Beneath the banquet hall's lofty dome, crystal chandeliers cast a warm golden glow. Guests in formal attire gathered below the main stage, talking quietly. Reporters who had secured invitations through various connections were also dressed for the occasion, their eyes scanning the room for tonight's news.
Clark Kent had come tonight as a reporter for the Daily Planet-and as Bruce Wayne's personally designated reporter.
He was still wearing that same ill-fitting, oversized suit and those black-framed glasses people had called "hopelessly outdated," his expression as mild as ever. Someone patted his shoulder, leaned closer, and murmured to him.
"Hey, Clark, why are you still wearing this, uh... 'vintage' outfit? You're Bruce Wayne's personal reporter now."
The speaker was Clark's reporting partner, James Bartholomew Olsen, whom everyone called Jimmy. A photojournalist, he had worked with Clark since his internship and was both Clark and Lois's regular photographer and their good friend.
Jimmy was brave, loyal, and sincere, a passionate idealist who dreamed of producing "reporting that changes the city." Outside work, he was a little clumsy, but kind and righteous, with a boyish air, a slightly overdramatic streak, and a fondness for trying to look cool.
Young and full of energy, Jimmy had naturally disliked Clark's old-fashioned plaid suit for quite some time.
Clark merely gave him that warm, guileless smile. "I think plaid suits are pretty nice, and..."
"Oh my God, Bruce Wayne is just so handsome! One look at that face, and I feel like I'm falling in love~"
A nearby woman's voice interrupted their conversation, and Jimmy and Clark glanced over. Several women attending the banquet had gathered together. The speaker was a blonde in a red evening gown, and she-or rather, all of them-was gazing at the Wayne family in the center of the stage, eyes shining