Ari called Adam the moment he opened his eyes that morning.

"Hey, little bear," Adam whispered into the phone. Ari's heart sped up, and he placed a hand on his chest to fee the quickened rhythm.

"Good morning, my big bear. How did last night end after you left here with Ryan?"

Adam sighed. "Let us just say we are lucky Ryan is on our side."

"How is Alex?" Ari asked. "All of this must be a shock for him."

Adam, who had been lying in bed, got up and left the room to check if Alex was awake. The guest room door was still closed, so he assumed Alex was still sleeping. He went into the bathroom and put Ari on speaker so he could continue his morning routine.

"Yes, it was. You have no idea—thank goodness you managed to locate him, because when Ryan and I got there, Kelly and her father were both with him."

"Wow, that is insane," Ari replied.

"Definitely..." Adam said while brushing his teeth.

"Are you getting ready again while talking to me?" Ari asked with fake irritation.

Adam said something in response, but Ari could not understand him because his mouth was full of toothpaste.

"I cannot understand you when you try to talk to me like that," Ari said.

"You know, I was thinking about something… but maybe it is too soon… then again, maybe it is not…" Ari said, clearly confused.

Adam, who had just finished washing his face, asked, "What were you thinking about?"

Ari sighed. "I was thinking we could do something together. I mean, the four of us—you, me, Gabi, and Alex. It does not have to be a double date or anything. Just something to get Alex out of the house and have a little fun. Gabi cannot work until they remove the cast from his hand anyway, and I am sure you two could use a break after everything that happened yesterday. And my schedule is more flexible, so... what do you say? Want to go out?"

Ari spoke so fast it was a miracle Adam managed to follow everything he said.

"You know I’m always happy for any excuse to see you," Adam said sweetly.

Ari rolled his eyes, but his heart sped up again. "Big bear, focus. We need to cheer up your friend," Ari gently scolded Adam.

Adam smiled. "No problem, we can go wherever you want, but I need to ask Alex first," he said, leaving the bathroom. At the door, he ran into Alex, which startled him a bit. "Since when are you awake?"

"Does Gabi have a cast?" Alex asked at the same time as Adam.

Ari, still on speaker, heard that Alex was awake and said, "Good morning, Alex. I hope you slept well last night."

"As well as I could," Alex replied. "I heard what you two were talking about. I am going to take a shower and I will get back to you about your suggestion later." He stepped into the bathroom.

"I think we are on the right track," Adam said.

"You think so?" Ari asked hopefully.

"Yes. The first thing he asked about was Gabi, so I think we should hang up now, I will work on Alex with breakfast, and you work on Gabi. Then maybe we can all do something together and go out for lunch afterward," Adam replied.

"Okay… let us do it. Kisses, my big bear."

"Kisses, little bear."

In the shower, Alex could hear the end of Adam and Ari’s conversation—mostly because he was leaning against the closed door.

Miraculously, the events of the previous day no longer weighed on him. Something else had taken over his thoughts.

The night before, all he had wanted was a calm, dreamless sleep.

He got everything but that.

He covered his face with his hands as the memories of his dreams rushed back. He felt like a teenage boy again—embarrassed, frustrated, and, frankly, sticky all over.

He had spent the entire night dreaming about Gabi. But not just any dreams—sex dreams.

Him and Gabi on the desk in his office. Him and Gabi in the backseat of the car. Him and Gabi in the shower.

Pressing Gabi up against a glass wall in a high-rise apartment overlooking the city—

which was ridiculous, because he did not even have a glass wall or a view like that.

He took a deep breath, admitting to himself that he hadn’t exactly been giving off pheromones.

He was starting to worry that his heat was approaching soon.

He undressed, turned on the water, and stepped underneath the stream.

The water was cold—he needed to cool himself down to erase the evidence of the previous night.

He didn’t turn off the water until he felt calm, and his skin was covered in goosebumps from the cold.

After he got dressed, he joined Adam at the dining table.

Adam had already set up plates with food and coffee for them.

"You know, eggs with everything is not the solution to everything," he said with a laugh, the first time since they got their results yesterday.

"I disagree with you on that," Adam replied. Alex smiled and took a bite, his fork full of omelet with chopped vegetables.

It really was the most comforting dish Adam could make for him—back in college, on a day of a big exam, or after a sleepless night due to a last-minute assignment. Adam would force him to sit down and eat it. It always helped him calm down. Adam said it was the magic of the dish, but Alex knew it had more to do with the company that came with it. Adam always had the ability to calm him down.

After a few quiet minutes of just eating, Alex said casually,

"I do not mind meeting up with Ari and Gabi today."

Adam smiled at him. "I am glad to hear that."

"You probably want to make the most of this month and be with Ari every single day," Alex said, looking at Adam with a hint of sadness. He truly loved seeing the two of them together—somehow, they brought out the best in each other.

"I would be more than happy to be with him every single day of my life," Adam replied, his chest swelling with pride.

"I am sorry it ended that way for you two," Alex said with real pain in his voice. Adam could tell he meant it—and then it hit him. With everything that happened yesterday, he still had not told Alex the news.

"Alex..." he said softly. "There is something I have not had the chance to tell you yet."

Alex looked at him with concern.

"Do not worry—it is something good. Actually, it is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Ari is my match."

The worry in Alex’s eyes was replaced with surprise.

"Are you sure?" Alex asked, half in disbelief.

"Yes. Ari told me he set an alert to notify him the moment new information appeared in his MMS file. And it happened right as we were leaving their offices."

"Oh God, we really might end up going on a double date," Alex said jokingly—and only after the words left his mouth did he realize what he had said, blushing immediately.

Adam laughed at the sight and said, "I have to admit, the soulmate match really is something special."

"As painful as it is for me to say... I agree with you," Alex said.

He thought back to the first time he saw Gabi. "The first time our eyes met, I felt this electric current run from my toes to the top of my head. I do not know how to explain it."

"Maybe no one can explain it," Adam said. "After I met Ari, it was like everyone else just... disappeared. He was the only one I could see, the only one I was drawn to. There is no single way to describe it. It is just… something special."

At Ari’s apartment, Rafi joined him for breakfast—just cereal with milk.

"Did you sleep well?" Ari asked.

"Yes, thank you," Rafi replied, adding sugar to his bowl.

"You do not need to add sugar. It is already sweet," Ari commented.

"I like it sweeter, and you do not need to worry about me. I heard you talking on the phone about a double date. Have you already thought about where to go?" Rafi asked.

"It is not polite to eavesdrop on other people’s conversations," Ari said with fake annoyance.

"I was not eavesdropping! I just heard it. I cannot control what I hear—it is not like I pressed my ear against the wall or anything. I just heard it," he said defensively.

Ari chuckled at that.

"I am sure your bionic hearing helps you a lot at work," Ari said with a laugh.

"Not always," Rafi replied. "Sometimes I forget that the person in front of me does not hear what I hear, and then the recordings take longer. We have to add more takes until we get the perfect result."

"I meant to ask you yesterday—when do you plan to see Will again?" Ari asked him.

"I am not sure, but most likely at Dani’s exhibition," Rafi replied. "Why are you asking?"

Ari looked at Rafi before answering, "I want to launch a new product—something that works like the pheromone filters, but designed specifically for mates, at least at first. If this product can truly detect and predict pheromone fluctuations, it would be a major breakthrough." Ari said hopefully,

"You want me and Will to be part of the control group?" Rafi asked, and Ari nodded.

"I do not know if he will agree. Just yesterday, I managed to get him to sit next to me without scowling. Are you planning to ask other people?"

"Honestly, the only soulmates I know like that are us and uncles Luke, and Phil. I don’t want to announce this in the early stages, in case someone else steals my idea," Ari said.

"I'll try to ask, maybe sometime after the exhibition," Rafi said. "Maybe if we manage to figure out Sam's soulmate, he’ll be more on board with the idea."

"Do not worry, I am on it. I will get it done before I go out with Gabi," Ari said.

After they finished eating, Rafi left the apartment and headed toward his studio. Since the Angel Towers stood side by side—one serving as a residential building and the other as a business complex—the walk was short.

When Rafi entered his studio, his secretary was already seated at her reception desk. "Good morning, Sheila," he greeted her.

"Good morning," she replied without lifting her eyes from the screen as she typed.

"Anything new?" Rafi asked.

"The production company sent us their schedule," she answered.

This was the production company behind the soap opera that starred Sam and Will.

"I also sent you the terms they requested, including the nondisclosure agreement regarding the content of their special episode," she added.

"Thank you, I will go over it," he replied.

"And remember, they are coming today to brief you on the musical direction they want. They expect nothing less than perfection, so there is a good chance you will need to work with the actors on their vocal training," she told him, fully aware that Rafi sometimes forgot that regular people did not have his bionic hearing or his vocal abilities.

He said with half a smirk, "I try my best when one of the actors slaughters the lyrics."

"Thanks, I appreciate that," she replied sincerely.

He laughed and stepped into his small office.

The familiar scent of coffee and sheet music greeted him, along with the comforting clutter of instruments, notes, and old drafts scattered on the desk.

Ari and Gabi met with Adam and Alex at the only place they could find online that was suitable for Gabi in his current condition. They met at one of the malls known for its retro floor, which featured arcade games, snooker tables, and a bowling alley.

Adam's ball took a sharp turn and rolled into the gutters without hitting a single pin.

"Wow... so there is something you're not good at," Alex said sarcastically.

Adam looked at the scoreboard in despair. Ari and Alex were competing for first place, Gabi was only a few points behind, and Adam had a feeling that without the cast, Gabi would probably be in the lead. Judging by the reactions of the people around them, he realized his own score was embarrassingly low.

"Shut up," Adam mumbled in embarrassment and went to sit down.

It was Ari's turn again, and he picked up the same ball as before.

"Remember what we said," Ari said, pointing the ball at them. "The winner gets a wish from each of you."

"I cannot believe I agreed to this. I should have known from the start you were planning something," Gabi said.

"Do not count on it. You still have to beat me," Alex replied.

They played until the final round, where Ari and Alex were tied.

Ari played and knocked down all the pins in a single throw.

Alex’s turn came after Gabi’s, and he had to get a strike or Ari would win.

Alex threw the ball, and it rolled down the lane—it felt like an eternity until it hit the pins.

All of them fell, except for one that wobbled at first but stayed standing.

"No…" Alex cried out at the same moment Ari shouted, "Yay!"

"What did you do?" Gabi said to him in mock shock.

"You will not regret this," Ari said, "you are going to contribute to breakthrough technology," referring to his wish.

Adam walked over to him, smiling, and gave him a hug. "I am so proud of you."

Alex looked at Gabi and felt awkward. He turned to the embracing couple and asked, "Do you guys want to go grab lunch?"

"I think it’s too early," Ari said, checking the time on his watch.

"Why don't we head to the arcade? There's a whole bunch of games there, and I know even with one hand tied I have the advantage over you guys," Gabi suggested.

They agreed, and once there, they decided to split into pairs and play against each other.

Ari and Adam went to play a motorcycle racing game,

while Alex and Gabi played a shooting game, where Gabi showed off his sniping skills.

"Now I am scared," Alex said after seeing Gabi break the high score.

"Then I hope you are not too scared to meet my family, because my skills are average compared to theirs," Gabi said. When he saw Alex's eyes widen, he added, "My family comes from a military and law enforcement background."

"I know you meant for that explanation to calm me down," Alex said with a laugh, "but somehow I feel more pressure now."

"Do not worry," Gabi said, stepping closer to Alex. "I will protect you."

They were only centimeters apart. They could smell each other’s scent, feel the heat radiating from one another.

"Do you promise?" Alex asked in a whisper.

Behind them, Ari and Adam, who had left their competition, were watching Alex and Gabi. Adam, seeing that they had gotten closer to each other, pulled out his phone and began filming them without them noticing.

It seemed like Alex and Gabi were in a world of their own, looking into each other's eyes. Alex laughed nervously and turned his gaze away. Gabi, with his healthy hand, gently lifted Alex's face and pressed his lips to Alex's.

It felt like time had stopped. Alex moaned into Gabi’s lips and closed his eyes.

"I'm so glad I captured this moment," Adam whispered.

"And so am I. I’ll send it to Rafi and Dani. They’ll go wild over this," Ari said excitedly.