The rivalry of two friends, bonded by their passion for gaming, eventually blossomed into a fated love story. They’re both competitive, as Bride-to-be Nikka describes, but it’s a sense of competition that complements one another. They have a dynamic that undoubtedly tells you, you’ve found your match. And with that clarity, Nikka found the confidence to propose right back to her now-fiancé!

We had the privilege of listening to Nikka’s proposal story, and now we have the honor of sharing it with you!

“When we started dating, he kind of joked about proposing. He said I’m gonna use a master ball so that you can’t say no because like in Pokemon when you use a master ball it automatically catches the Pokemon without the chance of getting free,” Nikka shares.

Their anniversary falls on Christmas Day, December 25. Smith, not usually a date planner, suddenly invites Nikka out for dinner at a newly opened steak restaurant on Christmas Eve. Instinct tells Nikka this is something unusual, but she dismisses the idea of a proposal because of Smith’s casual attitude. “He knows I have family gatherings on December 24. He said if you want to reschedule, it’s fine. If he’s that casual about it, he’s probably not going to propose, right?” Nikka says.

The dinner date pushes through, and despite brushing off the idea, Nikka is still silently anticipating a proposal. “Surprisingly, the night was very normal. It was literally a steak dinner only. Then, he dropped me off at my family gathering.”

The rest of the night passes normally without anything suspicious but only up until Nikka returns home to the condo unit she shares with Smith. She enters their unit and sees him kneeling. Misdirection #1. “It still wasn’t the proposal,” she says. He was just holding their cat ala Lion King while kneeling. “I ask him why he’s kneeling there,” says Nikka.

Then, Smith suddenly reveals that the engagement ring has been right under Nikka’s nose all along. True to being gamers, he sends Nikka off on a treasure hunt around their condo unit to locate the engagement ring.

Nikka spots the Pokemon Master Ball perched on top of their Christmas tree. She reaches for it and opens the Master Ball. Misdirection #2. “It’s not there,” Nikka says. So, she continues her search and then spots a ring box on one of their display cases. Misdirection #3. “I opened it and it’s not there as well,” Nikka says again.

Then a thought occurs to her, “We’re Dungeons and Dragons players. He gave me a D&D ring set and we have it displayed,” Nikka explains. “I told him it would be funny if you change one of the rings and hide it there.”

Lo and behold. Nikka’s engagement ring has been resting in that D&D ring box set all along.

“It has been there for over a month!” She exclaims.

At last she hands the ring to Smith. He kneels down, calls Nikka by her full name, and finally asks “will you marry me?”

“We were giggling the whole time like little kids,” Nikka fondly recalls. Then, it was Nikka’s turn to pull her own surprise. “But wait there’s more…” she tells Smith.

“My bag never left my side. The ring was with me the entire time.” As it turns out, Nikka had also been ready to propose back to Smith with a carbon fiber ring – inspired by Smith’s passion for Formula 1 racing – which she had custom-made and delivered from the US. I ask Nikka how long she had been holding onto Smith’s ring and she says, “four months.” The ring has always been with her just in case the day comes when Smith proposes, because that’s her cue to propose to him, too!

She tells her fiancé, “You’re not the only one proposing tonight.” She presents him a Pokeball and there inside is his engagement ring.

“We kind of did the same thing. I called him by his full name and asked, ‘Will you also marry me?’” But then she pauses. “I did ask ‘Will you?’” And then with calm, confident clarity she says instead, “You know what? You will marry me.”

While scrolling through social media, Nikka stumbled on a post about a Singaporean woman proposing to her boyfriend. “I’m still conservative, so I don’t want to propose first. But I always thought guys are so unlucky they don’t have something when they get engaged. So, I said, let’s do that. When he proposes, I’ll also give him an engagement ring,” she shares.

Nikka’s Mom, at first, expresses concern about her idea of proposing and asks if Smith would be offended. How would a man perceive a proposal from a woman? Would it feel like she was stealing his thunder? For Nikka, this is not a problem at all, “I know him so well. I know he wouldn’t take it offensively.”

Nikka believes when you’re in a relationship there has to be mutual respect. You should never feel limited by who you’re with. “There are some guys, when you’re with them, you have to tone down your shine,” Nikka says. “I’m glad I met someone who is very supportive. I was empowered. If it wasn’t him, I probably wouldn’t have thought of proposing.”

Recognizing and respecting each other’s individuality is a core value in Nikka and Smith’s relationship. “We played Dungeons and Dragons together for so long that we’ve built respect,” Nikka says. “When I got to know him, I felt like we were able to at least bridge a lot of our differences and admire each other’s strengths.”

Life experiences and past relationships have shown them how to accept each other’s flaws and willingly empathize with one another when conflicts arise. But before you can even begin to embrace your partner’s quirks, for Nikka, it’s important to establish stability and healing within yourself. “Most important is to be happy within yourself first. Then, you can look at your partner with clearer eyes. You can fully appreciate your partner and how they would be when you mix your lives together.”

With that unwavering faith, clarity, and deep understanding of Smith and their relationship, it was an easy decision for Nikka to propose right back. After all, the right person for you will always say yes to the love you offer.

Ultimately, a proposal is an act of love and a promise of commitment. It’s not just about tradition. Nikka and Smith also show us what matters is having faith and pride in your own love story and how you choose to commit to your person.