[CONTENTID1]Entering Chocolate Heaven[/CONTENTID1]

[CONTENTID2]A SELECTION OF CHOCOLATE-BOYS[/CONTENTID2]

[CONTENTID3]

When Suzy first rang home, her mother picked up the phone. Mrs Kang was more than stressed. She began screaming over the line until Suzy was forced to pull the phone away from her ear. Her mother’s voice could be heard hollering over the intercom. Himchan sent her a nasty smirk when he heard what spewed out of Mrs Kang's mouth.

Once Mrs Kang calmed down, she told Suzy that her father had left for Nana’s house to see if his daughter was there. The distressed wife then spoke with Himchan’s grandaunt over the phone for the address as Suzy sat on the couch in the small living room, shivering from fear and anticipation.

Her father was possibly raging at the moment. What was worse was that Jaejoong would find out that she went missing. Butterflies swarmed inside her abdomen. She swallowed down the knot of anxiety in .

A small, television was switched on as Himchan sank into a bean chair next to her. He flicked through the channels with impotent interest. There was a comforting, vanilla scent wafting off him. It was oddly relieving.

“Umh...Himchan,” she said, but he was lost in a daze.

She repeated his name and he peered over his shoulder.

“What is it?” he said abruptly.

“Can I use your phone? I don’t want to add any more charges to halmoni’s list.”

Himchan rolled his eyes, muttering something incoherent about ‘goody-two-shoes’ before he tossed his expensive phone at her. Suzy eyed the specimen with wonder. It was the latest Samsung model, complete with a four-dimensional screen, high quality camera and voice speakers.

She dialled Nana’s number.

“Hello?” Her friend’s familiar voice forced the tears to stir in her eyes.

“N-Nana,” Suzy stammered, her voice faltering completely. Himchan stirred in his chair to face her.

“Suzy!? Suzy, where the hell are you?” Nana screamed. “Your dad and Jaejoong oppa have been searching all over for you! The hell!? Like, what happened? We were all so worried.”

The phone was snatched from her friend, and Suzy heard Sungyeol’s frantic voice. “Suzy? Gosh, Suzy, where the hell did you go? Nana’s brother rang us and told us that you were missing. Myself, Nana and Myungsoo were driving around the place like a bunch of idiots-- do you have any idea how worried I was? What if something happened to you? I would have-- I…” His voice disappeared, and Suzy could have sworn that she heard the tears falling from his eyes.

Her heart sank into her stomach. She didn’t know her friends were searching for her. She decided to hide the fact that she was almost mugged on the way out. That was a tale best left buried.

“Sungyeol?” she called softly, but the sunbae didn’t answer.

Instead, she heard Myungsoo’s curt voice. “Where are you?”

“A friend picked me up.” She ended up giving them the directions to Yoomi’s house and closed the call.

“Really?” Himchan snorted. “Friend? What makes you think we’re friends?”

“Umh…” Suzy furrowed her eyebrows, trying to form some conclusion in her mind.

She found it strange but her heart yearned to earn Himchan’s friendship, regardless of how conceited and self-absorbed he was. She rarely trusted her own instincts but a silent voice assured her that there was more to Kim Himchan than the handsome face and dark circles, that perhaps, behind those shiny eyes, was a man who needed a friend.

After he helped her, she hoped that she could stretch a hand of friendship towards him.

“Why would top models be friends with losers?” Himchan chuckled, shattering her little reverie.

Suzy pouted petulantly at him. “Fine! Who needs you anyway?”

“I need me. I don’t care about anyone else,” the so-called top model sniggered, waving a hand at her dismissively, and returning to watch a show about DIY facial masks.

Suzy cursed herself inwardly. How could she even think of befriending this arrogant man? He was one-dimensional in personality. Besides, looks faded with time, but horrid personalities remained. She prayed that Himchan would remain friendless for the rest of his life.

Yoomi entered the room, saucepan still in hand. She flared her nostrils at Himchan and slapped his shoulder. The latter yelped, rubbing the sore area, and glaring at his grandaunt. He asked her why she kept hitting him.

The old woman plopped in the space next to Suzy and stared forlornly at her.

“You’re not his wife then, Heezy?” Yoomi asked. Himchan opened his mouth to protest but he ducked quickly to avoid the saucepan that aimed for his face.

“Mind the face, halmoni!” he barked,.“You almost got da face! Da fay-ace!”

“I wasn’t talking to you, you no good fart!” Yoomi glanced back at Suzy. “Would you please marry my grandnephew?”

Suzy smiled timidly and shook her head. “I’m studying, halmoni.” Even if she finished her studies, God forbid that she marry an idiot like Himchan.

“Then who will marry him?” Yoomi sighed exasperatedly. She stared at the ceiling, as if expecting a beautiful girl to fall through the roof.

Himchan rolled his eyes. He grabbed the saucepan and handed it back to his grandaunt. She pouted at him, lifting her arm to slap him across the face again. The top model yelped, and rubbed the sore spot on his cheek. Suzy bit her bottom lip in order to prevent herself from laughing. It was satisfying to see someone put Himchan one step lower on his pedestal.

Through the midst of the family bickering, Haru entered the room with a glass of water for Suzy. She was about to take it but Himchan grabbed the glass, and gulped the water down in one go. His left eye cringed, and his hand went to his throat, choking. Haru’s eyes widened and she grimaced.

“You weren’t supposed to take that,” the girl hissed.

“What did you put inside?” Suzy demanded. She stood up to pat the top model across the back.

Himchan pushed her away, still coughing vehemently; his face bled to a purple hue.

Before Haru could answer, there was a rapping on the door. Suzy froze in her spot and wondered if her father was there. Yoomi jumped, clutching her saucepan close to her chest. Her eyes riveted in their sockets as she cautiously tread towards the door.

Suzy gulped audibly. She didn’t want her father’s face breaking due to Yoomi’s hypochondriac nature. She gazed at Himchan with a pleading look, but the latter was studying his flushed face in the mirror and grousing about how he nearly killed his ‘beautiful throat cells’ in the choking process. Suzy sighed in dismay. She chased after Yoomi.

“Halmoni, let me answer it,” she suggested.

“What!?” Yoomi snapped, but her features softened when she noticed the girl next to her. “What ya say, Kookzy?”

“I’ll get the door, if it’s okay with you?” Suzy repeated, a bit louder than before.

Yoomi’s eyes brewed with tears. “Such a thoughtful lass you are. If only you were Himchan’s wife.”

Suzy sighed in dismay. She