After I finished writing in the Future Diary, I hid it away. Why didn't I give it back to Doraemon?
Well, I straight-up asked him to let me keep it. It's not like he's lacking gadgets, anyway.
And Doraemon's idea of safety is putting it in his 4D Pocket—which, by the way, has gone missing more times than I can count. It's less secure than our own house! If we're ever on an adventure and the pocket gets damaged... that'd be game over.
So I decided to bury it under the old withered persimmon tree in our yard.
In the anime, that tree barely gets any screen time. It's not even as memorable as the thousand-year-old cedar behind the hill. But that's the point—because no one notices it, no one would think to look there.
Besides, considering how much chaos Doraemon and I cause, and that the tree's still standing while parts of the house have collapsed or been dug out... that tree must be something special.
Yeah, there's no better place. I nodded to myself, satisfied.
…
After that, I spent a few more days at home recovering. During that time, I also took care of things related to Dad—Nobisuke Nobi.
Mom settled the compensation from Dad's death. We needed that, especially since we just lost the only breadwinner in the house. We had to prepare for the gap that left.
And then there was the funeral. That's next week—we need time to contact relatives and arrange everything.
Thankfully, Mom handled most of it, with help from my uncles. I could focus on resting and getting better.
Once I recovered, it was time to go back to school.
I'd been unconscious for days, and while Shizuka and the others had visited, I wasn't awake yet. Then once I came to, I was so busy with everything about Dad that I hadn't even seen my friends. Being new to this world, I hadn't even met them face-to-face yet.
So this… this was kind of our first real meeting.
As I walked to school, backpack slung over my shoulder, I suddenly heard a sweet, cheerful voice.
"Nobita, you're finally okay!"
I turned around.
There she was—Shizuka. She stood there, smiling brightly, her eyes sparkling with joy.
She looked like a little angel—wearing a pink round-neck tee and a red pleated skirt, her legs long and slim beneath it. Her clear eyes locked onto mine, full of life.
Even though she was still young, there was already a graceful charm about her. Her soft, fair skin and rosy cheeks gave her a gentle, almost doll-like beauty.
She was going to grow up into a heartbreaker, no doubt about it.
"Shizuka! Long time no see!" I said, smiling back.
"Are you sure you're okay? You looked really hurt the other day… If you're still not well, you should've stayed home to rest," she said with a hint of concern in her voice.
She stepped forward, as if she wanted to check me with her hands, but then blushed and hesitated, letting her hands drop awkwardly. Her eyes scanned me up and down, just to be sure.
"I'm fine, really. I've recovered well," I reassured her.
"If anything's wrong, you have to tell someone. Got it?" she said again, still a little worried.
After confirming I was okay, her expression finally relaxed.
As we walked together toward school, she started chatting about what had been happening there recently, laughing as she talked.
Her cheerful voice, that gentle fragrance of milk drifting from her—everything made my heart feel lighter.
The two of us walked side by side, like innocent childhood sweethearts, caught up in easy conversation and the warmth of the morning sun.
Maybe… this is what it means to grow up together. Maybe that's what it means to be childhood friends.