Remembering Elizabeth (Featuring Suho and Sehun)

I was very disappointed the next day when Suho was called into another meeting and I was left alone. I have found that it is dangerous to leave me alone in a mansion to roam free and to do as I please.
I went to the music room and tried to play the piano to see if I knew how. I didn’t. On my way to the kitchen, I slid in the entrance hall and had an idea. I took a little run and skidded across the floor. So for half an hour, I slid back and forth across the entrance hall. Then I fell and hurt my butt so I was done. I went into the kitchen and talked the cook, a very sweet old lady named Hannah, into making cookies. She said the only way she would do it was if she could teach me to do it. I learned to make oatmeal raisin cookies. I don’t know how I know those are my favorite but I do.Maybe my memories are slowly returning.
I took my cookies and went into the mini-theater to watch a movie. I found a movie that I thought was a drama called “The Daisy Chain” but I soon changed my mind and turned it off when everyone in the movie started getting naked. Eww! I thought Suho didn’t want me to come in here and watch movies alone because I might have another episode but now I’m not so sure that was the only reason.
I found my way into the greenhouse where I met Jihoon, the gardener. He spoke limited English but he put me to work watering the plants. I had so much fun. I got as wet as the plants did.
After that, I wandered around looking at the paintings and artwork and then I came to the ballroom. This was my favorite room in the entire house. It was a magical room. I looked around and saw the music system and I couldn’t resist. It was very complicated but I knew Power and Play and that was all the knowledge I needed. Beautiful soft music began to fill the room. I looked around carefully to make sure that I was alone and when I was in the center of the dance floor, I twirled. If I put my head back and twirled fast, the chandelier turned into a diamond kaleidoscope. I put my arms out and spun and spun until I got dizzy and had to lay in the floor. The room kept spinning. That’s when I heard the clapping. I didn’t even look. I just closed my eyes and felt the blush rising to the ends of my hair. Why does this keep happening? Here I am, dizzy, wet, and covered in flour. I must look like a mad woman!
I looked over and there they were, my boys, leaning against the wall with identical amused smiles, clapping as if they were at a concert. They were all easy to look at. The hottie line. I covered my face with my hands and screamed. Laughing, Suho came over to help me up.
“You know what?” he said.
“What?” I asked completely embarrassed.
“You have given me a great idea. Mr. Kim wants to have an event to give Exo some good press. I think we should have a Midnight Masquerade Ball.”
My mouth was open but nothing was coming out. I felt the excitement building and soon it was going to explode from me. I lost my breath. Finally I was able to squeak out, “A real ball?”
“Why not? We could invite a bunch of other groups and company people and the press of course. We could raise money for a cause too. That’s always good press.
I was still speechless. I looked from Suho to Sehun to Bacon and they all looked back at me expectantly. I said, “Do I get to wear a ball gown?”
“You HAVE to wear a ball gown!” said Bacon. Sehun looked over at him.
I squealed and the boys laughed.
“I have nothing to do this afternoon. Why don’t you go get ready and we’ll go out and look now,” said Suho.
“Now? Right now?” I felt dizzy again.
“Right now! Go! Get ready!” Suho smiled again.
I looked at the boys again and then I ran. I couldn’t wait. A real ball gown!

When Bacon said he wanted to go, Sehun insisted on going too which I thought was strange. Why would they want to go dress shopping? But I was happy to be going out with the best looking men in Korea so I didn’t question it.
The first shop we went into had some beautiful gowns and they put away a few for me in case I decided I wanted one of them but I wanted to look some more. In each store we went into, I tried on dress after dress and the boys were the perfect audience. I know they had to be bored to death but they never showed it. They gave their opinions and waited patiently to see every dress. My boys are so sweet.
Suho said we had a few more stores to try before dinner but when we came to the next store, I found my dress. I didn’t have to try it on or even think about it. It was on a mannequin in the store window and it was the one. I fell completely in love when I saw it. It was the most beautiful dress I had ever seen. It was a deep wine red, with tiny diamond accents all over. It was as wide as it was long with layer after layer after layer of shiny, tulle ruffles. It looked like something a princess would wear. The diamonds were dotted all along the ruffles, making it sparkle and they continued onto the bodice in lines to end in diamond swirls and flowers. I stood there forever, just staring at it in the window.
“Would you like to go in and try it on?” asked Suho.
“I couldn’t ask you to get me this gown. It has to cost a small fortune,” I said.
“Well, I have a small fortune left on this card so I think we can manage it.” He smiled that sweet smile that made me fall in love with him every time I saw it.
“I can never repay you for something like this Suho,” I said.
“Don’t make me spank you!” he said.
“I’ll do it!” said Bacon from behind us.
Suho turned and gave him a look and Sehun punched him in the arm. Hard.
“Kidding,” mumbled Bacon.
I had to hide a small laugh behind my hand.
When we went into the store, a gaggle of girls came running over to help us. They must have seen us looking in the window. I was all but invisible while the boys were being fawned over. Finally, Suho got one of the older ladies to help me try on the dress. It actually took three of the girls to get me into it. The silk felt good but the bodice was really tight. I must have been gaining some weight back. She said it had to fit tight to push my breasts up to where they needed to be. She wasn’t completely happy with the end result so she added some tiny diamond straps which looked beautiful against my skin. I worried about being able to move and sit in this dress but it was actually fun and easy to move around in. The silk swished and the tulle floated around and I felt like I was surrounded by a thousand floaty petals. Sitting was another story. There was only one way to sit comfortably and it wasn’t THAT comfortable.
“Don’t worry about it. You won’t have time to sit. You’ll be dancing all night.” He smiled at me. Then he whispered, “Please promise me the first dance.”
I leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Was there ever a doubt?”
Bacon was moving around the dress, pulling it out and trying to see how big he could make it. Sehun was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, just observing.
“Of course she will need matching undergarments and we have the perfect shoes for this dress. Can you walk in heels honey?” the clerk asked.
“I’m not sure,” I said, looking at Suho.
“She can practice,” he said to the clerk but smiled at me.
“She has amnesia,” said Bacon.
“Baekhyun!” said Sehun in a gruff voice.
“It’s okay. It’s true,” I said smiling at Bacon.
The clerk looked closer at my face and said, “Oh my dear! Are you the missing American girl from the news?”
Suho gave her a stern look and she backed up.
“Not anymore. Now I’m the luckiest American girl in Korea,” I said. I noticed she started looking at my skin and the tiny white scars that were left by my kidnapper.
“Well, I’m starving. Go change and I’ll take care of the charge,” said Suho.
The three girls reluctantly followed me to help me undress. It was going to take all of Suho’s maids to help me at home!
“Need some more help in there?” Bacon yelled into the dressing room. “Ow!” he said a second later after I heard a smack. I can only imagine that Suho or Sehun smacked him in the head.
When we left the shop, I got into the car first and Bacon started to lean in to help me with my belt. I saw Sehun grab his arm and pull him back and he leaned in instead. I pretended not to see. “You know. This isn’t necessary. I can buckle a seatbelt,” I said.
“American women!” said Sehun. I leaned up closer so that I could smell his hair. He smelled sexy.Maybe it isn’t so bad to let them take care of me in some ways, I thought.

At the restaurant, Bacon helped me with my chair and sat down beside me. Sehun kept staring at him until he whispered, “What?” Sehun just raised his eyebrows and kept looking at him. I wondered what was going on between them. Suho sat on my other side and Sehun sat across from me. He immediately grabbed one of my feet with both of his and held it. I gave him a knowing smile and he returned it. Suho pretended to be oblivious to what was going on but I knew he wasn’t. When the food came, Bacon helped serve me even though I was perfectly capable of doing it myself.
“Thank you, Bacon,” I said.
“Oh, he gets a thank you and I get sass!” said Sehun.
“I’m sorry Sehun. Thank you too for looking out for me,” I said. I crinkled my nose at him.
All of a sudden, Suho slurped his noodles really loudly and we all looked at him. He started laughing with the noodles still hanging from his mouth and we all cracked up.
“Okay, okay Suho. I get it! Thank you too,” I said. He laughed even harder.
Every time Bacon would talk to me, Sehun would squeeze my foot.
“Elizabeth, do you know how to dance?” asked Bacon. Squeeze.
“Bacon! Why do you keep asking me what I know? I don’t know ANYTHING. I don’t know if I know how to dance.” We all laughed again.
“I’m sorry. I forget. I can show you some things if you’d like,” said Bacon. Big squeeze.
“I can show her,” said Sehun. The boys looked over at him. He had been very quiet until now. “She is in my care after all,” he added slowly taking a bite of food.
“I don’t think you should, Sehun. You still have some healing to do and, good news everyone, he can start his physical therapy soon!” said Suho as he reached over and patted Sehun’s hand.
We all clapped. “The doctor said he should be able to make a full recovery and if he does as he’s told, he should heal completely and not show any after effects. He may develop some arthritis later in life but it won’t affect him continuing with Exo this summer. And I think it’s a good idea for Baekhyun to teach Elizabeth some things. It MIGHT keep him out of trouble.”
“Congratulations, Sehun! We were all very worried. We can’t lose our favorite maknae,” said Bacon.
“Thanks,” said Sehun. He should have looked happy but he didn’t.

At home that night, Suho and Sehun were in Suho’s office talking so I went to the library to find another book. I wanted to find a romance novel this time but I doubted I would find one. I settled for a Jane Austen novel. If I had ever read it, I didn’t remember it. With amnesia you get to experience everything for the first time again.
Walking down the hallway to my room, I passed the music room where I heard the piano playing so I stuck my head in to see who was playing. It was Bacon. I stood there and listened to the beautiful music for a while. He looked up and quit playing.
“Hey there. I didn’t see you,” he said.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt. That was very beautiful.”
“Thanks. It’s something I’ve been working on for a little while. Come over here,” he said scooting over and patting the bench. “Do you know how to play?”
I gave him a look that said, Really? and went over and sat down. “I tried earlier and no, I don’t know how to play.”
“Can I play this for you and get your opinion?” He looked over at me and raised his eyebrows.
“How can I say no to that face?” I said.
He grinned and started to play. The most beautiful music I can remember hearing started to play. His hands were very graceful as they floated from key to key.
When he was finished I had tears in my eyes. “That was amazing,” I said.
“You really think so?” he asked.
“I really do. I wish I could have a copy of it to play in my room. I think that would actually help me sleep better.”
“Really? I could probably make you a copy,” he said excitedly.
“Would you? I would love that!” I said.
“I can’t get it done for tonight but I can give it to you tomorrow,” said Bacon.
“You are so sweet,” I said and kissed his cheek. He blushed.
“If I get it finished before the ball, would you dance to it with me?” he asked.
“Really? I would love to Bacon! That would be so great.”
“Want me to show you some things? I can teach you some basic piano if you’d like to learn,” he said.
“Please?” I said and he took my hands and placed them on the keys.
I hadn’t noticed but Sehun stood in the doorway watching Bacon give me a piano lesson. Then he said, “Elizabeth? Are you ready for bed?”
We both turned to look at Sehun and I said, “I am. Thank you Sehun.” Getting up I looked down at Bacon and said, “And thank you too. So much. And don’t forget your promise.”
“Not a chance.” He smiled back at me and then winked at Sehun.
What’s that about?
Sehun walked me to my room and tucked me in. He sat down on the edge of my bed and asked, “What promise?”
“He promised to dance with me at the ball.”
“Do I get a dance too?” he asked.
“Sehun! I was hoping you were going to be my escort.” He looked up at me sharply. “Oh, I’m sorry. I should have waited to see if you would ask. You don’t have to be.” I flushed red. My face got hot.
“You want to be my date?” he asked.
“I’m sorry. Were you going with someone else? I shouldn’t have…”
“No! No, I want to go with you. I just thought maybe you were already going with Bac… Baekhyun.”
“Bacon? Why?”
“I don’t know. I just figured he would have already asked. You two looked pretty close in there.” Sehun played with a string on the sheet.
“He was just showing me something he’s working on,” I said.
Sehun smiled. “Well, get some sleep. Sweet dreams.” He stood up and bent over to kiss my forehead and then paused. Then he placed a sweet kiss on my lips.
I wish that were enough to give me sweet dreams but I knew it wouldn’t be.

Notes