Adi gently closed the glass door to the balcony, the soft creak of the hinge accompanying the gentle phrases of the evening floating in the air. Meanwhile, the sweet chirping of sparrows echoed between the tall buildings, now beginning to glow with warm lights. Maya, already waiting with two glasses of chilled melon juice on the rattan table, smiled softly as Adi stepped inside.
"Tired today?" she asked gently, handing him one of the dewy glasses. The light green juice seemed to reflect the orange sunlight of the late afternoon.
Adi let out a deep sigh, settling into the cushioned rattan chair. He sipped the juice deeply, closing his eyes to savor the pure sweetness of melon that calmed his nerves. "Yeah, I had a lot of reports to finish before tomorrow morning." he murmured. He opened his eyes, looking at Maya. "But even when I'm tired, my thoughts keep drifting back to this home... to us."
Maya sat beside him, setting down her glass. She opened a thick notebook with a worn leather cover, its pages filled with house sketches, dream lists and motivational quotes written in colorful ink. "This is our idea book." she whispered warmly. Her fingers flipped through the creased pages until they stopped at the next blank one.
Adi leaned forward and read the bold writing at the top:
"After Ten Days of Marriage, What Is Our Biggest Dream?"
The evening slowly faded, replaced by deep purple shadows on the edge of the sky. Maya looked up at the sky, now dotted with tiny stars. "I want… us to have a little garden on this balcony." she whispered, eyes envisioning rows of colorful flower pots. "Red roses, purple lavender, and trailing green vines hanging beautifully."
The image of the tiny garden made Adi's heart flutter. He pulled a pen from his jacket pocket and wrote neatly:
"Balcony Garden"
Maya smiled with satisfaction. "Imagine, every morning we water the plants together and enjoy the fresh air." She added, "Maybe we could add a wooden fence to make it feel cozier."
Adi nodded in agreement. "And I want to place a rocking chair out there. Every afternoon, we'll sit together, read books, or share stories while sipping warm tea." He wrote beneath "Balcony Garden":
"Rocking Chair for Evening Stories"
Maya chuckled softly. "I love that." She stretched out her arms, imagining their world. "Picture the two of us, accompanied by the sounds of the evening, whether it's cars on the street or birdsong that melts away the fatigue of the day."
They fell silent for a moment. Down below, the sounds of traffic grew livelier, and children playing in the park let out laughter that occasionally floated up to their balcony. A gentle breeze tousled Maya's hair, and she closed her eyes briefly to relish the moment.
Adi reopened the notebook. "Next dream?" he asked, his eyes sparkling.
Maya tapped her chin, thinking. "Every year, we travel to a new city." she said with certainty. "We explore the local culture, taste the traditional food, and collect memories." She wrote:
"Annual Travel"
"Imagine us at a little café in Lisbon." Adi added enthusiastically. "Eating warm pastel de nata, watching the Tagus River glisten under the afternoon sun."
Maya added:
"Join Local Festivals"
"I want to take part in the lantern festival in Chiang Mai." she said. "Releasing lanterns into the night sky, writing our wishes on little slips of paper."
The sky was now completely dark, replaced by the shimmer of city lights full of life. In the corner of the balcony, a rose plant brushed the side of the table, releasing its sweet scent. Maya inhaled the fragrance and gently touched a petal.
"What if we added… a small business together?" Maya suddenly suggested, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "A side hustle we run together."
Adi looked at her curiously. "What kind of business?"
Maya opened a different section of the notebook labeled "Dream Business." She pointed to a list: homemade cookies, online cooking classes, simple handicrafts, all written in pink ink. "We could start with semprit cookies, my grandmother's recipe." she explained. "Then we offer monthly subscription boxes. Each box contains cookies, the recipe and a little story from us."
Adi pulled out his pen again and jotted down:
"Home Bakery & Story Subscription"
A wave of emotion washed over Adi as he looked at Maya. These small dreams felt so real, like seeds ready to be planted. "I love it." he said with conviction. "Semprit cookies, handmade crafts, souvenirs… we'll package everything with the story of our love."
Maya placed her hand over Adi's. "These dreams will come true, won't they?" she asked, her voice slightly hoarse, full of hope.
Adi gripped her hand tightly. "Step by step, we'll make each one real."
They sat in silence, cherishing the closeness in that meaningful stillness. Adi looked up, gazing at the neighboring balcony lights, as if waiting for a nod of approval for their dreams. Maya turned to him, her eyes glowing with a light that never dimmed.
After a while, Maya spoke again. "I just thought of one more thing." she said softly. "A small habit we can do every night."
Adi looked up, curious. "Like what?"
Maya grinned playfully. "Every night before bed, we write down one thing we're grateful for that day, big or small in this notebook. Then, on every wedding anniversary, we'll read them all together."
Adi was moved. He imagined pages filled with love notes, capturing the simple moments: a sip of morning coffee, Maya's smile in the kitchen, a warm hug after work… All the little memories we often overlook.
On the empty page beneath their list of big dreams, Adi wrote:
"Daily Gratitude Journal"
Maya nodded with satisfaction. She imagined, a year from now, the two of them sitting again on their rocking chair, flipping through the notebook, laughing, crying, and being thankful for every second they'd shared.
The night deepened. Their balcony light shone warmly, creating a circle of comfort amid the darkness of surrounding buildings. Adi and Maya finished their juice, then stood and walked back into their cozy apartment.
Inside, the aroma of a simple stir-fry and warm rice lingered, proof that love always filled their home through every dish. Maya placed the glasses in the sink, while Adi leaned the notebook on the wooden shelf near the entrance.
Though the balcony door was closed tightly, the sound of the wind still whispered softly through the vents. Adi caressed Maya's back, hugging her from behind. "Tomorrow, I'll go to the garden shop," he said. "I'll buy some pots and soil. On Saturday, we'll plant them together."
Maya turned within his embrace, her eyes shining with joy. "I'll sketch the garden layout. That way, our plan will be even more detailed."
Adi kissed her forehead. "Perfect! Together, we'll build this home into a place where our dreams grow."
Maya closed her eyes, sipping happiness from that simple moment. "Together, always."
On the living room table, the notebook lay open, displaying their dreams. Balcony garden, rocking chair, annual travel, local festivals, small business and gratitude journal.