A/n: thank you so much for the reviews, everyone! they mean a lot :)

"Sakura, I have a very selfish request to make. Please listen."

She lifted her head. "What is it, Nozaki-kun?"

"I..." He trailed off, not knowing any better way to phrase his extra ordinary query, "I need to use your body."

.

.

Nozaki was so sure that there was someone—a boy—who Sakura had mentioned, that he probably was carried away in his own fantastic discovery. He put a hand to his chin, deep in thought. He remembered the day as clearly as he remembered the opening ceremony, when he had looked almost beaten up from the stress of his manuscript, and had helped Sakura jump down from the gate. Now only if he could remember exactly what she had said on the day when he gave her his first signature…

Sakura cleared her throat again, keeping her face tilted towards her paper, and studying Suzuki's sensei with the utmost attention.

She must be trying to memorize the lines, Nozaki thought, this dedication to Suzuki's sensei! I am moved!

"Ah, yes. Let's work." Nozaki picked up his pen, because he could not lose to his assistant in being dedicated to his own work. He moved his hand forward to dip it into the ink-pot in the middle of the table. They were sharing ink because the small bottle that Sakura used was nearly finished, and both needed at least two centimeter deep ink for dipping their brushes and working effectively.

Now it just so happened that Sakura wanted to dip her beta-brush into the pot as well, and their hands collided mid-way. Sakura looked up, her face feverish-red. "N-n-nozaki-kun?"

"Ah," He motioned with his hand, ever the gentleman, "You can take it first."

"No, uhm, you can take it first, Nozaki-kun,"

Nozaki quickly dipped his maru pen in the ink and pulled up a new page. He jotted down some points from the situation just now:

1) Hands meeting.

2) Hesitation

Then thought for a while. Not making much of the situation, he just added 'doki-doki' to the third number—his typical way to end a love story—before tearing the page off and getting up to pin it on the pin-board. Ken-san had asked for a "pure love that depicted the daily struggles of a high-school girl in love" and since it had been requested, Nozaki had been secretly noting down points from his contact with Sakura.

But this brought him back to his problem from earlier. What about character design? He slumped forward in his seat.

There were only so many hair-styles and face-shapes Nozaki could draw solely from imagination. After a point, he needed to go people-watching, or every design that came out of his hand was, unfortunately, Suzuki-styled.

An idea struck him as he watched Sakura diligently filling in the lines of Mamiko's friend's hair. He can use Sakura!

"Sakura," he started, urgency filling his voice, "I have a very selfish request to make. Please listen."

She lifted her head up, eyes wide and cheeks redened. "What is it, Nozaki-kun?"

"I..." He trailed off, but not knowing any better way to phrase his extra ordinary query, he said it in a rushed sentence that was unusual his calm self, "I need to use your body."

A/n: uh-oh, who knows what happens next? does Nozaki really mean what he says? or is Sakura misunderstanding his words? .