MYSRS 01

Chapter 1

The Protagonist’s Younger Sibling is Reborn as a Constellation

No matter how I think about it, this is overprotection.

I thought this while standing in front of the three people who were staring at me coolly.

“Haah.”

A yawn escaped me without even realizing it.

My body doesn’t feel fatigue, but mentally, I felt as tired as if I hadn’t slept for three nights straight.

Finally, thinking I could rest a little, I flopped onto the sofa—only for them to show up immediately.

“Jin Serin. I told you to stay at home quietly.”

The first to speak in the otherwise silent room was my older brother, Jin Sehyuk.

He was frowning deeply, but worry and relief shone through it.

The absurdity of finding a younger sibling, whom he had repeatedly told to stay home, in a dungeon must be indescribable.

“Mm, our Serin must have been bored again. I see, I see.”

Smiling brightly was Kang Seowoo.

Even though he smiled like that, I was sure he was inwardly scheming about how to make me stay home, probably thinking all sorts of grim thoughts.

He had said he hated overprotection, but I can’t understand why he treats me this way.

Yet the two in front of me were only a small taste.

The person scarier than even a hidden boss was this one.

“Choose. Soft fabric would be better, right?”

Kim Igyul, my contractor, held handcuffs in one hand and a soft fur cloth in the other, expressionless.

He had previously warned me that if I went to a dungeon secretly again, he would tie my hand to his and bind us completely.

At the time, I thought he was joking—but he wasn’t.

‘But that cloth… isn’t it the item I sponsored for you?’

As far as I remembered, it was meant for use when defeating a boss mob.

It wasn’t meant to be used on me.

I could only gape in disbelief.

⌈If you knew I was a constellation, you wouldn’t dare do this.⌋

Though the three couldn’t see, Antares clicked his tongue behind them at the ridiculous situation.

Ah, exactly! Honestly, I’m stronger than these humans! I barely die, too!

As I clenched my lips in frustration, a simultaneous sigh erupted above my head.

Yes, it’s excessive. Definitely too much.

Still, I couldn’t say anything—because there had already been precedent.

…Maybe not just once, but several times?

As I pondered the past, a heavy sentence fell above my head.

“Don’t let us lose you again.”

It was magical words that shut my mouth instantly.

Everyone has probably wished at some point that the world would change.

“Jin Serin! Wake up!”

Was my wish that desperate? I dreamt of a world being transformed.

People desperately running, the scent of blood from the injured, countless corpses piled on the streets.

It was a scene so vivid it felt unreal for a dream.

I looked at the man holding me.

His face was familiar but I couldn’t immediately place who he was.

Someone shoved past us.

“Move! Don’t block the way like an idiot!”

I almost stumbled, but the man holding me kept me upright.

“Damn it, Jin Serin! Are you planning to follow your parents?”

Since I was still dazed, he mentioned my parents.

Just moments ago, I—or rather, he—No, ‘we’? I don’t know.

“No, sorry. My words came out wrong. You’re not doing this because you want to.”

Even in his own confusion, he took care of me carefully.

Judging by him calling himself ‘oppa,’ it seemed I was his younger sibling.

I alternated my gaze between the man, presumed to be the ‘oppa’ in the dream, and my surroundings.

A boy with short hair like a soldier, beside me, and myself in a school uniform I’d never seen before.

Though he hurried me anxiously, I didn’t feel like moving. Perhaps because it was a dream, it felt unreal.

“Serin, please. I know it’s hard. But let’s at least get to the safe zone, okay? Come with oppa.”

The man who had been scolding me now coaxed me calmly. I could feel the trembling through his hand on my shoulder.

Through that tremor, my previously unfocused eyes cleared, and the world came into view.

The man whose eyes met mine smiled and held my hand. He spoke in as calm a tone as he could while moving forward.

“Even if you’re scared, hold on a little. If it gets too bad, be sure to tell oppa.”

“Okay.”

The hand we held together still trembled.

I wasn’t trembling, so the trembling belonged to him. Despite his own fear, he was taking care of his younger sibling.

As my surroundings became clearer, I started to recognize the place.

I already knew this man—or rather, had ‘read’ him.

Jin Sehyuk, the protagonist of the novel At the End of Destruction. A tragic protagonist who had to lose his sibling to awaken.

The only human to survive until the end of destruction, Jin Sehyuk awakens through the death of his younger sibling.

I had read At the End of Destruction—often shortened to Melkkeut—simply because a friend recommended it, saying the protagonist’s sibling had the same name as mine.

Of course, it was a scam. The sibling, ‘Jin Serin,’ only appeared in episode 1 and thereafter in memories.

So now, Jin Sehyuk is the oppa? It seems I became the dying younger sibling.

I didn’t even read this before bed, so I had no idea why I was having this dream.

It’s a dream anyway, and if I’m the sibling who’s supposed to die, then dying should wake me from this dream, right?

Even thinking I would die, I wasn’t afraid. Usually, I was a coward scared of even bugs.

[Kiieek!]

A strange crying sound came from nearby.

Jin Sehyuk stopped, suddenly turned to me, and called my name.

“Serin.”

“Huh?”

“From now on, we keep running.”

Hearing Jin Sehyuk speak with a firm expression, I realized:

‘It’s almost time to wake from the dream.’

Unaware of my thoughts, Jin Sehyuk adjusted our grip and ran.

I didn’t know whether to be happy that I had a strange dream meeting Jin Sehyuk in person or regret that it was in such a situation.

There were many near-fall crises on the way to the safe zone.

Debris from destroyed buildings scattered on the ground, and people shoved each other in panic.

Yet the hand that held mine never let go. He pulled me firmly along.

“Jin Serin, don’t let go. Hold tight!”

Feeling my hand weaken, he gripped mine harder.

A monster, making the strange crying sound, chased closely behind us as we neared the safe zone.

My energy had long since run out, and I could only follow along, carried by Jin Sehyuk’s strength.

I instinctively knew. Now was the time.

I slowly released the grip of my hand. Naturally, as if my strength had slipped away.

Just then, my foot caught on something. I wobbled and fell forward with a thud.

Jin Sehyuk, who had held my hand, looked back.

This happened the moment he stepped into the safe zone.

Ouch, that’s pretty cruel. Now I see why Jin Serin is the source of Jin Sehyuk’s trauma.

Because of letting go of my hand just before the safe zone, Jin Sehyuk will live forever with the guilt of driving his sibling to death.

“Jin Serin!”

Panicked, Jin Sehyuk rushed to lift me, but the monster moved faster.

As if determined not to miss this moment, its grotesque arm grabbed my ankle and pulled me toward it.

“Ugh!”

I was scraped here and there as I was dragged. Pain forced a groan out of me.

Even in a dream, I could feel pain, I thought lazily.

I looked up at Jin Sehyuk as the monster dragged me.

He tried to come toward me, but soldiers in the safe zone blocked him.

‘I’m… okay.’

Maybe he could see me from this distance…? I faintly smiled.

I could no longer see Jin Sehyuk’s face clearly. I couldn’t tell whether he was frowning or angry.

Though he was clearly unrelated to me, I found myself worrying anyway.

I watched him gradually disappear into the distance with unnecessary concern.