From Thug to Idol: Transmigrating to a Survival Show

June stared up at the ceiling, not being able to sleep.

His body was tired, but his mind wasn't.

It ran with a thousand thoughts, circulating with one main topic—death.

Who knew that his dizzy spells?and headaches actually meant something?

"What the heck," June muttered, standing from his seat and walking to his full-length mirror.

He looked at himself and found that he still looked fine—handsome as hell, even.

"Is this the face of a dying man?" June asked.

Then, he jumped around, banging his chest with his fists like a gorilla.

"Nothing hurts," he continued. "Is it really true?"

Denial.

That was the first stage of grieving.

"Why the heck did I even get sick in the first place? I eat the best out of every member of EVE! I haven't even touched a stick of cigarette or vape ever since I transmigrated to this body!" he exclaimed.

Anger.

June sighed in frustration. "But then again, I've been over-exerting myself these past few months. I don't even know how I was able to do it. Maybe this is the price I'm paying for not taking care of myself well."

Bargaining.

June plopped to the ground, his eyes blank.

"Goodness, I don't even want to do anything anymore."

Depression.

"I should just die."

Acceptance.

"Are you practicing for a new role?"

June shot up in surprise when he heard Jisung speak from behind him.

"How long have you been there?" June asked with wide eyes.

"Since you started jumping around in circles while banging your chest. Did Jay offer you a new acting audition? Is it about a man who dies? Or maybe an ape invasion?" he excitedly asked.

"That was very convincing, by the way! I almost believed that you would actually be dying," he continued.

June pursed his lips.

If only he knew.

"Anyway, I just came here to call you for lunch. I know you have a shoot with Rising Stars today, so I called you since you weren't going out of your room."

"What?" June asked. "It's noon already?"

"Yup," Jisung said. "So, come on. Jay will come pick you up in a few."

June nodded, standing from the ground and following after Jisung.

He looked at the table and saw the scrumptious food. However, for some reason, he didn't have any appetite.

"Isn't this your favorite?" Jisung asked. "We ordered it just for you!"

June chuckled nervously before shoving the food inside his mouth.

As expected, it didn't taste like anything because his mind was in shambles.

So, after a few more bites, he stood from his chair.

Akira frowned in confusion. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"To shower," June responded. "I'll be heading out soon."

With that, June went to shower. He turned it on, not even adjusting the temperature.

He felt the cold water pelt against his skin, but then again, he couldn't feel anything.

It was as if he became immune to it.

After that, he got dressed and went to the parking lot, where Jay was already waiting.

"Let's go!" Jay excitedly exclaimed.

"Yeah," June muttered, looking out of the window. His windows were tinted, so the world seemed dull, black-and-white, and lacking of life...

...just like him.

Then, he finally arrived at the set of Rising Stars, so Jay left him all alone to gossip with the staff members.

June went to where Yena and Yejin were and didn't realize that he had passed them already.

"June!" Yena exclaimed. "Over here," she chuckled. "You look out of it."

June pursed his lips. "Sorry, I didn't sleep well."

"Nah, it's alright. We all have those days," Yejin said. "Anyway, you're going to mentor the team that performs 'We're All Going To Die.'"

June raised his head at lightning speed.

Then, he looked up at the ceiling for a moment.

'Really? Do you want to rub it in my face?'

"Is that alright with you?" Yena asked.

'No!' June wanted to say. However, he couldn't bring himself to do so.

Instead, he reluctantly nodded in agreement.

"Great," Yejin exclaimed, clapping in excitement. "You may go to practice room number five. The other mentors have already started.

June nodded once more and went to the team that he would mentor.

He opened the door, already expecting to see one familiar face.

Mei.

Then, the others gasped once they saw June.

"Mentor June!" Ara exclaimed, taking a step back.

Yeri, too, smiled shyly at the handsome idol.

Meanwhile, Zonya, their last member, bowed deeply, as if she had just seen a deity.

Mei, on the other hand, pursed her lips and slightly bowed her head.

June observed her for a moment and noted that she looked better compared to the night of the eliminations.

"Good morning, girls," June said, picking up a chair and placing it in the middle of the practice room.

"Well, it looks like I'll be your mentor for this particular stage."

"Lucky us," Ara said, already giggly like the bright girl she was. "I bet they're all jealous of us!"

June chuckled in amusement.

"Sit down for a moment," he said, and the girls immediately followed, sitting before him with bright eyes.

"So, how have you prepared so far?" June asked.

Yeri pursed her lips before responding. "We haven't done much. Mei was just teaching us the choreography of the song. We're the eliminated ones, so we haven't had much time to practice."

"I see," June said, placing his hand under his chin.

"Only Mei is the original member of this group, right?" he asked.

Mei nodded. "Yeah," she said.

"All of us are new ones—the rejected ones!" Ara excitedly said.

"But it's not like I hate it," Ara said. "My last group had a very badass concept, and it doesn't suit my image. I suit cuter songs more! However, I wanted to join Mei for a mission, so I came here."

"I forgot that her team chose a very sad song, though," she said, scratching the back of her head.

"Yeah," Yeri said, agreeing with Ara's sentiment. "Even the title of the song is so blatantly sad."

"We're all going to die," she continued. "It's so emo."

"Hmm," Mei hummed. "But isn't that your specialty?" she asked, turning to June.

The other girls also turned to June, realizing that June was, indeed, the master of emotional performances!

However, there was a question that circulated in June's mind—

one that he wanted to ask the group of girls.

"Hey, I have a question," he suddenly said, making the girls curious.

June let out a deep breath before asking the question.

"If you were only given three months, maybe even a month to live—what would you do?"