"Seriously? You guys met through a dating app?" That's the reaction most people have towards my answer to "How did you meet each other?" People say dating apps are the worst way to meet people, but they also say the best thing happens when you least expect it. Luckily, the best outcome happened to me - I met the love of my life on Bumble. When I first looked at Megan, I was mesmerized by her smile. We chose our first date at the Art Gallery of Ontario, partially because she is into art, but mainly because it was a more public setting. I wanted to hug her immediately, but I wasn't feeling comfortable enough, as it's not common in my culture to hug a girl you just met. So I just said "hi" and gave her a postcard - I love writing postcards for people I love and care about - and she likes to receive letters - a perfect match! (We continue this postcard tradition on every date we have, and she's got a whole box of my postcards!) Although I'm generally more talkative, she did most of the speaking on our first date, mainly because art is her domain, but also because I was too shy to talk much while gazing into her beautiful green eyes. She enlightened me about different art styles and famous artists. I liked how enthusiastic she was about things she loves. I wish I had known more about art to impress her, but I didn't, so I had nothing to say but "cool" and "interesting". Honestly, I wasn't sure if I could have a second date, as I thought I was just being boring. When we parted at Union Station, I mustered my courage, asking if I could hug her and see her again. She said yes.

"Would you marry me if I proposed today?" I always playfully asked her that in preparation for actually popping the question. She always smiled and said yes, but then became realistic. "My mom said you need to have a job at least." I wanted a job badly, partially because I was almost broke, but mainly because I wanted to marry the love of my life. While I was on my job hunt, she told me she was travelling to Japan with friends at the end of April. I smelled a perfect opportunity to propose. But I didn't have a job, and she doesn't generally like surprises. Thankfully, after getting turned away by hundreds of hiring managers, I got my first full-time job in Canada. The moment I got this offer, I started to add details to my "Proposal in Japan" plan. I overcame many difficulties, but there was the most important part: would she say yes? It would make a romantic story only if she liked it. I jokingly asked her if I could join them for the Japan trip several times. Of course, she said no, but I could tell from her tone and facial expressions that she wouldn't mind. I still remember the night before she flew to Japan, she was crying in my arms since she had never been that far away from home before and wouldn't see me for three weeks. I was smiling, picturing my romantic proposal scene. I arrived in Japan four days before she came back to Canada. I still said good mornings and goodnights according to EST and had to decline her call when I was on the Japanese bullet train, pretending I was back home. On the proposal day, it was raining heavily in Tokyo. I told her my friend in Tokyo wanted her to bring a gift back to me and would meet her at the gate of Meiji Shrine, a beautiful urban park with lush greenery, as she told me that her ideal proposal should take place in a park. I also asked my photographer friend to pretend that he was just a passerby, which turned out to be a big success because Megan thought my friend was taking pictures of birds (of us love birds). My friend helped me find a perfect spot after walking through the whole shrine. As an introvert, Megan doesn't want strangers' attention, so the place couldn't be too public. On the other hand, it would be suspicious if my friend told her to meet in the middle of nowhere. We finally decided on a side path near the gate and the main path. I hid in the brush for five minutes and was then kicked out by the police because I looked suspicious. I then moved behind a pavilion near the police officer and waited for my photographer friend's signal. At 4 p.m., she showed up. I ran towards my surprised girl. Too bad I had stunned her so much that she couldn't hear a single word of my well-prepared speech. But as soon as I popped the question, she said yes.