Ida and Avery were seated at opposite ends of the long table. Only the woman cast looks, while the man professed to be indifferent. He took apathetic bites of the food Ida had prepared, leading Ida to become a little peeved.
She was always surrounded by people who appreciated everything she did, but being here with Avery simply doesn't feel the same. What irritated her even more was that Avery didn't seem any less attractive while doing something she didn't like."How annoying," she thought to herself as she poked a piece of meat, her gaze fixed on Avery's"It seems like you cooked exclusively for me," the man finally said, fluttering an eyelash at Ida's face. "You're not touching your food that much," he continued, "so I'm wondering if you cooked to impress me.""I can sense a strong pig-headed vibe off of you," Ida replied, attempting to offend him as well, but it didn't seem to work.Avery smiled again, skimpily biting his bottom lip before putting down his cutlery. "I have to say your cooking is above average," he complimented. "Impressive for a person possibly as wealthy as I am.""Possibly as wealthy as you," Ida chuckled, unable to believe her ears. "You really can't put yourself second, can you?" she asked."Second place isn't really for me," Avery boasted a little, possibly to alleviate the tension that had built up since their first encounter. "I meant what I said regarding the food you prepared." "It's impressive, Ms. Mitsuko.""Wow, you remember names," Ida commented jokingly. "Actually, I can do a lot of things." "My profession demands me to acquire an extensive range of skills," she reasoned, feeling as if she had to reveal even a single detail about her life."Your profession, hmm?" Avery inquired, growing more interested in Ida.During his silence, he pondered a reason why he should be amicable to this woman. And that directly led him to the conclusion that, since he couldn't do anything else other than spend thirty days with her, he might as well act casually, even if only for a short while."What do you do for a living, Ms. Mitsuko?""Call me Ida," the woman added, requesting that he eliminate the formality. "I am an actress based in Japan, but I am staying in New York because something happened," she said, leaving out crucial details on purpose. After all, that wasn't exactly what Avery was keen on."An actress... that's interesting," he remarked. "I've always thought that being in the performing arts and media was excessively overrated.""How so?""I'm not sure," Avery replied, shrugging his shoulders. "Maybe I'm just not into things that don't normally depict life's realities," he tried to explain."Have you ever considered that you may have had that idea in your head because you don't know all of the realities of life?" Ida inquired; her eyebrows raised in a sense of wonder. "I'm betting you've only lived a billionaire's life and nothing else."Avery narrowed his eyes, slowly grasping what Ida was trying to express."Weren't you born with a golden spoon in your mouth?" "You look and sound just like that," Ida stated bluntly."Well, I may have been born with it," Avery admitted, recognizing that Ida was correct this time. It was only that he was taken aback by the fact that someone, especially a lady, had come up to him like that. It gave him a strange feeling."While some films lack context, there are still some that could potentially be depressing, attempting to address real-life concerns," Ida said, hoping to open his eyes to something he may not have considered before. "You and I, we didn't need to endure anything difficult as we were privileged.""You're suggesting I should be grateful?" muttered Avery."Not precisely," Ida replied, "but at the very least, don't be a dickhead."Avery laughed after hearing something unexpected in such a condescending tone. He wasn't insulted at all, which was surprising as he thought about it. "You're not as bad as I expected," he remarked, his stare riveted on Ida's."Think again, honey," Ida murmured, finally taking a piece of the food into her mouth."Well, I thought you should be aware," she initiated another conversation while refocusing her attention on the glass of wine. She simply couldn't talk about this while looking at Avery's face, and it was for good reason. "There is only one bedroom," she stated casually.Hearing that, Avery's lips agape, and his brow furrowed. Of course, he should have taken that into account. Because this journey is designed for a single person, everything else is planned accordingly."Don't look so down in the dumps," Ida murmured, rolling her eyes as she leaned back against the seat's back support. "You're making me feel terrible," she said further."How else should I act?" Avery inquired with his eyes wide still wide with surprise. "I'll be sharing a bed with a stranger," he emphasized. "I don't know how you can be so casual about it when you should be complaining since you're a woman," he continued, his hands even gesticulating his displeasure."Exactly!" Ida exclaimed. "I'm a woman, so I should be the one troubled by it, but instead, it's you," she explained. "Hey, we both didn't want to let go of this, so we have no choice but to proceed with it." "Just accept the fact that we're stuck with each other for the next thirty days, Avary.""Avery, not Avary," he made clear. "You're making it sound like a female reproductive organ.""Well then, surprise! I'm the one who doesn't remember names," Ida shrugged, unconcerned."I'm not sleeping with you," Avery declared abruptly."Do you mean sleeping like dozing or sleeping like fucking?""Oh, my God," he could only mutter as he massaged his temple in indignation. This woman was getting on his nerves again. "This makes me not want to do it more," he persisted."You know, you can take the couch," Ida suggested."No way," Avery responded adamantly, shaking his head. "I'm a sensitive person, and when I'm not comfortable, I get in a really bad mood," he felt it was necessary to reveal."Hot," Ida said faintly, making it difficult for Avery to grasp."Pardon?""I said you wouldn't have a choice." "It is only either you take the other side of the bed or get crumpled up on the couch.""This is one of the scenarios from a movie I saw and really hated," Avery murmured, his gaze fixed on the ceiling.He had already positioned himself on the other side of the bed, in an awkward way. His body remained upright, and his hands were folded above his chest, as if he didn't know where else to put them.Ida lay next him, her eyes closed, looking the opposite direction. She was trying to sleep when Avery's speaking voice disturbed her. Because of how silent it was, the deepness of Avery's voice resonated in her ears."What scene?" she asked, opening her eyes but not turning her head to look at Avery."This uncomfortable sort of situation we're in," the man murmured as he decided to sit up. "Look, this is ridiculous," he said, motioning to the pillow barrier that separated them in bed. "I feel like a teen grappling with a new romance."Ida had to look behind her back to see what Avery was talking about. And when she realized what it was, she couldn't help but laugh. "We could ju
"Do you want to tell me about yourself?" Ida inquired, settling into a recliner next to Avery.The man was holding a cup of coffee which Ida made for him. That's why she went into the room and saw something she wasn't supposed to see. Don't get me wrong: Avery is still a little ashamed about it. It was only that, after a few moments, he realized he had nothing to be ashamed of in his physique. He believes he is perfect, which is very proud of him."Why would I want to tell you about myself?" he remarked, delicately sipping from his cup."Because it'll be extremely boring spending the entire morning without anyone saying anything?" Ida scoffed. She was tired of trying to explain everything to this man like he was a three-year-old."What if I don't want to talk about myself?" Avery inquired; his forehead strained. It made Ida sigh, knowing she wouldn't be able to push anything out of the man from then on.He was the mysterious and secretive type. Ida, on the other hand, was confident th
Ida couldn't help but chuckle at Avery's response. She found his sense of humor refreshing, especially in their current situation where tension could easily arise. "Well, I hope you won't be too disappointed," she said, still smiling.Avery leaned back in his chair, taking another sip of his coffee. "I highly doubt that," he said. "I'm sure you have at least something fun to show."Ida nodded her head, "Well, yeah. It's been a while since I've let loose and had some fun. I think it's about time I did that."Avery nodded in agreement, "I couldn't agree more. Life's too short to not enjoy yourself."As they finished their coffee, Ida couldn't help but feel grateful for the unexpected company. She had been dreading the idea of spending the next few days alone on the yacht, but now she was starting to look forward to it. Who knows what other surprises this trip could bring?Avery and Ida continued their conversation, discussing their plans for the rest of the day. They both agreed that a
The air was cool and crisp, and a gentle breeze carried the scent of saltwater and the sound of lapping waves. As they stood on the deck of the yacht, enveloped by the vastness of the ocean and the grandeur of the night sky, it felt as though time had stopped, and they were suspended in a moment of awe-inspiring beauty.Ida turned to Avery with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Hey, want to hear a joke?" she asked.Avery raised an eyebrow. "Sure, I'm always up for a good laugh," he replied."Okay, here it goes," Ida began. "Why did the tomato turn red?""I don't know, why?" Avery asked, intrigued."Because it saw the salad dressing!" Ida burst into a fit of giggles, clearly amused by her own joke.Avery chuckled, shaking his head. "That was terrible," he said, still smiling.Ida pouted playfully. "Hey, I thought it was pretty funny," she protested.Avery grinned. "Well, you know what they say, laughter is the best medicine. And if that's the case, I think I just got a healthy dose of c
Ida tossed and turned in her sleep, her face contorted in fear as she mumbled unintelligible words. Avery watched her with worry, his brow furrowed in concern. He could see the distress etched on her face, the lines of worry and fear deepening as the nightmare seemed to intensify.Her eyes flickered rapidly beneath her eyelids, and Avery could hear her ragged breath as she gasped for air. As he watched, Ida's face scrunched up even more, and she let out a low moan of fear. Avery's heart ached for her as he realized how helpless he was in the face of her torment.Avery watched Ida's face contort in anguish as she whimpered softly in her sleep. He couldn't bear to see her in such distress, and so he made the decision to wake her up.He reached out a gentle hand and placed it on her shoulder, shaking her lightly. "Ida," he said softly, his voice low and soothing. "Ida, wake up. It's just a nightmare."Ida's eyes fluttered open, and she gasped for air, her chest heaving. She looked up at
As the sun rose over the horizon, Avery's mood was as lively as the waves of the ocean during a storm. He felt a surge of excitement and anticipation, as if he were a surfer ready to ride the biggest wave of his life. His mind was clear and focused, like the deep blue sea on a calm day, and he felt a sense of purpose driving him forward. Every step he took was as determined as the steady beat of the waves crashing against the shore. The world seemed to be his for the taking, and he was ready to dive in headfirst and ride the current towards whatever lay ahead.Avery decided to prepare breakfast for himself and Ida. He wanted to impress her with his cooking skills, so he tried to make pancakes from scratch. He gathered all the ingredients and began mixing them together, hoping for the best.However, things didn't go as planned. The batter turned out lumpy and thick, and the pancakes ended up burnt on the outside and raw on the inside. Avery tried his best to salvage them, but they were
Ida sat at the desk, pen in hand, feeling the weight of the letter she was about to write. She knew that Avery had been nothing but kind and understanding towards her, despite her reservations and insecurities. She felt guilty for not being able to reciprocate his feelings fully.Taking a deep breath, Ida began to write, pouring her heart out onto the paper. She started by thanking him for everything he had done for her, from taking care of her during her nightmares to being patient with her insecurities. She acknowledged that it must not be easy to be with someone who is still grieving and struggling with the loss of a loved one.Ida then opened up about her feelings for Akio and how it had been difficult for her to let go of the past. She explained that seeing Avery sometimes reminded her of Akio, and that it made her feel guilty for moving on. But she wanted to try, for herself and for Avery.As she wrote, tears streamed down her face. She didn't want Avery to feel like she was tak
Ida stood on the edge of the yacht, the warm sand between her toes and the cool water lapping at her ankles. She watched as Akio, her fiancé, approached her with a playful grin on his face."Come on, Ida, let's go for a swim," he said, taking her hand in his.Ida laughed, feeling a surge of excitement. Akio was always full of energy and adventure, and she loved him for it. They ran into the water together, splashing and laughing as they swam out into the deep blue sea.As they floated on their backs, the sun setting behind them, Akio turned to Ida with a serious expression. "Ida, I want to spend the rest of my life with you," he said, his eyes shining with love.Tears welled up in Ida's eyes as she hugged Akio tightly. "I want that too, Akio. I love you so much."As they swam back to the shore, Akio scooped Ida up in his arms, carrying her bridal-style and twirling her around. Ida's laughter filled the air as Akio kissed her passionately, their love for each other evident in every tou