An Instagram Love Story of Jaclyn Forero and Chandan

 An Instagram Love Story of Jaclyn Forero and Chandan

In a world ruled by swipes, likes, and reels, where love often begins with a double-tap, a story unfolded that defied borders, culture, and even language. Jaclyn Forero and Chandan weren’t supposed to meet. She lived in the bustling cityscape of New York, with its yellow taxis, early morning coffee runs, and subway rides filled with dreams. Chandan, on the other hand, was rooted in the heart of India—where the mornings began with temple bells and evenings glowed with the aroma of masala chai.

Their lives couldn’t have been more different. Yet, fate had something else in mind.

It all started with a photo.

Jaclyn was a freelance photographer and digital content creator. She had built a niche for herself capturing intimate, aesthetic portraits and moody travel reels. One chilly afternoon in Brooklyn, she posted a candid shot of a sunset reflecting off a rain-soaked street. The caption read, "Even the darkest clouds have golden hours."

Chandan, a quiet, introverted engineer from Pune, stumbled upon her photo through a shared photography hashtag. He had been dabbling in mobile photography, often capturing the serenity of local life—rickshaws, ancient alleys, kids playing cricket. That particular day, he had searched for inspiration when Jaclyn’s post appeared.

He liked it.

Then he scrolled.

And he liked another.

And another.

Jaclyn noticed. She clicked on the unfamiliar handle: @ChandanShoots. His feed was modest, filled with street photos, chai glasses on dusty tables, sunrises through mango trees. There was something pure, almost poetic, about it. She followed back—not thinking too much about it.

The first message came a day later.

Chandan: “Your shots have soul. Especially the sunset in Brooklyn. India would look good through your lens.”

She replied, casually, but kindly.

Jaclyn: “Thanks! I’d love to visit India one day. Your photos are so raw. I like that.”

That was the spark.

Days turned into weeks. The conversations grew deeper. From photography tips to life philosophies, from comparing sunsets in India and NYC to discussing favorite books and movies, their chats became part of their routine.

Time zones became irrelevant. Jaclyn would wake up to long messages from Chandan—thoughtful reflections about her recent posts, or a photo he took that reminded him of something they’d talked about. In turn, she began sending him snippets of her day: a street saxophonist in Harlem, a lonely coffee cup on a bench, or sometimes, just her smiling face with a “thinking of you” sticker.

Their digital bond soon turned emotional.

Instagram DMs turned to late-night video calls. Stories tagged became moments shared. One day, Chandan posted a photo of an old typewriter with the words: “If I could write to the stars, I’d ask them to bring you here.” Jaclyn reposted it with the caption: “Maybe they already are.”

By now, their followers noticed too. Friends began messaging Jaclyn asking who this “Chandan” was, and Chandan’s family teased him every time Jaclyn commented on his posts with a heart emoji.

Still, neither had said it.

Love lingered in unsaid words and stolen smiles, but neither dared to admit that a simple app had become their bridge to something much more profound.

Until December came.

Jaclyn was offered a freelance photography opportunity to shoot a destination wedding in Goa, India. It was perfect. It was serendipity.

She messaged Chandan, heart racing.

Jaclyn: “Guess who’s coming to India next month?”

Chandan didn’t reply right away. But when he did, it was with a selfie—him holding a handwritten sign: "Finally."

They decided to meet in Mumbai, two days before her assignment began.

Jaclyn’s heart pounded as she exited the airport. She wore a mustard scarf he had once said brought out her eyes. Chandan stood awkwardly near the arrivals gate, holding a bouquet of marigolds, nervously checking his phone and fixing his hair.

When their eyes met, everything around them faded. No filters, no hashtags, no captions—just raw, unscripted connection.

He smiled first. She ran into his arms.

They spent three magical days exploring Mumbai together. From sipping sugarcane juice on Marine Drive to dancing in the rain in Bandra, it felt like living inside the Instagram grid—but better. Real.

Chandan took a candid of her looking out over the Gateway of India at sunset. He posted it with the caption: “Some stories don’t need filters.”

Jaclyn reposted it, tagging him with one word: “Ours.”

The wedding shoot went great, but it was just a backdrop to her real experience—falling in love with the boy who once liked her sunset post.

Before returning to New York, they sat under the stars on a rooftop café in Goa. Chandan gave her a hand-stitched journal.

On the first page, he had written:

“This started with a like. But you’ve become the story I never knew I was writing.”

She looked at him, tears in her eyes, and finally said the words neither of them had dared to before.

“I love you, Chandan.”

He smiled. “I think I’ve loved you since your second photo.”

The long-distance wasn’t easy. But they made it work—with daily calls, handwritten letters, surprise courier packages, and once-a-year reunions. Their Instagram followers began rooting for them, tagging #Jacdan (a hashtag their friends coined) every time they posted together.

Two years later, on a trip to the Himalayas, Chandan proposed—holding up a camera instead of a ring. When she looked into the lens, the viewfinder displayed a note: “Will you be the co-star in every story I capture?”

She said yes, of course.

Today, they travel the world as a duo—Jaclyn behind the lens, Chandan scripting their stories. Their Instagram is more than a curated feed; it’s a living diary of their love. Proof that in the most digital of spaces, the most analog of feelings can bloom.

Because sometimes, a like isn’t just a like.

Sometimes, it’s destiny.