"Gian, why did that girl run away?"
Confused, Xiao Fu pushed aside the bushes and emerged, Nobita nervously following close behind, while Hiroshi covered his mouth and chuckled, remaining aloof from the situation.
"Xiao Fu… why did you ruin my good deed? All of you, go apologize immediately!!"
Gian's face was terribly gloomy, like a fiery goblin, anger burning fiercely in his eyes, and Gu Chuan Xiao Fu was at risk of being torn to shreds at any moment.
Even though he found someone to take the blame, did Xiao Fu and the others, who caused such an embarrassing situation, not have any fault at all?
Gian cracked his knuckles, preparing to throw a punch.
"Gian… Gian, I'm going now!"
Fearing his brute strength, Nobi Nobita took off, slipping away with the others, his figure disappearing without a trace.
...
With a vast crowd on the streets, how easy would it be for four people to find a girl who had vanished without a trace?
The best way was to split up.
"Pet hospital, let me see…"
Walking alone through the back street, looking left and right, Nobi Hiroshi's gaze drifted over the signs on both sides of the road.
If a beloved dog was injured, it definitely needed to be taken to the hospital for treatment, especially a dirty dog like Cool Guy; it needed timely medical attention if it bit someone.
It would be dangerous if it spread certain viruses and bacteria. He hoped Banji was okay.
In fact, Hiroshi himself was someone who liked small animals, especially petting Mi-chan, Doraemon's girlfriend.
However, the number of times he petted the cat had sharply decreased recently. Doraemon had become very strict, forbidding Mi-chan from approaching his room, which was really excessive.
Wasn't it just petting a cat? It was as if he had done something outrageous.
After spending a lot of time, Nobi Hiroshi finally found the pet hospital. A familiar figure stood at the entrance, holding a small dog in her arms. She happened to meet Nobi Hiroshi as she came out.
He adopted a proactive approach, intentionally or unintentionally choosing not to ask her name.
"Excuse me… Is your little dog okay?" His tone was like the warm sunlight of spring, gently falling, making those who heard it feel pleasant.
The dejected girl raised her head, looked at the somewhat familiar face, was slightly startled, and then revealed a gentle smile.
"Thank you for your concern, it's fine now."
"Did we meet in the park? Did you specially come to check on my little dog?"
Her voice carried a subtle tremor, clearly touched by his gentleness.
And among them, a charming appearance definitely held a significant advantage, capable of leaving an impression, even if slight, on people one met by chance.
But pay attention to the premise: don't imitate Gian and rely on a fierce demeanor to leave a lasting impression.
"Yes, we did meet in the park. It's really great that your dog is okay."
Listening closely, her voice flowed like a clear spring in his ears, and Nobi Hiroshi felt a strange sense of closeness and warmth.
He nodded gently and reached out to touch Banji's head. The little dog was very cooperative, licking the young man's fingertips with its tongue.
If the person you want to win over owns a dog, you don't necessarily have to use pets to connect. Isn't it better if her little dog likes you?
Hiroshi understood this principle. While petting the dog, he stared at the soft, undulating mound above the dog's head, confirming it was slightly larger than Shizuka's.
But he wouldn't jump to conclusions yet.
As the ancients said, what is learned from books is ultimately shallow; to truly know, one must practice.
Big or small, he would find out later.
"Hmph hmph~ You have such a kind heart."
The girl smiled sweetly, looking down at the hand petting little Banji.
Suddenly, her delicate body trembled. His knuckles touched her bud, and her snow-white cheeks instantly flushed pink.
"Hmmph~"
Her nose twitched slightly, and Nobi Hiroshi still appeared calm and composed in her eyes.
He must have touched it by accident, right?
The thoughtful girl proactively found an excuse.
"Thank you for the compliment, it's actually not that big of a deal~"
Withdrawing his hand, Nobi Hiroshi unconsciously pursed his lips, savoring the feeling that was neither too soft nor too firm. He really didn't do it on purpose!
If anyone was to blame, it was the beautiful age that didn't require a bra for support. What did it have to do with him?
After exchanging greetings, the two walked out of the back street, exchanged smiles, and then swapped names.
The girl's name was Saotome Seiko. She had just moved to town three days ago, no wonder he had never seen her before. Presumably, when school started, there would be another transfer student in the class.
"Seiko, do you want to drink bubble tea?"
Passing a bubble tea shop, Nobi Hiroshi pointed at the sign and turned to look at the girl beside him.
"No… you don't need to spend money…"
Saotome Seiko held Banji with one hand and gently waved her other free hand.
It was their first meeting, and he was already treating her; being reserved, she didn't have the nerve to accept.
But what was strange was that she didn't refuse the intimate nickname "Seiko." A girl's thoughts were indeed the hardest to fathom.
"How is it spending money? This cup of bubble tea is my apology to you on behalf of my friend. You can't refuse now, can you?"
Saying that, Nobi Hiroshi walked straight to the bubble tea shop entrance to queue, and Saotome Seiko's raised hand also lowered.
"Hiroshi is really gentle, but I just don't know why he has such friends. Don't you agree, Banji?"
"Woof~ Woof~"
The little dog in her arms barked twice, indicating agreement. Meanwhile, Gian, resting at home, suddenly sneezed violently, feeling that someone was talking about him behind his back.
About a quarter of an hour later, Nobi Hiroshi walked over from not far away, holding two cups of bubble tea.
Saotome Seiko sat with her legs crossed on the edge of a flowerbed, her pretty face mercilessly baked by the sun, a rosy red, with a hint of cuteness in her silliness.
"Here, strawberry boba with less ice."
"Thank you~"
Dry-mouthed, Saotome Seiko lightly bit the straw, sipping the bubble tea in small sips. The cool liquid slid down her throat into her stomach, providing a sense of relief from the inside out.
Having a cup in the middle of summer was truly enjoyable.
Sipping their bubble tea, the two walked leisurely, without any specific destination, purely enjoying the feeling.
"Seiko!"
Suddenly, a leisurely voice came from behind, gentle and refined, clearly from a lady-level figure.
Hiroshi looked back and, sure enough, it was a woman with a similar appearance to Saotome Seiko.
Identifying people by their voice was common sense. The lady smiled sweetly and approached, carrying a small handbag.
"Mom, why are you here?"
A hint of nervousness, unnoticed by herself, appeared in Saotome Seiko's heart.
"I just came out to buy some things, and I didn't expect Seiko to make friends so quickly."
Patting her daughter's head, the lady subtly sized up Nobi Hiroshi. From his appearance alone, he seemed like a very good child.
"Mother… *cough cough*, Hello, Auntie."
Nobi Hiroshi obediently tilted his head. He almost said "mother" at the beginning.
Although it was already destined, since nothing had happened yet, it was better to keep a low profile.
"Hmm, what a good child. I'm very happy that you can be friends with our Seiko. Be good friends, okay."
"Remember to come to our house next week. It's Seiko's birthday. I'll be going now."
The beautiful lady came and went quickly, exchanging a few hurried greetings before disappearing from Nobi Hiroshi's sight again.
"Hmph, Mom is really…"
Saotome Seiko looked in the direction her mother had left, pouting. She had originally wanted to invite Hiroshi herself, but her nervous feeling was ruined.
"Birthday, huh…"
"Seiko, can I bring my friends with me?"
Hiroshi tapped his toe thoughtfully.
"Of course, you're very welcome."
"However, are you going to invite that person?"
Seiko's tone suddenly became tense. She twisted her small hands behind her waist, her eyes seemingly pleading with Hiroshi not to bring a certain person.
"Are you talking about Gian?"
"Yes, that big guy."
"That person stared at me with weird eyes, and even more exaggeratedly, he said our Banji was a urinal!!!"
Saotome Seiko put her hands on her slender waist, her expression gradually shifting from anger to helplessness.
Her hands were clenched into fists, knuckles white from the effort, her chest heaving violently, every word like fire squeezed through her teeth.
"That… that's indeed quite excessive."
Nobi Hiroshi chuckled dryly, his mind pondering how to make Seiko forgive Gian's transgression.
Not just for the sake of their friendship.
American five-star general Douglas MacArthur once commented: If the victim is absent from a bull's birthday party, then even the most delicious birthday cake will become bland.