The S-Rank Paparazzi Reincarnates as an Idol Chapter 100

Chapter 100 

 

Even back when I worked as a paparazzo, I had my own principles.

My philosophy was simple:

Only go after the bad guys.

Sure, I targeted people with high market value, but even then, I was meticulous about only pointing my camera at society’s trash.

‘I had my own conscience, at least.’

A lot of people ended up ruined because of my photos, but if you looked at the reasons, most people would agree they deserved it.

I wasn’t some thug randomly snapping photos and destroying innocent lives.

Which meant that Yoo Haein, who had ended up in my camera lens, had been trash too.

“…What?”

Yoo Haein looked at me as if I had said something absurd.

I shook my head.

“What I did was ethically wrong. I made a living taking those photos, so as someone who harmed you, it’s only right that I apologize.”

“…”

“I sincerely regret that part. But, sunbae.”

I narrowed my eyes.

“Drugs are a crime.”

“…Ha.”

“The severity isn’t even comparable. Some sins can be sorted and recycled. Others belong straight in the trash.”

“Haha… hahahaha!”

Yoo Haein let out a disbelieving laugh.

“To be honest, I don’t feel much guilt when it comes to criminals.”

“I expected as much, but wow. You really are insane.”

“Thank you for the compliment. But sunbae, even if you told the world I used to be a paparazzo in my previous life, people would just think ‘you’re’ the crazy one.”

“What?”

“You’d be lucky if they didn’t send you to a psychiatric hospital. Who’s going to believe a story about a past life without any evidence?”

I stepped closer to the stunned Yoo Haein.

“I understand that you’re angry about the past, but then why did you do drugs in the first place?”

“…”

“Stop acting so petty and just quit the drugs already. Live your own life.”

“…Wow.”

“Isn’t the reason you’re still an idol because you genuinely love performing?”

Yoo Haein’s face cycled through shades of red and blue.

He glared at me with a strange expression before letting out a sinister laugh that echoed through the empty waiting room.

Clutching his stomach, he laughed for quite a while.

Then he looked at me with icy eyes.

“Interesting. Cha Siwoo, you really are obsessed with playing the hero until the very end, aren’t you?”

He suddenly grabbed the back of my neck and slammed me into the wall.

“Urgh!”

BANG!

The impact sent one of the dessert boxes tumbling to the floor.

“Drugs? Sure. I guess you’d think that if you didn’t know any better. Do you remember those celebrities who got arrested one after another back then?”

A crazed smile spread across his face.

“I orchestrated all of that.”

“…What?”

“I wasn’t a junkie. I was the conductor.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You idiot. Why do you think I was with those addicts on the day you photographed us?”

His eyes gleamed unnaturally.

There was no emotion inside them.

Only twisted excitement.

“I was handing out gifts to the people controlling the distribution network and setting a trap to wipe out everyone standing in my way.”

My heart dropped.

‘Yoo Haein wasn’t just a drug user… he was the one pulling the strings?’

“I really hate people who block my path.”

His lips curled into a poisonous smile as he leaned close to my ear.

“But then you showed up and fired that flash. The trap I spent years building became the noose around my own neck.”

“…”

“The real masterminds saw your photos, figured out what was happening, and disappeared. Meanwhile, I got labeled a drug addict and spent three years rotting away.”

I’d thought he was a snake.

Turns out he was something far worse.

“Cha Siwoo. Those bad people you thought you’d sent to hell that day?”

He tapped my chest.

“They were prey. Animals trapped in the palm of my hand, waiting for slaughter.”

“…”

“You didn’t deliver justice. You were just a pest that ruined my hunting ground.”

His finger poked my chest again.

“Sorting trash? What a joke. Do you really think you’re clean?”

“…”

“That creepy nature of yours… digging through people’s lives from the shadows. You’re still using it in this life, just hiding it behind an idol’s mask.”

He stomped on one of the dessert boxes lying on the floor.

CRACK!

The plastic container shattered.

A sweet scent spread through the room.

“Tell me.”

He looked directly into my eyes.

“Which one of us is the kind of garbage that can’t be recycled?”

“Even so, aren’t you still worse?”

“…Ha?”

For the first time since either our previous life or this one, I saw genuine rage in Yoo Haein’s eyes.

Not irritation.

Not annoyance.

Pure fury from the depths of his soul.

“Fine. Then I’ll give you a choice.”

He loosened his grip and smiled the same gentle smile he showed on television.

“You can keep clinging to that pathetic little conscience of yours while waiting for the day you crash beneath my feet.”

“…”

“Or you can put those dirty camera skills to use for me.”

His voice sent chills down my spine.

“Become my hunting dog. This time, don’t target bad people. Target only the people I tell you to.”

The room fell silent.

“Because that’s the karma of a former paparazzo.”

‘Karma…?’

No.

This wasn’t karma.

In my previous life, I had lines I refused to cross.

I wasn’t a coward.

But he was different.

‘How many people had he destroyed through methods completely different from mine?’

“Sorry, sunbae.”

I smiled.

“But I don’t like either option.”

“Ha…!”

“You want me to look forward to my downfall?”

‘What a joke.’

I grabbed the back of his neck in return and stared directly into his eyes.

“I have absolutely no intention of changing my standards.”

“Ghk…!”

“Who are you to decide what I should be?”

His face turned bright red.

I gave him the same smile I used for workplace diplomacy.

‘Maybe don’t grab people by the neck if you don’t want them doing it back.’

“That filthy game you’re playing?”

I tightened my grip.

“I’ll ruin it again this time. So look forward to it.”

I released him.

The moment my hand left his neck, his knees buckled, and he collapsed to the floor.

“Cough! Cough—!”

Served him right.

Looking down at him coldly, I delivered one final warning.

“Oh, and hunting dogs come in different breeds.”

“…”

“If you don’t want to get bitten, don’t provoke them.”

After giving Yoo Haein one last glare, I left the waiting room.

‘So there was another regressor besides me.’

And not just anyone.

Yoo Haein… a fellow celebrity and an enemy from my previous life.

The unexpected variable made my head ache.

‘I need to prepare for what’s coming.’

At the end of the hallway leading back toward the filming area, I could hear my members laughing.

To protect those guys… my new family…

I would have to become the most relentless hunter of this life.

 

☆☆☆

 

“Show Music, third week of September! The nominees for first place are…!”

All performances for TX Broadcasting’s music show Show Music had ended.

Every artist had gathered on stage for the winner announcement.

Today, as nominees for first place, we weren’t standing in the back.

We were standing right in the center of the front row, facing the cameras.

The hands of the members beside me were visibly trembling.

Back in the waiting room, they had confidently declared we were going to win.

Now that the moment was actually here, their nerves had finally caught up to them.

‘We have to win.’

With the massive Rookie of the Year quest still ahead of us, maintaining momentum was crucial.

That meant taking first place on as many music shows as possible.

“It’s a clash of monster rookies. Last week’s winner, Fault, versus Lucy Star Boys, who are knocking on the door of the top spot only one week after debut!”

“WAAAAAAAH!”

The cameras zoomed in relentlessly.

Being a rookie first-place nominee meant that every little action would be scrutinized.

I carefully maintained my expression and listened to the MC.

“Could both nominated teams share a few words?”

Fault’s leader spoke first.

“We’re happy to be nominated again after last week. We’ll do our best to defend our first-place position.”

It was a polite statement.

But the competitive edge underneath was obvious.

“Thank you for that. Now, Lucy Star Boys, could you share your thoughts as well?”

The microphone came our way.

Leader Kim Sunyoo accepted it with a warm smile.

“It’s an honor to stand in such a prestigious position only one week after debuting. We’re already happy just to be nominated alongside such amazing seniors, but for the fans who brought us here, we hope for a good result.”

“That really captures the sincerity and freshness unique to rookies!”

“Thank you.”

“Now that we’ve heard both teams’ thoughts, shall we check the scores?”

A tense beat filled the studio.

The giant screen displayed the scoreboards side by side.

[FAULT VS LUCY STAR BOYS]

My heart pounded violently.

My lips felt dry.

Still, I forced a relaxed smile for the camera.

‘We have to be ahead in broadcast points. We sacrificed our souls this entire week for them.’

The week after debut had pushed us beyond human limits.

We slept in cars.

We ate triangle kimbap and sandwiches while getting makeup done.

Unit activities, variety shows, radio appearances…

We endured all of it for the sake of filling in those score categories.

At least the underage members had been excluded from some schedules and given minimal rest.

“Which team will take home the honor of first place?”

The scoreboard began spinning with loud mechanical effects.

“First, let’s check digital and album scores!”

The numbers skyrocketed.

“Lucy Star Boys hold an overwhelming lead in album and digital scores!”

“…!”

“The record-breaking achievement of surpassing 500,000 first-week album sales is fully reflected in the score!”

“WAAAAAAH!”

“No way! They really sold 500,000?!”

Screams erupted throughout the venue.

A rookie group reaching 500,000 first-week sales was a new record.

“Next, the pre-voting scores that represent fandom power!”

The scores climbed neck and neck…

Then stopped.

“Pre-voting scores are… my goodness. It’s a tie!”

My eyes widened.

Pre-voting was the clearest measure of fandom strength.

The fact that our fandom was matching Fault’s, despite them already being six months into their career, was practically a victory in itself.

I could see the expressions of Fault’s members stiffen slightly.

‘Our fans are incredible.’

Warmth filled my chest.

I couldn’t be more grateful.

Now only one variable remained.

“Only the broadcast score remains. Please reveal it!”

A dramatic BGM swelled.

The numbers on the screen began counting rapidly.

Ding-ding-ding-ding—!

The moment the numbers stopped, the MC gripped the microphone tightly and shouted:

“Now for the final announcement! The winner of this week’s Show Music is…!”