"Today's the day we get our mock exam results back, isn't it?"
At the mention of the test, Suneo snorted smugly, lifting his chin high with unshakable pride. He was absolutely certain his scores would be top of the charts.
"Nobita, you know I'm going to crush this exam. No debate." He flicked his hand with a flourish before smirking. "But you and Eri… well, that's another story."
Eri Kasuga, a spirited, rebellious, and fiercely independent girl. Despite their differences in personality, she quickly became one of Nobita's close new friends at the academy. Though a girl, her blunt, bold nature and cutthroat competitiveness often made people mistake her for a boy. She had little patience for rigid rules and delighted in breaking them. Well, it sounded cool in theory, but in practice, it rarely ended well.
"I think I'll be fine," Nobita said calmly, unfazed by Suneo's doubt. "And Eri… sure, she didn't exactly study much during our group sessions, but she's sharp. She'll find a way through."
"Sharp with tricks, maybe." Suneo nodding. "But beating me? Not a chance."
"Look who's trying to convince himself..." Nobita teased, elbowing him lightly. "You nearly lost to her last time."
The smirk on Suneo's face faltered for just a second before he crossed his arms and shot back at once. "Nearly losing and actually losing are two completely different things!"
Nobita only smirked and let it drop, leaving Suneo to fume beside him. Pride and ego, two fragile things Suneo always clung to. Nobita couldn't help but wonder why Suneo cared so much about what others thought. Maybe growing up in luxury came with its own kind of pressure, the kind that wasn't nearly as glamorous as it looked from the outside.
"Suneo!"
A high, cheerful voice rang out. Both boys turned as a girl their age came jogging toward them, dressed in a sleeveless top and a short mini-skirt that drew more than a few stares, especially from the boys nearby. She giggled when Suneo's arm slid smoothly around her waist.
"Hey, babe. What are you doing here? Class hasn't started yet, has it?" Nobita folded his arms, watching them with quiet discomfort. As the only one in their group who had never dated, he sometimes felt a pang of envy. Still, it wasn't something he dwelled on, after all, his future lay with Shizuka. And besides, right now, school came first.
"I just wanted to see you! Remember that café you promised to take me to?" she pouted playfully.
Suneo chuckled. "Alright, alright. No problem."
"Ahh, you're the best! Okay, I've gotta run to class. See you later!"
She planted a quick kiss on his cheek before dashing off. Jealous stares, flushed faces, indifferent glances, the reactions around them varied, but Suneo's expression didn't change in the slightest. He was used to it. This was just another day for him. Finally, he turned back to Nobita, who was watching with his usual calm expression. Nobita, too, had seen scenes like this more times than he could count.
"What? Got a problem?" Suneo asked with a smirk.
Dropping his arms, Nobita started walking again, forcing Suneo to hurry to catch up.
"Nope." Nobita said with a faint smile, but the satisfaction in Suneo's voice was impossible to miss.
Grinning, Suneo slid his sunglasses into place. An odd choice indoors, but then again, that over-the-top, fashionable confidence was exactly what set him apart.
"Don't be jealous, Nobita. It's not my fault I'm this handsome and irresistible."
Suneo's ego was bigger than the universe, but Nobita didn't mind. It was just part of who he was. In fact, seeing someone so shamelessly self-satisfied was oddly grounding. It reminded Nobita to keep his own feet planted, to avoid getting swept up in shallow things. Suneo was living proof of how pride and arrogance could shape someone, for better or worse.
"Honestly, I'll give both of you two months, tops. How'd you even meet her anyway?"
Almost as if expecting the question, Suneo pulled out his phone and tapped the screen. His lock screen, unsurprisingly, was a photo of him hugging his girlfriend from behind. With a quick swipe, he opened a dating app designed for students.
"Online. Saw her on the app, we matched, and turns out she lives nearby."
Suneo's romantic history was anything but dull. He'd had plenty of short flings, some lasting a few months, others barely a few weeks. And yet, somehow, he always managed to part on good terms, one way or another.
Their conversation trailed off as Suneo headed for his classroom. He waved casually to Nobita and Fuuko.
"See you, Nobita! Try not to cry when I beat your score this time!"
Nobita chuckled, waving back. Rivalry or not, it was friends like these that pushed them both to do better. In the past, the winner would've been obvious. But now… it was anyone's game.