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*****
Ding, ding-ding!
The final school bell rang. Gwen packed her bag with lightning speed, snatched her knit beanie from the desk, and yanked it over her head as she bolted for the classroom door.
"Gwen!" Peter called out.
"Huh?" Gwen paused. "What is it?"
"Did you forget?" Peter reminded her. "Mary Jane said she found something weird. She wanted to talk to us after school so we could help her figure it out."
"Oh, right!" Gwen slapped her forehead. She hesitated for a split second before saying, "I've got an emergency today. You guys discuss it first—if anything happens, just ping me!"
Emergency? Peter's expression turned grave. Does she mean that Oren guy? That was indeed serious business. He nodded solemnly. "Go. Leave things here to us!"
Gwen patted Peter on the shoulder. "I knew I could count on you!" Then, leaving a beaming Peter behind, she turned and disappeared.
Once clear of the classroom, Gwen found a secluded corner. After ensuring there were no bystanders or security cameras, she changed into her suit and swung toward home on her webs. She had to hurry; her brothers were likely about to storm the house at any moment.
Even in her rush, she couldn't resist the urge to stop and wrap up two petty thieves along the way.
Arriving near her house, Gwen de-morphed and peeked around a corner. Seeing the coast was clear, she strode toward the front door, though she instinctively slowed her pace as she reached the threshold. She cracked the door open and poked her head inside.
"I'm home!" she called out softly, her eyes darting around the room to assess the situation. Finding that Clark and the others hadn't arrived yet, she let out a long sigh of relief.
Good. No explosive scenes... yet.
She stepped into the living room.
"You're back! Au—er, Gwen!" Oren, who was sitting on the sofa playing a mobile game with little Lamb, looked up. His eyes brightened as he gave her a happy greeting. After everything he had been through, seeing Gwen was one of the things that made him happiest.
"Yeah!" Gwen nodded, but her eyes were secretly analyzing him.
The more I look, the more he looks like Dad... she muttered internally. Her eyes flickered with calculated intent; she already had a list of interrogation questions ready in her head. She didn't harbor any ill will toward Oren—she just thought it was outrageous that Mike had kept this from them!
"Where's Dad?" Gwen asked little Lamb.
Little Lamb was too deep in the game to answer, but Oren piped up quickly, "They went out to get groceries. Said they were making something special for dinner tonight."
Special dinner? Hmph, definitely one of us then, Gwen thought with a cold internal chuckle. She gave Oren a cool nod of acknowledgement. Seeing little Lamb still glued to his screen, a mischievous glint flashed in her eyes. She reached out and tapped a button on his phone.
Little Lamb stared at the screen in a daze. A second later, as he began to wail in frustration, Gwen laughed gleefully and sprinted upstairs.
Little Lamb gave chase, refusing to let it go. "Argh! Gwen Kent! You're getting more annoying every day!" He charged after her like a furious little bull.
Watching them, Oren let out a happy laugh. Is this what Aunt Gwen was like as a kid? She really is a cutie.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door.
Oren hurried to open it. The moment the door swung wide and he saw Clark standing there, he froze. His eyes turned red, and tears began to shimmer. Then, to Clark's utter bewilderment, Oren lunged forward and pulled him into a crushing hug.
Clark: "..."
What is going on? Why so emotional? As the questions swirled in his mind, Clark felt the sheer power in the youth's grip. His eyes sharpened. This strength... definitely a Kryptonian!
So, this kid really is Dad's love child!? Clark sucked in a sharp breath. He pushed Oren away with effort and frowned. "What are you doing?"
"I... I'm just so happy to see you." Oren rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, but his eyes never left Clark, filled with intense emotion.
Clark felt his hair stand on end under that gaze. However, being the polite person he was, he merely gave Oren a nod and strode into the house. Oren followed closely behind, his eyes fixed on Clark's back, making Clark feel incredibly uneasy.
Fortunately, the awkwardness didn't last long before the door opened again.
"Yo! Clark, you're here early!" Charles greeted them with a smile, though his eyes immediately landed on Oren sitting opposite Clark. He sent a telepathic message to Clark: Is this the 'Oren' guy?
Clark gave a slight nod. At that moment, Eric strode over to Oren with a cold, stern expression. Oren started and stood up quickly.
"Hello!" His gaze swept over Charles and Eric, and his excitement spiked again. These must be my father's two brothers—Professor X and Magneto. He had never seen either of them in his own world.
Eric narrowed his eyes. "So, you're Oren?"
"Yes!" Oren replied instantly.
"You do look like him," Eric remarked dryly.
"You noticed!" Oren looked at Eric in surprise.
Eric let out a cold snort. "Isn't it obvious? The blue eyes... they're identical."
Hearing this, Oren's face split into a proud, happy grin. "I'm his son, of course we look alike."
The three brothers—Clark, Charles, and Eric—all stiffened. Looking at Oren's seemingly arrogant expression, their palms began to itch. They exchanged a look, cold smirks forming on their faces. Even if this kid is Dad's love child, if he's this cocky, we need to teach him some house rules.
Their silent agreement was unanimous. But before they could act, the front door opened again. They all turned to see Mike and Raven entering.
"What are you three doing here?" Mike asked, looking confused.
Raven, however, smiled at them. "You guys have impeccable timing!" They had just bought groceries for a big feast, and here the boys were, following their noses like bloodhounds.
Looking at the smile on Raven's face, the three brothers felt a pang of heartache. Look at that—putting on a brave face.
What does she mean, 'impeccable timing'? She's clearly been waiting for us to come back and back her up!
"Auntie Raven, don't be afraid. If you've been wronged, tell us. We'll handle it!"
"Right! Even if Dad did something to betray you, we'll get justice for you!"
"We won't let him get away with it!"
As they spoke, they glared at Mike. They might as well have written "You did something wrong" across their foreheads.
Mike was utterly lost, but Raven couldn't help but burst into laughter. "Hahaha! What are you three doing? You sound like your father cheated on me!"
The brothers' anger only intensified. See! Auntie Raven is still being kept in the dark!
"Scumbag!" Charles blurted out. Eric and Clark nodded in vigorous agreement.
Mike's lip twitched. "I think you three are asking for a tanning! You've lost your minds!"
Scumbag? Mike Kent had gone straight a long time ago!
Raven's eyes sparkled as she looked from Oren to the boys' indignant faces. She realized the misunderstanding and laughed so hard she could barely breathe, clutching her stomach.
A second later, it clicked for Mike too. His face turned as black as the bottom of a pot. He pointed a finger at the three of them, gritting his teeth. "You little brats!"
"You can scold us all you want, but we're saying it anyway!" Eric shouted. "Look at how upset you've made Auntie Raven!"
Mike: (益)
Are you three ever going to stop?
"Alright, that's enough," Raven gasped, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes, her shoulders still shaking. "It's not what you think."
Not what we think? The three brothers felt their hearts sink. They caught a glimpse of Mike's darkening face and felt their knees go weak. They were in deep trouble.
"Heh... hehe..." Mike's cold chuckle chilled the air. The three felt a murderous intent that made their souls shiver. They did a quick silent exchange.
"Don't try to deceive us!"
"We don't believe it!"
"Right! We're running away from home right now! We won't come back until you admit you're wrong!"
They blustered their way toward the door, their hearts thumping in their chests.
"Stop right there," Mike said in a low, ghostly voice. "If you dare step out of that door right now, don't ever bother coming back."
The three froze. Do you have to be that ruthless? They stood obediently in place, wry smiles forming on their faces. They turned back and yelled in unison: "Dad! We're sorry!"
Mike gave a cold smile. "Oh? So you thought Oren was my love child? Come to demand justice, have you?"
The three grinned sheepishly. Mike beckoned Oren over. "Come here, Oren. Tell them who you are."
Oren stepped forward, unable to help a chuckle at how quickly the three "titans" had crumpled. He walked up to Clark and said loudly, "Dad."
Clark: ()
Huh? What did you just call me?
Charles and Eric looked at Clark in absolute shock. So... this is Clark's son? Since when? Looking at Oren's age... was Clark a teen dad?
Sssss! They both sucked in a breath. He's dead. Clark is dead. Hope is going to kill him! They felt a wave of profound pity for their brother.
"What... what did you call me?" Clark stammered. It was the first time anyone had seen the Man of Steel look so utterly lost, like he'd just swallowed a mouthful of kryptonite.
"Dad," Oren repeated solemnly. "You are my father!"
"Whoa!" Clark yelled. "Don't you dare go making things up! I'm not even married! I've never done anything to betray Hope!" Before he had full control of his powers, he hadn't even dared to think about that sort of thing for fear of turning the bedroom into a crime scene.
Seeing Clark's massive reaction, Charles and Eric placed hands on his shoulders and sighed. "Just admit it, brother. There's no shame in it."
"Yeah, we won't tell a soul."
"You guys!" Clark's lip twitched violently. He grabbed his hair in despair. "You have to believe me!"
Eric and Charles sighed again, but internally they were cheering. Yes! Just like that! Keep Dad's attention on Clark so he forgets about what we said earlier!
At that moment, Raven, who had been suppressing her laughter, finally spoke up. "Alright, let me explain." Clark's expression was even better than she had imagined.
The three brothers perked up their ears. Upstairs, the two little eavesdroppers also held their breath.
"Oren is from another world. In that world, Clark is his father. So, he's not wrong to call you 'Dad'."
Raven said it simply, leaving the three brothers stunned. A son from another world's Clark? So it's the multiverse!
Charles and Eric had their "eureka" moment. Upstairs, Gwen and little Lamb looked at each other with excitement. Doesn't that make Oren our nephew? Whoa, a nephew this big! Awesome!
Clark, meanwhile, couldn't help but shout, "I told you I'd never do something like that!" He waved his arms excitedly, then paused, his curiosity getting the better of him. "So... who is your mother?"
It has to be Hope! He couldn't imagine anyone else!
Oren gave a faint smile. "Faora."
Clark: (Д)ノ
What? Faora? How is that even possible!
He stared at Oren, completely shell-shocked. Eric and Charles, meanwhile, were practically vibrating with the need for more gossip.
Gwen and little Lamb whispered to each other: "This is too intense! It's actually Faora!"
"Who's Faora?" little Lamb asked, confused.
"A very cold-blooded Kryptonian commander. In our world, she's a total villain!" Gwen explained.
Mike, having finished putting the groceries in the kitchen, walked out to join them. He gave them a brief rundown of the Kent family story from the other world. It was a tale far more tragic than their own.
The group fell into a somber silence. Oren, however, said with a small smile, "It's okay. We'll fix it." He knew this world's Kent family was far more powerful than his own.
As the silence stretched, Mike suddenly spoke up: "Alright, now that you're all caught up on the situation..."
The three brothers stiffened. Mike let out a cold laugh. "You can all gracefully accept your punishment. 'Scumbag,' was it? 'Demand justice,' was it?"
Mike glared at them and pointed to the corner. "Old rules. Everyone, against the wall!"
With long faces and under Oren's amused gaze, the three of them shuffled to the corner. They hadn't been forced to stand in time-out for years.
Suddenly, the three of them spotted Gwen peeking from upstairs and yelled in unison: "Gwen was the one who told us!"
Gwen's face paled. She tried to bolt back to her room, but little Lamb grabbed her hand and shouted, "Dad! I caught her!"
"Good job!" Mike praised him, flashing a "kindly" smile at Gwen. "Come on down, my little Gossip Princess."
"Noooooo!" Gwen wailed as she was dragged down by little Lamb. "I'm going to kill you, Lamb!"
(End of Chapter)