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 14: And the Story Continues

I looked at the two girls reaching out their hands to me, and I was stunned.

I made a girl say such things purely because I lacked courage. I lacked bravery.

After they confessed their feelings so openly, I think I cannot back down.

When I recall, ever since that incident, they always stayed by my side.

In return, did I ever give anything back to them?

Since we first exchanged words in that hospital room, I relied on them completely.

From going to and from school to lunch breaks, they always provided me with fun times and spaces.

It’s not devotion at all. Because they genuinely enjoy their time with me, I can enjoy it fully too.

Because of such girls, I fell in love with both of them.

So, I won’t hesitate anymore.

With all my strength, I want to respond to their feelings. I think so.

“Phew…”

I exhale and approach the girls reaching out to me.

“Ryu-kun…?”

“Ryu…”

They raise their heads slowly, looking anxious.

Even though they act strong, they probably feel unease in their hearts.

I swear to the goddess who kept me in this world that I won’t let them make such faces again.

Instead of holding their hands, I step between them.

Perhaps because I didn’t hold their hands, they twist their expressions.

I put my arms around both their shoulders and hold them close.

“Ryu, Ryu-kun!? What’s with this suddenly!?”

“…Today’s supply is too much…!”

Their eyes widen.

Haha, I think the atmosphere was quite heavy until just now, but thanks to them, my heart feels lighter.

This might be what makes us, us.

“Sorry for making you say so much. Can I say something too?”

“…Yeah, tell us how you feel, Ryu-kun.”

“I want to know too. What does Ryu think of us?”

“I love you both too. Will you both be my girlfriends?”

As I say this, large tears spill from their beautiful eyes.

“Yes…! Please make me your girlfriend, Ryu-kun!”

“Even if you get tired of us, we won’t let you go…!”

Seeing them like this, my emotions overflow too.

These aren’t tears. It’s rain. A movie or drama said men only cry when they’re born or when a loved one dies, right?

We sat on a bench for a while to calm our feelings and spent time leisurely.

Perhaps because our feelings connected, I feel the barrier to physical closeness thinned.

Now, they lean on my shoulders from both sides, and they hold hands on my lap.

No one, including me, speaks in this quiet space, but even such time feels precious. Is this the change that comes with dating?

“Hehe… This is what happiness feels like, right…?”

Makoto, on my right, completely softens her face.

I think I want to see this expression a lot from now on.

“…Makoto, I love you.”

“Hiu! C-calling my name suddenly is unfair!”

I thought now was the time to call her.

With my personality, if I miss this timing, I might keep calling her by her last name.

Come to think of it, it took time to get used to calling Yuna by her name too…

As I think this, someone suddenly pinches my left arm.

“Muu, you just thought of another girl.”

“N-no, that’s not true, Kanade.”

“…I’ll forgive you if you call me more.”

“I love you, Kanade.”

“…Kufu.”

“Muu, me too, me too!”

I pat Makoto’s head as she brings her face closer.

“Fuyahe…”

Makoto-san, that’s a face a lady shouldn’t make, you know?

I relaxed while watching their cute gestures and faces,

but Kanade’s words hit my heart like a punch.

“Ryu.”

“Hm? What’s up?”

“Keep it to four more wives, okay?”

“…Huh?”

“Yeah, yeah! We had to talk about that, right?”

“If you want to date someone else, talk to us properly, okay?”

“…Sorry, what do you mean?”

“Well, you can marry up to six people, right?”

“Yeah. But if we’re going to be wives together, we want to get along.”

“…Huh?”

“Didn’t it make big news?”

“The marriage limit changed about five years ago.”

Hm? If my memory is correct, Japan didn’t have such a polygamy system…!?

That’s why I resolved to protect them both with all my strength, even if society didn’t accept it!?

Not that recognizing polygamy changes my resolve to protect them…

This is bad, too much is happening, and I’m confused…

“You looked pale earlier… Are you okay? The hospital’s probably closed now…”

Makoto touches my body all over.

Um, Makoto-san, I think it’s not good to touch a guy carelessly.

“No, I think I’m just a bit tired. I’ll be fine after a night’s sleep.”

“If you’re still like this tomorrow, I’ll drag you to the hospital.”

“I’ll rely on you then.”

“…It’s unfair to act so clingy. No sneak attacks.”

Kanade hugs my waist as is.

Well, I’ll deal with all this later.

For now, I’ll just enjoy this moment.

After returning home, I dove straight into the internet in my room to solve the polygamy issue.

‘Polygamy Bill Passed, Will It Be the Ultimate Solution to the Declining Birthrate?’

This is it…

No matter how much I search my memory, I don’t recall this news at all.

Judging by the article’s page views, it should’ve been pretty big news.

“Ugh, thinking won’t help! But it’s definitely convenient for me…”

When I researched the polygamy policy in detail,

– Both men and women can have up to six spouses.

– If a child is born to a polygamist, a 300,000 yen subsidy is provided per child.

– The government offers support based on the number of spouses.

This seems relevant to me.

When this policy started, fake marriages for subsidy fraud were rampant, but in the last year or two, the system stabilized, and many households, both men and women, have multiple spouses.

In short, harems and reverse harems exist pretty normally. I don’t get it anymore. I stopped thinking.

I closed the browser and opened the LIIN app.

What caught my eye was the group chat with Makoto, Kanade, and me, its name.

‘Love Nest’

Isn’t that too simple?

It’s kind of scary.

Well, whatever.

KOTOKOTO: Hehe, nice name, right! I could eat three bowls of rice just looking at it!

Kanade: I get it. I finally feel like we’re Ryu’s.

I’ll send a message once I calm down. It’s kinda embarrassing.

Now, I need to report today’s events to a few people, so I’ll send them messages.

ryu: Sakuya, got a sec?

saku: What? What’s up, big brother?

ryu: Well, actually, I started dating Makoto and Kanade.

saku: __Voice Call Incoming__

“What do you mean, big brother!?”

“Well, it’s just like I wrote in the message…”

“Grr… I thought dating would happen much later…”

“Sakuya? What was that?”

“N-nothing! Well, I’ll say congrats for now! Just for now!”

“Th-thanks. What’s with ‘for now’?”

“Who knows! I’ve got some thinking to do, so I’m hanging up! Good night!”

“Hey, wait…!”

With that, Sakuya really ended the call.

That was like a storm. What’s up with her…?

Next.

ryu: Got a sec?

Yuna Yamamura: What’s up this late?

ryu: I wanted to report something.

Yuna Yamamura: What’s with this out of the blue?

ryu: Well, I got a girlfriend.

Yuna Yamamura: __Voice Call Incoming__

“What do you mean you got a girlfriend!?”

“Well, I got confessed to today, or rather, I confessed…”

“…What a thing… I was supposed to be your first…”

“Yuna?”

“N-nothing! So, what kind of girl?”

“Well, I told you before, right? The girls I protected from the attacker.”

“Wait. Girls, plural?”

“Uh, well…”

“…”

“I’m dating both of them…”

“…Hmph. I’ll praise you for telling me first.”

“At first… Never mind.”

“So two spots are already taken… I can’t dawdle…!”

“Hey, Yuna?”

“I need to plan… First, I’ll arrange to meet these girls…”

“Yuna-san, can you hear me?”

“Sorry, I’m hanging up! I can’t stay like this! Bye!”

“Wait, hold on… She hung挂了.”

Aren’t both of them too hectic?

What’s going on…?

After that, I didn’t forget to report to my parents, who warmly congratulated me.

When I got discharged, Dad and Mom got along well with Makoto and Kanade.

They even told me to bring them home during summer vacation.

I’ll discuss that with them.

KOTOKOTO: Kanade, how many more wives do you think Ryu-kun can have?

Kanade: I bet at least two more.

ryu: Wait, what are you both talking about?

KOTOKOTO: Oh, Ryu-kun! If you like someone else, talk to us properly, okay?

Kanade: We’ll personally check if they’re worthy of Ryu.

ryu: Are you assuming I’ll get more girlfriends?

KOTOKOTO: Rather than you actively looking… right?

Kanade: Girls will probably come to you. You’re handsome, Ryu.

ryu: I’m glad you say that, but…

While having such a conversation, Sunday night passed.

My first day at school as their boyfriend, my first classes, my first after-school time… everything feels like a completely different view. It’s amazingly fresh.

I’m looking forward to school from tomorrow.