I held the door open for Amber, who was busy with her phone.

"There!' she said at last. "Uploaded. I sent it to you so you could put it on Twitter and things, since apparently you don't like it when Henry and I hack your accounts."

"Gee, I wonder why," I responded sarcastically. "Yeah, I'll do that as soon as possible. But it's on Youtube, so I don't have to do too much."

"No, not really. So how do you think it went?" Henry asked, closing the door behind us.

"Pretty good, I guess. Not as interesting as the videos I make with the Wisconsin girls, but it was really all about the song today. Although it was pretty hard to concentrate with Amber making weird faces at us from behind the camera!"

"I was not making weird faces at you!"

"Then what were you doing with your finger pulling up your upper lip, staring right at me?!"

"I had something in my teeth!"

"It was hard not to laugh. You almost destroyed a sad song by making me laugh."

"We could have done it again. No big deal."

"Yes, thank you, Amber," I teased, shouldering her so she tipped, laughing, into the wall. She pushed back, and I ran into Henry, so it turned into a lovely little pushing fest.

"Excuse me. Choi Minsung?"

I turned around after pushing Henry one last time. "Yes?"

It was one of the secretaries, holding a computer pad. "I'm sorry to interrupt your time with your friends, Miss, but we'll need to pull you out for a moment. It's important."

"Oh, okay. That's fine. See you later, guys." I waved to them, then headed off with the secretary. "Where are we going?"

"One of the directors wants to see you. I'm sorry, I don't know the details. You'll find out when we get there. Ah, here we are. Go on in, Minsung."

I complied, and she closed the door behind me. I bowed to the director, straightening back up to recognize him. "Annyeonghasseo, Shiljang-nim. you wanted to see me?"

"Yes, I did. Take a seat, Minsung."

I did. 

"Choi Minsung, your files say that you entered this company as both a songwriter and an actress?"

"Yes, sir."

"And you've been a trainee here for a year and a half?"

"A year and five months, to be exact, sir."

"And you've had moderate success with your songwriting?"

"Yes, sir," I answered, wondering why he was asking me these questions, though he already knew the answers to them. Still, I'd learned to give answers first and ask questions later, at least at SM.

"I see. You were in the company's acting class through your trainee carreer, correct?"

"Not through the whole thing. The first half-year I spent in a Korean language. When it was decided that my Korean was good enough, I was switched."

"I see. Well, then, would you say that your time as a trainee has been long enough?"

I looked up at him, wide-eyed. He wasn't going to kick me out, was he?! I thought... after the exhibition... "What do you mean, Shiljjang-nim?"

"SBS is beginning a new historical drama. Based in the Korean War era. The female lead is an American nurse. They're having difficulty finding someone to play her. After your performances at the trainee exhibition, however, they called us, asking if you would like to play the character. You would be officially debuting as an artist. No longer a trainee."

I stared at him, dumbfounded. "You mean... I'm debuting?!"

"That is what I said, isn't it?"

"What... kind of character would I be?"

He dropped a thick packet of paper onto the desk in front of me. "This is a rough copy of the script. I'll send you more  information tonight. Does this mean you're accepting?"

"Mostly. I'll make a final decision once I see the contract," I replied, trying to maintain my professionalism. In my head, though, I was going OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Congratulations, Choi Minsung. Or should we refer to you as Queen Be from now on?"

"I can't even... I wasn't expecting this, honestly. I feel so... this is... This isn't a trick, right?"

"No, Queen Be. Filming begins in two weeks, if you decide to accept. You will get a more loose practice schedule, working around your filming times. You'll no longer be attending classes, and will be officially announced as an SM artist."

I was still trying to wrap my mind around the whole thing. I wasn't a trainee anymore. I was official. If the drama was a success, I could even be famous! Famous. Well, there was no knowing that, but it was a possibility, now! I was debuting! This was what I had been working towards for over a year, yet, now that it had come, it felt surreal. 

"Thank you, Shiljjang-nim! I'll do my best!" I bowed again, asked permission to leave, and if I could tell anyone, and when it was granted, quickly left the room, and went through the company at top speed.

I ran into the cafe, where Amber and Henry were waiting, like I knew they'd be. 

"What happened in there, Mel? You look like you just ran a mile..." Henry commented.

"No, only a few hundred feet. But shut up and listen! You guys, I'm debuting!"

"WHAT?!" Both of them were on their feet, open-mouthed. "You're serious?!"

"Completely! I'm going to be an actress!"

"An actress for what?"

"In a new historical drama, called Two Lands, One People. It's about the Korean war, and, and I work for the Red Cross as a nurse, and, and the main character, an American named Rosaline Connor, is caught between two Korean men-- one from North Korea and one from South Korea, while the war goes on around her. Doesn't that sound awesome?!"

"And they cast you?" Amber asked, incredulous.

"Yes! Well, not officially-- I have to sign the contract-- yet, but I guess they wee having trouble finding an actress who could play an American convincingly enough. So when they came to the exhibition, they decided to let me do it!"

"Mel! This is amazing!" Henry yelled, then turned to the cafe. "Hey, everyone, Queen Be's going to be an actress!" People applauded, and I blushed. "Hey, I'll buy you coffee to celebrate!"

I punched him. "Henry, I hate coffee, remember?!"

I ran around, telling everyone. I went to the SNSD practice room, told my eonnis. I went to the trainee practice room, told all of my sunbaes and classmates. They crowded around me, extremely excited to hear the news.

"Oh my gosh, Minsung! You're debuting before the rest of us!" Kwon Mei remarked. "I can't believe it! Congratulations!" 

I was so happy that I was beginning to cry. I felt like such a dork, but I couldn't keep the happiness inside. "I hope you all get to stay, too! You think they really will make a girl group soon?"

 "I hope so," SoHee gasped. "Or we'll all feel like crap, when you've debuted and we haven't!"

She laughed, and we went along with her. "Where's Min Hee?" I asked.

"She had to work. You'll probably be able to tell her when you get home today. We'll make sure not to tell her. Best to make news as great as this a surprise!"

I agreed, then excused myself to run to go find Victoria and Krystal, ending up with the entirety of f(x). I told them the entire story, in addition to introducing myself to Sulli. It was a few minutes before I realized that I'd been speaking in Chinese, because that's what I'd always talked to Victoria in. Fortunately, everyone else got the gist of it.

I ran to the vocal training room, where I would normally have been at that time. Like magic, there was Zhou Mi, walking by. He stopped, seeing me, and I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek, overwhelmed with happiness. "I debuted today!" I squealed while his face reddened. I ran off down the hallway before he could respond, as incredibly excited as I was.

I went straight to the SuJu dorm to tell them, overwhelmed with hugs and jumping up and down, crazy boys. They were such dorks. Happy, happy dorks.

And then I went straigth to my dorm. Not bothering with the bus, I ran straight there.

"Min Hee! Min Hee! Oh my god, you will never believe what I was told today! My life has just begun!" I plopped my shoes in the dorm's doorway that I had just opened. "I have to tell you..."

I froze. My eyes were instantly drawn to the room. searing an immense sense of wrong into my brain-- not from what was there, but from what wasn't.

I couldn't hide my shock as my gaze sailed around the empty walls, devoid of the SHINee posters, concert memorabilia and personal items that had always filled Min Hee's side of the room. Even the light blue "SHINee Girl" written in glowing stars on the ceiling had been removed, leaving "ELF Queen" up by itself. Her bedstand was cleared of makeup and hair products. No clothes hung from the drawers. My eyes travelled to the eerily empty space under Min Hee's bed, then to the myriad of bags at the foot of it, then finally up, to where Min Hee sat on the now-stripped bed, looking at the floor, not meeting my eyes.

"Min... Hee? What's... going on?" I asked carefully, stepping into the room. She looked up, and I could see from her red eyes, puffy cheeks, and lack of makeup, that she had been crying.

"I have something to tell you, too," she sniffled, wiping her nose with a hdankerchief. "You can go first."

I looked pointedly at the empty walls, sitting next to her on the bed. "No, I really think you ought to go first."

She nodded, opening to speak, closing it, taking a deep breath, then starting again. "Do you remember... that trainee exhibition, from a little while ago?" she asked hesitantly.

"Of course. It was when I was finally able to beat Lily."

"Well, since the exhibition was open to the public, other companies came. One of them was Pledis Entertainment. You know who that is, right?"

"After School and Nu'est. Yeah."

"Yes, well, they saw my performances and gave SM an offer. Gave me the offer. SM said that they could debut me eventually, but it could be as much as two years. They said I was talented, but they can't use me right now. But Pledis said that if I moved to their company, I could debut within months. They're planning a new girl group." She stopped, starting to cry again.

"Hey, Min Hee, it's okay. I understand." I comforted, patting her on the back. "I want you to be successful. And if you have to go to another company to do that..."

Min Hee hugged me, still crying. "I'm sorry, Mel. I'm sorry. I won't be in SM anymore. I won't help you anymore; we'll even be competing against each other. I don't know if we'll even be allowed to be friends."

I hugged her to me, crying myself, but not wanting her to see it. "Well, now I guess you can talk to Jacklyn about Nu'est."

Min Hee laugh-cried. "I guess I can." She pulled away, wiping away tears. "I'll do my best there, I promise. And I'll be your friend, no matter what."

I nodded. She didn't even need to say it. "It's been a year and a half already, together. And now you're moving out. Do you think they'll give me another roommate?!" I asked, hoping against it.

Min Hee shook her head, though. "No, we're both moving out." When I gave her a quizzical look, she continued. "When they told me about the transfer, they also told me about your debut. I'm so proud of you."

"You knew?"

She nodded again. "They said that they're giving you your own apartment. You're getting one of SHINee's old dorms, I hear. Just for you." She wiped her eyes again. "...kind of makes me wish I was going with you."

I laughed. "I can sneak you in."

"Deal," she answered.

"But why did they just take you?!" I suddenly blurted. "Couldn't they take us both?"

"They tried," she replied simply. "They offered SM, not with high expectations. Sure enough, SM refused, saying they already had plans for you. They weren't lying, obviously."

"Why did the company want me, though?! You're so much more talented than I am! Christ, they know that already! How many times did they try to kick me out already?"

"Three."

"Exactly! It's so obvious."

"Mel, shut up."

My jaw snapped shut in surprise. I hadn't really been anticipating a command like that.

Min Hee sighed and smiled weakly. "As much as they don't want to admit it, Mel, you belong there. Here. Whatever. Either way, it's where you're needed. 

"But-"

"It's true, Mel. There are plenty of pretty girls in SM that can sing and dance, and more come every year," she stated flatly. "But that's not you, is it? SM doesn't need me. They need someone who can teach English, encourage culture to cross continents, to go into the minds of the fans and hear their opinions. That is you. And that's what they need. Pledis will need that someday, too. But for right now, they'll settle for me."

I, myself, was now in full crying mode. "But- but at least I have biases in other companies. Yours are all here."

She gave me a sidelong glance. "Mel, you know it was never about the groups for me. Sure, SHInee took care of me, but they didn't get as attached to me as everyone got to you. They'd be crushed if you left. No, I'll go where I'm needed." She leaned back on her hands, starting to calm down as I began to completely break down.

"I never told you the whole story of this-- or anyone in the company. But when I got into this company, at the age of eighteen, it was my tenth try at Kpop companies since the year I turned twelve. Time after time, I was rejected because of my lack of expression, SM included. That's how I knew I had to improve it. Finally I got my chance. If that leads me to Pledis, then so be it. It's still my dream. I'm happy. Really."

She stood up, wiping the last of her tears away, only for her voice to begin shaking again. "I'd better go. They wanted me moved into the new dorm by tomorrow."

"Need any help?"

Min Hee shook her head. "No, but thank you."

"Oh... okay. Well... good luck. I hope you do really well. I know you will."

:Congratulations on your new acting career, and your new dorm." Min Hee gathered her bags around her and held out her arms to me for a final hug. "Take care of SHINee for me," she added, still hugging me.

"I will. I promise."

Even hours after she had left, I still sat there, staring at the door she had left open behind her, wondering at how much a person can take a long time to be accustomed to one kind of life, but it could all change in less than a day.

I was an official debuted artist as of the next day. And my roommate-- who had become my best friend in Korea-- was gone.

My life had changed, and I could only wonder if maybe I liked it the way it had been.

Still, eventually I had to get up off the bed and close the door, so when next I opened it, it would be to an entirely new part of my life.

END OF PART ONE