What should I do if a man tries to hold my hand while we're out and I want to refuse? Even when I pull my hand away and say I'm embarrassed, he tells me it's cute and quickly grabs it again. I really appreciate how he feels, but if someone I know saw us, I wouldn't be able to explain it…

Maezawa from the Corporate Planning Office here as well. I also think Papuwa-san’s answer makes sense. Men generally find it easier to respond when they’re told the reason. That said, if there’s any opening in the explanation, they may respond with something like, “Then wouldn’t it work if I did this instead?” So it may be difficult for the woman. Still, from a man’s perspective, not knowing the reason is likely to leave him feeling unsettled. That being said, in this particular case, I would think the man would realize it right away. Was he new to the service? Or perhaps he was the type of man who had already received a lot of feedback along the lines of, “I didn’t like being touched even during dinner.” If his profile at the time of the offer said something like, “He’s an assertive man when it comes to ○○,” then perhaps he really was that kind of person.

I’m Flag Maker, a column writer. Exactly. It’s a difficult situation, isn’t it... Ideally, the man should be the one to put up with it, but I think Papuwa’s answer is perfectly fine.

I’m Paper Airplane, a male member. It sounds like they probably won’t accept any excuse, so you may have to create a situation where you were actually seen. You could say, “Someone I know saw me,” or “A friend told me,” or “Someone said, ‘I saw you the other day.’” If it was someone from work, though, you’d be stuck because there wouldn’t be any good excuse. Alternatively, you could go to a nearby town about an hour away by car or to a shopping center. That said, if you were holding hands, it would be hard to explain, so I think it’s fine to be honest and tell them that it would put you in a difficult position.