Dekisugi actually underestimated his good popularity. Basically, every classmate would come up to greet him or ask why Dekisugi was late. Dekisugi could only deal with it one by one with a dry smile. He couldn't say that it was because he forgot the way to school and was late.
"Hey, Dekisugi, why are you late today? This is the first time I've seen you late."
At this moment, a soft and gentle voice came from next to Dekisugi. Dekisugi subconsciously thought it was another greeting from an unknown classmate.
Because Dekisugi subconsciously liked this voice, he turned around to see who it was.
The snow-white shirt with a pink collar and a soft pink sarong, the delicate white skin, and the shining eyes full of aura – there was no need for Dekisugi to recall the answer from the bottom of his heart. It was Minamoto Shizuka.
She was the only good friend in the class who could barely be considered part of the original body's social circle, as only Minamoto Shizuka, the girl who ranked second in the class and third in the entire grade, would not make Dekisugi feel any pressure. The other students, due to Dekisugi's excellent grades, subconsciously kept their distance from him, even though Dekisugi was easy-going and always willing to help others.
"Oh, it's Shizuka. It's not bad to sleep in occasionally, hahaha," Dekisugi chuckled.
He couldn't be too casual around Shizuka, but it seemed that his subconscious still maintained a good impression of her. This slightly influenced Dekisugi's actions and made him naturally feel a fondness for this beautiful little girl. However, being in his twenties mentally, Dekisugi quickly reminded himself that he couldn't fall for a ten-year-old girl.
So, Dekisugi just regarded Shizuka as a cute little sister. He smiled brightly at her and gave a casual shrug.
"That's right, I didn't expect you to be lazy sometimes, Dekisugi."
Minamoto Shizuka covered her mouth and chuckled, not suspecting anything, as she believed his excuse, as most ten-year-olds would. They were naturally trusting of others.
Shizuka laughed again, as if remembering something. She then invited Dekisugi with a warm smile.
"Hey, Dekisugi, do you want to do homework with me after school? There'll be drinks and snacks!"
Dekisugi thought about it for a moment. The original body often did homework with Shizuka after school, and their relationship had grown over time. However, Dekisugi had already promised to stay and help Nobita with his homework, so he would have to turn down Shizuka today.
Dekisugi glanced at Nobita, who was standing at the classroom door, clearly feeling a bit jealous. He couldn't help but smile a little.
He smiled, shaking his head. "Sorry, Shizuka. I promised to stay with Nobita and help him with his homework after school, since we were both punished to stand. How about tomorrow instead?"
Upon hearing Dekisugi's refusal, Minamoto Shizuka sighed, but she understood. Nobita was also her good friend, so she wasn't disappointed. Since Nobita would stay after school to make up homework, Shizuka didn't mind.
"Then, Dekisugi and I can teach Nobita together. That way, we can all finish our homework in the classroom. What do you think, Dekisugi?"
Minamoto Shizuka's eyes sparkled with hope as she leaned closer to him. Dekisugi, feeling a bit embarrassed by her closeness, instinctively took a step back.
Naturally, he couldn't refuse, so he nodded in agreement.
"Sounds great! There are some questions I don't understand either. Dekisugi, you'll have to help me after school."
Minamoto Shizuka smiled brightly as she grabbed Dekisugi's hand and walked towards Nobita. Dekisugi, unable to pull his hand away without hurting Shizuka's feelings, reluctantly followed her. Although he wanted to sit down for a while, his legs ached from standing during class.
Outside, Takeshi Gouda and Honekawa Suneo, a pair of good friends, were teasing Nobita.
Despite being close friends who had played together, these two still enjoyed bullying Nobita over little things. Suneo liked to show off anything he had, whether it was a cool new toy or something his parents bought him, always flaunting it in front of Nobita and forcing Jaian (Takeshi Gouda) to borrow it.
Even so, Suneo was eager to show off in front of Nobita.
When Shizuka came out, she saw Jaian and Suneo bullying Nobita once again. Without hesitation, she walked up to them and spoke firmly.
"Stop bullying Nobita!"
Shizuka would always stand up for Nobita whenever she saw him being bullied. She would protect him without a second thought. Nobita must have felt incredibly grateful to Shizuka, especially since no one else seemed to care about him.
Dekisugi observed the scene, feeling both familiar and unfamiliar with it. He was deeply moved. He had always dreamt of such moments as a child, but never expected to participate in one himself.
"Ugh, it's Shizuka again. Nobita is really weak, don't you think, Suneo?" Jaian grumbled, ignoring Dekisugi and walking away with Suneo in tow.
Suneo flattered Jaian, offering his usual praises. However, Nobita, having been bullied so many times, had grown somewhat immune to it. He shook his head and reassured Shizuka that he was fine, trying to appear brave in front of her.
"Don't worry, Shizuka. It's okay," Nobita said, trying to appear nonchalant.
Shizuka, still concerned, turned to Nobita and smiled. "Then, Dekisugi and I will stay after school to help you with your homework. What do you think?"
"Really?! That's great! I'd love that!" Nobita's eyes lit up, and he turned to Dekisugi, speaking quietly so only he could hear.
"If Shizuka is here, there's no need for you to stay, huh, Dekisugi?" Nobita muttered, thinking that Shizuka's presence would make things easier. But Dekisugi's sharp hearing caught the comment.
Nobita had just referred to him as a "lightbulb," something that really bothered Dekisugi. He frowned, feeling somewhat frustrated by Nobita's words.