By Ella Lowry
Let’s cut to the chase: it was always Conrad.
From the very first episode (or page), he’s the one Belly looked at differently. The one with the complicated eyes, the unresolved tension, the deep thoughts hidden behind his distance. While Jeremiah may be all sunshine, dance parties, and open affection, Conrad is a storm you want to chase. And for some reason, that just means more.
Sure, Jeremiah is sweet, fun, and emotionally available—but sometimes, love isn’t about what’s easy. It’s about what’s real. And Conrad, for all his flaws, feels real. He’s grieving, growing, and guarding his heart in the only way he knows how. He doesn’t throw love around casually. When Conrad loves, he aches with it—and that’s exactly what makes him unforgettable.
Because Conrad Fisher doesn’t just fall in love—he yearns.And in the age of instant gratification and emotionally loud characters, yearning feels rare. Romantic. Even… cinematic. Yes, he wants to become a doctor but Conrad has a serious degree in yearnalism. If there is anything TSITP season 3 has taught me, it is: Bring back men who yearn.Men who carry their feelings quietly, who love deeply but don’t always say it out loud. Men like Conrad—whose yearning isn’t just a plot device, but a powerful force that shapes every look, every pause, every choice he makes.
(and not to mention FALSE GOD played in this scene ahhh I was going crazy!!!)
For Conrad, yearning isn’t weakness—it’s strength. It’s proof of a love so profound that it lingers long after words fail.
Let’s break down why Conrad isn’t just the better brother—he’s the one who understands the art of loving deeply, silently, and (sometimes painfully) forever.
Even when they were younger, it was clear that Conrad always deeply cared for Belly. If Belly ever needed anything or someone, Conrad was always there. I love the scene of Belly and Conrad dancing when they were younger because it reveals right from the beginning the difference between him and Jeremiah perfectly. Jeremiah did not want to leave the game he was playing, and Conrad dropped everything to be with Belly and make her smile. Classic Connie. Conrad did not just like Belly the summer she turned pretty (like Jeremiah cough); he ALWAYS had a special place in his heart for her.
That’s the thing about Conrad: his love doesn’t arrive with fireworks; it simmers. Quiet, patient, and always just beneath the surface. While Jeremiah is quick to shower Belly with attention and flirtation when the timing feels convenient, Conrad’s love is rooted in history, in memory, and in a genuine understanding of who she is, not just how she looks.
Conrad loves Belly the way real people fall in love—with hesitation, fear, and so much feeling it almost hurts to hold in. He doesn’t put on a show. He doesn’t try to win her with charm. He simply loves her—even when it’s inconvenient, even when he tries not to, and especially when it’s hard.
And yes, he messes up. He pushes her away, shuts down, and struggles with timing—but that’s what makes his love feel authentic. Take prom night: it was a disaster for Belly, but Conrad was carrying a weight she couldn’t see—losing his mom to cancer. If only Belly had tried to understand him, to be there for him instead of blaming him, things might have turned out differently. His love is messy, raw, and vulnerable, but never performative. When Conrad finally speaks up or shows up for Belly in a big way, it matters—because you can feel it takes every ounce of courage he has.
That’s the art of yearning. The kind of love that waits quietly, even when no one’s watching. And Conrad Fisher? He’s mastered it.
He has always been a yearner, but so far in season 3, it has taken a whole new level. Jeremiah and Belly have been dating all throughout college, and without a doubt, this has not been easy at all for Conrad. The only girl he has ever been in love with is dating his brother.
And yet—he stays quiet. He stays respectful. He doesn’t beg or interrupt or try to interfere. Because that’s who Conrad is. He made a promise to Susannah to look after
Jeremiah, and that is just what he is doing. Conrad puts other people’s happiness above his own, even when it tears him apart inside. The scenes where he looks at Belly from across the room? The lingering stares, the way he avoids eye contact but never seems to leave the room when she’s in it—that’s yearning in its purest form. He is constantly loving her in silence, watching her build a life with someone else while still carrying all of their shared memories on his back like they happened yesterday.
But if there’s any moment that truly breaks (and defines) Conrad in Season 3, it’s the engagement announcement.
Watch the clip here:
https://www.tiktok.com/@r.e.m.diana/video/7530190708951600397?is_from_webap p=1&sender_device=pc
When Belly and Jeremiah reveal they’re getting married, you can see the air leave Conrad’s body. He doesn’t make a scene. He doesn’t argue or plead. He just swallows it—again. That’s what Conrad does. He hides heartbreak behind quiet nods and clenched jaws. He pretends to be happy for them, even as you can see the realization crash over him: she’s really not coming back. And not only that—she’s committing to his brother. The pain in his eyes says everything he won’t.
But then something shifts: he sees Belly crying, quietly unraveling under the weight of it all. He assumes it’s about the lack of support for the wedding—(spoiler alert: it’s actually because her mom refused to go wedding dress shopping with her)—but to Conrad, the why doesn’t even matter. What matters is that Belly is hurting.
So what does he do? He cancels his flight. Drops everything. Again. Because when Belly needs someone, Conrad shows up—no matter what it costs him. He makes amends with Jeremiah, agrees to be his best man, and does something only he would think to do: he
bakes Belly dirt bombs. Her childhood favorite. A soft, sweet reminder of who she is and where she comes from.
And then—possibly one of the most devastatingly beautiful moments in the whole season—Belly says, “You remembered,” and Conrad replies, “I always remember.”
That line alone is everything. Because it’s true. He always does.
He remembers the small things, the quiet things, the things no one else would even think to hold onto. Even though he still loves Belly—deeply, endlessly—and would do anything to be with her, he puts that love aside. Because she chose Jeremiah. And Conrad, as heartbroken as he is, respects that.
It is absolutely gut-wrenching to watch. To see someone so in love, doing everything right, showing up in all the quietest, most meaningful ways—and still letting go. Not because he wants to, but because he loves her enough to.
P.S. Stay tuned for next weeks article about TSITP recapping the high anticipated finale!