"Okay... what is this for?"

"Nothing. I saw it and I thought it would look really nice on you." Jessica held on to a De Beers cut-drop pendant, slack-jawed and hand quivering.

"Taeyeon…you just don't happen to see something like this, especially since their store is found at Caesars."

Taeyeon lolled her head and smirked. "Okay, okay. So I may have deliberately looked for it."

Jessica scooted closer and kissed Taeyeon. "Taeyeon, I love this and I really appreciate it but I'm going to ask you to return this."

"What? No way I'm returning that.”

"Taeyeon."

"Jessica."

"Please, don't be stubborn about this."

"What's wrong with your girlfriend giving you a gift?"

"There is nothing wrong with that per se. It is, however, disconcerting that my  17-year-old girlfriend can afford expensive jewelry when she  told me before that most of her art-related money is controlled through a fund."

"I keep some for myself."

"I've seen you spend, there's no way you can save on your own."

Taeyeon's face turned sour. "Why do you have to be very sharp?"

The brunette chuckled while shaking her head."So, where exactly did you get this?"

"My sixteenth birthday."

"Ah."

"I don't wear stuff like that. I don't even know what my mom was thinking. But you. I see you wear necklaces a lot of times, especially for work."

"You do realize you can get into trouble if your mom starts looking for it."

"She won't. Trust me. Please, wear it?"

When it was clear that Jessica was still deliberating, Taeyeon took the necklace and put it on the brunette. "It'll really look nice on you. Especially when you wear those criminally low necklines."

"I do not wear criminally low necklines…do I?"

"You do." Taeyeon played with the pendant, occasionally brushing Jessica's chest with her thumb. "See? It suits you more."

"Does it bother you?"

"That it looks nice on you?"

"No. What I wear."

The young artist tucked Jessica's hair behind her ears. "You look stunning. That's one of the things I first noticed about you. I wasn't complaining at all."

 Jessica grabbed their blanket and covered them both. Under the sheets, she gazed intensely at Taeyeon, letting the girl's breath kiss her face. "Mmm…and what are the other things?"

"Legs."

"Legs, huh?"

"Yup. I spent hours figuring out how someone so short can have legs that go for miles."

"That. Isn't romantic, Kim Taeyeon."

"Shh. I love your height. We fit well."

"I'm not that short."

"Let it go, Sica."

"Fine. But I won't be as forgiving the next time you make fun of my height."

"You'd make me beg for it?" Taeyeon bit her lower lip and smiled mischievously. "What kind of punishment do you have in mind?"

"What erted mind you have." Jessica giggled before rolling on top of her girlfriend. "And don't you dare say because you're an artist. You have abused that justification."

"I wasn't thinking of that. I was too busy thinking of ersions."

"Remind me to discuss some of them with you." the brunette mumbled against Taeyeon's neck. Feeling the pendant move, she whispered, "Thank you for this necklace. I really love it."

"So that means you're accepting it?"

"Yes. But now, I would have to think of a very nice gift to give you."

"What's your issue with gift-giving?"

"I don't have an issue with it." Jessica said amusedly. "I actually find it slightly hilarious—but for the most part endearing—that you've been spoiling me. I think it should be in reverse."

"Because you're older?"

"Uh huh."

Taeyeon scoffed. "I think non-traditional covers us."

"It does." Jessica nodded slowly. "I'm still getting used to it, though."

"You really have to. Because it's gonna be like this forever."

"Wow. Forever, huh?"

"Yep." Taeyeon tucked one hand under her head and stared pensively at the ceiling.

The brunette kissed the younger girl's jaw before fully surrendering her weight against Taeyeon's body. "What's on your mind?"

"The future."

"What about it?"

"How it will be like with you. I've never… I've never really thought of how my life would be. It's weird." Taeyeon smiled widely. "Me thinking beyond…two weeks or something."

"Well…you know, you are young. You're allowed to think in short time-frames."

"Yeah. But I don't anymore. I have plans." Taeyeon announced proudly.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I'm gonna apply at UNLV. They have a Fine Arts program."

"You're not applying at other schools? That's not really an art school."

"There's no reputable art school in Las Vegas. And I don't want to be far away from you."

"Taeyeon." Jessica propped herself up on her left hand and brushed Taeyeon's cheek. "You can't revolve your life around me. This is about your future."

"It's about our future." the artist countered.

"Okay, listen," Jessica sighed. "I love that you are including me in your plans but—"

"But what?" Taeyeon sat up. "You're not including me in your plans?"

"I didn't say that." The brunette gently pushed her girlfriend's shoulders, coaxing her to lie down. As soon as Taeyeon complied, Jessica swung her leg and straddled the girl. "Anyone ever tell you you've got a very volatile temper?"

"Everyone."

"Knowing that your crabbiness isn't just reserved for me is strangely comforting."

"Don't change the subject, Sica."

There was a particular weariness in Taeyeon's voice that worried Jessica.

"I'm not." Jessica mumbled. She scooted closer and sat on the artist's torso.

"Taeyeon." The brunette laughed softly at her girlfriend's dilated pupils and intense gaze. "Focus. UNLV. Your future."

"Seriously? You're expecting me to do that?" Taeyeon breathed out while caressing Jessica's thighs in an upwards motion. "When you're giving me an easy pass?"

"I'm giving you an incentive to stop preempting me and have a civilized, adult conversation."

Taeyeon exhaled dramatically. "Okay. My future."

"Really? You're gonna go down that route? I never said anything about you not being included in my life."

"I am part of your life. What I worry is not being part of your future."

"We can't really predict that, can we?"

"See?" Taeyeon shook her head and looked away. "I rest my case."

"Sweetheart." Jessica cooed while forcing the younger girl to look at her.

"I thought we're not into terms of endearment. Or is it just you and control?"

"Excuse me?"

"You make up your own rules, but it's okay if you're the one who breaks them."

"Okay. So much angst."

"Always love the part when you create diversions by pointing out my flaws."

"Are we fighting again?"

"Nope. Just. Arguing."

Jessica chuckled as she shook her head. "Okay. I'm sorry. I wasn't…okay, so maybe I tend to divert things to your flaws. You make it easy."

"Oh. Wow." Taeyeon scoffed. She gripped the brunette's hips then flipped them over and pinned her before Jessica had any chance to react. "I just need to know one thing, Jessica," she whispered while staring intensely into the older woman's eyes.

"W-what is it?"

"Do you see a future with me? Like…not just a few months from now."

"I want to."

"But you can't?"

"Taeyeon, it's not that simple."

"Then simplify it for me. What is this for you?"

"It's everything I had dreamt of, Taeyeon."

"Then why can't you just reassure me?"

"Because I don't want to disappoint you in the end. I don't want you to act, be on your best behavior, or make plans simply because you have me. What if something wrong happens, Taeyeon? Are you going to throw away your plans? I want you to be the best that you can be not because someone else expects you to, or because you want that person to be happy."

Taeyeon slightly twist