Chapter 17: Marvel: Awakening the Little Universe at the Start, Chapter 9

"..."

Hawk was slightly stunned upon hearing this and looked up toward the podium.

Mr. Anderson, whose hair was somewhat graying, smiled as he saw Hawk’s gaze land on him: "Hawk, why don't you answer this question."

Alright, he had been caught zoning out by the teacher.

However...

Hawk rose from his seat, and after thinking for only a moment, he answered Mr. Anderson’s question perfectly.

This time, it was Mr. Anderson’s turn on the podium to be dumbfounded.

However, Hawk’s answer was indeed correct, so Mr. Anderson on the podium merely gave Hawk a look that said 'you got lucky this time,' and then let Hawk sit down.

Hawk said thank you and sat back down.

Just as he intended to continue pondering how many possibilities existed between 'Gammanion' and 'gamma rays,' a note was pushed over from the side.

Hawk looked at the content on the note.

It came into view.

"Has the independent application hearing at the courthouse been confirmed?"

"...Confirmed, this afternoon."

Hawk thought for a moment, left his answer beneath the elegant handwriting on the note, and then pushed the note back.

Because his apartment had been violently demolished by aliens, a new welfare apartment had been slow to be arranged.

But Hawk felt that he might not be able to wait for a new welfare apartment.

The efficiency of the New York municipal government was notoriously slow, and he wasn't the only orphan who had lost a welfare apartment; Hawk estimated that by the time it was his turn, it would probably be next year.

And he would turn eighteen next year.

So...

Hawk had been looking for apartments with cheaper rent these past few days.

After all, he couldn't just live like a refugee, squeezed in with a bunch of people in a hangar filled with all sorts of smells, and he also had to worry from time to time about whether those people who lost their homes and weren't covered by insurance would resort to extremes.

Anyway, if he didn't move now, he would have to move next year, so he might as well just move out now while he was at it.

But because he was under eighteen, from a legal perspective, he was not qualified, and no one would rent a house to him.

Therefore, Hawk had been taking leave in the afternoons these past few days to go to the Family Court in Queens to handle his application for early independence.

And because he had been taking leave in the afternoons these days, Gwen knew the reason for his leave.

It wasn't that Hawk had volunteered the information.

He wasn't that bored.

In a word.

Hawk was a student.

Gwen was a student assistant.

And she was a student assistant in the same grade as Hawk.