From Thug to Idol: Transmigrating to a Survival Show

Chapter 1042: Everything Comes With A Prize

"We're going to kill it again," Zeth said, sitting on the floor while shaking his head. Just then, he wiped something wet from his brow. "Ah, this feels disgusting. I feel so hot."

Ren turned to him with raised eyebrows. "You're sweating," he said.

Zeth felt like the world had turned upside down. "What?" he asked, a chuckle bubbling from his lips.

Ren burst into laughter while Jisung innocently wiped his forehead.

"Woah, you're really sweating," Jisung said. "I can't believe it! Isn't this the first time?" Zeth's face was drained of color while the others went back to their respective conversations. "Guys!" he exclaimed, standing from the floor. "What should I do? What happens now?"

Akira turned to him with a chuckle. "Nothing happens," he said. "You're sweating. It's normal. Now, you're like the rest of us."

Zeth fell to his knees, creating a loud sound. His hands balled into fists as he stared up at the ceiling. "This was what I was afraid of," he muttered, shaking his head.

"Alright," Jaeyong clapped. "I think we're done for the night. We'll have the last practice tomorrow before heading to our schedule the day after."

The other boys nodded. Meanwhile, Zeth was still in turmoil. However, Ren hoisted him up and led him out of their practice room.

Meanwhile, as June grabbed his water bottle and towel, his mind wandered elsewhere.

Mei.

There were only two days left until their highly anticipated Christmas performance, and she hadn't reached out to him once.

No calls, no texts.

He shook his head. It seemed like she still wasn't ready for the performance.

"You good, Bro?" Jisung called, slinging an arm over his shoulder.

June nodded. "Yeah, just thinking about the duet performance."

Jisung gave him a knowing look but didn't press further.

The group began packing up, the chatter turning lighthearted as they joked about holiday plans and the number of gifts their fans had sent to the agency.

As the last of his teammates prepared to leave, his phone buzzed. His eyes darted to the

screen.

Mei: Meet me. Third-floor practice room.

He stared at the message. Without a word, he grabbed his jacket and made his way upstairs. The third-floor practice room was quiet, dimly lit by the overhead fluorescent lights.

Mei was already there, sitting cross-legged on the floor, staring at the mirrored wall in front of her.

When she heard the door click shut, she turned to look at him. "You came."

"Hmm," June hummed, walking further into the room. He set his bag down and leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "What's going on?"

Mei sighed. "I've been thinking," she began.

"Well, at least you're still thinking," June joked, making her click her tongue.

"Shut up, will you?" she deadpanned. "I'm serious right now."

June chuckled and shook his head before giving her space to continue.

Her eyes drifted to her reflection in the mirror. "You know when I first started, I thought the greatest love was the kind that made your heart race. The kind you see in movies-the big, sweeping gestures, the happy endings."

She paused, her lips curving into a bittersweet smile. "But now... I'm not so sure."

"What do you mean?" June asked.

"I looked through the lyrics," she said. "I thought about everything you said before."

She turned to face him fully, her hands resting on her knees. "I think the greatest love isn't romantic at all. It's...it's sacrifice. It's the quiet things people do for each other without expecting anything in return. Like...like siblings."

June tilted his head, intrigued.

"Growing up, I had this idea that love was supposed to be grand," Mei continued. "But then I think about the little things.'

"This may sound weird," she started off. "But I've had dreams."

"What kind of dreams?" he asked.

"Strange ones," Mei answered. "Well, not really strange. Just...peaceful."

"There's someone in my dreams. One who waits for me after school, even though it means missing his own practices. He gave up so much just to make sure I could chase my dreams. That's love, isn't it? Giving up a piece of yourself for someone else."

June's throat tightened. Did Mei regain her memories, perhaps?

"It is," he said quietly.

Mei looked at him. "But how do you put that into a song? How do you make people feel it? I haven't contacted you because I don't know how to do it."

June straightened. "Well, singing is something you feel, I always say. It's not something you do. Tap into something inside you that you've never before."

She blinked at him, uncertainty flickering across her face.

"Try it," he urged, gesturing to the music player in the corner. "Sing it. Just once. Forget

about the audience; forget about me. Just...feel it."

Mei hesitated but eventually nodded. She walked to the player and pressed play before closing

her eyes.

The room fell silent as the first few notes of the 'The Greatest Love' filled the room. Mei

started the song.

At first, her voice was steady but restrained. Then, Mei's brows furrowed, her shoulders tensed, and a memory seemed to pull her under.

A man's voice-not gentle at all but somehow reassuring-echoed in her mind. She couldn't see his face, but the warmth in his tone was unmistakable.

"You're angry and that's alright," he had told her once, pacing back and forth. "You're strong. Stronger than you think. You can't be weak!"

He had always told stories, although he sounded quite annoying. The memory was distant and hazy, but it was enough. He was always there the man in her dreams.

Mei's voice cracked, but it didn't take away from the beauty of the song.

June stepped forward, his own voice joining hers. Their harmony filled the room, a blend of pain and hope that felt both distant and achingly close.

They were telling a story together.

When the last note faded, Mei opened her eyes. A single tear rolled down her cheek, catching

the light. She wiped it away quickly, feeling embarrassed.

A small teasing smile made its way to June's face-and for some reason, Mei felt that it was familiar...too familiar.

"You okay there?" he asked, sounding a bit annoying, too.

Mei clicked her tongue and turned to the side, trying to keep her tears at bay.

"Yeah," she muttered. "I'm okay."

At that moment, June knew that Mei had remembered.

However, it was only the memory she recalled and not him.

In this lifetime, she would never remember him as his brother.

Yet, somehow, that seemed to be the right route.

Everything had to come with a prize.

And for June and Mei to live happily, they had to sacrifice the one thing they cherished the

most in their past lives.