From Thug to Idol: Transmigrating to a Survival Show

Chapter 1019: June's Effective Team



Minjun was lounging on the couch, scrolling through his phone with an annoyed look plastered on his face. He wasn't sure if the news articles or the chaos they described was making his blood boil.

First, they weren't written well.

And second, headline after headline screamed about DAWN's recent incidents.

'DAWN Mobbed by Fans at a Hotel,'

'Chaos at DAWN's Fan Meet-Stalking Incidents Reported'

'Phoenix Entertainment Under Fire for Inadequate Security Measures.'

He rolled his eyes, tossing his phone onto the couch with a huff.

"This is ridiculous. I swear, Phoenix Entertainment sucks," he muttered, loud enough for Lena to hear from the kitchen.

"What did you say?" Lena called out, popping her head around the corner.

"I said Phoenix sucks!" Minjun shouted back, his tone filled with irritation. "Have you seen the news? DAWN is being mobbed everywhere they go! It's like Phoenix has zero idea how to protect them!"

Lena set down her mug of coffee and walked over, arms crossed. "That's not fair, Minjun. Phoenix is doing its best. It's not exactly easy managing a group as popular as DAWN, you know."

Minjun raised an eyebrow, his disbelief obvious. "Oh, please. That's exactly the problem! DAWN is growing like crazy, and the fans are becoming crazier by the day. Stalkers, sasaengs, mobs at every turn-Phoenix should've seen this coming and beefed up security ages ago." Lena let out a sigh, sitting down next to him. "You think it's that simple? Phoenix is handling it. They've got plans in place-"

"Plans? Really? Is the plan to just let fans tackle them before their schedules? Because that's what it looks like," Minjun snapped, leaning forward. "June's practically being thrown into crowds. I saw a video where he almost tripped because fans grabbed his arm! It's insane. Oh, and Jisung isn't smiling as much now. Meanwhile, Phoenix are twiddling their thumbs!"

Lena's eyes narrowed slightly. "First of all, they're not twiddling their thumbs. They've hired extra security for events, and they're adjusting protocols="

"Adjusting protocols?" Minjun cut her off, letting out a laugh. "That's corporate speak for 'we messed up but are trying to make it sound like we know what we're doing.""

Lena clenched her jaw. "You don't know what you're talking about. You're just a kid reading some sensationalized articles online."

"Oh, so now I'm just a dumb kid? Sure, Mom. Whatever helps you sleep at night," Minjun shot back. He leaned back against the couch, throwing his hands up. "Why are you even defending Phoenix so hard? It's not like you own the place."

There was a pause.

A very long pause.

Minjun leaned closer, staring at his mom's face.

Lena's lips pressed into a thin line. She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

The silence was deafening.

Minjun's eyes widened, and then he burst out laughing. "I'm joking! Geez, Mom, you look like you've seen a ghost," he said, still chuckling. "Honestly, if you owned Phoenix, I'd have a lot more complaints. Starting with how much I hate the owner."

Lena's smile faltered. "You... hate the owner?" she repeated.

"Obviously!" Minjun exclaimed, oblivious to the way her face fell. "I mean, who wouldn't? Whoever runs Phoenix is clearly out of touch with reality. The way they're handling DAWN is a mess. I'd tell them that to their face."

He laughed again, shaking his head. "Can you picture it? I was standing in front of the big boss of Phoenix, just ripping into them. 'Hey, your company sucks. Fix your security or watch DAWN get trampled by a mob again.""

With that, Minjun grabbed his phone again and scrolled through another article, muttering to himself about the headlines of the big news outlets.

"These all suck," he muttered.

Meanwhile, Lena went back to the kitchen with narrowed eyes.

"So, he hates me, huh?" she said, shaking her head and letting out a laugh. "Ah, that kid, really. He inherited his father's attitude!"

She pulled out her phone and dialed June's number. He picked up almost immediately.

"What?"

Lena pursed her lips. Alright, maybe it wasn't his dad, but June, with whom Minjun was similar. He could have greeted her more warmly!

She was the owner of Phoenix after all!

Lena cleared her throat, her voice back to its usual business-like tone. "June, we're adding more security on you guys," she said, already typing up a message to her contacts at Phoenix.

"No arguments."

"So suddenly?"

"Just accept it!" Lena snapped.

***

Haruto sat at his desk, squinting at the monitor in front of him. It was supposed to be his rare day off, but the noise coming from the living room was impossible to ignore. There was some buzzing followed by a clattering sound and what might've been a spark.

"What the hell?" Haruto muttered, pushing back his wheelchair. He made his way out of his room, frowning as the noise grew louder.

When he turned the corner into the living room, his jaw dropped. There was Marcus, hunched over the coffee table with a welding machine in hand, sparks flying.

Surrounding him was a collection of random items: a ceramic mug, a keychain, a mini fan, and a sleek perfume bottle.

Haruto crossed his arms. "What is this?" he asked, raising his voice to be heard over the noise.

Marcus looked up, pulling off his protective goggles with a nonchalant expression. "Props," he said simply.

Haruto's frown deepened. "Props?"

He moved closer, peering over Marcus's shoulder. "Since when do you make props?"

"Since last night," Marcus replied, turning back to his work.

Haruto stepped around to get a better look at the table. Now that he could see them up close, the items looked almost... cute. He picked up the ceramic mug first. It was painted in pastel colors, with a little smiley face that seemed homemade.

Then he spotted the keychain, a tiny figure that looked suspiciously like June-complete with a smirk and tousled hair. The mini fan was shaped like a cat, and the perfume bottle was decorated with tiny flowers.

"Aww," Haruto cooed as he examined the cute assortment. "These are adorable. Did you

make all of these?"

Marcus just nodded, not looking up from the fan he was tinkering with.

Haruto grinned, holding up the mug. "And what exactly are these for?"

"They're for June," Marcus answered matter-of-factly.

Haruto raised his eyebrows, clearly confused. "For June? What, like a gift set or something?"

Marcus finally glanced up, giving Haruto a flat look. "No. They're surveillance devices."

The smile froze on Haruto's face. He blinked, staring at the mug in his hand. "This... has a

camera in it?"

"Yup," Marcus said, going back to work. "Right inside the handle."

Haruto turned the mug slowly, squinting at the handle as if he'd find the camera lens. He couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. "Seriously?" he muttered, then pointed to the kitty

fan. "And this one?"

"Camera," Marcus confirmed.

Haruto's mouth fell open as he picked up the perfume bottle next. "And this?"

"Microphone," Marcus said without missing a beat.

Haruto's eyes widened. He picked up the keychain of June. "And let me guess-this has a

tracker in it?"

Marcus nodded. "Correct."

Haruto let out a breathless laugh, setting the keychain back on the table.

"You can do this too?" he asked.

Marcus nodded once more.

Haruto looked at Marcus, who was now adjusting the wiring on the mini fan. "And when did

June ask you to do this?"

"Last night," Marcus said casually, as if installing spy gear into everyday objects was just a

regular Tuesday night activity.

Haruto pursed his lips" So, you pulled an all-nighter for this?"

Marcus shrugged. "June said it was urgent."

Haruto couldn't help but let out a small, incredulous laugh.

"You're nearly done, huh?"

"Almost," Marcus said, pulling his goggles back on as he finished the final touches on the

bunny fan.

Haruto leaned back, drumming his fingers on the armrest. "Okay, I have to ask," he said, his tone teasing. "Who do you like better-June or me?"

Marcus paused, lifting his goggles once more. He stared at Haruto. For a long moment, he

didn't say anything.

Without a word, Marcus went back to work, focusing intently on the fan as if Haruto hadn't

spoken at all.

"Oh, wow," Haruto said, feigning a dramatic sigh. He slumped back against the couch, throwing an arm over his eyes. "I think I know the answer."

"But same," he said. "What else does June need? Let's make them all!"

***

The DAWN members were scattered around the Phoenix Entertainment break room, each lounging in their own way.

Akira was stretched out on the couch, scrolling through his phone, while Ren casually leaned

against the counter with a bottle of water. Zeth was humming a tune under his breath while

playing drums on the table. June, however, was the center of attention, holding a new ceramic mug in his hand.

It had a glossy, uneven finish with a tiny hand-painted flower on the side. It looked innocent -ordinary even-but in the hands of June, the most ordinary things had a way of becoming anything but.

Akira's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Okay, what is it this time?" he asked, gesturing at the mug.

"Oh, this?" he said, feigning nonchalance. "A mug."

"Right," Haruto drawled, not believing it for a second. He leaned closer, inspecting the mug.

"So, let me guess. It's not just a mug, is it?"

June tapped the handle of the mug with his finger. "It's got a tiny camera in it."

Ren let out a low whistle, crossing his arms. "A camera? And where exactly are you planning

to use that?"

"It's a gift."

"For who?" Casper asked, looking at June with narrowed eyes.

"For Mia," June nonchalantly said. "What?" Jisung exclaimed. "How can you give her a gift after everything she's done?"

June shrugged. "I'm just giving her back the favor. Stalk our team? Let's have someone stalk

her."

A chill ran down Sehun's spine. "Wait...that sounds illegal."

"It is," Jaeyong said. "How exactly are you going to give it to her?"

"Oh, I'll just leave it after our schedule. She'll pick it up. She's the one taking my stuff, after

all."

Akira cracked up, slapping his knee. "You've turned her own obsession against her," he said. "You're really something else, June."

Sehun raised his hand. "Guys! Isn't that illegal?"

June's smile faded a bit. "I was lenient the first time," he said, his tone flat. "Clearly, that

wasn't enough. She needs to be caught in the act. Otherwise, this is just going to keep

happening."

Ren nodded slowly. "You're baiting her," he realized. "You're giving her something she can't

resist, so she'll take it and expose herself."

June hummed with a nod.

Haruto burst out laughing, doubling over. "You're actually a mastermind," he said, shaking

his head. "I almost feel bad for her."

"Almost."