Weren’t You Only Using Me As A Stand-in? [53]

T-Ten thousand?!

Ten... ten thousand points?!

Kitahara Takeru’s pupils widened in shock.

Never in his life had the system been so generous.

Granted, he’d only been living this second life for about a year—but still.

Is… is she worth that much?!

One date with Katō Megumi, and the points reward matched what he got from going out with both Kasumigaoka Utaha and Sawamura Spencer Eriri—combined—plus bonus rewards.

He had no idea what the “Piltus Training Plan” was, but that 50% discount coupon? Delicious.

Accept, accept.

Takeru’s gaze heated as he looked at Katō Megumi.

His eyes were soft, almost dewy, like they could melt—and in that moment, it was as if the entire world held only her.

She’s my treasure~

Maybe his look was a little too intense—so open, so undisguised—that both Kei and Megumi noticed.

Katō Megumi was slightly confused.

She didn’t understand why the guy who’d seemed completely indifferent just moments ago suddenly looked like he was staring at her through a romantic lens.

Did Takeru fall for my cousin? Kei glanced between Takeru and Megumi. And honestly, he didn’t find the idea all that bad.

With grades like Takeru’s, getting into Tokyo University was basically a given.

A couple years at a top firm, and a seven-figure salary would be no problem.

Megumi would never have to worry about struggling if she married him.

And really, aside from his “fishing” hobby, Takeru didn’t have any bad habits.

Wait—does fishing count as a vice?

Anyway, point is: Kei approved of the match!

With that thought, he spoke up: “Takeru, why don’t you come to the family dinner with us?”

“Me?”

Takeru pointed at himself, mouth agape.

His expression was pure dead pig meme face.

“Senpai, I’m an outsider. Wouldn’t that be weird?”

Bro, I’m just a system wage slave trying to grind some points—I’m not trying to hand over my entire soul here.

I call you ‘senpai’ and you’re trying to make me your brother-in-law?!

“What’s weird about it? To me, you’re not really an outsider. Megumi, you don’t mind, right?” Kei clapped a hand on Takeru’s shoulder, turning to ask his cousin.

Megumi nodded calmly. “I don’t mind.”

Takeru: Σ(‘◇’)?

Girl… do you really not understand what it means to bring a guy to a family gathering?!

Why are you being so chill about this?! Refuse me! Save yourself!

“We eat separately from the adults, so there’s no need to be nervous, Kitahara-kun,” Megumi said gently, as if she’d seen straight through his inner panic.

“Oh, is that so? Then… I’ll join you, thanks.”

That settled it—Takeru finally relaxed.

The real reason he’d hesitated earlier wasn’t for himself, but for her. If he met her family and she ended up dating someone else later, he didn’t want her catching flak behind the scenes.

If it was just dinner with Kei and Megumi, though, he had no real concerns.

“Let’s go.”

Kei slung an arm around his shoulder and led the way toward the four-seater table.

“Hold up a second.”

Kei and Megumi looked over in surprise as Takeru picked up his tray with the half-eaten meal.

“All right, now we can go.” Takeru said as he walked with the tray like it was no big deal.

Kei chuckled and shook his head. “You guy…”

If it had been any other young man, they’d never carry their food like that—for pride’s sake, if nothing else.

But Takeru had been raised to never waste food.

You eat what you take. Period.

He’d never once felt embarrassed about finishing his meal.

Megumi quietly stared at him for a moment, then lowered her head and started scrolling her phone again.

---

Roppongi Shopping Plaza
Cinema Ticket Counter

Aki Tomoya squeezed his way out of the crowd, holding up three movie tickets. “Got them! Let’s eat now.”

“Thanks for going,” Kasumigaoka Utaha murmured. As he approached, she instinctively turned off her phone screen and slipped it into her pocket.

Tomoya saw the gesture—and his smile froze slightly.

She never used to do that.

Whether she was talking to her editor or her parents, she never used to hide anything from him.

“Let’s go already, I’m starving.” Eriri passed her handbag to Tomoya without even thinking.

He didn’t take it. He just stared at her, confused.

Why is she handing me her bag?

Not only Tomoya—Utaha raised her brows at the scene as well.

That elegant arc between her brows seemed to convey a silent What is going on here?

“Cough, cough.”

Eriri snapped out of it, awkwardly pulling her hand back.

She’d almost forgotten—that standing in front of her was Aki Tomoya, not Watanabe Takeru.

After spending so much time with Takeru, she’d subconsciously carried some habits over to Tomoya too.

“So… where are we eating?”

Tomoya thought for a second and said, “How about Royal Host?”

Eriri and Utaha both frowned at the same time.

“Royal Host again?” Eriri said, clearly displeased. “Can’t you pick somewhere different?”

Takeru had always taken her to different places—never repeated once.

And somehow, every spot he chose hit the mark. She was always satisfied.

If Watanabe Takeru can do it, why can’t you?

Is it really that hard?

Tomoya rotated between the same few restaurants, and while he never seemed tired of them, Eriri was well and truly sick of them.

To her, this just proved how little effort he put into their outings.

Utaha didn’t say anything, but the fact that she stayed silent said enough—she was firmly on Eriri’s side.

The two girls couldn’t be more different in temperament.

Eriri spoke her dissatisfaction aloud.

Utaha didn’t—but she remembered everything.

Honestly, Utaha’s type was far more difficult to deal with.

You had to guess what she was thinking, because she’d never just tell you.

“Then where do you want to go?”

Tomoya assumed Eriri had a place in mind.

“How would I know? Isn’t that your job?”

Seeing him push the question back to her only made Eriri angrier.

“I do suggest places and you won’t go! Now you’re asking me again and I say I don’t know—and that’s a problem? How should I know where to eat?”

Tomoya thought she was just being unreasonable, and his tone sharpened without him realizing it.

“All I said was, don’t go to the same restaurant every time! Is that so much to ask?” Eriri shot back, equally upset.

If she really picked a place she liked—could Tomoya even afford it?

She didn’t mind paying herself, but his pride wouldn’t allow that.

He’d probably think she was trying to humiliate him.

She was trying to be considerate—that’s why she let him choose.

“Enough. Stop arguing.”

Utaha cut in before the two of them could start yelling in public again.

They might not be embarrassed, but she sure was.

“Just follow me. I know a place.”

She didn’t even wait for a reply before turning to leave.

In that moment, Utaha deeply regretted turning down Watanabe Takeru today.

If it had just been the two of them, none of this nonsense would’ve happened.

I bet he’s really upset I canceled on him…

More than anything, she wanted to know—

What is Kitahara Takeru doing right now?

---

T/N: met the love of his life

This is a fan translation of 不是说只拿我当替身的吗？by 雪碧加冰. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!