“Hey, Raiko! Would you like to come to the college reunion?” is what I heard when I answered my phone.

Man, I barely remember those guys at all. Of course, I wouldn’t, given the college subject I picked happened to not be as interesting or exciting as I hoped it to be. What a chore it was!

Well, can’t complain now. I have my certificate now.

“I’m not sure, to be quite honest. I barely remember you, Kobayashi-san.” I answered honestly.

Right. This is Kobayashi Ai. She probably has a husband already, while I just rot in my small apartment as a virgin salaryman.

Man, curse the man who claimed that you turn a wizard once you become 30 years old while a virgin. What a blatant liar!

“Hey, Raiko. Drop the honorifics and surnames, come on. You know my name’s Ai? E-either way, we’re all waiting for you!” She retorts to me while someone makes a noise in the background.

“Ehh, whatever. I’ll come.” I say back.

“Is it fine if I send you the details over SNS?” Ai asks.

“Yeah, no problem.”

I take a seat at my computer and open my event calendar full of game release dates and my job schedules. 

“Hmm... A new RPG comes out.”

I then open the SNS website and wait for Ai to message me.

She did now.

I look up the place and drop my jaw. It’s a fairly expensive western restaurant.

“Man,  I hope I won’t have to split the pay.”

Ai also sent an arranged time. It’s just 2 hours from now.

“Looks like I’ll have to hurry.”

***

I arrive at the restaurant, and I don’t recognize any of the visitors. Not that I remember the faces of my college mates.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

I guess I’ll have to call Ai…. Guess who forgot his phone.

I check the SNS on my phone for Ai’s photo to only be disappointed after realizing that she has some anime ikemen as her profile picture. I hate ikemens. Especially real-life ones.

A woman comes next to me and greets me.

“Hey, Raiko! You came after all. How have you been doing?” Ai asks.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I responded.

“How’s it going in your life?” she asks.

“Nothing unusual, just working myself off, salary to salary.” Admittedly, the majority of it spent on video games that I barely get to play due to my job.

“Hey, Raiko. Could it be that you are still a virgin?” She asks blushing.

Hey, Ai. Hold right there. That hurts. HP -9999999999999. Dead. Have some consideration, please!

“Uhm.” I awkwardly mutter.

“Well, either way. Let’s go.” Ai forcefully grabs my hand and drags me to a huge table.

“Hey, Ai. Don’t drag me, I can walk by myself.” I almost choke on air from sudden dragging.

Ai releases my hand after we arrive at a big table. The table has everything from pineapples to thanksgiving turkeys. Not that it’s the most fitting date for an American thanksgiving turkey though.

“Take a seat anywhere, Raiko.” Ai says as she takes a seat herself.

I see a couple eating beef wellington and caviar sandwiches. I sit next to the man, to avoid potential conflict. No homo.

The man shrugs away to his presumable girlfriend. Not that I remember who he is or his face. I do know that we were in the same college group, though.

I have decided to take one donut.

My table manners weren’t always the best, so I shoved the whole donut into my mouth.

I choked on it. I began to awfully cough. No one came running to me to help. 

I lowered my head as I was choking on the donut I carelessly shoved into my mouth.

My vision is becoming blurry and dark. I am slowly losing my consciousness. Someone did come running to me, but it’s too late. The last thing I heard before losing my senses completely was “Raiko! Spit it out! Oh no… Raiko, I l…”

***

My vision is pitch black. There is nothing. 

Am I dead? What would happen now? I wish I could have played that game.

Was it Ai? What did she mean by “L”..?

Where am I right now?

And many other existential questions no one could answer now.

Is this the so-called Hell? I am not religious, though. I just know some things from games about the religion.

Man, I died a virgin… How embarrassing. Sorry, Mom. Truly. I know that you bugged me about it a lot. I’m sorry for being bad at communicating.

Suddenly, a light appears and a beautiful woman in the center, illuminated by the light. She has beautiful purplish-blue hair and eyes. Her figure is well-endowed. She sure would be a hit for ikemens. 

“Greetings, Raiko. I am Ikeh, the 9th love Goddess of a world unlike yours. You have died in your world and have gone through the reincarnation cycle. Every soul that is about to be reincarnated goes through a meeting with God to receive a reward for living out their life or get compensation for abrupt death.” She states gracefully, her enchanting voice resonating within me.

I’m at loss of words. So isekai is real, after all. But I’m still pretty pissed for dying a virgin.

“I understand your grief, Raiko. There is also an issue of virgin reincarnators lacking strength in their new bodies. You see, one’s soul gains strength after close contact with another soul. I’m too well familiar with this.” 

Well, bummer. Guess I won’t be the cheat hero. Even worse, I might have stats of a commoner, who knows.

“However, Raiko. You are still entitled for compensation due to your abrupt death. Even if it’s by your own mistake. You could have had a wife and reincarnated with her together, in the same world.”

Oi, kamisama, hold your horses. That REALLY hurts -3.14e159 HP. Literally dead. Catch the moment, please, kamisamaaa!

Still, that’s a pickle. I might die 10 minutes in the new life.

All thanks to my virginity...or else…

I have nothing to lose now, I am dead after all.

“Ikeh, please. Turn me into a man, right here, right now.

I take off my clothes and carefully place them next to me.