Hidoku Shinaide (酷くしないで, usually translated as "Treat Me Gently, Please") is a Yaoi manga by Nekota Yonezou.
Nemugasa Takashi is a scholarship student in an upper class high school whose grades drop during his sophomore year, threatening his scholarship status. Out of desperation, he cheats on the next exam. While he manages to keep his top position, a delinquent-looking classmate named Maya Hideyuki saw the whole thing and blackmails Nemugasa into having sex with him in exchange for his silence.
Tropes in Work:
- Aborted Arc: Juuta is introduced as being interested in Nemugasa as part of his obsession with taking things from Maya and to throw a wrench in Nemugasa and Hideyuki's relationship, with Nemugasa liking how more straightforward and considerate of his needs Juuta is compared to Maya. However, in the following arc, Juuta does little by way of directly antagonizing Maya or actively pursuing Nemugasa. Much of the conflict actually comes from Maya's overreactions born out of his own jealousy and not from anything Juuta does. Juuta's lack of direct impact on Maya and Nemugasa's relationship is made even clearer as he is barely present in the following arc and in the one after, the focus of his obsession shifts away from Maya completely to Akira instead.
- Aborted Declaration of Love: Maya almost blurts out that he loves Nemugasa when Nemugasa tells him he doesn't know why Maya is so worried about Juuta when Juuta only steals things that are either Maya's literal toys (and he's not a toy) or the object of Maya's genuine romantic feelings (and as far as he knows, Maya doesn't love him). Maya stops himself short at the last minute, unable to express his feelings.
- Age-Gap Romance: Okino and Kutani eventually start dating. Okino is a college freshman and is likely around 18 years old. Kutani is a friend of Akira's who is somewhere in his late 20s, possibly early 30s.
- All Work vs. All Play: Nemugasa is very studious and enjoys being so. He likes doing well in school and wants to get into a good university and he would rather spend time studying than playing around or flirting. Maya on the other hand is, at the start of the story, about to be held back because he's not putting in enough effort in school and he frequently gets mad whenever Nemugasa chooses schoolwork over him. They both learn to meet in the middle over time—Nemugasa is more willing to be attentive to Maya and split his time more evenly and Maya learns the importance of studying and respecting Nemugasa's time and interest in school.
- Attractive Bent-Gender: Both Nemugasa and Okino are made to crossdress during the School Festival as there's a larger crossdressing competition happening. Okino, who is petite and and adorable, is more than up for the challenge and thinks he's a shoo-in to win (and he does). Nemugasa, on the other hand is more hesitant. Then Maya gets a look at him and is so into it that he hauls Nemugasa off right then and there, first to the bathroom and then to a love hotel.
- Belated Love Epiphany: Maya takes Nemugasa's reactionary demand to "stop interfering" in his life seriously after Maya made Nemugasa late for his mock college entrance exam. He proceeds to cut ties with Nemugasa, avoiding him at school, not calling him to study with him and Akira, and not sleeping with him. At first, Nemugasa is confused, but then as he realizes Maya doesn't even want to be his friend anymore, the Friendless Background having Nemugasa realizes just how alone he is without Maya. This makes him realize that he has somehow developed genuine feelings for Maya which he eventually confesses to him.
- Beta Couple:
- Naoya and Akira, an older couple of college students who get the occasional focus in the plot. Akira is Maya's cousin who was introduced in the first volume of the manga and Naoya is a former Big Brother Mentor to Maya.
- Later, another one is added when Okino, Nemugasa's college friend, is introduced to Kutani, a plain-looking friend of Ruta and the two get together.
- Blackmail: Maya and Nemugasa's relationship started because Maya blackmailed Nemugasa into having sex with him after catching him cheating on an exam.
- Blatant Lies: Juuta says he can't get along with his classmates and that he might be bullied in order to guilt Maya into letting them eat together. Maya tells him to scram either way and he only has to walk a few steps before a number of girls ask him to eat with them.
- Bluff the Eavesdropper: While Scholarship Student Nemugasa is nearby clearly panic cramming for the coming exam as his grades are slipping, Maya casually mentions that though he too needs to cram, all he needs to do to pass is to make a cheat sheet. This gives Nemugasa the idea to do so himself which Maya notices. When Maya confronts Nemugasa about cheating, Nemugasa accuses Maya of doing the same, to which Maya reveals he didn't have to cheat to pass as he could just afford to get a tutor. He only suggested it aloud to get Nemugasa to do it so he can take advantage of it later.
- Break-Up/Make-Up Scenario: Nemugasa asks for a break from Maya when his insecurities about being enough for him and whether or not Maya even still likes him become too much to bear. They spend over 2 months apart, during which point Maya falls into a depressive state, barely able to function on his own and Nemugasa realizes that he doesn't want to go back to being alone. Eventually, the two reconcile by promising to be more communicative about their anxieties and emotional needs from each other.
- Brother–Sister Incest: Juuta seems to be in love with and/or obsessed with possessing his older brother Akira, so much so that he kisses him when he finds Akira with bite marks on his back.
- But Liquor Is Quicker: Akira gets Nemugasa drunk at a nightclub so he's unable to defend himself from Akira's female friend, who he's told to sleep with Nemugasa.
- Caught the Heart on His Sleeve: Maya begins to distance himself from Nemugasa after he realizes how inconsiderate he's been regarding his selfish desire to monopolize all of Nemugasa's time. When Maya turns away from Nemugasa without doing any of his usual teasing antics, Nemugasa slowly begins to realize the change and grabs onto Maya's uniform jacket on impulse.
- Character Development:
- Maya goes through a lot in the story, going from a delinquent rapist with no interest in anything to a college student trying to make it on his own and a devoted boyfriend to Nemugasa. He even comes to deeply regret the way they came to start dating and has an arc dedicated to wondering how to apologize for it to his boyfriend.
- Nemugasa changes from a somewhat insensitive guy who is perfectly fine being alone studying to a much more considerate person who finds it hard to be without Maya. This is explored more in volume 9 when Nemugasa calls for a break in the relationship. Nemugasa goes back to being alone all the time, but finds it much more hollow.
- Corruption of a Minor: In Volume 6, it's revealed that Maya's apprehension of Naoya comes from the fact that he's actually known the older guy since he was a young teen. When his parents were getting divorced and he was getting rebellious, Naoya was there and taught Maya "fun and dangerous stuff". From what's shown in the manga, that looks like underaged drinking, smoking, and getting his ear pierced.
- Cram School: In college, at Maya's suggestion, Nemugasa gets a part-time job working as an instructor at a cram school, making use of his natural intelligence and strong study ethic.
- Differing Priorities Breakup: While they aren't really dating at the time—Maya likes to think they are but Nemugasa has basically said they're Just Friends who happen to sleep with each other only because Maya keeps insisting—Maya letting his jealousy get the better of him and making Nemugasa be late for the mock college entrance exam is a bridge too far for Scholarship Student Nemugasa, who snaps at him. Maya can't understand why Nemugasa cares more about school than him. Nemugasa tells him to stop interfering with his life and Maya takes the message to heart, leaving Nemugasa alone long enough for Nemugasa to have a Belated Love Epiphany when he realizes how lonely he is without Maya.
- Dude, She's Like in a Coma: In one of the side chapters, Maya comes back home from playing soccer and falls asleep on the ground. Nemugasa then comes in as the two had plans. He gets turned on by looking at Maya and decides to have sex with him, not stopping even when Maya becomes semi-conscious and seems confused as to what's happening. The whole thing is portrayed as sexy.
- Fictional Counterpart: Akira (and eventually Nemugasa and Maya) is said to be a top student who attends K University. Given that the story takes place in Japan, K University is very likely a stand-in for Keio University, one of Japan's most elite and prestigious universities.
- First-Name Basis: Discussed with Maya wanting Nemugasa to say his first name after he gets jealous that Nemugasa feels comfortable calling Juuta by his first name. Though he entertained Maya one time, the ever-practical Nemugasa however simply doesn't want to use Maya's first name because he thinks Hideyuki is a name that is ugly and too long to say.
- Forceful Kiss:
- After assuming that Akira is flirting with his former teacher Sanada, Crazy Jealous Guy Naoya decides to take his anger and frustration out on Nemugasa, who is merely sitting in front of him shyly blushing when talking about Maya. He forces a kiss on Nemugasa who completely freaks out, because 1) Maya is also a Crazy Jealous Guy, 2) Maya had told Nemugasa to stay away from Naoya, and 3) Nemugasa is feeling insecure in their relationship.
- When Juuta realizes that Akira is sleeping with someone new he forces a kiss onto Akira who pushes him away in disgust.
- Given that Maya is forcing himself on a very unwilling Nemugasa for the beginning parts of their relationship, most of their kisses during this period are forced.
- Foreshadowing: After Nemugasa bluntly tells Juuta that because Maya doesn't want them talking, Juuta should refrain from coming up to him, Juuta drops his perpetual smile for a moment, at which point Nemugasa notes that Juuta looks a lot more like Maya than Akira. This foreshadows that despite Juuta's friendly behavior, his true personality is much less friendly, considering that Maya is a Crazy Jealous Guy blackmailing Nemugasa into sleeping with him.
- Friends with Benefits: After using Naoya for Sex for Solace, Akira and Naoya begin sleeping together casually, though Naoya wants an actual relationship. Akira however is still not over his previous unrequited love for his high school teacher and resists this...at first.
- Gotta Pass the Class: After Nemugasa is told he needs to get his grades up to maintain his scholarship, Maya enters the teacher's office and is told is he doesn't pass the next exam, he'll be held back.
- Got Over Rape Instantly: Nemugasa is almost raped by a female friend of Akira's and is saved by Maya. Maya even stresses to Nemugasa what was about to happen and Nemugasa cries, thankful that he was saved and that Maya didn't betray him like he thought...And then Maya hauls him over to a love hotel where the two have sex all night.
- Hot Springs Episode: A chapter (and an omake) is dedicated to Maya and Nemugasa's romantic trip to an onsen. There's no real plot happening in these chapters and they serve purely as Fanservice, with the two doing the deed for most of both chapters.
- Intoxication Ensues: Happens twice to Nemugasa.
- Akira brings him to a nightclub and gets the "never has had a drink" Nemugasa drunk enough so that he loses his bearings and can be raped by a friend of his. Luckily, Maya arrives in the knick of time leading to Date Rape Averted.
- In a side chapter, Nemugasa gets drunk off of liquor infused chocolates, during which Maya takes the opportunity to engage in some sexual activity with Nemugasa that he knows sober Nemugasa would absolutely protest doing because drunk Nemugasa is much more sexually forward.
- Interrupted Intimacy: Immediately after Maya finally moves out of Naoya's place, Naoya and Akira decide to get intimate right then and there in the living room. While they are in the middle, Maya returns saying he forgot to give Naoya back the copy of his key. Seeing them together, Maya slams the door shut and the author notes that he decided to mail Naoya his key later.
- Just Friends:
- Nemugasa and Maya are an unusual case of this mixed with Friends with Benefits partially because of their non-consensual start. Maya forced himself on Nemugasa and blackmailed him into continually sleeping with him as a misguided attempt to express his interest in Nemugasa. They're not friends when they start and Nemugasa initially resents Maya, however the time they spend together softens Nemugasa's opinion. Just when Maya thinks Nemugasa is going to confess his feelings to him (thus reciprocating), Nemugasa says he's so happy they're friends in the middle of them having sex, enraging Maya. Much later, Nemugasa develops genuine feelings for Maya and the two start dating.
- Kutani asks Okino out after saving him from an Attempted Rape but Okino turns him down. After learning Kutani is Beautiful All Along and fits his ideal, however, Okino reaches out to start hanging out with Kutani as friends to get closer to him, eventually developing genuine romantic feelings and confessing them to Kutani, which he first rejects on the basis that they should be friends first and get to know each other better, then later accepts.
- Kinky Cuffs: When Maya forces himself on Nemugasa in the first chapter, he handcuffs Nemugasa to the chain-linked fence to keep him from running away. In a later side chapter, he uses the same cuffs on an actually willing Nemugasa in bed to overwrite the bad experience.
- Love Triangle:
- While Nemugasa and Maya aren't quite dating (and don't even have much of a friendship outside of sex), Maya's cousin Juuta enters the picture and shows interest in Nemugasa. Subverted in that Juuta's interest is more out of a desire to take things from Maya than any genuine interest in Nemugasa, something that Nemugasa calls out and tells Juuta to grow up. Also, Juuta has other interests...
- ...that being in his brother Akira, who he is obsessed with. This is only revealed once Akira starts developing feelings for his hook up buddy, Naoya. In fact, this expands into a Love Dodecahedron because prior to Akira realizing his feelings for Naoya, he still harbored feelings for the high school teacher he had a seemingly unrequited crush on. Juuta knew and deliberately forced himself on the teacher, who revealed he had (and maybe still does harbor) mutual feelings towards Akira, but didn't pursue because of his position.
- Ruka begins as just an older man interested in helping out Maya and making use of the younger guy's recruitment ability, but later tells Nemugasa point blank that he's interested in his boyfriend. Subverted in that Ruka later discusses that his feelings aren't quite romantic, more so a covetous desire for the energy and charisma Maya has because his frail and sickly body keeps him from doing the same.
- Making Love in All the Wrong Places: Maya forces Nemugasa to have sex with him at school on multiple different occassions.
- Mistaken for Betrayal: Nemugasa is called to the teacher's office because someone tipped them off about him cheating on an exam. He's naturally pissed and rages at Maya, since Maya is the only one at school who knows about him cheating and is using it as blackmail against him. Maya is blindsided because he didn't actually do it. It was Akira, their tutor and Maya's cousin, who informed the school in an attempt to cause a riff between them that would get them to separate in order to "save" Maya's future (being publicly gay still being widely unaccepted in Japan). Nemugasa won't hear it though and tells Maya to leave him alone.
- More Experienced Chases the Innocent: All 3 of the main couples in the story qualify.
- Nemugasa is a stereotypical nerd who likes to study and do well in school. Because of this, he has zero experience with dating or sex before Maya forces himself on him. Maya on the other hand is discussed as having many previous romantic partners and is often seen being hit on by his female classmates. The majority of their early relationship is all about how Nemugasa sees Maya as an Abhorrent Admirer that's blackmailing him into a physical relationship whereas Maya is genuinely interested in Nemugasa.
- Despite sleeping with Naoya once before, Akira also has very little experience with sex and dating, having most of his previous experience in an unrequited crush on a teacher in high school. Naoya on the other hand is characterized as a guy who has been around the block a few times. This is even why Akira picked him to have Sex for Solace with after being rejected by his teacher. When the two start hooking up regularly, it's the more experienced Naoya who wants to get serious and Akira who is standoffish and evasive. When Akira finally reciprocates, Naoya makes it clear to Akira that up until now, he's been taking it easy on Akira to not scare him off. Now that Akira's admitted his feelings for him, he doesn't plan on holding back anymore.
- Okino and Kutani are an Age-Gap Romance, with Kutani being somewhere in his late 20s/early 30s and Okino being a college freshman. They go through an Unrequited Love Switcheroo, with Kutani first asking and being turned down by Okino and then Okino pursuing Kutani, who gently tells him they should get to know each other better first. When they do eventually start dating, it's revealed that Okino has never even had his first kiss let alone done anything even remotely sexual. Kutani, having been in several relationships, takes things slow, though right after Their First Time, he reveals just how much more experienced he is than Okino by letting him know that he doesn't have a preference for what role he plays in the bedroom, much to Okino's shock.
- Nerds Are Pervs: In reality, Stereotypical Nerd Nemugasa is an example of Nerds Are Naïve given his initial complete naivete and lack of experience with sex and dating and overall gullibleness. In a side chapter, though, that doesn't stop a horned up Maya from thinking to himself after some intimate time between them, "So it's true what people say about the smart ones being perverted," alluding to this stereotype.
- "Not If They Enjoyed It" Rationalization: Once Akira guesses that Maya and Nemugasa are sleeping together, Nemugasa confesses to Akira that Maya's actually been blackmailing him into sex and forcing himself on him. Maya later confronts Nemugasa about this at school and tells Nemugasa that he should've lied and said they were dating. Nemugasa replies that he could never say that because he doesn't even want to be sleeping with Maya in the first place. Maya, enraged, forces himself on Nemugasa. After they both finish, Maya says "And you still want to tell me you don't like it" to a tearful Nemugasa.
- Parents Walk In at the Worst Time: Maya's rarely around father walks in on him and Nemugasa in bed together the night after they've had relations. This sets off a confrontation between Maya and his dad, which ends with Maya getting kicked out because his dad disapproves of him being in a gay relationship.
- Positive Friend Influence: Because he wants to be around the very studious and future-minded Nemugasa as much as possible, Maya dyes his heair back to black, removes his piercings, stops hanging out late with his friends and underage drinking, starts taking his studies seriously, and goes to college. This is acknowledged in universe by both Maya, who thanks Nemugasa directly for setting him on the right path, and Akira, who informs Nemugasa's mother as much when she assumes Maya is a Toxic Friend Influence to Nemugasa.
- Rescue Romance: Double subverted. Kutani saves Okino from Attempted Rape and then asks him out afterwards. The hopeless romantic Okino, however, rejects him because Kutani doesn't fulfill Okino's princely ideal because he's not handsome. At least, with his glasses on. Once his glasses are off, he's Beautiful All Along and Okino begins to fall for him. After spending more time together, Okino asks Kutani out and he accepts.
- Sibling Yin-Yang: Akira is outwardly reserved and somewhat distant, but is much more sensitive, self-conscious, caring, and affectionate to the ones he cares about once the many emotional walls he's built up have been torn down. Juuta is outwardly warm, sociable, and likeable but this belies a cold, possessive, obsessive, and cruel personality.
- Sudden Name Change: In the original one shot the story is based on, Maya's introduced as both Masashi and Maya. Since the teacher calls him Masashi and his friends call him Maya, it can be assumed that Maya is his first name and Masashi, his last name or family name. However, this changes in the second chapter, where Maya becomes his family name and his first name is suddenly Hideyuki. This change is never addressed or commented on.
- Teacher/Student Romance:
- It's revealed that Akira was deeply in love with his teacher, Sanada, but was more or less rejected by Sanada despite the fact that he actually reciprocated. We later learn that Sanada turned Akira down because he felt as if he was limiting and stifling Akira from reaching his potential, since Akira switched from planning on attending a top school to be a lawyer to wanting to go to a local university and be a teacher to stay near him.
- Juuta, fueled by jealousy and possessiveness over Akira, pursues and forces himself on Sanada after he learns about Akira and Sanada's past and current unresolved feelings for one another. Though, it is unclear if Juuta is still pursuing him once Sanada and Akira reconcile and decide to move on from their past.
- Toxic Friend Influence: When meeting Maya for the first time, Nemugasa's mother immediately believes him to be this for her son because of his dyed hair and piercings, prompting her to question whether her son is drinking, partying or using drugs, and to put him in cram school to reduce the amount of free time he had so he wouldn't hang out with Maya. Akira intervenes after hearing of it when he introduces himself to Nemugasa's mother and convinces her that the opposite is true: Nemugasa is a Positive Friend Influence on Maya.
- Their First Time: Volume 10 Chapter 5 is dedicated to showing Okino and Kutani go about being intimate for the first time with innocent and virginal Okino being expectedly nervous and Kutani taking things as slow as possible.
- Unrequited Love Switcheroo:
- Maya is a Loving Bully who has a crush on Nemugasa and, unable to express his feelings adequately, blackmails Nemugasa into a sexual relationship with him. Naturally, Nemugasa hates this, though over time the friendless Nemugasa comes to appreciate Maya's company and attention and grows to consider Maya just his friend, much to Maya's annoyance. After an argument causes Nemugasa to tell Maya to leave him alone, Maya does just that which and tells Nemugasa that he doesn't want to even be friends with him anymore. Hearing this breaks Nemugasa who comes to have a Belated Love Epiphany now that Maya no longer seems to want to be with him. It all works out, though, because when Nemugasa gets the courage to make his Love Confession, Maya accepts.
- After saving Okino from a would-be rapist, Kutani asks Okino to go out with him. In Love with Love Okino turns him down because Opaque Nerd Glasses wearing Kutani doesn't fulfill his idealized image of a lover, however, he agrees to be Just Friends. Then Kutani takes off his glasses to reveal he's been Beautiful All Along and checks off all of Okino's boxes. Okino musters up the courage to make a Love Confession, only for Kutani to reject him this time, saying they should get to know each other more as friends before dating. Like Nemu and Maya, they eventually get together as an official couple.
- Uptight Loves Wild: Nemugasa is a rule-abiding, Stereotypical Nerd and Scholarship Student who just wants to get good grades and go to college. Maya is a wealthy kid who skips school, dyes his hair, gets piercings, underage drinks, and is a much more sociable person than Nemugasa. They end up dating, but their differences become a recurring sore point in their relationship, with Nemugasa becoming an Insecure Love Interest in part because he feels like he's too boring for Maya. Though Maya does at times thoughtlessly say things along those lines, he actually is grateful for Nemugasa's Positive Friend Influence on him as it's the only reason why he cared enough to work on himself to be better.
- Visit by Divorced Dad: Maya mentions that his parents divorced when he was young. Unlike with Nemugasa however, we never see even one of his parents and it seems like Maya mostly lives alone. Then in college, his father decides to drop by to say hello to his son and catches Maya in bed with Nemugasa.
- Visual Development: While Nemugasa changes little, Maya changes a lot over the course of the story, being introduced with a delinquent style, bleached hair combed back and piercings. In their final year of high school, Maya dyes his hair back to black, removes all his earrings and starts dressing properly. After high school, neither character wears their uniforms anymore too.
