Hi guys! Sorry for sort of dropping off the face of the planet for a while… I hope you'll forgive me! My muse ran away, but I think I've found her again ^^;

"Sake! Sake! Sake for everyone!"

As Meiko threw back another cup of sake, it dawned on me how often we had been celebrating in the past month. Or maybe I was only thinking about how often Meiko had been drinking sake in celebration. In that case, we were in perpetual celebration.

Either way, this time felt real. The producers, managers, and even Miku joined us in celebration this time. We had a ton of food brought out and someone was able to get a speaker into the cafeteria to play our new hit songs through the room.

I was less excited about the ratings than I was about what they meant for me and Rin. We were finally safe. Security was a foreign concept to us and now… well, it felt good. We would never go hungry on the streets, never need to steal again, always have enough money to- wait.

"Ty?"

"Yeah kid?"

"Does this mean we have to pay for our apartment now?"

Ty examined his sake cup. "Yeah, but I wouldn't worry about it if I were you. With the royalties you're going to get, you have nothing to worry about."

"Royalties?"

Satisfied with the cup, he tossed back the sake. "Sure," he said after swallowing, "Do you remember the documents you signed with Camille?"

I thought about it for a second. "Kind of. I didn't actually read them though."

He stared at me for a second, waiting for a punch line. When it didn't come, he burst out laughing and said, "You're lucky I'm not like all the other corporate scumbags in this industry, Kid."

"That's true. You dress better." I gestured to his tie which was now neon orange.

He laughed again.

"But seriously," I added, "Thanks."

"No problem."

At that moment, Ty's phone began ringing. I wasn't very surprised to hear that his ringtone was a song of Miku's. World is Mine? Or was it Love is War? Something like that. I'd heard it earlier that week anyway. He excused himself from the table to take the call.

"Len?"

I turned to see Miku holding out a banana to me. I took it. "Thanks."

"Sure. So what are your plans now that you're officially one of us?" She raised her eyebrows.

"One of us?" I repeated. "It was only today that you talked to the rest of us!"

She blushed deep red – a stark contrast against her teal hair.

I was gripped by uncontrollable laughter. Miku grew even redder which had me laughing harder. Finally when I calmed down enough to breathe, Miku said, "I meant part of the studio."

"Oh. I don't know. What should I do?"

"Well, hasn't there ever been anything that you've wanted desperately?"

I frowned, thinking hard. "I already have everything I've always wanted. I have a bed to sleep in every night, enough food, and a safe place for Rin. I don't need anything else."

Miku smiled. "You're easy to please."

I returned her smile, but was distracted when Rin's familiar hand slipped into mine. I turned to her, the smile still on my face, but when I saw Rin's expression, my smile fell away.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"You proved yourself wrong just by the way you said that."

She shrugged noncommittally.

"Aren't you happy?"

"I know I should be."

A sinking feeling gripped my chest. "But you aren't?" What was the point then? If Rin wasn't happy, what was this all for?

A slight shake of her head.

I couldn't do anything beyond staring at her. What did she mean she wasn't happy? We had everything we'd ever wanted. What more could I give her? As I ruminated, Rin raised her gaze to meet mine. She smiled, but it didn't quite touch her eyes. The sinking feeling in my chest turned into a freezing feeling.

The loud slamming of a sake bottle against a table made us flinch. I glanced around for the culprit, my eyes landing on Ty. He held up his phone triumphantly, a grin on his face.

"Announcement everyone!" he called. "They want more! The studio high ups just okayed an insane budget for the making of five more songs! One for each of you!" Ty swept his arm in an arc that touched me, Rin, Meiko, Kaito, and Miku.

A beat of silence before the room erupted into cheers again.

More food was ordered and passed around as well as some dancing from Meiko. I watched Rin while she chatted with Camille about something that made her laugh. She seemed to be back to her old self. But if there was even the slightest reason for her to be unhappy, I would find it.

Thank you SO MUCH for staying with me even though I sort of left you guys for a while! I promise I'm going to finish this story!

Honestly, the reason I decided to write the next chapter was because I recently received a review about someone who watched one of my videos on youtube (I'm part of a dancing group on youtube called Nelements. PLEASE LOOK US UP). Reviews keep me writing and motivated! Please review! ^^;