Adam strolled leisurely towards the hotel, the sound of ocean waves their only companion. "Have you nodded off?" he teased, noticing her unusually quiet demeanor.

"No, not at all. I'm simply enjoying my royal carriage," Yui retorted playfully, snuggling closer in his arms. "I could walk the rest of the way, you know."

"But that would deprive me of playing the gallant Bowser with his captured princess," Adam countered, drawing attention to his tattoos and earning a laugh from Yui.

"Are you really referencing Mario?" she exclaimed, her laughter resonating in the evening air. "I had no idea you were such a nerd!"

"Classy, not nerdy. It gives me an aura of cultured refinement, thank you very much. Even your father would get the reference," Adam defended himself, feigning offense.

"I stand by my statement. You have too much free time!” Yui countered with a smile that made her dimples stand out cutely.

“And you get my references, so you must do something other than work sometimes.”

"I do, but gaming is strictly a leisure activity. You must know the difference between work and leisure, don’t you?”.

"First, we must define 'work.' For others? For me? For my family? Depending on your perspective, I'm either always working or never working. I believe work should facilitate a good life, not consume it," Adam elaborated, turning the conversation serious.

"That's… unexpectedly deep," Yui mused, finding herself drawn to the cadence of his voice.

Adam carefully sat her down as they neared the entrance of the hotel, keen to hear about her viewpoint. "And what's your take on work, then?"

"Focus on my career, it’s going to be my legacy when I’m gone," Yui shared, brushing off the sand from her feet and slipping on her shoes.

Adam laughed gently, nudging her lightly as they resumed their walk side by side. "You're truly your father's daughter. But tell me, do you think he's satisfied? Living all alone?"

"I suppose I am Daddy's girl. And yes, I think he’s content with his life. He achieved everything he set out to do and more," yet she sounded like his words planted doubt in her.

Adam's reply was soft, almost a whisper. "He's lonely, Yui. And he doesn't even realize it. That's the worst kind of loneliness."

"He's not lonely!" Yui countered instinctively, feeling an emptiness in her chest she couldn’t explain. So, she changed the subject. “How did you two meet again? Father was very vague.”

"I found him stranded by the side of a mountain road," Adam began, grinning at the memory. "His legendary driving skills busted the transmission. The rental company gave him a manual instead of an automatic, and your father, being your father, decided to give it a go rather than wait for a replacement. Well, he managed to kill it in 100 kilometers."

"That sounds exactly like Dad, he can do almost anything… except for driving a manual." Yui laughed, thoroughly amused by the image Adam had conjured. She caught sight of a young receptionist shooting admiring glances at Adam, but decided to ignore the unexplainable pang of possessiveness she felt. "And you fixed his car, didn't you?"

"Well, I had to tow him first, it wasn’t a quick fix," Adam explained. "He'd done quite a number on it. I took him home since it was winter and he was nearly frozen. My mother gave him some palinka to warm up."

"Oh, the infamous Romanian moonshine! That must've won him over," Yui teased.

"Did he tell you about that?"

"Vaguely. He mostly told me that visiting Romania is his way to detach. I always had the impression that he enjoyed observing you."

"Me, or my world in general?" Adam questioned, his gaze thoughtfully meeting hers.

"Both, I guess. If you knew my dad well, you'd know his quirks," Yui said, her gaze steady on him.

"I think the man I know and the man who raised you might be two different people," Adam countered, a hint of seriousness coloring his otherwise playful tone.

"Perhaps. But it's refreshing to see Dad having fun," Yui admitted.

Adam laughed at that. "Oh, trust me, that's my mission. Whether he likes it or not, he has fun every time he visits. Perhaps I should adopt the same strategy with you."

"And what strategy might that be?" Yui asked, her tone slipping into flirtatious territory.

They had made their way up the stairs and were standing in the open hallway that led to their respective rooms. They passed Adam's room and stopped before hers.

"Ensuring that you're entertained," Adam replied, his voice dropping an octave as he locked his intense blue eyes with hers. The soft overhead light played wonderful shadows on his handsome face. It drew Yui to stare with an openness she would never allow herself sober.

She wanted to say something, but when her lips parted, he kissed her for a second time that night. This time, it was slow and careful. "I really want to come in. But I won't, because we've had a bit too much to drink. Okay?"

Adam moved to pull back with those whispered words, but she grasped his shirt pulling him towards her as she opened the door behind without looking. It only took three fumbling attempts.

Yuiko Ishida was always perfectly put together, always calm and collected, analytic and strategic. She was Daddy’s pride and her own biggest critic. She held herself in check. She kept herself motivated. She kept focused on her well-calibrated life timeline, complete with its major milestones.

Yuiko Ishida had no time for things as frivolous as summer romances and wild adventures. Yui was tired of being miss Ishida. She suddenly found herself caring more about the way the soft light played on Adam’s face than the ideal age to have children. So, Yui did something Yuiko Ishida would have smacked her lips and frowned mightily at: she grabbed Adam’s face and she pulled him back into the room with her, kissing him with all her might.

Their bodies were drawn together by a magnetic force that buzzed in the air between them. A haze of intoxication coupled with a whirlwind of raw arousal had seized them both, and there was no turning back. Yui's hands were greedily fumbling at the fabric of Adam's shirt, her actions slightly uncoordinated but filled with fervor. His lips claimed hers, a passionate connection that left no room for misinterpretation.

"Are you sure about this?" His words were barely a whisper against her lips, his hands confidently roaming, adding a whole new layer of sensation that sent shockwaves down her spine. In response, she moaned, making his fingers dig deeper into her.

They collapsed onto the bed in a tangled mess of limbs. There was nothing tender about their exchange. It was wild and fiery, and nothing like Yui had ever experienced before. His hands were exploring, making her gasp and moan with each new contact. He was bold, unapologetic, his masculine energy filling the room and electrifying the air around them.

Still, he paused, his eyes intense but sober as he looked straight at her.

 “You had a few drinks, Yui. I want to know this is not the alcohol…”

“Adam…shut up," she seemed set on ignoring his questions, but when he halted his advances suddenly, Yui grunted in frustration. His gentlemanly concern was almost touching, considering their heated circumstances. But she wanted him to touch her, and kiss her. And never stop.

In a daze, Yui grabbed her phone, hitting record. "I, Yui Ishida, consent to having sex with Adam Stroe. This is a fully assumed decision,” she declared, showing him the screen before tossing her phone aside. His grin was wicked, dangerously intoxicating, and she felt a thrill rush through her veins as he finally took her lips in one of his mind-blowing kisses again.

The rest was a blur. Clothes were shed, bodies bared, all decorum and propriety discarded. He had her pinned underneath him, his kisses leaving a burning trail down her body. He was exploring her in ways she'd never been explored before, evoking sensations that had her moaning unabashedly. Her head fell back on the creaking mattress, her body trembling under his experienced touch.

She was breathless, gasping, her hands clutching onto him, as if afraid she might disappear into the overwhelming feeling if she let go. And then, he was there, filling her, stretching her. She gasped at the sensation; her mind completely silenced by pleasure. He was careful, yet confident, his movements making her cling onto him tighter.

Adam took his time, his pace building up until he was pushing her so much farther past the edge, she was free falling. No, she was flying. The sounds she made filled the room, echoing off the walls, her cries and moans more fervent than the Moroccan dancer’s. She lost herself in the torrent of pleasure, a blank canvas filled only with Adam. The sound of his voice against her ear, whispering in Romanian, added to her intoxication. She came undone under him, their bodies moving in sync, riding the wave of euphoria until they collapsed, spent and satisfied.