The S-Rank Paparazzi Reincarnates as an Idol Chapter 103

Chapter 103

 

“Haha, really?”

Hearing her laugh so happily, like a child, made it feel as though a knot that had been lodged in a corner of my heart had loosened a little.

‘Why does my existence make her smile like that?’

They were truly precious people… far too precious to be repaid with mere words of gratitude.

‘I need to study more things that fans would enjoy hearing from now on.’

If it could make them smile, there was nothing I wouldn’t do.

“Thank you for waiting for our debut. We’re here because of Lumina.”

At those words, the fans’ eyes immediately turned red.

The overwhelming sincerity conveyed from less than a meter away carried a weight completely different from numbers on a screen or flashy chart rankings.

“May I ask your name?”

“My name is… Park Seoyoon.”

“Seoyoon, thank you so much for taking the time to come today. Our team exists because of people like you.”

As I carefully signed the album and called her by name, she covered her mouth and nodded.

Every tiny reaction felt like a miracle.

After hesitating for a moment, she pulled a small doll out of her bag.

“I made this doll myself. Would it be possible… to take a picture with it?”

It was a chibi-style character doll with cute wolf ears.

‘Doesn’t this character look strangely like me?’

“Wow, it’s a wolf? It’s so cute!”

“Yes. I saw you wearing a wolf headband in one of the self-produced content videos and made it myself.”

The doll was adorable, and it was obvious at a glance how much effort had gone into making it.

“You’re incredibly talented! Of course I’ll take a picture with it. Do you have a pose you’d like?”

“I’d appreciate it if you could hold it against your cheek.”

Her face flushed red as she quickly took out her phone.

‘The doll is really soft.’

As I pressed the plush doll against my cheek, I heard the continuous clicking of the camera shutter.

Click. Click.

“Should I try a different pose?”

“Oh my, I’d be grateful if you did!”

Seeing how visibly happy she was, I gave her every pose I could think of… V-signs, finger hearts, and more.

“Um… would it be okay if you looked at the camera and told me to stay strong just once?”

“Of course! Just let me know when you’re ready.”

“Okay!”

She quickly switched her phone to video mode and signaled that she was ready.

“I’m ready.”

“Alright, I’ll start.”

Holding the wolf doll against my cheek, I leaned closer to the camera lens.

Looking straight into it, I delivered my encouragement sincerely.

“Seoyoon, thank you for supporting our team. I also want to thank you and send you a message of encouragement. Stay strong no matter what! Fighting!”

“Kyaa…! Thank you!”

As she practically bounced in place with excitement, I bowed repeatedly.

“No, thank ‘you’.”

“Your time is up. Please move along.”

At the staff member’s prompting, she reluctantly stood up.

I lightly waved the wolf doll toward her as she walked away.

“Thank you for the doll. I’ll treasure it, Seoyoon!”

Her face instantly brightened, and she waved enthusiastically.

‘This doll is seriously adorable.’

Carefully setting the wolf doll aside, I welcomed the next fan approaching my seat.

As the fansign event continued, a strange sensation gradually enveloped my entire body.

Every time I made eye contact with a fan, it felt as though another piece of the lingering burden buried deep inside me was being washed away.

The hands that had once destroyed people’s private lives were now helping brighten someone’s day.

“Siwoo, I became a fan because of this photo!”

The next fan showed me a picture on her screen.

It was a photo of me smiling brightly on stage.

The focus was off, and the image was terribly shaky, but it was overflowing with the photographer’s affection.

The photos I had taken in the past were always weapons meant to destroy someone.

The photos my fans took of me were shields that supported me.

Realizing that made my chest tighten with emotion.

“Thank you so much for becoming a fan. Do you like photography?”

“Yes. I actually enjoy taking photos more than looking at them.”

“In that case, would you take a picture of me today?”

“Really? I actually brought a professional telephoto camera. Could you maybe look toward the five o’clock direction later if you get a chance?”

“Of course! I’ll make sure to.”

 

☆☆☆

 

‘I can’t believe I’m finally at my favorite idol’s fansign!’

After surviving fierce competition and winning a spot at the notoriously difficult fansign event, Miss Park bit down on her lip.

At first, it had just been a casual crush.

Everything began on the day she had accidentally received help from Cha Siwoo at a wedding buffet, back when hardly anyone even knew his name.

‘I never thought I’d end up chasing after an idol this seriously.’

The moment the announcement for Siwoo’s first fansign appeared, she practically possessed herself into buying albums.

One copy, two copies, ten copies…

As the competitive urge kicked in, the number quickly soared past a hundred.

‘They’ve become way too popular.’

Thanks to the success of the survival show, Lucy Star Boys’ popularity was skyrocketing.

Even obtaining tickets for music show recordings was difficult, but the cutoff for fansign entry was practically impossible.

After much deliberation, Miss Park eventually dipped into her emergency savings and hit the purchase button.

‘This is exactly what emergency funds are for.’

Before she knew it, delivery boxes had filled an entire wall of her room.

Every time she looked at her credit card statement, she felt briefly suffocated.

But she didn’t regret it.

‘Because I wanted to see him that badly.’

She wanted to tell him so many things.

Thank you.

You worked hard.

Let’s walk only on flower paths from now on.

Your songs are amazing.

You’re the only vitamin in my life these days.

There was a mountain of heartfelt words she wanted to say while seeing him up close.

Perhaps that desperation reached him.

Miraculously, the notification arrived telling her she had won a fansign slot.

Her hands shook so badly she dropped her phone several times.

After that day, she could barely focus on work.

‘I’m really… actually going to meet Siwoo up close?’

After a long wait, Miss Park finally found herself seated inside the small hall set up within a large gymnasium.

The controlled seating arrangements and orderly atmosphere felt like a dream.

When the host finished speaking and the Lucy Star Boys members appeared, the cheers she had been holding back exploded out of her.

‘Wow… he’s seriously handsome.’

He had always been good-looking, but after debuting and receiving professional care, his skin practically glowed.

Life had felt exhausting lately, but the moment she saw her favorite idol’s face, it felt as though all her pain had been healed.

‘This makes buying hundreds of albums worth it.’

Future-me can somehow figure out the credit card bill.

After the group’s introductions and greetings ended, the fansign officially began.

Participants were assigned numbers based on their order of arrival.

Because of that, Miss Park had arrived before dawn.

She had even brought a tent and spent the night outside.

As a result, she earned the prestigious Number 1 spot.

‘Being the very first person to meet my favorite idol at his first fansign…!’

“Let’s officially begin the fansign!”

At the host’s announcement, Miss Park stood up.

Her palms were drenched with sweat.

“Fan number one, please come forward.”

“Yes!”

As she approached the table, she could see her favorite idol seated all the way at the end.

To reach Cha Siwoo, she had to pass through the five members seated before him.

She had tried to appreciate all the members of Lucy Star Boys.

But she couldn’t help constantly looking toward the seat at the very end.

“Hello!”

The first member to greet her was leader Kim Sunyoo.

“Ah… hello.”

Like the experienced idol he was, Kim Sunyoo seemed completely comfortable in this situation and skillfully guided the conversation.

“Thank you so much for coming to our first fansign.”

“No, thank ‘you’ for debuting.”

“Did you have any trouble getting here?”

“Well, actually…”

As she hesitated, Kim Sunyoo smiled warmly.

“Our first fansign probably has a lot of rough edges, right? We’ll work harder so it’s even more comfortable for you next time.”

“Oh, no! Not at all!”

“Haha, you’ll come see us again next time too, right?”

“Of course!”

‘Why is he so good at talking?’

Swept up in Kim Sunyoo’s warm and friendly pace, Miss Park found herself sharing all kinds of random stories before she even realized it.

Kim Sunyoo listened attentively, his eyes sparkling with interest.

“Is there anything you’re curious about regarding the members? I’ll tell you everything I know.”

By now, she had become comfortable enough with Kim Sunyoo that she unconsciously glanced toward her favorite idol sitting at the far end.

Seeing that, Kim Sunyoo immediately laughed knowingly.

“Aha, is Siwoo your favorite?”

“Ah… is it that obvious?”

“Yeah, I can tell. Want me to tell you what Siwoo is like off-camera?”

“…Yes!”

Hearing information about her favorite idol directly from another member?

That was an offer impossible to resist.

“First of all, Siwoo is really kind. He takes great care of every member.”

“Wow… really?”

“Yep! And he’s incredibly responsible. Personally, even though he’s younger than me, there are times when I genuinely think he’s impressive.”

This team had truly chosen the right leader.

Watching Kim Sunyoo shower her favorite idol with praise made warmth spread through Miss Park’s chest.

‘Kim Sunyoo… why is he so kind…?’

As the praise relay continued, a staff member signaled to Kim Sunyoo that it was time to move her along.

“Ah, it’s already time. I wanted to talk more.”

Seeing how genuinely disappointed Kim Sunyoo looked, Miss Park nodded just as earnestly.

“If we get another chance, let’s definitely meet again. Thank you so much for coming today!”

“Thank you too!”

‘I’ve decided. Kim Sunyoo is officially my second favorite now.’

The start had been excellent.

There was definitely a reason the seating arrangement placed Kim Sunyoo first.

After saying goodbye to the unbelievably kind leader who had almost made her feel like they were friends, Miss Park moved to the next seat.

There sat Yoo Hoseung with his strawberry-milk-colored pink hair.

“Noona, hello?”

Instantly, her heart began pounding wildly.

‘Wow… a handsome younger guy. This is the best.’

To be honest, she hadn’t paid much attention to Yoo Hoseung before.

But the destructive power of him calling her ‘noona’ while flashing that flower-like smile made her heart impossible to control.

‘This guy is just ridiculously handsome.’

No matter how many times she looked, she couldn’t get used to that face.

“Hello.”

When she shyly greeted him, Yoo Hoseung smiled brightly.

“Noona, you can speak comfortably.”

“Mm… should I?”

“Yes! I heard the fansign cutoff was super competitive. Thank you so much for coming.”

“No. I just really wanted to see you guys.”

Since she hadn’t been particularly interested in Yoo Hoseung before, she hadn’t prepared any specific questions for him.

As she struggled to think of something to say, Yoo Hoseung took the initiative by bringing up stories from their dorm.

“Siwoo-hyung makes sandwiches for us all the time at the dorm, and they’re seriously delicious!”

“Really? I want to try those sandwiches too…”

“Ah! Then next time we’ll make sandwiches ourselves and bring them!”

Yoo Hoseung even wrote [Make Sandwiches] on a Post-it note with a completely serious expression.

“No! You guys are busy. Why would you make sandwiches?”

“If Lumina wants to try them, the hyungs would definitely make them. Do you know how much they treasure the fans?”

“No… but still.”

“Come on, promise!”

As Yoo Hoseung held out his pinky finger, Miss Park screamed internally.

‘Ah… so this is why people fall for younger guys?’