Just as expected.
The next day.
While they were still on the school bus, the lizard monster that had appeared on the Williamsburg Bridge yesterday had already become the hottest news of the day.
There was no close second.
"Holy shit, did you guys see this morning's news?"
"I saw it. Good thing my home is in Queens, not Brooklyn or Manhattan, because my family can't afford houses in either of those places anyway."
"I think we should leave New York City after we graduate."
"Why?"
"Look, Hulk and Abomination a few years ago, that science expo thing last year, aliens freaking showed up this year—and before this year was even over, we got another lizard monster."
"Damn."
"Yeah, what's been going on with New York City these past few years?"
"Anyway, things haven't been good since September 2001."
"By the way, am I the only one curious about how Spider-Man shoots webs?"
"..."
Hawk, sitting in the last row by the window, raised an eyebrow when he heard a timid voice from inside the bus. He instinctively looked at Peter beside him.
See.
I'm not the only one who's curious.
Peter felt the teasing in Hawk's gaze and twitched the corner of his mouth. "I don't want to discuss that question."
Hawk shrugged without caring and smoothly changed the subject. He glanced at the last row, where only he and Peter were sitting.
"Where's Harry? He didn't ride the school bus with you today."
"He'll be late. He went to Osborn Bio-Industry this morning. He said Osborn was invaded last night."
As Peter spoke, he scanned the bus before lowering his voice. "I asked around a little more. Dr. Curtis Connors's lab was the one that got hit. Apparently, all the equipment was hauled away by the Lizard."
Hawk nodded.
"Apparently? The Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man wasn't there?"
"The Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man was asleep."
Peter twitched the corner of his mouth.
He was now immensely grateful that he had gotten himself a Spider-Man suit to cover his face.
Look.
The only person who knew his real identity—and someone who was as quiet as he was at school—was already teasing him like this.
What if it had been someone else?
Most importantly, there was nothing wrong with him fighting for justice. Uncle Ben would surely have been proud to see who he had become.
With great power came great responsibility.
But...
No matter how great his power was, he still needed to sleep. Even real spiders needed to rest every day.
Besides, he wasn't even a real spider, so he couldn't possibly go out fighting around the clock.
Thinking of the unfinished conversation from last night, Peter lowered his voice.
"What do you think Dr. Connors wanted to do?"
"Don't know. Don't care. Doesn't matter."
Hawk shook his head, delivering a triple kill in one breath.
Peter looked at Hawk, who had returned to his usual tight-lipped self after saying that and was staring out the window at the scenery. Peter opened his mouth but said nothing else.
He had never considered inviting Hawk to become a vigilante with him.
After all, just because he liked something did not mean others would like it too, and he should not force anyone else to like it.
Peter understood that much.
When they arrived at school.
The buzz around the lizard monster not only failed to die down, but after students from every grade gathered together, it showed signs of growing even more intense.
All kinds of rumors.
All kinds of gossip.
They flew everywhere among the fifteen-, sixteen-, and seventeen-year-old students, teenagers with more hormones than they knew what to do with.
At noon.
Hawk, as usual, had ordered a burger and a Coke. While he was eating with his head down, Gwen, whose class had ended later than his, finally arrived and sat across from him with her tray.
"I just got word that I won't need to go to Osborn Bio-Industry for a while. Dr. Connors's lab was robbed by the Lizard, and Dr. Connors himself has disappeared."
"Uh..."
Hawk looked up, thought for a moment, then looked at Gwen and lowered his voice. "The Lizard didn't rob it. Dr. Connors did."
He had originally planned to tell Gwen about this when he saw her at school that morning.
But Mary, the gossip girl, had been beside Gwen that morning. Hawk had thought about it and decided not to say anything then.
But saying it now was the same.
It wouldn't delay anything.
After hearing Hawk's words, Gwen froze at first. Then her expression instantly turned to shock, and her chest visibly rose and fell.
But very quickly.
She seemed to remember that they were in the cafeteria and that she should not make a scene. Still, she stared wide-eyed at Hawk, who had continued eating his burger after saying that.
"What? Dr. Connors is... Is that true?"
"There's a ninety-nine percent chance. Spider-Man said the Lizard smelled like me, though only faintly."
"Spider-Man?"
"Yeah."
Hawk nodded naturally.
But Gwen froze again.
If her eyes had not already been opened as wide as they could go, she felt she could have widened them even further.
"You know Spider-Man?"
"Yeah."
"Who is he?"
"Can't say."
Hawk shook his head and did not choose to tell Gwen that Peter was Spider-Man.
He had told Gwen the Lizard's identity because there was a chance the Lizard could hurt her.
That would not do.
But Peter was different.
Especially since this version of Peter was the original Spider-Man—the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man who, even when possessed by Venom, had only wanted to buy a discounted suit, make the newspaper boss give him a raise, and get some dust in the eyes of people he disliked.
And Peter had not gone around broadcasting his strength through a loudspeaker.
Naturally, Hawk would not tell others that Peter was Spider-Man.
After saying that, Hawk chuckled under Gwen's unblinking gaze. "Even if you keep looking at me like that, I'm not telling you."
Only then did Gwen withdraw her gaze.
Fine, don't tell me. I'll find out myself.
As always.
No one knew Hawk better than she did. Hawk's social circle was incredibly simple. Basically, everyone Hawk knew was someone she knew too.
So...
If Hawk knew Spider-Man, then she most likely knew Spider-Man as well.
She was very confident.
As Gwen rapidly sorted through everyone she and Hawk both knew, she lowered her voice.
"No, how did Dr. Connors turn into that Lizard yesterday?"
"Don't know."
Hawk shook his head. "Maybe only God knows what happened. The last time I spoke with Dr. Connors on the phone, he said his Regeneration Potion had worked on a white mouse with a severed tail."
That was only because Gwen had asked him, so he had given it a little thought.
If it had been Peter, Hawk could not be bothered to think that hard.
Even if the Lizard tore New York City apart, it would not be Hawk's turn to worry. Someone else would be more anxious than him.
As Hawk thought that, he saw Gwen's eyes widen once more.
Before you continue