Weren’t You Only Using Me As A Stand-in? [71]

Once Kitahara Takeru and Hiratsuka Shizuka were seated, the banquet officially began.

Umeno Kentarō was the first to raise his glass. “Come on, a toast to our reunion after seven long years!”

Once someone took the lead, the others quickly followed.

Takeru also lifted his juice glass in a token gesture.

He wasn’t of legal drinking age yet.

According to Japanese law, only adults over 20 can drink.

Of course, even after turning twenty, Takeru wasn’t planning to drink if he could help it.

He honestly couldn’t understand what people saw in alcohol.

“Shizuka, why’s your little boyfriend drinking juice? Don’t tell me he’s not old enough to drink yet?”

Umeno Kentarō’s gaze paused briefly on the juice in Takeru’s hand before he chuckled and teased.

Before Hiratsuka Shizuka could reply, Takeru smiled and said, “If I get drunk, who’s going to take care of you, nee-san?”

Shizuka couldn’t help but feel a little warm inside at that, even if she didn’t believe she needed protection from someone younger than her.

“Shizuka needs protecting?”

The elite-looking man who had mocked Takeru before the banquet started let out a laugh, as if he’d just heard the joke of the century.

“Kid, you clearly don’t know. With Shizuka’s combat ability, even three or five grown men couldn’t take her. If anything happens, just hide behind her.”

The man’s comment was met with loud laughter from most of the men in the room.

Even Umeno Kentarō, seated at the head of the table, laughed along in agreement.

Shizuka’s eyes flickered.

Takeru ignored them. He simply picked up a small piece of sliced beef with the communal chopsticks and placed it on the mini grill in front of him, which wasn’t even the size of his palm.

Ssssss!

The sound of raw meat sizzling on the grill quickly quieted the room, everyone instinctively turning to look his way.

Umeno Kentarō’s face darkened.

This brat—didn’t he understand manners? The host hadn’t even started eating yet.

When the room finally went quiet, Takeru flipped the beef with calm, unhurried movements. His voice wasn’t loud, but it was just enough for everyone to hear.

“A man who can’t even protect a woman should really take a look at himself.”

He genuinely couldn’t understand what was so funny about being protected by a woman.

“All these years—have you been working out at all? Managed to lose that belly fat? Built any muscle?”

Takeru’s direct callout silenced the room.

The man who had been grinning moments ago now had a stiff expression, along with the rest of the room.

The elite man who spoke first turned visibly pale.

This brat has no respect for his elders. He’s gonna suffer once he enters the real world. But the man only dared to curse him in his mind—he didn’t dare say it aloud.

He was afraid Shizuka might deck him.

“Whether or not nee-san needs protection is her call. But wanting to protect her—that’s mine.” Takeru’s expression was sincere. He clearly wasn’t joking.

“Takeru...”

His words moved Shizuka more than she expected.

After all these years, it felt like only Takeru had seen through the strength she always projected.

But to say something so embarrassing in front of all these people...

She was a little flustered.

“Here, nee-san—ah~”

Takeru held out the grilled beef, drenched in dipping sauce, to her mouth.

Shizuka’s face turned crimson as she turned her head away. “I—I can feed myself.”

She wasn’t used to public displays of affection.

Let alone in front of this many people.

Shizuka was the classic case of high offense, low defense.

“Come on, nee-san. My arm’s getting tired.”

Takeru didn’t put the meat down. He just held it there, clearly ready to wait her out.

Shizuka pursed her lips and, finally, in a flash, took the beef in one bite. Then she turned her back to him, silently chewing.

This woman is way too cute.

Watching Shizuka, Takeru couldn’t help thinking about Kasumigaoka Utaha and Eriri.

What kind of hell had he been living before? What kind of women had he been chasing?

Time for a change. Time to replace them all.

Takeru swore to himself.

His wings were strong enough now—it was about time he fired those two bosses.

What kind of second-rate people did I even serve before (scratch that).

That damn brat!

Umeno Kentarō never imagined he’d end up helping this little punk make his move.

“Watanabe-kun, between you and Shizuka, who usually takes care of who?” a married woman asked curiously.

“She teaches me how to deal with people. I handle the day-to-day stuff. It’s not really about who takes care of who,” Takeru replied, popping a piece of sushi into his mouth.

“A couple should support each other, right? Unlike some people I know.” He threw a subtle glance at Umeno Kentarō.

Umeno’s face didn’t change, but the hand holding his chopsticks tightened noticeably.

“Are you two planning to get married someday?”

Both Takeru and Shizuka stiffened at the question.

Fortunately, Takeru recovered quickly. He turned and smiled at Shizuka.

“That depends on whether nee-san wants to.”

Since their relationship was fake, he wasn’t about to answer that kind of question for her.

What if he said yes, and then actually had to take responsibility?

“Shizuka, you’ll definitely marry Watanabe-kun, right?”

“Obviously, idiot. If I were Shizuka, I’d already be preparing for pregnancy.”

“So this is what it looks like when rich people end up together, huh?”

“Make sure to invite me to the wedding!”

Several women gathered around Shizuka, teasing and laughing.

Everyone here was an adult now. Unlike in high school, no one was going to cold-shoulder her just because they didn’t like her.

The more Shizuka listened, the redder her face got, the blush creeping down her neck.

Marry Takeru...?

She glanced at Takeru, imagining what it would be like to come home after work and dive into his arms to cuddle. Granted, even she couldn’t picture herself acting like that, but... she found she didn’t hate the idea.

As Takeru mentally gave himself a thumbs-up for the smooth answer, Shizuka was imagining their wedding, while Umeno Kentarō looked thoughtful.

He hadn’t missed the slight tension between the two when the marriage question came up.

Could it be they haven’t actually considered marriage?

That didn’t sit right with him.

Everyone knew how much Shizuka wanted to get married.

Does she still have feelings for me...?

As the thought took root, Umeno Kentarō found himself increasingly convinced.

Why else would she stay single all these years after their breakup? (Could it be she simply couldn’t find anyone?)

And now she was dating a guy who looked like a younger version of him.

That’s right—at least in Umeno Kentarō’s eyes, he had looked just as handsome as Takeru in his youth.

Maybe she was only dating this kid to spite him.

To show him she was doing just fine without him.

With that thought, Kentarō’s gaze toward Shizuka turned soft.

Why’s he looking at me like that? Gross. Shizuka shivered at Umeno Kentarō’s smoldering expression.

That gaze was worse than the dead-fish-eyed pair from her class.

“What’s wrong, nee-san?”

Takeru saw her staring at Umeno Kentarō and alarm bells went off in his head.

No way.

She wasn’t still hung up on him... right?

Don’t forget the pain after the wound heals.

No room for lovesick brains, nee-san.

“I’m just wondering how I ever thought he was good-looking.” Seeing Umeno Kentarō again, Shizuka could only think she must have been blind back then.

Just a few years apart and he’d fallen apart like this?

Did he even shave?

Had his life gone that downhill since leaving her?

“Everyone makes mistakes.”

Takeru recalled the cringe quotes he used to repost during his edgy phase.

He still couldn’t understand why he’d ever liked that stuff.

He must’ve been possessed. Or maybe he just wasn’t himself back then.

She’s looking at me! She still likes me! She still has me in her heart! Umeno Kentarō visibly perked up at Shizuka’s conflicted glance.

He couldn’t believe his own charm.

Seven years, and Shizuka still hadn’t gotten over him?

Poor thing.

Kid, don’t you get it? The one who isn’t loved is the third wheel. Umeno cast a mocking glance at Takeru.

In his mind, Shizuka clearly wasn’t serious about this guy.

She was just using him to have fun.

Give it some time, and she’d get bored and dump him.

Come on, tell me—what do you have that beats me?

The sun was out. The rain had stopped. And Umeno Kentarō? He felt like he was back on top again.

---

T/N: delusional

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!