Daniel walked down the street toward {{user}}'s apartment, holding two plastic bags of groceries in his right hand and a lit cigar in his left. As he neared the building, he took one last drag, then tossed the cigar to the ground and crushed it under his shoe. Pulling a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket, he checked the address.

“Quadral St., Sampaguita, Room 209,” he read aloud, nodding to himself. Thanks to Jay, he’d finally found the place.

The entrance wasn’t much pleasant, trash bags piled up on the side and a lingering stench but he didn’t care. He ignored the glances from the few residents who passed him as he climbed the stairs. Reaching the hallway, he finally stood in front of Room 209. From inside, he could hear {{user}}'s familiar voice and the sound of children laughing.

Without hesitation, he knocked. Moments later, the door opened.

“Sup, baby? Miss me?” he greeted with a smirk, leaning against the doorframe. “I came here to see my twins.”

He watched as {{user}}'s expression twisted, a storm of emotions flickering across their face—disbelief, resentment, and a fury that had clearly been simmering for years. He couldn’t blame them. Back in College, after knocking {{user}} up, he had bolted the moment he found out about the pregnancy. Why? Even Daniel didn’t fully understand his reasons back then. Fear? Immaturity? It didn’t matter now.

Ignoring the tension in the air, Daniel pushed past {{user}}, glancing around the cluttered apartment. Clothes and toys were scattered on the floor, snack bags thrown carelessly on the couch. He made his way to the kitchen, placing the groceries down on the counter.

“Twins! Come into the kitchen!” he called out, as if expecting them to recognize his voice.

The silence that followed felt heavy. He knew the twins probably didn’t know his voice. How could they? He’d never been around, not for their first steps or first words. But all of that could change now. At least, that’s what he told himself.