Peninsula: The sharp-tongued producer is forced to work.

The atmosphere in the control room was strangely disjointed. The first half was a hellish, rushed work scene. Liu Yu rubbed his still throbbing left ear, his face dark, like a relentlessly wound-up machine. His fingers flew across the control panel, his speech as fast as if he were singing a tongue-twisting rap.

"Kim Minju, the second line of the third section, you didn't hold your breath long enough, start over."

"Your pitch is good, but are you singing the chorus or chanting? The emotion! I need that emotion! One more time!"

"Don't tremble, keep half a fist's distance from the microphone, your sibilance is about to rupture my eardrums. This is the last time, if you don't sing it well, you'll be sleeping in it tonight."

Inside the glass door, Kim Min-joo was sweating profusely, like a primary school student being relentlessly called on by her homeroom teacher. Miraculously, under Liu Yu's high-pressure, ruthless commands, her condition improved steadily. The potential that erupted after being pushed to the brink gave her voice a resilience she had never possessed before.

The back half of the control room turned into a large-scale gossip and social gathering place.

Tian Xiaojuan sat casually on the sofa in the back of the control room, staring at the back of Liu Yu's head like a supervisor. Whenever Liu Yu paused even slightly, she would click her tongue, startling Liu Yu so much that he would immediately put his hand back on the pusher.

The girls from IZ*ONE huddled on the other side of the sofa, eleven pairs of eyes scanning back and forth between Liu Yu and Tian Xiaojuan like searchlights. Their gossip instincts burned fiercely in the air, but out of respect for their seniors, none dared to speak first.

In the end, Ahn Yoo-jin and Choi Ye-na couldn't hold back any longer.

The two looked at each other and, like two little dogs smelling a bone, slowly moved closer to Tian Xiaojuan.

"Um...Senior Xiaojuan," Choi Ye-na said with a fawning smile, her voice so sweet it gave one goosebumps, "You look stunning in that outfit today, you really have that producer aura!"

Tian Xiaojuan turned her head, her previously tense expression relaxing. She's actually a very easy person to get along with in private, as long as you don't touch her flesh or her music arrangements.

"Thank you, Yena-ssi, right? I've seen your performances, and you did a fantastic job," Tian Xiaojuan said with a smile, offering a casual compliment.

At this point, Tian Xiaojuan's tone unusually carried a hint of seriousness and gratitude. Although the two often bickered when they met, she knew very well that Liu Yu was her most important comrade-in-arms and guide on her musical journey.

Ahn Yoo-jin rested her chin on her hand, watching Liu Yu's retreating figure thoughtfully. She recalled what Representative Choi had said in the corridor earlier, and her doubts grew stronger.

"Senior Xiaojuan," Ahn Yujin asked in a low voice like a curious child, "Since Teacher Liu is so amazing, good-looking, and sings like a monster... why doesn't he debut? CEO Choi said he has stage fright, is that true?"

The moment the question was asked, the surrounding air fell silent. Even the usually boisterous Choi Ye-na shut her mouth, and everyone pricked up their ears, waiting for Jeon So-yeon's answer.

Tian Xiaojuan looked at Liu Yu's seemingly calm back, her expression becoming somewhat complicated. She put down her coffee cup and sighed softly.

"Representative Cui is right, he does have severe stage fright. And... it may never be cured in this lifetime."

Tian Xiaojuan's voice became very low, carrying a heavy feeling that was out of character for her.

"Back then, he was also sharp-tongued, but not as gloomy as he is now. He had a voice that could drive all musicians crazy. As long as he stood on the stage, even if he was just humming a tune, he could attract everyone's attention."

"And then what happened?" Kwon Eunbi asked softly, already sensing that what followed would be a sad story.

"Later..." Tian Xiaojuan closed her eyes, as if she had returned to that rainy night. "At the end of my freshman year, the school held a very important performance. Many talent scouts from large planning companies were sitting in the audience. Liu Yu was the final solo performer. He had been preparing for a long time, and I was backstage with him."

"Just as he was about to go on stage, and the announcer had already called out his name... his phone rang."

Tian Xiaojuan took a deep breath, her voice trembling slightly: "It's a call from the hospital. His mother... the woman who worked three jobs in Seoul to support his schooling, sleeping only four hours a day, suffered a sudden myocardial infarction while washing dishes in the restaurant kitchen. She didn't even have a chance to be saved, she just..."

"Oh my god..." Choi Ye-na covered her mouth, her eyes instantly turning red.

Ahn Yoo-jin's eyes widened, her face filled with disbelief and shock.

"I still can't forget his expression at that time." Tian Xiaojuan gave a bitter smile. "He was wearing that borrowed, ill-fitting clothes, holding his phone, and he looked like his soul had been suddenly drained. In front of him were deafening cheers and blinding spotlights, while behind him was the cold news of his mother's death."

"From that day on, the stage, the lights, and the gaze of the crowd became inextricably linked to 'loss' in his mind. He didn't even get to see his mother one last time."

The control room was deathly silent, with only Kim Min-joo's slightly trembling voice coming from the monitor speakers.

Kwon Eun-bi felt as if her heart had been gripped tightly by something. Looking at the man still sitting ramrod straight at the control panel, she suddenly felt a surge of intense guilt. Just half an hour ago, she had accused him of being emotionless, of being a cold-blooded person.

"So," Tian Xiaojuan clapped her hands, trying to break the heavy atmosphere, but the heartache in her eyes couldn't be hidden, "Don't blame him for his harsh words. Apart from being serious about music, he actually lives like a walking corpse. The harsher he criticizes you, the more he cares about the quality of this song. He just... doesn't know how to express himself in a normal way."

The girls nodded silently, and no one spoke. Each of them looked at Liu Yu with a complex mix of emotions: sympathy, understanding, and awe.

"Click".

A crisp click came from the console.

"OK, passed." Liu Yu let out a long sigh of relief, took off his listening earpiece and tossed it onto the table. He turned to look at the group of girls behind him with their various expressions and frowned.

"Why are you all looking like you're at a funeral? I'm not dead yet!" Liu Yu's sharp tongue instincts kicked in again. "Kim Min-joo's part is finished. That's it for today. We'll record the rest tomorrow. Now, immediately, disappear from my recording studio."

"Hey! Liu Yu!" Tian Xiaojuan instantly snapped out of her sentimental mood, jumped up, and grabbed Liu Yu by the back of his collar. "Stop talking nonsense! You've finished your work, now it's my turn! Come back to the company with me to compose the music! If you don't finish today, I'll bury you in the basement!"

"Damn it! Tian Xiaojuan! Can't you be a little gentler like a woman?! Let go! I can walk by myself!"

Amid Liu Yu's screams and Tian Xiaojuan's angry curses, the girls of IZ*ONE watched the two of them playfully walk out of the recording studio. Their nerves, which had been tense all afternoon, finally relaxed completely, and a long-lost burst of laughter erupted in the control room.