Fate

Chapter 104

Mina's POV
He did say, years ago, that he wasn't sure about having kids while he really wanted to before. I guess my panic erupted from there. "It's a lot harder to imagine that scenario when you're single."

Fair enough. I agreed with that. I had a few points, for myself that is. "I have been in the low to liveable wage territory for the past three years.. I couldn't afford this by myself."

He stopped me. "Why would you be by yourself? It's a team thing, is it not?"

In the best scenario. "It's so easy for men to walk away when they don't feel like having the burden of fatherhood. They think alimony does the same job as them. The weight falls on single mothers. If my significant other leaves, I have to be able to provide for that child. It's the reasonable thing to do."

He nodded. "You're a realist.. As gloomy as you sound, you're right."

"With the state if reproductive health in America, the debate brought itself into our political system. The Constitution protects us for now, but as soon as they can find a flaw, the debate will explode again." Women's reproductive rights in the USA had only gotten worse. Half the States had reverted to the laws before Roe vs Wade lawsuit. If it happened, you couldn't stop it. "Let's not forget how dangerous it can be with the complications, the limitations.. Motherhood is a problem for companies and even for women in general with the load of doing it all on average." I recalled when I used to tutor children. "Kids developing is a beautiful and fulfilling thing.." I looked up at him. "I don't know where I stand. I'd love to, but I don't want to be abandoned because my partner doesn't want to deal with his choices." I bit into my sour candy, still cuddling on the couch. "What is your outlook on things?"

Namjoon's POV
I knew it wasn't pretty, but.. "How did the Western world evolve backwards? It's rhetorical, you don't have to answer.." I had the funds and the desire. I just.. "I do want them, but I think the main thing pulling me back is trust. I'm a bit on the opposite of the spectrum from you." She frowned. "I mean.. I never slept around. But how many times did I worry about being in a relationship that turned out to be only for my money. Guys worry about being trapped, but women worry about their life, health, as well as the one they will have to care for. It's not the same weight on the scale."

She smiled. "That's an unfair comparison. From your standpoint, it is a big thing. You don't have to dismiss it. There's a divide in people. Those who's goals are wealth derived and those who seek happiness. I don't know about you, but I'd rather do a decent wage and do what I love than be swimming in money and bored to death."

"Are you sure you're not thirty? You sound like it."

She responded seriously yet kindly. "I grew up pretty fast. I was parentified young. When I hit 22, I finally had the freedom to not do so and unmask. To be myself. I saw my mother try to find a sense of self after I left the home because all she did was take care of us. I didn't want this for myself this early. I wanted to mess up and live my dreams. I'll publish my book I've been working on since I'm twelve, next February. The rest of the sequel is written. I'm making a decent wage from dance alone. I want to see the world. I chose right."

"So.. hypothetically speaking. If we're still together and you feel you've seen enough of the world.. You'd be opened to it?" Why didn't we have that talk before?

She nodded. "I believe so, if you trust me enough by then."
.
.
.
"You two look a lot better! Are you ready for a TV show prestation?"

We nodded at Kookie. "Of course!" She brought the girls over for the cheer. "1,2,3.. Bangtan!"

Mina's POV
We did our performance. Only the girls and the band. We ended it, waited, then bowed and clapped. "It was BTS!" He motioned for us to stay. "I noticed you didn't dance in heels. You know, that part!" The MC copied it with his co-MC. "Where did that go?"

Hobi answered laughing. "You expected them to do the whole dance in them? They can't change their shoes anywhere. I'd like to see you try."

He denied. "I'm no professional and their heels won't fit."

Suga crossed his arms. "You're a size what? 9.5?" He nodded and Yoongi pointed to me. "She wears 11 in women's shoes. That should fit."

It made everyone laugh. The co-animator pushed him to do it. I leaned against Taehyung to take my heels off and handed them to the main MC, bowing. They did fit him and he couldn't even walk in them. It was quite comical. He handed them back to me. "I get why you wore flats!"