After the performance, I fumbled through my phone to check the stage reactions.
― What was that mermaid stage…?
― Wasn’t a mermaid… was it an angel? I screamed out loud when the wings appeared.
― Eunyul was amazing, but who was that person dancing with him?? I feel like I’ve seen them somewhere before….
ㄴ Same here. Where have I seen them??
ㄴ In a dream…
ㄴ OMG you’re right! I remember now! I think I saw them in a dream with Eunyul!!! This time, no nipple flash though~
ㄴ So what, is that person Eunyul’s Constellation?
― I never imagined Rowen’s song would be used… It’s such a famous track.
ㄴ But the arrangement was so good, it felt like a whole new song lol. Usually, heavily rearranging famous songs splits opinions, but this felt like Eunyul declaring he was ready to take Rowen’s baton.
― This year’s CYB boy idol division is seriously legendary….
ㄴ Yeah, practically no throwaway performances.
― I have to vote, but I’m torn between Iro and Eunyul….
ㄴ One thing’s for sure, those two will definitely make it into the project team.
ㄴ Agreed~
“…The response is good.”
I smiled.
Even though it was the middle of winter, I was sweating.
I swept my damp hair back and leaned against the bench.
The strategy of putting The Star Hated by All on stage had clearly worked.
Perhaps without my knowledge, the Star had wandered through people’s dreams—many felt a strange sense of déjà vu upon seeing him.
“You look satisfied.”
My mother, watching me with relief, spoke.
“…Yeah.”
I smiled shyly.
Right after the performance, I had taken off my costume, pulled on a mask, and gone outside.
To meet my mom.
She had watched my performance from the audience.
We were now sitting on a bench, each holding a hot canned coffee from a vending machine.
“If my son’s satisfied, then that’s all that matters to me,” she said, her breath visible in the cold.
“It must’ve been tough, right? You worked really hard.”
“…No.”
I held the can tighter and replied.
“You’re the one who had it tough. You must’ve worried a lot watching me struggle from afar, right? I’m okay now. Really.”
“I know. You really are okay now….”
She chuckled softly and stroked my hair.
Back when the Boy A Incident broke out, she could only watch me helplessly.
We talked on the phone, but since I had to stay at the dorm, we couldn’t meet.
I almost cried.
<Heh! Are you crying? You’re crying, aren’t you?>
The amused tone of the Star made it impossible to cry.
“Well, I should head back into the venue. You should go wait backstage, right?”
As she stood, my mom asked.
“…I could stay a little longer….”
Not really. I couldn’t afford to loiter—the final stage wasn’t over yet.
“You’re terrible at lying. It’s all over your face.”
She whispered that and pulled me into a hug.
“…A lot of people tell me that.”
For some reason, Han Iro’s grinning face popped into my mind.
After seeing my mom off toward the venue, I started walking back to the waiting room.
Tap.
“Huh?”
Suddenly, something cold touched the top of my head. I looked up.
“Snow….”
The first snow was falling.
Thick flakes started to drop endlessly from the sky.
‘I hope that’s a good omen…’
That thought occurred to me.
My turn was over; all that remained was to wait for the ranking announcement.
I didn’t feel like I’d done badly.
The Star and I had delivered a flawless performance.
No regrets.
‘But still…’
I wanted to win—if at all possible, I wanted to be first.
<What are you saying, creature?>
The Star said in disbelief.
<If it’s not first place, it’s meaningless. Second? Third? Those are just pity rankings made to soothe egos.>
“Why are you suddenly talking like some overbearing stage parent…?”
I let out a hollow laugh.
“Anyway, let’s head back. You did well too.”
<Hmph. Dancing is easier than picking my nose.>
“You can’t pick your nose in fly form, though?”
I turned my back, talking quietly with the Star.
And then….
“…Dojin-ssi?”
From a distance, I saw Madojin staring at me.
He stood still, saying nothing.
“What brings you here?”
I asked, walking toward him.
But I decided to keep a bit of caution.
“…Eunyul-ssi.”
Looking down at me, Madojin finally spoke.
“Great performance.”
“Ah… You too, Dojin-ssi.”
I replied awkwardly.
After our argument when the Boy A Incident was exposed, we had barely spoken.
Even before that, we didn’t talk much—Madojin was always quiet.
We walked toward the back entrance of the venue.
“This time… I performed with the goal of beating you.”
Madojin exhaled as he spoke.
“Well, same here. I performed aiming for first.”
“I hope… you don’t make the project debut team.”
“…Why?”
I asked. Madojin stopped walking.
“Because it’s a lie.”
“…What?”
I stared blankly at him.
“Because it’s all a lie…”
Madojin stepped closer.
He leaned in toward me, his face near mine.
“…I’m saying this because it’s a lie.”
“What do you mean?”
I stepped back, questioning him.
Thump!
Madojin grabbed both of my shoulders.
He wasn’t willing to let me back away.
“…Sorry.”
He whispered.
“I can’t see very well…”
His hands were shaking.
“If you’re even a little far away, I can’t see you. So just let me stay like this for a moment.”
“W-What are you doing?”
I twisted my body, trying to shake off his grip.
But Madojin’s strength was overwhelming—I lost my balance.
He, too, collapsed weakly with me.
Thud!
He fell right on top of me.
“…Haha.”
Letting out a quiet laugh, Madojin sat up and looked down at me.
“I can see clearly now.”
He smiled faintly.
“I wanted to see your face properly, Eunyul-ssi.”
I bit my lip and looked around.
The path to the waiting room was closed to the public—there weren’t many people around.
‘Star.’
I called out to him in my heart.
‘…What the hell is going on?’
No reply came.
“I liked your song. I thought you’d definitely win first place, that I hoped you would.”
As he spoke, Madojin reached into my inner pocket.
“I hoped you’d be happy with your mom. So I prayed. That you’d get to meet her after your performance…”
He took out the metal case holding the Star.
“…That was all I could do.”
CRACK—!!
The case crumpled.
“Eunyul-ssi is…”
The crushed metal fell from his hand.
“…You must’ve known I wasn’t an ordinary human.”
I struggled to break free.
“…And you let me be, because you’re kind.”
He held onto my arm.
“I wished you weren’t so kind. That you wouldn’t see any need to be nice to someone like me.”
“Let go of me!”
I thrashed violently.
“If only you had killed me…”
Drip—drop.
“…Dojin-ssi?”
Something wet hit my face. I looked up.
‘…He’s crying?’
Madojin was in tears.
“I don’t want you to die.”
He said, voice trembling.
“I want you to survive.”
His face was twisted, unable to contain his emotions.
No—he wasn’t overwhelmed.
He was resisting.
Some force was acting on him.
He was fighting it.
Trying to let me go.
‘Madojin’s form…’
Was flickering in and out.
‘This must be…’
The effect of the Burning Devil’s Eye.
Just like what I saw during the second audition.
“…Eunyul-ssi.”
He whispered in my ear.
Flickering, vanishing.
His presence weakened.
“Please… run.”
SPLASH—!!
Just as he finished speaking, my vision was dyed red.
“…No. I take that back. Don’t go anywhere.”
Then came his voice again.
This time, laced with laughter—
“I won’t let you escape.”
I frowned.
“You crazy bastard…”
I spoke with killing intent.
Staring at the smiling figure before me.
No—not Madojin.
“Let go. And speak clearly.”
I clenched my fist.
“You’re not Dojin-ssi, are you?”
Before me was not Madojin.
It was something else.
Like a chrysalis tearing open—wings burst from his back.
Countless blade-like wings sprouted from his back.
“Oops, caught?”
The wings, originally pure white, were now stained crimson with Madojin’s blood.
“…You’re asking what I am?”
He twisted his lips in delight.
“Hallelujah.”
The unknown being whispered.
And then.
The Star Hated by All opened his eyes.
It felt like waking from a long dream.
His consciousness, focused in the avatar, returned to his true self. His fragmented identity reformed.
While incarnated, his true body had sat sleeping upon the Throne of Hell.
The boredom of immortality, long forgotten, returned.
Understandable—he had been intoxicated by mortal emotion in the human realm.
Now, in a world where humans could no longer be seen.
In a world where Ryu Eunyul could no longer be felt.
All that remained was ennui.
<This place…>
The Star looked around.
Vibrant flowers, lively trees, crystal-clear water.
A land he had decorated himself, since The Savior Who Is One and All had forbidden healing magic.
<…My palace.>
Ssssh—
The Star rose from his throne.
He gazed up at the skyless ceiling of hell.
Desperately, he tried to recall.
The image of Ryu Eunyul.
From the true body’s perspective, Ryu Eunyul’s presence was faint.
Their time together—just a moment in the eternity the Star had lived.
Because of that…
<HAHAHAHAHAHA!>
The Star roared with laughter.
It shook all of Hell.
<To lay hands on my creation…>
His smile turned cold as he muttered.
<…I shall tear them apart and throw them at Papa’s feet.>
And so, he began to walk.
Toward the human realm—
Where Ryu Eunyul was.
Little Pink Starfish 
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