Chapter Text
Asahi Haru stood hidden in the bushes, watching his longtime friend, Aijou Rentaro, nervously confessing his feelings to a girl. Haru’s spiky teal hair and sharp blue eyes peeked through the leaves, his signature silver hoop earring catching the faint sunlight.
“I like you! Please… go out with me!” Rentaro said, bowing deeply, his voice trembling with hope.
Haru smirked, whispering to himself, “Maybe this will finally be the day he—”
“I’m sorry, Aijou-kun,” the girl interrupted with an awkward laugh. “You’re so cheerful, friendly, and kind to everyone… and that’s the problem. You’re too nice. Just the thought of dating you makes me want to—ugh—puke. I can’t do it. I’m sorry!”
Haru’s smirk faded as the girl walked off, leaving Rentaro frozen in shock.
“Way to go from ‘sick!’ to... well, sick,” Rentaro groaned, his voice breaking.
Haru emerged from the bushes and placed a comforting hand on Rentaro’s shoulder.
“Haru?” Rentaro’s eyes glistened with unshed tears.
“I figured you were headed here, so I hid in the bushes,” Haru admitted. “But man, I didn’t expect it to be that brutal.”
After Graduation….
Later that day, Haru and Rentaro walked with their mutual friend, who hadn’t stopped teasing Rentaro since the rejection.
“Cheer up, Rentaro. Quit looking like a doomer spiraling into darkness, dude,” Friend A said, grinning.
“What does that even look like?” Rentaro muttered weakly.
“Like that. Jeez, it can’t be that bad—”
“She literally used the word puke! How would you feel hearing that?” Rentaro snapped.
“Fair point,” Friend A said with a shrug. “By the way, what’s your rejection streak at now?”
“Why would you even ask a heartbroken guy that?” Rentaro groaned.
“Because I’m not going to see you or Haru after today anyway!” Friend A said cheerfully.
“Wow, you’ve officially ruined every single memory we’ve ever shared!” Haru and Rentaro chimed in unison.
“Still, it’s a good question,” Haru said. “What is it now? Fifty rejections?”
“That was… my hundredth,” Rentaro admitted quietly.
Friend A burst out laughing. “A hundred?! I’m amazed you kept going after the first ninety-nine! I dub thee Sir Flirts-a-Lot.”
“Just rolls off the tongue,” Haru said dryly.
“Stop that! I don’t deserve knighthood—I just lose over and over!” Rentaro exclaimed.
“How did you even get to 100? When was the first time you asked someone out?” Friend A asked.
“I’ll never forget… I was eight months old—”
“WHAT?!” Haru shouted, incredulous.
“I take it back—you’re no hero, just a monster!” Friend A added.
Rentaro ignored them, clenching his fists dramatically. “Guh, I want a girlfriend so bad! I want to hold hands, go ‘hngh!’, and have fights where we throw love bombs at each other instead of snowballs!”
Haru sighed. “He’s been like this as long as I’ve known him,” he explained to Friend A.
“Still, why do you keep getting rejected? You’ve got the looks. Unlike Haru, who—let’s be honest—looks like he’s in a gang,” Friend A joked.
“How?!” Haru protested.
“The hair. The piercings,” Friend A replied matter-of-factly.
“Fair enough,” Haru conceded.
“Anyway, take care, Rentaro. Don’t die, even if your rejection streak keeps going in high school,” Friend A said nonchalantly.
“Wow, cold,” Haru muttered.
“Don’t jinx the next chapter of my life, you jerk!” Rentaro yelled as Friend A walked off.
Minutes later, Haru found himself climbing the stairs of a love shrine, dragged there by Rentaro.
“This is definitely better than, you know, playing games,” Haru said sarcastically.
“Come on, I need this after today!” Rentaro pleaded.
“Ugh, fine. Maybe it’ll help me too,” Haru muttered as they approached the shrine.
The two tossed coins, rang the bell, and clasped their hands in prayer.
“Please, gods of love! Let me get a girlfriend and lead a high school life filled with joy!” Rentaro begged.
“As for me, just give me someone completely different from my ex,” Haru added.
“Worry not, young men!” a voice boomed suddenly.
Startled, they looked around and spotted an old man with a bald head and a bushy beard... sitting inside the donation box.
“Gah! A donation box thief!” Rentaro shouted.
“Time to put those years of Taekwondo and Judo to use,” Haru said, taking a fighting stance.
“What kind of thief hides in a donation box?!” the old man asked indignantly.
“A stupid one,” Haru replied flatly.
“I am no thief! I am the god of this shrine!” the old man declared, stepping out. His wings and glowing halo left the boys dumbfounded.
“Right… a god,” Haru said skeptically.
“Listen well, Rentaro and Haru. It is written in the stars: you will meet your destined chick in high school,” the god announced.
Wait,now I get it. Chick,huh? Like chick-filet,right? I'd love to dig in"said Rentaro with one eye glowing red.
“Tokyo called,they want their ghoul back!” Haru shouts.
“I meant your soul mate.The person who was chosen for you at birth,your Ideal romantic partner”he explains.
“Ideal partner?”Rentaro asks.
“Exactly.When two soulmates meet,a sudden shock runs through there bodies and they instantly fall head over heels for each other. Love at first sight”said the old man.
“ Let's say hypothetically, we believe you-”
“Your soulmates are fated to meet at a specific point in their lives”the god continued, ignoring Haru’s skepticism.
“ Oh, i'm being ignored”Haru muttered.
“And they’ll instantly fall head over heels for each other. It’ll be love at first sight,” the god declared confidently, puffing out his chest.
“Head over heels… for each other?” Rentaro repeated, his voice tinged with both curiosity and disbelief.
“Indeed,” the god confirmed. “But it bears noting: women will realize this moment immediately, while men only recognize it gradually over time.”
“Women realize it instantly, while men—”
“Stop parroting everything he says, lazy ass!” Haru interjected, smacking Rentaro on the back of the head.
“I agree with the boy!” the god said, clearly exasperated. “Quit repeating me! We barely have enough time to explain everything in one chapter. If readers start saying, ‘Huh? Didn’t the god have more lines in the manga? Were they cut?’ it would really suck—for me especially!”
“Just get on with it,” Haru grumbled. “I wonder if there’s an abridged version of this already…”
The god cleared his throat dramatically. “Ahem. As I was saying—your soulmates are fated to meet at a specific point in your lives.”
“He switched gears quickly,” Haru muttered under his breath.
“But what about the people who stay single their whole lives?” Rentaro asked, raising a hand like he was in class.
“Not everyone is blessed with a soulmate,” the god admitted solemnly. “But those who are... they’re truly fortunate.”
“I see… So, I’ll meet my soulmate in high school and have a joyful romance with them?” Rentaro asked, his voice brimming with anticipation.
Haru raised an eyebrow. “Bruh, did you not hear everything he just said?”
“Indeed!” the god confirmed. “And let me add… in high school, you’ll meet a grand total of 100 soulmates!”
“A hundred?!” Haru and Rentaro shouted in unison, their voices echoing through the shrine.
“You’ll have your pick of the girls. Aren’t you thrilled?” the god said, beaming.
“Well, good for you, Rentaro,” Haru said, turning to leave. “I’m going home—”
“Wait a moment,” the god interrupted. “You, Haru, will have six soulmates.”
Haru froze mid-step and turned slowly, narrowing his eyes. “The hell you say?”
“Six soulmates,” the god repeated with a serene smile.
Haru sighed heavily, running a hand through his now-purple hair. “I’d like to quit this series, please.”
Seconds later, Rentaro leaned in close, whispering to Haru, “If he’s lying, can we burn down the shrine?”
“Do you want to go to hell?” Haru deadpanned.
“Gah, some of my lines just got cut!” the god cried, throwing his hands up.
“Look, man, just get to the important stuff,” Haru said. “People might not have read the manga or seen the first season of the anime yet.”
“Stop breaking the fourth wall in the first chapter!” the god yelled, exasperated.
A Month Later – Ohana-no-Mitsu High School...
The morning sun shone brightly as Rentaro and Haru stood before their new high school.
“Finally, the entrance ceremony!” Rentaro said excitedly. He glanced to his left and blinked in surprise. “Wait, when did you dye your hair purple?”
“Two days ago,” Haru replied nonchalantly. “And honestly, it wasn’t that much of a wait, considering we skipped straight to this after graduation.”
Rentaro rolled his eyes. “Let’s head to our classes.”
Following the directions on his class assignment slip, Rentaro walked down a hallway and accidentally bumped into two girls.
The first had shoulder-length pink hair adorned with white flower clips, styled into two pigtails tied with green bows. Her curvy figure, green eyes, and bright smile gave her an air of warmth and charm. She wore the standard high school uniform: a black jacket over a white shirt with a red bow, paired with a black skirt, white socks, and loafers(G cup).
The second girl stood beside her, exuding a different kind of energy. Her long, golden hair shimmered as it was tied into high twin pigtails with green ribbons. Her hazel eyes sparkled with confidence, though her slender frame and small bust hinted at a source of insecurity. Her uniform was similar but modified with a beige sweater over her white shirt and navy-blue skirt, paired with baggy socks and loafers.(B cup)
For a moment, Rentaro, the pink-haired girl, and the golden-haired girl all locked eyes. Time seemed to stand still. Haru, who had been lingering behind, noticed the charged atmosphere and muttered under his breath, “And here we go…”
“Huh? Wh- what was that?” the golden hair girl asks.
“(I just felt like a shock ran through my whole body.Could it be…Are they who God was talking about?)”Rentaro thought.
As Haru watched Rentaro’s awkward encounter with the two girls unfold, he sighed and turned away. “Welp, that ain’t happening to me, so I’ll just be on my—”
Before he could finish, Haru bumped into someone. The force caused the smaller figure to stumble. Without thinking, Haru quickly reached out, steadying the girl before she could fall.
“Nice try, jackass,” he said arrogantly, brushing off his jacket. “Bring your A-game next—”
Haru turned to look at the person he’d bumped into, and his voice trailed off mid-sentence. Standing before him was a strikingly beautiful woman. She was tall and curvaceous, with flawless fair skin and waist-length blue hair that framed her face perfectly. Her hair featured cat-ear-like protrusions, resembling turbo air intakes, which somehow made her even more captivating. Her deep purple eyes glimmered with both kindness and intelligence, and she wore a long, open lab coat over a blue-gray top that hugged her figure, paired with a short black skirt and sleek black heels. Around her neck hung a blue eye-shaped necklace that added an air of mystery.
Haru felt a sudden jolt, as if a shock had run through his entire body. He froze.
The woman blushed faintly, her voice soft and polite. “M-my apologies. My name is Aki Nijou. I’m one of the new nurses here. I just transferred from Maken-Ki.”
Haru blinked, his cheeks warming. (Crap baskets, he got me too!)"he thought, referencing the god’s earlier prophecy.
Aki tilted her head slightly, her blush deepening. “Would it be possible to ask for your help moving some equipment to the nurse’s office?”
Haru internally cursed himself. "(Okay, all I have to do is walk away... just walk away...)"
Minutes later, Haru found himself in the nurse’s office, helping Aki unpack and set up her equipment. As he placed the last box on the counter, he leaned back against the wall, sighing. I couldn’t walk away… Damn it.
“Thank you so much for your help, Haru,” Aki said with a warm smile, bowing slightly.
Before Haru could respond, Aki’s phone buzzed. She answered it, her expression tightening as she spoke in hushed tones. “Yes, Mother… I understand, but I really don’t want another date setup. I—” Her voice softened. “I may have found someone perfect…”
Haru paused as he overheard her. Aki hung up and slumped over her desk, groaning softly. “Why can’t she just let it go…”
“Another setup?” Haru asked, stepping closer.
Aki jolted upright, her cheeks flushing when she realized he’d overheard. “Ah! I-I didn’t see you there… Yes, my mother keeps arranging blind dates for me. She means well, but…” She trailed off, avoiding his gaze.
Haru tilted his head. “Why not just tell her you’re not interested?”
Aki hesitated, then mumbled, “Because… I may have found the perfect man…” She sighed, then muttered under her breath, “Maybe I should’ve looked for that four-leaf clover…”
Before she could continue, Haru interrupted. “Perfect man, huh? That’s a pretty big claim.”
Aki’s blush deepened as she turned to face him. “Haru… Can I ask you something?”
“Sure,” he said casually, crossing his arms.
“Do you think… you could see me as a wife?” Aki’s voice trembled, her eyes meeting his.
Haru blinked in surprise, but then smiled softly. “Of course. Guys should be fighting over you. You’re absolutely beautiful, Aki. You’re practically perfection.”
Aki’s eyes widened, and she stepped closer to him. “I know I shouldn’t feel this way, but…” Her voice trailed off as she closed her eyes, standing just inches from him.
Haru understood. Without hesitation, he closed the gap between them, leaning in and pressing his lips against hers. Aki responded, locking her hands with his as the kiss deepened, a warm glow spreading between them both.
For a moment, time seemed to stop, and Haru realized something. "(This isn’t just fate. This feels… right)".
As the kiss ended, Aki pulled back slightly, her face glowing with a deep blush. She looked into Haru’s eyes, her voice trembling but sincere. “Haru… I know it’s only been a day, but… I love you. Please be my boyfriend.” Her hands tightened slightly around his. “I know I’m older, and I’m just a school nurse, but I can’t help how I feel.”
Haru stared at her, stunned for a moment. Then, without hesitation, he leaned in and kissed her again, his hands gently cupping her face. When they finally broke apart, he smiled warmly. “It’s fine with me,” he said. “I don’t care about the age difference or anything else. I… I think I feel the same way.”
Aki’s expression lit up with joy, and she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug. “Thank you, Haru… You don’t know how much this means to me.”
Later that evening…
Haru lay sprawled on his bed, his mind still reeling from the day’s events. His phone buzzed, snapping him out of his thoughts. He picked it up to see Rentaro’s name flashing on the screen.
“Yo, Rentaro,” Haru said as he answered. “What’s up?”
“Man, you won’t believe what happened today!” Rentaro’s voice came through, buzzing with excitement. “So I ran into these two girls, Inda Karane and Hanazono Hakari. They’re both amazing! But get this—Hanazono confessed to me first, and then, like, right after, Inda confessed too!”
“Wait, both of them confessed to you? Seriously?” Haru asked, sitting up.
“Yeah! And now I’m stuck trying to figure out what to do. I mean, I never thought this kind of thing would actually happen to me!” Rentaro exclaimed.
Haru chuckled. “Well, looks like things are already getting crazy for you. Speaking of which…” He hesitated, then added, “I had something pretty wild happen today too.”
“Oh? What’s your story?” Rentaro asked, curious.
Haru sighed and leaned back against the wall. “So, I bumped into one of the new school nurses, Aki Nijou. Long story short, we kind of… connected. Like, seriously connected. And now she’s my girlfriend.”
There was a moment of stunned silence on the other end of the line. Then Rentaro shouted, “WHAT?! You’ve got a girlfriend already?! And she’s a school nurse?! Dude, what is going on with us?!”
Haru laughed nervously. “Yeah, it’s been a day, huh?”
Rentaro’s tone suddenly grew more serious. “Haru, I almost forgot. There’s something important I need to tell you. The god from the shrine… He wanted me to pass on a message to you.”
Haru frowned. “What kind of message?”
“Well…” Rentaro hesitated. “If you don’t match with your other soulmates… they die.”
Haru’s eyes widened, and he shot to his feet. “WHAT?! Are you kidding me?! HE SHOULD’VE SAID THAT AT THE SHRINE!”
Rentaro sighed. “Yeah, no kidding. I guess the guy really needs to work on his communication skills…”
Haru groaned, running a hand through his hair. “So now I’m stuck with this insane pressure too? Great. Just great.”
“Hey, you’re not alone in this, man. We’ll figure it out together,I got to figure out who I'm going to give my answer to…” Rentaro said reassuringly.
Haru flopped back onto his bed, staring at the ceiling. “Yeah, sure. Together. But if that god shows up again, I’m going back to that shrine and light it up.”