It has been 3 weeks since they were partnered up for the assignment and the song they had been writing was almost complete just a little bit of editing and touch ups and it would be ready for submission. Over the time spent working together Jay and Tiffany had grown comfortable with having each around, much to her surprise Jay didn’t try to flirt with her and they even had normal conversations only short but still quite different to the usual playboy attitude she was used to. She had also come to admire his hard work when it came to song-writing and composing skill. He suddenly changed into this very serious person who spent a lot of his time and effort into making the song. She could tell from the way he worked that this was something he loved doing and was a natural at. Tiffany had also been introduced to his group of friends though only briefly and they only exchange small pleasantries before doing their own things.

Right now it’s close to 2AM and the both of them were at the studio finishing the final editing for their song and despite the time Tiffany was determined to finish it even if her body was tired. She had been dozing off and frequently waking up every now and then but always found herself falling asleep. Jay looked over at her sleeping in her, seat smiling a little before he got up and left the recording studio. Tiffany woke up at the clicking sound the door made when it closed lifting her head abruptly. She looked around the room wearily rubbing her eyes and noticed Jay had left the room. She was slapping herself to in an attempt to wake herself up properly mentally scolding her body for her tiredness. Even if it was late she was determined to finish the song. She was still slapping herself when Jay walked back in.

“What are you doing?” Jay asked chuckling at her.

Tiffany immediately stopped what she was doing and smiled in embarrassment her face flushing red. “Nothing just trying to stay awake. Sorry for falling asleep,” She apologised looking down.

“Hehe,” He was chuckling. “Don’t push yourself too hard we still have a week before it’s due and we’re almost finished anyway. Here have this it might wake you up,” Handing her a cup of hot coffee.

“Thanks,” She smiled up at him in appreciation. They made brief eye contact before both looked away nervously.

“I don’t know how you like your coffee so I’m sorry if it’s not to your personal taste,” He said speaking up.

“That’s fine. Thanks again for this,” She replied.

She looked up again at him, he was still looking away. During these 3 weeks she hadn’t found a way to talk to him about his past since they were always so busy in working on the song when they were together. She was just sipping on the cup of coffee when he turned to see her staring.

“What’s the matter?” He started clicking his fingers in her face.

“Nothing,” She said swatting his hand away.

“Look if you’re too tired we can finish up here and go home if you like?” Jay said slightly concerned.

“It’s not that,”

“Then what is it?” He asked. “You’ve been giving me these weird looks all this time we’ve been working together and I haven’t been pulling any moves,”

“It’s just why have you been so nice to me?” Tiffany asked quietly. He sighed.

“Well it’s not like I have to act like a playboy all the time or do you really think I’m like that 24/7?” He asked, Tiffany shook her head. “Besides this is work and work takes priority before anything else especially when it comes to school work,”

“Oh sorry it’s just been weird seeing this side of you. You’re never like this outside of the studio, in fact you’re completely different and it feels like this is the real you here,”

Jay shrugged his shoulders. “Look I don’t know what to tell you but this is how I am,”

“But why do you have to be a playboy all the time? Don’t you ever think about girls as anything more than just an object to satisfy yourself?”

“Not really no,” Jay answered.

“Well what about settling down then? Like maybe finding a girlfriend and having something more than just ?” Tiffany decided it was time to start digging for information.

“Look if you really want to know I was hurt in the past and now I can’t bring myself to get close to any girl in that way. Can we drop this,” He answered in frustration just wanting the conversation to end.

Tiffany was shocked with his sudden confession not expecting him to answer truthfully. “I’m sorry it’s just you remind of someone I used to know and,”

“What do you mean?” he asked interrupting.

“I found out that you transferred from America at the start of high school and the person I knew left without a word at the end of middle school. I don’t know if this just coincidence but it seems as though the pieces fit,” Tiffany explained. Jay looked up in surprised and looked as though a sudden realisation hit him.

“How did you find out about that?” He questioned slightly nervous.

“Taeyeon told me everything and how you weren’t like this before which leads me to believe you are the person I’m thinking of,” Tiffany answered. Jay was shocked.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” He tried feigning innocence.

“Dammit are you Jaebeom Park?” She shouted.

“Well of course I am you know my name don’t you?” Jay replied sarcastically.

“No what I meant is are you the Jaebeom Park who had a best friend named Jessica Jung back in middle school?” Jay went silent. “Are you the Jaebeom who grew up in Seattle but ended up in LA being friends with one of the most popular girls in school but was a huge nerd?”

Jay was still silent, everything that had been said hit him all at once. He knew his past had caught him, looking up slightly horrified with the sudden turn of events. “How do you know all of this? Do I know you?”

“It’s me Jay,” Tiffany decided it was her turn to tell the truth as well. “It’s me Tiffany,”

“Tiffany? Tiffany? Tiffany?” The name was ringing a bell for Jay when it finally hit him his eyes widened. “Tiffany as in Sica’s best friend, Tiffany? As in Stephanie Hwang that Tiffany?”

“Yes,”

“. I guess my past caught up to me this is the last thing I wanted to happen ever,” He was scratching the back of his neck nervously trying to think of something to say. “I’m not sure I can do this right now,”

“What? You have a lot of explaining to do as far as I’m concerned, like you leaving for Korea without a word to anyone especially Sica. Do you know how devastated she was when she found out you just up and left?” Tiffany was yelling at him.

“I don’t need to explain anything to you or Sica. It was my decision to leave all those years ago and frankly it was the best decision of my life. Why do you even care hmm? It’s not like you gave a damn about me back then, in fact I remember quite clearly what you thought of me. I was just some loser who hung around your best friend who was bad for your image,” Jay shouted back. Clearly not wanting to talk about the past. “She was devastated? She doesn’t even know what it feels like to be devastated,” Jay went silent as his eyes started watering thinking about the past.

Tiffany saw the change in Jay’s demeanour with the last thing he said, noticing how he suddenly went quiet.

“She doesn’t even know the kind of hurt I was put in,” He stammered as tears started to follow.

Tiffany had calmed down now and was feeling sorry for Jay. She didn’t know what happened in the past to make him like this but she couldn’t help but want to comfort him at that moment. She moved closer to him and hugged him wrapping her arms around his body. He tried to pull away but she didn’t loosen her grip, after struggling for a while he just gave up.

“Look you don’t have to talk about anything if you don’t want to. I’m sorry for bringing it up,” She said comforting him. They stayed like that for a while. Tiffany’s heart was beating faster than normal at the closeness and Jay was feeling better because of it. Something he found weird but he still allowed himself to give into the embrace, he also felt his heart rate increase.

After a little while Jay removed himself from her embrace unsure of what to say or do next. “Thanks,” He said.

“I hope you feel better and I’m sorry again for bringing up the past,” She said feeling guilty. “I won’t ever talk about it again,”

“No it’s fine. It’s just something that I’ve left behind in the past and never talked about to anyone. I guess I thought if I avoided thinking about it all I could get over it. Looks like I was wrong,” He said softly.

“I’m hoping you feel better. I think I’ll take your advice and go home, I really am tired,” Tiffany said. She started for the door and was about leave when I Jay grabbed her hand.

“Wait Tiffany,” Tiffany turned around to face him kind of confused from his sudden actions. “I’d just like to apologise for how much of an I’ve been to you since you came here,” Slightly taken a back, she was definitely surprised by the apology.

“No you have nothing to apologise about especially with the way I used to treat you all those years ago. A little flirting is nothing compared to everything I put you through back in middle school. I’m so sorry for that,” Tiffany said still feeling guilty.

“That’s all in the past Tiffany,” Jay said. “There’s nothing to feel bad about I gave as much as I took anyway,”

“Thank you I wasn’t expecting that answer,”

“It’s all water under the bridge as far as I’m concerned,” Jay said sounding a little more cheerful. “How about we start fresh?” He said holding his hand out. “I’m Jay it’s nice to meet you,”

Tiffany couldn’t help but smile and laugh a little this felt like the Jay from back then. She took his hand and shook it following along. “Hi I’m Tiffany it’s nice to meet you too,”

When they finished shaking hands Tiffany let out a loud yawn as she felt the fatigue hit her. Jay chuckled a little shaking his head. “I think we really are done here for tonight. You look like you could use a good night’s sleep. Gather your stuff I’ll drop you off back to your dorm,”

She nodded her head and stretched a little before getting her things and leaving the studio. It was a quiet ride on the way back to the campus dorms both were happy to sit in silence and Tiffany was practically in dreamland during the ride. When they reached the campus Jay parked his car and offered to walk Tiffany back to her dorm room.

“I’ll walk you to your room,” He said walking beside her.

No that’s fi-,” She was cut herself off with a yawn and blinked her eyes to stay awake.

“Come on you are way too tired and you’d make me feel bad if something happened,” He said kneeling down a little offering her a piggyback ride. “Jump on,”

Tiffany was too tired to argue and just accepted the invitation. She jumped on his back wrapping her around his neck for support and Jay held her legs before he started walking again. He was just thinking to himself as he walked and soon found Tiffany fast asleep on his back he smiled a little. Something about this seemed different to when he was with other girls, he still wasn’t sure how he felt about her but it was definitely nothing like any other he had been with. He shrugged the thoughts off when he heard her talking in her sleep.

“Jaebeom you’re such a loser,” She said fast asleep. He shook his head at that a remark thinking about how she would always say this back then. “Why have you never noticed me before?” Jay raised an eyebrow at that. Must just say weird things in her sleep he thought and shrugged it off. “Sica, I think I like Jaebeom,” No freaking way he thought, this can’t be true.

He lost himself in thought as he walked and it wasn’t long before he reached her dorm. He shook her to wake up. “Tiffany we’re here,”

Tiffany woke up slowly hopping off his back and rubbing her eyes unaware of her sleep talking. She was already walking inside and turned around to say goodbye when she got in the door.

“Thanks for the ride,” She said smiling at him.

“No problem anytime. Um we’ll finish the song when we both have time so just let me know when you have time,” Jay was acting really awkward, still not sure of what happened before. “So uh friends?”

“Friends,” She nodded in agreement. “Goodnight I guess I’ll see you in class?”

“Yeah for sure. Um goodnight see you later,” He bid her goodnight and left smiling to himself this was interesting night.

Tiffany on the other hand was so tired at this point she just went straight to bed and fell asleep.

Chapter 5 done hope you guys liked it and sorry for the month long wait my loyal subs.