A Love Rekindled

Our story began in the summer of 2012 at Saint Martin's University, amidst the bustle of their international summer programs. Jing was a high school junior and Elijah was in eighth grade. From that initial meeting, a friendship blossomed. Years passed, marked by continued involvement with the summer programs, and our bond only deepened.

College brought us even closer. We started spending more time together, reaching out to each other constantly. In 2018, our friendship evolved into our first relationship. However, the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic led us to drift apart, and we ended our relationship in 2020. For three years, we embarked on separate journeys, using that time to learn more about ourselves individually.

Then, in 2023, a simple text message reconnected us. Neither of us knew that this seemingly casual exchange would rekindle the profound love we once shared. We were clear from the outset: just friends, nothing more. But the more we talked and spent time together, a new love began to form. A kiss on the forehead as we said goodbye after one of our hangouts cemented the feelings we had for each other, drawing us back into a relationship on November 4th, 2023.

Throughout that first year back together, we both realized we wanted to spend the rest of our lives with each other. And so, in Japan, on September 23, 2024, we got engaged, ready to write the next chapter of our story together.