The S-Rank Paparazzi Reincarnates as an Idol - Chapter 13

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 13
[Sub-Quest (5): ‘Secure the center position on the theme song “Cheer Me On” stage.’
Rewards will be granted upon success.
All stats will drop to E upon failure.]
‘…? What is this?’
[Cha Si-woo, secure the center position in the A-rank group!]
‘The risk of failure is too severe, isn’t it? There’s no way to decline?’
[Declining is considered a failure.]
‘Why do the quests keep getting harder?’
“The center selection special talent mission is….”
With a sharp click, a needle came to a clear stop over a small square painted in red.
“Photography!”
A one-in-eleven chance?
‘…Could it be you, System?’
[No.]
A bright fanfare erupted, and scorching lights poured down upon me standing in the center of the stage.
The other A-rank trainees, who had secretly harbored their own hopes, concealed their disappointment and applauded.
“Congratulations, trainee Cha Si-woo. How do you feel about the special talent you wrote being selected?”
I bowed at a ninety-degree angle and took the microphone the Staff Member handed me.
“Thank you. I never expected it, but I’m thrilled to have beaten the one-in-eleven odds.”
“You’re quite fortunate. What kind of photographs do you typically enjoy taking?”
‘High-value scandal shots.’
“…Portraits.”
“Portraits—now that’s a quality befitting an idol!”
Yu Hae-in, microphone in hand, offered a warm smile.
‘Don’t smile like that. I’ve taken plenty of photos of you too.’
“Being an idol is fundamentally about connecting with fans. Through selfies and group photos with fellow members, you can engage with fans—so having a trainee with such a talent is truly admirable.”
“Exactly. Photography is one of the essential qualities of an idol! Thank you for the kind words.”
I accepted the fed line with a professional smile.
As I bowed at ninety degrees, Yu Hae-in’s expression grew more pleased.
“What a well-mannered trainee.”
‘I need to be respectful in front of the camera, especially toward a senior of that caliber.’
Yu Hae-in received a new cue card from the Staff Member and quickly scanned it.
“Now then, to select the center for the theme song stage, I’ll give the A-rank trainees two photography missions.”
Yu Hae-in glanced over the trainees and flipped to the next card.
“First, take a selfie in your own style. Second, take a photograph of me.”
“…!”
“
You only have one chance.”
This time, the Staff Member handed Yu Hae-in a mobile phone.
Upon receiving the phone, Yu Hae-in held the microphone in one hand while lifting the device at a 45-degree angle.
‘This feels like product placement.’
Click.
The camera shutter sound echoed through the quiet filming studio.
After about three seconds, the large screen that had been displaying the roulette wheel switched to Yu Hae-in’s selfie.
“Wow!”
“He’s so handsome!”
“A true idol!”
True to his experience as a first-tier idol, Yu Hae-in’s selfie skills were quite impressive.
‘Not bad at all.’
Among the excited trainees responding enthusiastically, Yu Hae-in wore a composed smile.
“When you take a photo with the phone’s camera like this, it’s transmitted directly to the screen. So please don’t think about taking another shot—I hope you’ll all do your best to capture a great photo on your first try.”
“Yes!”
“The latest model has an excellent grip and great image quality. Now let’s begin the A-rank trainees’ photo-taking session.”
‘Definitely product placement.’
Yu Hae-in handed the phone to Kim Sun-yu, who was standing closest to him.
“Let’s start with trainee Kim Sun-yu taking a selfie first.”
“Yes!”
Kim Sun-yu, holding the phone with both hands, also raised his arm at a 45-degree angle.
Click.
As the camera shutter sounded, a photo of Kim Sun-yu winking appeared on the screen.
“Wow!”
“Kyaaaaaah!”
‘Goodness, that’s loud.’
Screams that resembled animal cries erupted throughout the filming studio.
With raw, real-time reactions pouring in, the atmosphere in the studio grew increasingly heated.
‘He took it like a true idol.’
Indeed, an experienced professional among newcomers was on a different level.
“Next, let’s take a photo of senior Yu Hae-in.”
Kim Sun-yu, speaking respectfully, raised the phone’s camera.
Click.
A full-body photo of Yu Hae-in standing upright with a gentle smile appeared on the screen.
‘Hmm.’
Though the proportions came out well since he’d aligned his feet carefully, the overall photo had an awkward atmosphere to it.
“Trainee Kim Sun-yu, your photography skills are excellent!”
“You’re too kind. It’s just a shame that the camera couldn’t fully capture the real beauty of my handsome senior.”
‘He’s experienced—his social skills are sharp too.’
“Haha. It feels good to hear that from such a handsome trainee. Next, we’ll have trainee Kang Chan take his photos.”
Kim Sun-yu handed the phone to Kang Chan, who was standing beside him.
After all the A-rank trainees had taken their photos in order, the phone finally came into my hands.
“Finally, we have trainee Cha Si-woo’s photography shoot. I have to say, I’m personally looking forward to this the most.”
“Thank you. I’ll do my best to capture some great shots.”
The smartphone handed to me by the trainee standing beside me was a familiar model.
It was the current latest model now, but before my regression, it had been an older generation that I’d received for free from a telecommunications company and used regularly.
‘It’s nice to see this again.’
I lifted my head to check the lighting.
Considering the lighting coming slightly from the side and the smartphone camera’s specifications, I angled my face about thirty degrees.
‘This way, I’ll catch the light properly, my jawline will look sharp, and my face will have more dimension.’
With my eyes fixed on the camera lens, I flashed a professional smile.
Click.
“Woooooow!!!!”
“Wow. That’s insane.”
In that instant, murmurs rippled through the trainees.
I switched to a different camera mode and slowly zoomed in on Yu Hae-in, who was staring at the screen with a surprised expression.
‘I never thought I’d end up taking photos of Yu Hae-in like this.’
Yu Hae-in had a long, elegant neck, so bust shots worked far better on him than full-body shots.
I adjusted the lens to the golden ratio for perfect focus.
The camera captured Yu Hae-in with his head tilted slightly upward, his eyes wide open.
‘That’s it.’
Click.
“Wow…!”
“That’s incredible!”
“You really do have the golden touch!”
The trainees, genuinely amazed, cheered without bothering to contain their excitement.
“Now I understand why trainee Cha Si-woo listed photography as his special skill. You really are an excellent photographer!”
‘Of course. It’s my livelihood—I have to be good at it to survive.’
“Thank you.”
As I bowed at a ninety-degree angle, tense music began flowing through the speakers.
“The A-rank trainees certainly have impressive photography skills, don’t they? Now we’ll proceed to the center voting by all trainees.”
On the large screen, the photographs taken by the trainees appeared in order, along with their numbers.
Being able to see all the photos at once made comparison much easier.
Some trainees had taken decent shots, but more than half had failed to capture their subjects’ true essence.
“Please vote for the trainee you believe possesses the qualities of an idol center.”
Amid murmurs, the non-A-rank trainees conducted their rapid voting following the Staff Member’s instructions.
While voting took place, the A-rank trainees had no choice but to stand idly on the stage.
“Thank you all for your patience. Now, I’ll announce the center voting results.”
Boom… boom…
Drum sounds echoed through the filming location as stringed instruments gradually intensified, creating tense music.
“In third place, a trainee received a total of fifteen votes.”
Pam pam bam… pam bam… pam bam
“It’s none other than… Kang Chan!”
Scorching lights poured down upon Kang Chan all at once.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Applause echoed through the studio, and Kang Chan wore an awkward smile.
“Second place received a total of 25 votes from the voting results.”
Yu Hae-in flipped through his cue cards, turning his gaze to the side.
“Second place is… Kim Sun-yu!”
Sighs and applause reverberated throughout the Filming Studio.
Kim Sun-yu’s eyes had rolled back slightly, but his lips curved into a faint smile.
‘So he can make that kind of expression too.’
“And finally, the first place winner who will become the center of the theme song ‘Cheer me on’….”
A rising electronic sound filled the air.
“It’s Cha Si-woo, whose special talent is photography!”
‘Just as I thought—no one can match my photography skills.’
Ding.
[Congratulations. You have successfully completed Sub Quest (5): ‘Secure the center position on the theme song ‘Cheer me on’ stage.’]
‘Sweet.’
[Will you accept the reward?]
‘Of course.’
[You receive +1 Stat as a reward.]
It was an unexpected windfall.
“Congratulations, Cha Si-woo, on becoming the center of the representative theme song ‘Cheer me on’!”
“Thank you.”
I bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle toward Yu Hae-in and the camera.
“Your photography was truly expert-level, if not beyond that. Please share your thoughts with us.”
Honestly, I never expected that photographs I’d taken to earn Hospital bills would prove this useful.
“There are many talented people here, but I believe I was simply fortunate this time. Since I’ve been selected as the center for the representative theme song, I’ll do my absolute best on stage. Please keep watching!”
I offered a professional smile and bowed once more.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
“Every time I see you, I’m reminded of what a well-mannered trainee you are. With you selected as the center of the theme song ‘Cheer me on,’ I’m looking forward to the upcoming broadcasts. National Directors, please make sure to tune in for the official broadcast!”
Background music signaling the end of filming played throughout the Set, and Yu Hae-in delivered his closing remarks.
“Cut!”
The slate clap came down, signaling the end of all filming.
“Thank you all for your hard work!”
Staff Members moved busily, carrying filming equipment.
‘Finally, filming is over!’
I quickly descended from the Stage and carefully made my way through the trainees who were still chatting in their spots.
‘I didn’t expect to get the center position, but things worked out well regardless.’
In the Idol Survival Audition, establishing a strong presence early in the broadcast was crucial enough to lead to debut.
If I secured the center position in the theme song, which could be considered the representative track, my chances of making the debut lineup were significantly higher.
Of course, I’d face plenty of opposition and criticism for it, but I was confident I wouldn’t be shaken by such things.
‘Let me push forward like this and make my debut.’
I bowed ninety degrees to the Staff Members passing by and walked quickly toward the exit.
The center position was resolved well, so now it was time to address the problem that had been bothering me.
‘What could have caused Seo Ha-yul’s mental state to collapse like that?’
If it was a significant incident severe enough to cause a mental breakdown on stage, there was one detail that stood out to me.
‘Could it be a sensitive issue for an adolescent?’
I was lost in thought about what questions to ask and how to approach the subject.
“…!”
A heavy hand landed on my shoulder.
“Cha Si-woo! Want to grab some food with me?”
Rua’s cheerful voice echoed in my ears.
‘What is this guy…? What’s his deal?’
“No, thank you. I’m not particularly hungry right now.”
“Huh? You’re not smiling at me anymore.”
‘Of course not. We’re not filming right now.’
“Cha Si-woo, you seem to have quite a temperature difference between when the camera is on and when it’s off?”
“Isn’t that normal for most people?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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