There was no dramatic meet-cute or grand gesture—just two people who met at the right time, and it all felt easy.

Brandon moved from Calgary to Vancouver for a new job, not expecting much beyond work and a fresh start. He met almost everyone on the marketing team, with the exception of Claire. When they finally met at a team event, there was no awkward small talk—just a kind of instant comfort. It wasn’t fireworks or fairy tales; it was better: it was natural.

Their first date was low-key and perfect. They had Japanese food near Metrotown, followed by Korean fried chicken. There was no fuss, no pressure—just good food and even better company. From that point on, things simply clicked. There was no game-playing or waiting days to text back—just two people who genuinely enjoyed each other’s company, and kept choosing to be around one another.

Fast forward almost three years later, they have eaten their way through countless hotpot and Korean BBQ restaurants (still their ultimate date night go-to) and traveled across the globe together. Their shared adventures have taken them to Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Hawaii, Mexico, and several places throughout Asia—including Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and two trips to Japan, which they consider their ultimate favourite.

Along the way, they also discovered another shared passion: winning plushies from claw machines. Whether in Tokyo, Taipei, or Las Vegas, they’ve made it their mission to conquer arcade games everywhere they go—amassing a collection of over 1,000 plushies (and counting) from around the world.

Now, they are planning a wedding and a future filled with even more food, more adventures, and—hopefully—continued friendly debates about which hotpot restaurants to go to (with a few claw machine stops along the way).