"Strawberry Latte"

Taekwoon hasn't been able to sleep well lately because he recently received a new script for the revised Mata Hari musical. He was thrilled of course, to be reinvited to play the main lead, Armand again but at the same time he was also very nervous.

He pulled out the script during the group's next venue and flipped through the script diligently. But as he kept reading the script, he felt a sudden pain in his stomach which made it hard for him to stay focus.

Jaehwan who was sitting next to him noticed the older was clenching at his stomach in pain. 

"Hyung, are you okay?" He asked.

"What's wrong Taekwoon-ah?" Hakyeon heard and turned around from his seat at the front of the car.

"It's nothing," Taekwoon didn't want to worry s. 

"It can't be nothing. Your face is getting paler by the second." Hakyeon noticed. 

"Should we stop by the hospital and get you checked up?" Their manager suggested.

"No! I'm fine. Please let's just continue on the road or else we'll be late," Taekwoon insisted.

"But..." Hakyeon couldn't help worrying.

"Don't worry. I'll be fine after I eat some painkillers."

The members remained silent since the vocalist kept insisting but they couldn't help paying extra attention to Taekwoon throughout their schedule that day.

Luckily after a few painkillers and a strong will to finish his work, Taekwoon got through the day. However, the pain was still there.

Hakyeon couldn't take his eyes off Taekwoon for even a minute. He was too worry and too afraid that if he didn't pay enough attention to the vocalist, something bad might happen. 

"You're worrying to much," Taekwoon said. 

"That's because you've been having pains these past few days. You even woke up in the middle of the night yesterday to get painkillers didn't you?"

"You noticed?"

"Of course I did."

"I'm fine. It's probably just due to stress."

"Let's get you checked up okay?" Hakyeon suggested. "Please?"

Taekwoon really didn't like hospital but the look on Hakyeon's concerned face made it hard for him to refuse. 

"Okay."

The next day, both Taekwoon and Hakyeon went with their manager to get a check up at the nearby hospital.

"Well doctor? What's wrong with Taekwoon lately?" Hakyeon asked right after his friend was throughly examined.

"Have you been unable to sleep well lately Taekwoon-sshi?" The doctor asked.

Taekwoon nodded.

"And also experiencing stomach pains constantly?" 

Taekwoon nodded again. 

"It seems like your stomache have an overflowing amount of acid which is the cause of the pain. I hear you drink coffee a lot? How many per day, would you say you'd drink on a regular basis?" 

"4-5 maybe?" Taekwoon told the doctor.

"He used to even drink 12!" Hakyeon commented.

"Then there's your reason for the pains. Caffeine has a large percentage of acidity in it and for you to drink so much is very bad for your stomach. Of course, stress also adds to the pain and sleepless nights but your main culprit is the coffee. For the time being, you will need to stop drinking everything that causes acidity such as milk, yogurt and especially coffee." The doctor instructed him.

"W-what?" Taekwoon was in disbelief.

No coffee for the coffee-lover Jung Taekwoon... 

"Not even a cup?" Taekwoon pleaded a bit.

"Not even a cup especially if you want to get better. You'll need to drink more water too in order to cleanse out your systems."

You've got to be kidding me... Taekwoon really didn't want to believe it and if only Hakyeon and his manager wasn't there to listen on the consultation, he could rebel and continue drinking the beverage he likes the most.

"You heard the doctor, right? No more coffee for you and I'm going make sure the kids know that too. I know you're the type to sneak a bite or sip when it comes to food but this time, you're forbidden to go anywhere near coffee, you hear me?" Hakyeon placed his hands on his hips and scolded Taekwoon like a mother.

Taekwoon had no choice.

But the days afterwards was painful. The first day without coffee made him fidget while doing the fansigns. When he saw the other members getting iced Americanos and he only got water, let's just say he was not pleased at all.

Another few days without coffee was driving him insane! He couldn't sit still at all and kept noticing the limitedless cafes and coffee shop around him.

Why does Seoul have so many coffee shops? Are you all out to taunt me?! Taekwoon began talking to himself. He even urged a few times to rush into the convenience store to grab a can of coffee but Hakyeon pulled him right back and stopped him.

"Don't you even dare, Jung Taekwoon. Did you forget what the doctor said already?" Hakyeon lectured him. "Are you trying to kill yourself with pain?"

"Not getting coffee is worst than killing myself right now. Please Hakyeon-ah, just a bit. Just one sip?" Taekwoon became so small and pleading. He was growing desperate and his cravings were strong.

"No means no. Let's go," Hakyeon said sternly and pulled him away. 

After a week, the members started to notice the vocalist becoming more stressed and short tempered. They were concerned with Taekwoon’s condition and how obvious the older’s eyebags were.

"Maybe if it's just a little, it won't hurt him?" Jaehwan felt sorry for Taekwoon.

"No. If I catch anyone of you giving him even a sip of coffee, I'm banning you all from entering all cafes and coffee shop forever you hear me?" Hakyeon was strict and his expression told the youngers that he meant business. 

If Taekwoon had to imagine anyone having to quit drinking or smoking after many years of doing so, he can imagine their pain as the same as what he was going through at the moment. Becoming addicted was easy but quitting was an entirely different thing. 

Even he couldn't believe how much quitting caffeine was affecting him. He's accidentally yelled at s before due to stress and lack of patience even when he didn't mean it. He was losing his conscience and his self-control.

Dammit. I did it again and yelled at Hyuk. I didn't mean it... I wonder if he hates me now, I wonder if they all hate me now. He sat down and thought for a long time by himself. He sighed deeply and regretted it. 

"Taekwoon-ah? I heard you yelled at Hyogi today?" Hakyeon found the vocalist curled up by the corner. "Are you okay?"

Taekwoon nodded sadly. 

"Is he okay? I didn't mean it, I swear!" 

"I know, I know."

Hakyeon sat down next to Taekwoon who felt so depressed and guilty for his behavior lately. He patted the other on the back and rubbed it gently to soothe the latter's sadness. 

"Is quitting really that hard on you?" Hakyeon asked.

Taekwoon nodded honestly. 

"It is," he told the older.

"Hmmm..."

Hakyeon thought hard of a solution. He had to think of way to make sure that Taekwoon was feeling better but at the same time, think about the other's health. 

"Ah!" Hakyeon suddenly thought of something and started to dig through his backpack.

"What is it?" Taekwoon turned to see what was the leader up to while rummaging through his bag.

"Found it!" 

Hakyeon took a piece of candy out from his bag and showed it to Taekwoon. 

"Strawberry candy?" Taekwoon asked in confusion. "What good will that do?" 

"It's not just any strawberry candy. It's coffee flavored too! I usually don't like drinking coffee but this candy is really yummy! Have some. Maybe it'll help," Hakyeon handed it to Taekwoon. 

"Hakyeon-ah, I know you mean well but coffee and candy isn't the same..." Taekwoon refused earnestly. He was thankful for the consideration but it just wasn't the same.

Hakyeon thought hard again since Taekwoon was taking his offer. 

"Taekwoon-ah," he said.

"What now-" Taekwoon turned around to answer to Hakyeon but before he could say anything, he tasted the strawberry coffee in his mouth. 

Hakyeon took one of the candy and placed in his mouth. Then, he decided to make Taekwoon have a taste of it... by kissing him and transferring the candy in his mouth to the vocalist's.

"Hakyeon-ah!" Taekwoon was surprised and pushed the older away to get his thoughts back together. "What are you doing?!"

"Hehehe. Was it yummy?" Hakyeon grinned happily.

"It... is." Taekwoon chewed on the candy to get the true taste of its flavor.

"Told you so~ anyways, eat these if you ever feel like you're having the cravings again or when you can't control yourself."

Taekwoon looked at the happy leader and sighed with a smile.

"But it's still not the same." Taekwoon said.

"What? How can that be? It's yummy right? It should-"

Before Hakyeon could finish his sentence, Taekwoon grabbed him closer and kissed him. Both of them was able to taste sweet flavor of strawberries and aromatic coffee through their kiss.

"So if I ever get the cravings, you'll be there for me right?" Taekwoon smirked.

"Wh-what are you saying? Geez..." Hakyeon blushed intensely as he didn't think this would be the outcome.

"It seems like I've found a new addiction."