Smitten Man Marries 21-Years-Older Wife — His High School Classmate’s Mom

A couple with a 21-year age gap shared their love story on the Japanese variety show, Welcome, Newlyweds! The happy couple, who hail from Shizuoka, Japan, got married over a decade after their first encounter…at a parent-teacher meeting.

The man is 32 years old, while his wife–the mother of his ex-classmate–is 53. Their first encounter at the parent-teacher meeting was brief and nothing out of the ordinary, but things changed when they bumped into each other over ten years later. The man, who was immediately smitten, asked her out on a dinner date through her daughter, his former schoolmate.

“I fell in love with you at first sight,” he told the woman while they were sharing a meal on their first date. “Please go out with me!” Unfortunately for him, his confession was met with rejection. Even so, he continued to ask her out on dates daily for an entire month.

At the time, she was fresh out of a divorce. Although she initially rejected him, her feelings gradually began to change as he expressed his steadfast affection for her in small ways. For example, after she mentioned offhand that she loves illuminations (light displays that are popular in Japan), he took her to forty different displays.

Although she had grown fond of him, she rejected him once again after their 30th date. She was worried about being judged by society, and what would her daughter think? Though the situation was unconventional, her daughter gave her blessing.

If I’m the obstacle, don’t worry about me. Just think about your own happiness, Mom.

— Daughter’s text message

The woman’s parents, on the other hand…They weren’t too happy when she told them about her younger beau–in fact, they were furious–but he knew just how to convince them: with cash. To prove that he was serious about marrying the woman, he bought a marital home worth 38M yen (approximately $260,000 USD). After her parents gave their blessing, the couple married, and the rest is history!