Musutafu Plaza was always busy.
The air buzzed with chatter, car horns, and the whoosh of heroes flying overhead. Food stalls lined the streets, vendors shouted prices, and advertisements for the latest hero merchandise played on every screen.
And yet, amid all that noise and movement — one quiet little stand drew people in like sunlight.
A wooden flower cart, decorated with ribbons and soft colors, stood near the plaza fountain.
Its owner — a young woman in a pink dress with gentle green eyes — greeted every passerby with the same warm smile.
> "Good morning! Fresh flowers today — for luck, for love, or just to make your day brighter!"
Her name was Aerith.
And though she was officially quirkless, her flowers bloomed with impossible life.
Even on the hottest days, their petals never wilted.
---
A little girl tugged her mother's hand toward the stand.
> "Mommy, look! They smell like sunshine!"
Aerith knelt down with a soft smile, handing her a daisy.
> "Here — this one's for happiness. Take care of it, and it'll never fade."
The mother reached for her purse, but Aerith shook her head.
> "It's a gift. Flowers should be shared."
As the two walked away, others began to stop — construction workers on lunch break, students in uniforms, even an old man resting on a bench.
Somehow, Aerith's stand became a small oasis in the chaos of Musutafu.
---
High above, Hawks hovered lazily, scanning the streets from above.
It was supposed to be a routine patrol — another busy day of chasing villains and answering to the Hero Commission.
But his sharp eyes caught something familiar:
a flash of pink among the gray crowd,
and flowers — blooming even in the middle of the concrete jungle.
He grinned.
> "Well, look who's branching out."
---
Landing lightly beside her stand, his wings folding in with a rustle of feathers, Hawks flashed his usual easy smile.
> "Selling miracles today, huh?"
Aerith looked up, surprised, then smiled in recognition.
> "Oh! Feather boy. You found me again."
> "Feather boy? That's new," he laughed. "I thought I had a cooler nickname than that."
> "Hmm… I'll come up with a better one," she said teasingly. "But for now, would you like a flower? They go nicely with red feathers."
She held up a small white bloom. He accepted it, tucking it behind his ear just to make her laugh.
> "How's it look?"
> "Perfect," she said, grinning. "Now you really look like a messenger of peace."
> "You're the first person to say that without sarcasm," he chuckled.
---
They talked while she sold flowers — about heroes, about people, about how everyone in the city seemed in such a hurry.
> "You don't use a quirk, right?" Hawks asked, lowering his voice.
"No quirk," Aerith said softly. "Just a bit of love and patience. It's enough."
> "Most people wouldn't believe that."
"Most people forget that life doesn't need a reason to grow," she replied.
He watched her for a moment — how the sunlight seemed to follow her, how even the tired faces of the crowd softened near her stand.
There was something real about her, something untouched by the world's noise.
> "You know, you could make good money if you opened a shop downtown," he said casually.
"Oh, I don't do this for money," she said with a smile. "I do it because flowers make people happy. That's enough for me."
Hawks tilted his head, studying her.
> "You're either the most selfless person I've met, or the most mysterious."
"Can't I be both?" she teased.
He laughed. "Fair point."
---
When her last bouquet was sold, Aerith sat by the fountain to rest. Hawks joined her, tossing a coin into the water.
> "What'd you wish for?" she asked.
"For you to finally give me that better nickname," he said with a smirk.
"Hmm… I'll think about it."
For a moment, the plaza noise faded — just the sound of wings rustling, water splashing, and flowers swaying in the breeze.
Then a breeze caught loose petals from her cart, scattering them into the air.
They danced like confetti, glinting pink and white under the afternoon sun.
Aerith reached out, laughing softly.
> "See? Even the flowers like you."
> "Guess I'll take that as a compliment," Hawks said, smiling wider than usual.
---
As he flew off for his next patrol, he glanced back.
Her flower stand looked small from above, but it glowed like a patch of light in the city —
a reminder that even here, in this restless world, something beautiful still grew.
And deep down, Hawks knew he'd be back again.
Not for the flowers — but for the girl who could make them bloom.