Chapter BONUS - Side Story: Return Of The Stars (Complete)

# Time flows on.

Finally, the final day dawned.

"...Child. What did you say your name was?"

"Stardust."

The final battle with the Sun God.

...Meeting once again his detestable form.

On a vast plain.

With a massive gray divine giant standing behind him, the Sun God frowned down at her with incomprehension.

"Stardust. So you're named after the Star God's daughter. But you... how..."

A battle between human and god.

In this impossible fight, surprisingly, the one showing confusion was... the Sun God himself.

"Child of the stars. I don't understand how you're merely a child. How do you possess the full power of a god?"

That's right.

The reason for the Sun God's confusion was... the child before him, whom he had believed to be merely the Star God's devotee, was actually radiating an aura indistinguishable from a god.

Despite his confused bewilderment...

"Who knows."

Shin Ha-ru snorted, having no intention of explaining.

...How could she explain it anyway?

That the Star God had perished and all her power had flowed into her, and in that state she grew even stronger... then suddenly time regressed, bringing her face to face with the deity she had already defeated?

She had no desire to explain everything at length...

Besides, she harbored absolutely no positive feelings toward the Sun God.

Setting aside the fact that all this chaos originated from him...

'That bastard killed Da-in.'

She gritted her teeth at the thought.

Before the regression, the Sun God had killed Egostic.

...He had died sacrificing himself to protect Ha-ru, fighting against the Sun God until his last breath.

From the day Da-in fell... until the day she brought him back to life. She never wanted to think again about how she had lived each day. Especially the guilt that Da-in had died protecting her... it was beyond description.

Therefore.

This time, she had no intention of repeating the same mistake.

"Why does a so-called Creator God talk so much? Why don't you just attack?"

"...How insolent. Very well, I shall crush both you and that power together!"

The Sun God, who had seemed somewhat lighthearted before battle in the previous timeline...

KUUUUUUUUUNG

This time, sensing her power and feeling threatened, he was going all out from the start.

...But Stardust wasn't intimidated.

In a battle between the newly manifested Sun God and her who had inherited almost all the Star God's power, it was obvious who had the advantage.

Besides, she had already defeated this opponent once with Egostic.

Losing this time was simply not an option.

This time, she would ensure Da-in wouldn't have to sacrifice himself to save her.

"Here I come... Helios."

She clenched her fist toward this world's source of calamity, bound to her by a terrible fate once more.

And then.

FLASH-

"Damn... what is this...!!!! ARGHHHH!!!!"

There was no one left to stand in her way.

After several battles, the winner was determined with absolute clarity.

This time too, just like before the regression.

The fallen evil god had no choice but to fall once more.

"Stardust! Are you alright? Stardust!"

"Haha... you don't need to shout, I can hear you, Egostic."

After everything ended.

Exhausted and panting after using all her strength...

Da-in had teleported to her immediately, completely unharmed.

Despite her exhaustion, she couldn't help but smile.

The outcome was the same as before.

But the process... was definitely different...

"Are you okay? Phew... thank goodness."

Unlike last time.

Seeing him perfectly fine and worried about her.

Shin Ha-ru smiled with tears threatening to fall.

"Haha... yes. It's finally, truly over."

The Star God's successor, Shin Ha-ru.

At last, she had once again saved the world she protected from destruction.

* * *

The world regained peace as everyone's supernatural abilities disappeared, just like after the regression. Of course, with the exception of those who possessed divine powers.

Peace had arrived.

...And now, it was truly time to enjoy happiness.

On a sofa in the living room of a home.

"Ha-ru, are you enjoying this? Or should I change to another program?"

"Hm? Isn't it fun? Let's watch this."

"Haha... I thought I was the only one who liked it. Let's watch it together."

Ha-ru was snuggled in Da-in's arms, embracing each other while watching TV.

...A peaceful day like any other. Since they had officially exchanged their feelings, they had been inseparable... this had become their daily routine.

Though Ha-ru was strong as a hero, her body was surprisingly delicate... and since Da-in was taller than her, being nestled against him gave her an incredible sense of security. She could fully feel his warmth... it had become her favorite position lately.

As they sat together watching TV...

"..."

In truth, she wasn't really focusing on the show, instead repeatedly looking up at Da-in's face as he watched.

No wonder Da-in asked if she found the TV boring, but how could she explain... that looking at him was more entertaining than any program?

'Really... how did I manage to get back here again?'

Ha-ru thought as she lay in Da-in's arms, looking up at him.

After the regression, she had felt like her world was collapsing, but somehow she had made it back here...

...Of course, life after the regression had been fun in its own way. Though they weren't dating, she had spent almost all her time with Da-in, experiencing everything together in a different way than before.

During that process, he had become so accustomed to speaking formally to her that he still hadn't dropped the formality... but well.

As she looked at him, thinking about the regression.

A few days ago.

...She remembered the night she had confessed about her regression to him.

'...that's what happened. ...I'm sorry I didn't tell you until now.'

Revealing that she was a returner from the past, Ha-ru had watched his reaction nervously. Honestly, she hadn't known how Da-in would take it. It wouldn't have been strange if he had gotten angry about her keeping such a secret...

But Da-in, far from that.

'If that's true. You've been carrying this secret alone, running all this way by yourself?'

'Then... really, really well done, Ha-ru. You've worked so hard. You've been through so much.'

...He had comforted her and embraced her tenderly.

She had tried to say it was fine, but tears came unexpectedly even as she smiled... and she had burst into tears in his arms for a while.

And what had Da-in said?

When she asked what would happen if another regression occurred.

'Then... just remember this one thing. No matter which timeline I'm in... if you are by my side...'

The fact that I will always love you, Ha-ru.

...Now, sitting on the sofa.

Looking at Da-in's face and recalling that memory, she unconsciously buried her flushed face against his chest.

Really... even after all this.

How could anyone not fall for him?

"Ha-ru? What's wrong?"

"...Don't know. Idiot."

"What??"

Leaving Da-in tilting his head in confusion, Ha-ru shouted at him with a reddened face.

"Anyway! We have somewhere to go this afternoon, so come with me. Got it?"

"Huh? Well, alright..."

She had thus told him about the surprise... or rather, the place she had prepared for them to visit together.

Hoping that Da-in would like it.

* * *

After defeating the Sun God, Stardust and I became world-famous.

People recognized and cheered for us wherever we went... making recognition reduction filters essential whenever we went out.

Anyway, today I secretly followed Ha-ru to...

"Then, I'll be going. Please feel free to look around."

"Yes, thank you..."

...a wedding dress shop.

"Hehe, what do you think, Da-in? See anything pretty?"

"Um... I..."

"Then, should I try on what I've picked out first? Wait here. Okay?"

"Yes... take your time."

Surrounded by white dresses on all sides, feeling dazed, I sat down heavily in a chair provided there to wait for Ha-ru to come out.

'Marriage... marriage, huh.'

It was still hard to believe.

Me? With Stardust? It was difficult to believe such excessive happiness could be my life. I truly felt like I might be the luckiest person in this world.

Well, unbelievable things happening in my life wasn't anything new. Recently, there was also Ha-ru's confession about her regression.

'...Honestly, I had my suspicions based on her past behavior.'

But I never imagined it was actually regression.

How on earth did I win over Stardust in the past?

...Thinking about it, the strange memories that occasionally appeared in my dreams suggested it might be better not to think too deeply. Especially the most mysterious part where there were always several women beside me in those dreams...

'Well... that's not what's important.'

Anyway. What mattered was the future.

How to live with Ha-ru, whether there were any remaining dangers... what principle caused the regression. There were still concerns and tasks remaining.

Those were things I needed to think about, but...

"...Da-in? I've tried it on, what do you think...?"

My next thought vanished completely the moment I heard her voice and looked up.

Her long golden hair flowing behind her, wearing a pure white wedding dress.

...Wearing such a dress, with slightly flushed cheeks. Looking at me with eyes expecting my reaction, her incredibly beautiful appearance...

"You're beautiful."

I stood dazed, unable to take my eyes off her, capable of saying only those words.

"Let's go with this one. This looks good. I think this is pretty."

"Hmm... no! Really! We still need to choose. We need to compare... huh?"

Her words stopped as I approached her... took her hand and embraced her gently while facing her.

And I smiled at her, answering her words.

"Then let's do that. But... Ha-ru, when you wear it, any dress... really, really looks beautiful. I almost wonder if we need to choose."

"Geez... don't exaggerate. Da-in, don't you like me too much?"

To Ha-ru, who was blushing and laughing at my sudden directness.

I grinned and told her.

"Didn't I tell you before? In this world, always. As long as you're by my side... I will love you."

My words were completely sincere, without any exaggeration.

After all, the driving force behind my decision to live in this world was... Stardust. From beginning to end, it was her.

Probably before the regression, and after. Even if regression happened many times, that fact would never change.

"Haha... really... yes. Thank you always, Da-in."

My words seemed to have touched her heart, as she replied with a trembling voice.

"But don't make me cry here again... just... do it."

She gently raised her head and closed her eyes, seemingly suggesting another action.

...Well, there's no one else here anyway.

With that thought, I held her close. I lowered my head and kissed Ha-ru in her wedding dress.

With the feeling of wishing this happy moment would last forever.

* * *

There will probably be many more events in our lives.

Even in a world without heroes and villains, we'll experience countless things we can't imagine now.

There will be days full of laughter, and sometimes days we'll have to let go with tears.

Perhaps unexpected happiness will come... and unforeseen incidents may occur.

But no matter what happens.

As long as she is by my side.

I feel like I can face anything with a smile.

So...

It seems fitting to end this story here.

They lived happily...

Ever after.

-Side Story. Star's Regression. The End