I’ve always loved getting lost in stories, and this is my little place to share the worlds, characters, and moments that live inside my imagination. Grab a cozy drink, get comfortable, and I hope you enjoy reading my stories as much as I enjoy writing them!
This blog is specifically for my stories.
My other blog is @mintchocosan
About me
✧ 1995
✧ Dutch
✧ Vernon & San biased
A small note: English is not my first language. My stories are written in English because I want to share them with more readers, but there may be grammar mistakes or phrases that sound a little unusual.
I write for
♡ SEVENTEEN
♡ ATEEZ
Please keep in mind that all stories are fictional. I write about idols as fictional characters and do not claim to know anything about their real lives or personalities.
Watching from the sidelines is easy. Looking someone in the eyes is a different story.
pairing: non!idolVernon Ă— f!reader
synopsis: As Vernon effortlessly steals the attention of everyone around him, you're convinced you're just another face in the crowd. But after your best friend points out something you somehow failed to notice all afternoon, every passing glance begins to mean something different. Maybe you weren't the only one stealing looks.
genre: fluff, mutual pining, summer romance
warnings: none
word count: 2184
Author's Note
This story was inspired by an actual dream I had. Some dreams fade the moment you wake up, this one refused to leave me alone.
This is also my first fanfic written in English as it’s not my first language, so I’m sorry if there are any grammar mistakes. <3
-
It was a beautiful summer afternoon. The temperature was pleasant, and fleecy clouds drifted across the sky, shielding the sun every now and then.
You and your best friend Kate had decided it was a good idea to spend your time at the park nearby for a picnic.
While you were eating and laughing, a group of guys entered the park. There had to be about thirteen of them. Both of you tried to ignore them, but as they were being loud your attention kept going back. Suddenly one of the guys stepped away from the group as the first upbeat track blasted thorough the portable speaker. The others were cheering him on, drawing attention from other people around them.
You weren’t planning on looking for long.
Really, you weren’t.
But then the music started.
Your eyes followed the dancer as he effortlessly moved across the grass, his friends cheering him on over the music. There was something oddly familiar about him. It wasn’t until he turned slightly, sunlight catching his face for just a moment, that it clicked. Vernon Chwe.
You worked as a cashier at the local record store and Vernon came by every Saturday. He usually took his time to listen to various records, but he would buy a vinyl once in a while. You soon noticed that he had a broad taste in music, something that somehow didn’t surprise you.
Every now and then you’d comment on the album he picked, partly to make conversation and partly because you genuinely found his taste in music interesting. He rarely said much in return. Sometimes he’d offer a small smile. Other times, just a quiet nod before continuing to browse.
Since he was a member, his name appeared on the register every time he scanned his card. That’s how you remembered it. You had to admit, though, that he was easy to remember. The day your heart skipped at the sound of the bell above the shop door, you realized your little admiration had quietly turned into a crush.
Now he was close enough that you could make out the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as if he didn’t have a care in the world. Every now and then, his gaze drifted over the small crowd that had gathered to watch before dropping back to his footwork. He brushed a loose curl away from his face as if it were part of the choreography, making your breath catch. He turned and shuffled closer to where you were sitting.
“Isn’t he cool?” Kate asked, snapping you out of your tunnel vision.
You turned your head towards her and nodded. “He has good taste in music, but I didn’t know he could dance too,” you answered.
Kate fell silent for a second. You knew exactly what she was thinking. “Y/N!” The way she squealed your name made you flinch a little. A few curious glances came your way, but you barely noticed.
Your attention had already returned to Vernon. He was back where he’d started, effortlessly slipping into the sequence of steps. Every smile he offered towards the crowd made your silly little crush feel just a little more impossible. Maybe it was time to stop staring. Your gaze drifted to the soft pink picnic blanket beneath you, dotted with tiny periwinkle flowers. You absentmindedly smoothed one of the creases with your hand.
Kate reached for another strawberry, popped it into her mouth and nudged the container toward you. “Want one?” The bright red of the fruit glistened in the sunlight. Its sweet scent made you realize you hadn’t eaten in a while, so you accepted it with a small smile.
You hadn’t even noticed another song had started. A burst of laughter from the crowd caught your attention once again. One of Vernon’s friends was the center of attention now. You looked up just in time to see him pushing himself off the ground.
“Dude totally ate grass,” Kate snorted.
But before he could stand up again, another friend threw himself atop of him. The group dissolved into chaos, causing the crowd to laugh even harder. After a minute of observing the chaos, your eyes drifted toward Vernon again. He wandered between his friends, taking a drink from a water bottle.
“You’ve been staring at him for at least fifteen minutes,” Kate teased.
“I have not,” you said a little too quickly.
She shook her head and chuckled. “You’re so done.”
You rolled your eyes at Kate and picked up your bottle of lemonade. The condensation had left a damp patch on the blanket. Before you could take a sip, Kate started talking again. “By the way, are you working tomorrow?”
You looked at her while unscrewing the cap. You paused to think before nodding a second later.
“Yeah, from ten until closing. So not looking forward to it,” you answered.
“Five bucks says he’ll stop by tomorrow,” Kate teased.
“I’m not betting five dollars on that.”
“Scared you’ll lose?”
She nudged your arm, making you wobble just enough to spill a drop of lemonade over the rim of your bottle. Kate’s laugh slowly faded.
Another cheer erupted, drawing your gaze back again. Vernon had already passed by and was making his way back toward the circle of dancers. A sigh escaped your lips.
“He never even looked at me once,” you said, sounding more disappointed than you intended.
Kate stared at you for a moment, nearly dropping her bottle of iced tea. “Are you blind? He has been eyeing you up, girlfriend!”
You blinked at her, your eyebrows furrowing in disbelief. “He was really looking at me?” Your cheeks felt warm; you were probably as red as a tomato.
Kate gave you a dry, fondly amused look. “Yes, you absolute idiot. Every time you look away, he looks at you. Then the second you look back, he suddenly becomes very interested in literally anything else.”
The afternoon suddenly played itself back in your mind. Every song, every glance, and every moment you’d chosen to look away instead. You absentmindedly started plucking blades of grass while wondering if your best friend was messing with you. She must have misread the situation too, right? There was no way Vernon was actually interested in you.
One last time, your eyes searched for him. Vernon wasn’t dancing any longer, but was talking to his friends instead. One of them made a joke, which caused him to laugh out loud. His knees buckled slightly as he clung to his friend. This made you chuckle. You watched him as he got back up again and took another sip of water. That was the moment he looked around the park, and his eyes found yours. It only lasted for about half a second. He rubbed his neck and suddenly started walking in your direction. The butterflies inside your stomach made you nauseous, but you tried to swallow down the feeling.
Kate stood up from the blanket. “I’ll throw this away before ants crawl all over it,” she announced, taking the empty container.
“No, wait,” you hissed, trying to catch her arm, but she was already gone.
You stared at the blanket for a moment longer, suddenly unsure if looking up was a good idea. You’d convinced yourself you looked like a lost puppy. What if Kate had imagined the whole thing? What if you looked up only to catch him looking somewhere else? Another sigh escaped your lips, and you brushed a strand of hair out of your face.
When you finally looked up, he was standing right in front of you.
One hand rested in the pocket of his jeans, the other loosely holding a half-empty water bottle. For a heartbeat, neither of you spoke. He opened his mouth, thought better of it, and closed it again. His gaze briefly dropped to the grass before finding yours again.
A shy smile tugged at the corner of his mouth before he let out the quietest breath.
“Mind if I sit here?”
It took a second before his words landed, and you nodded. Goosebumps traced your arms as soon as he sat down. For a moment, the two of you simply sat there, listening to the music drifting across the park. He absentmindedly peeled at the edge of the label wrapped around his water bottle.
“You work at the record store, right?”
A nervous chuckle escaped your lips. “Yeah, I’m usually behind the register. You always pick really good albums.” The words slipped out before you had the chance to think. You mentally slapped yourself. Smooth. Really smooth. If the earth could open up beneath the blanket, now would be a wonderful time.
His eyebrows lifted ever so slightly.
“Thanks,” he said quietly. “I never really know what to say when people compliment my music taste.”
He looked down at the water bottle in his hands for a second, slowly turning it between his fingers. The knot in your stomach loosened ever so slightly. He seemed just as nervous.
He cleared his throat. “The music you play at the store isn’t bad either.”
You bit your bottom lip to hide a smile, but the crinkle around your eyes betrayed you. A light chuckle slipped out anyway. “Keeps you guessing every Saturday, doesn’t it?”
He let out a small laugh, shaking his head once.
“Yeah.” His fingers paused on the label. “I actually… look forward to it.”
Warmth spread through your chest.
“I’m glad I have your approval.” You looked over at the dance circle. “Well… today’s been full of surprises.”
Vernon shifted on the blanket so he was turned towards you a little more and put the bottle next to him. He tilted his head.
“How come?”
You looked over at the open stretch of grass where he had been dancing only minutes ago. His friends were now sitting in a circle, playing some sort of game that involved pointing at each other. You nodded toward it.
“I didn’t know you could dance like that,” you answered. “It looked like it was easier than breathing.”
He shrugged.
“It’s not as difficult as it looks.”
You couldn’t help but laugh.
“Easy for you to say! I’d probably trip over my own feet.”
He smiled. “Probably.”
You gasped in mock defense, which earned a genuine laugh from him. It was brighter than you’d expected, completely unguarded. For a moment, you simply stared, completely off guard by how different it sounded from the quiet smiles and nods you were used to seeing at the record store.
“I’d help you,” he continued, his laughter fading into something softer. He rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly looking a little less confident.
“If you wanted.”
Your brain took a second to catch up. He’d really just offered to teach you.
Say something. Anything.
Before he starts thinking you’re about to reject him.
“Yeah,” you blurted. “I’d... I’d love that.”
The corners of his mouth lifted, almost as if he couldn’t quite hide it. Some of the tension eased from his shoulders. A smile lingered between the two of you, small and unmistakably shy. Neither of you said anything for a moment, until a shout echoed from across the field.
“VERNON!”
Both of you turned toward the sound. A guy with blond hair, a tangerine in one hand, was waving for him to come back. Vernon let out a quiet sigh before getting to his feet.
“Well, Seungkwan wants me to join their game, I suppose.”
He took two steps before stopping and turned back, frowning ever so slightly.
“I forgot to ask...”
He pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly annoyed with himself.
“Could I get your number?”
You blinked at him for a second before a laugh escaped you.
“Only because you remembered before you left.”
He laughed softly and shook his head.
“Fair.”
You handed him your phone. He took it carefully, his thumb briefly brushing yours as he took it. After adding his number to your contacts, he handed it back. Your fingers brushed once more. The butterflies returned instantly.
He smiled. “See you Saturday.”
You nodded, still holding onto the warmth of the moment as he walked away. The moment he joined his friends, you dropped back onto the blanket. You stared at the clouds that drifted by, thinking about what had happened.
It wasn’t long before Kate blocked your view.
“Wait… did he just ask for your number?” she teased.
You lifted your hands to hide your flushed face.
“I think I just made plans with Vernon Chwe,” you whispered.
Kate stared at you for a second before a grin spread across her face.
“You know what the funniest part is?” she said.
You looked up at her. “What?”
“You spent fifteen minutes convincing me you weren’t staring at him.”
You covered your face again, groaning.
“I hate you.”
“No, you don’t,” she replied with a laugh.
You smiled despite yourself and looked back at the sky. Somewhere across the park, Vernon laughed with his friends again. This time, you didn’t look over. You didn’t need to.
