On the day of the next event, Sehun showed up at Suzy's door with shopping bags in his hands and a frown on his face. Having to hide away all the portraits of him in her art room, she stepped aside and let him in. Could anyone say "Here we go again"?
"You're not answering any of my texts," he said, entering the living room and scanning the place.
"Looking for something?" she asked, arms crossed.
"It's so . . . cozy."
She sighed, suspecting the word cozy was code for something less polite. "Chanyeol said the same thing."
He studied the frames above the fireplace until his eyes landed on her sunflower painting hanging on the wall. For several minutes, she observed Sehun staring at her work. He looked hilarious with those shopping bags still in his hands. He looked polished in jeans, a plaid shirt, and boots, but still hilarious.
"You painted this?" He faced her and tipped his head toward the framed canvas.
"A couple years back. I was totally obsessed with Van Gogh. Still am, actually."
"If you hear a voice within you say 'You cannot paint . . . ,' " he said.
Butterflies fluttering in her stomach when she finished, " 'Then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.' That's my favorite quote of his."
"Why aren't you answering my texts?" He faced her fully, expectation in the seriousness in his eyes. "Did you get the art supplies? Chanyeol said he'd given them to you."
"Thank you for those. And you know I'm totally painting you naked, right? Chanyeol approves."
He paled. "Please don't tell me you're serious."
"Oh!" She circled a finger around his face. "Just for that look of horror I'm totally making you do it. And you can't back down because that is my price for all this."
"Suzy -"
"Wait here." She left him in the living room. Let him stew over her evil plans. The guy deserved to squirm. Entering the kitchen, she walked to her room and took the phone from the dresser. When she returned, she found Sehun standing in the exact spot she'd left him. "You actually waited."
His lips twisted. "You said wait. I do know how to follow orders."
Not sure if he'd meant it as a joke, she didn't bother responding. Instead she handed him the phone. I never got any texts. I forgot to grab the charger."
Sehun settled the bags on the floor and took the phone from her as his sexy frown returned.
She shrugged. "To be honest, I don't need one. You can have that back. Anyway, like you said, this is only for the summer. That phone is no better than a paperweight after you leave. No one's paying the bill."
He opened his mouth as if to argue. She waited. Closing his mouth and swallowing, he scratched the back of his head and pocketed the phone. "Fine."
"You know where I lived anyway. It's not like I've got anywhere else to go." She moved to a pad her mom used for notes hanging on the wall by the front door and wrote her home number at the bottom, then tore a piece off. "If you really need to reach me, call the landline."
Taking the paper as he had the phone, he stared at the numbers for a moment, then snorted. "Landline. Haven't heard that word in a while."
"I'm so not getting into another fight with you about being poor," she said.
As if he caught her drift, he picked up the shopping bags and handed them to her. "These are from Chanyeol. He said you agreed for him to shop for you. Today's event is themed."
She gave him a look. Not like she had been given any other choice in the matter. She suspected Chanyeol had a snake constrictor DNA in his blood. Once you were in his hold, he would never let go.
"Please don't fight me on this, Suzy."
"Since you said please."
"Just wear what's in those bags, and let's go."
She would have rolled her eyes at him, but she was too curious about what's in the bags. Leaving him again in the living room, she hurried back to her room and placed the bags on her bed. She looked into the first one.
A pile of bran-new cosmetics and hair products fell out of the bag - everything Chanyeol had taught her how to use for the garden party. Then she peeked inside the second bag.
"Cowboy boots?" she asked loudly, taking out the brown leather boots and blinking at them. When she checked the soles, her size was stamped there along with the words GENUINE LEATHER. She should have known Chanyeol would overspend.
"The event is called the Summer Swing," Sehun answered from the living room.
"You're really going to stay there until I'm done?"
"I think that's for the best, yes."
Shaking her head, she looked through the rest of the bag's contents and came up with the cutest pink-checkered linen dress. She had to hand it to Chanyeol. The guy had taste. Maybe having him as her personal shopper wouldn't be so bad.
"Yee-haw," she mumbled under her breath.
"Did you say something?"
__NO LOVE ALLOWED__
Holding Suzy's hand - for appearance's sake, definitely not because he liked how hers fit in his - Sehun led the way to the massive red barn where the Summer Swing was . . . well, in full swing. He hated himself for the pun, but having Suzy with him changed the air surrounding them. She lightened his mood appreciably after a stressful week at the firm. His father had been on a tear because of an important case. Dare Sehun say he had looked forward to seeing her again. A part of him wished he could have been there when Chanyeol brought the art supplies. But damn his cousin for even suggesting that he should pose for her naked. Just like him to plant that seed in Suzy's head to get him back for making her mad. It had become obvious pretty fast that Chanyeol was on her side, after he declared her his personal Barbie. The traitor.
And he had met her mother. What must that have been like?
He had come to her house with the specific purpose of picking her up and giving her a piece of his mind for not returning his texts. But as soon as she had open the door in her painting overalls and dry paint brushes sticking out of a messy bun, his annoyance disappeared. A kind of happiness had taken its place. He could barely contain himself when she allowed him into her home. Small as it was, the space was warm and lived in, with its comfortable couch, picture frames, and fireplace. And her paintings . . . The vibrant colors went with her vibrant attitude.
On the ride over she had asked him question after question about the event, and he had answered them to the best of his abilities, letting her know that each Summer Swing was different depending on who his father hired to plan it. This particular one they were attending had a Western theme. "Hence the boots," she had said, an twinkle in her eyes as she twirled for him after he'd helped her out of the car.
Even from a step behind him, Sehun can feel Suzy's excitement. She squeezed his hand, and he looked at her from over his shoulder as they walked down the path leading to the barn's entrance. Like Chanyeol had told him, the pink of the dress - or rose as his cousin had called it - set off the paleness of her skin. Her hair, sans paintbrushes, moved as she did, framing a face he had wanted to kiss since she'd come out of her room ready to attend their second event of the summer.
Looking at her was like stepping into a patch of spring sunlight after the cold winter. Without thinking, he brought the hand he held to his lips and planted a kiss on its back. The action made her gasp. She blushed prettily for him. Just for him.
At the door to the barn, he handed their invitation to a waiting attendant. She nodded them in, not bothering to check the validity of the invite. Suzy pulled on his arm, and he slowed his pace and bent down so her mouth came to his ear.
"I knew that face of yours was all the invitation we'd need," she whispered.
The touch of her breath caused heat to climb his neck. He opened his mouth to reply, but Suzy was already pulling him to walk. The wide space featured a wooden dance floor at the center, stacks of hay bales for seating and makeshift tables, and a bar in one wall. Cowboys moved among the crowd, balancing wooden trays filled with finger food. For those who wanted heartier selections, several checkered-tablecloth-covered tables featured quite a variety of cornbread, an assortment of barbecues, and a bakery's worth of pies.
"Who's that hot piece of cowboy standing with Chanyeol?" She pointed toward one end of the barn by a stack of hay bales.
A scowl tightened all the muscles in his face as he followed the length of her arm to the direction of her fingertip. Before he could answer, she was pulling him again. This time toward his cousin.
"Yeol, who's your friend?" she asked, not bothering with greetings. Letting go of Sehun's hand and leaving him feeling empty, she shifted her weight to her toes when she stopped in front of Baekhyun. "Your eyes are very pretty."
Chanyeol's chuckle caught her attention. "Bae Sooji, let me introduce you to Byun Baekhyun. He's a childhood friend of mine and Sehun's. Baek, this is Suzy."
"Can I paint you naked?" she asked, unembarrassed, looking up at him. Chanyeol's chuckles became full-blown laughter. She pointed at Sehun. His scowl deepened. "This one's too shy."
"It's nice to meet you, Suzy," Baekhyun smiled. He seemed unflustered by her request. The bastard.
She danced to Chanyeol's side and leaned in, not taking her eyes off from Baekhyun. "Between you and me," she whispered loud enough for Sehun and the object of her fascination to hear, "just how silky is his skin?"
That had done it. The words came out of his mouth without thinking. "If you're going to paint someone naked, it will be me." With impatience running through his veins, he laced their fingers together and pulled. "Come on."
"It was nice meeting you, Baekhyun," she called back, allowing herself to be pulled away.
Sehun gritted his teeth through the shared laughter that followed his retreat.
"There are twinkle lights on the roof beams!" Suzy shifted the topic so fast he had to turn to his head. "And there's line dancing! Can we dance, Sehun? Can we?"
"Yea." He nodded. her excitement was contagious, making him forget what he had been annoyed about. She had a wild energy surrounding her. For the first time since his mother's funeral, he might actually enjoy one of these things. "But we need to make the rounds first. Ready to put your girlfriend face on?"
With mock seriousness, she saluted him. "Sir, yes, sir."
Laughing, he escorted her deeper into the party.
After Suzy had directed the crowd like a pro and played her part with amazing efficiency, Sehun gave Mr. Song - an old man with more than war stories than anyone in Seoul - permission to dance with his girl while he made for the bar with the excuse of needing a drink. His girl. The thought had stunned him enough to stammer his order.
The bartender slid a glass of root beer his way as Suzy's laugh reached his ears.
"I think it's love," Chanyeol said when Sehun joined him at the bar.
"What?" he sputtered, spilling a bit of the drink.
"Whoa!" Chanyeol moved back. "These are suede."
He set the glass aside and coughed. The sweetness of the drink stuck tot he walls of his throat. "What did you just say?" he croaked out.
His cousin returned to his side and tilted his chin at Suzy on the dance floor. Somehow she had managed to take the lead in the line dance. "She's a hit. Half of Seoul society doesn't know what to do with her, and the other half thinks she's charming, according to my sources. Dense and self-absorbed as most of them are, they don't even suspect that she used to serve their food at the restaurant a few weeks ago. Oh, the miracles of a little elbow grease and polish. She cleans up nice, right? And from the looks of things, she paid attention during my makeup and hair lessons. Points for your girl."
His brows came together. "I don't see why her working at the restaurant would be an issue."
"Of course you wouldn't." Chanyeol leaned back against the bar with his elbows.
"What does that mean?"
"You're immune to public inspection."
Heat climbed his neck again, this time for an entirely different reason. "I'm tempted to dump the rest of my root beer on your suede boots."
Chanyeol flinched. "Don't you dare! And don't get mad at me for stating the obvious. It's a good thing Irene isn't here. She's been asking around about Suzy. Seems like our ugly-ducking-turned-swan has made quite an impression on your ex."
His rising anger cooled significantly at the mention of Irene. He wondered why she would have any interest in Suzy. Then the rest of Chanyeol's words sank in. "Call Suzy ugly one more time and your boots really gets it."
"Now, that's just mean, and after I shared information about Irene too. Unlike you, she doesn't have a father who forces her to attend these things. Whoever decided on a hoe-down for the Summer Swing should be shot."
As if mention on his father conjured him out of thin air, Suho walked into the barn in almost exactly the same attire as Sehun's, except he had a jacket over his plaid shirt and a cowboy hat on his head. Ice replaced the blood in Sehun's veins. Hell had just frozen over.
"What is he doing here?" he blurted as his father scanned the gathering right about the same time Suzy let out a loud whoop on the dance floor.
"I thought he would be in court all day," Chanyeol said in bewilderment.
"I thought so too." Sehun's stomach dropped as his father's gaze finally landed on him. He shifted his weight away from the stool he leaned on to stand straighter when his father began making his way toward them. Once in a while a group would call for his attention and he would stop.
Tight fists at his side, Sehun flicked his eyes at Suzy. For a crazy second he wanted to pull her out of the barn and escape. Unfortunately for them, his father had already seen him. Leaving would only bring worse consequences later. But he hadn't prepared Suzy for meeting Suho Oh. He'd actually hoped they wouldn't have to meet - insane as the thought was. Maybe he could make up some excuse . . .
"Incoming," Chanyeol whispered before plastering a wide smile on his face. "Uncle Suho, you made it."
"Chanyeol." His father took his nephew's hand for a brief handshake. "Why did I just get a bill for a fourteen-piece band?"
"Ah." Chanyeol nodded. "They are the entertainment for the birthday party we're throwing our boy. It's going to be spectacular. Trust me."
Suho laughed - full and throaty. "You should've been the one to plan this thing."
"I certainly would've done better than a barn."
Suho laughed again.
Sehun's anxiety shot up to the point of sweats gathered along his forehead. His father in a good mood made his actions even more unpredictable. Suho and Chanyeol spoke about the dreaded birthday party for a few more minutes. When he finally finished with Chanyeol, Suho moved his attention to his intended target.
"Sehun." He nodded once.
"Abeoji." Sehun returned the nod. The air between the two crackled with tension. All the lightness Suzy had brought with evaporated. "I thought you were due in court today."
"The case was dismissed on the grounds of poor evidence," he said smoothly. "Since I had time I thought I would drop by and introduce myself to this girl everyone has been talking about."
Sehun's blood ran cold. Sh!t. Of course news of Suzy would have reached Suho. But he never imagined the Devil would actually come to an event just to meet her. He was about to make an excuse when Suzy appeared by his side and kissed his cheek before turning her attention to Suho.
"Hello, I'm Sooji Bae." She reached out her hand and kept it there, waiting. "But they call me Suzy."
"They?" His father asked, confused.
"It's her thing," Chanyeol clarified.
Fighting the shock brought on by Suzy's sudden appearance, Sehun caught the smirk on his father's lips as he took Suzy's hand in his. For a murderous moment, he wanted to pull her away. She shouldn't be touching someone like Suho. She was too pure. Too good.
"It's nice to finally meet you, Suzy," his father said. "I'm Junmyeon Oh, Sehun's father. You may call me Suho."
In her own innocent way, Suzy asked, "Why Suho?"
"My father's name, everyone says we're very similar and they start calling me Suho."
"Okay, Suho." Then she surprised everyone by saying, "I'm still deciding if it's nice to meet you."
In a beat of panic where Sehun tries to find out a way to say something, his father interrupted him by laughing. Again. Was the man drunk or something?
Mute, holding on to Suzy's waist, Sehun half-sat on the stool again. He took comfort in the warmth of Suzy's hand over his pounding heart.
"Fair enough." Suho tapped the bar and ordered Soju. "So tell him about yourself, Suzy."
And here came the interrogation.
Suzy unflinchingly said, "There's not much to tell. I like painting."
"So I've heard. You're an Expressionist?"
"More like free-spirit. I paint what inspiration comes." She patted Sehun's chest. "In fact, your son agreed to pose for me."
He held in his relief when she left out the naked part. Not sure how Suho would have taken that. He didn't acknowledge the weight in his father's stare, content to keep his eyes on Suzy. The way she easily spoke with the cold bastard fascinated him.
"Is that right?" Suho asked. "And your family? What does your father do?"
Suzy's signature shrug made an appearance. "I don't know. He left when I was young."
"And your mother?"
"She has several jobs."
"And college? You do know Sehun is attending Harvard."
"Good for Sehun. As for me, I don't know. Maybe I'll attend, maybe I won't. I haven't really decided yet."
"You don't know? You should have made this decision before you graduated. I assume you graduated."
"Unlike you, some of us don't have the money to thinking about college."
"Then good luck finding a job without the proper degree."
"What's wrong with making an average living? As long as I get by, I'm good."
"Yes, but besides food, shelter, and basic necessities, you need insurance and money for retirement. Didn't you consider these things when thinking about your future?"
"Well, good thing I can't see the future."
her unwavering honesty against the disapproving scowl of his father ignited a protectiveness in Sehun he had never experienced before. He was done subjecting Suzy to whatever else the lawyer wanted to ask her. She was none of his business. When the music changed to something slower, he interrupted what Suho was about to say by telling Suzy, "I believe I still owe you a dance."
The excitement of Suzy's smile undid him completely. Taking his hands in hers, she turned toward the dance floor. He let her lead the way.
"We're no done here, Sehun," his father said, recovering from the honest insult.
The crowd parted for them. When they reached the center he placed one of her hands on his shoulder and held the other against his heart. She moved with him willingly, swaying to the pace he had set.
"This is nice," she said. "I've never slow danced with anyone before."
Her confession burned through him. "That's a shame. You are really good at it."
He twirled her around, then pulled her back in one smooth move. She giggled as she settled closer to him, wrapping her free hand behind his shoulder. The skirt of her dress brushed against his legs. He nuzzled the top of her head, her hair smelling faintly of strawberries.
"So that's your dad?"
"Yeah."
"We didn't talk long, but I get an asshole vibe from him."
Sehun threw back his head and laughed.