How We Met
We met online in 2016 through OkCupid! Tieng messaged me first, and we were exchanging messages that day. I was really busy with grad and told him that I was taking a break from OKCupid and that I would be back; I deactivated my account right after and never gave him a chance to ask for my contact information. After a month, I went back on OkCupid and Tieng messaged me “Do you remember me?” I said, yes. We had our first date at a boba tea cafe!
How They Asked
Due to the global pandemic, COVID, Tieng’s plans were changed. Initially, he was going to ask on a skydiving event in San Diego on Memorial Day weekend surrounded by friends. A week before the 12th, I made plans to have a sushi dinner with my best friend as it was her birthday. We ate in our separate cars because of social distancing guidelines. I had asked Tieng if he wanted anything so I could bring it home to him. At around 6:30 pm, I asked if he could put his order in, and he said he’ll do that soon. But it was 7 pm and he barely put in his order, which I didn’t mind because I was spending more time with my best friend. 7:45 pm, the food was ready, and I was on my way home. As I drove closer to my house, I saw lights in the backyard but didn’t think of it. When I opened the gate, John Legend’s “Conversations in the Dark,” came on and I saw my fiance-to-be all dressed up and my siblings recording the whole thing!
I was thinking, “OMG, this can’t be happening right now.” Tieng held my hand and walked through the string of photos and lights that he and my siblings helped put out to the glowing heart in the backyard. He had a whole dialogue but I can’t really recall what he said.
He reached for the boba jar that read, “Will you be my boba to my Tea?” (his last name is Tea) and took out a ring he made last week (those bread package twisty things you use to close the break) and said, because of COVID, he couldn’t get a ring. But he quickly said, “Just kidding,” and got down on one knee and said, “Will you marry me?” Apparently, he purchased the ring right before COVID! And of course, I said, “YES, OF COURSE!”. COVID didn’t stop him from proposing! It was such a special and intimate moment.