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

The soft hum of chatter filled the classroom as I sat on the last bench of the second row, trying to settle into the new environment. The school day had just begun, and I was already feeling a bit uneasy. Not because of the lessons or the newness of the place, but because of the immediate problem seated—quite literally—on either side of me.

To my right sat Hana, quiet and reserved, her round glasses resting delicately on her small nose as she stared shyly at her desk. On my left sat Mei, her confident demeanor contrasting her sister's, yet even she seemed unusually quiet, occasionally glancing at me with a faint blush on her cheeks.

How is this possible? I wondered, my heart racing. What are the odds of these two twins, of all people, ending up sitting next to me?

I felt both pairs of eyes on me, though they quickly looked away whenever I turned my head. I chuckled inwardly, amused by their synchronized nervousness.

"What a coincidence, isn't it?" I finally said, breaking the silence with a warm smile.

Mei fidgeted with her pencil, her cheeks tinged pink as she replied, "Y-yeah, it is." Her tone was unusually shy, a stark contrast to her usual confident energy.

Hana, on the other hand, nodded slightly, her blush deepening as she avoided meeting my gaze.

For a few minutes, the classroom was filled only with the sound of rustling papers and the teacher preparing for the lesson. The tension between the three of us hung in the air like a fragile thread, ready to snap at any moment.

Suddenly, Mei broke the silence with a soft "Hmm…"

I turned toward her, curious. She was pointing her index finger toward herself in a beckoning motion, her face as red as a ripe tomato.

I leaned closer, trying to ignore the way her nervousness made her look even cuter. "What is it?" I whispered.

She leaned toward me, her lips close to my ear as she whispered, "Meet me behind the school during recess. I need to tell you something."

Her words sent a jolt through my heart. Is she going to confess? I wondered, my mind already spiraling with possibilities.

I glanced at her face. Her eyes were forward, her expression determined, though the faint blush on her cheeks betrayed her nervousness. She looked adorable.

The teacher began the lesson, and I tried to focus on the words, but my thoughts kept drifting back to Mei. What could she want to tell me? And why behind the school?

Suddenly, she stood up abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor. "U-um, may I have the pass to go to the washroom?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, her cheeks tinged with pink.

The teacher gave her a quick nod, and she hurried toward the door, her steps small and shy as she avoided everyone's gaze.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed Hana stealing glances at me. She seemed tense, her hands clutching the edge of her desk.

"Do you want to use the washroom too?" I whispered to her softly, trying to ease the tension.

Her eyes widened in shock, and her face turned a brilliant shade of red. She raised her clenched fists and cried out, "It's not that!"

The entire class turned to look at her, surprised by her sudden outburst.

The teacher arched an eyebrow. "You seem unusually talkative today, Ms. Shane."

Hana froze, her blush deepening as she quickly sat down, mumbling apologies. The class erupted into laughter before the teacher called for silence and resumed the lesson.

I leaned toward her, whispering, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass you."

She shook her head, her voice barely audible. "No… it's alright."

She hesitated for a moment before speaking again, her tone flustered. "Can you…"

"What?" I asked, genuinely confused.

"Can you… meet me behind the school after classes?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

My heart skipped a beat. Does she… want to confess too?

I nodded, rubbing the back of my neck nervously. "Y-Yeah. I will."

A small, relieved smile crossed her lips, though her cheeks remained pink.

The classroom door slid open, and we turned to see Mei walking back in. "May I come in?" she asked politely.

The teacher nodded, and she returned to her seat beside me, her steps light yet purposeful. As she sat down, I noticed her stealing a glance at Hana and then at me.

What's going on here? Onee-chan looks so happy, and he… he looks kind of handsome. No, what am I even thinking? He's not that handsome… is he? Ugh, get a grip, Mei. she thought, shaking her head.

Whatever. I'll ask him. No matter what, I have to do this, Mei resolved, her determination growing.

When recess finally arrived, I made my way behind the school, my heart pounding in my chest. The area was quiet, secluded, with a few trees providing shade. Mei was already there, pacing nervously.

As I approached, she turned to face me, her eyes wide with determination. She took a deep breath before bowing deeply. "Please… please choose Onee-chan!" she cried, her voice trembling with emotion.

I blinked, utterly confused. "Huh? What are you talking about?"

She straightened up, tears glistening in her eyes. "I've never seen Onee-chan this happy before. She's always been quiet and timid, but now… now she's different. She's smiling more, and I know it's because of you. She deserves to be happy, so please… choose her!"

Her words hit me like a freight train. She's not here to confess… she's here to give up her feelings for her sister's happiness.

"But…" I started, struggling to find the right words. "What about you? Don't you like me too?"

Her eyes widened in shock. "How do you…?"

"Because I like you too," I admitted, my voice soft yet firm.

Her blush deepened, and she looked away, her hands clutching the hem of her skirt. "I… I'm glad to hear that," she whispered. "But it doesn't matter. Onee-chan has always been there for me. She's always put me first, and now it's my turn to do the same for her. Please… make her happy."

Her voice cracked, and she wiped at her eyes with her sleeve. "She's so much better than me. She's smart, kind, and… and she even has a better body than me."

I couldn't help but laugh, the absurdity of her statement breaking the tension.

"Why are you laughing?" she asked, flustered.

I wiped a tear from my eye, still chuckling. "You're both incredible. I'd be lucky to have either of you… or both of you."

Her face turned scarlet. "What?!"

"How about I give you my answer tomorrow?" I said with a warm smile.

She hesitated before nodding, then turned and ran off, leaving me standing there, my mind swirling with emotions.

After school, it was time to meet Hana.

I made my way to the same spot behind the school, my heart pounding like a drum. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the ground, the warm golden light painting the quiet area in soft hues. When I turned the corner, there she was.

Hana stood under the shade of a tree, her hands clasped close to her chest, her fingers fidgeting nervously. She looked up as I approached, and the sight of her took my breath away. Her delicate features were framed perfectly by the soft light, her round glasses catching a glint of the sun.

She looked like a flower blooming in spring, fragile yet radiant.

I swallowed hard, rubbing the back of my neck. "Hi…" I greeted her, my voice cracking slightly. I was nervous. Too nervous. Was she going to say what Mei had said earlier? Or something else entirely?

She smiled shyly, but her hands remained clutched tightly near her chest. "H-hi…" she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

"So…" I began, trying to keep my tone steady, "what did you want to talk about?"

Her gaze dropped to the ground as she fidgeted with the hem of her skirt. Her face turned pink, and I could tell she was struggling to find the words.

"I…" she started, then paused, her breath hitching. She looked at me again, her eyes shimmering with determination and nerves. "I… I love you!"

The words hit me like a lightning strike, leaving me frozen in place. My heart skipped a beat, then another. It was as if the world had gone silent, her words echoing in my head. I love you.

"Really?" I asked, my voice soft, barely able to believe what I'd just heard.

"I do," she said, her voice trembling, but her eyes held steady on mine. "I really do love you. The way you smile, the way you have been kind to me, even the way you make me nervous just by being close… I love everything about you."

Her words were filled with raw emotion, her hands gripping the fabric of her skirt so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

"But…" she continued, her tone faltering, "Mei-chan… she loves you too. So please… please choose her."

I blinked, her words pulling me out of my daze. "What?" I asked, my voice louder than I intended.

"Mei-chan," she repeated, her voice shaking. "She's always been the one people look up to. She's smart, she's confident, and she's so strong. She's the one who's always taken care of me, always putting me first… I want her to be happy. She deserves to be happy."

I was out of words. These two twins were so alike, yet so different in how they carried themselves.

Hana's voice broke the silence, soft but steady. "I… I heard everything she told you," she admitted, her eyes darting to the ground as if ashamed. "I wasn't trying to eavesdrop, I swear! It's just… I couldn't help it. Mei-Chan has always been like that, you know? Always putting others first, always thinking about everyone else's happiness before her own."

Her hands trembled as she clutched them tightly together, her gaze flickering between me and the ground. "Even when it hurts her, even when she's the one left behind, she still smiles. She still says it's okay. That's just the kind of person she is."

Hana paused, taking a deep, shaky breath. "But… but that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt her. I know it does. I've seen her cry, hiding behind closed doors, thinking no one knows. I've seen her break down quietly, wiping her tears away so no one else has to worry."

Her voice cracked, and she wiped at her own eyes, her emotions starting to overwhelm her. "She's always been the strong one, you know? The brave one. The one I could always rely on. And now… now she's doing it again. She's giving up what she wants most—for me."

I opened my mouth to respond, but Hana cut me off, her voice rising slightly as her emotions spilled over. "I can't let her do that! I can't let her keep hurting herself just so I can be happy. But at the same time… I don't want to lose you either."

Her words hit me like a wave, and I could see the struggle written all over her face. She looked torn, as if her heart was being pulled in two different directions, and it hurt to see her like this.

"She deserves to be happy," Hana continued, her tone softening again. "Even if it means I have to step aside. Even if… even if I have to let go of my own feelings. I just… I just want Mei-Chan to smile."

She looked up at me then, her teary eyes filled with raw, unfiltered emotion. "Do you understand? She's my sister. My younger sister. And I love her. I can't let her keep sacrificing herself. Not this time."

I stood there, speechless, the weight of her words sinking into my chest. These two twins—so alike, yet so different—had somehow managed to turn my world completely upside down.

"Hana…" I said, my voice heavy with emotion. "What about you? What about your happiness?"

Tears welled up in her eyes, and she shook her head. "It doesn't matter. It never mattered. As long as Mei-chan is happy, I'll be happy too."

Her voice broke on the last words, and before I knew it, tears were streaming down her face. She wiped at them with trembling hands, but they kept coming, her quiet sobs breaking my heart.

"You're wrong," I said firmly, my voice filled with conviction. I stepped closer to her, closing the distance between us. "It matters. It matters to me."

Her eyes widened, her hands frozen mid-motion as she looked up at me. "It… it matters to you?"

"Of course, it does!" I exclaimed, my emotions spilling out. "Your happiness matters to me. You matter to me."

Her lips parted slightly, and for a moment, she just stared at me, as if trying to process my words. Then, a small, trembling smile broke through her tears.

"I… I'm so glad to hear that," she whispered, her voice cracking. "Thank you. Thank you for saying that."

I nodded, offering her a warm smile. "But you know… if you overheard Mei and me earlier, then you know I promised her I'd give my answer tomorrow."

She nodded, her expression softening. "I know… I know you need time. I just… I just wanted you to know how I feel."

"And I'm glad you told me," I said gently. "It means a lot to me, Hana."

She bit her lip, her blush deepening as she looked away. "I… I should go. I'll see you tomorrow."

Before I could say anything else, she turned and walked away, her steps hurried yet light.

I stood there for a long moment, staring at the spot where she'd been, my mind swirling with emotions. These two… they're both so amazing. How am I supposed to choose between them?

But even as the thought weighed on me, another, more pressing concern surfaced. How am I going to explain this to Aisha?

With a heavy sigh, I turned and headed home, my heart and mind both a chaotic mess.

END OF CHAPTER : 11 : THE CONFESSION DILEMMA