Doraemon eagerly ate the dorayaki before him, oblivious to his sister's and Sewashi's stares.
Dorami was looking uncomfortable and worried. Sewashi looked unhealthy for a boy his age and right now, his face was expressionless.
After he was done, he looked at them with a huge smile on his face. Dorami smiled back tentatively but Sewashi's face remained impassive.
"So, why the sudden invitation?" asked Doraemon contentedly.
"Oh, nothing oni-san, just a friendly gathering," answered Dorami. "How's Nobita-kun?"
"Oh, the same as always: complaining about something or other, always pestering me for help, sleeping around and not studying…"
As Doraemon continued, Sewashi's face grew more and more agitated.
"Doraemon," he said at last. "You're not doing your job."
Doraemon stopped in mid-sentence. "Excuse me?"
Sewashi sighed.
"What was the reason I sent you back to the past?" he asked.
"To help Nobita-kun…" answered Doraemon, not comprehending.
"…in order to help us," finished Sewashi. "You're not doing that now."
Doraemon stood up indignantly.
"I helped Nobita-kun a lot of times…" he began but was interrupted by Sewashi.
"You're doing nothing but spoiling him," he said. "He's a lot worse than he was before. Last time he'd do his work. Badly, sloppily and incorrectly perhaps, but now he couldn't even be bothered to try because he keeps asking for your help. It's not just his studies, it's everything he does. He's become dependant on you or rather your pocket. You're making him worse."
Doraemon was stunned. He knew that Nobita was always helpless, but now that he thought about it…
"What do you want me to do?" he asked.
Sewashi stood up.
"We need you to be firm with him," he said. "If you won't discipline him, then at least refuse to aid him in matters that you know he can handle himself."
"But...what if Gian bullies him?" asked Doraemon.
"Then he has to learn to stand up for himself," replied Sewashi. "You're standing up for him too much."
"But if Suneo belittles him with the things he doesn't have…" began Doraemon.
"…then he has to learn to that he couldn't have everything he wants," finished Sewashi, his eyes hardening. "I did."
"What about Shizuka?" asked Doraemon.
"Nobita-kun will have to impress her by being himself rather than with the items you coddle him with," answered Sewashi.
Doraemon looked down, uncertain.
"Oni-san," said Dorami, walking forward. "Please understand that this is for his own good just as much as it is for ours. Nobita-kun has to be independent and successful and he can't do that if you continue to baby him."
"But he needs me…" said Doraemon softly.
"We're not telling to you not to help him anymore," said Sewashi in a kinder voice. "But we suggest that you stop helping him directly. Help him in more subtle ways so that he can learn to do things himself instead of depending on your gadgets."
"I see…" said Doraemon. Straightening up, the cat robot looked at them both.
"I know that I was wrong before. I won't repeat my mistakes."
With that, Doraemon left to return to the twentieth century.
Dorami and Sewashi watched him go.
"I hope it'll be all right," said Dorami anxiously. "His friendship with Nobita-kun means a lot to him."
"Nobita-kun is already taking his friendship for granted," said Sewashi tiredly. "If he can't see that everything Doraemon is and will be doing is all for him, then he doesn't deserve Doraemon's friendship."
Dorami was silent. She didn't have to say anything to that. She knew it was true.
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