Our love story began unexpectedly, with two chance encounters at family gatherings. We first crossed paths on Christmas 2016 at a family wedding in Vietnam, but we barely exchanged words. Three years later, fate brought us together again during Christmas in Iowa, yet we remained distant, hardly speaking to one another. The turning point came in early 2020 when Hung took a leap of faith and sent Giao a drawing he had made of her. Emboldened by this gesture, he confessed his feelings for her. However, Giao wasn't ready and turned him down, leaving Hung heartbroken. As the pandemic swept across the world, we found ourselves separated by distance—Giao in California and Hung in Texas. Despite the rejection, Hung's devotion never wavered. He made frequent trips to visit Giao, traveling every two weeks to offer companionship during her moments of loneliness and heartbreak. It was during the July 4th weekend of 2020 that our love story truly began to unfold. Giao, touched by Hung's unwavering honesty and persistence, started to open her heart. This marked the beginning of our journey together, bridging the gap between California and Texas with love and determination. Our relationship continued to blossom, weathering the challenges of long-distance and a global pandemic. Hung's dedication culminated in not one, but two proposals. The first took place in December 2023, followed by another in July 2024. Both times, he chose the romantic setting of Huntington Beach in California, a place filled with cherished memories for us.