~ Thank You for 700 Powerstones, Here's Your Bonus Chapter!
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Hey guys, I hope you're doing well!
First of all, thank you so much for the incredible support, seriously, I'm speechless and truly honored.
Second, I want to apologize for all the issues you've encountered so far, whether it's character development, plot points.
Starting from this chapter, I've invested much more time into editing... like, a lot more time, for improved quality.
Consider it another way of saying thank you for this amazing support!
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Countless shattered droplets of water hung in the air around Hawk, spinning and orbiting him as if paying homage.
The world was utterly silent.
The only sound was a single voice, calling his name from behind.
"HAWK!!!"
The word sent a jolt through him, and his bare chest, which had been rising and falling steadily, hitched for a second.
Hawk instinctively turned.
And saw her.
She emerged from the forest, dressed in a windbreaker. Her blonde hair was a mess, her face beaded with sweat, but her blue eyes, when they locked with his, were filled with a brilliant, overwhelming joy.
"Gwen?"
Hawk froze.
He couldn't believe it.
Somehow, the first person to find him here wasn't the United States military. It was Gwen.
How was that even possible?
His mind reeled.
And in that moment, time, which had been frozen, lurched back into motion.
ROOOAR!!
The inverted waterfall collapsed, crashing down once more. But this time, the sound was softer, more subdued.
It was as if the waterfall itself was afraid of making too much noise and inviting another cataclysm.
After all, Hawk had proven he could make it bend to his will.
At the same time, Gwen, seeing him standing there, began to run.
She didn't know why she was running—she had already found him—but her body just took over...
In the blink of an eye, she had reached the edge of the pool, and without hesitation, she plunged into the water, wading toward him.
The next second.
She threw her arms around him, holding on tight.
Hawk's arms instinctively wrapped around her, pulling her into his embrace, his body shielding her from the punishing force of the waterfall.
And then, he remembered. With a nearly silent whoosh, they vanished from the pool, reappearing an instant later on the grassy bank.
A thick cloud of steam, like a pillar of smoke, rose from Hawk's body and from Gwen's now-drenched clothes.
In a single, breathtaking moment, the immense heat radiating from Hawk's body vaporized the water, leaving them both completely dry.
Hawk looked down at Gwen, who was still clinging to him tightly.
He opened his mouth, wanting to ask how she had found him when the entire United States military couldn't.
But—
He saw that she had fallen asleep, a faint, soft snore escaping her lips. He closed his mouth, then slowly sat down on the ground, cradling her in his lap.
He didn't speak. He just watched her sleep, his gaze soft. He reached out and gently brushed a stray strand of blonde hair from her face.
...
About half an hour later.
Gwen's eyes slowly fluttered open. Still groggy, she thought she was in her bed and instinctively started to stretch.
The next second, she saw Hawk, looking down at her.
Their eyes met.
Gwen blinked.
Hawk smiled.
"Hello."
"HOLY SHIT!" With a gasp, Gwen scrambled out of his lap, her pale cheeks flushing a deep shade of pink.
Hawk rose to his feet, stretching his limbs, which had gone stiff from holding still for so long.
Gwen, after a quick, disoriented glance at her surroundings, focused her attention back on him.
He stood before her, wearing only a pair of shorts, his body like that of a Greek statue. His sharp, intelligent eyes were framed by a pair of strong, confident brows.
They were the same brows she had always known.
But before, they had been like a sword in its sheath. Now, they were like a newly forged blade, drawn and ready.
Gwen stared, momentarily captivated.
The next second, she snapped out of it. A playful, knowing smile spread across her face. "The library... Studying. Hah."
"..." Hawk's brow twitched. He heard the gentle accusation in her teasing tone. After a moment, he said, "Sorry."
Gwen's smile widened.
She had heard the note of complaint in her own voice, and she had heard something new in his apology.
Before, when he had said he was sorry, it had been a dismissal, a way to end a conversation.
But this time?
A corner of her mouth turned up. She held out her hand.
Hawk looked at it, confused.
Gwen said, "Why didn't you answer my calls?"
Hawk walked over to where he had left his clothes, picked up the phone that had been sitting on his neatly folded t-shirt, and handed it to her. "I've been out here for over twenty days. The battery's been dead for weeks."
Gwen paused, then took the phone.
Sure enough.
The screen was black.
But—
She blinked. An idea struck her. She pulled out her own phone, still holding his, and clicked on the link from the security alert.
Link has expired.
Gwen stared at the screen, momentarily stunned. The link that had been active just a moment ago was now gone.
At that moment, Hawk finally asked the question that had been burning in his mind.
"By the way, Gwen, how did you know I was here?"
"..."
Gwen snapped out of her thoughts. She casually put her own phone back in her pocket, handed his back to him, and smiled. "My dad's a police captain, Hawk. If I want to find you, I'll find you."
Hawk just blinked.
That line—was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard. He'd have to be crazy to believe that.
But looking at Gwen, who was trying so hard to look confident, a faint blush still dusting her cheeks, Hawk's expression softened into one of dawning realization. He gave a slow nod.
He decided to let it go.
A moment ago, he had been desperate to know how she had found him. But now, he realized he didn't care.
No.
The moment he'd seen her lying asleep in his arms, the question had ceased to matter.
Maybe it was just as she said.
She was the daughter of a police captain. If she wanted to find him, she could.
That was her story.
And Hawk decided to believe it.
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