Nobita's Time Heist

Just by having a few minor idols hand out flyers on the street, they managed to gather a large crowd. Their manager seemed to have communicated with the surrounding residents beforehand. Even old man Shencheng, who lived next to the open space, was wearing wooden clogs and mingling in the crowd, holding a box of yokan (a type of sweet bean jelly) as a gift, chewing it with relish, wanting to see what this trendy thing was all about.

This open space holds so many memories for Nobita. Back then, it was Gian's designated location for concerts, and Nobita and his friends suffered quite a bit from it. Hearing five pretty girls singing and dancing on stage did indeed make him subconsciously relax.

However, since this was a last-minute event, not many people showed up. By the time Nobita and Shizuka arrived, they were still able to squeeze forward through the gaps in the crowd. By the time they reached the front row, the first song had already ended, just in time for the fans to cheer.

"Oh my gosh—! Noon, my red captain!"

"The ethereal flowers are the best!"

"Mengmeng's dancing is the best in the world!!"

……

Most of those who received the flyers were male office workers who had just finished get off work, but some enthusiastic fans had already received the information and were waiting there, waving colorful light sticks. These energetic young men shouted at the top of their lungs, almost deafening Da Xiong, but somehow, this lively atmosphere somewhat alleviated his unease.

However, precisely because they were all men, the only girl standing in the front row stood out.

"Asur?!"

Asur turned around, holding two light orange light sticks in his hand, with beads of sweat on his forehead and a somewhat excited expression.

Why aren't you home?

"Please... your room is full of nothing but comics, I can't find anything of substance to read." Asur shook his head helplessly. "I've already told your mother I'll be back for dinner."

……

After spacetime temporarily returned to order, Asur's future became a dilemma.

Now that things have come to this, she has no intention of continuing to hide her identity.

She frankly told everyone that her true identity wasn't that of a "scavenger," but rather closer to that of a "person in distress." In the end, she hoped to stay at Da Xiong's house for a few days to figure out her next steps. Although everyone repeatedly emphasized that she could ask for help no matter what difficulties she encountered, Asur resolutely refused to drag them into her predicament.

Perhaps, these next few days will be a final farewell.

But at least before leaving, she wanted to understand this era as much as possible—the era that gave birth to a legendary firefighting team.

Seeing that Nobita's tense expression had subsided considerably, Shizuka secretly breathed a sigh of relief and smiled as she steered the conversation in a different direction, "Asur-chan, are there idols in the 22nd century?"

"How far into the future do you think the 22nd century is?" Asur retorted, barely managing to contain himself. "Even if technology has made leaps and bounds in the last hundred years, humans are still humans. Normal emotional and entertainment needs won't change, and of course, there will be idols."

"However, due to the rapid development of technology, a large amount of productivity has been liberated, and human demand in the entertainment field has become diverse, gradually opening up many tracks. No matter how strange it is, as long as it can resonate with a certain market, there will be people who like it. Therefore, the types of idols in the 22nd century can be said to be diverse. There are traditional human idols, virtual idols that have reached their peak, anime idols that use virtual interactive technology, and robot idols that are completely controlled by AI..."

"However, it is indeed rare to see underground idols who hold temporary live performances on the street like this."

Asur looked at the girls on stage and sighed, "After all, in that era, the resources of the entertainment industry had been basically integrated. It was simply impossible for a small group to break through the barriers and become popular."

"Of course, even now, it is very difficult."

"Eh... I see." Shizuka exclaimed. "So, Asur-chan is quite interested in these underground idols?"

"Not really, I just followed the 'scent' all the way here." Asur's gaze fell on the idol girl standing in the far corner of the group of five, and he gave a strange smile.

"odor?"

Shizuka paused for a moment. If there was any smell in this open space, it was probably the smell of restless male hormones.

Then, seeing Asur's ambiguous smile, she realized that he definitely didn't mean it that way.

"Yes, the scent. Despite having received no training, he possesses such a high level of 'spiritual vision' innately, like a piece of unpolished jade."

"Rinne?" Nobita asked, somewhat surprised. "What is psychic vision?"

"To put it bluntly, it's having the ability to see 'spirits.' People with this kind of constitution are more likely to encounter paranormal events. If they're unlucky, they might even see gods," Asur sighed. "With a mortal body, if you bump into a god, the consequences might be worse than bumping into a ghost. At least ghosts can be exorcised, but what about gods?"

However, for Lingyin now, whether she can see gods or ghosts seems unimportant. This open-air performance was merely a promotional event for her idol group; it would end after three songs.

Next up was a free "idol handshake" event, which starkly exposed the difference in popularity and fan numbers. While other lines stretched almost to the edge of the open space, Lingyin's spot was completely empty, with not a single person in line.

She stood there alone, her hands clasped together, looking somewhat forlorn, yet seemingly unsurprised by the outcome.

"Well, that's how new idols are at the beginning," Shizuka sighed. "Suneo said the competition among underground idols is pretty fierce. That kid seems very introverted; he probably isn't the type to engage with fans, right?"

“At times like these, children with fragile hearts often develop a strong sense of inferiority.”

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Don't be fooled by the trendy term "sense of inferiority." Some young people who enjoy writing melodramatic coming-of-age stories often use this or that phrase, but when it comes to this, Nobita was exactly like that in elementary school. Academics, sports—he was never better than anyone else in anything. He was a perennial bottom of his class, and living in that environment for so long completely cemented his inferiority complex!

He's just naturally lazy, or to put it bluntly, incredibly easygoing and has a very resilient heart. When reality hits him hard, he simply lies down and takes a nap. He doesn't usually show it. Since Doraemon arrived, even that sense of inferiority has disappeared. To paraphrase Nobita, it's probably like this: "What's the use of you guys being so nice? Do you even have Doraemon? I have Doraemon, and that's enough!"

Doraemon saved this insecure boy. While it may not have made him a top student, it at least helped him escape a downward spiral in his life and become a better person.

Five unbearable minutes passed, and still not a single fan came to shake hands with Lingyin in front of her seat. Not a single one.

No.

Zero.

zero points.

No one in the world knows better than him what it feels like to get zero.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"Ugh……"

Nobita sighed inwardly, turned around, and walked towards Rin.

Chapter 257: Nerima's Guardian

"Is it alright?" Asur suddenly asked for no apparent reason.

"...What do you mean?" Shizuka asked with a smile.

"Come on, you know perfectly well." Asur rolled her eyes at her, then looked up slightly at Nobita. "To girls, this guy's personality is that of a natural playboy! These days, childhood sweethearts are practically synonymous with 'loser,' and if he has some kind of unexpected childhood sweetheart story, he'll be even less likely to win. If you don't keep a close eye on him, he might get snatched away by someone else."

Shizuka was amused by her serious expression and laughed, "What do you mean by 'loser'... It's Nobita's freedom to like whomever he wants, isn't it?"

“But it’s precisely because of his personality that I think he’s amazing. Just like now, he can sense the child’s unease and fear after stepping onto the stage, which is why he thinks of comforting her.” Shizuka rested her head on one hand, turned to the side, and looked at Nobita’s back from afar, her eyes full of admiration and affirmation for him. She continued, “He’s been like this since he was little… a very kind person. Thanks to Doraemon, every time he does something kind, it has a good outcome.”

"Actually, no matter who the other person is, whether it's a young and beautiful idol or an elderly and frail woman who can barely walk, he's willing to offer help as long as they're in trouble. He doesn't expect anything in return; he's simply happy because others are happy. Isn't that kind of person a bit silly?"

Recalling their first encounter aboard the Santa Maria, Asur couldn't help but smile.

"Besides that, he always takes what I say to heart, even things I just casually mention. He'll do everything in his power to help me achieve those unrealistic dreams. Although I know that in the end I'll mostly end up asking Doraemon for help, but..."

She paused for a moment, not worrying about being overheard amidst the increasingly noisy background. Shizuka suppressed her racing heart and tried to speak calmly, "I just love Nobita Nobi for being so kind to everyone."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Although he came, this was actually Nobita's first time attending an idol's handshake event. Unlike the Tsubasa Ito and Marui Mary he remembered, the interaction with underground idols was completely different. Tsubasa was a true superstar on stage, a sensation, and a hot celebrity in the entertainment industry. Even just wanting to see her required Doraemon's gadgets, let alone a handshake.

In the world of underground idols, in order to maintain high fan loyalty, they often launch more activities that allow fans to have close contact with the idols.

Standing in front of the girl, Nobita didn't know what to say for a moment, so he could only stare at her awkwardly for a while.

Every interaction between a fan and their idol is strictly limited in time. This is part of the fan economy; it will never exceed a minute, and sometimes it may only last a few dozen seconds. This is to give fans the thrill of close contact with their idols, but since this cannot be satisfied in a short time, idols need to quickly capture the hearts of their fans in those brief few dozen seconds of communication.

However, perhaps considering that Lingyin was still a novice and did not have the social skills to attract fans in a very short time like her predecessors, and that there were not many people queuing for her, the staff on the side chose to turn a blind eye and did not strictly keep track of the time.

"The songs and dances are pretty good, well, at least much better than Gian's." Nobita hadn't actually appreciated many song and dance performances, but thanks to Gian and Shizuka, his musical taste had been lowered to a very, very low level. As long as it was sung by an individual, even if it was slightly off-key, he would think it was alright.

"Thank you for coming to my performance..." Since it was a handshake event, Suzune took the initiative to shake his hand, and her tone became somewhat excited.

She looked around, as if to make sure no one was eavesdropping on their conversation, and with a little force, pulled Nobita's body towards her, almost touching his ear. Suppressing her excitement, she whispered, "My God."

"Eh?"

Nobita didn't react for a moment because he knew too little about the underground idol community and wasn't sure if this kind of address was standard practice in the industry. But thinking about it carefully, even maid cafes that primarily focus on service usually only address customers as "master" or something similar. Calling someone "god" just didn't seem right.

“I’ve felt it since I was very young. There’s a force silently protecting us, protecting Nerima Ward… The migrating swallows of the four seasons, the warm breeze in early spring, the snowflakes falling in the dead of winter, the babbling river, and the dandelions floating in the sky—that’s what everyone says. Today, I finally have the chance to meet the real person.”

The girl's face was flushed, but to onlookers, it probably just looked like she was too excited because it was her first time working. A person's personality is hard to change; some people are naturally more introverted, lack confidence, and aren't very good at communicating with others. And since she was an idol, a job that required her to be in the public eye, she could only master the so-called "business skills" by constantly increasing the number of clients she served.

Fortunately, her first client was the gentle-natured Nobita.

"Well, I don't know what you mean, but..."

Nobita smiled at her subtly, as if trying to affirm her through the slight change in the pressure of his hand, "I saw it down there just now, your singing and dancing are amazing! Given time, you will definitely become an even more dazzling idol, so please be sure to work hard in that direction."

It's unclear how much weight this girl took for granted, but she gave a loud "Mmm" and instinctively bowed. However, she forgot to let go of his hand, and her forehead smacked against the back of her hand with a thud, causing her to cry out in pain and apologize repeatedly. Da Xiong quickly pulled his hand back, smiling and saying it was okay, telling her not to be so nervous and to take it slow.

"Ugh, this must be the worst handshake event I've ever seen..." Kuka glanced at the farce out of the corner of her eye and muttered to herself, "Shouldn't idols be responsible for providing emotional value to the audience? It feels like the opposite is true."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Even after Da Xiong left, no one offered any encouragement to the rookie idol, causing her seniors to cast worried glances at her from time to time. Despite her dance and songs being quite well-matched, she couldn't attract many fans, and strange occurrences occasionally happened. At her debut public performance, only one person came to shake her hand at the end—even for a newcomer, this was a disastrous start.

Under such a blow, can she still complete the work of a teenage idol?

Surprisingly, Lingyin showed no signs of frustration or sadness; instead, she wore a contented smile. Her gaze was completely elsewhere, not on the open space in front of her. Although she was still standing there, it was clear that her mind was elsewhere.

It felt like I had encountered something precious.

Chapter 258: Nobita's Designated Nighttime Heart-to-Heart Talk

"Ugh...toilet...toilet...wait!"

Nobita has had a habit of getting up at night since he was a child, and in many theatrical versions, this is basically the starting point for triggering the nighttime talk subplot. He himself is also known as the nighttime talk maniac. After Asur temporarily stayed at their house, to avoid suspicion, Nobita let her sleep on the tatami bed, while he himself huddled in Doraemon's small closet.

However, he's already a towering 1.76 meters tall, while Doraemon is only 129.3 centimeters. To sleep more soundly, at least to stretch his legs out, Nobita first used the Space Wheel to expand the space in the closet. Since Doraemon returned to the future, his mother hasn't touched anything in the closet, only occasionally dusting it. She said this was so that Doraemon could move in immediately whenever he returned, which almost moved Nobita to tears.

However... there are many photos pasted in his closet.

There are photos of Doraemon and Nobita hugging and laughing, photos of Nobita's family going to see flowers in their dreams, photos of the five friends in an open space, sweet photos of Mimi and Doraemon, and promotional posters featuring Ito Tsubasa and Marui Mary... a wide variety of photos.

However, prominently displayed was a false reflection projected through the "Mirror of Lies"—a mirror that discriminates against one's true self, reflecting everyone's deepest desires. In this photo, Doraemon has unusually long legs, and his head is no longer the cute round shape, but a pointed chin like an anime character, with eyes taking up almost a third of his face. His mustache is meticulously tied in a bow, yet it retains its original blue color.

This combination of punches, seen unexpectedly late at night, almost triggered the Nobita's uncanny valley effect.

"Phew...really..." He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, chuckled bitterly, and couldn't help but complain, "What kind of taste does he have?"

The urge to pee almost vanished with fright. Nobita quietly pushed open the closet door, wondering why Doraemon had never woken him up when he got up to pee in the middle of the night. Was he sleeping too soundly, or did Doraemon simply not have the ability to pee? But he had clearly seen Doraemon go to the toilet before.

Filled with boundless curiosity about the unknown, he opened the closet door, only to find an empty futon on the tatami mat. Nobita touched the pillow; it was ice-cold, indicating no one had slept there for at least ten minutes. At the same time, the window in his room was opened, and the night breeze gently blew the curtains and swayed the table, making the scene seem somewhat strange.

"Asur... Ouch, it's so cold!"

The nights at the end of December are no joke. Nobita wrapped himself up tightly in his coat before daring to step out of the window.

Their house was a renovated ancestral home; although the structure was old, it was quite sturdy. Nobita lived on the second floor, while his parents slept on the first floor. From his window, he could see a row of red rooftops on the ground floor. When he was little, he and Doraemon would often lie on the rooftop like this, enjoying the perfect view of the sky.

This cloud looks like an apple, that cloud looks like a remote-controlled airplane, that cloud looks like a dorayaki... He usually only looks at three clouds at a time. Because after looking at three clouds in a row, Nobita's energy usually dissipates, and he falls asleep immediately. If it weren't for the fear of falling off while turning over, this would indeed be a good place for an afternoon nap.

Besides, Doraemon often goes on dates with Mimi here. He's considered the top cat boss in town, and any cat that has a problem they can't solve will come here for him to mediate. In a sense, this place is a little secret base that holds many memories for the two of them.

At this moment, the girl was sitting on the red rooftop, hugging her knees, gazing at the town in the darkness, leaving Nobita with only a somewhat lonely silhouette.

Her long hair was gently tossed by the wind, making her small figure appear even more frail.

"Asur, aren't you cold?" Because he wasn't wearing shoes, his bare feet on the rooftop made Nobita shiver. But with his favorite part—the late-night chat—about to begin, he could only grit his teeth and brave the winter chill to sit beside her. "If you want to see the stars, we can...we can see them inside too. I'll get you a telescope, okay?"

"..." Asur was silent for a while, then suddenly turned around and looked at Nobita seriously for a long time.

The two were sitting right next to each other, so close that they could almost feel each other's breathing.

At this moment, gazing intently at her profile, Nobita had never realized so clearly that this companion, when quiet, possessed a beauty that rivaled Shizuka's—her eyes were a rare mint green, like phosphorescent stone, giving an impression of delicate fragility. Yet, the girl's lips were full and plump, making one yearn for the taste of a kiss. Coupled with her exceptionally high nose bridge, this created a striking contrast of sensuality.

Especially when she remained silent, her undeniable emotional aura surprised Nobita, causing him to instinctively move further away from her.

When they found her on the Santa Maria, she was wearing a thin, tattered dress, her hair was sticky, and she smelled strongly of fish. Given her small stature, Nobita instinctively mistook her for a dirty little child. Looking back, he couldn't believe he'd never asked her age.

"How many girls have you actually tried this method with?"

"what?"

"Sigh... I've noticed that you're just like Shizuka. When asked questions you don't want to answer, you especially like to play dumb." Asur muttered. "Fine, if you don't want to talk about it, then don't. Judging from your practiced manner, this isn't the first time."

"Anyway, after experiencing so much in different eras, I don't think I've ever thanked you yet, have I? I don't want you... to think that I'm a heartless person." She muttered for a while, then took the initiative to stand up and bow respectfully to Da Xiong, "Thank you for protecting me all the way."

"..."

Having said all that, Da Xiong could clearly understand her implied meaning, and his expression changed, showing some regret.

“We’re friends.” He didn’t offer any direct advice, but simply placed one hand on her shoulder and pressed down firmly, saying resolutely, “No matter what happens, that won’t change.”

“I know.” Asur smiled and shook his head, subtly sliding his shoulder away from his grasp, and murmured, “That’s precisely why I need to stay away from you. In life, there are always some things that no one can help you with, things you have to deal with on your own, right?”

"That's pretty much what I'm facing right now."

"Thank you all for your help all this time, but... Nobita..."

"I should probably head back soon."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Where should we go back to?