Hello lovely people of the ikkimall's community!
Sending you all the warmest sunshine and biggest virtual hugs from my little corner of the world! I hope this week is unfolding gently for you, filled with moments of peace and maybe even a little bit of unexpected magic. ✨
Today, I wanted to share something a little different, something personal and honestly, quite wonderfully bizarre that happened to me – not once, but twice! It’s a story (or rather, two little stories rolled into one) that still makes me grin and shake my head in affectionate disbelief whenever I think about it.
It’s all about… doppelgängers!
[circa end 2019; found a little fella - special green beetles!]
Have you ever heard that old saying, or maybe it’s more of a folklore whisper, that each of us has about seven people walking this Earth who look uncannily like us? Seven "twins" scattered across the globe! For the longest time, I thought it was just a fun, imaginative idea, like fairies at the bottom of the garden or talking animals in enchanted forests. Something lovely to ponder, but not exactly real life, right?
(Cue the slightly spooky, mostly delightful music!) 🎶
My first encounter happened way back when I was just a little sprout, probably around 10 years old. Like many kids, I had after-school tuition to help keep my studies on track. My tuition teacher was this absolutely wonderful woman, a truly lovely Indian lady with the kindest eyes and the most patient heart. She made learning feel less like a chore and more like an adventure. I adored her.
One afternoon, while we were going over some tricky math problems (maths and I had a complicated relationship back then! Thankfully for now, not anymore as science and math; both are my majors, yay!), she paused, looked at me with a thoughtful little smile, and said something completely out of the blue.
"You know, ikki," she began, her voice gentle, "I have a little niece. She's about six years old. And it's the strangest thing... she looks so much like you!"
I remember blinking, probably looking utterly confused. Me? Look like her niece? I was a mix of Sino-Kadazan heritage, and her family was Indian. In my 10-year-old mind, that felt like worlds apart! How could we possibly look alike? I probably mumbled something polite but skeptical, maybe a little giggle escaped, and we went back to the fractions or whatever mathematical mountain we were climbing that day.
But my teacher mentioned it again a few times over the following weeks. "My sister brought my niece over the weekend, and honestly, ikki, the resemblance is striking!" she'd say, shaking her head with a warm laugh. My curiosity was officially piqued. Who was this little girl who apparently shared my face?
Then came the day. My teacher asked if it was okay for her sister to bring her niece along to the tuition centre for a little while one afternoon. Of course, I said yes, buzzing with a strange mix of excitement and nervousness.
When they walked in, my jaw just… dropped. Flabbergasted is the perfect word. There, holding her mum’s hand, was this adorable little girl, about six years old as promised. And my teacher hadn't been exaggerating. Not one bit.
It was like looking into a slightly younger, differently coloured mirror. The shape of her eyes, the curve of her smile, even the way her cheeks puffed up when she grinned… it was me. But it also wasn’t. She had beautiful, deep brown skin, darker hair, and features that clearly spoke of her Indian heritage. Yet, the underlying structure, the essence of her little face, was startlingly familiar. It was the most peculiar and heartwarming feeling.
She was a little shy at first, peeking out from behind her mum’s legs. But my teacher coaxed her forward. Overcoming my own surprise, I knelt down and smiled. Something just clicked. Maybe it was the shared confusion, the unspoken recognition of something familiar in each other's faces.
Without really thinking, I opened my arms, and this sweet little girl just tumbled into my hug. I scooped her up – she was so light! – and settled her onto my lap. And then, the magic happened. She started giggling. Not just a little chuckle, but full-blown, infectious giggles that shook her tiny shoulders. It bubbled up from her toes and filled the room with pure, absolute joy. Her laughter was so contagious, I couldn’t help but laugh along with her, hugging her tight.
In that moment, the differences in our ages, our backgrounds, our races… they all just melted away. There was just this pure, innocent connection, this shared spark of recognition, wrapped up in laughter and a spontaneous hug. It was one of the sweetest, most unexpectedly profound moments of my childhood. We didn't look exactly identical, of course, but the resemblance was strong enough to feel like a little wink from the universe. A reminder that connection can be found in the most surprising of places.
I never forgot that little girl and her infectious giggle. It became a treasured memory, a little pocket of wonder I carried with me.
(Fast forward a few years… cue university life montage!) 🎓✈️
Life moves on, doesn't it?
Childhood fades into teenage years, and suddenly, I found myself in university, navigating lectures, assignments, and the exciting world of higher education. I was chosen to represent my university at an academic event and symposium – all the way in Tokyo, Japan! Talk about exciting! I was buzzing with anticipation, a little bit nervous, but mostly thrilled for the opportunity.
The event itself was fantastic – engaging discussions, brilliant minds, and the incredible energy of Tokyo pulsing around us. After a particularly intense session, my colleagues and I decided to grab a much-needed break and some food at one of the bustling restaurants inside Haneda Airport before catching our next connection or heading to our accommodation (my memory's a little fuzzy on the exact logistics, but definitely Haneda!).
We found a table, ordered some delicious Japanese food (Ramen? Sushi? Tempura? It was all amazing!), and started chatting, decompressing from the symposium. I was probably mid-sentence, maybe gesturing enthusiastically about something I’d learned, when my eyes drifted across the restaurant.
And then I froze. Utterly, completely, fork-hovering-mid-air froze. 😉
Sitting a few tables away was… well, me.
But not me, obviously. This was a young woman, likely Japanese, looking around my age. And here’s the kicker, the part that tipped it from ‘Oh, she kinda looks like me’ into ‘Hold on, is the universe playing a prank?!’:
She had the exact same haircut as me at the time – a kind of choppy bob with bangs.
And she was wearing the same style of glasses! Not just similar, but the same quirky, slightly oversized frames I favoured!
It was hilarious and shocking all at once. My colleagues followed my stunned gaze, and their eyes widened too. "ikki...?" one of them whispered, "Is that your long-lost twin?"
We were all staring, probably quite obviously (oops!). The girl must have felt our collective gaze because she looked over. Our eyes met.
There was this split second of mutual disbelief. Her eyes widened behind her identical glasses. A mirror image, but with gracefully distinct Japanese features. Then, the surprise melted into amusement on both our faces. A slow smile spread across her lips, and I couldn’t help but grin back, probably blushing furiously.
Okay, deep breaths, ikki! This was too uncanny to ignore. Fueled by a mix of jet lag, symposium adrenaline, and sheer, unadulterated curiosity (and maybe a little nudge from my amused colleagues!), I decided to approach her.
Walking over felt surreal. "Excuse me," I started, probably sounding a little breathless. "This is going to sound incredibly strange, but… have you ever been told you look like someone…?" I gestured vaguely between us, pointing at my hair and glasses, feeling slightly ridiculous but also incredibly intrigued.
She laughed, a bright, lovely sound. "Yes! I was just thinking the same thing about you!" she replied in excellent English. "It's quite startling, isn't it?"
And just like that, the ice was broken. We introduced ourselves (I wish I could remember her name now, isn't that terrible? It got lost in the whirlwind!), marvelling at the coincidence. Same age bracket, same taste in haircuts and eyewear, meeting randomly in a busy airport restaurant in Tokyo!😂!
We ended up chatting for quite a while. My colleagues joined in, fascinated by the encounter. We talked about the symposium (she wasn't attending, just travelling), our studies, Japan, Malaysia, hairstyles, glasses prescriptions – you name it! It was just… easy. Comfortable. Like chatting with an old friend you’ve somehow only just met.
It wasn't just the physical resemblance; there was a combined energy, a similar vibe that made the conversation flow effortlessly. It felt like another little nudge from the universe, a spark of connection across cultures and continents, brought together by a similar haircut, body type, questionable fashion choices and a love for quirky glasses.
As we parted ways, there was this wonderful feeling of collective amusement and warmth. It wasn't just a funny coincidence; it felt like a genuinely wholesome moment, a tiny piece of human connection that brightened an already exciting trip.
And yes, as I wrote in my notes back then, the rest became a lovely history – a cherished memory, a story I love to tell, what a delightful randomness of life! 😝
So, there you have it.
My two encounters with my apparent doppelgängers. One, a sweet little girl who shared my smile across racial lines, reminding me of childhood innocence and pure connection. The other, a stylish young woman across the globe who shared my haircut and specs, reminding me that connection can spark anywhere, anytime, even in a bustling airport restaurant.
Finding two out of the supposed seven… it really makes you think, doesn't it? It fills me with such a sense of wonder about the vast, intricate medley of humanity. Are there really five more people out there who share my face, living completely different lives in corners of the world I may never see? It’s a thought that’s both mind-boggling and strangely comforting.
And now, I turn the question over to you, my wonderful people! ❤️
Have you ever had a doppelgänger encounter?
Have you ever stopped dead in your tracks because you saw someone who looked uncannily like you? Or has someone ever approached you, wide-eyed, insisting you look exactly like their friend, cousin, or even themselves? Maybe you've seen a photo online or in a history book that made you do a double-take?
I am so genuinely curious to hear your stories! These moments are so unique and often quite funny or heartwarming. If you feel like sharing your own brush with a lookalike, please, please do! You can share with me; send me a Direct Message (DM) on Etsy or via Ko-fi, or even pop me an email! I would absolutely love to read about your experiences. Let's share these little moments of universal correlation!
No pressure at all, of course, only if you feel comfortable sharing! 😊
Thank you for letting me share my little slice of bizarre and stunning history with you all today. It felt stellar reminiscing and putting these memories into words.
I truly hope the rest of your week is absolutely fantastic.
Please make sure to take time for yourselves, find moments to breathe, and get enough rest. You deserve it! Sending you all oceans of positive vibes and cheerful thoughts.