Weren’t You Only Using Me As A Stand-in? [110]

After leaving the café, Kitahara Takeru walked quite a distance with a sorrowful expression before finally glancing back to confirm that Kasumigaoka Utaha hadn’t followed him.

The moment he was sure—his sadness vanished completely.

“I’m amazing.”

Feeling utterly impressed with himself, Kitahara struck a dramatic pose with hands on his hips.

No exaggeration—his performance just now? Easily enough to land him a leading role in some adolescent angst-filled drama.

Didn’t you see how stunned Kasumigaoka Utaha was?

I wonder if, thinking back to how she used to treat me, she’ll feel so guilty she wakes up in the middle of the night to slap herself…

Honestly, even Kitahara himself nearly believed he was some tragic, heartbroken romantic.

Then again, maybe he really was Tokyo’s Number One Deep Lover™.

“It’s done…”

Kitahara looked up at the sky.

The city was beginning to light up, cars and people flowing like rivers.

The windows of towering buildings shimmered under the sunset, casting the whole scene in a warm, amber glow—serene, beautiful, and quietly still.

Truthfully, his feelings were a little complicated. But only a little.

Even though he and Kasumigaoka Utaha were never officially together—never dated, and certainly never invested any real feelings—their parting still carried a faint trace of breakup melancholy.

Maybe because it was his first time?

Kitahara figured that once you’ve broken up with enough girls, that feeling fades away.

Now then… who’s going to fill that vacancy?

Fortunately, this brief wave of sorrow was like a late-night emo spell—quick to come, quick to go.

Compared to this “breakup” with Utaha, the more pressing issue was:

Who’s going to replace her?

With that thought, he opened his metaphorical fish pond to see if there were any choice catches still swimming.

---

6:00 PM
Chiba.

In the garden of a sprawling European-style mansion perched on a hill, over 1,000 square meters of elegantly landscaped grounds were abuzz with guests.

“Good evening, Miss Sawamura.”

Wearing a blue off-shoulder gown, Sawamura Spencer Eriri turned her head at the sound of her name.

Behind her stood Shijō Maki and Kashiwagi Nagisa, both dressed in custom-tailored evening dresses.

“Good evening, Miss Shijō, Miss Kashiwagi.”

Eriri gave them a polite nod and offered a perfectly poised, gracious smile.

If Kitahara had been here, he might have suspected she’d been swapped out with a clone.

This reserved, elegant lady was worlds apart from the hot-tempered, quick-to-snap Eriri he remembered.

The contrast was like comparing a raw photo to one that's been retouched beyond recognition.

“You’re positively glowing these days, Miss Sawamura,” Kashiwagi Nagisa said meaningfully, eyeing Eriri’s vibrant complexion.

She knew full well: Eriri was one of the many pitiful girls utterly strung along by Kitahara Takeru.

She probably didn’t even know that just yesterday, she’d hugged Kitahara from behind and kissed his cheek.

Meanwhile, Eriri had only ever held his hand—no hugs, no kisses.

Kashiwagi couldn’t help but gloat.

That clean, pure Kitahara Takeru you think so highly of? I touch him whenever I want. Kiss him whenever I please.

That precious bicycle you wouldn’t dare ride? I stand up and pedal like a champ.

“Do I?”

Eriri instinctively touched her face.

“Absolutely. You’re like a flower in full bloom—nourished by love.”

Then, with a sly drop in tone, Kashiwagi leaned in.

“Be honest, Miss Sawamura—are you seeing someone?”

Eriri blinked, surprised.

Was it her imagination… or was Kashiwagi being way too friendly tonight?

“No, I’m not. But I have heard rumors that you might be.”

Kashiwagi cupped her cheeks, feigning shyness.

“Oh, you’re awful. Has word gotten out already?”

Eriri smiled politely.

“Well, sounds like the two of you are doing great~”

“We are! Just the other day, I even kissed him~”

Um… yeah, you really didn’t need to say that out loud.

I don’t want to know, okay?

Eriri couldn’t figure out why Kashiwagi was sharing this with her.

Go kiss whoever you want—she didn’t care in the slightest.

Still, she said with a smile: “Really? That’s wonderful. Wishing you both all the happiness.”

How wonderful—she actually gave us her blessing.

Kashiwagi nearly burst out laughing but somehow held it in.

“When we get married, you have to come, Miss Sawamura.”

Kashiwagi took Eriri’s slender hand affectionately. I’ll seat you with Kamikawa Rie, Yozakura Hitomi, Kasumigaoka Utaha, and Hiratsuka-sensei, she thought smugly.

Let’s call it… the “Backup Table.”

“Of course. I wouldn’t miss it.”

Eriri replied with a fake smile and tried to pull her hand away.

To an outsider, they probably looked like best friends.

In truth, Eriri barely knew Kashiwagi Nagisa.

Selfish to the core… completely oblivious to other people’s feelings.

All she’s good at is manipulating men with that exposed belly button and those stupid hairpins…

Unforgivable.

Shijō Maki, at some point, had covered her ears, eyes dark and stormy as they stared daggers at Kashiwagi.

She looked like she’d gladly stab her “best friend” right then and there.

“Maki, you have to be my bridesmaid, okay?”

Even now, Kashiwagi wasn’t done tormenting her.

Why is she saying this to me?

Maki didn’t want to hear any of this!

She felt like crying.

“Maki, what’s wrong? You don’t want to?”

Kashiwagi forcefully pulled Maki’s hands away, looking stricken.

“But you’re my best friend…”

“…I will.”

The moment those words left her lips, Shijō Maki’s heart shattered.

It was bad enough to watch the person she loved marry someone else.

But to be asked to stand beside her as a bridesmaid?

Kashiwagi Nagisa… how could you be this cruel?

Satisfied, Kashiwagi clapped her hands together like she’d just remembered something.

“Oh right! Miss Sawamura, you haven’t seen my boyfriend, have you? I’ve got a photo—want to see?”

“…May I?”

Eriri forced a cheerful tone, despite the fact she couldn’t care less what the guy looked like.

“Of course! You’re my dear friend, after all~”

Kashiwagi beamed adorably.

“Here—this is a shot I took when I sneak-kissed him at the movies.”

She passed over a picture of her kissing Kitahara’s cheek, watching Eriri’s reaction closely with amusement.

Eriri exaggeratedly covered her mouth with her hand.

“Wow, so handsome!”

Internally: Tch. Just some average-looking guy. What’s the big deal? One strand of Takeru’s hair is hotter than this dude.

“And here’s one of me biting his ear~”

“And this one…”

The angle only showed half his face, and the lighting was poor. Even Shijō Maki didn’t recognize it was Kitahara.

But the more she saw, the more miserable she felt.

Why is fate so cruel to me…?

“I’m going to take a call.”

Shijō Maki, unable to stay a second longer, walked off with her phone—though it was really her alarm.

Just an excuse to escape.

---

T/N: daaaamn she is cruel

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!