The Kansai Villain’s Rebirth: I Accidentally Ended Up With a Harem.

A Kansai Native Becomes Someone’s Entire World.

“Still, Tennouji… between basketball and this, you’re practically Superman.”

“Superman, huh…”

Inside the taxi, Ashiharabashi-sensei grinned at me. I didn’t really feel like one.

“Playing superhuman basketball alongside prodigies like Tenma and Momodani, shutting down Tsuruhashi and her gang at the cultural festival, and now this whole thing with Fuyuki… I’m truly glad you’ve turned over a new leaf this second semester. I completely understand why Kaminari-sensei keeps praising you.”

That kinda tickles… I’m not doing any of this because I want to stand out.

The cultural festival was purely because I was pissed off and decided to expose them.

And with Rinko-san… if I hadn’t stepped in, she’d be dead right now.

Come to think of it, we really should take her to the hospital too. Even if I acted as her cushion, I’m still worried she might have fractured something, or twisted an ankle…

“Sensei, I’m really not—”

“Haha, don’t be modest, Superman! I’m proud of you. You tied with Fuyuki for top grades this term, and you solved the bullying problem. Our class is blessed with wonderful students! Since there’s no class shuffle next year, I’m counting on you again!”

“Y-Yes…”

Ashiharabashi-sensei looked so happy I figured I might as well accept the compliment. Ashiharabashi-sensei really is a good teacher. Kaminari-sensei too… yeah, I’m lucky with the faculty.

***

When we got back to school, police cars were still parked out front.

They were still processing the scene. Well, it was attempted murder, after all.

“Daiki! You’re okay!”

“Kaminari-sensei, I’m back. It wasn’t serious.”

“I-I see… You’re something else… Oh, right! The police want to talk to you…”

“Yeah, I figured. I’ll tell them everything.”

“You’re a direct party to the incident, so… sorry, but they specifically want to hear from you.”

Honestly, I was far more worried about Shi-chan and Rinko-san right now… but I want Tsuruhashi punished severely, so I’ll explain every detail.

I followed the teacher to the reception room and spilled everything to the detective.

Apparently Rinko-san was too exhausted to speak coherently. Can’t blame her.

By the way, the principal had explicitly requested we tell the truth instead of trying to hush it up.

“Thank you for the statement. Do you wish for the perpetrator to receive the strictest possible punishment?”

“Yes. She tried to kill someone. Please throw the book at her.”

The detective nodded, and that was that.

Tsuruhashi’s little sister… it’s over for her. What an idiot.

***

The moment I stepped into the classroom, Mio-chan and Shi-chan came flying at me.

“Daiki-kun!”

“Dai-chan!”

“Welcome back, Terminator.”

“Momodani-kun, Terminator… really?”

“Daiki-kun… um… are you hurt…?”

“Just heavy bruising, they said. No fractures.”

“I-I see…”

“Dai-chan… that was insane…”

“…Where’s Rinko-san?”

“Go to her, Dai-chan! Right now!”

“She keeps calling your name… She wouldn’t listen when we told her to go to the hospital…”

This is bad.

Calling my name over and over is straight out of the original’s despair mode. At this rate, who knows what she’ll do.

“Is Rinko-san… in the nurse’s office?”

“Yeah. We had her rest there.”

“Got it. I’m going to her.”

“Dai-chan… please take care of Rin-chan…”

“Leave it to me.”

I hurried toward the nurse’s office.

***

I slipped in quietly in case she was asleep.

The moment I entered, I heard a faint, continuous murmur.

“Dai-kun I’m sorry Dai-kun I’m sorry Dai-kun I’m sorry Dai-kun I’m sorry Dai-kun I’m sorry…”

…She’s broken.

This is bad, really bad. She’s fully in despair mode.

The image flashes through my mind: Rinko-san abandoned by the original Tennouji, whispering to the walls in the dark…

But I’m alive. And I’m never abandoning her.

I decided to speak brightly and slowly drew back the curtain.

“Anybody hooome~?”

“Dai-kun Dai-kun Dai-kun Dai-kun Dai… kun…”

…Rinko-san froze.

I froze.

I shouldn’t have done that. It was painfully lame and the air turned unbearably awkward.

“Dai………kun?”

“I’m back, Rinko-san. Just some bruising, so I ended up wasting the doctors’ time. Tennouji Daiki, reporting for duty.”

“Dai-kun!!”

She leapt out of bed. She probably meant to hug me, but mindful of my back she folded her arms in front of her chest and clung to me instead.

Then the tears came pouring out.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry… uwaaaaaaaaah!!”

“Rinko-san, I’m fine… Sorry for worrying you…”

“Dai-kun!! Dai-kun!! Aaaaaah!!!”

I swear, every time something happens I end up seeing a heroine cry.

I don’t want to see their clouded faces… Stop triggering gloom events, world.

I want to see the heroines smile, not suffer.

I held Rinko-san tightly and waited for her sobs to quiet.

“Uu… Dai-kun…”

“I’m really okay, just a sore back. You have nothing to apologize for. The only one at fault is Tsuruhashi.”

“But…”

“I’m safe. You didn’t suffer any serious injuries… We could both have died. I’m so glad I protected you.”

“…Yeah.”

“Rinko-san… I’m glad I could protect you.”

“Dai-kun is… Dai-kun is my prince… right? You saved me from the bad people… you protected me… I thought I hated all men… but deep down… I was searching for the prince from the stories I read as a child… My prince… I finally… finally found you…”

The fairy tales she’s loved since she was little.

These are almost the exact words she said in the original when she started dating Imamiya, right before “and they lived happily ever after.”

She’s calling me her prince.

“I’ll… keep protecting you from anyone who makes you cry, anyone who brings you unhappiness. I… want to make you happy, Rinko-san.”

“I want Dai-kun… As long as Dai-kun stays by my side…! That’s all I need… If Dai-kun wishes it, I’ll do anything…! If you tell me to dye my hair, I’ll dye it. If you say pierce my ears, I’ll do it. Even… even lewd things… I’m scared, but… if you want it… I’ll do anything…! So please… keep me by your side… Be my boyfriend…!”

“Rinko-san. I would never make unreasonable demands of you. You’re perfect exactly as you are. If you ever want to change something, we’ll decide together, okay? Shi-chan and Mio-chan are here too. Just becoming my girlfriend is more than enough to make me happy.”

“…Really? Truly…? You’ll… be my boyfriend…?”

“Of course, my princess.”

“Ah… ah… Dai-kun…! I love you… I love you…! I’m so happy!”

“I love you too, Rinko-san… I want you by my side.”

“Yes… I’ll stay… forever…! Promise you’ll never abandon me…!”

“As if I ever would.”

“But… I don’t have Shina’s amazing figure… or Mio’s huge chest… I’m so plain…”

“You’ve got a gorgeous, slender figure. You’re beautiful and stylish and adorable.”

She really thinks she’s plain, huh.

That couldn’t be further from the truth.

In my previous life I stared at Rinko-san’s love scenes so much I nearly burned a hole through the monitor.

If she were a magazine model she’d be an instant hit. (Though I don’t want anyone else looking.)