Little Pink Starfish

The sound of the bag crinkling filled the air.

It was the friction between his legs and the bag’s surface. Narrowing his eyes, Han Iro gazed at his own shadow. Holding such a large grocery bag in both hands looked rather comical. And the vegetables packed inside it—he couldn’t remember the last time grocery shopping had felt this pleasant.

Though he wore a mask and cap pulled low, he hadn’t had much time to enjoy such ordinary moments lately due to his busy schedule. Before entering the CYB competition, he often wandered markets like this, but at some point, he barely had enough time to shove instant food into his mouth.

Many things had changed.

For example…

“I have a question.”

Han Iro turned his gaze sideways.

“What is it?”

Jeong Noeul, walking alongside him, asked.

This, for instance. The reincarnation of Abrilah—someone who would once have been featured on a YouTube video titled something like Top 5 Demon Lords Who Plunged Korea into Crisis—was now hugging a shopping bag as he walked beside Han Iro.

“How strong are you, exactly?”

“Hmm… I’m not really sure.”

Jeong Noeul pouted his lips.

“It’s not really something that matters anymore, honestly. There are no monsters to hunt like back when the Gates were opening. But I do know this… I’m nowhere near as strong as a constellation. Especially compared to the high-ranking ones, I’m nothing but a small fry.”

It had taken all his strength just to land a single blow.

Jeong Noeul smiled bitterly at the thought. His battle with Enoch had made him realize just how powerless he really was. Though he once resented and struggled with the powers inherited from being the reincarnation of one of humanity’s former enemies, he had also secretly fixated on the uniqueness of that power.

It wasn’t admiration. He simply believed he could do something others couldn’t.

But “others” didn’t include constellations.

“Back then… I really just kept getting beaten down.”

Gazing into the distance, Jeong Noeul spoke.

“If Starbright hadn’t shown up in time, I probably would’ve died.”

“It’s hard to believe. A constellation trying to kill someone…”

“It depends on the constellation. The way they view humans is different…”

It wasn’t all that strange. When humans look at an ant colony, some might pour water out of curiosity, others might find them disgusting and avoid them, some might collect them for study, while others might gaze upon them affectionately or ponder how to help.

“Yeah. I guess so.”

Han Iro nodded.

Maybe it was simply hard to truly grasp.

Humans had advanced their civilization under the delusion that gods must naturally love them. Even as they remained ignorant about loving smaller animals or insects…

That was likely why, despite understanding the truth he’d recently learned, it still didn’t feel real.

“Iro hyung, I…”

Jeong Noeul spoke softly.

“Maybe because I’ve seen ghosts since I was little, I’ve always thought that the world I see is naturally different from everyone else’s. But I was pretty arrogant about it… thinking everyone else viewed the world calmly, while only I saw corpses writhing around.”

But it’s a bit different, he added.

“After going through CYB, I realized everyone views the world differently. Eunyul hyung is scared of heights because of his trauma, Dojin hyung must see the world as a giant question mark, Heejae hyung chased after his invisible childhood friend’s spirit in a world too vivid for him to bear, and then…”

How do you see the world, hyung?

At Jeong Noeul’s question, Han Iro thought for a moment.

“…Well.”

He looked straight ahead, his voice trailing.

“This might sound kind of silly, but…”

With a bitter smile, Han Iro spoke.

“Sometimes… the world looks like it’s burning.”

Perhaps because flames had been burned into his eyes at too young an age. A single building might be just a small part of the world, yet having survived a fire inside one made it feel like the entire world was ablaze.

Even now. The densely wooded path up the slope to their lodging felt like it could ignite at any moment.

Trees are good fuel. As some of the largest life forms on Earth, they can easily turn to ash from a tiny spark. Humanity is said to have advanced civilization after discovering fire, but perhaps it would be more accurate to say they advanced by burning the world.

Fire lurks dangerously close to everyday life.

During the time when Han Iro feared fire most, he sometimes wondered if he was somehow defective as a human being, unable to progress any further.

With danger flickering so close, why are people so indifferent to it?

He had pondered that before.

“…I see.”

Listening to Han Iro’s inner thoughts, Jeong Noeul smiled faintly.

And then he looked at Han Iro.

Though he seemed sensitive at times, this man had a kind heart. As an only child, Jeong Noeul couldn’t fully grasp what it meant to throw oneself into the flames to save a sibling like Han Iro had. That made it beautiful. When something is beyond understanding, beauty is often all one can perceive.

So he whispered.

“Iro hyung, run.”

“…What?”

The moment Han Iro’s eyes widened—

Whoosh—

Flames engulfed the entire area.

The densely packed trees were consumed by fire. As if someone had twisted open a buried valve in the earth’s veins, flames erupted and surrounded them instantly.

Beyond the rising black smoke, Han Iro saw her.

A woman stood there.

The source of the fire was her body. Her grotesquely blistered skin seemed to act as a kindling. Everything she touched—her hands, her feet, even her breath—was fire. Even facing this incomprehensible sight, Han Iro suddenly thought:

‘…I feel like I’ve seen that face somewhere.’

<It’s a pleasure to meet you both.>

A voice echoed in his mind. Before he could even recall where he had heard it, Han Iro gasped as the voice reverberated not through his ears, but directly in his mind.

<I was waiting since no one was at the lodging.>

Speaking calmly, the woman stepped toward Han Iro and Jeong Noeul.

<I am… Ever-Burning Mother.>

Jeong Noeul bit his lower lip. He had somewhat expected this, but Aiden must have already anticipated their movements. However, he hadn’t expected her to appear in such a grand fashion. This was a bit much for a greeting.

Thinking that, he gripped Abrilah’s crown tightly in his right hand.

<Hand over the crown, reincarnation of Abrilah.>

Ever-Burning Mother spoke coldly.

<You know I can incinerate you both right now. The only reason I haven’t is because I wish to offer you a chance to surrender. If you cease interfering with my contractor’s wish, I won’t harm you. So…>

“How could we possibly do that?”

Jeong Noeul frowned.

“After seeing you devour souls without distinction between life and death, how could we just stand by?”

At his words, Ever-Burning Mother tilted her head.

<Is that wrong? Whether it’s flesh or soul, humans consume life indiscriminately too, don’t they?>

They tear into animals’ flesh and cut down plants.

Just to preserve a single life.

How many lives are consumed to sustain one human life?

Humans don’t lack the ability to measure it—they simply avoid doing so.

There was no malice in Ever-Burning Mother’s question.

She was merely stating facts.

Jeong Noeul trembled before her crimson eyes, empty yet glowing. An undeniable high-ranking constellation. He knew he could never stand against her. All he could do was—

“Iro hyung!”

Turning to Han Iro, Jeong Noeul shouted.

“Run! Why are you hesitating…!”

<You’re the one who needs to run.>

Beside the frozen Jeong Noeul, bubbles appeared.

The surrounding flames scattered into bubbles.

And standing amidst them was another woman.

Han Iro instinctively recognized that the woman beside him was his constellation. For wrapped around him, smiling, was the supreme beauty—Love Born with Bubbles.

“…G-Goddess.”

Feeling her warmth, Han Iro stammered.

<Hello, my beloved child. This is our first face-to-face meeting, isn’t it?>

With a playful smile, Love Born with Bubbles said.

<But we don’t have time for greetings. While I can meet you anytime, the being before us is not so easily encountered.>

<…I suppose so, Goddess of Love.>

A flicker of anger crossed Ever-Burning Mother’s gaze.

<By breaking taboo to descend, am I correct in assuming you will oppose me and my contractor’s wish at any cost?>

<Of course, my lovely child.>

Love Born with Bubbles dropped her smile.

<At this rate, you’ll plunge into ruin. Though perhaps that means little to you. It’s truly beautiful love. But I am obliged to preserve all forms of love. Therefore, I will do my utmost to prevent your self-destruction.>

<I hold no love for my contractor. Our union is simply my duty as a god.>

<Perhaps. But even lingering affection you fail to recognize is still love.>

Shrugging, Love Born with Bubbles looked at Jeong Noeul.

<Child, there’s nothing you can do here. Leave.>

“B-But…”

As Jeong Noeul struggled for words, a bubble popped softly against his cheek.

<You are human. You shouldn’t interfere in matters between gods. There are human problems that only humans can resolve.>

Love Born with Bubbles turned her gaze far off into the distance.

The cityscape beyond the smoke looked peaceful at first glance, but she sensed an abnormality.

‘The currents of the souls are strange.’

The souls were all fragmenting.

Yet the creatures whose flesh encased those souls remained unaware.

So she shouted.

<Run, now!>

“…Got it!”

Jeong Noeul donned the crown.

Then he turned and sprinted away.

“Stay safe, Iro hyung.”

Leaving behind that whisper.