From Thug to Idol: Transmigrating to a Survival Show Chapter 2: June

[Oh, wonderful. You have finally awakened.]

For the second time that night, Jun Hao jerked awake with a sharp intake of breath. He scanned the room, finding it completely empty, and felt a wave of dizziness wash over him from the sudden movement.

[Steady now, host. You just took a nasty fall in the bathroom. Given your current financial state, you certainly cannot afford a hospital visit.]

His eyes widened as the events of moments ago flashed through his mind. Rushing to the dresser, he peered at his reflection. The face staring back was undeniably different—more youthful and strikingly handsome, much like a typical pretty boy.

"Who is this?" he breathed out.

[That is you, host. You are Choi Joon-ho.]

He let out a dry, incredulous laugh. He was convinced he had finally lost his mind. Had he really perished?

[Indeed, your life ended. However, your soul endures. It now inhabits the vessel of Choi Joon-ho.]

"Who exactly are you?" he questioned, glancing around the dimly lit space.

[I imagined you might ask. My name is Fu, and I serve as your system. Have you any familiarity with the concept of transmigration?]

He gave a slow nod. Having a sister who devoured such novels meant he’d heard enough summaries to know the drill, though he never imagined such a trope would manifest in his own reality.

[That is precisely what has occurred, host. Review the display appearing before you to understand the details of your current body.]

A glowing projection flickered into existence, causing him to recoil in pure shock.

[Born for Stardom. You have been selected to realize the lifelong ambition of Choi Joon-ho!]

Choi Joon-ho, born in 2002. By day, a trainee at Phoenix Entertainment; by night, a convenience store clerk. After six years of grueling training and a promise of debut, he was cruelly sidelined by a newcomer. Within a single year, that new arrival had risen to fame as part of the boy group CHAOS.

Driven to despair, he refused to abandon his dreams and paid 1,000 dollars to join another agency, only to be swindled. Homeless and evicted, he sought refuge in this crumbling apartment to restart his life. However, his misfortune followed him; local thugs tarnished his reputation with rumors of bullying, leading to his rejection from his final hope. With no family or friends to anchor him, he chose to end his struggle.

Jun Hao exhaled a long, heavy sigh as he internalized the boy's tragic history. It mirrored his own past in many ways, yet the victim was so incredibly young—barely his sister's age. Why did such a promising life have to extinguish so prematurely?

[You now bear the responsibility of continuing his quest, host.]

Jun Hao chuckled bitterly. While the teen’s plight moved him, he had zero desire to walk the path of an idol. His sister’s obsession with the industry had taught him enough to know that such a life was not for him.

"I refuse," he declared. "Send me back to my own world. My sister is waiting for my return."

[System rejection. The host is not permitted to decline this offer.]

"I said no," he insisted, his tone hardening. "Find someone else to play this role."

[System rejection. The host has been irrevocably bound.]

Jun Hao sighed, pacing in hesitation. Peering out the window, he beheld a foreign horizon. This was nowhere near Shanghai; he was in Seoul, South Korea. The very signs on the street were written in Hangeul. It was madness. This had to be a fever dream.

Returning to the dresser, he slammed his forehead against the mirror, shattering the glass. Blood trickled from shallow cuts on his face, but he ignored the sting.

"Damn it," he muttered. "That hurts like hell. This is no hallucination."

[Everything is absolute reality, host. Allow me to provide proof.]

The projection shifted to display a new scene: his sister, laughing vibrantly with her school friends as they obsessed over a idol music video.

[That is your sister in the present moment, host. Following your death, her memories were wiped, and she has been adopted into an affectionate family.]

Jun Hao’s face softened at the sight of her genuine joy. He felt a bittersweet relief knowing she was safe.

[However, her life will be forfeited should you abandon this mission.]

"What did you say?" Jun Hao gasped.

[Such are the terms, host. Your denial ensures your sister's demise, while your acceptance guarantees her a continued, happy existence.]

"Mei Ling..." he whispered. He could never allow her to come to harm. She was all that remained of his world. "Will I ever be reunited with her?"

[Once the mission is accomplished, you shall see. For now, I can only guarantee her safety.]

[Do you accept this fate?]

"Will you swear to provide her a good life?"

[The system gives its word. A binding contract has been cemented.]

Jun Hao let out one final, weary sigh.

"Then I accept."

[A prudent decision, host. From this moment forth, Chen Jun Hao is no more. You are now June—an aspiring idol.]