The Kansai Villain’s Rebirth: I Accidentally Ended Up With a Harem. - Chapter 52: A Kansai Boy, Kicking Down the Door.

A Kansai Boy, Kicking Down the Door.

I arrived at the Natsume residence. I wasn’t here to pick a fight — I was here to avoid the risk that the police might get involved if I kept Shina-chan hidden at my place. She had run away from home, and there’s no way she told her parents where she was going. From their perspective, she had simply vanished. Any normal parent would call the police. Any normal parent — but these two didn’t qualify.

In the original story, she never ran away. She always endured her parents’ irrational behavior, holding herself together thanks to her relationship with Imamiya. But this time, she couldn’t take it anymore. This event never existed in the source material — I’m completely in uncharted territory. Still, I’m her boyfriend. And a boyfriend’s duty is to protect the girl he loves. Without realizing it, Shina-chan had come to depend on me.

The house was noisy as I approached. I couldn’t make out what they were yelling, but clearly, the fight was far from over. Arguing instead of looking for their missing daughter… their priorities disgusted me. I pressed the doorbell.

A cheerful ding-dong chimed. The shouting abruptly stopped — but no one answered. I knew they were in there. Don’t make me ring it twice. I pressed it again.

“Yes?”

Her mother opened the intercom with a bitter, irritated tone.

“Sorry to bother you so late. My name is Tennouji Daiki. I’m Shina-san’s boyfriend.”

“E-Excuse me?”

“Actually, Shina-san is currently at my home. So I’d like to ask you to refrain from calling the police. She doesn’t want to see you tonight, so she’ll be staying over.”

“A g-girl staying overnight at a boy’s house!? Absolutely not!”

She screeched hysterically, nerves completely frayed. In the background, her father shouted:

“Hey! Who do you think you are!? Tell him to leave!”

“No no, your daughter said she doesn’t want to see you. And if she came back now, you’d just start arguing about custody again, wouldn’t you?”

“S-She told you about that? What a thoughtless… shameless girl!”

“Shameless? You’re the ones who started discussing divorce — not just divorce, but custody and child support — right in front of your daughter. I’d like to talk about her future. May I come in?”

“Return Shina! If you don’t, I’ll call the police!”

“Sit down and talk first. What do you think would happen if I send her back now…? You neglectful parents.”

“…!”

Their behavior wasn’t “hands-off parenting.” It was neglect — pure and simple. I’d survived over a decade in a hellish corporate environment. I knew what irrationality looked like.

“And if you keep shrieking like that, the neighbors will start talking.”

“…Come in.”

The gate lock clicked open.

“Thank you for having me.”

I stepped into the Natsume household. In the living room, her mother and father glared daggers at me. And—some woman I didn’t recognize. So this must be the mistress.

“Now then, since it’s late, let’s discuss Shina-san. First, she’s staying with me tonight. You two can fight as much as you like — she’s exhausted mentally.”

“Don’t decide things on your own! Boyfriend or not, you have no right! Shina is our daughter! Have you no sense of propriety!?”

“You ignore her day after day — and now you want to act like parents? You bring your affair partner into your home without a second thought. Do you ever consider what that does to your daughter? And you dare lecture me about propriety?”

“That has nothing to do with this!”

“She has been suffering emotional abuse. And you’ve abandoned your responsibilities as parents — so you don’t get to criticize her anymore.”

“T-That’s right!”

“You too. Do you know how hard she tried to make you notice her? Good grades. Competition results. The flashy clothes. The hair color. All desperate attempts for her parents to actually see her.”

“At least we’ve provided for her financially!”

“Money isn’t love. A parent should show affection and teach right from wrong. Not treat their child like a bill to pay.”

These parents were far worse than described in the original story. Shina-chan had never run away there… she only ever said once, with tired resignation:

“As long as Toshiya-kun is there, I can keep trying at home…”

Maybe things had escalated the same way back then — only now she had me to escape to. Maybe it wasn’t arrogance to think this: she was relying on me more than anyone else now. And that meant I had to keep her away from these people.

“You can divorce if you want. But at least wait until she graduates high school.”

“W-What?”

“You’re crossing a line! This is a family matter! Stop interfering!”

“You’re not family either. A mistress doesn’t get a say.”

“…!”

“Why wait?” her father muttered.

“After graduation, she can live on her own. But divorce now — and if she ends up unable to attend school, or forced to transfer — she’ll lose the only safe space she has left.”

School might be her only refuge — where Mio-san and Rinko-san are. Where I am. She enjoys school the most. If she’s taken from that… she’ll have nowhere left.

“If worst comes to worst, she can live with me. So don’t take away her sanctuary. In that case, neither of you needs custody. You can live separately with your ‘partners.’”

In the original, her father cared only about appearances — they vanished after selling the house. Her mother drowned herself in men. There was no salvation.

“If you care about your daughter at all… endure this much. She’s unhappy because of you. Don’t you think you owe her this? If not, I’ll call Child Services.”

“W-Wait! That would—”

“Complete neglect, wouldn’t you say? Shina-chan would end up in protective care.”

“S-Stop! Anything but that!”

“Then wait on the divorce. And don’t let this woman step foot here again. She’s toxic to Shina-chan.”

(Silence.)

“And if you two cross paths on campus this weekend, she stays with me. Less exposure to you is better.”

“I… I won’t even be able to see her face…?”

“What would you do even if you saw her? You never complained about the blonde hair or revealing outfits before.”

(Silence.)

“If things get worse, I will call Child Services.”

“…Why are you going so far? Just because you’re her boyfriend…?”

“Because I love her. And since you won’t protect her — I will. That’s the only reason I need.”

That was everything I needed to say. I had delivered her status, and my terms. Now I had to return — she was waiting, probably terrified that I’d disappear like her parents always did.

“Well then, Shina-chan is waiting. If anything comes up, we’ll talk again.”

“…Tch!”

Her father glared at me viciously, but I didn’t care. Her mother hung her head in shame. These two… truly failed as parents. Mine weren’t perfect, but at least they were better than this.

I hurried back — to where Shina-chan waited for me.