Ms. Grant

Metropolis International Airport.

The Metropolis was bathed in cloudless skies today, the boundless golden light reflecting off the runways with blinding brilliance. Passenger planes came and went with loud roars, soaring into the azure sky like great roc.

Jay followed his dad to the airport, a sandwich from the convenience store serving as his lunch. He asked, "So, we rushed all the way from The Daily Planet to welcome some big shot?"

Mr. Reynolds said, "Ms. Kate Grant. She used to be part of The Daily Planet, served as Perry's assistant for a while, but... let's just say they didn't get along very well."

Jay nodded. Recalling how Perry's voice would boom so loudly that even passersby on the street below could hear him when he lost his temper, Jay felt he could understand.

"She resigned later," Mr. Reynolds continued. "She left Metropolis, moved to Nashino City, and started her own business, Kateco International Media Enterprise. She's quite a formidable woman."

"So why do you all react like you're trying to avoid her?"

"You heard that?"

Jay spread his hands. "I wasn't eavesdropping, but the soundproofing in the editor-in-chief's office isn't exactly great. With Perry's voice, I think everyone heard."

"Well, it's not exactly a secret," Mr. Reynolds sighed helplessly. "When we mention Ms. Grant, we can't help but admire her talent and courage. She's reached heights most of us could never achieve in a lifetime, but... never mind. You'll understand soon enough when you meet her."

Jay didn't have to wait long. About ten minutes later, a small private jet swooped down from the azure sky. It moved with the lightness of a returning swallow, its white fuselage gleaming under the sunlight.

"That's her plane?" Jay asked.

"Definitely her plane," Mr. Reynolds said. "We should go."

Mr. Reynolds' prediction was accurate; they soon met the "legendary Ms. Grant." She wore custom-made white high heels, and her lustrous golden hair was clearly the work of a renowned stylist. She sported stylish black sunglasses, wore designer clothing from head to toe, and walked with an air of elegance and confidence, exuding an aura of high society.

Her assistant followed closely behind her. The girl looked no older than twenty, but she was almost completely overshadowed by her boss's radiance. She also had golden hair and carried a brown handbag on one arm – clearly not an expensive designer item – while the other hand held a suitcase with Ms. Grant's nameplate. She might have been quite pretty, had it not been for the pair of large, goofy glasses perched on her nose, which marred her overall appearance.

"Ms. Grant," Mr. Reynolds said, forcing a smile and extending his hand, "It's been a while."

"Charles Reynolds." Kate Grant glanced at him dismissively over her glasses, which were practically perched on her forehead, and shook his hand perfunctorily. "Let me guess, after all these years under Perry, you haven't made much progress?"

Mr. Reynolds felt a bit awkward. She was stating a fact. He chuckled. "Not everyone can compare to you. I just don't have that kind of talent. I'll probably just be a small-time reporter my whole life."

Ms. Grant snorted unceremoniously. "It's not that you lack talent, Reynolds. I told you this when I left The Daily Planet. I used to admire you greatly – a reporter who dared to challenge the darkness and truly fought for the truth. I thought you had a bright future. But look at yourself now. Look in the mirror and tell me what you see in those eyes. Nothing but a numb soul, just like everyone else."

Mr. Reynolds' smile stiffened slightly. He maintained an expression caught between embarrassment and annoyance, but he didn't retort.

Ms. Grant's gaze shifted to Jay, and a smile then appeared on her face.

"And this young man is..."

"This is my son. He just graduated high school, and I'm having him intern at the paper to get some real-world experience," Mr. Reynolds introduced. "His name is Jay. Jay, say hello to Ms. Grant."

"Hello, Ms. Grant."

Ms. Grant nodded with a smile. "Jay? Very good, very good. I see in your eyes what your father possessed in his youth. I hope you won't lose it once you've learned enough about society."

"Thank you," Jay said calmly. "You might not think he's a qualified reporter, but from what I know, he's the best father."

Both Ms. Grant and Mr. Reynolds looked at him with surprise. Then, the former's smile became even brighter. She said, "I'm starting to like you more now."

"Thank you," Jay said, his gaze shifting to the girl behind her holding the suitcase. "And who is this?"

"Oh, I almost forgot," Ms. Grant said, turning slightly. "This is my new personal assistant. Kara, say hello to everyone."

The girl, hearing the conversation shift to her, temporarily put down the suitcase and pushed up the frame of her glasses, which made her look rather silly. "Hey, I'm Kara. Kara Kent."

She extended her hand to Jay in a friendly manner, but Jay didn't take it. He froze in place.

"Wait," he said. "You said your name is Kara?"

The girl looked a bit confused. "Yes, yes, it is. Is there something special about the name?"

From Nashino City, Kara Kent... Jay's mouth twitched. He suppressed the urge to use his X-ray vision to see if she was wearing a tight uniform with an "S" emblem under her coat, as it would be incredibly awkward if she noticed.

But this couldn't be wrong, could it? This girl was almost certainly Nashino City's homegrown superhero, Supergirl. He'd always found it ridiculous that a pair of glasses could alter most people's perception of a face, but now he suddenly felt it wasn't so unbelievable.

"Are you alright?" Kara asked, pushing her glasses up her nose somewhat awkwardly. "You've been staring at my face."

"Ah, sorry," Jay snapped back to reality, quickly averting his gaze as he realized how impolite he was being. He shook Kara's outstretched hand and explained, "You just reminded me of an acquaintance."

Kara then shook hands with Mr. Reynolds, who said with a smile, "You have my sympathies, Kara. Being Ms. Grant's assistant must be very tiring."

Kara flashed a smile that was almost magically infectious and radiant. "You have no idea."

"Kara?" Ms. Grant's tone seemed to rise by eight octaves. "If you have any complaints, you can voice them directly to me."

Kara hastily withdrew her smile, lowered her head obediently, and resumed dragging the suitcase, saying no more. But Jay noticed her quietly stick out her tongue at Ms. Grant when her boss wasn't looking, which was quite amusing.

Back at The Daily Planet, Mr. Perry's welcome to Ms. Grant was far from warm. While they maintained outward politeness and exchanged pleasantries, they had been trading barbs since their first words, as if gaining even the slightest upper hand in an argument earned them a substantial bonus. Jay quietly returned to his desk to observe the two titans bickering. He noticed Kara fumbling to take notes behind Ms. Grant, looking both flustered and somewhat cute.

After listening for about five minutes, he finally got the gist of it – Ms. Grant was in Metropolis to attend a grand banquet in three days, and Perry seemed to have received an invitation as well. When Ms. Grant casually asked Kara if she had found a dance partner, Kara was visibly startled.

"Me?" she asked, pointing at herself with the end of her pen in disbelief. "I have to dance too?"

Ms. Grant regarded her with an incredulous look. "Of course, Kara! Why else do you think I brought you all the way from Nashino City? For a free vacation?"

"But I... I don't know how to dance."

"There's always a first time for everything," Ms. Grant said commandingly.

"But I don't even have a ball gown..."

"I anticipated that. I rented one for you," Ms. Grant said with a smug, prescient air, but she emphasized, "However, you must remember to return it to me without a single wrinkle."

Kara took a deep breath, knowing there was no changing her boss's mind. She had never attended such a grand banquet before, and she felt she might suffocate from nervousness if she had to dance the tango in such a setting.

Incidentally, she wouldn't suffocate even in a vacuum.

"Speaking of the dance," Jimmy Olsen suddenly appeared from some corner, saying with a pained expression, "I don't think I can make it. Sorry, boss."

Perry raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong now?"

"An old ailment flared up. I have to go to the hospital the day after tomorrow for a minor surgery."

"Then what about my photographer?"

Jay, at that very moment, lightly tapped the doorframe with his knuckles, announcing his arrival. He said, "Uh, boss, I was thinking maybe I could go as your photographer—if you don't mind."

Why did he suddenly say that? He didn't know himself, but he just blurted it out, as if he'd suddenly gotten a rush of blood to the head. He told himself it wasn't purely because he wanted a chance to get close to the "legendary" Supergirl. Well, maybe that was part of it.

But deep down, in a part he might not have even been aware of, he was simply trying to get closer to his own kind. This was the first person he'd met who was like him in six years.

Perry raised an eyebrow. "You know photography?"

"A little. I was in the school's photography club."

He wasn't lying. He had joined most of the school's clubs.

"I'll find someone else to fill in," Perry said, shaking his head. "An event like this is still too early for an internship experience."

"But you have to take the first step, don't you, boss?"

Ms. Grant, upon hearing this, couldn't help but narrow her eyes and size up Jay, smiling. "That makes sense. People should be brave enough to try when they're young. I like it. How about this: I'll get you a ticket, Mr. Reynolds. Perhaps you can even be Kara's dance partner."

"Thank you, Ms. Grant," Jay said, thinking that this woman wasn't as bad as everyone said. He gave Kara a slight smile, and she returned a polite, faint smile.