"I'm home."
"I'm home."
As soon as he got back, Nobita rushed into his room, tossed his backpack aside, and collapsed onto the tatami mat with a look of pure joy.
"What's going on, Nobita? Did something good happen today? You're grinning like an idiot," said Doraemon, turning away from his comic book to look at the boy.
Normally, Nobita would come home crying and yelling for Doraemon's help, so this sudden burst of cheerfulness was definitely out of the ordinary.
"Something good? Yeah, I guess you could say that! Hehehe..."
Still beaming, Nobita sat up and began sharing the events of the day with Doraemon, chuckling as he told the story.
There was no way Hiro Nobita could outrun Gian. He was definitely getting beat up tomorrow.
"Nobita, how could you think that way?" Doraemon frowned. "If Hiro's being bullied by Gian, we should be trying to help him. Taking pleasure in that is just wrong."
To Doraemon, Hiro was practically family now. Ignoring his troubles just didn't sit right.
"But come on, he was acting all smug. A little taste of reality wouldn't hurt him."
"And did you see how close he was walking with Shizuka today? All he did was answer one question in class! What's so special about that?"
Nobita's jealousy was boiling over. He pointed irritably toward Hiro's room across the hall, muttering nonstop.
"Well, maybe you should study harder, Nobita. Sure, Shizuka might be your wife in the future, but the future isn't set in stone," Doraemon warned, his face stern.
He didn't mention that if Nobita didn't shape up, he might end up as Gian's brother-in-law instead. And that future... was a nightmare.
"So Doraemon, do you have any gadgets that could make Shizuka fall in love with me...?"
Nobita threw himself against Doraemon's round belly, eyes locked longingly on the four-dimensional pocket, and burst into tears, pulling out his most powerful move: the spoiled-child sob.
Unfortunately for him, Doraemon had moral boundaries. Using gadgets to manipulate feelings just wasn't right.
So instead of helping, Doraemon gave him a stern lecture, then walked straight over to Hiro's room.
"Hey Hiro, doing your homework already? That's impressive."
The blue robot padded over on his stubby legs and saw Hiro bent over his desk, pen in hand. It really was a rare sight.
"Huh? Doraemon, is doing homework really that impressive?"
Hiro raised an eyebrow. As someone who had taken over this identity, doing homework was just part of the routine, though admittedly a boring one. Spending hours on multiplication and division drills could numb any sane person's brain.
"Sorry, sorry. I've been with Nobita too long. Seeing someone actually do their homework still catches me off guard."
Doraemon scratched his oversized head in embarrassment. Then, remembering why he came, he straightened up and opened his four-dimensional pocket.
"By the way, Hiro, I heard you're racing Gian tomorrow. Want some help? I've got all kinds of secret gadgets in here!"
He puffed out his chest, full of pride. Forget beating Gian, with the right tool, this robot could probably destroy the world if he wanted.
Ding! Half an hour of studying complete. Knowledge +1.
Just as Hiro was about to say something, a voice echoed in his mind. In that moment, his thoughts cleared slightly, his thinking sharpened.
No way. Was that... a system? Did I finally get a system too?
Hiro's excitement nearly exploded, but with Doraemon standing right there, he managed to keep it in check.
"Hiro? You were about to say something?" Doraemon tilted his head.
"Oh. I was going to say... I don't need any gadgets for now. I believe I can beat Gian on my own. But if I run into something I really can't handle, I'll ask you for help."
"You... you're amazing, Hiro." Doraemon's eyes welled up with tears. Such a dependable kid. If only Nobita were half this mature...
Once Doraemon left, Hiro slumped over his desk and started experimenting with the mysterious system.
But no matter what he said or did, it didn't respond. Maybe the trigger conditions were too specific?
Thinking back, the system activated after he studied. Could that be the key?
"Let's test this out."
He went back to his homework and wrote for another two hours. Sure enough, the system's voice returned.
Ding! Two hours of study complete. Knowledge +4.
Just as I thought. Every thirty minutes of focused studying earns points.
But wait... Why didn't it trigger in class earlier?
Hiro tried to recall what happened during class, only to realize he'd either been zoning out or daydreaming the whole time.
Well, that explains it. This system is low-profile... but I like that. With this, I can get stronger...
His lips curled into a grin as he dashed down the stairs, slipping on his shoes and heading for the riverbank.
The river was a perfect place to run laps.
"Geez, this body's so weak... I've barely started and I'm already dying."
Five minutes in, he looked down at his pale reflection in the water and sighed.
A decent outer shell, but the inside's all hollow.
After resting in the grass a bit, he gathered his strength again.
Weakness didn't matter. He had the system now. With time, he'd be reborn into a man of legendary stamina.
Ding! Thirty minutes of running complete. Constitution +1.
Ding! Thirty minutes of running complete. Constitution +1.
After an hour of grueling exercise, Hiro was drenched in sweat. He trudged back to the Nobi household, utterly exhausted.
"Ahh... that's better."
After devouring a plate of pork cutlet to restore his strength, he slipped into the bath, soaking in the warm water.
No wonder Shizuka loved baths so much. He finally understood. The grime and exhaustion melted away, leaving him refreshed and clean.
But as he relaxed, Hiro realized something. He hadn't brought a change of clothes.
Thankfully, Tamako had already anticipated this and knocked gently at the bathroom door with a clean set of pajamas.
"Thank you, Auntie Tamako."
"It's no trouble at all, Hiro dear."
Tamako handed him the clothes with a warm smile. But once Hiro changed and opened the door, her expression suddenly shifted.
Her eyes widened for a moment, then she turned and walked briskly back to her room. She tried to keep her face neutral, but Hiro noticed the strange look in her eyes.
Later that night, in the Nobi couple's bedroom...
"Honey... about tonight..."
Tamako gently nudged Nobisuke's shoulder.
"Ah... sorry, I have a lot of work tomorrow. Let's... try next time."
Like a turtle retreating into its shell, Nobisuke dove under the covers and closed his eyes.
It wasn't that he didn't want to. He just... couldn't.
"Alright. Get some rest."
Tamako forced a smile and lay down in her own futon. She'd heard the same excuse too many times over the past few years.
She knew the truth.
But still... she felt so unbearably lonely.