Mash-Up: I'm Not A Substitute

"Hitomi, what are you doing here?"

Takashi wore the guilty smile of a cartoon character caught red-handed, wagging his tail as he walked over.

"Kneel."

Before he could get close, Hitomi pointed to the Italian Milan carpet beneath her feet.

"Hitomi, what's this about?"

Takashi tried to play dumb, but under Hitomi's icy gaze, he obediently knelt in front of her and looked her in the eyes.

Hitomi's figure was elegant, her legs long and shapely. Her delicate face, usually innocent like a white flower, carried an extra trace of allure after the previous night's experience.

She lifted one of her long, graceful legs and, using her big toe and second toe, pinched Takashi's cheek and stretched it.

"Ow ow ow, Hitomi!"

"Shut up!"

Hitomi snapped coldly, and Takashi immediately closed his mouth like a good boy.

"Takashi, you've got some nerve!"

Her expression was grim and terrifying. Clearly, she was absolutely furious—so much so that even the air around her seemed to grow heavier with pressure.

"You slept with me last night, and now you're flirting with another girl the next day?"

"Are you tired of living?"

Takashi raised his hands in surrender. "Hitomi, let me explain—Umaru kissed me first, I didn't initiate it."

"You don't have hands? Can't push her away? Isn't your reflexes usually pretty fast? So why the delay today?"

Her voice was icy, devoid of any warmth.

"I didn't even get the chance to push her before your warning came in."

"Then why did you lead her into that alley in the first place? Why did you get so close to her on purpose? If you hadn't done all that from the start, would she have misunderstood?"

"Eh, that's true."

Hitomi let go of the foot that was pressing against Takashi's face. 

She grabbed him by the collar with her left hand and yanked him hard in front of her, locking eyes with him at close range.

Then she picked up the gun lying on the low tea table with her right hand and pressed it against his temple as she warned,

"Takashi, aren't you getting a little too full of yourself lately?"

"Think just because I like you, I won't kill you?"

"I've already been more than lenient with you."

"Stop testing my limits. Otherwise, I'll take you out myself just like I did Ampei."

Takashi glanced at the gun pressed against his temple. The cold touch of death it exuded told him—this was real. If he doubted it, he could try and find out.

"I know. That's why I like you, Hitomi."

At this distance, Takashi had absolute confidence he could disarm her.

But then what?

Things would only spiral out of control.

Besides, even though Hitomi was furious right now, Takashi knew—she didn't really want to kill him.

She hadn't even taken off the safety.

Pointing the gun at him like this was more a temper tantrum than a real threat.

Because if she truly wanted to kill him, he wouldn't be standing here in one piece.

His head would've already been blown to bits with one shot.

"Smooth talker."

Hitomi said coldly, her face still icy.

But Takashi could tell—she wasn't as angry as before.

"You've probably used those same lines on other girls too."

"I won't deny that."

"Hmm?"

Hitomi's eyes, which had just softened a little, grew sharp again.

"Hitomi, I don't want to lie to you."

He could have just lied and denied it, but he didn't want to.

Yes, he lied often. But that didn't mean he didn't want to be honest. If he could, he hoped to live without lying.

At least in front of Hitomi and Narii, he didn't want to lie. Though to be honest, completely quitting lying was still a bit beyond him right now.

Hitomi stared silently at Takashi for several minutes, then casually tossed the gun onto the sofa. She let go of his collar and gently pushed him away with her foot against his stomach.

"I don't want there to be a next time."

Apparently, Takashi's answer was satisfactory enough for Hitomi.

Takashi sprang up from the floor and sat down beside her, placing the gun to the side as if it were nothing. 

Naturally, he wrapped an arm around her slender waist and pulled her into his embrace.

"Hitomi, you're amazing."

"Hmph."

Hitomi ignored the flattery, but she naturally leaned her head against his shoulder, yawning and preparing for a nap.

"Didn't sleep well this morning?"

"You weren't here. I couldn't fall asleep."

Hitomi had always been a poor sleeper.

She was the only one left of the current and previous generations of the Konoe main family. 

In exchange for her authority and wealth, she'd grown up under her grandfather's strict Spartan education. 

Now, she had taken over the reins from her grandfather and officially begun running the Konoe family.

She was different from Kaguya.

Kaguya couldn't truly represent the Shinomiya family. But Hitomi—she was the face of the Konoe family.

That was why Hitomi never took Kaguya seriously.

Someone who couldn't even control her own destiny and was destined to become a tool of political marriage didn't even deserve a second glance from her.

If anyone wanted to speak with Hitomi as an equal, it'd have to be the heir of the Shinomiya family—not Kaguya.

"Anything I can help with?"

"Just behave yourself. That's the best help you can offer."

Hitomi spoke with her eyes closed.

"That might be a bit difficult."

Takashi gave a bitter smile.

Even without the system, he believed he could still live a decent life.

But to become a man worthy of Hitomi—honestly, without the system, it would be impossible.

Especially in a country like Japan, where the social hierarchy was completely rigid.

Hearing that, Hitomi pinched him hard but didn't say anything more.

By now, she had a pretty solid grasp on this man called Takashi.

"What are you planning to do later?"

"Hmm, probably go coax Narii."

"Fine! But only after I fall asleep. When I wake up, the first thing I want to see is you."

Hitomi didn't stop Takashi from going to see Narii.

Because deep down, she still felt a bit guilty toward her.

After all, she did kind of snatch the man from her midway.

"Sleep now."

Takashi pulled the blanket from the sofa and draped it over Hitomi.

She found a comfortable position against his body and peacefully fell asleep.

Takashi waited another half hour before gently picking her up and carrying her to the bed.

"I'm leaving now."

Even though he knew she couldn't hear him, he still whispered into her ear. Then, unable to resist, he kissed her soft lips before finally leaving the room.

The boy who was awake had gone. The bedroom returned to silence.

A while later, the sleeping girl pulled the blanket tighter around herself, burying her face in it.

That night, while Takashi was coaxing Narii, a news article quietly climbed the trending charts.

"Cheating, two-timing, stealing lovers—uncovering the real Tokyo playboy: Kitahara Takashi."

___

The cat is out of the bag, gg Takashi.

___

20 Advanced Chapters available on p@ tr eon (.) com/HalflingFics

Also, please point out my mistakes in the comment, thank you!

Don't forget to leave a review too~

Check out the other translations too

___