Fate

Chapter 3

Namjoon's POV
"I saw your professional profiles on Instagram. You're good and make pretty stuff." I commented. "Didn't find your personal one, if you have one."

"You have? Stalker~" Mina joked.

"Not true! Your ID is forensic artist. I made an educated guess on a public platform." I admitted. "What does forensic mean?"

"You didn't google?" I swore I did not. "It's the science of crime/incident and accident scenes. I did half a Bachelor in forensic biology."

Why not finish it? "That links to your cremation art does it? You left for that?"

Her shoulders dropped. "A teacher was biased against me and my anxiety couldn't handle it. Also, I was totally alone there. My friends left each summer. I couldn't deal with my mental health alone. I had to leave." Her eyes were getting watery. "Sorry. It ended up being a good thing, but gosh were these months of my life Hell."

Her head shut up, when my hand went on her back. "Is it okay?" She nodded easing down. "You loved that, didn't you?"

She gained back the composure she barely lost. "I very much did. I LOVED the labs. It was like a big puzzle. Too bad my grades didn't keep up. I was lucky enough to have connections in the arts and I worked my ass off to get my business started while I worked as a teacher. I had to keep paying my car and take care of my dog.. I'm so glad my mother let me move back in back then."

She was so grateful. It was beautiful to see. "You lived a lot in a short amount of time."

She chuckled. "Not even the half of it, but yeah. I work with ashes because I know how to work with biohazard and it's art." She opened up her bag. "I brought a couple non cremation ones I made. In case someone asked." She pulled a keychain with a small cube of a transparent purple and blue colour with wild flowers in it. "Here, you can have a look."

She handed it to me. It was colourful, delicate, yet durable. "You truly do noce work. If the guys saw these, they might want one. I know I do."

Mina replied in an unexpected way. "It's yours then. I can make as many as I want."

My happiness was one of a child. I loved little decorations. "Really?" I put it on my backpack. "It looks great, thanks."

Her straight smile was soft, yet bright. "Glad you like it. People wearing my work is what brings me joy."

It was getting late, we arrived around 9am, it was almost 2pm. "Didn't you say you had somewhere to go tonight?"

She almost slapped herself. "Right! I have a SHINee concert tonight! I have to get changed and go there." She put her bag on her shoulder. "Mind guiding me to the subway?"

I certainly didn't. "Follow me then!" After some time.. "You like SHINee sunbaenim?"

She nodded strongly. "I do. I listened to them before I knew it was Kpop. To me it was just a good band in another language." She paused to think. "14 years, I think."

Wow. "Impressive." I HAD to ask. "Following Bangtan for how long?"

She glared at me. "Why do you ask?"

"I'm curious! You know us, so I wanted to know if.."

"If I'm an ARMY?" She put her hands in her pockets. "You could say I'm one. Been following you since Danger. I saw Boy in Luv, but didn't get hooked until August of that year." She answered honestly.

Wait, what? "Danger? That's 2014. 11 years? I think you can call yourself an ARMY, for sure."

She looked me in the eyes. "Think I'm crazy now?"

Weirdly enough, no. "No, but tell me.. Why are you so casual? I mean, you're treating me like-"

She cut me off. "Like a human? Because you are one, are you not? I always think of it this way, celebrities are people first. Their job is second. Just like I am. I'm Mina. I have hobbies out of work, but I'm a dancer, an artist.. I was a teacher. Jobs are hats you wear, not who you are." She turned to me at destination. "You're okay?"

Was it a good idea? "Think we can actually be friends?"

She grinned. "If you'd like that, I'd like that too."

I gave her a strong nod. "We're friends then."

She smiled putting her mask back on. "It's settled. I really have to go. I'll see you soon, friend."

I waved her goodbye. "See you soon, Mina."