I'M A GENIUS IDOL BUT MY PASSIVE IS SUNFISH: Chapter 55

 TL by Miru

I'm a Genius Idol but My Passive is Sunfish: Episode 55

* * *

 

"Are you not going to do it properly, Baekya?!"

 

It was already his fifth mistake in the same section. Revisiting their debut song 'No Games' for the first time in a while made him realize just how complex the choreography was.

DASE had been invited to perform at the 'K-Concert,' organized by the city of Incheon and the Korea Tourism Organization. This was why Baekya was struggling so much with the 'No Games' choreography during their 'WANT ME' activities.

Initially, the choreographer tried to laugh off the mistakes, but his patience was running thin, and his voice grew louder. Baekya's new skill, <Comatose State (D)>, played a significant role in this frustration. This disastrous skill seemed to be activated 24/7 without any cooldown, driving the choreographer to the brink of fainting.

 

"I'm sorry."

 

Baekya bowed deeply, breathing heavily.

 

'It feels like I'm going to throw up from the exhaustion.'

 

Was it him, who said there wasn't much difference between C and D grade skills? He corrected himself; the difference was as vast as heaven and earth.

While he was having these leisurely thoughts, those watching had a different perspective.

His face was visibly pale, prompting Namkyung, unable to bear it any longer, to intervene.

 

"Excuse me, choreographer-nim. It seems like Baekya's condition hasn't been good lately."

 

However, the choreographer was adamant. Normally friendly with DASE, treating each other as hyung and dongsaeng, he became a strict teacher once work began.

 

"Hyung, I'm okay. Sorry, guys."

 

Baekya apologized again, promising to get it right this time. The choreographer, after staring at the pale sunfish, let out a short sigh.

 

"Fine, let's take a 10-minute break."

 

It was his way of showing consideration.

It was already October, and the end of DASE's 'WANT ME' activities was in sight.

 

"Baekya, let's just push a little bit harder."

 

Encouraged by Namkyung's words that there would be more free time after this week's last music shows, Baekya smiled weakly.

 

"Yes. But I'm really okay."

 

Yet, no one believed these words.

Perhaps it started from the day his luck in drawing skills went south. He faintly sensed that the members, Namkyung, and Deokjin were treating him more cautiously.

 

'I can't tell them the truth.'

 

Baekya thought it best to act as usual, assuming things would be fine.

 

"I'm sorry for making the practice drag on because of me.."

 

As Baekya apologized, Minsung reassured him with a pat on the shoulder. He was a great leader.

 

"It's okay. More practice is good. And it's true you're not in the best condition."

'My condition, huh...'

 

If only it were only about the physical exhaustion. Baekya couldn't guarantee when he would regain his dance skills.

 

"Y-yeah... that's right..."

"Well, it's been a while since I've seen you make so many mistakes. It reminds me of the old days, and that's nice, isn't it?"

 

The old days? It hasn't even been a year since they debuted, has it...?

Yuyeon ruffled Baekya's hair with a cheerful smile.

 

"Ah, stop it."

 

Baekya frowned and shook off his hand, prompting Yulmu, who had been watching, to chime in with a comment.

 

"Oh~ Seeing the hamster is losing its temper, looks like you're getting your energy back?"

 

"When have I ever lost my temper!"

"See, see! You're doing it now, agh!"

 

Baekya charged at Yulmu. Amidst their laughter and chatter, the 10-minute break quickly passed.

 

'What's this?'

 

With the members not leaving Baekya alone for a moment, he had to start practicing the choreography again without having rested for even a minute.

 

"Focus!"

 

The return of the Apgujeong tiger. The choreographer's gaze was sharper than ever as he looked at DASE.

 

"You guys said you want to rise to the top, right? Then you should work even harder when you get the chance!"

 

Was it just his imagination, or did the choreographer seem even angrier than 10 minutes ago? Baekya sensed that if he made another mistake, he wouldn't be leaving this place today.

 

'Please, give me back my <The God and King of Dance (C)>...'

 

* * *

 

"Good work. Take a good rest today."

 

On their rare schedule-free day, DASE returned to their dorm as usual. Of course, this luxury was for Baekya.

 

"Ugh..."

 

A zombie-like figure staggered out of the car.

 

"Walk properly, Baekya."

"Nyeh..."

 

As soon as he got out, Baekya leaned against the car, and Chung, who had gotten out before him, grabbed his collar.

 

"Owah!"

"Hey! The car is dirty."

 

He had been grabbed with so much force that his collar wrinkled momentarily. Now he was even being grabbed by the collar by his a dongsaeng... Baekya looked gloomily at Chung.

 

"What are you looking at?"

"Nothing, just..."

 

The crestfallen sunfish shrank bank. Although Chung might have asked Baekya why he was looking at him without any underlying meaning, Chung also seemed tired, his expression tense. Baekya felt a sting of conscience, knowing that his dongsaeng's bad mood was partly his fault... It wasn't because he was scared of Chung, definitely not.

 

"Let's go up."

 

After talking a bit more with Namkyung, Minsung, who got off later, took care of his younger members. Upon reaching the dorm, DASE decided the order of showering through rock-paper-scissors, and fittingly for a player of a cursed game, Baekya disastrously lost in this too.

 

'Even losing at rock-paper-scissors...'

 

Slumped on the sofa, the Sunfish stared blankly into space. He felt the presence of someone approaching and sitting down next to him.

 

"Baekya-ya."

"Oh, hyung."

"Shall we get some fresh air?"

 

Minsung gestured towards the balcony with his eyes. Baekya nodded and got up from his seat.

 

"It must have been tired, right?"

"Well, it's not like I'm the only one who's tired... It's all because of me that the members had a hard time."

 

Baekya made a bitter expression.

 

"Don't worry too much about it. The others also understand."

 

He mentioned that everyone else had been practicing the same choreography for a year, while Baekya hadn’t even reached half that time, and instead thanked him for keeping up.

 

'An angel...?'

 

Was he an angel or what? Baekya sneaked a glance at him.

 

"The 'No Games' choreography is really tough."

 

Minsung shared that he also had a hard time following the choreography at first and was scolded severely.

 

"So, you don't need to blame yourself or feel down. Got it?"

 

Baekya looked straight at Minsung. It was as if a question mark hovered over Baekya's head, his face puzzled.

 

"Do I seem like that?"

 

Minsung seemed slightly taken aback, not expecting a counter-question.

 

"You've been a bit down lately. And there was that day..."

 

Minsung fiddled with his nape, trying to dodge the topic.

 

"That day?"

 

Baekya tilted his head in confusion.

 

"The day you came back from vocal training alone. You cried in Yulmu's arms-"

"When did I!?"

 

Covered in goosebumps, Baekya jumped up as if he were a freshly caught fish.

 

"I didn't hug anyone!"

 

Such a horrific statement!

The angry Maltese was baring its teeth and growling.

 

"Okay, I take that back! I take that back! Better now?"

"...Yeah."

 

Anyway, Minsung asked if Baekya had been having any struggles, noting that he seemed a bit off that day.

 

'Struggles? There are plenty.'

 

Being a sunfish was a struggle, practicing dance was a struggle, dealing with quests was a struggle, and even the gacha draw was a struggle. Everything was a struggle. However, among these, the only thing he could mention was the dance practice.

 

"It's just... I feel like trash…"

 

More precisely, his body was. The subject was omitted. Baekya turned his head away with a face like an old sage who had seen too much of the world. His gaze, looking down from the balcony, was distant.

For the record, DASE's dorm was on the 15th floor. Minsung, surprised, widened his eyes and gripped Baekya's shoulder.

 

"You're not, Baekya-ya!"

 

Why would he think of himself as trash? Minsung didn't know he had such thoughts. The leader seemed very shocked.

 

"No, it's not that I'm trash, it's my body that's trash..."

 

But upon further reflection, if his body was a sunfish then the sunfish was him, then logically, the proposition that he was trash holds true.

 

"I guess... I am trash."

 

At that moment, he looked in the corner of the balcony. A trash can, used to cover the balcony's two missing railing rods as a temporary measure, caught Baekya's eye.

 

'I can't do this. I should just get in the trash can.'

 

Overwhelmed by fatigue, lack of sleep, and stress, Baekya had reached a state where rational judgment was impossible. Shrugging off Minsung's arm, he headed towards the railing. Pulling the trash can towards him revealed a gap just big enough to pass through. Of course, Baekya was seeing this for the first time.

 

"Huh? Someone could just easily jump down from here."

 

It was at that moment.

The balcony door swung open violently, and Chung grabbed Baekya inside. It was the second time he had been grabbed by the nape, following the parking lot incident.

 

"Ugh!"

"You crazy?!"

 

This time, he was even cursed at.

 

'Crazy? That's a bit harsh, isn't it...'

 

Baekya turned around with a puzzled face, only to see the members lined up in front of the glass door, all looking serious.

 

"Why is everyone here like this... Have you all showered yet...?"

 

Although he hadn't done anything wrong, instinctively, the Sunfish felt the need to back away. At that moment, Yulmu, previously frozen, grabbed Baekya's wrist with an ashen face.

 

"Come with me."

 

Baekya was pulled along, weakly following Yulmu's lead.

For Baekya, it was the first time seeing Yulmu with such a stern expression. The saying that those who rarely get angry can be incredibly scary when they do seem perfectly fitting in this situation.

 

"Hey... Na Yulmu, why are you like this?"

 

Baekya was led into the bedroom adjacent to his. While the room's layout was the same, the atmosphere was distinctly different.

 

"What were you trying to do just now?"

"...Me?"

 

Thrown onto Yulmu's bed, Baekya started to shrink further into himself.

 

"I was just talking with hyung..."

"About what?"

"He asked if I was having a hard time, and I said I wasn't..."

 

But as they spoke, Baekya grew irritated. Why had Yulmu been grilling him as if he had done something wrong?

 

"But what did I do wrong?" Baekya asked.

"Are you sure? Are you absolutely sure you weren't about to do anything stupid?"

 

Yulmu didn't back down either.

The atmosphere grew increasingly hostile, and the members gathered outside the room were watching the verbal fight unfold.

 

"Oh, my head."

 

Minsung, holding his forehead, was about to intervene and break them up.

 

"Are you upset with me because I kept messing up the choreography today? If it's about that, I'm sorry."

 

Baekya, saying he had never danced before in his entire life until now, began to feel wronged as he spoke, and his emotions intensified.

 

"Still, I'm trying my hardest not to be a burden to you guys."

"That's not what I meant-"

"I've been doing everything I'm told, haven't I!"