When I arrived at my desk the following day at school, I saw a mysterious Tupperware container sitting on top of it, with a Post-It note on top that said "New Girl" with hearts around it. I was completely nonplussed to say the least. No one in Canada was jumping to be romantically interested in me, so the sharp contrast in this new setting was intriguing and also slightly off putting. 

I opened the container to find noodles, rice, fried egg, and some sort of sweet bean paste. Usually back home you would give your secret admirer candy, but I couldn't complain. The peanut butter and jelly sandwich I had brought for lunch personally paled in comparison to this meal. I suddenly couldn't wait for lunch time.

Sooyoung sat down in her desk next to me and almost immediately noticed me staring at the food, probably drooling. "You can cook Korean food as well? Why did you even bother living anywhere else if you were just gonna not be a foreigner at all?" 

I don't think our friend quit understands the concept of living other places. That's cool though. 

"I didn't make this," I replied, closing the lid of the container so Sooyoung could see the note I was left. "It seems I have a secret admirer."

Sooyoung raised her eyebrows. "Oh," she said, seeming less impressed now that she knew someone else had made the food. "That's sweet, I guess." 

I nodded. "Any ideas?" If the food was as good as it smelled, my next mission would be to hunt down its chef and see if we could arrange some sort of deal where they cooked for me everyday. 

"I don't know, are you interested in a relatonship right now?" Sooyoung asked, looking at me out of the corner of her eye. "Unless you want to be dating, there's really no point in wasting your energy on figuring out who it is."

Was I interested in a relationship? I mean, I wasn't uninterested. I had just moved here, after all, so I was mainly focused on trying to unpack all my clothes and make sure I didn't get lost or kidnapped on my way home from school. But like most other teenagers, I had the hormones that made me feel tingly inside every time I saw a picture of Ryan Gosling. Something about that man really does it for me. 

Maybe my significant other could get me out of my new apartment and out into the world. You never know, maybe I cold leach off their friends and become a full member of this school. Join a club even. A relationship could most possibly jumpstart that process.

"Sure, yeah, I'm single and new here. Let's find out who admires me," I answered, trying to sound less excited than I was. I'd never had a secret admirer before, but maybe it was a normal thing in Korea. I was trying to keep this casual.

Sooyoung immediately perked up. "You're single? No boyfriends or girlfriends back in Canada?"

"Not currently," I admitted, trying to make it sound like there in fact had been lovers in my past. There were really none though. Unfortunately. For everyone else, I mean. I'm pretty awesome. "What about you?" 

Sooyoung nodded. "Same here. Huh, so we are both available." 

"Yeah," I replied. "What a coincidence." It really wasn't a coincidence, but my desk mate was acting as if it was a strange fate that brought our single selves to this classroom. 

"Haha. Weird. Well, let's see what your admirer does next. And let me know if the meal tastes good!" Sooyoung replied, turning to the front of the room as the teacher entered. 

That interaction was slightly less weird than yesterday. Maybe Sooyoung and I can be friends after all.

I looked around the classroom, considering my options. Who here looked like they could cook? I immediately locked eyes with a boy a few rows back, who gave me a smile and a wave. I smiled back at him and turned around in my seat.

Maybe it was him?? I don't know anything about flirting though. Hopefully Sooyoung could help.