He darted down the corridors, searching for any sign of Nobita among the sea of faces. Dekisugi's heart pounded in his chest, both from the physical exertion and the urgency to find his friend.
The bell rang, signaling the end of the lunch break, but Dekisugi paid no attention to it. He had a singular objective in mind - to catch up to Nobita.
The hallways slowly emptied as students made their way to their respective classrooms. Dekisugi's azure eyes scanned the crowd desperately, looking for a sign of Nobita.
Finally, he spotted a familiar figure walking alone, headphones on and obviously trying to ignore everyone around him. It was Nobita.
Dekisugi quickened his pace, his long legs covering more ground with each stride. He was gaining on Nobita but didn't want to startle him.
"Nobita! Wait!" Dekisugi called out, his voice echoing slightly in the now practically empty hallway.
The sound of his voice made Nobita freeze for a moment. He paused, his shoulders tensing as if bracing himself before slowly turning around.
His face was guarded, but Dekisugi could see the flicker of emotion in his eyes - both hurt and curiosity.
Dekisugi stopped a few feet away from him, panting slightly from the run. He took a moment to catch his breath before speaking.
"Please, just listen to me," Dekisugi pleaded, his voice softer now. "I know I messed up, but I need to talk to you."
Nobita's eyes darted around the hallway, as if looking for an escape route. He didn't want to talk to Dekisugi, not after all these years. Not after everything.
But there was something in Dekisugi's voice, some vulnerability, that made him hesitate. He let out a heavy sigh, his shoulders sagging a bit.
"Make it quick."
Dekisugi's heart leapt at Nobita's agreement to listen, albeit begrudgingly. He quickly composed himself and began to speak.
"First, I want to apologize," Dekisugi started, his voice serious. "I was too absorbed in my own world to notice how my actions hurt you. I didn't mean to take anything away from you, especially not your... feelings for Shizuka-chan."
Nobita flinched slightly at the mention of Shizuka's name. The memory of his unrequited feelings still stung a bit. But he stayed silent, letting Dekisugi continue.
Dekisugi noticed the flinch and mentally cursed himself for bringing up such a touchy subject. But he pushed on, knowing he had more to say.
"I'm aware of how I unintentionally overshadowed you, both academically and socially," Dekisugi admitted. "I never realized how much pressure it put on you, how it made you feel... inferior."
Nobita's expression hardened at the word "inferior". Dekisugi had hit the nail on the head. That's exactly how Nobita felt. He was always the dumb one in comparison, the one who struggled to keep up.
He stayed silent, his gaze fixed on the ground.
Dekisugi took a step closer, wanting to shorten the distance between them. But he stopped himself, not wanting to push his luck.
"I know words might not be enough, but I'm genuinely sorry, Nobi-kun," he said earnestly. "I never wanted to make you feel... worthless. You weren't. You never were."
Nobita's jaw tensed at Dekisugi's words. The last sentence hit him hard, like a blow to the gut. He wanted to believe Dekisugi, he really did. But years of feeling inferior, of being the butt of the joke, had left their mark on him. It was hard to shake off that feeling now.
YOU ARE READING
Bewitched By You
Fanfiction!! Friends to lovers trope !! Nobita had grown used to the fact that Shizuka-chan did not have any romantic feelings for him, though her rejection left him sore. In order to ease his nerves and avoid being found out, he would often try to avoid Shiz...
