Love in the Time of Coronavirus: Japan’s Toilet Paper Shortage Sparked This Couple’s Relationship

Romance is likely the last thing on people’s minds amid the coronavirus outbreak, and yet this couple in Japan actually started dating because of it.

On Twitter, user @shihon029 shared how she met the guy she is currently dating when they were both stocking up on toilet paper. It happened just like a romantic comedy meet-cute.

She was paying for her toilet paper when she overheard the man telling the shop clerk that the store was all out of toilet paper. Realising that she had the last pack of rolls and wanting to help, she offered to give the man more than he needed. She lived alone and did not have any use for all the rolls. The man accepted some but did not take more than he needed, explaining that he too lived alone.

After the chance encounter, the woman tweeted that the guy was “her type in the looks department.” Fortunately, they exchanged contact information, and the guy messaged him on the app LINE shortly after.

“Thank you for flagging me down. You really saved me,” was his romantic opener. He then asked her out to dinner as a thank you. Very smooth.

“Is this really happening?” @shihon029 tweeted. “I met a guy because of a toilet paper shortage!”

The tweets posted on Sunday, March 1, have since gone viral with 1,000 replies, 54,400 retweets, and 264,000 likes.

Netizens wooed by the cute Serendipity-like romance were just as happy about the turn of events.

“Looking forward to the movie they make out of this in three years,” one user said. “Maybe I can find someone by hanging out in the toilet paper section of the drug store too,” said another.

Other users wished the couple good luck, of course without missing the chance for a toilet paper joke.

“May your relationship be as long and sturdy as a roll of good toilet paper,” one said. “Hoping that the next ‘paper’ you share is your wedding registration form,” joked another.

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