From Thug to Idol: Transmigrating to a Survival Show

June felt like a total beginner. He marked all of the movements without giving it his all since he was sure that he'd look like an amateur if he did. The last time he attempted to dance something this quirky was during his audition in Rising Stars. 'Hip-Hop ABC' by Little Meow Meow was similar to the song they were currently learning. However, the main difference was—'Hip-Hop ABC' was for total beginners. Even 10-year-olds can dance to the song. Meanwhile, 'Boom Up' was for beginner dancers...especially those who specialized in girl group dancing.

"One...and....two...and three," Katana said, moving her hips left to right while her hands were crossed in front of her waist.

June pursed his lips as the students struggled to get the movements right. However, one of the students, particularly the man just right before him, followed Katana without any struggle. He was still a bit stiff. However, out of all of them, it seemed like he was the most confident. June marked the movement once again, causing Gun to frown. However, his frown quickly eased when he inferred that June was just saving his energy. However, in reality, Gun was mistaken. June knew how to do the moves. He even memorized up until the second chorus while almost all of the other students struggled to remember the first few movements. The main problem was that June wasn't used to this kind of dancing style. He was confident in boy group genres. He could even dabble in contemporary dancing.

However, girl group dances entailed a gracefulness that took a new level of commitment.

"Why don't we do a rundown for now? Then, we can dance by group later on?" Katana asked, excited to see the students' progress. Others groaned, while others were excited to show off their dance moves.

They did a quick rundown of the dance, with June still marking the movements. Fortunately, one of the male members raised his hand to ask a question. "I'm struggling to do the graceful movements," he said. "Do you have any tips on how to make my moves look more dainty?" June heard the man before him scoff, causing him to frown. He had been observing him since the beginning of the class, and it seemed like he had a superiority complex. Gun acknowledged the question and went to the front. "This is actually a frequently asked question," Gun started off. "First, we have to recognize that men and women are anatomically different. It's something we can't escape. There are movements that women can do best and vice versa with men. However, that doesn't mean we can't make up for the differences." "The first step is to have a thick face," Gun said. "This is more rampant in men, but some are uncomfortable with doing dainty movements when, in reality, they can do it if they just swallow their pride." June pursed his lips. That definitely was an issue for him. "Second, you need to have good foundations. Bodyrolls, body part isolations, and simple rhythmical play are all aspects that one should be familiar with if they want to excel in a lot of genres." June nodded, taking Gun's words and engraving them into his mind. Then, Gun proceeded to demonstrate the chorus before them. June couldn't deny the mentor's talent and experience. He made the move look graceful yet manly at the same time. June marked the movement once again. Then, he finally realized that he was overcomplicating the movements. This was a beginner's class for a reason. He just needed to let go of his inhibitions and move his body until it felt right. "Alright, we've already passed the 45-minute mark. Shall we start with the first demonstration?" Katana asked. "Let's go!" the students excitedly exclaimed. "Let's have groups of five present the dance up until the first chorus," Gun said. "We'll be choosing the best dancers among all of you, and two people—one man and one woman—will get the chance to join us in a video with other dancers! It's part of our anniversary special, so expect some famous faces!" The students chattered excitedly, all wanting the chance to dance with famous dancers. Meanwhile, June was busily marking the movements, wanting to show his best in front of the mentors and students. Truth be told, he didn't even hear the benefit of being in their anniversary video. Instead, he was focused on showing off and keeping his reputation as an idol. "Why don't we start with the first group?" Gun asked, leading the first five girls to the front.

They shyly took their formations; however, once the music started, they moved in unison with the beat. A small smile appeared on June's face. It was reinforced that he was, indeed, in a beginner's class. He could see his past self in the way they moved, but it was impressive how they danced until the end. Katana and Gun, too, clapped loudly as the first chorus faded. It seemed like Gun had a change of heart and even complimented the girls, although they didn't dance to his expectations. "Let's have the next group," Gun said. Three girls and two boys went to the front this time. The girls in this group were similar to the last one, their faces showing pure enjoyment. The boys evidently struggled more, with their movements being stiffer than that of the ladies. Nonetheless, June still clapped for the effort they had made. The next group was only filled with boys. "Let's go," Katana excitedly exclaimed as the music played. The others looked nervous as they started moving. However, one person stood out. The man, who has been boastful from the start, actually had a reason for his attitude. He wasn't a beginner but an intermediate dancer at best. However, in a group filled with beginners, his skills were highlighted even more, making him shine under the artificial lights. As the song ended, Gun and Katana nodded at each other in pleasant surprise. "You've improved once again, Inseong," Gun complimented. "You should really consider moving up into the intermediate class." Inseong smirked in satisfaction, loving the way the other boys looked at him with envy. As he walked back to their spot, Inseong's eyes met with June's.

June couldn't be mistaken. There was a mischievous expression in Inseong's eyes as if he was saying, 'I'm better than you.' "June," Gun said, snapping their eye contact. June stood and looked to his side, realizing that he had to dance all alone. "Are you okay with dancing alone?" Katana asked. June smiled, walking to the front and assuming his position. "It doesn't matter," he said. "I just have to dance, don't I?"