Nobita stepped up to his classroom door and peeked inside. Everyone was already seated, while their teacher, Ms. Mami, was taking attendance. He let out a resigned sigh. Showing up late was nothing to be proud of, but the blame was entirely his, he had simply enjoyed the comfort of his bed too much, not to mention lingering to chat with Suneo for far too long.
With a quick knock, he slid the door open. Ms. Mami looked up, squinting slightly when she saw him standing there with an awkward smile.
"Good morning, Nobita. I was starting to wonder if you'd show up at all."
"Good morning, sensei. Sorry, I overslept a little." he admitted. The class chuckled at his excuse. Mami sighed but didn't scold him. Instead, she waved him toward his seat. The first two periods were just for reviewing the mock exams anyway.
This wasn't the first time Nobita had been late. It doesn't happen often, but it does crop up now and then. Even so, he had never been careless in other matters. Mami could clearly see the effort he put into his daily studies.
"Just be on time next time. Go sit down."
"Yes, Sensei!" Nobita replied with a bright smile.
To Nobita, Mami was easily his favorite teacher. Not only because of her striking red hair that glimmered under the lights, but also her gentle demeanor, her dedication to each student, and the approachable warmth that made her so likable.
Lost in thought, Nobita made his way to his desk with Fuuko floating close behind. The tiny wind-spirit then swooped down, curled up on the tabletop, and chirped happily, proudly staking her spot as the class mascot only he could see. Nobita smiled, giving her a pat on the head, before turning his attention to his seatmate, Mizue.
Mizue was a mystery, even to a sharp-eyed spirit like Fuuko. Quiet, reserved, and difficult to read, she wasn't the kind of person to draw attention. Yet somehow, she and Nobita got along surprisingly well. Her passion for music, acting, and pop culture flowed naturally into conversation, and her dry humor always made talking with her easy.
"Morning, Mizue!" Nobita said cheerfully.
Mizue possessed an undeniable beauty, though she tended to blend into the crowd rather than stand out. The white headband, her deep black eyes, and her short dark-brown hair gave her an air of elegance. Today, her sports jacket was unzipped slightly, revealing the white blouse underneath. Mizue wasn't the overly sociable type, which meant she didn't have many friends around her, but Nobita didn't mind. He liked her calm demeanor and her intelligence."
She smiled faintly, with a touch of knowing amusement. "Good morning, Nobita. Overslept again?" She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, adjusting the longer layers at the side.
Nobita chuckled sheepishly. "Well, you know… gravity is always twice as strong in the morning when I try to get up."
Fuuko watched in pride and let out a delighted squeak when Mizue actually laughed at Nobita's joke.
Meanwhile, at the front of the room, Mami set aside the attendance sheet. With all her students present, she lifted a neat stack of exam papers into her arms, her lips quirking at the worried looks spreading across the room. It reminded her of her own school days, the nerves, the dread, the anticipation.
All those feelings she once endured, she now had the pleasure of handing back to her own students.
Oh, sweet, sweet revenge.
"Since everyone's here…" Mami began, lowering her voice for dramatic effect, "I'll be announcing your test results. Would you like me to read them out loud in front of the class, or..."
"NO!"
The room erupted in panicked protest. Mami couldn't hold back a laugh at their collective outcry.
"Hehe, alright, alright. I prefer individual consultations anyway." And so, the midterm exam reviews began.
One by one, students were called up to sit across from her, where she would go over their work in detail. The numbers mattered less than the feedback, every weakness was an opportunity for growth, and school should be the place that nurtured it.
As she handed papers back, Mami adjusted the ruler that sat neatly atop the stack, aligning it carefully before calling the next name.
"Nobi Nobita."
A shiver ran down Nobita's spine. Though he had seemed confident while talking to Suneo, in truth he was rather uneasy, and he never got used to being addressed by his full name, especially when it came from figures of authority like his mother or his teacher... Nobita walked slowly to the front, trying to keep calm as he sat before the teacher's desk. As always, Fuuko floated at his side, a little guardian spirit bolstering his courage.
"H-how did I do, sensei?" Nobita asked nervously, taking his seat across from her desk.
Mami flipped through his paper, her eyes skimming over messy handwriting and an overuse of conjunctions. Typical Nobita. Not that it bothered her much. In fact, if it were up to her, she would have preferred students to jot down their main points in bullet form rather than churn out three pages of florid essays. It would help them focus on what mattered, and make grading far less of a chore.
Looking up, she smiled warmly. "Excellent work. You've improved a lot this time, Nobita."
His eyes lit up instantly. Fuuko chirped happily and landed on his shoulder, and the two of them high-fived, grinning as if they'd just won an award.
"Well done, both of you!" Mami laughed, reaching over to pat Fuuko on the head.
After a few more minutes of discussion, Nobita was dismissed back to his seat, while Mizue was called up next. Stitting back in his chair, Nobita started to lean back. Balancing himself on just two chair legs had become his little game of the moment, something to ward off boredom while they trudged through another period of test review.
But just as he was focusing on keeping the chair steady to avoid toppling over like an idiot, a voice suddenly rang out, called his name.
"Nobita!"
He snapped upright, assuming Ms. Mami was calling him again, only to realize it wasn't her voice. Turning, he spotted Eri sneaking in from the back door.
Unlike her usual playful, energetic self, today she looked deadly serious. Her expression right now was sharp, better suited for a stern principal or a commander on the battlefield.
"Eri? What are you doing here?" Nobita asked, puzzled. Eri wasn't even in his class, so her sudden appearance here right now was anything but normal.
She didn't answer right away. Her eyes flicked around the room, checking if anyone was listening, before she leaned closer and whispered, "Follow me, there's something Eiichi wants to show us."
Still straightforward as always, but now with a worry that made Nobita frown. He'd never seen her like this before, whatever it was, it had to be big then. He cast a quick glance at Ms. Mami, who was absorbed in going over Mizue's test, then looked back at Eri.
With a small, subtle gesture, Nobita called Fuuko, who had been happily perched on a desk, to follow along. The three of them then slipped quietly out of the classroom, with Eri leading the way. It didn't take long before she brought them to a place Nobita knew all too well: the rooftop.