The S-Rank Paparazzi Reincarnates as an Idol - Chapter 97

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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 97
The pre-recorded broadcast wrapped up in just two takes.
“Huff… hah…”
My lungs felt like they might burst from performing such an intense choreography twice in succession.
My body felt heavy as lead, yet my lips kept curving upward involuntarily.
‘We did well.’
My heart pounded fiercely again, overwhelmed by the relief that we’d completed the stage flawlessly without a single mistake.
“Woooow!”
“You guys were amazing!”
I bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle toward the fans cheering with joyful voices.
“Thank you so much!”
“Thank you so much for coming today!”
“Thank you for your support!”
Just as I was about to leave the stage after our greetings, I noticed massive telephoto cameras glinting throughout the Audience Seating Area.
‘Hmm…’
This was a good opportunity.
I turned my head and grabbed the shoulder of Yoo Ho-seung, who was breathing heavily.
“Ho-seung, wait a moment.”
“Yes?”
“See that direction at eleven o’clock? I think those are your fans. How about we strike a proper pose before we go?”
“Oh, should we?”
The moment Ho-seung flashed a dazzling smile toward the eleven o’clock direction, the shutter sounds came pouring down like a storm, piercing through the brief silence.
“Next, Kim Sun-yu.”
“Huh?”
Kim Sun-yu, who had been warmly asking the fans if they’d eaten breakfast, turned to me with wide eyes.
“Kim Sun-yu, look toward two o’clock and strike a pose for us.”
“Uh…? Sure!”
Kim Sun-yu gazed toward the two o’clock direction and, with the polish of a veteran, struck various poses.
“Now, shall we all look toward the center and pose together?”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
I showed as many different poses as possible to the fans’ lenses until the Staff Member urged us to move along, then descended from the Stage.
“Wow… that was really exhausting, wasn’t it?”
“Everyone did great work, guys.”
“I’m so glad we finished safely.”
As soon as we came down from the Stage, I could see Group Members collapsing to the floor, their tension finally released.
Thanks to the relief of successfully taking that first crucial step, everyone’s expressions were brighter than ever.
“Since the pre-recorded broadcast went well, shall we head to the Waiting Room?”
“Yes!”
“Sounds good.”
The early morning recording had wrapped, but the Music Broadcast schedule wasn’t over until the afternoon when first place would be announced.
Group shots, interviews, and the grand finale still awaited us—we had a long road ahead.
☆☆☆
We weren’t simply waiting idly for the remaining Music Broadcast schedule.
It was more accurate to say we were enduring by breaking the entire day into fragments.
During our wait, we diligently filmed short-form content and filled our self-produced content quota.
We made sure to hand our album to all the senior artists who had recently joined.
“Now we’re just waiting for the first place announcement!”
“Exactly. I wonder who will take first place this week?”
While a popular idol MC delivered their lines, we stood in the back like decorative screens.
‘At this position, the camera probably won’t even catch us, right?’
But what could we do about it?
On a Music Broadcast with strict hierarchy, the spot for a newly debuted rookie was always the very back row.
‘Since we don’t know when the camera might catch us, let’s just smile.’
While I had my professional smile locked in place, tense music flowed through the speakers.
“First, let’s show this week’s first place nominees!”
Three teams appeared on the LED Display Board.
Wild Boyz, Fault, and a second-year girl group.
‘There’s no overwhelmingly dominant contender, so we might have a real shot.’
“So among these formidable nominees, who will claim first place?”
Short, restrained beats stacked up one by one like a countdown.
“Congratulations! This week’s Music Broadcast first place is…!”
“Fault!”
“Wooooow!”
First place this week went to Fault—our fellow rookie rival who had even tried to mess with us in the Waiting Room.
Clap, clap, clap.
I watched the camera’s red light come on and applauded earnestly, my professional smile firmly in place.
The Fault Members, overwhelmed with emotion, rushed excitedly to center stage.
They responded to congratulations coming from all directions and poured out their joyful comments.
“We never thought we’d actually win first place, and we’re so grateful!”
Fault’s leader held the golden microphone-shaped trophy high.
“It’s only been six months since our debut, and we’re genuinely thrilled to achieve first place like this!”
The microphone was passed to the member standing next to Fault’s leader.
It was the guy who had called our team losers.
“Since this is our first win, we’ll do our best to maintain this position going forward! Thank you!”
‘Yeah, enjoy this moment while you can.’
Next week, that first place will be ours.
Having become a clapping machine, the first place encore song finally began playing.
‘Finally, I can go back to the Dormitory and get some rest.’
Fatigue had accumulated considerably from the schedule that stretched from early morning to late afternoon.
I need to grab some mayonnaise the moment I get back to the Dormitory.
I was lost in thought about what to cook for dinner tonight.
“Hello, seniors!”
Following the Group Members who bowed respectfully, I automatically bent my body at a ninety-degree angle.
True to my position as the most junior rookie, I slipped into greeting-bot mode and eagerly bowed to the seniors heading out.
“Seniors, thank you for your hard work!”
The funny part was that because the cameras were rolling, the very same people who’d been ignoring my greetings just moments ago now received them with the utmost sincerity imaginable.
This industry really is entertaining.
As I descended from the Stage last and entered the Corridor, an unfamiliar sight unfolded before me.
…!
The idols who’d finished their performances earlier were lined up in single file on both sides of the Corridor.
Is this the farewell greeting line that Kim Sun-yu mentioned before?
Watching the idols standing there with their expressions frozen solid, we stopped at the very end of the line.
Music Broadcasts really are some kind of old-fashioned hierarchical tradition.
It was utterly childish when directed at young performers.
But what could we do about it?
If a freshly debuted rookie skipped this convention that even the seniors observed, our next broadcast appearance might become uncertain.
This ridiculous hazing culture.
The heat from the Stage hadn’t even dissipated yet, and we hadn’t even removed our makeup, but we stood with our backs straight and motionless.
Shortly after, Staff Members carrying heavy equipment passed through the Corridor.
And finally, the PD who’d overseen today’s entire shoot appeared with commanding presence.
“Everyone worked hard today.”
The moment those words left his mouth, the singers lined up in the Corridor bowed simultaneously as if they’d rehearsed it.
“Thank you for your hard work!”
Dozens of voices overlapped, making the Corridor ring out loudly.
It was a perfectly synchronized bow.
The PD paused briefly, scanning each of us one by one, then gave a short laugh and nodded.
“You’ve got great energy for a freshly debuted rookie.”
“Thank you! We look forward to working with you in the future!”
We bowed deeply once more.
By the time I lifted my head, the PD’s figure had already disappeared far down the Corridor.
Only then did the tension seem to ease, and Seo Ha-yul beside me exhaled softly.
“Wow… it’s really over.”
“Right. We even stood in the farewell greeting line.”
It’s something I feel every time—being an idol is truly not an easy profession.
☆☆☆
[Is this really a rookie? Lusbo sweeps music charts, causing upheaval in the music industry]
[Lusbo achieves ‘golden pass’ with debut… racing toward 500,000 initial sales!]
[Lusbo hits number one and continues strong: ‘Debut is peak’]
[One photocard for how much? Lusbo causes shortage, merchandise market in uproar]
[Server Crashes and Resale Prices Skyrocket… Why Lusbo’s ‘Fanbase Firepower’ Is Terrifying]
[‘Record-Breaking Debut’ Lusbo, Fan Autograph Session Sign-Up Frenzy… “This Level of Competition Is Unprecedented”]
[Lusbo’s Direct Camera Footage Views Explode!]
Just one day after our debut track dropped, intense headlines cascaded down like a waterfall.
In a word, we’d hit the jackpot.
To fuel this momentum, a strategic schedule targeting the number-one spot on the Music Broadcast began.
Claiming the number-one position on a Music Broadcast wasn’t simply about having a good song.
It required digital scores, album sales, broadcast scores, and the fanbase’s firepower—both advance and real-time voting.
The throne of Music Broadcast supremacy could only be seized when every element meshed together like gears in a machine.
‘I remember having a few photos I’d taken included in the album photocards.’
I’d submitted some well-shot candid moments of the members sprawled out in the practice room and casual shots from the waiting room to the company.
Those became ‘hidden photocards’ and created a shortage among fans.
‘People really do have similar tastes after all.’
Thanks to that, albums flew off the shelves, and the fans moved in perfect unison following the voting guidelines the company posted.
As a result, our advance and real-time voting numbers were overwhelming.
‘If the fans are doing this much for us, it would be our fault if we couldn’t deliver.’
The weight of responsibility only burned my determination brighter.
The company I’d been secretly worried about fortunately demonstrated the caliber of a major entertainment company.
From fanbase management to customized strategies for each broadcaster, there were no gaps.
It was honestly astounding.
Now, the remaining piece was our responsibility—the broadcast score.
Since it depended on how frequently we appeared on that broadcaster’s programs, it was a metric we absolutely had to secure to win the award.
‘Broadcast scores can only be filled by pounding the pavement.’
As a result, we faced a literally murderous schedule.
The moment we finished our S Company Music Broadcast stage performance, we’d rush without a moment’s rest to the Flagship Radio Program—a relentless grind.
Though the schedule was grueling enough to make every joint cry out, the members’ expressions were brighter than ever.
The goal of first place felt close enough to grasp.
“Everyone! This song is absolutely killing it! Social media is talking about nothing but you!”
The waiting room door burst open as the Buffet Manager rushed in.
Dark circles hung heavily beneath his eyes, but his voice trembled with excitement.
‘The manager’s exhausted too, but he’s celebrating with us like this. I’m really grateful.’
The members, who’d been sprawled out like zombies after not sleeping a wink before arriving at the Radio Station, jolted upright at his words.
“Really?”
“I want to see too!”
The members grabbed their phones and began checking their articles and social media, laughing like children.
‘These guys are totally pumped.’
“Wow, hyungs, check this out! ‘First Hello’ entered the charts at number seven! And not real-time—the daily charts!”
Yoo Ho-seung bounced in place as he shouted.
“Really? That’s insane!” “This isn’t a dream, right?”
The members, grinning from ear to ear, savored this moment.
‘Good start.’
But in moments like these, the rule was to tighten the reins rather than let relief take over.
‘This is the golden window to solidify our buzz into concrete results.’
“We really have a shot at first place, don’t we?”
Yoo Ho-seung’s hopeful voice echoed through the Waiting Room.
‘That bastard.’
I ruffled his hair lightly and answered with conviction.
“We’re not aiming for it—we’re taking it, no question.”
At my confident words, every Group Member’s gaze locked onto me.
Their eyes gleamed with a peculiar blend of tension and anticipation.
Kim Sun-yu rose from his seat, barely suppressing his usual excitement.
“Alright, I get that you’re all thrilled, but let’s calm down first. You know this Radio appearance is live, right?”
The Group Members swallowed hard at Kim Sun-yu’s warning.
“One slip of the tongue could hurt us badly, so stay sharp and do your best. Got it?”
“Yes!”
“Yes, hyung!”
“Yes!”
Their responses were spirited, but rather than nervous, they seemed to be restraining themselves out of fear of causing trouble from sheer excitement.
Sensing the atmosphere was getting too stiff, I nudged Kim Sun-yu’s ribs playfully.
“For someone saying that, hyung, you look pretty excited yourself.”
“Huh? Am I showing it that much?”
“Yes. Your smile is practically reaching your ears.”
At my observation, the Group Members finally burst into laughter at the sight of Kim Sun-yu’s grin.
“So, shall we ride this momentum and nail this Radio appearance?”

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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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