The Silver Star Revealed
Senior made plans. In moments like this, my mind goes completely blank. Then, without any conscious effort, my brain spun around and spat out a single conclusion.
Eunbyul equals silver plus star equals Silverstar. Aha! She just used her real name as her pen name! ‘Why didn’t I realize that? Or… is it normal that I didn’t?’
Lee Eunbyul was the kind of beauty who could turn every single head on the street. And she wrote erotic novels? Not just mildly spicy ones, either. Some episodes of Princess Seduction featured ropes, whips, and candles. I couldn’t picture Senior writing anything that hardcore. Maybe the author—no, Senior—no, the author had been just as flustered as I was. She’d frozen solid, pen hovering over the white paper.
“Um, Author-nim? Could we keep things moving?”
The staff member’s words snapped her out of it. There were still plenty of fans lined up behind me. I couldn’t afford to make a scene. The fact that she’d shown up wearing a helmet meant she was trying to hide her identity. Of course, her figure made it obvious she was a woman, but any leak about her real name would be a disaster.
In that case… I’ll just pretend I don’t know her.
I knew that much, at least. If people found out the author and a reader were personally acquainted, it could spark all kinds of nepotism accusations.
I spoke first to the still-frozen Silverstar.
“I’m sorry! I got confused for a second and thought you were someone I knew. Please don’t mind me.”
“……”
I wasn’t sure if my meaning had gotten through. But Silverstar smoothly signed the book and handed it over. I accepted it with the most solemn expression I could manage.
“Thank you! I really enjoyed your novels! I’m looking forward to your next work!”
Yeah. Let’s just forget everything that happened today. I saw nothing. I’d take the signature and leave. That was genuinely what I thought.
Until I saw the note written on the signing page.
“What the… is this a dream?”
I lay in bed and pinched my own cheek as hard as I could. I used to laugh at characters in comics who did this, but now that something unbelievable had actually happened to me, I was doing the exact same thing.
“Huh? It doesn’t hurt?”
I pinched harder. Ow. Yeah, that hurt now. I looked down again at the precious signed book Silverstar had given me. Right beneath the cute, carefully written signature was a tiny note with a place and time.
This was clearly an invitation to meet tomorrow.
So it really was Senior Eunbyul…
No matter how many times I thought about it, I couldn’t believe it. That pretty, adorable, lovable Senior Eunbyul. The same person who wrote lines like, “Oink! I’m sorry, Master! I’m a filthy bitch oooooink!”?
“Maybe it’s just a coincidence?”
Maybe Senior Eunbyul and Silverstar just happened to wear the same clothes. And happened to head to the same place at around the same time. And the author just randomly decided to make plans with me after seeing my face?
“Come on, that makes no sense!”
I smacked myself on the head. No matter how I looked at it, the evidence was overwhelming. Senior Eunbyul was Silverstar.
“Wow… how is that even possible?”
Once I accepted it, the realization hit me like a fresh shock. It wasn’t that unusual these days for a woman to write erotic novels. But the fact that the author I respected and the senior I admired were the same person—and that I’d chatted with her at the tteokbokki shop and even packed food for her—sent a strange thrill racing down my spine.
“Even a harem game would call this bad writing.”
It was ridiculous even to me. The senior I’d looked up to and the author I’d revered were the same person. And I’d been sweating bullets at the signing event without knowing.
“Wait… that means I’m meeting Silverstar again tomorrow? Not at a signing, but privately?”
Sudden tension gripped me for an entirely different reason. Cold sweat broke out across my back.
What am I even supposed to talk about?
This would be the first time in my entire life I’d meet a girl alone. And the other person was both Senior Eunbyul and Author Silverstar?
“C-calm down. First, let’s search the internet!”
Unfortunately, there wasn’t anyone around I could really ask. My friends were all fellow otakus anyway. Besides, telling anyone I’d met Senior Eunbyul felt… strangely embarrassing.
After thinking it over, I carefully posted on a forum.
I’d been careful to keep it vague so no one could pinpoint me. As expected from the internet—a treasure trove of information and people with nothing better to do—replies flooded in almost instantly.
“……So it’s not something I need to be that nervous about?”
Most replies said it didn’t matter or that it was actually better. After all, just because someone wrote thrillers didn’t mean the author was a psychopath. I probably didn’t need to overthink it.
“Still… why did she want to meet?”
Once I calmed down, worry crept in. The fact that she’d gone out of her way to set up a meeting meant she must have something to say. Maybe she wanted to make sure I kept quiet? Logically, that was the only explanation.
……In the worst case, she might stop coming to the tteokbokki shop.
The thought made me suddenly depressed. I stared blankly at the forum post I’d made. Then one particular comment caught my eye.
Nothing useful, as usual. Still, a girl asking about gifts for a guy on an otaku forum?
Obviously a netkami trying to stir things up.
No way an actual girl would post here. I replied with a bit of mischief.
I laughed at myself after posting. A figure as a gift? What kind of face would the guy make? Maybe he’d actually be happy?
“Sigh, I don’t have time to be messing around like this.”
I got up and opened my closet. It was full of nothing but dull black or plain white clothes. No decent outfits at all. That was to be expected—my clothes were just whatever Mom picked up cheap at the mart. Still, I couldn’t show up to meet the senior I admired and the author I respected wearing just anything.
So I went back online and asked what I should wear.
Of course, no normal answers came back.
“This isn’t too weird, right?”
After much agonizing, I settled on jeans and a plain white t-shirt. When I asked my little sister if it looked okay on the way out, she answered with “dumbass.” I took that as a positive. She usually called me “moron,” so this was practically a compliment.
I’m way too early.
It was currently 1:30 p.m. Thirty whole minutes until our meeting. I’d come early so I wouldn’t make her wait, but I’d arrived far too soon. Still, the waiting time wasn’t boring at all. My heart was racing with excitement.
About five minutes later—
“……Hi.”
Senior Eunbyul approached, waving with a smile. By coincidence, she was also wearing blue skinny jeans, a pink sleeveless top, and a cardigan. The feminine outfit beautifully highlighted her perfect figure. She looked even prettier than she had at the tteokbokki shop. She even seemed to give off a sweet scent.
Oh! She greeted me, so I should reply.
“Ah, h-hi there.”
……My tongue tripped over itself. Maybe she didn’t hear? I covered it quickly, so she probably didn’t, right?
Her lips curved into a mischievous little smile.
…She definitely heard that.
Embarrassment rose from the pit of my stomach.
“Haha! Sorry! Don’t make that face~ I wasn’t trying to tease you. I was worried, but then I suddenly felt relieved.”
“Huh? Relieved?”
What was there to be relieved about? Had I done something that made her anxious?
While I was busy with that stupid thought, Eunbyul stepped closer and gently took my arm. The natural skinship made me forget how to breathe for a second.
“Anyway, it’s awkward just standing here. Let’s go into that café over there. My treat today.”
“Ah, it’s okay. I can pay for mine.”
“Nope~ I’m paying~”
With a confident grin, she pulled out a sleek blue card like it was the most natural thing in the world. Was this what adult flexing looked like? Oh right, I was an adult too. Though there was probably a big gap between me and a star author like her.
I stammered incoherently as she dragged me into the café.
“I’ll have a cappuccino. What about you, Jinwoo?”
“I’ll have an iced chocolate.”
“Chocolate? You like sweet things?”
“Yeah, and… for some reason café coffee keeps me up at night.”
Eunbyul stared at me for a moment, then broke into a soft smile. I thought I heard her quietly murmur, “Cute.”
After we ordered, we sat together by the window.
Wow, this is my first time at a café with a girl.
I’d always thought only popular people did stuff like this. Yet here I was, drinking with someone as beautiful as Senior Eunbyul. If I’d told myself from yesterday, I wouldn’t have believed it.
“Here, this is my gift.”
Eunbyul handed me a paper box she’d been carrying. My eyes widened in surprise—I hadn’t expected it to be for me.
“A gift? Why all of a sudden……”
“You gave me a ride on your bike before. It was my first signing event too, and I definitely would’ve been late without you. Think of it as thanks and repayment.”
“You really didn’t have to……”
I felt bad instead. I’d only given her a ride because she stood out, and we were heading the same way anyway.
“So you’re not going to accept it? My arm’s getting tired.”
“……Thank you.”
“That’s right~ Good boy!”
Eunbyul puffed out her chest with a satisfied expression. She looked so adorable that I couldn’t help but grin. Besides, refusing someone’s kindness would be rude. I’d have to repay her later somehow. Assuming we met again, that is.
“What is it? Can I open it?”
“Yeah! Go ahead! I agonized over it for a long time.”
What kind of gift would a star author prepare? Maybe a printed volume? Or leftover merch from yesterday’s event?
Full of anticipation, I opened the box. Inside was—
“A… figure?”
“Yep! I heard figures are the perfect gift for guys.”
I suddenly remembered the forum post from yesterday.
……The foreshadowing payoff is insane.