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Old school buddies engineer a never-ending love story

For almost a decade, high school friends Kaka Cheng and Ray Kwan went their different ways. They reconnected at a friend's party and picked up more than just teenage memories.

'The minute I saw him, I was hit by a strange feeling,' Kaka said. 'It was like magic. After so many years, I met him again at the right time and in the right place.'

Kaka, a stage actress, and Ray, an engineer, wed on March 20 at Eden Marriage Registry in Kowloon Tong. They celebrated with 130 guests.

Although they grew up in the same neighbourhood and went to the same school, they had not been close. But that changed in 2008, when they were both invited to a party to celebrate the birth of a mutual friend's baby.

'We were both single again after recovering from a previous relationship. We were ready to move on and make serious decisions about our lives,' Kaka recalled.

They chatted at the party and discovered that they lived and worked close to each other, and decided to go out for dinner. After a couple of dates, they were ready to take their relationship to another level.

'I seriously wondered how I could have missed such a great guy before,' Kaka said.

They held hands for the first time while hanging out in the busy streets of Mong Kok.

'It all came so naturally,' Kaka said. 'It's interesting how quickly we picked up on things because we came from similar backgrounds. We had so many things in common to talk about.'

Although she is interested in performing and the arts, and he likes engineering and architecture, they complement each other.

'I think it's actually good that we are in two completely different fields,' Kaka said. 'That means we won't compete or have conflicts of interest. We are both very open-minded. I find it interesting to learn more about his trade, and vice versa.'

Kaka knew Ray was her Mr Right early on. 'Actually, the second day we dated he talked to me about marriage, which freaked me out a little,' Kaka said, laughing. 'I'm not very good at planning, but he always gives me this sense of security that no matter what happens, he'll always be there for me.'

As an actress, Kaka's schedule is irregular and she can only get two to three hours' sleep during her busy season. 'He takes very good care of me. He would travel all the way across the harbour just to see me and have dinner with me,' she said.

During a trip to Taiwan in September last year, Ray popped the question. 'I was almost asleep when he took out a fluffy toy and a ring,' Kaka recalled. She couldn't stop crying and covered herself with a quilt before saying 'yes'. 'Those were tears of joy,' she said.

Ray proposed again on their wedding day, in front of all their guests. 'I once joked that he had been too casual when he proposed and that he should do it again. I couldn't believe he'd really heard what I said.'

On their big day, Ray turned up with 999 roses, got down on one knee and asked Kaka to be his.

Kaka believes Ray is her perfect life partner. 'I don't know what would have happened if I hadn't met him,' she said. 'He brings great balance to my life. I'm the impulsive type and he's supportive and also gives me constructive advice. He knows not to push me but just give me a nudge from time to time, which works perfectly for me.'

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