I’m a Genius Idol but my Passive is Sunfish Chapter 104

A single scream rang through the air.

 

Of course, it didn’t come from Baepsae; it erupted from the mouth of Hyena #1, who had been hovering nearby.

 

The member from the first album was Yooyeon. The center, who had dyed his hair platinum blonde for this comeback, was smiling with a mischievous dimple.

 

‘As expected of the king of selfies.’

 

The combination of the pearl necklaces layered around his neck and his face was nothing short of fantastic. Maintaining her composure, Baepsae placed the ‘Pearl Yooyeon’ on top of the album and began her second unboxing.

 

By now, even more Naings had gathered around her.

 

‘Please, let it be Baekya this time…!’

 

Once again, she flipped to the center of the album.

 

“Wooooah!”

 

But again, the voice wasn’t hers.

 

It was Yooyeon again.

 

Having pulled Yooyeon twice in a row, Baepsae checked the photocard.

 

‘Noooooo.’

 

It wasn’t that she disliked him, but she couldn’t help but feel disappointed.

 

The center was holding a pistol engraved with patterns. This decadent deer blowing on the tip of the gun barrel was undeniably lethal.

 

“He is seriously, insanely handsome—”

 

Baepsae spoke to herself as she looked up. Then, she froze as she met the gaze of dozens of eyes staring at her.

 

‘What is it? Was I not supposed to open them here?’

 

Flustered, the devoted Yooyeon fan hurriedly gathered her things. But then, the photocard from the Hunter version felt unusually thick.

 

“Huh?”

 

When she slightly tilted the Gun Yooyeon card, it split into two separate cards.

 

“Gasp. No way!”

 

A Yooyeon fan standing next to her covered her mouth.

 

Two photocards in one—a phenomenon as rare as winning the lottery! Seeing that incredible moment right before her eyes, the nameless Naing looked like she was about to go crazy with envy.

 

The bookstore buzzed at the appearance of this lucky girl. Baepsae’s heart was pounding just as hard as everyone else’s.

 

‘Two albums, but three photocards?’

 

And one of them was a duplicate. In that case, it was only natural to trade.

 

Quickly running the numbers in her head, Baepsae held up one of the duplicate cards and spoke up.

 

“Um…”

 

Immediately, the ten or so Naings surrounding her thrust their own cards forward.

 

“I have ‘Skin-Exposing’ Yulmu!”

 

“I have ‘Lipstick’ Jihan!”

 

“’Glasses’ Minseong!”

 

The Naings’ courtship of Baepsae began.

 

In her 20-something years of life, this was the first time Baepsae had ever been the one in power. It was overwhelming, but it felt good.

 

‘This is thrilling…!’

 

Is this what it’s like to live at the top of the food chain?

 

Numerous photocards were surrounding her, waiting for her selection. However, this person in power knew exactly what she wanted.

 

“I’m looking for Baek…”

 

She had only uttered the first syllable of her bias’s name when six hands dropped in disappointment. The rejected Naings retreated to the back, while the victorious owners of Baekya cards rushed to the front.

 

“I have ‘Flower-Pose’ Baekya!”

“I have a ‘Flower-Pose’ too!”

 

It could have been a difficult situation with two fans rushing her at once, but as a member of society, Baepsae knew how to decline politely.

 

“I’m sorry. I’ll trade with the person who got here first.”

 

The Flower-Pose Baekya owner, who lost by a hair’s breadth, turned away gloomily.

 

***

 

At that same time, Boksoong…

 

Unlike Baepsae, who had done a physical pre-order at the store, Boksoong had ordered online and hadn’t even laid eyes on the physical album yet. However, there was one thing she was faster at than Baepsae.

 

“The MV! The MV!”

 

She was watching the music video.

 

The thumbnail showed the silhouettes of six members standing under a massive full moon.

 

[DASE ‘NAN’ MV]

 

In a mountain range under a full moon, ‘NAN’ began with DASE’s group choreography.

 

Sharp, form-fitting suits. Gold-button epaulettes on their shoulders. Sam Browne belts crossing their flat chests.

 

Minseong stood in the center, bathed in moonlight, with the other members gathered behind him as if shielding him.

 

As the intro began, Minseong’s hand—as the person in charge of this part—rose longingly along with his gaze, and the camera zoomed in on his hand as if he were grasping the moonlight.

 

– Under the Moonlight

 

Minseong’s voice flowed out simultaneously with the accompaniment. His voice harmonized perfectly over the low, muffled pad sounds.

 

The members’ gazes moved along with Minseong’s hand gestures.

 

As the next lyrics followed and Minseong’s hand lowered, the members faced forward, and their formation spread out wide.

 

– Luring you under the full moon

Thirsting, intoxicated by the scent

 

The scene shifted to show an empty coffin lined with velvet. Dried roses and petals were scattered around it.

 

As the camera slowly zoomed out and panned to the side, the back of a woman in a white dress was visible through an open door.

 

A man’s hand, identity unknown, reached out to offer her something. The woman’s eyes were a deep red.

 

– Burning like the touch of fingertips

Come to me just like that

I feel the warmth that will be the last

 

The scene transitioned into Yulmu’s part.

 

The screen was filled with Yulmu’s face, wearing a black long coat reminiscent of a priest’s cassock.

 

The camera zoomed out to show the entire space he was in. Behind the desk Yulmu was sitting on, crosses, mirrors, and candles were visible.

 

Smoke slowly began to crawl across the floor as the scene changed again.

 

A statue of a goddess stood in the middle of an empty art gallery. Minseong’s back was briefly shown as he looked at the statue, and then the scene shifted once more.

 

– Take away my hot breath

Night After Night

Na na na na na

 

The chorus began, and the members’ choreography was shown again.

 

Between the dance cuts, glimpses of Yooyeon, Jihan, and Cheong watching the woman from a distance flickered by. Baekya, dressed in work clothes, held a carving knife up to the sun, reflecting the light.

 

A close-up of his face showed him squinting slightly at the glare before the scene shifted immediately to the second verse.

 

– Meet my eyes in the pouring moonlight

You can’t run away anymore

Because I am already yours

 

A castle covered in dried rose vines.

A full moon hanging at the peak.

 

As DASE stood before the half-open iron gates and stepped inside, the dried rose petals crushed under their combat boots.

 

Unlike the eerie exterior, the inside of the castle was luxurious. The scene changed to show a magnificent banquet hall with six empty chairs.

 

– Frozen lips descend

Digging in sharply

Tears of ecstasy flow down

 

The members were briefly shown being wary of one another, followed by a close-up of Yooyeon’s lips as he picked up a red apple and took a bite.

 

The scene shifted to Cheong aiming an arrow. The direction his arrow was pointed was the very statue Minseong had been looking at.

 

The melody changed the moment the arrow left the string.

 

– The moment we open our eyes and meet

Finally, a red flower blooms

 

The screen, which showed Yooyeon standing alone amidst fluttering petals, quickly cut to Baekya.

 

The members’ voices layered over each other, creating an increasingly rich harmony. As the main vocal’s refreshing high note soared toward the end, the rap part followed immediately.

 

– The Eclipse that swallowed the light

Revealing true colors when the moon is hidden

Driving you until you can’t breathe

 

Six boys danced on a stage where an aurora unfolded.

 

After Jihan finished his part and stepped aside, Cheong appeared from the diagonal and took over the rap.

 

– Drive it in deep so you can’t escape

 

Sanpaku eyes glaring at the camera. Cheong’s face filled the screen before the camera pulled away.

 

And then it was Jihan’s turn again.

 

– Swallow me with a terrible thirst

 

The two continued the rap while standing back-to-back. The tension heightened as the camera circled Jihan and Cheong with increasing speed.

 

– You and I walk the same time

Hiding in this night, promising eternity

 

As Cheong and Jihan stared into the camera simultaneously while still back-to-back, the cut changed, and the scene returned to the banquet hall.

 

The empty wine glasses were briefly highlighted, followed by the members shown sleeping one by one.

 

Fang marks were visible on their limp wrists and the napes of their necks. The open doors of the banquet hall closed, and the hem of a white dress vanished from sight.

 

– Take away my hot breath

Night After Night

Na na na na na

 

As the final chorus continued, Baekya slowly opened his eyes. As the camera moved according to his gaze, Jihan was seen standing in the moonlight.

 

The camera moved slowly upward from his feet as if scanning Jihan’s body. As he lowered his arm after wiping his lips with the back of his hand, a smeared red stain around his mouth became visible.

 

The moment Jihan lifted his gaze and his red eyes met the camera, the music video ended.

 

“…….”

 

Boksoong, who had been speechless even after the music video ended, finally opened her lips a long while later.

 

“This is insane.”

 

Even if she wanted to say something else, ‘insane’ was the only word that came out.

 

“Wait, but didn’t they say it was a fight between Vampires and Hunters?”

 

The expectations of fans who had predicted a cat-and-mouse chase or a bloody showdown were all subverted.

 

If she were to play theorist for the MV based on her short observation, it seemed to be: ‘DASE, who were humans, chased the vampire but eventually became the same beings’.

 

In fact, if she thought about it, ID had only provided album details labeled with Hunter and Vampire versions. It was the fans themselves who had gotten ahead of themselves, assuming it would be a confrontation between the two.

 

ID and DASE had never said a word.

 

“No, but why did they confuse people by holding ‘wanted’ posters in the teaser… and why show them with swords at their waists to make our hearts flutter? Tch.”

 

Boksoong grumbled.

 

Truthfully, she had been looking forward to a flashy action scene from her bias. Although she didn’t get to see Baekya swinging a sword, she supposed she should be satisfied just seeing it hanging at his waist.

 

Looking at the fans’ theories on the world-building, it seemed highly likely that Baekya was the Jack—a knight.

 

‘Then I’ll surely get to see him swing that sword once someday.’

 

Looking at the scale of the MV, it didn’t seem like they would let it end so simply.

 

‘Whether it’s through self-produced content or a live broadcast, they’ll give us something.’

 

Boksoong had absolute faith in ID.