Little Pink Starfish

The woman before him was beautiful.

His Star, ‘Ever-Burning Mother,’ was truly a beautiful being.

Aiden had thought so ever since he first saw her form.

He was well aware of the mythology of ‘Ever-Burning Mother’ concealed behind a holy symbol. A goddess who, once in the seat of a creator god, fell to the underworld while giving birth. A pitiful woman who remained in the underworld with her body burned, ultimately betrayed even by the partner who had sought her out.

Because she had become hideous. Just for that trivial reason, she was abandoned.

Then, what kind of faith could a creature offer such a goddess? Faith in her power? Faith in the hatred written into mythology, where she vowed to kill a thousand humans a day?

No, that was not it.

It had to be faith in her beauty.

Stars constantly crave the faith of their creations. Because they cannot believe in themselves. All gods are incredibly strong, wise, and at times, cruel beyond belief.<You once…>

Thus, the beautiful goddess spoke to Aiden.

<…told me that I was beautiful, didn’t you?>

“Since you are beautiful, I cannot help but say you are.”

Aiden spoke with a smile.

Faith is a forced emotion. It is completed by continuously forcing it. Therefore, ‘Ever-Burning Mother’ was beautiful. Aiden firmly believed so.

“From the moment I first saw you…”

Aiden took a step forward.

“I’ve always thought you were beautiful. Perhaps there was a moment I thought you were hideous. Like your partner. But unlike gods, humans are skilled at forcing things… and at making that forcefulness into truth.”

The sensation beneath his feet was rough.

Before him lay a path leading directly to the mire.

The sound of footsteps echoed rhythmically in his ears. His own, and the goddess guiding him by the hand.

Aiden let out a faint scoff as he looked around.

The underworld. The place where the souls of the dead reside.

Come to think of it, ‘Ever-Burning Mother’ was both a creator god and a god of death. He had planned all of this using her power, and now, being led to the underworld by her hand, his life felt absurdly ridiculous. Thinking so, Aiden looked at the lovely goddess.

<This place as well…>

The red eyes of ‘Ever-Burning Mother’ glimmered.

<Could you find it beautiful?>

“Not at all.”

Aiden sighed.

“You truly don’t understand humans. Humans are different from gods. Unlike gods who endlessly deliberate over concepts like the public good with their petty thoughts… humans, from the moment they’re born until they die, only repeat the thoughts they desire for themselves.”

They simply believe what they want to believe is beautiful.

The underworld was a place he could never feel inclined to find beautiful.

Therefore, it could never become beautiful.<I once deeply resented such humans.>

‘Ever-Burning Mother’ spoke in a calm tone.

<I wondered why ‘The Savior Who Is One and All’ created humans. So I attempted a smaller act of creation with my partner… and after succeeding, I thought…>

Humans are truly beautiful.

And precisely because of that, truly hideous.

She murmured those thoughts.

Aiden quietly observed the expression of ‘Ever-Burning Mother.’ Red and deformed from burns, covered with soot, her face was unfamiliar. Yet Aiden knew that she carried traces of sorrow. For he had been with her for a long time.

Thus, he asked.

“What did you find beautiful?”<The act of living.>

‘Ever-Burning Mother’ answered.

<Humans are creatures intelligent enough to sense death. That is why they appeared beautiful to me. Their struggle before death, and their eventual acceptance of it, make each of their lives uniquely precious.>

“Then what did you find hideous?”<Their forgetfulness.>

‘Ever-Burning Mother’ smiled.

<Humans are intelligent enough to sense death, yet foolish enough to forget even death itself. Sometimes, they forget it faster than creatures far less developed than themselves. You should know that well.>

“I do. I know it very well.”

Aiden sighed.

He often thought about it. If Jeong Hangyeol had taken his own life in a more human-like way, how long would people have remembered his death?

A year, two years… Aiden thought five years would be the limit.

He had occasionally encountered stories of celebrities who committed suicide. Their deaths, though impactful, faded too quickly in the eyes of the public. Perhaps because death was not something that could wear makeup, nor something that could bask under the spotlight.

“Did I die as a human?”

Suddenly, Aiden spoke.

“As I fall this deeply, led by your hand… was I human?”

At Aiden’s question, ‘Ever-Burning Mother’ fell silent for a moment.

She simply led Aiden by the arm, deeper into the underworld.

Because she couldn’t find the words to answer. After terminating her contract with Aiden, she was now taking him to the ‘Ten Kings of the Underworld.’ In other words, she herself had sentenced him to death.

Then, was the hand she was holding human? Or was it that of a Star?

‘Ever-Burning Mother’ silently contemplated.

Aiden had completed almost all the tasks required to become a Star and lost much of his humanity in the process. Yet he was born human. But that didn’t matter. A faint smile formed on ‘Ever-Burning Mother’s’ lips.

<You are… not human.>

Softly, she spoke.<At least to me.>

Because she wanted to offer him faith.

‘Ever-Burning Mother’ wanted to give her contractor faith.

Stars do not trust their creations. Yet she felt she could offer faith to this man holding her hand. Therefore, he was not human. ‘Ever-Burning Mother’ was certain.

“…I see.”

Aiden chuckled.<I will offer you faith.>

‘Ever-Burning Mother’ looked back at Aiden.

<When the moment of judgment comes, I will be by your side.>

Hearing the goddess’s cracked voice, Aiden looked straight ahead.

Beyond ‘Ever-Burning Mother’s’ shoulder, the landscape of the underworld spread out. Countless souls were moving about, and the court surrounded by the black thrones of the ‘Ten Kings of the Underworld’ came into view. There, at the center, he would stand to face all his wrongdoings.

He would not feel it was unfair, no matter the punishment.

He had no regrets.

Above all, ‘Ever-Burning Mother’ was by his side.

Yet Aiden suddenly looked back.

Beyond the long mire he had walked, he saw a small light shining down.

The light of the living world. Now barely reaching him like a pinhole.

‘You’ll be coming here too soon, won’t you?’

He uttered words that would not reach.

‘A bit regretful that I couldn’t properly say goodbye.’

Would you feel the same?

Though not expecting an answer, Aiden posed the question.

‘…Hangyeol.’

To the friend he had tried to bring back to life.

---

<Now it’s your turn.>

Star spoke in a sunken voice.

I was observing from a distance.

Aiden and ‘Ever-Burning Mother’ had left for the underworld. Only a smoky burn mark remained where they had stood.

Jeong Hangyeol quietly looked down at the mark left by Aiden’s departure.

And then he spoke.

“…I suppose I won’t be able to see him again?”

He asked Star whether he would ever meet Aiden again.

<Impossible.>

Mika answered on Star’s behalf.

<You will go to Heaven, not the underworld. There’s no need to debate the rights and wrongs of your life.>

That was natural, since Jeong Hangyeol’s soul had already gone through reincarnation once.<Heaven is the realm where souls are dismantled to create new beings. Your soul will either return as scattered fragments to where it belongs or be used to form another new existence.>

“…I see.”

Jeong Hangyeol smiled bitterly.

Then he looked at the reincarnated child collapsed beside him….

“Juna…”

He nodded while gazing at the young boy’s face.

“I am ready.”

As he said that, Mika grabbed Jeong Hangyeol’s arm.

<Everyone.>

Then she addressed us.<I will guide him to Heaven. It may take several days.>

I could say nothing. The processes of human death and rebirth were far too distant from me. And I had witnessed such processes in far too short a time. My head throbbed, and I felt as if something inside me had spilled over.

Surely I was not the only one feeling this way. I looked at the members’ faces. They simply received my gaze with complicated expressions.

<What are you pretending to think so deeply about?>

Star spoke curtly.

<You merely witnessed something you didn’t need to see. Guardian angels, Heaven’s gates—all of it, forget it.>

It’s fine to forget everything.

That is humanity’s privilege.

Star murmured so.<You have the freedom to be forgotten.>

The freedom to be forgotten…

Star’s words somehow sounded like comfort for Jeong Hangyeol.

<Anyway, have a safe trip. Tell Papa that we won.>

Speaking carelessly, Star turned his back on Mika.

<…Yes. We won.>

Mika’s words strangely carried a hint of laughter.

“Won? Won what?”

I asked Star.

<The winner is right. That’s what Papa said.>

Looking me in the eyes, Star spoke.

<So we won… and we’re right.>

‘The Savior Who Is One and All’ had judged that both we and Aiden were right.

If one side had to be wrong, it would ultimately be reduced to a matter of victory and defeat.

‘…So that’s how it is.’

I sighed.

At this point, I didn’t even know what the point of right and wrong was.<There is no point. Victory and defeat are no different than the fact that humans have two arms and I have two wings.>

Perhaps reading my thoughts, Star said.

“…I suppose so.”

My gaze met Star’s.

We could only let out a faint chuckle.