FROM THUG TO IDOL: TRANSMIGRATING TO A SURVIVAL SHOW - Season 3 Episode 9

Hana couldn’t believe her eyes. Standing before her was June, dressed in very simple clothes yet somehow looking even more handsome than what she had remembered.

“Your skin is magnificent,” Hana said before she could stop herself.

“Thanks,” June took the compliment.

Hana finally snapped out of her daze and stood from her seat, pointing at June. “What are you doing here?”

“I needed to see you,” June said without any hesitation.

Hana froze as she looked into June’s sincere eyes. “I—I—”

She couldn’t even form a coherent sentence since her heart was racing inside her chest. Was June actually in love with her? Sure, Hana had imagined a ‘childhood friends-to-lovers’ type of story, but she never imagined that it would be with June!

Not that she was complaining.

It was just too tough at the moment since her career was popping off. However, maybe she could make it work?

“I need you to give me my childhood photos,” June bluntly said, completely shattering Hana’s fantasies.

“Uh—what?” Hana asked with wide eyes.

“My childhood photos,” June said. “Do you still have them with you? I know you went with me to Gangwon Province and photographed some of my pictures back then.”

Hana pursed her lips in embarrassment. Right, June needed something from her.

“Childhood photos? You came here just for that? You could have just texted me, you know?” she said, sulking a little bit.

“I did,” June said. “I checked your Navel, and you said you weren’t allowed to use your phone.”

“Oh, that’s only when I’m not filming,” she chuckled. “People kept asking me for updates, and I got tired of doing them, so I posted that. I was knocked out last night, so I didn’t get to see my texts and calls.”

June sighed. So, he came for nothing?

“What do you even need it for?” Hana asked. “I thought you hated your childhood photos, even though you were so cute in them.”

June perked up. “Cute?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Hana chuckled. “You look even purer back then. It was really cute. I keep your photos in my phone for when I need a little boost.”

June suspiciously narrowed his eyes at her. “You’ve been keeping it in your phone all these years?”

Hana quickly shook her head. “It isn’t like that, you idiot! I just recently transferred them from my old phone when we met after a long time. It’s for memory’s sake,” she defended.

“Sure, whatever you say,” June said. “Well, can I see them?”

Hana chuckled and retrieved her phone from the pocket of her hanged sweater, opening the gallery and going to an album entitled ‘Cute.’

June tilted his head to the side once he saw the title. Did Hana actually think he was cute?

Hana opened a photo and turned her phone to show it to June.

June was pleasantly surprised. It seemed like the photo sent to Doctor Kim during his livestream wasn’t real since June actually looked pretty decent when he was younger.

There was no doubt that he was more handsome now, but the kid in the photo looked…cute? He had a wide smile that seemed genuine, and he held onto a large lollipop.

“See?” Hana said. “You were cute. This was the cutest, most genuine smile I’ve ever seen you in, so I decided to snap a photo.”

“Hmm, I must have had a pretty good childhood then,” June inferred. “Do you have any other photos?”

“Yeah,” Hana said, scrolling through the photos. There was a photo of June in a pool, then crying in front of a classroom, and a photo that appeared to have been taken in a practice room.

June smirked. This dude, Choi Joon-ho, actually looked like an idol when he was younger. If he had taken care of himself better, he must have grown into what June currently looked like.

Doctor Kim was speaking out of his ass when he accused June of having a rhinoplasty, double eyelid surgery, a chin implant, and even ear reduction. It was obvious that he just wanted to feed his miserable viewers’ delusions.

June wasn’t against plastic surgery. He couldn’t care less about what other people wanted to do with their faces. It was their life, not his. However, he didn’t enjoy being accused of doing something he didn’t do.

Unless Fu actually finished medical school and obtained a legitimate cosmetic surgery license, then June hadn’t undergone the knife at all.

“Send them to me,” June said, bringing out his phone.

“You don’t think I’ll just send these photos to you so easily, hmm?” Hana smiled cheekily.

June narrowed his eyes at Hana. “What do you want?”

“Hmm,” Hana said, placing a finger under her chin. She thought of something she wanted from June when her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by Director Jam’s screams.

“Wait a second,” Hana said, stepping outside her tent and observing the commotion.

Director Jam stood in the middle of the set, his face contorted in frustration. The crew had just brought in a trio of civilians, hoping to find the perfect replacement for the extra who had ruined the previous scene.

There stood a muscle-bound man, a short man, and a towering giant.

“This guy looks like he belongs in a wrestling ring. His biceps would bust the seams of the attire we’ve prepared,” Jam said to the first candidate.

“And this guy,” he said, walking to the man with the short stature. “I’ll change my name to Peanut Butter if he manages to scare off Seobin. He doesn’t look threatening at all!”

“And you,” Jam pointed at the tall guy. “They’re making a real-life version of Slenderman next year. Wait for your time, then.? But right now, get out of my set! Don’t we have any more candidates?” he screamed.

His assistant shakily walked closer to him. “Uh—do you want me to recruit a bodyguard or a cameraman, Director? Maybe we can make something work.”

Director Jam’s blood pressure began to rise, and his face turned a shade of crimson that rivaled the costumes on set. “This is not what I’m looking for!” he bellowed, causing the crew members to exchange nervous glances. “Is it so hard to find a man with a lean body?”

Just then, Hana thought of a brilliant, beyond brilliant idea.

She ran back to the tent and saw June patiently waiting for her.

“Sure, I’ll give you the photos,” Hana smiled, a bit breathless.

“Really?” June asked.

“Yup,” she said. “But you have to do me a favor.”

June sighed. “I knew it. Well, I’ll be stuck in Azure after this day, so it must be something easy to accomplish.”

“Oh, don’t worry,” Hana said. “You can finish the favor today.”

“Fine,” June said. “What do you want?”

“Be a bandit for me.”