Ep 4: Who am I to you? [Vernon's POV]

I decided to embark a journey alone to the mall, get a new pair of shoes and go home. But after I managed to find a new shoes, before heading home however, I was delighted when I met a familiar smile.

"Noona!" I half-shouted towards the girl. Jungkook's noona; the quirky but coolest noona I've ever met.

"Oh, hi Vernon!" She noticed me and grinned. "Ah, you gotta stop looking good you know. It's not good for me."

"Are you on your own, noona?"

"Nope. I've someone with me. Are you?"

"Yeah, sorta. I wanted to do some quick shopping."

"Babe, come on!" Suddenly a man came from behind noona and grabbed her hand softly.

"Shush! I am talking to Vernon right now!" She turned around to say that to the man.

"Oh, so this is Vernon!" The man stopped by and flashed me a smile. "Hi, buddy! I heard a lot about you."

"This is my boyfriend, Namjoon." She introduced the man next to her. "And Namjoon, meet Vernon, the sight to an eyesore."

Namjoon chuckled in return, "You have to stop doing that, babe. You're making the boy blush!"

"But I am telling the truth!" She exclaimed.

"Have you had your lunch, Vernon?" She asked me.

Oh no! Is she going to ask me to join them for lunch? No way am I going to third wheel on this fine day.

"Y-yeah."

"Good." She smiled. Good? What sort of good? "I think ice cream sounds delicious now." She added.

"I'm good, noona. Thank you for the offer but no."

"Come on now, buddy. I want to get to know you too." Namjoon slinged his arm on my shoulder.

"They have an ice cream cafe upstairs." She told us and then I felt I was dragged to follow her lead to the escalator.

***

Namjoon turned to me with a smile. He seemed to notice that I was nervous, so he patted me on the shoulder.

"Don't be tense, young man." He grinned. "I don't bite, you know."

I shook my head and smiled sheepishly.

"Don't take this the wrong way but I think my girlfriend was not joking when she said you're goodlooking! I've seen your pictures but you look better in person." Namjoon added. "She mentioned something about the fact that you are half-Korean. What's your other half again?"

"American from my mother's side."

"Oh, that's cool!" Namjoon nodded.

Silent.

I decided to break the ice so I cleared my throat, "So how long have you known noona?"

"Hmm, let's see, 6 years? We were schoolmates during middle school. When she was in 1st year, I was in my 3rd."

"And did you date from back then already?"

Namjoon hooted, "Hey, she's not an easy bird to catch, you see. I liked her since forever but only a year ago, I confessed to her. We started dating 5 months ago."

5 months ago. Ah, so they started dating a month after noona and I met. Suddenly I don't feel special anymore. Noona said she likes me. Huwaaaaaaa!

"Hey, I think she's looking at you!" Namjoon alerted me as he pointed to noona who was in the middle of the long queue to place an order. Just one more person left and it would be her turn. She waved to me and gave me a warm smile.

Suddenly Namjoon started talking, "I'm a man too you know, of course I get jealous when she admires you so much. But I realize she loves me. I mean, why would she choose to stuck with me if you are way more good-looking than I am? When I asked her to be my girlfriend, she didn't hesitate to say yes,

"She puts up to me all the time. I am a underground musician you know, I got into a lot of stuff; money issue, gig issues, my family are all against my dream and kicked me out from home but she went through it with me,

"She accompanied me to find a cheap rent house -which is actually impossible if you didn't consider walking around here to find one-, she drives around -even to the further neighbourhood- to watch me perform so why not I put up with her when she spazzes about your look?"

Silent. So, what should I respond to that? Sorry I am goodlooking that your girlfriend likes my face?

"She tells me a lot about you, I could literally write down your biography!" He informed me with a soft chuckle.

That bad?

"Boys." A tray filled with 3 bowls of ice cream was places on the table along with the female voice.

"Babe, me or Vernon?" Namjoon asked noona.

"Vernon." Noona beamed at me.

"Why?"

"Vernon is precious. Must protect him!" She replied in a-matter-of-factly tone.

"Babe, who will you marry?"

"You!" She blushed.

"You see that? She blushes." Namjoon said proudly.

"Oh, stop it, you. " Noona cried. "Let's have our ice cream!"

"Hey, both of you start first. I need to go to the washroom real quick." Namjoon excused himself and left both me and noona.

Noona lifted one of the 3 bowls from the tray and pushed it towards me, "I ordered you your fav. Oh well, you like everything but I got you the no. 1 on your list; hazelnut praline topped with chocolate sauce. Oh, I asked for TimTam chunks too."

The world shone so bright I was blinded. Hazelnut praline is the very reason I am breathing. Tim Tam chunks? I am going to start a charity named Vernon and TimTam crews for real. Damn, if Jungkook was here, he'll be jealous as hell. I am so going to tell this to Jungkook later.

"THANK YOU SO MUCH NOONA." I relayed my gratitude to this woman in front of me. How could a woman who only knew me for 6 months knows hazelnut praline is no. 1 on my ice cream bias list?

"You're welcome, dear boy!" Noona said.

After 2 scoops, I stopped. Taking advantage of the absence of Namjoon to ask her a question, "Noona. Forgetting that fact I am Jungkook's friend, who am I to you?"

She was taken aback but she puts down her ice cream spoon. She smiled as she placed her hand on mine, "Another little brother that I cherish so much. You know, like that Bruno Mars' song, 'I'd catch a grenade for you, throw my head on the blade for you, I'd jump in front of the train for you'. I'll do those for Jungkook and I'd do that for you too."

She paused a bit and then continued, "Vernon, I know we only met for few months but I am thankful to you. For bringing so much happiness to both Jungkook and me. But really, thank you for being Jungkook's friend. Actually, he had hard time in our former school because he had no friends. You know how Jungkook is into music, well none of his former classmates were. Because of that, he seemed to be under the impression that nobody will get him, nobody will be on the same page he is on. But after we moved here, he met you who apparently have the same passion with him, I can tell he changes. His mood is always good, he is always excited hang out with you and we even have the same thing to talk about; YOU!" She chortled.

I chortled along her.

"I love you, Vernon. I love you like I love Jungkook." She said finally.

That evening was the best thirdwheeling experience I've had in my life.