I'M A GENIUS IDOL BUT MY PASSIVE IS SUNFISH: Chapter 46

//TN: Sorry for making you wait. I've been a bit sick lately. 

TL by Miru

I'm a Genius Idol but My Passive is Sunfish: Episode 46

 

In contrast to the cool image she had seen in photos and videos, Chung was completely different. It was in this moment she perfectly understood why fans called him a 'baby chick'.

 

"But is your last name 'Baep'? I've never seen that before!"

//TN: Sparrow in Korean is "Baep-sae", so he thinks her last name is Baep.

 

Chung asked with an innocent face.

 

'This person... Does he really think my actual name is 'Sparrow'?'

 

Before the fan signing began, the staff distributed Post-it notes, asking fans to write the name they wanted signed on the album's cover. Debating between her real name and her social media nickname, Sparrow ultimately decided on her nickname. Was it her illegible handwriting, or was it just because the member before her was a foreigner that this mishap occurred?

 

"BaepMH-nim!"

 

Huh?

A question mark floated above Sparrow's head.

 

"Um... It's not MH, it's Sae. Baepsae."

//TN: "Sae(쌔)" in hangeul could be mistaken as MH depending on your handwriting.

 

Sparrow tried to correct him cautiously, but Chung seemed to have a bit of difficulty understanding.

 

"Baep-ssi? Is Baep correct?"

 

Chung looked back and forth between the Post-it and at her, his face full of curiosity. Every time he moved his head, the yellow chick and wolf ears on his headband fluttered.

 

'So that's why he was staring at the Post-it for so long.'

 

Should she be grateful he even read it, considering the situation? With mixed feelings, she bit her lip. Quickly giving up, she nodded her head with a slightly regretful expression.

 

"Yes. That's right."

 

For this brief moment, she just decided to be 'Baep-ssi'.

 

'Sorry, Dad.'

 

What followed was a light-hearted chat about recent happenings. She found out that Chung had eaten sausage and vegetable stir-fry the previous evening – a TMI detail – before she could move on to the next member.

And next was Baekya, the long-awaited encounter with her beloved first idol bias.

 

"Hello~"

"It's Baekya! A moving Baekya!"

'Ah, hello.'

 

The quotation marks changed. What she wanted to say and what she was thinking had switched.

But Sparrow, whose rationality was paralyzed, didn't notice.

 

"Ah... Yes! I do move!"

 

Baekya flapped his arms, folding and unfolding them in place.

 

"Kyaaah!"

 

A scream-like cheer erupted from the waiting area. As he moved, the sprout pin in his hair adorably wobbled.

 

"That- that huge thing on your head...!"

"Oh, this?"

 

It was the so-called 'peach leaf', a gift from a previous fan. The child-sized pin sat snugly atop his pink hair, blending in as if it were part of him.

 

"I received it as a gift."

 

Baekya smiled shyly, making Sparrow, who already struggled to maintain her composure, greatly stumble.

 

"Oh...! Are you okay?!"

 

Baekya, who had risen from his seat, tried to grasp her arm, but the nearby security guard was quicker to react.

 

"Is this the legendary killer smile I've only heard about...!"

'I'm fine, really. Please don't worry about me.'

 

Sparrow was unaware that the words she kept blurting out and her inner thoughts were not aligning.

 

"Th-thank you!"

 

A bashful Baekya, his ears turning red, flipped through the album.

 

"Where would you like me to sign?"

"I marked it with yellow Post-it note there."

 

Baekya finally found his photo after passing Minsung and Jihan. It was a picture of him sitting on steps, with one knee drawn up, wearing only one sock.

 

"Oh? You chose this photo. I like this one the best too."

 

Baekya started signing just below the neck, avoiding the face. His hands, holding the marker, were as delicate as can be.

 

'Even his hands are...!'

 

Sparrow unknowingly covered her mouth. Every second was a moment of overwhelming emotion.

 

"Is there anything else you'd like me to do?"

 

Baekya, naturally looking up from his lower position, leaned forward slightly as if by habit, lifting his head a bit more to meet Sparrow's eyes.

 

"Gasp!"

 

Arrest! Arrest!

Her heart rate skyrocketed.

 

"A heart? Or a peach?"

 

It seemed the fans before her had requested him to draw hearts or peaches. However, this recipient was still reeling from the previous assault. Sparrow, unable to utter a word, stood there stuttering. Noticing her hesitation, Baekya secretly scribbled something on the album.

 

"Please look at it later when you go down. I hope you like it~"

 

Baekya handed her the album.

With trembling hands, Sparrow took it, barely mustering the strength to confess her admiration, supported by the calming pill.

 

"It's time to move on."

 

The moment was abruptly ended by the security guard.

 

'No! I haven't said a word to Baekya yet...!'

 

Unaware of how much she had gushed, Sparrow looked resentfully at the guard, but he remained indifferent.

Hmph.

With a pouting lip, Sparrow was nudged to move on. She glanced back at her bias with a face full of regret.

 

"You must be a Baekya fan~"

 

But she was quickly brought back to reality by another friendly voice.

 

"Baekdo is cute, isn't he?"

//TN: "Baekdo" actually means "white peach."

 

It was Yuyeon, smiling brightly, dimples sinking deep into his cheeks.

 

"Yes! So cute! No, I mean... Yuyeon-nim, you’re also really cute."

"It's okay. I'm more on the sexy side than cute. But I can also be cute if I put my mind to it."

 

His cheeky response, which could have sounded embarrassing, was delivered with such charisma that Sparrow was impressed.

 

'What's this? He sounds like a flirting male lead from a novel.'

 

The man before her matched the image she had imagined perfectly. With an adorable gesture, he extended his hands.

 

"Please give it~"

 

His left dimple deepened as he smiled, indicating that he was still slightly embarrassed.

 

"Wh-what should I give you...?"

 

She began rummaging through her pockets, dazed by his stunning looks.

 

'I don't have much money since it's not payday yet, but should I give him this?'

 

As if possessed, she pulled out her wallet and placed the item on Yuyeon's palm, only for him to tilt his head in puzzlement.

 

"Uh... Is this a gift? Or allowance?"

 

Realizing what she had done, Sparrow exclaimed,

 

"Ah! My wallet!"

 

Swept away by his charm, she attempted to retrieve her wallet, but the self-proclaimed sexy guy quickly withdrew his hand. Sparrow's eyes wavered.

Holding back laughter, Yuyeon playfully proposed a deal.

 

"Let's do it like this. I'll exchange this card wallet for the thing you're holding in your hand right now."

 

Clutched dearly in her arms was the album with Baekya's signature.

 

"Otherwise, I'll have to buy snacks for Baekdo with this~"

 

Sparrow's hand, which was about to extend the album, withdrew. Suddenly, she felt it might not be so bad to give away her wallet.

 

"Would you like to keep it?"

"…I'm sorry. I'll just sign it and return both to you."

 

There were very few people who could beat Yuyeon in a verbal sparring, but she managed to do it.

 

"I'll definitely buy snacks for Baekdo no matter what, so please take it…"

"Really, you can keep it."

 

Finally relaxed, Sparrow teased Yuyeon as she received both the album and the wallet. With the security guard's voice indicating it was time to move, she soon met the last member.

 

"Hello."

 

Jihan, as nervous as the fans, greeted her with a smile as he took the album.

 

"You must like birds?"

 

It was a very one-dimensional question. Should she agree or disagree? As Sparrow hesitated and inadvertently looked up, her eyes met Jihan's. A proud and expectant face looked back at her. Jihan, usually perceived as cold after Chung, was actively trying to follow the company's advice to initiate conversations and smile as much as possible at fan events.

 

"Uh... Yes. I do."

"They're very cute. Sparrows are those, right? The small, round, white birds?"

"That's right!"

 

Jihan mentioned having seen it on TV, forming a small circle with his hands. The conversation continued with animal talk. Unbeknownst to her, Jihan's favourite program turned out to be animal documentaries.

 

"I watch them almost every night before bed."

 

Perhaps it was because, after finishing their schedule and returning to the dorm, the only things on TV were the national anthem and animal documentaries.

Despite her rational doubts, Sparrow nodded vigorously. Had it been a friend, she would have snapped back, telling him to stop saying nonsense, but was it the power of his face? Or maybe his magical voice? Jihan, DASE's sole rapper, possessed a voice that was deep, precise in diction, and melodious, compelling one to listen.

 

"Then, see you next time."

 

With Jihan's last wave of goodbye, she finally stepped down from the stage. My goodness. Sparrow was completely won over by ID's incredible planning.

 

'The most fruitful 15 minutes ever.'

 

Clutching the precious album and the gift for Baekya, Sparrow relished her happiness. As she was leaving, filled with adrenaline, she suddenly stopped. Wait? The gift? In the excitement of meeting her favourite member in person, she had forgotten the most important thing.

 

"Ah! The gift!"

 

She realized she hadn't given it and still held the yellow paper bag. She slumped to the floor, her face turning into a frown. Tears welled up in her eyes though she hadn't planned to cry.

 

'I really wanted to give this...'

 

Baekya, who happened to have some free time, waiting for the next fan, spotted her first.

 

"Oh?!"

 

Alarmed, Baekya grabbed the arm of a security guard.

 

"There, that person has collapsed!"

 

Baekya remembered her, the fan who had nearly fainted while getting an autograph. His words drew the attention of the other members and the fans waiting in line.

 

"Are you okay?"

 

As a guard and a staff member approached to help her up, Sparrow firmly refused their assistance. Although their conversation was inaudible from afar, the three seemed to be engaging in a lengthy discussion. The guard, with a resigned expression, returned to his position holding the character-decorated paper bag instead of helping her.

 

"Is that person okay?"

 

Baekya and the members asked worriedly.

 

"Well... it's because of this."

 

The yellow object was handed to Baekya.

 

"...A doll?"

 

It was Pi**chu. Was she struck by a million volts? The sunfish, unable to comprehend why the fan collapsed because of the toy, alternated his gaze between the fan section and the toy.

Meanwhile, Sparrow returned to her seat, covering her mouth again, overwhelmed by emotion. She had been unable to function in everyday life for a while because of the cuteness after hearing the story of Baekya being cast while eating Pi**chu at a snack bar in front of his school.

 

'To witness this duo in person...'

 

Sparrow felt she could die happy now.

On the stage, Baekya, who had taken out the toy, tilted his head as he looked at his yellow friend. They were both from the same rodent family. The red ribbon around the toy's neck had alphabets written on it.

 

[PIKA]

 

"...Pika?"

 

The toy, the angle of his head, and Baekya formed a perfect trinity, causing another casualty. Thanos, who had just finished his conversation with Chung, suddenly complained of heart pain.

 

"Call 911...!"

 

The villain who had once ripped off half of Yuyeon's clothes during a live broadcast was brought down by a hamster with just two syllables.