The S-Rank Paparazzi Reincarnates as an Idol - Chapter 16

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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 16
“Pardon?”
I maintained a professional smile as I regarded Park Soo-gyeok and the five others.
“Ah, I thought perhaps I’d misheard you just now.”
“No? Well… that wasn’t directed at you. It was just something we were discussing among ourselves.”
Park Soo-gyeok’s eyes shifted away awkwardly.
“Right. So don’t worry about it.”
“I could hear it quite clearly, so I assumed you were speaking to me.”
The Yellow-haired Trainee with a nose piercing opened her mouth with a disgruntled expression.
“But honestly, when someone keeps messing up the same section after just a few seconds, it’s frustrating, you know?”
“They’re a trainee—of course they might make mistakes. Where in this world is there a perfect person?”
“Exactly. Stop slacking off and work harder. If you’d practiced properly, you wouldn’t have messed up.”
“Why are you the one judging whether they worked hard or not?”
“What?”
“Is there a single trainee here who didn’t put in effort? You shouldn’t speak carelessly about someone else’s dedication.”
“With that many mistakes, how could they have worked hard? Even if you mess up, don’t stop—just do it half-heartedly like I do.”
“…”
‘Some people have their lives on the line here… and this is what they’re talking about? Half-heartedly?’
“Besides, even if we get eliminated here, our agency is big enough that we have a good chance of debuting anyway.”
“Right. Unlike some people, our agency is huge.”
“And honestly, this survival audition has already decided who’s going to debut, so don’t work too hard.”
“Yeah. Just enjoy being center. Don’t be disappointed later.”
Watching the Harmony Entertainment trainees chatter away, something hot surged up from deep within me.
‘Do I really need to be respectful to people like this?’
Now that I thought about it, Harmony Entertainment was massive as a company, but it was constantly at the center of controversy.
Remembering the cards I held, there was no longer any reason to hesitate.
“You participated in this survival audition with that kind of mindset?”
“What?”
“I thought everyone was working hard because they wanted to debut, but it seems there are trainees with poor attitudes who just do things half-heartedly.”
“…Are you bragging about being the A-group center right now?”
“Bragging? I was just asking out of genuine curiosity… Did I strike a nerve?”
With a professional smile, I shrugged my shoulders, and the Yellow-haired Trainee trembled with barely contained joy.
“What did you just say?!”
“Ah, so I did strike a nerve. That’s unfortunate.”
The Yellow-haired Trainee’s face turned bright red as she struggled to swallow her anger.
‘Young people really can’t control their emotions, can they?’
“Wait… Are you joking right now?”
“I’m not the one joking—you are.”
“What?!”
“If you have complaints, you should focus on working harder to improve your ranking. It’s childish to gang up with several people and gossip about one person.”
“…”
“What are you doing, acting so pathetically?”
“Pathetically?! Do you know how many people don’t want to raise their grade? What am I supposed to do if I lack the skill?”
‘How did someone without talent get into a Major Entertainment Company? Isn’t that the real nepotism?’
“If you lack skill, you should at least put in effort. Instead of making snide remarks, wouldn’t it be better to practice one more time?”
The Yellow-haired Trainee’s breathing grew heavier, and the tip of his nose began to flare.
‘Like a rhinoceros.’
“Cha Si-woo! You got the center position with your face despite lacking skill, so where do you get off giving advice! What makes you think you’re so great as a freelance trainee?”
The atmosphere was taut, as if something was about to explode.
“I knew my skills were lacking, so I practiced without sleeping for four days. Don’t you think I’ve earned the right to say something?”
“You… you!”
One of the Harmony Trainees beside him carefully grabbed the Yellow-haired Trainee’s arm.
But the Yellow-haired Trainee looked ready to charge at any moment.
“And you seem way too confident just because you’re from a Major Entertainment Company. Do you think everyone from a major label debuts?”
“What?!”
“With such a careless attitude, how do you expect to survive in this brutal idol industry?”
“Are you done talking? Come here!”
“I’m not done yet. Your words are getting shorter? Is this how Harmony Entertainment teaches their trainees to behave?”
“Hey!”
“And you keep saying nepotism, but looking at your attitude, isn’t it actually you who got in through connections?”
“You bastard!”
‘Hmm. He’s properly worked up now. Am I finally getting paid for my trouble?’
Coming from a Major Entertainment Company, the settlement would be quite substantial.
‘I wonder how much they’ll offer here? If I get paid, I won’t have to worry about hospital bills for a while.’
Unable to contain his rage, the Yellow-haired Trainee finally threw a punch.
The fist cutting through the air came fast and sharp, like a sweeping wind.
The fist sliced through the air, and just before its end reached my jaw.
‘Oh right. I’m the center.’
I gently turned my head to the side.
“…!”
“Besides, if I’m going to debut as an idol, I can’t have scars on my face.”
The fist, finding nothing to hit, extended forward without resistance.
Thwack.
“…Ah!”
With a heavy sound, the one sent flying like paper was Park Soo-gyeok, who had been standing behind me.
‘Nice.’
I’d been wanting to hit him anyway, and now I’d managed to do it indirectly.
For a moment, silence hung over the filming location.
“Are you alright?”
I quickly suppressed the smile threatening to spread across my face before any character controversy could take hold.
“…Yes.”
Park Soo-gyeok staggered to his feet, his lower lip split open and bleeding.
“You’re bleeding?”
“…”
Seeing the camera’s red light still recording, Park Soo-gyeok swallowed his words and raised his right hand to wipe his mouth.
The moment the Yellow-haired Trainee saw the crimson blood smeared across the back of his hand, his dazed expression snapped into focus, his eyes widening.
“Ah! I’m… I’m sorry! I didn’t… I wasn’t trying to hit you.”
The Yellow-haired Trainee, his earlier bravado completely gone, stammered in panic.
“Well… Park Soo-gyeok should probably get treatment at the Medical Office. Your fans would be so upset seeing your face like that, wouldn’t they?”
“…”
Park Soo-gyeok glared between me and the Yellow-haired Trainee before letting out a sigh.
“What’s going on over there!”
As staff members rushed over at the commotion, Park Soo-gyeok quickly composed his expression.
“Oh my! What happened? Why is trainee Park Soo-gyeok bleeding?”
“…I fell.”
“No, how do you split your lip just from falling?”
“Well, that’s just how it happened….”
Instead of letting Park Soo-gyeok continue stammering, I flashed a professional smile.
“He hit him.”
My index finger pointed directly at the Yellow-haired Trainee.
“What?!”
The moment I pointed at the Yellow-haired Trainee, chaos erupted around us.
Park Soo-gyeok was quickly escorted to the Medical Office with staff assistance.
Since it involved a trainee from a Major Entertainment Company, the production team scrambled to contain the situation.
“You remember the confidentiality agreement you signed when you auditioned for this show?”
That unfair contract came to mind.
“Yes.”
“Please make sure what happened today doesn’t get out anywhere else.”
“Understood.”
“If it leaks, there will be penalties, so please be careful.”
It was less a request and more a threat.
‘Are you serious?’
The fact that they were trying to silence me—the actual victim—and the other trainee was infuriating.
“Then you’ll make sure of it too, right?”
“Pardon?”
“There are minors on this filming set. You can’t have assault controversies like this. Are we supposed to feel safe filming here?”
“…!”
The production team’s mouths fell open—they hadn’t expected that response.
“Ah… We’ll lodge a complaint with the agency and give the trainee a warning so this never happens again.”
“And I heard the trainees from Harmonie Entertainment said the debut members are already decided anyway.”
“…!”
“I heard there was some lobbying going on, but surely that’s not the case, right? While we’re lodging a complaint with the agency, could you also confirm this for us?”
“Haha… Of course. What era are we living in where lobbying or manipulation would happen? Put those worries to rest.”
‘Yet they manipulated things last season.’
“Hearing this directly from someone in the know really puts my mind at ease. After all, these things come down to mutual trust between us! So I’ll keep my word and uphold the agreement as well.”
I flashed a professional smile, and the flustered production team nodded in agreement.
“That’s right. We do the broadcast trusting each other.”
‘Good thing I turned on the voice recorder beforehand. Now I’ve got insurance.’
I’d habitually activated the voice recorder on my phone just in case, never expecting it would prove so useful.
If news broke that violence had occurred at a filming location with numerous minors before the broadcast even aired, controversy was inevitable.
It was serious enough to warrant disciplinary action.
‘This is quite the useful leverage.’
While the situation was being sorted out, Park Soo-gyeok returned from makeup with foam applied over his wound.
‘It’s covered better than I expected.’
Just then, the director and PD in Charge returned from their cigarette break.
“We’ll resume filming now.”
“Yes!”
Ding.
[Congratulations. You have succeeded in the optional quest. Since you’ve resolved the dissatisfied trainees, the theme song “Cheer Me On” stage filming will be completed within 30 minutes as a reward.]
‘Can I really call this resolving things…?’
The situation had taken an unexpected turn, but the fact that filming would end was welcome.
‘I need to get some sleep once this is done.’
The theme song played once more, and filming wrapped up quickly after just two takes.
***
“A-rank trainees, please stay in position to film the MimeTalk challenge.”
“Yes!”
Additional filming for the A-rank trainees continued for the MimeTalk challenge we received as a benefit.
While the filming equipment was being set up, we lined up in a single file, positioned for the large format optimized for MimeTalk.
Trainees from other ranks stood at the edges with cameras, watching.
“Cha Si-woo.”
“Yes?”
I turned at the voice from behind, and Kim Sun-yu was smiling warmly.
“This is our first private conversation, isn’t it?”
“Ah. Yes. That’s right.”
“I heard you haven’t been a trainee for long, but your adaptability is impressive.”
“Thank you.”
“Your singing skills have improved tremendously. Is there perhaps some secret technique?”
‘I raised my singing stat, that’s why.’
“I simply worked hard at it.”
“Hard work… haha.”
“Hahaha.”
“I should work harder too.”
Kim Sun-yu’s eyes remained clear despite his continued warm smile.
His demeanor was something else entirely.
Like a sage who had reached enlightenment, yet also like someone whose screws were slightly loose.
‘Wasn’t he said to be 23?’
Perhaps from entering society early, he appeared far more composed than his peers.
‘He must have gone through a lot.’
Certainly, someone with an average mentality wouldn’t easily appear in an Idol Survival Audition as a career trainee.
“Thank you.”
“Pardon?”
‘What exactly for?’
“For stepping up for another trainee earlier. That was cool, Cha Si-woo.”
‘Actually, I just wanted to finish filming quickly. A 24-hour shoot isn’t exactly realistic.’
Kim Sun-yu was completely misunderstanding.
“Haha. Not at all.”
Just then, the Staff Member who had finished setting up the camera approached.
“A-rank trainees, we’re starting the MimeTalk filming.”
“Yes.”
“It should take about 20 seconds, so let’s wrap this up quickly.”
“Yes!”
“We’ll do our best.”
The MimeTalk filming proceeded, beginning with the backing track for the first verse’s chorus—the highlight section.
Since there were no major changes to the existing choreography, the filming wrapped in just three takes.
‘Being in the center position, they’re really going in for close-ups.’
“The A-rank trainees are certainly skilled.”
Whether he’d heard the news or not, the Camera Director’s tone was noticeably gentler than it had been during the theme song stage.
‘These bastards only behave once you put them on a leash.’
“Thank you!”
“I’m glad we finished quickly. And Cha Si-woo, the trainee in the center position.”
As the Camera Director called out to me, every eye in the filming studio turned my way.
“Yes?”
I tilted my head slightly at the Camera Director’s words.
“You’re a trainee, but how do you know to make eye contact with every camera so naturally?”

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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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