The S-Rank Paparazzi Reincarnates as an Idol Chapter 54

Chapter 54

 

The song was originally a cute children’s tune that suddenly went viral on social media after a video of a young child singing it for their parents exploded in popularity.

It became so popular that it later became a staple performance at kindergarten talent shows.

‘If it’s for the National Directors, then I have to do it.’

The bright and cheerful melody unique to the aegyo song began playing.

I tilted my head slightly and smiled with my eyes.

“Hello~ everyone!”

I shouted as cutely as I possibly could.

“KYAAAAAAH!”

“PWAHAHAHA!”

Using the trainees’ explosive laughter as background music, I continued the aegyo song.

Please accept my love. Nom! Nom!

The highlight of this song was making heart shapes and pretending to eat them during the “nom” lyrics.

I diligently acted out eating the hearts I made with my hands.

 

— 

National Directors, I love you. Nom! Nom!

— 

 

“WAHAHAHA!”

“KYAAAAAAH!”

The original lyrics were “Dad, Mom,” but when I changed them to “National Directors,” the trainees burst into even louder laughter.

Only after I had made and “eaten” every kind of heart imaginable did the music finally stop.

“Cha Siwoo trainee is really giving it his all! His aegyo is incredible!”

At that moment, watching Yoo Haein struggle to suppress his laughter while genuinely sounding impressed, I suddenly wanted to flick him on the forehead.

‘Hey. You’re the one who made me do it.’

“Haha. If it’s for the National Directors, I can do anything! Actually, this is my first time singing an aegyo song, so thank you for enjoying it.”

“You did great. Aegyo King Cha Siwoo trainee, please move to seat number 5.”

In other words, they had already gotten all the footage they needed, so it was time for me to leave.

“Yes. Thank you!”

After bowing ninety degrees, I started climbing the stairs toward the seat on the third tier.

“Siwoo hyung, congratulations on moving up in the rankings!”

Seo Hayul was the first to congratulate me, genuinely happy.

“Yeah. Thanks.”

‘You get one extra Heartping bread.’

As I climbed another level, Rua was rolling with laughter, clutching his stomach.

“Siwoo dongsaeng! Do the aegyo song one more time!”

‘This guy.’

“…If I get the chance next time.”

For some reason, Kang Chan, who was sitting beside Rua, was staring at me with burning eyes.

“…?”

‘If we’re being honest, didn’t your grand bow win?’

Though comparing them felt strange in the first place.

Keeping a straight face, I sat down in seat number 5.

The chair was so comfortable that my body practically sank into it.

‘I shouldn’t get used to this taste of capitalism.’

At last, the ranking announcement was approaching its finale.

Once again, Kim Sunyoo and Yoo Hoseung remained as candidates for first place.

‘Unless something major happens, those two are definitely debuting.’

“Who will claim first place in the second ranking announcement ceremony?!”

After dragging things out for about ten minutes with tense music, comments, and interviews, Yoo Haein finally announced the result.

“What a comeback! Yoo Hoseung trainee who ranked second in the previous ranking announcement, has overtaken Kim Sunyoo and stolen the number one spot!”

“…!”

“First place goes to Yoo Hoseung trainee!”

“WAAAAAAH!”

‘Now that’s unexpected.’

Kim Sunyoo’s fans had voted harder than ever to secure him a revival ticket after elimination.

And despite that, Yoo Hoseung still won?

It seemed the fans who were unhappy about him placing second had watched the show’s blatant evil editing and become absolutely determined.

‘Compared to a former failed idol, an influencer naturally has a larger fandom. Maybe this outcome makes sense.’

I expected Kim Sunyoo to be disappointed while giving his speech for second place.

Instead, he looked relieved.

With a gentle expression, he spoke sincerely, seeming happier about surviving than about his ranking.

Then Yoo Hoseung picked up the microphone.

As he spoke, emotions overwhelmed him, and he eventually broke into tears.

‘Understandable.’

He had been criticized by the judges, suffered through evil editing, and still managed to take first place through fan support.

Sure, some people would continue criticizing his skills, but being criticized was simply part of being famous.

The fans who believed in and supported him mattered more than the haters.

And now he had tangible proof through the voting results.

Honestly, of course he’d be happy.

“Sniff… To everyone who loved and supported someone as lacking as me… sob… thank you. I’ll work even harder and grow into someone worthy of your love. Sob… thank you!”

“That was a touching first-place speech. Yoo Hoseung trainee, please take your seat on the throne!”

The camera obsessively filmed Yoo Hoseung sitting on the throne while crying.

It also lingered on Kim Sunyoo for quite a while before moving away.

It looked like the show intended to keep pushing the rival narrative between the two.

“With that, the second ranking announcement ceremony comes to an end! Trainees, best of luck moving forward!”

“Cut!”

As the ending music played, Yoo Haein quickly left the stage.

“Alright, everyone. The first filming session is over. We’ll move straight into the next shoot, so please change clothes and gather again.”

“Yes!”

Yoo Haein left, but for the trainees, filming was only just beginning.

 

☆☆☆

 

Wearing sports-brand training outfits with distinctive three-colored stripes, we headed toward the auditorium for the next shoot.

Judging from the tracksuits, it looked like we’d be doing something physical.

Taking over the microphone from Yoo Haein, who had another schedule, was Park Chaeyoung.

“Everyone, have you been well?”

“Yes~”

“I’m sincerely happy that you’ve all survived this far. You’re all extremely curious about the next survival mission, right?”

A giant rectangular object onstage was covered with a black cloth.

‘What’s that?’

“Yes!”

“Before revealing the next mission, we’ll begin with a mini-game! By the way, the winner will receive a benefit, so please participate actively!”

“WAAAAAAH!”

‘Last time, the benefit was basically a landmine disguised as a reward.’

Just thinking about the disaster involving all the rappers made me shudder.

‘Can we trust them this time?’

I had every reason to doubt them, but once again, there was no choice.

If I slacked off because of uncertainty, people might start criticizing my attitude.

‘Just work hard no matter what.’

A trainee who hadn’t even debuted yet, appearing lazy on television, was basically a ticking time bomb.

“This mini-game is called Snack Sales King.”

“…What?”

The random theme was everywhere.

At that moment, Park Chaeyoung reached toward the black cloth in the center.

When she finally pulled it away, it revealed a claw machine.

‘…If we’re using a claw machine, why did they make us change into tracksuits?’

“Starting now, each of you will pick one snack from the claw machine in ranking order.”

There were chocolates, jerky, chips, bread, cup noodles, macarons, and all sorts of snacks.

‘Looking closer, they’re all products from the same corporate group.’

Every snack inside the machine belonged to TX Group affiliates.

‘These bastards. Now that the show’s popular, they’re blatantly using it for product placement.’

It was essentially free advertising disguised as content.

“By the way, the snack you draw today will be sold by you personally at a flea market.”

“…!”

“The five trainees who earn the highest sales revenue will receive benefits for the next stage. Good luck, everyone!”

Now the broadcasting station was making us run businesses too.

‘This is definitely going to get criticized.’

Then again, criticism would be temporary.

The free advertising they were getting without paying extra costs was a fantastic deal.

“First up, first-place trainee Yoo Hoseung! Please come onstage and draw a snack!”

Looking extremely nervous, Yoo Hoseung stood before the claw machine.

‘A more expensive snack would definitely be advantageous.’

Since rankings were based on total sales revenue rather than profit margin, expensive products had a higher chance of winning.

At least the price differences between snacks weren’t too extreme.

Beep-boop. Boop-boop-boop.

The machine repeatedly played its cheerful melody.

Gripping the joystick nervously, Yoo Hoseung finally pressed the button with a determined expression.

‘He’ll probably go for the jerky since it has the highest unit price.’

The silver claw descended swiftly and boldly grabbed something.

‘Looks like they didn’t rig the claw strength here.’

“…Huh?”

“Why?”

The snack it lifted was a round chocolate decorated in dark brown and gold foil.

When the claw dropped the chocolate into the prize chute, Yoo Hoseung smiled and crouched down to retrieve it.

“Yoo Hoseung trainee succeeded on the first try. Congratulations.”

“Thank you.”

“Can you tell us why you chose the chocolate? I’m curious.”

Park Chaeyoung looked puzzled.

Yoo Hoseung’s cheeks reddened slightly as he shyly covered part of his face with one hand.

“Because I like this chocolate.”

“Ahh!”

His innocent answer drew sighs from all around.

‘Am I just too materialistic?’

“Next, second-place trainee Kim Sunyoo, please come up!”

Meanwhile, Kim Sunyoo, smiling gently, immediately selected the most expensive jerky without hesitation.

‘Exactly. I’m not the materialistic one.’

After the trainees in third and fourth place also secured expensive snacks through the claw machine, my turn finally arrived.

“Fifth-place trainee Cha Siwoo, please begin your draw!”

“Yes!”

Beep-boing. Boop-boing.

The familiar claw-machine melody echoed repeatedly.

There were still plenty of snacks left, including bread and chips.

‘Let’s go for the seaweed crisps!’

The seaweed crisps were expensive and delicious, making them a strong profit-generating item.

Among the remaining snacks, they were also the most expensive.

As I maneuvered the joystick, the claw finally stopped above my target.

I boldly pressed the button.

The silver claw descended confidently.

“…No!”

The claw, which had been descending perfectly straight, suddenly slipped against the seaweed crisps package.

Then it unexpectedly tilted.

The claw twisted ninety degrees and grabbed a nearby bread instead.

‘Damn it.’

The silver claw gripped the bread tightly and lifted it.

Watching from the sidelines, the trainees erupted into cheers.

“Cha Siwoo trainee’s love for Heartping Bread is truly incredible!”

That’s right.

Instead of the seaweed crisps, what I had caught was Heartping Bread.

Part of me hoped the claw would drop it.

Unfortunately, the unrigged claw machine safely delivered the Heartping Bread all the way to the prize chute.

I crouched down and picked it up.

It was the chocolate-flavored Heartping Bread that Seo Hayul often ate.

‘This is bad. Compared to the seaweed crisps, how much does this thing even cost?’

Since it was character bread, even selling a lot of it wouldn’t generate much revenue compared to the other snacks.

This mini-game was already looking like a difficult journey.

“Fifth-place trainee Cha Siwoo has chosen Heartping Bread as his sales item!”

“WAHAHAHA!”

“HAHAHAHA!”

As the trainees laughed in the background and I stepped off the stage, Seo Hayul stared at the Heartping Bread with sparkling eyes.

‘No, you little brat. We have to sell this.’