Mike Ross never believed in love at first message. As a freelance graphic designer living in New York City, his world revolved around deadlines, black coffee, and his quiet little apartment that overlooked a noisy street. Love, for him, was a blurry concept—something always happening to someone else.
One quiet Friday night, while casually scrolling through a photography group on Instagram, Mike noticed a comment beneath a sunset photo he posted.
"The colors in this photo feel like a poem." — @s.hernandez_art
Intrigued, he clicked the profile. Sarah Hernandez—an artist from Seville, Spain. Her page was filled with dreamy watercolor paintings and candid photos of Spanish streets. There was something tender in her art… something honest.
He replied.
"Coming from an artist like you, that means a lot."
She responded quickly.
"Art speaks, doesn't it?"
That night, they messaged for hours. The ocean between them seemed to shrink with every sentence. They joked, shared playlists, and talked about everything from art to what they'd eat if they were on the same continent. She liked olives. He hated them. She danced flamenco as a child. He'd never danced in his life.
It became a ritual.
Morning coffee for Mike, midnight tea for Sarah.
Texting through different timezones.
Voice notes, laughter, shy photos, and whispered "goodnights."
Mike began to look forward to messages more than meals.
Sarah admitted she smiled whenever she saw his name pop up.
One evening, Sarah said softly through a video call, "You know what's crazy? I don't even know how this started."
Mike smiled, eyes crinkling. "Online… out of nowhere."
But to them, it no longer felt like nowhere.
It felt like home.