Mash-Up: I'm Not A Substitute

Sitting in the backseat of the extended Rolls-Royce, Hitomi glanced in the direction of Kotonoha.

Whether it was psychological or just an illusion, Kotonoha felt that when Hitomi's gaze swept over her, it suddenly turned sharp.

Hitomi's eyes lingered for a few seconds on Kotonoha's well-endowed figure before she propped her delicate, refined face on her right fist and asked with a playful smile, 

"What does this have to do with me? Why should I care?"

Takashi hadn't expected Hitomi to refuse to give him any face at all, especially in front of so many people.

Feeling cornered, he threatened viciously, "Don't force me to kneel and beg you."

"Oh?" Hitomi's lips curved into a crescent moon as she replied, "Go ahead, show me."

Takashi froze.

No way—was she really going to make him kneel in front of everyone?

Didn't he care about his dignity?

Feeling aggrieved, Takashi lowered his voice and pleaded, "Can we do this in private?"

Hitomi looked at his pitiful expression, and her smile grew even brighter.

But if one observed closely, the amusement in her eyes never reached her heart.

"What a pity. If you kneel now, I'll allow you to lick my feet."

"…What?"

Takashi blurted out before immediately regretting it.

Not because he wanted to lick her feet—let's be clear, he was absolutely not one of those foot-fetish weirdos.

He just regretted responding with "What?!"

Didn't that basically confirm that he was some kind of leg fetishist instead?

To prove that he definitely wasn't, he had even left a glowing review for Three Kingdoms Kill!

"Oh? Regretting it now?"

Hitomi crossed her long, slender legs wrapped in thigh-high stockings and, whether intentionally or not, began moving them up and down.

Takashi's eyes involuntarily darted toward them for a split second before he quickly averted his gaze.

"Regret? That's impossible. I'll never regret this in my life."

"The only thing left of you is that stubborn mouth." 

Hitomi stretched out her flawless, fair hand and gently traced Takashi's prominent Adam's apple, her tone indifferent. 

"Alright, now tell me—who is she?"

She had already decided—if she heard something she didn't want to, she'd strangle him on the spot.

Completely oblivious to this, Takashi casually answered, "Oh, her? Her name's Katsura Kotonoha. She often comes to the store to buy things." 

"We just happened to run into each other and exchanged a few words, but then those people forcibly paired us up."

"Is that so?"

Hitomi glanced toward the director, already planning to contact the TV station later and have those people fired.

"Of course. And let me tell you, she already has a boyfriend."

Takashi thought that saying this would make Hitomi drop the matter, but to his surprise, she smiled mischievously. "Isn't that a plus for you guys?"

Takashi: "?"

Something's not right here!

"What nonsense are you talking about? I'm a decent guy!"

This was slander—outright slander.

Takashi despised people like Hitomi, who lumped everyone together with a single accusation.

"A decent guy who likes Cao Cao?"

"I admire Boss Cao's charisma!"

"You sure?"

Under Hitomi's gaze—clear as a mountain stream—Takashi suddenly felt a little less confident.

…Surely, he wasn't that kind of person, right?

Hitomi chuckled softly, a hint of disdain in her smile. "Alright, get in the car. I was just heading back anyway—I'll give you a ride."

"We're leaving now?"

Takashi hesitated and glanced back.

Seeing his reluctance, Hitomi's eyes turned cold, but her voice remained soft, even teasing.

"What? Planning to take the train home with her?"

If he dared say yes, she'd preserve him in formalin today.

"What does she have to do with me?"

Takashi's instinctive response made Hitomi's gaze soften again.

"But if I leave just like this, won't they laugh at me?"

Hearing his concern, Hitomi smiled slightly. 

"This car of mine? Those nobodies couldn't afford it in a lifetime. And you get to sit in it. Do you think they'll fear your retaliation or laugh at you?"

Takashi thought for a moment—she had a point.

Anyone who could afford a Rolls-Royce wasn't ordinary.

If he were in their shoes, he'd definitely be panicking.

"Relax. With me here, no one will dare laugh at you."

Takashi got into the car and joked, "Even the Shinomiya family?"

"Yes."

Hitomi's tone was arrogant, but Takashi couldn't shake the feeling that she had the confidence to back it up.

'I must be crazy.'

He muttered to himself.

"….."

Watching Takashi get into Hitomi's car without so much as a goodbye, Kotonoha felt a pang of loneliness.

Why was she always the one left behind?

Why was she always alone?

"Shimamura!!!"

Snapping back to reality, Kotonoha found the previously arrogant screenwriter kneeling before her in the middle of the crowd. 

He placed his hands on the ground, bowed his head deeply, and begged, "It was wrong of us to interview you without permission. I realize my mistake now." 

"Can you please ask your boyfriend to spare me?"

Just seconds ago, he had received notice of his dismissal.

No doubt, it was the doing of that young man he had offended.

He never expected Takashi to be so ruthless, outright getting him fired.

In the professional world, it was survival of the fittest. Once dismissed, a man of his age had no hope of finding another job.

This wasn't the time for pride—that was worthless. What mattered was salvaging his career!

His [Fierce Tiger Falling to the Ground] kneeling technique was executed so smoothly that even Kotonoha was stunned.

"Miss, I've worked hard for twenty years. I can't have it all end like this! I have a wife and child—they need me to provide for them. Please, have some mercy!"

The middle-aged man trembled as he pulled out his wallet, showing Kotonoha a photo of his family.

In the picture, the family of three smiled warmly—it was a scene of true happiness.

"My daughter hasn't even graduated from university yet. Miss, please convince your boyfriend to give me a chance to apologize."

His hands shook as he clutched the wallet, his voice thick with despair.

"Sir, he's not my boyfriend. I'm sorry, but I can't help you."

Kotonoha felt sorry for him, but there was nothing she could do.

Takashi wasn't her boyfriend.

Even the surname Watanabe was fake.

She didn't even know his real name.

The thought made her feel inexplicably disappointed.

"Miss, please, I beg you…"

The middle-aged man ignored her words and continued kowtowing desperately.

In his mind, even if they weren't a couple, their relationship had to be close.

There was no way he could approach Takashi himself—he had to have an intermediary.

And the only option he could think of was the young woman in front of him.

"I—I'm sorry. I really can't do anything."

Feeling guilty, Kotonoha murmured an apology and turned to leave quickly.

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

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