Seeing Alan's expression, Gwen spoke up.
"I know you don't believe me."
"It's not that I don't believe you," Alan responded. "I'm just surprised that a girl like you has this side to her."
Alan wasn't sure how to describe it.
Is this... gap-moe?
But somehow, that term didn't feel quite right.
Gwen reached out, took the glass of water from Alan's hand, and placed both glasses on the table beside the balcony. Then, she started to take off her light jacket.
Alan's eyes widened in shock.
Whoa, is that how direct people in this country are?
I'm not even mentally prepared yet! And this is the balcony!
Sure, we're high up, so no one can see us, but it's definitely not soundproof!
Quickly, Gwen removed her jacket and tied her hair back into a neat, efficient hairstyle.
"Gwen, what are you doing?" Alan asked, confused.
But before he could get an answer, Gwen's eyes sharpened, and suddenly she threw a punch toward him.
"Huh?" Alan stepped back just in time, her fist grazing the tip of his nose.
Interesting!
Her technique was flawless—not only had she trained, but she was clearly very skilled.
"So, what do you think, Alan?" Gwen said, a sly grin on her face.
"Do you believe me now?"
Alan felt a spark of excitement too. He had been curious to test the subtle improvements in his reflexes since cultivating his psychic powers. Though his physical strength hadn't increased, he was confident Gwen wouldn't be able to land a hit.
"One punch isn't enough to convince me," Alan teased.
"Hmph!" Gwen's eyebrows shot up in challenge.
She threw a series of punches at him, but each time, Alan narrowly dodged.
"Is this martial arts?" Gwen asked, her competitive spirit fully ignited. "I didn't expect you to know these skills, Alan."
"Now, I'm going all out!"
"Bring it on!"
On the balcony, Gwen launched a full-on assault, but each time she thought her fist would connect, Alan would slip away with the smallest of movements.
This only made Gwen more impatient and frustrated, and soon, her attacks became erratic.
Seeing his chance, Alan dodged one of Gwen's punches and swiftly stepped forward, closing the distance between them. He raised his fist and aimed directly at Gwen's face.
"Ah!" Gwen instinctively closed her eyes and let out a gasp, bracing herself for impact. But the next second, she felt nothing. Slowly, she opened her eyes and peeked out.
She realized with a start that she and Alan were standing very close—so close that his hand had stopped just inches from her face.
As their bodies pressed together, Alan could feel the warmth of Gwen's steady breath. Gwen's face flushed involuntarily. With her fair skin, the blush made her look even more beautiful.
Alan smiled and lightly flicked Gwen's forehead. "You lost."
The two then separated, leaving Gwen standing there in a daze. Her face remained red for quite some time.
"Your speed, strength, and accuracy are all impressive. Not bad," Alan said.
"You're lying! I couldn't even land a single hit on you," Gwen pouted. "Alan, do you secretly know some kind of martial arts?"
Alan replied honestly, "I don't. I just have quick reflexes."
"If it were anyone else, they might have been begging for mercy from the start."
Hearing Alan's subtle compliment, Gwen's mood improved significantly. She walked over to the table, picked up a glass of water, and drank it all before Alan could warn her.
"Is something on my face?" Gwen asked, noticing Alan's gaze.
"That glass... was mine."
Gwen's face flushed even deeper, and she quickly said, "It's fine... we're friends, after all..."
Her voice wavered as she said it, clearly unsure of herself.
Alan chuckled and took a sip from the other glass.
"You..." Gwen's face turned an even brighter shade of red.
"It's okay. We're friends," Alan repeated with a teasing grin.
"Hmph!" Gwen huffed. Though his words seemed fine, something about them felt a bit off.
Tonight, Alan had certainly gotten a glimpse of a side of Gwen he never knew existed.
"You really don't know any of that mysterious martial arts?" Gwen asked, trying to change the topic and confirm once more.
"No, not yet at least," Alan replied.
"Does that mean you might learn it someday?"
"Maybe one day I'll find a master and pick it up."
"I've searched all over New York City for someone like that, but no luck. If you ever find one, you've got to introduce me."
"With your skills, do you really need more training?" Alan teased.
"I enjoy the feeling of training," Gwen admitted. "If it weren't for my dad forbidding it, I might have become a cop fighting crime in New York by now."
Alan smiled but said nothing. That would be far too dangerous.
"Oh my god, it's so late already!" Gwen exclaimed, grabbing her jacket and checking her phone. It was already after 8 p.m. Apart from special events, this was the latest she had ever been out.
"Alan, I think I should head home now."
"See you tomorrow."
"I'll walk you home," Alan offered.
Downstairs, Agent Coulson had returned to 13th Street. He had hoped to find some clues, but following Happy to Stark Industries only revealed that Tony's disappearance was what had Happy on edge.
Since the mysterious armor had appeared at night, Coulson had to continue his investigation into the evening, lamenting his lack of cool powers.
"Is that the young couple? Life for young people really is great," Coulson muttered, watching Alan and Gwen exit the building with a look of envy.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Alan," Gwen said.
"I think I should see this through to the end," Alan responded. "A beautiful girl like you—I wouldn't feel at ease unless I saw you safely home."
Gwen's heart skipped a beat at his words.
After hailing a cab, the two got in and headed to Gwen's home. Inside the taxi, Alan couldn't help but think to himself, Hurry back, Tony. Whether I get to drive a luxury car depends on you.
Just then, a notification chimed.
[Your frog has sent you a travel photo! Hurry up and take a look!]
Excited, Alan immediately opened the game interface in his mind. A letter-shaped icon appeared, and when he clicked on it, a photo slowly emerged.
"Wait... who is this person...?"
...