I’m a Genius Idol but my Passive is Sunfish Chapter 77

Assistant Manager Na—tragic office worker with money but no time—failed to board a flight to Hong Kong. Getting off work, Baepsae opened a beer, watching the award ceremony live broadcast on a cable channel.

 

“Not all of them are Hong Kong people probably.”

 

The fan seats captured on screen were packed without a single empty seat. Seeing the immense cheers every time AIM, Boys’ World, or Rose Day was caught once, surely more than half must be Koreans.

 

“Then why the hell are they making such a fuss holding it in Hong Kong?”

 

Her bias, who never had a day of not being pretty, was tearfully pretty today especially, making her irrationally bitter.

 

“Naing-i… Naing-i….”

 

Tipsy, Baepsae couldn’t take her eyes off Baekya on her phone.

 

It seemed he was too nervous he didn’t even notice saying Naing-i instead of the fandom name Night. Baekya’s slip of the tongue was currently a hot topic among Nights.

 

– Naing-i lol Crazy I’m smashing my head Baekya

– Like Markdoongie next door something like that?

– I am Kim Naing! Even if another fandom tries to scout me, I will never waver! (oath meme.jpg)”

 

Baepsae’s timeline was rampant with all sorts of oath memes. She also quickly got a photo and wrote a post.

 

– Na Naing.. Live by Baek Die by Baek (Oath meme.jpg)

 

A grand declaration of loyalty, roughly speaking.

 

By then, the ad break that felt like an entire hour finally ended, and the broadcast returned

Baepsae’s little peach was still sitting between Jihan and Yeonha.

 

“Ha…. Cute guy.”

 

Staggering to the TV, Baepsae zoomed in and took a picture of Baekya on the screen. A voice full of disbelief came from beside her.

 

“Look at you, making a whole spectacle.”

 

“Oh come on. Mom, you like Lim Youngwoong and trot music, don’t you? I saw you taking pictures of the TV the other day.”

 

Baepsae’s mom was about to nag her to go out and find a boyfriend. At the words that she learned all this watching her, she quietly returned to her room.

 

Baepsae, having completely taken over the living room, lay on the sofa and picked up her phone again.

 

According to the cue sheet she had obtained in advance, DASE was scheduled to stay in the singer seats after the Part 1 opening, and appear once more as the second order in Part 2.

 

As Baepsae counted the remaining Part 1 stages, DASE standing up from their seats was caught small on the camera showing the fan seats.

 

“Uh? What, where is my baby going?”

 

At DASE disappearing below the stage, Baepsae quickly refreshed SNS.

 

– Kids must be going to prepare for the stage!

– Senior group is staying in singer seats though? People are saying DASE is only extra lol Why are our kids getting dragged? Freaking ridiculous

 

The collaboration stage of AIM and DASE, which was only rumored, was finally about to be revealed.

 

* * *

 

Glassy kicked off Part 2 with an explosive girl-crush performance. The stage ended, but instead of moving straight into the awards, the lights dimmed further, and a video filled the screen.

 

[A.I.M. X DASE]

[Remastering Project]

 

Cheong, wearing a headset, walked into a recording studio. The maknae scribbled with a pencil over lyric sheets on the music stand.

 

As the camera switched to a frontal angle and a familiar instrumental began to play, his narration started.

 

– Ice in my veins

Like walking dead

I am the monster

 

Cut changed and Daehwan appeared. At the first reveal of Daehwan’s studio, AIM fans’ cheers rang loudly.

 

“The breathing’s a little rushed at the end. Can you focus on just that part and try again?”

 

“Okay.”

 

– Ice in my veins

 

“Going for doubling.”

 

With the same instrumental playing, Cheong repeatedly recorded the same section. The scene shifted again—this time, Yulmu stood in the booth.

 

– No one can look at me

My pupils lost their brilliance,

 

“That lyric’s wrong.”

 

The camera showed him talking to Daehwan somewhere beyond the frame.

 

“Oh—really? Sorry about that~”

 

After several tries, Yulmu finally nailed the part and stepped out of the booth.

 

“Ah—ah—.”

 

A pink-haired figure entered, warming up his voice. Baekya wearing a headset was staring blankly ahead. It seemed he was waiting for Daehwan’s signal.

 

Main vocal had to record a bit more than other members.

 

After being told that he could do the part he wanted first, Baekya answered he would go from the first verse chorus.

 

“Good but the end seems a bit pushed.”

 

“Yes. I’ll try again.”

 

– Becoming warm warmth

The only savior

You are my savior

 

“Good. Next one.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Continuing chorus recording.

 

– Ma Heart

 

It was a high note—about a 3.5 out of 4 levels of WANT ME’s signature high pitch—but once the instrumental started, Baekya delivered it effortlessly, his face calm.

 

“Hubaenim.”

 

“Yes. Uh… Should I do it again?”

 

“No, it’s too good. Think we can use this as is. You can come out.”

 

Praise could make even a sunfish dance. Blushing shyly, Baekya trotted out of the booth.

 

At the same time, Yooyeon stood outside, quietly practicing his part while reading the lyrics.

 

“Let’s go in.”

 

“Yeap.”

 

Putting the lyric sheet on the music stand, he muttered quietly to himself. He was making dimples, but his face wasn’t really smiling.

 

“The song is too high.”

 

But as the accompaniment came out, Yooyeon handled it quite well.

 

The member appearing next was Minseong.

 

“I’ll go right away.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Like Baekya, he handled the chorus, finishing the recording without breaking a sweat.

 

The last member to enter was Jihan.

 

– Murky air

Can’t see an inch ahead

 

Low voice striking the ears with precise pronunciation. At Daehwan’s direction asking if he could sing as if chewing the lyrics a bit more in a specific part, Jihan’s recording scene repeated several times.

 

“Good work.”

 

DASE’s recording all finished and Daehwan was left alone. Concentrating on song work, he felt thirsty and picked up water but it was an empty bottle.

 

“When did I drink all this.”

 

Taking his phone and getting up from his seat, it was the moment he tried to leave the studio.

 

Rattle rattle-.

 

From outside came the sound of someone forcefully twisting the doorknob. Without a lock, the door might already have opened. Through the frosted film on the glass, the silhouettes of five or six people moved slowly.

 

A sense of unease crept over him, and Daehwan stepped back from the door.

 

Ding.

 

A text message arrived on his phone.

 

[Run away]

 

It was a message from Minseong.

 

Thump!

 

Startled by the sound, Daehwan lifted his head and a bloody handprint was stamped on the glass door.

 

“What is this….”

 

Stepping back, Daehwan tripped over a chair and fell.

 

“Ah.”

 

Daehwan barely balanced himself by grabbing onto equipment. The mechanical device pressed by his palm was slowly zoomed in.

 

Static crackled from the speakers. Soon, VIVA’s ‘Walking Dead’ flowed into the studio and the video ended.

 

[Festival of the Dead]

 

The second performance of Part 2 of the award ceremony was about to begin.

 

* * *

 

– Eh? Isn’t this totally an old song lol Think it came out when I was in elementary school

– Zombies all of a sudden?

– Who made Daehwan act lol Can already see him being teased by his hyungs

– Crazy this song brings back memories…

– Thought it was just recording behind-the-scenes but turned out to be VCR

– Tearing up seeing my kid act after 8 years ㅠㅠㅠ

– Lyrics totally old school vibes lol

– Is this DASE’s new song?!

 

“Waaaack! Baekya! DASE!”

 

Since there was no official light stick yet, Boksoong shook the slogan diligently, and with Daehwan’s participation, Shiyoon-bin was also cheering enthusiastically for the stage. It was truly a moment of total ID fandom unity.

 

The atmosphere, already overheated by the VCR alone, exploded even more when DASE stepped onto the stage.

 

Disheveled shirts soaked with bloodstains. The outfits were torn and barely intact, but Yulmu’s and Yooyeon’s clothes were especially shredded.

 

Wound makeup reminiscent of zombies on faces, necks, and exposed arms was realistic.

 

“Huuuh… no, this is too much, they look like they’re in so much pain.”

 

A vivid red gash ran from under Cheong’s eye across his cheek, as if slashed by a knife. Seeing the wound on his sculpted face made Boksoong’s heart break.

 

“Concept is insane.”

 

Shiyoon-bin, who’d expected nothing more than an AIM cover dance, couldn’t hide their amazement at the unexpected scale of it all. Yooyeon’s outfit in particular—so violently shredded at the bottom it was basically a crop top—stole everyone’s attention.

 

“Isn’t his stomach actually pierced…?”

 

The fake wounds, crafted with what seemed like the makeup artist’s very soul, were successfully creating countless over-immersed fans.

 

– Ice in my veins

Like walking dead

I am the monster

 

Cheong stood tall at the center, and DASE’s ‘Walking Dead’ began with his soft narration. It wasn’t an intro that fit current trends, but Daehwan had wanted to preserve as much of the original song’s feel as possible.

 

Cheong wasn’t known for powerhouse vocals, but he was more than solid—and above all, his fluent pronunciation and vocal tone were so good you could strip away the instrumental entirely and it would still work.

 

Daehwan’s judgment wasn’t wrong and the so-called old feel didn’t come out at all.

 

– No one can look at me

My pupils lost their brilliance

Coldly cooled heart

 

As the accompaniment came out, DASE finally began to move in earnest. Just as Cheong collapsed backward, Yulmu grabbed him by the collar and yanked him up, singing the intro.

 

The performance director for the Remastering Project was Tiger of Apgujeong. Everyone had expected them to use the original choreography, but it seemed even he’d gotten ambitious once he got into it.

 

Yooyeon had been bracing the two of them from below. Timing it with Yulmu’s movement, he shoved Cheong’s back upward, then rose to his feet and stretched out his arm.

 

Cheong’s chest bent backward as if his heart was pierced.