Didn’t You Say I Was Just a Stand-In?

Even though today wasn't a holiday, and there were no special events or promotions, a McDonald's in Tokyo's Roku-ten Shopping Center was unusually packed.

"So handsome..."

"Is he an idol from some agency?"

"Wait, look, he's wearing a school uniform. Does anyone know which high school he's from?"

Girls in different high school uniforms sneaked glances at the silver-haired boy sitting by the window, dressed in a crisp white shirt.

The fading sunlight streamed through the window, greedily kissing his fair, handsome face, as if casting a soft glow around him.

Was I stood up?

Kitahara Takashi ate his fries, propping his chin on one hand as he tilted his head slightly to gaze at the sky.

The clouds, bathed in the sunset, were tinged with a faint pink hue.

The sun gradually sank below the horizon, and streetlights began to flicker on, illuminating the city.

"So beautiful."

Kitahara Takashi felt this scene was worth capturing.

He reached into his bag and pulled out his camera—a Nikon D610.

Click!

Aiming at the disappearing sunset, Kitahara Takashi took several photos.

"As expected of me! Maybe I should consider switching careers and becoming a photographer."

Kitahara Takashi looked at the raw images on his camera, feeling quite pleased with himself. After a moment of self-admiration, he put the camera away, finished the remaining fries, grabbed his bag, and got up to leave.

Come to think of it, this is the first time I've been stood up, huh? Kitahara Takashi thought to himself, though he didn't really mind.

Today, Kitahara Takashi hadn't put on any makeup.

He didn't plan to develop Katsura Kotonoha into a long-term client.

Even if he had no bottom line, he wouldn't act as a stand-in for someone who already had a boyfriend.

No matter what arguments or conflicts she might have with her boyfriend, or whether her decision was made in the heat of the moment, he wouldn't cross that line.

It was a matter of principle and integrity.

"Wumeng Mountain connects to mountains beyond mountains, moonlight spills over Xiangshui Beach! Can anyone tell me..." Just as Kitahara Takashi pushed the door to leave, his phone rang.

He pulled out his phone and saw an unknown number. He was about to hang up.

His parents had passed away long ago, and his relatives didn't care much for him.

Even though today wasn't a holiday, and there were no special events or promotions, a McDonald's in Tokyo's Roku-ten Shopping Center was unusually packed.

"So handsome..."

"Is he an idol from some agency?"

"Wait, look, he's wearing a school uniform. Does anyone know which high school he's from?"

Girls in different high school uniforms sneaked glances at the silver-haired boy sitting by the window, dressed in a crisp white shirt.

The fading sunlight streamed through the window, greedily kissing his fair, handsome face, as if casting a soft glow around him.

Was I stood up?

Kitahara Takashi ate his fries, propping his chin on one hand as he tilted his head slightly to gaze at the sky.

The clouds, bathed in the sunset, were tinged with a faint pink hue.

The sun gradually sank below the horizon, and streetlights began to flicker on, illuminating the city.

"So beautiful."

Kitahara Takashi felt this scene was worth capturing.

He reached into his bag and pulled out his camera—a Nikon D610.

Click!

Aiming at the disappearing sunset, Kitahara Takashi took several photos.

"As expected of me! Maybe I should consider switching careers and becoming a photographer."

Kitahara Takashi looked at the raw images on his camera, feeling quite pleased with himself. After a moment of self-admiration, he put the camera away, finished the remaining fries, grabbed his bag, and got up to leave.

Come to think of it, this is the first time I've been stood up, huh? Kitahara Takashi thought to himself, though he didn't really mind.

Today, Kitahara Takashi hadn't put on any makeup.

He didn't plan to develop Katsura Kotonoha into a long-term client.

Even if he had no bottom line, he wouldn't act as a stand-in for someone who already had a boyfriend.

No matter what arguments or conflicts she might have with her boyfriend, or whether her decision was made in the heat of the moment, he wouldn't cross that line.

It was a matter of principle and integrity.

"Wumeng Mountain connects to mountains beyond mountains, moonlight spills over Xiangshui Beach! Can anyone tell me..." Just as Kitahara Takashi pushed the door to leave, his phone rang.

He pulled out his phone and saw an unknown number. He was about to hang up.

His parents had passed away long ago, and his relatives didn't care much for him.

An orphan with no family—isn't this the classic protagonist setup from some web novel?

Could I be the main character of some failed author's story?

Kitahara Takashi had once entertained this thought.

As for why he thought he might be the protagonist of a failed author's story rather than a successful one, it was because this world didn't have things like ninjutsu, Devil Fruits, or superpowers.

It seemed like a completely ordinary slice-of-life setting.

None of the elements that could make a story popular were present.

In his memory, no author had ever made it big by writing fanfiction.

Especially not fanfiction of non-action series.

The original owner of this body had managed to make it to high school thanks to the meager inheritance left by his parents, the social welfare system, and being passed around like a soccer ball by his relatives.

And then... he suddenly died.

Kitahara Takashi's finger hovered over the red "end call" button when, suddenly, the previously unregistered number with no caller ID changed to display the name "Katsura Kotonoha."

It was as if the number had always been saved in his phone, and the lack of a caller ID earlier had just been a glitch.

This eerie moment felt like something straight out of a horror movie. In the past, Kitahara Takashi might have been startled, thrown his phone away, and hidden under his blanket for protection.

But after experiencing transmigration and gaining a system, he was no longer the same person. He was now Kitahara Takashi, the unshakable.

He guessed this was probably the system's doing.

Damn system, trying to scare me.

Kitahara Takashi swore that if he ever got the chance, he'd put on a pair of Chelsea boots and kick the system's ass.

As he looked down at his phone, lost in thought, he didn't notice the door being pushed open from the outside.

His hand ended up pressing against someone's neck.

From an outsider's perspective, it looked like he was choking them.

"Ah!"

The soft touch and the girl's scream made Kitahara Takashi realize something was wrong.

"What are you doing?!"

He looked up to see Shiinomiya Miko glaring at him with fiery eyes, clearly furious.

Under his palm was a girl with short hair and a cute face, her cheeks flushed and her gaze darting around nervously.

[Target: Kashiwagi Nagisa]

[Age: 16]

[Intelligence: 7]

[Charm: 8]

[Stamina: 3]

[From: Kaguya-sama: Love is War]

[Crush: Tsubasa Tanuma]

[Has a boyfriend, available for dates.]

Enough, system! (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻!

Stop recommending girls with boyfriends, okay?

Kitahara Takashi felt like his system shouldn't be called a "stand-in system" but rather a "homewrecker system" or a "Cao Cao system." (Note: Cao Cao is a historical figure often associated with stealing others' wives in Chinese culture.)

"I'm sorry, I was distracted."

Kitahara Takashi quickly removed his hand, bowed deeply, and apologized sincerely.

This was entirely his fault.

If the roles were reversed, and his friend had been touched by a girl like that... well, he'd probably tell himself not to make a big deal out of it ( ??ω`? ).

"Nagisa, are you okay?"

Shiinomiya Miko ignored Kitahara Takashi and turned to Kashiwagi Nagisa with concern.

"I-I'm fine."

Kashiwagi Nagisa waved her hand, glancing at Kitahara Takashi before subconsciously touching her neck.

It was as if the warmth of his hand still lingered there.

His hands are so nice... She found herself staring at Kitahara Takashi's hand.

His fingers were sculpted and well-defined, exuding a blend of elegance and strength.

I wonder what it would feel like if he really choked me...

A dangerously inappropriate thought popped into Kashiwagi Nagisa's mind.

She had a bit of a thing for dominant guys.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have been won over by a simple wall slam.

No, no, Nagisa, what are you thinking? You have a boyfriend! When Kashiwagi Nagisa realized the dangerous direction her thoughts were taking, she shook her head vigorously, trying to dispel the idea.

Meanwhile, Shiinomiya Miko was lecturing Kitahara Takashi with one hand on her hip.

"Are you some kind of horny dog who can't keep his hands to himself? Do you want to go to jail? I could report you for sexual harassment, you know!"

"You've got a decent face, but you're not doing anything decent with it."

"I can't believe this!"

"It's because of guys like you that foreigners think Tokyo is full of flaky people."

Kitahara Takashi was using his real appearance, so Shiinomiya Miko didn't recognize him as her confidant, the emotional sounding board on her phone, or the stand-in she had gone on a date with before.

In fact, Shiinomiya Miko was thinking about how she'd definitely tell Kitahara Takashi about this incident later.

Lately, whenever Shiinomiya Miko felt down because of Kashiwagi Nagisa and Tsubasa Tanuma's relationship, she couldn't help but vent to Kitahara Takashi.

Kitahara Takashi, for his part, enjoyed the drama.

He always replied instantly, offering all sorts of emotional advice.

He felt like he could call himself a "new-age female emotional mentor."

He could even go back to his home country and make a fortune off of women.

Darling, give me your money. I don't trust other guys to not scam you.

Under Kitahara Takashi's comforting and guiding words, Shiinomiya Miko had come to see him as her third true friend.

It couldn't be helped—Shiinomiya Miko was suffering.

Every day, she had to watch the guy she liked relentlessly pursue her best friend. It was like watching a simp desperately chase after a girl who only had eyes for someone else. Only a simp could understand the pain.

She had plenty of friends at school, but she couldn't talk to them about this.

The richer you were, the more you cared about appearances.

If word got out that she had feelings for her best friend's boyfriend, not only would it affect her relationship with Kashiwagi Nagisa, but Shiinomiya Miko's reputation would be ruined.

It would become a scandal in high society.

She couldn't let that happen.

So, she had to keep this secret buried deep, never to be spoken of.

As for her brother...

Forget it.

Shirogane Miyuki was already getting together with Kaguya Shinomiya, and her brother was off at some other school, playing soccer like an idiot.

It was obvious he was destined to be another loser.

She'd probably end up comforting him in the future.

After much thought, Shiinomiya Miko concluded that the only person she could confide in was Kitahara Takashi.

Now, she made it a daily routine to chat with him, like clockwork.

The two had become quite close.

Of course, that was in private.

While Shiinomiya Miko and Kitahara Takashi had a good relationship, that didn't mean Shiinomiya Miko and Kitahara Takashi (in his real identity) were close.

In reality, even if Kitahara Takashi were standing right in front of her, she wouldn't recognize him.

Kitahara Takashi was fine with that.

As he had said before, work was work, and life was life. They had to be kept separate.

Besides, he didn't dare let her know that he was the same person.

After all, Shiinomiya Miko was already suffering enough. There was no need to make things worse for her.

"Alright, Miko, let it go."

Kashiwagi Nagisa, seeing her best friend about to go on a tirade, tugged on her sleeve, signaling that it was enough.

She knew Shiinomiya Miko all too well.

Shiinomiya Miko was the type to push harder when others backed down but would shrink back when others stood their ground.

She was only tough with those she was close to.

"If you treat us to McDonald's, I'll forgive you!"

This was directed at Kitahara Takashi.

To be honest, Kashiwagi Nagisa didn't really mind being touched by Kitahara Takashi.

Of course, that was only because he was good-looking.

If it had been some middle-aged, balding, greasy guy, her reaction would have been very different.

This just goes to show that while you might not always need good looks, it's better to have them than not.

"Alright."

Hearing that money could solve the problem, Kitahara Takashi breathed a sigh of relief.

He was really worried Shiinomiya Miko would keep pushing.

If she found out he was actually Kitahara Takashi and had been deceiving her, he might as well start packing his bags and running.

"Why should he treat us?" Shiinomiya Miko grumbled.

As the heiress of the Shiinomiya family, did she really need to scrounge for a free meal?

But since Kashiwagi Nagisa had already spoken, she didn't press the issue further.

The three of them walked into McDonald's.

Well, technically, Kitahara Takashi never left.

The issue was resolved, but Katsura Kotonoha's call had already ended.

And it didn't ring again.

I'll call her back later.

Kitahara Takashi looked at the missed call notification, not particularly concerned.

It could wait.

Perhaps out of spite, Shiinomiya Miko ordered a lot of food.

It wasn't until Kashiwagi Nagisa tugged at her that she finally stopped with a huff.

The two found a seat, while Kitahara Takashi waited in line.

He could have just sat down and waited for the food to be delivered, but...

However, sitting with Kashiwagi Nagisa and Shiinomiya Miko was a bit awkward.

After all, the three of them weren't familiar with each other.

"Why are there so many people here today? Is today the special discount day for two-scoop ice cream?"

"Awesome! I'm going to get chocolate and cocoa flavors."

Wait, aren't those both chocolate flavors?

What's the difference?

Kitahara Takashi overheard the conversation between the girls behind him and couldn't help but think this.

"If you eat too much, you'll get fat, Hoshi."

"Don't worry, my fat knows where it's supposed to go. No matter how much I eat, I won't get a belly."

"Mhm~, that's right. Hoshi really does have a great figure!"

"Speaking of which, Hoshi, have you gotten bigger again?"

"I don't think so?"

"I don't believe you. Let me check."

"Hey, stop it!"

At first, Kitahara Takashi didn't pay much attention.

But the more he listened, the more something felt off.

Why did that voice sound so familiar?

He instinctively turned around and locked eyes with Watanabe Hoshi, who was currently being groped.

"..."

"..."

The two stared at each other in silence for about two seconds.

That was more than enough time for Kitahara Takashi and Watanabe Hoshi to recognize each other.

In the end, Kitahara Takashi was the first to move.

He nonchalantly looked away, pretending nothing had happened, while thinking to himself, Tokyo really is a small place.

To think he'd run into two acquaintances here.

Kitahara Takashi couldn't imagine how many more people he'd bump into if he kept working as a stand-in.

He could only hope that his future girlfriend wouldn't point at him and yell, "I went out to buy a pack of sanitary pads and ran into seven or eight of your clients!"

While Kitahara Takashi wanted to pretend he didn't know her, Watanabe Hoshi wasn't having it.

H·e·d·a·r·e·d·t·o·i·g·n·o·r·e·m·e!!!

Kitahara Takashi's actions were so natural that it wasn't just ignoring her—it was more like he couldn't be bothered to acknowledge her.

Even though they had made eye contact and were less than a meter apart, he still acted like she didn't exist.

This wasn't the kind of indifference that came from not knowing someone. It was the kind of coldness that said, "I know you, but I don't care to engage with you," which infuriated Watanabe Hoshi.

Did he really dislike her that much?

Every time they met, he acted like she was invisible.

Back when they first met at that mixer, he had looked at her with such enthusiasm.

"You clearly saw me! Why are you ignoring me?!"

Watanabe Hoshi grabbed Kitahara Takashi's shoulder and forcefully turned him around.

Kitahara Takashi thought for a moment, then decided to greet her: "Hello (*?▽｀)ノノ?"

Watanabe Hoshi was even more furious at his敷衍 (perfunctory) attitude.

"Hello? What kind of greeting is that?"

Not good enough?

Kitahara Takashi thought for a moment, then put on a fake enthusiastic expression, as if he had just run into an old friend: "What a coincidence! You're here too?"

"Ki·ta·ha·ra·Ta·ka·shi!"

Watanabe Hoshi enunciated each syllable of his name loudly.

So his name is Kitahara Takashi.

That was the thought of every girl present who had been curious about his name.

Kitahara Takashi? What a nice name, Kashiwagi Nagisa thought to herself.

Shiinomiya Miko, on the other hand, gave Kitahara Takashi a surprised look and thought, His name is Takashi too?