[Third Person Pov]
Momo was practically shooting daggers at Clark as the three of them made their way toward school. Her sharp, unblinking glare followed him relentlessly, filled with irritation and barely restrained hostility. Clark, however, seemed completely indifferent to it, his expression calm and unreadable as he kept marching forward at a steady pace, hands tucked casually into his pockets.
Between them was Lala, blissfully unaware—or perhaps willfully ignorant—of the tension radiating from either side. She skipped along happily, humming to herself as she held her bag in both hands in front of her chest, her steps light and carefree as if nothing in the world could possibly dampen her mood.
After enduring the glare for several seconds longer than he cared to, Clark turned his head slightly toward Lala and spoke in an even, unbothered tone. "Can you please tell her to stop staring at me like that?"
Before Lala could respond, Momo snapped, her face twisting into a nasty scowl as she leaned forward aggressively. "And can you tell him he's a bastard, and that I hope he trips and falls face-first into a pile of dog shit—" she snarled, her words sharp and venomous.
Clark didn't even miss a step. "Can you tell her that it would be physically impossible for that to happen to me?" he replied coolly, turning his gaze forward once more. "Oh, and add that she's being childish, and that it's about time she gets over it."
Lala kept turning between the two of them, her eyes darting back and forth as she lifted a finger twitching as she tried to relay the messages. She opened her mouth, then closed it again, realizing she had already been entrusted with yet another message before she could even finish sharing the first.
They continued this absurd routine all the way to school. By the time they reached the gates, Lala had lowered her head, her shoulders slumped as if an invisible weight pressed down on her. If one looked closely, they might have sworn steam was practically rising from the top of her head from being overwhelmed and bombarded with nonstop demands.
Once inside the building and stopped by the lockers, Momo peeled away first. As she walked backward toward her classroom, she raised both hands and extended two middle fingers, clearly and deliberately aimed at Clark. Her lips curled into a smug, satisfied grin before she finally turned and disappeared down the hallway.
Lala blinked, staring after her in confusion.
"What does that mean?" she asked innocently. She looked down at her own hands, mimicking the position uncertainly and slowly starting to lower one finger after another.
Clark reacted instantly, reaching out and gently but firmly stopping her hand mid-motion. "If you don't know what something means," he said calmly, "don't replicate it until you're sure."
He leaned closer and whispered the meaning of the gesture into her ear.
"Oops!" Lala exclaimed softly, her face instantly heating up. She blushed deeply, hiding her hands behind her back as her cheeks turned a light shade of pink. She rubbed the back of her head and let out an awkward laugh. "Hehehe… I'll be more careful next time."
Clark snorted under his breath and shook his head in mild amusement before turning and heading toward his own classroom, where yet another mock exam awaited them—exams that seemed to occur almost every single week without fail.
As the test papers were handed out, Clark quickly fell into a familiar rhythm. He scribbled away with confidence, answering each question without doubt or hesitation. He didn't pause to ponder or second-guess himself; the answers came as naturally as breathing.
Inwardly, he was almost amused.
'Man… I used to be so nervous and anxious during exams,' he reflected quietly. 'There were times I'd even pull at my hair in stress…'
The thought stirred a warm sense of nostalgia as memories from his previous life surfaced. Even as his mind wandered, his hand never slowed. He finished neatly and efficiently, becoming the first student to complete the exam. It was impressively fast—almost inhuman—but not so much that it felt outright supernatural.
As Clark stood up, he glanced around the room and noticed Lala staring down at her paper, stuck on several questions. It wasn't because the problems were particularly difficult, but because she was still learning Kanji. Even so, she had improved tremendously since the beginning, especially compared to the zero she had scored on her very first exam.
By the time Clark walked to the front, nearly every pair of eyes in the room followed him. Some students glared openly, their expressions heavy with envy at his effortless performance.
He placed his exam on the teacher's desk and asked politely, "Since I'm done, may I be excused for the remainder of the period?"
The teacher skimmed through his paper, nodded once, and gave him permission.
Clark exited the classroom, ignoring the lingering stares, and headed straight for the rooftop. Once he confirmed he was alone, he took off at super speed, vanishing from the school grounds in an instant.
Moments later, he arrived over a vast desert and descended smoothly until his boots touched the sand. He looked around briefly, the corners of his lips curling into a faint smirk before he brought two fingers to his mouth.
No audible sound escaped him.
Clark then closed his eyes and spread his arms wide, standing still against the open sky, that faint, confident smirk never leaving his face.
…
Krypto, who had been sitting comfortably on the floor beside Seiko with his head resting over his front paws, suddenly perked up. His ears twitched, his tail gave a sharp wag, and without warning he let out an excited howl. In a burst of movement, he skittered across the room toward the door, nudging it open effortlessly with his nose.
Seiko blinked in surprise, then raised a brow and pouted slightly as her warm, fluffy cuddle buddy abruptly abandoned his post. "Hey…" she muttered under her breath, clearly displeased at the sudden loss.
With the door now open, Krypto vanished.
In the blink of an eye, he turned into an imperceptible blur of motion, streaking upward toward the open sky. His powerful paws paddled forward as though he were running directly between the clouds themselves, each step carving invisible ripples through the air.
He angled downward just as quickly, landing on the surface of the ocean and sprinting across it without sinking. His tongue hung freely from his mouth, whipping wildly in the rushing wind as exhilaration radiated from him. The water split beneath his speed and momentum, while moments later the desert sand did the same—his passage kicking up a towering cloud of dust that trailed behind him like a comet's tail.
With his enhanced vision, Krypto quickly locked onto Clark from miles away, standing patiently in the vast expanse of desert. The moment he spotted him, Krypto pushed himself even faster, closing the already short distance in an instant. He didn't slow down or hesitate.
He slammed straight into Clark at full speed.
"Ughhh!" Clark was launched backward, nearly breaking the sound barrier as his body tumbled violently through the desert. Sand exploded upward with every impact as he skidded, rolled, and plowed through dune after dune, while Krypto barreled after him without missing a beat.
Clark finally crashed into a tall dune and came to rest sprawled out on his back, half-buried in sand. Before he could fully recover, Krypto landed squarely on top of him and immediately began licking his face with enthusiastic affection, tail wagging furiously.
"I know, I know—hahaha—I'm here early," Clark laughed breathlessly, raising his arms to shield himself as he ruffled Krypto's fur. "I had exams, so I managed to step out for a few seconds."
Krypto barked happily in response, licking him again before Clark managed to sit up. He crossed his legs in the sand and pulled Krypto close, gently caressing his fur before kissing the top of his head.
"So I thought," Clark continued warmly, "what better way to spend that free time than with you?"
Krypto suddenly jumped back, his excitement overflowing. He bounced up and down, darted side to side, and barked loudly, clearly brimming with energy and anticipation.
Clark raised a brow, a knowing smile forming on his face. "You want to spend our time together on patrol?"
As if answering, Krypto's name tag—shaped like a small dog bone—began to glow. It shifted and transformed, rippling with red sand as it morphed into the House of El insignia. That same crimson sand swirled around his body, dancing through the air before forming seamlessly into his familiar super suit. Krypto sat proudly, lifted his head toward the sky, and let out a loud, triumphant howl.
Clark chuckled softly at the sight. "Alright… like I could possibly say no to you."
He rose to his feet as his own suit manifested around him, the familiar sensation settling comfortably into place. "But we have to be quick," he added, adjusting his stance. "I need to be back before lunch starts."
The two of them lined up side by side, their capes fluttering faintly in the desert breeze. Clark glanced down at his canine companion.
"Are you ready?"
Krypto jumped once and barked sharply.
"Get set."
Both Clark and Krypto lowered themselves into a running position, muscles coiled tight, eyes narrowed with focus as tension rippled through their limbs.
"Go!"
They launched forward simultaneously, the force of their takeoff rippling through the desert. A thunderous discharge of displaced air exploded outward as they accelerated, sand and wind scattering violently behind them as the two streaked off together into the distance.
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