The Kansai Villain’s Rebirth: I Accidentally Ended Up With a Harem. - Chapter 32: A Kansai Man—Studying At Home.

A Kansai Man—Studying At Home.

After finishing our pasta, a calm and quiet moment settled in.
Well… I guess there’s no need to rush straight into studying, right?

“Um… Tennouji-kun. That study of yours… may I take a look at it?”

“Ah, sure. Go ahead, take your time.”

“Thank you…”

Fuyuki-san looked restless the entire time. For a book lover like her, my family’s study must feel like paradise. And sure enough, the moment I showed her in, she was already scanning the shelves with shining eyes, moving through the stacks like a kid in a candy store. I’d never seen her so openly excited before.

“A-amazing… so many volumes of the Kindaichi series…! And this one—I’ve never seen it before.”

“Oh, that? It went out of print pretty early. It’s a good one. Wanna borrow it?”

“R-really!?”

“Y-yeah, sure. Take your time reading it.”

“Ah, seriously… why do exams even exist? I want to just sit and read!”

“Haha… no rush. You can return it anytime.”

That’s what makes Fuyuki-san so charming, really. The way she shows her true self when it comes to books. Our study’s filled with rare, out-of-print novels, so I get why she’s so absorbed—reading the blurbs, flipping through pages with that focused, almost childlike curiosity.

“…I can’t choose just one.”

She looked a little downcast, and it was honestly adorable.

“Don’t worry about it, Fuyuki-san. Just take whichever you like for now, and next time you come by, you can pick another.”

“…All right.”

Ah—she’s playing with her hair. That’s her happy tell. Heh, honestly, she’s welcome anytime. If it’s Fuyuki-san, I wouldn’t mind this place becoming her regular reading spot.

“Maybe I should make this house more like a little salon, where you all can drop by anytime.”

“That would be too much trouble for you… But, right, since we’re still in exam season, how about this—after the exams, when we’re doing the post-test dinner party at your place, I’ll borrow it then.”

“Yeah, that sounds good.”

“Alright, I’ll look forward to it.”

“Tennouji-kun, about dinner—are we cooking something? It might be a bit heavy right after lunch.”

“Yeah, maybe… but depending on the time—”

“Oh, that’ll be fine! I think my mom will say yes.”

“Same here!”

“I’ll be fine too. Something to look forward to, isn’t it?”

A little post-exam celebration, huh?
Cooking dinner together with Akitani-san, then eating with Shina-san and Fuyuki-san—all four of us. That actually sounds… really nice.

“Hehe, I can’t wait! Let’s think together about what to make, okay?”

“Guess I’ll have to put my skills to the test.”

“Yay! I’m so excited! Right, Rin-chan?”

“Yes. Tennouji-kun’s cooking was delicious, after all. Haa, maybe I ate too much.”

“Ehh, you barely ate anything!”

“Yeah, for Rin-chan, that was a lot. She doesn’t eat much usually.”

“I should’ve made a salad too.”

“Careful, Rin-chan might pop!”

Watching the three of them laugh over tea and juice, I found myself thinking again— Yeah… I really do like these three.

But somewhere in my mind, a thought lingered.
What if, by some chance, Imamiya never had that “main character” luck to begin with?
What if he was just another background guy?

“Then who’s supposed to make these girls happy?”

That question kept circling in my head.
Even if this world really is Netohaza, what if there are no “plot shields,” no “destined routes”?
What if they just live normal lives—meet someone, fall in love, get married—and that’s it? That would be fine.

But then I remembered the time Shina-san got cornered by those delinquents. That was no coincidence. That was a flag. And maybe I was the one who broke it… or fulfilled it.

Either way, it’s clear this world is influenced by Netohaza.
And if that’s the case, then my being here—me, who’s poured hundreds of hours, maybe years, into this game—has to mean something.

Maybe… I’m the one meant to guide them to happiness.

That thought’s been growing stronger in me. Leaving them to Imamiya—who’s made Shina angry, disappointed Akitani, and gotten the cold shoulder from Fuyuki—would only end badly.

If he dares make any of them cry again… I swear I’ll deck him so hard his face caves in.

They used to laugh at me—“the otaku who fell in love with 2D girls.”
But now, those very girls are right here, living and breathing. So tell me—why shouldn’t I let this love come true?

If that’s what it takes, then I’ll become a devil for them. After all, I was already known as the demon who sent Netohaza fans to hell.

Yeah… something inside me’s definitely changing.

“How about fried chicken?”

“Oh! Let’s make my mom’s special karaage! I wanna do it!”

“Then I’ll make shrimp fry. Classic A-set meal.”

“‘A-set’? Never heard of that.”

“Shrimp fry, karaage, hamburger steak, and potato salad. The family’s signature combo.”

“…Isn’t that way too much food?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll make a ladies’ size.”

“Yup! We’ll be careful with the portions!”

“Waaah, I’m getting excited already! I can’t wait!”

“Haha, I’ll make it worth the wait. Right then, Akitani-san—let’s keep this plan top secret…”

“R-right!”

“Honestly, do as you like. Anyway—it’s already one o’clock. Let’s get to studying.”

“Okay!”

“Rin-chan, help with classical Japanese, please~”

“Guess I’ll handle world history, then.”

Time to switch gears. Each of us focused on our weaker subjects—covering for one another.
World history’s always a mess of “Something Dynasties” and “Whatever Empires.”

No way around it but memorization. I started jotting down the key points the teacher had emphasized, when Akitani-san asked about an English problem.

Then Fuyuki-san and Shina-san joined in with their own questions.

“They really could’ve made these sentences less confusing…”

“Well, that’s studying for you.”

“M-my turn next! This Japanese phrase, I don’t get it—”

“Shina, you’re too close.”

“Ehehe, I just wanna sit next to you, Daiki-kun~!”

“Haha…”

Fuyuki-san’s really saving me here… because every time Shina leans in like that, my heart just about explodes. And Fuyuki-san’s outfit today… no, stop. Don’t think about it. Focus.

***

“Let’s take a break.”

“Ughhh, finally… I’m exhausted…”

“It’s already three-thirty. Time flies. I could use something sweet.”

“Here, iced tea. This time it’s iced Darjeeling. Add some syrup or milk if you want.”

“Wow, that smells amazing… Your mom must be really into tea, huh?”

“Yeah, she imports it herself every season. We even have a wine cellar at home.”

“S-seriously…?”

So many fancy wines… they look incredible. Too bad I’m still underage. Guess I’ll have to wait a few years.

“Rin-chan, are you still choosing books?”

“I need to be thorough…”

“Oh, there are manga too! Whoa, these look so fun!”

“Ugh… no, Shina. Focus! We’re studying.”

“Ehh!?”

Poor Fuyuki-san, battling her self-control like that—it’s almost endearing. Well, she can always come back next week.

***

“Are you sure I don’t need to walk you home?”

“It’s fine. It’s still bright out, and there are three of us.”

“S-still…”

“You’re so kind, Daiki-kun.”

“Hmm… then, could you at least walk us to the school? We’ll be fine from there.”

“Y-yeah, sure. I’ll walk you that far.”

I managed to see them part of the way home.
Thanks to Fuyuki-san’s guidance, exam prep should be solid. Guess I’ll do a bit more studying tonight too. Tomorrow’s gonna be… something.

“Shina, make sure you actually study, alright?”

“Ye~s…”

“The harder you work, the more fun the celebration’ll be!”

“Yeah! I’m gonna go wild when it’s all over!”

“What does that even mean…? Oh, Tennouji-kun, this is far enough.”

“Got it. See you at school.”

“Thanks again for today. See you Monday!”

“Bye-bye, Daiki-kun! Let’s ace those exams!”

“Thank you for everything today.”

“Yeah. See you all at school.”

And with that, the day came to an end.
It felt… truly fulfilling. With this much motivation, I think I can face the exams head-on.

As the evening breeze brushed against my face, cool and gentle, I walked home—feeling lighter than I had in a long time.