Weren’t You Only Using Me As A Stand-in? [96]

Iino Miko looked completely high — eyes glazed over, throat working with unconscious swallows.

Kitahara Takeru and Kashiwagi Nagisa stared at her like two idiots, eyes fixed, watching to see when the girl would finally notice.

But Iino Miko didn’t register she was being watched at all — not until her forehead bumped into Kashiwagi Nagisa’s chin. She blinked in confusion and finally looked up.

And the first thing she saw was—

Kitahara Takeru: ( ?_? )

Kashiwagi Nagisa: (＃→⌒→)

Iino Miko: “......”

The air froze in an awkward silence.

None of the three said a word. Each one was stuck in their pose, stiff as statues.

The silence dragged on.

After a long, long moment, Iino Miko’s expression didn’t change. She slowly — painstakingly — turned her face back toward the movie screen.

Is she seriously trying to pretend nothing happened? Just gonna act like she didn’t just go full creeper and move on? Kitahara and Kashiwagi exchanged a look.

For once, they were perfectly in sync.

Kitahara wasn’t too bothered by it — it wasn’t his reputation on the line.

If it happened again, so what?

Right now, his priority was dealing with Kashiwagi Nagisa.

While Kitahara remained unbothered, Nagisa suddenly propped a hand against her chin and spoke.

“If I’m not mistaken, you’re a third-year in middle school, right, Iino-chan?”

Kitahara wasn’t surprised they knew each other, but he still played dumb. “You know her?”

The system had given him Iino Miko’s basic info, but nothing about her parents or background.

Nagisa leaned in close, pressing her face against Kitahara’s cheek as she whispered, “Of course~ Iino-chan’s father is a Supreme Court judge. How could I not know?”

A Supreme Court judge?

So… probably rich. No — definitely rich.

If you could climb that high, there must be tons of people lining up to deliver gifts and mooncakes filled with red bean paste.

Studied law, huh? She’s probably not easy to fool…

Kitahara was lost in thought and didn’t even notice how close Nagisa was getting.

Meanwhile, Iino Miko stiffened further after hearing Nagisa reveal her identity.

What do I do?

She’d just been caught acting like some depraved freak, nose buried in another guy’s hand like a druggie. And not just by the guy himself, but by an older girl from her own school.

If this got back to Shuchiin…

“No way, she sniffed some random guy? And she wouldn’t stop? What is she, a pervert?”

“So gross!”

“She’s supposed to be a morality rep — and she’s the biggest degenerate of them all!”

Just imagining the rumors waiting for her at school made Iino Miko want to die on the spot.

She seriously considered leaving the country and starting a new life somewhere nobody knew her.

No, I can’t just sit here and wait for doom to strike.

Forcing herself to stay calm, Iino Miko’s eyes sharpened with resolve.

As the daughter of a top judge, she’d been taught from an early age: No matter the situation, stay calm. Keep a clear head.

Actually… there was a simple way to solve this.

All she had to do was—

Iino Miko pulled out her wallet, lowered her head, and asked in a small, sulky voice: “H-how much do you want?”

Just bribe them. Easy.

Kitahara: “......”

He stared at the girl already halfway through pulling out cash and turned to Nagisa, who was just as stunned.

“Who did you say her dad was again?”

Are you sure your info’s reliable?

This was the daughter of the Supreme Court’s top judge?

Is she adopted?

Please, I’m begging you—don’t ever become a judge. If you do, the Japanese legal system is doomed.

Kashiwagi Nagisa took one look at Iino Miko solemnly offering her money and couldn’t hold back — she burst out laughing.

It was too loud.

Kitahara quickly clapped a hand over her mouth and whipped his head toward Shijō Maki and Tanuma Tsubasa.

“Want some? Don’t get the wrong idea — I just couldn’t finish it.”

“Thanks, Maki-san.”

Over there, Tanuma was completely wrapped up in Shijō Maki’s gravitational pull. The two were fully locked in their own world and didn’t even glance in this direction.

Maki looked like she was thoroughly enjoying herself.

And as far as Tanuma was concerned — as long as Watanabe Takeru didn’t head to the restroom, everything was fine.

Thank god. That was close.

Just as Kitahara let out a quiet breath of relief, he suddenly felt something warm and wet glide across his palm.

He jerked his hand away, just in time to see Nagisa’s delicate pink tongue retreat back into her mouth.

Kitahara: “.......”

Nagisa looked completely innocent, blinking her big, clear eyes with a “What? I didn’t do anything” expression.

Iino Miko: (キ｀Д)!!

Is this what high schoolers are like?!

They’re seriously doing that in a movie theater?!

“You’ve played around enough! Cut it out, right now!”

Kitahara had had it. His voice went cold in an instant.

He didn’t like tiptoeing around landmines.

He wasn’t some twisted creep who got off on stealing other guys’ girlfriends.

If Tanuma Tsubasa found out, even with his gentle nature, a fight was inevitable.

And then what? Would Kitahara hit back, or not?

If he fought back, he’d be assaulting the guy Shijō Maki liked.

Would she forgive him?

Don’t let their good relationship fool you. Kitahara knew full well — in Maki’s heart, Tanuma ranked far higher than he ever would.

But if he didn’t fight back and just took the punches, he’d feel utterly humiliated.

Your girlfriend comes on to me, I turn her down, and I’m the one who gets beat up? What is this, a setup?

“......”

Under Kitahara’s frosty glare, Kashiwagi Nagisa shrank back slightly, suddenly sitting very still.

She looked scared.

But if you looked closer, you'd notice something different gleaming in her eyes.

He’s so hot when he’s angry...

Nagisa bit her lip, staring up at Kitahara with eyes thick with lust and fascination.

What Kitahara didn’t know was that Nagisa liked men who were forceful — dominant.

In relationships, women often chase that feeling of thrill and novelty.

They want someone who can excite them, who keeps things unpredictable.

Tanuma Tsubasa was a great guy — but too mild. He couldn’t give Nagisa what she craved.

Guys like him are everywhere — he’s the kind of boy most people end up being.

Look around your own life — or don’t even bother. Just go look in the mirror.

You’ll find the more polite, well-behaved a guy is, the harder it is for him to find a girlfriend. Meanwhile, the “bad boys,” the cocky jerks — they always seem to have pretty girls around.

And that’s why.

Women want passion. They want that fire — the kind that sets desire ablaze.

Tanuma couldn’t give her that.

But Kitahara could.

He’s scary… but in a kind of hot way. He totally seems like the type who’d hit someone...

Even Iino Miko flinched at Kitahara’s chilling gaze — but her cheeks flushed pink, and somewhere in her chest, an inexplicable desire bloomed.

A little slap from him might not be so bad...

---

T/N: yeah... i want him to slap me

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!