I Actually Got a Girlfriend… Just Like That

I have a girlfriend?

Could it be… In an instant, countless thoughts raced through my mind, and then I understood.

“Kaori’s wish was that?”

“Yeah. She said she wants to be your girlfriend.”

Be my girlfriend…

Seeing the serious expression on the idiot’s face, he probably wasn’t messing with me. So it was true.

I touched my forehead, and the corners of my mouth curled up involuntarily.

I made it. I actually made it!

Unbelievable…

—— Congratulations ——

—— Best wishes ——

—— I’m so jealous ——

It felt like bullet comments were floating before my eyes again.

This change came so suddenly. More than happiness or excitement, what I felt was a sense of daze… Like I was dreaming.

Can you understand?

It wasn’t the kind of satisfying feeling you get after chasing someone for a long time. Nor was it the warm feeling of a natural progression after knowing each other for ages.

We had met less than twenty-four hours ago. We’d just gotten to know each other, and now we were skipping past friendship straight to being boyfriend and girlfriend.

It was way too fast…

The idiot, seeing my strange state somewhere between excitement and bewilderment, patted me on the shoulder.

“I never thought you’d be this brave, bro. Falling in love at first sight is one thing, but you actually confessed too.”

Yeah, I never thought I’d confess either. I only realized it after the words came out… Wait.

Confess?

Ah… Ahh, so that’s how it was.

“What’s wrong, bro? You look like you just figured something out. Shouldn’t you be happy right now?”

“No, I mean, I am happy, but I think I understand why Kaori suddenly agreed to be my girlfriend.”

It was probably because of what I said.

I told the idiot what I’d said to Kaori last night.

Mainly the part about wanting to get to know someone you like.

The idiot understood too.

“So that’s it. You moved her with ‘sincerity,’ huh? Hmm… I get it. That’s very you.”

The idiot nodded repeatedly, giving me a thumbs-up.

“If I were a woman, I’d definitely fall for you too!”

“Get lost!”

Face full of annoyance, I slapped his hand away.

“No, you’re overthinking it. Kaori wasn’t moved by me. Why would you think I could make her fall for me just by talking? I’m not some handsome heartthrob. Even you couldn’t make Kaori like you, so why would I be able to?”

“Maybe your face just happens to be her type too?”

“No way…”

The idiot shrugged, probably realizing what he said wasn’t very convincing, then asked me again.

“Then why did she tell me she wants to be your girlfriend?”

“She just heard what I said and wants to start getting to know me.”

I told Kaori that people start truly understanding each other after they come together. So that’s probably why she thought that way.

“I see. So she’s trying to start liking you, bro. Is that it?”

“Whether she’ll like me after getting to know me isn’t certain… But yeah, that’s about it.”

“Then what are you going to do, bro?”

“Huh? What am I going to do? I confessed first. Now she’s willing to be my girlfriend. It’s not like I’m going to reject her, right?”

A super beautiful girl like Kaori, who perfectly matches my type, wants to be my girlfriend. Do I even need to say anything?

This is exactly what I want!

Isn’t she great?

She’s great!

She’s so great!

I’m going crazy with joy!

Seriously, now that I’ve come back to my senses, I want to do a manly dance of joy.

Hahahahahahaha!

I just want to throw my head back and laugh.

But the idiot, uncharacteristically, didn’t congratulate me. He looked a bit worried.

“Sorry to rain on your parade, but bro… From what I know about women, this girlfriend of yours isn’t simple.”

“Whether she meant to or not, she turned the tables at that moment and made that wish… She’s the type who holds on tight.”

“In other words, she’s probably very controlling. In plain terms, she’s a ‘henpecker.'”

Oh, a henpecker Kaori… Let me imagine that…

I closed my eyes and pictured it.

With my imagination power of 998, it came to me quickly.

—Honey, you absolutely can’t cheat, okay…

Kaori, with tears in her eyes, puffed up her cheeks and leaned on me as she complained.

Ohhhhh!

I have no problem with that!

What’s wrong with a henpecker?

That’s great!

In fact, I hope it turns out that way!

Opening my eyes again, I gave a big smile and a thumbs-up.

“No problem!”

The idiot was dumbfounded. He clicked his tongue and said,

“No way, bro. You like henpeckers too?”

“Isn’t a henpecker just a wife who loves her husband? If she didn’t love me, she wouldn’t care about me at all. Being strict just means she loves me like crazy!”

“No, bro, you’ve got it wrong. Love and control are different…”

“How are they different?”

“Uh… Hai! I can’t explain it to a virgin like you…”

“Damn, so what if I’m a virgin? What’s it to you?”

“No, you… Hai… I don’t know how to tell you…”

The idiot slapped his thigh, scratched his head in frustration. He wanted to say something but didn’t know what. Finally, he just asked, puzzled, “Bro, aren’t you good at reading people? How can’t you tell the difference?”

“I’ve never been in love, and I’m not a woman. How would I know the ‘psychology of a woman in love’? Both of those are blind spots for me.”

“Alright, let’s look at it another way. You’re free and easy right now. It’s great. If someone suddenly started telling you what to do, wouldn’t you feel suffocated?”

“Well…”

I understood what the idiot meant. Very clearly.

Because I’d lived that life before, where I used to live.

And I had run away from there.

But this was different. I knew it was different. Back there, she never saw “me” as “me.” She was just searching for a long-lost shadow in me…

I shook my head, calmed down, and said to the idiot.

“If she wants to control me because she loves me, then I’m willing to accept that.”

“You… Hai…”

Seeing me say that, the idiot sighed and didn’t press further.

I rubbed my nose, puzzled.

“Why are you so worried anyway? Kaori just wants to be my girlfriend. It’s not like she’s marrying me. We don’t even know if feelings will develop between us. You’re thinking too far ahead.”

The idiot looked up at the ceiling and answered.

“Bro, I’m afraid you’re going to get stabbed by a woman.”

“Pfft~! You, a scumbag who’s toyed with who knows how many women, are still alive and well. How could I possibly be the one to get stabbed!”

I scoffed at that.