#Episode 3: A Secret Revealed

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The following days were a whirlwind of confused emotions for Nobita. Dekisugi's near-confession under the Truth Teller's influence gnawed at him. He replayed the scene in his mind constantly, dissecting every flicker of emotion on Dekisugi's face. However, the weight of his own unrequited feelings towards Shizuka kept him from confronting Dekisugi directly.

One sweltering afternoon, while struggling with his summer homework (courtesy of a particularly vengeful Gian), Nobita found himself seeking refuge in Dekisugi's cool, meticulously organized room. Dekisugi, ever the diligent student, was already buried in advanced math problems, his brow furrowed in concentration.

Nobita shuffled in sheepishly, clutching his crumpled homework sheets. "Hey, Dekisugi… mind helping a friend out?"

Dekisugi looked up, a flicker of surprise crossing his face before he settled into his usual gentle smile. "Sure, Nobita. What's the problem?"

Nobita mumbled through his difficulties, his frustration mounting with each incorrect answer. Dekisugi, however, explained the concepts with a calm patience that soothed Nobita's anxieties. As they worked together, a comfortable silence settled between them, punctuated only by the scratching of pencils and the occasional exasperated groan from Nobita.

Suddenly, the silence shattered. A stray baseball came hurtling through Dekisugi's window, narrowly missing a priceless antique vase. Dekisugi jumped, a startled cry escaping his lips.

"Stupid Gian!" Nobita yelled, recognizing the familiar trajectory of Gian's wild throws. He stormed outside, intent on a good tongue-lashing, but Dekisugi's voice stopped him.

"Wait, Nobita!" Dekisugi called, his voice uncharacteristically loud.

Nobita turned back to see Dekisugi standing by the window, a conflicted expression on his face. Hesitantly, Nobita approached.

"What is it, Dekisugi?" he asked.

Dekisugi took a deep breath, his eyes filled with a sudden determination. "Nobita," he began, his voice barely above a whisper, "I'm okay, I'm not hurt"

"Are you sure?" Nobita said with concerned voice

"Yeah! " Dekisugi nodded.

"But still he needs to know the consequence of hurting others" Nobita said it angrily as he unable to bear witnessing the distress of those who are pure hearted.

"He might have done this unknowingly. Let it go," Dekisugi expressed this sentiment because he cannot bear to be apart from Nobita, even for a moment when they are together.

"I have something to say about the other day…" Dekisugi Said it while blushing.

Nobita's heart hammered in his chest. Was this it? Was Dekisugi finally going to reveal his secret?

"I… I shouldn't have chickened out," Dekisugi continued, his voice gaining strength. "The Truth Teller… it forced me to confront something I've been hiding for a long time."

Nobita held his breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"Nobita," Dekisugi blurted out, his cheeks flushing a bright red, "I… I find you… really interesting."

Nobita blinked, momentarily stunned. "Interesting?" he echoed, unsure of what he'd just heard.

Dekisugi took another deep breath. "Not just interesting," he clarified, his voice barely a whisper. "I… I like you, Nobita. A lot."

The revelation struck Nobita like a bolt of lightning. Dekisugi… liked him? The concept, so unexpected, sent a jolt through him. A mix of confusion, surprise, and a flicker of something he couldn't quite define warred within him.

The weight of Dekisugi's confession slammed into Nobita. His world, already teetering on the edge since his discovery of Dekisugi's secret, tilted completely off its axis.

For years, Nobita had chased after Shizuka, his feelings as constant and unwavering as the rising sun. But Dekisugi's confession, delivered with such raw vulnerability, sparked something new within him. A warmth, a flicker of something he couldn't quite define.

Seeing Nobita's stunned silence, Dekisugi's face crumpled. "I know this is weird," he mumbled, his voice cracking. "Forget I said anything."

Before Nobita could react, Dekisugi bolted out of the room, leaving him speechless.

....

Nobita's house:

The afternoon sun cast long shadows through the window, painting the room in an unsettling gloom. Doraemon looked at Nobita, his processor whirring in concern.

"Nobita," he said gently, "are you alright?"

Nobita stared at doremon blankly.His mind was a whirlwind of confusion. Dekisugi liked him? But how could that be?

Nobita had always seen Dekisugi as his rival, the perfect foil to his own clumsiness. But now, seeing the raw emotion on Dekisugi's face, a new image flickered to life - Dekisugi, not as a competitor, but as a... a what?

Nobita didn't have the answer. All he knew was a strange sense of disorientation, a feeling like a familiar path had taken a sudden, unexpected turn.

The day wore on, heavy with the weight of Dekisugi's confession. Nobita went through the motions of his usual routine, but his mind was elsewhere. Every giggle from Shizuka, every playful jab from Gian, felt distant and irrelevant.

Later that evening, curled up in his futon, Nobita replayed Dekisugi's words in his head. "I like you, Nobita..." The unfamiliar warmth bloomed in his chest again.

Was this... reciprocation? Could he, Nobita Nobi, the perennial underdog, actually feel the same way about Dekisugi?

The answer remained elusive, shrouded in the fog of his own confusion. But one thing was certain Nobita's life, and his feelings, would never be the same again.