Chapter 39

I'm so pleased for her. She had a great night and morning with Yoongi, and she deserves every happiness. I walk her through my night and she sits there mouth open at my story. I think we are both a little dazed at the fact we have spent time having sex with famous people. We're in disbelief.

We are interrupted by Namjoon. "Are you ready to go out now?" He asks. I Look at Lori who looks at me and we both look at Namjoon and in sync say "sure".

She finishes getting dressed and as Yoongi had no clothes here the boys had brought him something to put on so he is ready now too. We decide to do some shopping and forego the gallery for another day. We get the car to collect us and head to Carnaby Street. The boys all wear caps to try and help hide their identities. Fingers crossed in the throng of people they remain undetected.

Thankfully when we arrive it's not very busy, most people potentially deciding to stay home as the weather is warm for BBQ's and garden parties. Whenever there is a little glimmer of nice weather us Brits pounce on it with gusto, because usually it's raining the next day. I'm not sure what exactly but I believe there's also some sporting event on which will have a lot of day trippers in the pubs. Football I think.

There are loads of great shops for us to visit here, some designer outlets, others second hand thrift stores, but no Chanel store much to Jimin's dismay. The streets are decorated with various signs, the LGBTQ+ rainbow, the iconic glitter Union Jack and lights which look beautiful when it gets darker. The shop fronts are colourful and some have lovely flower displays at their windows. This is a really lovely area, obviously synonymous with the 60's but still popular nowadays with more alternative types rather than the hippies of old.

I don't have anything I really want to get and i'm sure Lori probably doesn't either, but as Jimin loves to shop we thought we would start here and maybe head somewhere for Yoongi after, maybe Denmark Street. The home of Music in London apparently. I have never heard of it. Namjoon happily delaying his gallery visit as he finds the architecture anywhere in London just as intriguing, a different type of art he says.

We have been in a couple of little stores, had a browse but not spotted anything we want when we arrive at the Dr Martens shop. There are walls full from top to bottom with various styles, lengths and colours of the iconic boot along with shoes and sandals too. It's like an Aladdins cave in here. I have owned a pair back when I was in senior school, but when they finally fell apart I didn't replace them. They are so well made and comfortable and versatile too.

I spot a pair in one corner that are identical to the ones I used to own and want to have a closer look at them. The label says 1914 Vonda Leather High Boots £179. They have red roses stitched into the boot up along the side of the laces. They are really pretty, and would go with a few things I have at home. I love roses, they are my favourite flower, along with Irises. That was my Nan's name and is my middle name. I put them back as I can't warrant the cost for a pair of boots and carry on looking around. Lori and Yoongi have gotten bored and are leaning up the store front outside kissing.

Namjoon is perusing the men's section, which I always find in any shoe store is so much smaller than the women's. I always find that so unfair. Jimin is trying on a pair of bright yellow ones. They look really good on him and if anyone can pull them off it's him. I step towards the taller of my two beau's and ask him if he has seen anything he likes and he nods, turning to me and smiling. "Yes, but not the boots. You". I take his hand in mine and lift it to my mouth to kiss it. "You are sweet, I really like you too" I reply back.

I can't help but think that at some point we are going to have to sit down with Jimin and talk about what happens now between the 3 of us. Essentially i'm Jimin's girl, but after last night I now feel like I some what belong to Namjoon and in turn both of them belong to me.

The smaller of my boys bounds over with 3 pairs all bought and paid for and excitedly asks "where next?" I laugh at his child like elation. Namjoon asks Jimin something in Korean and he replies, also in Korean and then looks at me and says for us to wait outside whilst he just gets himself a pair and he will be out in a moment. He comes out as promised in a few minutes with a couple of pairs of his own.

We find a Ray-Ban store where they all purchase something, Lori and I also get treated to a pair each by Yoongi, even though we both protest. After a lot of pressing I go for the classic 80's frame the wayfarer and Lori chooses a pair of aviators. After that it's in to the Adidas shop where they buy trainers, tracksuits and caps. We are slowly running out of arms for all of the purchases we have so Jimin calls Ji-Ho and asks him to come and collect the bits from us so we can carry on unhindered.

Whilst we wait for him we pop into a little coffee shop for a drink and snack. It's so easy and relaxed between us all. It feels like we have known each other forever. The boys ask Lori and I about how we met and how long we have been friends so I explain.

"It was my first day of senior school. I was standing with my Mum in a mass of other girls with their parents waiting for the teachers to start putting us into our forms. I was so nervous, decked out in my horrid bottle green uniform, all brand new and crisp. I felt someone approach me and a voice say "what form are you in?" I replied by saying Oak and the girl excitedly says back "me too!" Our Mums nod at each other, that silent hello that adults do and then she carries on with "we are going to be best friends". I haven't been able to get rid of her since". I laugh and Lori throws a piece of Muffin at me across the table.

Jimin asks what a form is, so I tell him it's a class and that ours weren't just numbers but names of trees. "Yeah we were in year 7 so was known as 7 oak and as we went through the school it went to 8 oak then 9 oak etc. It was purely because the school took in so many girls they had to be broken in to forms or houses for ease". Namjoon looks at me and says "just girls?" I nod and Lori laughs and then says "The worst school ever. 5 years with no boys!" We look at each other and crease up. We might have been at an all girls school but that didn't stop us from meeting boys on the bus in the morning. There was an all boys school just down the road and we managed to get boyfriends we only saw in the morning and afternoon whilst travelling into and home from school. Well, that was until we got a little older and were able to meet up with them on the weekends and stuff.

"Lori is super smart so she went to college and then university, I didn't want to carry on in education so I got a job in a shop and began working. It was tough not seeing her everyday for that period of time but we made the time we did spend together special when she was on breaks and stuff. Thankfully she stayed local and didn't move across the country or anything" I wink at her, so grateful for my best friend.

Jimin gets a text to say Ji-Ho has arrived and he and Namjoon quickly take the bags to him. Yoongi pays the bill and we leave moving on to a few more shops. The boys cards are being swiped left right and centre. Shirts from Paul Smith, jackets and tops from Fred Perry, jeans from Levi's, coats from Barbour, and flip flops from Havaianas. I can't believe how easy it is for them to spend money, but then they work so very hard that why shouldn't they be able to treat themselves.

We find Ji-Ho who has been waiting for us and load the rest of their purchases into the back of the 7 seater and drive over to Denmark Street for Yoongi. I didn't know anything about the history of this street although I have heard of Tin Pan Alley before. Yoongi explained the little history he knew but was mainly excited to go there because the Kinks, Rolling Stones and David Bowie had all recorded here and even Bob Marley. It's still known for its shops selling musical instruments and Yoongi being dedicated to his music was like a kid at Christmas.

We went into various guitar shops, a shop that sold amps, but when we went into Rose Morris his face lit up. They had various Kawai pianos, and he sat at one and begun playing. His dexterous fingers effortlessly stroking the keys making the most beautiful sounds leave it. We were all in awe of him happily listening to the melodies he was creating right then and there. He went over to speak to the owner and after what felt like forever gestured that we can leave. "I've ordered a new piano, a couple of guitars and a Ukele. They are going to ship them to Korea for me". He rubs his hands together in excitement and his trade mark gummy smile arrives. Lori kisses him and links arms with him and places her head on his shoulder. He strokes the side of her face and in Korean says "naui aleumdaun sonyeo" and kisses her forehead.

I see Jimin look at me, gauging my need to know what he said to her. He whispers over to me "my beautiful girl" and smiles. My heart swells. They look so good together. They both look smitten.