul’s agency director so suddenly.

“I just thought if I didn’t introduce you now, I might not get another chance…”

Jeong Noeul gave a sheepish laugh as he said that.

“The director is really important to me, and so are you, Eunyul-hyung. So I always hoped you two would meet at least once. Even if we don’t debut in the project group together… I still want to stay in touch.”

Of course, I wanted to stay in touch, too.

But right now, what mattered most was getting into the debut group by any means necessary.

Now that I had filled my stomach with good food, it was time to get moving.

I changed into clothes better suited for physical activity.

“Hey.”

Then I called out to the Star, who was clinging to the window in the form of a fly.

“Why are you acting like a real fly? You’ve been quiet this whole time.”<Say that was a joke.>

The Star looked genuinely shaken.

<You’re going to put me on a stage drenched in human desires? Unthinkable. How could you come up with such a demonic idea?>

“A stage drenched in human desires…?”

What does that make me, then?

“Just transform back into your real form, and I’ll explain everything.”

<…Hmph. Fine.>

Fwap!

A shimmer of light, and the Star returned to his true form.

“There. Satisfied, creature?”

Seeing the Star’s usual stoic expression, I smiled in satisfaction.

Yeah, he’s still the best.

Brilliant blond hair, golden eyes round as the full moon…

Too handsome to keep to myself.

“You’re looking at me with such a lecherous expression.”

“Anyway. Let me explain why I want you on stage.”

There wasn’t much to explain, really.

Why bring the Star onto the stage?

Obviously—to win.

Aside from Jeong Noeul’s constellation, the Traveler from Asteroid B-612, the Star was the only one with the right to show his true form.

Of course, since the Star was still just in his incarnated state, maintaining his true form probably consumed a huge amount of mana.

But that didn’t matter.

All I needed was his looks.

‘Everyone’s going to be stunned when they see him.’

I nodded, thinking.

What kind of outfit should I put him in?

Should I go for something that shows a bit of chest?

“Creature.”

As I visually examined the Star’s body, forming my strategy, he snapped.

“Creature! I have not given permission to show off my body!”

He looked mortified.

He seemed oddly embarrassed.

“Why must I reveal myself!? Are you trying to turn me into eye candy for these weak, wretched creatures!?”

“…Don’t you want to win?”

When I asked, the Star bit his lip.

“O-Of course I want to win.”

“Then why all the fuss? Can’t you just go along with it for once? You’ve been rambling on about winning the world competition with me and all.”

“Y-You…”

The Star glared at me with a frustrated expression.

Then sighed.

“…Fine. Just this once, I’ll let you use me.”

I knew it. With victory on the line, even the Star couldn’t resist.

That took one worry off my mind regarding the solo stage.

In the male idol division of CYB, starting from a few seasons ago, contestants were also judged on their solo performances in addition to the team stage.

That’s why I’d already been planning my final stage performance since I made it into the finals.

There were three major things to consider when planning a solo stage:

First, what song to perform.

Second, what concept to go with.

Those two were obvious. The real issue was the third:

Third, who would join me on stage.

Most contestants hire backup dancers.

But I wanted to break the mold.

My performance would be a duet—with the Star.

‘For that to happen…’

I folded my arms and looked at the Star.

“Damn it… For someone who was once the most powerful archangel… who became the King of Hell…”

The Star stood stiff like a sulking elementary school kid who just lost a game.

“Enough whining.”

I patted him on the back.

“Let’s go. We don’t have much time.”

“…Go where?”

“Where else?”

I smiled.

“The practice room.”

---

To decide the music and concept for the solo performance, I first had to figure out what the Star was good at.

I threw him into the dance studio and had him mimic some basic moves.

“Hmph…”

The Star scoffed like it was beneath him, but followed my basic choreography with surprising ease.

“You’re pretty good.”

“I’m not just good. I am the King of Hell. And what is a king if not the center of high society? Don’t underestimate me.”

Then, suddenly, the Star grabbed my hand.

“Wh-What now?!”

“What else? A waltz. One of the few human dances I know. Loosen your knees forward. No—don’t bend them!”

“O-Okay… Sure…”

Before I knew it, the Star was giving me waltz lessons.

“Straighten your spine. Relax your right arm. Head back. Chest forward. Hips out. Knees forward… Good. Now…”

There was no music, but the Star guided my body rhythmically.

At first, I practically clung to him, but I picked it up quickly thanks to my prior dance training.

“You can actually do this?”

I asked as we spun around the room.

“It’s not like I wanted to. The era when the waltz was popular was also when demons masqueraded as nobles in the human world. That’s the only reason it spread to Hell.”

I didn’t know much about waltzing, but I could tell the Star was leading me flawlessly.

“One, two, one, two… Good. As expected of my contractor.”

Calling out the 3/4 beat confidently, the Star guided my steps.

“Originally, I was going to criticize your bad dancing…”

I had planned to put him through hellish training…

“Shh. You’re ruining the rhythm, creature.”

Surprisingly, the Star was completely serious about the dance.

“I rule over Hell, filled with demons and monsters. The moment I lose my dignity, rebellion begins. That’s why I must be flawless—in everything.”

He wasn’t just maintaining authority—he wanted to master even pleasure.

That’s what he seemed to mean.

“W-Well anyway…”

After finishing a round of waltzing, I said,

“With this much sense, you could master any choreography with just a little practice. Your legs are flexible, your torso bends well…”

“Of course. Don’t underestimate me. However…”

The Star scratched his cheek awkwardly.

“…Please don’t make me sing.”

“Why not?”

His voice was actually nice. When he shouted in anger, he had plenty of projection.

Of course I would do most of the singing, but I thought he could fill a sub-vocal role.

“I am cursed.”

“…Cursed?”

“Yes. A very serious curse. Shared by all demons.”

“Wait, don’t tell me…”

“All demons are forbidden from singing.”

“…Are you tone-deaf?”

“I am not tone-deaf! I am cursed! The evolution of music is linked to vocal technique. That’s why all demons are cursed not to sing!”

“So… basically, all demons are tone-deaf.”

“T-That’s…”

The Star couldn’t argue and just scowled.

“Before I fell, I wasn’t like this! I was once the most melodious singer among the angels!”

“Anyway, you’re still tone-deaf. And dragging up stories from a hundred million years ago doesn’t help.”

“Damn it…”

So… the Star really can’t sing on stage?

Having one half of a duet say nothing would be kind of awkward…

“Don’t treat me like dead weight.”

He said as he reached his hand toward me.

“I’ll prove my usefulness. Give me that.”

“…That?”

“The violin that drains life.”

The Star was asking for the Violin of Tainted Blood.

“…Use ‘Violin of Tainted Blood.’”

As I spoke, the old violin materialized in front of me.

I handed it to him.

“Fool. Be grateful. My performance is not something easily witnessed.”

The Star picked up the violin with confidence.

Shwick!

As soon as he grabbed the bow, a strange sound rang out.

Shhhk, shhhk!

“Shut up.”

The Star said to the violin.

Clatter!

Suddenly, tendrils shot out from the violin’s body.

“Ugh!?”

I stumbled back in shock.

Tentacles, covered in eyes and teeth, surged toward the Star.

“Back off. My life force isn’t something you can consume.”

With a casual wave, the Star shredded the tentacles.

“W-What was that…?”

I stared as the disintegrating fragments faded into light.

“They’re the monsters inhabiting the violin. Your blood has likely been their food all this time. As long as the violin exists, they cannot die.”

He explained it like a basic math problem.

“Anyway…”

Creak—

“I will begin.”

The Star raised the bow to the strings and muttered.

Skree—Skrreee—

The performance began.

It was nothing like when I played it.

If my playing was clear, the Star’s was deep.

A passionate sound, almost terrifying.

With no hesitation or faltering, he played on.

“Am… amazing…”

I mumbled in awe.

It felt like watching a master’s performance up close.

The Violin of Tainted Blood surely helped, but the Star clearly had immense musical talent.

And more importantly, the violin’s life-draining effect didn’t seem to affect him.

‘Come to think of it…’

According to the Star, the violin’s sound is shaped by the player’s will.

‘Then this must be…’

The voice of the Star’s heart.

“Hoo…”

After finishing the performance, the Star let out a long breath.

“It’s been a while. That was… rather enjoyable.”

He said, handing the violin back to me.

“Th-That was incredible…”

I muttered, stunned.

Glomp!

Then I hugged the Star.

“W-What are you doing?”

The Star asked, bewildered.

“We…”

I cried out, overcome with emotion.

“We’re definitely going to win!!”