From Thug to Idol: Transmigrating to a Survival Show

Chapter 998: Gummy Ambassadors



"Oh, come on!" Jay exclaimed. "Hear me out on this!"

Akira squinted up at him. "Why are you even our manager when you're already the CEO? Doesn't the company have other staff?"

Jay's smile grew. "Because, Akira, I can't trust anyone else with our most precious asset. I love EVE more than anything else!"

"We're not taking any more schedules until after the PAPA awards," June said.

"We agreed to focus on this performance. Besides, I just filmed Crawling Man a week ago!"

Jay held up his hands, looking both amused and slightly exasperated. "I know, I know! I wanted that, too. But trust me, this is one opportunity you can't refuse."

The boys were clearly unconvinced. Akira let out an exaggerated sigh, slumping against the mirrored wall. "Do you know how much energy I have left? Zero. And I need at least ten percent of it for the big stage."

Jisung clapped his hands together in what seemed to be a pleading gesture.

"Please, can we just focus on the PAPA awards? This performance is going to be legendary!"

Jay wasn't budging. "Think of it this way-it's a brand deal. And a very, very popular one."n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

The word 'brand' made everyone perk up slightly. However, this wasn't new to them. They were practically wanted everywhere!

"Just spit it out, Jay," Ren groaned, leaning his head back. "We're too tired to play guessing games."

Jay's eyes sparkled as he took a deep breath, savoring the moment. "It's... Benben Gummies." Dead silence filled the room.

Slowly, all heads turned toward June, the one member of DAWN who actually had a soft spot for those ridiculous, brightly red-colored gummy bears with cartoon faces on the wrappers. June's expression was unreadable, and the rest of the boys looked at him with dread.

"Oh no," Ren whispered.

"Please don't," Sehun muttered.

But it was too late. A glint of excitement had appeared in June's eyes. He was sold.

"No. No way!" Zeth said, standing up straight. "June, you're kidding, right? Benben gummies are marketed for children!"

June shrugged, a small smile tugging at his lips. "They're...good gummies."

The rest of the group groaned loudly.

"I'm down!" Casper exclaimed.

***

And that's how DAWN found themselves on set the next day, dressed in brightly colored tracksuits, each one a shade of the rainbow.

Akira was in electric blue, Casper in neon green, Jisung in sunflower yellow, Sehun in purple, Zeth in red, Ren in orange, Jaeyong in midnight blue, and, of course, June in pink.

Their task? To sing the Benben Gummies jingle in front of a green-screen background of giant, dancing gummy bears.

"This is...not how I thought our careers would go," Ren muttered under his breath, adjusting the zipper of his orange tracksuit.

Casper, meanwhile, seemed to be embracing his green outfit with surprising enthusiasm. "Guys, let's just own it. June looks so happy!"

"Are you even hearing yourself right now?" Zeth asked, his voice dripping with disbelief.

Jisung, in his yellow tracksuit, was bouncing slightly, singing along to the obnoxiously catchy jingle that was playing over the speakers. "They're kinda cute, though. Look at their little faces!"

He pointed at the gummy bear costumes off to the side, where some of the staff members were prepping to join them for the group dance.

Sehun glanced over at June, who was completely calm, even tapping his foot to the beat as if he genuinely liked the song. "I can't believe you brought us here," he said, shaking his head.

June just shrugged, unbothered. "I told you, they're good gummies."

"You won't even be able to buy them anymore because they'll be sold out everywhere," Sehun muttered.

The director clapped his hands, getting their attention. "Alright, DAWN! Time for the chorus. And remember-smile! This is a children's commercial, so make it fun and energetic!"

Each member forced a smile, though Ren's was more like a grimace, and Sehun's barely counted as a smirk. They lined up, and as the music started, they began the choreographed dance, each trying to keep up with the happy, bouncy movements.

"Benben Gummies! Sweet and fun! Grab a pack, and enjoy the sun!

Akira, true to his playful nature, added a few exaggerated moves that made the staff chuckle. He caught sight of them laughing and grinned, deciding to throw in a few spins just to see how ridiculous he could get away with looking.

Casper, meanwhile, was mouthing the words enthusiastically, bobbing his head to the beat and pointing at the camera every chance he got.

"Every bite, a gummy delight!

June, completely composed, hit each move perfectly, looking almost serious as he sang the gummy jingle with what could pass for a music show performance. The other members sneaked glances at him, trying to hold back laughter as he poured his heart into what was clearly the most childish line.

"Benben Gummies! Gummy and bright! DAWN-approved, day and night! It's the one that increased my height!"

The staff clapped between takes, thrilled by how cute they all looked. One of the stylists wiped a tear, sighing. "They're just so adorable in those colors. We hit the jackpot with them!"

"We had offered the brand deal to them before, but Azure rejected it every time. It's a good thing they transferred to Phoenix."

"Look at Sehun! He's like a cute grape!"

Sehun overheard, and his face turned a faint shade of pink. "I'm too old for this," he muttered, though he couldn't hide the small smile that crept onto his face.

The director came back over, giving them the thumbs-up. "Alright, boys, just one more take. This time, even bigger smiles!"

Jaeyong groaned under his breath but forced his best grin. As the music played, they went through the choreography once again, this time throwing in even more exaggerated gestures, mostly because they knew that if they didn't laugh, they might cry.

Akira even tried to harmonize during the last line, making everyone burst into laughter just as

the song ended.

Finally, the director called, "Cut! That was perfect!"

The boys exhaled, their shoulders dropping as the exhausting shoot wrapped up.

As they left the set, the staff continued to gush over how cute they all looked, and June smiled, pulling a pack of Benben Gummies from his pocket and popping a blue one into his mouth. It was the first launch of the rainbow edition!

Jaeyong glared at him, only half-joking. "I hope that was worth it, June."

June just shrugged, grinning as he held up the pack. "It was."