Didn’t You Say I Was Just a Stand-In?

"The train is arriving, please be cautious."

"Passengers transferring, please exit in an orderly manner."

The train pulled into Yotsuya Station, and Kitahara Takashi struggled to push through the crowd to get off.

After swiping his card and exiting the station, he walked for five minutes through a bustling avenue. As he approached a long uphill slope, he noticed more and more students wearing the same uniform as him.

Under the scorching summer sun, groups of energetic high school girls (JKs) walked along the tree-lined path under the plane trees, their short-sleeved summer uniforms revealing delicate arms and snow-white thighs, their skirts swaying gently.

Kitahara blended into the crowd and walked toward the school.

As soon as he stepped through the school gates, a tall beech tree came into view.

This beech tree was planted by the first principal of Aoba Private High School when the school was founded, symbolizing the hope that every student who graduated from Aoba would achieve success and prosperity in life.

It had grown alongside the school and was now over a hundred years old.

Passing the beech tree, he entered a path lined with cherry blossom trees.

The cherry blossom season had already passed. From March to May, walking here would have been like strolling through a sea of blooming pink and white cherry blossoms.

"Aoba—"

"Fight on! Fight on!"

"Aoba—"

"Go! Go!"

As he walked further down the path, a group of students in sports uniforms, running in neat formation, chanted slogans while jogging around the school track.

At the end of the line was Tanaka Kota.

On the soccer field, players were practicing passing and cutting drills.

Kitahara stood still, watching the figures working hard on the green field. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy.

It wasn't that he envied them for being able to play soccer on the field!!!

What he envied was the environment and foundation of soccer in Japan.

Kitahara had seen firsthand how members of the soccer club woke up at 5 a.m. every day to train at school, and how they continued training after classes, rain or shine.

In Japan, there's no specialized sports school system at the elementary and middle school levels, unlike in some other countries. Instead, they have a robust club culture.

By high school, students tend to diverge into two paths.

Some treat club activities as a casual hobby, while others see them as a potential lifelong career.

Japan has a well-organized national high school tournament system, complete with professional referees, venues, websites, broadcasts by over 40 TV stations, exclusive newspaper coverage, and interviews with featured reporters...

Based on these tournaments, students who perform exceptionally well can secure direct admission to universities, join professional clubs, or even participate in overseas club drafts.

This is why students are so enthusiastic about club activities.

In Japan, 80% of students participate in at least one club.

Kitahara had also thought about joining a club to experience a bit of youthfulness.

But he didn't have the time.

Work and dating already took up too much of his schedule.

"Oi!"

While Kitahara was lost in thought, someone slapped him hard on the back.

The stinging sensation told him without looking that there was probably a handprint on his back now.

Steadying himself, Kitahara turned around irritably. "What's your problem?"

"I've been calling you for ages, and you ignored me," Uekawa Narii pouted, her displeasure written all over her face.

"Couldn't you have been gentler?" Kitahara sighed, looking at the girl in front of him.

The girl was strikingly beautiful, with an eyepatch over her left eye and a matching earring in her right ear, just like Kitahara's.

Her raven-black hair cascaded past her waist, with a small braid on the side adding a playful touch.

She had a slender figure with a narrow waist.

Her chest seemed unremarkable at first glance, but only Kitahara knew there was a bit more to it—just not much.

Of course, her most captivating feature was her long, straight, and perfectly proportioned legs.

Uekawa Narii had the kind of plump, rounded "manga legs" that looked incredibly long, as if they'd been digitally enhanced. The slight softness gave them a healthy, appealing look.

Uekawa Narii was the first friend Kitahara made at Aoba High, having approached him on his very first day to introduce herself.

"Alright, I'll rub it for you, okay?" Uekawa Narii half-heartedly patted Kitahara's back a couple of times.

"What were you doing over the weekend? I called you to play games, but you weren't online."

"Working. What, are you going to support me?"

"Sure. If I have meat to eat, I'll make sure you get a bone to chew on."

"Am I a dog? And why do I only get the bone? Where's the meat?"

"I'm keeping the meat for myself."

Kitahara and Uekawa Narii were both considered highly attractive at school, and walking together immediately drew countless stares.

"Look, it's Kitahara-kun and Uekawa-san."

"They look so good together. Are they dating?"

"They must be! Did you see their earrings? They're a matching pair, meant for couples."

"I can't believe Kitahara-kun has a girlfriend. I'm so done with him."

...

Hearing the girls' chatter, Uekawa Narii's lips curled up slightly by 1 cm.

She glanced at Kitahara, only to find that he had put his headphones back on. Annoyed, she felt like giving him a sharp elbow jab—like a certain basketball player would.

"Hey!" She poked his side hard with her finger, causing Kitahara to squirm because he was ticklish.

Kitahara took off his headphones, looking slightly annoyed. "What?"

"Did you hear that?"

"What?"

"They're saying we're a couple. Isn't that hilarious?" Uekawa Narii started giggling first.

Kitahara blinked. "?"

Is it funny?

Perhaps realizing she was laughing alone, Uekawa Narii stopped. "Ahem, what do you think about us pretending to be a couple? You know, to fend off those annoying suitors?"

"You have no idea, there's this one guy who's been pestering me nonstop. It's driving me crazy."

Kitahara refused without hesitation. "No."

"Fine."

Uekawa Narii's smile stiffened for a split second, but she quickly recovered. "It's not like I really wanted you to be my boyfriend anyway."

"I'm dying of laughter!"

"If I wanted a boyfriend, I could get one easily, you know?"

"The line of guys chasing me could stretch all the way to France, you know that?"

Kitahara felt utterly baffled.

"What does that have to do with me?"

"...Ugh!"

When Kitahara said that, Uekawa Narii's hands trembled, sweat dripped, and she nearly bit through her tongue.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she gave Kitahara a disdainful once-over. "Has anyone ever told you how pretentious you are?"

"You don't actually think you're that good-looking, do you?"

"You don't think I'm desperate for you, do you?"

"Oh no, oh no, average guy with overconfidence."

After thirty seconds of silence, Uekawa Narii fidgeted and asked, trying to sound nonchalant, "So, you really don't want to give it a try?"

"No!"

Uekawa Narii turned her head away, her lips moving rapidly as if sending out a telegraph.

The content was... extremely mother-related.