Their first date was in the West Village in September 2020. Nika wore a mask. Misha was 40 minutes late. Once he arrived, he wasted no time. Wearing an illegible expression, he fired off his favorite interview questions. “What do people most often get wrong about you?” “What are you most proud of and why?”

Nika had virtually no idea how she was doing, but at the very least, she was on the hunt for a job at the time and appreciated the practice. As he walked her to her Uber later that night, Misha asked another question. “Can I kiss you?” Nika was surprised but welcomed this turn of events.

For months, the welcome surprises continued through dozens of interview rounds as they got to know each other. Nika made Misha Zharkoye, and Misha made Nika listen to house music. They ate hoagies in Princeton, sauna’d in Williamsburg, and co-worked from Airbnbs all over the city.

It was not much time at all before each had discovered something extraordinary in the other person that they hadn't known before. With Misha, Nika felt a calm like she’d never experienced. She felt protected, understood, and a sudden, confusing urge to do things she'd never even considered, like sleeping in a tent. Misha recognized in Nika a depth of character he’d never seen. She was an endless spring of spontaneity, with strong opinions balanced by an open mind, and a proficiency in Gen-Z lingo that both perplexed and impressed him. They were starting to feel at home together.