Avery spun a fountain pen in his fingers, clearly not paying attention to his personal assistant, who was attempting to discuss the getaway trip with him. He would merely hum and bob his head, pretending to understand every important detail of what was being spoken.
"So..." his personal assistant named Francis said, finally capturing Avery's entire attention. "Do you agree with all of the terms discussed?" he said, receiving just a tight-lipped smile from Avery.
"Mr. Jacques, did you really follow what I just told you?" he needed to double-check, as he was skeptical of Avery's expression.
"Of course," Avery replied, crossing one leg over the other and nodding. Francis would have believed his act if he had been more confident. But then, Avery is unable to meet the other man's stare.
"Of course... not," Francis sighed, shaking his head. He expected this to happen and went on with it anyway, so it's completely his fault that the entire talk was pointless.
"I did understand some things," Avery muttered timidly. "Like I'd be alone for a period of time, traveling the seas, whatsoever," he explained.
"Which seas?"
"Well... I... I..." Avery began, his eyes narrowing before shrugging his shoulders. "The name of the sea is not the most important bit here, Francis. Is it?" he inquired, arching both eyebrows. "What's important is that I'd be able to get away with this relationship that I don't want for a considerable amount of time," he persisted.
When the other man remained mute, merely staring at him, Avery gripped his nape and muttered, "I agree with the terms, Francis. Let me just proceed with it."
"I can't really decide for you anyway," Francis said faintly, so only he could hear. He then stood up and took a step closer to Avery, whose eyes followed his every move. "Love-Free Yacht Services asks you to sign this paper as proof that you consented to their terms and conditions," he informed him, handing over pieces of paper clipped to a hard material board.
"Uh-huh," Avery said, then pretended to examine the entire list of terms. His eyes eventually landed at the section where his signature should be inserted. "All right," he whispered before pressing down on the fountain pen's button.
Then and there, Avery affirmed the agreement without giving it a second thought.
*****
Ida, on the other hand, is on the phone with her manager, Maki. This is done particularly since Ida's leave from work is now overdue. The company is concerned that the longer the woman fails to appear in front of her followers, the more dissatisfied they will become. She must continue to be the most popular actress in order to receive greater sponsorships and endorsements.
"How are you, anyway? Are you all set for your trip back here in Japan?" Maki inquired, peering through the computer screen at Ida. "The company is sending a private jet, so you'll be more comfortable," she explained.
"Why don't I have my own jet?" Ida whined, making circles on the surface of her desk with her index finger.
"Would you like one?"
"I'm not sure," Ida said with a faint sigh. "I'm not sure what I really want," she murmured, making it difficult for Maki to catch.
"Well, if you think you want one, it's possible," Maki answered. "With a dedicated worker like you, Ida, anything is possible."
"It's not making me feel good, Maki."
Maki took a breather, almost giving up on attempting to cheer up Ida. No matter how hard anyone tried, the woman's passion for working in the industry never returned. And no one could blame her either. It's disheartening to lose a loved one in one of the most dreadful ways possible.
"Maki, I don't want to make a comeback just yet," Ida said after a while. "I don't want to come back knowing that I won't be able to fully offer myself. A highly distracted woman isn't who I am," she continued. "I need to unwind completely and forget about the problems that are holding me down."
"You're saying that you won't be returning to acting for an extended period of time, aren't you?" Maki inquired, somewhat dismayed by what she had heard. "You know you can't do that, Ida, because the company won't let you," she explained.
"How could they not?"
"Because you are Japan's biggest actress, and you are the face of the company, and they profit a lot of money because of you. You understand that, right?" Maki asked, both eyebrows raised in concern. "If you fall down, everything in the company goes down as well."
"Everyone is so worried just about themselves, aren't they?" Ida smiled bitterly, feeling the strain of carrying something that shouldn't be her primary duty. "How about me, Maki? Don't I matter as a human being? Do I only matter when I'm on TV?" she questioned.
Maki pursed her lips, unwilling to simply answer the question for some reason. "What do you intend to do for a long time, anyway?" she attempted to interject. "Wouldn't you still look for something to do?"
"Taking a leave from work would also involve some forethought, Ida. It's not something you can just decide on," she continued.
"I do have a plan," Ida insisted, regardless of the fact that she didn't have a plan. It was just that she was the stereotypical obstinate, rich, and successful girl who refused to listen to anyone's opinion. "I'll be gone for a month," she continued, her subconscious mind doing all the reasoning.
"For a month?" Maki inquired, evidently taken aback. "How are you going to spend that much time? Are you kidding?"
"Ah," Ida exhaled, suddenly in need of a reason, prompting her to fizzle forth the worst thought that had recently entered her thoughts. "There's this mind-cleansing tour called Love-Free, and I have signed up, paid for it, and I can't back out," she explained, having to make up that lie at the end.
"Love-Free?" Maki inquired. "That sounds completely made up."
"I know, I didn't believe it at first, but it's true," Ida reasoned, sounding more like her father when he tried to convince her of the authenticity of that service. "I just think it's... exactly what I need," Ida replied, biting her bottom lip before continuing, "I mean, it's only thirty days, right?"
"Yeah?" Maki could only murmur.
"Thirty days in the open sea with no wi-fi," Ida faked a grin. "...all alone," she went on while feigning a laugh, "such joy! Don't you think?"
"Ida," Maki remarked justly, "you're not sure about this, are you?"
"I am positive," Ida insisted, "I want to do this."
"I can't believe you actually listened to me," Tsuyoshi said to his daughter as he drew a trolley. He only found out this morning that Ida had agreed to go on this getaway, and he couldn't have been happier. As a father, he only wanted what was best for Ida, and perhaps this is it."Don't say a word and help me with these two as well," Ida complained as she handed her carry-on bag to her father. It wasn't too hefty, but she was a spoiled child who usually whined about everything. For some, Ida's audacity is what makes her irresistible. Tsuyoshi and his wife are to blame for this. They treated Ida like a princess because she was an only child. They fulfilled all of her desires with no question."I was just surprised that you thought of it," Tsuyoshi said as he adjusted the bag strap to fit more comfortably on his shoulder. "I am delighted that you are putting yourself first by going on this trip, Ida," he continued. "I can assure you that the sea waves will wash away all your sorrow."
Ida desperately wished for rest but closing her eyes didn't do anything. It's simply that whenever she tries to sleep, an image of Akio haunts her, as if begging for help. It was extremely bothersome that even taking medication couldn't get her to feel better.There is just one easy solution for distracting herself from her departed fiancée. She got out of bed and headed for the bathroom. When she arrived, Ida stood in front of the enormous wall mirror, looking at herself in nothing but a silk robe sleepwear.She gradually lifted both hands to her hair, undoing it with a simple pull on the hairband. Her hands then moved from her hair to her chest, then to her stomach, till the tip of her fingers touched the end of the knot that held the silk robe tight across her skin.Ida tugged on the string, causing the single piece of cloth to open up. That quickly exposed the center of her bare body. She had a firm chest with a narrow space in the valley of those breasts. Her waist was slender, b
They are currently confronted with exactly what Jaali feared.While on the phone with the senior manager, Jaali discovered that there had been an interruption to the system at the very moment Ida and Avery submitted their request for the service. The trouble is, they clicked on the submit button at the same minute, and the computer recorded it as one, giving them the same booking schedule.Obviously, the computer cannot be blamed for this error. This problem was brought about by the staff's lack of order."What do you plan to do with us then?" Avery inquired, his brow furrowed and his face stern. His hand was motioning a hand to Ida, who was standing beside him and was equally concerned about the situation."The senior manager told me that one of you should cancel and make a request for another schedule," Jaali explained, ashamed that he had to be the one to face these two billionaires. He couldn't help but feel small in front of them."That's fucking bullshit," Avery complained, shak
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
"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