“No car?”
 

“Nope,” Suho smiled. “We’re walking.”
 

He held out his arm, and Seohyun took it. The wide sidewalks seemed spacious despite the thousands of people walking around them. They headed down the street, lights glaring from every direction. Champs-Elysees was the epitome of French grandeur, a modern-day version of Versailles’s elegance as Seohyun liked to see it. The shops and restaurants that lined the walkways illuminated with grace, as petite trees formed precise rows down the endless street one after another. From any angle, it was picture perfect.
 

Autumn was in their midst, and it was evident in the cool breeze that blew gently against them. Seohyun hugged Suho’s arm, trying to get as much warmth as she possibly could. He laughed at her, much to her distaste, and bowed his head over to look at her.
 

“Chilly down there?”
 

“Yes,” she answered simply. “Why is it so funny?”
 

“I don’t know,” Suho shrugged. “I don’t know. Just because.”
 

Another gust blew, catching Seohyun’s hair and entangling it with the wind. 
 

“So why do you want to take me shopping so badly?”
 

“We hang out too much in the house, don’t you think?” He gave her a kind smile. “I think it’s time for a change.”
 

She nodded. “Okay, but what do you have in mind?”
 

“Do I have something in mind?”
 

“Suho.” Seohyun looked at him almost accusingly. “You always have something in mind.”
 

“Isn’t it perfectly reasonable for a man to just want to spend some time with his loving friend who he hasn’t seen forever?  Someone who had been separated by the vast ocean for years? Someone who he doesn’t get to see enough of because time and work separate them?”
 

“Okay, Mr. Overdramatic, hold on there,” Seohyun smiled. “No need to make a novel.” 
 

“But really, do I have to have a reason to spend some time with you?”
 

“No, I’ll always be happy to be with you,” she gently nudged at him. “It’s just that you have a reason for everything, right?”
 

Their steps slowed as Suho began to absorb her words. “You’ll always be happy with me?”
 

“Yea, of course.” Seohyun looked up at him. “Why?”
 

There was a silence, but not of the awkward kind. It was a pause to indicate thought and a newfound realization, one that settled into the atmosphere gratifyingly like warm cocoa on frostbitten lips. She needed him, and he needed her. It had always been that simple. But in that moment, it seemed to have more meaning than before. 
 

“Thank you.”
 

Seohyun smiled. “Of course!”
 

Another shot of wind came by, and Suho let her grip on his arm tighten - this time, without laughing. They were a long ways from home by this point, but the lights of the avenue shined just as brightly where they were now. They passed by several restaurants and bakeries, all of which Seohyun eyed intently. She hadn’t eaten since that morning, and she begged Suho to let her buy even one thing. He apologized with a friendly smile, that same one she could never go against even if she wanted to, and promised to buy her whatever she wanted after visiting the place he had wanted them to go to first. She groaned and grumbled, but eventually, obeyed. 
 

Where they were headed Seohyun didn’t know. It was only after Suho stopped walking that she looked to the sign illuminating proudly above her head. Before she could object, he was already pulling her inside the store, urging her with that cursed angelic smile of his. 
 

“Suho, really,” she took her hand from his grasp. “I thought this was supposed to be a fun night, not-”
 

“It will be fun!” Suho smiled. “Just wait, okay?”
 

“I thought I was done with work today,” she sighed. “Coming to Valentino isn’t my idea of a fun night. Work isn’t my idea of a fun night, Suho. What are you-”
 

“Welcome!” 
 

An overly peppy employee interrupted their little spat. Seohyun turned around and looked back at Suho with a deadly stare. She greeted the employee who then shook hands with the two of them. Seohyun looked around the store. Clothes, shoes, and jewelry were laid out like an exhibition; it was more like a museum than a store. The odd thing, she had noticed, was the lack of customers. As a matter of fact, the only people in the room were the three of them. 
 

“This way, please,” the lady gestured to the back of the store. “Your fitting will begin shortly.”
 

“Thank you,” Suho smiled at her as the lady turned around to them. He looked at a very unpleased Seohyun next to him, arms crossed and pout mode on. “Come on, please, Seo? It won’t be that bad.”
 

She stomped in front of him, walking faster with each step and leaving him behind with no choice but to follow. She hoped he could feel the guilt descending upon him with each monstrously loud clunk of her heels. 
 

Suho was told to wait on the couch seated just beyond the dressing rooms, maybe read some magazines, maybe contemplate his life choices. Seohyun thought that that last choice would have been great. 
 

As Seohyun was escorted to her dressing room, the lady had disappeared for a few moments but came back with a dress held high up in the air, making sure the hem wouldn’t dare come in contact with the ground. 
 

“From our ready-to-wear runway collection for this fall,” she puffed out. It was either the dress was heavy or she ran all the way from the back room to retrieve this. “It was definitely one of the big hits of the show. It’ll look absolutely gorgeous on you.”
 

It was a beautiful dress, Seohyun had to admit. It was a mix of gold and cream with lace-like brocades flowing up and down the overlay of mesh fabric. The effect made it seem like the dress was floating in midair, light enough to float from out of her reach. It  screamed of a feminine elegance, pearl-accented cuffs at the end of each sleeve, and a collar of gold would hold the neck up in esteem. The gold of the dress had a bashful color, so it would only be held in admiration by a beholder’s eyes rather than of stupor. 
 

Once Seohyun had put it on, she begged the lady a question. “So when and where will I wear this dress?”
 

“Hm? Oh, I was never told that information. But the man outside had set up this appointment for a few weeks now.”
 

This photo shoot - or whatever it was for - must have been quite important to Suho for him to set up an appointment so ahead of time. Usually Seohyun would walk into a crowded room, get fitted, and be shooed away so the workers could finish all their tedious work. But here, it was empty. No people. No workers. No rush. Just the three of them and a dress.
 

The dress was just as light and airy as it had looked, and Seohyun glided out of the dressing room with much ease and charms galore. Suho looked up from his probably nth magazine from the table and stood up immediately as if he was obliged to. Only one word rang out from his mouth when she came closer to him, an overly cheery lady trailing behind her but turning to leave. 
 

“Wow.”
 

“So when’s the photo shoot?” Seohyun asked him flatly. 
 

“Photo shoot?”
 

“Yea,” she looked at him with accusing eyes. “You tricked me and dragged me all the way here for a fitting, so it must be important, right?”
 

Suho smiled. “Don’t you think you look beautiful?”
 

The question had caught her off guard, but she looked in the mirror for a second. “Well, this really is a stunning dress. But of course its beautiful - it’s Valentino.”
 

“No, not the dress. Do you think you look beautiful?”
 

There was a pause. Seohyun had never been one to praise herself. It wasn’t that she had no confidence; it was just that she had never been the type of person to feel the need to compliment herself if ever. After a final turn in the mirror with a proud Suho to her side, she looked at him again, and the resonance of her voice was apparent with honesty and truth. 
 

“I look lovely.”
 

“Well I think you look rather enchanting. Fit for royalty, I would say.”
 

Suho stuck his hand in his jacket pocket and fished out a crisp, clean envelope. Giving it to Seohyun, she gave him a look of perplexity, but nevertheless opened it. The contents were written in a calligraphy-like cursive, the edges of the envelope decorated with accents of swirls and curls. It was an invitation.
 

“Suho, what’s this for?”
 

“Go ahead and read it. I wanna see your reaction.”
 

She gave him a reluctant look, but listened and followed. Her eyes scanned the invitation. It was for next Friday starting at six in the evening. The attire was formal, and all invited were required to wear clothes appropriate for the theme: masquerade. Seohyun looked at the location, and her jaw dropped.
 

“Versailles? The Palace of Versailles?” Her eyes reread the words she couldn’t believe were there.
 

“The company is throwing its ninety-second anniversary party. Because this year has been nothing but a hit, we decided that the party should be as ravishing as ever.” Suho paused and looked at her, but Seohyun’s eyes were still glued to the perfumed piece of paper. “And, of course, the reason for this year’s success simply has to attend the ball.”
 

“Me?” She couldn’t believe it. The closest thing she had ever come to a party was a simple birthday get-together. Something of this extravagance was out of her imagination’s reach. “Suho, I don’t know what to say. I don’t think ‘thank you’ is enough, but...thank you.”
 

The two shared a smile, and Seohyun apologized a thousand times for being upset with him, even if it was just a little bit.
 

“So wait,” she said. “This dress-”
 

“-is all yours.”
 

Seohyun couldn’t have felt any guiltier. “Suho, really. This dress as beautiful as it is costs a fortune. I’ll never be able to repay you soon enough. You’re always buying me things, but this is a little - I don’t know - much.”
 

“You’re always worried about paying me back, but Seohyun, I want to give you this. I wanted to give you all of the things I’ve given you: clothes, food, gifts, everything.”
 

“But you’ve given me more than that, Suho.” She was near tears as she realized how not just luck, but blessings had managed to have taken her so far in this new life. 
 

“And what’s that?”
 

She embraced Suho as he had no choice but to hold her in his arms. “You’ve given me a home.”

______________________________________________________________________________________

The two of them exited the store and waved goodbye to the store lady. Seohyun held onto Suho’s arm and, with the other hand, tucked the invitation into her coat pocket. They walked down the walkway and blended back into the hustle and bustle of Champs-Elysees. 
 

“So, a masquerade ball in Versailles. It sounds like a fairytale.” Seohyun exhaled warm breath into the cool air. “What’ll there be?”
 

“It’ll be as formal as it could possibly get. Each guest will be announced in-”
 

“-like royalty!”
 

“Like royalty, that’s right.” Suho smiled down at her and then looked back up to retrieve his train of thought. “There will also be a dance and a banquet. Everyone who is anyone in the fashion industry will be there, with the addition of everyone in our company of course.”
 

Seohyun thought back to Luhan, who was indeed part of the company. “Everyone in the company?”
 

“That’s right,” Suho replied. “It’ll be great, hopefully. The president and many others including myself have been planning this for a few months now.”
 

“It’ll be perfect. Something as grand as this has to come out without a hitch.”
 

They passed by chains of restaurants and shops, each sending out its own individual fragrance into the air whether it be bread and macaroons or haute couture. 
 

“You said you were hungry earlier, right?”
 

“Oh, yeah,” Seohyun actually had forgotten up until now. Her stomach had never been emptier. 
 

“Let’s go to a restaurant first. Maybe later we could pick up some dessert at Laduree.”
 

“Okay, but on one condition.”
 

Suho looked at her as she scanned the choices of restaurants before her. “And what condition is that?"
 

“I have to pay this time.”

A/N:

I made this chapter a bit longer in atonement for the long wait.
I wanted to add in some much needed lightheartedness into this chapter, so hopefully you all like it!

And if any of you were wondering, I was referencing Seohyun's dress to this one.

Please comment down below and tell me what you think!
I read every comment, and I love hearing what you guys have to say ^^