Like many millennial “how we met” stories, ours starts unromantically with a dating app called Tinder. One day in 2015, the stars aligned and we swiped right on each other. Our first date was at an Applebee’s because I’d never been and according to Jason I was “missing out” (though I suspect this was just a clever strategy to set my expectations low from the beginning). I remember walking up to the entrance and seeing him boldly clad in jeans AND a denim jacket, with his hair perfectly gelled, trying to look cool and nonchalant while reading a philosophy book. In front of an Applebee’s. The only time he could meet was after 9p.m. and I usually eat dinner earlier like most humans, so I sat there and watched him scarf down what was supposed to be a steak. We then shared a dessert which he ate 80% of (I would later realize this is what happens every time we try to share food). We talked for hours that night and by the end, I was pretty much smitten. When he walked me to my car, he noticed a shallow dent in the bumper. He knelt down, examining it and nodding about how he could easily fix it for me. “Really?” I said, impressed. “Yeah!” he said, confidently. He never did fix that dent because, as I’ve come to learn, he actually knows very little about cars. As we got to know each other, we realized how many times we could’ve crossed paths throughout our lives. We grew up in the same town, lived down the street from each other, went to the same elementary, middle, and high school (a year apart); we used to work at the same mall; my brother was in the same MBA program as his half sister; and as kids we both rollerbladed around the lake near our houses. We’ve spent 30 years of our lives orbiting each other, but somehow never met. I think that we were always meant to be in each other lives but it was just a matter of timing. Unlike that sad, geriatric Fountain Valley Applebee’s that has since been mercifully shut down, our life together has only just begun.

Betty and I started talking on Tinder but made first contact on OkCupid. I asked her where she lived. She said Irvine and I was like ohhh sweet I’m going to be in Irvine eating Korean BBQ with some friends leaving the door open for her to suggest we hang out after. She never suggested that and instead ignored my message. Later when we started talking on Tinder I was surprised that she didn’t remember me. She later told me it was because she was receiving DOZENS of messages from guys. Since Betty ignored me once before on OkCupid I had to intrigue her on Tinder. We talked about traveling and I told her when I traveled for taiko we ended up eating either Subway or Applebees. She responded with, “Oh I’ve never been to Applebees.” I knew that was my chance. I was like “OHHHH we need to change that. Let’s go to an Applebees.” I knew she would find that intriguing. We ended up at Applebees and I was nervous. She was late and when she got there informed me that she ate before. Meanwhile I was starving so I ordered this big steak and had to eat it awkwardly while she watched and probably judged my eating. So then I was like oh ok well we should split a dessert and she was like I’m good, I’m not really into any of these desserts. But I decided to order a dessert anyway and we could split it. And then Betty eats one or maybe two bites and continues to watch me eat. I thought the date went pretty horribly and as a last ditch effort as we were walking out of the restaurant I asked if I could kiss her. She said “oh sure, ok” and we had our first kiss. Looking back at the first date it probably didn’t go as bad as I thought and I’m glad I asked her if I could kiss her. Because I had no idea I kissed the girl that I was going to marry.