Things played out exactly as Richard and Benjamin had anticipated.
Despite the painful experience of hurting his classmates and his father, Clark quickly bounced back within a week, thanks to the love and comfort of his family. After all, this time he was seen by the Parker family, not an old farm couple in Kansas from another world.
While both families were kind, the Parkers offered something different from the Kents. Benjamin's willingness to start a biotech company so Clark could freely use his abilities in the future completely changed Clark's destiny.
In another world, the Kent couple might have wanted to support Clark, but how could two elderly farmers, who had spent their lives working the land, accomplish such a feat? The Parker family was different; they had both the means and the dedication to do whatever it took.
Just one week after Clark returned to school, Matthew's arm, after two weeks of treatment, was almost healed and he was ready to leave the hospital. Although it still needed to be bandaged, it was no longer a major issue.
When Clark heard his friend was being discharged, with Benjamin's encouragement, he organized a welcome event at school for Matthew. For Clark, it was simply a friend showing care. For Benjamin, it was a small expense. But for Matthew, who had grown up poor and faced discrimination because of his background, this was the happiest moment of his life.
He had initially felt a bit afraid of Clark because of Clark's powerful eye beams, but Clark's heartfelt welcome completely erased that fear. The boy, who was older than Clark but had been overshadowed, fully opened his heart to Clark. From that moment on, Clark became Matthew's best friend.
It's often said that "most righteous people are butchers." While the saying is a bit unclear, it holds true. For Matthew, living in poverty, he cherished this hard-won friendship even more.
In the days that followed, Matthew, who considered Clark a close friend, and Clark, who still felt guilty towards Matthew, were almost always together. Even though they weren't in the same class or even the same grade, teachers often saw them entering and leaving campus together.
Soon, the weekend arrived, and Matthew went for a hospital check-up. If everything was clear, he could finally take off the bandage on his arm that day. Matthew's father, Jack, had a sudden boxing match and couldn't go with him, so Matthew had to go alone.
Naturally, Clark stepped up and went with Matthew. He also wanted to see Matthew's arm healed with his own eyes, hoping it would ease some of his guilt.
The examination went smoothly. Since the Parker family had paid all the medical bills, the hospital provided Matthew with the best care. Although the burns were serious, they were treatable. Scars were unavoidable, but there would be no lasting problems.
After the doctor gave his approval, Matthew tore off the bandage outside the hospital. He already felt almost completely better. If his father hadn't insisted, he probably would have removed it himself earlier.
"Honestly, I couldn't stand this bandage anymore. I couldn't do anything with it on. I felt useless."
"Yeah, it's easier now. You don't have to be wrapped up all the time."
The two discussed where to go next. They were both elementary school students. Even though Matthew's family was poor, Jack wouldn't make his 11-year-old son work. So, on weekends, Matthew usually spent his time playing.
This became even more common after he met Clark. Entertainment costs money, which was a problem for Matthew, but for the Parker family, how much could an elementary school student spend on fun?
As they chatted and laughed, walking towards the nearest park, they noticed a blind man who had just left the hospital. He was alone, with no guide dog, simply feeling his way along the tactile paving, trying to cross the road ahead.
"Clark, wait, I'll help him."
Matthew told Clark, then walked ahead, intending to help the blind man across the road. But at that moment, a truck suddenly turned the corner and sped straight towards the blind man, who was already in the street.
"Matthew! Be careful!"
Clark, seeing the danger, immediately shouted a warning. Matthew also saw the truck for the first time. However, in this critical moment, Matthew didn't try to dodge. Instead, he quickened his pace and rushed towards the blind man. He couldn't just stand there and watch the man get hit by the truck; Matthew wanted to save him.
Seeing this, Clark no longer thought about hiding his powers and ran towards Matthew. His speed was incredible; the people around didn't even notice when Clark vanished from his spot and reappeared next to Matthew.
But in the end, Clark was still a step too late. Years of pretending to be normal had made Clark act more like an average person, but when a real crisis hit, he couldn't use his full strength. His running speed was limited, and he couldn't reach Matthew before the truck.
So Clark changed his plan. He stopped running towards Matthew and instead charged straight at the truck. Clark didn't know how strong he was at that moment, but even a small amount of power, enough to slightly alter the truck's path, could save Matthew and the blind man.
As Matthew reached the blind man and pulled him back to the side of the road, Clark crashed hard into the side of the truck. The truck, loaded with chemicals, was incredibly heavy, but it flipped over from Clark's impact and landed on its side. The front of the truck stopped just a fist's length from Matthew and the blind man.
"Success..."
Before Clark could feel happy, Matthew's scream yanked him from joy to despair. When Clark got to the front of the truck, he saw that the chemicals had leaked because the truck had overturned. In his attempt to save the blind man, Matthew had sprained his leg and couldn't get up in time. His eyes were now swollen and filled with the chemicals.
The burning pain made him scream. At this point, Clark couldn't hear, but he could see. His eyes pierced through Matthew's palms covering his face and saw Matthew's lifeless eyes.
"What... what have I done?"