The Kansai Villain’s Rebirth: I Accidentally Ended Up With a Harem. - Chapter 44: The Moment Akitani Mio Finds Her Answer.

The Moment Akitani Mio Finds Her Answer.

“Alright, I’m heading out now. Make sure you stay in bed and rest, okay?”

“…Okay.”

“I won’t be home until evening, so sleep through lunch too if you can. I’m sorry I can’t stay with you…”

“No, it’s fine. Don’t worry. Have a good day—and be careful.”

“Yes. I’ll be back later.”

A sigh slipped out of me as the door closed.

…Ahh, I really messed up. I was studying last night and fell asleep without realizing it. Just like I feared, when I woke up this morning, chills ran through me and my body felt heavy. My thermometer read 37.8°C. So I stayed home from school. Mom called in for me, and I lay in bed, wrapped in blankets.

I glanced at my phone. It was about time for everyone to be at school.
A bad feeling crept up on me.

Toshiya-kun… Don’t tell me he’s still asleep?

No, he should at least have set an alarm. I thought about leaving him be. But I had a feeling he’d blame me later somehow, so I reluctantly pressed the call button.

…Ten rings. No answer.

He… he can’t still be sleeping, right? Just as I thought that, the ringing stopped.

“…Huh… hello…?”

…He had just woken up.

“Toshiya-kun, it’s already time to be at school. You can’t still be asleep.”

“S… school…? S-School!? What time is it!?”

“It’s when you’d normally already be there.”

“Uwaaah!! Crap! Why didn’t you wake me up sooner!?”

“I’m not feeling well today, so I’m staying home… There’s no lunch, so please buy something at the cafeteria.”

“What!? Seriously!? I’m broke! I don’t have money! What am I gonna do now—ugh, this is all because you didn’t wake me up! Now I’m gonna be late!”

The call ended with a sharp click.

I stared at my phone in disbelief.

Why… why is this my fault?
Why is he broke? Doesn’t his mom give him money? I’m not his mother. I’m not his girlfriend.

He must have stayed up late playing games again. Lately, all he ever talks about are those violent shooter games—shotguns this, machine guns that. He mentions raids and bases, but I don’t understand any of it. I’m not good with that kind of thing.

…Ugh. I just feel worse now.

I closed my eyes with a heavy sigh. I drifted off surprisingly quickly.

Honestly… I think I’ve had enough. I should talk to him. If he can’t even appreciate what I’m doing, and then blames me for his lateness, I really don’t want to keep doing this.

***

Rin: Mio, how are you feeling? Don’t worry about replying if you’re not up to it.

miomio: Rin-chan! I just woke up. I feel a lot better after sleeping!

Rin: Good. Did you eat lunch? You need to eat, okay?
Would you mind if Shii and I came by later to check on you?
Only if you’re up for it.

miomio: Yes! Please come! I think I’m okay now!

Rin: Alright. We’ll drop by then.

Rin-chan was worried about me. Shi-chan too. I was happy… but I also felt guilty for worrying them.

Rin-chan always says I think too much, but I can’t help it. I’m the one who fell asleep while studying, after all…

I was hungry, but still too sluggish to move. Okay—just sleep again until they arrive.

***

“Mio-chan, are you feeling better now?”

“Shi-chan, yeah, I’m much better.”

“That’s good to hear. But don’t push yourself when it gets this cold, alright? The cultural festival is coming.”

“I know… sorry for making you worry.”

“Let’s get you healthy before the festival!”

“There are still ten days left, you know…?”

“Even so—take care of yourself until it’s over. You look much better. We shouldn’t stay too long, so we’ll head home now.”

“Mio-chan, do you think you’ll come tomorrow?”

“If I keep feeling like this, I should be fine. See you at school.”

“But don’t overdo it, okay? See you tomorrow.”

“Yeah. See you, Shi-chan, Rin-chan!”

“Bye-bye!”

They left in less than thirty minutes. Something about Shi-chan felt… restless.
Was something bothering her? It made me a little lonely, but I didn’t want to take their time.

And that’s when—

Ding-dong.

The doorbell rang again.

Huh? Did Shi-chan or Rin-chan forget something? I didn’t see anything left behind. Maybe a delivery?

Not wanting to miss it, I went to the entrance and opened the door.

“Yes? Shi-chan? Forget something—”

The person standing there was someone I never expected.

“Ah… hello. It’s Tennouji.”

“Eh—”

“I came to check on you. Brought some stuff.”

“EEEEEEH!?”

“…!?”

T-Tennouji-kun!? N-no way!! I didn’t hear anything about this!!
My scream probably echoed through the whole neighborhood.

***

“Wait—Shi-chan and Rin-chan left?”

“Y-yeah… They kinda rushed out. I thought it was weird…”

So Tennouji-kun thought they were messaging each other too.
Meaning… they tricked both of us!? Ugh, I’m definitely complaining tomorrow!

Tennouji-kun was so kind. He was so considerate it almost made me feel bad… but at the same time, it made me really happy.

And the udon he made because he knew I was hungry—it was delicious. So gentle and warm. I devoured it. Then he f-fed me jelly… with an “ahh”?

Uuuu… I was so embarrassed…
But… it wasn’t bad. Not bad at all.

And then… I finally managed to say what I’d been thinking.

“Today… I actually… wanted Daiki-kun to come. So… thank you…”

I called him Daiki-kun instead of Tennouji-kun. My face was burning, but something inside me tightened—kyun—in the sweetest way.

Daiki-kun.

He’s been taking up more and more space in my heart.
That time we were waiting for him at the get-together… I could tell from the way Shi-chan talked. She definitely likes him. She’s bold—she’ll probably confess soon.

Rin-chan too… I can tell she likes him. Her eyes always follow him, and she looks so happy when she talks to him.

I realized it.

I… like Daiki-kun too.

But I don’t want the three of us to fight over him. So I’ve been trying to bury my feelings.
But they’re spilling over now. I can’t stop them.

What should I do…? I want to be by his side too…

My thoughts kept spinning.
There was no answer.
So for now… I’ll just leave them quietly where they are.
For now… it’s okay.

I drifted off to sleep again.

***

“Mio~? Are you awake?”

Mom’s voice woke me. She had returned home and came to check on me.

“Mio, you’re up? How do you feel?”

“I think I’m okay now.”

“That’s good. No fever either. Looks like you got plenty of sleep. Will you be able to sleep tonight?”

“Hehe… not sure. But probably.”

“Good. Did you eat? Looks like you had something.”

“Yeah… a friend made udon for me.”

“It wasn’t Shi-chan or Rin-chan, was it? Hmm… let me guess—Tennouji-kun!”

“Eh!? H-how did you know!?”

“You said he was good at cooking the other day. So I figured. Oh my… Mio, you sly girl~ Inviting a boy into the house♪ Ahh, I wish I could’ve met your little prince charming Tennouji-kun!”

“Prince charming!? Mom!?”

“Am I wrong?”

“Uu… I-I wish you weren’t…”

“Ahahaha! So he won your heart through your stomach, huh? Then you need to grab his heart right back! And show your mother her future son-in-law!”

“S-son-in-law!? Me… a bride… ahhh! Mooooom!!”

We ended up talking about Tennouji-kun over dinner.
Dad’s face was… complicated, to say the least.

My excitement lasted until it was all suddenly cooled by a single message from Toshiya-kun:

“If you’re coming tomorrow, make my lunch.”

My heart sank instantly.