From Thug to Idol: Transmigrating to a Survival Show

1027  The Stars That Nearly Didn't Shine

The van rolled smoothly down the highway, but the silence inside was anything but. DAWN's members, usually loud and boisterous, were instead staring out the windows, still not over the fact that they had no fans in America. "That was bizarre," Zeth finally said, breaking the silence. He leaned back, crossing his arms. "Are people gaslighting us? They told us we have plenty of international fans."

Jaeyong, ever the logical one, placed a hand under his chin thoughtfully. "According to my data, about 50% of our fans are from Asia, and the other 50% are from around the world."

"So… what does that mean?" Ren asked, glancing back from the front seat.

Jaeyong shrugged. "It means that if our fans are spread out evenly, we're still talking about a relatively small percentage per country. It's like a sprinkling of fans across a giant pancake."

"A pancake?" June looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "You've lost me."

"Think of it like this," Jisung chimed in with an innocent smile. "We're stars in Korea, but here? We're like a shooting star, and no one noticed because they were too busy looking at the moon. We have a case of 'Star Syndrome'—super famous at home but barely known abroad. We haven't promoted here at all! Of course, they don't know us."

"Oh, do we have 'star syndrome?'" Zeth asked. "I'm sure that you have it," Ren said, rolling his eyes. "However, I guess I did expect to be greeted by a few fans." "There were a few," Sehun said. "A handful." Akira shook his head. "If we don't have any fans here, then why are we performing at the NTV Awards?" he asked, frowning. He looked genuinely puzzled. "If no one knows us, what's the point?"

Casper grinned, leaning forward from the back seat. "Are you unhappy about it, Akira?"

Akira shook his head, chuckling. "No, I'm just confused. I mean, isn't it a bit… backward?"

"Backwards?" June asked. "It's not backwards, it's an opportunity. It's a chance to get more fans." "I thought you didn't want more fans?" Casper asked, turning to June with a small frown. June froze. Right. Too much fame would be anyone's bane of existence! Before June could think too much about it, the van pulled up in front of a trendy-looking restaurant in downtown LA. Their manager had picked it out, promising them a taste of American food before they officially kicked off the North American leg of their tour.

"Let's eat," Ren said, stepping out of the van and stretching his arms. "I'm starving."

"Maybe some burgers will make us feel better," Zeth agreed.

As they walked into the restaurant, they were greeted by a cheerful server who seemed to recognize their faces immediately. "Welcome! Oh my goodness, it's you guys!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with excitement.

The group exchanged a quick look. Maybe their luck was finally turning around.

"You know us?" Zeth asked, flashing his trademark grin.

"Of course!" she beamed, gesturing for them to follow her to a large corner table. "You're such a big deal here!"

Akira looked smug as he slid into his seat. "See? I told you we had international fans."

The server nodded eagerly. "You're one of the hottest groups right now. So many people have been talking about you."

Casper leaned back, looking satisfied. "Well, it's nice to know we're appreciated."

Ren chuckled, nudging Jaeyong. "See? I told you not to worry."

The server brought over a round of drinks, still smiling as she set them down. "This meal is on the house," she said with a grin. "It's an honor to have you here."

The members of DAWN exchanged thrilled looks. A free meal? Things were definitely looking up.

"That's so kind of you," June said. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome! I can't believe I'm serving 7VEN right now!" she gushed, placing her hands over her heart.

Silence.

For a split second, the world seemed to pause. The members of DAWN stared at her, frozen in place. Ren's smile faltered, Akira nearly choked on his drink, and Casper's jaw dropped open.

"Sorry, what did you say?" Jisung asked slowly. The server blinked, tilting her head. "You're 7VEN, right? The biggest boy group out there right now? Your song 'Butter My Cakes' has been playing everywhere!"

June pursed his lips. He forced a laugh, scratching the back of his head. "Oh, no, we're not—"

Akira cut in, nudging June sharply under the table. "Yes, yes, that's us," he said quickly, plastering on his brightest smile. "We're very big here."

Casper bit down on his lip to keep from laughing. Zeth was doing the same, covering his mouth with his hand, while Jisung just buried his face in his arms on the table. The server looked ecstatic, nodding as she brought over a basket of fries. "I knew it! You guys look exactly like the pictures." n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Exactly," Ren managed to say, his voice strangled from trying not to burst out laughing. "It's amazing how accurate those pictures are."

June gave Akira a death glare. "What are you doing?" he hissed under his breath.

Akira leaned in, whispering back, "Hey, free food is free food."

They couldn't believe it—mistaken for 7VEN, one of the most popular Western boy groups. It was both flattering and humbling in the weirdest way possible.

"You know," Jaeyong said after a moment, picking up a fry, "this just proves we have a long way to go. If they're mistaking us for 7VEN, we're definitely not as recognizable here as we thought."

"Or we just need better posters," Zeth quipped.

"Or better faces," Jisung added, causing everyone to laugh again.

By the time the meal was over, the server returned with a big smile. "It was such an honor serving you today. I can't wait to tell my friends I met 7VEN!"

June forced a smile. "Yeah… us too."

As they left the restaurant, the members of DAWN burst into laughter. "I can't believe we got a free meal for being someone else," Jisung said, shaking his head. "And they say fame is hard-earned."

Ren patted June's back sympathetically. "Look on the bright side. At least we know we have a doppelgänger group out here."

"Next stop, the NTV Awards," Akira said, looking at the others with a wide grin.

"This time, they'll know exactly who we are," June declared.