It all started in the post-pandemic haze of 2020, when the world was slowly finding its way back to normal, and we—two very different people—found each other in the most unexpected of places: our old workplace. Me? A chef, working with food and flavors, always searching for that perfect balance. And her? An accounting staff, keeping the numbers in check, with a mind as sharp as her smile. We were worlds apart in many ways—but apparently, destiny ships even a chef and an accountant.

At first, I played it cool. I’d offer her little “hatid ng meryenda” here and there. Nothing too obvious. Just innocent snacks… with very intentional feelings. But the real strategy? Post-it notes.

It started with simple motivational quotes.
“Kayang-kaya mo ’yan.”
“Smile ka naman today.”
“Free snack later .”

What began as random notes slowly turned into daily updates. Then eventually… our own secret chat box. We’d write replies to each other on Post-its and pass them discreetly—parang spy movie lang sa office. Anyone watching would think we were just passing paperwork. Little did they know, it was a full-blown love story in yellow squares.

Those tiny pieces of paper became our safe space. Our jokes. Our kilig moments. And maybe—just maybe—that’s when she started falling for me a little more each day.

By 2021, we finally gave it a name—boyfriend and girlfriend. Funny how two simple words suddenly make everything official. The next few years flew by, and I realized something life-changing: I didn’t just want to share snacks and Post-it notes with her. I wanted to share my life.

Then came February 2024. We were on vacation in Baguio, enjoying the cool breeze and pretending we weren’t both low-key freezing. That afternoon, we rented a paddle boat at Burnham Park.

Now let me tell you—romantic ang peg, pero reality check? I was pedaling for my life. Half proposal, half leg workout.

In the middle of the lake, slightly out of breath but fully in love, I took a deep breath, got down on one knee (well… as much as you can kneel in a moving paddle boat without flipping it), and asked:

“Handa ka na bang magkasama ako habang buhay?”

I was nervous. The boat was gently rocking. My legs were shaking—not sure if from kaba or kakapadyak.

Then she smiled—that mischievous, beautiful smile.

“Bakit hindi?”

And just like that, in the middle of Burnham Lake, with tourists casually paddling around us, she said yes… in the most her way possible.

From secret Post-it messages to a proposal on a paddle boat, our love story was never ordinary—and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

But life decided to level up our story. I returned to my seafaring job, and suddenly, long-distance love became our reality. Talk about testing the waters—literally. I’d be surrounded by nothing but waves and horizon, while she held down everything on land. Time zones tried to confuse us. Distance tried to challenge us. But every call, every message, every “I miss you” was proof that what we built on small yellow notes was strong enough to cross oceans.

Two years later, after building our future one message, one sacrifice, and one “I love you” at a time, we’ve reached this moment: the beginning of our forever—sealed with a promise, and a “Bakit hindi?”

And now, here we are. Ready for all the future meryenda moments, all the shared dreams, and all the chapters waiting to be written.

On June 20, 2026, we officially begin our forever—and this time, no long distance, no paddle boats (unless optional), just us