Peninsula Cicada Song Diary

Jin Yanzheng was still awake when a message indicated that the document had been received, followed immediately by a phone call to Pei Xiyan's cell phone.

"Is that Yeonjung-sensei calling?" Bae Joo-hyun asked upon hearing the ringtone of "Red Flavor".

"Hmm." Looking at the note on the screen, Pei Xiyan nodded heavily.

"Continue." Bae Joo-hyun said coldly, crossing her arms.

"It's so late..."

"It wasn't you who called Yeonjung-sensei," Bae Joo-hyun said, extending her hand. "Otherwise, I'll answer it."

"I'll answer it." Pei Xiyan had a sudden idea and took her phone, intending to walk towards the door.

"Hey!" Bae Joo-hyun knew exactly what he was thinking. Before Bae Xi-yan could react and raise his hand, she jumped up and successfully snatched the phone.

Pei Xiyan was stunned, somewhat shocked by her speed. Although Pei Zhuxuan's animal sculpture was a rabbit, her speed just now was just like a rabbit's.

"Good evening, Yeonjung teacher." Bae Joo-hyun greeted sweetly as she pressed the speakerphone button.

"Eileen? Good evening." Knowing the relationship between Bae Joo-hyun and Bae Seok-yeon, Kim Yeon-jung wasn't surprised.

"Oh, teacher, are you still up so late?"

"I just finished working and was about to rest when I received something from Xiaoyan," Kim Yeon-jung asked. "Is it a new song?"

"Yes, it's a new song that Xiaoyan just wrote and is preparing to release herself." Pei Zhuxuan glanced at Pei Xiyan, who looked sullen behind her, and emphasized the words "release herself."

"Self-published?" Kim Yeon-jung was now quite surprised.

"Yes." Bae Joo-hyun said confidently, "I'll release it myself, but I'll have to ask my teacher to take care of the distribution."

Relying on SM's distribution channels is better than foolishly releasing your own content on SoundCloud and getting no attention.

"Okay, I'll listen first." Kim Yeon-jung was clearly interested.

The speakers over there were blasting, and the melody of "Traffic Lights" was playing over there.

"It's a very good song." After listening to it from beginning to end, Kim Yeon-jung was full of praise. "The song's melody and vocal strengths are brought out very well with a simple arrangement."

"Xiao Yan's voice is truly a treasure."

"Maga." Bae Joo-hyun agreed. Bae Xi-yan's clear, youthful voice sang with a warmth like a spring breeze.

"Is he really going to release it himself? Why did he suddenly change his mind?" Kim Yeon-jung asked, puzzled.

He shared a similar view with Li Wenxian: Pei Xiyan's own qualities were more suited to be a singer-songwriter than simply a producer.

As Park Jin-young put it, it would be a shame if a striker who is skilled with both feet and even heading could only shoot with his left foot.

Since meeting Pei Xiyan 13 years ago, she had made this suggestion many times. With SM Entertainment's scale and Pei Xiyan's talent, creating a top-notch solo artist wouldn't be difficult. But every time, Pei Xiyan would just laugh it off. Gradually, she stopped bringing it up. At least Pei Xiyan was a very responsible producer, and album production would be much easier with his help.

"Because the cicadas don't want to wait until summer to sing," Bae Joo-hyun explained.

"Ani." Pei Xiyan smiled bitterly.

"Is Xiaoyan over there?" Jin Yanzheng heard her beloved student's voice.

"Teacher, I'm here," Pei Xiyan stepped forward and replied.

"Have you really thought this through?" Kim Yeon-jung asked.

"I..." Pei Xiyan really wanted to say that he didn't actually do it. If he said that, Jin Yanzheng wouldn't have taken it upon himself to do so. But he didn't say it because his words were blocked by a slender finger that was standing right next to his mouth.

Bae Joo-hyun held up one finger and turned off the speakerphone with her other hand. She put the phone aside and looked directly into his eyes.

"Xiao Yan...you are first and foremost yourself, then you are Uncle Zhi'an and Aunt Wen Min's son, and only then are you my younger brother..."

"The cicada has already given so much." She moved her fingers away, gently touching the curve of his cheek. "The tree has long since grown lush and leafy."

"Nuna still remembers that line?" Pei Xiyan tilted her head.

"Of course I remember." Bae Joo-hyun withdrew her hand.

That sentence sustained her throughout her entire trainee career, as if it were engraved in her bones.

"I give up." Pei Xiyan sighed, picked up her phone, and called out, "Teacher Yanzheng."

"Um."

"Please help me release the song." Meeting Bae Joo-hyun's expectant gaze, Bae Hee-yeon said with full certainty, "Under the name Cicada."

"Okay." Kim Yeon-jung's voice carried a faint smile. "And in the name of student Kenzie."

"Does the teacher really want to see me put in the spotlight?"

"The word 'Cicada' means being in the eye of the storm," Kim Yeon-jung said. "You don't think you're some nobody, do you?"

"The songs you produce are destined to attract countless people to your door, even if you live in seclusion in the mountains, and they will visit you three times."

"The teacher made me sound like I was Zhuge Liang," Pei Xiyan joked.

"You don't just look like it, you *are* it."

"If the teacher praises me like that, I'll have to shorten my lifespan."

"Pah, pah, pah." Bae Joo-hyun next to him spat three times for him, "Why do you say such unlucky things?"

"Should we set a release date?" Kim Yeon-jung asked again.

"Teacher, please decide for me. You know me better than I do," Pei Xiyan said.

"I'll discuss it with Soo-man after I wake up. I wonder how happy he'll be to hear this news."

"If I agreed to debut, wouldn't he faint?"

"That's possible."

After rambling on for a few more minutes, Pei Xiyan, not wanting to disturb Jin Yanzheng's rest, chose to say goodbye and waited for the other end of the phone to hang up.

"Is Noona satisfied?" Pei Xiyan put away her phone and looked at Pei Zhuxuan, who was smiling smugly.

"What do you mean I'm satisfied?" Bae Joo-hyun corrected the mistake in his words, "I'm doing this all for your own good."

"Yes." Pei Xiyan sighed; he was tired of hearing those words.

Pei Xiyan shut down the computer and pushed her shoulder out of the recording studio.

"Now I'm thinking about Nuna too. You've had a busy day, you deserve a rest."

"Yeah, you haven't turned off the light yet."

"I forgot."

"Clatter".

The recording studio fell silent, welcoming the long-awaited night.

......

......

"Is Noona really going to become a trainee?"

The siblings sat by the living room window, the soft moonlight streaming in and draping them in a hazy veil.

"Yes." Looking at the handsome face before her, etched with worry and confusion, Bae Joo-hyun smiled. "Will Xiao Yan support me?"

"Hmm." Pei Xiyan pursed her lips and thought for a moment, then nodded.

"Then... I want to be a producer in the future, so I can write songs for Nuna," he said.

"Okay." Stroking his soft black hair, Bae Joo-hyun went along with his idea. "But producers all have stage names, what will Xiao Yan be called from now on?"

"Cicada, I guess," Pei Xiyan thought quickly.

Why?

"Because Nuna is the tree that shelters me from the wind and rain." Pei Xiyan looked up at the bright moon and sparse stars in the night sky. "I'll just be the cicada that helps Nuna become famous."

"Then I will definitely work hard to debut." Bae Joo-hyun's gaze replaced the moonlight, gently enveloping him.

"Waiting for the cicadas to come to my tree."