A Dangerous Friend

18

Let's Do Lunch

"Ryujin. What a lovely surprise."

"You invited us, Dad."

"And Yeji, too. How nice to see you."

Yeji leaned out from behind Ryujin and gave a little wave of acknowledgement. "Hi."

"Why don't you both come in ?"

Ryujin was about to list all the reasons she could think of, but Yeji wasn't going to wait.
"Thanks !" She said, flashing the blonde's dad a dazzling smile and striding past him into the house.

Ryujin followed with an air of resignation. Her dad ushered them through to the living room, and for a moment the three of them stood there awkwardly.

"Well," Yeji said, waving a hand around, and cranking up the smile another thousand watts.
"This is nice."

"It is, isn't it ?" Ryujin's dad agreed, looking around the room as though seeing it for the first time.

"Not my doing, of course. Ryujin's mother was the one with the eye for detail. I have no aesthetic abilities, I'm afraid."

"Oh, I'm sure that's not true," the brunette argued. "You look very fit."

Ryujin snorted, but her dad ignored it. "Well, that's very kind of you to say so, young lady."

"Not at all."

In Ryujin's opinion the house was a garish mess, but Yeji was determined to be charming, and her dad was determined to be charmed. Much more of this mutual appreciation and she might be waking up one day to Hwang Yeji as her new stepmom.

"You said something about lunch ?" She asked.

"Yes I did."

"Only, I don't see lunch."

"That's because we're standing in the middle of the living room."

"So where... Oh God, please don't say we're eating in the Great Hall."

"You have a Great Hall ?" The brunette girl said, impressed.

"She means the dining room," the blonde girl's dad said." Ryujin has something of an issue with the chandelier."

"I don't have an issue with it, Dad," she retorted.

"I just don't see why we need it."

"Your mother paid a lot of money for that."

"Yeah, a lot of your money."

"That's not the point."

"Of course it's the point ! You paid for it, so you can do what you want with it, now she's gone.
It's totally up to you."

"And what if I want to leave it where it is ?"

"Then you're wrong."

"I'm sure it's lovely," Yeji interrupted. They both turned to her. "I mean, each to his own, and everything," she added. "Some people like chandeliers, some people like... um... catamarans."

"Quite right, Yeji," Mr Shin said. "Well put, if slightly confusing. Shall we go through ?"

.

"Wow, that is a big chandelier."

"Isn't it."

.