“There's a Japanese phrase that goes: koi no yokan. It doesn't mean love at first sight. It’s closer to a love at second sight. It’s the feeling upon first meeting someone when you just know that you will inevitably, deeply and truly fall in love with them”
Our Story
— by Akarsh Narang
“Not many people know this, but the first time I saw Simren was back in 2019. It was at a Trump event her dad was hosting at their property Kundan Mall. She was surrounded by her family. My parents went over to greet her parents, so I came along. I remember shaking her hand for the first time and thinking, Wow, she’s stunning. Over the years, her face never really left my mind. It would pop up every now and then—almost like a memory I couldn’t shake.
A couple of months later, I saw her again. It was at her sister’s engagement party. I wasn’t big on social gatherings, but I made an exception that night. Deep down, I think I was just hoping to catch a glimpse of her again. I got to watch her perform, and she completely stole the show. I couldn’t wait to talk to her.
When I saw her standing alone at the bar, I finally decided to make my move. But just as I was about to walk over, I noticed a couple of other guys starting to approach her too. I stopped, sighed and smiled to myself. Maybe this wasn’t the time for us. Still, I couldn’t let her go completely—her face stayed with me, somewhere in the back of my mind.
Life moved on, and a few years passed. Then 3 years ago, everything changed. I wanted to run the F&B at a new Hyatt we acquired on Wall Street. It was just another day on the job—until she walked through the front doors. I didn’t know this at the time, but she was there to be the head of the guest services department. Seeing her again after all those years felt shocking. Almost like fate was giving me another shot.
I couldn’t believe it. She didn’t remember me but how could I forget her? The same face, the same smile. And now, here she was, standing right in front of me. It felt surreal—almost like time folded in on itself, bringing her back into my life.
As we started working together and got to know each other, I found out she was dating someone. Of course, she is, I thought to myself. But then another thought followed: Not for long. I couldn’t help it—there was something about her that drew me in. We spent a lot of time together at work, and little by little, she began opening up to me. She talked about how she wasn’t sure if New York City was right for her, how she felt too gentle, too “small” for a city this big. I couldn’t have disagreed more.
I saw so much in her that she couldn’t see in herself. I wanted to show her that New York wasn’t too big for her—she just hadn’t realized how much she belonged here yet. She was shy, but I knew if I could help her step out of her shell, she’d see how amazing this city was for her.
Those next few months weren’t easy for me. I had all these feelings for her but couldn’t act on them—she was still dating someone, and I wasn’t about to cross that line. There were so many times I just wanted to hold her hand, & tell her that she was meant to be mine. I wanted to be her safe place so badly. So, I stayed close. Whatever she needed, whatever she wanted, I was there. I just kept telling myself to trust the timing of it all. If it was meant to happen, it would.
Five months later, I found out she was single again. I won’t lie—those days were bittersweet when I look back. It was hard keeping my feelings bottled up for so long, however, those months of being close to her had built something so strong. What we had wasn’t rushed or superficial. It was built on time, trust, effort, and friendship—the kind of connection I knew could turn into something real.
