Peninsula: I created the golden age of girl groups

"Yuri!"

"Kwon Yuri!"

The slightly loud call woke Kwon Yuri from her half-asleep state.

She raised her head blankly.

Sooyoung, dressed in loose pajamas, rubbed her eyes and looked at her with concern.

"Hey, what's wrong with you lately? You seem so distracted."

Sooyoung yawned and sat down next to Yuri. "Yesterday's practice ended close to midnight, and you're still awake this early today? And you're just sitting here spacing out... Yuri, aren't you sleepy at all?"

Yuri then came to her senses, looked around, and appeared dazed.

The sky outside the window was just beginning to lighten, and faint sunlight shone through the thin curtains into the not-so-spacious common room.

The living room was cluttered with various items, and although it was crowded, it was filled with a strange sense of warmth.

The doors to the other rooms were still closed, and it was quiet inside.

She was the only one sitting alone in the living room, a thin blanket haphazardly wrapped around her.

The male voice humming softly continued to echo in my mind.

She shook her head violently, trying to dispel the auditory hallucination, but what she got in return was a deeper sense of disorientation.

Forcing herself to straighten up, Yuri rubbed her head and looked apologetically at Sooyoung. "Mianye, Sooyoung, did I... disturb you? I don't know... I just woke up and couldn't fall back asleep. Sitting here makes me feel a little better."

Xiuying was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, and then sighed.

He then reached out, put his arm around Yuri's shoulder, and gave her a gentle hug.

"Is it because of... Soyeon unnie?"

Xiuying's voice was soft, carrying a sense of shared sorrow.

As SM's ambitious project that has been in preparation for many years, only they know what kind of expectations they are carrying.

The entire project began in early 2000, with more than twenty people already in the preparatory stage.

Some left, some joined, like sand being sifted from gold, and after all that, only eight of them remain today.

Even she, seeing so many familiar faces come and go, couldn't help but feel a little sentimental.

Not to mention Yuri, who appears cheerful and lively on the surface but is actually delicate and sensitive inside.

Looking at Yuri's haggard face, Sooyoung's heart softened inexplicably. She quickly hugged Yuri tighter and whispered comforting words:

"Don't worry, Yuri! The fact that we've come this far is proof enough! Look, we've already started rehearsing our debut song, and the company is reportedly making progress on the others as well."

"We will definitely, definitely make it to the end together and stand on that stage of our dreams! So... stop overthinking, okay?"

Yuri obediently rested her head on Sooyoung's shoulder and softly hummed in agreement.

They remained silent for a while.

Suddenly, Yuri broke free and asked softly, "Sooyoung... what do you think of our song?"

"How is it?"

Sooyoung tilted her head, thought seriously for a moment, and said, "I think it's great! The melody is very memorable, and the lyrics are full of power. It's just that the harmony... is a little difficult, but overall it's really fantastic! Don't the teachers all say so?"

"Is it really...great?"

Kwon Yuri murmured, her eyes darting around.

She really wanted to tell Sooyoung that she had heard a better version.

A more accurate, more complete, and more powerful version that touches the heart!

But reason told her that she couldn't say it.

"Of course!"

Xiuying nodded with a look of certainty.

Looking at Yuri's still somewhat pale face, she assumed it was because Yuri was under too much pressure, and hugged her again with heartache.

"Don't worry! Don't overthink it! No matter what happens, I'll always be by your side. Okay."

Xiuying released her grip, glanced at the time beside her, and said, "If you're still feeling unwell, sit a little longer and take a break. I need to go wash up now. Don't forget, we have other plans for today. Good luck!"

"Hmm...Go ahead." Yuri nodded.

The living room fell silent again.

Yuri curled up on the sofa and wrapped herself tightly in the blanket.

The chaos began on the night So-yeon left, and ever since then, she has been somewhat restless.

The sadness of parting was quickly overshadowed by the busy practice sessions.

But what truly troubled her was the melody that constantly lingered in her ears.

However, to be fair, Senior Jiang Yuhe's voice... is indeed quite pleasant to listen to.

It is low-pitched, gentle, and carries a strange sense of calm.

In terms of vocal quality and control alone, she seems to be in no way inferior to the senior artists in the company who are famous for their singing skills.

Of course... there's also that song.

Especially during this period, whenever she entered the practice room and a familiar yet unfamiliar melody played, she would always feel a strong sense of disconnect.

She had thoroughly memorized the version taught by her teacher, after a long period of intensive practice. Every note, every breath, and every emotional progression was now second nature to her.

Paradoxically, in her mind, only the version of "Reunion" sung by Jiang Yuhe is the true essence of this song.

Therefore, whenever she speaks, Jiang Yuhe's version of how to handle the situation always uncontrollably pops into her mind...

Then comes the deviation and the forced correction.

Back and forth.

This has seriously affected her condition and caused her performance to become inconsistent.

Although she dances far more than she sings, there are many choral parts in "Reunion".

If her tone or emotional investment goes astray, it will sound particularly jarring in the harmony!

Although the members were very considerate, no one criticized them; they were mostly concerned.

This only made her feel more guilty and uneasy.

"well……"

Yuri sighed softly and buried her face in her knees.

Gradually, the dormitory began to liven up again.

The doors opened one after another, and the girls, rubbing their sleepy eyes, greeted each other as they came out.

Upon seeing Yuri curled up alone in the corner, everyone instinctively slowed their pace, approached her, and asked her in hushed tones.

Faced with concern, Yuri could only raise her head and pretend to be relaxed.

With her debut imminent, every minute felt like a battlefield, and she didn't want to cause trouble for others because of herself.

Kwon Yuri shook her head, took a deep breath, then got up, went to the bathroom, and began to wash up, forcibly suppressing the thought.

Soon everyone was ready to go.

Yuri lowered her head and habitually walked in the direction she usually went to the practice room.

"Yuri, where are you going?"

Xiuying called out to her.

Yuri stopped and turned around in confusion, only to see the other seven girls standing in a row outside the dormitory, looking at her with strange expressions.

"Huh?" Kwon Yuri didn't react.

Choi Soo-young sighed and rubbed her forehead, reminding him, "Did you forget? Today's the monthly exam! Not only Mr. Soo-man, but I heard the club president and several other teachers will be there too! We have to go to Exam Room Number One! Hurry up, we're going to be late!"

"what!"

Kwon Yuri snapped back to reality, her face flushed red. "Mianye, mianye! I was so...sleepy, I completely forgot about it!"

She quickly ran back to the group, head down, as the girls' laughter filled the air.

"Our Yuri seems a bit absent-minded lately!"

"Did you dream about something? Did you lose your soul?"

"Wake up! Today is a big exam, this is no joke!"

Yuri chuckled lightly, trying to use laughter to mask the turmoil in her heart, forcibly pushing the chaos into a corner.

Kwon Yuri, wake up!