Doraemon and Nobi

It was 3 o'clock in the morning, and I was still studying. My anxiety level was increasing by every passing minutes.

"Please god, just save me this once, I promise I'll study better from the next time!" I was busy in chanting all the prayers I knew. And that's when brother came. He might have decided to check on me after seeing the lights of my room on.

"Still awake? Hmm, you must be preparing for your exams." He said and I nodded in affirmation. "Jeez, Raine, grow up! When will you understand that your eleventh hour rush is not going to do any good. It will just tire you up instead. And you won't–"

"And I won't be able to write properly because of the fatigue and lack of sleep." I completed his sentence. "I know. You have told me many times."

"And yet, you didn't find my words important enough to be followed." He stated in a tired voice which made me guilty for some unknown reasons.

"I am almost done studying. Just one last page, and I'll go to sleep." Then I added, "I promise!" He gave me a nod and said,

"Okay, I believe you." After saying that he went away from my room and I continued my study. As I had promised to my brother, I went to sleep after memorizing one page.

....

Next day once I came out of the examination hall after completing my exam, I met Annie.

"How's your exam?" She asked.

"Pretty good." I said with a smile. "I learnt from the best after all." This statement made her laugh. Then I continued, "Thank you for helping me with the exam preparations. Please do let me know if I can be of your service in any way."

"You were a good learner," She said. "But if you still wish to thank me then...be a superstar that I want you to become."

Her words made me smile out of happiness. "I promise I will." I assured her.

....

At home I was chilling around in my room when I remembered that it was my brother's birthday. "Shit! It completely slipped out of my mind due to the turmoil that examination brought into my mind."

I ran out of my room to look for my brother, and to my worst luck, I bumped into my Aunt.

"What do you think you are doing, little lady?" She asked, not pleased with me running around. "Shall I remind you this is a house and not some zoo to run like that?"

"Sorry, aunt. I was looking for my brother." I replied while looking at the ground.

"And what was so important that made you run around and look for John?" Her tone ever so strict.

"Actually I haven't wished him happy birthday yet..." I responded. The feeling of guilt making its way to my heart. But my aunt, for some odd reason, sighed with relief.

"It's almost evening and you haven't wished him yet?" She gave me a dismissive wave then she murmured something incoherent. I could only understand a few of her words. "... thought they were getting closer..." What the hell does it even mean? Such a crazy family!

Taking her distraction as my chance to slip past the lady villain, I continued to look for my brother. Once I found him, the first word I said was,

"Sorry..." Sorry for wishing you this late were the unspoken words which I failed to utter. At my words, brother chuckled. Then I said, "Happy birthday, Doraemon! May you get everything you desire this year." For a few seconds he looked frozen, then as if getting control over his emotions, he came closer to me. It seemed he was about to hug me like he used to when we were kids, but he didn't.

"Thank you, Nobi," then he asked, "Where is my gift?" Gift? What gift? I don't have any gift to give you!

But wait, did he called me Nobi?! That means he still remembered our nicknames from childhood. What a nostalgic feeling...

"You will get your gift right after the cake cutting." I said but I had no idea what the hell I was going to gift him.

To make me even more worried, he smiled and said, "Then I shall look forward to your gift, little one," I gave him a tight smile in response and was about to go back to my room when I heard him saying,

"We are going to the hotel to celebrate my birthday." So what? The question came to my mind. I was not looking forward to eat the birthday salads.

Then what he said next, made me almost dance with happiness. "Just us and few of my friends." That means no freaking uncle and aunt?! Yay life!

"You mean no uncle and aunty?" I asked him to make sure if my assumptions were right.

"Don't push your luck, little sister," He then said, "Go and get ready. Also, I know you are prohibited to make friends, but judging by your rebellious nature, you must have made some friends. You can invite them if you want to." Yes! I can invite my friend that only means the two villains of my life would not be at the party!

"I understand, brother." I said as I took a run for my room.

The first thing I did was to call Annie and invite her to the party. Thankfully we had exchanged our numbers last day.

Later I got dressed into a black leather swing dress which was long enough to reach to my knees. I paired with white laced sneakers and I tied a black watch around my wrist. I applied some moisturizer all over my face as the make up.

But my main concern was still the same. What was I supposed to gift him? People say, one should gift something that would convey their personal feelings. But judging by how drastically brother had changed in last 5-6 years, it's better he doesn't know my thoughts at all. Because if he did hear it, either he would die out of laughter or he would kill me out of anger.

But he had started to be kinda nice since past few days...Oh right! I know what should I gift him!

....