Mash-Up: I'm Not A Substitute

"Click."

It was 8:30 PM.

Accompanied by the crisp sound of a key turning, the classroom door slowly opened from the outside.

Blinding white light poured in.

Hearing the noise, Kotonoha lifted her head.

A handsome young man in a white shirt stood silhouetted against the light.

The glow illuminated his face, and as he looked into the classroom, the corners of his eyes curved slightly, and a faint smile played on his lips.

"Katsura-san, I'm here to take you home."

At that moment, Kotonoha felt her heart clenched tightly, and emotions surged through her, spreading with the rush of her blood.

…

"This is Mr. Ueda. He's the one who unlocked the door for us."

Once Kotonoha stepped out of the classroom, Takashi turned and introduced the middle-aged security guard beside him.

"Thank you."

Kotonoha nodded politely toward Ueda Jin.

Earlier, she had been standing in the shadows, so Ueda hadn't gotten a good look at her.

It wasn't until now that he noticed how beneath her pure and delicate features lay a rather impressive bust, likely a D-cup.

Even if it was just excess fat, when it was on the chest instead of the stomach, it undeniably drew a man's gaze.

Kotonoha had a mild case of androphobia.

Noticing Ueda's lingering stare on her chest, she instinctively trembled slightly.

Takashi caught this and subtly stepped to the side, blocking Ueda's line of sight.

"Mr. Ueda, we've troubled you today."

Ueda quickly looked away and waved his hand. "It's my job."

"In that case, we'll be heading home now. Goodbye, Mr. Ueda."

"Yeah, it's getting late. You two should hurry home."

After exchanging farewells, Takashi and Kotonoha left together.

As they stepped out of the school building, a chilly night breeze swept past.

Kotonoha shivered at the sudden cold.

Takashi glanced at her but quickly withdrew his gaze, pretending not to notice anything, and kept walking.

He was a meticulous egoist.

If it were Utaha, he might have pretended to take off his jacket and offer it, just for show.

After all, she was his benefactor.

When it came to women who could shower him with wealth, Takashi always treated them like royalty.

Of course, given Utaha's personality, she would rather freeze to death than wear anyone's jacket—except, perhaps, Aki Tomoya's.

But Kotonoha wasn't a source of income, so he couldn't even be bothered to pretend.

The fact that he, a complete stranger, had come to rescue her was already more than enough goodwill on his part.

It wasn't his fault she got locked in so late.

Besides, she had a boyfriend. If she needed someone to care for her, that was his job, not Takashi's.

Takashi was no self-sacrificing nice guy.

The two of them walked through the campus in silence.

"Um…"

Just as they were about to exit Sakakino Academy, Kotonoha finally spoke up.

Takashi turned his head. "What is it?"

Biting her lip slightly, Kotonoha mustered the courage to say, "Um… Thank you for today, Watanabe-kun."

She felt it was necessary to express her gratitude.

If it weren't for him, she had no idea how long she would have been trapped in that classroom.

"Watanabe Takashi is just a stage name. You can call me Takashi."

Kotonoha wasn't on Takashi's list of potential "investment" targets.

So he saw no need to hide anything from her.

With his distinct looks and the Aoba Private High School uniform he was wearing, anyone could easily figure out his real identity.

There was no point in lying.

'Calling him just "Takashi"…?'

Kotonoha hesitated, wondering if that was too intimate.

Before she could dwell on it further, Takashi spoke again.

"If you really want to thank me, just don't tell anyone about this."

"I don't want my friends to know about my job."

Takashi didn't think his work was shameful.

Earning points wasn't embarrassing.

But to say that all jobs were equal in status? That was nonsense.

A government official and a nightclub worker—could people truly treat them the same way?

For Takashi, he was simply making money from girls who were willing to pay.

As long as Kotonoha didn't interfere with his peaceful high school life, that was the best thanks she could offer.

'He must have his reasons for doing this…'

Kotonoha agreed with a quick, "Okay!" while secretly studying him.

She had seen him before on the train.

The boy had well-defined features, his brows and eyes as clear as a moonlit breeze.

His silver hair was cut into a slightly messy style, enhancing his sharp facial structure.

His white dress shirt was crisp and spotless, without a single wrinkle.

Even though it was the same uniform everyone wore, it somehow looked unique on him.

His frame was lean but straight-backed, standing tall like a pine tree, exuding an unshakable confidence.

There was no trace of shame or inferiority in his expression—only the youthful arrogance and energy of a teenager.

Her boyfriend, Itou Makoto, was also handsome.

But compared to the boy before her, he fell noticeably short.

…

They continued walking down the street, resembling a young couple taking an evening stroll.

As they rounded a corner, they suddenly came across a camera crew, seemingly filming an interview or reality show.

The female host holding a microphone turned and spotted them. Her eyes lit up.

"Hello! Can we have a moment of your time?"

"No, I'm in a hurry to get home."

Takashi didn't even break his stride and kept walking forward.

Kotonoha quickly followed.

"It'll only take a few quick questions. It won't take long!"

The host kept pace with them, clearly not giving up.

Takashi didn't even bother responding.

"Excuse me, is the young lady next to you your girlfriend?"

Silence.

Neither Takashi nor Kotonoha answered.

The host took his silence as confirmation and followed up, "When did you two start dating?"

Takashi's expression turned cold.

"I'm a student at Aoba Private High School, and I'm the top student in my grade. If you dare spread false rumors, go ahead and see what happens."

The biggest difference between private and public schools wasn't just faculty quality—it was also connections and background.

Once, when a student was underpaid at a part-time job, they reported it to the student council.

After the school got involved, the principal personally led a team of lawyers to sue the company.

As a top student Aoba had recruited, Takashi was confident that the school wouldn't just let someone slander him.

The host's face paled.

"I-I'm sorry! We were just joking."

At that moment, a director rushed over anxiously.

"A joke should be funny to both sides. Do you think this is amusing?" Takashi asked coldly.

"I already apologized! And we haven't even released the footage! What more do you want?"

Annoyed that a high school kid wasn't showing him any respect, the director's tone grew impatient.

Takashi narrowed his eyes, his expression darkening.

He wasn't particularly powerful himself.

But he didn't need to be—he thrived off of powerful women.

Never underestimate the strength of his wealthy benefactors.

Takashi made up his mind.

When he got back, he'd complain to Hiratsuka Shizuka.

And if that didn't work, he'd swallow his pride and seek out Narii.

"Kitahara?"

Hearing his name, he turned and saw Hitomi.

His gaze shifted to the long, luxurious Rolls-Royce parked beside her.

Without hesitation, he bolted toward her.

"Landlord, your tenant is being bullied. Are you going to do something about it?"

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Check out the other translations too: [Mash-Up: Anything For Money]

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