Weren’t You Only Using Me As A Stand-in? [62]

[Target: Shinomiya Kaguya]
[Age: 16]
[Intelligence: 7]
[Charm: 9]
[Stamina: 6]
[From: Kaguya-sama: Love is War]
[Crush: Shirogane Miyuki]
[Single. Available for dating.]

System bro, could you maybe give me a heads-up next time? Much appreciated.
Kitahara Takeru was absolutely speechless at how behind the curve this system always was.

He was seriously beginning to suspect it had developed system-age dementia.

Sure, getting caught mid-confession might be a little awkward—maybe a billionth of a percent—but Takeru didn’t think it was all that serious.

It’s not like Shinomiya Kaguya hadn’t been confessed to a thousand times before. One more wouldn’t make a difference.

Worst case? She’d turn him down.

It’s not like the Shinomiya family would go full tyrant just because he dared to like her, right?

Just when Takeru thought the system was done, it suddenly dinged again.

[Ding! High-quality target detected. First date reward: double points, one 90% discount coupon, skill: Super Strength!]

Another drop?

Takeru blinked, surprised by the system’s recent generosity.

It never used to hand out rewards this freely.

Maybe there were hidden conditions for triggering drops?

Sawamura Spencer Eriri and Kasumigaoka Utaha both definitely counted as high-quality girls, but he hadn’t gotten anything from his first dates with them.

Katō Megumi, though? Jackpot.

Weird system.

While Takeru was still pondering the drop mechanics, Shinomiya Kaguya walked up with an expression as chilly as ever. She glanced at him indifferently and said in a frosty tone:

“You mean that he confessed to me?”

“Sorry, but I don’t see what’s so exciting about being confessed to by a talking weed growing by the roadside.”

She didn’t know Kitahara Takeru at all.

Sure, he was handsome—but Kaguya was never one to judge by looks.

In fact, she rather disliked those eyes of his.

Those soft, soulful peach blossom eyes that even looked tender when gazing at a stray dog—in her view, they screamed playboy.

To her, Kitahara Takeru was just a pebble on the roadside—utterly unremarkable.

“You dare call him a weed?”

Clack clack clack—Kamikawa Rie strode forward in her black heels, eyes cold as she stared Kaguya down.

Everyone else might be afraid of Shinomiya Kaguya, but she wasn’t.

What, just because your background's fancy? Doesn’t mean the rest of us are nobodies.

Unfazed, Kaguya raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t he?”

If Kamikawa Rie wasn’t intimidated by her, then she certainly wasn’t going to be intimidated either.

Her family background gave her the confidence to bow to no one.

Not even the Prime Minister.

Rie gave a snide smile. “If I’m not mistaken, didn’t you rank fourth or fifth in the last nationwide mock exams?”

“So what?”

Kaguya’s expression remained cool.

“And yet you still have the nerve to mock someone ranked higher than you.”

Kaguya paused, a flicker of surprise crossing her face as she gave Takeru a second look.

She’d assumed he was just another pretty boy with nothing going for him. Turns out, his grades were even better than hers?

And during that exam, she had gone all-out just to beat that annoying guy Shirogane Miyuki.

“Third place. Is that really something to brag about?”

Even so, Kaguya didn’t seem impressed.

Academics are the only way out for commoners. But they’re not the only path for me.

So what if you’re first in a nationwide exam?

When it comes to real life, you’ll still end up working for her company.

And whether you even get hired—that’s still up to her.

Let alone someone ranked third.

Shirogane Miyuki got second, and he was clearly the better man.

“He earned third place with nothing but his own effort—why wouldn’t he be proud?”

“You’ve had the best education and private tutors your whole life, and you still couldn’t beat him. If he’s a weed, then what are you? Garbage?”

“So tell me—what gives you the right to look down on him?”

Kamikawa Rie’s glare was fierce, her fury practically igniting in her eyes.

Her fists clenched so tightly it looked like she was ready to punch Kaguya’s flawless face right then and there.

Finally, the icy mask of Shinomiya Kaguya cracked slightly, her eyes growing visibly darker.

“Enough, Rie. Calm down.”

Takeru stepped forward, sensing that things were about to take a very bad turn.

If Rie actually laid a hand on Kaguya, the Shinomiya family might not bother her… but they could easily come after him.

Taking him down would be as easy as Faker last-hitting a minion.

“She insulted you, and you’re still protecting her? What are you, a ninja turtle? How are you this good at enduring humiliation?” Rie snapped.

She honestly thought Takeru was just too soft-hearted to let her go after his goddess.

Right now, she felt like she was watching her buddy get walked like a dog by some manipulative chick—so she stood up for him, and her buddy turned around and sided with the girl.

Absolute betrayal.

Kaguya straightened, tilting her delicate chin up with haughty elegance, gazing down like a true noble.

So what if she talks big?

The guy she’s trying so hard to win over doesn’t even like her.

But me? All I have to do is lift a finger and he’ll come running.

Loser.

Pathetic.

“She was insulting me, not you. Why are you getting so worked up?”

Anyone watching would’ve thought she was the one being attacked.

Takeru himself didn’t even care.

It’s not like he hadn’t been insulted before.

In games, his teammates from flamed him into the ground.

On forums, he’d been publicly roasted in threads.

On TikTok, trolls bombarded him with DMs.

Kaguya’s verbal jabs? Honestly, he kind of wanted to say:

“Babe, your insults sound more like flirting.”

Too polite. Suggest you go practice in the Sunken Bar for a few days.

“I don’t care if you can take it. I can’t.”

Rie was fuming. She shoved past him.

“You’ve done nothing wrong. I won’t let anyone talk about you like that.”

“If anyone dares insult you, I’ll hurl it right back.”

Takeru’s shoulders trembled slightly at her words.

Kaguya stood tall and proud, unmoved, silently watching Rie approach.

From the shadows, Hayasaka Ai was just about to intervene when Kaguya gave her a glance—and she backed off.

Kaguya was waiting.

Waiting for Kitahara Takeru to step in and stop Kamikawa Rie.

If Rie really did hit her and Takeru then came to her asking for contact info, she wouldn’t mind “generously” giving it.

She’d even consider making him her personal loyal dog.

Not out of sentiment—just to spite Kamikawa Rie.

She wanted Rie to see exactly how easily she could command the boy she liked.

And just like she expected—

Kitahara Takeru did not let Kamikawa Rie run wild.

If Rie actually laid a hand on Kaguya, even if her family smoothed things over, she’d still get punished.

So, without warning, Takeru lifted Kamikawa Rie and slung her over his shoulder.

“Put me down, Kitahara Takeru! I’m ordering you—put me down!”

Rie clawed at his face like a furious cat, trying to tear that flirty, good-looking mug of his apart.

“Ah—ow! Easy! That hurts!”

Just as expected, Shinomiya Kaguya wore a look of quiet contempt again.

She was ready for Takeru to come back and ask for her number at any moment.

But he didn’t even glance at her.

He simply carried Rie off.

Leaving Kaguya frozen with her hand already halfway into her phone.

But she quickly regained her composure.

Clearly, he was just worried that lunatic Kamikawa Rie might hurt her.

Yeah, that had to be it.

How thoughtful of him.

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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!