End of Summer 2015 in Seoul...

ISABELLE anxiously fixes the skirt of her dress as she stands hidden behind her parents in the elevator. They're heading up to her dad's cousin's (her aunt?) home in Seocho to eat dinner with a few of her relatives, all those who live in Seoul. It's the first time in her life that she's meeting her dad's side of the family. Her mom's relatives are all scattered across North America, so they've met a few times. However, seeing as how this is her first time in Korea and her dad's relatives never visited Montreal, this will be her first time seeing them ever. But that's not the only reason for her anxiety...she hasn't been in a large social setting- where she'll surely receive a lot of attention and be expected to greet and get to know people (they're her long lost family for Christ's sake, how could she refuse?)- for a while now. The elevator announces the floor of their destination as the doors slide open. Isabelle bites her bottom lip as she follows her parents out into the hallway.

"1356...1356," Isabelle's father mutters under his breath as he searches for the right apartment.
"Oh, right there!" Isabelle's mother points to a nearby door.

Well, here we are... Deep breaths, you can do it. And don't be a cold . Not today, satan. This is your family, girl, so dig deep and smile when you can.

"You ready to finally meet the Yoons?" Mr. Yoon glances back at his wife and daughter.

Isabelle smiles with her lips closed, revealing her dimple nonetheless, and nods. Mrs. Yoon claps excitedly.

"I've waited 23 years for this!" She exclaims. "Let me at 'em!"

Mr. Yoon chuckles and presses the doorbell on the side of the door. A few seconds later, the door opens to the smell of Korean food, the sound of loud, lively chatter, and a short, round woman with straight medium-length hair and a wicked eye smile.

"Omo, omo!" She waves her hands joyfully. "Yah, Chul-ie! It's been such a long time!"
"Minkyung-ie noona!" Mr. Yoon greets before gesturing to his wife and daughter. "This is my family- my wife Rach- er, Yeeun and our daughter Yijin."
"So nice to finally meet you," Mrs. Yoon gushes.
"Omo, omo! So nice to meet you! Come in, come in!" Aunt Minkyung waves them inside her home.

Isabelle takes a breath before bowing. "Dang-gomo, annyounghaseyo?"

*당고모 aka dang-gomo=father's female cousin's title (her husband= 당고모부 aka dang-gomo-bu) and 당숙 aka dang-sook=father's older male cousin's title (his wife=당숙모 aka dang-sookmo)

"Omo, ne~" Aunt Minkyung grins. "Yijin-ie, was it? You even know the proper title to call me? Aigoo, jalhaeseo~ (good job) Come in and meet everyone."

Isabelle and her parents trail after Aunt Minkyung as she leads them into the living room where her other aunt and uncles and cousins, and even a baby are gathered. Isabelle nervously on her bottom lip as everyone turns their attention to them. They immediately stop their conversations to stand and greet them with wide smiles and scattered exclamations.

"Omo, annyounghaseyo!" "Wow, that's little Chul-ie?" "Yeoksi, the Yoon family has attractive genes."

Aunt Minkyung waves her hands, trying to hush everyone. "Jah (alrighty), let me introduce everyone."

She first gestures to Mr. Yoon, "This is little Chul-ie, our youngest cousin whom we haven't seen in years~ since he visited back when he was in grade school."

"Nice to see you again, Hwan-ie hyung!" Mr. Yoon grins as he identifies his other cousin. "As well as new additions to the family I never met."
"Chul-ie-ya, you've grown up so much!" Uncle Hwan, a lean, average height man, exclaims. "Or should I say we've all gotten old.."
"Annyounghaseyo, dang-sook." Isabelle bows, alongside her mother.
"Ah, ne!" Uncle Hwan says, pleased and impressed. "Wah, uri Yijin-ie Hangukmal jalha-ne (wow, our Yijin is good at Korean)!"

Aunt Minkyung gestures to Mrs. Yoon. "This is Yeeun, our Chul-ie's beautiful wife."

Mrs. Yoon smiles and bows.

"Jeongmal mi-in-imnida, jinjja areumdapseumnida (in formal tone, 'you're a real beauty, you're really beautiful')!" The shortest of four young guys Isabelle assumes to be her cousins yells out.

The elders in the family shake their heads while Isabelle's parents sputter in amusement. One of the younger-looking of the three remaining tall, skinny guys, with the longest hair out of them, hits the short guy in the chest with the back of his hand, all the while eye-smiling. I can see the eye smile gene is strong in the Yoon family, hence my own...

Aunt Minkyung then gestures to Isabelle, who bows stiffly. "Our Chul-ie's beautiful daughter Yijin-ie, and isn't she so well-mannered, aigoo~"

"Oyy (hey), dongsaeng~" The short guy (again) salutes. "Bangaweo (nice to meet ya)!"
"Ah, ne." Isabelle bows, and looks up to see her cousins- the eye-smile "twins" and the girl carrying the baby, especially- smiling at her.

Aunt Minkyung then goes on to introduce her husband- Uncle Jinwoong who is tall and has an athletic build.

"Dang-gomo-bu." Isabelle bows.
"Ne, ne." Uncle Jinwoong smiles warmly.

And their sons- Jinwoon and Jinhyeong, the two tall and lean brothers born six years apart with "severe" eye smiles. Then Uncle Hwan's wife- Aunt Heejin who is taller than her husband and has an elegant and refined aura to her.

"Dang-sukmo." Isabelle bows.
"Eo, bangaweo, Yijin-ah." Aunt Heejin smiles fondly.

Uncle Hwan's sons- the tallest cousin who resembles Aunt Heejin with serious eyes but a kind smile- Kyunsang, as well as his big-eyed, bubbly wife and cooing baby- Yoobi and Dabin, respectively and finally Doojoon who resembles Uncle Hwan, the shorter of Isabelle's cousins with a friendly smile, yet a sort of greasy vibe to him.

"You have an unni too, actually," Aunt Heejin adds, smiling at Isabelle. "Our Sohee is around your age, just one year older."
"Ah, really?" Mr. Yoon asks. "May I ask where she is?