Weren’t You Only Using Me As A Stand-in? [89]

“I’m getting off. See you next time, good friend.”

As the train arrived at its stop, Kitahara Takeru waved goodbye to Komi Shōko and moved with the crowd toward the exit.

Watching his back disappear into the station, Komi raised a hand and whispered in a voice only she could hear:

“...See you.”

Her words were barely louder than a mosquito’s wings, lost in the shuffling of people getting on and off.

It wasn’t so much a goodbye to him as it was a promise to herself.

And yet somehow, as Komi watched him, Takeru suddenly paused, turned his head, and smiled.

“You’ve got a really nice voice, you know?”

Komi’s face instantly flushed red—like a ripe tomato.

He… he heard me?!

So embarrassed her voice had been heard, Komi’s mind tangled up into a web of frayed thoughts.

Takeru, the cause of her spiraling, had already stepped off the train after tossing out that final line.

That nonchalant turn and walk away—it was exactly the kind of move a playboy would pull after getting what he wanted.

Komi’s gaze followed him, tinged with a trace of grievance.

Why’d you have to say it out loud, jerk!

What she didn’t know was that not far away, Katsura Kotonoha had been watching her with a chilly gaze.

Takeru had been biking to school lately, so they hadn’t run into each other much. The lemon water she’d prepared still sat, undelivered.

The only reason she saw him today was because she got stuck cleaning with the trio of girls who always picked on her. After they left, she’d stayed behind to finish the job.

Just her luck—she got on right as he was getting off.

If he hadn’t spoken, she wouldn’t even have known he’d been on the train.

What’s their relationship?

Last time, it was Komi silently watching her. Now the roles were reversed.

...

At the dessert café they’d agreed on, Kitahara Takeru took a moment to check his makeup before entering.

Perfect.

Satisfied, he gently pushed open the cake shop’s glass door.

Ding-a-ling~

The wind chime above rang out sweetly.

“Takeru, over here!”

He hadn’t even had a chance to look around when he heard his name called.

Takeru turned—and froze.

At a corner booth inside sat Shijō Maki and Tanuma Tsubasa.

So far, so good.

The issue was the girl sitting next to Tanuma—Kashiwagi Nagisa.

Can someone please explain what the hell is going on?!

Takeru recovered quickly and walked over with a composed smile.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

Before Maki could speak, Nagisa chimed in sweetly, “Not at all. We just got here ourselves.”

Still wearing his polite smile, Takeru looked to Maki. “Maki, and these two are…?”

“She’s Kashiwagi Nagisa, my good friend. The guy next to her is her, um… boyfriend, Tanuma Tsubasa.”

Maki’s smile twitched as she forced out the word boyfriend—you could practically see her discomfort radiating off her.

“And this is my new friend,” she added brightly, turning to Nagisa and Tanuma, “his name is Watanabe Takeru.”

Every time she saw him, she felt inexplicably happy.

“Nice to meet you both,” Takeru said with a bow.

Just as he was about to sit down, Nagisa deliberately extended her hand. “Pleasure to meet you, Watanabe-kun.”

Takeru: “...”

She’s doing this on purpose.

She looked far too smug.

Forcing himself to keep smiling, he reached out and shook her hand—only to suddenly feel her finger teasingly trace a circle in his palm.

Why do you know how to do this so well?

His eyes never left her face.

Her expression didn’t change at all.

Meaning she’d managed to sneak in that little move without anyone noticing.

“Wow, Watanabe-kun, you really do look a lot like Tsubasa,” Nagisa said with a delighted gasp, pulling her hand away.

“Yeah,” Tsubasa finally joined in.

“No wonder Maki kept saying you and I look alike. Seeing you now, I’m starting to wonder if you’re my dad’s secret love child.”

Takeru laughed and played along. “Then you’d better watch out. If I am your brother, I’m coming for my share of the inheritance.”

Tsubasa didn’t get mad—he grinned. “Even better! Then I wouldn’t have to study medicine. I could just take over the hospital.”

“Wait, you’re studying medicine? Never mind—I take it back.”

Takeru shook his head vigorously.

Anyone who tells someone to study medicine deserves divine retribution.

He didn’t know how internships worked in Japan, but back home? No pay. Hours of unpaid labor. And if you didn’t get a master’s degree, you didn’t even get to stay.

Takeru’s old friend was in his thirties and still living off his parents because of it.

“Watanabe-kun, I can feel it. There’s definitely a connection in our blood. We should do a DNA test.”

Takeru was joking, but Tsubasa sounded serious.

No one could’ve guessed how much this guy hoped they were long-lost brothers.

He really didn’t want to be a doctor.

“I feel nothing. And I’m absolutely not taking a DNA test, so give it up.”

He’d rather go back to being a livestream beggar than step into a hospital.

“Okay, okay, enough of that. So, what’s the plan?” Takeru asked, turning to Maki.

“Movie. But it doesn’t start for a while, so we’re killing time here.”

She handed him a cappuccino she’d ordered.

“Just sitting around?” Takeru took a sip.

Nagisa leaned in with a smile. “Watanabe-kun, got any better ideas?”

Just then, something pressed down on his foot.

He leaned back slightly and glanced under the table.

A black leather shoe rested on top of his own.

You a car salesperson now?

Last person who did that to him was a woman trying to sell him a car.

Black top, red sole. Classic Louboutins.

No, he wasn’t bitter.

...Maybe a little.

“Why don’t we go kill time over there?” he suggested, yanking his foot free.

I’m not a foot guy. Stop stepping on me.

“Sitting around’s boring.”

Nagisa raised a brow and gave him a look. “Well then, Watanabe-kun, you’d better make sure we have fun.”

That’s a threat!

Takeru instantly regretted opening his mouth.

Talk less, mess up less.

“I actually think sitting around is pretty nice,” he said, backpedaling fast.

“Let’s go do something fun,” Tsubasa cut in. “There’s a new haunted house nearby. Super popular.”

Typical guy move.

He wasn’t interested in tea and small talk—he wanted action.

Plus, even though he and Nagisa had been “dating” a while, they still felt like strangers.

His friends told him: go out more. See movies. Go to haunted houses. Bond through shared terror.

At the word haunted house, Takeru’s heart lurched.

There weren’t many things he feared.

Ghosts were one of them.

His childhood trauma? Watching The Haunted Schoolgirl too young. Ever since, haunted stuff made his skin crawl.

Even if he knew it was fake—what if a real ghost slipped in?

Ha-ha-ha-haunted house?!

Maki’s twin-tails practically stood on end.

She couldn’t handle horror either.

“Lame. What’s so great about haunted houses?” Takeru said with exaggerated disdain, trying to give Maki an out. “Right, Maki?”

“Yes! Exactly!” Maki nodded furiously.

“That kind of stuff is just for little kids.”

Perfect!

Maki was amazed—Takeru read her mind every time.

Are they scared?

Nagisa’s eyes glinted as she watched them try to wriggle out.

This is going to be fun.

Who knows what might happen in a pitch-black haunted house?

Honestly, Nagisa wanted to see Takeru freak out.

If Maki happened to cling to her in fear? Even better.

“Decision made—we’re going to the haunted house,” she said with finality, clapping her hands.

“N—”

Takeru opened his mouth to protest—then froze.

Nagisa’s lips moved silently.

He could read lips well enough to catch it:

“You wouldn’t want your secret getting out, would you, Kitahara Takeru?”

Maybe it wasn’t exact. But the message was crystal clear.

Blackmail?!

Now he understood every heroine in every action movie who gave up with a sigh.

This wasn’t fantasy. It was real life.

If anyone should be delivering lines like that—it should’ve been him.

Nagisa turned to Maki. “You okay with it?”

Takeru didn’t know she might be... into girls.

But now that he did...

That look in her eyes made him shiver.

“I’ll go if Takeru goes.”

Scared or not, Maki wasn’t about to lose face.

A Shijō heiress—future heart of the nation—afraid of ghosts?

Impossible.

She shifted the decision onto Takeru.

With full confidence that he’d refuse for her sake.

But—

“Sure, sounds fun,” Takeru said.

“???”

Maki stared at him in disbelief.

Her expression was pure betrayal—like Tohsaka Rin watching someone she trusted stab her in the back.

Why, Takeru?!

Her eyes didn’t speak—they screamed.

I’m sorry, Maki.

Takeru looked away.

Forgive me. This will be the last time.

In that moment, he felt a deep kinship with Uchiha Itachi.

“Let’s go then!” Nagisa sprang to her feet.

Tsubasa followed with a grin.

“But I haven’t even finished my cappuccino,” Takeru tried to stall.

“I’ll buy you another next time~”

Takeru immediately downed the scalding drink in one go and stood up.

“Don’t bother!”

He wanted as much distance between them as possible.

Less contact, less danger.

Nagisa’s eyes twinkled.

Takeru felt a shiver down his spine.

“Let’s go.”

She finally turned away, linking arms with a despondent Maki and leading the way.

The two girls walked ahead.

Takeru trailed behind with Tsubasa.

“You know,” Tsubasa said, “we should get a blood test. I’m telling you, we might be brothers.”

“Hard. Pass.”

Still bantering, the four of them arrived at the haunted house.

Takeru looked up at the sign: The Horror House.

He suddenly wanted to turn around and leave.

This owner… is definitely not named Chen, right?

---

T/N: OH! IS IT A REFERENCE TO HOUSE OF HORRORS? UHHH I LOVED THAT NMOVEL

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!