When the classes ended and they were heading home, Hana, Sera, and Eunwoo were chatting as usual in their group chat. They were talking about the classes, their free time for the day, and the unnecessary crowd in the cafeteria. Then, Sera suddenly changed the subject.
Sera: By the way, we ran into Hana's new admirer in the cafeteria.
Eunwoo: What? Who is this?
Hana sighed and replied.
Hana: It's nobody. Sera is exaggerating.
Sera: I'm not exaggerating! You know, the guy who came into the cafeteria, the one with someone else... He was totally checking you out!
Eunwoo: Which guy?
Sera: I don't know his name, but he's the tall one. Brown hair?
Hana shook her head with a smile and replied.
Hana: Can't he look? People look at each other, after all.
Eunwoo: But you're making it sound like it was a special kind of look, Sera. Tell us more!
Sera: Exactly! I think he's interested. Hana, you've got a new admirer!
Hana immediately protested.
Hana: Stop exaggerating! I don't even know the guy, we don't even know his name.
Sera: We'll find out, don't worry. We'll check if he's right for you!
Eunwoo: Yeah! But okay, for now we'll leave you alone.
They continued talking, laughing, and eventually ended the conversation with good nights. When Hana turned off her phone and lay down on her bed, Sera's words echoed in her mind.
Had that guy really been looking at her? And more importantly, why did she care so much about it?
---
The next morning started just like any other. Hana got ready for school by following her usual routine. After a quick breakfast, she met up with Sera, and they set off together.
Sera: Today's gonna be such a boring day, right?
Hana: Yeah, I wish we could just go home directly.
Sera: But then we'd miss the fun. Maybe today that 'someone' will stare at you again, what do you think?
Hana rolled her eyes.
Hana: It's still early, please...
When they entered the school gate, they saw the usual scene of students talking and heading to their classes in groups. Hana and Sera went to their respective classes and sat down.
The lessons continued in the usual manner. The teacher was talking, and the students were either paying attention or lost in their own world. For Hana, the time seemed to be moving slowly. Finally, when the bell rang, everyone rushed to leave the classroom.
Hana and Sera headed to the cafeteria. When they got there, their eyes automatically scanned the area, and Sera nudged Hana with her elbow.
Sera: Look who's there!
Hana squinted her eyes and saw the guy they had seen in the cafeteria yesterday with his friend, standing in the same corner. Then they noticed someone walking towards them: Eunwoo.
While Hana and Sera were curiously observing what was happening, Eunwoo had a short conversation with the guy before coming over to them.
Eunwoo: Are you seriously talking about Okwon?!
Hana & Sera: Who??
Eunwoo: The guy you were talking about! Okwon! We live in the same building, we've even bumped into each other a couple of times.
Sera smiled and looked at Hana.
Sera: See, now we have a name!
Hana: Such a huge development...
Eunwoo: Do you know what I'm gonna do? I'm gonna go tell Okwon that you guys were talking about him, what do you think?
Hana: If you do that, I'll seriously reconsider our friendship!
Sera: Come on, wouldn't that be fun?
Eunwoo shrugged and laughed.
Eunwoo: Whatever, I'll keep quiet for now. But I'll be keeping an eye on you from now on.
Hana shook her head, thinking that there was no need to make such a big deal out of it. But still, knowing Okwon's name somehow made the whole situation feel a bit more significant.
While Hana and Sera were processing what Eunwoo had said, they sat down in the cafeteria to eat. But of course, they didn't drop the subject just yet.
Sera: So, Okwon, huh?
Hana: What's the big deal? It's just a normal name.
Sera: But it sounds serious. We should give him a nickname!
Hana: Ugh, Sera...
Sera: Think about it, wouldn't it sound cooler if he had a nickname like that?
Hana: Like what?
Sera thought for a moment, then her eyes lit up.
Sera: Oreo!
Hana looked at Sera's face, then burst out laughing.
Hana: Oreo?!
Sera: Yes! He has black hair and white skin, just like an Oreo!
Hana kept laughing and shaking her head.
Hana: Fine, okay. We'll call him Oreo then. But if we're calling him Oreo, we need to come up with a name for the guy next to him!
Sera paused for a moment, squinted her eyes.
Sera: Why are you dragging me into this?!
Hana: It's only fair. You gave him the name Oreo, I'll come up with a name for the other guy.
Sera: But I wasn't looking at him!
Hana: And I didn't look at Ore— sorry, Okwon!
Sera crossed her arms and frowned.
Sera: Alright, what are you going to call him then?
Hana grinned and thought for a moment, then snapped her fingers.
Hana: How about we call him "Cookie"? Because Oreo goes best with a cookie.
Sera's eyes widened.
Sera: Hana, you're really going crazy!
Hana: Well, who started it?
They both stared at each other for a moment as if annoyed, and then started laughing. Since Okwon and his friend weren't around school much, the chances of them ever hearing about these nicknames were almost nonexistent. But that didn't stop Hana and Sera from having fun.
Sera: Alright, deal. Okwon is Oreo, and his friend is Cookie. But don't get too carried away with this ship thing!
Hana: Easy for you to say, Cookie!
As Sera waved her hand like she was throwing a pillow at her, Hana continued to laugh.