Her husband wore contentment well.
Ji-pyeong was watching the sun bid farewell to the tenth day of their honeymoon from across a table. He cut a dashing figure in a closely tailored light khaki linen suit and a crisp white button down shirt. But a Panama hat with a black band perched low on his forehead was the sartorial exclamation point.
Mi-rae was supposed to be watching the sunset too. It was why they had reserved this table for a cocktail after dinner on a patio overlooking the ocean. But she could not drag her eyes away from her husband. The pink and orange streaking across the sky above the Aegean Sea was doomed to serve merely as his backdrop. Mi-rae's eyes stubbornly traced the curves of his profile instead. And then she said exactly what she was thinking.
"You should always wear that."
Ji-pyeong turned to face her as his eyes glanced up at his hat.
"Do you mean this?"
He pointed up and grimaced.
Mi-rae giggled. Then she waved generally at her husband.
"I mean all of it. I missed seeing you in a suit."
Ji-pyeong squinted as he tilted his head in disbelief.
"You did?"
His tone was teasing. Mi-rae quickly took refuge in her glass of sparkling wine. They had spent their honeymoon driving all over the island exploring beaches and sites. But they never remained dressed for long. Outings punctuated days otherwise spent in each other's arms. Her face suddenly felt hot imagining exactly what Ji-pyeong meant.
"Okay, maybe not always..." Mi-rae was greeted by a knowing smile as she continued to blush. "But you do look particularly handsome."
Ji-pyeong leaned forward. It felt like he was already undressing her.
"You look very pretty in that dress tonight. I've been imagining all the different ways that I could take it off of you later." His eyes ticked up and down as he smiled slyly. "I still haven't made up my mind yet."
Dimples bloomed as Ji-pyeong sipped from his highball glass awaiting her reaction. Mi-rae took in a breath, determined to turn the tables on his flirtation. Then she slowly ran her fingers down the inside of the neckline of the emerald silk halter dress. His eyes shamelessly followed the trajectory of her hand.
"I have already decided how it's going to come off, my love."
Ji-pyeong's mouth quirked. He cleared his throat and glanced around them. Mi-rae could feel herself smiling along with him as his eyes twinkled with mirth. Then Ji-pyeong leaned back and lifted the hat off of his head. His eyes narrowed skeptically at it while his fingers brushed his hair back from his forehead. He sighed dramatically.
"I'm just not pulling this hat off, Mi-rae."
She pouted.
"What are you talking about? You look amazing! Like a classic movie star!"
Ji-pyeong shook his head vigorously.
"No, I look like one of those ridiculous influencers posing for Instagram."
Mi-rae folded her arms in protest.
"Just one more reason why I am so glad that I'm not on social media. Imagine ruining a classic like the Panama hat!"
Ji-pyeong looked down at the hat again and then peered back up at her sheepishly.
"I know that I lost but how much longer do I have to wear this?"
