While You Watch Me

"Would either of you care for another glass?"

Hye-jin glanced up at the waiter and then at Du-sik.

He impishly raised one eyebrow. It was a dare as much as a question.

They were sitting at a table tucked away in the corner of an elegant patio after finishing course number seven. Hye-jin had insisted on wine pairings because it was the fanciest option. Now the bistro lights twinkled as if a camera lens was moving in and out of focus. Her cheeks felt warm.

Their mutual indecision made Du-sik quirk his lips in amusement. Hye-jin trapped her tongue between her teeth to suppress a giggle and managed a nod instead.

Du-sik turned to the waiter.

"Yes, a Cabernet Sauvignon for me and a Pinot Noir for my wife, please."

He smiled at her as he said "wife." It made Hye-jin's toes wiggle in rebellion against the pinch of her narrow heels.

As soon as they were alone, Du-sik stared at his empty glass. Then he leaned forward as if about to confess a grave sin.

"Maybe the wine pairings weren't a good idea. I feel a little drunk."

"Me too."

She covered her mouth as she giggled. Du-sik's nose scrunched just before he ducked his head to stifle a laugh.

Hye-jin leaned in, like a moth to a flame.

"But it's our honeymoon and we don't know anyone here. So who cares?"

Du-sik nodded in agreement as his elbow slid onto the table. The candlelight flickered conspiratorially between them as his head slowly dropped into his hand. And then he looked at her so fondly that she forgot whatever she was about to say next.

After the waiter returned, Du-sik excused himself for a moment. Hye-jin raised the new glass to her lips as she watched her husband's broad back disappear inside the restaurant.

Her eyes trailed up the spotlighted palm trees. Their fronds criss crossed the night sky like fingers playing in the breeze. The din of conversation in her second language drifted all around her. People complained about work, or their love lives, or gossiped about others. Hye-jin smiled as she thought of their friends who were already greeting a new day so far away.

People are people no matter where they are.

Hye-jin set her glass down and narrowed her eyes as she surveyed the other tables. Her fingers turned the gold flower hanging from her ear lobe around and around. Despite this restaurant's five star rating, everyone was disappointingly casual. She sighed deeply and shook her head.

It was the second week of their honeymoon. Once they agreed to go abroad, they debated the location for a month. Du-sik wanted natural beauty, cultural experiences, and a laid back atmosphere. Hye-jin wanted to shop, stay at a luxury hotel, and a cachet worthy of her university friends' envy. In the end, they settled on a city that offered it all.

They chose wisely. The last week had been like a dream. Here, close to the beach, there were no high rises to block Du-sik's view of the sky. The casual demeanor of the locals suited him while Hye-jin wondered why everyone thought that jeans and a black T-shirt were suitable for every occasion. Du-sik surfed every morning while Hye-jin peeked over the book that she was pretending to read. By midday, he would delight in discovering the city's food trucks while she tugged on his hand in the direction of the endless stores. Afternoons were spent wandering art museums and eclectic neighborhoods hand in hand like dilettante explorers. And they fell into bed every moment in between.