(A/N: So i realized that i wrote in the last chapter "Saturday" when it's a weekday >,<' my bad . They are in college so Suzy's class doesn't begin until 12. Haha my first class was at 12:15 last semester- it was the best) 

FLASHBACK

That day:

Her back was turned to him, her hair loose behind her back in curls. Her fingers were on the keys playing a soft melody that was blissful in his ears. He had his eyes closed as he walked behind her and stayed there, listening quietly to the music. She was in full practice mode, all concentration was on putting pressure on her hands making sure that there was no mistake, that it was perfect. But to Sehun she already was perfect and any mistake she made wouldn’t hinder that image because her passion was what made her beautiful.

“You know, I stopped playing already” Sehun blinked, Suzy was facing him now with a frown on her face,

“What did I do?”

Suzy lowered the fallboard back over the piano keys and shifted her vision to him “My audition is in less than a month and I’m still getting this part wrong, I need to be alone to make sure I’m doing this right”

Sehun ignored her comment and continued to walk around the practice room. It had hard wood floors and enough space in the middle of the room for dance practice that was surrounded by large mirrors so one can observe their movements, a couch to relax on when needed and there was also a grand piano off to the corner where Suzy would practice all night long. Recently she was given an opportunity to audition for a performance art’s school abroad. None of her friends besides Sulli knew that the school was abroad because she, too, was auditioning as well. The others just knew that it was really important and was considered prestigious to get in.

He plopped himself on the couch, his arms behind his head “Am I distracting you? You flatter me Suzy”

She rolled her eyes and joined him on the couch, throwing his legs off to make space for herself. He sat up and hand one arm on the back of the couch and the other playing with Suzy’s hair.

“How did you find me?”

Suzy hid herself in the back room of the music hallway, hoping no one would find her. Not that she didn’t like the company but she barely had enough time to herself lately. Her family has been smothering her because they were all excited for their baby to follow her dream but also realized that if it went well their time with her would be shortened. Her boyfriend seemed to understand her distance, at least that’s what he told her when she said she couldn’t spend time with him, and found friendship somewhere else. Sehun on the other hand spent most his time with Suzy rather than the others. Krystal was lately seen with Jongin, and if Sulli wasn’t practicing she was with Taemin, Jaebum and Hyeri, leaving Jiyoung to hang out with Jieun and he wasn’t about to be the only guy there. And he really liked Suzy so it worked overall for him.  

Sehun chuckled, his eyes disappearing “You aren’t that hard to find my little Suzy” recently Sehun has been more affectionate to her and she didn’t mind it, it reminded her of Jongin and besides she would always give a punch on the shoulder in the end as a sign of her own “affection”. Plus Sehun would remind her that just being in someone’s presence was enough at times, having someone enjoy watching her play gave her comfort. Jongin’s music taste wasn’t exactly inclined to classical and Suzy understood that but it was disheartening when she wanted to share her new routine with him and he would go off on another topic or want to go out.

“I just had to follow the music~ and that you are only seen in a couple places, either your house, Krystal’s and she’s out with Kai right now” Suzy pulled her hair out of Sehun’s hand at that comment, nodding along “I think they’re eating? Not sure and other than there you would be here in school, practicing that is” 

“Yes practicing which is what I should be doing right now. So if you could” She pointed at the door, trying to hint that she wanted him to leave, well not hint really.

Sehun shook his head and rested it on her lap, closing his eyes, pretending to sleep even adding fake snores. They were close enough for actions like to be considered normal/comfortable, Sehun was the next closest male friend aside from Jongin to Suzy. But over the course of a few weeks her heart has been acting up, something Suzy wasn’t happy about. 

Suzy sighed once more a break wouldn’t hurt. She’s been at it for about 3 hours nonstop so relaxing a bit is just what the doctor ordered. She looked down at her lap and continued to stare at Sehun’s ‘sleeping’ form. His eyelashes are so long Suzy unconsciously traces over his lashes, in a trance. She felt him still but she continued to trace her finger down his nose and over his mouth. His breath sped up, his eyelids flickered open as he grabbed her hand in mid-air.

They locked eyes, neither making a move away or closer.  

“Am I that handsome?” Sehun smirked a bit, trying to cover up his blush and he gazed into Suzy’s eyes. Suzy on the other hand was flustered. She was just caught staring at someone’s face, a someone that was her friend and not her boyfriend.

“I was just…i-I um lack of sleep has got me going crazy” Suzy muttered to herself.

Sehun closed his eyes once more before intertwining their hands together. His thumb grazing along the back of her hand

“Sehun ah?” Laying on her lap was one thing but hand holding was something only couples do and close or not, they weren’t a couple.

“Suji- ah, remember a couple weeks ago when I found you crying in the stairwell?” Suzy kept quiet. The moment flashed back in her head. That was when she realized that if she passed the audition she would have to move away and leave everyone behind. She was scared. She had a perfect life here and she didn’t want to just drop it because what if they forgot about her? But this was a once in a lifetime chance.

She had wanted to talk to Jongin about it but that was when Krystal was surprisingly clinging onto her boyfriend and Jongin could only apologize for Krystal needed him, it was after the incident after all. Krystal was her bestfriend and if Krystal needed some attention Suzy was glad to give it to her, she was just acting like the maknae that she was, and it was okay. Yet seeing him flick Krystal’s forehead made her uncomfortable, the look Krystal had in her eyes was familiar but she couldn’t pin it down yet. 

The thought of Jongin or her friends being fine without her feed her fears and she was just not ready to deal with them so during break she ran out and cried in the stairwell but Sehun had noticed her gloomy face throughout the day and followed her. When he saw her crying his heart cracked and without question he ran over and embraced Suzy. Hushing her worries with soft words, and cursing Kai for not realizing that she was in pain this entire time. Never bringing up the reason for her tears for he didn’t need them, all he wanted to do was stop them.

“Was Jongin the reason?” Suzy bit her lip. He wasn’t the only reason but to think that she was jealous of her bestfriend and her boyfriend was silly. She trusted them both and it was kind of her fault anyways, she couldn’t spend time with Jongin for her music came first and Krystal was just being a good friend.  

“I wouldn’t make you cry” He said softly, almost like he was afraid to say it.

Suzy blinked to regain her thoughts and looked down at where Sehun was still grazing his thumb over her hand.

“What?”

He breathed in deeply and sat up, twisting his body to face hers. The look on his face killed her, he looked so lost and she just wanted to hug him. Still holding onto her hand Sehun recalled the conversation he had over and over again to himself on how to say it and if he should. Breathing in one more time he decided to take the chance and say those three dangerous words, the ones that Sulli dared to say and Taemin shied away from

"You love me?" She asked to confirm what she just heard. He looked in pain, his eyes pleading

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help it. My heart starting beating for you and I…" Sehun trailed off looking conflicted, here he is confessing to his best friend’s girlfriend. Suzy was tongue tied what the hell is happening? His puppy dog eyes were killing her inside, to see him so scared hurt her more than it should.

Suzy found her voice “Sehun ah, I’m not….I ca- um what about Krystal?” her mind was jumping from one thing to another and the thing she spits out is Sehun’s crush on Krystal? Nice Suzy nice

Sehun's eyes found hers. "That was just a crush, this, what I feel for you, that's love Suji ah"

Suzy didn’t know if he understood the word “Sehun ah, do you know what you’re saying? Just 2 months ago you were asking for my help on Krystal and now you’re saying you love me? Come on Hunnie, even you have to think that’s crazy!”

No, oh no. I’m not going into this drama. I refuse too. Sehun ah, he’s a friend just a friend. Come on Suzy, stop your heart beat. It shouldn’t be reacting like this. Her heart was speeding up to his words.

“It’s not crazy! It’s not like I decided this over-night. It has been eating me inside out Suji, I can’t control it. I liked Krystal and she liked me too but we didn’t click, my heart was never really into it. But my heart, when I see you smile, it races and I’ve been wanting to be the reason for your smile. When you cry I want to be the one you come running toward to wipe them away. You are seriously all I can think about ever since I saw you crying, I’ve never seen you like that and all I could do was think that you were beautiful. With all your wall broken and you so fragile I just wanted to be the one to pick them up. I want to fall in love with you. My heart, Suzy it's yours. I’m serious about you, just give me a chance"

She closed , it had fallen open during his speech. Little wings were fluttering around in her stomach and she didn’t know how to respond. Willing herself to choose her words carefully she hesitantly began

"Sehun, I can't tell you that I love you back but what I can say is that I do have some sort of feeling for you” his face glowed "I don’t know what those feelings mean and Jongin still has my heart, I'm not rejecting you but I'm not accepting you either" Sehun's face dropped. It's not like he expected her to throw Jongin away for him but it still killed him that she couldn't chose between them.

“It’s not something I can choose right now. Jongin is my boyfriend Sehun ah, and I love him. My heart, it’s racing right now and I don’t know why”

Sehun cupped her face “That’s because you feel this too! I’m not joking about this Suji, I truly do love you” Suzy smiled and pulled his hands away and walked towards her bag, the keychain was shining and Sehun shoulder’s slumped at what it represented. Suzy fished into her bag and pulled out To Kill a Mockingbird

“When I finish this book, I’ll answer you but what you need to do right now is prove to me that your words are true. Love is not a game.”

Suzy walked out the door heading to the courtyard, the cafeteria would be bad choice to sit at, and talking was something she did not want to do. She sat on a bench and began reading hoping the book Hyeri gave her would ease her mind for a bit. The last image she had of Sehun was one she didn’t want to remember, not now.

END

PRESENT:

Suzy’s phone was the one that started ringing this time and all Suzy wanted to do was chuck it out the window but she would never. Suho had left for school half an hour ago to work of some filing and data entries, being new is tiring. Yoona ran out of the house seconds after, slamming the door which woke up her mom, she had forgotten that she was the one that had the keys to open the bakery. Suzy’s mom was downstairs making some breakfast for the girls when they come down, it was only 10 am.

Closing the book in a huff, Suzy slides her phone to the left

“Hello?”

“Ah Suji! It’s oppa, Mr. Nam is willing to talk to you about how you can still pass his class at 11am. No backing out, bye!”

Suzy groaned and hit the lump on her bed, forgetting it was a person and not bundled up sheets.

“Ow!” Hyeri grumbles as she gets up, blinking her eyes to adjust to the light.

“Now that you’re awake, my mom is making breakfast downstairs. I have to get ready for school so you can head downstairs”

Hyeri rubs her eyes “Right now? Isn’t voice at noon?”

“I need to meet a teacher before, just got a call saying it was at 11” Suzy shortly replies.

Hyeri nodded and got up to go to the bathroom before going to eat. Suzy got changed, brushing her long hair out of her face and headed downstairs to greet her mom in the kitchen where Hyeri was already at.

“Ah baby there you are, why are you already dressed? Isn’t class at noon?”

“Mhmm but I have something to do beforehand”

Her mom smiled and served her food and they ate in silence with the occasional small talk that Suzy’s mom tried to make. Putting their plates in the sink Suzy finally turns to Hyeri “Get your things, I’ll drop you off at your house so you can get changed there”

Hyeri runs off to the room to grab her things. Suzy’s mom hugs her “How are you doing?”

“I’m okay for now. Not sure what I’m doing but we’ll see” Suzy honestly says and breaks from the hug to pick up her book bag that’s in front of the door along with Hyeri’s. Hyeri comes down the stairs and Suzy heads out to her car with Hyeri tailing behind. The only sound that came from the car ride was from the radio, it was still tense between the two, not sure where they stood.

Suzy pulled up to Hyeri’s house and parked the car waiting for her to get out. Hyeri was nervously picking at her chip nail polish, making it seem like she wanted to say something but not quite sure what.

“I’ve been saying this a lot so one more time won’t hurt- thanks Suzy, I owe you one”

“You owe me nothing” Suzy says, gripping the steering wheel a little tighter. Hyeri nods and clears

“I should probably get off so you can go talk to your professor.” She hops out of the passenger seat, swinging her bag over her shoulder in a swift move.

“You never did tell me what you were doing out so late at night by yourself”

Hyeri halts, having the door between them be halfway closed “My routine, well my dance class’s, our performance is next Friday and I was just practicing, don’t want to be the weakest link. We uh someone from our voice class is going to be asked to do a joint performance with the dance team.”

Suzy tilts her head “And why wasn’t I informed?” This is brand new to her, when the heck was that announced

“Only the dance team knows, the person who gets chosen from our voice class is going to be surprised but Seonsangnim says that the person she’ll choose will be ready for it. It’s sort of a surprise for the campus too”

Hyeri scratches the back of her neck, not completely sure if she should have told Suzy all that information.     

“Okay, by the way Hyeri you should probably call Jaebum back, he’s been calling like crazy”

“He called?” Hyeri asks, closing the door shut

Suzy lowers the window “Like a stalker” she shifts the gear in drive and speeds off down the street.

…………………………..

She stands in front of her piano mentor and the ‘guidance counselor’. She bows to them in greeting and stands back straight

“Good morning Teacher Nam”

Teacher Nam is an older gentlemen, a well-known pianist who retired a couple years ago and dedicated his time to teaching his students.

“Ah Miss Bae I think this is our first meeting of the semester no?”

Suzy blushes and fidgets in place, quite embarrassed to be called out on her skipping classes, taking pity on Suzy, Suho speaks up

“So what was this assignment you said Suzy could do to not fail your class? Her mom would cry if she had learned of Suzy’s educational standing.” Suzy bites her lip in worry, she had been thinking about herself lately that she hadn’t even considered her mom’s reaction to her failing class, her mom whom has worked her off for Suzy to have everything she wants in life.

“Well Miss Bae has missed two exams so far which counted for a major portion of her grade but what I have told my students is that if your final performance is higher than the course grade, that will be the final letter I put down in records.”

“So all I need to do is get an A in my last performance and I get an A in the class? Sounds easy”

Suho pinches her arm to quiet her. “There’s a catch, the performance will not be graded by me but your fellow peers, if they pass you then you’re set, if they don’t-then I’m sorry my dear, you fail. Also this final performance cannot be a regular one. I will not settle for simple performances, be creative and original, it needs to be one that will touch not me but the students.”

Suzy gulped at that, yes she was the ex-queen, but that was the thing, she was the EX. If Queen Krystal didn’t pass her-then no one would. Everyone feared her, which was obvious on how they squeaked in her presence, yet Krystal was the one they listened too.

I’m screwed