[ Ah, so she isn't that kind of strict. He smiles, satisfied with that answer, though her addition only makes his smile just a bit wider. ]

I like that. Would you mind if I steal it for future use?

[ He laughs, taking a sip of his own drink. ]

Where I'm from, many prefer to make others bend to their will. It feels like an inevitability—once the path opens up, someone else will come along to make everyone else fall in a single-file line.