"Doyeon-ah~!"

The voice collided with the chime bell of the café, alerting the awaiting person.

Doyeon smiled as her eyes met the grinning friend, and she tried best to keep her insides from making her attack her friend's purse and rake out the chocolate.

She only let out a pollen-sized whimper, the spring sunlight teasing her even more from the window.

"Okay here's the deal. An answer for a chocolate. These are from my Uncle's business partner's aquaintance's chocolatier's shop. Better thank me. I heard these little pieces were the best chocolate ever."
Solmi sat down, snapped out the chocolate, and watched her best friend's pupils dilate in interest.

"D..deal."
Doyeon whined through clenched teeth, her fists squeezing air under the table.

"If L asked you out, would you say yes? If no, why?"
Solmi jumped right into the question.

Doyeon had to surprisingly think about this one.
"..n..no. I can't make him sacrifice his life for me. His reputation is what keeps him on top. I'm sure they have a date ban. Also, I don't know him enough."

Solmi seemed satisfied with the answer. 
She broke the thick piece of the chocolate and handed it to her enlightened friend.
She took it like a high squirrel.

"I'm glad you know that you don't want to get into the dating-idol business. It's honestly such a mess. He's always busy, you're always busy, schedules collide, you guys feel like you never had enough of each other and end on bland, wasted terms. Especially with you, since you have a danger of fangirling too hard when it comes to fashionable idols. You still have rumors of trying to fake date G-Dragon on the Net."
Solmi explained, half relieving her own doubts and worries for her best friend.

"Yah."
Solmi waved a hand in front of the obsessed child.
"Were you even listening?"

"This is - oh my god - so good. It's really rich in texture and flavor-"
Doyeon ranted, only to be shushed by her friend's hand motion.

"Next question, shall we?"
Solmi raised her brow, giving up on the hopeless chocolate maniac.

"How would you guys work things out if you dated?"
Solmi questioned.

"I never thought of that... I guess we'll meet in secluded places..I don't know."
Doyeon shrugged, reluctantly the last tiny bit of the chocolate.

"Here."
Solmi handed Doyeon the whole bar.

"Really?!"
Doyeon's eyes twinkled, and Solmi nodded.

"Take it. I gotta run. Don't want it to melt in my purse."
She replied, smiling hopelessly as her bestfriend looked so thrilled.
"Look Doyeon-ah. Call me whenever something happens. I just want you to watch out, okay? These things never end so nice."
Solmi warned, and Doyeon answered with a chocolate-muffled answer.

Doyeon watched her friend leave out the door, and sat there absorbing the conversation.

*What am I going to do?*
She questioned herself, now staring down at the half-broken chocolate.
She wrapped the untouched half, and placed a small bit of her eaten one in .

She felt its velvet entity swirling itself on her tongue, creating a chocolate waterfall leading down .

*Rich*
She thought.

_+_•_+_•_+_•_+_•_+_•_+_

L was free for today.
A weekend, nice and breezy.
Infinite was planning to gear up for a new comeback in five to six months at max. They were to have a single day concert appearance around that time, so the members went to friends and families to catch up with their lost times.

Myungsoo on the other hand was returning from his parents', and he was heading somewhere.
He really didn't know why, but he was glancing at the GPS and driving as if he was just an anxious boyfriend or something.

Traffic lights turned green and Myungsoo's foot pressed on the brake.
He looked up at the address, and smiled.

Exiting the vehicle, Myungsoo slowly ascended up the stairs casually with a box of chocolate in his hand.

Would she be surprised? 
Was he taking it too far?

He dismissed the questions nervously and knocked on the door.

The familiar figure answered.

"Myungsoo-yah!"
Her expression of disbelief turned into a bright smile when he unveiled the surprise to her eyes.

"Chocolate?"
He offered, the heart-shaped chocolate box being the only thing seperating them from wanting to act without a single thought.

He wanted to hug her,
She wanted to kiss him.

They've only seen each other once for god's sake!

Doyeon welcomed the celebirity-on -haitus into her office, and showed him around the stacks of boxes and paperworks.

Then a knowing paused passed between them, consisting of Myungsoo's raised brow and Doyeon's sigh.

"Yeah it's boring let's get out of here."
Doyeon stated, and took Myungsoo by his arm as they exited the professional office.

"We can take my car. I don't get to drive much."
Myungsoo shrugged, motioning to his vehicle.

"Does that mean I'd more likely die in a car accident with an inexperienced driver?"
Doyeon questioned, and Myungsoo could only blink.
"Okay then. Your car it is."
Doyeon laughed, leading the way.

She had a cute type of confident air around her- 
And Myungsoo only wanted to know more.

"I have to unlock the door first, babo."
He chuckled and covered her grip on  the passenger door handle with his ever so smoothly.
Myungsoo unlocked the doors while Doyeon was nervously fidgeting in their close position, and before she knew it she was seated inside, Myungsoo crossing her body with the safety belt.

"Seated and buckled. Safety first for ladies."
Myungsoo spoke, and from the kind act and his heart-stopping smile, Doyeon could only manage a simple nod- 
She was supposed to throw him a scowl.
What's wrong with her?

Myungsoo dropped into his driver's seat next to her and started the engine.
"Where to, Noona?"
He cutely asked.

His aegyo thawed Doyeon's freeze-mode and she could finally throw him the delayed scowl.
"You're the one kidnapping me here."
She quipped, anticipating what his hidden intentions were.

"Hmm. You're right..."
He mumbled as if he didn't have a plan, and started to reverse the car swiftly.

*Did he just come by for nothing?*
Doyeon inwardly pouted, wondering if Myungsoo was just a typical attention-wanting dongsaeng.
She had a lot of those before.

Myungsoo kept driving the rest of the way, his attention solely focused on the road while Doyeon sat there, observing his God-given features.

"Were you always that good-looking?"
Doyeon asked out of the blue, taking Myungsoo by entertaining surprise.

"I guess, if you say so. Were you always that pretty?"
Myungsoo smiled mischievously and asked back.

"No. I was the ugly duckling. I was always tan, had my hair up in various ways which I thought were cute, liked outdoors- none of that's me anymore."
Doyeon laughed, listing out the changes she had been through as a person.

"What happened? You still seem like the wild type."
Myungsoo laughed, sliding in the reference to their hangovers.

"Yah! That wasn't even outrageous enough to be considered wild."
Doyeon stated, making sure Myungsoo knew that what they did at the party was not as nearly fun and dangerous as some of the things Doyeon had already experienced.

"Should I be concernced or...?"
Myungsoo feigned a terrified voice, even gulping down spit as he looked towards the Noona in a discriminating way.

"Yahh! Don't judge me like that! I swear I'm normal!"
Doyeon protested.

"1.2 tons of chocolate. Normal. Right."
Myungsoo huffed out an exaggerated amount of air, shaking his head in "disbelief".

"Kim Myungsoo! Don't make me some kind of an alien!"
Doyeon whined- 
The last thing she wanted was for him to take her as one of those weirdos.

"Fine, Noona. Whatever. I won't tell the national scientists about your abnormalities. But can I ask.. How did it start?"
Myungsoo asked gently.
1.2 tons of chocolate should include some kind of personal backstory, right? 

"Umm.. I had a lot going on in my life- I made some mistakes, sometimes wanted to give up, became tired of being alone. My parents were always somewhere else and it was just me and chocolate in that big house."
Doyeon explained. 
It was all true.
Kim Doyeon, a loved ulzzang was, and still is really lonely.

Alone to the point where running away didn't seem to matter.

She tried that once, but her Father's agents found her soon enough with her bag filled more with chocolate than clothing or surviving necessities.

Myungsoo now saw her in a different light.
All along, he thought she bathed in attention and loved the limelight.
Being an executive rep and model for her own business added to the assumptions of her popularity-driven ambition, but now Myungsoo could see her true light seeping through the widening cracks of her protective walls.

"Being on your own's better than being alone."
Myungsoo agreed softly, glancing over at the saddened girl.

"Yeah.. I like to think it is."
Doyeon smiled, splaying her hands on the glossy surface of the heart-shaped chocolate box.

"Well you know what?"
Myungsoo spoke as the car's speed slowed down gradually.
"Now chocolate will make you happier instead of reminding you of being alone."
He stepped on the brakes, and Doyeon looked to see where they were.

"Jjan!* (Ta dah!) We're here at Haetae's chocolate factory!"
Myungsoo announced.
"The chocolate box was a hint, but I don't blame you for being slow."
Myungsoo snidely teased, only to be welcomed by Doyeon's sneering tone.

{ Haetae is the snack/candy/chocolate factory that distributes Homerun balls, Ghana chocolate, Matdongsan, Hodumaru, etc. <3 my childhood right thurr even though I'm forever team Goraebap of Orion. }

"What makes you think chocolate will make me happier and stop reminding me of being alone?"
She emotionlessly asked.

"Because this time, it's not just you alone and chocolate."
He exited the car, walking over to open her door.
"It's you, me, and chocolate."
He smiled, offering a hand.

Doyeon only smiled at his innocent approach in getting to know her better.

She glanced at the cute chocolate box before taking his hand.
"Myungsoo-yah. I'm not slow!"
She continued her denials of being labeled as a weirdo.
But somehow, she could relax and be herself with him.
It was like he was meant to read through her.

They went through the sanitary and security checkpoint at the beginning of the factory, and Doyeon fussed at Myungsoo for potentially having lice.

"I don't have head lice Noona!" 
Myungsoo whined while the confused guard stood there, waiting for the couple to pass by already.

"Whatever come on Myungsoo-yah. Let's go-"
Doyeon nudged him away from the annoyed guard, and they stumbled upon the start of the visiting tour route.

There was a sign that said : Goggles On, so Myungsoo reached for two safety goggles.

"What are you-"
Doyeon finished her sentence in mid-air as Myungsoo nonchalantly slipped the goggle over her head, cupping both sides of the face to make sure he put it on right.

"Is it tight enough? You're head is so small~"
He smiled, rolling Doyeon's cheeks in his palms.

"Aish- yah! You don't mess with a Noona's head."
Doyeon tried to shake him off, but now he held her still in his hands.

"Maybe you're not a Noona, Doyeon."
He leaned in with that mischievious look of his and let go of her silently blushing face.

*H-How dare he call me by my name! *
Doyeon couldn't think straight until Myungsoo pulled his goggles on and nudged her to proceed into the glass-encased "tour" route.

Doyeon watched like the little kid she was, watching the dreamy brown liquid glide down the slide to be solidified into crunchy, melting, heavenly, milky treasures of goodness.

She could remember it like it was her first time watching chocolate being made.
She was in her Father's sturdy, reliable arms as her Mother let her watch the chocolate being made from scratch with the real cacao beans and cocoa powder.

Doyeon didn't know her fingers were clipping too tight onto the surface of the glass until Myungsoo's hand covered hers, releasing the pressure.

"Are you okay? Too much for your addiction?"
Myungsoo reassuringly grinned, whether it was intentionally given or not.
It took Doyeon's mind off of the empty, cold days filled with the phantom warmth of chocolate.

"Y..yeah. Maybe it's too much for me to watch."
She lightly laughed, and walked ahead, away from the grinding of cacao beans and melting of the liquidy chocolate.

They walked through each and every one of the chocolate making process branches-
Strawberry and vanilla topped, toppings sprinkled, insides filled-
Every type was a one of a kind species of chocolate-

To Doyeon, another prettier piece of heaven.

But strangely enough, her cravings didn't kick in.
The strong dependency and longing for the delicacy never overrode her senses like it would when it was in its , brown form before her eyes.

The only brown objects she could admire was Myungsoo's eyes.

How they sparkled with interest and hopes.
Doyeon could see Myungsoo continuously glancing at her everytime they went to a new location-
To check her reaction.
To please her.
Smiling whenever she smiled.
Doyeon could notice all the sweet little details on the chocolates and his face.

"And now for your favorite part-"
Myungsoo introduced as he led her by her hand into the next open room.
"The tasting room."
He grinned, excited to see her reaction.

Of course Doyeon's pupils dilated with interest at the mass line-up of diverse selection of chocolate, but her lips sloped upwards as she saw Myungsoo's face that glowed so radiantly of confidence and accomplishment as he introduced her to the impressive part of the factory.

"Come on! Even you wouldn't have tried all of these."
Myungsoo and picked up a little piece of a chocolate from the nearest jar, reading the label.

"Extra rich. Like you."
Myungsoo laughed, and held it to her nose.

Doyeon pouted and reached up to take it, but Myungsoo's towering height gave him the advantage of watching her struggle.

"Yah Kim Myungsoo-"
Doyeon started to whine when the chocolate came crashing down and grabbed ahold of her tongue.

He was right.
It was rich. 
So rich that it was almost overwhelming.
But the sick part was that she wanted more.

*Greed comes from the rich flavor*
Doyeon her lips, feeling the bitter after taste as it lingered in both her thoughts and taste buds.

"It's definitely not the best I had."
Doyeon scrunched up her face in dislike.
"Too rich."
She at her tongue.

"Like you?"
Myungsoo laughed, earning a defensive nudge from Doyeon.

This was the very first time chocolate made her truly laugh.
Every taste of chocolate would beget a sad smile, or the usually burdening sigh.
But now, the very moment sweetness spread itself out and embraced on each and every one of Doyeon's taste buds, she grinned like the kid she was on her Mother's kitchen counter top, calling dibs on the freshest batch.

"Try this one."
Myungsoo suggested another flavor, and Doyeon willingly tried it.

"Still rich."
Doyeon scrunched her nose in an overwhelmed expression.

"Tlastes fwine"
Myungsoo mumbled as he chewed on a chunk of chocolate.

"It's more buttery than sugary or salty. It's like someone dipped it in all rich flavors."
Doyeon judged, trying to point a finger as to what kind it was before she flipped the slide-for-answer label card for the chocolate.

"I think it's just sweet."
Myungsoo smiled, not a stupid trace of chocolate on his perfectly white teeth.
"Like you, Noona."
He chose another experimental flavor of chocolate while Doyeon stood there nervously fumbling at his  blatantly honest words.

"Me? Sweet? You're funny."
Doyeon shook out a laugh, suddenly very interested in the edges of a chocolate foil folding.

"So far, you're sweeter than all of the chocolates here. They're sweet in the beginning, but they fade away into a mysterious kind of a bitter aftertaste. I can sometimes feel the bitterness in you too."
He replied, and Doyeon could see what he meant.

She would feel like only chocolate could truly understand her-
She was complimented with her pretty looks and figure, befriended by many for her large sums of money, respected for managing a well-run fashion business, but in the end of the day, she'd feel the bitterness after the sweet taste.

Just like chocolate.

"I'm... bitter?"
Doyeon questioned-
She thought she had kept that part of her to herself.
It was the side she always hid away from pity and meaningless consolidations.
How could he see that side of her?

"Well, all chocolates have an after taste. You do too. It's like the flavor that leaves its footprints behind, thinking it would just dim and fade away, but you can read its tracks clearly."
Myungsoo now circled around the tasting table, mumbling a speech of his chocolate world and whatnot, seeming to be more immersed in picking out the next victim of his chocolate-craving tongue.

"I guess I'm saying-"
He now looked straight at Doyeon, unflinching by her cold, defensive façade.

He leaned over the table, a chosen chocolate at hand.
Myungsoo's smile was only inches away from Doyeon's tumbling one, and he continued-
"I can see you clearly. Like chocolate flavors."
He took the chance of Doyeon's distraction and slipped the piece of chocolate between her lips.

Myungsoo leaned back casually as if nothing happened, and motioned Doyeon to hurry up so they could go to the next course of their mini tour.

As she obediently trailed behind the nonchalant male, Doyeon realized that the chocolate in left no bitter after-taste.
It was sweet from beginning to end.

"What chocolate is this?"
Doyeon could already guess by its milky and creamy texture.

"White."
Myungsoo smiled back, thinking of the white glass of milk he took a mental picture of, comparing it to her surprised and unguarded face.
They were both so innocent.

"Well.. I don't count that as chocolate."
Doyeon edged around it, as if she was trying to grasp on to the cold, bitter side of herself as it started to float away like a balloon.

"Then it means you didn't like chocolate in the first place. Although different, white chocolate's still chocolate."
He shrugged, and the small action sent the dark, bitter side of Doyeon crashing down yet floating far, far away out of her sight.

"Yah. Kim Myungsoo."
Doyeon directly called him.

Myungsoo, unexpected of her actions, turned around to her in surprise.
"Uh..yeah?"
He glanced around, trying to see if he did something wrong.

"How can you read me out so well?"
Doyeon questioned, suspicious of his precise assumptions.

"I only read...I only read books I honestly love to read. I'm more of a picture person."
Myungsoo replied.
"I guess you're like a picture book to me."

Doyeon smiled at his cute comparison.
"So only kids can read me?"
She laughed.

"Maybe. Or adults who are willing to try to read you even if you try to hide your writing away from them, so they'll only see the vaguely drawn pictures of yourself. Like a mask."
He explained.

"I don't know, I can't really figure out who you are." 
Myungsoo shook his head, jokingly eyeing Doyeon up and down.

"Stop reading off of cheesy verses and get going."
Doyeon nudged the playful Myungsoo and walked on, hiding her smile.

But they both knew that Myungsoo could read the smile, even though he was walking behind her.

_+_•_+_•_+_•_+_•_+_•_+_

"You're being odd today."
Aheun set down the delivery box she was packing, and observed her beloved dongsaeng.

"What are you talking about?"
Doyeon scoffed, trying to piece together an outfit for the sweater modeling photoshoot.

"Shouldn't you be craving the c-word right now?"
Aheun rushed to Doyeon, checking her temperature.
Maybe she was sick.

"Unnie, I'm fine. You're the one being weird here."
Doyeon distractedly checked her phone.

"Ah ha!"
Aheun clapped her hands in realization.
"You were with L yesterday!"
She exclaimed.

"Shhh! Unnie keep your voice down! This is an office!"
Doyeon tried to hide her overly excited 'I know right' and overlayed it with a careless , "So what if I was?"

"Yah. Kim Doyeon. This is daebak-
What if he's the one for you? Where did he take you? Did he take you to see a therapist?! You're not madly searching for some kind of chocolate right now?"
Aheun exuberantly rained question after question on the poor girl.

"He took me to a chocolate factory."
Doyeon calmly answered-
"He's too busy to be the one for me, and I'm longing for white chocolate right now."
She concluded.

"You guys. Are perfect."
Aheun stated.
"The chocolate factory was a winner, but getting you to even taste white chocolate? He's done the impossible."
She applauded the idol singer.

"Unnie, you're so embarassing."
Doyeon laughed, trying to focus back on her work.

"Embarassing? More like a psycho-prophet. I can see you in your wedding dress, and you'll turn around and thank me for taking you to that party where you met him."
Aheun laughed, shrugging in pride and excitement.

"Or you're just a psycho. You're taking this too far Unnie. I only met him twice in total."
Doyeon sighed as her phone rang in alertness.

"Three times the charm~ go get him."
Aheun winked as she motioned to the caller's ID

"Choco L ate"

Doyeon sighed hopelessly as her co-worker/maniac unnie started to giggle histerically as if her prophecy was unraveling before her very eyes.

"Yeobosaeyo?"
Doyeon answered.

"Wanna help me do something crazy?"
He answered, half in his thickened morning voice and half in pure enthusiasm.

Doyeon glanced back at Aheun, who busied herself hanging and listing the new summer outfit line.
"Like what?"
She asked.

"Go out in public together."
He answered.

Doyeon's eyes widened.
"Yah! Are you crazy?! Your image will be crushed forever!"
She whispered sharply, wondering if the boy was out of his right mind.

"So? I'll just tell them we're friends."
Myungsoo argued back like a little kid.

"Kim Myungsoo. You know that's not how it works."
Doyeon huffed, trying to think of reasons why someone would drug him to this state he is in.

"I've been under the date ban for four years now. I think I deserve some trust from my fans."
Myungsoo argued right back.

He didn't know then, that he was wrong. Too wrong to be exact.
His true fans stayed, but the ones that left didn't leave so easily.
They would break his heart, take his heart, beat it up, and throw it carelessly to the side and move on as if nothing happened.
And most importantly, they will hurt the one he deserved and willingly wanted to cherish in his heart, even building a wall for them that traumatizes their hearts.

"Come on Doyeon. Just for once?"
Myungsoo pleaded.

"If you can guarantee your own safety... Fine."
Doyeon gave in.
"What happened to calling me Noona? You ungrateful dongsaeng."
She perked up as she replayed what he called her.

"I like Doyeon better."
He grinned on the other line, the facial gesture hiding a double meaning.

*I like Doyeon better than the ones who pretend to care about me*

To Myungsoo, it seemed like the happiest way to go.

He didn't know it came with a price.