Peninsula: From Water Injection to Stardom

June 15, backstage dressing room of SBS TV's THE SHOW.

Early in the morning, Jiang Yan and his team sat inside waiting, and this time, not only him, but also Yu Dingyan was there.

The two had already changed into their stage outfits. Jiang Yan's outfit was mainly black and white, with a black motorcycle leather jacket as his outer garment.

The entire outfit gave him a slightly roguish and cool vibe, somewhat like a rapper in a boy band.

The reason it was designed this way is because there was a rap section in today's stage performance.

Yoo Jeong-yeon wore a pink knitted cardigan over a white T-shirt, paired with a black leather skirt that didn't go past her knees. Overall, she gave off a lively, playful, and slightly sexy vibe.

It's a pity that she didn't dye her hair; otherwise, if she had bleached it to a gray-white color, the look would have been even better.

However, there's no way around it; as trainees who haven't debuted yet, there are regulations against bleaching their hair.

Jiang Yan was sitting on the sofa playing a game console—yes, the one Mina lent him.

When Jiang Yan first received the game from Mina, he thought he would just keep it for a while. But after he actually got his hands on it and checked it, he found that the storage box contained a lot of game cartridges, almost half of which were ones he had never played before.

This really got him itching to try them out, so he just started playing them one by one.

Inside the lounge, Jiang Yan was playing with a 3DS, while Yu Dingyan, unable to stay still, wandered around the lounge.

All I can say is that once didn't give her the wrong nickname "Pipi Ding" in the future; this girl really is a bit restless.

First, she went over to the makeup artist and chatted for a bit, asking what brand of foundation she was using today. Then she went over to the backup dancers to watch them warm up, and even mimicked a couple of the moves.

After walking around for a while, seeing that Jiang Yan was still sitting there engrossed in playing the game console, she made a big fuss and stood behind Jiang Yan.

Jiang Yan, however, showed no reaction to Yu Dingyan standing behind him and continued playing intently.

Seeing this, Yu Dingyan raised her two forearms and placed them on Jiang Yan's shoulders, then pressed her whole body against him.

Feeling a sudden weight on his back, Jiang Yan finally reacted.

He paused in his movements, turned his head slightly, and saw out of the corner of his eye a head emerging from his right shoulder.

After recognizing Yu Dingyan by her profile, Jiang Yan casually looked away.

He was already used to this kind of close physical contact from the other person, and it wasn't the first time that the other person had pressed down on him like this.

However, I feel like I'm not as heavy as before.

On the other side, seeing that Jiang Yan still ignored her, Yu Dingyan moved her head forward again.

Jiang Yan noticed that his view was suddenly partially blocked by someone's head, realizing that Yu Dingyan was deliberately obstructing his vision.

So he pressed the pause button, turned around, looked at the other person, and asked, "What are you doing?" (non-Kun pronunciation)

Yu Dingyan's face was very close to his, close enough that he could see the curve of her eyelashes.

But that's not the point. The point is that he needs to figure out the other person's intention in disturbing him.

When asked, Yoo Jeongyeon replied with a hint of dissatisfaction, "It's because oppa was playing games and ignoring me."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yan put the game console down beside him and laughed, "Then I'm not playing anymore. Do you have anything to say?"

"I was saying, we're about to record a stage performance, oppa, why don't you seem nervous at all?"

"There's nothing to be nervous about. Just perform as you did in the practice room."

Jiang Yan spoke casually, then asked in return, "So you're nervous?"

Yoo Jeongyeon nodded and said, "Yes, this is my first time recording a music show!"

"For example?"

"Well..." Yu Dingyan thought for a moment, then said with a slightly worried expression, "What if I suddenly don't perform well?"

Despite her lively demeanor just now, Yoo Jeong-yeon was actually trying to distract herself.

Although she had practiced the choreography countless times and could sing the song with her eyes closed, it was still her first time performing on a formal music show.

What if I accidentally underperform during the actual recording...

She was genuinely worried about that.

Jiang Yan listened calmly to her concerns, then smiled and said, "Don't worry, have you forgotten that I added 50% more backing volume to your part in the accompaniment track I submitted to the TV station?"

"So as long as you don't make any mistakes in your choreography, it doesn't matter if your voice is a little low. With backing vocals to correct it, the audience won't be able to tell."

Jiang Yan and Yu Dingyan had discussed the issue of backing tracks during their previous rehearsals for their collaborative performance.

Yoo Jeong-yeon has tried singing with only instrumental accompaniment, but it's clear that her current skill level doesn't support singing live.

Therefore, half-open microphone is the optimal solution.

Don't be fooled by the fact that the sound pad is only at 50% volume; this is already considered a great value in the industry.

In the future, idols may not get a single semi-live performance stage even after seven years since their debut. Instead, they'll be given pre-recorded instrumentals, and then mindless fans will use these stages to boast about their live performance skills.

"...Oppa, you're making it sound like I'm useless."

Yu Dingyan was speechless; this was hardly a way of comforting her.

"Then you should strive to reach my level."

"That's a bit too much to ask..."

Yu Dingyan thought to herself that it wouldn't be that easy, but the tension in her heart did indeed dissipate most of its after Jiang Yan said those few words.

But then her gaze inadvertently fell on the game console next to Jiang Yan, and the image of him chatting and laughing with Mina in the practice room that day came back to her mind.

Then, Yoo Jeongyeon suddenly changed the subject, asking knowingly, "Oppa, is that the game console you're holding Mina's?"

Of course she knew that the game console belonged to Mina, after all, Mina had handed it to Jiang Yan, who had come to rehearse, right under her and her teammates' noses.

When asked this, Jiang Yan casually nodded and said, "Yeah, what's up? You want to play too?"

"Ani, I was just asking casually..." Yoo Jeongyeon shook her head, then said nonchalantly, "But oppa, I'm quite surprised that you and Mina are so close."

"Maybe we just clicked, since we share similar interests."

"So... what does oppa think of Mina?" Yoo Jeongyeon tried to get information out of him.

"You're very good-looking and have a great presence. Of course, Jeongyeon, you're the same." Jiang Yan didn't know what Yoo Jeongyeon meant by asking this question, so she replied by trying to be fair to everyone.

But Yu Dingyan was not satisfied with this answer; it was as if she hadn't said anything at all.

So she gave up on her plan to probe indirectly and asked directly, "So, is Mina... oppa's ideal type?"

Jiang Yan was suddenly asked this question and abruptly turned to look at Yu Dingyan.

Do you want to hear what you're asking?

But a moment later, his thoughts shifted. He feigned a serious expression and slowly said, "If that's your question, then she is indeed my ideal type, but..."

"But what?!"

"However, I have many ideal types."

"What?"

Seeing Yoo Jeongyeon's somewhat stunned expression, Jiang Yan smiled at her and said, "For example... Jeongyeon, you are also my ideal type."

"!"

……