TL by Miru
I'm a Genius Idol but My Passive is Sunfish: Episode 5
"Baek-Ya, your vocal tone, range, and sense are very good without missing anything. Let's keep going like this for the evaluation."
That was worth three ggang a day.
Whether his voice came out through his nose or his mouth. Baek-Ya was mentally completely dazed while taking the vocal lesson.
[<Dreaming of High Notes (1)> Completed!]
[Quest Reward Granted: 1 Star Point]
Now that he thought about it, he might have seen the status window...
Fortunately, the atmosphere seemed better than when he did the courting dance. However, Baek-Ya's mind had completely wandered elsewhere. With the bad ending looming in front of his eyes, Baek-Ya had a lot on his mind.
'Should I change agencies...'
He might be able to get some information if he asked the trainees who had friends at other companies.
"Hyung, you got complimented. Aren't you happy?"
"Huh? Uuh, I'm happy."
Returning to his spot, Baek-Ya's expression darkened. Ji-Ho misunderstood that Baek-Ya was disappointed he couldn't showcase all of his skills.
Originally, Ji-Ho was in vocal class C, but when the trainer heard rumors of Baek-Ya, a joint lesson with class A was arranged, gathering everyone in one place.
Baek-Ya's dancing was pretty bad, but Ji-Ho loved hearing him sing.
"I think you have a really good voice, hyung!"
"Really? Thank you."
Baek-Ya grinned as he barely regained his wits. Ji-Ho also smiled brightly as he liked Baek-Ya patting him.
"What song are you going to sing during the monthly evaluation?"
The company provided quality instruction and environments for trainees who were selected based on their criteria. Will this individual develop into the kind of lumber that matched the picture the company was drawing?
In contrast, trainees who signed the contract had to prove their capabilities and potential through an evaluation once a month.
Based on this standardized evaluation, the company determined whether to continue to invest in the trainee. If it was judged that they did not meet the standards, or the trainee was different from the direction the company pursued, the exclusive contract was mercilessly terminated.
'But didn't that apply only to people who have been with the company for more than a month...?'
"But am I doing it too? It hasn't even been a week since I joined the company."
"That's right. Huh? But then earlier why did you tell the instructor you wanted to do it?"
That was the first time he's heard of it. When did he have such a conversation with the trainer?
Baek-Ya quickly searched his memories.
「Baek-Ya, your vocal tone, range, and sense are very good without missing anything. Let's keep going like this for the evaluation.」
「Yes...」
「Alas, you're not a candidate for this time's evaluation, right?」
「Yes...」
「Look at him. Shouldn't it be a good thing for you to not get judged yet? Are you that sullen about not being able to do it?」
Sullen?
Who was? Me?
「I can't refuse you if you want to participate. I'll talk to the higher-ups about it.」
While he had been out of his mind for a brief moment, Baek-Ya was subjected to the vocal trainer's ghastly delusion.
* * *
The monthly evaluation was two weeks away. For nearly a week, Baek-Ya's life was only a repeat of going back and forth between school, practice room, and home.
At first, Baek-Ya's resolve was shattered by the existence of the debut group that had already been confirmed. However, he received unexpected news from other trainees.
"Apparently, US Entertainment is also coming for this evaluation. I heard rumors that they're forming a new debut group. That's why they're coming here."
In Korea, there were three major agencies that had the most popular idols. They were ID, US, and HITIC.
They often brought their trainees together for a company vs. company battle evaluation. And it just so happens to be conducted for this monthly evaluation.
The notable point here was that, although rare, the companies would sometimes trade trainees. For a moment, Baek-Ya could hear the Sanctus hymn playing in his ears.
'I'm going to make a good impression at the monthly evaluation and jump to US.'
His resolution was burning like never before.
It was past 11 o'clock at night. However, Baek-Ya was still in the practice room. He was left alone in that space as everyone from earlier had just gone back. Baek-Ya decided to check on his status.
Currently, he had five Star Points due to the recent chain of hidden quest completions.
He completed 10 vocal and dance practice sessions for <Dreaming of High Notes (2)> and <Practice to Survive (2)>, and as a result, he respectively earned two points.
And with one level up in the process, he received one more point, so he had accumulated quite a bit.
'It might be good to use one skill draw before the monthly evaluation.'
Baek-Ya opened his skill window.
Lv.4 Baek-Ya (Synchronizing)
Appearance: B
Vocals: A
Dance: C
Stress: 48%
Title: Genius Idol (Inactive)
Passive: R
No, but wait a minute. There was a significant increase in stress.
"What's with that?!"
The news of the debut group was shocking, but was it to that extent?
Baek-Ya was resentful.
"At this rate, I'm going to die from stress faster than from the failure to debut..."
He had been so blinded by the skills that he had neglected stress management.
Baek-Ya stared into space, with his eyes glazed with melancholy.
Then, the seemingly cognitive system, spoke to him for the first time in a long time as if to cheer him up. With the ridiculous emoticons.
[Do not worry! The stress level can be lowered with Star Points! v(°∇^*)⌒☆]
[A reduction of 30% when using 1 Point]
"Oh, I see~ Star Points~"
He had to use it for the draws, and he had to use it to lower the stress. There were awfully many places to use it when collecting those points were so difficult.
"Why! You're just praying for me to die!"
With tears in his eyes, Baek-Ya decided to use the points to reduce his stress level. Because stress is fatal to a sunfish.
▶ Use 2 Points
"My precious points..."
That left him with 3 Star Points. The probabilities for the draws were already shitty, and now, even those chances were reduced.
"Haa... I don't feel like practicing. Let's go home."
Baek-Ya turned off the lights and left the practice room. However, it was already very late as all the lights in the hallway were out. With that visual, it wouldn't be strange if a ghost popped out in that darkness.
'Th-there's a trainee here who hasn't gone home yet...!'
Baek-Ya nervously swallowed and clenched his trembling hands. His pace quickened by itself.
"Elevator. Quickly, elevator."
Baek-Ya, heading straight to the elevator, pressed the button to go up. However, whatever the heck the elevator was doing on the fourth floor, it didn't seem to be coming down.
It could be under maintenance.
There was no way it would be under maintenance at this hour. After a certain amount of time, it seemed like the power would go down automatically except for one.
'But why does it have to be on the 4th floor!'
Baek-Ya, faithful to the sunfish passive, was very much frightened.
Since ancient times, 'four' was considered the number of death. Biting his lips in nervousness, Baek-Ya eventually decided to run up the emergency stairway.
The vocal practice room was located on the first basement floor, so if he closed his eyes and ran, he could for sure do it.
He made his way to the emergency exit... but the color of the emergency light was a little strange today.
'Has it always been this color?'
Somewhere between green and orange, the emergency light stickman stared down at Baek-Ya.
"Bu- bunshinsaba bunshinsaba..."
Kim Yu-Gyeong had said that this was a spell to chase away ghosts.
Baek-Ya opened the 'Pandora's box', chanting the spell in his mind. However, why was he greeted with a frighteningly bright light as soon as he opened the door? The sensor light was still on.
Baek-Ya's soul had already left his body and was crossing the street in front of his house, but his body had yet to take a step in front of the emergency exit door. It was because the place was occupied.
"Haa... Hmmph."
Rapid gasping and muffled obscenities assaulted Baek-Ya's eardrums.
'Oh, oh my god!'
Baek-Ya could not contain his astonishment.
Of course, it wasn't that kind of carnal feast, but still, at this late hour! In this remote place! And a trainee, too! Adjoining like that was a breach of contract. It wasn't just ID, but in any other places, a prohibition of love affairs between trainees was the number one mandatory clause.
But where was the time to worry about other people when his own life was already on the line? Baek-Ya decided to flee as quietly as he could now.
'Your Honor, I didn't see anything.'
Baek-Ya stiffly turned around.
However, when a man commits a sin, he wasn't allowed to live in peace. All of it got ruined only because he got startled by his clothes being caught on the door handle.
"Uwack!"
"Kyaah!"
"Who's there?!"
A male trainee he met for the first time ran over and grabbed Baek-Ya by the nape with a threatening face.
"Did you see?"
"Wh-wh-what? I suddenly saw a cockroach coming out..."
Let's pretend we didn't see it no matter what.
Cold sweat ran down his back, but Baek-Ya raised the corners of his mouth with all his might. He was a little stung with guilt, but there was nothing else he could do about it. That guy seemed ready to kill if he was seen.
He could tell just from the grip on his nape. And it was true that he did see a pair of cockroaches.
Meanwhile, the female trainee had run away, and the two, Baek-Ya and the other guy were the only ones at the emergency exit.
"I don't recognize you. Are you a new trainee? It's already late."
"I-I lost track of time while practicing. When I was leaving, the elevators were all stopped. But why are you here...?"
A 100% pure face. Baek-Ya was using his face without even realizing it himself.
The man, however, had yet to cast away the doubt in his eyes. His hands were still holding the collar, and Baek-Ya wasn't unaware that he was under suspicion either.
'I should definitely end it here if I don't want to get involved.'
But just then, an unfamiliar voice came from above.
"Ha-Rang hyung, are you there?"
A relief pitcher appeared. Several sounds of footsteps could be heard in different rhythms.
Soon after, two suns appeared. The hair colors sticking over the railing were radiant. They were dazzling.
"We have to get back to the dorm, ah, sorry. Were you in the middle of a conversation?"
"Huh? You're the one from the cafeteria a while ago!"
It was a face Baek-Ya was very well familiar with. The debut group trainees. One of them he had met.
As the two looked at Harang who was grabbing Baek-Ya in wonder, his breathing began to relax a bit. His eyes were still doubting Baek-Ya, but his expression showed that he had no choice but to let go.
"It's not a big deal. I dropped something on the stairs, but it's fine if you haven't seen it. Excuse me."
Harang, who slightly bowed his head to Baek-Ya, was already halfway up the stairs.
He quickly joined the trainees who had come to pick him up, and the two, unaware of the circumstances, greeted Baek-Ya with puzzled faces and left.
But the question arises here.
"...Was there a member like that?"
No matter how much he thought about it, it didn't seem like he has ever seen a face like that in the group.