The Kansai Villain’s Rebirth: I Accidentally Ended Up With a Harem. - Chapter 4: Natsume Shina’s POV.

Natsume Shina’s POV.

Today was the worst day ever. Even when I hung out with my usual group, I didn’t enjoy it at all. I couldn’t keep up with their conversations, and I couldn’t buy the clothes I wanted because they were too expensive. Ever since starting high school, I’d tried to act a little older, a little more mature—but it was a total failure. And yet, the thought of leaving this group terrified me. What if I got bullied? So, I stayed close behind, quietly trailing along.

Finally, when we disbanded and I thought I could go home, someone scary cornered me. I said I didn’t want anything to do with them, but they wouldn’t leave me alone. Then, finally, they said, “Come over here for a moment…” I kept refusing desperately, but they got angry, and I genuinely thought I might be dragged away. I was about to give up hope—when suddenly…

“Excuse me for intruding!”

“T-Tennouji…kun?”

Tennouji Daiki. A classmate of mine, notorious as a delinquent. Even among the gal group I hung out with, the advice was always: “If Tennouji Daiki shows up, run first, ask questions later.” The school buzzed with rumors about him too.

I thought for sure… he must be part of this gang, here to take me away. I had already given up. But… it was completely the opposite.

“Are you okay? Did they do anything to you? Shi…ah, Natsume-san?”

In an instant, Tennouji-kun had taken care of the scary guy. And then… he carried me, completely helpless, on his back to the park. He even treated me to tea. Could the rumors about Tennouji-kun really be true? I started to wonder.

He didn’t just save me—he told me straight that my current outfit wasn’t appropriate. I was a high school student, so I should dress a little more modestly. My childhood friends, Mio-chan and Rin-chan, had said the same thing before, but Tennouji-kun explained why my look didn’t work. Toshiya-kun didn’t say a word; sometimes he just looked at me with perverted eyes.

I also confided in him about my worry: I wanted to leave my current group, but what if I got bullied afterward? Why did I, a girl talking to Tennouji-kun for the very first time, feel so comfortable sharing this with him? And yet…

“If you think quitting that gal style will get you excluded from your friends… anyone who would kick you out for that isn’t your friend. Forget them.”

Hearing that… it felt like a weight in my heart had just fallen away. Maybe I was worrying too much. He also told me to consult Mio-chan and Rin-chan. Tennouji-kun—he was like a dad, or an older brother. He actually listened when I talked, and gave advice I could rely on… talking to him was so much fun. When I mentioned my parents, he even cried a little… why was that?

Even though I was scared to go home alone, Tennouji-kun walked me safely to my house. Ah… so the rumors at school were wrong! He really was kind. I couldn’t help but watch him until he disappeared from sight.

***

I decided, right then and there: I’m graduating from being a gal! I pulled all my flashy clothes out of the dresser to organize them, ready to sell them off…

“Welcome home. Shina, are you here?”

“…Welcome back, Mom.”

Even though Mom came home, I wasn’t happy. She wouldn’t even look at me—she’d just say she had work and leave again.

“Shina, what’s wrong with you?”

“I… nothing.”

“My work’s busy, so I’ll probably have to stay overnight again. I just came for my underwear… and what’s with this mountain of trash bags? Shina, clean this up properly.”

She didn’t even care what I was doing. That’s just how it was. Dad ignored me completely because I was invisible, and Mom didn’t notice me either. Even when I wore flashy clothes, or dyed my hair blonde—she never cared. And now she was taking her ridiculously flashy lingerie with her on a work trip. Stupid.

“Lock the doors, alright? Are you eating properly?”

“Yes, I am. Don’t worry.”

“Good. Then I’ll be off.”

“Mom… when will you be back this time?”

“…I don’t know.”

“…I see.”

I knew hoping for anything was useless. She’d never care about my hair, my clothes, nothing I did ever drew her attention. I tried so many ways to get her to notice me, but she didn’t even spare a thought. She just left again.

“…I feel so lonely.”

I’d never known a warm, loving family like Mio-chan’s. My parents fought whenever they met. Honestly, if they hated each other that much, divorce would’ve made sense—but it didn’t change the fact that I was lonely. At school, I had Mio-chan, Rin-chan, and Toshiya-kun, which eased the loneliness a little…

“Tennouji…kun.”

Meeting Tennouji-kun had been shocking. But even though we’d just met, I felt like he cared about me more than my own mother did. That’s why I was determined to graduate from the flashy gal look.

Ah! I just remembered!

“I… I forgot to ask Tennouji-kun for his contact info!?”

Ugh… I wanted to send him a thank-you message later, but my mind had been such a mess that I completely forgot. What should I do…? I grabbed my phone and decided to message my childhood friends. But… could I really tell Mio-chan and Rin-chan about Tennouji-kun right away? It felt like something I should talk about directly.

si-na: Mio-chan, Rin-chan! Can we meet tomorrow afternoon? I have something really important to tell you!

miomio: Shi-chan, what’s wrong? Something you can’t say here? I don’t mind…

si-na: Uh… yeah. It’s a long story if I explain it now…

Rin: I don’t mind. Actually, it’s rare for you to come to us for help. Why not your usual group?

miomio: Rin-chan, that’s a bit harsh…

si-na: I decided to leave that group! It might be convenient, but I really want your help!

Rin: And what about Toshiya-kun?

si-na: Uh… pass! Let’s have a girls’ talk!!

Rin: Okay, understood.

miomio: Got it. So tomorrow afternoon, then?

si-na: I have plans in the morning! Sorry for being so selfish…

miomio: No, it’s fine. Right, Rin-chan?

Rin: It’s fine. Goodnight, then.

Phew… I’m so glad Mio-chan and Rin-chan agreed to meet. I could tell them about leaving the gal group, and get Rin-chan’s fashion advice—she has such good taste, so she could help me pick out clothes that weren’t flashy.

And I had to tell them about the scary guy, too—and how Tennouji-kun had saved me. He wasn’t the delinquent everyone said he was. He was kind! Even if they didn’t believe me, I’d explain everything, and I’d make them understand!

Remembering everything Tennouji-kun had said made my heart race. It also… warmed me in a way I couldn’t quite explain. I’m still an idiot—I don’t even know what this feeling is yet.

“Tomorrow… I’m graduating from being a gal! I’ll calm down, just like Tennouji-kun said!”

I looked in the mirror and grinned. I couldn’t wait for tomorrow. I touched my blonde hair—this was the last day for it, so I felt a little nostalgic.