Mash-Up: I'm Not A Substitute

Is this really love?—Takashi didn't dare ask that aloud.

He was afraid that even one wrong word would upset her.

Yandere girls were scary enough on their own.

But this yandere happened to be the heiress of an ultra-powerful financial conglomerate.

Could Takashi ask the internet for help now?

How do you break out of this situation?

"I admit, at first I didn't have any special feelings for you. I helped you just because Narii was so annoying, constantly clinging to me."

Hitomi softly explained her original reason for approaching Takashi.

It wasn't some rich girl falling for a poor boy, nor love at first sight. Helping him had simply been a favor for someone else.

"I started caring about you when you went to see that girl who writes novels."

"It just so happened I was on a business trip nearby that day. I saw the whole thing—you in makeup, approaching her."

"I thought you liked that novelist girl so much that you were willing to be a stand-in. I planned to watch you get heartlessly discarded, like a dog."

She was bored back then.

Just like how children observe ants on the ground when they're bored, Hitomi would observe the people and things around her.

"Then I realized you didn't even like that novelist girl. Even after meeting her, you weren't satisfied. 

You went after the shut-in girl from the Sawamura family, and that old spinster from the Hiratsuka family."

"That's when I started paying attention to you. I wanted to see what you'd do next. And I began to interact with you."

No other poor guy had ever been this bold.

Hitomi felt like she'd discovered a new toy, and with the mindset of binge-watching a drama, she began her long journey of voyeurism.

To observe Takashi more closely, she got involved by pretending to be a regular landlord.

"But as we got closer, I found that watching you date other girls no longer made me happy."

"Every time I saw photos of you holding hands with another girl, I wanted to chop her hand off."

If Narii had fallen for Takashi at first sight, then Hitomi had developed feelings over time while living with him.

Same age, equally mature, both shouldering heavy family and life burdens early—they had many shared topics. 

And since they practically lived together, their feelings naturally grew.

Yes, that's right.

Takashi did like Hitomi, maybe even more than a little.

Because in his most miserable days, it was she who gave him a comfortable place to stay and helped him deal with a series of complicated formalities after arriving in Tokyo.

Hitomi's help had been tremendous. Without her, his daily commute to school alone might have taken over an hour.

Imagine a girl who supports you in your darkest times, brings back carefully selected gifts every time she goes out, and leaves a light on for you no matter how late she gets home—who wouldn't fall for her?

Takashi did too.

But he was emotionally mature. He knew he couldn't give her anything right now, so he never showed it.

If he truly had no feelings for her, she wouldn't have been allowed in and out of their home so freely.

That's why Takashi had such a strong reaction when he learned Hitomi was Narii's older cousin.

Hitomi knew him too well. She knew once he found out, he'd overthink everything. So she had to bring him here and show him how she felt.

"I approached you with ulterior motives in the beginning, but now no one loves you more than I do."

Hitomi's eyes, once pure like the clear blue sky, now shimmered with possessiveness and a twisted madness.

"Takashi, we're going to be together for life."

Takashi listened in silence, eyes darting around. "…So, uh… what if I said we should just be friends from now on?"

He understood her feelings.

But they were too heavy—he couldn't carry them.

He really did like her before, but now he was honestly scared.

Yandere characters are fine in anime or fiction.

But in real life?

He might like yandere girls—but they definitely shouldn't like him.

"Then you can go die!"

Hitomi's expression turned icy in an instant. Her face changed just like that.

"I'm just kidding~"

Takashi was inwardly trembling—because he didn't think she was joking at all.

"Do you like me more, or my cousin?"

Hitomi whispered by his ear, her breath warm and teasing.

If I could help it, I wouldn't want to like either of you.

That was Takashi's only thought.

These two cousins—neither was normal.

One was obsessive and unhinged. The other, a full-on yandere.

Takashi didn't hesitate: "Of course it's you."

"Wonderful."

Hitomi's expression softened, but before he could breathe a sigh of relief, she asked, "Then why did you kiss Narii?"

"So you were lying to me after all?"

Her eyes darkened like she had entered her blackened mode.

"Your favorite is still Narii, isn't it?"

Takashi gritted his teeth and turned to kiss Hitomi.

He felt like he was drifting further and further from the version of himself he had set out to be.

Hitomi froze. She wasn't like Narii, who acted like a clingy little puppy with no self-control. 

She was more like a wooden statue, completely motionless and unresponsive.

This was their unfamiliar, clumsy first kiss.

A moment of truly feeling another person's warmth and softness.

Receiving that sweet sensation, Takashi couldn't tell whether he felt more joy or more fear.

The good news: the girl he liked liked him back.

The bad news: she was a yandere—an insanely powerful one.

With mixed feelings, Takashi pulled away from Hitomi's cold lips.

Hitomi touched her own lips, as if savoring something. After a while, she spoke again: "Continue."

"Huh?"

"Hmm?"

Hitomi looked at him. Takashi didn't dare say anything. He tilted his head and initiated a second kiss.

This time, Hitomi didn't stay still. She started responding to Takashi.

But she had no experience with kissing—her technique was clumsy, just like her younger sister's.

As Takashi was thinking this, the phone in his pants pocket rang.

'Seriously? Now?'

He had set special ringtones for each girl. He didn't even need to check—just by hearing the tone, he knew exactly who was calling.

It was Narii, the very girl he had just been thinking about.

Just as he was about to stop and answer the call, Hitomi reached into his pocket, took the phone, sat on his lap, answered the call, and said softly, "Keep going."

"K-Keep going?"

Takashi stared in disbelief.

Wait, you're on a call!

"So you really do love Narii the most, huh?"

Hitomi stared coldly at Takashi.

Takashi didn't dare say a word. He leaned in again toward the girl's sweet lips.

Their foreheads touched, and they began their third kiss.

"Sis, did you just say that Takashi loves me the most?"

On the other end of the phone, Narii's voice was trembling with excitement.

Clearly, she had heard what Hitomi just said.

___

(*) Konoe is probably Narii and Hitomi's family.

___

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

___