It was fall. The year was 2020. Winter was looming in upstate NY, and after months of freezing in a makeshift COVID testing tent, the operation finally moved indoors. It was there, in the weathered building over 100 years old, where their first words were exchanged. At first, it was nothing but polite small talk. Sophie would arrive early to do the intern work of setting up the computers and Sean would arrive at roughly the same time to open the building for the day's events. Over time, pleasantries turned into real conversations, perfectly timed around quick water breaks (iykyk). Sean’s blue eyes smiled over his mask, but the mystery remained: what did the rest of his face look like? The answer came one day at lunch when Sophie’s coworker, Amy (boldy and without warning), called Sean over and said, “Can you pull down your mask please? …Okay, now smile. …Okay, thank you!” The entire exchange lasted maybe 5–10 seconds but felt like three full minutes. As Sean walked away, Amy turned to Sophie (while Sean was definitely still within earshot) and said, “He’s cute!”, Sophie agreed. They continued their days flirting back and forth but nothing much came of it at that time. Then Valentine’s Day rolled around. Sophie brought some Brach’s conversation hearts to finish off her lunch and offered one to Sean (She had picked out the perfect one, it read: "Text Me"). Much to Sophie’s dismay, he declined the candy. It wasn't until a couple days later, when he insta messaged her and asked for her number, that he admitted he had read the heart! They started hanging out, and on their 3rd date, about 5 months after exchanging those first words in the old building he officially asked her to be his girlfriend. The rest of the story pretty much writes itself, and now here we are, 5 years and then some, celebrating how it all turned out!