A/N: Please enjoy this sequel to my other story, Crush, based off of Big Bang's upcoming album MADE. I'm not sure how long this will be, but chances are it'll be fairly lengthy, which I'm sure none of you will mind. I hope my readers enjoy this sequel as much as they enjoyed the first installment and that I can believably capture the young adult life.

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{Foreword}

“Are you busy today?”

“Yeah, I am actually.” Tiffany dropped her head onto my shoulder and groaned. I smiled a little at her whining.

“Come on! You’ve been busy every day this past week, I’m not gonna be here for long. The company hates me coming to California so often and people are getting suspicious,” she muttered, clutching my arm as tight as she possibly could. I hummed gently.

“Can’t help it, Fany-ah, I’ve only had my internship for a couple months and Xiumin is such a kisser you know I need to start competing with him for the promos,” I shook my head at the thought of Xiumin obeying and looking pretty towards our seniors in the hospital. You could tell they liked him better, he was a likable person. We were good friends, we probably will be for years to come, but I still wanted good marks. I need to learn how to look cute like he does.

“You work better under pressure, when it counts you pull ahead,” Tiffany told me and I smiled a little, keeping my eyes on the road. The sun splayed across our bodies, emitting a rich orange glow. It made me feel even warmer than when it was just Tiffany holding me. I wasn’t quite sure why she wanted to go to the hospital with me, but I guess it couldn’t be helped since I spent a lot of my time there. “Which is exactly why you should hang out with me today; I miss you,” she mumbled and I sighed, slowing down as I approached a red light. I was close to getting my doctoral; I needed to focus, but I also needed Tiffany to help me through it. I felt like I was fighting to keep school and relationships balanced all over again. I looked at Tiffany, all pouty and tired looking with newly dyed red hair. It’s like she never grew up. It made me feel so nostalgic. Looking at her all of a sudden reminded me of how passionately I felt about loving her. Neither of us changed that much.

“I know, I’m sorry, Hun. Look, I’ll call Xiumin and have him make up some excuse for me and we’ll hang out today. We can do what you want, you know, as long as people don’t recognize you,” I offered and her face lit up, brighter than the sun. I couldn’t help but smile back at her. I’m wrapped around her finger…

“Go to the Santa Monica Pier! I’ve never had any Bubba Gump despite all my visits,” she said, turning my wheel, making me shout out loud as she made the Wrangler jerk to the left.

“Tiffany! What the ?! This is a real car, not some arcade game!” I scolded and gripped the leather wheel.

“It was green!” she insisted and I let out a deep breath, shaking my head.

“Grab my phone and put Xiumin on speaker,” I told her and she blinked.

“Where’s your phone?” she asked and I cleared my throat awkwardly. Oh right.

“It’s in my back pocket, right side,” I grunted and she clapped her hands, laughing. I felt my cheeks go red, even after we’ve been together for years.

“You’re cute, Baby,” she kissed my cheek and took out my phone, not forgetting to pat my . “Oh my God don’t tell me he’s Pony Boy.” I chuckled.

“It’s a fun joke from high school,” I sighed and looked around to try and remember where the pier was. My phone rang and a few moments later Xiumin was shouting gibberish in the phone.

“Yah!” I yelled and he laughed his stupid open-mouthed laugh that I still couldn’t get used to.

“You get stupider every time I talk to you,” Tiffany shook her head.

“Oh! Tiffany! What’s up!” he exclaimed happily. “How’s life as a K-Pop girl?”

“Oh you know, hard,” she simply stated and the two of them laughed. I shook my head and elbowed her in the stomach. “Ow! Oh, right, TaeTae and I are going out and we’re wondering if you could make something up for her to skip today.”

“Hm, what am I allowed to say?” he wondered.

“Not anything dirty,” I replied and he huffed in disappointment. I made another left turn and sped down the familiar road.

“Sure, but you know, Dr. Huang hates it when we’re last minute,” he reminded and I let out a deep breath. The doctor was a good man and a good instructor, but he was a bit strict and a little old fashioned. He reminded me of my father.

“Yeah, I can deal with him some other time, just don’t tell him I’m blowing him off for a girl,” I mumbled and Tiffany looked at me with an eyebrow raised.

“What?” she glared and I managed to breathe properly while we were stuck in a bit of traffic. Oh no, she’s staring…

“It’s a joke, Tiff! Other students like to spread rumors; they say the doctor is into Taeng—.” I grabbed the phone from Tiffany before she could break it.

“Yah! Xiumin you said you wouldn’t say anything!” I hissed and glanced at Tiffany. Ever since high school she had always been easily jealous. It was in her nature and being in a long distance relationship didn’t help her insecurities. I didn’t want her hearing rumors about me and the doctor; I knew she wouldn’t like them.

“Oh ! Uh, sorry man, I’ll cover you, but I sorta gotta go…I stabbed…myself…? Later Taeng! Later Tiffany!” he hung up and I was about to explode with the way my girlfriend stared me down. I bit my lips as we sat in tense silence, I tried distracting myself as the traffic began clearing up but then she started talking.

“Do you not say you have a girlfriend?” she asked and I sighed deeply.

“Not a lot of my friends know I’m biual, Fany-ah, let alone the doctor,” I said and she crossed her arms.

“What? So you’re letting him think you’re single, even with these ing rumors?! What the ing Hell, Taeyeon?!” Tiffany shouted at me and I pulled over, parallel parking in the first spot I could find. I didn’t want to drive and argue simultaneously.

“Look, Hun, I know you’re upset and angry, but I don’t understand why. It’s not like I’m involved with the doctor, that’s so unprofessional as a student, and these are only rumors. I’m sure he doesn’t really think that way,” I took her hand but she looked away. It hurt to make her feel such a way. I wished I could make her feel good about herself.

“You love me and I love you, I get that, but I can’t help it,” she sighed and squeezed my hand tightly. “He’s a doctor; don’t you know how that makes me feel? If he likes you it makes me think that I have no chance!”

“Tiffany, what are you saying?” I held her arms down and she frowned, still looking away from me. I held her hands and felt her pulse beating with mine. I noticed her eyes getting glassy and I brushed away the fresh tears suddenly dripping from her eyes. “Are you forgetting who chased after you from high school to my graduate years in college?” I asked her and she puffed out her cheeks. I grinned and kissed her rosy cheeks. “I still feel like I’m chasing you sometimes, the feeling of loving you seems like it will never go away.”

“Don’t talk to me, everything that comes out of your mouth just melts my anger,” she pushed her hand onto my face and I smirked.

“Don’t be mad at me, there are other complications to me saying that you’re my girlfriend other than just getting on the doctor’s bad side, it can lead back to you and you’re an idol…” I added and she sighed, nodding. I felt her pulse calming down and swung her arms around a little. “I don’t want to make you feel bad, I’m just saying, if you can’t really tell people you’re dating me then it seems right that I don’t either.”

“Yeah…I’m sorry, I should’ve thought that way before I started talking,” she grinned sheepishly and I kissed her forehead. I felt something inside of me flutter.

“Don’t be that way, you call the shots in this relationship anyway,” I insisted and she tilted her head.

“You have a say in what we do too,” she patted my hand and I shrugged. I never really told Tiffany about my fears since I didn’t want her to get worried about them as well, but I had my fair share. No one is ever secure in any relationship. People can always surprise you.

“Well, you have a lot more riding on our secrecy than I do, and I respect it, but you know…if something happens, you don’t have to talk to me when you need to take action,” I told her and she squeezed my hand. I took a deep breath and took control of my emotions before they forced themselves out.

“I will always talk to you. Especially if it concerns our relationship,” she said firmly. “You know, people may say we’re stupid, but we actually did suffer a lot in high school. I’m not going to give up, don’t worry,” she kissed my cheek and I smiled. It made me feel clingy, but I needed that confirmation sometimes. I was lucky Tiffany understood me so well.

When we were in public we had to put serious limits on our displays of affection. Tiffany actually told me which things were acceptable and what weren’t when pertaining to a Korean citizen’s point of view. It seriously put a damper on my mood when we were out but I was thankful that she was able to visit me. I didn’t need much anyway; I just liked holding her hand. I liked being with her. “Do you want any appetizers? I do, I’m hungry,” she answered herself and I snorted.

“We literally just sat down and you’re already complaining?” I teased and she scoffed, kicking my leg under the table.

“Shut up and buy me food, I’m an idol, I’m poor,” she pouted and took my hand. I sighed but honestly I liked it when she did those kinds of things.

“Okay, okay, what do you want? Garlic bread?” I guessed and somehow our fingers interlaced across the table.

“Weak!” she called me out in that stupid imitation of a guy’s voice and I snorted. “Get me the Shrimp Shack Mac and Cheese, that looks yummy,” she pointed and I sighed deeply.

“You said the company didn’t like you coming to California, you should at least respect their dietary rules,” I said and she frowned.

“But you’re my best friend! You’re supposed to let me pig out and pamper me!” she whined loudly, making me look around at the people staring. I put my hand over and groaned.

“God you’re so embarrassing, be quiet and I’ll get you your food,” I frowned as she grinned happily. That smile can make me forgive her for murder. I let go of her hand when I ordered the appetizer and when our waiter came back with the food. I didn’t want to excessively hold her hand and draw unnecessary attention.

“What are you getting for your entrée?” I blinked at her.

“Are you really asking me that when you’re eating your mac and cheese?” I asked ludicrously and she shrugged.

“I don’t want to get the same thing as you!” Tiffany insisted and I managed to smile somehow. She fed me a bit of the mac and cheese and I couldn’t stop looking at her. We were dating, but I still felt creepy. “I’m thinking about telling my members about us…” she mumbled and I hummed, showing that I was paying attention. Tiffany debuted in a quintet with four other girls. She always said it was a bit hard to tell if they were trustworthy or not, since the company had basically shaped their personalities. No one in South Korea knew about our relationship besides us.

“What made you decide to try that out?” I wondered and she fed me another spoonful of warm, cheesy noodles.

“Well, during practice a couple weeks before I came here, one of the members broke down and said that she didn’t really want to continue,” Tiffany began and I nodded. I didn’t want to call that natural, but it seemed like someone having a moment was expected in that kind of industry. “So we were like comforting her and telling her that she wasn’t alone in this whole thing, I don’t know. Something about the whole scene, a girl crying, someone else holding her and trying to get her mind back on track, it really reminded me of us,” she confessed and I think I started blushing. “And so I was thinking, if I see you in them, then how bad can these guys be?” she wouldn’t look at me and simply stared into her mac and cheese. I smiled even more. I couldn’t help it when I was around her, just seeing Tiffany made me all giddy and stupid. It was a good feeling.

“I trust your judgment; I think it’s also good that you open up to them a little bit. They may not like the idea of a same- relationship but at least…they can’t say anything if they don’t want to cause a ruckus,” I said and she laughed.

“True, I love your reasoning,” she grinned and I grinned with her. I’ve known Tiffany for over a decade but there was never a day where I didn’t believe that Tiffany was the most beautiful girl I’ve ever met. There wasn’t a set reason why I thought that way, but it felt right. “You’re just staring at me again.”

“I think you’re my soul mate,” I ended up saying and the redhead smirked.

“I never thought that you’d ever say something like that,” she noted. I really meant it.

“We should get married.”