Please save all questions for the end...

For those of you that don't know, Elaine and Enoch both went to UCSD. But, Elaine, being from California and Enoch being from some state that doesn't exist, there is absolutely no reason for them to even talk to each other. Except Enoch decided to add Elaine on Snapchat to talk, which Elaine never used. (Note, he didn't get her number for another 6 months.) On one May evening, as Elaine was skateboarding back to her apartment, she hit a small rock and completely ate it face-first into the ground. With her face slightly red (don't worry, the injury wasn't thattt serious), Elaine sent Enoch a snap of her face all banged up captioned "I fell on my face" (which he still has to this day). As it were, Enoch and Elaine started hanging out more after, albeit always with other people. They would study together in the library, get 99 cent ice cream on campus, and just have fun hanging around campus. They kept snapping each other, until Enoch finally got her number. Over the summer, they would continue to talk, text, and snap each other. No one knows why they kept talking to each other; maybe Enoch liked having someone to talk to, or maybe Elaine liked using filters on Snapchat. To quote Elaine: "I don't really know why I kept communicating with this person, but I did." And that, is where our story begins :)

During the spring quarter of 2019, both Enoch and Elaine realized they would both be in Taiwan that summer at the same time. Elaine was spending time with her family and enjoying the good (food) life, and Enoch was there trying to work on his lackluster Chinese skills. But, what better way to spend a summer in Taiwan than with people you know? Spending it with people you know that also know how to speak English! So, with that in mind, they started meeting up after his Chinese classes, grabbing food, visiting the night markets, or just go exploring. Elaine "doesn't know if I really had feelings about this situation at that time", but Enoch was just glad to have a translator. Elaine remembers reaching out and asking Enoch if he wanted to go to the zoo together, but he kept making excuses like, “I have to go with my cousin.” (Spoiler alert: They did bring his cousin and she likes Elaine wayyy more than Enoch.) Turns out, not only did they overlap in Taiwan, but Enoch and Elaine were on the exact same flight back to the US, so Elaine tagged along with Enoch to the airport. At the check-in counter, the check-in agent asked Enoch how old he was, what he was doing, things of that sort. She even asked if he liked older girls LOL. She asked if Enoch and Elaine were a couple, and Elaine immediately said, “No, he is my classmate.” (Of course, this was all in Chinese, so Enoch could only laugh helplessly.) That check-in agent was onto something though because she offered to upgrade the both of them to Exit Row seats AND to sit next to each other together for free! However, Enoch and Elaine looked at each other for a second and said at the same time, “No, that’s weird,” and walked away. Not even 5 steps later, Enoch was like, “I would really like the extra leg room…”. So they asked Google to flip a coin and if it was heads, they would go back and ask to change seats. As expect, the coin did not land in their favor, but Enoch wasn't going to let that get in the way of Exit Row leg room. Unfortunately, those seats sell like hotcakes, because the opportunity had passed. Luckily, the check-in agent was really nice (or was crushing hard on Enoch) and still sat them together, albeit in the last 10 rows of the plane. That plane ride from Taipei to LA was the most time either of them had ever spent together consecutively. During this flight, Elaine watched a movie that was sad so it made her cry (duh) while laying her head on Enoch's shoulder. What she remembers is Enoch saying “Don’t get your tears on my sweater!" (Good job Enoch, you probably set back your progress by 6 months.) It was during this time that Enoch started question how he really felt about Elaine. At the same time, Elaine was thinking: "It was mediocre."

Turns out Enoch isn't that mediocre, because Elaine stuck around. They graduated from school, where Enoch headed off to Seattle, WA, the land of the national parks. This is where Elaine got hooked on national parks. This is also when Elaine started asking Enoch about marriage, and Enoch started not giving Elaine a clear answer. Three national parks later (Gateway Arch, Mount Rainier, and Joshua Tree), Enoch came up with the brilliant idea of proposing at Zion National Park, one of the most beautiful national parks in the US. (Seriously, you need to go.) Not only could he disguise it as "another national park trip," but would give national parks a deeper meaning. All the while, Elaine started believe that Enoch would never propose. So, off they went to Zion and Bryce Canyon National Park, with Enoch anxious that Elaine would find out about his plans, and Elaine continuing to believe that Enoch was too oblivious to propose during a time like this. Finally, the time was here; with Elaine's friend squatting behind a bush (shout-out Jackie for being the best wingman), Enoch patiently (and definitely not suspiciously) waited for the sun to shine down, lowering it's beam down to the perfect moment, following Enoch down on his knee to ask Elaine the question she had been waiting for so long... So, to answer the question: Two national parks and an engagement ring! :)

Welp, you've reached the end of our story. I guess that means you care about us, or you're curious about what's next. Elaine will probably move to Seattle with the hopes that she doesn't have to work. Enoch will probably stress about having to buy a house. And I supposed we'll see after that. Oh, and do come and visit us!

This is Enoch's favoritest part and Elaine's least favoritest part: - We've each only been to 4 countries, and surprisingly we've been to all of them together. - Enoch has never actually asked Elaine to be his girlfriend in all 4.5 years of being together, so he really just asked a random person to marry him. - Elaine is a professional crab catcher. If you visit us in Seattle, she'll catch you one! - We've been to 9 US National Parks together. Our goal is to hit all 63 before we have kids!

Enoch: Definitely taking Elaine to Missouri for the first time because I could finally show Elaine that it is a real state. Elaine: Taiwan because Enoch can't speak Chinese and it was funny. BTW I still think it's fake.

Enoch: Gateway Arch. Don't believe me? I guess you also need to visit, and I'll convince you like I convinced Elaine :) Elaine: Olympic National Park! There were awesome views.

Enoch: Definitely omakase at Sushi Kashiba in Seattle. Not only was the food and the experience unforgettable, but so was the receipt (which we kept as a souvenir😭) Elaine: Sushi Kashiba was super yummy and I've never felt more bougie in my life. Please text your omakase recs!

Enoch: Travel the world, eat amazing food, and hike every mountain and national park in the world! Just kidding, I want to be the IT guy behind Elaine's crochet business empire. Elaine: Retire and bake and crochet and hike and nap, not necessarily in that order and not even necessarily with Enoch.