I Thought I Was Dead After Getting Stabbed While Protecting a Girl From a Random Attacker, but a Goddess Gave Me a Special Reward and Brought Me Back to Life in My Original Body—Now, All These Girls Are Coming on to Me!?

Chapter 11: The Person I Like

I, Makoto Hiragi, have someone I like.

About a month ago, my best friend Kanade and I decided to wear our middle school uniforms one last time. We went out to have fun together.

We both got accepted into Phoenix High School, so we celebrated by window shopping and eating lunch at a slightly expensive café. We had a really fun time.

But that day didn’t end with just fun.

“Eek!”

We decided to stop by a convenience store on the way home to buy some snacks.

As we approached the store from the corner, I suddenly saw a man holding a knife standing in front of us.

I let out a scream from the shock, and the man noticed us. He gave a creepy smile and started walking toward us.

I have to escape. I have to protect Kanade.

I thought that, but my body wouldn’t move the way I wanted.

Before I knew it, I collapsed to the ground. My legs gave out, and I couldn’t put strength into them to stand up.

Will I die in a place like this?

I glanced at Kanade next to me, and her face looked as pale as mine.

I wanted to protect at least Kanade, so I somehow managed to shield her by holding her. I didn’t think this would save her life.

But if this man attacked me, maybe the convenience store clerks over there could tackle him. I decided to endure at least until then and tightly closed my eyes.

I thought that, but the impact or pain I expected never came.

When I slowly opened my eyes, a large back stood between us and the man.

It was a very large back. Maybe we’ll be saved, I thought for a moment.

*Thud*

A dull sound echoed.

The man stabbed the person who protected us with the knife.

He grabbed the hand that stabbed him and threw the man away with force.

But in doing so, the knife in his side came out, and because of that, he collapsed to his knees.

Even to an untrained eye, a lot of blood was flowing out.

Kanade and I desperately pressed on his wound, but we couldn’t stop the bleeding.

Even in that situation, he only cared about us, not himself.

“I’m glad… you two aren’t hurt… that alone makes it… worth protecting… ugh…”

Now that I think about it, I believe our love started moving when we heard those words.

“Makoto, I need to talk to you a bit.”

“…Okay, I understand.”

Kanade doesn’t show much emotion on her face, but since we’ve been friends for so long, I can read her feelings to some extent from her expressions.

From her gaze, I could guess what she wanted to talk about.

“…I like Minase-kun.”

“I thought so.”

Kanade seems pretty cold to others, but inside, she’s way more girly than me. She reads tons of shoujo manga and has watched almost every rom-com anime with a female lead.

It’s only natural that she’d fall in love after someone saved her life like that.

Well, I can’t really talk about others…

“But, Makoto, you like Minase-kun too, don’t you?”

“That’s…”

Of course, he protected us, but also,

he replies politely to our endless messages,

he naturally walks on the street side when we go to school together,

he always shields us to protect us whenever something happens,

and as we got to know him, I learned so many good things about him…

“…Yeah, I like him too. I really like him.”

I fell in love.

“But even if it’s you, Makoto, I don’t want to give up Minase-kun. I can’t.”

…That’s how it is, I think. I feel the same way.

Until now, Kanade and I never really fought.

Because we could share everything—favorite foods, favorite idols, favorite manga.

“So… from now on, we’re riva—‘So why don’t both of us have him?’ …Huh?”

Hehe. Makoto looks super surprised. Just as planned.

When I saw Minase-kun’s big back during that incident, I decided I’d become his wife.

He thought I was joking, but every word I said to him was true.

“This is practically fate, no exaggeration.”

“Looking forward to forever.”

There’s no lie in those words.

*Deep breath*

…When I went to Minase-kun’s house, I admit I went a bit overboard and felt bad about it.

Anyway.

People might think I’m an easy girl. They might think I’m just in love with love.

But I decided I won’t lie about my feelings.

I come from a pretty good family, so since childhood, I’ve interacted with lots of people. Some were good, some were bad. So, I naturally developed an eye for people.

As a result, since I was young, the only people I truly trusted were my parents and Makoto.

But now, Minase-kun is included.

My heart is screaming not to let him go.

But there was one big concern.

Makoto.

She likes a lot of the same things as me.

So, I thought she might eventually like Minase-kun, whom I fell for.

At first, she saw him as the person who saved our lives, but as we spent time together,

I could feel her eyes on Minase-kun changing.

To the eyes of a girl in love.

So, I thought.

About a way for both of us to be happy.

I can’t fight with Makoto. Even if it’s over a boy I really like.

But I don’t want to give up Minase-kun.

And I found it. A way for all of us to be happy.

“Wait a sec, Kanade. Both of us…?”

“Exactly what it sounds like. You and I, we both become Minase-kun’s girlfriend. I’m so genius it scares me.”

“N-no way… is that okay…?”

“Because this way, it’s not just Minase-kun. I can stay with my beloved Makoto forever too.”

“…! Kanade…”

If either Makoto or I started dating Minase-kun?

Of course, we’d still be best friends. But would we stay together like before? Probably not.

But if both of us are with Minase-kun, the fun times we’ve had together will get even more fun. We’ll be even happier.

“Me and… Kanade, together…”

It’s okay. Makoto will definitely agree.

Because we’re alike. Our tastes, our personalities.

Just imagine it.

The three of us—me, Makoto, and Minase-kun—living together.

It’ll definitely be fun. Hehe.

I was thinking such cheerful things, so maybe I got punished for it.

It seems we caught the attention of a weird guy.

Before Minase-kun returned to school,

a guy named Koki Nishino invited us during lunch break, and we ate with him and his already close group once.

That’s when it happened.

“So, I heard you two got attacked by a mugger. Were you okay?”

A chill ran through me. The fact that we were victims of that incident was supposed to be kept secret. Why does this guy know about it? Ignoring our expressions, he kept talking.

“It must’ve been scary. If anything happens, talk to me. I’ll come help no matter what.”

His smiling face made me feel an eerie chill.

I already didn’t like him, but I raised my guard against him to the max.

Even after that, he kept saying things that disregarded our feelings.

“So, you two were always with Minase-kun, who wasn’t used to school at first, so you didn’t hang out with us much, right? So…”

“I get it, but only talking to him isn’t healthy, you know. Lots of people want to talk to you two. I’m one of them.”

“I get that you’re concerned about Minase-kun since he protected you, but don’t you think it’s time to think about yourselves?”

What is this guy saying?

We’re with Minase-kun because we want to be.

There’s no calculation or pity in it.

Unless he’s full of himself, Minase-kun must feel it’s fun to be with us too.

The one disregarding our feelings is you.