Mash-Up: I'm Not A Substitute

"Hayasaka, you've changed."

Before Hayasaka Ai could figure out what exactly had changed about her, Kaguya hit the nail on the head.

As both an observer and someone who had grown up with her, Kaguya immediately sensed the shift in Hayasaka Ai.

The reason she now found Kaguya unfamiliar, even cold-blooded, was because she was no longer seeing things from Kaguya's perspective.

"You don't side with me anymore."

Human nature is inherently biased.

As long as someone is human, they'll have preferences and partiality.

Like when your friend argues with a stranger—deep down, you're always inclined to side with your friend.

Hayasaka Ai used to side with Kaguya. But now, she sided with Takashi.

The moment she began to see things from Takashi's perspective, everything about Kaguya looked harsher, colder.

"…"

Hayasaka wanted to argue—her heart was filled with words—but when they reached her lips, there was only silence.

Like a mute person whose throat had been seized, she could say nothing to refute it.

Because if she thought about it carefully… Kaguya was right. She could no longer view things from Kaguya's point of view.

"Is Takashi really that charming? Enough to make all of you fall for him, one after another?"

Kaguya was confused.

She couldn't understand what kind of magic Takashi possessed.

What was it about him that enchanted Nagisa, Maki, Tsubame, and now even Hayasaka Ai?

"…I don't know how the other girls see Takashi."

After a moment of silence, Hayasaka calmly explained why she was drawn to him.

"But I see a reflection of myself in him."

"We're like two identical puzzle pieces."

Hayasaka Ai longed for her mother's love; Takashi sought his father's approval.

Hayasaka suffered every day reporting Kaguya's daily life to Shinomiya Oko, just as Takashi agonized over having to cater to every rich girl around him (his own words).

Hayasaka wanted to break free from the Shinomiya family and find true freedom, while Takashi hoped to one day have the confidence to say "no" to anyone.

They were too alike.

People who share the same pain are often naturally drawn to each other.

Their relationship was just like the couple in We Made a Beautiful Bouquet, the film Takashi watched on his first date with Kato Megumi—completely in sync.

The Hayasaka Ai who used to decompress by watching videos every night… now barely touched them. She spent every night chatting endlessly with Takashi instead.

She had discovered she could talk with a boy for hours without running out of things to say.

"Hayasaka, how long have you even known him?"

Kaguya's voice trembled with jealousy. 

It felt like something precious had been stolen from her, and she was starting to feel a twisted sense of envy toward Takashi.

Every feeling has possessiveness.

Even friendship.

"I've known you for over ten years."

To Fujiwara Chika, Kaguya was her best friend.

But to Kaguya, it wasn't mutual.

Her best friend was Hayasaka Ai.

They had grown up together, learned together, lived together—their lives so intertwined that separating them seemed impossible.

Each saw the other as their one and only friend. And now, that one and only friend… had found someone else.

Kaguya felt betrayed—like she'd been "cheated on."

Like the childhood friend who grew up by your side and promised to always be together… only to fall for a transfer student in high school and slowly drift away.

"Kaguya-sama, this has nothing to do with how long we've known each other."

Hayasaka gave a helpless smile.

She didn't know why, but right now, Kaguya seemed like a jealous boyfriend upset that his girlfriend was being hit on.

"Then what is it about? Tell me!"

Kaguya pressed aggressively.

Hayasaka had been right—Kaguya was jealous.

What Hayasaka didn't know was that sometimes, just like love, friendship can't tolerate a third party.

It wasn't that Kaguya minded Hayasaka having other friends.

She had friends too, like that girl with the ribbon.

What she couldn't accept… was that Takashi had a higher priority in Hayasaka's heart than she did!

What did that mean?

It meant Takashi was more important than her.

That was what she couldn't forgive.

"My soul."

Hayasaka answered, dead serious.

"Between Takashi and me, there's a spiritual connection. Only with him… can I be my true self."

"You mean… in front of me, you've always been pretending? You've never been your real self?"

Kaguya's voice suddenly rose.

"…"

Hayasaka fell silent again.

She couldn't deny it—their bond was genuine.

But in front of Kaguya, she had always worn a mask.

Between them, there was a master and a servant. That unequal relationship made it impossible to be her true self.

"Why aren't you saying anything? Does that mean you really have been faking everything in front of me?"

As Hayasaka stayed silent, an icy aura radiated from Kaguya, plunging the entire dining room's temperature.

Hayasaka's heart tightened. 

Afraid she would see through her, she said with some frustration, "I don't know what to say. Kaguya-sama, you're being unreasonable."

"Unreasonable? Me?!"

Kaguya let out a bitter laugh.

"Fine. I'll show you what really being unreasonable looks like."

She slammed her silver knife and fork onto the table and stood up, her eyes—those same color as the Uchiha clan's Sharingan—boring into Hayasaka Ai.

"From now on, you'll stay by my side at all times. I won't allow you out of my sight."

"Without my permission, you're not going anywhere."

So your souls resonate, huh?

Fine.

Then I'll make sure your souls never meet again.

I'll make sure you two can never be together.

Kaguya had never been in love. But she'd read in books that couples who don't see each other for a long time tend to drift apart.

If that happens even to real couples—what hope did they have?

Hayasaka was visibly annoyed. "Kaguya-sama, are you imprisoning me? That's going too far."

"Yes, I am going too far! So what?!"

Kaguya's lips curved into a cold smirk. Without looking back, she left the now-empty dining room.

As she walked down the long hallway, her expression grew even colder.

"Takashi… you've got guts."

You dare to steal my girl?

Fine. Just you wait.

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