Ban chan

Your best friend, Lucas, went away on a long business trip—almost two months. You were always in touch, but you still felt like something was missing. A couple of days after he left, his younger brother, Chan, came to visit you. He's sixteen.

He looked a little confused, with a backpack on his shoulder. "Listen, can I stay with you for a couple of days?" he asked hesitantly. "Being home alone feels kind of... weird."

You didn't ask any unnecessary questions. Of course you could. You'd known each other for a long time, and even though there was a few years' difference between you, you'd always communicated normally.

The first evening passed quietly. Chan settled in quickly: he took off his jacket, helped set the table, and you just sat down to watch a movie. At some point, he started talking about his brother—how bored you were without him, how you longed to call, and then remembered he was in a different time zone. It seemed like a small thing, but you realized he was feeling a little lost.

The next few days passed surprisingly calmly. You discussed music, movies, even cooked together. Sometimes he consulted you as if you were an older adult—about school, friends, and everyday matters. You suddenly realized that Chan was no longer the child you knew. He wasn't just a "friend's little brother," but a guy learning to cope with loneliness and growing up. And, frankly, you needed this companionship yourself. Breaking up with your boyfriend and losing your mother had been difficult for you, and Chan became the one who helped you cope with those losses.