I’m a Genius Idol but my Passive is Sunfish Chapter 56

A chilling silence.

 

Minseong, who had been trying to mediate between the two, froze in his spot.

 

On the other hand, the sunfish, who had unintentionally exploded in anger, was actually trembling inside.

 

‘I’m screwed.’

 

He hadn’t meant to shout, but everything he’d been holding in burst out without warning.

 

Ever since synchronizing into this world, he’d been scrambling just to survive, living every day with the fear that he might die at any moment.

 

Everything felt like a reason for him to die, and this moment was no exception.

 

[BAD ENDING]

[Death due to discord with members!]

 

It wouldn’t have been strange if something like that popped up. He had said to Yulmu what he should have said to the system.

 

‘Why the hell am I crying like an idiot again?’

 

Wiping his tears with the back of his hand, Baekya spoke in a trembling voice.

 

“I’m really sorry about today, everyone. You must already be tired from the promotions.”

 

Saying he would work harder than now, Baekya left the room and hid straight in the bathroom.

 

He locked the door and turned on the shower. Then he crouched down under it, burying his face in his knees.

 

“I miss noona.”

 

Eventually, the tears burst out. Amidst the sound of falling water, Baekya’s sobbing could be heard.

 

“Dammit.”

 

Yulmu ruffled his hair and flopped down onto the bed.

 

“Na Yulmu, why did you do that?”

 

Yooyeon took the startled Cheong and left the room, leaving only Yulmu, Minseong, and Jihan behind.

 

“I’m sorry. I made things awkward for no reason.”

 

“Apologize to Baekya, not us.”

 

Jihan said in a serious voice.

 

“Please stop saying sorry.”

 

Minseong clutched his head, saying he felt like he was about to have an apology overload.

 

“Seriously, why did you do that? You’re usually laughing around like you’re missing a screw.”

 

At Minseong’s words, Yulmu stayed silent. After hesitating, he lowered his gaze and answered.

 

“…It’s just. I was scared.”

 

Jihan stared intently at Yulmu, seeing a side of him he’d never seen before.

 

“Scared of what? That he might leave?”

 

Baekya quitting.

 

That alone was terrifying enough. DASE was a group that was bound to fail without Baekya in the first place.

 

“That’s scary too.”

 

“Don’t joke around.”

 

The mood stayed heavy.

 

Was it Jihan and Yulmu’s turn now?

 

Minseong, who self-proclaimed to have a weak mentality, stepped up to mediate between the two with a face full of fear.

 

“Stop. If you guys fight too, I’m really going to cry.”

 

“Ugh.”

 

“Cry then.”

 

Unlike Yulmu, who recoiled, Jihan said it was fine to cry. Minseong stared at them with a face of total surrender.

 

“Yeah, maybe it’s time for a fight. Honestly, expecting six lively guys to always get along is asking too much, right?”

 

“You know it well.”

 

At Jihan’s answer, Minseong pretended to cry, saying he was too heartless sometimes.

 

“I wouldn’t go that far….”

 

Yulmu replied awkwardly. Then he opened his lips again.

 

“I did it because I was afraid he might jump.”

 

Yulmu’s gaze was still fixed on the floor.

 

“Who. Baekya?!”

 

Minseong asked back in surprise.

 

“When we first moved into the dorm, the balcony railing was broken. It looked dangerous, so I just covered it roughly with a trash can, but somehow he noticed.”

 

Yulmu ruffled his hair once more. Thanks to that, his hair became disheveled.

 

“The kid who never showed signs of struggling suddenly starts crying, making mistakes he never used to make.”

 

Yulmu was certain there had been a change in Baekya’s state of mind.

 

“How do you know that? Did Baekya say something to you?”

 

When Jihan asked, Yulmu hesitated before answering.

 

“I don’t know when exactly, but one night I went out to drink water and saw him.”

 

Yulmu said Baekya was crouching on the balcony looking down.

 

“I went over wondering if he was smoking or something, but he was muttering something like ‘Would it hurt if I die’.”

 

That day, he said all he could do was pretend not to have heard anything and get Baekya to get back inside. Listening to the story, Minseong and Jihan also became serious.

 

“So the next day, I told Namkyung hyung right away. That he seemed unstable.”

 

“Well. People like Baekya, you can never tell what they’re thinking.”

 

Was that a self-introduction?

 

Minseong looked at Jihan with eyes that seemed to have a lot to say.

 

“So you acted that way because you thought he was trying to jump?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Hey, surely not…….”

 

Minseong laughed desperately. But come to think of it, didn’t he look down below the balcony quite wistfully when talking to him too?

 

Baekya was suddenly classified as a high emotional risk.

 

People in this industry being prone to depression was common knowledge… but usually didn’t celebrity syndrome come first?

 

“Namkyung hyung also told us to watch him closely. Said it might be depression.”

 

Jihan poured fuel on the confused Minseong. Minseong clasped and unclasped his hands anxiously.

 

“Sh-should we tell hyung?”

 

Fortunately, a professional psychological counselor was stationed at ID Entertainment. If they addressed it early, maybe Baekya could return to normal—

 

It was then.

 

The door opened slightly and Baekya reappeared. His eyes looked a bit swollen, but no one mentioned it.

 

“Um…….”

 

“Uh, Baekya, what’s up?”

 

Judging that it was too early to put Yulmu and Baekya together yet, Minseong hurriedly approached. He was subtly blocking Baekya with his body to prevent him from entering the room.

 

Watching his tearful effort, Jihan looked at his back with a pitiful face.

 

“I have something to say….”

 

“W-what is it?”

 

Baekya trying to enter, and Yooyeon and Cheong standing behind him.

 

Why is he acting like this?

 

We don’t know either.

 

The three conversed with their eyes.

 

However, Yuyeon and Cheong were just as clueless about Baekya’s intentions. The two just shrugged their shoulders silently.

 

“I felt like I shouldn’t go to sleep like this. This week is our last music broadcast.”

 

He said people would catch on if things stayed like this, and he had a point.

 

Maybe Yooyeon, Jihan, or Cheong could hide it. But when the two always-smiling members looked this stiff, even a passing dog would know something was wrong.

 

Since Baekya was saying this much, Minseong, having no more justification to block him, quietly stepped aside. Yulmu’s gaze looking at Baekya had softened considerably compared to earlier.

 

“I thought about it while showering.”

 

“…….”

 

Yulmu just stared without speaking.

 

‘Why is there no reaction?’

 

Baekya’s eyebrows twitched slightly, but he continued speaking.

 

“You’re really not mad because I messed up the choreography?”

 

“How many times do I have to say no.”

 

“Then why are you angry?”

 

They only exchanged one sentence each, but the atmosphere was becoming hostile again.

 

Oh Lord.

 

Just as Minseong sought the God he didn’t even believe in, a bomb exploded.

 

“Because I was afraid you’d die.”

 

“……Huh?”

 

Baekya looked genuinely confused.

 

“Why are you surprised?”

 

His eyes wavered, like someone whose secret had been exposed.

 

‘Afraid I’d die? This bastard… does he know something?’

 

The sunfish checked the atmosphere, repeatedly meeting and avoiding Yulmu’s eyes. Seeing that, Yulmu grew more certain.

 

“As expected.”

 

“N-no, what do you know to act like this,”

 

“You were trying to jump earlier, right.”

 

Huuh?

 

Baekya made a dumbfounded face.

 

However, Baekya’s collar was already grabbed by Yulmu’s hand. Yulmu was looking down at Baekya with a menacing face.

 

‘Ha. This is already the third time.’

 

Baekya lamented inwardly that he was getting his collar grabbed enough for a lifetime today. The displeased sunfish glared with wide eyes.

 

“Let go while I’m asking nicely.”

 

Feeling bad was one thing, but the humiliation was worse.

 

We’re only 10 cm apart—why am I floating just because Na Yulmu grabbed my collar?!

 

‘Yulmu-cha. You have insulted me.’

 

Baiting his lip, Baekya carved the character for patience (忍) three times in his heart. However, with the hand still gripping his collar, the angry sunfish eventually shook Yulmu off roughly.

 

“Are you crazy?!”

 

“…What?”

 

The atmosphere had now reached a point of no return.

 

“Baekdo, calm down.”

 

“You both seem too agitated. Let’s just talk tomorrow,”

 

Yuooeon and Minseong each grabbed one and pulled the two apart.

 

“No? I need to do this now.”

 

Cutting off Minseong, Baekya declared he had to say his piece.

 

“Why would I die, you crazy lunatic. Am I insane?! To jump from there!”

 

Baekya pointed beyond the door and yelled.

 

His voice rose higher and higher. Yulmu—and the other members watching—were stunned by this side of Baekya they’d never seen before.

 

“Can you take responsibility for those words?”

 

At that, Baekya fired a high note with eyes that looked slightly crazed.

 

“Yeah! I can!”

 

* * *

 

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Monster Rookies #DASE, nominated for 1st place on public broadcast in the 4th week of WANT ME promotions

 

(Capture of 1st place nominee DASE.jpg)

 

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– Today is the last broadcast, please at least turn on U-App

 

– I wanted to see the kids doing their 1st place pledge but the competition was too strong ㅠㅠㅠ Still, good job guys~

 

– Stickers on their faces during the encore… how could they not be No.1 in my heartㅠ

 

– When announcing 1st place, Yulmu wouldn’t leave Baekya alone lol kept fooling around but Baekya didn’t even budge

 

└ Feels like a clingy puppy and a resigned cat lol

 

└ But when Yulmu lagged behind trying to catch flower petals on the way down, Baekya waited for him and went down together lol

 

– Is it real that they entered the charts at 30-something and climbed up to 12th now

 

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[DASE_Official]

 

Hello! This is DASE~

How was today’s stage? It’s already the last broadcast, time flies so fast ㅠㅠ And it was such an honor to be a 1st place nominee today! We’ll keep working even harder, so please keep watching over DASE~!

 

Oh right! Today’s DASE Dressing Room theme is apparently ‘Nerd’. But what is a Nerd? Someone wearing glasses…?

 

Then see you soon♡

 

(Group photo of DASE with glasses, relaxed eyes, and freckles.jpg)

 

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– I bet 100 won our baby peach wrote this. The text is super cute

 

– Eh! Crazy. Is the group photo insane ㅠㅠ They don’t even know what a nerd is but what’s with the relaxed eyes ㅠㅠ Our kids are geniuses

 

– Nerd! A geek who is good at math or computers! But must be handsome

└ This is it lol If not handsome, a nerd cannot be established

 

– Is the Dressing Room over now too? No way, the joy of my life ends like this….

└ They say they’ll keep the Dressing Room open

 

– Are the kids preparing for the KCON stage now? Looking for KCON tickets transfer ㅠㅠ

└ Since the year-end award ceremony season is coming soon, won’t they rest a bit and do both?

 

– So when will you make the official fan club?