Chapter 30

"Damn it?"

Kara, who had just returned home, didn't bother to rest or wash up. She turned around, sat on the sofa next to Clark, pulled her younger brother to sit with her, and asked him with a strange look:

—What kind of trouble could he possibly cause? Dad trained him like a puppy.

Jonathan rolled his eyes, knowing she was indirectly accusing him of always being strict with Clark since he was a child, and even preventing other kids from playing with him when Clark couldn't yet control his powers.

The reason Clark hadn't had any friends growing up and barely had anyone to talk to was because of Jonathan. Certainly, Jonathan was also trying to protect Clark, and there's no need to elaborate on the reasons.

Martha muttered:

—Kara, how can you talk like that? Don't compare your brother to a dog.

Kara also rolled her eyes.

—Mom, are you misunderstanding me on purpose? I wasn't comparing him to a dog —she replied, somewhat exasperated, while Jonathan tried to suppress a smile.

After Jonathan and Martha's explanation, Kara learned what had happened to Clark. It wasn't something bad, in fact, it was something quite positive.

Two days before Kara returned home, a school bus carrying Clark had an accident and fell into a river. In a desperate situation, Clark had used his super strength to push the bus to the shore, saving everyone on board. However, two students saw him, almost exposing his extraordinary abilities.

—During the police investigation, the two kids said Clark saved them, but he did it in such an incredible way that it also scared them —Jonathan said, with an expression of helplessness.

He was worried that Clark's identity, as well as Kara's, might be discovered. Jonathan had always tried to hide the fact that they were extraterrestrials. He knew that if people found out they weren't alone in the universe, fear and paranoia would inevitably follow.

Kara, however, seemed unfazed.

—Dad, Clark did the right thing. He's an adult now and knows what he's doing.

Saving lives is more important than anything else, she thought. If Clark had chosen not to act, it would have been far worse. How could he live with that? Besides, people would have started to suspect if everyone had died except for Clark.

Jonathan wanted to reply, but just then someone knocked on the door.

—Jonathan? Martha? I know you're home. I think we need to talk —said a female voice from outside.

It was the wife of a neighboring farmer, Mrs. Ross. Kara remembered that their son, Pete, was Clark's age.

In addition to Pete, there was also a girl named Lana who had witnessed the incident. Lana was, in some versions, Clark's first love in high school. Kara wondered if this could be a good opportunity for Clark.

Martha went to open the door, and in came Mrs. Ross and her son Pete. When Pete saw Clark, he visibly trembled, startled. Jonathan, noticing the tension, asked Kara to take Clark upstairs.

—Kara, you just got here, and it's time for you to take a shower —Martha said, trying to steer the conversation elsewhere.

As she climbed the stairs with Clark, Kara greeted Mrs. Ross.

—Mrs. Ross, long time no see.

—Kara, I heard you've been traveling. You've grown so much. Are you thinking about getting married already? —asked Mrs. Ross with a smile.

Kara looked at her, puzzled.

—I just came back to pursue my plans. Why would I be thinking about marriage already? —she responded with a slight grin—. Besides, no one's good enough for my sister.

Mrs. Ross was stunned by the remark.

Martha, slightly embarrassed by her daughter's jokes, nudged Kara and Clark upstairs.

—Go take a shower. Also, the clothes you left here must be too small by now, right?

—Are you saying the sleeves and pant legs are too short, or that the chest is too small? —Kara asked, raising an eyebrow.

—Everything's too small —Martha said, laughing.

—I'm a full-grown adult now, Mom —Kara replied in a playful tone.

—In any case, it's time to take you shopping for some new clothes tomorrow.

The mother and daughter continued their banter as they climbed the stairs, leaving Jonathan to entertain Mrs. Ross and Pete.

Clark, for his part, watched the scene unfold from the stairs, worried. Jonathan gave him a reassuring look, encouraging him to continue upstairs.

When they reached the top floor, Kara realized her room was exactly the same as before. Even though Clark could have used it in her absence, he hadn't. He always felt that the room belonged to his sister and that she would eventually come back.

The room was spotless, as if Martha had cleaned it every week during all those years. Even the books Kara used to read when she lived there were still on her desk, and the closet was still full of her old clothes.

But, as Martha had said, none of the clothes fit anymore. At 6'3" tall, the sleeves and pant legs were too short, the clothes didn't cover her abdomen or chest properly. She would definitely need new clothes.

—Clark, I'm going to take a shower. Don't peek —Kara joked, grabbing her things and walking toward the second-floor bathroom.

As for the conversation downstairs, she couldn't care less.

Kara might not care, but that didn't mean Clark didn't. Especially when he heard Mrs. Ross mention that Clark might be "the chosen one." That idea unsettled him.

Maybe Clark was starting to feel like his superpowers were more of a curse than a blessing.