Fate

Chapter 185

Namjoon's P.O.V.
Look at her, headphones in, focused on her phone. So much so that she didn't notice me, inches from her.
Did Min finally have a take that she liked? Kissing the top of her head, she quickly pulled off her headset.
"Jesus Christ, don't scare me like that."

"Name's Namjoon, beautiful."
She rolled her eyes at my awful, repeated joke.
"Too easy, sorry. What did you end up doing?"

She showed it to me. It wasn't a video.
"Nothing looked right."
Correction, nothing was to her liking.
"I'm going to release the text. Wanna read it?"

I took a seat next to her.
"Sure, show me."
Hi, everyone. There have been rumors in circulation about my, quite short, hiatus. I wanted to set the record straight, not that you deserve to know, but just to clear my own mind. I took a break for health reasons. I needed time to recover. I'm happy and well. What I've had done and their circumstances are something I'd like to keep private. So, please stop pouring your questions in my DMs. I will not answer them.
Thank you for your support, past, present, and future.
Mina
"A bit sassy, don't you think? It does send the message leave me alone very well."

"Is it sassy?"
She frowned, taking her phone back.
"I'm just tired about the messages in my account being about how I'm not setting a good example for not liking how I looked when your message is to love yourself."
She stopped me before I spoke.
"Aesthetic was only part of the reason, but I love myself a lot more now. You never told me to do any of this and some imply you must have."

Oh, what a load of crap. "I'm never going to tell you what to do, but can I make a proposition?"

She let out an exhausted laugh.
"My post would get me into more trouble, wouldn't it?"

"Foxy, I can hear the passive aggression by reading it."
We shared a quick chuckle.
"Not dignifying it with an answer IS an answer. Let's go shopping instead, huh? What about it?"

The confusion across her face after she deleted her text.
"Shopping for what? Fridge is full, unless you decided to go on a rampage in the past two days?"

I did not! I.. ate all the cookies though. Hers are so delicious!
"We could use more chocolate chip cookies, but no. I was thinking about formal attire. The event is in a few days."

My partner LOVES to window shop, but actual shopping?
"I don't have time to order it online, do I?"

"Nope."

"I have twenty dresses, doesn't one work?"
Could... But they're summer dresses and cute satin skirts. Not that I minded! I was the last to complain.
She would be upset not to fit the dress code.

"Everything was rented last year. We don't really have time to do that this time."
I can't say why, but seeing her short hair reminded me of when she wore my clothes and that very short wig Moonbyul lent her last year.
"How about nice pants?"

Her eyes brightened up. "Like.. a suit?"

"Yeah! Why not?"

She jumped out of her seat and picked up her purse. "Where are we going?"

How am I supposed to know?
"Coex mall? Have an idea?"

"You have time to tell me what you're wearing, it'll tell me how risquée I can be."

THAT caught my interest. "Risquée? As in revealing? Count me in!"

She gave me one hell of a side-eye "You pervert."

"I simply have a great appreciation for the art you are?"

Min did her best to conceal her smile. "I rest my case. I was thinking only of a bralette or a corset as a shirt."

A bralette- as in underwear? Oh.. my goodness. "With your black stilettos?"

"The ones that make me as tall as you are."
YES. I nodded, she seemed to like the idea.
"Sure, that'd wrap the outfit well."

I think I got focused on the unimportant thing. "Satin or lace?"

A frown. "Pardon?"

"The.. top."

"Want to pick it?"

Really? "Does that mean I get to see you try some?"

"We're going for a suit! I have many at home."
She did? Lucky me.

"Private showing then?"

"Namjoon! Can you please tell me what you're going to wear? Don't tell me a turtleneck, because I will undress you with my eyes all night."
Duly noted.

I should wear it casually more often. Like that, she wouldn't have to undress me with her eyes only. I really have a high libido, dear Lord. She's... Not far behind. Joon, shut up.
"Well.. It involves a satin blouse."

Was that a proper lip bite? "Does it? Shouldn't I match it then?"

But.. "But the bralette.."

"It can still be part of it, don't pout for that!"
She pointed at my phone.
"Show me the outfit. You plan these weeks in advance. Show me."

Damn.. I showed her.

"It's the inspiration, but I had a T-shirt under it."

"If you do no shirt, I'm getting a red blouse that opens like this and I put a lace bralette underneath. Deal?"

Wow. Min.. "Are you getting turned on by any chance?"

"I'm not getting there. I'm there. You didn't give me a warning! You were gonna wear that without me? I'm gonna have to play bodyguard."
Didn't sound like she was joking.

"That's hot, Foxy. Wasn't planning on going without you anyway."

I winked at her, she pulled me into an alley a few streets from the subway station. "You're not helping me, Handsome. Stop it."

I couldn't help, but smirk. "Stop doing what?"

She hid her face in the crease of my neck. "We're in public.. I can't be feeling like this."

She was being hyperbolic, or so I thought. My hand on her back told me otherwise.
"I can feel your pulse, Min."
Her breathing was so warm, just heavy enough to hear.

"Yeah? It's your fault for putting these images in my head. You're making my heart race."

That was the best compliment ever. I kept my arms around her. After a few deep breaths, it seemed to settle down.
"Didn't know I had that much of an effect."

A chuckle as she pulled back. "If only you knew the full extent of it. Let's make this shopping trip quick. I have a few places in mind."

Now, I wanted to know. "What's the first stop?"

"Arts and crafts store."