The S-Rank Paparazzi Reincarnates as an Idol - Chapter 45

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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 45
As I turned the corner, a sign for the Men’s Restroom came into view.
I boldly pushed open the door and stepped inside, but the restroom was completely empty.
“Where the hell did he go?”
I called Seo Ha-yul on my phone, but all I heard was the dial tone.
The missed calls just kept piling up.
‘Why won’t he pick up? This is making me anxious.’
That’s when I opened the Emergency Stairwell door to check the restrooms on other floors.
“Hey, what do you think you are?”
“…”
“What, not gonna answer?”
I recognized that voice.
“…Stop it.”
It was Seo Ha-yul’s voice.
My entire body went rigid in an instant.
My mind flooded with memories of a conversation I’d had with Seo Ha-yul while watching Episode 5 of Star picking5.
[I’m fine.]
‘Fine? What the hell is fine about this.’
[I’m not easily shaken like I used to be. I have friends now too. So please, just watch over me.]
I clenched my fists tightly and took a deep breath.
‘Just hold back. He asked me to watch over him.’
“What? Stop? The guy who was all obedient at his agency has gotten real cocky now that he’s here.”
“Young-hoon, I don’t like this.”
“Don’t like it? Ha ha ha!”
Jin Young-hoon’s booming laughter echoed through the Emergency Stairwell.
“Our Ha-yul’s grown up? Maybe he needs another lesson?”
“…I don’t want that.”
“Then get out of the way, you bastard.”
Thud.
A dull sound reverberated through the Emergency Stairwell.
In that instant, my mind snapped into focus.
My legs moved faster than my thoughts could catch up.
“You son of a bitch! Won’t you stop?”
‘Damn it. I should have gone down here sooner instead of holding back.’
“Hey…!”
What I saw at the bottom of the stairs was far different from what I’d expected.
Jin Young-hoon lay crumpled on the ground, his face flushed red.
“…Why are you on the ground?”
“…”
Seeing Seo Ha-yul standing there unharmed, a surge of hot emotion welled up inside me.
“You alright?”
“Of course. Cha Si-woo, how did you get here?”
“Well. But what’s going on here?”
“…When I dodged, Young-hoon fell over by himself.”
“Good job, you bastard.”
I ruffled Seo Ha-yul’s hair before turning my gaze away.
Jin Young-hoon got up sheepishly, scratching one cheek.
“Cha Si-woo, I think you’re misunderstanding something.”
“Misunderstanding? Did you bully Ha-yul?”
“Bully? We were just playing around. Don’t you know that’s how kids our age fool around?”
“Yeah. I don’t.”
“Come on, hyung. Why are you like that?”
“This guy keeps acting all friendly. Hey, I’ve never had a younger sibling like you.”
“Ha….”
“You disrespectful punk, where do you get off sighing?”
“Ugh. So what? Are you going to hit me or something?”
Jin Young-hoon’s expression suddenly shifted.
“No? Why would I hit someone not worth hitting? I’d just send you to prison.”
“You’ve never even had an agency, so why do you act like this?”
“What gives you the nerve to act like that? You’re prison-bound.”
“Why would I go to prison?”
“Obviously because you’ll face criminal charges for spreading false information.”
“…What?”
“asdfg18. That’s your account.”
“…”
“The person who posted false information about Ha-yul on the Online Community.”
“Do you have proof?”
“Yeah. I do.”
What is the job of a paparazzi?
It’s catching celebrities in scandalous moments.
For someone like me, finding an account owner was child’s play.
Accounts contain countless pieces of information, and digging through accounts was one of a paparazzi’s essential skills.
“Honestly, it was way too sloppy. Just from Googling and DalStagram, it was obvious asdfg18 was you.”
“…Damn it.”
“Hey. Watch your language!”
“…”
“The police are on their way right now, so run if you’re going to run.”
“…You’re lying, right?”
“By the way, you know that fleeing adds another charge, right?”
Jin Young-hoon’s face crumpled as he looked around nervously.
Thud.
Jin Young-hoon knelt on the cold floor, his body trembling as he lowered himself down.
“I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.”
“You’re not apologizing to me. There’s someone else you need to apologize to.”
“Seo…”
Jin Young-hoon’s lips quivered as he hesitated, unable to force the words out.
“Seo Ha-yul, I’m sorry.”
Seo Ha-yul regarded Jin Young-hoon with an utterly indifferent gaze.
“What exactly are you sorry for?”
“For posting online that you were the perpetrator. It was just a joke, right? I didn’t mean it seriously.”
“…A joke?”
“Friends can do that kind of thing. And honestly, you can’t say you had nothing to do with him becoming disabled. Show some mercy.”
‘This guy still hasn’t come to his senses.’
Just as I was about to say something, my eyes met Seo Ha-yul’s.
Seeing him shake his head, I swallowed my words.
“You.”
Seo Ha-yul exhaled a long sigh and stared intently at Jin Young-hoon.
“Huh?”
“You’re even more pathetic than I thought.”
“What? You bastard!”
“There’s no mercy coming.”
“…But I apologized. You have to accept it, right?!”
“I have no obligation to accept your apology.”
At Seo Ha-yul’s resolute expression, Jin Young-hoon’s eyes lost focus, wandering into empty space.
“Seo Ha-yul…! Why are you like this?”
“It’s the price for what you did. Take your punishment and come back after you’ve truly reflected.”
Seo Ha-yul turned and began climbing the stairs.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Only the steady, firm sound of footsteps echoed through the space.
I had the illusion that his shoulders seemed broader than before.
‘When did this guy grow up like this?’
Seo Ha-yul, who had been climbing, stopped and turned back.
“Cha Si-woo, let’s go.”
“Yeah, okay.”
It was when I finally exited the Emergency Stairwell door, following Seo Ha-yul as he led the way up the stairs.
Seo Ha-yul was biting his lip, tears streaming silently down his face.
“…Ugh.”
“You did well, kid.”
When I placed my hand on Seo Ha-yul’s head, he began crying audibly.
“Wahhhhh.”
His expression looked quite relieved.
☆☆☆
“What on earth did you do to mess up the makeup like this?”
“I apologize for the trouble I’ve caused.”
I was drenched in sweat searching for Seo Ha-yul, and Seo Ha-yul’s eyes had puffed up from crying so hard.
We stood side by side and received a harsh scolding from the Makeup Artist.
“This is hopeless. You two, sit in front of the mirror right now so I can touch up your makeup.”
The fact that our stage slot was toward the end was at least a saving grace.
“Yes!”
Seo Ha-yul’s reflection in the mirror was quite a sight.
“…pfft!”
“Don’t laugh.”
Seo Ha-yul’s eyes were textbook swollen—shaped like the number three.
“Cha Si-woo, are you laughing right now? Good grief. Seo Ha-yul, your eyes are properly puffed up.”
“I’m sorry.”
“What’s done is done, so there’s nothing we can do about it. Let me at least put a cold compress pack on your eyes.”
“Yes!”
I began receiving makeup touch-ups while the Stylist and Makeup Artist’s nagging served as background noise.
As the makeup corrections were nearing completion, the murmuring voices of my teammates grew noticeably louder.
I turned my head to see the TV in the Waiting Room was now broadcasting the opening of the 1:1 Team Battle Mission.
‘It’s started.’
[Our first matchup features two teams competing with a cyberpunk concept. Please welcome them!]
Ten trainees climbed onto the stage simultaneously from both sides.
For a moment, the stage appeared completely filled.
The two teams, positioned far apart on either side with Yu Hae-in at the center, clearly embodied a confrontational structure.
[The costumes are completely different between the two teams. First, could you introduce Team 1?]
Yoo Ho-seung, dressed in pristine white attire, picked up the microphone.
[One, two, three, hello. We are the Doll Team, and we’ve arranged the song “Future City” to match the cyberpunk concept!]
[Woooow!]
The white costume with gold accents gave off a glamorous yet otherworldly feeling.
‘He really does pull off any outfit.’
Watching Yoo Ho-seung stand out so distinctly on stage, I realized that fashion truly is completed by one’s face.
[Could it be that your unrealistically doll-like appearance influenced the team name?]
[That’s too kind. Actually, we named ourselves the Doll Team because we wanted to express on stage the image of emotionless humans beneath neon lights.]
[Kyaaaah!]
The distinctive cheers that I still couldn’t quite get used to were impressive once again.
[I’m really looking forward to this! Next, could you introduce Cyberpunk Team 2?]
A trainee whose nervous expression was evident picked up the microphone.
‘Wasn’t this person also ranked in the top tier?’
[Hello. We are the Hyperloop Team, and we’ve prepared our stage to express the appearance of a future urban city.]
[Woooow~]
The trainee holding the microphone wore a bewildered expression, the cheers noticeably quieter than they had been for Yoo Ho-seung.
After a brief introduction of the Hyperloop Team, Yu Hae-in picked up the microphone again.
[Both teams are incredibly promising. According to the 1:1 Team Battle Mission rules, National Directors, you may vote for only one team that you believe performed best on stage.]
The trainees began appealing their team numbers with their fingers.
When Yoo Ho-seung raised his index finger and executed a cheek poke, the waiting room erupted once more with thunderous cheers.
[Kyaaaah!]
[Doll Team!]
[Ho-seung!!!]
‘His popularity is truly remarkable.’
[Now then, only one team will survive this team battle. First, Doll Team, please take the stage!]
The stage lights dimmed.
Digital chords flowed through the speakers, filling the air with synthetic sound.
At center, Yoo Ho-seung danced with an expressionless face and rigid, cyborg-like movements, while his teammates emerged to the side and began dancing alongside him with equally blank expressions.
A boy from the future
This is a song I sing for you
In a dazzling neon city
You’re robbed of your light
Midway through, Yoo Ho-seung’s expressionless face transformed, coming alive with vitality.
As he began dancing with rich, nuanced expressions—like a doll awakening to human emotion—genuine gasps of admiration echoed throughout the room.
“Wow!”
“The expressiveness is truly incredible.”
His facial acting bore the seasoned craft of a future actor—it was pure artistry.
Sharp synchronized movements followed, and finally the Doll Team’s performance concluded.
The energy was so intense that cheers and applause could be heard all the way to the waiting room.
“That was excellent.”
“You really nailed the concept.”
Conscious of the cameras positioned throughout the waiting room, the trainees displayed genuine reactions.
That was definitely a strong performance.
[Next, Hyperloop Team, please come up on stage!]
The moment the Doll Team descended, the Hyperloop Team ascended to the stage.
The five trainees, performing with nervous expressions, delivered a reasonably solid performance.
Even the leader trainee, who ranked high, appeared quite tense, making one mistake midway through.
Once all performances concluded, Yu Hae-in picked up the microphone.
[Both cyberpunk concept teams, please come up on stage.]
The moment Yu Hae-in finished speaking, the waiting trainees quickly ascended to the stage.
[Those who think the Doll Team performed better, press button 1. Those who think the Hyperloop Team performed better, press button 2!]
A low tone pulsed through the speakers in steady rhythm, like a heartbeat.
The electronic sound gradually intensified, and on the screen divided into two sections, a large zero appeared.
[Vote now!]
Beep. Beep-beep-beep.
As the Doll Team’s vote count climbed at a faster pace than the Hyperloop Team, the numbers finally came to a halt.
[With 652 votes versus 348, the surviving trainees are the Doll Team!]
Fireworks erupted, and the fortunes of the two teams diverged completely.
It was an overwhelming victory for the Influencer Team, with roughly double the voting margin.
Yoo Ho-seung’s expression of elation as he shared his thoughts contrasted sharply with the Hyperloop Team members departing in tears.
The first battle had ended.
‘Merciless, indeed.’
The production staff were already preparing to send the truly eliminated team’s trainees home.
“This is scary.”
“Do you think we can survive?”
I nodded at my anxious teammates’ concerns.
“Of course. We’re going to take first place.”
My confident answer seemed to lift their spirits, and their faces brightened considerably.
[The next matchup features two teams competing with a cute concept. Please take the stage!]
[Woooooah!]
[Chan!!!]
[Prince Rua!]
Kang Chan ascended the stage from the right while Rua climbed up from the left.
“Oh my god!”
“So one of Kang Chan or Rua is definitely getting eliminated?”
That’s right.
Since this was a 1:1 Team Battle Mission, only one of them would survive.

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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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