"Be careful on your way, Peter!"
"Remember to answer my calls!"
Seeing how much the two of them cared about me, I just smiled and replied to reassure them.
"Don't worry, I've got my friend and a big green giant named Hulk protecting us!"
"Hulk?"
"Oh, nothing! I'm heading out!"
Carrying my luggage, I said goodbye to the two and closed the door.
Right in front of my house was Harry, dressed in summer clothes and wearing sunglasses, even though it's not even summer today.
"Ayo, Peter boi! You ready?"
"All set."
I loaded my stuff into his car and sat next to him.
"Wait, do you even have a driver's license?"
"..."
"Are you kidding me?"
"Well... let's just hope no cops pull us over, alright?"
"Optimistic, huh? If you think we're that lucky, let's head to Gwen's place."
"Do you know where Gwen lives?"
...That's a tough one to answer.
I immediately pulled out my phone and texted Gwen.
She sent her address right away, pretty quick.
"Here!"
"You had to text her to find out? I thought boyfriends were supposed to know where their girlfriends live."
"Dude, she calls me her boyfriend, but I haven't even confirmed—okay, you know what? Just drive."
And so, we headed to Gwen's house.
"This is... her place?"
It's... pretty normal, just nicer than my place, that's all.
I got out of the car and walked to her front door, but just as I was about to knock, the door swung open.
"HOLA! HEY PETER!"
She rushed forward and hugged me, making me stumble back a few steps and almost fall if I hadn't caught myself on the fence.
"Let go! I'm gonna fall!"
"Let me hug you a bit longer~"
"...ughhh."
So I ended up carrying Gwen's luggage and loading it into the car for her.
"Sit there," I said, pointing to the back seat.
"No!"
"Why not?"
"Because I'd rather sit with you!"
"Just listen to her, Peter," Harry said, looking at us.
Harry, just because you're Gwen's husband in another universe doesn't mean you can ditch me like that! We're best friends! Best friends sit together, right??
"What's up? You got a problem?" Harry asked, scratching his head.
"...Nevermind."
So I sat in the back seat, with Gwen happily leaning on my shoulder.
Harry glanced in the rearview mirror, trying not to laugh.
Oh... you jerk, you want me and her to get even closer, don't you?
We continued on and arrived at Emma's house.
"I'll go," I said to Gwen, who was clinging to my leg, refusing to let me leave the car.
"Then take me with you!"
"If you insist."
"Yippe!"
So Gwen and I went to Emma's front door and knocked.
A few minutes later, she opened the door slowly.
"...You guys actually came."
Her appearance was pretty emo—hair covering one eye, long hair, and her outfit was mostly black and pink Hello Kitty stuff.
Hmm, now that I think about it, she does look pretty emo. (Wait, didn't you just say that?)
"You ready? If not, we can wait."
"Oh, I'm ready," she said, fully opening the door to reveal a rather large suitcase.
"...Wait, you're wearing *that*?"
"I think it looks fine?" She glanced at her outfit, not seeing any issue.
Um, that's like lounge-around-the-house clothes. Are you really wearing that?
"You got a problem with her?" Gwen asked.
"No."
"Liar!"
"...If she thinks it works, then fine, I won't judge."
"Wow, you're choosing your words carefully, huh?"
Hearing me say that, Emma looked a bit shy, rubbing her right foot against her left.
But then she asked a question.
"...Is that girl next to you your girlfriend?"
...Why do I have a feeling this question is going to make my future complicated?
"I—"
"Of course! I've been bragging to everyone about having a boyfriend, haven't I?" Gwen stepped forward, her face smug, hand on her chest.
"...So, the boyfriend you've been showing off to everyone in class is Peter, huh... Good for you," Emma said, looking at us expressionlessly.
"You mad?" I asked, sweating.
"Not really."
"...I don't recall ever flirting with you to make you have feelings for me."
Just looking at her, I could tell she had a crush on me, but dealing with Gwen is already exhausting enough. Breaking up with her would be a nightmare (even though I haven't even confirmed our relationship).
"Who said anything about me having feelings? Are you delusional?" Emma glared at me.
Ehh, those eyes tell me you're lying. Stop scaring me.
"Emma, Peter's my boyfriend! Don't go thinking about NTR stuff! Although, if I were to Netori Peter, that'd be fine!" Gwen struck a pose in front of both of us.
Shut up, Gwen!
"Alright, enough! Let's not keep Harry waiting! We don't have all day!"
"Sure."
"Definitely."
So the three of us got in the car.
"Peter, sit with Gwen, and Emma can sit next to me—"
"Nope! I'm sitting next to you!" I grabbed Harry's collar.
"Huh? Why?"
"Look!"
Harry glanced at the two girls, then at me, and his face lit up with realization.
"Ohhhh... Harem, huh? Nice one, Peter!"
"No way! I don't want to sit with a lion!"
"Eh, either choice sucks, but if you sit with me, maybe they won't get jealous and kill me," Harry joked.
That doesn't sound reassuring at all, buddy.
So Emma and Gwen sat in the back, while Harry and I sat in the front.
Judging by the looks on the girls' faces, getting along is going to be tough...
***
After a short while, we arrived at the airport terminal.
Of course, they'd refuse us if we didn't have an adult, so we were waiting for someone.
"Ahh! Peter!"
Bruce Banner!
I walked up to him and shook his hand in greeting.
"I didn't know you knew an adult," Harry said, while greeting Bruce.
Unlike Tony Stark, Bruce Banner lives a very low-key life, so no one really knows him.
Plus, he's usually in his Hulk form when fighting, so no one recognizes him anyway.
"I'm Bruce, a scientist specializing in gamma research and figuring out how to turn it into something drinkable!"
"...Huh?"
Bruce in this universe is a bit different from other universes in that he seems more like a chemist. When he heard about gamma rays, he got excited and started researching them, which led to his alternate personality, the Hulk.
Honestly, I'm pretty surprised at how chill he is despite having the Hulk inside him. I wonder what he's been through?
"Oh, I invited someone else too. Hope that's not a problem, Peter boi?"
"How do you know that nickname??"
"Who knows? It just felt right, so I went with it!"
Are you kidding me?
"Seriously, convincing this guy to come was a hassle. I even thought about giving up, but then he said his moon god suggested he take a few days off, so he agreed. Haha, talking to a lunatic is kind of new for me."
...Huh?
I looked behind Bruce, and there was a guy dressed entirely in a white suit, with neatly slicked-back hair and a cleanly shaved beard.
Pretty dandy, if you didn't know who he was.
"Steven Grant, pleasure to meet you young folks," he said with a smile, extending his hand.
"Ahhh... Yes! Nice to meet you too!" I smiled nervously, sweating as I shook his hand.
This beach trip now has the Hulk and Moon Knight joining us!