About Unwritten

The day Julian proposed is still fresh in my mind, maybe because I’ve rewatched the video countless times. He had secretly propped his iPhone 11 in the corner of the balcony to record it, but the quality was so bad I had to edit it just to make out our faces.

The engagement wasn’t a surprise. From the start of our relationship, we talked about the future.. family, how many kids we wanted, where we might live, our ambitions, and, naturally, the idea of getting married.

We met on a dating app. At the time, I wasn’t ready for anything serious.. just looking for companionship and, if I was lucky, maybe something more. Honestly, Julian came across a little cocky at first, and I debated whether I should even meet him. I ended up casually mentioning the date to the intern in my department. He asked for Julian’s full name, ran a full OSINT (open source intelligence) search, and came back grinning, “He’s worth meeting.”

One meet-up became two, and during our second date we were already talking about going on holiday together to Labuan Bajo. Not long after, we became an item and eventually moved in together. I’ve always believed that if you see a future with someone, living together is the best way to truly know them.

In over two years of dating, we’ve never had a single argument. The closest was a surprisingly passionate debate over what temperature to use for laundry. In many ways, Julian feels like the male version of me. We’re both second-borns in families with two sisters and one brother, shaped by similar dynamics. We share the same curiosity to see the world, whether it’s getting lost in backstreets or hiking somewhere remote. When it comes to money, while we’re earning above average incomes but still choose to spend thoughtfully, always valuing experiences over things. That’s why we’ve backpacked through India and, in the same breath, flown home in first class. And we keep the quirks that make us ours, like the tradition of going to McDonald’s every Valentine’s Day.

The proposal was simple and just the way I like it. And saying yes was one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever made. Now, I’m in the midst of planning our solemnisation, excited for what comes next and grateful that I get to spend the rest of my life with my best friend.