Unlike the flight from New York to London.
This time, on the flight back from London to New York, Hawk, Gwen, Peter, and Mary had seats purchased together.
Just like the previous two times returning to New York, there were no incidents from takeoff to flight, and finally landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.
But Hawk was not happy.
Once was an accident, twice was a coincidence, but three times in a row—no matter how you looked at it, this couldn't be explained by accident or coincidence.
As Hawk and Gwen walked toward the parking lot, Hawk was already wondering what kind of incident he would encounter the next time he left New York City.
After all, he had already collected incidents before the plane, incidents on the plane, and incidents after getting off the plane.
So... he was even thinking, with a slight sense of enjoying the spectacle, what kind of incident he would run into next.
Soon.
After Hawk put the suitcases into the trunk, he drove away from the airport.
Peter and Mary went to catch the subway.
In their words, during New York City's afternoon rush hour, after they got home via subway, Hawk and Gwen would probably still be stuck in traffic.
The reality was exactly as the two had predicted.
They were stuck in traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge.
Looking across the bridge toward Manhattan, the lanes were completely clogged with vehicles.
Hawk turned the car radio dial, and a NASA scientist participating in a radio program was talking about how a lunar rover had discovered a diamond meteorite, estimated to weigh hundreds of pounds, inside a crater on the Moon.
He was very excited about it, but unfortunately, they couldn't retrieve it yet.
Just like that, the forty-five-minute drive from the airport back to the Stacy Apartment ended up taking them an hour and a half.
When the two returned to the top-floor apartment, they were warmly welcomed by Helen and Gwen's two younger brothers, Howard and Simon.
Helen hugged Hawk.
"London was fun, right?"
"It was okay, except I feel like my legs don't belong to me anymore."
"I sympathize with you. Come on in."
Hearing Hawk's reply, Helen didn't seem surprised and quickly pulled Hawk inside.
She understood.
Because before Hawk and Gwen departed, she had looked over Gwen's London trip itinerary.
Put it this way.
When Gwen asked her how she felt after reading it, she was silent for a moment and then sighed, saying how good it was to be young.
After Hawk walked in, Helen continued to comfort him.
"You should look on the bright side, Hawk."
"Such as..."
"At least now you'll be accompanying Gwen, and I won't have to, so you have my gratitude."
"Mom!"
Before Hawk could react, Gwen, who had been smiling while watching her mother and boyfriend talk, instantly became displeased upon hearing Helen's words.
Helen chuckled, patted Hawk on the shoulder, and then walked toward the kitchen: "Alright, you two go back to your room and rest for a bit. I'll call you down for dinner. Howard, Simon, go back to your room and read. You've played enough today."
Howard and Simon, who had originally wanted to see what gifts their sister brought back from London, became as obedient as quails under their mother Helen's command, saying "Oh" and dutifully walking toward the stairs leading to the second floor.
Hawk, following Gwen's lead, carried the luggage back to Gwen's room.
After placing the suitcase on the bed, he sat down on the computer chair nearby.
Gwen, meanwhile, began opening the suitcase and sorting through the gifts she had brought back from the London trip for her family.
"This is for Howard."
"Simon's."
"This tie..."
Gwen found a tie she had bought while shopping in London inside the suitcase, sat cross-legged on the bed, and handed the packaged tie box to Hawk, who was sitting on her fuzzy chair: "Hawk, when Dad gets back, you can give this to him."
Hawk reached out and took it: "What about you?"
Gwen smiled and looked at Hawk: "Trust me, my dad seeing me is the best gift I can give him."
That was true.
Hawk nodded, unable to refute her, and placed the tie box on the nearby computer desk. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the calendar on the desk, seeing August twentieth, five days away, circled.
His heart stirred.
"Does Berkeley start school on the twentieth, just like New York University and Empire University? I thought California would start a bit later."
"Mhm."
Gwen, sitting cross-legged on the bed and continuing to sort the clothes and gifts in the suitcase, responded, then looked up at Hawk: "What's wrong? You don't want me to leave New York City?"
Hawk shrugged: "I can pick you up from school every day."
There was a time difference between Berkeley and New York City. If he went over at nine o'clock at night in New York City, it would be around four in the afternoon in Berkeley, just when Gwen got out of school.
As he was now, if he wanted to, he could indeed travel back and forth between Berkeley and New York City every day.
And it wouldn't be tiring.
Hearing Hawk's answer, Gwen's eyes lit up.
"Really?"
"Of course."
"Too bad it's too late."
"..."
Hawk was slightly stunned and looked at Gwen, who was sitting cross-legged on the bed.
Gwen smiled and said: "Actually, Berkeley isn't that great; the security is terrible. So, I chose Empire University. Empire University also promised me the highest level of scholarship."
Hawk frowned upon hearing that Gwen had rejected Berkeley University and chosen Empire University, which was right next to New York University.
"Gwen, Berkeley was your dream. Berkeley is your future."
"No, you are my future."
Gwen got off the bed and sat in Hawk's lap, her expressive emerald eyes meeting Hawk's deep, star-like sapphire eyes. She placed her right hand on Hawk's chest and said calmly but firmly: "I chose you the moment I started ninth grade. It was true then, it is true now, and it will be true in the future. You are the future I choose."
Because of Hawk, she chose to run off alone to Maryland to find him.
Because of Hawk, when he went to seek revenge against Hulk, she chose to go to hell with him.
Because of Hawk, she rejected Berkeley's invitation and chose Empire University, which was only a wall away from Hawk's university.
The reason Gwen did this was just as she had said.
She had chosen Hawk as her future.
"I actually really wanted to choose New York University," Gwen said, finishing her statement, her expressive emerald eyes smiling as she looked at Hawk and shrugged: "But your New York University's biology department isn't very good. Luckily, Empire University also sent me an invitation letter. So, surprise?"
Hawk's heart was stirred. Meeting Gwen's emerald eyes, he opened his mouth, then stood up and placed Gwen on the bed.
Just as Gwen was slightly startled and about to say that her dad would be back soon.
Hawk stood properly again and looked at Gwen lying on the bed: "Wait for me a moment."
Having said that.
He turned and walked toward the door, leaving Gwen supporting herself on the mattress with her elbows, looking at Hawk's departing back in a state of confusion.
Helen, who was in the kitchen, was also surprised to see Hawk coming downstairs.
"Hawk, are you...?"
"I'm going out to grab something. I'll be right back."
"Alright."
Helen laughed upon hearing this and said: "Then hurry up. Lemon sea bass won't taste good if it sits too long."
Hawk acknowledged her, then pushed open the door and left the apartment.
The next second.
The moment he closed the apartment door, his figure vanished instantly.
When Hawk appeared again, he was already miles above New York City.
[Sixth Sense]—Teleportation!
One of the superpowers of a Silver Saint who has awakened the Sixth Sense Little Universe, allowing him to instantly reach his desired location without needing any intermediary means.
The powerful Gold Saint can even teleport using light-years as the unit of distance.
Hawk was still a bit short of that level.
But it was enough!
Hawk, having instantly teleported miles into the sky, did not hesitate and looked up toward the firmament.
Bang!
Accompanied by the sudden appearance of a sonic boom cloud, Hawk's figure shot toward the sky above him like lightning.
Mach fifty, Mach seventy... Boom!
The moment Hawk burst out of the atmosphere, accompanied by the appearance of a phoenix phantom, his Little Universe ignited, and he traversed space toward the Moon using only his body. His speed increased once more, rapidly approaching Mach five hundred in the blink of an eye!
This was his current maximum speed without wearing a saint cloth.
As for wearing a saint cloth?
Sorry.
His saint cloth had been shattered in London, and he was still considering whether to remake a replica or preemptively create the true phoenix gold cloth.
But even without wearing a saint cloth, Mach five hundred was fast enough.
Question!
Traveling from Earth to the Moon and back to Earth at Mach five hundred, how much time is required?
The answer is thirty-eight minutes for a one-way trip, totaling one hour and sixteen minutes round trip.
Hawk spent an hour and a half.
Mainly because finding the item on the Moon took fourteen minutes. The NASA scientist on the radio didn't specify the location, only saying there was a diamond meteorite on the Moon.
Fortunately.
He was lucky and thought of tracing the trajectory of the NASA lunar rover to search.
At the Stacy home right now, dinner had already begun.
"Gwen, where is Hawk? He said he was going out to grab something. Why is it taking him so long? What did he go to get?"
"I don't know."
Gwen felt a bit depressed internally.
That wasn't right.
Did the surprise I gave him overwhelm him so much that he ran away?
That couldn't be.
She had heard of runaway girlfriends, but never a runaway boyfriend.
Moreover... how could she allow that?
Gwen was lost in wild thoughts.
Just then.
The doorbell rang.
Howard swiftly got down from his chair and ran toward the door: "I'll get it."
The door opened.
Hawk patted Howard, who had opened the door for him, then took out a piece of raw diamond he had just picked up on the Moon from his pocket and tossed it to Howard, before walking toward Gwen, who was watching him enter with tightly furrowed brows.
The next second.
He arrived in front of Gwen, and under the gaze of George, who was holding a wine glass, the slightly curious Helen, the dumbfounded Howard staring at the raw diamond in his hand, and the popcorn-eating Simon, he knelt down on one knee before Gwen.
Hawk took a deep breath, lowered his head, and pulled out a fifty-carat purplish-red ring he had just picked up on the Moon. He then looked at Gwen and spoke seriously.
"Gwen Stacy, will you marry me?"
"Pfft!"
George, who had just taken a sip of whiskey, instantly spat out all the liquor!
...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On my Patreon, I have several advance chapters available if you're interested in more than 100:
- For $1, you get 20 fewer chapters than the $2.50 tier.
- For $2.50, you get 40 fewer chapters than the $4 tier.
- And for $4, you get them all.
The number of chapters is updated every 7 days and increases by 7 to 8 chapters.
My Patre*n: pa*r*on*com/FanTranslator