The S-Rank Paparazzi Reincarnates as an Idol - Chapter 103
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 103
“Ha, really?”
Hearing that childlike, delighted laughter, I felt the knot of tension in my chest begin to loosen.
‘Why am I so happy to make them laugh like this?’
These precious people—there weren’t enough words to express my gratitude.
‘I need to study more lines that will make the fans happy.’
If I could make the fans smile, there was nothing I wouldn’t do.
“Thank you for waiting until our debut. We’re here because of Lumina.”
At my words, the fan’s eyes glistened with tears.
The overwhelming sincerity transmitted across less than a meter of distance carried a weight entirely different from the numbers on a monitor or the glittering chart rankings.
“May I ask your name?”
“My name is Park Seo-yoon.”
“Seo-yoon, thank you so much for making time to be here today. Our team exists because of you.”
As I signed and carefully spoke her name, the fan covered her mouth and nodded.
Each small gesture felt like a miracle.
She hesitantly pulled a small doll from her bag.
“I made this doll myself. Would you… be able to take a photo with it?”
It was a cute two-headed character doll with adorable wolf ears.
‘Why does this character look oddly like me?’
“Wow, a wolf? It’s so cute!”
“Yes. I made it after seeing you wear the wolf headband on the broadcast.”
The character was so charming that you could tell at a glance it had been made with care.
“You have such talented hands! Of course I’ll take a photo with you. Do you have a pose in mind?”
“If you could hold it gently against your cheek, I’d be so grateful!”
The flushed fan quickly pulled out her phone.
‘The doll is so soft,’
As I brought the plush doll to my cheek, I heard the rapid sound of the shutter clicking.
Click. Click.
“Should we try a different pose?”
“Oh, I’d be so grateful!”
Seeing her obvious delight, I struck every pose I could manage, including peace signs and hearts.
“Um… would it be possible for you to say something encouraging to the camera?”
“Of course! Just let me know when you’re ready.”
“Okay!”
The fan quickly switched her phone to video mode and gave me the signal.
“Ready.”
“Yes, I’m starting.”
I leaned close to the camera lens with the wolf character doll pressed against my cheek.
Staring intently through the lens, I delivered my encouragement with sincerity.
“Seo-yoon, thank you for supporting our team. I want to send you my gratitude and words of encouragement in return. Always stay strong! Fighting!”
“Kyaa…! Thank you so much!”
I bowed repeatedly toward the fan bouncing with excitement.
“I’m grateful too.”
“Time’s up. We need to move on.”
At the Staff Member’s urging, the fan reluctantly left her seat.
I gently waved the wolf plushie toward her as she walked away.
“Thank you for the plushie. I’ll treasure it, Seo Yoon!”
The fan, who had been reluctant to leave, suddenly brightened and waved her hand.
‘The plushie is so cute though.’
After carefully setting down the wolf character plushie, I greeted the second fan approaching.
As the fan signing event progressed, a strange sensation enveloped my entire body.
Each time I met a fan’s eyes, the knot of resentment buried deep in my heart seemed to wash away bit by bit.
The hands that once destroyed someone’s privacy were now saving someone’s day.
“Si-woo, I became a fan after seeing this photo!”
The screen the next fan showed me displayed my bright smile on stage.
The photo was out of focus and blurry, but it was filled with the photographer’s affection.
While the photos I took in the past were always weapons meant to destroy someone, the photos fans took of me were shields that sustained me.
Realizing this truth, my chest tightened with emotion.
“I’m truly grateful you became a fan. Do you happen to like photography?”
“Yes. I prefer taking photos over viewing them.”
“Then would you take a photo of me today?”
“Of course! Actually, I brought a professional camera. Could you maybe look toward the 5 O’Clock Direction for just a moment when you have time?”
“Absolutely! I’ll make sure to.”
☆☆☆
‘I finally made it to my favorite’s fan signing event!’
Park Mo, who had won the lottery for the fan signing event after fierce competition and notoriously difficult odds, bit her lip tightly.
At first, it was just a light fondness.
It started that day when she accidentally received help from Cha Si-woo, whose name wasn’t even properly known yet, at the Wedding Hall buffet.
‘I never thought I’d end up chasing an idol like this.’
The moment the announcement for her favorite’s first fan signing event dropped, Park Mo purchased albums as if possessed.
One, two, ten….
As competitive spirit took hold, the quantity quickly surpassed a hundred.
‘Their popularity has gotten way too big.’
Thanks to the successful Survival Program, Lusbo’s recognition was skyrocketing.
Even getting tickets to Music Broadcast tapings was difficult, but winning the fan signing event lottery was practically impossible.
After much deliberation, Park Mo finally dipped into her emergency fund and clicked purchase.
‘Emergency funds are meant for times like this anyway.’
Before long, delivery boxes filled one wall of her room, and every time she saw her credit card statement her breath caught, but she had no regrets.
‘Because I missed them that much.’
Starting with words of gratitude, then thanks for your hard work, may you walk only a flower-strewn path, your songs are so good, you’re my only vitamin these days, and so on….
Standing before him in person, I had mountains of sincere feelings I wanted to convey.
Had that desperation reached him?
Like a miracle, the fan signing event lottery confirmation text arrived.
My hands trembled so badly I must have dropped my phone dozens of times.
From that day on, I couldn’t focus on work at all.
‘Is this really happening? Am I actually going to meet Si-woo up close?’
After the long wait, Park Mo finally found herself seated in the small hall within the large gymnasium where the fan signing event was being held.
The silence flowing through the controlled seating and orderly flow of people felt like a dream.
When the host’s remarks ended and the Lusbo members took the stage, the held-back cheers erupted.
‘Wow… he’s really handsome.’
He’d always been beautiful, but whether from post-debut management or something else, my bias’s skin absolutely glowed.
Life had been rough lately, but the moment I saw my bias’s face, all the pain felt healed.
‘All those hundreds of albums stacked up were worth it.’
Future me will somehow manage the credit card debt.
Once the brief introduction and greetings for Lusbo ended, the fan signing event finally began in earnest.
This fan signing event assigned numbers based on entry order.
Because of this, Park Mo arrived first, cutting through the dawn air, and even set up a tent to endure the night.
As a result, Park Mo received the glorious number one.
‘Meeting my bias first at the first fan signing event…!’
“Then let’s officially start the fan signing event!”
At the host’s words, Park Mo stood from her seat.
Her palms were damp with sweat.
“First fan, please come forward.”
“Yes!”
As I headed toward the table, I could see my bias sitting at the far end.
To reach Cha Si-woo, I had to pass by the five members ahead of him.
Though I’d intended to embrace all of Lusbo’s members, I couldn’t help but keep glancing toward the far end.
“Hello!”
The first to greet Park Mo was leader Kim Sun-yu.
“Ah… yes, hello.”
True to his experience as an idol, Kim Sun-yu seemed comfortable with the situation and skillfully led the atmosphere.
“Thank you so much for coming to our first fan signing event.”
“I should be thanking you for debuting.”
“Was the trip here difficult at all?”
“Well, that is…”
Seeing my hesitation, Kim Sun-yu offered a warm smile.
“Since this is our first signing event, there are probably many shortcomings. Next time, we’ll make sure you can come more comfortably.”
“Oh, no! Not at all!”
“Haha, you’ll definitely come see us again next time, right?”
“Of course!”
‘Why is he so good with words?’
Swept up in Kim Sun-yu’s warm and easygoing demeanor, Park Mo found herself spilling all sorts of personal details without even realizing it.
Kim Sun-yu listened intently, his eyes gleaming with genuine interest.
“Is there anything you’d like to know about the group members? I’ll tell you everything I know.”
As familiarity had grown between them, Park Mo unconsciously glanced toward her bias sitting at the far end of the row.
Catching that look, Kim Sun-yu broke into a knowing smile.
“Ah, so your bias is Si-woo?”
“Oh… was it that obvious?”
“Yeah, I could tell. Want me to tell you about what Si-woo is really like?”
“…Yes!”
Inside information about her bias from another member? It was an offer she couldn’t resist.
“Well, Si-woo is genuinely kind. He takes care of all the members with such warmth.”
“Really?”
“Yeah! And he has incredible sense of responsibility. Personally, even though he’s my younger sibling, there are times I think he’s cooler than me.”
This team had really chosen their leader well.
Listening to Kim Sun-yu’s unreserved praise for her bias, Park Mo felt her heart warm.
‘Kim Sun-yu, why are you so kind….’
As the compliments continued, a staff member signaled Kim Sun-yu that time was up.
“Oh, is it already that time? I wanted to talk more. What a shame.”
Seeing Kim Sun-yu’s genuine disappointment, Park Mo nodded earnestly in agreement.
“Let’s definitely meet again next time. Thank you so much for coming today!”
“No, thank you!”
‘I’ve decided. My second bias is Kim Sun-yu now.’
The start had been perfect.
There was a reason Kim Sun-yu had been seated first—it was a strategic arrangement.
After exchanging farewells with Kim Sun-yu, who had been so warm she’d felt like they were becoming friends, Park Mo moved to the next seat.
There sat Yoo Ho-seung with strawberry milk-colored pink hair.
“Hi there, noona?”
Her heart suddenly began racing wildly.
‘Wow… a beautiful younger man. This is the best.’
Park Mo hadn’t actually been that interested in Yoo Ho-seung before.
But the destructive power of him flashing a bright smile and calling her noona right in front of her made her heart flutter uncontrollably.
‘This guy is just insanely handsome.’
No matter how many times she looked, she couldn’t get used to his face.
“Hi.”
As she greeted him shyly, Yoo Ho-seung smiled brightly.
“Noona, feel free to speak comfortably.”
“Oh… should I?”
“Yes! I heard the fan signing event was really competitive, so I’m genuinely grateful you came.”
“No way. I came because I really wanted to see you.”
To be honest, I had no particular interest in Ho-seung, so I hadn’t prepared any specific questions for him.
Just as I was struggling to figure out what to say, Ho-seung took the initiative and steered the conversation by bringing up a dormitory episode.
“Si-woo makes sandwiches really often at the dormitory, and they’re absolutely delicious!”
“Really? I’d love to try one of those sandwiches….”
“Oh! Then next time I’ll bring sandwiches that we made ourselves!”
Ho-seung wrote “[Making Sandwiches]” on a sticky note with a serious expression.
“No, no! You’re all so busy—don’t go making sandwiches for us.”
“If the Lumina members say they want something, we’ll definitely make it! You know how much we treasure our fans.”
“Well… still.”
“Come on, promise me!”
Watching Ho-seung extend his pinky finger, Park Mo silently screamed inside.
‘So this is why people raise their juniors… for moments like this?’
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————