The S-Rank Paparazzi Reincarnates as an Idol - Chapter 64

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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 64
“Don’t worry too much.”
I almost reached up to ruffle their hair, but stopped myself when I saw how carefully it had been styled.
‘If I mess with it, the hair and makeup coordinator will absolutely kill me.’
One wrong move and I might actually have to crawl on my backside instead of my feet, just as promised.
With nowhere else to go, my hand gently descended and settled on Yoo Ho-seung’s shoulder.
“Si-woo, do you think I can do well as the center?”
“Of course. You’ve worked so hard all this time. Have confidence in yourself.”
As I offered praise, a spark of life began to kindle in Yoo Ho-seung’s eyes, which had seemed anxious until now.
“That’s right. You’re good at this, so just perform exactly as you’ve practiced.”
I turned my head at the sudden low voice, only to find Kang Chan staring at Yoo Ho-seung with an expressionless face.
“…Kang Chan!”
“Ahem. Why do you call me that formally? Just call me by my name like you do Si-woo.”
“Chan!”
A laugh escaped me at the moved expression on Yoo Ho-seung’s face.
“Come on, shouldn’t we shout ‘fighting’ before we take the stage?”
It felt incomplete now if we didn’t shout it before every performance.
My teammates naturally formed a circle around me.
Hands damp with sweat, hands trembling, hands gripped firmly together.
Within that warmth, reality came rushing back in a peculiar way.
“Let’s show everything we’ve practiced up on that stage.”
The moment I spoke the first words, brief exchanges rippled through my tense teammates, starting with me.
“Let’s have fun on stage without any regrets!”
“Let’s give it our all.”
Finally, Yoo Ho-seung, our leader and center, spoke with a small smile.
“Our performance is going to be truly amazing!”
“Yeah. Let’s show them we have a different class.”
In that moment, Yoo Ho-seung, our leader, raised his hand high.
“One, two, three!”
Everyone shouted in unison.
“Fighting!!!”
The instant that cry burst forth, the air itself seemed to change.
The trembling that had spread through my body gradually faded, and something hot and solid began to rise from beneath my heart.
‘Every time I take the stage, I feel something strange.’
Just as I was intoxicated by that peculiar emotion, the curtain stirred.
“Royal Team, please take the stage right now!”
“Yes!”
At the staff member’s instruction, my teammates exchanged sharp glances.
‘We can do this.’
Since this was a stage we had prepared ourselves, from now on, it belongs entirely to us.
“The final stage features trainees with a Royal concept. Royal Team, please come out now!”
At MC Park Chae-young’s words, I stepped forward with confidence.
As we moved toward the center of the stage, dazzling lights engulfed us.
“Woooow!”
Thousands of eyes from the audience seating poured down upon us in a wave of fervent cheers.
There was a peculiar weight to that air.
“Kyaaah! Ho-seung!”
“Chan! Over here!!!”
“Si-woo!!!”
‘Wow…! So many people came.’
Among the densely packed audience, I noticed something curious—a banner with Cha Si-woo’s name stood out distinctly.
In that instant, electricity seemed to surge through my entire body.
Park Chae-young, confirming that everyone had stopped at the center of the stage, picked up her microphone.
“That’s the most enthusiastic response we’ve had from any team so far! Royal Team, burning hotter than anyone else—please introduce yourselves.”
Yoo Ho-seung stepped forward with the microphone in hand.
Following the predetermined signal, we all bowed in unison.
“One, two, three! Hello. We are the Royal Team, who prepared our stage with a Royal concept!”
Each movement fell into place with the precision of trained discipline, and the members bowed simultaneously in greeting.
Our voices carried through the microphone, resonating throughout the entire space.
“Kyaaaagh!”
“So cool!!”
Enthusiastic cheers erupted from various corners of the audience seating.
Yoo Ho-seung seemed startled by the response, flinching slightly before breaking into a wide smile.
“We’ve spent the past two weeks working really hard to prepare our stage to match the Royal concept. We hope our message reaches all of you.”
At Yoo Ho-seung’s confident response, the concert hall trembled.
“Kyaaaaaagh!”
“Ho-seung!!!”
“Indeed…! I’m really curious what that message could be. Now, Royal Team, please start your performance!”
After all the lights went out, the grand organ-like intro of the song “KING” flowed through the space.
White, yellow, and blue lights poured onto the stage in sync with the song’s opening.
The golden patterns carved into the floor ignited simultaneously.
‘Those flames cost 300,000 won each.’
The golden light spread like a magical circle, vanishing in an instant.
I could see my sales revenue burning away and disappearing in just three seconds.
Only those who are worthy may wear the crown.
As the narration rang out, a holographic throne slowly rose on the large screen behind the stage.
A massive crown hung tilted above it.
We would advance toward that crown.
Thump. Thump.
The drum beat struck at my heart.
That sound alone made my spine tingle with electricity.
It felt like a switch had flipped inside my mind.
‘What is this?’
My body moved naturally in rhythm with the beat, exactly as I envisioned it.
The effect of my dance stat jumping two levels was extraordinary.
Thanks to movements and flow that were far smoother than before, my immersion deepened until it felt like only the music and I existed in the world.
‘A dance stat of B- feels completely different.’
Movements that had looked uncertain no matter how much I practiced before now flowed so smoothly they were practically gliding.
A heart racing down a path about to burst
Hands gripping light within darkness
Yoo Ho-seung, our center, took the opening to deliver maximum impact.
The first group choreography unfolding around Yoo Ho-seung drew cheers from various spots in the audience seating area.
Our war toward the throne
Begins now
A night where swords and flames intertwine
I stand in the midst of the battlefield
In the eyes of everyone
I will carve my name
Group choreography poured forth as each movement harmonized with the lighting.
From the center of the relentless dance, I stepped forward one pace.
The white jacket’s hem sliced through the air and spread wide, while the golden thread pattern on my chest gleamed softly with each breath.
KING, within light and shadow
Burning with passion, rushing toward the throne
Breaking through all competition
In the end, the victor is me
The main vocal part requiring ultra-high notes posed no problem whatsoever.
Thanks to my song stat being B, the satisfying high notes flowed cleanly through my vocal cords.
‘What a relief.’
KING, set your heart ablaze
Cutting through endless warfare
Surpassing everyone
Only I will claim the throne
Before moving into the second verse, the highlight choreography that had given me considerable trouble appeared.
‘I’ll give it my all, just as I’ve trained so hard.’
I unleashed the dance I’d been specially training for, matching Kang Chan’s dazzling movements from the center.
“…!”
Perhaps because my dance stat had risen so dramatically, my body moved more naturally than ever before.
‘The movements are working perfectly.’
Kang Chan, standing beside me, looked quite startled, his eyes widening noticeably.
‘Hmm… did my dance skill improve too much all at once?’
It would certainly stand out, but there was no helping it.
“Waaaaaaah!”
“Chan!!!”
“Si-woo!”
As the scorching cheers poured down from every corner of the audience seating, I harbored no regrets about the choice.
My lips curved upward involuntarily at the fierce reaction.
As a torrent of heat surged from deep within, a thrilling yet gratifying unfamiliar sensation enveloped my entire body.
I won’t waver, I know no fear
My own hands shape my fate
Though the path is treacherous, though the path is long
In the end, it is I who becomes king
“Kyaaaah!”
KING, within light and shadow
I rush toward the throne, passion burning in my chest
Breaking through all competition
In the end, the victor is me
As a magnificent throne appeared in sync with the highlight section, the heat of the concert hall intensified.
KING, set my heart ablaze
Cutting through endless warfare
Surpassing all others
As Yoo Ho-seung raised his right hand on the final beat and ascended the throne, a golden crown descended slowly toward him.
Boom!
With the thunderous sound of fireworks that felt like my heart exploding, flower petals scattered across the entire stage.
In the end, only I will claim the throne
“Huff…hah….”
‘My lungs feel like they’re about to burst.’
As only ragged breathing echoed through the space, the song finally ended.
“Insane!!!”
“Waaaaaaah”
“Amazing!!”
The loudest roar from the audience I’d heard all night crashed over me like a wave.
“Si-woo! Make your debut!”
“Cha Si-woo, you’re incredible!”
“You’re amazing! Si-woo!!!”
My legs trembled so violently I could barely stand, yet the fans before me continued calling out my name.
Now it wasn’t my lungs but my heart that raced wildly, as if it might burst.
‘I’ve never heard my name sound so beautiful before.’
My mind went blank in an instant, and my lips curved into a smile without my realizing it.
‘They love me like this… honestly, it feels amazing.’
An exhilaration so profound it was almost unbelievable seeped deep into my heart.
It felt as though this moment were a scene straight out of a film.
The reward for this instant—where all the time and effort I’d poured in crystallized into tangible proof—was exquisitely sweet.
After finishing the final pose, I bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle.
“Thank you!”
*Ding.*
[Congratulations. You have completed Sub Quest (9): ‘Seat Yoo Ho-seung in the center position during the concept mission stage.’]
‘Yes!!!’
[You receive +1 Stat as a reward.]
‘What stat should I raise next time?’
There weren’t many stats left that I could still increase.
While lost in thought, a heavy hand settled onto my shoulder from beside me.
“…?”
Kang Chan had gently placed his arm across my shoulder.
“You worked hard.”
Though brief, the moment his hand made contact, my heart inexplicably found itself settling into calm.
The weight of his arm resting on my shoulder felt neither burdensome nor heavy—instead, it conveyed both reassurance and warmth simultaneously.
“You too.”
Naturally, I draped my own arm across Kang Chan’s shoulder in return.
The instant our shoulders touched, a trust and sense of solidarity that words could never fully capture seemed to flow between us.
“Hey…? Hyungs, me too!”
I was savoring the relief of the moment when Yoo Ho-seung joined in.
“If you, the National Directors, believe the Royal Team performed well, please press your buttons right now!”
At Park Chae-young’s voice, my dopamine-intoxicated mind snapped back to full alertness.
‘Please, let us place first.’
Winning first place meant receiving five million votes—the greatest benefit for securing a safe position.
“5…4…3…”
A sharp, heart-gripping countdown echoed through the Concert Hall.
Watching the numbers climb rapidly on the Screen, I couldn’t help but feel anticipation rising.
‘Just a little higher and we’ll really take first place.’
“2…1…. Stop!”
‘…!’
“Oh!”
“Wow…. Is this real?”
Amid cheers and gasps erupting from all corners, Park Chae-young’s voice rang out loudly.
“The Royal Team places second in the overall team rankings with a difference of just three votes!”
‘Seriously…?’
“Waaah!”
“Ah….”
‘Honestly, losing first place by just three votes is a bit regrettable.’
“We still placed second though!”
‘It’s a shame, but second place isn’t bad at all.’
In such a fierce Survival Competition, ranking second was a respectable achievement.
“Royal Team, thank you for your hard work. Please exit the stage now!”
“Yes!”
“Thank you!”
I bowed at a ninety-degree angle and followed the Staff Member down from the stage.
“Finally, all five concept-themed stages have concluded.”
“Wooooow!”
“The Wild Team, which achieved first place in the live voting, will receive 5 million votes as a benefit!”
“Kyaaaaa~”
“No… this can’t be!”
Faced with such an overwhelming number of benefit votes, the audience’s reaction split distinctly in half.
Watching the crowd erupt into chaos, Park Chae-young’s lips curved upward slightly.
“Everyone, please don’t be too disappointed if your favorite didn’t receive the benefit votes.”
“…?”
“There’s still a chance remaining.”

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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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