"'Lin Yu, don't you think Nobita seems a bit strange today?'" Shizuka whispered.
"'Strange?'" Lin Yu replied without looking up, still sketching the cover for the first chapter of Cardcaptor Sakura in his notebook. "'I haven't really noticed. Maybe it's because I haven't known him that long.'"
"'That's true... I wonder what's up with Nobita. I hope he didn't get another strange gadget from Doraemon...'" Shizuka frowned slightly, whispering worriedly. Shizuka, Gian, and the others who played with Nobita often knew his personality well. He wasn't inherently bad, but sometimes, after getting a weird gadget from Doraemon, he'd inevitably cause a mountain of trouble. It often ended up making things difficult for everyone.
Lin Yu remained noncommittal and didn't pursue the topic, focusing entirely on his drawing practice. Compared to his manga, Nobita's antics weren't worth diverting his limited energy towards.
Soon, the bell rang, signaling the start of class. Students settled down; nearly everyone was present, except for Nobita, whose seat remained conspicuously empty.
"'Strange, why hasn't Nobita arrived yet?'" Shizuka murmured. He had arrived at the school gate with them, but now he was nowhere to be seen. Shizuka found it even stranger.
"'Maybe something came up,'" Lin Yu said, putting away his drawing supplies, setting the notebook aside for now, and taking out his textbook. While he didn't intend to pay much attention, he still needed to look like he was participating.
As the bell faded, the teacher, Mr. Teragoya, walked in and stood at the podium. His eyes immediately went to Nobita's empty seat, and his brow furrowed slightly. He didn't say anything, though; just a familiar look of resignation crossed his face. As Nobita's teacher, he was more than accustomed to his tardiness. A day when Nobita was actually on time would probably be the real surprise.
"'Class, now open your textbooks, turn to...'" Mr. Teragoya cleared his throat, ready to begin the lesson. Just then, however, a very familiar voice sounded from the doorway.
"'Reporting!'"
Mr. Teragoya was interrupted. He pushed his glasses up his nose and looked at Nobita standing there, his expression a mixture of frustration and weary disappointment – the classic 'wishing iron would turn to steel' look.
"'Nobita! You're late again!'"
Facing this familiar scene, everyone in class burst into laughter. Gian and Suneo, in particular, laughed loudest, clearly enjoying Nobita's misfortune. Witnessing Nobita's morning mishaps had almost become a daily routine.
However, to everyone's slight surprise, Nobita—who usually wilted immediately when scolded—today stood tall, puffing out his chest. He looked almost proud, boldly declaring without hesitation:
"'Yes, Teacher. I am late.'"
This response stunned the onlookers who had been ready for the usual drama. Everyone stared at Nobita with bewildered expressions. Mr. Teragoya was taken aback as well. He had planned to just give Nobita a quick scolding and send him to his seat. He hadn't expected Nobita not only to show zero remorse but to actually look proud, as if being late were some kind of accomplishment.
"'Nobi Nobita!'" the teacher roared. "'Not only are you late, but you show no sign of repentance! You get out into the hallway and stand there! Reflect properly on what you've done!'"
Hearing the teacher's furious roar, the proud look on Nobita's face finally faltered, replaced by confusion in his eyes behind his glasses. He looked down at the sticker on his chest. The words 'Transfer Student' were clearly visible. But... why wasn't this going as planned?
"'Teacher, I'm a transfer student, I...'"
"'So what if you're a transfer student?'" Mr. Teragoya bellowed, even angrier now that Nobita was talking back and trying to use his status for special treatment. "'Does being a transfer student mean you can be late and show no remorse?! Look at your fellow transfer student, Lin Yu! He's never late like you are, and his academic performance is consistently top-notch! Can't you learn from others?!'"
Facing the teacher's tirade, Nobita's expression finally crumpled, his brief moment of confidence vanishing completely.
"'Now! Get out and stand in the hall!'"
"'Yes...'" Nobita mumbled an affirmation, head hung low, and obediently turned to go stand in the hallway.
Lin Yu, watching from his seat, simply shook his head. It wasn't surprising. Given Nobita's personality, trying something like this was entirely predictable. While Lin Yu was also technically a transfer student, he'd never considered using that status to angle for special treatment. People helping you is a kindness, not an obligation. Blatantly trying to exploit a label for special privileges like that was obviously never going to work.
"'Some transfer student, huh? That's hilarious.'" Gian and Suneo snickered. "'Acting so arrogant...'"
Seeing this, Mr. Teragoya's expression hardened. "'Quiet! Stop laughing! Especially Takeshi Goda and Suneo Honekawa! Laugh again, and you can join Nobita in the hallway!'"
Although Mr. Teragoya was strict with his students, his intentions weren't malicious. Making Nobita stand in the hall wasn't just about punishment; it was meant to make him reflect on his mistakes and hopefully change his bad habits. He wasn't stingy with praise either when Nobita actually did well. Therefore, he wouldn't tolerate Gian and Suneo's mockery.
At Mr. Teragoya's command, the classroom instantly fell silent, and the lesson began.
Lin Yu quickly put Nobita's drama out of his mind and, while pretending to follow the lesson, secretly continued practicing in his notebook. Even though his current life was peaceful, Lin Yu felt a deep sense of urgency internally. After all, even setting aside the threat of the Time-Space Administration Bureau, some of the situations from the Doraemon movies were genuinely dangerous. Things like Nobita's Great Adventure into the Underworld or Nobita and the Steel Troops came to mind.