Andrew's body trembled.
Bang!
A pair of wings, as vivid and red as blood, suddenly unfolded from Andrew's back.
The next moment.
The blood-red wings became as hard as blood-colored steel, flashing a blood-red gleam under the moonlight, overwhelming as they shot towards Hawk, who had appeared in the backyard at some point.
Hawk didn't dodge or evade, his expression calm as he watched the blood-red wings shooting towards him.
Ding ding ding——
One after another, the blood-red wings shattered just before touching Hawk, emitting crisp metallic collision sounds, and fell weakly to the ground.
In just an instant.
The grass in front of Hawk was already covered with a dense layer of blood-red feathers.
Andrew protectively placed his wife, Amy, behind him, his expression wary as he looked at the familiar figure in the moonlight, his voice carrying a hint of desperation.
"Who are you!"
"Hawk."
Andrew was looking at Hawk.
Hawk was looking at Andrew.
This was his first meeting with his biological father in this life.
Hmm.
The meeting method was unique.
Just like the last meeting with Amy.
But...
Once again, Hawk was not genuinely moved.
After he condensed his timeline and awakened the Seventh Sense, elevating his life level to the 'God' tier, in truth, few things could evoke strong emotions within him.
Hawk understood; this was divine self-realization.
However!
When Andrew spoke of his long past awakening, but staying for the sake of his son, daughter, and wife, planning to kill the soon-to-awaken Death Angel, then committing suicide to leave Yahweh no leverage over his son.
Honestly.
At that moment, Hawk's heart was stirred slightly.
Even if only for an instant.
A stir is still a stir.
Hawk didn't deny what had occurred.
Parents love their children deeply, planning long-term.
Suddenly, Hawk remembered this phrase, his gaze sweeping over Andrew to fall upon Amy behind him.
He also recalled a conversation between Amy and Wanda.
At the time, Amy, upon seeing him and Anya presumed adopted, no longer sought them out, fearing that her presence might disrupt Hawk and Anya's newfound life.
And as Hawk revealed his identity that moment.
Amy, shielded by Andrew, suddenly trembled, instinctively wanting to step out from her husband's always warm wings.
Andrew felt Amy's stir, quickly speaking up.
"Amy..."
"It's okay."
Amy struggled, leaning out from Andrew's side, her gaze first falling upon Hawk standing in the backyard, his jawline as sharp as a blade, lips tightly pressed, donned in a tailored dark gray suit, shirt collar pristine white, especially those sky blue eyes inherited from her.
Her eyes were fixed on Hawk, her voice slightly trembling.
"Andrew..."
"Hawk..."
"That's our son's name!"
As Amy uttered the last sentence, her voice carried a sob.
When Hawk and Anya were born, the two hadn't named them, as Andrew and Amy planned to ask the priest to help pick names during baptism.
As it turned out...
Hawk's name was revealed by Amy while chatting with Wanda.
Upon hearing Amy's words, Andrew's body shuddered again, similarly widening his eyes as he looked at Hawk standing in the backyard.
This time he realized.
Why Hawk seemed familiar; Hawk's nose was a complete inheritance of his lean, prominent nose.
Andrew's voice trembled, his tiger-like eyes fixed on Hawk.
"You...are really our son?"
"...Yes."
Hawk nodded calmly.
Amy instantly broke into tears, covering her mouth as she cried.
Hawk watched Andrew with a calm expression.
After a pause.
"Since you're back, stay here."
"It's quite nice."
"No one will disturb you."
"As for the Death Angels and those two Birdmen, I'll handle them."
Hawk spoke, then turned and disappeared.
Andrew's eyes shrank as he stepped towards the backyard, only to hit an invisible barrier with a thump, blocking his way out.
This is!
Was he being held hostage by his own son?
After steadying himself, Andrew widened his eyes.
"Hiss!"
"Has Hawk shielded the entire house?"
"...Have you finished watching the show?"
Hawk, reappearing in West View Town's room 123, listened to the two girls still peering wide-eyed from the window, his lips twitching as he reminded them.
As his voice fell.
The two girls at the window jumped up like startled deer from their small stools.
Gwen turned, looking at Hawk: "So fast?"
Wanda was also curious: "You didn't exchange many words with them."
Hawk remained silent, facing the two women, both looking at him with a shared understanding, his face expressionless: "I'm not good with words."
He's always been this way.
Rather than words, he preferred to speak with his fists.
Whether in his past life or this one.
In his past life in the Eastern Country, he didn't use his fists much, but in this life, even before he went to study at Midtown High School, he didn't know how many times he had swung his fists.
For himself, and to protect his sister.
Back then, when he fought, he won and lost about equally.
But losing didn't matter; when outnumbered, he'd grab onto one person, focus on them, daring them to kill him, or he'd take them down.
Most importantly.
Parents?
In his past life, he didn't have any, and in this life, it seemed at first he did, but Yahweh messed it up.
Damn it!
Yahweh, just wait, if I don't rip your head off and use it as a urinal, I'll take your last name.
Hawk pondered.
And just after he explained that he wasn't good with words.
Wanda heard this, raising an eyebrow.
Gwen heard it too, opened her mouth, seemingly thought of something, and giggled.
Hawk snapped back, looking at Gwen, who was laughing happily: "Is it that funny?"
Gwen extended her hand: "Sorry, I didn't mean to, you really aren't good with words, I can vouch for that. But you just came back and locked them up, that's not right."
Hawk frowned.
"I'm protecting Andrew Chloe, preventing him from going off stupidly to get killed."
"Then you should have said so directly."
Gwen said, then shook her head: "Forget it, you come with me, I'll help you explain. Besides, I've never met Mr. Chloe and Madam Chloe."
Previously, it was only Madam Chloe.
Gwen wanted to come, but Hawk planned for Anya to come herself once she resurrected, so Gwen didn't insist.
After all, if Hawk didn't come, her visit wouldn't be appropriate.
But now.
Mr. Chloe was here too, with both parents present, she, as the fiancée, had to meet them.
After all...
Wanda had already beaten her to fulfilling this dream, even meeting Madam Chloe.
So!
Beside them, Wanda yawned: "I'm going to check on Billy and Tommy."
Saying this.
Wanda left the room.
Gwen then glanced down at herself, then looked at Hawk: "Before going, let's head home first, I need to change clothes."
Hawk frowned, looking at Gwen, who already looked great.
An hour later.
In the dead of night.
Hawk looked at his fiancée, who had spent an hour returning home, rummaging through the wardrobe and changing again: "Maybe we should go tomorrow instead."
Gwen glanced at Hawk: "No way, right now. By the way, how do I look in this outfit?"
Hawk looked at Gwen dressed in a neatly tailored beige trench coat, with a simple white shirt underneath, and slim-fit jeans: "I think the policewoman outfit from the other night, the one that got ripped, looked better."
Gwen was silent for a moment, staring at Hawk.
"Ring the doorbell."
"Okay."
Hawk shrugged at his fiancée's deadly stare, then rang Amy's doorbell.
Soon.
Footsteps came from behind the door, but quickly, the door was opened.
Upon entering.
Gwen pinched Hawk on the back.
Hawk got the signal.
"Amy Chloe."
"Gwen Stacy, my fiancée."
"..."
"Hello, Madam Chloe."
Amy was shocked by Hawk's introduction, but Gwen already smiled sweetly and greeted Amy Chloe first.
Half an hour later.
On the brightly lit living room sofa.
Hawk sat on a high stool by the bar, watching Gwen and Amy on the sofa, chatting happily and feeling an unexpected connection.
At that moment.
A somewhat awkward but trying to be friendly voice sounded behind him.
"Want a drink?"
"..."
Hawk came to his senses, looking at Andrew, who had bathed and changed into a preserved, never-discarded shirt and faded jeans by Amy after Gwen's arrival, pushing a glass of whiskey towards him. Andrew looked tense and awkward while watching him.
"I only turn twenty-one this year."
"...Sorry."
Andrew froze, quickly apologizing.
Just then, on the sofa, Gwen glanced at Hawk: "Hawk, a boy's first drink is always given by his father, and besides, we're at home, aren't we?"
Hawk turned to look at Gwen, who was smiling gently.
They locked eyes.
He chuckled, then took the whiskey, thanking Andrew, whose hand seemed expectant and a bit teary, and downed it in one go.
Hmm.
No different from any other whiskey.
Hawk thought to himself.
…