Fate

Prologue

Mina's POV
18°C in Hongdae? A cardigan should do the trick. I put my lilac vest over my crisp white cami crop to and jeans, tied my red converse up and I was good to go! Traveling light had its benefits, no need to spend 10 minutes thinking about an outfit. The fresh fall air blessed my profile as I got out of the hostel. It was so sunny! "What a day to spend outside! I'm glad I waited after monsoon season." I followed the map I loaded before leaving.  "Jongno-gu, National museum of modern and contemporary art. Maybe their pieces will inspire my work." I got into the subway and got out multiple stations later. "It's a walking type of day today huh? Didn't realize it was that far." After walking for a while, I ended up in a park next to a bike lane. "There wasn't one on my map.. Oh dear, did I get lost already?" I swore under my breath. "And I don't see anyone around-" False, there was a guy on a bench next to his bike. Hopefully he doesn't mind me asking... I went by the bench, leaving a meter or so of distance. I spoke loud enough to hear me through my mask. "Excuse me? I'm a little lost. I'm looking for the museum of contemporary arts. Would you mind helping me find my way?" My Korean wasn't it's best, but I could hold a basic conversation.

He seemed tall, even seated. A grown out buzzcut and a mask were his dominant features, until I saw his eyes. No way.. I couldn't mistake these for anyone else's. They smiled at me. "Hi, I go there a lot, I can show you. Do you have a map?"

I handed him my phone. "I followed it perfectly. I don't get it."

After a glance at it. "Looks like that wasn't updated in a while."

Namjoon's POV
Of course she'd get lost. It looked like a 2020 map.. I gave her phone back. "What app did you use?"I took a look up as her, dark brown hair that turned a shade of dark red when hit with light, wide almond shaped eyes of what I think is a chestnut and dry moss green colour, narrow nose hidden under a mask.
She wasn't asian for sure, but her Korean was decent.

She scratched her head. "Google maps? I'm sorry I'm taking so much of your time."

She was pretty sweet. "It's alright." I checked my watch. "I have some time to show you the way if you want."

She bowed down. "You don't have to, if you know a better app, I can get to a café for Wi-Fi and download the map there."

There wasn't a place like this in a while. "You'll get to the museum before you enter a café. I promise I don't bite." I swore and got up. "If it forces me into the museum so be it." I joked.

She seemed confused. "You really don't mind? You're sure?"

I nodded. "Of course." I came back from the military 3 days ago, I had nothing better to do. Why not help a nice girl out? Now that I was up, she was pretty tall. I took hold of my bike and started walking. She followed. "Can I know your name?"

She nodded, almost in a bow. "My name is Mina. Can I know your name?"

She didn't know it? I was getting curious. "Do you know it?"

She let out a small laugh. "Are you messing around with me? I don't assume people's names."

She had to know. "I'm Namjoon."

I could see the smile in her eyes. "Nice to meet you."

"What are you doing in Seoul?" I asked.

She shrugged. "I've been waiting to come here for so long. I want to get inspired, be inspired, discover things, learn.. Get better with Hangul."

"You're already pretty decent if you ask me." I complimented her. I didn't notice how long her hair was, 3/4 down her back. It must be warm, no? She wasn't thin, but an American 6 or 8 would be able to wear the clothes from the Korean brand of her cardigan. I wasn't paying attention. "Get inspired? You're an artist?"

She brushed her wavy hair back. "I don't know if I can call myself that. I do many things really." She switched to English. "I have a jewelry and cremation art business, I published a book last year, working on my next one.." Changed back to my primary language. "I dance and when my friend has a gig where he needs dancers, I'm usually tagging along. I do a couple of competitions every year."

She was diverse. Interesting.. "I'd call that an artist."

"You're sweet. Thank you. How about you? What do you do?" She asked.

Now she was messing with me! "You really don't know?" I played dumb. "I write songs, I made a couple of albums. My friends and I are in a band, but we're more solo right now, military enlistment and such."

A nod. "Right, until the rest of Bangtan comes back, you're pretty much solo. Wrote anything interesting since you came back?"

"Not much, that's why I was at the park, I-" Wait a minute. "You do know who I am!"

A chuckle escaped her lips. "I do, I was just glad for your help and for the nice chat." We had been standing by the entrance of the museum for a couple of minutes now.

I scratched my nape. "You're welcome. Thanks for the talk. It really was nice." She made me feel human. Should I ask? All she can say is no. "Actually, would you mind keeping it going? I'll lock my bike somewhere and we can comment on the art together? I rarely have company there."

Mina's POV
Did he really ask that? "If you don't mind translating some words out of my vocabulary, I'd appreciate it very much."