*WARNING: ATTEMPTED RAPE*

*READ AT YOUR OWN RISK*

Im Yong Soo sang the last note perfectly in the karaoke bar, and the drunken audience applauded for his performance of Teen Top's "I Wanna Love," a popular song that had just been released. They didn't see the glassiness in his dancing black eyes, nor the way he stared longingly at the couples in the room.

He shed his costume of a black leather vest, skinny jeans with chains, and combat boots, changing into a loose-knit sweater and his own skinnies paired with worn high-tops. The costume was well-worn and now saturated with his sweat.

He was collecting his tips from the bar's manager when she spoke.

"You could debut, you know," the manager smacked her gum, giving him a pitiful look. "With that voice, that face, and that body...whew, you'd give any of the big three a run for their money." She eyed him curiously. "Why don't you, anyways?"

"Da-ze, I don't know," Yong Soo admitted with a false guiltiness. "I enjoy entertaining the honest crowd more, I guess."

"With all those drunks, everything they say is true."

He looked at his grimy, dull watch. 2:48 AM. "It's late, I should be going."

The manager nodded, standing straight. "Alright. You're quite the charmer, you know, making the crowds crazy. Buys more drinks and a couple of extra admission tickets every night in this business. Stay a couple more days and I'll up your earnings to 40% of the night's earnings."

Yong Soo hesitated. He never stayed too long in one place for a reason- he was a country, the country of South Korea. People would kill to blackmail him, or to kill him. Maintaining a low profile was crucial to his- and his country-'s safety. Even though he didn't live off the billions in his country's treasury, Yong Soo never had to work for his food or his home. However, he felt compelled to seek his fortune, no matter how small it was, like all the others in his country.

And right now he could use the money. His motel's employees had to be paid too; not everyone was as lucky as him.

"I'll stay on for a couple more days," Yong Soo decided. "But I'll leave by Sunday."

The woman- what was her name, anyways?- gave him a smile, handing him seventy thousand won (1). "Alright. See you tomorrow night."

With his finances settled, Yong Soo left the ratty karaoke bar, which resembled the many he made his living off of. He didn't care about the money or the music or their names anymore- nothing was different between them, nothing made them unique. And the drunken crowds were always the same. He was bored of this world, and "I Wanna Love" had him thinking more than usual.

The only people Yong Soo really loved were his mother, Joseon, and his brother, Hyung Soo. One was dead and the other was mad, living poor and corrupted. Though he put on a show for the drunken crowds each night, he often knew his life was a show- like a puppet jerked on strings. At the monthly World Meetings, he would put on a fake smile, like how he donned the various singing costumes when he entertained crowds. Then he'd laugh, tease and chase the pretty Asian girls, like Vietnam, around, like his nightly performance.

And when it was over, he'd return to the hotel, shower, and sleep.

That was the unbreakable pattern of Im Yong Soo's life.

He walked down the darkened roads, the flashing lights advertising massage parlors and bath houses. They were holes in the wall, cheap, ratty places all resembling the one he had just come from.

Then he heard the scream from the alley.

"Bu yao de! Wo bu yao ni! (2)" the girl screamed in Mandarin. Yong Soo peered into the alley, slowly observing the dark scene before he could act.

A deep part in him screamed at him to run away before a gun or a knife was pulled.

A man, clearly drunk, had pinned the girl's wrists against the grimy wall. He wore a white military jacket complete with gold epaulettes over dirtied pants and a white wifebeater, and shiny white patent leather shoes. Yong Soo thought his even, choppy haircut was familiar, but her couldn't place it.

The girl, however, wasn't someone Yong Soo would ever mistake for someone else: with her pearly white skin marred with dark petal-shaped bruises, Yong Soo still thought she resembled moonlight. Her eyes were a revered shade of a flickering candle, and her hair was a reflection of pure darkness.

But he knew that face.

Taiwan!

Xiao Mei was the one girl Yong Soo never dared to make fun of at the World Meetings. With her dignified and sweet disposition, Mei didn't deserve to be violated or made fun of in front of the entire world- this he meant literally.

But then…the man could only be one person: Honda Kiku. Japan, Korea's historical enemy.

Yong Soo was sure of it.

"Hajima! (3)" Yong Soo shouted, and rushed forward without another thought.

(1) Korean currency; 1 US Dollar is roughly 1200 Korean Won

(2) I don't want that! I don't want you! (Mandarin)

(3) Stop it/Stop! (Korean)

Hi everyone! I'm writing this KorTai fic for my bestie, stormjade . Hope you all are enjoying it so far, and I WILL try to make this as long as possible. Please READ AND REVIEW, like, follow, and all that good stuff! PLEASE R&R!

Fighting!

~Lauren