When Haruno next opened his eyes, he found himself standing in the middle of a grand temple—not the kind you'd find in Kyoto with the smell of incense and wooden beams creaking beneath your feet, but something far more ancient and dramatic. Towering white columns stretched into the heavens, and the structure gleamed with an almost divine radiance. It reminded him more of the Parthenon than any Japanese shrine.
"Huh… I wonder if this is one of those dreams again. Am I meeting a god?" Haruno muttered, half-expecting a glowing old man with a beard or a floating eyeball with wings.
"Yes, you could say that," came a calm and amused voice.
Seated on a marble throne at the center of the temple was a stunning woman dressed in flowing garments that screamed "Greek Goddess Chic." Her golden hair shimmered like sunlight, and her presence radiated something between divine wisdom and the confidence of someone who knows they look amazing in togas.
Haruno blinked. "I don't remember you looking like this before."
"Oh, this?" The goddess gestured casually to herself. "I don't have a fixed form. I can be anything—deer, cockroach, vending machine, you name it. But let's be honest, wouldn't you rather chat with a beautiful woman than, say, a glowing jellyfish with googly eyes?"
Haruno scratched his cheek. "Yeah, fair enough."
"So, how are you enjoying your wish so far?" she asked, smiling knowingly. "I saw how sweet things got tonight. Busy day, huh?"
Haruno let out a sheepish chuckle. "You could say that…"
"So, was there something important you needed to tell me?" Haruno asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Hm, not that important," the goddess replied, twirling a lock of her golden hair lazily as she reclined on her throne. "I just wanted to check in on you. You know, after we kinda threw you headfirst into this crazy situation without much warning. Gotta say, you're doing surprisingly well for someone we sort of... dumped into chaos."
Haruno gave a dry laugh. "I've had better Mondays, but yeah, I'm managing."
"Oh, and there's one more thing," she added, sitting up a bit straighter. "I wanted to talk to you about your 'love power.' The one you've been using—well, awakening—whenever you get a kiss, hug, or something more from one of your heroines. It's like that manga you love, right? Super-powered by affection!"
"That explains a lot," Haruno nodded. "I've never been in a fight before, but when I needed to protect them, I felt so… strong. Like I could do anything."
"That's the idea," the goddess said, smiling. "Your love gives you strength, just like Rentarou Aijou's. But—" she wagged a finger, "this comes with a few side effects. Or, let's call them features. First, for dramatic tension, your power may randomly 'turn off' when the plot demands it. Y'know, for suspense."
"Wait, seriously?!"
"And second," she said, grinning mischievously, "your body now reacts exactly like a romantic comedy protagonist. Nosebleeds, falling into girls at the worst time, awkward stumbles into the bath—yup, that's your life now."
Haruno stared blankly. "You're joking."
"Not even a little."
"Hm, what does that even mean?" Haruno asked, rubbing his temple as if he still half-expected the goddess to reappear.
The goddess—her image before him still vivid—smiled knowingly. "I mean, your body will react just like a rom-com hero. You'll blush at ecchi moments, get nosebleeds if you see someone naked, and stumble into bizarre 'lucky pervert' situations—kind of like Rito's power."
"Wait… you're not turning me into one of those dense harem protagonists, are you?" Haruno groaned.
"Oh, don't worry," she replied, giggling. "You won't be that dense. But since you wished for Rentarou's slapstick powers, you get the downsides, too. Expect these events—especially since you're aiming for a hundred heroines. You need the drama to make them really, really, really love you. So… enjoy your time and good luck!"
With that final tease, Haruno felt something soft press against his arm. The white temple vanished, replaced by the familiar ceiling of his bedroom.
Haruno blinked awake. His hand was still under the blanket, resting against something impossibly warm and silky. He froze.
"Ah…" A small, sleepy voice whispered.
His heart thudded as he turned his head. There, curled up beside him, was Lala—pink hair tousled, cheeks tinged rose. She clung to his arm, which was draped across her waist, and the rest of her body was covered by the blanket… except for one small reveal of bare, peach-soft skin.
The sweet fragrance of her hair filled his nostrils, a heady mix of peach blossom and morning dew.
Haruno swallowed hard. So that was no dream.
His mind raced: the warning of nosebleeds, the "lucky pervert" clause… and all the kisses from the night before. Yet here he was, his arm cradling his runaway princess soulmate.
He gently shifted, careful not to wake her fully, and pulled the blanket up a little higher over her shoulders. But as Lala instinctively cuddled closer with a soft, blissful sigh, Haruno realized something horrifying: the goddess hadn't been joking. Her so-called "features" were real—because the moment he caught a glimpse of her smooth back, his face flushed red-hot… and he felt something warm dripping down his upper lip.
"Ugh…" he muttered, pinching his nose. No way... I'm actually having a nosebleed? Like, a real one?
It wasn't nearly as dramatic as in the anime—with fountains of blood spraying into the ceiling—but it was still absurd enough to make him doubt reality. He tried to discreetly slide off the bed, only to realize Ryouko had vanished, leaving him completely alone with Lala.
Unfortunately, the movement stirred her.
"Mmm…" Lala yawned softly, sitting up halfway and stretching like a sleepy kitten—only to accidentally pull the blanket away from her chest.
Haruno's eyes widened as his brain immediately screamed, Danger!
His nosebleed threatened a second wave.
"Ah—Haruno? Morning…" Lala blinked groggily, then noticed the red trickle from his nose. "Eh!? Your nose!? You're bleeding!"
Without hesitation, she leaned forward and started gently dabbing at his nose with the corner of the blanket, her soft hands fumbling awkwardly.
"N-no, it's fine!" Haruno stammered, holding his breath. "It's just… I got a bit too excited. Seeing you like this, I mean…"
Somewhere deep inside, Haruno cursed the goddess, his luck, and the very concept of romcom tropes.
At this rate, I'll die from blood loss
"Hm, my appearance? Ah…" Lala finally noticed the state she was in and quickly crossed her arms over her chest, cheeks blazing red. "E-ecchi…" she whispered, averting her gaze.
"This isn't my fault!" Haruno defended himself, still clutching the blanket in panic. "This is a perfectly normal reaction for a teenage boy like me!"
"I-I know, but it's still embarrassing…" Lala murmured, trying her best to hide behind the thin blanket. But then her eyes wandered—right to the unmistakable evidence of Haruno's "perfectly normal reaction." Her face flushed a deeper shade of red.
"Ah, that's too…" Haruno choked out, covering himself as fast as possible.
"Geez! How could you show something so unsightly to Lala-sama?" Peke zoomed around Haruno like a mini helicopter of judgment.
"Well, this wouldn't have happened if you stayed as her clothes!" Haruno snapped back, holding the blanket tighter.
"It's hard work staying transformed all the time!" Peke retorted, puffing up indignantly.
"Then don't blame me for nature!"
The banter was cut short by a sudden clap and the unmistakable voice of Ryouko echoing from the kitchen. "Alright, lovebirds! Wrap it up. Morning's already here, and Haruno already skips first days, or he'll officially become a classroom ghost. Breakfast is ready!"
Lala and Haruno blinked at each other, then shared an awkward, sheepish smile.
With the chaos behind them, they shuffled out of the room, stomachs grumbling. Breakfast was simple—toast, fried eggs, and salad—but it felt warm and comforting. After a quick shower and change, Haruno was almost ready to face the day.
Author Note :
You can read 10 chapter at patr*on.com/Iam_HaremLover123