Seventeen and Afraid

Clark suddenly voiced the feelings he had suppressed for so long, and the couple did not know what to say to comfort him.

"Son..."

This topic had existed in the family for a long time. They hoped their son could hide himself, not wanting government agents to suddenly come to their door one day and take him away.

But teenagers yearned for attention at school. Having gone through that stage themselves, they understood how he felt.

"I'm done eating. I'm leaving first."

The atmosphere at the table was heavy. David had little interest in this same old family topic. His ear twitched as he looked out the window, then he got up, grabbed his backpack, and left as if nothing had happened.

Emotion Points from Clark: Excitement +9, Dejection +7...

He had once again harvested a huge wave of Emotion Points from his 'dear brother.'

Hiss!

David had only just strolled outside the farm.

Right on time, the school bus stopped in front of him.

"Hey, David."

As he boarded the school bus, boys and girls chatted and laughed inside, their faces brimming with the youthful energy of high school students. Several people greeted David.

He nodded in response, found a seat near the back, and sat down.

David turned his head and leisurely looked out at the scenery.

The sky was a clear blue, white clouds drifting slowly like cotton balls. The emerald grasslands stretched as far as the eye could see, reaching all the way to the dense forest in the distance, bringing a sense of peace.

This rural Kansas town called Smallville had perhaps only one advantage: because it was remote and underdeveloped, most of its natural scenery had been preserved, and the air was fresh.

After a brief stop, the school bus started moving again.

"Where's Clark, David?" A crisp, lively girl's voice came from the seat across the aisle, carrying a hint of confusion.

Though the brothers did not stick together all day long, one of them was never absent during the morning ride to school.

"He's behind us." David knew who it was without looking back and answered casually.

Chloe had short blond hair and fair skin. Whenever she smiled, her eyes unconsciously narrowed and revealed her little canine teeth. Quirky and adorable, she loved investigating and digging up all sorts of strange and interesting things. She was both a reporter and the editor-in-chief of the School Newspaper.

She sat in her seat and looked toward the Kent Family farm, wondering what had happened.

"High school students in puberty arguing with their parents is nothing unusual.

"You wouldn't be interested in it." David's tone carried a trace of boredom.

"There you go again. Stop always acting like you're an adult, David."

At those words, Pete, the somewhat short Black boy sitting beside Chloe who looked rather comical, gave David a knowing look and grinned.

"It makes you seem really antisocial. Girls don't like that type."

At school, the Kent brothers were famous for disliking all sorts of activities. Clark came across as tall and strong but shy and reserved, awkward with words, like an honest old ox.

In everyone else's eyes, David preferred being alone in quiet places, disliked socializing, and had a somewhat withdrawn personality mixed with a touch of mystery.

"Looks like Clark won't make the school bus today."

Chloe turned back around and teased him.

"If you hadn't been born on a farm, rumors would have spread around school long ago that you were a vampire born in the Renaissance who normally lived alone in a Castle."

David and Chloe knew each other mainly because both of them were among Clark's few close friends. Over time, they had naturally gotten acquainted.

Looking out the window, David neither agreed nor disagreed.

Having lived once already, even though his body was affected by all kinds of hormones and he retained some of the mentality of adolescence, he was certainly different from impulsive teenagers.

Like his Kryptonian brother, Clark.

Kryptonians go through puberty too, huh.

With a silent sigh, David shifted his gaze to the front seats of the school bus, where a lovey-dovey young couple flirted and laughed.

Lana Lang had smooth black hair, a slightly upturned nose, and a lovely face. She was the school cheerleading captain. Though she was not the fiery, outgoing type, countless boys at school liked her or secretly had a crush on her.

And her handsome blond boyfriend—

"It really isn't surprising that the football team captain, who shines at school like a star, is dating the cheerleading captain."

He grumbled inwardly.

"Honestly, if Clark, who gets embarrassed just talking to girls, could steal Lana from Whitney, I'd have the headline for the next issue of the Torch Report."

Noticing David's gaze, Chloe snickered. "But we all know that's impossible."

A crush was generally impossible to hide. As Clark's friends, she and Pete had both noticed his feelings for Lana, even if they never said anything.

After all, when a guy often stared blankly at a certain girl both in and out of class, became nervous to death whenever he spoke to her, and did not know what to do with his hands and feet, what else could it be?

As family who had grown up with Clark for over a decade, David would have supported him if Clark had truly loved football.

"Unfortunately, young Superman had been blinded by hormones."

Clark wanted to join the football team and play that glass-smashing collision game mainly because Lana's boyfriend, Whitney, was the football team captain.

"He wanted to imitate him, shine on the football field, and win the attention of the girl he secretly loved."

So immature...

David secretly shook his head.

"So, unless something unexpected happens, Clark's plan to join the football team is over, right?"

Putting away his snickering over Clark's pitiful crush, Pete became serious. He glanced around, leaned closer, and lowered his voice as he asked.

"What about you, David?"

"I already said I don't plan to join the football team."

He had not the slightest interest in carefully controlling his strength and playing pretend with that group of football players, who were generally rude, arrogant, and seemed like gorillas.

"But it's the only way." Fear flashed in Pete's eyes.

"The only way to do what?" Chloe asked in confusion. "Pete, why are you suddenly talking so quietly?"

As though he were a thief, he seemed afraid of avoiding something.

"What are you talking about?"

"You're a girl, so you don't know, Chloe."

Pete secretly glanced at the football players horsing around in the front, as if afraid they might turn around at any moment. He nervously swallowed.

"We're trying to avoid becoming unlucky Scarecrows."

"Scarecrows?"

"It's a tradition of the school football team. Before a major game, they paint Smallville's S on someone's chest, then hang him up like a scarecrow."

David explained with a smile.

It was like some kind of morale-boosting ritual before an army went to war.

A bunch of reckless guys who relied on their youth and fearlessness to act without restraint.

"Looks like I still underestimated just how barbaric football players can be." Chloe frowned, her expression hard to describe.

"That's why Clark and I wanted to join the school team. Even if we only guarded their clothes or handed them water, they wouldn't mess with one of their own," Pete said.

He shot David a look meant as both a warning and persuasion.

"You can still laugh, David.

"If Clark doesn't make it, this time one of you brothers will probably be the target."

This was not just nonsense meant to scare them.

That was simply how American schools worked. Students who excelled at sports were the popular center of attention, while nerds were still nerds no matter how well they studied—and were more likely to be bullied first.

A pair of high-achieving 'nerd' brothers born on farms had quite a reputation at school.

"You know it.

"Clark's situation might make Whitney take it out on you, Clark's younger brother."

"Stupid Clark."

At the mention of this, David rolled his eyes inwardly.

Clark thought he had hidden his crush on Lana well, but in reality, anyone who had interacted with the two of them even a little could see it, including Lana's boyfriend.

Although young Superman appeared dull, shy, and inarticulate to others—the least popular type of boy—his tall, muscular build and handsome appearance still made him an overwhelming threat.

"Especially since Lana, even though she already had a boyfriend, subtly treated Clark differently from everyone else."

With the risk of being cuckolded hanging over his head, it was hard for Whitney, who was used to being a star on campus, not to burn with jealousy.

Over here, Pete kept quietly trying to persuade David to join the football team.

Whether by coincidence or because he had vaguely heard his own name, Whitney, who was talking with his girlfriend, glanced toward the back.

Still laughing as he talked, he looked back, paused briefly on David, and an undisguised chill appeared in his eyes before he turned away again.

Is he really coming after me?

Seeing that, David raised an eyebrow and paused.

Was he supposed to start being afraid now?

"Seventeen years old, with the Thanos Physique—and I'm afraid of school violence?"