The Kansai Villain’s Rebirth: I Accidentally Ended Up With a Harem. - Chapter 14: Akitani Mio Becomes Aware of the Kansai Man.

Akitani Mio Becomes Aware of the Kansai Man.

Akitani Mio’s POV.

“I’m home~”

“Welcome back, Mio.”

After finishing club activities and returning home from school, the very first thing I always do is wash my lunch box. I could do it after dinner, sure, but somehow it’s just become my routine to clean it as soon as I get home.

Today, though, as I placed two unusually spotless lunch boxes by the sink, my mom gave me a curious look.

“Oh my, Mio… Toshiya-kun’s lunch box looks awfully clean today. He didn’t eat it, did he? You didn’t… throw it away or anything, right?”

Her words made my heart skip a beat.

Mom always has that uncanny sharpness when she says things like this. I’m terrible at hiding things — everything shows on my face.

So, like always, I told her the truth.
That Toshiya didn’t eat the bento.
That I ended up giving it to a boy named Tennouji-kun instead.

“Haaah… honestly, how could that boy do such a thing? You go out of your way to make him lunch, and that’s how he treats you?”

Mom folded her arms and sighed deeply.

“If he already had a bento, he could’ve just said, ‘I’ll go to the cafeteria, but I’ll eat this too,’ right? Why eat cafeteria food on top of that?”

Her words echoed exactly what Rin-chan said earlier.

I couldn’t believe it either. Every time I tell him, ‘Let me know early if you don’t need a bento’, he just brushes it off with, ‘Yeah yeah, sorry, my bad,’ and it ends there.

Sometimes I wonder… what am I to Toshiya-kun, really?

“And Mio,” Mom’s tone softened a little, but her eyes stayed sharp, “Are you at least getting money for the lunches?”

“Um…”

“You’re not, are you? Since when?”

“…Since… third term of first year.”

“That long ago!?”

Her voice suddenly went up an octave. She was trembling slightly — which, for my mom, meant she was really angry.

“B-but, sometimes he does pay me!”

“Sometimes isn’t good enough, Mio.”

She took a step closer, pointing gently but firmly.

“You wake up early every morning to make those bentos. You put your heart into it. That effort deserves respect — and payment — every single time. You can’t let that slide. Mio, you need to stop making lunches for Toshiya-kun. Not immediately, but within a month or two. Otherwise, you’re only going to keep getting hurt.”

I didn’t make those lunches because I wanted something in return.
Toshiya’s mother had asked me to.
But Toshiya himself… I don’t even know if he remembers that.
He acts like it’s only natural that I do it.

Honestly, part of me already wanted to stop.

“I should probably talk to Mrs. Imamiya,” Mom murmured, then looked back at me. “By the way, what about that Tennouji boy?”

“Oh! He gave me a thousand yen!”

I said it before I could stop myself.

“He even tried to give me another thousand, saying a single one wasn’t enough to show his gratitude. I barely managed to stop him!”

“Well, isn’t that sweet of him,” Mom said with a warm laugh. “Sounds like this Tennouji boy understands you better than Toshiya ever has. Maybe you should start making lunches for him instead.”

“Ehh!? W-wait, why!?”

“Because he’s a good boy! He appreciates you, Mio! And listen — in this world, the way to a man’s heart isn’t through his words, but through his stomach! Once you capture that, don’t ever let go!”

“M-Mom!? What are you even saying!? It’s not like that with Tennouji-kun!”

“Oh, but it will be, just you wait! Bring him home sometime — I bet he’d make a wonderful husband for you!”

“Mooooom!!”

Once Mom gets going, even Dad can’t stop her. She kept asking about Tennouji-kun — what kind of boy he was, what we talked about — but honestly, we’ve only really started talking this past month.

I barely know him.

But maybe because of what Mom said, I couldn’t stop thinking about him.

Even after going back to my room to do homework, my mind kept wandering.

No matter how many times I sighed or shook my head, it always circled back to him.

If only Tennouji-kun were my childhood friend instead of Toshiya…

That thought popped up before I realized it.

“I just wanted to show my respect and gratitude to Akitani-san, ya know? Please, let me.”

I remembered what Tennouji-kun said earlier, that earnest Kansai accent full of warmth.

Did Toshiya ever say anything like that?

He never did.

Every time I gave him his bento, it was a flat, “Yeah, thanks.” And when I asked how it was, just a lazy, “It was good.”

Tennouji-kun, though… he tasted every single dish, told me what he thought about each one, and even cried while saying, ‘It’s so good!’

If someone asked me now, “Who would you rather make lunch for?”

There’s no question — it’d be Tennouji-kun.

Lately, I can’t stop thinking about him.

And then, before I knew it, I was wondering… If I ever got married… would I want it to be to someone like him?

The thought made me flail around my bed in embarrassment.

Ping!

A notification from POINE.

Maybe Toshiya? Or Shina-chan?

Daiki: Good evening. Thanks again for the incredible bento today. It was really delicious.

It was Tennouji-kun!

I dropped my pencil and typed back instantly — homework forgotten.

My heart felt like it was floating.

Miomio: No, thank you! Hearing you say it was delicious so many times made me really happy♪ I’ll definitely make one again sometime, so look forward to it!

Daiki: I’ll be waiting! Oh, and hey — how about we try making lunches for each other next time? Like, a bento exchange?

Miomio: What!? That sounds so fun! Let’s do it! Wait — you can cook?

Daiki: Yeah. My parents are working up in Hokkaido right now, so I’m living alone. I make my own meals, but honestly… I can’t beat Akitani-san’s cooking.

miomio:Ehh~! I’m sure that’s not true! But… I really do want to taste your cooking now!

Daiki: Leave it to me! Haha, now I’m really looking forward to it.

Miomio: Fufu, me too~♪

***

“Heheh~♪”

So he’s good at cooking too… that’s kind of unexpected.

But a bento exchange… do even friends do that?

Sharing side dishes, sure — that’s normal. But exchanging whole bentos… isn’t that kind of… couple-like!?

W-wait, no, calm down, it’s fine!

It’s just two people thinking about each other while making lunch…

…which still totally sounds like a couple thing!!

Ugh, what am I supposed to do!? My heart won’t stop racing…

ToshiYang: Mio, sorry about today. The guys insisted on eating at the cafeteria, and I couldn’t say no. I’ll count on you again tomorrow.

The message came while I was still chatting with Tennouji-kun.

And just like that — the fluttering in my chest froze solid.

His excuse was so childish.

That casual ‘I’ll count on you again tomorrow’ made it sound like I was some kind of convenience.

I actually felt… a little angry.

Daiki:  (photo of a cat)

Miomio: Aww, what a cute kitty! So black and fluffy!

Daiki: Yeah, it’s a neighborhood cat people take care of. Sometimes it comes over to my place too. His name’s Kotetsu. He’s a clingy little guy, haha.

Miomio: He’s even showing his belly—haha, adorable!

***

ToshiYang: Hey, Mio, you there? Come on, reply already.

ToshiYang: Oi.

ToshiYang: Are you mad? I said I was sorry, didn’t I?

ToshiYang: Miooo~

ToshiYang: Hey, Mio~  Come on, cheer up already~

***

Miomio: …Fine. I’ll bring your lunch tomorrow.

ToshiYang: Sweet, thanks~

Persistent.
And that reply…

Honestly, I didn’t want to make it.

It felt like he’d just doused cold water over the warmth of my conversation with Tennouji-kun.

Tomorrow, I’ll go back to being teased by the boys again — they’ll call it a “wife’s lunch” and laugh.

It’s not even like that.

I just… really don’t want to deal with it anymore.

Ever since Mom told me to take a step back, I’ve been feeling this quiet dread whenever I think of Toshiya.

If only… Tennouji-kun had been my childhood friend instead.

Daiki: I should probably get back to my homework before I get scolded, haha. Anyway, see you tomorrow.

Miomio: Ah! Me too, I need to finish mine! Good night!

Daiki: Night!

And just like that, our chat ended.

I wanted to keep talking… just a little longer.

“Hehe… okay! Time to get back to studying!”

Smiling to myself, I read through our messages again — and, still a little flustered but happy, I opened my notebook and started my homework anew.