The day at the Hawks Agency started out ordinary enough — paperwork piled on Kenta's desk, coffee gone cold, and his boss, as usual, nowhere to be seen because of patrol prep.
At least, that's what Kenta thought until the door opened and a familiar, gentle voice greeted him.
> "Hello," Aerith said softly, holding a basket full of freshly cut flowers. "I thought I'd bring these by. The agency could use a little color."
Kenta blinked, startled.
> "Oh! Uh — Miss Aerith! Wow, this is… unexpected. The Number Two hero's office just got an upgrade."
She giggled, setting the basket on Hawks' desk.
> "He mentioned this place always felt too plain. I thought maybe some flowers would help."
Kenta smiled, watching as she carefully arranged them — white lilies, pink tulips, and a few golden daisies.
The room, once dull and gray, instantly felt alive.
Then, as Aerith leaned closer to the desk, Kenta's heart nearly stopped.
Because there it was.
That small velvet box, sitting right on top of a stack of unfinished reports.
Hawks had forgotten to hide it.
Kenta's eyes went wide.
> "Uh—Miss Aerith—maybe you shouldn't—"
Too late. Her curious gaze had already landed on it.
Aerith blinked.
> "Oh, what's this?"
Kenta coughed so hard he nearly choked.
> "Probably—uh—paper clips! Or… thumbtacks! Hero supplies, you know?"
She smiled knowingly.
> "Right. Paper clips."
The door swung open just then, a gust of air rushing in as Hawks stepped through, wings half-folded and goggles resting around his neck.
> "Aerith!" he said, instantly smiling. "Didn't expect you here so early."
> "I was delivering flowers," she said warmly. "But it looks like I found something interesting too."
Her gaze flicked to the velvet box on his desk.
Kenta silently mouthed good luck and began backing toward the hallway.
> "Oh… that?" Hawks scratched the back of his neck, laughing nervously. "Just, uh… something I meant to put away."
Aerith tilted her head, eyes glimmering with amusement.
> "Mm-hm. You're terrible at hiding things, you know that?"
> "Yeah," he admitted sheepishly. "But only around you."
Kenta groaned quietly from the doorway.
> "Unbelievable. I'm in a romance drama, aren't I?"
Aerith laughed, the sound light and warm as spring air. She reached out, gently taking Hawks' hand.
> "It's beautiful," she said softly, though she didn't open the box. "You have good taste."
For a moment, Hawks looked at her — really looked — and Kenta could tell he was this close to saying something more.
Instead, he just smiled.
> "It'd look better on you," he murmured, almost too quietly for anyone else to hear.
Aerith's cheeks flushed faintly.
> "Maybe someday."
The air seemed to pause between them — the kind of moment that didn't need any big words to mean everything.
Then Hawks straightened, his professional grin sliding back into place.
> "Duty calls," he said, flexing his wings. "I've got patrol."
> "Be safe out there," Aerith said gently, handing him one of the flowers from her basket — a small, white daisy.
He tucked it behind his ear with a grin.
> "Always."
As he left through the open window, the wind stirring the petals she'd brought, Kenta finally exhaled.
> "You two are going to give me heart problems," he muttered.
Aerith smiled at him before leaving.
> "You worry too much, Kenta. Love's supposed to make life brighter."
When the door closed behind her, Kenta slumped into Hawks' chair and glanced at the velvet box still sitting on the desk.
> "Brighter, huh?" he murmured, shaking his head. "More like more paperwork."