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 9.1: The Story of How I Ended Up Throwing in Front of a Gallery for Some Reason

The next day, I went to school with Makoto Hiragi and Kanade Sumeragi as usual, but as expected, my classmates interrogated me about my relationship with Yuna.

“Is it true that you’re childhood friends with that senior, Yamamura!?” a classmate asked excitedly.

“Tell us how you two met!” another classmate demanded eagerly.

“I heard that some first-year students already confessed to her and got rejected. Is that because she’s dating you, Minase!?” a third classmate questioned curiously.

To these nosy classmates, it seemed that Yuna and I were already dating in their minds. Were their heads too full of romantic fantasies? Well, it might be typical high school thinking.

However, I had to focus on something more pressing than the classmates gathered in front of me. Yes, the two girls standing behind me.

“Minase, is it true that you’re dating Senior Yamamura?” Makoto asks suspiciously.

“If it’s true, we need to hold an emergency meeting. If it’s not, we need to hold a strategy meeting,” Kanade states firmly.

“Doesn’t that mean I can’t escape either way?” I reply nervously.

I felt a chilling aura rising from behind the two girls.

The cold was intense. Wait, did I catch a cold?

No, hold on. I wasn’t dating either of them, right?

Even if I were dating Yuna, there shouldn’t be anything for me to feel guilty about…

Then maybe I shouldn’t walk to school with them? Point taken.

“Calm down, I’m not dating Yuna. We’re just close childhood friends,” I explain clearly.

“Is that true?” Makoto asks cautiously.

“I believe you,” Kanade says reassuringly.

“Alright, Ryu doesn’t lie,” Makoto adds confidently.

Their words seemed to calm them down, and the chilling aura from behind them subsided.

Good. I almost froze to death.

However, the other classmates weren’t satisfied and started to press closer to me. Now, how should I handle this situation?

“Everyone, you’re troubling the three of them,” Koki Nishino says calmly.

“Nishino?” I respond surprised.

Koki Nishino spoke up from behind the crowd, gesturing to calm everyone down.

“Not only Minase but also Hiragi and Sumeragi get troubled if you stop them for no reason. Everyone, please be considerate,” Koki advises politely.

As if responding to his words, the excited crowd calmed down, and each person apologized to the three of us before returning to their original spots.

“Sorry, you saved me again,” I say gratefully.

“No problem. Just be careful not to get caught up in the commotion, Minase,” Koki replies kindly.

“Yeah, I’ll do that,” I agree readily.

“Hiragi and Sumeragi, if you ever need help, just let me know,” Koki offers sincerely.

“…Thank you very much,” Makoto responds politely.

“If the opportunity arises,” Kanade says vaguely.

Koki returned to his usual group of friends, just like the others.

Koki was probably helping us out of kindness.

But I felt a strange unease. It was like a bad feeling stirring in my chest.

Since I returned here, I felt moments of unease more often.

Could it be a lingering effect of my injury? If it gets worse, maybe I should go to the hospital.

Thanks to thinking so casually, I didn’t notice the suspicious looks Makoto and Kanade directed at Koki behind me.

—

A week later, thanks to Koki’s advice or perhaps because the novelty of the incident faded, the attention on me lessened to a normal level, and I lived a relatively calm student life.

Well, eating lunch with Makoto and Kanade during breaks didn’t exactly mean I avoided attention.

Moreover, Yuna occasionally crashed our after-school time, so I often faced intense, deadly glares.

Wait? Wasn’t I supposed to be calm?

Anyway, moving on.

Today, I couldn’t stop feeling excited since morning.

Because, finally, after school today, practice with a ball was allowed!

Finally. Counting from middle school, I hadn’t done serious practice for over half a year!

Maybe I was too excited, because Shinya told me, “Your face looks creepy,” but to the generous me, it did no damage.

I spent the day in such a hyped state, and finally, after school arrived.

“See you, Shinya! Until tomorrow!” I say cheerfully.

“Y-Yeah… Don’t get injured from being too excited…” Shinya replies cautiously.

I practically skipped!

I had to hurry to the clubroom, or the ball might escape!

“Hey, you made it,” the captain says welcomingly.

“Captain, good work!” I respond energetically.

When I arrived at the clubroom, I ran into Captain Nogata, who arrived at the same time.

“You’re entering the bullpen for the first time in a while, right?” the captain asks curiously.

“Yes. I’ve been pumped with adrenaline since morning!” I reply excitedly.

“Did you even sleep?” the captain questions skeptically.

“Perfectly. I wouldn’t do something foolish like ruin my condition when I can finally pitch,” I answer confidently.

“Good, good! I’m heading to the bullpen today too. Make it exciting,” the captain says enthusiastically.

With that, he left the clubroom in his uniform.

Alright, I better change and hurry to the practice field.

When I arrived at the practice field, I started with thorough warm-ups.

I began with light running, completing the warm-up menu to get my body ready.

While chatting about recent professional baseball news with teammates I got close to over the week, I steadily progressed through the menu. Then, the captain entered the practice field, followed by our senior manager.

Wait, didn’t the captain leave the clubroom before me? Did he have some business?

“Everyone! Gather up for a moment! I want to introduce some people today!” the captain announces loudly.

“Finally getting married!?” a teammate teases jokingly.

“Is that what this introduction is about!?” another teammate adds playfully.

“You guys are running shuttles later,” the captain retorts sternly.

“Sorry!” the teammates apologize quickly.

The captain and the manager were apparently dating and planned to marry after graduation. They seemed happy, but if this wasn’t about marriage, who were the people he wanted to introduce?

“Alright, everyone’s here. Come in,” the captain calls out.

“Excuse us!” two voices say in unison.

…Wait.

The voices from outside the practice field’s entrance sounded extremely familiar.