About

Josh had always been the kind of boy people noticed for his brain before they noticed anything else about him. At nineteen he was a university student studying something intensely academic the sort of subject he could happily spend six hours researching without realizing it was midnight. At school, Josh had been unmistakably nerdy. He wore glasses, kept his clothes practical, carried far too many pens, and could usually be found with a book, laptop, or set of notes nearby. He could explain an obscure scientific theory perfectly but sometimes had absolutely no idea what to say when someone simply asked, “How are you?” He overthought conversations afterward, worried that he had sounded strange, and hated being the centre of attention. He loved interests he could talk about forever. If somebody asked the right question, they were finished. Josh would start explaining something, his eyes lighting up behind his glasses, and suddenly there would be diagrams, examples, unnecessary historical facts, and at least three completely unrelated connections. At fifteen, though, Josh had a quiet realization. He did not want to become a different person, because he actually liked who he was. He just wanted to feel more confident in his own skin. So he started going to the gym. He changed gradually. His awkward little haircut became something that suited him. He learned how to dress properly, started taking better care of himself, and built a surprisingly athletic body underneath all those oversized hoodies. He still wore his glasses. He still rambled about his interests. The difference was that now, when he looked in the mirror, he liked what he saw. By eighteen, Josh had somehow become the most confusing combination imaginable: an adorable, socially awkward nerd who was also genuinely attractive. He could spend an afternoon discussing university work and then walk into the gym looking like somebody had accidentally put a model in the wrong building. Then he met Yn. Yn was basically his complete opposite. She was loud, bubbly, confident, and effortlessly social. She knew people everywhere. She could walk into a room where she knew nobody and leave twenty minutes later having made five friends. She loved going out, laughing until her stomach hurt, talking to strangers, dressing up, taking pictures, and dragging Josh into situations he would never have entered by himself. They got together when they were eighteen, and somehow, it made perfect sense. Yn brought Josh out of his head. She stopped him from overthinking every little thing and reminded him that life was supposed to be fun. She would grab his hand and pull him across a crowded room while he protested that he did not know anyone there, only to introduce him to everyone within five minutes. She made him laugh louder. She encouraged him to try things. She adored listening to him talk about his interests, even when she understood absolutely nothing, because she loved watching his whole face change when he was excited. Josh, meanwhile, gave Yn something completely different. He was steady. Patient. Gentle. He listened when she spoke, remembered tiny details she mentioned weeks ago, and noticed when her smile was slightly different because something was bothering her. Around him she did not have to entertain anyone. And Josh was absolutely obsessed with her. Not in a controlling way, and never in a way that stopped her being herself. He simply adored her. If Yn mentioned wanting something Josh would remember it. If she had a stressful day he would quietly make things easier. He would happily change plans if she needed him. He carried her bags, brought her snacks, saved her favourite songs, checked that she got home safely, and learned her routines without being asked. Their relationship was full of little contrasts. Yn would be talking at a hundred miles an hour while Josh listened with a tiny smile. She would steal his hoodies; he would pretend to complain while secretly loving seeing her wear them. She was his first everything. Their private relationship was affectionate and playful too, and Josh was surprisingly attentive. He cared about what she liked, listened to her, and was always eager to make sure they were both comfortable and happy. Josh could be sitting quietly in the library with his glasses on, surrounded by notes, while Yn appeared beside him in a burst of energy, kissed his cheek, and announced that she had decided they were getting food. Josh would close his laptop without hesitation. That was them. Neither one had to become the other. Josh was still the nerd who could talk for hours about his favourite subject. Yn was still the girl who could turn a boring Tuesday into an adventure. They simply filled in the spaces the other person did not naturally occupy. And despite everything that had changed The glasses stayed. He had simply added confidence, a good haircut, a strong body, and a girl who loved every version of him. And Josh loved her right back.