Apparently Hawks can't wait for you to go back to his place to meet the twins so he decided to show photos of them from his phone. You were hesitant for a moment when Hawks was handing you his phone, but after a while of thinking about it, and with him literally shoving the device so close to your face, you took the phone and decided to take a look at the kids.
There were a lot of photos that you don't know which one to check out first. There were so many of them that you didn't even know if you could finish looking at every photo he had on his phone for the whole night.
"Here," Hawks said, choosing an album in his gallery. "This was taken when they were three, it was their first day in kindergarten."
The picture showed two young, and very cute, boys wearing identical uniforms and yellow hats sitting on top of their heads. The two look very much like each other and they could have been mistaken for each other if not for their different hair color. One has a blonde hair like Hawks' and the other has black like–
You stopped for a second, telling yourself that black hair is the most common hair color in Asia and it wasn't like you're the only one with that hair color.
Hawks showed you another photo of the twins, this time it showed their backs and you saw small wings much like Hawks'. The boy with the black hair has black wings as well while the boy with the blonde hair has red wings. The next photo showed the two now facing the camera, they were grinning, with their front teeth missing and both were holding cones of ice cream in their hands.
"That was when they got their teeth pulled out," Hawks said, as if he's remembering a moment you had no idea about, judging by that silly smile of his again. If he grins, he would have looked exactly like the twins in the photo.
Hawks was about to show you another one when you decided to speak, making him stop.
"I want to see the most recent photo of them," you said. Seeing their photos taken a few years back only brought forth memories that Hawks only remember and for some reason it felt like you were being mocked, since you don't have the slightest hint of those memories.
But more than being mocked, you knew deep down that it wasn't entirely what you were feeling. You feel saddened at the thought, if you really were their mother, since you couldn't help but still have room for a little doubt, and you weren't there in the most important moments of their childhood, you feel a sort of sadness.
"Oh, right, here's the most recent one," Hawks said, going back to the top of the album. "It was taken yesterday."
When you asked for the most recent, you expected it to be this year, perhaps to an extent that it was taken this month. But for the most recent to be taken only yesterday, you looked at Hawks before you could look at the photo in his phone.
"Have you taken photos of them every day since they were born?"
"Yes," Hawks said right away, without thinking about it, he looked at you and for a second he stopped, he just stared at you until he spoke again. "Yes, I have."
"You have," you repeated, almost sounding as though you don't believe him. But with that serious look it's hard not to.
"To be more exact, I've taken photos of them every day since they were seven months old. Because that was when you vanished, when the twins were barely a year old."
Vanished, he didn't say you left. Because that would have made more sense than him saying you disappeared. How can you vanish if you know you have these two cute, adorable little human beings? And it just doesn't make sense to you. You vanished where, how and why? No, there were more than just those three questions.
"So I've taken photos of them ever since then, so when we finally see each other again, you wouldn't miss a single day of them growing up."
You didn't know if it was because of the way he worded it out, or the sound of his voice, it sounded so desperate and hopeful at the same time. But whatever the reason was, you felt something tug in your chest. Like a string of loneliness passing by for a short-lived moment in time and you didn't know why you were suddenly feeling that way.
You heaved a sigh and averted your gaze from him. "You might want to think about changing your profession if you like taking photos so often. You should be a photographer instead of a Pro Hero."
You looked back at the photo in his phone. The twins look bigger than the ones taken when they were in kindergarten. And they are no longer missing their front teeth. Their wings have also become larger and more noticeable even when they were not turning around and their hair had gotten longer and curlier.
"You haven't told me who is which one," you said and Hawks looked as though he had just remembered it.
"Oh right!" He adjusted on his seat and pointed at the boy with black hair and wings. "This one is Keishi, he's the firstborn, and although he looks like you–"
"He doesn't," you said, cutting him off. "In fact both of them look like a carbon copy of you."
It was true, both the twins look exactly like Hawks at one glance and he doesn't need a DNA test to tell they're his kids.
"Well yes, but he got his hair and wing color from you." You didn't bother telling him you have the most common hair color as Hawks continued. "Keishi is more like me when it comes to his personality, he's way too playful and easygoing. His twin on the other hand..." Hawks pointed at the other kid, with blonde hair and red wings very much like Hawks'. "His name is Keita, he may look like me but he's more like you."
"Like me?" you asked, tearing your eyes from the screen to look at Hawks to see him already looking at you.
"Yes, he's more quiet and reserved and aloof sometimes." You didn't ask how he knew that side of you, instead you looked back at the photo as did Hawks. "Most of their photos are stored in my computer, you can look at them when we get home–"
He was cut off this time when the screen was replaced by a call and you saw the caller ID that states a name. A woman's name which for some reason didn't quite sit well with you.
"That'll be the twins' sitter," Hawks said.
"You're leaving them with a stranger?" you suddenly asked, even you were surprised by your own outburst.
"What?" Hawks asked back, looking confused for a second. "Oh no, no she's not a stranger. I've known her for–"
"So you've known her for so long that you're leaving them with her."
"She's a very capable sitter, she even has a certificate for it."
While Hawks was torn between answering the call and explaining to you how he knew the woman, who the woman is and everything that would clear what could be a misunderstanding, the call was suddenly hung up. But not a few seconds later before Hawks could open his mouth to speak, the sitter was calling again.
This time, sensing the urgency, Hawks slid the answer button.
"Hello,"
You watched as Hawks' expression started to change. And you knew what he was hearing at the other end of the line was not good news as fear started to crept on his face until he let out a heavy and shaky breath.
"Alright, I'll be there in a few minutes," he said quickly, even though he looked nervous and scared, he didn't stumble with his words. You guess that's from years of experience as a Pro Hero. And yet, whatever it was the sitter said, Hawks couldn't possibly hide the fear in his expression.
"What is it?" you asked when Hawks suddenly stood up.
"Keita," he said, and you remember which is Keita between the twins, the one who looks exactly like Hawks but apparently is more like you than him. "He had a bad asthma attack, he's in the hospital in Tokyo. I need to get to this building's rooftop and–"
"I'm coming with you," you suddenly blurted out even before you could stop yourself. And Hawks literally stopped to look at you. "You were the one claiming that I'm their mom. And as their mom, shouldn't I be there for him too? Or have you already forgotten all the stuff you did to make me believe you?"
"Right," Hawks said, looking dumbstruck for a second but quickly composed himself and he started to walk out of your apartment with you following close behind, not that he's not already holding your wrist so you had no choice but to follow him. "That's a great idea. And while we're there we could take the DNA test."
"The what?" you asked, following him up the stairs to the rooftop of the apartment complex.
"You asked for proof, right?" Hawks opened the door to the rooftop and you were greeted by the cold night breeze as you rubbed your arms when Hawks let go of your wrist and he turned to you. "I knew you wouldn't just believe me when I kept telling you that you're my wife, that you're their mom. So let's have science prove it for you. And after that..."
Hawks trailed off, taking a step closer to you, his hand suddenly snaking around your waist. "When the test comes out positive, promise me you'll stay with us. And then we'll work things out to answer the other two questions you asked earlier."
He pulled you close, spreading his fiery red wings before lifting you up and you instinctively held his shoulders as he took off from the ground.
You were suddenly reminded of the two questions you asked earlier, why did you have to alter your memories of him and why didn't he look for you for the last five years? You get the feeling that it wouldn't be that easy to answer those two seemingly simple questions.