Even though Lin Yu didn't have to brainstorm plots, each manga page often required him to practice it two or three times before he was satisfied with the draft. This redrawing process consumed a lot of time, especially since he also had classes during the day. Even snatching moments to draw between lessons, he couldn't produce much. On a good day, including staying up late, he could manage about a page and a half. Still, even at this pace, it was an improvement over his previous one page per day. If he maintained it, he could finish the twenty-seven pages of the first chapter about nine or ten days faster. This was pretty much Lin Yu's absolute limit at his current skill level. And that didn't even include the time needed for review by publishers, or for the manga to start serialization and begin generating Reputation Points. With the uncertainty of when the Great Adventure into the Underworld plotline might begin, Lin Yu felt he had no choice but to sacrifice his rest and race against the clock to finish his pages.
Shizuka pressed her lips together. Even though Lin Yu had tried to reassure her, she could still sense the immense effort and difficulty he was facing. Especially since, in her mind, she felt partly responsible for this particular creative endeavor (as he'd said she was the inspiration). Being naturally kind-hearted, she felt a pang of self-reproach.
"Lin Yu," she began, turning to him, "maybe starting tomorrow..."
Just as Shizuka was about to suggest something, Mr. Teragoya's voice from the front of the classroom cut her off. "Alright, class, let's begin."
"Alright, class first," Lin Yu whispered with a smile, gently nudging Shizuka's shoulder. "Otherwise, the teacher might call on us."
Shizuka sighed inaudibly, letting her unspoken words hang. She turned back to face the blackboard, but a thoughtful, almost determined glint flickered in her clear eyes, as if she was making a decision.
Class time always seemed to drag on. The dull, uninspired lessons were particularly effective at inducing drowsiness. Even before activating his System, Lin Yu had found these elementary school lessons mind-numbingly boring. Now, combined with his severe lack of sleep from the previous night, Mr. Teragoya's voice seemed to drone directly into his ears like a potent lullaby. Before long, a heavy drowsiness washed over him.
'This is exactly why I hate class,' Lin Yu thought, shaking his head and lightly slapping his cheeks to try and wake himself up. He couldn't afford to slack off; his time was precious, every minute counted.
What Lin Yu didn't notice, however, was that Nobita, sitting at the back of the classroom, had been secretly observing his every move. After yesterday's fiasco and Doraemon's subsequent pep talk, Nobita had (sort of) understood that the best way to win back Shizuka's favor was to become more impressive than Lin Yu. Since Doraemon was currently refusing to lend him any gadgets, Nobita had to figure things out on his own. He wracked his brains but couldn't come up with any brilliant ideas. His only plan, a rather clumsy one, was to meticulously copy everything Lin Yu did. With a ready-made role model right in front of him, learning by imitation seemed like the simplest approach.
But after secretly observing Lin Yu for a while, Nobita grew puzzled. 'That's weird. He's not studying during class either. He's just... drawing...' Nobita was baffled. He recalled that even before, Lin Yu often seemed to be spacing out in class, not visibly studying, yet his grades were always excellent.
'Whatever, I don't get it,' Nobita decided. 'Anyway, I'll just start with drawing. Shizuka seemed to really like that yesterday.' Remembering how engrossed Shizuka had been watching Lin Yu draw, Nobita felt a surge of motivation. He pulled out his own notebook and eagerly began his "impromptu creation."
The first period finally, torturously, came to an end.
"Lin Yu, I..." The moment Mr. Teragoya announced the break, Shizuka turned around, ready to tell Lin Yu what she'd been thinking.
"Shh, Shizuka," Lin Yu mumbled, already slumping forward onto his desk before she could even finish her sentence. "Gonna catch a quick nap. Wake me when class starts again, okay?" And just like that, he was fast asleep.
"Oh," Shizuka sighed softly, looking at Lin Yu's exhausted face. It seemed there wouldn't be an opportunity to talk right now.
Meanwhile, at the back of the room, Nobita, who had spent the entire period "drawing," had already tossed his pencil aside, his face a mask of boredom. Drawing might have seemed interesting at first, but aimless scribbling quickly lost its appeal once his initial three-minute burst of enthusiasm faded. It was even more boring than listening to the actual lesson.
But seeing Lin Yu now fast asleep on his desk, Nobita's eyes lit up. "Hah! Sleeping, huh? Well, that's one area where I've never lost to anyone!" Finally, something he excelled at! Besides, he hadn't slept well last night either. A quick nap sounded perfect. He flopped onto his desk and, leveraging his truly prodigious talent for napping, Nobita was out like a light in seconds – falling asleep even faster than Lin Yu, who'd actually been up until three.
But not long after...
"NOBITA!" a furious voice roared. "Who told you you could sleep in class?!"
Nobita was jolted awake by the shout, still groggy. He groggily lifted his head to see Mr. Teragoya looming over him, his face a mask of stern disapproval, which gave him quite a fright.
"T-teacher... I..." Nobita stammered, panicking. He was about to say something when he felt a dampness on his chin. Looking down, he realized he'd drooled all over his desk... a rather large puddle.
Seeing his predicament, the surrounding classmates burst into uproarious laughter. Gian and Suneo were particularly loud, having been frustrated by Nobita's disappearance yesterday. Seeing him humiliated today, they weren't about to hold back their mockery.
Hearing the laughter and Mr. Teragoya's continued scolding, Nobita felt a surge of injustice. Why was it always just him? Lin Yu was sleeping too, wasn't he...?
Just as he was about to point this out, thinking the teacher hadn't noticed Lin Yu, he glanced over. To his utter dismay, Lin Yu was already sitting up, textbook open in front of him, looking for all the world like a diligent student who'd been studying intently.
A wave of profound frustration washed over Nobita. He had the distinct feeling he'd been outmaneuvered by Lin Yu yet again...
Head bowed in shame, Nobita meekly endured Mr. Teragoya's lecture. He was completely deflated. Seeing Lin Yu already back to drawing, Nobita had no energy left to even try imitating him anymore. Impressing Shizuka? He'd just have to wait until Doraemon lent him a gadget. Trying to do it all himself was just too exhausting.
With that thought, Nobita turned to stare blankly out the window at the clear blue sky, once again lost in a daydream.