“Wow! Even the packaging is so extravagant! As expected from France!” Seungri exclaimed when he opened the box of bon bon chocolates.

“Right? The texture and shine of the chocolates is incomparable with what they sell over here!” Kwon Jiyong said enthusiastically, he lifted one out of the box and bit into it

“Mmm!” He closed his eyes in bliss “Creamy and smooth but not too heavy, the ganache filling isn’t too sweet but it tastes sophisticated and elegant…it’s perfect!”

He grinned in happiness and gestured to Seungri

“You should try one too!”

“Eh? Is it okay?” Seungri’s eyes widened in surprise,

“Of course! A friend just came back from Paris and gave them to me, I brought them to give to you silly!”

“Wow! Tell your friend a thank you for me then! It’s always been my dream to try chocolates from ‘La reverie’!” Seungri cheered before picking up a piece and popping it into his mouth.

“Mmm! This one is coffee infused….the coffee aroma is strong but not too bitter, it blends in well with the dark chocolate…and they also added a touch of rum to counter the sour after taste…wow, it tastes so exquisite…” Seungri said in awe as the different layers of the chocolate exploded into his mouth.

“Right?” Jiyong bit into another one and hummed in content, making Seungri giggle.

“Hyung you always seem to cool and distant, but when you eat chocolates you act like a teenage girl.” Seungri mused, Jiyong chuckled.

“Because chocolates make me happy, it’s the best when you have something that makes you happy right?”

Seungri nodded and Jiyong plopped the rest of the piece of chocolate into his mouth

“I’m jealous of people who live in France, they can eat this everyday! I wish Korea has this kind of exquisite chocolate too, I’d be so happy..” he sighed.

---

Seungri fidgeted nervously as they exited the café, millions of thoughts were whirling in his mind as he tried to find the right words.

“Say Seungri, you’re graduating soon right?” Jiyong asked

“Yea, just the final skills test, but that’ll be a breeze for me.” Seungri answered confidently to which Jiyong nodded with a smile “I’m sure you’ll do well.”

Jiyong had already graduated last semester and working at his family hotel, Seungri wanted to get a job there after his graduation so he can see Jiyong everyday, despite his father’s attempts at convincing him to work at the family patisserie with his faux of how he’s ‘getting old’.

Jiyong was looking at his watch- a sign which mean’s he’ll bid farewell soon, Seungri gulped before opening his mouth.

“Jiyong hyung, are you free on the 14^th?”

“14^th? Valentines?” Jiyong seemed startled by Seungri’s question. “Mm….sorry Seungri-ah, I’m busy that day..Sorry.”

“Oh…” Seungri bit his lip and shook his head “No no, I should be sorry! I guess it’s weird since we’re guys…how about the 13^th?”

“13^th? Yea that’s fine!”

“Great!”

They stood their in silence for a moment.

“So….” Seungri murmured, leaning into Jiyong’s lips.

Further…further….

“See you on the 13^th then.” Jiong said, as he reached out his hand to ruffle Seungri’s hair, pushing Seungri’s head back in the process.

“Right, see you!” Seungri nodded in daze as Jiyong waved goodbye.

---

“I’m back! Appa I need to use the kitchen!” Seungri announced as he stumbled into the kitchen of his family’s patisserie.

“Ya Lee Seungri! This is a sacred and professional workspace you know! Don’t use it for personal matters!” Papa Lee yelled at his son’s ignoring backside and grumbled in annoyance.

Seungri hummed as he poured the melted chocolate onto the marbled surface to start tempering ‘Chocolates that will make Jiyong happy….’ Was the only thought running through his mind as he started repeatedly spreading the chocolate and scooping it, running it along the blade of his palette knife and spatula in either hands.

­Seungri’s POV

Me and Jiyong hyung started dating on New Year’s eve, it was when we shared our first kiss too.

It was like a dream come true to me, ever since I first saw him in my first year, I had fallen for him, he was a well-known sunbae in the fine cuisine major of our Culinary school- everyone knows of his name. He is the son of a well-known hotel chain enterprise, top of his class, handsome looks- he was the hot topic of our school.

Even though he always seemed distant and cold, it only made him more popular with the girls, and everyone knew he had one weakness- chocolates. He rarely talked to girls who approached him, but he would accept chocolates no matter what kind and who they were from.

Maybe it was this weakness of his, that he’d always dated girls from the pastry major, and he’d had a reputation of dating all the prettiest one from every grade, one after another. I was naively waiting for him to reach my grade- even when I knew it was impossible for me, but maybe the girls of my grade were just too plain, he ended up dating a girl much older- who was rumoured to be working at a famous chain-chocolatier.

I always held this hopeless crush of mine, hoping one day he would notice me- even though I’m not a girl, and certainly not the prettiest of my grade.

But it seemed like the Heavens finally answered my prayers because one day Jiyong came into our shop and ordered our black forest cake- he seemed so happy eating it and I silently thanked my dad for his skills for the first time in my life before approaching him nervously, and over that piece of chocolate cake, I successfully befriended Jiyong.

I was always with Jiyong after that, going wherever he goes, even running errands for his girlfriend and him.

They broke up soon enough anyway.

I gathered my courage on New Year’s eve as Jiyong was devouring an assortment of chocolate cakes I had taken from the shop and asked him

“Jiyong hyung, do you want to date me?”

“Okay.” He answered- after a moments thought, and that was that.

Now it’d been a month, and I’m going to make the most delicious chocolates to give him on Valentines day!

Wait, not Valentines day, the 13^th! Psh, who want’s to celebrate Valentines on the actual day anyway, it’d be so crowded.

Instead, 13^th will be a special day just for me and Jiyong, our own Valentines.

That was the thought I desperately held onto as I packaged my handmade chocolates.

Normal POV

“Seungri, these…” Jiyong widened his eyes in awe as he opened the custom made box, his eyes travelling over every piece of chocolate- Orangette, Espresso truffles, Strawberry fudge, Hazelnut praline…

Jiyong didn’t say anything as he stared at the box, a whirlwind of thoughts attacked Seungri’s mind ‘Why isn’t he saying anything? Does he like it? Or does he hate it and just don’t know what to say to sound polite? Ahh!! What should I do? Should I say something? What should I say? This is getting so awkward!..”

“..Seungri-ah….I-I can’t accept these.” Jiyong sighed as he covered the box again.

Seungri froze in his thoughts “W-why?”

“These chocolates are too serious…I feel burdened receiving them.”

“W-what? You mean you feel too pressured?” Seungri panicked “Don’t be! I mean, my family runs a patisserie right? These were just done quickly, no pressure!” Seungri laughed dryly as Jiyong shook his head.

“Seungri-ah…” He said softly “I’m seeing someone else.”

Seungri’s mind went blank.

“W-what?”

“I’m dating someone else.” Jiyong repeated “I-we…me and my girlfriend, we fought during Christmas and broke up...”

“But you accepted me on New Years.” Seungri stated, his mind lost in a puzzle of confusion.

“Yes…and she came back, but her job required her flying off a lot and she was never around so…I just…” Jiyong trailed off in guilt.

“So you just two-timed me.” Seungri stated bluntly for him, Jiyong sighed

“I didn’t think you would take it this serious, but Seungri…this..This.” He gestured hopelessly at the bag of chocolates laying on his lap “It’s too much…I can’t…I’m sorry.”

Seungri gaped “So…the chocolate….’La reverie’…the box you gave me…she was the one who bought them from Paris?”

Jiyong nodded.

Seungri gulped, not saying anything for a moment before grabbing Jiyong’s hand suddenly.

“Jiyong hyung it’s fine! Just two-time me then! Just use me when you’re lonely, when your girlfriend isn’t around! I don’t mind!” He declared with determination in his eyes which Jiyong killed in a second with a soft shake of his head as he pulled his hand away.

“Seungri-ah I’m sorry….” He said as he held out the bag of chocolates to Seungri.

Seungri shook his head bitterly “It's okay hyung, you have it- throw it out, whatever. Having to throw away something I made myself would be more pitiful right?...”

Jiyong looked at him before softening his gaze and nodding.

“Thank you, Seungri-ah..” He whispered before leaving Seungri sitting alone in the snowy park.

-A week later-

“Yah Lee Seungri!” Papa Lee yelled from downstairs “Yah! Aren’t you even going to go to your own graduation?!!!”

-

Seungri woke up to the sound of his father’s yelling, groaning as he sat up, his eyes suddenly caught the box lying on his desk- the box of bon bon chocolates from ‘La reverie’ that Jiyong, or Jiyong’s girlfriend had gifted him with. He paused.

-

Papa Lee turned back to his breakfast with a sigh “What in the world is wrong with that kid, he’s been lying in his room for a whole week now, if he doesn’t have anything to do then he should do some work at the shop!”

Seungri’s sister, Lee Hyeri shrugged, scooping a mouthful of rice into “Didn’t he get dumped?”

Papa Lee grumbled “Geez how pathetic! Locking himself up like that because he got dumped!”

Hyeri grinned mischievously “Doesn't he take after you appa?”

Papa Lee choked on his soup as he yelled “Ya! You brat!”

“Merong~” Hyeri poked her tongue out at her father and bursted into laughter.

Suddenly, Seungri came walking down the stairs, changed and shaved for once in the whole week.

“Ah oppa! You finally appeared!” Hyeri exclaimed with wonder as Seungri made his way to the door, stuffing his feet into his shoes robotically.

“Where are you going?” Papa Lee asked, trying to hide his relief that his son was finally coming outside of his room with his faux uncaring expression.

“Just taking a trip to Paris.” Seungri replied while walking out the door.

“Have a safe trip~” Hyeri answered casually while eating her egg roll.

The door slammed after him and the father-daughter pair froze in their tracks.