No Love Allowed

Fourteen

Early the next morning, Sehun walked into his father's office with coffee in hand. Suho liked his coffee black, piping hot, and fresh from the pot. Not even half past eight and already the man was elbow deep in files and writing furiously on a notepad when Sehun placed the cup on the last corner of his desk let uncluttered.

Without looking up from the brief he was putting together, Suho picked up the cup and took a sip.

"Why are you staring at me?" He asked without looking up from the thick file. "Surely Kyungsoo has something better for you to do than stand there all day."

Sehun shifted his weight and put his hands in his pockets. "I guess . . . um . . . I was just . . ."

Suho signed, dropping the pen on top of his notes. He pinched his nose as he leaned back in his seat. "I did not pay for private school only to have you eat your words when speaking. My time is precious. Either spit it out or leave."

Swallowing, Sehun said, "About what happened with Suzy yesterday . . ."

"Suzy?" Suho intertwined his fingers, elbows in the armrests. "What about her?"

A sigh of relief exited his mouth. "If she overstepped her bounds -"

His father interrupted him by raising his hand. "If this is your attempt at apologizing for the girl, you are failing miserably." Then he lowers his hand and gave Sehun his infamous gaze. It could have frozen the entire office. "I can't say I approve of her rudeness, but that would make me a hypocrite. My job requires me to be direct when I need to be. She was merely answering my questions. I say that girl has backbone. Certainly more than what you're showing me right now. If you think yesterday will affect our agreement, it doesn't."

He held in the breath he had been about to exhale at his father's silent "but" and waited. It didn't take Suho long to continue.

"I understand why you feel the need to bring her to the events. I even understand why you feel the need to go from one girl to another -"

"Let me stop you right there," Sehun said, regaining some of that backbone his father had beent talking about. "Don't ever assume you think you understand me. As far as I'm concerned, you checked out as soon as Mother was lowered to the ground. Now, if you don't mind. Kyungsoo knows where I am if you need anything."

He left his father's office without looking back.

If loving someone meant becoming like Suho, he would have none of it. He had his cousins and his friends. At the end of the summer he would have a year of freedom. What more could he ask for?

Suzy's smile popped into his head. Unexpected warmth spread across his face when he thought of her. The way she laughed, so light and open. The way the corners of her bright eyes crinkled when she bubbly about something she was explaining. Especially anything that had to do with art. And the way she smelled . . . like everything good in the summer.

"Sh!t!" Sehun jumped as steamy liquid hit his hand.

He had been so caught up in his daydream of Suzy that he missed the cup when pouring the next coffee. Dropping everything, he quickly marched to the bathroom to cleaned up. He couldn't wait to get on a plane out of there.

___ NO LOVE ALLOWED ___

About an hour before lunch, Sehun dropped off the latest copies he had been asked to make at Kyungsoo's desk. He was often on the phone. Kyungsoo raised a finger for him to wait. Sehun did so by stepping back and stuffing his hands in his pockets, managing to keep the sarcasm he so wanted to share inside. Then a familiar laughter coming from inside his father's office caught his attention.