Because Pick-up Lines are Overrated

A/N: I've always wanted to write for a different fandom than the one I usually write for. I made a new account especially for lemons, and this may just be my first fanfiction piece for it. This is my first Bakuman piece in general, because I couldn't find any ideas that fit the setting without including an OC. Well... I've found my idea. Welcome to the M-rated version of Bakuman- and it doesn't have very much to do with manga. ;)

Oh, yes... I forgot to introduce myself. I always do that when entering a new fandom. I am Ayumi Sakura; it's nice to meet you all.

Shall we begin?

Brace yourselves.


Chapter I:

Takagi Akito


I've never really considered myself an overly attractive figure.

I have a face too round that makes me look cute rather than handsome, and wide eyes of a girly sapphire. My lips are too pink, my nose too small. I have, unfortunately for me, the features of a pretty-boy.

Thankfully, puberty has been working its charm; now, at least, I am taller than most girls. Or, at least, the same height as most girls. I'm five foot six, though I should someday be five foot eight. That is, if I get lucky. I'll probably only ever reach five foot seven, though it could be worse.

I'm rather skinny, though most Asians usually are, and my dark hair looks closer to navy in the light. I don't mind my many cowlicks as much anymore, especially since some of the girls last year told me they looked kind of cute. Since 'cute' is the only thing I've got going for me, I'll take it; it's better than being ugly.

My name is Mashiro Moritaka, though people don't usually call me by my first name. Such is the way of Japan; only those closest to you address you by your first name, without honorifics. I don't really complain about the name my parents gave me, though I don't really like people addressing me by it either. After all, I don't really have close friends- only classmates that I get along with, though they may consider me more.

At fifteen years old, I am only average in everything. I'm no athlete, nor am I in any way a genius. I can draw, and that is that. I'm really nothing special and no one knows my name. I don't stand out, but I'm not invisible. I'm only destined to be an average person my whole life, but I don't mind all too much.

I've never been a very popular person. I've never made the top ten grades in any test. On my high school resume, I currently have very little.

We're ranked as people in high school, and though people try to deny it, these rankings stick with us for the rest of our lives. Meaning, those who excel now will be the ones who excel later in life, while the rest of us get stuck with average office jobs. That is my fate. There really isn't much I can offer her.

She's perfect. She's beautiful, graceful, charming, and her smile lights up the entire room. I have never met any other girl like Azuki Miho. She is... an angel.

I saw her for the first time when I was in elementary school. It was our schools' annual swim tournament, and my school's team was against her school's team in the finals. Once the tournament was over, we'd all celebrate by swimming together in the public pool.

As both teams raced, I saw her way on the other side of the pool. She looked not much different then compared to how she looks now. She wore a light pink one-piece bathing suit- I remember -and she had a bobby pin sticking out of her hair on the right side. She was so cute, I couldn't help but just sit there and watch, like an idiot.

One can sometimes feel when they're being watched. She caught my eye, and... she stared back. We sat like that the whole race, just staring at each other shamelessly until the whistle blew. I don't even know who won. I didn't care. When it came time for us to swim, I looked for her and couldn't find her. It was as if she'd never been there at all.

I saw her again at the entrance ceremony for middle school. I'd thought of her almost every night since I'd seen her at the swimming tournament, and I think it was the fact that she really wasn't imaginary that fooled me into thinking I had a chance.

I was head over heels for her, even then, but not once during our three years of middle school did she say anything to me, nor me to her.
Either she'd forgotten me, or she'd never noticed me to begin with. Or even worse, maybe she did remember me, but didn't think I was anyone important. Maybe I was the only one whose heart beat faster that day at the pool.

I sigh, pushing back a strand of hair. How can I pay attention to something as trivial as math when a girl so perfect is sitting only a few seats away?

She never notices me, though. She never will. I'm nowhere near good enough for her, but that won't stop me from admiring from afar.

She looks so focused. I wonder, does she even need to study to get good grades? She may not be top of the class, but she's by far smarter than I. Well... I suppose there's a good reason for that. I can't pay very good attention in class if she's sitting right there. My notes are filled with drawings of her.

"Shit," I murmur as my pen slips. Great; now there's a hair too long in my drawing. It looks nothing like her anymore. Just great. With a sigh, I align my pen to scribble the entire drawing out.

"Mashiro?"

Double shit! "Y-Yes?" My pen falls down to the ground and I can hear my classmates laughing at my startled reaction. It must be blatantly obvious that I wasn't paying any attention whatsoever.

"Mashiro-kun, could you tell us your answer for number seventeen, please?" The look on sensei's face shows he doubts I can. The worst part is that he's right- I can't.

"E-Eto... Question seventeen?" I pretend to leaf through my math textbook, as if I were at the wrong page. A cute little giggle makes me look up sharply.

Miho Azuki. She's looking right at me! Oh god... This is so embarrassing. But... her giggling is so adorable. I really hope I'll be able to see it again someday... just not directed at me. Preferably not.

Sensei sighs. "Takagi, perhaps are you able to help him?"

I hear him stand before I see him. "The answer to that question is 43.564, though it is asked that we round it up. The correct answer, therefore, is 44."

"That is correct."

Takagi Akito sits back down and my gaze lingers on him. He has thick, dirty blond bleached hair and golden brown irises behind stylish black frames. His chin is angular and he has the typical small Asian nose. He has a big mouth though- both figuratively and realistically.

He looks up and our eyes meet. I don't know why I don't turn away as soon as he catches me. Instead, I stare at him. It reminds me of the time I stared at Azuki at the pool; perhaps my staring is a habit I should work to overcome.

I can't help but find it slightly creepy the way he suddenly smiles at me. To any other person, it would have looked perfectly friendly, but... I'll admit, I'm a little resentful of Takagi-san. He has one of the most brilliant minds in the country while I have to spend hours studying to get at least seventy percent in a test.

Finally, pouting slightly, I turn away. I could swear I heard him laugh.

I do try to pay attention in class, I swear I do! But... it really isn't at all easy. I always find myself drawing or just daydreaming. My uncle always told me it was in my genes. See, my uncle was a manga artist. Was. It isn't an easy job. He used to tell me all about it, how manga was always just a gamble unless you were born a genius. Until he commit suicide, that is.

I didn't inherit my drawing skills from my uncle, though. My uncle drew a manga in Shonen Jump called Super Hero Legend, but the art was terrible. He'd always tell me I'd rise up someday to become a better manga artist than he ever was. I certainly don't think so; making manga seems more pain than gain. After all, it took my uncle's life! I'd rather stay alive, thank you.

I sit behind Azuki-san, but on an angle, so that if I lean over to one side I can get a perfect three-quarter view of her face from behind. It makes for a good model to draw from, though I long to someday do a frontal view of her face. I'll never be able to, though; I'm far too shy to even say hello. Sometimes, I wonder if she even knows I exist. I wish I could hear her say my name, maybe just once...

If someone would ask me if I'm content with my life, my answer would be yes. I know I can't get everything I want, and if Azuki is one of them, then I understand. My life may be only average, but I refuse to fight the way things are in fear that it will get much worse. I'm not the kind of person who looks hopefully towards the future, but I don't dread what tomorrow will bring either. I am neutral, un-opinionated. I'm fine to simply live until fate puts me in my place.

Without warning, something hits me in the back of my head. It doesn't hurt, and when I look down, I can see why not. 'A ball of paper...?'

"Psst!"

Did someone throw this at me? Deliberately? What did I do to deserve it? I try to subtly scan the room behind me. None of the students look suspicious but one, who is staring right at me and gesturing wildly...

I frown. What would Takagi-san need from me? He points downwards at his notebook and then jabs his index at me. "Hey!" he whispers, as if he doesn't already have my attention.

I can't help but make a face. "What?" I whisper back, maybe a little too loudly. The boy to my left looks up at me and follows my gaze to the taller boy behind us. He loses interest quickly, though. Nothing anyone else does is ever interesting enough for people, after all.

Again he jabs his finger at me, then points down at his notebook. He lets out a frustrated groan when I still don't understand. I've never really been good at charades... He decides to change his strategy. He grabs his pen from his desk and points it at me again.

"I...?" My hand rises to my chest and he nods. 'Moritaka Mashiro... what?'

He bends over his desk and mimes scribbling onto his notebook.

My eyes widen. Is he trying to ask me what I was drawing?! I couldn't possibly show him! Because if I did... he'd know of my crush on Azuki.

He points at me expectantly again, asking me if I've understood now. I bite my lip and send him a look that may have been a glare. Maybe. 'No,' I mouth.

He cocks his head in amusement. 'Why not?' he mouths back.

I can't answer that. My cheeks are already turning red.

I turn back around and discreetly glance beside me at Suzuki-kun. If Takagi-san could see me drawing from way in the back, then Suzuki can probably see the entire picture from where he sits right beside me! It wouldn't take him very long to figure out the girl I always draw is the pretty girl two seats in front of him, and he's such a big gossiper! He'd tell everyone!

I sigh in relief. As usual, he's turned the other way, chatting loudly with Akuno-kun. Good. I flip the page and start on a math equation- the first written in this notebook in months. Maybe I shouldn't risk drawing Azuki-san anymore; it's too risky. But... she's so beautiful, how will I be able to resist?

I have to concentrate on math. I have to get good grades. I have to. I'll stand even less of a chance of getting Azuki if I'm last in our class. Or, rather, second last; No one can beat Suzuki's records.

"Driiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!" Oh, great. So much for listening to the rest of the math lesson. I doubt we were really doing anything important anyway. We were probably only correcting worksheets, and I haven't done them anyway.

"Stand," Sensei orders, and we all rise from our seats. "Bow." And just like that, we are dismissed. Good.

I shove my notebook into my desk and pack my pencils into my pencil case. I'm glad we get to leave. I don't really mind school, though seven hours cooped up in the same cramped room can stress me out. I don't really like loud noise all too much, but in here, it feels like it echoes. I hate it.

As quickly as I can, I pack away my things and grab my bag. "Yo, Mashiro-kun!" I hear. "Wait up!"

Suzuki comes up on my right and tugs on my arm. "Not so fast, buddy! Where's the fire?"

"Ha!" Matsuda appears on my other side. "Yeah, right! You trying to ditch us, Mashiro?"

"Of course not," I laugh with them. "But who really wants to stay in school any longer than they have to?"

"Oh, he's got'ya there!" Matsuda cheers. "Case closed! Moritaka Mashiro-kun is the winner!"

"I don't think there's really a winner in court..." I say, but they ignore me as we exit the school doors.

"Dude! You know that one movie we wanted to see?"

"Oh, you mean the erotic one?" Suzuki asks, wagging his eyebrows.

"Hell yeah! The one with that hot actress, Kyouko Fujiko! Anyway, I might be able to get us tickets for this Friday."

"Even though we're underage?!" Oh gee. Those perverts... I roll my eyes at their excitement over porn. "Shit, sweet! Is your brother getting them for us?"

"Yep," Matsuda smiles. "Pretty good, huh?"

"Hell yes! Yo, Saiko, you're coming too, right?"

I shake my head. Ugh, 'Saiko'... I hate that nickname. "You know I'm not into that stuff."

Suzuki gasps. "No way... Is Saiko trying to tell us he's gay?!" He and Matsuda gasp dramatically. "It all makes sense now!"

"Shut up," I laugh. "Just because I don't feel like seeing naked girls on screen, doesn't mean I'm gay."

"Oh, riiiiight, we get it," Suzuki nods, a mischievous grin on his lips. "It'd be different if it were Aya-chan, though, right?"

"Ooh, you've got a crush on Aya-chan, Saiko?"

Aya Tashimoto is a pretty girl in our class, perhaps even the very prettiest in our grade! She's a brunette with long curls and big blue eyes, as well as big breasts (because god forbid Suzuki not notice a girl's breasts). Though I do admit she's beautiful, I find she wears too much makeup for my liking. I prefer girls who are naturally cute... like Azuki.

"Oh, what's that blush on your face?" Matsuda again gasps. "Were you thinking of Aya-chan? What was she wearing?! Was she wearing anything at all?! Mashiro-kun, you pervert!"

"Oh shut up." Though I laugh, I'm just the slightest bit irritated. "I'm not you, Matsuda, and I certainly don't have a crush on Tashimoto-san."

"Aw, poor Aya-chan..."

"Whatever." Suddenly it strikes me, what's been nagging me since I left school. I'm too worried someone will take my notebook. Shit... "Hey, I forgot something, 'kay? You guys go on without me."

"Aw, Saiko! We're right at the station!"

"Yeah, can't it wait 'til tomorrow?"

"No, it can't!" I yell back at them as I start running. Damn myself for being so paranoid about these things...

It doesn't take very long to get back to school, thankfully. Maybe I won't have to wait for the next train after all. I run inside and start for class 1-D. Ugh, I'll look like such a loser if there's a club meeting in that room today... Maybe I should just turn back now. Matsuda's right, it can wait for tomorrow.

I'm about to leave when suddenly I feel some kind of tug inside of me. Have you ever gotten that bad feeling, like something has just gone wrong? I just have. Without thinking, I sprint for my classroom and open the door, to find it...

... completely empty. Wow.

So much for tha- "I knew you'd come back."

My head snaps to the left, where leaning against the back corner stands a tall figure. I guess the class isn't as empty as I thought...

He has thick blond hair and dark framed glasses; I recognize him immediately.

"Takagi Akito?" I ask, a little confused as to why he'd said what he had. I walk in cautiously. "Shouldn't you be at home cramming or something?"

"You think all I do is study?" he asked, and laughed. "Just because I'm top of the class doesn't mean all I care about is school." How arrogant of him to say something like that. He doesn't even try to be modest!

"Whatever," I mumble, and make my way to my desk. I kneel down beside it and start rummaging through. W-Wait... That's strange. It couldn't be that...!

"Looking for this?" Quickly I stand, nearly whacking my elbow on the table. Held between his thumb and index, Takagi holds my math notebook- the one I specifically didn't want anyone to see. He laughs at my reaction. "Relax, it's not like it's the Death Note."

"You stole my notebook?!"

"As you know, I sit in the back of the class," he explains with a smirk. "And because I'm in the back, I see everything. I noticed you doodling in your notebook rather intently... In fact, you're always doodling something in your notebook." He brings the book closer to his face and smiles. "Or rather, someone."

"You read it?!" No way! Oh no, no, no, please tell me he hasn't...!

"I skimmed through it," he responds casually, as he begins flipping through its pages. I feel like going over there and ripping it out of his hands, but instead I stand completely still and watch. "This is from today, right?" he asks, opening to a sketch.

There she is. From behind, Miho Azuki, in all her glory if you ignore the one too-long hair. Even though he's right- it is the one from today -I say nothing. He smiles, taking it as an answer.

"The girl you keep drawing, she looks strikingly familiar. Let's see, long black hair with straight cut bangs..." he squints, examining it. "A small nose, small mouth, small eyes, small ears. Someone cute."

"I-It's not black hair, it's brown," I say, at least attempting to shield myself slightly. "It's... Aya Tashimoto." Shit. That was the first name that came to mind, and there's no way he'll believe that. Her facial features are bigger and her hair is completely different.

"Is that so?" Takagi-san asks, humoring me. "Strange... The angle is all wrong. Tashimoto-san sits far over there, in the front left corner." He points at her spot, then shifts so his index is pointing right at me instead.
"You, on the other hand, sit right in front of where you're standing. The angle in your drawings is all wrong for it to be Tashimoto-san. If I had to take a guess..." He cups his chin in one hand, balancing the notebook on the other.
"I'd say the girl you're always drawing sits about three seats in front of you and maybe one seat to the right..."

Wrong. Two seats in front of me and one to the right.

"That shiny black hair, I wonder if she straightens it every morning, or if it's naturally straight?" He's teasing me. "If you ask me, it looks a lot like... Miho Azuki-san. Don't you think?"

N-No way... "What do you want?" I snarl.

He laughs. "Easy there, easy there! Hit a nerve, I see?"

"Why did you steal my notebook in the first place?!"

He sighs. "Question after question... Don't you listen?" Why is he acting so casual when I'm standing here fuming?! "I've already told you why; I saw you drawing and got curious. So, because you conveniently left your notebook here, I decided to take a peek. I knew you'd come back though when I saw what was in it. That's why I waited for you here."

"If you waited for me like that, then obviously you want something," I snap. Why can't he just get to the point? Why is he acting like Sherlock, explaining his every observation? Why can't he just decide the verdict already?

"You're pretty smart, aren't you, Mashiro?"

"Don't flatter me. It feels more like an insult coming from you." After all, he's a genius! He must think he's better than everyone else around him just because of his grades.

"It's not an insult," he says, pushing up his glasses. "You know I want something. It isn't all that hard, really-"

"I don't have much money," I say, "and I can't think of anything else you may want. You might as well steal someone else's notebook instead, because I've got nothing."

"Of course you have something. You have your body."

"What?" What is he talking about?!

His smile... I never thought of him as evil before. But to do such a thing, he must really be a mischievous soul. "You'll do whatever I ask of you, or I'll tell Miho-san of your crush. Unless, of course, that isn't a big enough threat to you..." This is blackmail! What the hell is wrong with him?!

"Why me?" I ask. "You're making it sound like if Mi- Azuki-san isn't a big enough deal, you'll find something else to threaten me with instead!" It does sound strange, very strange. He could have asked anyone, but he chose me. Maybe because he happened to find this, yes, but if I refuse... Why will he go to such lengths to get me to accept? Why can't he just trick someone else? Maybe because he doesn't think I'll tell?

Of course. I couldn't tell; If I did, I'd have to admit my crush on Azuki. He knows that. That's why he's so set on me.

"Why you?" He breathes in and pauses thoughtfully. "You're special, Mashiro. There's something you have that no one else does."

"A secret you've uncovered?"

A chuckle. "That too." He stands and walks up to me, notebook in hand. "There's something about the way you think, the way you dream, that I like about you. So? Do we have a deal?"

I hesitate. If people knew of my crush, they'd tease me mercifully. Suzuki-kun would bombard me with perverted remarks, and the rest of the class would whisper and laugh about me.
And, most importantly... Azuki herself wouldn't want anything at all to do with me. I'd never ever stand a chance, hell, I probably wouldn't even be allowed to fantasize of her anymore! Every look I'd send to her would be noted and I'd get grilled over it by my classmates. I didn't want that. No way.

"What exactly do you want me to do...?" I ask slowly.

He grins. "Good. You are a smart and reasonable man, Mashiro-kun."

"W-What?! What are you talking about?! I wasn't agreeing!"

He cocks his head and smiles. It's then that I notice for the first time that he always wears a headset around his neck. "You asked me what I wanted you to do, which meant you were strongly considering, and seeing as I'm not asking very much, you've practically already agreed. It was good doing business with you, Mashiro-kun."

He tries to shake my hand but I jerk it away. "Shut up! I asked you a question!"

He sighs and runs his hand through his bleached hair. It looks like straw. It has to. He's ugly now to me, ugly! I can't believe I ever thought of him as admirable, ever! Obviously, good grades don't mean good personality!
"All I want is for you to obey anything I command you to do. If I ask you to get to school early, you will. If I ask you to hold my bag for me, and your hands aren't full, you will. If I ask you to copy down a note for me, you will, though I'll let you use that sheet to copy an extra for yourself. Simple things.
I won't ask you for money, because as you said, you don't have any anyway, and I wouldn't want it even if you did. Do you understand?"

Miserably, I nod. I knew even then that I was getting into something way over my head. I had a feeling he'd twist the rules to suit him. But I could never have guessed how much I'd be getting myself into...

"Shall we test it?" he asks, smiling. "Get on your knees."

I hesitate but lower myself on the floor, grumbling. It's then that I realize my head is parallel to his groin. Panicked, I glance up at him. "What the hell are you-...?!"

"Ah, you have a dirty mind." He smiles. "I wasn't planning anything like that."

I can feel my whole face turn red. Has Suzuki gotten to me? Am I really becoming a pervert? And yet I can't stop shooting concerned looks at the sight in front of me... My face is awfully close, I can't help being at least a little scared!

"Out of curiosity..." He bends over, bringing his face closer to mine. He's looking down on me with a smirk on his mouth, and his hands are on his hips, bending forward at the shoulder; the supreme posture of arrogance.
"If I had asked you to do what I know you were thinking I would, whilst holding this threat above your head, would you have?" His smile grows bigger. "Out of curiosity, of course."

I hate his grin. I hate how he's assuming he knows me. I hate his existence! "I'm not freaking gay!" I yell. "Of course I wouldn't have! I'm not that low!" But you apparently are, Takagi.

He chuckles and taps my head with something. "Here's your notebook back. Keep it hidden from now on- I want to be the only one who knows." I stand up as quickly as I can, hugging my math book to my body so he won't be able to take it again. "Look at that! I know one of your biggest secrets now." He grins at me. "I'm practically your best friend!"

"We are not friends," I hiss. Hopefully, we never will be. I will never let us be friends.

"See you tomorrow morning!" he calls out as I slam the classroom door behind me. I wish it were locked, so that leech would be stuck in there until tomorrow.

That bastard! Not only does he steal notebooks, but he also blackmails and even sexually harasses on top of that! Ah! I will never wish to be like him ever again, no matter how high his grades are! I feel like punching him, but if I do... I shake my head violently. I can't do that. He'll tell my secret.

It's not until I've reached the door that I notice: The front of my pants feels tight.

My eyes widen. "What the hell?!" I hiss at myself.

I know they often warned us in health classes that during puberty, we'd get random boners at random moments, but... I mean, it's normal, right? Once I got a boner while dissecting frogs, and man, was that ever weird. But I don't get random boners anymore- only whenever I think too much of Azuki.

Self-consciously, I lower my math book a little so it covers the slight tenting.

'This is officially the weirdest hard-on of my life,' I decide, and try to ignore it as I make my way home. I still can't help but be bothered by it, though.

I'm now dreading the thoughts of what tomorrow may bring.


A/N: Ahaha... Isn't this sweet? ^-^ Poor little Mashiro. But you all wanted this to happen, didn't you? I did too. I'm actually excited to write this. I can't stop thinking about it!

Alright, so... Look, I get that this isn't a huge fandom. I have another account on this site and I usually write for a fandom with, like, 10 000 fics. This one has about 200. So I understand this fandom may not give me many reviews, though I do see you like your lemons here. I'm hoping for at least four reviews, please.

Oh, and... yes, this will be a lemon. I just enjoy teasing you first. If you're lucky, I maylet Mashiro-kun touch himself next chapter. I suppose it depends on the amount of reviews I get... *wink wink*

~Ayumi Sakura