I’m a Genius Idol but my Passive is Sunfish Chapter 65

“Ugh… Walking Dead?”

 

When Cheong tried to joke around by imitating a zombie, Baekya grabbed his arm and pulled it down.

 

“Yes. I know it.”

 

VIVA was a first-generation idol group, practically the one that built the pillars of ID. As expected of a group called legends in the idol world, they had numerous hit songs. However, Walking Dead was perhaps the least recognizable among them.

 

‘Zombies back in that era.’

 

It was definitely ahead of its time. Still, it was one of the songs consistently mentioned as a masterpiece among composers.

 

“I’ve wanted to remake that song for a while now. And I think these guys would be able to keep up.”

 

Daehwan looked toward the manager and Horang, as if asking for their approval.

 

“What do you think?”

 

In fact, Daehwan said the song was already prepared and the choreography only needed trimming in terms of formation adjustments.

 

“I’ll be doing the arrangement and producing, so it fits the criteria for a collaboration stage. And Hyung, isn’t it better to organize formations for six people rather than twelve?”

 

When he acted this proactively, there was usually only one thing people around him could say.

 

“Yes. Then I will relay this to the JAMA side and the A&R office.”

 

“This answer-is-fixed bastard. You came to the office today just for this, didn’t you.”

 

“I’m glad everyone is in agreement.”

 

Ignoring Horang grabbing the back of his neck lightly, Daehwan smiled brightly at DASE.

 

“Let’s do well.”

 

Thus, DASE’s masterpiece remake project was hastily formed.

 

Commander-in-Chief Daehwan. Foot Soldier DASE.

 

Baekya looked at Daehwan and Horang with a confused face.

 

‘Is it okay to decide it this haphazardly?’

 

Though DASE attended the meeting, they might as well have no right to speak. The only one who could raise questions, Namkyung, cautiously lifted his hand.

 

“But will the kids have enough time?”

 

It was the most important issue.

 

Usually, year-end stages involved modifying part of the original song to insert a dance break section, or adding an intro stage before the performance to make it different from the usual.

 

Excluding the remake stage, DASE already had five such stages. Actually, just this alone made the preparation period tight. But there was another stage not yet included in that count.

 

“Why is no one considering the special stages…?”

 

Namkyung flipped through his notebook and found the page he had noted down.

 

“Each of the three broadcasting stations has requested one member from the team.”

 

First, Station K was planning a circus-themed ‘Maknae Show’ gathering the maknaes of each team. This was obviously Cheong without even needing discussion, so they moved on from the topic quickly.

 

Next, Station M was planning a cover stage of a senior singer’s hit song gathering members from groups that debuted this year.

 

And Station S had declared they would proceed with a Winter Song stage gathering male group members who became hot topics with their ending poses this year.

 

“Cheong is already confirmed. We need to spare two more members for Station S and M stages.”

 

“Ah, right.”

 

The manager clapped briefly and checked his notes.

 

“I wrote it down but forgot.”

 

“You forget the most important things….”

 

Wasn’t this gathering originally to decide this? Namkyung looked at his superior with disrespectful eyes.

 

“Last year it was Glassy, this year it’s DASE? Those broadcasting station guys, seriously.”

 

Horang, acting like it wasn’t his business, just asked to be informed of the schedule quickly and didn’t seem to care much.

 

“Anyone want to go?”

 

Namkyung asked the members.

 

“It doesn’t matter who goes for us.”

 

Minseong shrugged.

 

“But if it’s a member who became a hot topic with an ending pose, isn’t it Baekya among us?”

 

Yulmu looked at Baekya.

 

“Was it during ‘No Game’? When you lost our bet and did the biting heart. Reaction was good back then.”

 

“It was.”

 

At Yulmu’s words, Jihan chimed in agreeing.

 

“Why me again. I remember the ending cuts were captured evenly in turns.”

 

He felt like if he stayed like this, he would inevitably be boarded on the train to the special stage.

 

Just handling DASE’s own stages was overwhelming enough, but two stages requiring learning new choreography? It was far too unreasonable.

 

Shaking his head, Baekya desperately denied it.

 

“Cheong! What about Cheong? Fans love him even when he’s just standing there—they say he looks like a picture!”

 

Historically, an ending fairy should radiate aura just by standing. In his haste, Baekya brought up Cheong as soon as their eyes met.

 

However, he forgot that Cheong had already been drafted for another broadcaster’s stage.

 

“Are you planning to kill the kid, Baekya?”

 

Minseong looked at Baekya asking if he was serious. It was visible that Cheong had lost concentration from the middle, perhaps finding it hard to follow the meeting conducted only in Korean.

 

Not understanding their conversation, he suddenly showed interest only upon hearing the part about him dying.

 

“I die? Why?”

 

“No, not that….”

 

“Is it about the zombie thing earlier?”

 

“That’s already over.”

 

“Then what? But why am I dying?”

 

Faced with the endless attacks of the question mark killer, Baekya felt like he was the one dying instead.

 

Meanwhile, Daehwan, who was quietly watching him. He asked Baekya in a dry tone.

 

“Are you doing this because you don’t want to do the special stage?”

 

At that moment, the sunfish’s heart sank, and a warning window almost popped up before his eyes.

 

“M-Me?”

 

“Yes. That’s how it looks.”

 

“No?”

 

Although not as much as VIVA, it was certain that he held the position of a great senior to DASE within ID.

 

A rookie who hadn’t even debuted for a year saying they didn’t want to perform in front of a senior? Impossible.

 

Especially with Daehwan, who seemed to have hidden motives unlike Shiyoon and Yeonha whose personalities were easy to read. Regardless of the truth, Baekya had to deny it unconditionally.

 

[Death by being marked by a senior!]

 

Something like that could happen if he got caught.

 

Though his words came out stuttered and panicked, Baekya denied it with all his might.

 

“I, I, I really want to do it. But we are a group, and um… I thought other members’ abilities are more outstanding than mine,”

 

However, Baekya’s words couldn’t continue to the end.

 

“Not really? I can see Mr. Baekya’s excellent qualities.”

 

Daehwan asked the members if they agreed.

 

“Of course~ Those words are correct.”

 

Yulmu answered clasping his two hands like a sycophant.

 

“If you want to do it, just do it, why look at the members’ reactions?”

 

“…Excuse me?”

 

“Namkyung hyung, he says he wants to do it.”

 

“Really? Then Baekya can go to Station S.”

 

Namkyung looked satisfied, recalling that the bitten-heart pose that went viral had also been on S Network.

 

“Then is only Station M left now? Don’t hold back like Baekya, if anyone wants to do it, speak up quickly.”

 

“No, that’s not what I meant…!”

 

He couldn’t let it pass like this.

 

As Baekya looked at Namkyung and the members with a flustered face, Yooyeon, misunderstanding the action, nudged his arm and smiled slightly.

 

“Are you doing this because you feel bad? It’s okay.”

 

“…….”

 

Lost for words at the huge misunderstanding, the sunfish opened his mouth blankly.

 

‘What on earth do they think of me?’

 

The members were fine with it, but Baekya himself was not. He smacked his lips.

 

‘I’m telling you I’m not okay….’

 

He didn’t even have a clue where to start solving this situation.

 

Letting out a small sigh, Baekya bowed his head. Meanwhile, on the other side, discussions about choosing the remaining member were still in full swing.

 

‘Guess today is the day I must spin the gacha.’

 

Resolving for a big event tonight, Baekya lifted his head.

 

‘Still, I can’t die alone.’

 

The culprit of this situation!

 

Since he had no ability to screw over Daehwan, regrettably, he decided to drag in the Yulmu-cha bastard who mentioned his name and brought it up.

 

‘I will push Yulmu into the Station M stage no matter what.’

 

The sunfish raised a determined face.

 

* * *

 

– Heard AIM and DASE are doing something, probably a year-end stage?

– JAMA Top 10 & Category Voting Start!

– Update on year-end award ceremony schedule revealed so far (Schedule summary photo.jpg)

– Headquarters 3 special stage should be worth watching. Didn’t quite a lot of boy groups debut this year? I find rookie joint stages the most fun lol

 

‘One lap around SNS before sleep’ and ‘Award ceremony voting verification’ had become a routine now. Boksoong, having completed the mission today as well, checked the voting results with a proud face.

 

Last December 31st.

 

There was a brief debate among fans whether it was right for DASE, who debuted to the sound of the New Year’s bell, to be nominated for the Rookie Award this year, but DASE was safely nominated and was currently running 1st in votes.

 

– Please vote for the legend rookie S.AM!

 

“Eh? The legendary legends are our kids though.”

 

S.AM, a 6-member boy group from a small-medium agency that debuted as soon as DASE’s WANT ME promotions ended. Boksoong called them Sam because it was bothersome, but the official name was Six AM, written as ‘S.AM’.

 

“Feels like the water on SNS got muddy after they debuted.”

 

Boksoong poured all her voting tickets reset every midnight into DASE. She clicked her tongue, looking at the rookie group ranked 2nd.

 

“Serves you right.”

 

Even without calculating, it was visible that their vote count was lagging far behind.

 

DASE who had been active for nearly a year vs a rookie group barely a month into debut. Putting these two on the same standard felt unfair, but since all Rookie Awards had been like that so far and they said they’d award based on the same criteria this year too, what could they do.

 

“If you feel wronged, complain to T-Ent, why drag DASE into it?”

 

They almost lost DASE’s Rookie Award without even getting to vote.

 

Bokoong disliked both the company that was desperate to frame itself as DASE’s rival since pre-debut—and the guy named Harang, who’d singled out Baekya in a rookie interview, saying he wanted to compete with him.

 

“No matter what anyone says, the Rookie Award belongs to our peach.”