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"I'm going to check on the kitchen," Jimmy said. "I thought I'd let you try my cooking tonight. You eat… Asian food? I mean, the real kind."
"You cook Asian food?" Yinsen said, pointing at himself with a grin. "Do you even know who you're talking to? You've got some nerve bringing that up in front of me."
"I know," Jimmy replied casually. "Yinsen."
The flawless American accent coming out of Jimmy's mouth made Yinsen freeze.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
---
Watching Jimmy move smoothly around the kitchen chopping vegetables, heating oil, flipping food in the pan with practiced ease—
Yinsen couldn't help but wonder.
Which one of us actually grew up doing this?
---
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"Dr. Yinsen? Dr. Yinsen, are you home?"
"I am! One second!"
"I was up in the attic and saw flames in your kitchen window. There was a lot of smoke I thought your place was on fire!"
"I brought a fire extinguisher!"
"Oh—no, no! It's fine," Yinsen said quickly. "I'm just cooking. But since you're here, come on in. I'll introduce you to my family."
"Oh?" the neighbor perked up. "Your nephew's here? Does he know martial arts?"
He threw a couple of exaggerated punches in the air.
"Easy there," Yinsen laughed. "You might want to put the extinguisher down first."
"Oh—right. Sorry."
---
"Uncle, who's that?"
"Oh, that's our neighbor," Yinsen said warmly. "A really smart kid. Goes to Midtown High the same school you'll be attending. Though you'll be starting in tenth grade."
"Oh, come on, Uncle," Jimmy sighed. "Today's supposed to be my welcome dinner. Can we not ruin it with school talk?"
"I hate school. School makes me miserable."
He glanced toward the door.
"If you don't mind, you can stay for dinner too."
"Really? Uh—yeah! I mean, if that's okay?"
The boy's eyes lit up as he looked Jimmy up and down.
"Wow, you're tall. You're even taller than Thompson! He's a starter on the basketball team and plays varsity football."
"You know, he once knocked over four guys in one charge like a bull."
"Big, strong… and not very bright."
---
Jimmy looked down at the skinny kid who barely reached his chest and sighed.
That mouth… he gives Deadpool a run for his money.
Jimmy held out his hand.
"Jimmy Halstead. Nice to meet you."
"Peter! Peter Parker!" the boy said quickly, shaking his hand. "You can call me Peter, or Peter Parker either's fine!"
Once Peter started talking, there was no stopping him.
"Peter Parker…" Jimmy studied him for a moment.
'So I'm the neighbor of the friendly neighborhood guy.'
Judging by Peter's appearance, this was clearly before the spider bite.
Yeah, The nonstop talking is definitely a natural talent.
"Hahaha, but are you sure you do not need me to go to school with you tomorrow?"
"No need, Peter already said he can handle it, it is just a stop at the administration office, nothing complicated."
'Life really was something else, I had just met two main characters in one day, who knew what kind of surprises tomorrow at school would bring.'
---
"Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy."
Early in the morning, Peter was already knocking on the door.
"I am right here," Jimmy's voice came from behind him.
"Whoa, did you go train or something," Peter said, staring at Jimmy's black tank top.
"I went for a run," Jimmy replied, "Does the school bus really come this early?"
He locked the door, grabbed his backpack from the rack, and stepped outside.
"Not really, but it is better to wait early, the bus does not wait for anyone."
"Good morning, Aunt May."
"Good morning, Jimmy."
After greeting Aunt May while she watered the plants, Jimmy walked off with Peter trailing beside him.
"So, where do we wait for the bus?"
"You do not know," Peter froze for a second, then started talking rapidly, "I thought you were walking ahead because you knew, turns out you do not know, if you do not know, I can lead the way, but if you do not know how the route works then I have to explain it."
"Alright, sorry, so where do we wait for the bus?"
"Right here," Peter Parker said, pointing at the covered stop above them.
Jimmy fell silent.
I really want to punch you twice, with claws.
---
"Peter, have you ever heard a story?"
"What kind of story, I love stories, is it about martial arts?"
"No, it is an old story from the Bible, and it is not really a story, because those are supposed to be real events."
"It says that everyone has a tree in God's garden. Every time a person speaks, one leaf falls. When the leaves are gone, God takes away the person tied to that tree."
"What does that mean," Peter Parker asked blankly.
"He means that talking too much can get you killed," a girl said calmly, "Hi, I am Emma, Peter Parker's classmate."
"Hi, I am Jimmy Halstead, Peter Parker's neighbor, I transferred to Midtown High today."
"Where did you study before?"
"Los Angeles, Peter, is the bus coming?"
"Oh, right."
---
On the school bus, Peter Parker was unusually quiet. At first, Jimmy felt a bit guilty for telling that story, but after they got off the bus, Peter dragged him straight to the administration office and started talking nonstop again.
Only then did Jimmy realize he had worried for nothing.
This guy only shuts up when there is a girl around.
After the paperwork was done, Jimmy waited in the office for a teacher to come get him.
Peter glanced at the clock and suddenly shouted.
"Oh no."
Then he ran off in a hurry, shouting as he went, "Jimmy, I will find you during lunch and introduce you to my friends."
---
"That boy is full of energy, is he not?" the administrator said with a smile. "Jimmy Halstead, correct, your transfer was handled by Stark Industries."
"I am not trying to pry into your privacy. I am just curious. Why did you choose our school?"
"Our education quality is good, but we are not the top school in New York, which surprised me."
"Because I am not very good academically," Jimmy said honestly, "better schools would be hard to keep up with."
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