Chapter 7: The Air Pistol

"You hit a home run when up to bat, and make fine plays when playing defense. You are the Goddess of Victory for the Giants!"

As Gian showered him with unreserved praise, Dekisugi didn’t look too displeased. It was a match between the Giants, hastily assembled after school, and the Tyrannos from the neighboring town. The opposing team had mocked the Giants, saying their roster was weak because it included a girl, but that completely changed once the game began. Dekisugi showed off prowess in running, offense, and defense—a triple threat—leading the team to a splendid victory.

"Don't praise me so much. It was just luck, just luck."

"I can’t believe this is a beginner speaking. Your guts during the play were a perfect ten. You absolutely have to keep playing baseball with us from now on."

Suneo was also delighted that the team, which had been on a losing streak, had finally won. When a ball was thrown right near Dekisugi's face to intimidate him slightly, Gian had been the first to almost start a brawl. However, Dekisugi gently stopped him and then proceeded to hit a brilliant triple on the very next pitch. He also got the opposing batter out with a magnificent sliding catch on a sharp hit.

"Hell yeah! I thought you had a cool image, but you play unexpectedly passionately. My impression of you has totally changed!"

As if in agreement with Gian’s voice, the teammates who had fought alongside him rushed over to Dekisugi. Baseball is a team sport, and because the Giants won thanks to Dekisugi, everyone was grateful. Standing in the center of that circle, Dekisugi looked very happy.

"Alright, a victory toss! Everyone, surround Dekisugi!"

Normally, boys would be shy about giving a girl a victory toss. They would likely hesitate, wondering if it would make her uncomfortable or be a burden. However, for better or worse, this was Gian's one-man team; when the neighborhood Boss took the initiative, everyone else easily followed suit in a good way. Dekisugi herself didn't mind it at all—in fact, she looked delighted, allowing everyone to toss her into the air without any worry.

"That’s great. He played so hard and did so well; it seems like the wall between him and the boys has vanished."

Nobita sat on the bench, watching Dekisugi happily join the circle of everyone. Actually, enough members had gathered properly today, so there was no slot left for Nobita to participate. Even so, he did his best cheering from the sidelines. Dekisugi was able to enjoy himself, and it was probably a big deal that he changed from just being an admired Madonna into a teammate everyone could play with.

As Nobita attempted to join the victory toss even though he hadn't participated in the match, Dekisugi added a word.

"In that case, we have to thank Nobi-kun for inviting me! It's been a long time since I moved my body this much, and it was really fun."

"Alright, let's give Nobita a victory toss too!"

"Eh!? Even though he didn't even play in the game?"

Suneo immediately offered a negative opinion to Gian's statement, but our Boss brushed it aside. He was the rule, and what he approved became law in the Giants.

"Of course! He’s the star scout who invited such a performing top player to the team. Nobita also worked hard as the manager. I'll beat up anyone who has a complaint!"

In this manner, the man who hadn't even participated in the match—who, if anything, had only lent his glove to Dekisugi—flew through the air in a victory toss.

(I can't believe even I'm getting a victory toss.)

A victory toss felt good, an experience one rarely gets to savor under normal circumstances.

"I'm so glad, Nobi-kun. Thank you so much for today!"

"No, no, it was all thanks to your skills, Dekisugi-kun."

Somehow, it felt like everyone’s distance had grown closer. That applied to Nobita and Dekisugi as well.

(If I wasn't so weirdly jealous about Shizuka-chan, Dekisugi really is a great person.)

Back when he was jealous of Dekisugi being too close to Shizuka, Nobita had once described Dekisugi like this:

"What’s so great about Dekisugi!! That guy is smart, handsome, athletic, and cheerful... He doesn't have a single bad point. What if Shizuka-chan falls in love with him?"

Visibly, one couldn't find any bad elements to the person himself. He was too much of a perfect human; and while that sometimes caused him to be slightly out of step with others, he was respectful and considerate.

(Perhaps if he were a girl from the start, I would have treated him normally as Shizuka-chan’s friend?)

What if, just like everyone else, his own perception from the very beginning was that Dekisugi was a girl? He imagined the "What IF" of history—whether he would have been able to play with her like this from the start without harboring any weird jealousy.

Though, in that case, there was also the lingering question of whether Nobita could actually interact with the beautiful girl of the class without getting nervous or constantly trying to show off.

Since the day they all played baseball, the environment surrounding Dekisugi in class changed slightly. Simply put, she began actively interacting much more with the boys, starting with the Giants.

Previously, when students used the righteous excuse of "I want you to teach me how to study," Dekisugi was too polite to treat them coldly. However:

"Don't rely on Dekisugi too much."

With one glare from the Big Bully—more effective than a defining command from on high—the number of boys relying on Dekisugi dropped sharply. Thanks to this, Dekisugi’s burden decreased, and the time he spent playing with the boys during recess increased.

One of the defining traits of elementary schoolers is how quickly they get passionate about games. The boys, who were initially reserved, took off their prejudiced glasses as they clashed with full force playing dodgeball during the lunch break. Of course, some boys were jealous of Nobita for getting along so well with Dekisugi, but since they only wanted to get close out of the somewhat impure motive of being interested in a girl, their feelings naturally faded as they gradually got more opportunities to play with Dekisugi normally.

"Then let's all play together!"

Nobita's stance on inviting Shizuka and Dekisugi to play was different for each—it was about whether to monopolize them or not. Nobita did have the desire to monopolize Shizuka if they were going to play. However, in Dekisugi's case, he didn't have that feeling from the start, and he involved everyone for the simple reason that it was more fun to play with everyone. It was partly because his jealousy toward Dekisugi was gone, but at the same time, because he possessed zero romantic feelings toward the class’s number one beauty (in her current female form), he treated Dekisugi unreservedly as just another friend.

Several days passed, and Dekisugi steadily blended into the class circle, and girls began to mix in among those he played with. Doraemon thoughtfully prepared Secret Gadgets that everyone could play with, providing activities that both boys and girls could enjoy.

Playing a futuristic game of Cops and Robbers, or holding a Handgun King Contest using the Air Pistol where Nobita could truly shine—each was a fascinating game, and everyone eagerly played until their stamina ran out.

Taking these as a trigger, the state of being slightly isolated in class was resolved. Furthermore, Nobita, whose opportunities to study with Dekisugi increased, gradually had fewer instances of being late or forgetting homework.

(For now, I'm glad he could get along with everyone. With this, it'll be fine whenever Dekisugi returns to normal.)

Thinking about it, Dekisugi laughed happily much more often now compared to the beginning. Nobita, who had felt somewhat responsible for various things, was immensely relieved. Dekisugi hadn't returned to normal yet, but reasonably peaceful days continued.

"Hey, Nobita-san, I'm thinking of baking cookies today. Would you like to come over and have some?"

"Eh, really!?"

Then one day, as he was preparing to go home, he received an invitation to hang out from his crush, Shizuka. The cookies Shizuka made were exquisite, but for some reason, there were many instances where Nobita missed out on eating them. How delightful it was to be invited by her directly!

"Then I'll come over after school! It's been a while since I've had your handmade cookies, Shizuka-chan."

"Hehe, if you're that happy about it, it makes them worth making. I'll make a lot, so be sure to invite Dora-chan too."

"Ah, Doraemon, huh..."

The invitation was greatly appreciated, but Doraemon had been traveling to the future more often lately and was frequently away from the house.

(Doraemon might not be there... but on the other hand, it would be a waste to invite someone else.)

He considered inviting Gian or Suneo, who rarely bullied him lately, but if possible, fewer rivals were better. Plus, Suneo had once eaten the cookies while pretending to be Nobita, and if Gian came, he'd eat a massive amount and Nobita's share would drastically shrink.

(I know! With the way Dekisugi is right now, there's no risk of him getting too close to Shizuka-chan, and I wouldn't mind if he was there with us.)

It probably related to his jealousy being gone, but recently, he didn't feel unpleasant even when alone with Dekisugi. Perhaps Dekisugi was matching conversation topics to Nobita, as he only told excellent stories that tickled Nobita's intellectual curiosity. They surely had good compatibility for conversation originally, but since Nobita's weird inferiority complex had lessened, he now listened honestly, and Dekisugi seemed to genuinely enjoy talking as well.

Furthermore, Dekisugi never looked down on Nobita and treated him as an equal, and he also built Nobita up when talking with everyone else. Thanks to that, it wasn't painful to be with him, and playing with Gian and the others was more fun than ever before.

(Alright! It's rare, but I'll let Dekisugi eat Shizuka-chan's cookies too.)

He never dreamed the day would come when he would voluntarily invite Dekisugi along to Shizuka's invitation. The two girls seemed to be best friends right now anyway, so it had to be a great idea.

"Hey, in that case, is it okay if I invite Dekisugi-kun too? Doraemon probably won't be here today because he has errands."

"Eh... Dekisugi-san too?"

He didn't intend to say anything strange, but Shizuka was strangely halting in her speech. While Nobita tilted his head in puzzlement, Shizuka apologetically refused inviting Dekisugi. The reason was also somehow half-hearted.

"Nobita-san, you know... why don't we just take our time and talk, just the two of us, for a change?"

"But..."

"Lately, you’re always together with Dekisugi-san, right? Let's forget about studying and just play for once."

If he invited him any more strongly than this, she might hate him, so he decided to back off quietly here.

(Something feels off.)

What was up with that half-hearted attitude and tone? He felt like he recognized that kind of behavior from someone somewhere, but he couldn't put his finger on it at all. Normally, he would consult Doraemon at times like this, but he surely wouldn't be home.

In that case, the next best person to consult would be...

"Hey..."

"What is it, Nobi-kun?"

Catching Dekisugi on the way home after school, Nobita got him to listen to his problem. With Doraemon gone, Nobita's best confidant was Dekisugi. However, this worry was a problem between Shizuka and himself, and probably not something he should be telling others about.

(But still...)

Dekisugi had successfully opened up with everyone in the class, but if things were secretly bad between Dekisugi and Shizuka, Nobita wanted to repair that relationship too. The two were originally very close, and even in Nobita's eyes, they were a matching pair. Even if they were both girls now, they were supposed to feel like compatible best friends.

"So that’s the situation, I got invited to Shizuka-chan's house, but she acted kind of strange about inviting anyone else. Has anything changed recently?"

Since he couldn't exactly say he was refused when he tried to invite Dekisugi, he tried conveying that she was fixated on inviting only him. He seemed a little surprised, but Dekisugi answered while choosing his words, perhaps having grasped the situation.

"Probably, she is wary of me."

"Wary? Of you, Dekisugi-kun?"

He didn't understand what that meant at all.

"Shizuka-kun and I are definitely good friends, but at the same time, we're rivals."

"Rivals?"

"It's not like we're on bad terms or hate each other at all, so don't worry. Just go eat those cookies with peace of mind."

He couldn't quite swallow the logic, but if Dekisugi herself said so, it was probably fine.

"Between members of the same gender, it’s easy to nurture friendship, but to that extent, you become conscious of the other person. For example, if I were a boy and friends with you, Nobi-kun, even if we got along, we would sometimes compete or recognize the other as a rival, right?"

"Ah, I see, yeah, I understand. If it’s the opposite gender, you don't compete, but if it's the same gender, there are times you compete and don't want to lose."

He was momentarily startled by that explanation, but when he imagined it in his head, he was able to readily accept it. In short, just like himself and Dekisugi (originally), they weren't on bad terms but were also hypothetical enemies who competed. Though, in the original state, there were infinitely few areas where Nobita could ever beat Dekisugi, making it feel more like a one-sided rivalry from Nobita's end.

Since they were both at such a high level, they were probably just a bit conscious of each other. Once he knew they weren't actually fighting, there was nothing to worry about. Nobita thought optimistically that he could just go and enjoy the cookies normally.

"Do you happen to like cookies, Nobi-kun?"

"Yeah, I like all sweets, but handmade cookies have a different flavor than the ones sold in stores, right?"

"In that case, I'll make some for you next time. I’m good at making sweets."

"Eh, really!? I’m looking forward to it. Your cooking is delicious too, Dekisugi-kun."

In an unexpected turn, a schedule to eat delicious sweets on a different day had been created. Shizuka’s cookies were delicious, but the cookies Dekisugi made would surely be delicious too.

"Tell me later what kind you ate at Shizuka-kun’s place today. I’ll use it as a reference for what kind to make when I make them."

"Yeah, understood. If I can take some home, I’ll bring a little back."

Even so, he still felt a strange sense of incongruity—a weird feeling he couldn't shake. But without knowing what its true nature was, he headed back home for now.

Author's Note

“Chiranols”
A rival team to the Giants, though this team is far superior in skill.
While the Giants consistently rank at the bottom of the league, the Chiranols have won the championship many times.
There are probably many different teams in existence, but the Chiranols are the Giants’ most typical and recurring opponent.

“King of Pistols”
This refers to the episode “Air Pistol Contest” included in Doraemon Volume 12 of the Tentōmushi Comics and Volume 3 of the Fujiko F. Fujio Complete Works.
In this story, the children use a secret gadget called the Air Pistol, which is applied to the fingers and allows them to fire air bullets, and they compete to determine who is the “King of Pistols.”

It’s an episode where Nobita’s shooting talent is fully demonstrated.
Incidentally, Dekisugi does not appear in this story.

Even for Dekisugi, if he were to compete against Nobita in shooting, it would likely be difficult for him to win.
As for just how incredible Nobita’s shooting ability is, I’ll omit the details here—you can easily find plenty of information if you look it up.

In fan works as well, Nobita is often associated with shooting, and whenever creators want to highlight his character, this talent is frequently brought to the forefront.
However, since this work follows a slightly mysterious story grounded in everyday life, that talent does not come into play.

“Shizuka-chan’s Cookies”
In the series, the sweets she makes range from cookies to pudding, cakes, and many other varieties.
Even as an adult, she continues to bake homemade cakes as snacks for children.
(For reference, Nobita’s mom also makes homemade pancakes for him.)

Personally, I absolutely love homemade cookies, and I’m always very happy when I receive them as a gift.
Cookies are relatively easy to send by mail, and there have been several times when people went out of their way to send them to my home. Each time, I would return the favor by sending local specialty sweets.
Objectively, I probably spent more overall, but that’s how much I love homemade cookies.
(Especially when they’re handmade, I feel honored just to receive them, which makes me appreciate them even more.)

This has nothing to do with Doraemon, but I recall that there used to be a toy manufacturer called “Jam,” which released a line of candy toys called the Shizuka-chan Series.
Typically, these sets included ramune candy along with a toy, but there was also a “handmade series” where ingredients for making sweets were sold.
There was even a product called “Shizuka-chan’s Homemade Cookies,” which, upon checking, apparently did exist.

I’ve ended up writing about something completely trivial, but that’s also part of the charm of an afterword.