From Thug to Idol: Transmigrating to a Survival Show

791 The Charity Concert (2)

Undeniably, the kids were excited as soon as they heard the familiar intro of the hit song 'Meow Meow' by Little Meow Meow. For them, it was a song they wanted to hear more than Oasis and Luster. However, why was it that the adults felt even more excited than the kids? Jia and Bora held each other's hands on their laps, squeezing each other's palms as they tried to contain their excitement.

The other guests turned to their phones to share their excitement. - EVE is going to sing Meow Meow. - Meow Meow by THE Little Meow Meow? - Yes. - What the heck? This charity concert is much better than I'd imagined. Why couldn't I get the tickets? - Please film them for me. - Filming isn't allowed inside! - I bet this is June's tactic so that only a few people could watch him do aegyo! - Brave of you to think that June wanted to partake in this in the first place. Truly, June was quite it when his members suggested performing the song during their brainstorming activity. However, he had no power against the seven of them, so he had no choice but to follow. Yet, seeing the excited smiles on the children's faces made him think otherwise. Even Luna, who couldn't stand on her own and was being propped up by two older children, gazed at the stage with unmatched excitement, making June's heart soften. With that, the music started, and the boys went to their positions. They made the performance as simple as possible. The eight of them practiced by playing Little Meow Meow on the television and dancing to it in their pajamas. They kept it true to the original performance and channeled their cuteness, similar to Little Meow Meow. "In the shadows of the moonlight,

Whispers of a hidden sight,

A meow, so soft and yet profound,

Echoes through the silence all around."

They sang in unison, their voices sounding like the gates to cat heaven opening. The boys also danced the original choreography, which was simple and easy to follow through. Yet, even with simple choreography, they managed to make the performance look sophisticated. Bora squeezed Jia's hand tighter, subtly rocking her body back and forth to contain her feelings. "So...cute. I want to squish them to death," Bora muttered. "Behave," Jia said. "You don't want the kids seeing that you're more excited than them. They're going to think we're crazy." "We're already crazy for thinking that these grown-ass men are cute." Jia smirked. "That's why K-pop is so special. Imagine babying Western artists. It's just weird." "Yeah," Bora muttered. "I found this 'Drake as Kittens' post on Navel and

immediately wanted to throw myself off of a cliff." "But you sent me the 'June as Kittens' thread whilst crying," Jia remarked. Bora nodded. "See? Told you that fangirling makes us crazy." "Now shush," Jia said. "I want to savor this moment and capture it with my eyes." "Meow, meow, a timeless call,

Unveiling mysteries, standing tall or small.

Beneath the surface, secrets lie,

In the depths of a feline's eye."

Despite June's initial apprehension, he still performed to the best of his ability. In fact, he almost seemed like a natural! He clenched his fists in front of his face and acted like he had paws! The other boys turned to each other with smiles, knowing that June was bound to give it his all no matter the performance. Indeed, June's internal organs were already screaming for help. However, seeing the lovely smiles on the children's faces compelled him to do his best. With that, the members of EVE gave it their all for their final performance. Jay sniffed and wiped the tears away from his eyes, making Lei turn to him with a chuckle. "This isn't even an emotional song," he chuckled. Jay pursed his lips before shaking his head. "It is...to me," he muttered. "They're my little babies. Aren't they just the best?" he asked. Lei gazed at the ground with an ambiguous smile. "You care for them a lot, huh?" he asked. Jay let out a deep breath and turned to the new manager. "Well, of course," Jay said. "I really think of them as my family. I genuinely have never seen any other people work as hard as EVE, especially June." Lei crossed his arms in front of his chest and gazed at the handsome idol who was doing cat poses on the stage. "That must be why he's so successful," Lei muttered. "Yes," Jay said. "I see a lot of people saying that June was just lucky and all that. He was lucky to be born with his face. He was lucky to have that kind of talent."

"However, I've been there since the beginning. June didn't have any of those. He just made it seem like he has been talented and attractive since the beginning," he smiled. "That, in itself, is already a talent. From the get-go, his mind has been very strong—unlike any other person that I've met." "I see," Lei muttered. "So, June will always have my back," Jay said, a wider smile on his face. "You don't feel jealous of him at all?" Lei suddenly asked, making Jay surprised. "Didn't you want to become an idol before you became a manager?" he continued. Jay paused for a while, reflecting on Lei's deep question. "Jealous?" he muttered. "Of course, I've been jealous." "Like you said, this has been my dream for the longest time, and honestly, although I really like what I'm doing now, there are still some moments when I think about performing." "But then again, don't we all have something we yearn for? That doesn't necessarily mean that we want it. We just wonder how things could have changed if the trajectory of your life went in a different direction." "Hmm," Lei hummed.

"So, yeah. I guess I get jealous from time to time. But that doesn't diminish the fact that I am supportive of June and the other boys," Jay proudly said. Lei smiled and nodded. "You're a good manager, Jay," he said, patting his back. Jay pursed his lips, feeling his cheeks warm up. Then, he reciprocated the action, looking sincerely into Lei's eyes. "You're also going to be a great one," he said to Lei. "How do you even know that?" Lei chuckled. Jay reassuringly smiled. "I just know." "I'll be here to support you no matter what."

"I'm holding your word on that," Lei smiled.