Since the emergence of Fissures, every year on September 6 at precisely 5 PM, a phenomenon called the “Star Shower” occurred in certain Fissures. During this event, one shooting star fell every minute for sixty minutes. Soon, rumors spread that wishes made during this time would come true, attracting many people annually. In Seoul, the event could be seen from an F-rank Fissure located in Han River Park, Ichon-dong. Six years ago, the Seoul City Hall’s Culture and Arts Festival Promotion Team began hosting an annual festival to promote the city. Naturally, being responsible for the Fissure, the Fissure Management Division helped with the festival each year. Their preparation included securing the Fissure days in advance and gathering monsters to prevent any possible accidents. With Seoul’s mayor and other distinguished guests in attendance, the festival prioritized protocol above all. The Fissure Management Division was partially responsible for ensuring the event's success by conducting thorough safety inspections. On this day, the Division operated a temporary command center inside the Fissure. Despite it being only an F-rank Fissure, the high number of civilians attending required the presence of civil servants and contract Hunters stationed at the command center to handle emergencies. Spanning over nine hundred thousand square meters, the Fissure was a vast, grassy plain devoid of trees —a typical landscape for a Fissure inhabited by goblins. However, today the Fissure had a new look with various tents and a stage set up. The Festival Promotion Team had divided the event into two sections: the first included stargazing and a wish-making event where participants released wish balloons, while the second featured performances by invited singers, followed by a fireworks display. “Agh, my back!” Cheol-Soo exclaimed as he collapsed dramatically into a plastic chair at the command center after finishing his report. Though he had been working the festival every year, the physical toll on his aging body seemed to worsen each year. “You’re doing great, chief,” Do-Jun said to Cheol-Soo, handing him a bottle of water. Cheol-Soo quickly unscrewed the cap and gulped down half of it. Having arrived early in the morning to conduct final safety checks with the Hunters and report the event’s readiness to the Chief of Staff, Cheol-Soo seemed completely exhausted. “Next year, I’m transferring somewhere else. Seriously,” Cheol-Soo declared. Hyuk-Soo shrugged and replied, “You’ve been saying that for two years now.” “This time, I mean it. I even told the Chief of Staff to transfer me to a different department.” “Where can someone from Fissure management go? You’re stuck here for life, Chief.” “I’m tired of looking at these damn Fissures.” Of course, Cheol-Soo wasn’t serious. As Hyuk-Soo pointed out, a Fissure management role was a lifelong position. While there was a possibility of transferring to a newly created Fissure-related department in the future, it was a big “if.” “Thinking about seeing your faces again next year already gives me goosebumps,” Cheol-Soo said, shuddering. “Didn’t you say that the three of us are practically one?” Hyuk-Soo teased. “Silly you, I’m gonna get goosebumps because I’m so happy!” Do-Jun chuckled at their banter while checking his smartphone, where he saw a message from Yoon-Hee. Yoon-Hee: Next year’s Star Shower falls on a weekend, so let’s see it together! Yoon-Hee had been looking forward to the festival but couldn’t attend this year because of overlapping midterm exams and the inconvenient timing on a weekday evening. She seemed especially disappointed about missing the shooting stars. “I know we see this every year, but isn’t it still so fascinating?” Hyuk-Soo murmured. The same place, the same date, and the same time. One shooting star every minute, totaling sixty stars falling in sequence. Many hypotheses had been proposed to explain this phenomenon scientifically, but like other supernatural occurrences of the modern age—such as Status Windows and skills—the Star Shower event remained an unresolved mystery. “It is pretty fascinating,” Cheol-Soo agreed. “What’s your wish this year, Chief?” Hyuk-Soo asked. “Winning the lottery.” “Same as always, huh?” “Of course! Money is everything. The moment I win, I’m quitting this job.” “I look forward to hearing your wish next year,” Hyuk-Soo teased him. “You’re so... sigh.” Cheol-Soo cleared his throat and turned to Do-Jun. “What about you, Do-Jun? What are you wishing for?” Do-Jun grinned and answered, “I’m wishing for you to win the lottery, Chief.” “Thanks for saying that, buddy.” Exactly at 6 PM, the long-awaited shooting stars started to fall. Even though the sky wasn’t completely dark yet, the streaks of light were clear enough to get cheers from the crowd. The festival officially kicked off with the host’s lively commentary. “Hey, hey, don’t just stand there—release your wish balloons already!” Cheol-Soo bustled around, handing out balloons and wish papers to Do-Jun and Hyuk-Soo. Shooting stars fell every minute, their light glittering in the sky. Simultaneously, the crowd released their wish balloons into the air. As Do-Jun watched, he recalled Yoon-Hee’s message and fell deep into thought. By the time the festival ended and the cleanup was done, it was just past 10 PM. The house was dark when Do-Jun got home. In the bedroom, he found the children sleeping soundly, lost in their dreams. Debating whether to wake them, he eventually shook his head and headed straight for the rooftop. There, he set up a barbecue grill and unpacked the pork, sausages, bell peppers, and other ingredients he had picked up on the way back. After filling the grill with charcoal, he shot a spark of his internal energy from his fingertip. Flames roared to life before settling into a steady glow, turning the coals red-hot. He then placed a grate over the grill and quickly skewered the meat, sausages, and vegetables, creating about twenty skewers. By the time he finished, it was 10:20 PM. Yoon-Hee would return home around eleven. The charcoal, infused with low-grade mana stones, would burn for hours, unlike ordinary coals. Satisfied, he headed back inside. Byeol gazed at the barbecue grill with wide-eyed curiosity. While Yong-Yong and Karsiel had enjoyed barbecues during their last glamping trip, this was Byeol’s first time. She stared blankly at the glowing charcoal in the grill and the sizzling barbecue skewers above it. After rubbing her sleepy eyes and yawning on the way to the rooftop, Byeol now sparkled with excitement, her drowsiness completely gone. The most excited one was, of course, Yong-Yong. Wagging his tail, he inhaled the rich aroma of barbecue. Karsiel, on the other hand, seemed restless, as if she wanted to help with something. Do-Jun chuckled, patted her head, and continued flipping the skewers on the grill. “Um, Master...” Karsiel called out tentatively. She hesitated to speak, but Do-Jun easily picked up on her thoughts by noticing her gaze fixed on Hakase’s food stall. He smiled knowingly and reassured her, “He said he’d come as soon as he wraps up for the day.” At that, Karsiel’s expression softened. She’d been worried that Hakase, who had helped her so much, might feel hurt if not invited to the barbecue party. Even beyond such concerns, gatherings were always more lively and fun with more people. When Yoon-Hee arrived home, the house was empty. The dark interior greeted her as she turned on the living room lights and checked the bedroom and bathroom. No one was there. She had heard that Do-Jun might come home late because of work, but the children were usually playing or asleep at this time. Then, she noticed a note left on the dining table in Do-Jun’s handwriting: Come to the rooftop. After setting her bag down, Yoon-Hee took the elevator to the fifth floor. She climbed the emergency stairs leading to the rooftop, opened the door cautiously, and froze. Her eyes widened at the sight of the soft rooftop lights and the barbecue grill around which everyone was gathered. “Mommy!” Byeol dashed toward Yoon-Hee. Flustered, she approached Do-Jun, who was grilling skewers. “F-Father, what’s all this?” “You must be hungry. Have a seat and eat.” Do-Jun smiled as he handed her a perfectly cooked skewer. Although she looked confused by the sudden barbecue party, she sat next to Do-Jun and bit into the skewer. The smoky flavor of charcoal, combined with just the right amount of salt, made it quite delicious. “How did your exam go?” Do-Jun asked. “Great! I placed third in my class. I might’ve secured second if I could keep my Infusion for two more seconds, but my instructor was so nice anyway. He said I had talent and that he was looking forward to the next exam!” She chattered on, recounting her day in detail. As Do-Jun listened quietly, memories of his early days back on Earth flooded back. He remembered how a new family member unexpectedly entered his life as he was trying to readjust to living on Earth by himself. Looking back, even the “dad contract” now seemed comical. He shifted his gaze slightly to take in the larger scene. There was Yong-Yong, Karsiel, and Byeol. A little farther away, Hakase and Kiriel could be seen arguing. Although Hakase and Kiriel seemed like they were fighting, Do-Jun knew they had become quite close. Knowing they were sworn enemies back in the Deep Realm, Do-Jun found it amusing. Suddenly, a formless energy briefly surged from Do-Jun’s hand before disappearing. He grabbed a fresh skewer, placed it on the grill, and sprinkled a pinch of salt evenly over it. “Father, let me do it!” “No, I’ve got it today.” “But you must be tired—huh?” Yoon-Hee rubbed her eyes. At that moment, a shooting star streaked across the sky. Was she seeing things? No, it was real. It was Star Shower, but it seemed different from the ones before. Rainbow-colored stars—each shining with seven hues—adorned the sky. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of these glowing stars started cascading along the heavens’ contours. It was a sight they’d never seen before. Yoon-Hee stared in awe, unable to believe her eyes. She wasn’t alone. Everyone was mesmerized by the dazzling spectacle above. Meanwhile, Do-Jun flipped the skewers to ensure they were evenly cooked. “Oh, right! Wishes!” Yoon-Hee clasped her hands together and closed her eyes. A moment later, she smiled contentedly. “What did you wish for?” Do-Jun asked. “I wished for everyone here to always be healthy and happy.” Do-Jun chuckled softly and replied, “Good.” His gaze then shifted to Yong-Yong, who had his eyes closed and hands clasped. What could he be wishing for? “Please let us have,” Yong-Yong murmured, “braised short ribs for dinner tomorrow.”