Weren’t You Only Using Me As A Stand-in? [18]

“Takeru, thank you for today.”

Exiting the dessert shop with Shijō Maki, Kitahara Takeru checked the time. It was already 18:22.

He hadn’t expected that their first meeting would turn into a nearly two-and-a-half-hour conversation.

Though, to be fair, most of that was just Maki talking — and him listening.

Standing at the shop entrance, Maki stretched with a long, relaxed yawn. “Talking to you helped me feel a lot lighter.”

“Oh, right. Can I come talk to you again sometime?”

Takeru looked at Maki’s sparkling eyes and eager expression… and couldn’t help but think of his dog back home.

That mutt gives me the same look when he wants me to open a can of food.

“I usually have work, so I’m not always free,” he replied.

He didn’t say yes outright.

After all, Shijō Maki wasn’t his only date assignment.

He was busy.

Counting her, there were already four fish swimming in his little pond.

No way he could be on call 24/7.

Besides, if a guy’s too eager or available, the girl stops taking him seriously.

Maki looked a little disappointed, but Takeru quickly added, “But… if you ask me, Maki, I’ll make time.”

At that, Maki’s face flushed crimson — like a ripe cherry in early summer, dewy and radiant.

“Y-you… you’re such a flirt!”

Don’t go saying things like that with Tsubasa’s face!

I’ll end up believing you’re actually him — and I won’t be able to handle it!

“Okay, okay, I’ll stop,” Takeru said obediently, as if he’d do whatever she asked.

Maki saw how quickly he backed down… and felt an inexplicable twinge of disappointment.

She knew Kitahara Takeru only looked like Tanuma Tsubasa. He wasn’t actually him.

And yet… she liked the way he looked at her. The way he really listened when she talked. The soft, gentle way he’d treated her today.

It felt like… like she really was dating Tsubasa.

(Kasumigaoka Utaha: Funny, I thought the same thing.)

Takeru could see the way Maki hesitated — what she wanted to say but didn’t.

He smiled to himself.

It wasn’t some miracle that Kasumigaoka Utaha, Sawamura Spencer Eriri, and Shijō Maki had all opened up to him so easily.

It wasn’t because he was ridiculously handsome or absurdly talented.

It was the face. No, the plan.

Takeru used the faces of the people they loved — and gave them exactly the emotional presence they craved.

Just like when Rin Nohara stood in front of Uchiha Obito, hands clasped behind her back, smiling warmly as she called out, “Obito.”

You think Obito could resist that?

If she asked him for his life, he’d hand it over. If she wanted his Mangekyō Sharingan to play marbles with, he’d pry them out himself.

True seduction wasn’t about sex or lust.

It was when someone’s serene, untouchable light fell right onto you — and made you believe they were the once-in-a-lifetime treasure you could never find again.

And that kind of power worked just as well on women as it did on men.

No woman ever forgets the person she once sincerely loved.

Not one.

Takeru knew exactly what Maki was thinking — and pretended not to notice.

“Let me walk you to the station,” he said.

“No need. My driver’s here.”

Maki pointed toward a car idling nearby.

Takeru glanced over.

A large, jet-black sedan with a clean, square design.

And on the front — a golden phoenix spreading its wings.

Toyota.

Specifically, a Toyota Century.

The most luxurious model Toyota made. Nicknamed “Japan’s Rolls-Royce.”

That’s one fat fish, Takeru thought.

Shijō Maki’s rank in his priority queue shot way up.

He decided: next time both she and Utaha message him at once, he’s answering her first.

“I’ll have the driver take you home,” Maki offered.

“No, it’s fine. I live nearby — five minutes’ walk tops.”

A lie.

The distance between her place and his required several train stops.

He just didn’t want Maki to know where he lived.

To him, work and life had to stay separate.

Half a year ago, when he first arrived in this world, he had to choose a school.

Thanks to his stellar grades, not just Seijō — but Shuchiin, Toyonozaki Private High, Sōbu High, Advanced Nurturing High, and even Raiō and Teitan all sent him offers.

He did his due diligence. Visited every campus. Took notes.

After thorough research, he chose Seijō.

And his biggest reason for not picking those other schools?

They all had potential “date targets.”

If he ended up near them, there was no doubt he’d be dragged into all sorts of tangled drama.

How do I know? Because that’s how these stories always go.

He just wanted to live a peaceful, free school life. One with proper boundaries.

Seijō was perfect — no attached targets, elite academic resources, great faculty, a long and proud history. It had everything he needed.

“Well, then. I’ll get going,” Maki said, a little disappointed.

She’d wanted to sit with Takeru in the car, go over plans — not for “stealing a man” (redacted) — ahem, for “saving Tsubasa.”

“Bye.”

Takeru waved her off with a smile, then dropped it as soon as she left.

He walked back into the dessert shop, peeled off his wig, wiped away his makeup, and stepped up to the counter.

“One mango-thyme, one latte-banana, and one hazelnut milk ice cream.”

He’d been craving sweets earlier while Maki ate.

And he’d held back the entire time.

Cough cough.

A petite, baby-faced high school girl spotted Takeru and immediately coughed into her fist, nudging her friend under the table while sneaking glances.

“Look,” her eyes said, hot guy incoming.

The whole group of girls turned toward him. Stared.

Then blushed. Hard.

They exchanged shy glances and ducked their heads, giggling behind their hands.

“I can’t breathe right now.”

“Same here.”

“My brain’s full of unwholesome content.”

Takeru’s current face had that kind of effect.

From afar, girls couldn’t project anything wholesome onto him. Just... dangerous thoughts.

If he were in a doujin, he’d be the type to get tied up, seduced, and locked in a basement.

Since arriving in Tokyo, Takeru had received more than a few private calls from rich older women.

He kept all of them. Filed away neatly.

Just to be clear — he wasn’t looking for shortcuts.

He just… really liked making new friends.

“That’ll be 1,959 yen.”

After grabbing his ice cream, he asked the clerk to pack a dessert to-go, then walked out of the store with his bag in one hand and spoon in the other, texting back the pile of messages from Utaha and the rest.

By the time he got home, it was nearly 8 p.m.

He pulled out his key, about to unlock the door — when it opened from the inside.

Standing there was a silver-haired girl.

Takeru blinked in surprise.

“You’re still here?”

---

T/N: ADVANCED NURTURING?? AYANOKOUJI??? OUGHHH SPLASH ZONE

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!