I’m very close to someone.

The futon flew away. Damn… is this really the limit of my power? m(｡>__<｡)m A defeated man.

I’m Taro, a male member. You want me to make you laugh with my answer? That’s quite a high bar, haha. Based on my own experience, I wouldn’t call it a rehash. It’s more like I gave you the option with the best track record—the one that has worked best for me so far. I don’t give gifts very often, but when it comes to things like date plans or restaurants, I do have places I use for the first few dates, or places I only take someone I really like. Once we become comfortable with each other, I’ll try different things, but when we’re not at that stage yet—or when it’s an important moment—I rely on something proven to work. When you really want to win, you go with the option that gives you the best odds. Everyone does that, and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it. So before thinking of yourself as getting someone’s leftovers, be proud that you made it that far. For that man, you were among his top eight or top sixteen—I don’t know exactly how many—but you made it that far. At the same time, there were other women who didn’t. If you don’t want things to feel like a rehash, create a situation that isn’t one. You’ve probably already experienced the usual birthday and Christmas gifts many times. Instead, create a moment that will be a first for both of you. If you ask the man for something then and he sincerely makes an effort to meet your request, it can’t possibly be a rehash. I’m sure it will become a precious memory. I hope you can build the kind of relationship where you can create memories like that together. And if you’re looking for an answer that’ll make you laugh, I think you’d be better off submitting it to a late-night radio show hosted by a comedian rather than posting it here.

I’m Aya, a female member. Ugh… that sounds rough. When you’re that close to your papa, you want to feel like you’re “number one,” right? It may be selfish, but I think it’s a perfectly natural human emotion. Even if the relationship is based on money, you don’t want to be brushed off with the same gift every time, or feel that you’re being taken for such a fool. It’s like you don’t want to sink that low. It may be a silly kind of pride, but because this is a questionable relationship that began through a dating club, it’s the last line you want to protect. Once that line is crossed, your patience just snaps. I wish you could express these feelings to your papa. He’s probably pretty insensitive, so it sounds like he won’t understand unless you put it into words clearly. Try telling him that, precisely because a dating club is a world that appears to favor men with money, there are still certain things you want him to value. This isn’t a normal boyfriend-girlfriend relationship. It started out unequal and distorted, which is exactly why that particular part mattered to you and deserved to be treated with care. If he still doesn’t understand, you may have to continue seeing him while keeping your feelings somewhat detached. Put on a thoroughly convincing performance of affection, draw out as much love and money from your papa as you can, and make the most of it.

That may be how women tend to feel, but from a man’s perspective, he wants to give her something nice—something he knows she’ll be happy to receive. And because he wants to give her more of what she liked, the more he cares about a woman, the more he wants to give her quality gifts. That’s why he ended up choosing the same thing again: it was the best option he could think of for you. So, receiving the same gift can also mean that he values you that much. At least, that’s how it is from a man’s perspective… In that sense, the worst thing he could have done was apologize, because that only made her feel worse. He should have conveyed how important she is to him. —Paper Airplane