Chapter 24

Nancy clocks off at 4:30pm and hurries out the door. I lock up every evening at 5pm. We don't often have "proper" stars in our studio. Mostly they are booked for radio ads and voice over work, and if we have any musicians they are putting a demo together on their own so can't afford to be hiring them out all night. The few staff members we have in the offices upstairs begin to filter out a few minutes before 5, Mr Nickel left for the day at around 3, which is usual for him. He likes to get home to evenings with his wife and kids.

I go to the front door and put up the locks to stop anyone coming in, and walk round to the studio to let them know they need to leave now. The sound engineer is already packing up his personal belongings and shakes Jimin's hand. I walk him out and again lock the door behind him. Ji-Ho and Min-Jun have followed quite quickly behind me and say there goodbyes telling me Jimin needs 5 more minutes and will be along. "Cab arranged for 5:30pm" Min-Jun says over his shoulder. Again, I lock the door. Grab my stuff and wander back to the studio. He is sat looking frustrated, his head in his hands. I ask what is wrong and he says "I am struggling to get out what I want to say and the sound engineer doesn't understand me enough to get my sound on tape". For the first time he looks vulnerable and sad. Because we are alone I kneel in front of him and cup his face, kissing his lips. "It will be ok" I say, "Rome wasn't built in a day". He nods, and cuddles me. "Can we go home?" He asks like a wounded puppy. "Of course".

I go around the office, him following, doing my final checks, turning off lights and closing doors. We head out the front and I put the shutters down as the cab arrives. We hop in and head home. Neither of us talk, he leans on my shoulder and I stroke his hair, trying to ease his upset, but so far failing miserably. His usual light a little dim. Maybe we have more in common than I first thought. Self doubt can be a horrible thing to deal with. Although he has done some solo work I don't think it's lots and I think it's been in and around the boys. This is the first time he is all alone. I think he misses them.

When we get home he has a shower and changes into shorts and a t-shirt. He looked really good today. He wore ripped black jeans and a black shirt with silver piping, black Fila high tops and a black cap. Plain silver hoops in his ears rather than the silver feathers which I love. He at least looks a little more relaxed now. "How about we get Korean food tonight?" I say, thinking a little home comfort might make him feel better. He perks up a little and just says "kimchi" and smiles.

We find a take away that delivers and order some kimchi, Korean fried chicken, ramyeon and dumplings and hotteok for dessert. I open a bottle of wine and when the food arrives he tucks in explaining what the dishes are as he goes. His spirits lift a little, but the day has wiped him out and he quickly falls to sleep. I cover him with a blanket and pop on the TV. The usual rubbish is on so I exchange a few texts with Lori and she makes sure I am ok from our serious conversation earlier. I of course tell her yes, that i'm doing alright and will be fine. I'm going to try really hard to make sure that is the case. I don't want to unravel again because of a man.

About 10:30pm I see his phone light up and vibrate, he looks so peaceful I don't want him disturbed so I answer it. It's a FaceTime from Namjoon. It's early in Korea and he looks like he has only just woken up. I walk off into my bedroom and leave Jimin asleep on the sofa. "Hi Namjoon, Jimin is asleep, I don't think he has had a good today and he is exhausted"I say in explanation for why I am answering his phone. "Oh hey Aimee" Namjoon says in a sleepy deep voice. I still here a twang of American accent and wonder how that has come about. His voice sounding so different to Jimin's.

"I got a text from him whilst I was sleeping saying he was struggling today. I was just calling to tell him Yoongi and I are going to catch a flight later today and come over to try and help him. Neither of us is busy at the moment so Yoongi can produce and I can help with lyrics".

"Oh bless you both" I say, excited by the concept I will get to meet 2 more of the band soon. "That will make him happy, I think he is home sick. We had Korean food tonight to try and make him feel better, i'm not sure if it worked, but at least he is peacefully resting now". I readjust my position on the bed and momentarily tip the phone downwards, giving Namjoon a shot of cleavage, I flush red, and apologise, and he laughs, a really sexy deep chortle. Oh hello, I think to myself, that made me feel something in my knickers.

"Not a problem Aimee" he says. I'm sure he is about to say bye and hang up but he doesn't. He asks me where I plan on taking Jimin next. I hesitate before I answer, and my mouth releases "I suppose our next outing will have to encompass you and Yoongi too, what do you like to do?" Am I flirting? Am I just being polite? Honestly I can't tell right now. I hope Namjoon doesn't think poorly of me, although, I don't even know if he knows I have been intimate with his band mate or not. He could just honestly think i'm a glorified tour guide. I'm so confused.

"I like art so I would like to go to some galleries, maybe a museum" he says continuing "Yoongi is pretty interested to see Abbey Road and visit Denmark Street, can you make that work?" I nod and again move position, this time laying on my front on the bed and propping the phone up so I can be hands free. "It's a date" I say. He lets out another low chuckle, and counters with "Date? Not sure how Jimin would feel about me going on a date with his girlfriend".

Wait! What? Did he just say girlfriend? Surely that's got to be a translation problem? Has he told them this or are they assuming? In this country you are asked to be someone's girlfriend, maybe in Korea it's a given when things progress to a certain sexual stage. He clearly sees my questioning face and says "he really likes you Aimee. He has been messaging us all since he first met you, keeping us informed as to what you have been getting up to". I see his tongue pop out of the corner of his mouth and then he smiles, his trade mark dimples appearing and making me swoon. Oh Jesus, he knows what we have been doing. He leans in to the camera and whispers "bad girl"

and i'm on fire.

I put my hands up to my face and shake my head. He is flirting with me! Is this the done thing in Korea? Wait, is this what they are like in the band, I mean they share everything. Could I end up being shared? Would I want to be? Right in this moment my body is telling me hell yeah!

I don't want to give away my thoughts, so I change the subject. "I will tell him you called in the morning Namjoon and get him to text you. I'm going to have to go, I need to do some tidying before I sleep and it's late here"

I say trying to keep my voice even. He knows what i'm doing. He smiles and rolls his tongue over his lips before saying "bye Aimee" and hanging up. What is it with these K-Pop boys and their tongues? I shiver, lots of thoughts swirling in my head.