At Otopeni Airport, Ana Stroe was patiently waiting for her brother's glorious return. In stark contrast with what she would wear while at work, she was decked out in attire that seemed to be straight out of an American hood gang movie: her brother's knee-length sweatpants and a loose hoodie emblazoned with a large PORC logo. As she lounged on the stiff plastic airport chairs, she admired her freshly painted black nails, fighting the boredom that came with the slightly delayed flight. Even in her incognito get-up, she drew looks from both unsavory characters and distinguished gentlemen. She was undeniably stunning with her beautiful tan, vivid blue eyes and fiery red long hair.

Adam emerged from the gates with the first group of passengers. He never lost a second getting off a flight. His travel fatigue was visible in his slightly dulled eyes and discolored skin. Having indulged in a bit too much alcohol during the flight, he was far from his best condition. As he searched for his sister, the admirative looks from the female crowd converged with those of excited males as the Stroe siblings met in the middle, for everyone’s visual enjoyment.

Their connection was immediate and unmistakable; their bond didn't require eye contact to be acknowledged. Ana, energized by their reunion after five long weeks apart, sprang up from her seat and enveloped her brother in a warm hug.

"You look like the devil chewed you and spit you up," she whispered cheerfully.

"Says the devil herself," he retorted, returning the hug tightly enough to hear her bones crack. She punched him playfully and he gave her a tired half grin, pressing a kiss in her hair before letting her go. "Those stewardesses gave me a few too many bottles. You sure you didn’t pull some strings?”

"That you will never know,” Ana winked, and already started pulling his arm towards the double doors leading to the party. “Let's go drink, quit the chit-chat!"

“So, my sister's not a diva today? Going for the thug look?”

“Going for the about-to-drink-with-my-little-brother look. I'll even trade my margueritas for beer to fit with your simpleton tastes” she pulled the hoodie over her hair for emphasis. “So, how much alcohol did you have?” rather than give her brother a lecture, Ana sounded proud.

“Five of those tiny bottles, surprised they didn’t stop me at the gates?”

“Five?” Ana paused as they stepped outside into the parking lot, the sounds of the airport replaced by hurried passengers and angry drivers. “That’s a normal shift for me.”

“How haven’t they fired you yet?”

“Have you looked at me, little brother? I’m the hottest flight attendant they have, they can’t afford to fire me, Emirates would have me on their payroll in a blink.”

Adam threw his arm over his sister’s shoulder while they walked under the covered parking of Otopeni.

“Yeah, imagine Ma would be thrilled.”

“She doesn’t need to know, and don’t make that face, not like you tell her everything either. You asked me to keep it shut about Marbella.”

“Because she’d get her hopes up, Ana, and you know how she suffered after the mess up between me and Simona. That damn priest convinced her I’m cursed or some shit,” he continued to follow his sister, frowning. “Why did you park so far away? Trying to get your steps in for today?”

Ana rolled her eyes at him.

“Excuse me for not picking you up straight from the runway. You’re a hurt man, you poor baby.”

He didn’t deny it, partially because of the alcohol in his system. “Actually,” he continued after he spotted his sister’s car. “You could have picked me up from Málaga if you wanted the big sister badge, you know how I hate flying.”

“You just had to ask, baby bro, just had to ask. So, you drive or I drive?”

Ana took out the car keys unlocking the Jeep Wrangler.

“I’ll drive,” he announced, snatching the keys. “I just made my first sale, makes sense to spoil you.”

“Look at you, all wise and grown up. A businessman, all ready to spoil the only women in his life that deserve it. That’s me and Ma by the way.”

Ana seemed perfectly fine with him driving after the on-flight whiskey party and Adam proved himself by driving by the book. None of them were in the mood for being pulled over.

It was the weekend, which meant Bucharest’s rush hour was at its less potent level of frustration – instead of making one want to get out of the car and jump off a bridge in the Dambovita, it had been downgraded to just hair-pulling. Adam and Ana were immune though, because they were too involved in their conversation.

"Tell me about yourself, sis," Adam said, clearly weary of discussing his own predicaments, especially after turning them over and over during the entire flight.

"No way, not until I manage to flush this high-class girl from your system," Ana responded, her tone indicating a playful challenge. "So come on, tell me exactly how the rejection happened. How did she look at you, I bet she clawed her eyes out for being so dumb afterwards."

"She wasn't looking, more like staring at a wall," Adam shared, not sounding like he particularly enjoyed reliving the moment. "Even she realized the whole situation was messed up."

"What I can't understand," Ana voiced out her bewilderment, "is what she has that our Romanian girls don't."

"See for yourself. Take my phone, I’ve got a picture or two… Japanese to the bone, she always had her camera out."

"Just delete them. There's no need to keep them. To hell with her," Ana casually lifted her legs onto the car's dashboard and lit another cigarette. She only puffed once, then offered it to her brother as she reached for his phone to scroll for them. "Today you're getting drunk and doing whatever the hell you want."

The first was a photo of a stunning girl with an enchanting dimpled smile, the sea providing a picturesque backdrop. Her honey-colored eyes glimmered with life, and she had her hand extended, probably to reach for Adam, but the effect it created was a vivid sensation that she could step right out of the picture.

Ana took a moment to scrutinize the new found bane of her brother’s existence, before letting out a scoff. "What the hell did you see in this one? Just let it go, you can have a dozen like her if you visit Tokyo," she exaggerated, hoping to lighten her brother’s mood.

"Come on, don't talk crap. She's gorgeous, reminds me a bit of her dad," Adam retorted, a playful smirk creeping onto his face.

Ana burst into laughter, "What, and her dad's gorgeous too?"

"Ask Ma, she always blushes like a schoolgirl when I mention him. And Ioana hates the man, she can never get any women when he’s around. They fall like flies for the whole old money vibe," Adam shared, the corners of his mouth twitching in amusement.

Ana rolled her eyes and declared, "Well, your mechanic is stupid, brother, she should aim for her own league."

"Stupid she might be, but she knows what's beautiful," Adam said in a matter-of-fact tone, his focus returning to the task of deftly navigating their car through the chaotic downtown Bucharest. "Why do you think she's so hung up on you?"

"Who, Ioana? Because I gave her a drunken kiss once, 5 years ago and now she knows what’s good," she replied smugly, stealing a glance outside the window. "Talking about your dumb friends, wanna invite them? We could have a huge party, stay at that gypsy's place tonight and then head home tomorrow."

"What's up with you? Are you missing those idiots? Isn't your brother enough?"

"Okay, okay, I get it, you’re sensitive tonight and want at least one woman in your life to give you undivided attention, I gotcha," Ana said, raising her hands in mock surrender.