In early-2007, Thao attended her friend Tony's high school badminton game at Silver Creek High School. After the match, she met up with Tony at the bleachers and asked if he wanted to finish the rest of her lunch. Before Tony could have a chance to answer, a random guy sitting next to him mutter, "Sure" and grabbed Thao's lunch off her hands. Dumbfounded, she turned to this individual and asks, "I'm sorry, who the hell are you?!". To which Tony replied, "Oh, Thao, this is Jose. Jose, Thao." "Nice to meet you" Jose greets with a full mouth.

And this was how the pair met.

Thao and Jose would briefly interact through mutual friends and events throughout the year, but nothing more than as mere acquaintances. This would all change in late-2007, at the start of the new academic year when the two would be assigned to the same chemistry class. And as fate would have it, Jose's assigned seat was the one in front of Thao's.

Over time, the two grew closer as friends and began to see more of each other through Tony and other mutual friends. The two would eventually develop "chemistry" in chemistry. One day, Jose offered to walk Thao home after school which then became a regular thing and during one of these walks, Jose worked up the courage to ask Thao a simple question, "Will you go out with me?"

"Yes", she replied before the two shared their first kiss.

Thao and Jose's first date was at Eastridge Mall where the two watched "Doomsday" in theaters, and enjoyed strolling around the mall until Thao's parents came to pick her up. Over the next few months, Thao and Jose's love blossomed into your typical high school sweethearts story. As time went on, they would eventually began to share their hopes and dreams for the future. And though this brought them closer, a sudden realization came to manifest: the two wanted different things in life. Though the two grew to love each other deeply, they didn't wish to hold each other back and thus, their love story came to an end.

After some time, Jose called Thao one night where the two discussed what happens next, to which Jose said, "If I can't love you as a lover, I still want to love you as a friend". It was here that they decided to remain close and became best friends. Over the following years, they've supported each other's ambitions and the accomplishments that followed. As time went on, they each found their own loves. And when said love was lost, each offered an embrace or a shoulder to cry on.

Fast forward to late-2016, after his last breakup, Thao came to support Jose through his difficult time.

In the months that followed, the two grew closer and made a sudden realization through one of their deep talks: this was the first time since high school that they were both single at the same time. After many late nights of intimate conversations and walks at Evergreen Square, the two discovered that the love they once shared in high school was always there and was expressed in the support each gave to the other.

On April 4, 2017, Jose would take Thao on a weekend getaway to Disneyland (her first time in 14 years). At the climax of the fireworks show, Jose held Thao close and whispered, "Will you be my girlfriend?" With this simple question came a long awaited answer...

"Yes", she replied before the two shared a long awaited kiss.

It was at this moment, Thao and Jose's love story would continue; only this time around, they would see it through and never let each other go again. Later that year, their love was put to the test when Jose got accepted to Cal State University, Northridge to finish college while Thao had to remain in San Jose for work. Despite the difficulties that followed, their love held strong through the long distance as they both learned how to love this new version of themselves.

In early-2020, Thao and Jose embarked on their biggest journey by moving to Los Angeles to start a life together. They had big adventures planned for their new life and were excited for the new things to come. Life however had other plans when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, putting a pause on all the amazing plans lined up in LA and cutting them off from their family and friends. Despite this difficult period, the two were able to make the best of it all and created their home.

On October 6, 2023, Jose would take Thao to visit family, a trip no different than others before... or so she thought.

Jose would take her to their secret place overlooking the San Francisco city lights where the two previously shared their first kiss in the rain together. Surrounded by their family, friends, and Eric (inside joke to those who were there), Jose professed his love to Thao. It was at this moment, he went down on one knee, pulled out a ring and with a shaken voice asked,

"Will you marry me?" With this simple question came a long at last answer...

"Yes", she replied before the two shared their first kiss as fiancés.

If you're reading this today, then in one way or another, you played a small part in Thao and Jose's journey and they can't thank you enough for it. Thank you for taking the time to read their story, and we hope you will be able to witness the next simple question, answer, and kiss!