The Kansai Villain’s Rebirth: I Accidentally Ended Up With a Harem. - Chapter 57: Akitani Mio’s POV.

Akitani Mio’s POV.

I wake up every morning at 5 a.m. I’m sleepy… a little. But after doing this for a year and a half, I’m mostly used to it.

And as always, I prepare today’s bento. Mine and… Toshiya-kun’s.

Ever since that day — the one where he bailed on the lunch I made — I’ve felt like I don’t want to make his bento anymore. If he likes cafeteria food so much, then fine… let him eat that.

And more importantly… there’s someone I actually want to cook for now.

Daiki-kun.

Instead of someone who complains —
This isn’t in here,
I don’t like that,
who never says it tastes good —
I’d rather cook for someone who smiles and says it’s delicious, someone who says it’s so good he could cry.

And since he’s someone I love… that feeling is even stronger.

Mom has told me to stop making Toshiya-kun’s bento already… So maybe after finals… or after the second semester starts… I’ll stop.

But if I start bringing one for Daiki-kun… he’ll definitely get mad. Always with the why would you give something to Tennōji!?! attitude.

I don’t understand why he sees Daiki-kun as the enemy. He’s kind and cool…

“Alright, done…!”

Today’s menu: rolled omelette, spinach ohitashi, kinpira gobo. And salt-grilled salmon. No fried chicken today since there’s already fish.

Simple is fine. I pack everything neatly, and— it’s complete!

“Good morning, Mio. Bento’s finished? I’ll make breakfast now.”

Mom wakes up, then Dad joins and we all eat breakfast together.
Dad leaves for work first.
I also head out early.

The reason… is to go wake up Toshiya-kun.

And honestly, I want to stop this along with the bento.

“Isn’t it strange for a high school boy to rely on you to wake him up? Is he planning to make you wake him when he’s in college too? When he’s working?”

Mom said it sharply. She’s right, of course. And every time I wake him, he just makes me miserable…

Ding-dong.

One ring is never enough.
So I press it again. And again.
It’s already so late I should be running by now.
If he doesn’t wake up after this…
I’ll leave him behind.

Ding-dong—

BANG!
Then frantic thundering footsteps—
CRASH BAM BAM BAM!!!

After a moment, he bursts outside.

“Crap!! Mio, we’re gonna be late! Why didn’t you wake me up sooner!? We’re gonna barely make it again!!”

“B-But you didn’t get up…!”

“Run, Mio! We’re seriously gonna be late!!”

“W-Wait for me~!”

Here we go again. He must’ve been gaming until late again. That’s why he can’t wake up in the morning. And then he blames me for not waking him sooner.

He’s even checking his phone while running — it’s dangerous… I really… hate this…

***

We somehow made it without being late.
I’m not good at running or sports, so I’m exhausted already.
And this is every single day.
If I complain, he just brushes it off with yeah yeah or got it.
I gave up long ago.

I just want to sit and rest quickly, so I take out the bento and hand it to him.

“Here, your bento.”

“…Hm? Ah.”

…That pause. Does he… not want it?

“Toshiya-kun… did you not need a bento today?”

“No? I’ll eat it. Thanks.”

Yet his reaction is strange. He doesn’t listen to me, just stares at his phone. Probably gaming.

A bad feeling crawls through my spine…

I should have asked clearly — Do you want it or not? Because not doing so… will lead to what happens next…

***

When lunch break came, he snatched his bento and bolted out of the classroom. Meeting someone? Maybe Doi-kun and Takii-kun? But he was way too frantic…

Was he that hungry? No… something’s off. Something chills my back…

Fifth period was a science lab class, so I headed to the lab. On the way, a younger basketball club member, Sakuranomiya-kun, spotted me.

“Akitani-senpai! Yo!”

“Hi, Sakuranomiya-kun. Eating lunch in the cafeteria today?”

“Yep! With Imamiya-senpai! Man, he’s insane! He finished that huge katsu curry all by himself!!”

…The legendary oversized katsu curry — five bowls worth of rice topped with two huge cutlets. It’s mostly used as a punishment game dish.

And Toshiya-kun could never eat that… not after eating a full bento I made.

He finished it…? No way.

“Akitani-senpai? You okay?”

“I’m fine. That’s… impressive.”

“For real! Ah— sorry for holding you up— eheh!”

“Don’t worry. I need to head to class too.”

“’Kay!! See ya!”

I couldn’t shake the discomfort swirling in my chest. My bentos are big enough to fill Toshiya-kun completely. There’s no way he could eat both.

Maybe he put the bento in his locker for later… Yes… please let that be the case…

On my way back from the lab, I ran into another junior — the manager, Kana-chan.

“Kana-chan!”

“Ah! Hello, Mio-senpai!”

“Science experiment next?”

“Yes! I’m nervous, but I’ll try my best!”

“Hehe, you always do~”

“Ehehe♪ Ah, actually, about Imamiya-senpai…”

“Toshiya-kun?”

“Yes. When I was returning from gym class, I saw him heading toward the drafting room — carrying a bento box. Did something happen?”

“…I’m not sure…”

“I figured… ah, the bell’s about to ring! See you later!”

“Yeah… good luck.”

“Thank you~!”

Normally I’d just think she’s so cute and move on… But the drafting room… Nobody uses it this time of year…

Why would he go there…?

***

After school, he handed me back the empty bento box.

“Thanks. It was good.”

“…I see.”

Too many unnatural things. I had to ask.

“What part was delicious today?”

“Uhh— let’s see… the fried chicken!”

***

My entire body felt like it fell through the floor.

Because—

There was no fried chicken today.

“…I see. Right…”

“Yeah! Make it again!”

And off he went to club activities.

I walked — barely — to the drafting room. Kana-chan’s words echoed in my head.

My heart pounded painfully. My brain buzzed with tension. Please… let there be nothing…

I prayed. And looked inside the first trash bin. Nothing.

But there was another one — hidden in the back…

I stepped closer. I looked inside—

Untouched white rice.
Leftover containers I recognized.
Kinpira gobo.
Spinach ohitashi.
Rolled omelette.
Salt-grilled salmon.

All of it—

thrown away.

My legs gave out beneath me.

“Aah… ahhhh…”

How… How could he do this…?

If he didn’t want it— why didn’t he just say so…?

Then… my bentos wouldn’t have ended up like this…

“UWAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!”

All the anger toward Toshiya-kun— all the sadness— all the guilt toward the food I made—

it all burst out of me. I sobbed, screaming.

“Hh… hic… hi-hic…”

I needed someone. To help me. To stay with me.

Through blurred vision, I searched my phone list. With trembling fingers, I pressed the call button while praying—

Please… please pick up…

After a moment— the ringing stopped.

And then—

『Hello? Mio-san?』

The voice of the person I wanted most by my side—

“Daiki…-kun…”

Barely a whisper, squeezed out of my throat— I called the name of the one I love.