The Wider Image: Arranged marriage to Facebook: what's your love story?
Haidar Ali Moracho, 20, and Coral Ibanez Blanco, 23, pose for a picture at the Moor's Field garden (Campo del Moro) in Madrid, Spain, February 7, 2018. Haidar, a transgender young man who's in his second year of Asian and African Studies at Madrid's Autonoma University and Coral, currently looking for a job, have been dating for seven years. "A friend of mine told me there was a girl who liked Dragon Ball's Vegeta character and wanted to become a boy. She put us in touch virtually and we spent the following year video calling each other before we were able to meet in person in Madrid," said Coral. "I wanted to kiss her so badly, but her friend's parents were with us and I refrained myself," said Haidar. "We had to wait a few more months before I was invited to his house and we kissed in his bedroom for the first time, but his family didn't approve of us at first and we spent the following five years seeing each other secretly during Japan Weekend fairs," said Coral. "It was very hard. There were times I thought it would be less painful if we broke up, but I couldn't. Together until death do us part," said Haidar. "We have gone through a lot of difficult times, but now we feel like we can face anything and anyone, no one can bring us down," said Coral. They are both Spanish history buffs and enjoy spending time together at the Moor's Field gardens beneath the Royal Palace. "This place is very meaningful to us because here we feel free," said Coral. REUTERS/Susana Vera SEARCH "GLOBAL LOVE" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.
