I’m a Genius Idol but my Passive is Sunfish – Chapter 32

Author: LyraDhani

“…Why are you there, Manager?”

“I was here from the beginning. From the time of the sticker Baekya.”

It meant that he had been there for quite a while. The members seemed to have known.

‘So that’s why they told me to step aside?’

Baekya swallowed a sigh.

And so, the winner of the first final match.

“Is Chestnut Baekya!”

“Wow~!”

Jihan, Minseong, Cheong, and Dongman hugged each other and spun around the practice room. It was practically a festival atmosphere.

On the other hand, the defeated blanket group couldn’t hide their irritation.

“Please proceed with the next one quickly.”

They looked like they were dying of stomach pain. And with that, the second final round began.

“Wow… this one is really hard.”

Dongman muttered under his breath, stroking his chin.

“It’s definitely sticker Baekya! Is there anyone at ID who doesn’t know that his face blossomed after he dyed his hair?”

Yulmu, a die-hard sticker Baekya fan, shouted firmly.

“I agree. Personally, I think Baekya should have his pink hair preserved.”

Yooyeon chimed in.

“The term ‘human peach’ didn’t come out of nowhere.”

Minseong also cast a vote for sticker Baekya. With the continuous strong showing, the tide of victory seemed to be turning towards the sticker group. But the glasses group had no intention of just standing by.

“But a prettier photo of him wearing the same thing will be in the album, so what’s the point?”

Jihan stole the flow, saying that the fans would prefer the casual clothes.

“The fans haven’t had a chance to see Baekya-gun wearing glasses… I think it would be a good idea to show them a natural look this time.”

Dongman went in for the kill. But in a moment of carelessness, Yooyeon’s attack came in.

“He was wearing glasses in his graduation photo, though?”

At the atmosphere that was instantly doused with cold water, Jihan and Dongman’s eyes shot up.

“What a cheap shot! The graduation photo is off-limits!”

Namkyung shouted.

The person in question didn’t think much of it, but since it was the cause of the plastic surgery controversy, the third parties couldn’t help but be self-conscious.

“Now, now. Quiet. Please be quiet.”

Baekya calmed them down, tapping the floor.

“I’ve given both sides a chance to speak, and now we will proceed with the vote. Those who think sticker Baekya should be the photocard, please raise your hands.”

Yulmu, Yuyeon, and Minseong raised their hands. As Baekya asked if there were any more, emotions crossed sharply between those who raised their hands and those who didn’t.

“It’s over. Great work, Manager Dong.”

“Oh my. Don’t mention it.”

The die-hard glasses fans, Namkyung and Dongman, shook hands in victory. But Cheong, who had been quiet all this time, stood out. That wasn’t like him—he’d been way too silent.

“I’m not on the glasses side.”

Sure enough, a variable occurred.

It was a bolt from the blue for the glasses group, who had been confident of their victory. On the other hand, the sticker group had a glimmer of hope.

“Right? It’s the sticker, right?!”

“No. Cheongcheong. Think carefully.”

Yulmu and Jihan each grabbed one of Cheong’s hands.

“Hmm…”

Cheong, who was looking back and forth between the representatives of the sticker group and the glasses group, answered.

***

[Bapsae-nim has followed you.]

These days, with an overflow of content to chew on, SNS had become especially fun to browse. Boksoong went to check the said account at the new notification.

Beneath the cute sparrow icon, the bio was anything but ordinary.

[Love that misses its timing is nothing but a disaster..☆ I like Baekya.]

Another new fan, born at the end of a short period of denial. It was Manager Na’s account.

Boksoong had seen various character interpretations so far, such as a peach, a hamster, and a squirrel, but a sparrow was a first. The white, round body with just three dots on it looked quite similar to her bias.

‘That’s a fresh take.’

Granting Baebsae the necklace of acceptance, Boksung became friends with them.

Boksoong returned to her feed and decided to get back to work. Because in the short time she had been living her real life, a considerable number of posts had accumulated.

Most of them were posts about DASE’s reality show. Boksoong hit retweet after retweet, empathizing along the way.

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

To. Manager ○○○nim

I was able to debut thanks to you. Thank you. Please always be healthy!

The kids’ autographs are out! So cuteㅜㅜ #DASE

(Autographed CD with a post-it note.jpg)

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

Then she saw a post that she couldn’t help but envy.

– Huh, what’s this? Where did you get it?

└ It seems like a not-for-sale item handed out by ID, I want it too……

– I’m so jealousㅜㅜ That person must be an ID employee, right?

– “Thanks to you we debuted” — did Baekya give it to them? Isn’t that the casting manager who brought in the kid eating that PiXchu?

└ He deserves itㅎ I acknowledge that person

– Where is the source?

└ I got it from In-heart

DASE’s autographed CD, which Dongman was itching to show off, had somehow made its way here and was circulating around.

“I want one too!”

Boksoong cried out, zooming in on Baekya’s autograph.

How could Baekya have such neat handwriting, and write such pretty words too? How could such a perfect being even exist? Her chest swelled with emotion.

Just then, an alarm rang. It was the reality show notification she had set for Monday at 5:59. It was almost time for <DASE HAPPY DAYS> episode 4.

“Oh my gosh, look at me.”

Boksoong hurriedly switched apps. The one minute she waited, legs trembling, felt like an entire hour.

Finally, 6 o’clock on the dot.

Boksoong refreshed the screen. A new video appeared at the very top.

“Gasp!”

It was a group thumbnail of DASE in aprons, with a coffee machine in the background. She couldn’t help but scream the moment she saw it.

Boksoong played the video.

[EP.4｜Coffee Prince No Games Branch｜DASE HAPPY DAYS]

[A day in April, ID building cafe]

Behind the sign reading DASE CAFE ‘No Game’, DASE bustled about in white shirts and navy aprons.

Jihan and Baekya pulled espresso shots in front of the machine. Cheong and Yuyeon panicked at a suddenly printed receipt while poking at the POS system. Yulmu arranged macarons in the display case, while Minseong clapped his hands to get everyone’s attention.

[Minseong: Everyone! We’re opening the café.]

[DASE (One-day baristas): Yes~]

As soon as Minseong finished speaking, customers entered. ID employee badges hung around their necks.

Minseong handled the POS. He greeted the customer with a fresh smile.

[Yulmu: What would you like to order?]

[Customer: Uh, two iced americanos, please. (Shy)]

[Yulmu: Yes. Please take a seat, and we’ll bring them to you.]

As soon as Minseong finished the payment, the drink-making team immediately started making the drinks. Baekya grinded the coffee beans, and Jihan filled the cups with ice and water.

But he must have pressed something wrong, because the coffee kept being extracted even though the cup was full. A flustered Baekya looked for Jihan, and in the meantime, another customer entered.

[Baekya: W-why is it doing this?]

[Jihan: Why does it keep coming out?!]

Jihan removed the overflowing shot glass.

Whatever.

He poured it into a to-go cup and finished the drink. Baekya stared wide-eyed, wondering if that was really okay.

“Kyaa! So cute!”

Boksoong covered her mouth.

In the meantime, a new order was added, and Yooyeon was serving the first drink. The unverified americano was placed in front of the customer, and two small macarons were also delivered with it.

[Yooyeon: This is a gift. You’ve been very busy because of us lately, right?]

[Scene-stealing dimples]

He even added a perfect line asking for understanding since it was their first time making coffee and the taste might be a little off.

It was something he said because he had seen the entire process of the drink-making team making the drinks at the pickup counter. Just then, another serving team member, Yulmu, passed by Yooyeon.

[Yulmu: Two americanos are out~ But this might be a little bitter. If you don’t think you can drink it, please be sure to let us know!]

Likewise, the macarons were on the house. Yooyeon slung an arm over Yulmu’s shoulder and wished the customers a good drink.

[Yooyeon: Did you see them making that?]

[Yulmu: Yeah. It was a mess, wasn’t it?]

The two returned to the front of the pickup counter, chuckling. Cheong and Minseong had also joined them, and it was pure chaos.

Minseong, with the drink-making team struggling with just the most basic americano, takes a special measure just 5 minutes after opening.

[‘No Games’ cafe only serves americano. (Hot/Ice) choice.]

A piece of A4 paper, scrawled with a marker, was stuck in front of the POS machine. Yulmu, who saw it, suggested that they could at least add iced tea, and the leader immediately asked the drink-making team for their opinion.

It was just powder and water—no reason it couldn’t work. Once the OK was given, another line was hurriedly added below.

[└ Iced tea is also available!]

The recipe book that had been prepared for DASE was shoved into a corner.

The orders had already piled up. There were many customers waiting, but the drinks weren’t coming out.

Yooyeon and Yulmu started to distribute the macarons that were supposed to go out with the drinks first.

[Yooyeon: You must be bored waiting, would you like to have some of this?]

[Yulmu: Oh my~ This was originally supposed to go out with the drinks, but it seems it’s going to take some time. But we’re working hard to make them, so please look upon us kindly.]

They tried to help inside, but the space was too cramped, and Cheong chased them out.

Just then, a voice called the serving team.

[Cheong: Where did everyone go? Hey, take this! Are you playing around right now?!]

The wrath of Café No Game’s owner.

Yuyeon and Yulmu rushed back, only to be scolded for slacking off. Even explaining that they were serving macarons didn’t help.

[Cheong: Enough! Just serve this.]

The café owner was always one-sided when it came to communication. The serving team pouted.

After what felt like ages, the production team suddenly produced a large batch at once. A tray full of drinks appeared.

But at this time, the owner started to say strange things.

[Cheong: Ah, right! You know~ I made one of them more delicious as a surprise.]

[Yooyeon: No, don’t do that.]

[Yulmu: Oh~ What did you do?]