From Today On, I'll Be Mr. Hawk! (Seeking Follow-up Reads!)

If there were a ranking of the most popular female students at Midtown High School, Gwen might not have the highest popularity, but she would definitely rank first.

In fact, she'd probably be first by a landslide.

Because the silent majority in the school would all choose to vote for Gwen.

Hawk was among them.

He still remembered when he first enrolled, being quiet and keeping to himself, and Gwen mistakenly thought he was 'being bullied by classmates,' trying to help him fit in with the student body.

But that was just because Gwen had a kind heart.

Hawk never took Gwen's seemingly attentive behavior toward him as anything else.

Because if it were any other student, the beautiful and kind-hearted Gwen would choose to help them too.

And there was a famous saying, wasn't there?

Right.

Life has three major illusions.

Among these three illusions, 'she likes me' was undoubtedly the runaway first.

So...

Hawk naturally wouldn't fall for that illusion.

Soon.

They arrived at the Queens courthouse.

Hawk looked at the courthouse outside the car, thanked Gwen again for driving him, then pushed open the door and got out.

Then...

Hearing footsteps behind him, he turned his head to see Gwen also getting out and following him, a question mark popping up on his face.

"?"

"How are you planning to get back? Walking? The airport's pretty far from here."

"The sub—"

"The drivers' union is on strike. Subway drivers are drivers too."

"... "

Hawk fell silent.

Gwen just smiled faintly and walked ahead toward the courthouse: "Let's go, it's almost three. You don't want Judge Brose to cancel your hearing, do you?"

Hawk watched Gwen walking ahead of him, opened his mouth, thought for a moment, then shook his head and followed.

Family Court, Courtroom Three.

Judge Brose, seated on the bench, tapped his small gavel.

"Next, Hawk's independence hearing."

"Your Honor."

Hawk stood up from his seat and politely greeted the judge on the bench.

"Your Honor."

The Child and Family Welfare Department staff member assigned to Hawk also stood up.

Judge Brose looked over the various documents Hawk had submitted for his independence application, then after a moment, turned to the Welfare Department staff member: "I see from the records that he's never been adopted, and has no foster family?"

The staff member gave a wry smile.

"Yes, Your Honor."

"May I ask why?"

"Hawk was different from other kids. He didn't like to talk much as a child, and wasn't keen on interacting with others, so potential adopters never considered him. That's why Hawk has been in the system all these years without ever being adopted."

"Hawk."

Judge Brose nodded after hearing the staff member's response, then looked at Hawk, whose appearance didn't match that withdrawn personality: "I see from your submitted documents that you're applying for independence because you want to rent a place?"

Hawk nodded.

"Yes, Your Honor."

"May I ask, once you're independent, how do you plan to pay the rent?"

"I have thirty thousand dollars saved in my bank account. If I just rent a cheap apartment, that's enough to cover rent until I find a job."

"Thirty thousand?"

Judge Brose, hearing Hawk's answer, found the bank account deposit certificate Hawk had submitted with his independence application, then glanced at a few other documents, a flicker of disbelief in his eyes.

No phone.

No computer.

Nor did he have a car, or even a driver's license.

Judge Brose was somewhat surprised.

Orphans applying for early emancipation before turning eighteen weren't unheard of, but Judge Brose had never seen one cut all non-essential expenses like Mr. Hawk did.

What's more, Judge Brose had never seen a savings account belonging to an orphan who had never been adopted by a foster family or taken in by a foster home contain a fortune as large as thirty thousand dollars.

Judge Brose pondered this, then looked at Hawk, his tone unreadable.

"You have great self-control, Mr. Hawk."

"Thank you, Your Honor."

Hearing Judge Brose's address, Hawk's heart stirred.

Because "Mr." was a title for an adult, independent man.

Just as he thought.

Judge Brose smiled faintly, stamped Hawk's emancipation documents with a crisp thump, handed them to the bailiff beside him, and looked at Hawk. "Normally, I don't approve early emancipation. The adult world is harsh. But you, Mr. Hawk, I believe you're ready. So, congratulations, Mr. Hawk."

Hawk took the documents from the bailiff, listened to Judge Brose's words, and met his gaze.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Judge Brose nodded and smiled at Hawk, then rapped his small gavel again. "Next case..."

Hawk left the courtroom with Gwen, carrying the stamped documents.

Outside the courthouse.

Hawk smiled faintly at the papers bearing the court's seal.

With this court-backed document, he was legally emancipated. Even though he wasn't yet eighteen, he could now sign a lease with a landlord.

Finally, he could move out of that temporary housing—the hangar that felt like a powder keg ready to blow at any moment.

That was great.

Hawk savored the thought happily as he headed toward the subway station.

The next second.

He was pulled back.

Hawk looked up at Gwen, who seemed a bit exasperated, blinked, and realized.

Right, the subway was shut down too.

"Sorry."

"Let's go..."

Gwen shook her head, then remembered something, looked at Hawk, and added, "...Mr. Hawk."

Hawk raised an eyebrow at Gwen, who had a hint of a smile on her face as she walked toward a car parked nearby.

A traffic cop was standing in front of Gwen's yellow Corolla.

"One moment, officer."

Gwen saw the cop already pulling out a ticket pad, rushed over, and quickly fished a card from her bag to hand him.

The traffic cop paused at the card Gwen offered, then took it.

But it wasn't a business card—it was a family ID, a kind of card circulated among NYPD families.

Its only purpose was to prove you were one of their own.

The traffic cop glanced at the card, noted the name and number—"19th Precinct: George Stacy"—then looked at Gwen, put away his ticket machine, and handed the card back.

"Go ahead."

"Thanks."

Gwen quickly thanked him.

The cop swung back onto his police motorcycle and rumbled off.

Gwen watched him leave, let out a relieved breath, and looked at Hawk, her tone grateful.

"That was close!"

"..."