It was a warm summer morning. New York was already stirring, the distant hum of waves and traffic rising like a gentle giant waking up. Soft sunlight slipped through the gaps in the window shutters, settling on Adam, still curled up in the comfort of his bed. The warmth brushing his face made him stir, and he slowly opened his eyes.
He reached for his phone on the bedside table and checked the time.
8:30 a.m. Perfect, he thought.
Adam got out of bed, stretched for a few seconds, opened the shutters, and took a deep breath as he looked out at the sea. Feeling refreshed, he grabbed the pajamas he had lazily tossed onto his desk and headed toward the bathroom.
As he walked down the hallway, he could already hear his parents having breakfast downstairs — and more importantly, smell the hot bread fresh from the toaster.
In the bathroom, he quickly undressed, put on some light music on his phone, and turned on the shower.
Haaa… the first and best moment of the day, he thought as the hot water relaxed every muscle. It was the one routine that always set his day on the right foot.
After a few minutes of bliss, he twisted the handle all the way to the coldest setting — his ritual to avoid turning into a sleepy zombie after melting under the hot water.
"Hiss… I feel like I'll never get used to this," he muttered, taking a deep breath to steady himself under the icy stream.
Just a few seconds later, he swiftly turned off the water, released a long breath, and stepped out of the shower. He slipped back into his pajamas, quickly washed his face, and tried to fix his hair — a hopeless battle. He had that kind of thin, stubborn hair that refused to go in the right direction unless you forced it into submission.
One day, I swear I'll shave it all off, he thought, glaring at that one rebellious strand of hair. But Marie would probably not like it… and honestly, neither would I.
"Whatever. You have to suffer to be handsome like me," he sighed out loud, running a hand through his hair with a small, mock‑narcissistic smirk.
Finally done with his ritual, he headed downstairs for the ultimate morning mission: eating.
"Thought you'd stay in bed and convince yourself until noon that you still had time, haha. You're getting better!" His father, hearing him on the stairs, had already decided it was time for some father‑son bonding — by being a dick.
"Could you not just say hello like a normal person? But I shouldn't be surprised. You're a gorilla, not a person," Adam said, already sensing that his relaxing morning was about to end.
"Haaaa, in my time, kids were more respectful with their parents…" Victor sighed with mock hurt.
"Don't listen to your father, that's just his way of loving you."
Luckily for Adam, an angel descended upon the earth to stop this great terror — his mother. Not the holy‑light, wings‑spread kind of angel. No. The kind that brings salvation in the form of hot toast, bacon, and fried eggs.
While Adam didn't care much for English cuisine — if their strange mushes could even be called cuisine — he absolutely loved their breakfast. Delicious, efficient, a bit of pleasure, a bit of protein. Just what he needed.
"Thanks, Mom, you're the best!" Adam said with genuine enthusiasm, giving her a quick, tight hug before immediately digging in.
The family ate in a warm, comfortable silence. Victor sipped his coffee while pretending to read the newspaper — though Adam knew he mostly looked at the pictures. Elena nibbled on fruit with one hand while typing on her laptop with the other, multitasking like it was a natural talent. And Adam… well, Adam was simply devouring his plate like a man who hadn't eaten in three days.
A few minutes later, his plate was spotless. He stood up, cleaned the dishes, and headed back toward the stairs.
"It was delicious, Mom, as always!" he shouted before disappearing.
Elena smiled softly and said, "I can't let my superboy go hungry."
Back in his room, Adam checked the time: 10 a.m. He still had plenty of time. And to avoid getting rusty while not overworking himself for the next few days, he decided to squeeze in a quick one‑hour workout in his room. Push‑ups, squats, abs, and some light calisthenics — handstands, planks, even the Baki pose.
He'd been working on these technical movements for years, and he always relished the thrill of unlocking something new, something harder. The Baki pose was his current obsession. He was quite the anime fan, after all.
An hour later, balanced steadily on one hand, he heard his phone ringing — marking the end of his morning playtime.
Not wanting to waste time, he headed straight for a quick shower — this time not lasting an eternity, just enough to feel clean. Then he grabbed the simplest outfit possible from his closet; summer in New York didn't really allow for anything else. A white tank top, loose grey baggy pants, and his usual white sneakers. Light, comfortable, and cool enough to survive the late‑August heat.
He checked himself in the mirror.
Not bad. Simple, but it worked.
He went to the bathroom to brush his teeth and tried to tame that one rebellious strand of hair, to no avail. In the end, he just accepted the chaos and went for a messy, hazardous hairstyle — something a little wild, like a humanised lion.
Coming downstairs once more, he saw his father and mother talking animatedly over the newspaper.
"I'm telling you, that guy is not normal… It's either he has crazy genetics or he's taking drugs. And I can recognise drugged people from miles away — with me always being around people like that—"
"What are you guys talking about?" Adam cut in, intrigued to see his parents debating so intensely.
Both his father and mother turned toward him at the same time, still radiating the energy of their argument.
Victor gave him an appraising look, scanning him from head to toe.
"Seriously? You could have at least worn a vest or something. You look like you're going to fight someone, not going on a date," he said, teasing.
"What would you know? You're more often without a shirt than dressed. Anyway, with this weather, I'd rather not feel like a roasted chicken," Adam responded, amused that his father was actually giving him fashion advice.
"In my time, I—" "Yeah, yeah, I know. In your time you were the president of the USA. So, what were you talking about?"
Victor opened his mouth, ready to argue further, but a quick, piercing look from Elena shut him down instantly. He huffed, then said, suddenly energized by the topic:
"While you were trying to dress like a human being, I found something big in the paper. You remember that triple boxing world champion I'm a fan of? The guy's still in his prime, but he just got dethroned by a rookie. Almost no fights, and only six months of training."
"Mmm. And your father is convinced he's not taking anything, while I'm not so sure," Elena added quickly, clearly trying to get her son on her side.
"You know I do research, and going from a complete rookie to beating the best in the world — maybe the best in history — while being on the lower end of the weight classes… that's not humanly possible."
"Mmm, whatever you say, Mom is probably right. Anyway, I don't feel like agreeing with you today, Dad," Adam said with a smirk, shooting his father a playful look before stepping toward his mother for a quick hug.
"Anyway, I don't want to be late, so I'm going. See you tonight!"
"Have fun, superboy. And don't forget to ask Marie to join us for dinner!" his mother added gently, clearly urging him once again to bring Marie back home.
At this point I'm optional. She just wants to see her, Adam thought, resigned.
"Yeah, I'll ask her."
"See you, son!" Victor boomed in his characteristic strong voice.
Adam stepped outside, letting the soft sea breeze brush against his face. The sunlight was bright but gentle, the kind of warm August morning that made the whole city feel alive. Perfect weather for a date — especially for them. They were never the type to hide in a dark cinema or sit still in a restaurant for hours.
He headed toward the South Ferry station, weaving through the familiar streets near the port. The smell of the sea mixed with the distant noise of traffic, and for a moment he felt the quiet excitement of the day settle in his chest.
The station wasn't too crowded yet. As he reached the platform, the train screeched in — perfect timing. He slipped inside just before the doors closed and found a seat by the window.
Twenty minutes… I might actually be early for once, he thought, amused. He pulled out his phone and sent Marie a quick message to let her know he'd be there soon.
Directly after, he pulled out his earphones, put on a random playlist, and shut his eyes for a quick power nap.
— Thirty minutes later —
Times Square was already bustling with activity. Between dancers, singers, and even… TikTokers, every kind of performer was already out. The place felt like its own artistic micro‑biome.
Adam was leaning against a pole, scrolling through his phone. He'd been doing that for the last ten minutes, having arrived before Marie for once.
"Hello sir, I'm looking for a handsome man. Defined muscles, cute smile. He should be waiting for the best girlfriend in the world."
Adam knew that voice — the one that had captivated him for the past two years. He lifted his gaze.
Marie stood in front of him, her long black hair falling in soft curls over her shoulders. Her blue eyes — bright, clear, almost too expressive — caught the light as she smiled. She wasn't wearing her glasses today; she only put them on when she worked or read, and he always found it strange how different she looked without them. Softer. Lighter.
She had that quiet elegance he loved, the kind that didn't need effort, paired with a lively glint in her eyes — the kind that always hinted she was up to something. She wore a simple white summer dress that moved lightly with the breeze, flattering her figure without trying to. Casual, effortless, beautiful — very her.
It was his girlfriend, Marie.
Seeing that familiar glint, Adam slipped into his best acting mode.
"What a coincidence! I'm a handsome man waiting for the best girlfriend in the world. I think I might be the one you're looking for," he declared with an exaggerated noble accent, standing straight with one hand behind his back.
Marie adopted a serious expression, holding her chin as she inspected him like a scientist pondering a profound theory. She nodded slowly, as if she had finally reached a conclusion.
"Mmm… it does look like you're my boyfriend," she said with a smile, her eyes locked on his.
Hearing that, Adam closed the distance and gently placed his hands behind her back before leaning in to kiss her. She rose slightly on her toes, resting a hand on his chest as she closed her eyes, letting herself melt into the moment.
They lingered for a second before gently pulling apart, their foreheads almost touching.
"So, Frankenstein, what are we doing today?" Marie asked.
"How about we grab something to eat at a food stall? Then we can roam around Manhattan, watch some street performances, and ponder about life," Adam answered, already salivating as he took her hand and started pulling her toward the stalls.
"Already thinking about food? I shouldn't be surprised anymore," she laughed, letting herself get dragged along.
"But to be honest, I'm getting a little hungry too. I feel like eating something Chinese," she added after a pause.
"How about we grab some dumplings there?" Adam said, pointing toward a small Chinese restaurant tucked between two larger shops.
"Mmm, let's do that," Marie replied.
They made their way toward the restaurant, weaving through the crowd. The smell of soy sauce, ginger, and something sizzling in a wok drifted out onto the sidewalk. Inside, a small handwritten menu hung above the counter, offering dumplings, noodles, and a few stir‑fried dishes. They stood shoulder to shoulder, scanning the options before settling on what to order.
A few minutes later, their food was ready. They grabbed their containers and stepped back outside, the warmth of the boxes seeping through the paper. A small park sat just a block away, so they crossed the street and found an empty bench under a tree. They sat down, unwrapped their chopsticks, and let the city noise fade into the background as they started eating.
Marie blew lightly on a dumpling before taking a bite.
"This is really good," she said, pleasantly surprised, her face brimming with satisfaction.
"Dumplings are always the right choice when it comes to Chinese food," Adam commented.
Marie nodded, savoring every bite.
"It's been a long time since I last ate something this good," she sighed.
Adam looked at her for a moment, a smile tugging at his lips.
"Well, you're so focused on your research you barely take time for real food. At best you survive on sandwiches."
Marie sighed softly and leaned against him, letting her head rest on his shoulder in a relaxed, playful way.
"You know how important research is to me. And things have been pretty hectic these past few months," she said. "We've run into so many strange situations that we're making new discoveries almost every day. Just the other day, we found a rat that can solve basic math. Actual additions."
Adam blinked. "Wait — like… real math?"
Marie nodded, amused. "We show it two numbers on a screen, and it taps the correct answer with its paw. Single digits only, but still. It even beat the intern in a competition."
Adam laughed. "Okay, that's impressive. And slightly humiliating for the intern."
Marie snorted. "To be fair, the rat only had to do simple additions. The intern had to run complex computations."
Adam grinned. "So the rat got the easy job."
Marie took another bite of her dumplings. "Exactly. And honestly? He looked so proud of himself, as if he understood he'd done something amazing. The rat, of course. Not the intern."
"Anyway," Adam said with a little smirk, "what are you guys actually working on at the lab? You're not a rat specialist, right?"
Marie rolled her eyes.
"Of course not. I've told you already — we're focused on the evolution of species as a whole, not on one animal. We study the mechanisms behind evolution itself. And with all these unnatural, explosive changes happening across different species, we're basically analyzing every new specimen that shows something… unusual."
"Mmm, right," Adam said, thinking out loud. "I think I saw a meme about a monkey breakdancing on TikTok the other day." He laughed. "Looked fake, but now I'm not so sure."
"Exactly," Marie replied. "That's the kind of thing we're studying. It's funny on the surface, but it's also… problematic. That's just the harmless side of it. Some animals are changing in ways that are a lot less cute. Felines getting faster, their claws cutting deeper. Fish growing larger than they should. Little things, but they add up. And that's only what we see."
Adam chuckled. "Murder cats becoming even more murderous. Comforting."
Marie gave him a playful nudge. "I'm serious. Imagine a house cat with the reflexes of a wild predator. Or a tuna the size of a small car. We're not there yet, but the trend is… strange."
Adam grinned. "Hopefully I won't run into a heavyweight‑champion kangaroo in Australia next week."
Marie let out a short laugh. "Given the way things are going, I wouldn't rule it out. If a rat can do math, a kangaroo throwing uppercuts doesn't sound that far‑fetched anymore."
They looked at each other and burst into laughter, both picturing the absurdity of the scene.
"So," she said once their laughter faded, "how are things on your side? Are you ready for your…" She paused, searching for the word. "Your stunt, was it?"
"Right. I was born ready," Adam replied with a smirk, confidence radiating off him. "It's nothing crazy. Just a jump from a helicopter, a glide between two cliffs, and a water landing."
Marie blinked, staring at him in disbelief. "That's your definition of nothing crazy?"
Adam shrugged, amused by her reaction. "I've done worse."
Marie smiled, remembering. "Right, you did some crazy stuff in France too. Didn't you free‑solo that route in the Verdon? The one climbers say is basically impossible without gear?"
Adam let out a soft laugh. "Yeah. What a climb that was." He looked at her, eyes bright with that unmistakable spark. "Pretty exciting, wasn't it?"
Marie shook her head, smiling. "Yeah. That's when I realized what kind of fool you are — an incredible fool."
They looked at each other for a moment, both smiling, both a little lost in the memory.
They kept talking after that, drifting from one topic to another with the same easy flow — old stories, half‑forgotten moments, ridiculous ideas that made no sense, and the kind of absurd hypotheticals only two people completely at ease with each other could invent. Time slipped by without either of them noticing, the world around them fading into background noise as their conversation wandered freely.
By the time the sun had started dipping behind the buildings, the air had shifted. It must have been around five, maybe a little later, when a sudden burst of shouting and applause cut through the flow of their conversation. They both turned instinctively.
A crowd had gathered a little further down the street, right at the edge of Times Square. Music thumped, people cheered, and someone yelled for everyone to "make a circle." It had that unmistakable energy — a street show pulling in half the block.
Adam raised an eyebrow, amused. "Sounds like something's happening. Let's see what we've got there."
Marie grinned. "Haha, let's go!"
Without thinking, he reached for her hand, and she didn't hesitate. Fingers intertwined, they rushed toward the forming circle, carried by the pulse of the crowd and the sudden spark of excitement in the air.