The S-Rank Paparazzi Reincarnates as an Idol - Chapter 44

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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 44
“Understood. Since it’s getting late anyway, let’s wrap this up here.”
“Yes. Thank you for staying so late.”
“I’ll draft the official notice and post it as soon as possible. You trainees should also head in and get some rest—it’s quite late.”
“Thank you!”
After looking after Seo Ha-yul and stepping out of the conference room, a hushed silence hung in the corridor.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes.”
As I led the way toward the dormitory, I heard rustling footsteps behind me.
Seo Ha-yul was following along just fine.
Tap. Tap.
Only the sound of shoe soles striking the floor echoed through the corridor.
“…Cha Si-woo!”
“Hmm?”
“Th-thank you.”
“That’s what friends do, you idiot.”
Once I get to the dormitory, I should contact Kim Tae-hyun from Yurak Daily News—the reporter I saw at the press conference.
☆☆☆
I’d pulled an all-nighter, but my body and mind felt refreshed.
The title of the hottest post on the online community had changed to the one I’d written.
(HOT!) ‘Star picking5’ False Information Spreading Hunt GJO
Just now, TX posted an official notice saying they’d take legal action against the false rumors about ‘Star picking5’.
They said they’d welcome screenshots and links since they’re pressing criminal charges?
(By the way, minors can also face criminal charges)
This makes me want to hunt even more lolololol
For your information, it was reported that the controversial post was fabricated, and the original post that was sniping was immediately taken down as soon as the notice was posted.
But I took screenshots of the original post just in case lolol
Good.
“Hunting time~”
-What? What’s going on with TX Net?
It feels good to do something human for a change.
Are all the posts being deleted?
A reporter directly refuted it by writing a detailed counter-article, pointing out that it wasn’t a photo taken by a journalist but a screenshot captured from the internet.
Why would a reporter?
Isn’t that just trying to get views?
What kind of writing is this?
(Link)
I clicked the link and entered the article, which had a sensational headline and considerable view counts.
The evidence photos included were explained down to the nanometer level as being screenshots rather than direct photographs.
The article sharply pointed out the manipulated fact that the piece attacking S.H.O. was full of lies.
Afterward, he cited cases of celebrities who had suffered harm from the spread of false information and made unfortunate choices, emphasizing the dangers of spreading falsehoods.
The article concluded by stating that not only adults but also minors could face punishment for spreading false information, and that TX Net would take strong legal measures.
‘The article has some rough edges compared to the old days, but it’s still cleanly written.’
It was the difference between experience and inexperience.
Still, after organizing the materials and sending them anonymously, he readily accepted them as expected.
Perhaps because he was a journalist with ambition and desire from way back, his ability to stir up attention was certainly effective.
‘So is public opinion resolved for now?’
Comments telling Seo Ha-yul to apologize and withdraw were being rapidly deleted.
As fans supporting the grey cat began rallying in response to the incident targeting Seo Ha-yul, some even launched expeditions to hunt down the original poster.
Now that the topic had died down in public opinion, all that remained was dealing with whoever had written that post.
“Oh… Cha Si-woo, Episode 6 is starting!”
“Hurry up!”
My teammates, now familiar with the routine, urged me on as they settled in front of the TV.
“Coming!”
Today, the day before the Team Battle Mission, we once again stopped our practice and gathered at the dormitory to watch Star picking5 at broadcast time.
It was because the Production Staff had actively encouraged us to react more, apparently finding our previous reactions suitable for broadcast.
Unlike at first, after thirteen days of practicing together and living in the same room, my teammates had grown quite close.
To be more precise, we’d really bonded after the midpoint evaluation.
“Man, I’m really sleepy though.”
“I should sleep right after the competition.”
The familiar opening music played, and Episode 5 was edited into a short segment.
It mostly skimmed through highlight performances of the trainees who performed well.
Before Episode 6 began, the on-site voting numbers and Judge Panel scores were displayed in a table format on screen, easy to see at a glance.
[The on-site voting leader is the Favorite Team with 603 votes! And the Judge Panel score leader is the First Love Team with 360 points!]
“Wow~”
“The First Love Team really did well.”
“Right. If they hadn’t gone last, they might have won the on-site voting too.”
“Haha, thank you.”
The expressions of trainees whose fortunes had diverged based on the scores were edited together in a montage.
[Now let’s begin the ranking announcement, including the viewer voting numbers!]
The screen switched, and trainees neatly dressed in signature school uniforms appeared on broadcast.
With tense BGM flowing, trainees began being called out one by one, starting from 49th place.
“Wow, I was really terrified back then.”
“Me too!”
“Watching it like this, the atmosphere is really intense.”
Since thirteen days had already passed, the trainees were letting out sighs of relief.
“Oh, Seo Ha-yul!”
Seo Ha-yul’s face, with reddened eyes, appeared in a close-up shot persistently.
His appearance showed the emotions that had accumulated over time quite vividly, as if he photographed well on camera.
“Ah! Why did they film it so close like that…?”
Watching Seo Ha-yul’s ears flush red with embarrassment, I felt the familiar spark ignite within me.
“You’re such a crybaby.”
“Ah! Cha Si-woo! I didn’t cry!”
“Sure~ you didn’t cry~”
I mimicked his words with the most annoying expression I could muster, and Seo Ha-yul writhed with delight at my teasing.
‘Thank goodness he got good editing.’
Seo Ha-yul had received editing that showcased an effort-driven narrative worthy of even a PD’s pick.
Starting from E-rank, overcoming adversity, and finally delivering a successful stage performance that earned him a high ranking.
While I was enjoying Seo Ha-yul’s cuteness, the scene for the 11th place announcement came on screen.
The shot of Rua and me side by side on screen was quite compelling.
Rua was announced as 11th place, and the scene of me embracing him in relief at surviving the Quest received dramatic editing.
[Vocal Team 2’s Special Friendship!]
Our beaming faces with the unwelcome caption looked like best friends to anyone watching.
“Cha Si-woo, are you close with Rua?”
“…Yes.”
Saying I wasn’t close in front of the camera would only spark more controversy.
“You seemed incredibly happy for him, like it was your own achievement.”
‘Because I survived.’
“As a team leader, I’m happy when my teammate gets good results.”
“Come on! It’s famous among the trainees that you two are best friends.”
“Yeah. I’m close with Rua.”
“Haha.”
‘So we’re being paired up after all?’
Well, it was better than rumors of discord among trainees.
Besides, Rua had no controversies and was genuinely talented.
[7th place is a trainee who demonstrated outstanding vocal skills and leadership.]
I turned my attention back to the screen.
Yu Hae-in’s voice rang out over the dramatic, suspenseful breathing sounds.
[The trainee who will take this position is Cha Si-woo!]
Surprised by the unexpected ranking, my eyes were wide open on screen.
“Congratulations once again!”
“You got the highest ranking among us!”
“The team leader is truly amazing!”
I bowed my head toward my teammates as they clapped and offered their congratulations.
“Haha. Thank you!”
On screen, I was holding the microphone with a smile I’d never seen myself wear before.
It wasn’t a mask-like smile crafted for social survival—this genuine laugh stirred something oddly ticklish in my chest.
[First, I sincerely thank all the National Directors who voted for me…]
As I offered my thanks on screen, Seo Ha-yul opened his mouth.
“You’re really good at speaking, hyung.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I always feel like you speak really well.”
Yoon Min-soo nodded vigorously at Seo Ha-yul’s words.
“Right. Sometimes when I see you, it doesn’t feel like you’re my peer—it feels like you’re my senior.”
“Oh! I know exactly what you mean. How do I put it? It’s like watching our uncle who’s been worn down by the working world.”
‘Does my speech make my age obvious?’
“Ha ha.”
“You really don’t feel like someone our age!”
Having entered the working world early, my manner of speech naturally carried the seasoned tone of a professional.
I’d have to learn how people this age actually talk.
As I climbed the stairs toward the chair marked with the number 7, the scene of Rua suddenly embracing me was edited quite warmly.
“What a special friendship to see!”
Despite his words, Seo Ha-yul’s expression had stiffened slightly.
“It’s not like that.”
Finally, the dynamic Episode 6 broadcast came to an end.
After putting Seo Ha-yul and the other underage trainees in their room, I headed to the practice room with the rest of my team to prepare for tomorrow’s performance.
☆☆☆
The day of the competition was chaotic from early morning.
The waiting room was filled with breathing, footsteps, and conversation, creating a small whirlwind of activity.
In front of the mirror, I received makeup while my teammates checked my outfit beside me.
In a 1v1 Team Battle format, the stage order wasn’t particularly important.
So the performance order had been determined by the Production Team based on stage setup efficiency.
The mystery concept stage was scheduled for the very last slot.
‘They say it was decided based on efficiency, but Kim Sun-yu’s influence must be involved.’
It was only natural to want to film the trainee who ranked first for the first time during the ranking announcement in the final slot.
With slightly more time than the other teams, my makeup continued.
“Trainee Cha Si-woo. Today we’ve done dark makeup to match the concept.”
In the mirror, my reflection showed black and deep crimson tones.
Over my pale skin, my eyes were stained a vivid red, standing out clearly.
Black eyeliner elongated my eyes, adding a sharper impression, while silver pearl shimmer glinted delicately between my lashes.
My cheeks had almost no color, but my lips were painted a deep wine shade, making them feel thick and cold as if freshly stained with blood.
“Thank you so much. Your makeup work is incredible as always!”
It was makeup that blended a lifeless quietness with a subtly captivating, dangerous beauty.
“You know my skill well. Honestly, since you have such good features, the makeup just looks even better.”
The same Makeup Artist who had done my makeup last time had styled me to match the concept.
“I’m truly grateful! I’ll do my best on stage and not waste your hard work.”
I stood up and bowed at a ninety-degree angle.
“Yes. Go perform well!”
The Makeup Artist, wearing a pleased smile, turned toward another trainee.
‘So all the preparations are done, and now I just wait?’
“Cha Si-woo!”
As I moved toward the sofa, a Stylist with multiple rubber bands looped around her wrist approached me.
“Yes?”
“Do you happen to know where Seo Ha-yul is? He said he was going to the bathroom a while ago, but he hasn’t come back.”
“The bathroom?”
“Yes. I think it’s been about thirty minutes since he left. I need to check his outfit quickly, but…”
The Stylist glanced around with a troubled expression.
“I’ll go check the bathroom right now! I’ll bring Ha-yul back soon, so please wait just a moment!”
“Understood.”
My instincts were warning me.
‘Something’s wrong.’
I stepped out of the Waiting Room into the Corridor, and my pace naturally quickened with each step.

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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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