Bang Chan

The sound of chatter and instrumental Christmas music fills the large auditorium, all of the seats filled out in rows with parents and siblings. You were at the Christmas choir concert program for your two kids, Alan and Alexis, who were going to be singing on stage with their peers. You take a seat near the front, wanting to get a good view of your children. As they walk onstage and take their places, you see another little girl standing next to Alan. She wore a little red dress with a poofy skirt covered in glitter, her small black Uggs decorated with puffballs. She looked adorable.

As the lights dim and the music starts to play, you reach into your pocket and pull out your phone, but before you can start recording, someone taps you on the shoulder and whispers, “I’m so sorry, but is this seat taken?” He asks quietly, pointing to the empty seat next to you. You look up to see quite the handsome man in a thin-striped button up with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows and a lengthy red bow tie that seemed to be loose. You shook your head slowly, and the man sighed with relief, taking a seat and running his hand through his hair. “Thank you so much...”

The children on stage began to sing their little Christmas songs, your heart swelling at the sight of your kids. As the first song came to an end, the man sitting next to you looked over at you and said softly, “I’m Christopher, by the way, but you can just call me Chan,” he smiled, his pearly whites blinding. He looks back at the stage, “Which one’s yours? Mine’s the little one in the puffy, sparkly red dress,” he chuckled, pointing to the girl you had noticed earlier, standing next to Alan.