From Thug to Idol: Transmigrating to a Survival Show

"I watched their performances when I was in Elementary school." "Damn, Seven's really young." "I performed one of their songs during the trainee evaluations." "Same! It was really hard to pull off."

"How many people do you know can pull off a one-letter stage name? Not a lot! Y is a legendary senior." Praises were heard in the studio as SPADES prepared for their stage. They had hand-held microphones in their hands, which probably meant they weren't going to be using any backtrack for their performance. They stood in a straight line, a bit spaced out since they only had four members.

Nonetheless, despite their lack of members, they still filled the stage with their presence. June paid more attention to their performance, especially the one in the middle—Y. The stage plunged into darkness. Four spotlights illuminated the quartet, showing off their glowing skin. Then, a nostalgic tone resounded in the studio, making the participants, staff members, and hosts exclaim in delight. The ballad, 'Sweet Poison,' had definitely been etched into the hearts of many Koreans. It was a popular song that was sung at karaoke bars, especially after drinking sessions. So, the fact that they were singing this was already a huge advantage for the team. "The taste of your absence, a bitter afterglow,

Yet, I cling to the burning touch, reluctant to let go." Hyunbin, their oldest member, started off the song, immediately captivating the entire studio. His voice held experience—one that nobody could replicate in the room except for Jee Haemin. It was as if he had experienced a real poisonous love, and he was singing the song to a past lover. His vocal skill, which was in the same vocal tier as June's, left many in awe, including June himself. "I tried to let go, but the fire wouldn't relent. Holding onto the fragments that our hearts spent."

Another member sang, his voice like honey velvet. It wrapped around the audience with heartache and longing. The simplicity of the piano and the sad strings served as the perfect instrumental, enhancing the painful narrative of the song. The members, clad in elegant all-white suits that mirrored the song's emotional richness, stood like statues of grace. They were immersed in the depths of their own thoughts. For the entire verse, they didn't dance—which June found a bit strange since he knew the song had an original choreography. However, as the chorus approached, the members of SPADES finally executed their choreography. Their dance, although not as intense as MORH3D's or BOYMYSTIC's, possessed a different kind of charm. It was a delicate waltz of movement, easy on the eyes. As June observed the members, he could tell that dancing wasn't their strongest front.

However, Y definitely showed his skill in dancing despite the simple movements. Then, as he opened his mouth to sing, June nodded in acknowledgment. The man was better than him. "Sweet poison, hoping our love remains. Burning bridges, yet I'm still holding the chain. I'll drink the poison, though it scorches my soul. In the ruins of us, where broken hearts take their toll."

[Y, 1989

Vocals: SS

Dance: S-

Visual: A- Rap: D] June was once again reminded that he wasn't battling with amateurs this time. As the last note resounded, the studio immediately burst into applause. "Ah, fuck. My heart did a little dance of happiness." "It's so much better than I would ever imagine." "I can't believe I witnessed that live!" "Is it too late to drop out of the competition?" SPADES received the most praise out of all the groups that had performed, making them the frontrunner for the first benefit. SPADES went back to their seats, satisfaction seen on their faces. Then, when asked who they wanted to perform next, they didn't hesitate to give out an answer. "We'll go with OCTA," Y said. "I think they're the most promising rookie group out there." The members of EVE subtly looked at each other, wondering if his statement was meant to diss them in some kind of way. Akira leaned closer to Jaeyong and whispered. "Don't act offended. You were the same to June during Rising Stars." Jaeyong awkwardly chuckled before looking apologetically at June. Despite feeling a bit nervous to perform right after a huge senior, OCTA still took on the challenge. They performed HEATWAVE, their debut single and the highest-charting song out of their discography. EVE was very familiar with the song and their performance since they saw it during their promotion period. Nonetheless, OCTA incorporated quite a lot of surprise elements with their props and stage effects. In the chorus, Uno held a torch high in the air while intensely dancing to their choreography.

Then, right after the chorus, the bridge came, and they had Dos and Tres remove their jackets to show off their toned bodies. "Alright, that's unfair. How do they get their bodies like that?" "I really need to start going to the gym." June looked down at his body and poked his arm. Yeah, he also needed to build his body more. As OCTA sang the last chorus, June focused his gaze on Uno's status window and smirked. "Monster," he muttered, looking at his improved dance aspect. June wondered why his status didn't move up despite the amount of practice he poured into his skills, but he guessed he needed to work even harder. He already had two sessions with Magic Mama, so his knowledge of singing had drastically improved. However, he also knew he still had a long way to go. OCTA's performance was greeted with a loud round of applause. Uno's and June's eyes met for a couple of seconds, and the former threw him a confident smile. June sat straight, already knowing what was coming..

They were definitely going to be performing next. "Do you need some time to discuss who you're going to choose?" Haemin asked. Uno quickly shook his head. "We've already decided." "It's us," June said, making his teammates sit in attention. "EVE will be up next," Uno smirked. Haemin nodded, looking over EVE's way. "Alright. Let's have EVE on the stage!"

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