No Love Allowed

Twenty One

"Close the door behind you," Suho said after entering his office and walking to his desk without as much as a look back.

Sehun did as he was asked, to save anyone else from the words about to be spoken in this room he had grown to hate. He kept his gaze away from his mother's portrait. If only to spare her from having to see his rising impatience at being pulled away from Suzy.

"Abeoji, can whatever you have to tell me wait until morning?" he asked. "We have a ballroom full of guests that I must attend to. In case you've forgotten, it is my birthday." He emphasized the last word, but barely got a flinch of remorse from the man behind the desk. What else could he have expected?

The smack of a thick folder against wood drew his attention. Suho flipped open the file and scanned the pages.

"Sooji Bae. Seventeen. Father left when she was little. Mother works multiple jobs to support the two of them. Grades are below average. Barely managed to graduate high school due to poor attendance record. She's not -"

Sehun's irritation rose with each piece of information about Suzy that reached him. "You had her investigated!?"

His father pinned him with a cold glare. "It was for your own good."

Sehun ran his fingers through his hair in disbelief, not caring that he messed up his hair.

"The way you looked at that girl . . ." His father's shoulders slumped as he exhaled. "That's the same way I used to look at your mother. And she's not good for you . . ."

His father's words snapped him out of his speechlessness. "Don't you dare say that about Suzy!"

It took all of his willpower to keep from walking across the room and punching Suho in the face. To actually say . . . No, Sehun wasn't surprised. Of course his father would have resorted tot his kind of tactic. Sehun squared his shoulders and face the bastard heads-on so his intentions wouldn't be misunderstood. He adjusted his voice, intending for his father to hear each and every word clearly.

"Ever since Mom died, you have buried yourself in your work. You didn't raise me. I had to look after myself. I dated everything in a skirt so I wouldn't become someone like you. Someone who fell in love and allowed it to destroy him." He ignored the shock on his father's face. "Then Suzy literally tripped into my life and changed everything. She's the light. She makes me feel again. Makes me feel like maybe falling in love isn't bad as I used to think. You should understand that. It's what I remember best about you and Mom."

"Sehun, you don't understand what you're talking about. She's -"

"No!" He waved his hand so Suho wouldn't say anything more. "There's nothing else you can say that will change my mind about her." He turned and hurried out of the office.

"Sehun!"

__NO LOVE ALLOWED__

Suzy had been at the bar with Kai, laughing at something she had said, when Sehun found her. He immediately entwined his fingers with hers.

"Kai, will you excuse us for a second," he said, already pulling Suzy away. She barely had time to leave her glass and say a quick good-bye.

A sense of mischief, like fireworks in her stomach, led her to ask, "Where are we going? The party is that way." She pointed her finger over her shoulder, even though Sehun wasn't looking. He was too busy navigating them toward a secret place only he knew the location of.

"Let's go for a drive," he finally said as they entered a long hallway.

"Wow, paintings!"  She turned her head just to caught a glimpse of the framed artwork hanging along both walls.

"We can look at them later. Right now I just want to get away."

The urgency in his voice called to her adventurous side, and she quickened her pace, the low heels of her shoe clicking against the marble. The end of the hall had a two way paths. Sehun guided them to the left and headed straight for a door at the end.

She barely had a chance to look at where she was going when the chill wind nipped at her skin. She bent forward  to catch her breath when they stopped along a gravel path. As she straightened she noticed they had made it to the front of the house.

"Which car did you park last?" Sehun asked  one of the valets wandering around.

"Mr. Oh's roadster," the guy answered, his gaze eyeing Suzy.

"Hand me the keys," Sehun demanded. The entire time he held on to her hand. She wouldn't have wanted to let go anyway. The leftover energy from the party still clung to her. Faint music from inside made her dance in place.

"Sir?" The valet scratched the back of his head.

"Don't worry about it," he insisted. "Chanyeol won't mind. Just give me the stupid keys."

The command in his tone made the poor guy into action, grabbing the keys from another valet and tossing them to Sehun. He caught them with his free hand and headed for the end of the long line of cars.

"What's gotten you all hyped up?" she asked, matching his pace. "Does it have something to do with your father? Because if it does, I'm not afraid to take him." She made a fist with her free hand and waved it in front of her.

Sehun chuckled, but there didn't seem to be a shred of humor in the sound. "I just want to get out of here and breathe." He rounded the roadster and opened the passenger door for her. Without further persuading, she slid into the seat. Then he jogged to the other side and jumped in. "Buckle up."

She didn't have to be told twice. She pulled the seat belt just as he inserted the key into the ignition and started the engine. He pulled out onto the path that led away from the house just as she clicked the buckle into place. He was in a hurry to get away, but all her concern turned into happiness when Sehun sped down the tree-lined driveway leading to and from his house. When she had arrived in a limo with Kai earlier, her eyes almost popped out of her socket at the sight of the massive mansion. Kai had laughed when she blurted out that Sehun's house was bigger than theirs. A part of her had immediately wanted to explore, see what its walls hid inside. Maybe even see Sehun's room. But she forgot all that the moment she locked eyes with him in a tux. He looked so dashing, like a dark prince from her very own fairy tale.

As they drove their way along the mountainside, she raised her hands up and squealed. The wind whipped through her hair. She could barely breathe when she screamed for Sehun to go faster. And faster he did. The rear tires skidded to the side every time they took a turn. Everything around her passed by in a blur - the water on one side and the mountain and trees on the other.

"It's like flying!" she yelled through the engine's roar. "Faster, Sehun, faster."

With a smile stretching his lips, she shifted gears and the car leapt forward like a sleek jungle cat chasing after prey. She whooped and laughed. How could she not? Her stomach tumbled like a boulder rolling down a hill. This was the most thrilling thing to ever happen in her life, and she was with Sehun as it happened.

Because of the rushing wind, she didn't quite catch the words he said when he finally spoke again. She turned to face him. Having escaped from the head band, her hair covered her face. She reached up and tucked the strands behind her ear.

"What did you say?" she shouted at him.

"I think I'm falling in love with you," he shouted back, taking his eyes off the road to look her in the eye.

The one moment was all it took to change everything.

In her periphery vision, a shadow jumped out into the road in front of them. She yelled, "Watch out!" about the same time Sehun hit the brakes and twisted the wheel all the way to the left. The car swerved violently.

The crunch of metal cut Suzy's scream short.