Welcome back

After Ken introduced himself, Suneo and Takeshi gaped at him in astonishment.

"Ken-chan!?" His friends reacted with quick surprise.

Some classmates noticed their expressions and sensed familiarity with the newcomer.

"Do you know them?" A kid beside Suneo asked.

Suneo's eyes welled up briefly as he didn't catch the classmate's question.

Suneo vividly recalled the time Ken bid him and others farewell, feeling a pang of sadness as he regarded Ken as a close friend. Ken had even curbed Takeshi's irrational actions. Takeshi was oddly timid around Ken-chan, though the reason was unclear.

Suneo had once boasted he'd visit Ken in the United States, but he hadn't followed through. While his parents might allow a vacation to Hawaii, going all the way up north to another state wouldn't be approved. It was mostly empty talk.

Nobita and the rest of their friends shared the sadness of Ken's departure. He had acted as their guardian in a way. Even Takeshi, who was reserved around Ken, felt the void. Without Ken showing up now, they might have forgotten his face.

Now, they were pleasantly surprised by his return.

"Ken-chan! You're back!" Takeshi's joyous shout disregarded classmates and teacher alike, focused on his old friend's return.

"Takeshi! Quiet down, you're in my class." The teacher reproached Takeshi.

"Ah! Sorry, sorry..." Takeshi quickly bowed.

"Alright class, now that you've met your new classmate, make him feel welcome. Ken-chan, you can choose a seat." The teacher nodded to Ken.

"Sure." Ken nodded, walked to some vacant seats, ignoring the girls offering him spots. He chose a seat by the window, a place he could gaze at the sky during his occasional daydreams.

As he settled in, the class began.

The bell signaled the end of class, and Ken found himself surrounded by Nobita and his friends.

"How's life in the States, Ken-chan?"

"When did you come back?"

"How did you fare in the States, Ken-chan?"

The barrage of questions and inquiries overwhelmed Ken.

"One question at a time, please." He chuckled, shaking his head.

Subsequently, he fielded the questions without issue.

Why did he and his family move overseas? Well, Ken's father was quite intelligent and his company transferred him to the US based on his qualifications.

Ken's father didn't have much choice but to agree, loving his job enough to accept transfers as long as his family came along.

...

"So, Nobita have a Doraemon?" Ken chuckled.

"Yes! He's a robotic cat with an array of gadgets in his pocket." Suneo confirmed.

"Haha, not exactly a cat, more like a raccoon." Nobita corrected with a faint laugh.

Shizuka couldn't help but giggle.

"And did you learn a lot in the States?" Dekisugi inquired.

"Not really, I'm not as brainy as you, after all." Ken shook his head playfully.

"You're intelligent too, remember? You taught me a lot back then." Dekisugi countered, shaking his head.

They decided to gather in the open lot later to celebrate their reunion.

Ken nodded and agreed. After all, it was a celebration for him.

"So, Takeshi, are you still picking on Nobita-san?" I asked, adding a hint of teasing.

The atmosphere suddenly turned awkward.

Takeshi shook his head with discomfort. When Nobita glared at him, Takeshi began to sweat slightly. Suneo relished in Takeshi's unease, but when Nobita's glare also fell on him, causing Ken to glance his way, Suneo also felt uneasy and started to sweat a bit.