Cartoonist in Doraemon

"Ugh, I can't deal with you sometimes. Nobita, when will you finally grow up?"

Doraemon shook his head in exasperation, watching Nobita's exaggerated performance, which rivaled that of an Oscar-winning actor.

"Let's talk about lectures later. Hurry up, Doraemon, take out your gadgets!"

Nobita paid no attention to Doraemon's admonishment. His mind was entirely focused on one thing: getting his hands on a gadget to teach Ashton, the new transfer student, a lesson.

Hmph, he's just an international transfer student.

With Doraemon's magical gadgets, Nobita was confident he could make Ashton look bad in front of Shizuka. He was certain this would help him regain his standing with her, even though, technically, he hadn't lost face yet. But jealousy gnawed at him, leaving him insecure.

Shizuka's refusal to walk home with him today only deepened his sense of rejection, leaving what Nobita considered a "psychological trauma." Of course, this was an exaggeration, but to Nobita, it felt very real. He couldn't bear the thought of anyone outshining him in front of Shizuka. If anyone were to stand out, it had to be him!

Driven by this thought, he pleaded with Doraemon for a gadget, hoping to ease his frustration and win back Shizuka's attention.

Doraemon sighed, looking at Nobita's expectant face, then reluctantly began rummaging through the four-dimensional pocket on his stomach.

"I'll help you, Nobita, but don't think I'll give you anything to pull a prank. That's out of the question."

As Doraemon searched, he warned Nobita in advance, knowing how stubborn he could be if things didn't go his way.

"Sure, sure, as long as you're willing to help me!" Nobita replied eagerly. "So, what gadget do you have this time?"

Truthfully, Nobita wasn't planning to prank Ashton. There was no real conflict between them, and Nobita knew Shizuka had her reasons for rejecting him. Still, it stung that she chose to spend time with Ashton instead.

All Nobita wanted was to win Shizuka's attention back and stop her from getting too close to anyone else. As long as Doraemon could help him achieve this, he'd be satisfied.

"Don't worry, Nobita," Doraemon said, digging through his pocket. "Ah, here it is!"

"Lovers' Umbrella!"

Doraemon pulled out what looked like an ordinary umbrella, except for a small pink heart on the tip.

"Lovers' Umbrella? It looks just like a regular umbrella. What's special about this?" Nobita asked, disappointed. He had expected something more impressive.

"Don't be impatient, Nobita. Let me explain," Doraemon said. "This is no ordinary umbrella. When you open it and share it with someone, they'll immediately develop warm feelings for you.

"So, if Shizuka refused to walk home with you because of someone else, use this umbrella with her, and she won't turn you down again."

The moment Doraemon finished, Nobita snatched the umbrella eagerly.

"Why didn't you show me this sooner, Doraemon? This is amazing!"

Nobita examined the umbrella with excitement, already imagining Shizuka looking at him with newfound admiration. With this gadget, he was sure Shizuka wouldn't even glance at Ashton again.

When the time comes… hehehe…

Nobita's imagination ran wild. He pictured himself and Shizuka under the umbrella, her holding onto him, gazing at him adoringly. The thought made him drool.

"Nobita? Hey, Nobita! Snap out of it!"

Doraemon shook him, bringing him back to reality.

"Huh? What is it, Doraemon?" Nobita asked, hastily wiping his mouth.

"Listen carefully. I need to explain how to use the umbrella and give you some warnings," Doraemon said, his tone serious. "If something goes wrong, don't expect me to clean up your mess."

Doraemon knew Nobita too well—if he didn't spell everything out, trouble was inevitable.

Doraemon knew better than to let Nobita use any gadget without giving proper warnings. Otherwise, it was only a matter of time before trouble brewed.

"Alright, I'm listening," Nobita said, but his mind was already drifting. He could barely contain his excitement, imagining himself inviting Shizuka to share the umbrella.

Doraemon sighed. "You really are hopeless. Fine, listen carefully. This umbrella can only…"

With his usual sense of responsibility, Doraemon explained the umbrella's functions and outlined the precautions Nobita needed to follow.

---

"Okay, that's all you need to know. Just be careful when using it. Do you have any questions?" Doraemon asked after finishing his detailed explanation.

"Well, there is one problem…" Nobita said, glancing outside with a helpless expression.

"Look at the weather, Doraemon. It's not even raining. How am I supposed to invite Shizuka to share an umbrella with me?"

Even Nobita, as scatterbrained as he could be, wasn't foolish enough to carry an umbrella on a sunny day. People on the street would think he'd lost his mind, not to mention what Shizuka might think.

"Oh, right, I almost forgot about the weather." Doraemon chuckled, quickly realizing the issue. But for someone with a four-dimensional pocket, this wasn't a problem at all.

He pulled out a transparent cylindrical container with a small dark cloud floating inside.

"Rain Cloud Capsule!" he declared.

"This gadget was created in the 22nd century to solve droughts. Just open it, and the dark cloud will rise into the sky, creating rain over a designated area."

Nobita's eyes lit up with excitement. "This is perfect! Now I can invite Shizuka to share the umbrella!"

Overjoyed, Nobita completely forgot Doraemon's earlier warnings about the umbrella's usage. "Thanks, Doraemon! I owe you big time! When I get back, I'll buy you lots of dorayaki!"

Grabbing the umbrella and the rain cloud gadget, Nobita dashed out of the house, his mind racing with plans.

He remembered Shizuka mentioning earlier that she and Ashton were heading to the shopping district. If he hurried, he could catch up to them, make it rain, and get Shizuka under the umbrella with him. Ashton, meanwhile, would be left drenched.

Hehe, this plan is flawless! Nobita thought to himself, grinning. He could already picture Shizuka's admiration as they huddled under the umbrella together, while Ashton stood soaking in the rain.

Doraemon, watching from the second-floor window, sighed. "I just hope Nobita doesn't mess this up again…"

After all, it wouldn't be the first time Nobita turned a straightforward plan into a disaster. No matter how simple the gadget, something always seemed to go wrong when Nobita got involved.

---

Meanwhile, Ashton and Shizuka had been exploring the shopping district, their earlier awkwardness fading away.

After sharing roasted sweet potatoes, Ashton had introduced Shizuka to other street foods like takoyaki and taiyaki. Initially, Shizuka hesitated. As an elementary school student, her allowance wasn't much, and she felt guilty letting Ashton treat her when they'd only just met.

But Ashton reassured her repeatedly that it was fine, convincing her to relax and enjoy the outing. Shizuka finally accepted, deciding she'd repay him later when her mother gave her more pocket money.

Their shared experiences and conversation gradually brought them closer, creating an easy camaraderie.

Unbeknownst to them, Nobita was racing toward the shopping district, determined to execute his plan. In his mind, it was foolproof. Shizuka would admire him, Ashton would be humiliated, and everything would return to the way it should be.

Or so he thought.