NOVEL WEB Chapter 30: Jealousy is Quite a Color!
After dinner, the three adults leaned back in their chairs, feeling pleasantly full and satisfied.
The kids, on the other hand, still had plenty of energy and were bouncing around the dining room.
Grace sighed and took a quick look at the clock.
"Well, that was wonderful."
She said, smiling warmly at Scott and Gwen.
"Would you two mind helping clear the table? I've got to get Felix and Felicity ready for school tomorrow and then put them to bed—I'm so tired."
Gwen shrugged, already stacking a few plates.
"Sure, Aunt Grace."
Scott leaned forward with a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry about a thing, Grace. Go rest up; we've got everything covered."
He flashed her a thumbs up right after.
Grace beamed at him as her eyes crinkled.
"Aww~ you're such a darling, Scott."
She turned her attention to the kids and raised her voice just enough.
"Felix! Felicity! You'd better be washing your hands and ready for bed!"
With a playful groan, the kids scampered off, and Grace slipped out of the room, leaving Scott and Gwen to tackle the table.
Scott picked up the oddly large bowl of food that remained.
He looked at Gwen.
"So… was this for Grace's husband?"
"Oh, Uncle Mark? No, he's on duty. He's a cop around here. Won't be back for a few days."
"Interesting…"
Scott nodded thoughtfully.
"I mean, it makes sense that it's not really his place now. If he's a cop in a city this packed with crime, I bet he's always out on the job. I've seen a few of the villains in Meteor City, and honestly, they're not exactly impressive, but still."
He paused then glanced back at the hefty bowl.
"So… who's this for?"
Gwen just sighed as she hoisted the hefty bowl with one hand while balancing plates in the other.
"It's probably for Uncle Jeff…"
She muttered, nodding toward the living room.
"He's the one who always eats the biggest portion—and still has the audacity to do nothing around the house."
Scott followed her to the living room, where they found a man sprawled on the couch, half-buried in blankets. His large belly rose and fell rhythmically as he watched TV with a glazed, almost oblivious expression. Food crumbs littered the couch around him, as though he'd been rooted there for hours.
At the sight of them, he managed a lazy wave but quickly gave up, nodding instead.
"Yo… *burp* I'm Jeff."
"Uh… nice to meet you."
Scott forced a polite nod, taking in the man's slouched form, his unshaven face, and the way he seemed almost fused to the couch.
Jeff's eyes settled on the bowl in Gwen's hands, and he perked up—well, as much as he could without actually moving.
"That my food?"
Gwen looked at him for a moment, her lips pressed tightly together.
Then, without saying anything, she threw the bowl at him.
Somehow, Jeff's reflexes kicked in, and he managed to catch it surprisingly fast, though a little still spilled onto his lap.
Scott raised an eyebrow at Gwen.
"Wasn't that a bit harsh?"
She didn't even look back and just kept walking toward the kitchen.
"That's how you treat cheeto pigs. I'll show him a little respect when he starts actually doing something around here."
Choosing to drop it, Scott sighed. "Fair enough."
In the kitchen, Gwen placed the last plate in the sink and wiped her hands as a pleased smile spread across her face.
Then she turned to Scott with a blank expression.
"Come on. Let's go check out your car."
Scott looked at her, brows furrowing in confusion.
"My car? Now? It's already pretty late."
Gwen was already halfway to the door when she turned to him, a playful smile on her face and that familiar tongue-in-cheek look in her eyes.
"What's the matter? Scared?"
She even let out a little giggle as her eyes dared him.
Scott scoffed with heavy pride. "As if."
Before she could say another word, he dashed toward the stairs, calling over his shoulder.
"I'll go grab my keys!"
"Alright, dude…"
Gwen chuckled as she waited by the door with arms coolly folded.
━ ━ ━ ━
The soft hum of the air conditioning filled the quiet inside Scott's Porsche. He and Gwen sat side by side, not really sure what to say or do now that they were finally alone together.
Gwen shifted a little, her fingers lightly touching the leather seats. She looked over at Scott, ready to say something, but the words slipped away. Instead, she ended up with a quick, awkward, "Sooo…" Her voice faded off, and she turned to stare out the window, a bit embarrassed.
Scott stayed quiet, just watching the lights outside flicker over them in a steady rhythm. He sighed softly, then started tapping his finger on the window button, pressing it down halfway before letting it back up, playing with it without really thinking.
Gwen noticed him fidgeting out of the corner of her eye and gave him a quick side-eye, trying to guess what was on his mind. But the second he glanced back at her, she quickly looked away, sitting up straighter and stretching her arms a bit, like she was just trying to get comfortable.
Another beat passed, then she cleared her throat, breaking the silence with a hint of impatience.
"Hey… S-, Scott?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm hot. And hungry…"
"Huh?"
"You're the driver, Scott. Do something about it."
Scott looked at her with a subtle, unreadable expression.
He glanced over at the AC display, saw it was working just fine, then rested a hand on his stomach. They'd just eaten, and he felt pretty full and content—so what was she actually getting at?
He turned to Gwen without a word, his gaze steady and thoughtful.
She met his eyes but felt her confidence slip under his silent stare. Shifting uncomfortably, a faint blush started to show on her cheeks.
"What?" she mumbled, sounding a bit defensive.
"Nothing."
Scott's lips quirked up in the faintest hint of a smirk.
Then, without a word, he opened the door and stepped out of the car, leaving Gwen blinking in surprise. She watched as he leaned against the side, pulled out his phone, and opened Chirper. His thumbs flew over the screen as he started typing furiously──as though his life depended on it!
Gwen huffed, still inside the car, crossing her arms.
『Did I not say it well…? I mean I didn't say anything offensive for the most part… did I? Sigh~ I honestly can't understand that nerd even when I try.』
After a moment, curiosity got the best of her, and she leaned over, craning her neck to try and see what he was writing.
"Are you seriously Chirping right now?"
Scott didn't even look up. "Just a quick update!"
His eyes remained glued to his screen.
[@NightwatchOfficial:
Just going for a night drive with my childhood friend. Used to have a crush on her. But why is she saying she's hot and hungry even with the AC on, and we just ate dinner?? Is she trying to tell me something, or am I just overthinking it? #NightDriveConfusion]
Scott waited a while and soon his fans got active.
To his surprise, he already had 8.7K followers on Chirper.
『To think a Nightwatch Chirper handle would be useful…』
He refreshed hoping messages would roll into.
After half an hour, they did.
『I can't believe I waited half an hour for this shit. This better be worth it for real…』
He looked back at the screen.
[ @PhantomMuse89:
Just dump her, she's not worth it (ﾐ〒﹏〒ﾐ)
✢ 4.1K Likes | 530 Rechirps ]
└ [Of course @PhantomMuse89 is pissed LMAO]
└ [She's down bad for @NightwatchOfficial ◑.◑ freaky]
└ [Can y'all just let a girl love?? Like fr tho…]
[ @LetMeBeClear:
Not even subtle. My guy, you're being denser than a neutron star. LMAO you're driving her mad.
✢ 2.7K Likes | 87 Rechirps ]
[ @GeniusByChance:
Maybe she's just hungry. Or maybe you'll drive her home and she'll tweet, "Men can't take a hint these days."
✢ 3.7K Likes | 230 Rechirps ]
[ @GrandpaHero:
Back in my day, we just pulled over, put on some nice tunes, and let nature do the work. You kids complicate everything now. #MillennialSupremacy!!
✢ 2.3K Likes | 120 Rechirps ]
└ [Yeah, sure thing unc (¬_¬)]
└ [Bro hit unc status and is here telling us how he used to do it back in the day, no thanks unc ( ⚆ _ ⚆ )…]
└ ["Back in my day" ahh comment fr (ㆆ _ ㆆ)]
[ @MrCluelessInLove:
You think you're confused? I once got "I'm kinda hungry" and thought she wanted actual food. Guess who's still single?
✢ 3.0K Likes | 240 Rechirps ]
[ @TheUltimateMole:
Plot twist: She's just genuinely cold. Imagine the embarrassment if she wanted to grab a burger after all this advice. 😂 #NightwatchFails
✢ 4.3K Likes | 180 Rechirps ]
[@RealDealSpideyFan:
Dude, you're a superhero, but missing this clue like a civilian. She wants dessert…and I don't mean ice cream.
✢ 840 Likes | 20 Rechirps ]
[ @Ghosted_Garrett:
Wow, dude. When my girl said she was hot and hungry, I ignored it…and now she's dating someone who knew what that meant.
✢ 3.3K Likes | 180 Rechirps ]
└ [Damn, villain origin right there (´-ι_-｀)]
└ [This app is way too depressing, I'm going back to Instaflick where I can actually laugh…]
└ [Click on #PeakOfIt if you really wanna see something depressing ( ಠ╭╮ಠ ) and I ain't joking fr]
━ ━ ━ ━
MegaCorp…
The gentle hum of cameras and the soft clatter of production equipment could be heard as Miss Mercury paced quickly through MegaCorp's studio.
Her feet clicked sharply on the polished floor as she bit her fingers nervously.
『Fuck, fuck… FUCK IT ALL!』
She gripped her smartphone tightly with one hand, while the other was now clenched at her side.
Her desperate eyes moved quickly over the screen, scanning the countless responses to Nightwatch's latest Chirper post.
It was bad enough that he had hinted at having a new girlfriend last week. But now he was posting about a childhood friend he once had a crush on? The constant stream of chirps under his post felt like a deliberate jab:
[Is she cute?]
[Obviously. Imagine if she knows he's actually Nightwatch, that'll be so romantic （>﹏<）]
[Y'all find anything romantic these days (¬､¬)]
[Nightwatch please spread my legs and make me feel like a woman already ♡♡!]
[Damn… ( ⊡ _ ⊡ ) these Nightwatch fan girls go creepy asf, I think they post him more than we do…]
[Trust me, they do… have you read those self insert fanfics with Nightwatch? One second you're reading about him doing a stream and the next he's kissing them in places other than their mouths ( ´･_･`)]
[I need Nightwatch's game fr!]
[What game? Bro is out here asking us if he should take a girl out to eat or not 且_(・-・) that's zero game.]
Her gaze skimmed over the replies, and with every:
[She's just into you, dude!]
… AND
[Can't believe you're this dense, my guy]
She felt her jaw clench tighter.
Soon, Mercury typed hastily into the comment box.
[Crushes are ridiculous and stupid. There's a reason they stay in the past (º～º) When you're grown up, you find someone worth your time. Especially one that doesn't waste time telling you how much she likes you and wants to be with you ♡!]
She hit [post], then immediately regretted it.
『Ugh, that sounded desperate…』
She cringed and shot a look around the studio to make sure no one noticed her fretting.
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.
『Why do I care so much?』
She closed her eyes, sighing as the studio ceiling blurred overhead. But it didn't help. Why was she still so hung up on Nightwatch? This whole thing was ridiculous, she told herself. And yet…
She groaned as her shoulders slumped.
『He's probably gonna think I'm some kind of weirdo if he ever reads my replies…』
More and more, she could feel her jealousy building.
『But what else can I do? He's literally all I can think about! I really have to get over this obsession. It's really, REALLY unhealthy for me and my line of work. Sigh~』
Her thoughts were interrupted by the producer calling over to her with heavy impatience.
"Miss Mercury!"
"What?!"
She shot him an annoyed glare with her phone clutched tightly in her hand.
The producer blinked, taken aback. "Uh… still on for the GiGi Women's Fitness waist trainer ad?"
She rolled her eyes. "I'll… check my schedule and see if I still give a damn."
The producer looked her over, noting the phone in her hand. "Oh come on, you're just scrolling on Chirper," he muttered, folding his arms. "I've been pulling double shifts all week, and I just want to get home to the wife and kids."
At his words, something snapped inside her.
"Oh, so now you're bragging about having a wife and kids? Like that's the ultimate achievement or something?"
Her voice rang out, bitter and just a bit too loud.
"Sure, I don't have a husband or even a boyfriend, but that doesn't mean I don't have—someone—to go home to!"
A heavy silence fell over the crew as they stared at her with eyes wide in shock.
Miss Mercury turned and stormed off the set, her footsteps echoing loudly until she was far enough away to let out an exasperated groan.
『That was so immature…』
She immediately scolded herself and ran a hand over her pretty, but worried face.
『I'm a professional hero, and here I am acting like a…』
She cut herself off when she felt a flush of embarrassment creeping over her.
The phone vibrated in her hand and easily drew her attention back to Chirper.
[@NightwatchOfficial: Thanks for all the advice, everyone. Really needed it! Won't be streaming tonight, but… soon. ;)]
She scowled at the screen as her heart sunk.
『Great. Now I've got nothing to do tonight after patrol. Maybe I'll just watch The Office… alone…』
She slammed her phone back into her locker and let out a frustrated huff.
Back in the studio, the producer was still staring, clearly shaken.
After a moment, he scratched his head.
"Wh-, What's wrong with her?"
Vincent, who was lounging nearby, chuckled, adjusting his suit cuffs.
"I just can't stand these pretty women who get a taste of fame. It's so annoying. If she'd just listen to me and let me be her agent, she'd be even more successful than she is now! Sure, she's one of the richest heroes in the U.S. right now, but that's just because she's in her prime. Once she hits her 30s, she's going to start aging, and I bet she'll be like milk—no one will want her anymore. She's just this fat-chested, mean woman, and that's all she'll ever be!"
The crew exchanged uncomfortable glances.
"I guess he's kinda right…"
"Sure, Miss Mercury is still pretty much the top hero here in MegaCorp, but who really wants her around?"
"Yeah… she's hot, I get it, but like she's been C-rank for as long as I can remember."
"Yep. Even The Peak is A-rank."
"That new Pulsar girl is also getting an A-rank promotion too according to her recent Instaflick posts. Can we all just agree Miss Mercury's fallen off and doesn't even know it?"
"Yep!"
But, The Peak didn't seem to care about all that gossip.
He held up his new Peak Pack and grinned.
"Can we all focus back on me? This one's going to be a hit, trust me."
He flexed his smile wider.
"All the cool kids are going to want it."
The team quickly moved past the tension and got back to work, doing their best to ignore the awkward vibe Miss Mercury had left behind.
━ ━ ━ ━
Meanwhile…
Scott slid back into the driver's seat and closed the door with a quiet thud. He stared at the dashboard for a moment as the cool air in the car added to the awkward silence that had settled between them.
Gwen sat beside him, still angry, her lips pressed into a tight pout and her eyes narrowed.
He could tell she was about to let him have it.
The silence stretched on for a few moments.
"Uhhh…"
Scott glanced out the window, hoping to avoid her gaze, and reached for the button to roll the window up.
But Gwen's glare was still fixed on him, burning through him like it could drill a hole right through his cheek.
Finally, unable to take it anymore, Scott turned his head to her, raising an eyebrow.
"What?"
Gwen's nostrils flared slightly, and she huffed, crossing her arms defiantly.
"I told you I was hot and hungry, and you didn't do anything about it."
Her voice had a slight whine to it, but there was a sharpness in it, as if she was daring him to brush it off.
Scott blinked, slightly thrown off by her tone.
"Alright, alright… Let's grab something at a convenience store or something."
He cleared his throat, trying to sound casual.
Gwen turned to look out the window, still pouting, but her voice carried that same irritation.
"Couldn't we just get some burgers?"
Her words felt like a challenge, as if she was seeing how much she could push him.
Scott looked at her for a moment, then back to the road ahead, eyebrow arched in surprise.
"But… isn't that gonna be bad for your weigh—"
He stopped mid-sentence, realizing too late where he was going with this.
Gwen's sharp eyes immediately locked onto him, and that pout morphed into a full-on stern glare.
"Go on."
"No. I sense I've made a mistake of some kind… I'll see if we can get those burgers."
She didn't say a word, but her silence felt like a victory, making him almost feel like he had just agreed to the worst possible outcome.
At least it was what she wanted.
---
A few minutes later, Scott pulled into the parking lot of a convenience store, which, of course, was about 15 miles away from anywhere that could be considered "near." But Gwen didn't seem tired at all; she still looked excited, as if they were about to have an amazing time at the convenience store, like it was some kind of date at an amusement park.
Inside, the fluorescent lights hummed as they walked down the aisles, grabbing random snacks and silly items. Scott held up a bag of chips, eyeing Gwen, who was lazily looking through the instant ramen section.
『He didn't make a move on me…』
Gwen bit her lower lip.
『Then again… it's not like I don't have myself to blame. What if I apologize about what I said back then, would it make things better between us? I mean… things already are but…』
Her face melted into a sad look.
"Is this really what you wanted?"
Scott asked as he tossed the chips in the cart with a grin.
Gwen picked up a package of tiny cupcakes, inspecting them like they were a rare treasure.
"Well, I don't know. You were too busy Chirping away, so I had to find my own snack options."
"Hey, that's not fair…"
Scott shot back, holding up a box of gummies.
"I had to get some advice from my followers on… uh, just nevermind."
She snorted and rolled her eyes. "Such a terrible liar."
As they walked up to the counter, Scott gave the cashier a casual nod.
The two of them stood there awkwardly.
Gwen's eyes hardly left Scott's face as she watched him fumble with his wallet, trying to hide the fact that his hands were a little clammy.
The cashier smiled and said, "Thank you very much!"
Scott blinked, momentarily surprised, then nodded back.
"Uh, yeah, thanks."
As they walked out, Scott carried the bag, feeling like a champion with a few small victories tucked away.
Outside, they sat down on a bench by the convenience store, the cool night air feeling strangely peaceful compared to the inside of his air-conditioned car.
Scott opened the bag and pulled out little burger packs and handed one over to Gwen, along with a juice box.
He raised an eyebrow.
"Gwen? Are you sure about this? I thought you didn't like tomato juice."
"But you like it, right?"
Gwen grabbed the straw and poking it into the box.
Scott sighed, shaking his head, but a small smile tugged at his lips. "Yeah, I do… because it's healthy."
She took a long sip, immediately making a face like she had just swallowed a cactus.
"Mmm, yeah. Totally love it."
She muttered sarcastically, swallowing down the bitter taste with as much grace as she could muster.
Scott's grin widened, clearly entertained.
"Sure, I can tell."
"You better not laugh…"
Gwen set the juice aside and took a big bite of her burger which made her eyes light up.
"Okay, now this is actually really good!"
Scott shrugged and took his own burger out of the wrapper.
"Yeah, it's decent."
Then, in a move that was completely out of nowhere, he picked up a fried chicken leg with a toothpick and held it out to her.
"You should try this one. Trust me."
Gwen raised an eyebrow, not even questioning it. She took the chicken without hesitation and shoved it in her mouth. She chewed once, twice, then immediately started choking and coughing.
"What the heck is this?"
She spluttered with watering eyes.
"This is way too spicy!"
Scott laughed, a full, belly laugh that echoed in the night.
"Payback, Gwen. Payback for making me drink that pepper water back in middle school. Remember?"
She shot him a glare that was half annoyed and half amused, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
"I'm still never forgiving you for that. You nearly killed me with that stuff!"
"Eh, it wasn't that bad. You survived, didn't you?"
Scott shrugged nonchalantly.
"Barely…"
Gwen muttered as she reached for her juice box again, though this time she wasn't in any hurry to take a sip.
"You're lucky I don't throw this burger at you right now."
"You wouldn't dare. You're too busy eating my food."
"Humph! Fair point…"
Gwen shot him a sharp glare, but the smile she was trying to hide behind her frown said it all. As they sat there, arguing over the tiniest things, it felt almost like things were… normal.
And in the best way possible.
━ ━ ━ ━
Half an hour later…
Scott was seated alone on the bench.
His eyes were wide open as he stared at his phone's screen.
[@MercuryOfficial ☑ : Hi ❤️]
A private message from Miss Mercury on Instaflick.
How did things end up like this?