4: Surprises.

"It's really you, isn't it?" So what Nobita told them that day was true. Nobita... Shizuka snapped out, deciding to confront the person in front of her now. Shizuka examined Riruru; she looked exactly the same as she did when she disappeared. Had she truly come back? Shizuka felt like bursting into more tears when she realized it really was Riruru in front of her eyes. However, Riruru merely shook her head.

"I don't know you. How did you know my name?" Riruru asked, and Shizuka felt her heart shatter into a million pieces. Her friend did not..remember her."

"Riruru, it's me." Don't you remember me?" Shizuka asked, "She was shaking. She was happy. Her friend was in front of her. But she did not remember her. "... She took a step forward, but Riruru took a step back. The pink-haired girl looked..scared?Why was she scared? Didn't she recognize her at all? what happened? Why was she afraid? Many things ran through Shizuka's mind. Was this real?

"I'm sorry, I don't recognize you at all." Riruru trailed off as she bowed, "I'm sorry... but I need to go." Riruru suddenly turned and ran away. Shizuka, not wanting Riruru to leave just yet, ran after her.

"Riruru!" She called after her, but the pink-haired girl ignored her and continued to run. She needed to go after her. With the appearance of Riruru, could she be related to Nobita's disappearance? Shizuka needed answers.

Riruru ran and ran. She needed to get away from this strange girl. How does she know her? .. Riruru turned a corner, only for her to run into a dead end. Just her luck. Riruru looked behind her and noticed Shizuka cornering her. "Le-Leave me alone! I don't know you." Riruru screamed with fear in her voice. She was shaking like a leaf. Shizuka needed to calm her down. She had so many things to ask the pink-haired girl. Just as Shizuka was about to open her mouth, she was blown away by an invisible force, landing a few meters away from Riruru.

"You alright? Riruru?" A voice that Shizuka identified She got up from her fall and saw a boy in front of Riruru. Shizuka felt fear grip her as she noticed who was blocking her from Riruru.

Absolute...

Absolute smirked as he noticed Shizuka shaking on the ground while staring at him. "Hmph..Dorami must've told you about me..and that I can kill you right here..right now." Absolute held a hand as if ready to attack. Seeing this, Shizuka shielded herself, ready to take a hit until...

She heard a chuckle.

She opened her eyes to see Absolute chuckling while lowering his arm. "But I won't. Nobita would hate me." Shizuka blinked... She noticed Absolute had an arm out. Was he

protecting Riruru?...

Taking a deep breath and gathering her courage, she spoke, "Y-you..you talk about Nobita..what do you know? about him?"

Absolute stared at Shizuka. Shizuka could have sworn she saw sadness in his eyes before it faded. "Let's just say I'm related to him." Absolute spoke in his usual cocky tone, and Shizuka examined him closely. The boy was quite handsome. He had raven hair and red eyes. His appearance was that of a young boy. Absolute noticed Shizuka staring. He narrowed his eyes.

"You could stare at me all day, but it won't help you find Nobita," Absolute said this to snap Shizuka out. Shizuka blinked, realizing she was staring. Her face turned a deep red.

"N-no i.."

Absolute gave a chuckle. "If you're interested in me, sorry. I already have a girlfriend. "Absolute," he said as he turned to Riruru, noticing this. Shizuka tried to warn her.

"Riruru, get away from him!"

But to her surprise, Riruru ran up to him and hugged him!

It clicked in her mind. Absolutes'..girlfriend was...Riruru!?

"Absolute I.."

"I told you to be careful when you're outside. Let's go." Absolute lightly scolded... Absolute waved his right arm, opening a dark portal in front of them. He gently pushed Riruru in before turning back to Shizuka, who finally managed to get up from her previous fall. "Hmph. Tell the others you all have five days to find Nobita. If not, he dies. The game starts now. See you, loser." Absolute taunt before entering the portal. Shizuka could only stare helplessly as the portal slowly closed.

But she could not believe her eyes.

Many things occurred right in front of her. Riruru was alive, but she was scared. Absolute got in her way without killing her, and the most surprising of all

Absolute was protecting Riruru, even asking her if she was alright. An S-rank criminal asked a girl if she was alright. It was too much to comprehend, and Shizuka fell to her knees again.

She needed to tell the others about this.

"W-wait... Riruru is alive? And Absolute was actually protecting her? And Riruru is Absolute's girlfriend?" Suneo asked when they all gathered at Shizuka's house. They ran immediately when Shizuka called them with an urgent message, and they all raced to meet her.

"Are you sure you're not seeing things?" The poor excuse for a hum-gorilla asked (I'm sorry, XD).

"No! I've seen it with my eyes. I saw her, but she doesn't remember me!" Shizuka screamed frantically, and the others swore her head was about to detach from her body.

The others took a look and were shocked. The footage showed a boy looking exactly like Nobita giving a heavy-looking brown bag to an old lady, who maybe was the caretaker of the orphanage.

"At least, we have one place to start looking. Let's go!" Doraemon ordered.

"Finally, they figure it out." Absolute commented "Your friends are really eager to meet you. I guess you got careless."

Nobita growled "Grr... shut up! we gotta get out of here fast."

Absolute chuckled. He couldn't wait to see their faces when they saw what was in store for them.