Didn’t You Say I Was Just a Stand-In?

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

Up until now, Kitagawa Marin had always used her phone for taking photos. The only time she'd used an actual camera was when she borrowed one from a senior during a part-time job.

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

Now this was a topic that could wake Kitahara Takashi right up.

"Are you planning to take photography seriously as a career, or are you just looking to capture everyday moments?"

Despite Kitahara's own photography skills being nothing to write home about, he was the right person to ask about cameras. After all, he'd learned the hard way, making countless mistakes along the journey.

"Just for everyday stuff. I mainly want to take photos at comic conventions. Oh, what about Sony? They're a pretty big brand, right?"

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

"Nope."

"For beginners and amateurs, I wouldn't recommend going for the big names. You're better off starting with something more niche and entry-level. Personally, I'd suggest Hasselblad or Leica—they're beginner-friendly and easy to learn," Kitahara said with a straight face.

"Alright, let me check the prices."

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

"Whoa!"

The moment she saw the numbers, Marin gasped, her shock practically contributing to global warming.

"Th-this… is this really the entry-level price for beginners?" she stammered. "How many part-time jobs would I need to afford this?"

She actually believed him. She actually fell for it!

Kitahara couldn't help but want to laugh. You'd believe anything I say, wouldn't you?

"Marin, Kitahara's just messing with you," Ohtani Shohei chimed in, noticing Kitahara's barely contained laughter.

"Huh? You were lying to me?!" Marin's eyes widened as she glared at Kitahara, her pouty expression oddly endearing.

"Just a little joke," Kitahara said, finally deciding to stop teasing her. He switched to a more serious tone. "For beginners, I'd actually recommend the Nikon D5000."

For someone not planning to pursue photography professionally, Kitahara didn't see the point in splurging on an expensive camera. Most people would just use it for a couple of days before going back to their phones anyway.

Marin eyed him suspiciously. "Really?"

After being tricked just moments ago, she wasn't about to take his word at face value.

"For real this time. No jokes," Kitahara assured her.

Still half-doubting him, Marin searched for the price. She decided to give him one last chance. If it was too expensive, she'd…

"Wait, it's… this cheap?"

Marin was stunned. She hadn't expected it to be so affordable.

But then her skepticism kicked in again. "Why is it so cheap? Is there something wrong with this camera?"

That's just how people are. If something's too expensive, they can't afford it. If it's too cheap, they worry about the quality.

"There's nothing wrong with it," Kitahara explained patiently. "Nikon's entry-level models are just a bit more affordable compared to other brands, but they still hold their own in terms of quality. They just don't sell as well as some of the bigger names…"

As Kitahara went into detail, Marin listened intently. The two were so engrossed in their conversation that they completely ignored everyone else in the room.

What the hell? Ohtani gritted his teeth as he glared at Kitahara. We all just met, and you showed up late. How are you two already hitting it off like this? He couldn't help but feel like a third wheel.

Meanwhile, Tanaka Kotaro couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. Damn you, Kitahara. You're really something else. He hadn't even made an impression yet, and Kitahara was already cozying up to the cute new girl. If this kept up, things were going to get out of hand.

[So this mixer was basically set up just for you, huh?]

Are we just playing matchmakers here?

Ohtani Shota and Tanaka Kotaro were green with envy, their faces practically twisted with jealousy as they watched Kitahara Takashi effortlessly charm Kitagawa Marin. Meanwhile, the trio of girls—Takamiya Sakaki, Ohashi Natsumi, and Watanabe Hoshi—were busy chatting in their own little group chat.

Takamiya Sakaki: [Are those two hitting it off?]

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

Takamiya Sakaki: [It's very likely.]

Most people who attended mixers like this were single. If two people clicked, it was almost natural for them to start dating. Sometimes, things even escalated to a hotel visit after the mixer—it all depended on mutual interest.

Watanabe Hoshi: [He's so smooth. I bet he's fooled plenty of girls before. He's probably a total player.]

Ohashi Natsumi: [Hoshi, why does it sound like you've got a grudge against him? 罒ω罒]

Takamiya Sakaki: [Are you jealous because he's stealing the spotlight?]

Originally, Kitagawa Marin hadn't been part of the mixer plans. They'd run into her on their way, fresh off her part-time job, and she'd insisted on tagging along for fun. Technically, it was against the rules to bring an extra guest, but exceptions were always made for girls.

Watanabe Hoshi: [Me? Jealous???]

Watanabe Hoshi: [I don't even know what he looks like! For all I know, he's hiding some hideous face under that mask. Who even wears a mask at karaoke?]

As Watanabe Hoshi furiously typed out her complaints about Kitahara, and as Kitahara and Marin continued their lively conversation, in a high-end residential area of Chiba Prefecture's Sakura City, Kasumigaoka Shizuku sat at her desk, dressed in a sleek black knee-length nightgown. Her slender fingers danced across the keyboard as she typed.

The nightgown, cinched at the waist with a narrow belt, accentuated her slender figure and highlighted her graceful curves. Her wine-red eyes, silky black hair, and snow-white skin gave her the aura of a mysterious, elegant, and alluring black rose.

But her mood was far from serene. The constant twitching of her right leg betrayed her irritation.

"Tch!"

Staring at the single line of text she'd spent hours writing, Kasumigaoka clicked her tongue in frustration. Whether she was dissatisfied with her lack of productivity or something else entirely, she slammed her laptop shut, stood up, and yanked off the white hairband she'd been wearing, tossing it onto the desk.

She flopped onto her bed and closed her eyes, but Kitahara Takashi's face immediately filled her thoughts. At first, his face had merely been a placeholder for her fantasies, a way to channel her emotions. But somewhere along the line, she'd started thinking about him—really thinking about him. Seeing him upset now made her feel uneasy, too. It was why her work had been so unproductive today.

Less than a minute later, she opened her eyes again, sat up, and grabbed her phone. Unlocking it quickly, she opened Kitahara's LINE profile and typed out a message—only to delete it. She typed again, deleted again, and repeated the cycle over and over.

Finally, in her flustered state, she accidentally hit send, firing off a message containing just a single word: [You…]

LINE now had a message recall feature, but after staring at the sent message for a long time, Kasumigaoka decided not to delete it. Instead, she tossed her phone aside, pretending not to care, and picked up a book to read while lying on her bed. Though her eyes kept drifting back to her phone, just in case.