The next day.
Which was June 12, 2013.
It was a Wednesday.
It was also the day of Midtown High School's twelfth-grade graduation ceremony.
At this moment, on the school lawn near the East River, many students' parents had already arrived.
While the ceremony hadn't started yet, parents were almost all pulling their children to take photos as keepsakes.
Hawke and Gwen were no exception.
The two of them were currently wearing graduation gowns and caps, posing in various ways under Helen Stacy's direction, to make Helen happy.
Hawke and Gwen stood under a tree, holding hands and looking at each other.
Gwen smiled apologetically.
"Sorry."
"Sorry for what?"
"My mom is too enthusiastic."
"I think it's pretty good."
Hawke smiled, his peripheral vision glancing at Helen, who was looking for an angle to take photos not far away.
Helen looked intently at the two in the camera lens, then seemed to think of something, her eyes lit up, and she looked up at Hawke.
"Hawke."
"Yes."
"When I count to three, you kiss her."
"Okay."
Hawke complied readily, looking at his smiling girlfriend in front of him. When Helen counted to three, he didn't hesitate and kissed her directly.
Gwen also leaned in.
Click, click!
Helen transformed into a professional photographer, continuously pressing the shutter, recording this moment symbolizing beauty.
After a while.
Helen, sitting on the audience chair, flipped through the photos she had just captured on her camera, unable to hide the smile on her face.
Fortunately, George had a case today and couldn't make it.
Otherwise…
George's face would definitely not look good.
Gwen, sitting in the front row, turned her head to look at her mother, Helen, who was still admiring the photos, her mouth twitching. She whispered to Hawke beside her, "Don't go upstairs to my house tonight."
Hawke was slightly stunned.
"Why?"
"I'm afraid Dad will see these photos and pull out his gun and shoot you."
"…"
Hawke blinked, also turned his head to look at Helen, who was still immersed in her own photos and unable to extricate herself. Thinking of the various photos they had just taken under Helen's direction that could make daughter-slave George lose his composure, he thought for a moment, then nodded to Gwen, "That makes sense. Then I'll wait for you downstairs."
Tonight, they had an appointment with Mary and Peter to go to a newly opened restaurant near Times Square to celebrate their graduation.
Mary, who was sitting on Gwen's other side, said expressionlessly, "At least you two have photos. I wish I had photos."
Gwen listened to her best friend's somewhat resentful voice beside her, turned her head to look, and seemed to think of something.
"Has Peter not arrived yet?"
"No."
"What is he doing?"
"Not clear, don't know, don't want to know. I only know that if he doesn't come in another ten minutes, he'll be my ex-boyfriend."
"…"
Gwen listened to her best friend's resentment, enough to sustain the Evil Sword Immortal, opened her mouth, then quickly looked at Hawke and gave him a meaningful look.
Hawke understood, took out his phone, and called Peter directly.
After a while.
The call was finally answered. The moment the call connected, an urgent siren sound, "Wooh-wooh," came through.
Clearly.
As New York City's already renowned good neighbor, Spider-Woman was either fighting crime or on her way to fight crime.
Accompanied by the urgent siren and the whistling wind, Peter's voice came from the other end of the phone.
"Hello?"
"No time for 'hello.' If you don't show up in ten minutes, Mary is going to break up with you."
Hawke was concise. After speaking simply, he hung up the phone, then nodded to Gwen, indicating that he had delivered the message.
Nine minutes later.
Hawke, who was sitting below the stage, enjoying the wonderful and touching speech by Gwen Stacy, this year's recipient of New York City's Outstanding High School Student award and Midtown High School's outstanding graduate representative, raised an eyebrow as his peripheral vision caught sight of the temporary restroom not far from the stage.
Peter, crouching, quickly came to the seat next to Mary, putting on his graduation cap with one hand, while dodging Mary's resentful attacks, and explaining himself.
Mary was a person who kept her word. Because it hadn't been ten minutes yet, she didn't break up with Peter, but merely continued to vent her anger at him.
Hawke, meanwhile, sat in his seat, looking at his girlfriend Gwen, who was on stage, speaking confidently with a radiant smile.
A smile appeared on both their faces simultaneously.
In the evening.
Gwen, walking out of the apartment building, looked at the audi a8 parked across the road, smiled, crossed the road, opened the passenger door, and got in.
Hawke then started the car, heading towards Times Square, and looked at Gwen curiously.
"How was it? Was George's face ugly?"
"Can't say ugly."
Gwen looked at Hawke seriously, then her smile bloomed: "I can only say it was extremely ugly. He even asked when you were coming up. Fortunately, you didn't come up."
Hawke looked at the brightly smiling Gwen and did not smile.
His tone was faint.
"Gwen, have you ever thought that you can run from the first, but not the fifteenth? I can't just never visit again, can I?"
"Uh…"
Gwen's smile stiffened, and she looked at Hawke.
"Then what should we do? Turn back?"
"Forget it."
Hawke shook his head: "Trust the wisdom of future generations."
Gwen blinked.
"What do you mean?"
"Future matters will be left for future Hawke to worry about."
"...Hawke."
"Hmm."
Gwen looked at Hawke earnestly: "Future Hawke, if he remembers today's events, will definitely call past Hawke a jerk."
Hawke shrugged: "Whatever, let him curse. Besides, he can't cross the timeline and come back to this time to beat me up, can he?"
Gwen pursed her lips, shook her head, and smiled, then changed the subject.
"Mary and Peter, they must have arrived, right?"
"They've arrived."
"That's good. That restaurant is very popular. Let them get a table first, so we don't have to wait in line when we get there."
"Already told them."
Hawke replied.
Half an hour later.
A French restaurant located right next to the Hudson River.
When Hawke parked the car by the roadside and got out with Gwen, Mary, who was sitting at an outdoor table at the restaurant, called out to Gwen and waved to her.
The two looked at each other and walked over quickly.
Hawke pulled out a chair, and after Gwen was seated, he sat next to Gwen and asked Peter curiously, "Until what time did you take photos at school?"
Peter didn't give a specific time, but looked at Hawke and replied, "I feel like my legs aren't mine anymore."
Hawke heard this and laughed heartily.
Mary, on the side, rolled her eyes directly: "I told you yesterday that today is graduation day, and we needed to take photos."
Peter gave an awkward smile.
Seeing this, Gwen shook her head helplessly, changed the subject, and started talking to Mary about summer plans.
Mary's eyes immediately lit up, and she looked at Gwen, suggesting.
"How about we travel abroad?"
"Abroad, where?"
"London? How about that."
Mary was full of anticipation.
"I actually want to go to Paris too, but, how about we go to London first, and then Paris next year, Gwen?"
"I have no problem with that."
Gwen said, then looked at Hawke beside her: "Are you going?"
Hawke didn't speak, just smiled at Gwen.
Gwen smiled slightly, passed over Hawke, and looked at Peter: "Peter, what about you?"
Peter opened his mouth.
Going to London…
Round-trip tickets seemed quite expensive.
He was quickly calculating the cost of this trip to London, whether his savings would be enough…
Just as Peter was still thinking.
Hawke had already answered for Peter.
"He's going."
"…"
Peter was slightly startled, looking at Hawke sitting opposite him.
"I'm going?"
"You're going!"
Hawke glanced at Peter, then nodded to Gwen to confirm: "Yes, he's going."
Gwen smiled at Peter.
"Peter?"
"Alright."
Peter gave up on his calculations. At worst, he'd max out his credit card. He nodded and said, "I'm going."
Gwen heard this, then exchanged glances with Mary.
The next second.
The two girls had already taken out their phones and started searching online for flights to London and related accommodation information.
By the time dinner was over, Gwen and Mary had already pretty much worked out the itinerary for their summer trip to London.
After all, Gwen was a student assistant, and her execution has always been known for its efficiency.
As for Mary…
Never mind Mary.
After dinner, the two girls didn't leave immediately but walked ahead, planning to take a stroll around Times Square to aid digestion.
Hawke and Peter walked behind them.
He glanced at Peter, who seemed a bit distracted after the two girls estimated the cost of the London trip, and said with a smile, "I'll cover your expenses."
Peter heard this, glanced at Hawke, then shook his head.
"No need, I'll figure something out."
"Figure out what? Sell more selfies?"
"Uh…"
Peter scratched his head: "I've taken too many this year. The newspaper's price is already very low."
Hawke shook his head speechlessly: "Haven't you thought about changing newspapers? You have to stick with Daily Bugle."
Peter was also quite speechless.
"The problem is, besides Daily Bugle, other gossip newspapers offer even lower prices."
"...Alright."
Hawke was silent, then said to Peter: "Save your 'selling yourself' money. I'll cover your expenses. Anyway, my money didn't come from selling myself."
Peter was a bit curious.
"Then how did you get your money?"
"The wind blew it in."
Hawke said with a smile.
It was still that saying.
Among the three versions of Spider-Man, his favorite was the Spider-Woman in front of him.
The Amazing Spider-Man was second.
That chatterbox Alliance Spider-Man…
Never mind Alliance Spider-Man.
Peter opened his mouth, looked at Hawke, and was about to say something else when a loud bang came from Times Square ahead.
Accompanied by chaotic sounds, a silvery-white electric arc cut through the sky and shot onto the big screen in Times Square with a crackle.
The big screen fell with a crash.
Hawke and Peter were first stunned, then looked at each other.
The next second!
Their figures instantly vanished from their original spots!
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