1Q84

A 10-year old girl is shunned by her classmates due to her religious practices. A popular boy briefly holds her hand without letting others see. Then they don't see each other for two decades. The two go on with their lives, but still have a secret place in their hearts for that relationship. Finally, after they meet each other and launch on the relationship they always wish they had.

This simple "love story" goes on for over 40 hours, so there is a lot more to it. The girl goes on to be a fitness instructor and an assassin. The boy does well academically and athletically in school, but then fades after school ends. He is now teaching at a cram school. They are both connected through a strange cult. (She is engaged to assassinate the leader. He helps ghost write a fantasy novel about the "little people" and the religion with the daughter of the leader. They end up leaving the "real" world and entering a another world with two moons. Bad guys are chasing them. People have "safe" sexual relationships and don't have kids. However, the girl does get pregnant without sex.

A safety exit on an expressway ends up being a portal to the "alternate" version of 1984. This world is very close to the "normal" world. Only a limited number of people actually know that they are in this "alternate" universe. Most people are just going along with their normal life. This different universe (and the discovery of it) is a key part of the plot, yet it is not crucial to the novel. The differences are subtle. The "air chrysalis" story is "real" in the alternate universe, yet it is not critical for most. The story is discussed in significant detail, yet it may be interesting to actually see it.