I first met him during a school collaboration project—an outdoor shoot that lasted three days in one of our school’s adopted communities located in a far-flung area. Since we came from different departments, we hardly knew each other. Our “hate-turned-love” story began when he constantly made jokes about me and teased me just to get on my nerves. As someone who is easily annoyed, I started to dislike him. Just the thought of him being close to me was enough to irritate me, and somehow, he always found a way to push my buttons.

I was initially hesitant to participate in this major school project. But my best friend strongly encouraged me to join. I also saw it as an advantage since the community we were set to visit was a Subanen community, which holds a special place in my heart. On the other hand, he too was reluctant to participate, as the community was considered among the poorest of the poor, and he was particularly concerned about the lack of basic facilities such as comfort rooms.

The experience was truly challenging. We were welcomed by heavy rain and had to cross rivers and climb three to four mountains on foot, as the road leading to the community was extremely slippery. Prior to our trip, we were advised to bring raincoats. As someone who loves blue, I naturally chose a blue raincoat. Coincidentally, he also brought the same color, and out of everyone in the group, we were the only two who had raincoats—and they happened to be identical. On our way to the community, I engaged in a casual conversation with some of the local children, aged 8 to 13, who were helping us carry our belongings. We spoke in our dialect, and little did I know that someone was observing me. He was deeply impressed by the way I conversed with the children, later telling me that I was someone whose heart could be understood simply by looking into my eyes.

During our three-day stay, there was a time when I became really irritated because he kept on teasing me. I wondered why he was bothering me so much when we were not even close and barely knew each other. Our team decided to take a dip in the river, and on the way there, he continued to annoy me by saying that my hair smelled awful. I immediately responded, “Excuse me, my hair doesn’t smell. I used a fragrant shampoo,” as I showed him the pink Sunsilk sachet I had brought. After a moment of silence, he suddenly moved closer and asked if he could have my extra sachet of shampoo. I thought to myself, what nerve—after insulting me, he still had the audacity to ask for my shampoo. Later, during lunch, I deliberately kept my distance from him. I disliked being around him so much that I told myself I didn’t want to lose my temper in that place and situation. Perhaps he noticed that I was avoiding him, because after eating, when we were about to wash our plates, he unexpectedly volunteered to wash mine. Everyone was surprised by what he did, but I was still annoyed. I simply handed him my plate and walked away.

As the project drew to a close, everyone was supposed to feel relieved that we were finally heading home. Yet, I sensed that he carried a quiet sadness within him. He later admitted that he wondered if this would be the last time we would see each other. With the project ending, there seemed to be nothing that could connect us anymore. In that moment, he found himself almost asking the wind when our paths would cross again.

The team decided to hold a small celebration to mark the success of the shoot and our safe return home. There was food, laughter, and drinks to go around. That evening also became the first time we had a proper conversation. He asked questions about me and my personal life, and we were both amused to discover that we were Christians from the same church. We laughed at the irony of having that conversation while holding alcoholic drinks in our hands, joking about being “bad Christians.” As the night came to an end and we all went home, we updated the group chat to let everyone know we had arrived safely. To my surprise, he personally messaged me. I replied, and that exchange eventually led him to confess—though half-drunkenly—that he liked me. I was caught off guard and didn’t know how to respond. In the end, I rejected him, telling him that I could not reciprocate his feelings, especially after how he had treated me. I thought that was the end of it. But apparently, it wasn’t for him. He continued to respond to my Facebook stories, sending random comments just to start conversations. As much as possible, I kept my replies short, not wanting to give him false hope.

A few weeks later, the team decided to go to the beach. It had been a while since we gathered, and aside from bonding, we still had parts of the project to finish. After being locked down for almost three years due to COVID-19, the trip also felt like a well-deserved escape. For him, however, it became another chance to speak with me. That day, he asked for my permission to court me. I had been quietly contemplating whether to give him a chance, though I couldn’t forget how much he had annoyed me in the past. Yet, his sincerity and persistence eventually moved me.

When October arrived, I invited the group to our home for our town’s celebration, knowing they would enjoy the festivities and the abundance of food. Almost everyone agreed, but to my surprise, only he came. What touched me even more was that he used this moment to sincerely ask my family for permission to court me. His courage and genuine intentions deeply moved me, and it was then that I finally opened my heart, said yes, and allowed him into my life.

In the end, what started with teasing, irritation, and playful banter slowly turned into something real and lasting. His persistence, sincerity, and courage won me over, and what I once thought was impossible became the most beautiful “yes” of my life. Our story proves that sometimes, love truly finds its way—just when you least expect it. Sometimes, the one who annoys you most becomes the one you can’t live without.