From Thug to Idol: Transmigrating to a Survival Show
Chapter 1037: A Special Stage

Chapter 1037: A Special Stage

The early morning sunlight spilled into the hallways of Phoenix Entertainment, but June barely noticed it. He stifled a yawn as he trudged toward the auditorium.

He thought they were going to start practicing for their holiday performances, yet Jay had summoned them to the auditorium instead.

His eyes were heavy from lack of sleep. He had spent hours sorting through profiles and audition tapes with Jay the previous night! He should be given a raise at this point!

"You okay?" Jisung asked.

June nodded, a yawn escaping his lips. He has had better days! But then again, this was better than being in Azure.

"What do you guys think we'll be doing today?" Akira excitedly asked.

"It's a no-brainer," Ren deadpanned. "We're going to be talking about the Christmas stages. Well, it won't be much of a problem since we already have a concept for it."

"Ah," Zeth said. "It's really reassuring performing with you, guys!"

"Well, that's a first," Casper scoffed. "You usually compliment yourself first before mentioning the team."

"Aww, come on, guys!" Zeth exclaimed. "You know that I love you."

"Anyway, why are we going to the auditorium anyway?" Sehun asked. "Shouldn't we be starting our practice today? We're bound to start the Asian leg of the tour after the holidays, too. So, we need all the time we can get."

"Beats me," Jaeyong said. "Jay called for a meeting this morning."

"Well, let's replace out," Akira said, opening the doors.

As soon as he stepped into the large auditorium, chatters greeted him.

The boys of DAWN turned to each other with wide eyes when they saw that most of the groups from Phoenix were inside the room. They spotted CHAOS in the middle and LUNAIRE by the side.

"What is this?" Sehun asked, turning to Jaeyong.

Jaeyong shrugged, not having an idea.

Jay was already at the front of the room, clipboard in hand. He also had dark circles underneath his eyes from lack of sleep, but he still looked jolly as always.

June made his way over with his group members, greeting Jay with a nod before standing beside him.

"Long night?" Jay asked.

"I'm sure you'd know," June said with narrowed eyes. "I'm surprised you're still standing."

Jay chuckled. "Barely."

The chatters quieted down as Jay clapped for attention.

"Alright, everyone," he said into the microphone. "Please take a seat. We've got a lot to cover today, so let's get straight to it."

The idol groups followed their CEO's instructions. Jay looked pretty serious on stage, and DAWN wasn't really used to it. However, they had no choice but to accept that their friend was now a big-shot CEO.

Jay continued, "As you all know, the holiday season is approaching, which means it's time for the annual Christmas stages. Of course, you are all going to participate this year. However, it will not go as usual. Things are going to be a little different."

Murmurs broke out among the crowd. June caught snippets of conversations.

"Is that why they called all of us here?"

"Must be a huge deal if they're changing the format."

"I heard a rumor from ESTEEM! They said that their company was going to arrange a group performance soon."

The boys turned to each other with surprise. Well, that sounded like a plausible idea.

Jay raised a hand, silencing the room again. "That's right. For the first time, every major company will be performing a special stage at the same event. It's a chance to showcase what we've got, so we need to go all out."

Excited chatters were heard in the room. As expected, idols were really competitive, and although they acted professionally on the outside, they were still human! They wanted to have the best performance for the Christmas stages!

It has always been a big deal in the K-pop world. Fans came to watch their favorite idols' stages rather than spending it with their family. So, the expectations were much greater.

"That's not all," Jay added, capturing their attention once more.

"The TV station overseeing the event has decided to spice things up with three collaboration stages. They've chosen the participants themselves, so none of us had any say in the matter."

The other boys looked at June.

He had already experienced a collaboration stage with his mentor when they performed 'Father.' It was such a great hit, so they were expecting June to be chosen once again.

Jay's eyes scanned the room. "First, a group stage featuring a mix of vocalists from different companies. Details will be announced later. Second, a special dance stage with some of the industry's best dancers."

The idea of mixing top talents from different companies was appealing to many, but June could already sense the tension.

Jay paused, his eyes locking onto June for a moment before continuing. "And finally, a duet."

June's stomach twisted. Oh, he already knew where this was going on.

He could just tell by the look on Jay's face!

Well, for once, he thought it wouldn't be too bad. He did love to sing, and having a duet with another artist was going to be another challenge for him.

"The TV station has already decided on the pair: June from DAWN and Mei from LUNAIRE."

Mei's eyes widened, and so did June's. The two of them turned to each other at lightning speed, their expressions mirroring each other's.

June wasn't against a duet but with Mei Ling? It just seemed so awkward! It seemed like his sister was also appalled by the idea. Despite her not knowing they were biological siblings in June's past life, the feelings still remained.

The others congratulated them, not really aware of their real feelings.

"Along with that, the TV station has decided the song you are going to sing," Jay continued.

June turned to the stage with wide eyes. Now, what was this?

Jay opened his mouth, and it was then that June heard a ringing sound in his ears.

"It's going to be a love song!"

Oh, it just got worse.

June would much rather jump off a cliff than sing a love song with his sister!