Mash-Up: I'm Not A Substitute

"I haven't bought a camera yet. I'm saving up for one."

Marin had always taken photos with her phone. The only time she had ever used a proper camera was when she borrowed one from a senior at her part-time job.

"Kitahara-kun, do you have any recommendations?"

Now that was a topic that Takashi could talk about for hours.

"Are you planning to make photography your profession, or do you just want to document your life?"

His own photography skills might not be top-tier, but when it came to choosing a camera, he was definitely the right person to ask. 

He had gained his knowledge through countless mistakes and wasted money.

"I just want to document my life. I mostly want to take pictures at anime conventions. Oh, by the way, how's Sony? That brand seems pretty well-known."

"Do you know how to do post-processing?"

"Nope."

"For beginners, I wouldn't recommend buying from big-name brands." 

"It's better to start with a lesser-known entry-level model. Personally, I recommend Hasselblad or Leica." 

"They have great entry-level options that are easy to learn." Takashi said with a completely straight face.

"Alright, I'll check the prices."

Marin was a person of action. She immediately pulled out her phone to look up camera prices.

"Hissss~"

The moment she saw the price, Marin sucked in a sharp breath, personally contributing to global warming.

She stammered, "Th-this… even the entry-level options are this expensive?"

"How many part-time jobs would I have to work for this?!"

She actually believed him.

She really believed him!

So if I say something, you'll just take my word for it?

Takashi had to fight the urge to laugh.

"Kitagawa-san, Takashi is just messing with you."

Seeing Takashi's eyes nearly disappear from how hard he was laughing, Shota Otani couldn't help but speak up.

"Ah! You tricked me!"

Marin's eyes went round with indignation as she puffed up her cheeks and glared at Takashi, looking quite adorable.

"It was just a joke."

Takashi decided not to tease her any further and got serious.

"For beginners, I'd recommend the Nikon D5000."

For people who weren't planning to get into photography professionally, Takashi didn't see the point in recommending an expensive camera. 

Most people would play with it for a couple of days before going back to using their phones.

Marin eyed him suspiciously. "Really?"

Since she had just been tricked, she was extremely wary of his words.

"I swear, this time I'm not lying."

This time, Takashi was telling the truth.

Half-believing, half-doubting, Marin looked up the price.

She decided to trust him one last time.

If it was too expensive, she would—

"Wait, this is… really cheap?"

Seeing the price, Marin froze.

She hadn't expected it to be this affordable.

But she remained skeptical. "Why is it so cheap? Is there something wrong with it?"

People were funny that way.

If something was too expensive, they couldn't afford it.

If something was too cheap, they worried about its quality.

"There's nothing wrong with the camera." 

"Nikon's entry-level models are just cheaper compared to other brands, but they offer good value for the price. It's just that they don't sell as well as some of the bigger brands…"

Takashi patiently explained the reasoning to Marin.

One was speaking with focus.

The other was listening intently.

The two of them were so absorbed in their conversation that they completely ignored everyone else in the room.

'What the hell, why?!' Shota Otani gritted his teeth, glaring at Takashi.

We all just met, and you arrived late. How the hell are you already chatting so happily with her?

This makes me look like an idiot.

Kota Tanaka was even more bitter. 

'Takashi, you absolute bastard.'

They hadn't even seen his face yet, and he was already getting along with a pretty girl. If he took off his mask, wouldn't that just turn into a full-blown harem party?

So this whole mixer was just for you, huh?

Otani and Tanaka were fuming with jealousy. Meanwhile, Saki Takamiya, Natsumi Ohashi, and Akari were having their own discussion in a private group chat.

Saki Takamiya: [Are those two into each other?]

Natsumi Ohashi: [Do you think they'll end up together?]

Saki Takamiya: [The chances are pretty high.]

Most people who attended mixers were single.

If a guy and a girl hit it off, it wasn't uncommon for them to start dating.

There were even cases where people went straight to a hotel after a mixer.

It all depended on mutual consent.

Watanabe Akari: [He's way too smooth. I bet he's used to flirting with girls. He's definitely a player.]

Natsumi Ohashi: [Akari, why do you sound so salty?罒ω罒]

Saki Takamiya: [Wait, are you mad because she stole your mixer partner? Are you jealous?]

Originally, Marin hadn't been part of this mixer.

They had run into her on the way here after she finished work, and she had insisted on tagging along.

Technically speaking, bringing extra guests wasn't allowed.

But exceptions were always made for cute girls.

Watanabe Akari: [Me? Jealous???]

Watanabe Akari: [I don't even know what he looks like. Why would I be jealous? For all we know, his face under that mask might be hideous.]

Watanabe Akari: [Seriously, who wears a mask at a karaoke room?]

While Akari was furiously typing complaints about Takashi, and Takashi was having an engaging conversation with Marin. 

In a high-end residential district in Chiba Prefecture's Japan, Kasumigaoka Utaha was sitting at her desk in a black knee-length nightgown, typing away on her keyboard with her slender fingers.

The nightgown had a built-in waist tie, barely as wide as a palm, cinching her already slender waist and perfectly accentuating her figure.

Her wine-red eyes, silk-like black hair, and snow-white skin made Utaha look like a blooming black rose—mysterious, elegant, and enchantingly dangerous.

But her mood didn't seem great.

Her right leg was bouncing slightly—a telltale sign of her irritation.

"Tch."

Glaring at the single line of text she had typed after hours of effort, Utaha clicked her tongue in frustration.

Whether it was dissatisfaction with her writing efficiency today or something else, she slammed her laptop shut and walked toward her bed, roughly pulling off the white headband she had been wearing and tossing it onto the desk.

Flopping onto the bed, Utaha closed her eyes.

The moment she did, all she could think about was Takashi's face.

At first, that face was just something she used to satisfy her fantasies and indulge in nostalgia.

It was never something she truly cared about.

But at some point, she started noticing a change.

When she saw him sad, she found herself feeling bad too.

That was why she had been so unproductive today.

Less than a minute later, she sat up again, unlocked her phone, and opened Kitahara Takashi's LINE chat.

She typed something.

Deleted it.

Typed again.

Deleted again.

…

After going through this cycle multiple times, she "accidentally" hit the send button.

The message contained only one word: "You."

LINE now has a recall function.

But after staring at the message for a few seconds, Utaha decided not to delete it.

Instead, she tossed her phone aside, grabbed a book, and lay on her stomach, pretending to read.

Though every now and then, her gaze would flicker toward the phone.

___

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

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