Old life under bridge
Night blanket the quiet city as moon rises to the center of the sky. Nobita place both of his arms behind the back of his head as he loses himself in Sumire Hoshino's song once again. Listening to her songs under a full moon always puts him into a serene, if not quite happy mood.
Nobita lost his serene mood as a handbag slams on his face, knocking the brooding 2nd year middle school student over on his ass again. "What was that for…?"
"You didn't hear a single word I said did you?" Jaiko stands right in front of Nobita and looks down at the glasses wearing 2nd year with her hands on her waist.
"Sorry… I'm not really that good a listener." Nobita grabs Kyubey from the side and stretches his face sideways in front of Jaiko. Kyubey's face distort under Nobita's hand, resembles that of a distorted Cheshire cat. "Maybe you want to talk with Kyubey instead? He's a good listener."
"Or maybe you can wish for a better attention span so you can be a better listener yourself?" Kyubey suggests as his face is once again stretched three times wide by Nobita.
"Let me think about it…" Nobita puts a hand under his chin like he's giving the idea a serious consideration. He then drops Kyubey like he's a bag of stone. "…How about 'NO'?"
"Worth a shot..." Kyubey gets up and disappear around the corner.
"You are impossible!" Jaiko hit Nobita's head with her handbag again.
"That's going to leave a mark… What were you talking about again?" Nobita rubs his own forehead as he stands up from the pavement.
"I was asking what do you think about Mote-San's newest manga story. You still like manga like you did four years ago right?"
"Yeah, I do. Although… I don't find his manga that interesting. They are just stock shonen manga story where the protagonist is an underdog who turns out to be some 'chosen one' in the end and goes against the system for shits and giggles. There are some interesting story setting or mechanics in the story, but doesn't change the fact I saw that kind of plot done to death now." Nobita lets out a shrug and follows Jaiko.
"I like that short story about a new magical girl coming to turn with being a magical girl though. A magical girl deconstruction story where the story explores the burden and sadness of being a magical girl instead of the usual cuteness overload, that's an interesting idea. Too bad Jump axed that story before it can run its course since it didn't catch on in popularity… hey, are you okay Jaiko?" Nobita suddenly notices Jaiko stopping in front him and starts shaking like she's either trying to stop herself from burst out laughing or crying.
"I already told you obvious flattery will get you no where Mister!" Jaiko suddenly twist her body back and faces Nobita, the 2nd year notice some tear forming near the corner of her eyes.
"What? I'm not trying to flatter anyone…" Nobita gives Jaiko a dumbfounded look before he pieces the evidence together.
If I remember correctly, that story was published by… 'Christine Goda'… oh I'm such an idiot.
"The author was you, wasn't it?" Nobita gets hit in the face by Jaiko's handbag once again.
"I have been using Christine Goda as my manga artist pen names for more than 4 years you big idiot!"
Yep… totally deserves that one.
Nobita rubs his nose as he rubs his hand on Jaiko's head. Nobita doesn't realize this before since he barely sees anyone from the old days, but he has grown much taller since he is easily a head taller than Jaiko now. "Don't be sad because Jump axed you, there's still Sunday, or Ace… Your story telling may still be a big rough but you can improve. At least to me, a gem in the rough plot with poor execution is better than a generic story with great execution."
"Doesn't matter how much effort you put into your work, the manga world is a dog eat dog world where you either make the cut, or gets cut." A dark aura starts to rise from Jaiko, the way she says that line makes Nobita wants to bend his spin backwards.
Why are you sounding like some orphan urchin talking about how to survive by scavenging food on the street…? If being a manga artist is that painful maybe you should just give up like I did in my imaginary dream… Come to think of it, I kind of wish I still has Doraemon's gadget to print a manga magazine. I really want to know how Jaiko's story ends…
"That can be arranged, is starting a manga magazine publishing company, or making Hana's manga popular your wish?"
You are still here? For the record… HELL NO! AND GET OUT OF MY HEAD! And then all is silent. Nobita recon Kyubey has finally left, or decides to not agitate him anymore for the time being. He puffs out a sigh and walks besides Jaiko and rubs her head. "Look… I know it probably won't be much of a comfort to you… but do you still remember what happened four years ago when I tried to draw a manga? I became the laughing stock of all my friends."
"You mean that kindergartener scribble with a none existent story written by a mentally challenged chimpanzee? Yeah, that was fun laughing at your pitiful effort." Jaiko's face lightens up as she stiffens a chuckle.
"Yep, that's the one. I probably still has it stashed somewhere in my junk drawer. If you want I'll dig it up and give it to you, and whenever you start to think you don't have what it take to make the cut… just laugh at my pathetic excuse of a manga. That should give you some confident."
"Thanks, now I know why old brother love to pick on you whenever you guys play together... I guess making fun of you gives him more confident." Jaiko quickly wipes the corner of her eyes and gives Nobita a smile. Unfortunately this moment is completely ruined by someone who has trouble reading the mood.
"Well, well, well… what do we have here? A middle school boy having a date with his sweetheart...?" Five wannabe punks who all dyes their hair yellow lines up in front of Nobita and Jaiko. Nobita recognize their school uniform is that of the high school student from a local delinquent school. "How about this goggles, give us all the money you have, and we won't make you have a date with that lovely dumpster over there."
The leader of the punks, some idiot with a Mohawk hairstyle points his thumb toward the dumpster behind a small McDonald. It has the mixed smell of the sweet scents from the restaurant and decomposing garbage. Not pleasant to lie in it…
Nobita lets out another sigh. This day just keep getting better and better.
Oh, there you are my friend 'Nobita's Daily Encounter No. 37: Getting mugged by a bunch of punks'. I was wondering where you went after all four years. It's time like this I'm glad I took some Judo lesson from Tomoe… But then again, those five guys are bigger and probably stronger than me too. I might be able to take on one or two… five of them at once? No way in hell… Got to be smart about this...
Nobita opens his mouth while pointing toward behind the group of punks. "I'd be happy to give all my allowance to you fine gentlemen… but there's a very unhappy looking gorilla like person right behind you. I foresee an unpleasantness for all you gentlemen if you don't run away fast…"
"Ha! You think I'll fall for the oldest trick in the book? Well, I give you a chance; now prepare to be beaten to…" The punk leader grabs Nobita's collar as he prepare to introduce Nobita's face to his fist. But at the same instance, a bear paw like hand falls right on the punk leader's head, twist him backwards to face… a very unhappy looking gorilla like person about 190 centimetres tall and with a body looks more like Arnold Schwarzenegger than any Japanese teenager.
"Hi there..." The gorilla like person asks with a huge grin on his face. "What are you doing with my cute baby sister, and my friend connected by heart?"
"Goda from Kongo 2nd year…!" The punk leader lets out a shudder, but then he remembers he and his friends still has the gorilla like person out numbered five to one. "Get him boys!"
After about one minute of censorship due to extreme violence the body of five high school punks are stuffed in the dumpster behind McDonald.
Or I can be a smartass about the situation. Yeah, that's right, that option works fine when Gian is here. You know…those two standing together reminds me of a certain sibling from a famous basketball manga…What's it called again... right, Slam dunk. Nobita fixes his collar as he watches his childhood friend walks back from the dumpster. "Those punks are people you knew?"
"Small fries from some rival high school..." Takeshi 'Gian' Goda pats his hands as he puts a hand on Jaiko's shoulder with an affectionate smile. "Thanks for looking out for my baby sister."
"I'm not a baby anymore brother." Jaiko swats at Takeshi's arm, but he keeps his arm firm.
"You are always my baby sister." Takeshi gives Jaiko a grin, to which she respond by pouting out her face.
"Yeah… no problem... I'll just leave Jaiko with you and go home now…" Nobita turns around to head for home. Then the glasses wearing 2nd year middle school student realize Gian has an iron grip around his wrist as he's being dragged away. "You want me to go to your home and you are not taking 'no' for an answer."
"What gives me away?" Gian gives Nobita an inviting grin as he drags Nobita away. "Besides, Suneo is also at my home. It's like a re-union of the old gang after 4 years."
"Fine… I'll go with you so can you stop dragging me like I'm some kind of prisoner?" Nobita rubs his wrist as he look at the red mark.
What is up with this sibling dragging people away against their wishes… but then again they are Gian and Jaiko, I really shouldn't be surprised. As for a re-union… it's not complete, not without Shizuka…
Nobita shakes his head as he follows Gian and Jaiko toward their home.
／人◕ ‿‿ ◕人＼
Mrs. Goda looks like an Amazon warrior with a height over 180 cm and her muscle bond body. She has an inviting grin on her face just like her son when she sees Nobita. "Ah, it's Nobita. I haven't seen you for four years. How are your parents? As for you Takeshi… you should learn something from Nobita. His grade used to be even worse than you, but now he's top of his class."
"But, mom…" Gian didn't get to finish his sentence, as Mrs. Goda punches him so hard he ends up flattened on the wall like a wallpaper decoration.
"No back talk against your parent." Even though Mrs. Goda still has her smile, Nobita can sense the dark aura emitting from her. Gian gulps hard and nods his head, not saying anything. It seems after four years Gian is still deathly afraid of his harsh mother. "Now… Nobita, you go to Saigaku public right? I heard you got the best score in the last simulation test from the school board union."
"Yes Mrs. Goda… but it was just luck I got first place. Dekisugi was one point behind and he usually has better score than me in test anyways." Nobita gives Mrs. Goda a bow as he steps into Goda Resident after Gian and Jaiko.
"Well, I always say one need to make his own luck. After all, you won't get that one lucky point above Dekisugi if you didn't work hard everyday right? Hard working and humble is always a combination for success in life. Anyways, make yourself at home and you need to stay for dinner. Your old friend is here too." Mrs. Goda turns back into the kitchen as she shouts something at Gian for treating his guest with courtesy.
"Come on Nobita, let's go to my room." Gian manages to nudge himself out of the wall as he leads Nobita into the corridor. "You haven't seen Suneo for all those years too. He goes to Musashinomori Private by the way."
"That private school for all the rich kids and the school that kicked our own baseball team's ass in our first match last year huh? Can't say I'm surprised..." Nobita lets out a shrug as he waves goodbye to Jaiko while she enters her own room. He looks into Gian's room and sees a boy with long fridge hair covering the right side of his face and wearing the fancy uniform of Musashinomori Private Middle School.
The boy is a typical Japanese boy, and by that… it means he's extremely…
A hair suddenly jumps up from the boy's head as he glares dagger at Nobita. "You are thinking I'm short aren't you?"
What is up with Suneo… is that an ahoga antenna with the ability to detect other people's thought… Oh well… at least now that his face has a little more meat he's no longer fox faced…
"I'm asking: YOU ARE THINKING I'M SHORT AREN'T YOU!" Suneo jumps up from the tatami floor and run towards Nobita. The short second year stands on the tip of his toes and enter a staring contest with the glasses wearing boy. "Don't make me kick your ass again like four years ago!"
"Calm down Suneo. That's no way to treat your friend after all those years." Nobita raises an eyebrow as Gian holds back a screaming and kicking Suneo back away. From his memory (and his dream of all the misadventure he has with the mechanical cat robot from 22nd century) Gian is always the hot tempered one. Yet right now, Gian looks kind of responsible for a second year middle school student. Nobita wonders if that comes with the package of being Jaiko's older brother.
Nobita suppose he should say something to break the rather awkward moment. They used to be inseparable friends since four years ago; he should at least try and do something for old time's sake. Then again… saying they are friends might be a bit of a stretch, consider neither Gian nor Suneo were that friendly with himself back then. In fact, Nobita is not sure he's more than a hapless wiping boy for the two boys who are more physically competent (despite Suneo's relative short size he throw mean punches second only to Gian in their little circle) than himself.
It's not Nobita like being bullied: both Gian and Suneo are just company he's stuck with. Back then his only solace is Shizuka who stands up to Gian and Suneo for him…
Stop it, no more thinking about Shizuka right now.
"So you are having a pretty good time in Saigaku I take it?" Nobita's attention is brought back by Gian.
"It's not bad. I get into less trouble with my mother now that my grades are good, plus I don't get yelled at by my teacher. And I'm taking some Judo lesson so I won't constantly get beaten to a pulp. Although I'm pretty sure you can still easily destroy me." Nobita looks at Gian's bulging muscles before giving him a shrug. "So… since we are all here and your mother did say you need to pick up on your studies… you guys want to have a study session together or something?"
The eyes of both Gian and Suneo bulge out, like they are about to fall out of their sockets. Suneo looks Nobita up and done before letting out a snort. "Ok buster… who the hell are you and what did you do to the real Nobita?"
"For the record, I get to be the snarky one." Nobita pushes his glasses up his nose at Suneo's remark. "And unless both of you know another guy whose name is also Nobita… I am him."
"It's just strange. Consider four years back you would never suggest having a study session. It's something like Dekisugi would do. You probably just want to talk about what anime or manga is popular at the time." Gian scratches his tilted head. That gesture reminds Nobita more of a gorilla.
"Four years are a long time, and for the record I still like anime and manga. I just watch them after I done my study and exercise. Not big deal." Nobita shrugs his shoulder, "By the way, what show is popular those days?"
"He seems legit, at least in that clueless loser in life way." Suneo looks at Gian and gives the same shrug. Nobita stares at Suneo in annoyance for a few seconds before throwing his hands upwards and give up. While Gian may be the one who beat the snot out of him the most during their youth, Suneo is always the one who knows how to really get under his skin. It isn't too hard considered how frail his ego really is...
"Ah, don't be too mean Suneo. We want to patch up our friendship with Nobita remember?" Gian scratches his head a little more before turning towards Nobita. "You aren't still mad at us now, are you?"
"What should I be mad for? The times you put my face into the dirt or Suneo shuns me from playing the newest game with you guys because 'it's three players only'? It's just boys being boys, and I'm not that petty to hold a grudge for all those years." Nobita raises one eyebrow as he fold his arms right in front of his chest. Gian and Suneo turns to look at each other for a second.
"You own me one thousand yan. He still holds a grudge at us." Suneo lets out a smug smile at Gian. His smile disappears quickly when Gian says he'll pay the money later… which effectively means never.
Nobita recon something never changes even if they all grow up. For example, Gian will always be a poor sport when it comes to betting.
"On a more serious note…" Suneo turns towards Nobita again, but before he can finish his sentence Mrs. Goda calls the boys for dinner.
"I don't suppose I can politely decline?" Nobita hesitate for a second before looking at Gian, who is currently making loud cracking noise with his knuckles.
"I'm not getting pasted into another wall by my mother. So you either eat my mother's cooking, or be in it." Gian may be having the biggest grin his large face can fit, but Nobita has no doubt he'll make good of his threat.
Well… that figures…
／人◕ ‿‿ ◕人＼
Nobita can't remember the last time he had dinner at a friend's house. In fact, he's pretty sure he never had dinner in a friend's house. All the kids his age are just people he hangs around (or get beaten up by) with or occasionally pay a visit. Nobita peeks at Gian and Jaiko, who are currently fighting over the possession of a fried shrimp.
"Give me that last fried shrimp you dumb brother! You already have one in your plate!" Jaiko pout out her face again. Nobita can feel the calm and emotionless face he spend last four years building slowly crumble away at this sight. For some reason, Jaiko is looking more like Shizuka the more he looks at her; and that is wrong on so many levels...
Although right now Jaiko is certainly showing a different side than Shizuka. Nobita can't seem to recall she ever has that enraged pouting consider what a kind and gentle soul Shizuka was.
"I'll karate chopstick fight you for it, come at me with all you got." Gian smiles at his younger sister as he holds his chopsticks forward.
"You Are on!" Jaiko gives his brother a sly smile. That look somehow reminds Nobita of a snake and once again he feels it's just wrong. Regardless what the glasses wearing youth think, Jaiko jabs her pair of chopsticks forward like a lightening aiming for the ultimate prize...
Only having Gian raising his pair of chopsticks way above his head, to a height Jaiko can't reach even when she tiptoes on her feet.
"YOU ARE CHEATING BROTHER!" Jaiko throws her chopsticks into her plate as she pout at her brother once again.
"Ha ha... Sorry about at sis. Here, you can have mine." Gian robs his head apologetically with his free hand as he gives both fried shrimp to his sister. Jaiko begins to eat them with a content smile on her face. For a second Nobita wonders what it must be like to have a sister of his own. But then he remembers what a pain on his side his cry baby cousin is whenever she comes for a visit... and he decide it's probably better he's the only child in Nobi family.
"So Nobita..." Nobita holds his head up and looks at Mrs. Goda who is currently talking to him. "You are a good kid. I know my Takeshi isn't the nicest person... but can you continue being his friend? I know you'll be a very good influence to him."
"I'm not sure I can live up to the expectation..." Nobita's eye trails off to the side for a second, but he brings his eyes to look at Mrs. Goda again. "...But I'll do my best."
／人◕ ‿‿ ◕人＼
After the dinner, Nobita has a short study session with Gian and Suneo before leaving for his own home. Both Gian and Suneo walks with him out of the neighbourhood. "At some point you two need to stop following me you know."
"You need to get over it, Shizuka I mean." Suneo's sentence feels like sledgehammer on Nobita's chest. "You need to accept she's gone, and move on with your life."
"What do you think I'm doing for almost four years?" Nobita turns around sharply and glares at the shorter 2nd year middle school student. Suneo doesn't seem to be fazed in the least.
"Walk around in circles..." Suneo seems like he's about to continue berating Nobita, but Gian steps between the two.
"We can talk about this later, and Nobita..." For a moment, the giant who is known for blunting out whatever's on his mind seems to hesitate with what he wants to say. "Look Nobita... both Suneo and I are sorry for how we treated you back then. We know we screwed up badly when we bullied you back then... but we both consider you as our friend, and we don't want you to continue hating us..."
"All those things are just water under the bridge." Nobita turns around and let out a heavy sigh.
"What are 'those things', the times we bullied you, or our friendship?" Nobita can hear Suneo's voice, but he doesn't feel like answering it. Instead, he breaks into a jog and starts to gradually pick up speed towards his home. Eventually it turns into a fully sprint like he's being chased by one of the monsters in his dream adventures. Finally, he leans at a light pole, too exhausted to continue. Nobita looks back, and can't find Gian or Suneo.
Were they ever my friend? All the memories I have with them... only the bad ones where they bullied me are real. All those adventures we go through where they stick out their necks for me are just in my head...
But they are all you had, isn't it?
A familiar voice echoes in Nobita's head and he twist his who body back. "Doraemon?!"
There's nobody behind him, only an empty spot of white light shine down from a light pole. Nobita stares at the empty spot for a few minutes, he feels his eyes start to get wet. The 2nd year middle school student curses under his breath and takes off his glasses, wipes away his tears with his right arm.
His one true friend, who always make up with him even after the worst fight, the one who will always do his best to turn his life around for the better... is not real.
His other true friend, the one who always stands up for him against bullies, the one who always comfort him when he's sad... disappeared without a trace almost four years ago.
A man need to appreciate loneliness... and that's what he's trying to do for the past four years. Nobita shakes his head again, and starts jogging toward his home, not realizing a blue creature looking at him from the roof of a nearby building.