The site was restored in an instant.
The angels fluttered their wings as they repaired the special performance stage—then disappeared, just like children who finish stacking their blocks and go off to find a new toy.
Jeong Noeul, Geahrzimen, and Kkomuri stood beside me, fully healed.
The only thing left was the frozen time…
<That’s easily fixable with a snap of the fingers. Freezing the mana-deficient human world is just a basic barrier technique.>
The Archangel Who Cast Down the King of Hell said with a faint smile.
<But before that, it seems everyone has things they want to say.>
“Well, obviously.”
Geahrzimen scowled.
“Never thought I’d end up being helped by some grand angel.”
<Likewise. I never imagined I’d be repairing a flesh golem from Hell.>
The Archangel replied coldly.
<However, my subordinates have been tracking your movements. It seems you were genuinely fascinated by the beauty of the human world. You were even interested in laboring diligently as a worker…>
“Of course. I played dead the moment I manifested. I’ve never actually taken a life. Well, except I was tempted to tear apart your colleague.”
Geahrzimen said cheerfully—then turned to me.
“…How did it come to this?”
When I asked,
“I came here just to watch the Final Stage of CYB’s male idol division! and maybe tease the King of Hell a little…”
He shrugged.
“But since the King’s not here, guess that plan’s out.”
“Yeah, guess so.”
I laughed, a little hollowly.
“…But that’s not the real reason, right? You didn’t come all the way from Andong just to watch the Final Stage?”
“I really came to watch.”
Geahrzimen said as he pulled me into a hug.
<Okay, I lied.>
The moment our bodies touched, I heard his voice inside my head.
<Your poker face is terrible. If you let anything slip, I will crush your body right here. So do your best to act like everything’s normal. I’d rather not have the Archangel catch wind of my objective—I’m still wary of him.>
“W-What are you doing?! Why are you hugging me all of a sudden?!”
I flailed dramatically, pretending to break away from him.
<When the King of Hell returns, tell him I need to speak with him. Urgently.>
Urgently…?
Before I could respond, Geahrzimen released me and grinned as he grabbed Kkomuri’s hand.
“Anyway, can I take this kid with me? I’d like to use them as an employee.”
“…Huh?”
<…What?>
Kkomuri and I both stared at him in disbelief. But Geahrzimen just kept fondling Kkomuri’s arm like it was no big deal.
“Isn’t it hard to deal with? A creature that looks just like your younger self constantly hanging around? I’ll stick some of my flesh on them, change their face a bit—no problem.”
<Y-You’re going to put flesh on my face…?>
Kkomuri looked like their world had ended.
I laughed at the sight.
“…I thought I’d never see you again.”<No way.>
Shaking off Geahrzimen’s hand, Kkomuri came to stand by me.
<You carried me with you this whole time, remember? We were together all along.>
Kkomuri told me about what they’d seen while existing as the necklace I wore—about the people I met, the problems I faced, and how I saw the world.
<…It’s beautiful.>
They said quietly.
<But if the time ever came when you resented this beautiful world and wished to leave it—then someone had to be there to protect it in your stead.>
That was Kkomuri’s purpose.
Even though they looked like a child—three or four years old—they resembled me.
Because I had returned from Heaven, where time flows slowly, and came back to this world with help from the Archangel, we now existed in the same world with similar appearances.
Just as Geahrzimen said, I couldn’t very well live alongside someone who looked exactly like me.
<But it’s okay.>
Kkomuri reached out and gently touched my neck.
In a flash of light, I felt something familiar hanging from the back of my neck.
The necklace forged from the Primordial Sea—it was back.
<It only mimics its old form now. It no longer holds any power. But please, keep it.>
“Thank you.”
I touched the necklace cord gently.
“I’ll wear it always.”
“You act like this is goodbye forever. It’s not. You can come visit anytime.”
Geahrzimen crossed his arms.
“Anyway, let’s get you a proper name, yeah? Your tone of speech can be fixed, but what if a customer asks your name? You can’t just say ‘Kkomuri.’”
<My name is Kkomuri.>
“Not anymore.”
<Kkomuri is the name my master gave me! It’s precious!>
“Quiet. Once you get used to the human world, you’ll thank me.”
<Master…?!>
Kkomuri turned to me with a desperate look.
“Uh, well…”
Should I give them a new name?
As I hesitated—
<To be of the same species as Muddorok and yet turn out so… pure.>
The Archangel spoke, watching with interest.
<I suppose it’s thanks to you.>
“I only answered Kkomuri’s questions, that’s all.”
More accurately, Kkomuri turned out this way for me—not because of me.
They became what they are for my sake.
<In any case, neither of them seems hostile toward the human world. However, their actions will be closely monitored by Heaven. Should they act to destroy the human world… they will be dealt with immediately.>
Thus, dear lamb—
The Archangel turned to Madojin.<Keep a close watch. You are now a full-fledged angel. Those two are beings from Hell.>
“…Yes.”
Madojin nodded.
The wings that had appeared on his back were now gone, but it seemed they could be summoned or hidden at will.
‘So in the end…’
…he really has become an angel.
“Excuse me!”
Suddenly, Jeong Noeul raised his hand.
“I’ve been patiently waiting, but no one’s saying anything! Isn’t this the perfect moment to tell me ‘well done’ or ‘you did great’? I’m starting to feel a little hurt here!”
“We didn’t forget you!”
Startled by his scowl, I frantically waved my hands in defense.
Usually, even when he was angry, he just looked sulky. But now, with his mature appearance, the scowl carried real weight.
Understandable—he was as tall as Madojin, maybe in the upper 180s.
“Hey, Noeul… Do you have to stay like that?”
“Nope!”
He looked down at himself and answered.
“The power the Prince gave me is draining now. Once it’s gone, I’ll go back to normal.”
Good.
The Final Stage wasn’t over yet—and Noeul hadn’t performed yet.
If he went onstage like this, the mismatch would be wild.
“More importantly, Eunyul-hyung.”
He beamed as he walked over and playfully compared our heights.
“Looks like I’m gonna be way taller than you in a few years, huh?”
“Well, aren’t you proud.”
“I mean, that’s not the reason, but I am in a good mood!”
With that, he pulled me into a hug with his right arm—
“And Eunyul-hyung’s safe…”
—and Madojin into his left.
“And so is Dojin-hyung!”
“Actually…”
Madojin, caught in the hug, said softly.
“It’s not ‘Dojin-hyung.’ It’s ‘Dojin-ssi.’”
He corrected Noeul, like always—but a faint smile was on his face.
“Noeul-hyung…”
“…Huh?”
Noeul stared at him in confusion.
“Did you just call me hyung?”
“Yes, I did, hyung.”
“Is it because I’m tall now? I’ll be small again soon…”
“No, Noeul…”
I sighed.
Though Madojin had only lived a few months as a human, Noeul was older in spirit.
‘So that’s why he didn’t want Noeul calling him hyung…’
Even if his human identity was fake, Madojin was still 21.
‘This whole family tree’s a mess…’
It’d take some serious time to explain it all to Noeul.
Thankfully, time was still frozen.
“…Here’s how it is.”
I began slowly explaining Madojin’s situation to Noeul.
And once I finished—
Time began to flow again.
“And that concludes all of today’s performances!”
Aiden’s voice rang from the stage.
The other participants and I were waiting in the hallway.
Countless cameras were pointed at us as we stood by, tense and ready to step into the spotlight.
After everything that had happened, my makeup was a total mess when I returned. I could still feel the makeup artist’s “What on earth happened?!” glare in the back of my mind.
“Did everyone enjoy the show? Watching the contestants’ performances…”
Aiden’s amplified voice boomed even louder than before.
“…I truly felt that we might see a project team that surpasses Codess.”
WAAAAAAHH—!!
The crowd’s cheers nearly broke my composure, but I held it together.
“What do you think?”
While Aiden kept speaking, Han Iro nudged me with his elbow and whispered.
“Think we’ll end up on the same team?”
“Isn’t that obvious?”
Min Heejae suddenly leaned over and answered for me.
“Such confidence, hyung…”
I laughed awkwardly and glanced at Jeong Noeul and Madojin, both staring ahead in silence.
Noeul’s body was back to normal. He’d choreographed a high-energy stage using swing house as the base and nailed the performance.
‘But seriously… that guy…’
Ever since learning Madojin’s true nature, he kept glancing at him nervously.
He seemed to have decided—after some thought—that he’d call Madojin hyung.
Madojin, on the other hand, clearly had no idea why he was being called that.
“Eunyul-ssi.”
Noticing my gaze, Madojin spoke.
“Nervous?”
It reminded me of what he’d said the first time we met.
“…Yeah. I’m nervous.”
No matter how much better I’d gotten at mental control, there was no way to stay calm at a moment like this.
“No need to be.”
Madojin smiled.
“I’m sure we’ll all be together.”
He’d said something similar when we first met, too.
But that time, it was probably based on what Enoch had told him—about us making it past the first round no matter what.
Back then, his words felt like programmed certainty.
But now, they carried something else.
A hope—and maybe even a feeling.
“Now, before we announce the rankings…”
Aiden’s voice came through.
“…Let’s welcome all ten contestants to the stage!”
WAAAAAAHH—!!
Amid the cheers—
“Alright, let’s go.”
I whispered.
No one would hear me through the noise.
But still, I said it.
We walked toward the light.
After months of struggle—
It was finally coming to an end.
Little Pink Starfish 
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