"Hurry up, Minsung! Time to get up!" Jung Ah yelled, dropping my cat on my head, enough to wake me up, especially when he scrambled to get off.

I opened my eyes sowly, looking at my phone to see the time. "Eonni... filming doesn't start until the afternoon... and I excercized yesterday..."

She held out a cup of tea and a pack of onigiri. "You have a meeting in the Tokyo branch of SM at seven. That means up and out of bed."

I took the tea, sipping it. "Oh wow, Eonni, you even made it the way I like it..."

"Of course I did," she said matter-of-factly. "Now hurry up. If we're late we might miss something important."

I sipped at the tea, opening one of the onigiri and biting the sweetened rice. Yup. hurried Japanese breakfast. I hadn't had pancakes in a while.

"BoA-sunbae? Liyin-jiejie?" I remarked, seeing both of them there. It was really uncommon to see Liyin anywhere outside China, Taiwan or Korea, especially since SMTown was already over. But there she was, her hands resting gently in he lap, though BoA was leaning against the wall.

"Ah, the youngest member is here," the man behind the chair, Kim Young Min, said with a smile. "Please, Queen Be. Sit down."

I looked at my watch and shook my head. "I have to get some dance practice in today or I'm going to get rusty. So I hope this doesn't take much time..."

He smiled. "Of course. Right to business, as usual. Would the three of you be interested in doing a collaboration album?"

I exchanged glances with BoA, who seemed a bit surprised herself. "Now? Minsung's filming her movie."

"The reaction we received from the public after your performance together for SMTown was profound. People wanted to see more. Of course, what you performed was a cover, but I'm sure the three of you together would be able to produce some original songs. The fans have even given us a name for the collaboration: SM Gold."

I pressed my lips together. "Sir, until we decided to do that collaboration, the company didn't give Liyin-jiejie the time of day. BoA-sunbae is still one of our stars, and lately the company has been putting a lot of emphasis on me. How do we know that people won't see her as inferior? If we're going to do this, I want the distribution of promotion to either be equal, or weigh heavier on Liyin-jiejie."

I glanced at BoA to check and make sure she agreed. She smiled a little, giving an almost imperceptible nod. Liyin, for her part, looked at her feet.

"You're willing to give up some of your popularity for Liyin?"

"To be honest, sir, the woman is a much better singer than I am. Between the three of us, actually, I think she'd be the best vocalist. BoA-sunbae is the best dancer. What am I? The linguist? Definitely not the face of the group, since I know my lowest marks on my audition were my appearance."

His face was like stone. "While you're in Japan, Queen Be, do you think it's possible to participate?"

Jung Ah piped up, although she'd been sitting quietly in the corner the whole time. "Of course, sir. That's no problem at all, sir."

He straightened up, smiling at us again. "Alright, then. We'll arrange a schedule for you to start practicing together. And we'll be sure that line distribution is equal. We'll make sure everything is fair, since Queen Be wants it to be that way. After all, she is a Hollywood actress now. Too good for the rest of us."

He ushered us out, and I took one last glance back at him, pouring as much ice into my glare as I could, meeting his eyes. He made it sound like I thought I was too important to be featured in a collaboration with Liyin and BoA. I hated him.

I had pencils everywhere, stuck in my pocket, one in each ear, one twisted into my hair, keeping my bangsout of my face, since they were too short for ponytails. Whenever one would break, I would pull another out, writing feverishly, while we were in the van on the way to the filming location.

"Minsung, they didn't give you a deadline, you know," Jung Ah commented, turning around to look at me. "There's not so much of a hurry."

"Sure they did. While I'm in Japan. We're moving on to Hong Kong in about a month. I don't know if I can finish unless I take all the time I have..."

Jung Ah reached over and snapped my notebook shut. "Minsung-ah, you need to focus on your filming. SM Gold is just a temporary project. Do well in Twelve, and the whole world will know your name. Isn't that what you want?"

I looked out the window, watching the Tokyo scenery fly by. I wanted that, sure. But I went to Korea to help my sunbaes. That didn't make me better than them. What if I was starting to forget the reason I had come?

"I'll take that." I yanked the crystal out of Lawrence's hand, putting it in my coat pocket. When he looked at me angrily, I just raised an eyebrow. "You're delusional and occasionally faint so you can have one of your little dreams. You think I want you to be holding something this valuable?"

"Why not let Andrea hold it?"

I rolled my eyes. "That amateur 'sorceress' doesn't know a thing. Before we know it, the Crystal would be turning her into a rat."

"Wouldn't you like that?" he scoffed.

I grinned. "I've always wanted a pet. I could call her Squeakers, and tie little pink ribbons around her little rat tail..."

Lawrence made a face. "Fine, you keep it."

"You don't get a choice, anyway." I turned to Ram, talking to him in Japanese. "Get us through security. These people are completely useless. Why this guy was chosen to be the Collector, I'll never know. He doesn't know any spells, he thinks Japanese and Chinese sound the same. I'm counting on you, Ram."

Ram rolled his eyes. "Don't be so mean, Rat."

"So how are we going to get out of here?" Andrea asked, fixing the barrette on her pretty little head.

"Don't worry about it. I run this city."

"That's what you said about Hong Kong."

"I run Hong Kong, too. All of Asia listens to us. The governments think they're in control, they're wrong. The gangs think they rule... they just have all the money. We don't need those kinds of things. If someone needs something done, they come to us. We know everyone."

Just then, a group of men in suits appeared in the doorway. "Rat, we haven't seen you in a while! Ram said you were busy in Hong Kong!"

I winked at Lawrence, then opened a heating vent. "You go with Ram and Monkey. I'll see you at the bottom."

 "Is she actually crawling down the ventilation system?" I could hear Jung Ah asking. I was curled inside the space when the director yelled "cut", carefully making my way down. I crept out into the next floor, laughing to myself when I came out, especially when I could hear them above me, freaking out, wondering where I'd gone. I went back up the stairs, re-entering the room with an apple in hand. 

"Eonni, I think I got a new idea for a song," I said around a bite of apple. "I think I'll title it 'Just Hangin'. What do you think?"

She whipped around, relaxing when she saw me. "Oh dear GOD, Minsung-ah, stop pulling tricks like that! I thought you'd fallen or something!"

"Maybe I should think of something else."

"You're going to kill me. I swear, I'm going to be an old woman by the time I'm thirty."

"So you don't like it? 'Just Hangin'? It could be about a guy being suspicious of the girl going out with some of her friends who happen to be guys. 'Just Hangin'. What do you guys think?"

"How do you come up with these things?!" Shay asked, sounding slightly shrill, sticking close to Liam.

I shrugged, taking another bite of apple. "I thought about it while I was hanging in the air vent."

"Do you usually do that?" Liam asked, seeming interested, and amused.

"Hang from air vents? Oh, all the time. It's my favorite thing. Want to try? I'll hold the rope."

Jung Ah glared at me, and Kiyoshi just laughed. "Hachimitsu, I think you'd better let me hold the rope," he chuckled in Japanese.

"What? What is he saying?!" Liam asked.

"He threatened to drop you down the air vents. Oops!"

Kiyoshi laughed, then let the director shove us out of the room, trying to contain his laughter.

"So how is the movie going?" Henry asked over the phone.

"Well, I'm no Jenifer Lawrence, but I'm doing my best. My character is the greatest in the whole movie. I love her."

"I'll take your word for it. Since I won't know until the movie comes out in a year!"

"I have to finish filming first. I was crawling through air vents today."

"I bet you could make a song out of that."

"That is EXACTLY what I said! Everyone thought I was nuts!"

"Do I know you, or do I know you? Are you going to Korea next? Because Zhou Mi and I are with Victoria in China."

"But not Liyin-jiejie."

"How'd you know?"

"Because she's in Japan. With me. And BoA-sunbae. Liyin-jiejie, BoA-sunbae, say hi to Henry!!!!!"

"HI HENRY!" they shouted into the phone, laughing when he yelled in surprise. We were sitting in the SM Ent. Tokyo branch building, taking a break between listening to the songs we would be recording. Only two of them were written by me. One a ballad, the other a fast-paced ethereal rock song, reminiscent of the song we'd sung in Super Show. 

"Why are you all..."

"Can't tell you, Henry," Liyin teased. "It's a secret."

"Speaking of secrets... Henry, I'm hanging up. I have a more important phone call to make."

"Hey! No one is more important than me! Liyin! BoA! Don't let her call!"

"Bye Henry," I chided, and hit "end" before he could say anything. I turned to BoA. "I'll be right back."

"You have ten minutes!" she called out, and the three of us laughed.

Number 2 speed dial. "Mimi?"

"Niuwang!" He sounded relieved, of all things.

"What, did you think I wouldn't call?" I teased, smiling to myself. "I havea very wonderful, charming man. I have to make sure he stays mine."

"You're not becoming too friendly with that... Liam person, right?"

I laughed. "I don't know... I have to admit, he's easy on the eyes. And he's pretty cool about getting pushed out of buildings."

"Sounds like your kind of guy."

"I know, right?! But, you know, he just doesn't meet all the standards. He just doesn't understand this continent at all. All three of them are completely lost in Japan. It's hilarious. I tried to make them eat Onigiri, since that was a snack I could get at a nearby convenience store. Apparently pickled plums aren't very appealing to most people. I just... I don't think I could live with a person like that."

"Isn't half of your cooking Asian style?"

"Exactly! I need Chinese food to live! I need raw fish and rice, cooked squid and sweet pork! I need cosplay and animation, music and eccentricity! Without it, my life is useless."

Silence on the other end, while I caught my breath. "Are you done now?"

"Why, yes, I'm done. That said, how are you? Henry said you were in China. Why?"

"We're working on a new collaboration project. Me, Henry, Chen, Song Qian, Yixing, LuHan, Zitao, and your old friend Kwon Mei."

"Really?! They're finally letting her debut?! That's so awesome! But I hope everything goes well. Since SM's been doing a lot of collaborations lately..."

"What do you mean by that?"

I twisted a lock of my hair around my finger. "Oh... nothing. How long are you going to be in China?"

"About two months, we think."

"Great. I'll see you when we go to Hong Kong. Don't you dare miss it, alright? After that, we won't get much of a chance to..."

"I know. Don't worry, Niuwang."

I looked back at the practice room. "I... have to get back to work. I'll see you soon."

"Bye, Niuwang."

I hung up the phone, clutching it to my chest, then went back to practice.

 "You think I don't care about the Zodiac? You think Dragon, Ram, Monkey and Horse mean nothing to me?! Do you have any idea how horrible it is to wake up with no memories at all, to find out that you're all alone in the world, and that you were going to get put in an orphanage, with the hope that someone, somewhere, will take pity on you? I don't have a family other than those guys, Lawrence. I don't have anyone to eat with at New Years, and I have no parents forcing me to go through college. This is the only family I know. Asia is the only world I know. And you come in, expecting everything to change to your will, just because it would make everything easier, huh? Well let me tell you, I'm not sacrificing anyone for you. You are not that important to me. Just remember that."

I pulled the knife away from his throat, swallowing hard. A few years ago, tears may have been dripping down my face. But now, my eyes are dry. I have no remorse for killing that boy and girl, if I have to.

In my pocket, I can feel the stone pulsing. I cradle it in my hands, feeling my tail twitch. "We're coming, Lao Ban."

I turn back to Lawrence, narrowing my eyes. "You'd better remember that you're a prisoner."

"You're just a kid! This is ridiculous!"

"I could be twenty years old, for all anyone knows. Besides, what would you do if you did get away? The gangs would have you robbed in minutes, and you'd never be able to get back to your country. So you might as well stick with us, and from now on, you'd better like it."

In order to better suit my role, I hadn't showered in quite some time, to give myself the dirty, grungy look without tons of makeup. It was rather itchy, and gave me plenty of opportunities to drive the cast and crew crazy by asking them to smell me, but now that SM Gold would be releasing a music video and have a brief tour, it was required that I take a shower.

I stepped out, looking at myself in the mirror. With my hair dripping wet, my face free of make-up, I hardly looked beautiful. Acne broke out from the constant presence of make-up, and dark bags ringed my eyes. I was so tired, all the time. Yet I never gave myself the luxury of a break, of a night's rest. Why did I work so hard? What was I trying to accomplish?

My hair was darker than I remembered, almost not even blonde anymore, though perhaps that was because it was wet. It made me look somehow less Caucasian, more and more Asian. I was leaving more and more of my past behind. Yet, with the simple clothes, the khakis and t-shirts, I was more like the Wisconsin Girl that had first come to Korea than I ever was. 

I wanted to go home. I wanted to fall into a pair of arms and stay there until I fell asleep. It was fun being Rat, but I felt like I wa descending into selfishness. I didn't want to feel that way.

I looked away from the mirror, toweling my wet hair and going out into the main hotel room, sitting down on the bed next to where my cat sat, and idly him with one hand while the other reached out and pulled the blanket to me, wrapping it around me. It was still in the heat of summer in Japan, but I still liked the blanket. It was comforting, and it helped me stay strong. And when I was strong, I could be Rat.

"I was afraid, at first,
of seeing someone live so freely.
I didn't understand how much you did not know,
and I hated you, a little bit.

I thought I was teaching you,
but it was me that was learning.
I thought I was opening your eyes,
but mine were closed the whole time.

You showed me the world I had not wanted to see,
and though it hurt, I thank you for it.
I can live without regrets, knowing that you have changed me,
knowing that the world will live on.
The world spins around, never knowing what we have sacrificed,
but I want you to help them know.
We were always hoping for a better one.
I became something important, finally,
And you were there to see it all.
I have no regrets.

Somehow you saw good in me when I saw none in myself.
Somehow you saw light where there was only darkness.
How can a person like you exist?
I don't think I will ever understand.

Finally, I can believe that I was worth the life I lived,
that things happen because they are meant to.
I didn't believe in fate,
but I believe that meeting you was fate.

I had hoped it wouldn't come to goodbye,
but this will be the last time our hands touch.
Know that I can say farewell
because you have made me hopeful for a better future.

The world spins around, never knowing what we have sacrificed,
but I want you to help them know.
We were always hoping for a better one.
I became someone important, finally,
and you were there to see it all.

I have no regrets."

I looked at BoA and Liyin around the headphones jammed over my ears, their voices still vibrating down my spine. When I had written the song, I hadn't quite been able to imagine the way their voices could make the music thrum deep into my bones, bring tears to my eyes, even though the beat was fast-paced and coupled with rock instruments. It was not a ballad. But it was powerful. I wondered why no one had had the idea to couple the soloists at SM together. Harmony was such an incredible part of music, and yet it was rarely ever used at SM.

That was the song that would be the title track of our album, "A Better Future." We had practiced it several times before, but that was when we had recorded it. It was shocking-- it had only taken us one try, and I could still feel the chills it had given me.

"Alright, ladies, we'll give you a half an hour break, then you're back in here for the next song."

We stepped out, and I exhaled. I hadn't realized I'd been holding my breath.

"Are you okay, Minsung?" BoA asked, taking a drink from a water bottle.

I closed my eyes, leaning against the wall. "I think so."

"Don't you have to go back to filming after this?" Liyin asked.

I nodded, my eyes still closed. "Back to being Rat. Another week of not showering. But I'll do you both a favor and shower whenever we have recordings to do. Next time is the music video, right?" I opened my eyes, straightening up.

They both nodded. "Make sure you get some sleep, okay, Minsung?" BoA asked. 

I nodded, then went to my bag to get a pack of ramen. "Anyone want any?"

"What? What do you mean, we're changing the whole music video?" I asked Jung Ah a few days later, my mouth half-filled with rice.

"The company sent the recordings of your songs to the director of Twelve. He said the song was so impactful, he thought it would be great for the movie. So they want the music video to have components of the movie in it."

"But we haven't even finished filming, yet. Are they..." I already knew what the answer was.

"They're delaying the release until Twelve comes out."

I dug my fingernails into the counter, exhaling a breath. "Well... that's a good thing, right?"

"On the other hand, they want you to do another song for the soundtrack."

"Oh, really? Like what?"

"With Nick Jonas."

I almost spit out the gyudon I was eating. "What?!"

"He's a singer. You're a singer. You're both in the movie. I'm sure that's what they were thinking."

"I don't want to go anywhere near him. I avoid him as much as possible during filming. He's more ignorant than I can stand. He thinks Wonder Girls are the only popular band in Korea."

"Get over it, Queen Be. It's a job. Not all of the people you do duets with are going to be your boyfriend."

I pressed my lips together. She was right, I knew. That I was being selfish, and I didn't have that right. I shoved another piece of boiled beef into my mouth, considering. "It's going to be in English, isn't it." I said it more like a statement than a question. 

"I'm assuming so. Since I doubt Nick Jonas has any knowledge of Japanese, Korean, or Chinese. But yes, actually the movie has made a contract with SM. It looks like you've done what you came here to do, Minsung. EXO, Super Junior, Seo Nyuh Shi Dae... all doing songs for your movie. You've really come a long way."

For the first time, I could hear pride in her voice. She didn't sound condescending, she didn't sound impatient. She sounded more like the girl who'd been a trainee with me, full of life and charm. She sounded impressed, sounded amazed, even. I'd never realized how much I'd wanted her to be proud of me.

I crossed the room and hugged her, much to her own surprise. It wasn't a warm embrace- she just stood there, frozen for a while, before I let go. "Thank you, Eonni."

She slowly smiled, then cleared and tapped her computer pad. "Don't mention it. Now, hurry up, we have to be back at filming by ten."

I arrived in the Hong Kong airport, looking around, eager to get out.

"Not going to go get a cinnamon roll?" Shay asked, poking me in my side, which normally would have made me giggle, but today I barely even registered it.

"Oh, sure, you can get one if you want to..."

She frowned a me. "Helloooo, earth to Queen Be. Are you... looking for someone or something?"

I stopped, turning back to her. "Do you see any very handsome men, about six feet tall, with dark hair, dark eyes, and a smile that would just about tip you over?"

"Um, yeah. Main character man over there."

"No, I don't mean Liam," I retorted sharply.

He turned around, icing sticking to his face. He was already holding a cinnamon roll. "What about me?"

I pinched him in the side, not feeling completely into the pranks today, though. "Nothing, Aussie. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must find my man."

I pulled my bags behind me, happy that KyuMin was starting to get used to traveling. Jung Ah ran after me, telling me to slow down.

Vaguely, behind me, I heard Shay ask, "wait, she has a man?"

"Where are you?" I asked through my phone.

"I can't go to the airport, I'm sorry," Zhou Mi answered, sounding slightly out of breath. "There's too much press there. But we're staying at the same hotel."

My jaw locked for a second, before blossoming into a smile. "Are we really?"

"Yeah, since the company's working with the movie for the OST, we're working in the same general area."

I was practically shaking with tension. "I'll be there in a few minutes."

"How are you getting here?"

"I'll walk."

"No, Niuwang, don't be silly. I'll call a cab."

"Don't worry about it, I'll call it myself."

"It's fine. I've already got the number."

"No, I have it saved in my phone."

"Niuwang, just let me call them."

"Mimi, don't be ridiculous," I chortled, even though my face was turning pink. Jung Ah rolled her eyes. "I'm hanging up on you now. Since I have to call a cab." I pressed the end call button, then quickly called the cab service.

"Who was that?"

I jumped, almost dropping poor KyuMin's cat carrier. "Jesus C- Nick, keep distance of at least a meter."

He acted like he didn't even hear me. "How old are you, anyway?"

"Twenty-one."

"Seriously? I thought you were eighteen or something. And I'm supposed to sing with you?"

"What's that supposed to mean? Am I somehow not worthy of performing with one of the great Jonas brothers?"

He didn't seem to detect my sarcasm. "You're just really young. I don't know if we'd mix very well..."

Believe me, neither do I, I thought, but what I said was, "age has nothing to do with anything. It's not my age that matters, its our personalities. If those don't mix," which they don't, "then yeah, it'll crash and burn. I've sung duets and group songs with people ten years older than me. It's no big deal."

A taxi pulled up, and I smiled at him. "Well, that's my ride. See you at filming tomorrow."

He grabbed my arm, and I had to resist the urge to twist it around his back, since there were so many cameras lurking around. "How are you sure it's yours?"

I held up my phone, which was lit up with an indicator of the cab's arrival. "There's an app for that. I look forward to holding you prisoner, Mr. Jonas. Now, I have somewhere to go."

"You don't like me much, do you?'

I sighed, waving to the cab driver to show that I'd only be a moment. "You've given me no reason to. All I've seen is vanity and a distinct lack of a desire to understand cultures outside of your own. It took a lot of hard work for me to learn the languages of this part of the world, and yet you insist that people here know your own, and get frustrated when they don't. That's what I don't like. You agreed to do this movie. At least pretend to be considerate to the people that are helping you with it. I play pranks, sure, but when it comes right down to it, I do what I'm told without complaint. I'm not the main character, and neither are you. Both of us need to understand that."

I opened the trunk and put my bags in, then got in the back of the taxi with my cat carrier, closing the door behind me, before he could have the chance to stop me again. I was not looking forward to singing with him.