Chapter 22: Marvel: Awakening the Little Universe at the Start, Chapter 11

Sitting in the passenger seat, Hawk listened to Gwen’s muttering, thought for a moment, and asked with some curiosity, "It wouldn't matter even if you got a ticket, right? It should be fine if you just tell Captain Stacy."

Gwen came back to her senses, glanced at Hawk, and then shook her head.

"No way."

"Uh..."

Hawk recalled the family card Gwen had just shown to the traffic police.

Gwen seemed to see through Hawk’s thoughts and explained with a smile, "Using the family card is fine because everyone uses it, and it’s considered a benefit the police department gives to officers' families. But getting a citation is different. My dad definitely wouldn't call his friends at the courthouse just for a parking ticket; he would surely tell me very seriously, 'Gwen, you should stand in court and bravely admit your mistake.'"

While explaining, Gwen imitated the tone and expression of Captain George Stacy of the 19th Precinct of the New York Police Department.

Hawk listened to Gwen’s explanation and nodded in realization.

He had always thought Captain George Stacy was the type of rigid and stereotypical captain who couldn't tolerate any sand in his eyes.

But hearing Gwen put it this way...

It didn't seem so.

Sure enough.

Movies are always stereotypical.

Forty-five minutes later.

Gwen drove to LaGuardia Airport.

After unbuckling his seatbelt, Hawk thanked Gwen again as she stopped the car.

Taking advantage of the moment Hawk was about to open the door and get out, Gwen spoke up, "I’m curious about one thing, Hawk."

Hawk, who had already pushed the car door open and was preparing to step out, turned his head to look at Gwen upon hearing this.

"What?"

"If I don't accept your thanks, what will you do? Keep thanking me?"

"..."

Hawk was rendered speechless by Gwen’s question.

After a while.

He looked at Gwen, who was smiling and seemed genuinely curious about the answer, and thought for a moment.

"Sorry?"

"..."

This time, it was Gwen who fell silent.

I don't accept your thanks, so you say sorry?

...That works too, I guess.

The smile on Gwen’s face widened, then she looked at Hawk and said with a laugh, "You say thank you too much. We’re friends; friends don't need to say thank you."

Friends?

Hawk was stunned again.

Although his relationship with Gwen was slightly better than with his other classmates, that was mainly because his physics class overlapped with hers, and the two could be considered seatmates in physics class.

But that was as far as it went.

After all, aside from physics class, he didn't have much contact with Gwen at school.

To be precise, he didn't have much contact with any students.

However...

Hawk didn't refute Gwen; he couldn't very well have her drop him off and then immediately say they weren't friends.

He had at least that much social awareness.

Soon.

Hawk watched as the car made a U-turn right where it was after he got out, stepped on the gas, and disappeared from his sight. He withdrew his gaze and walked toward the temporary shelter.

In the evening.

Manhattan.

Gorin Apartments.

Helen Stacy, who was at home wearing loungewear and sitting on the sofa watching a new episode of "Desperate Housewives," heard the sound of the door opening and turned to look toward the entrance.

Coming into view.

Captain George Stacy of the 19th Precinct, wearing a white shirt, a tie, a black suit, and a police badge pinned to his waist, was walking in from outside.

"You're back?"

"Yeah."

George replied, closed the door behind him, and looked at Helen sitting on the sofa: "Where’s Gwen?"

Helen glanced toward the stairs leading to the second floor.

"She went back to her room."

"Oh."

George nodded, then headed toward the second floor. After arriving at his daughter’s bedroom, he knocked on the door: "Gwen."

Gwen’s voice came from inside: "The door’s unlocked, Dad."

George then pushed the door open.

Inside the room.

Gwen, who had changed into cute-style pajamas with her soft blonde hair draped over her shoulders, was sitting cross-legged on a chair and looked at George as he entered: "Dad, what’s wrong?"

George stood at the doorway, not entering his daughter’s bedroom. Instead, he looked at Gwen sitting by the desk, crossed his arms, leaned against the doorframe, and said with a faint smile, "You didn't go to class this afternoon, did you?"

Gwen was startled for a moment, then realized what he meant.

She took her smooth legs off the chair and stood up.

"Did someone contact you?"

"What do you think?"

George said with a smile, "I have to call to verify, just in case someone is impersonating my family card."

Although such a thing was unlikely to happen.

But...

There is a saying in the Federation: you don't have to be alive, but you can't be without a life.

It wasn't that there were no guys who tried to pull stunts with fake family cards, just that they were very rare.

It was just that because it involved enforcement outside, it wasn't good to call and confirm on the spot, so they would record the license plate number and summarize it for confirmation after returning to the station.

If the family card was real, then it was fine.

But if the family card was found to be fake, that was also fine; the license plate number was recorded, and that guy could just wait to be issued a dozen citations one day.

The New York Police Department would let that guy know that daring to pull stunts on them came with a price.

Hearing George say this, Gwen was also a bit speechless: "Dad, I really didn't intend to park illegally. It’s clearly okay to park in front of the Manhattan courthouse."

George shrugged: "I’m not interested in your illegal parking; after all, that’s what the family card is for."

He wasn't that rigid.

The family card could be used, just don't abuse it.

Gwen blinked her eyes as she listened to George’s words.

"Then you..."

"But I am interested in why you went to the Rear District Courthouse this afternoon."

"Oh."

Hearing this, Gwen sat back down in her chair and picked up the book she had been reading: "It was nothing, just taking a classmate to the courthouse to handle some business."

George laughed.

"A male classmate?"

"..."

Gwen put down the book in her hand, looked at George standing at the door, and said with a serious expression: "Dad, Hawk and I are just friends."

Not quite.

That guy seemed very resistant to the idea of being her friend.

Gwen thought to herself.

She recalled the fleeting, stiff expression on Hawk’s face when she said they were friends while dropping him off that afternoon.