Lin Yu was actually quite satisfied with Nobita's reaction. Getting constantly pestered by him would be incredibly annoying. Who knew what kind of gadget Nobita might get from Doraemon next time and decide to use on him? In the original story, Gian, Suneo, and even Shizuka had suffered plenty because of Nobita's gadget misuse. Lin Yu had no desire to join that club and waste precious time he could be using for manga.
The daytime classes remained as unengaging as ever. Lin Yu didn't waste much mental energy on them, instead using the time to discreetly practice drawing. Compared to the school system in his previous life in China, Japanese elementary school curriculum and homework were remarkably simple, especially for someone with the mind of an adult. He could handle it effortlessly without worrying about falling behind. Besides, attending school was mostly just about keeping up appearances anyway.
Lost in this state of focused practice, the school day passed quickly. As expected, Nobita remained subdued today, causing no new mischief or commotion.
When the final bell rang, Shizuka, who hadn't quite shaken off her fluster from the morning interaction, turned around, remembering their plans from last night. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she spoke.
"L-Lin Yu," she began, still a little shy using his first name directly for the first time, "we agreed yesterday... about doing homework at my house... do you still remember?"
"Of course, I remember," Lin Yu replied with his usual warm smile, gathering his notebooks. A quick stop at Shizuka's wouldn't take long, and he could probably get some drawing done there too. He finished packing his things, slung his bag over his shoulder, and walked out with Shizuka towards her home.
Nobita, who had slumped listlessly at his desk all day, watched them leave together. He pressed his lips together, his expression sinking further into gloom. Seeing Shizuka and Lin Yu looking so close bothered him deeply, especially since he'd always secretly considered her his future wife. The feeling left him disheartened. But the sting of yesterday's events was still fresh, serving as a harsh lesson. Besides, he had no idea how to change the situation anyway. Dejected, he listlessly gathered his own things to head home.
It wasn't long after leaving the school grounds that Lin Yu and Shizuka arrived at her house. Shizuka opened the door and called inside, "Mom, I'm home!"
Lin Yu stepped into the genkan (entryway). The house was decorated in warm tones and felt incredibly cozy and lived-in – a stark contrast to his own place, filled with a palpable sense of 'home'. Hearing Shizuka's call, a woman with a strong resemblance to Shizuka and a very warm, gentle aura emerged.
"Hello, Auntie," Lin Yu greeted politely, bowing slightly. "It's nice to meet you. My name is Lin Yu. Thank you for having me."
"Oh, what a polite young man!" Shizuka's mother beamed. "Shizuka mentioned last night that you might be coming over. Please, come in, come in! I just baked some cookies; I'll bring them up for you two in a moment once they've cooled a bit."
Shizuka's mother welcomed him with genuine warmth. Shizuka, standing beside them, blushed faintly. Her mother's words were perfectly normal, but after the slightly charged interaction that morning, everything felt tinged with a layer of shyness for her.
Following Shizuka upstairs, Lin Yu entered her room. It was predominantly pink, filled with cute decorations, perfectly matching Shizuka's gentle personality.
"L-Lin Yu, you can sit here," Shizuka offered, gesturing somewhat nervously. Even though it was her own room, being alone with him felt strangely different than before. She'd invited friends over for homework countless times, but somehow, with Lin Yu, her mind kept drifting into unexpected, flustered thoughts.
Lin Yu had just sat down and put his bag aside when a light knock came at the door. Shizuka's mother entered carrying a tray with cookies and glasses of milk. "Here we are, cookies and milk! Xiao Yu," she said warmly, using a common diminutive, "is it alright if I call you that?"
"Not at all, Auntie. Thank you so much for going to the trouble," Lin Yu replied politely. Shizuka quickly stood up to take the tray from her mother, seeming to relax slightly now that her mom was there.
She placed the plate of cookies right in front of Lin Yu, her earlier nervousness replaced by enthusiasm. "Lin Yu, you have to try my mom's cookies! They're really, really delicious!" she urged, looking at him with bright, expectant eyes.
"Oh, you," her mother chuckled, affectionately patting Shizuka's head. "They're just ordinary cookies, dear." She turned back to Lin Yu, her voice softening. "'Xiao Yu, Shizuka mentioned you transferred here recently, is that right? It must be quite an adjustment settling into a new place. Please, if you don't mind, feel free to come over and visit whenever you like.'"
Feeling the warmth of the invitation, Lin Yu glanced quickly at Shizuka, who looked slightly embarrassed. He guessed Shizuka must have told her mother about his living situation – an elementary school kid essentially living alone. Her mother's extra kindness likely stemmed from sympathy for his circumstances.
"Thank you very much, Auntie," Lin Yu replied with a polite smile, his gratitude seeming earnest and making him look exceptionally well-behaved.
"Lin Yu, try a cookie!" Shizuka interjected quickly, pushing the plate towards him again, perhaps worried her mother might inadvertently say something that would make Lin Yu uncomfortable about his situation.
Understanding Shizuka's well-meaning interruption, Lin Yu didn't hesitate. He picked up a cookie and took a bite. It was perfectly crisp and full of rich, milky flavor. Definitely made with good ingredients, far better than typical store-bought ones. No wonder Shizuka had praised them so highly.
"Auntie, these are amazing!" Lin Yu said sincerely after swallowing. "They're much better than anything you can buy at a bakery."
Hearing Lin Yu's genuine praise, Shizuka's mother beamed with pleasure. "Oh, I'm so glad you like them! I'll go make some more, you can take a batch home with you later." She smiled warmly. "Well, I'll let you two study. Don't hesitate to call if you need anything." With that, she turned and left, gently closing the door behind her.
"See? I wasn't kidding, was I? My mom's cookies really are the best!" With the brief interruption over, Shizuka seemed to have forgotten her earlier awkwardness, her focus entirely on the cookies. She looked at Lin Yu happily, like a child proudly displaying a prized possession, eagerly awaiting more praise.
"You're absolutely right," Lin Yu chuckled. "And I really have to thank Shizuka. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have gotten to taste these amazing cookies."
Receiving the compliment, Shizuka's face lit up with a delighted smile, though her cheeks began to blush faintly again.
Seeing her start to drift back towards shyness, Lin Yu inwardly marveled at how easily she blushed but decided to steer the conversation back on track. "Okay, okay," he said with a smile, "enough cookie talk for now. We should probably get started on this homework, right?"