I’m a Genius Idol but my Passive is Sunfish Chapter 47

While a chosen few fans were spending happy moments with the real-life DASE, the majority of fans intended to soothe their emptiness with the DASE on their screens.

 

“Laptop, laptop!”

 

Today was the broadcast day of DASE’s first TV variety show, <I Just Transferred!> While it couldn’t compare to the real thing, it was a chance to see DASE in school uniforms.

 

Boksoong groaned in agony as she refreshed social media, spamming hearts on the occasional fansign reviews that popped up.

 

“Ugh! Oh, crazy. I don’t usually save previews, but…”

 

A ‘preview’ referred to photos shared by hommas before they uploaded high-definition versions. Usually, they were photos taken of the camera’s LCD screen with a phone, so the quality was low and they were raw, unedited shots. Their biggest advantage, however, was speed.

 

“A hamster and Pik*chu!”

 

In the photo, Baekya was signing while clutching a yellow doll in his arms. His beauty and cuteness were bursting through the low resolution. Whoever that fan was that gave him the doll, they totally hit the jackpot.

 

“Huff, huff. Arrest…!”

 

Boksoong clutched her chest and rolled around on her bed. Her stomach even kind of hurt.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

Her roommate made a rare appearance. Looking up from her bed, the roommate watched Boksoong with strange eyes.

 

“O-oh, it’s nothing. I just saw something cute.”

 

“What is it?”

 

Like Boksoong, her roommate couldn’t resist cute things and approached with interest.

 

‘No…!’

 

She couldn’t let her fangirl status be outed like this. Hurriedly closing the preview, Boksoong returned to her timeline and refreshed. A photo of a cat, the profile picture of a Jihan fan, appeared.

 

“This!”

 

Zooming in on her online friend’s profile, she thrust her phone in front of her roommate’s face.

 

“A-a cat! Isn’t it cute?”

 

“Oh my. It’s so cute~”

 

Boksoong breathed a sigh of relief, having narrowly avoided a major crisis.

 

“But what were you trying to watch?”

 

The laptop was wide open next to Boksoong. An advertisement for the real-time streaming service provided by the broadcasting station’s website was playing.

 

“I’m going to watch <I Just Transferred!> If you have nothing to do, do you want to watch it with me, unnie?”

 

She only asked out of politeness, knowing she probably wouldn’t watch. 

 

‘Even if it weren’t DASE, it’s a popular program many people watch, so she won’t find it suspicious.’

 

However, the roommate actually reacted.

 

“…Who’s on it?”

 

Was it just her imagination that there was a slight pause? The roommate asked about the guests. Boksoong answered while pretending to be indifferent.

 

“Who was it again… Daisy?”

 

“DASE?”

 

When Boksoong looked at her with a start, the roommate trailed off, acting as if she’d heard it somewhere.

 

“I, I saw them on YouTube.”

 

“Oh? Uh, yeah, I think it’s DASE. They said they’re a rookie boy group from ID that just debuted.”

 

An awkward air lingered.

 

‘What’s with her? She’s suspicious.’

 

Exchanging cautious glances like a probing battle, Boksoong and her roommate sized each other up. The roommate, looking away first, sat down next to Boksoong and expressed her intention to watch.

 

“Let’s watch it together.”

 

The two moved to the desk for more comfortable viewing. The broadcast started the moment they sat down.

 

***

 

[Jeti School, where everything has become small]

 

[Friends who have become miniatures]

 

Bang!

 

The back door of the classroom swung open, and the Class President, Hodin, burst in making a fuss.

 

“Hey guys, we’re in trouble! Everything has become small!”

 

A large physique and a round impression. A former comedian, he was one of those called a National MC for his unique wit and pleasant hosting. Wearing a black winter uniform and a cape alone, Hodin ran to the friends gathered at the back of the classroom.

 

“You’re still big, though?”

 

The shortest in Jeti School. Sujae, the brain who sat in the very front row because of his height, snarked as usual. Sujae was also a comedian-turned-MC. In real life, he and Hodin were close friends.

 

“No! The desks are big, the chairs are big, everything is huge! It seems like we’ve become dolls.”

 

“What should we do?”

 

As Hodin acted cute and cupped his cheeks, Daeyoon, the tallest in the class, said indifferently.

 

“Geez. He’s doing that again.”

 

Daeyoon was a former national basketball player. He was a rising star in the variety world, currently receiving the most attention in broadcasting.

 

“Hmph!”

 

Pouting when no one reacted, Hodin stomped his foot and went back to his seat.

 

“Class President, could you be quiet? I can’t study because it’s too noisy.”

 

Yeongsam, the rank #1 student, adjusted his glasses and looked back. Yeongsam was an active idol in his 12th year since debut. Famous as a ‘variety idol’ before his enlistment, he was a promising next-generation MC candidate returning to the entertainment world after a two-year military hiatus. At Jetty School, he played the role of the perfect guy—handsome, smart, the so-called ‘mom’s friend’s son’.

 

Just then.

 

[Slide]

[Today’s transfer students appear!]

 

The front door opened, and DASE appeared with pink hair. The panelists turned around, pretending to be shocked when they spotted the members.

 

“Whoa~ Dolls are walking!”

 

A shower of enthusiastic cheers poured out. Sujae stood up on his chair and shouted.

 

[Transfer students entering one after another]

 

As Minseong, who was in the lead, stopped in the middle of the podium, the members found their places around him.

 

“Hi?”

 

The concept of <I Just Transferred!> was that new students transferred in every week, and everyone spoke informally to each other under the setting of being in the same grade.

 

“What, what? A doll is talking!”

 

Yooyeon burst out laughing at Hodin’s antics, covering his mouth.

 

“Why are they all so handsome?”

 

Daeyoon, sitting in the very back row, complained that the world was unfair.

 

[Handsome kid next to handsome kid]

[Walking dolls]

 

Minseong, who had exchanged signals with the members while looking left and right, said while slightly raising his hand.

 

“Well, shall we introduce ourselves…?”

 

The classroom went quiet at Minseong’s voice.

 

“We are the transfer students from ‘Ripped Through the Box High’.”

 

[For your Days! DASE!]

 

The six voices echoed loudly in the classroom. The Jeti School friends welcomed them warmly with applause.

 

“Hi? I’m DASE’s Yulmu-cha! No, I’m called Yulmu~”

 

Yulmu, who was standing on the far end, started the self-introductions. DASE finished their brief introductions in turn. Name tags were attached to the members’ school uniforms.

 

“Isn’t this your first variety show appearance?”

 

At Sujae’s question, Cheong, who was right in front of him, answered.

 

“Right. Why? Is there a problem?”

 

His foreign way of speaking could sound a bit aggressive. One of Cheong’s eyebrows twitched up and down as he tensed. Despite being the maknae, his presence was strong.

 

“O-oh, no… I was just saying……”

 

Sujae retreated for the first time in a meek voice.

 

“But you’re really natural with casual speech, huh?”

 

Sujae’s second attempt to seize the initiative followed. He tried to stir things up, saying that it seemed a scary friend had transferred to their class. In response, Yooyeon, who was next to him, stepped up.

 

“It’s because Cheong lived abroad for a long time. He’s someone who has only known informal speech his whole life.”

 

“Right. I’m learning polite speech. But aren’t we all friends here?”

 

As Cheong looked around, wondering if he’d made a mistake, Yeongsam stepped in.

 

“We are friends. Speak comfortably.”

 

Yeongsam, after reassuring Cheong, scolded Sujae.

 

“Stop with the hazing. Friends should get along.”

 

Yeongsam glared at him, saying he always tried to pick fights whenever he saw handsome guys.

 

“Sujae! This is your warning!”

 

As Hodin backed Yeongsam up, Sujae apologized.

 

“But in our school, you have to do a talent show when you transfer. Did you guys prepare anything?”

 

Daeyoon demanded personal talents, saying they’d have to transfer to another school if they didn’t pass the talent show.

 

“Of course we prepared~”

 

Yulmu gave a confident smile.

 

“Really? Then you try first.”

 

Yulmu, nodding that it was fine, headed to the back of the classroom.

 

“Where is he going?”

 

Sujae snarked, asking if he was running away. Meanwhile, Yulmu picked up a ball from inside a basketball game machine.

 

“Oh? That’s yours, Daeyoon.”

 

Yulmu, spinning the ball on his finger, threw a one-handed shot just like that. The basketball went cleanly into the hoop.

 

[Basketball went in in an instant]

 

“Whoaaa!”

 

The panelists made a fuss.

 

“My personal talent is doing things with a basketball~”

 

At Yulmu’s answer, Sujae asked.

 

“But will you be okay against a former national player?”

 

Yulmu glanced at the camera with an awkward smile.

 

“Well~ Right? I might suddenly not be okay.”

 

“That won’t do. It’s your personal talent.”

 

Daeyoon, who was watching their conversation, asked.

 

“Did the company make you do this?”

 

“Yes!”

 

The panelists burst into laughter at his bright answer.

 

“I like you because you’re straightforward!”

 

“Thanks~”

 

Hodin gave Yulmu a thumbs up.

 

“But what are you going to do with the basketball? Make a lot of shots?”

 

Daeyoon approached and stood next to Yulmu.

 

“I like that too, but I’m going to show you something even more amazing. It’s a personal talent, after all.”

 

Yulmu, who tucked a basketball between each arm and his waist, held one more ball in each hand.

 

“Could you help me?”

 

“What on earth are you trying to do?”

 

“Just put one more ball on each of my arms.”

 

With Daeyoon’s help, Yulmu stood holding six balls. The personal talent he prepared was bouncing six basketballs at once.

 

“Ready~ Go!”

 

As Hodin gave the signal, Yulmu dropped two balls to the floor. Yulmu began bouncing the balls that jumped up at intervals with a calm face.

 

[High-level basketball skills]

[Clearly not his first time]

 

Yulmu was handling the six basketballs perfectly, as if conducting an orchestra.

 

“Whoa!”

 

Yeongsam was impressed by the sight he’d never seen before.

 

“…What was he doing before? Daeyoon, is that possible for you too?”

 

At Yeongsam’s question, Daeyoon tilted his head with an unconfident face.

 

“I don’t think so…”

 

Hodin stopped Yulmu, saying he’d be bouncing balls until he went home if they let him be. At the friends’ urging, Daeyoon also tried, but failed after a few bounces.

 

“That’s a marvelous talent.”

 

[Hodin unable to take his eyes off Yulmu]

 

Pleased with the reaction, Yulmu smiled proudly.

 

“Well, who’s next?”

 

When Sujae asked, this time Yooyeon raised his hand.

 

“I’ll do it.”

 

“Right. What did you prepare?”

 

Sujae asked primly.

 

Yooyeon, wearing a meaningful smile, walked out to the center of the classroom and said an incredible line.

 

“Who is the dance king here?”