The S-Rank Paparazzi Reincarnates as an Idol - Chapter 99

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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 99
“Photography is my specialty.”
“Oh, that’s right! Si-woo, you really are an excellent photographer. Thanks to that, you even took center position on the Survival Competition theme song stage, didn’t you?” “Yes! I’m very confident with photography.” “Since you’re here today, could you take a few photos of me like you did back then?”
‘Is this karmic retribution from my paparazzi days?’
I never expected to find myself photographing Yu Hae-in again in this manner.
“Of course.”
I accepted the camera the Staff Member offered and adjusted the lens.
Calculating composition and lighting, I did my best to capture the perfect shot.
Click. Click.
“Wow… the photos turned out really well?”
Yu Hae-in examined the images and expressed genuine admiration.
Beyond the glass window, the Production Team also gave thumbs up and crowded around the monitor.
“Si-woo, would it be alright if we used this photo as our Radio’s official main image?”
“Of course.”
Yu Hae-in continued to marvel at the photographs, and the broadcast naturally shifted into our pace.
After all the individual talent segments concluded, a serious discussion about the song—the main focus of our appearance—began.
“Si-woo, what’s the most recommended viewing point for this song, ‘First Hello’?”
I gazed at the camera lens and smiled subtly.
In this moment, I had to capture the listeners’ hearts completely.
“There’s a lyric that says [our first page]. I think this radio time we’re sharing with our fans right now is one of those pages, so I’d like to highlight that as the recommended point.”
“That’s touching. It seems even more meaningful because it’s a first page we’re writing together with the fans.”
Yu Hae-in drove the point home while the atmosphere was warm.
“With this momentum, don’t you think we have a real shot at being a top-one contender next week?”
‘Looking at the current upward trend, if we secure the broadcast score properly, it’s not impossible.’
“It’s an honor, but if we make it to the top-one contenders, I think I’d be truly happy.”
“Everyone, did you hear that? Please send in lots of stories and messages right now! All of this counts toward the broadcast score!”
Bolstered by Yu Hae-in’s enthusiasm, the real-time message window began flooding with submissions.
The speed of messages appearing on screen became too fast to read with the naked eye.
“Kim Sun-yu, could you say a few words to the fans listening to this broadcast right now?”
At Yu Hae-in’s gentle invitation, Kim Sun-yu adjusted his grip on the microphone.
His eyes, more serious than usual, gazed beyond the camera.
“Despite being our debut song, we’re receiving far more love than we ever anticipated, so honestly, it still feels like a dream. I’m well aware that all of this is thanks to the fans who believed in us and waited for us. I’m truly grateful.”
“The fans will be genuinely moved by that.”
As viewer Q&A continued, the radio broadcast raced toward its conclusion.
“For the finale, we can’t skip a live performance. Let’s end today’s radio with Lucy Star Boys’ ‘First Hello.'”
“Everyone, thank you for watching!”
“Please love our debut song!”
“Please be with us as we write the pages to come!”
“It was great spending this enjoyable time with Senior Yu Hae-in. Please keep listening to the radio broadcast.”
As we finished our closing remarks, an upbeat instrumental filled the studio.
The radio broadcast was successfully completed, including the live performance.
☆☆☆
I had no idea how the hour-long radio broadcast had passed so quickly.
When I removed my headset, my ears were tingling from the pressure.
“Rua, that individual talent act was absolutely insane!”
“I nearly died trying not to laugh at the sound of you wiping the window.”
The moment we stepped out of the broadcasting booth, the Group Members started patting each other’s backs and giggling.
It was laughter born from the relief of successfully completing our first radio broadcast.
“Lusbo, you all performed so well on the radio for your first time.”
As if we’d made a promise beforehand, we all bowed ninety degrees toward Yu Hae-in, who was gazing at us with a warm smile.
“Thank you so much, senior.”
“We were able to finish safely thanks to your excellent guidance.”
“Ha, don’t mention it. It’s all thanks to how well you all performed.”
After encountering those arrogant seniors at the Music Show Waiting Room, meeting Yu Hae-in felt refreshingly different.
“How is it being a debuted group? Are you managing okay?”
“Yes! It’s wonderful!”
“That’s good to hear. If you ever face any difficulties, tell me anytime. Since you all debuted from the Survival Competition where I was the MC, I can’t help but worry about you.”
“Thank you so much for caring about us, senior.”
It was truly a heartwarming scene between senior and junior that brought tears to the eyes.
“Oh, that’s right. I brought some gifts for you all, but they’re in my waiting room. Would one of you mind coming with me?”
“We couldn’t possibly make you go to the trouble! We’ll all come together!”
At the leader Kim Sun-yu’s words, Yu Hae-in waved his hand with a laugh.
“Ha, no, no. It’ll only take a moment.”
Yu Hae-in glanced over the Group Members and smiled harmlessly.
“Hmm… Si-woo, you look pretty strong. Why don’t you come with me?”
It was Yu Hae-in’s pointed suggestion, singling me out specifically.
‘If the senior says to go, I have to go.’
In the idol industry, where strict hierarchy is firmly established, it’s reality that you can’t refuse without good reason.
‘It should be fine to step away for a bit.’
“Yes, understood. Guys, I’ll be right back!”
I followed Yu Hae-in as he left the studio, heading toward his private waiting room.
As we walked down the corridor, Yu Hae-in spoke to me kindly, as if wanting to show his senior side.
“How is idol life treating you? Is it manageable?”
“Yes, I’m doing my best.”
“That’s wonderful to hear.”
We finally arrived at the waiting room and opened the door.
On the desk, desserts that had recently become a trending sensation on social media—causing shortages everywhere—were stacked like a mountain in transparent plastic boxes.
‘I heard people line up to eat these these days, but are they really that delicious?’
Seeing the dessert in person for the first time was quite fascinating.
“Senior, is this it?”
I was just reaching for the box.
Click.
The sound of the door locking behind me cut through the air like ice.
The moment I turned my head in confusion, my entire body went rigid.
The Yu Hae-in who’d been wearing that harmless smile moments ago had vanished without a trace.
My eyes met his—those cold, piercing eyes that now stared at me with an expression of absolute seriousness.
‘What is this…?’
A chill ran down my spine like icy fingers.
My instincts were screaming.
Danger. Now.
“…Senior?”
The face that always wore that gentle smile now radiated a chilling composure I’d never witnessed before.
Yu Hae-in slowly parted his lips.
“Surprising, really. I thought someone from a paparazzi background would struggle terribly with idol life.”
“…!”
There was no anger, no mockery in his tone.
It was as calm as someone casually remarking on the weather.
That very disconnect sent my skin crawling with dread.
‘What the hell is this guy?’
My heart plummeted into the depths.
Yu Hae-in had seen through my past—the secret I’d buried, the truth no one was supposed to discover.
“Senior, what do you mean…?”
“No need to play dumb, Si-woo.”
Yu Hae-in stepped closer until his breath brushed against my face.
His eyes were as still and fathomless as a deep marsh.
In that instant, he flicked his finger with deliberate lightness.

Ding.
Along with the familiar notification sound, a [purple System window]—entirely different from the one visible only to my eyes—materialized in the empty air.
[Skill: Observer’s Eye synchronizes information about target ‘Cha Si-woo’.]
[Special condition satisfied: Target’s (Past) Stat Window opens.]
‘…What?’
[(Past) Stat Window]
Name: Cha Si-woo (25)
Appearance: A-
Singing: C-
Dancing: E
Charisma: D
Stamina: B+
Ability: ???
Status: Paparazzi (Pre-death log)
“What is this…!”
My mind felt as though it had simply stopped in the face of this utterly absurd situation.
The notification displayed on the System window mocked me without mercy.
[Warning: Observer ‘Yu Hae-in’ is watching your movements with great interest.]
“I came back the same way you did, you know.”
“…What?” “But my System is a bit unique. It has the function to read others’ past logs.”
Yu Hae-in tapped my cheek lightly.
The warmth felt through his fingertips was as cold as a corpse.
“Do you remember before the regression? We met a few times.”
“…”
“That relentless gaze of yours—staking out for three days and nights straight to capture my scandal photos. I still remember it vividly. It was quite impressive, actually.”
Yu Hae-in simply regarded me with curiosity.
He felt strangely alien, like an observer watching everything from a third-party perspective.
I swallowed hard and asked about the doubt I’d felt from the beginning.
“Are you… trying to get revenge right now?”
If it were revenge, that would make sense.
In my past life as a paparazzi, Yu Hae-in was someone I’d photographed.
“Hmm… Revenge, you say?”
Yu Hae-in narrowed his eyes and smiled.
“It’s not revenge. Such wasteful emotions don’t suit me at all. I’m simply curious.”
He placed a finger on my chest and slowly dragged it downward.
“What does it feel like to grip a microphone with the hands that once destroyed others’ lives, and to crave people’s love?”
“…”
“If your fans knew that those songs you sing actually came from the lips that once sold someone’s private life… what expression would they wear?”
Yu Hae-in’s voice dropped pleasantly low.
His eyes sparkled like a child gazing at a delicious dessert.
“Si-woo. I hope you rank first. No, I hope you climb to the very peak of your potential.”
“…”
“The higher you climb, the more delightful it will be for me to observe your eventual fall.”
In the tense atmosphere, Yu Hae-in’s lips curved into a subtle smile.
“Take the dessert and share it with the members. Don’t worry—there’s nothing poisonous in it.”
‘Will this dessert even go down my throat right now?’
“I genuinely hope you enjoy a healthy and happy career in the entertainment industry.”
Click.
As Yu Hae-in grasped the door handle and turned it gently, the lock disengaged with a crisp sound.
He gazed at me, his expression perfectly restored to that benevolent senior’s smile he’d shown in the Radio Booth.
“Congratulations on your first-place finish in advance. At this rate, you’ll definitely win an award. I’m looking forward to your performances.”
‘This bastard is a complete psychopath.’
“Every time you smile on stage, I’ll remember the photos you took of me, and it will bring me such joy.”
He stepped closer again, gently patting my shoulder.
Despite the suffocating pressure, I felt my mind becoming oddly clear.
“But you didn’t do so well either, did you, senior?”
“What did you say?”
“You got caught up in that drug scandal and had photos taken by me, didn’t you?”

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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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