I'm officially engaged to the person whom I met in February 2009, at my hospital placement as a student managing another set of students which he was a part of, and one who has not failed in sending me messages every year since then, until the day we reunited in 2017.

I remember the first time I met him. We were nursing students. My group was supposed to manage another group of nursing students, and so we did. Our shift has started, and I started teaching this one student. No, it was not Jericho. LOL. But later on, 1 hour after the shift started, I was there at the nursing station, when this student came rushing in, and went to the "Sign In" book. He panicked, as obviously he was 1 hour late and there was no way of changing his time of arrival. He looked at me and nervously laughed. 

"Ma'm... Please don't tell anyone I was late today... I couldn't find parking..." Then he covered his mouth and giggled. This giggle was so funny and such a signature move of him. 

I looked at him, then saw the nurse unit manager staring at me, watching if I was gonna cheat his way out of this. Her look was so scary and threatening, that I looked back at him, and said, "Jericho, I am so sorry. I cannot let you."

And he jokingly went along. But that meant he had to stay back another hour to make up for his tardiness.

Following day, the same thing happened. I am seriously laughing at this guy. It went on for days, and it has become a habit of both of us to make fun of each other for his tardiness. 

Funny thing was-- he was there on my birthday in February 2009. We celebrated it on the ward, and he got to greet me. After our placement ended, we went our separate ways and I never got to connect with this guy ever again.

Until he showed up on my Facebook later that year. I added him. Wow, first move. He sent me a message after adding me, saying "Ma'm, it's you!!!" 

I didn't respond after that, but he commented on my posts from now and then. But between the two of us, he was the most active in reacting to my posts. He was consistent every year since 2009 in posting sweet messages on my Facebook wall, but I would sometimes ignore it, because he would be too sweet, and I did not want any issues made out of it. LOL.

Fast forward to 2017 when I randomly commented on his post on Instagram. Take note: I haven't really been commenting on any of his posts since 2009. This was a random spur of the moment, when he suddenly showed on my feed. He was residing in New York at this time. I said I love Broadways shows, etc. and he said he will be my manager if I do pursue my dreams of becoming a musical theatre actress. I was also studying a short course on Broadway Musicals that time. What a coincidence. Haha. 

I then flew to the Philippines to visit my family, as we were also going on an overseas trip afterwards. While I was in the Philippines, I saw Jericho's Instagram post. He was also in the Philippines. I messaged him (LOL. Wow. I did the first move again with no romantic intention.). "Hey! You're home too!?" 

And he replied that he was attending his brother's wedding. I, of course, with no other intention in mind LOL, decided it's a good time to catch up after ignoring him for so many years. LOL. I live in a pretty faraway suburb, and I thought he wouldn't put that effort in coming to our area. But he did. We met up at Starbucks in Alabang Town Centre, and I was even wondering why he hasn't texted me to tell me he's here. Whoops. I gave him the wrong number haha! So I went there, and he was actually there, sitting outside the cafe. We met up and made fun of each other. LOL. Then we decided to eat at the Japanese restaurant close to the cafe.

When our food arrived,  he went to the toilet to remove his Invisalign (overshareeee!). Then, the restaurant played a piano version of my "ULTIMATE SONG". Now, to those who know me closely, I had this ULTIMATE SONG that I chose in 2009, which was a song that if it played or someone sang to me out of nowhere, would be the CHOSEN ONE. It wouldn't be guessed on purpose-- it has to be a random thing that just comes up without me telling them this. Yes, yes. Serendipity. I know.

Well... It played. I even have a video of that moment. "Wonderful Tonight" played in the background and I was saying, "Wait... What? No way... Is it him??? " 

Not to be offensive to Jericho, but really, though we kept in touch randomly, we weren't "close-close" in a way that I knew his whole history, etc. I never dated properly. I was scared of dates. For me, I always wanted my future husband to be a friend of mine, whom I ended up falling in love with and vice versa. Hence, I was inactive in the dating scene, and I just went with the flow with my friends. If we fall in love, then we do. I was too scared to go out on dates and meet random people. Hence, I questioned my "sign" of the Ultimate Song, because I wasn't close to Jericho. 

He came back and saw me cringing. Haha. But we laughed it off.

We talked and talked for 5 hours. There were no lags and awkward silence, that I usually would have with some friends when we run out of topics. Me and Jericho clicked straight away. We were just laughing the whole 5 hours. We talked about random college stuff, then our lovelife, and we made a pact that the next time we will see each other, it will be a double date, and that I will bring my future boyfriend, and he will bring his future girlfriend.

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A post shared by Steph & Jericho : Silly Travel Foodies (@anotheronebitesthedate)

Well 2018 came, and we did see each other again...

Only bringing ourselves.

Because we ended up falling in love with each other.

2019 came and we were in Boracay, where he surprised me upon our arrival there. I received a beautiful song number from a group of staff, and I had balloons, cakes, and flowers. He also reserved a romantic dinner for us at a restaurant, but when we got there, his reservation disappeared. Of course, he got upset. But I said it was okay, and we ended up getting a place that had buffet gourmet meals --which I LOVED! Then there was a live band... And then they started singing a reggae version of "Wonderful Tonight". I asked him if he planned this, and he said, of course he didn't, as his original reservation was at the other restaurant. But what are the odds that this reggae band, who was singing OPM songs, would suddenly sing my "ultimate song"??? We knew right there and then that we were meant to be.

When we got back to Manila, me and my parents took him out on a trip. While we were in the car, a Michael Buble song came up. It was his own version of "Wonderful Tonight". Seriously, me and Jericho looked at each other, like what is this??? The sign was everywhere!!!

When Jericho flew back to the USA and I was still in the Philippines and having lunch with my mom, the restaurant started playing an elevator song-- a version of "Wonderful Tonight". I swear. This was like, ULTIMATE SIGN EVERYWHERE!!!

I then flew to the US in May 2019. I was ordering a takeaway pizza with Jericho, when the one and only original, ERIC CLAPTON, was in the background. Guess what song it was? WONDERFUL TONIGHT.

Jericho was DEFINITELY THE ONE. I may have avoided his advances back then, but he has been consistent in making sure I knew he was interested. And look where we are now... 

I am so happy how this story unfolded. And I am happy that more chapters will be unfolded after this important moment. Jericho has now moved from the USA to Australia, in order to live a new chapter with me, and for that, I am very grateful. I love you with all my heart! And I'm so happy that my parents love you too, same with your parents, whom I love very much as well! <3 Thank you for such a beautiful story! 

And to those who don't know, "Symphony" by Zara Larsson, which was used in our engagement video, was the song I would play when I was single, and I even promised myself that this song will be dedicated to "THE ONE" who would make me happy forever.

I love you Jericho! Thank you for not giving up on winning my heart.

---

UPDATE:

WE GOT MARRIED!

Check out our WEDDING FILM from the PHILIPPINES: