The Kansai Villain’s Rebirth: I Accidentally Ended Up With a Harem. - Chapter 112: A Kansai Native Catches a Cold.

A Kansai Native Catches a Cold.

“Cough! Cough!”

The morning after meeting Harumiya Sakura. Exposed to the biting winter wind, my sweat-soaked body chilled even further during that prolonged ordeal—as expected, I’d caught a cold. My temperature hovered at 38°C, my head throbbed relentlessly, coughs wracked me, and my throat burned… Truly the worst. Going to the hospital felt impossible in this state… No cold medicine in the house, either… Damn it… Those punks should’ve ambushed Harumiya-san when I was properly bundled up, idiots.

Ah… Mio-chan’s probably making lunch for me right now… I feel terrible, but today… ugh, I really am sorry… She went to all that trouble… For now, I sent a message to the group chat on POINE.

Da-chan’s Family ♡

Daiki: Sorry, caught a cold… Taking the day off school. Mio-chan, sorry.

miomio: Eh!? Do you have a fever? Do you have medicine? Ah, don’t apologize! It can’t be helped. You’re sick, so don’t worry and just rest.

si-na:  Dai-chan, you okay…? Uu, I’ll skip too and nurse you!

Daiki: Shi-chan, I’ll go to the hospital later, so… well, not exactly fine. But go to school properly.

Rin: I’m coming over right now. Wait for me—I’ll bring medicine. I can’t make porridge, but I’ll buy udon from the supermarket. I’ll accompany you to the hospital too, so wait.

miomio: Rin-chan, calm down! Wait! Don’t try to leave school!

si-na: I’m coming too~!

miomio: Th-then I’ll go too!

Daiki: Attend classes properly. I’m going back to sleep, so no leaving early!

These girls… no good. Especially Rinko—she’s terrifying. She was probably hammering out those messages with furious intensity… Shi-chan’s jumping on the bandwagon, trying to skip school to nurse me. Mio-chan, please hold the line as the voice of reason… Don’t you start thinking about leaving early too…

Ken: Daiki, I heard Fuyuki’s heading to your place right now—what’s up?

Daiki: Probably because I said I’m out sick…

Ken: I-I see… Get well soon. Stay warm and sleep. Go to the hospital too!

Shouma: Daiki, cold huh~? Your girlfriends are panicking hard~ Stay hydrated. Rest up. Took your meds? If not, hospital~ Convenience stores have easy udon these days—eat when you can. Take care~

Tenma-kun, Momodani-kun… thanks for worrying… This is what friends are… I’m so happy I don’t know what to do. Having girlfriends worry is wonderful, but hearing it from friends too… it really touches me. In my previous life, only my mom and dad ever cared when I was sick. I’ll follow their advice… Sleep until the clinic opens…

***

The diagnosis was indeed a cold. I wonder if that pandemic from my old world exists here? Come to think of it, I haven’t heard anything on the news. Whatever… I got medicine, then stopped at the supermarket for instant udon—just add to a hot pot—and two 1.5-liter bottles of Pocari. Ah… breakfast… what to do… Bread’s too tough to swallow… Oh… microwave porridge… Ugh… exhausting… But friends’ advice matters… So cold… Dragging my aching body, I somehow made it home.

While heating the porridge, I checked my temperature—it had climbed higher.

“Cough, hack! Damn… this sucks…”

Staying awake is torture, but I need to eat… No appetite, but I forced it down, took the medicine… Finally, I collapsed into bed. The moment my eyes closed, I plunged into deep sleep.

***

I woke up. What time is it… Hm…?

“60 new messages”

“10 missed calls”

Terrifying. I’d woken around early afternoon, but my phone was bombarded with messages and calls… Still feeling rough. The messages… almost all from Rinko… Bad—if I ignore her, she’ll fall into darkness. Early ones were “Dai-kun, how are you feeling?” but later they devolved into single words like “Um…” “Dai-kun” “Hey”… genuinely scary. I quickly replied just “Sorry, was asleep. Still a bit rough.” Looking back, it’s horrifying. During lunch break, one “Dai-kun” every minute. Sorry… I was out cold…

miomio: Okay if we stop by after school?

Daiki: Yeah. As long as you don’t catch it. Shi-chan should have my key, so maybe all three of you?

I replied to Mio-chan’s message for now. Told her assuming the three would come.

“Cough… Gotta eat udon and take meds… Ah~… Pocari tastes so good…”

Back in my salaryman days, I had to drag myself to work no matter how sick. My balding boss would snap “Don’t infect me,” and I’d think then don’t make me come in. He’d call it slacking, lack of spirit—yet when that new virus hit, he vanished for two weeks. We all cursed him behind his back.

“Mmm… Modern frozen foods are no joke…”

I forced down the udon, took the medicine. Then lay back down and slept again.

***

“Dai-kun!”

“Waa~! Rin-chan, no loud voices!”

Rinko and Mio-chan, probably. Their voices woke me. Before I knew it, the sun was already setting.

“You two are loud too! What if Daiki was sleeping?”

““Yes…””

The usually loudest one—Shi-chan—was scolding them. But she’s incredibly considerate in situations like this. As expected.

“Daiki~…”

“Haha, I’m awake. Thanks, Shi-chan.”

“Dai-kun…! How are you? No fever? Not hurting? Ah… Dai-kun… Dai-kun…”

“Daiki-kun… your color looks better, but… sorry for a second.”

Mio-chan’s cool hand felt heavenly on my forehead.

“Fever… a little warm still? Did you take medicine?”

“Yeah, went to the hospital, forced food down, took meds, slept. Feeling much better.”

“Good. Being alone when sick is tough…”

“Dai-kun, move in with me even now? Mom’s there, and I can take care of you.”

“Would bother Kozue-san…”

“Then my house! Mama’s only home weekends?”

“That’s basically still living alone…”

“But Mama would come right back if needed?”

“Why are you two suddenly talking about having Daiki-kun live with you!?”

I silently vowed never to catch cold again. Different from Tamatsukuri-senpai, but the girls go off the rails in their own way. Cohabitation sounds nice, but absolutely no getting sick while still students. Hospitalization would be dangerous—Rinko might seriously snap. Deadpan “move in” and all.

“Dai-kun, hungry?”

“Hmm, feeling a bit better, so maybe. Only had porridge and udon.”

“…! Jelly! I bought it!”

“I’m the one who bought it.”

Rinko stealing Mio-chan’s credit. But she beamed so brightly that Mio-chan could only smile wryly. Mandarin jelly. Vitamins… maybe?

“Here, ahh~”

“Ah! Me too~!”

“Later… Delicious?”

“Yeah… sweet and tangy.”

“Really? One more—ahh~”

“Rin-chan, unfair~!”

So lively. A scene I never had in my previous life. How should I put it… it makes me happy. Having girlfriends who worry, who come visit when I’m sick.

“Daiki-kun, you said you’re hungry, right? I’ll make tsukimi udon! Um, bonito flakes here… kelp too… got it! Wait just a bit!”

“Kuh… I can’t compete with Mio…”

“Uu… I wanna practice cooking too…”

Main wife points go to Mio-chan by a step… Well, Shi-chan and Rinko will be main wives too. But cooking experience makes a difference. The finished tsukimi udon looked perfect and tasted just the light Kyoto-style I love. As expected of Mio-chan… she knows my preferences so well.

“Yeah… delicious!”

“Fufu. Good. Take your medicine after and rest. How about tomorrow?”

“Not sure. No need for lunch tomorrow. Sorry about today.”

“You’re sick—it can’t be helped! Don’t worry.”

A goddess… Mio-chan truly is a goddess… I thought once more.

“We’ll head home now… Dai-kun… I’m still worried…”

“I’ll be fine. I’ll make sure to come tomorrow.”

“Yeah… I’ll be waiting…”

“Me too!”

“Rest well. Bye, Daiki-kun.”

“See you…”

I have to recover by tonight. I tucked myself in properly—feeling much better already—and lay there relaxing. A sick visit event from my girlfriends… It really is incredibly heartwarming.