Weren’t You Only Using Me As A Stand-in? [106]

If I ever attend another pet exhibition or anything like it… I’m the dog!

That was the only thought running through Kitahara Takeru’s mind as he walked out of the Tokyo Cat & Dog Expo.

After being dragged into a mess by Yukinoshita Yukino, Adagaki Aki, and Miura Yumiko, even someone as shameless as Kitahara felt too embarrassed to stick around.

Good thing he hadn't debuted as a celebrity. If he had, his reputation would’ve been in shambles by now—he’d be halfway out of the industry already.

Then again, with a face this handsome, even if he were a playboy, there’d still be fans defending him.

After all, good looks are justice.

In the end, it was Hayama Hayato who pulled Miura Yumiko away. Kitahara walked Yukinoshita to the “Cat” section, then splurged on dinner to appease Adagaki Aki—only then did he narrowly escape a pseudo–love-triangle battlefield.

And that was just a fake love triangle. Kitahara didn’t even want to imagine what would happen if his true identity got exposed. They’d probably cut him into pieces.

Time to think long-term. He couldn’t keep setting his sights only on the University of Tokyo—he needed to go abroad.

He hadn’t picked a country yet, but staying in Japan much longer felt like a losing game.

“Have both your orders arrived?”
Only when the server spoke did Kitahara snap out of his thoughts.

Then he realized—his plate was empty.

Actually, all the plates had somehow ended up in front of him.

Cleaned spotless, not a crumb left. The server wasn’t even sure if the food had been served properly.

Kitahara stared. “?”

Wait—where’s my eel rice, okonomiyaki, curry rice, karaage, and ginger pork?

He’d barely blinked, and it was all gone?

He hadn’t even had a bite!

A terrible suspicion flashed through his mind. He looked up and locked eyes with Adagaki Aki, who was elegantly dabbing her lips with a lace handkerchief.

“You—”

“Hmm?” Aki tilted her head and gave him a sweet smile.

She didn’t say a word, but Kitahara understood the look in her eyes perfectly.

“Say one word and you’re dead.”

What a glutton!

Instead of getting mad, Kitahara actually felt kind of happy. It was rare to find someone who shared this side of him.

Besides, food lovers are the easiest to win over.

Ten thoughts in their head—nine are empty, and the last one’s filled with food.

What’s with that expression?
Aki had been watching Kitahara closely.

He wasn’t disgusted or annoyed. In fact, he looked… pleased?

Adagaki Aki’s dainty little head was full of questions.

“All dishes are here. Also, could I have another order of the same?” Kitahara said.

The server glanced at him in surprise—probably not expecting him to have such an appetite.

With a quick “Certainly, one moment please,” she hurried off.

When she was gone, Kitahara smiled at Aki. “Still hungry, aren’t you?”

Apparently embarrassed at being seen through, Aki slammed her fists on the table and stood up. “Don’t make it sound like I eat a lot!”

Guuuuuuuuuuu~

The author’s favorite sound effect filled the air—from her stomach.

Aki froze.

Her pretty, composed face turned bright red as she shifted her gaze awkwardly to the side and quietly sat back down.

Kitahara said nothing—just smiled.

When the server brought out the ramen, he gently pushed the bowl toward her. “Go on.”

Aki wanted to refuse on principle, but…

Gurururu~

Her stomach, which sounded like it had swallowed a whole flock of pigeon authors, decided otherwise.

“Food is innocent.”

Aki muttered the line like she was trying to justify herself—maybe to Kitahara, maybe to herself—and began eating her ramen in sulky resignation.

And honestly, she ate pretty gracefully.

Before the next dish arrived, Aki had already devoured an entire plate of yakisoba and slid the empty plate toward Kitahara without a word.

So fast.

Kitahara was genuinely impressed.

From picking up the chopsticks to clearing the plate, she took less than two minutes. That kind of speed… He humbly recognized her as the ultimate eater.

“Miss Adagaki, can we exchange contact info?”

Kitahara held up his phone.

“I refuse.”

Aki rejected him without hesitation.

She did have some goodwill toward him, but not enough to justify swapping numbers.

Kitahara chuckled. “That blunt, huh? After I bought you dinner?”

Honestly, he’d expected the rejection.

Not every girl was as easygoing as Katou Megumi.

Back when it was Kasumigaoka Utaha and Eriri, he’d had to grind for months.

When it comes to chasing girls, shame is optional.

“Just because I agreed to eat with you doesn’t mean I agreed to be friends with you,” Aki said between bites of freshly served karaage, her tone perfectly matter-of-fact.

“Ah… Japanese Server Logic?”

Back home, it’s “Accepting a gift ≠ consent”. In Japan, it’s “Agreeing to dinner ≠ we’re friends.”

“What did you say?”

Aki didn’t understand his mumbling, but instinct told her it wasn’t anything flattering.

“Nothing. But how should I send you the photos then?”

“You couldn’t get them developed in an afternoon?”

“I could, but I’ve got plans later today.”

Aki paused mid-bite and gave him a look of disdain. “Wow, busy guy.”

“Yep.”

First impressions mattered.

And thanks to Yukinoshita and Miura’s antics, his image in Aki’s mind was probably already trashed—she probably saw him as some creep acting on lust.

Kitahara didn’t try to change her mind—it was too hard. He’d rather just admit it.

“How dare you even ask for my contact?”

Aki polished off the karaage, slid the plate over to him, and folded her arms, her gaze haughty.

“Hmm, because you’re cute.”

Kitahara looked at her with calm, honest eyes.

It threw her off completely.

Sincerity: the eternal weakness of every tsundere.

“So you get my contact, then what? What are you planning?”

“I need a food buddy. We could eat together sometimes.”

“Isn’t that called dating?”

Aki assumed he was just playing it cool.

“Eating together doesn’t equal dating. Just like sitting together doesn’t make us friends.”

Kitahara took a sip of barley tea, while Aki’s pink lips parted slightly, her fingers tapping her arm in thought.

After a long pause, Aki gave a small smile. “Alright.”

Since he was begging for punishment, she’d just eat him broke.

She made up her mind—next time they met, she’d eat, then leave.

They exchanged LINE contacts. Just then, Kasumigaoka Utaha messaged Kitahara.

He stood up immediately. “Alright, I’ll head off now. Take your time—whoa!”

He barely took two steps before Aki yanked his tie and choked him mid-stride.

“Sit down and wait till I’m done eating,” she said, pointing to the seat opposite her.

Kitahara thought she was worried about him skipping the bill and tried to explain, “I’ll pay for the meal.”

“That’s not the point!” Aki snapped. “If you leave now and I eat everything else alone, won’t everyone think I ate all the earlier stuff too?”

“Well, didn’t you?”

He hadn’t taken a single bite this entire meal.

“Shut up!”

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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!