Mom, oblivious to my suffering, takes a delicate sip of her tea—and when the hell did she have time to make that?Come to think of it, why is there a bag of her favorite tea bags on my counter?
“Ethan, you and Tessa need to help set up the venue.Anna, we need final RSVPs from our side of the family.And of course, the big thing is the dol table.Everything has to be set up perfectly for Mina’s doljabi.And don’t forget—everyone needs to have their hanbok ready.”
I nearly choke on my coffee.“Wait.What?”
I mean, it’s not like I didn’t see this coming, but still.
Mom gives me the look.The one that says she is prepared to fight me if I open my mouth again.“You heard me, Anna.You’re wearing your hanbok.End of story.”
Joel, the worst person alive, perks up.“Oh, hell yes.Do I get to see this?”
I glare at him.“I will burn this entire house down first.”
“Of course you’ll see it.You’ll be there, won’t you Joel?”Mom says, ignoring my outburst entirely.
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Joel grins, patting my mother’s hand.“Mina’s practically my niece.”
I glare in his general direction and witness my mother sigh contently.
I hope all of them choke on their breakfast.
Joel tilts his head, looking genuinely interested.“Wait, what’s a dol table?I don’t think I’ve heard of that before.”
Mom lights up.
Oh, god.No.
Joel has just made a critical mistake.
My mother might not be born Korean, but when she married in, she immersed herself so deep into the culture, you’d think she was a direct descendant of Shilla royalty.
“The doljabi is a tradition where we set up a table of symbolic objects,” she explains, eyes glowing with excitement.“Mina will pick one, and it’s supposed to predict her future.Like, if she picks a stethoscope, she might become a doctor.If she picks money, she’ll be wealthy.Things like that.”
Joel blinks.“So, like, baby fortune telling?”
Ethan snorts.“Pretty much.”
Mom swats his arm.“Ethan, it’s a serious tradition.”
Joel, being the worst person alive, grins.“What if she picks, like, a drumstick?Or a microphone?”
I groan, already seeing where this is going.“That just means she’s doomed to a life of financial instability.”
Mom gives me a look of incredulousness..
Joel fake gasps.“Anna, that’s a terrible thing to say about your niece.Are you telling me you wouldn’t support little Mina if she wanted to become a world-famous musician like her uncle Joel?”
I glare at him.“I’m saying I wouldn’t actively encourage her to starve.”
Mom sighs.“Just because your appa thinks the same way, doesn’t mean you need to follow in his footsteps, Anna.You used to love music.Just like any profession, you can be successful if you’re truly skilled.”
There it is.
I stab my pancake a little harder than necessary.
Ethan, sensing danger, shovels more food into his mouth like he did when we were kids.
Joel leans back in his chair, sipping his coffee like he’s enjoying a particularly juicy drama.“Speaking of your appa, where is he?Doesn’t he want to help out with all of this.”