I’m a Genius Idol but my Passive is Sunfish – Chapter 18

Author: LyraDhani

The debut stage began, and DASE started their full-fledged activities.

For the members, today was the first time they’d properly been inside a broadcasting station, and everything, from the parking lot to the entrance to the elevators, felt fascinating. DASE trailed after Namkyung like a line of ducklings.

“Baekya. This is my first time at a broadcast station. What do I do, it’s so cool.”

Yulmu shook Baekya’s arm and made a fuss. Baekya was also looking around in amazement, and Jihan, seeing the two of them, subtly moved away.

“Why are you suddenly going over there?”

Jihan froze for a moment when his eyes met Baekya’s.

‘What’s this… this guilt.’

He couldn’t bring himself to say ‘because you’re embarrassing’ to that innocent face. Instead of answering, Jihan pulled on Baekya’s sleeve. It was an action to separate him from Yulmu.

Baekya, who was pulled away helplessly, was now walking with just Jihan.

“Aren’t you excited?”

“I am. But I don’t want to be a part of that.”

He just didn’t express it, but he was also amazed by the broadcast station.

But…

Following Jihan’s gaze, he saw Yulmu who had stuck to the maknaes. With that combination, you didn’t even need an MBTI test—it was an unmistakable group of E-types.

“Wow~ Guys, look at that.”

“I think that’s a waiting room! There’s a name tag.”

“Cheongcheong, am I shaking right now?”

It was definitely a picture he didn’t want to be a part of. Although they were whispering, their actions of looking around were so conspicuous that they were receiving all the attention of the broadcast station staff passing by.

‘…I can’t believe I was over there.’

Sometimes, a single action says more than a hundred words. Baekya moved a little closer to Jihan.

The two of them were firmly I-types.

And so, they walked for a moment along the maze-like broadcast station corridor. They came upon a wide space dotted with partitions.

“I think it’s here.”

Minseong, who had stopped, pointed to one place.

[DASE]

The group’s name was attached to a blue partition. It was DASE’s very first broadcasting station waiting room.

“You’re not disappointed, are you? You guys can get a waiting room like the ones we saw on the way in when you gain more seniority…”

Waiting rooms were limited, and they were assigned strictly by seniority. Therefore, rookies who had just debuted would often use makeshift waiting rooms made of partitions.

This was a customary thing that not just DASE, but all rookies went through.

“Disappointed? I love it. Let’s go in quickly.”

Minseong replied, patting Namkyung’s side.

“Stop! Let’s take a picture! A picture!”

The excited California boy shouted. The members gathered in front of the partition, saying it was a good idea.

Since DASE always handed over their phones to Namkyung during schedules, they all turned to look at him at once.

“…You guys’ teamwork is really amazing. Sometimes it’s so good it gives me the creeps.”

Without anyone even saying ‘gather up’, the members lined up neatly around the name tag, striking poses.

“One, two, three.”

===========================

[DASE_Official]

Hello everyone. This is DASE! We’ve finally entered a broadcast station (excited) We’re so excited and nervous, but DASE’s game is just beginning, so please keep watching! Fighting!

#DASE (DASE waiting room group photo.jpg)

===========================

***

Boksoong, for whom social media was now a daily routine.

She was saving the newly uploaded music show photos and GIFs of Baekya.

– 2X0104 Music Box Baekya (1) (Baekya close-up.gif)

– There’s not a single skippable member in DASE ㅜㅜ (Waiting room group photo.jpg)

– Baekya’s neck veins are popping, but his face is so calm (Singing Baekya.gif)

– The intro Baekya’s heavenly aria.. I feel like my body is being purified

– 2X0104 Baekya on his way to work, a soft white peach rolls by (Baekya.jpg)

“Aaaah, so cute! Save. How can he be this cute? Save.”

Boksoong’s phone gallery had long since been taken over by Baekya. Even when it was the same photo she’d just saved, she’d save it again just because the crop was different, or the editing was different, trapped in an endless cycle of saving.

‘When I change my phone next time, I’m definitely getting one with tons of storage!’

She’d even boldly deleted her own photos because she was running out of space. That was how valuable DASE was to Boksoong.

DASE’s debut song ‘No Games’ had a smooth start, entering the streaming sites at number 43.

Everything was perfect, including the title of being the first rookie group to enter the newly revamped chart in the past year.

“But are they only going to be on music shows?”

Of course, it was a blessing that such a soft peach had debuted, but human greed had no end. She loved seeing Baekya being cute on music shows, but she wanted to hear Baekya talk too.

Answering questions. Getting flustered like a rookie. Showing that awkward charm!

Just imagining it made her cheeks lift into a grin.

“I hope they go on variety shows or radio.”

Boksoong refreshed her timeline. Among the pouring GIFs, she saw a few friends who, like her, were crying out for DASE’s variety show activities.

– Make a DASE self-produced content or send them on a variety show ㅜㅜ

– Is it because they’re a boy group that debuted after a whopping ‘8 years’? ID is being so cheap. Stop with the articles and just push them already.

“Hmm…”

They looked very angry.

The peace-loving Boksoong quietly refreshed her timeline again. And at the very top, a radio program account appeared.

It was a post that had just been uploaded. And furthermore, it was shared by DASE’s official account.

===========================

[beginagain]

#ShiyoonsBeginAgain #BeginToStan

The first star of the new year is the monster rookie #DASE! Are you all ready to stan DASE? Shiyoon is currently preparing a fun #NoGames! Feel free to leave any questions you had for the #DASE members or anything you wanted to say~(excited) We plan to grant most wishes with a rookie’s spirit (wink)

===========================

It was a radio program hosted by their direct agency senior, AIM’s Shiyoon.

As soon as the post went up, comments started pouring in at a frightening speed—far beyond what you’d expect from a freshly debuted rookie group.

– I’m curious about the members’ first impressions of each other~

– I’m curious about the behind-the-scenes of the Imjingak rookie’s spirit lol

– Ideal type! You have to ask a rookie their ideal typeㅠㅠ I love DASE♡

– Mint choco vs. anti-mint choco

└ Please ask about die-hard iced coffee tooㅎㅎ

– Please ask about each member’s audition/casting story!

A long-awaited boy group from a large agency. They had received a lot of attention even before their debut, and with their rookie spirit, their stage had even become a hot topic, causing their recognition to skyrocket.

And so, DASE had their first-ever radio broadcast amidst the enthusiastic support of their fans.

“Shiyoon’s Begin Again. Our first guest of the new year is ID’s monster rookie, born in the winter, DASE. Welcome~”

“One, two, three. For your day! Hello. This is DASE!”

***

Going back for a moment to Imjingak, where the ‘No Games’ stage was first revealed. As soon as he came down from the stage, the quest completion notification popped up.

[<I’m going to make it big! (1)> Complete!]

[Quest reward is being distributed: 1 Star Point]

And with that, he had collected 5 star points. His stress level was still in the 20% range.

At the slower-than-expected rise, Baekya thought that maybe it would be okay to do a draw.

Of course, the goal was a dance skill.

‘I’m going to draw a dance skill.’

Baekya had a plan.

The moment they left the stage, DASE was practically locked inside the van. The heater was blasting so hard it felt excessive, and Baekya subtly lifted his hand toward the window switch.

For Baekya, who was an ‘ice over all else’ even if it meant freezing to death, this was too stuffy.

‘No one will notice if I just lower the window a little, right?’

The sunfish carefully checked its surroundings. But the moment he put strength into his finger, it was the door, not the window, that opened.

The cold wind that directly hits his face was refreshing.

“No! It wasn’t me who opened it!”

Like a guilty thief, Baekya blurted it out in a panic.

“?????”

The members’ puzzled faces turned to Baekya. Minseong, who had been frozen for a moment at the sunfish’s outburst, answered.

“Yeah. I opened it. Baekya, can you move in a little? Let’s monitor our stage.”

Minseong, who had received a phone from Namkyung, quickly got in and closed the door. Trapped in the middle with no escape, Baekya made a miserable face.

‘I-it’s stuffy.’

Still, the middle seat had a great view.

A recording of the broadcasted TV performance started playing. Namkyung’s excited voice was mixed in, saying that DASE was on.

♬♪♩♬♪

As soon as the MC’s introduction ended, Baekya’s face appeared. His eyes were closed.

“Baekya really knows what he’s doing.”

“I just did it because I was told to…”

Minseong laughed and teased Baekya. Baekya, whose lips were pursed in embarrassment, glared at Minseong’s hand holding the phone.

“Wow. What’s with Jihan hyung’s diction? It just stabbed my eardrums.”

“Our maknaes can really dance~”

After that, the praise relay continued in a similar pattern. Every time someone’s face came up in close-up, the members tossed compliments back and forth. It was quite a sight.

They wrapped it up warmly with the leader’s words about how everyone worked hard.

Honestly, it wasn’t flawless. But it was their long-awaited first stage, and the fact that they didn’t make any major mistakes already meant a lot.

There were many more stages ahead.

‘It’s just the beginning. I just have to do better from now on.’

It was at that moment, as Baekya was making a promise to himself. The system window appeared again.

[A new quest has arrived!]

[Q. I’m going to make it big! (2): A rookie has to do whatever they’re told! This is a very important time when the team’s characters are being decided… (See more)

※ Passive strengthened if not successful within the time limit]

This quest was a little different from the ones he had seen so far. The penalty for failure was the same, but there was a condition of a time limit.

‘A time limit? This has never happened before…’

And furthermore, it was long-winded. The introduction was too long. It felt like the really important part was hidden behind the word ‘see more.’

It always felt ominous, but this time, it felt worse.

‘What kind of insane thing are they going to make me do…?’

He was hesitant to press it.

But for all he knew, the time limit could be ticking away even now. Baekya suppressed his anxiety and pressed ‘see more.’

In that moment, the system notification rang one more time.

[Warning!]

[Stress level is at the ‘Warning’ stage. 70%]

▶ Use Star Points (Points held: 5)