Adam sauntered into the lobby, looking every bit the surfer in his casual attire. His dark jeans and smart shirt from the previous evening had been replaced by swim trunks and a loose-fitting tank top. His surfboard was propped up by the reception desk where a young girl made awkward attempts to engage him in conversation. But Adam's eyes were locked on Yui the moment she appeared. Descending the stairs in her bright bathing suit and lightweight summer cover-up, she was a vision. For the first time, she actually looked like she was on vacation, her pretty face radiant.

A grin spread across Adam's face as he caught sight of Yui, and she reciprocated with a smile that was all for him. "Ready to go?" Yui shot a cautionary glance towards the receptionist, a subtle yet effective warning, before turning her focus back to Adam. She felt a pang of something akin to gratitude for her father's decision to send her here instead of coming himself. Finally, she began to understand her father's affinity for this man.

As Adam shed his shirt, Yui's eyes followed the fabric as it cascaded down onto the sand. She barely suppressed a gasp, the sight of him making her inadvertently lick her lips. "Will you put on a show?" she found herself asking, her voice coming out more teasing than she intended.

"Don't I always?" Adam shot back playfully, a boyish grin on his face. He promised her a 'full stadium tour' in exchange for a kiss, an offer Yui met with a cheeky reply, "Just a kiss?" As Adam leaned in to claim his prize, she felt an unusual comfort wash over her. There was no need for pretenses, no need to hide her true self. This was genuine, and she found herself lost in it.

After stealing his kiss, Adam raced into the water. The waves were high, and Adam took them head-on, his body gliding over the surface of the water with an ease that spoke of years of practice. Yui watched in awe, her heart pounding in her chest as he caught a wave and rode it nearly three-quarters of the way in before falling. But Adam emerged from the water laughing, completely unfazed by the wipeout. His second and third attempts were flawless, further cementing his prowess in Yui's eyes. He was a spectacle to behold, his wet hair tousled and sticking to his forehead, his body glistening under the sun. She could hardly think of any man, fictional or otherwise, that could look as good under the Marbella sun.

"That is crazy, you are crazy!" Yui found herself saying, her voice filled with admiration and a touch of disbelief. Adam corrected her with a playful, "Crazy but badass," as he strolled back towards her. The taste of him was salty but welcomed when they shared another kiss.

"You should see my sister ride the waves. She's lighter so she has better control." The way he spoke about his sibling revealed a certain reverence and respect.

"You talk about your sister like she is better than you at everything. I like a man that is not afraid to admit that."

His laughter was contagious. "Oh, she's pretty damn brilliant, but never let her hear it. She has an overinflated ego that can take her to the sun."

"Does she now? Somehow, that sounds familiar," she teased back, looking at Adam as if they'd known each other for years. The chemistry between them was undeniable.

"Well, we’re brothers, always in competition. But I let her win half the time. Don't tell her that either," Adam added, sounding like he fully expected the two women to meet eventually.

"Your secret is safe with me. Does my father know your sister?"

"No. She travels a lot, and frankly I made it a point to make sure to keep them well away from each other. They would be one dangerous mix." Now, he was sitting in water that only reached his knees, and extended his hand to her.  "Ok… ready to learn how to ride the waves?"

Caught off guard, Yui looked at him in shock. "Me... out there? Surf like you did?" Yet, being the brave Ishida she was, she conceded before he even had to work to convince her. "Alright." Yui stretched her muscles and took off her beach cover.

"Well… not exactly what I did. For now, we can practice paddling and sitting up on the board," Adam clarified, probably taken aback by her sudden shift in energy. He had no doubt that she could be reckless if she had a point to prove. But he was not there to tease or challenge her beyond her skills. Under his patient guidance, she kept her perseverance, but the competitive spark that had been in her eyes at first grew into pure joy. This was indeed fun for Yui, but she found the task a lot harder than she'd imagined. Adam continued to push her over the waves, eliciting giggles and laughter from her.

In the midst of all the fun, Yui paused to share a meaningful look with Adam. "Thank you, I enjoy myself with you," she confessed sincerely. "See, I am not that much of a stiff ass."

"First." Adam’s good mood was unshakable, his gaze roving appreciatively over Yui's figure, "You have a very, very, very fine ass. And you also happen to be good at pretending it’s irritatingly stiff. Which is not, I tested last night," his fingers slid lower than necessary for him to support her.

Yui's brow shot up at that, a playful click of her tongue emphasizing her faux disapproval. However, she didn't pull away, even allowed his audacious touch. "Pretend? We, Ishida, never pretend. We have standards." she shot back, her eyes sparking with laughter.

"Bullshit. Your father acted like he’d never enjoy a good barbecue or a night out in downtown Bucharest, but look at him visiting every year."

Yui’s expression changed to one of stunned surprise. “Wait, you took dad clubbing? I wish I could have seen that."

Adam's chuckles echoed over the waves as he nodded. "You can always join us next time. But the gist of it is that your dad is a lady magnet and a lot smoother than I expected him to be."

"Adam!" Yui gasped, covering her mouth in mock horror. "Really, you saw him with a woman?" The curious gleam in her eyes betrayed her interest in his story, despite her initial reaction.

Adam shook his head playfully. "I saw him with many women. Do you think he was a saint as a student in the US? The man has a healthy dose of western free spirit in him. Also, make up your mind… do you want to know or not? You make it sound like you thought your father was gay." His words were a gentle tease, the banter between them as natural as the rhythm of the waves around them. "Now, let's go back to your surfing 101. I guarantee it to be much easier to explain than your dad's dating life."

Yui, still battling the image of her father immersing himself in the Bucharest nightlife, nodded and made herself focus on the task at hand. She was ready to try and conquer the waves again, or at least attempt to, under Adam's careful tutelage.

What followed was an exercise in hilarity, balance, and saltwater. Yui's attempts at mastering the surfboard were as graceful as a toddler taking its first steps, but her perseverance was admirable. Adam stood by, his laughter ringing out each time she tumbled into the water. Yet, he was always ready to help her back onto the board, a constant presence by her side.

She spluttered, her wet hair sticking to her face, as she wiped the salty ocean water from her eyes. Giggling, Yui pulled herself back up onto the board, and exclaimed in breathless laughter, "I think I'm getting the hang of this!"

She gradually gained a semblance of balance on the board until she finally managed to ride the smallest wave, all by herself.

With a triumphant grin, she turned to Adam, "See, nothing can stop an Ishida!" Her eyes sparkled with joy, the reflection of the sea in her eyes mirroring the waves that they had spent all day riding.

Minutes later, they sat on the empty beach, shoulders brushing as they watched the gentle rocking of the ocean. Their only companions were the weirdly shaped group of palms and a dog barking in the distance, from the special dog area of the beach.

“It’s weird, to hear you talking about dad,” Yui confessed. “You were right when you said we know two different Takeo Ishida.”

“Because you look up to him?” Adam was drying his hair with the second towel she was careful to bring. Usually, he would just be using his hands.

“I don’t just look up to him, I feel like he’s an insurmountable mountain. He always challenged me and I know I am who I am today thanks to that. But I think I failed to see him as a man. As someone who is more than the career he built, his company, or his expectations of me. When you talk about him, I’m almost jealous that I don’t know this man.”

Adam stopped, the towel half covering his face as he turned to look at her.

“You should get to know him someday then; you’d definitely like him. Just sit down and have a drink, ask him how my mum blushes like a high school girl whenever he’s around,” he laughed and went back to drying his mop of unruly blonde hair. “Can’t blame her, the man is fine, and you took all the right genes from him.”

“Wait, you think my dad is hot?” she made a stern face, one that suggested an impending lecture. “Do you ever take anything seriously, Adam?”

“I am serious, it’s an observation. My best friend is gay and my sister plays for both teams. I don’t have trouble seeing physical qualities regardless of gender. I just have a firm preference for the team that comes with boobs.”

She slapped his arm playfully at that and, in retaliation, he pulled her in a kiss which she tried to fight for exactly two seconds before melting.

“Thank you,” she whispered against his lips. “For being dad’s friend.”