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Mashiro happens upon Takagi kissing Miyoshi and accepts the offer, believing that Takagi isn't committed enough.
While Mashiro and Takagi are still trying to get serialized, Mashiro gets an offer to become Eiji Niizuma's assistant. In Bakuman。, this happens a few times with the main characters. That is because the Plot-Mandated Friendship Failure is always set to go off right before the protagonist has to face his biggest challenge in The Climax. The best buddy abandons the protagonist, leaving them with nothing by way of support - and just at the worst possible time to boot. Unfortunately the best buddy, the calm head and stalwart that promised to stick by the hero through thick and thin, has got his breaking point too, and the protagonist's last action just crossed the line. And then one last thing, one straw to break the camel's back, perturbs the protagonist, and in a moment of rashness, he lets loose a barrage of atomic Jerkassery on his best buddy. Apparently the stresses involved with The Quest have taken their toll on the relationship, stretching it to the point of breaking. Good thing they have their best buddy to help them when all other lights have failed. They've fought their way through rising complications, twists and turns, and unexpected outcomes, yet are the furthest from achieving their goal since the story began. It's been a long, hard road for the protagonist.