Seventeen One Shots

➳ Vernon - English

She zipped her bag before taking the tray of burger and coke, examining the tables around, she could only spot an empty seat just right next to a caucasian looking boy who was sipping on his drink.

Gulping, she bit her lips before bravely attempting what she had never done before, 'Calm down, relax, let's not keep wasting english tuition fees and prove it that learning was definitely worth it.'

And with that mindset, she walked towards the boy as he caught a look at her. 'Don't stutter. Don't stutter.'

"H-Hello!" she stuttered.

'I hate me'

The boy smiled before returning a greeting, "Hi, can i help you?" he spoke in fluent english and it pressured her more.

Gulping for the second time, her lips curved up awkwardly as she spoke a little softer this time, "Excuse me, can i have this shiteu?" she attempted in speaking english which resulted to a slightly broken one.

The boy's eyes widened in shock but it didn't quite get her as she retraced her words, 'Did i say something wrong?'

There was a moment of silence before the boy then replied, seeming as if he was half giggling, "Yeah, sure!"

Happy that he had understood what she had said, she pulled the chair out before sitting on it. Still slightly awkward, she unfolded her burger wrap before glancing at him who had the same burger on his tray, only his was halfway eaten.

Not wanting to look awkward, she then pointed at his burger, "You like burgers?" she spoke in another broken accent as he smiled.

"I love burgers, especially the double cheesed ones." he paused for a while as he thought for a while before smirking a little, already confusing her a little with his english.

"And my friends were teasing me about my cheese addict and stuff, what do you think about it?" he spoke really fast and she was a little too slow to catch what he was saying.

A few seconds passed as she took a breath before uttering, "Pardon?"

The boy stiffled a small laugh as she could feel the embarrassment metre rising, well, no turning back now aye?

"Do you like burgers too?" he kept the conversation running but a little slower this time and her brain buffered for a second or so before she answered.

"Yes, yes! I love burgers! They are delicious!" her phrase was cut into sentences with a few words and the boy found it adorable that she was trying hard to do this.

"How old are you?" she asked and unexpectedly, fluently this time as she was praising herself for not stuttering this time.

"Me? I'm seventeen, and you?" he replied and pointed at her.

Grinning at the word seventeen, she then smiled widely, "Me too! Friends!" she blurted out the only words she knew and looked cheerful and childish at the same time.

"Oh and I'm Vernon by the way, what's your name?" he asked as she thought well before answering.

"My name is Younghee. Nice to meet you, Vernon." she pronounced his name slowly but accurately as she took her hand out for a handshake.

He took it and they both shook hands, "Nice to meet you too, Younghee." he replied before getting an idea.

"Hey Younghee, in which month were you born?"

She blinked a few times, her mouth opened but nothing came out other than simple words describing a month she didn't know in english, "Uh- Uhm, summer, hot! You know beach?"

He started giggling at her description as she kept trying hard to describe the month. "Ice cream, beach, sea! Aish, how am i supposed to describe this?" she went back to talking in korean as she grew quite frustrated.

"Is it... June?" he guessed from her futile attempt of charades and remembering to have heard the word before, she nodded vigorously.

"Yes, yes! June!" she grinned as he chuckled again.

"I really like going to the beaches during yugwol (june), it's just the perfect time. Celebrate your birthday at the beach sometimes Younghee, it'll become an unforgettable memory!"

His words struck her hard as she couldn't believe her ears when he started talking in fluent korean. She blinked again at him as he chuckled at her.

"Sorry, you seem interesting to me, I just had to do that. Nice reactions though, Younghee!" he gave a thumbs up to her as she stared at him in disbelief.

"How- What- Why??" she questioned his flawless korean as he chuckled.

"I'm from New York but i moved here when i was 5, i learned a lot since then." he grinned as she scoffed.

"Well, thank you for testing me. How's my english?" she asked out of sarcasm.

"I would give you a 6 out of 10, it's not that but you'll have to try harder though, i would suggest you sign up get a tuition to help you with it." he suggested as she snorted.

"Well, thank you again for your kind suggestion." she smiled at him as he smiled back. "Because you had just inspired me to quit my english tuition because i do not pay all that money to be rated a 6 out of 10."

His face dropped as he appeared to be quite flustered as he tried to stop her from walking away.

She put the tray away, taking an eco paper bag from the counter to pack her untouched meal with him following right behind her.

She halted before turning to him one last time, "It was nice to meet you Vernon." she smiled, taking out a piece of crumpled paper before handing it over to him.

"Let's meet again sometimes, it was fun but i have to go and arrange a meeting with my english teacher." she pointed to the door as he shook his hands.

"Younghee-yah, i was joking-"

"Thank you very much Vernon, for inspiring me. Really though, thank you. Now, i will not waver by the thought of quitting my english tuition, i shall end this today. Bye!" she waved before walking away from him as he stared at the energetic girl walking towards the door.

She was about to leave when she stopped by the door and looked at him one last time, smirking before hollering loud enough to catch the surrounding's attention.

"INSFIRES!!"

Face palming, he glanced at the paper she gave him, unfolding it, he saw numbers written all over the paper as he chuckled, tempted to call the owner of the phone number he had received.