Everyday life for ordinary people doesn't often come with dramatic twists or heart-thumping developments. Natsukawa Kanade had always believed that. He thought he was just a regular guy living a peaceful life. But by the time everything came full circle, he finally realized—he wasn't "ordinary" at all.
After all… how many people could say they were a tensei-sha, a transmigrator?
In hindsight, it was obvious. He had always been different. But unlike those protagonists in the light novels and anime he used to watch in his previous life, his so-called "cheat ability"—his golden finger—didn't awaken with some big flashy moment. No explosions, no world-saving abilities, no dramatic glowing eyes. Just… slow. Painfully, annoyingly slow.
It wasn't until just before the college entrance exams that everything finally clicked.
Memories—faint at first, like whispers at the edge of a dream—started pouring in. Not just from his last life, but from all the ones that came before. Every single one.
But the strange part? They weren't about wars, superpowers, or grand quests. No, the memories that came flooding back were about love.
They were… IF routes. Alternate timelines where he had met, pursued, and lived full lives with the girls now surrounding him. In each of those worlds, he had fallen in love. Deeply. Completely. Some stories were sweet and youthful, some were slow and emotional, and others—well—let's just say they'd make a light novel blush.
And in each of those memories, he didn't just fall in love. He married them. Built a life with them. Had children. Grew old together. And then… died.
Now all those feelings—the tenderness, the laughter, the heartbreaks, the kisses beneath cherry blossoms and fights over burnt cooking—came rushing back to him like a tidal wave. It was overwhelming.
Kanade didn't just remember those girls. He still loved them. All of them.
It was... impossible.
At first, he tried to rationalize it. To sort through it all logically. "Maybe I should choose just one," he thought. "The one I loved the most." But the problem was—they were all equally important to him. The memories were too vivid. Too real.
It drove him half-insane.
He wrestled with it for days. His heart hurt constantly, torn in every direction. Until finally, with a defiant resolve and probably a bit too much confidence, he declared:
"Ore wa… minna hoshii!" (I want all of them!)
Yes. That was the only way. He wasn't going to let go of anyone. If the world told him it was greedy, so be it. If it made him a villain, then fine—he would carry that burden. He couldn't betray the feelings they once shared, even if those memories belonged to different timelines.
But reality, of course, wasn't so kind.
Once some of the girls started sensing his true intentions—probably from the way his gaze lingered too long, or how he blushed randomly when they spoke to him—they didn't exactly welcome him with open arms. In fact, a few gave him the dreaded cold shoulder.
...for weeks.
Kanade thought it was all over.
But then… his late-blooming golden finger activated again.
And this time, it didn't just give him memories—it awakened theirs as well. Slowly but surely, they too began to recall their shared stories from those alternate lives. And with that came the complicated tangle of emotions: affection, nostalgia, jealousy… and pain.
Still, they couldn't let him go either.
Perhaps it was fate, or the power of those countless lifetimes together, but in the end, a strange equilibrium was born. While none of them would openly admit it, they began to tolerate each other's presence. Like an unspoken alliance forged through love and exasperation.
Yes, they would bicker, glare, and even pull his ears in frustration—but deep down, they understood.
It was never easy. Kanade became a walking stress toy for months. No rights, no freedom, always being dragged into chaotic situations. But honestly, he thought it was worth it.
After all, he was the one who selfishly said he wanted them all. If he wasn't ready to suffer for it, wasn't that just wishful thinking?
Then came a turning point—summer vacation, right after the college entrance exams.
A rare alignment of stars (and schedules) allowed him to organize a private beach trip, one where everyone was available. Not just willing—available. And that, in itself, was a miracle.
Of course, to make it happen, he had to accept countless ridiculous demands, negotiate peace treaties, act as mediator, and even give up his dessert privileges for a month.
But it all paid off.
The angel—Mahiru—was in a school swimsuit, quietly building sandcastles on the beach. Kanade sat beside her, gently patting the sand into shapes as she hummed softly.
Nearby, Kaguya and Yukino were locked in their eternal cold war—lounging side by side on identical beach chairs in identical swimsuits, pretending not to notice each other… while totally noticing each other.
Further off, Utaha-senpai had claimed her own little sunbathing zone. Her expression said "I'm too cool for this," but her ears perked up every time Kanade glanced her way.
Megumi was collecting crabs with a surprisingly childish Eriri. Unfortunately, Eriri got pinched. She didn't bleed, but her big teary eyes triggered something deep in Kanade's soul.
So naturally, he boiled the crab for revenge.
Eriri munched on its legs dipped in sweet vinegar, smiling like a mischievous cat. Crisis averted.
Out at sea, Chika, Miko, and Ai had turned into sea otters. The three of them dove and splashed like there was no tomorrow, releasing stress in tidal waves. When they finally washed ashore, exhausted and starving, they collapsed dramatically onto the towels.
To Kanade, that day felt long… not in the dragging, boring way—but in the kind of way where every second was vivid, heavy with meaning. Especially that moment when Utaha asked him to apply sunscreen.
As he rubbed lotion across her back, he felt an ominous chill in the air. A sharp "danger!" alarm echoed in his soul.
He didn't dare turn around, but he was sure a dozen deadly glares were piercing his back.
But really, what else could he have done?
Everyone had already paired off with someone they were close to—rubbing sunscreen on each other's backs with bright, embarrassed laughs. Only Utaha-senpai had been left alone, and she turned to him with that confident smile and simply asked for help applying hers.
Refusing would've made him look like a cold-hearted villain. And besides, it would've felt wrong to say no.
So, gritting his teeth and bracing himself against the waves of sharp gazes drilling into his back, Natsukawa Kanade helped Utaha-senpai apply sunscreen.
He was a perfect gentleman—eyes forward, hands steady, no wandering touches. Not even a glance strayed. His hands only started trembling once the whole ordeal was over.
But of course, Utaha-senpai wasn't going to let him off that easily.
Throughout the entire process, she kept letting out these tiny, almost inaudible sounds. Soft gasps, playful hums, all while covering her mouth as if trying to be discreet—but it was way too suspicious. She was definitely doing it on purpose. No doubt. In fact, knowing her, it was probably part of some elaborate teasing plan she'd prepared well in advance.
He just had to endure it.
The rest of the day flew by in a blur of sun and laughter. They played games until the sun began to dip toward the horizon, the heat of the day gradually replaced by a cool ocean breeze. Occasionally, seagulls swooped down low enough to startle the girls, drawing cheerful squeals and bursts of laughter.
When dusk finally arrived, they lit a bonfire on the beach and began preparing for a seaside barbecue.
Naturally, all the setup fell to Kanade.
He didn't even think of asking anyone to help. His possessiveness had kicked in hard, and frankly, he didn't want anyone else to take part. This was something he wanted to do himself. Even when Mahiru quietly offered to help with the grilling, she was immediately dragged away by the other girls with a mischievous "No no, let him handle it~!"
Not that he minded. In fact, he hadn't planned to accept her help anyway. This kind of special treatment… he felt he'd earned it.
While he busied himself preparing the fire and skewering the food, the girls ran along the shoreline, chasing waves and collecting seashells. Their laughter carried on the breeze, leaving a trail of barefoot prints in the wet sand behind them. At one point, he noticed them gathered together in a huddle, whispering about something and shooting glances in his direction.
…Suspicious.
Still, he wasn't foolish enough to ask what it was about. No matter how curious he got, there were times when a man had to play dumb and pretend he saw nothing. Zettai ni dame, he thought. No good could come of sticking his nose into that.
After a long while, just as he was finally about to sit down for a well-deserved break, he suddenly felt a pair of hands slip over his eyes from behind.
"…"
No voice. Just silence.
But he knew this game. Guess who? A true classic.
No wonder they'd been scheming earlier. He sighed inwardly, resigned to his fate, but accepted the challenge.
Ordinarily, height would be the biggest clue. Some of the girls were so petite they'd have to stand on their tiptoes just to reach his eyes. But since he was currently seated, that clue was practically useless.
Next came scent. Usually, he could tell them apart by their shampoo, body spray, or the subtle warmth of their presence. But now? Nothing. The sea breeze had carried everything away, and the smoky aroma of grilled meat overwhelmed his senses.
Which left… touch.
The feel of the hand—this hand—was slim and smooth, delicate. Right away, he ruled out Utaha-senpai and Mahiru. Utaha's hands were slightly bigger, a bit warmer. Mahiru's were smaller and softer, but had a gentle texture he'd come to recognize.
That narrowed it down to three: Yukino, Kaguya… and Megumi.
He hesitated.
Then, with a smirk, he spoke softly: "If I guess right… do I get a reward?"
No response.
Suspicious. Eriri or Miko wouldn't be able to resist reacting—they were too expressive. Their hands would've flinched or twitched slightly.
Which meant it had to be one of the calm ones. Cool and composed, steady hands… that left Megumi, Yukino, and Kaguya.
He closed his eyes.
And made the safest gamble possible.
"…Is it Megumi?"
No reaction.
His heart skipped a beat. Did he guess wrong? Honestly, between those three, it was almost impossible to tell. The reason he guessed Megumi was purely strategic—if it turned out to be Yukino or Kaguya, and he guessed the other, he'd be dead. Better to play it safe.
He'd calculated the risk and chosen the safest option. That was the strategy.
So when the familiar voice finally responded behind him—
"…As expected of Kanade," came a soft voice at last. The hands slipped away.
—he felt all the tension drain from his shoulders in one big, relieved exhale. Yatta…
Saint Megumi let go of his eyes, and Kanade slowly turned around, locking eyes with her with a suspicious squint.
"So… what's the reward?" he asked plainly, arching a brow.
He was genuinely curious. Earlier, he'd seen them whispering and glancing over like they were plotting something. Clearly, they had something planned.
"Reward…" Megumi's fingertips gently twirled a lock of hair near her cheek, her expression contemplative, though he noticed the slight glance away. Was she hiding something?
"Before we get to that," she said with a slight tilt of her head, "why did you guess it was me? Do you think I'm the kind of girl who'd do something so… pointless?"
"No way," Kanade replied quickly, his voice smooth and practiced. "If anything, I thought you were the least likely to pull something like that."
Of course, he didn't actually believe that. But when coaxing a girl, you say what she wants to hear. That was just common sense, right?
"I mean, I saw you three huddled up earlier, whispering. So I thought, what if the one who seems least suspicious is actually the most suspicious? Reverse psychology, you know? So, what were you betting on? Or was it something else?"
Megumi gave a soft sigh, as if resigning herself to something, and then nodded slowly.
"They bet that you wouldn't guess it was me."
Kanade blinked.
Which meant… Megumi must've been the only one who believed he'd figure it out.
"So, what was the bet?" he asked again, more intrigued now. If she joined in, it had to be at least a little fun.
But Megumi suddenly turned away, her voice dropping as she muttered, "There wasn't one."
"…Eh? Really?"
"There wasn't," she repeated, cheeks slightly puffed in a way that was almost suspicious.
"Tch, how disappointing," Kanade muttered, deliberately dragging out his voice as if hurt. He could practically see the "liar" written across her face.
Just then, Megumi changed the subject. "Ah… I'm feeling a little hungry too," she said quickly, retreating toward the food table like she'd just escaped a boss battle.
Yare yare da na… She was definitely flustered.
As Kanade watched her walk off with some skewers, Utaha—who'd been lounging nearby—slowly strolled over to him, holding two perfectly grilled potato slices.
"So?" she asked, casually tossing one into her mouth. "What did you bet with her?"
"You wanna know?"
"Of course."
"Then lick my hand."
Kanade's face fell flat. He looked around discreetly, then leaned in with a whisper. "Can we… do that when we're alone later?"
"Heh… what a pervert."
He was about to give up when Utaha suddenly grinned, her eyes gleaming like a cat that'd cornered its prey.
"Go to Megumi's room tonight."
"Ha?"
"She deserves it," Utaha said plainly, biting her skewer. "When we were all thinking of staying away from you, she was the only one trying to bring us back. As if her own feelings didn't matter at all."
Kanade felt a small thump in his chest. But before he could process it, Utaha's eyes sparkled again.
"But we can't just let her have you all to herself, ne?" she said sweetly, leaning in close. "That thing I told you about last time… you remember, right?"
"W-wait… you mean… all of us… together—?"
"Heh… men."
Kanade went speechless. Again.
Satisfied with the chaos she'd stirred, Utaha turned and sauntered back toward the girls, her laughter floating in the air.
"…What even is my life anymore…" Kanade muttered under his breath, already sensing he wasn't getting any sleep tonight.
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The end, lads and ladies.
I'm kind of torn on how to feel about it but in a way it was unexpectedly expected. It was as tedious as it was fun translating and editing this book but I'm happy we got to the end.
When I started translating this, I had just suffered a crushing blow to the heart and desperately needed a pick-me-up. In a way, I'm grateful that this book was part of the healing process among other things.
Now, I'm happy that this book was exactly what I needed to bounce back and to appreciate the little things though from afar. Anyway, I should probably stop ranting and hope you will find your happiness if you haven't already.
PS: Don't worry, I'll deliver the chapters though it'll be a bit slow.
I'm already working on my next book and should start uploading tomorrow or before the week ends. There won't be too much overthinking like in this book from what I've seen so far. Support me if you like it still.
Thanks for being with me throughout the journey that was this book.