Mrs. Park was in the midst of setting dinner on the table when Ri Ah arrived in the dining room where Mr. Park, who had just returned from his errand, was already sitting at the head of the table.

"Ri Ah, come sit here," he eagerly offered as he patted the empty chair to his left.

“Is it okay to sit here? Isn't this seat reserved for Chan Yeol?” Ri Ah was taught from a very young age by her father about table etiquette. The man of the house sat at the front, his wife to his right, and the eldest child on his left, who in this case was Chan Yeol.

Mr. Park was baffled by Ri Ah's question at first. It was a concern that would never cross the minds of most people her age. That is, until he remembered just whose daughter she was and he broke out in a hearty laugh. "Yes, Chan Yeol usually sits here, but it's not reserved for him. I insist you sit here," he reiterated.

Ri Ah tentatively sat in what she still thought was Chan Yeol's rightful place, hoping he wouldn't hold a grudge. She looked around at the table filled with a variety of meats and side dishes, more than double the amount she was used to seeing at home. "Everything looks delicious, Ahjumma," she said to Mrs. Park who placed a bowl of rice in front of her.

Mrs. Park let out a good-natured chuckle, "Thank you, let's hope you feel the same about the way it tastes."

Just as Mrs. Park sat down in the empty seat next to her husband, Chan Yeol came into the living room after taking a breather, and sat down next to his mother. Ri Ah glanced at him to find him looking his usual, chipper self, not seeming to mind that she was in his usual seat. That was because Chan Yeol didn't particularly have a territorial nature, which probably attributed to his habit of invading people's personal spaces.

"Mom, you went all out today," Chan Yeol noted with his mouth agape at the colorful table. He picked up a pair of nearby metal chopsticks, tapped the ends against the table to even them out between his fingers, and hungrily lunged for a strip of chicken. "You never make this much except on special occasions," he continued while he chewed and stretched his arm out for a piece of kimchi.

[Kimchi: fermented dish of various vegetables and seasonings]

Mrs. Park stood up to bring a bowl of rice for her son from the kitchen. "Today is a special occasion. Ri Ah is with us," she said as she sat back down and gave Ri Ah a warm smile.

Ri Ah returned it with a forced smile of her own. Special treatment was exactly what she didn't want from this family when she already felt like an intrusion, particularly to Chan Yeol.

"Then is she really going to replace me as your favorite child?" Chan Yeol said with feigned hurt, though his frown soon turned upside down. "Well, I guess it doesn't matter if we get to eat like this every day." He continued to scarf down his food, adding another bite in his mouth before he had even swallowed the last that he nearly choked and started coughing loudly.

Mrs. Park clicked her tongue disapprovingly and patted his back. "Slow down, the food isn't going anywhere," she chastised him.

Chan Yeol coughed once more and sheepishly smiled at her, but continued to eat at his lightning pace. With so many options in front of him, it was difficult to choose what to eat first that his solution to the problem was to eat a bunch of dishes at one time.

Mrs. Park shook her head at Chan Yeol's behavior and turned to her own food. She picked up her chopsticks and was about to take her first bite when she remembered that she forgot to bring water and left to retrieve it.

"Ri Ah, is something wrong?" Mr. Park suddenly asked. His own chewing slowed to a stop and he stared at Ri Ah worriedly. "You haven't touched your food yet."

"I was waiting for Mrs. Park to start eating," she answered, just as Mrs. Park returned with a jug of water and sat down in her seat.

Chan Yeol cocked his head at her in confusion, "Why?"

"I'm supposed to wait until my elders have taken their first bite before eating myself," Ri Ah matter-of-factly stated.

There was a pause of silence while Chan Yeol just stared at her with a deadpan expression, as if what Ri Ah just said was in another, incomprehensible language. But he suddenly burst out laughing, covering his mouth as he did to prevent his food from flying out.

Ri Ah was shocked and confused by his reaction. Did she say something funny?

"What kind of rule is that?" Chan Yeol finally blurted out between his laughs. "I've never heard it in my life."

Ri Ah shrunk back in her seat and fiddled with her fingers in embarrassment. She had always waited for her mother, and her father when he was alive, to begin eating before she did. Such were proper table manners, at least according to her father.

Mr. Park shook his head with a wistful smile as he recalled a similar scene years ago with Jae Ho [Mr. Lee] when he stayed over for dinner with his family. He remembered how Jae Ho waited a good 20 minutes after him to start eating because his mother had to finish jarring kimchi for fermentation before joining them. Seeing Ri Ah now, he could just imagine his best friend sitting in front of him.

"Ri Ah, you don't have to be so polite with us. We're not a very formal family. You can be comfortable, just like if you were at home," Mrs. Park gently said.

"Actually, this is how I am at home too," she replied with an almost apologetic smile.

Chan Yeol crossed his arms and shook his head at Ri Ah in disapproval. “Oh Ri Ah, we’re going to have to change those habits while you’re with us."

"You know," Mr. Park interjected, "I think it might be a good idea if you picked up on some of Ri Ah's habits."

Chan Yeol snapped his head towards his father to find no trace of sarcasm or joking on his face. He looked at Ri Ah with a grave expression. "Ri Ah, I think he's being serious. I'm going to corrupt you before you really get me into trouble."

"Corrupt?" Mr. Park repeated in alarm. "You will do no such thing to our innocent Ri Ah."

It was Ri Ah's turn to giggle at Chan Yeol and Mr. Park's banter. The two males raised their brows at her. "I'm sorry, I just thought your conversation was really funny." She turned to Chan Yeol with an amused smile, "I'll try my best to be less formal so you don't get into trouble."

Chan Yeol grinned widely in success, "And so begins the brainwashing."

Originally Posted: June 18/19, 2012 | Revised: August 30, 2013, 8:12 PM