Rejected a 1000 Times, I Commited Suicide… And Got a 1000 Girlfriends!

My eyes fluttered open. I blinked, adjusting to the blinding white surrounding me. I was back in that endless void. The memory of Aisha stroking my hair as I fell asleep came rushing back, and my cheeks immediately burned.

"Look who's awake!" A familiar, playful voice broke the silence.

I turned toward the source. There she was—the Goddess of Soulmates, standing with her arms crossed, a wide grin plastered on her face. She looked as radiant and smug as ever.

"Well, well, well, congratulations, Romeo!" she said with a teasing tone. "Looks like someone snagged himself a hot girlfriend."

I could feel the heat creeping up my neck. "Uh, thanks…" I mumbled, scratching the back of my head. "She's amazing. I… I really love her." The words tumbled out before I could stop them, and I immediately felt my face flush deeper.

The Goddess clapped her hands together with exaggerated excitement. "Awww, how adorable! My little Kage Ito is in love! You're just too cute."

I groaned. "Can we not call me 'little'? It's weird."

She ignored me, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "So, how does it feel to finally have a girlfriend after… what was it? Oh, right—one thousand rejections?"

"Okay, wow, no need to bring that up again," I said, glaring at her. "Also, why was I even assigned a thousand girlfriends in the first place? Seriously, what kind of cosmic paperwork error is this?"

The Goddess hesitated, her smug grin faltering. She twirled a strand of her white hair nervously. "Well… funny story about that…"

I narrowed my eyes. "I don't like where this is going."

"I was binge-watching this really emotional love drama," she admitted, avoiding my gaze. "It was so good, I started crying—ugly crying, mind you—and I got distracted when filling out your soulmate form. Long story short, I accidentally wrote down '1,000' instead of '1.'"

"What?!" I exploded, throwing my hands in the air. "You've got to be kidding me! You're telling me my life became a romantic disaster because you were sobbing over a love drama?"

She held up her hands in mock innocence, sticking her tongue out playfully. "Whoops! My bad!"

I clutched my head dramatically. "You've made my life miserable! Do you know what it's like to be rejected a thousand times? A thousand! My self-esteem is practically non-existent thanks to you!"

She pouted, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "Hmmm, you do sound a little bitter. But hey, look on the bright side! You've got one girlfriend now, right?"

"Yeah, but at what cost?" I groaned, slumping to the ground in mock defeat. "Why me? Why not pick someone else to suffer through this insanity?"

She giggled, leaning down to poke my forehead. "Because you're special! And besides, don't act like you're not loving this. You've got Aisha, and you'll have more soulmates to come!"

Her words made me pause. "Wait… more soulmates?"

"Duh," she said, rolling her eyes. "That's why I called you here, genius. Your next chapter starts soon. I need you to transfer to Osaka Kunei High School."

I blinked at her, my mouth falling open. "Osaka Kunei High School? Why there?"

"Because that's where your next soulmates are waiting for you, obviously!" she said, wagging a finger at me. "You wouldn't want to make them sad, would you? Imagine all those poor girls, crying out for you, saying, 'Kage Ito-kun, please save us!'"

An Image of a thousand girls dramatically calling my name popped into my head. I groaned, burying my face in my hands. "How is this my life?"

The Goddess smirked. "Because I said so. Now, come on. Don't you want to be a hero to all your soulmates?"

I looked up at her, my expression a mix of disbelief and determination. "Fine. If the girlfriends I don't choose will suffer or die, then… I'll choose all of them!" I clenched my fist in mock determination, the dramatic music in my head swelling.

"That's the spirit!" she said, giving me a thumbs-up. "Now listen up. Go tell your uncle to transfer you to Osaka Kunei High School. Your next adventure starts there. Got it?"

"Got it!" I said, nodding firmly.

She bent down, her face inches from mine, and gave me a teasing smile. "Bye for now, Kage-kun. Don't miss me too much!"

"Wait, hold on—" I reached out instinctively, and my hand accidentally brushed against her chest.

Her eyes went wide, and her face turned a bright shade of red. "W-well! This is awkward," she stammered, taking a step back.

"I-I didn't mean to!" I cried, my own face burning with embarrassment.

Before I could explain further, everything around me faded to white.

When I opened my eyes again, I was met with the sight of Aisha's face inches from mine. Her breath brushed against my cheek, and her eyes widened in surprise when she realized I was awake.

"Hey…" I whispered, my voice still groggy from sleep.

Her face turned beet red, and she quickly pulled back. "Y-you're awake!" she stammered, fidgeting nervously.

I raised a hand to touch her cheek, my thumb gently brushing against her flushed skin. "Were you watching me sleep?" I teased, a small smile tugging at my lips.

"I-I was just checking on you!" she said defensively, though the way she avoided my gaze made it clear she was flustered.

Her reaction was so adorable that I couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, thanks for taking care of me, Aisha. You're amazing."

Her blush deepened, and before I could say anything else, she leaned down and kissed me.

Her lips were soft and warm, and the suddenness of it caught me off guard. My eyes widened, but I quickly melted into the kiss, my hand moving to rest on her waist.

When she finally pulled back, her face was bright red, and she refused to meet my gaze. "I-I just wanted to do that," she mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper.

I smiled at her, my heart swelling with affection. "Aisha… I really am the luckiest guy in the world."

And as I held her hand, I couldn't help but think about what lay ahead—Osaka Kunei High School, new soulmates, and the crazy journey I had unknowingly signed up for.

END OF CHAPTER : 5 : CONGRATULATIONS!